Everest Base Camp Trek & Community Support

Oh yeah, Everest – the big kahuna of alpine travel and most popular mountain climbing destination on the planet!   

The Everest trek covers the upper part of Solu Khumba district taking you through Namche and Tengpoche, Dinbuche and Lobuche then on to Mt. Everest Base Camp. 

This minimum 2 week trek will take you over expansive suspension bridges, raging rivers and some of the best scenery in the world. You’ll be taking through the heartland of the Sherpa people and be provided a cultural experience learning from the original inhabitants of the Everest Highlands.

This is a total mountain adventure with outstanding scenery, challenging hiking, local hospitality and culture and popular sights.  

Week 1 – Kathmandu Orientation Week 

Kathmandu Arrive in Kathmandu and relax at the volunteer Centre. Get to know your fellow volunteers. Learn about the Nepalese culture through a series of introductory culture classes which are designed help you to develop your Nepalese language skills and deepen your understanding of the Nepalese way of life complete with details on rituals and customs. Learn about Nepal’s history and the religious influences which have shaped it.

Visit the local shops and markets with our staff, learning as you go what the local culture is and how to become a part of it. As part of your city tour and orientation you will also visit some amazing sites of such as the temple of Bouddhanath: one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Kathmandu whose ancient spherical stupa dominates the skyline and is one of the largest in the world.

• Sunday – Arrival Day.   Pick up in the airport/ Check in at the House Center
• Monday – Welcome ceremony, safety review, code of conduct, introduction games, cultural do’s & don’ts, Nepali language training
• Tuesday – Nepali language training, health & well being, cross cultural orientation
• Wednesday – Yoga & meditation (7am), Napali language training, schooling and education system overview, tour to Bouddhanath temple
• Thursday – Nepali language training, religion & culture training, local market tour and scavenger hunt
• Friday – Hiking day trip, cooking demonstration, feedback & evaluation, preparation for volunteer placements
• Saturday/Sunday – Free time

• Monday – Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla 2700m and trek to Phakding 2600, 3 – 4 hrs and overnight A spectacular flight and a jagged landing on a steep mountain runway brings us to the start of our trek at the village of Lukla [2850m].
• Tuesday – Phakding trek to Namche Bazaar 3440m, (6 – 7 hrs) and overnight.  We will continue north following the Dudh Kosi river and on to Jorsale where we enter the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. From here it is a short walk to the confluence of two rivers, the lmja Drangpa (Imja Khola) and the Nangpo Tsangpo (Bhote Kosi) followed by a steep climb (for about 2hrs.) to Namche Bazaar, the main town in the Khumbu region. Namche is a prosperous Sherpa town and an important trading centre with a weekly Saturday market.
• Wednesday – Namche Bazaar (rest day and overnight) Namche Bazaar is tucked away between two ridges amongst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. Once named the “Trekkers Mecca of Nepal”, Namche now boasts an abundance of lodges and souvenir shops. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatizing to the new altitude of 3450m before heading off towards Gokyo. Options for acclimatization walks include a visit to Khunde Hospital and also the one hour walk up to the Everest Hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest.
• Thursday – Namche Bazaar trek to Tyangboche, 3860m, (6 hrs) and overnight. From Namche, the trail contours around the side of the valley, high above the Dudh Kosi. Now we get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu including Mt Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we descend steeply to a bridge over the river at Phunki Tenga.
  The village is an excellent lunch spot, and here we can rest before making the steep climb to Tengboche. Although tiring, the hike up the zigzag path has numerous distractions, with rhododendron bushes, beautiful birds and superb mountain scenery. Tengboche is famous for its legendary monastery, the largest in the Khumbu. We stay near the monastery with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam framed in the doorway of our guest house.
• Friday – Tyangboche trek to Pheruche, 4252m, (6hrs) and overnight. After breakfast we head up to Pheruche. The majestic Amadablam overshadows our day. On the way, we meet a little Sherpa village called Pangbuche and continue to Pheruche for overnight.
• Saturday – Pheruche trek to Labuche 4930m, (6 hrs) and overnight. We continue up the wide valley beneath the impressive peaks of Cholatse and Tawache on the left. We then turn right and climb more steeply towards the foot of the Khumbu Glacier. At the top of this climb there are many stone cairns, built as memorials to the many Sherpas who have died while climbing Mt Everest. The path then climbs gently along the glacier, to eventually reach the cluster of houses at Lobuche.
• Sunday –  Labuche trek to Gorakpshep 5184m, (2 and half hrs) and Kalapattar 5500 m and back to Labuche.
• Monday –  Labuche trek to Dingboche (6 and half hrs) and overnight. Today is downhill most of the way, as we retrace our steps to Duglha and descend to Pheriche. The Himalayan Rescue Association have their trekkers aid post here and it is quite interesting to visit.
• Tuesday –   Dingboche trek to Tyangboche 3860m, (4 hrs) and overnight. We continue to follow the river and, after crossing it, climb back up through birch and rhododendron forest to Tengboche.
• Wednesday – Tyangboche trek to Namchee Bazaar 3440m, (5 hrs) and overnight. From Tengboche we descend to the bridge over the Dudh Kosi at Phunki where there are water driven prayer wheels, then climb and contour around the hillside to Namche.
• Thursday –  Namche Bazaar trek to Lukla 2840m, (7hrs) and overnight. From Namche Bazaar the trail descends steeply to the village of Jorsale. Passing the villages of Phakding (2640m) and Choplung, we reach Chaunrikharka and the trail that cuts up to the airstrip at Lukla.
• Friday – Lukla fly to Kathmandu, Early morning flight to Kathmandu. 
• Saturday/Sunday – Free time

Week 4 Kathmandu Volunteering Placement

Volunteering in Kathmandu at the local school or in an orphanage or earthquake rebuilding efforts. The coordinators who are specially trained will help you throughout the course of your stay in Nepal with us and provide you with reassurance and assistance when you need it. Letting you feel not only a part of the local culture but that you also gave something back to it.  You have the option to extend this volunteer placement at the end.  Volunteer Placement include:

• Medical program
• Teaching in Buddhist Monasteries
• Renovation projects
• Organic Farm/Community development
  
• Stray Dog rehabilitation
  
• Woman's empowerment