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Everest Base Camp Trek - 21 Day/20 Night Itinerary
Sunday, Day 0 - TRAVEL DAY
Today you will be arriving in Kathmandu, Nepal from your overseas flight from home. When you arrive in Kathmandu we will meet you after you exit from immigration with a WELCOME RED LOTUS TOURS sign. Our Nepali guide will greet you and provide you with transportation to our hotel in Thamel district. Diana and Jennifer will be there to help you get settled in and oriented to your environment. Snacks and fresh water will be provided in your room.
Your Everest Base Camp Expedition coordinator will meet with you in the late afternoon to give you an overview of what the expect over the next two days in Kathmandu.
We will meet in the evening for a group dinner.
Monday, Day 1
Your day will begin today after a leisurely morning at the hotel. There will be light snacks served on the patio or in the garden between 10 and 11:00 a.m. and will include an introduction time when we will all officially meet and greet each other in a unique Red Lotus way... it’s fun!
You will given time to talk with the trek coordinator again in case you have some further questions and have things that need to be taken care of before you leave for your flight to Lukla day after tomorrow. There are mountain trekking gear shops everywhere in Thamel, as well as pharmacies, trekking food shops, bookstores, etc. so if you find you have left home without something you need for the trek, most likely you will have no problem finding it easily in Thamel district. The day will be spent preparing your pack for the 16-day trek and any left over time can be spent touring around the area.
Tuesday, Day 2
Day two of our program begins with a light breakfast at 8 a.m. We will then be taken by private transport to visit Kopan Monastery and attend the 10 a.m. meditation session and discussion group. We will have lunch at the monastery before going on to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the many world heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley. When we arrive back at our hotel in Thamel you will have some free time to clean up, pack your gear and get ready for your departure early tomorrow morning.
A healthy dinner of organic vegetarian food will be served at our hotel. Again, we will meet as a group for a healthy organic vegetarian dinner at our hotel. And we will send you off with best wishes for a successful Everest Base Camp trek!
Wednesday, Day 3
Early morning check out of hotel and flight to Lukla, the starting point of your trek. Your trek leader will go with you from the hotel to the airport and make sure your flight takes off smoothly with all on board. Once you arrive in Lukla, you will meet your Sherpas and porters and they will organize the portage of your gear.
You will have a hot breakfast before you hit the trail for Phakding.
The Sherpas will check you in to a guesthouse and you will have a couple hours to relax or wander around the village before dark.
Dinner will be at the guesthouse. Before bedtime your lead Sherpa will come around and announce the plan for tomorrow s hike and what time he will wake you up, what time you need to have breakfast and what time he plans for everyone to be on the trail.
He will also take your order of what you would like for breakfast.
Overnight and sweet dreams at Phakding.
Thursday, Day 4
Your Sherpas will awaken you at the specified time. You will need to repack your gear soon after you awake so the porters can come collect it and get it ready for the trail.
Breakfast is served in the dining hall. Shortly after breakfast you will be on the trail heading for Namche Bazaar, elevation 3,440 meters (11,286 ft.)
Namche Bazaar is a bustling little village with lots of shops, bakeries and even an internet café! It’s a good place to pick up that one last thing you forgot to bring &there is trekking gear, pharmacies and cold stores for snacks. You will have some time to unwind in Namche, as you will have three nights here.
All breakfasts and dinners are to be taken at the guesthouse where you are staying but you are free to go out and find lunch elsewhere.
Again, your Sherpa will meet with you at appointed times and give you instructions on the next days plans, meal times, menus for breakfast, etc. You will quickly get in the groove of teahouse trekking .
Friday, Day 5
Today is an acclimatization day and you will be taking a short trek around the area to see some amazing vistas, including Mt. Everest and Ama Dablam! So bring your camera and get ready for a fun day! There are some interesting Sherpa villages to visit and at the end of the day, a warm fire in the dining hall of your guesthouse will welcome you.
Saturday, Day 6
An extra day in Namche and we planned it on Saturday so you can enjoy the Tibetan marketplace that happens in Namche every Saturday. You can wander around the area and take in more of the sights, shop and barter with the traders or just lay low at the guesthouse catching up on your journal, laundry and perhaps a little emailing. If you must do any souvenir shopping today, plan on leaving it behind at the guesthouse... you will return here on your way down to Lukla and can collect it then.
Sunday, Day 7
Up early, breakfast and on the trail to Tengboche, a small village of monks and the Tengboche monastery. Elevation here is 3,860 meters (12,664 ft). You will have time around 4 p.m. to tour the monastery and they are very good about answering your questions. The views of Everest are phenomenal here so if you are a photographer be sure to be ready for sunset photos.
Dinner and sleep.
Monday, Day 8
Trekking today to Pheriche. You will be spending two nights here in order to acclimatize to the higher elevation. It is very important once you reach elevations of around 4,000 meters (Pheriche is 4,270 meters or 14,009 ft.) that you take these acclimatization days, even though you may be feeling fine. There is less danger of having to deal with AMS (see notes about altitude sickness in our section under Nepal ) when you take it slow and easy and follow the Sherpa s instructions. Also, there is a medical clinic in this village with a doctor on staff in case you are having problems. They are accessible to you. Relax the rest of the day and have a good night s sleep after your dinner at the guesthouse.
Tuesday, Day 9
A rest day in Pheriche. Your Sherpa will instruct you what the plan for the day is and will answer any questions you might have. He or she will make sure you see any local sites of interest and are well prepared to move on to higher altitude tomorrow. It is possible there will be a free public talk given by the clinic doctor about AMS, symptoms and how to treat it. If you have this opportunity it is a great thing to take advantage of because you will get the facts rather than other people s stories or speculations. Dinner at the guesthouse and enjoy another good night’s sleep.
Wednesday, Day 10
Today’s trek will take you from Pheriche to Lobuje. You will notice the dramatic change in geography as well as the lower temperatures. If you need more warmth at night your Sherpa can arrange extra blankets and remember to use your water bottle to heat your sleeping bag.
You will no doubt be meeting the same groups of trekkers along the way and will by this time have some friends you’ve made in the previous village or two. A good night for a game of cards, visiting with your new friends and maybe talking to some people who are on their way down. The usual nightly ritual of ordering your breakfast for tomorrow and settling in another sleep over.
Thursday, Day 11
You are into the home stretch to Everest Base Camp! You've made it this far and today’s trek will take you to the last outpost before the day trek to E.B.C., Gorak Shep, elevation 5,140 meters or 16,863 ft. A wonderful option you will have here is to take a short hike up to the top of KalaPattar where there are unprecedented views of Everest and the surrounding peaks.
Again, if you are a photographer you will want to make this little side trek after you are settled into the guesthouse at Gorak Shep.
It will be at your Sherpa’s discretion as to whether this will be an afternoon (sunset) option today or an early morning (sunrise) option tomorrow.
Enjoy your accomplishments so far and get ready for your arrival at Everest Base Camp tomorrow!
Friday, Day 12
This is the day! You will re-pack your pack this morning before breakfast and then put a smile on your face... and get ready for the fairly easy trek from Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp. You may have a special token you would like to place there... prayer flags are popular, or a stone, a crystal, a photo of a loved one... anything that has meaning to you, as long as it’s eco-friendly. The base camp has been cleaned up nicely by some expeditions who came specifically for that purpose so the icefall and glacier are in pristine condition. The elevation here is 5,364 meters, 17,598 feet.
Enjoy you lunch at Base Camp and take lots of photos to commemorate the moment before hiking back out to Gorak Shep. You will stop to pick up any of your personal belongings you have left at the guesthouse and begin the trek back out to Lobuje.
Overnight at Lobuje guesthouse.
Saturday, Day 13
Hike today to Dengboche. This is a new village in the itinerary (your previous stop was at Pheriche). Dengboche sits higher on the plateau above Pheriche. Overnight and the usual routine here.
Sunday, Day 14
Hike to Tengboche Monestary. We will spend one more night in this spectacular setting. There is a great bakery here if you are wanting to indulge in some carbs! You’ve so totally earned it!
Monday, Day 15
Hike out to Namche Bazaar. You will begin to feel lighter on your feet, like springs in your legs now, and breathing easier. Nice!
Enjoy doing some last minute shopping or trading trekking gear with the local merchant/traders. Tomorrow you will hike out to Lukla. It s a long day but easier because of the lower altitude and downhill most of the way. If for some reason the Sherpa feels it’s needed, he may have you stay at Phakding on the way to Lukla.
Tuesday, Day 16
Arrive back in Lukla where you will overnight until tomorrow morning when you will catch your return flight to Kathmandu. The end of the trek is an interesting event and you may experience the mixed feelings of elation that it’s over and you have accomplished so much and also sadness that the trek has ended and you will be leaving you new friends and companions, the Sherpas and porters who have helped make your trek safe, successful and FUN!
Wednesday, Day 17
After breakfast you will repack your belongings once last time for the porters to carry them down to the airport for you. You will catch your scheduled flight back to Kathmandu where you will be met by the trek coordinator and welcomed home to a luxury hotel and spa ...ahhhhh... this is luscious.
Thursday, Day 18
This entire day is reserved for you to spend in the spa and relaxing on the beautiful grounds of this exquisite resort. Enjoy, you’ve earned it!
Dinner will be in the continental restaurant at the hotel.
Friday, Day 19
Today we have planned a morning tour of an ancient and incredibly beautiful and mystical part of the city, Bhaktapur. We will wander, shop and enjoy lunch in this part of the old city.
You will return to your hotel, have time to pack and get cleaned up in your dressy clothes, skirts, saris, what-have-you and meet with the other tour women for a festive photo op overlooking the city from Swayambhunath.
We will all enjoy a fabulous dinner together at one of Kathmandu s finest dining rooms, toasting each other and our journeys onward.
Saturday, Day 20 - TRAVEL DAY
Private transport to the airport where you will board your international flights for home...
OR if you are joining us for our Tibet Overland Tour we will be meeting with our Tibet expedition coordinator to be given an overview of the tour and plan our early departure tomorrow.
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