Everest Classic Trekking

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Day 1 Arrival in Kathmandu.
Transfer to Hotel. Afternoon walk tour to Durbar Square.overnight hotel.

Day 2 Sightseeing of Kathmandu
Pashupatinath, Bodhnath and Bhaktapur. Overnight hotel.

Day 3 Kathmandu- Jiri
Drive to Jiri at an elevation of 1860m. Overnight in Jiri.

Day 4 Jiri-Bhandar
The trek starts climbing along the forest and finally emerging into a pastured as the trail approaches the top of the ridge. After crossing a suspension bridge you arrive in Shivalaya(1800m) from where the route  ascends steeply towards the next Pass. This is a climb of 350m to Shangbadanda (2150m). After crossing a stream through a wooden bridge we climb further until the top of the Pass at 2705m.The mine walls indicates that the trail is now entering an area dominated by Tibetan culture. We have an excellent view of the Likhu khola valley and village of Bhandar , a large Sherpa settlement ,far below in a hanging valley .

Day 5 Bhandar –Sete
From Bhandar the trail first descends through the lower fields and deep forests where it is possible to see Lounger monkey, following for one and half-hour through a steep canyon, we reach a settlement of Kenja, inhabited by Newars and Magars. After Kenja, we ascend towards the high Lamjura ridge. Overnight in Sete(2575m.).

Day 6 Sete –Junbesi
It is a long but gradual climb to the Lamjura Pass at 3530m. You are rewarded with frost and often snow along the trail in winter or with flowering rhododendrons in the spring. The Pass is the highest point between Jiri and Namchebazar. From the top you descend to Tragdobuk (2860m), then to the pretty Sherpa village of Junbesi (2675m). It has a monastery, Hillary school and some other good places in the vicinity.

Day 7 Junbesi – Nunthala
The trail drops to Phaplu where there is an airstrip then climbs to a ridge (3080m) where you can see the Everest for the first time,the route then descends to Ringmo Khola and again ascends to Trakssindo Pass (3071m), from where the trail drops down pass the Monastry and you arrive Nunthala(2320m).

Day 8 Nunthala – Kharikhola
From Nunthala, the trail descends to the Dudhkoshi river at 1500m and crosses it to follow the other bank, the trail hikes to Jubing and continues up to Kharikhola (2070m).

Day 9 Kharikhola – Puiyan
At first the drops to 2010m and then climbs to Bupsa (2300m) from here the trail gains altitude gradually, offering beautiful views of the Dudhkoshi 1000m below at the bottom of the steep sided valley, until it reaches a ridge at 2900m over looking Puiyan, where you reach after a slide descent.

Day 10 Puiyan – Phakding
You will ascend to a ridge at 2800m and descend to Surkhe at 2293m from where Lukla airstrip is very near. You continue climbing through Moshe and Chaurikharka at 2680m to Chablung from where the trail drops to Ghat at 2550m, before you climb to Phakding at 2650m   

Day 11 Phakding-Namche.
Today there is a long, steep climb up to the town of Namche Bazaar (11300ft, 3440m), the main administrative and trading center for the Khumbu region. The climb is, however, made easier by the distractions offered by the magnificent forests of blue pine, fir, juniper and rhododendron as well as our first views of Mt. Everest.

Day 12 Acclimatization day at Namche Bazzar.
This day can be spent relaxing at camp, exploring the tiny shops in the bazaar and the local museum with exhibits of the flora, fauna, and history of the Everest region. You can also participate in an optional hike to some of the Sherpa villages nearby, such as Kunde and Khumjung, or take a more strenuous walk to Thame.

Day 13 Namche Bazzar-Tengboche.
Morning visit to the colorful Saturday market, where local and Chinese goods (brought over the high passes from Tibet) can be seen and purchased. We then head for Tengboche, along a trail with spectacular views of Everest, Lhotse, Kantaiga, and Ama Dablam. We stay the overnight near the Tengboche Monastery at  (3875m), one of the most impressive locations on earth. We will have the opportunity to explore the monastery and see monks at prayer.

Day 14 Tengboche-Pheriche.
The first part of the day is spent walking through lush rhododendron and pine forests. We eventually emerge above the tree line and continue for the rest of the day up the glacial valley until we reach Pheriche at 4240m. Some trekkers go to Dingboche at 4252m for overnight stay. En route we see some of the area's most beautifully carved mani (prayer) stones.

DAY 15 Acclimatization day in Pheriche.
This is the second of the mandatory acclimatization days on this trek.

Day 16 Pheriche-Lobjuje
From Pheriche you will climb to the tiny settlement of Dughla (4620m), on the terminal moraine of the great Khumbu Glacier. Then an ascent higher on the moraine brings you to a row of stone monuments and the trail drops a bit and follows the westrn side of the valley to Lobuje, a summer village at 4930m. It is at the foot of giant Lobuche peak. Again the views are spectacular and the sunset on Nuptse, towering directly ahead of Lobuche is especially impressive.

Day 17 Lobuje-Kalapattar Peak-Gorakshep.
This will be one of the most difficult yet rewarding days of the trek. Most of this day is spent climbing Mt. Kalapattar, a small peak (by Himalayan standards) at 5545m. The ascent is demanding but the climber gets the most magnificent mountain panorama possible: Everest, the highest point on the planet at 8848m, towers directly ahead and on all sides loom the other giants, Nuptse, Pumori, Chagatse, Lhotse and countless others. If possible we can stay and watch the awe-inspiring sunset on Everest and its neighbors. We make a quick descent to Gorak Shep, a tiny hamlet at  5170m, where we stay the night.

Day 18 Optional trip to Everest Base Camp
If you are not exhausted, you can take the strenuous trip to the base camp at 5360m but is not as spectacular as the ascent of Kalapattar because there is no view of Everest itself from there. You will have to along the Khumbu Glacier and up to Everest Base Camp at 17600ft, 5380m the closest you can get to Mt. Everest without mountaineering equipment. There will likely be a team there about to attempt the summit. The view of the Khumbu Icefall from Base Camp is spectacular. We return down to Lobuche for the night.

Day 19 Lobuche-Dingboche.
You will retrace down the way to Dingboche.

Day 20 Dingboche-Upper Pangboche.
From Lobuche we take a slightly different route down to Upper Pangboche. Here is the oldest monastery in the region, which contains what is said to be the scalp and bones of a Yeti, or abominable snowman!

Day 21 Upper Pangboche-Namche
We descend to join the main trail above Tengboche and continue on down to Namche.

Day 22 Namce-Lukla
Descend down to Lukla for our final night in the Khumbu. Although it may have looked primitive the first time through, Lukla will seem quite modern after the isolated villages up the valley.

Day 23 Lukla-Kathmandu
An early morning flight takes us back to Kathmandu, and gives us a last view of the mountains we have just spent two weeks exploring.

DAY 24 Transfer to airport for departure.