Day 01 Welcome to Kathmandu
A Himalayan Holidays representative will meet and welcome you at Kathmandu Airport and transfer you to your hotel. after a welcome drink and check-in at the hotel a pre-trek briefing will be held. The rest of the day is yours to explore the local area.

Day 02 Kathmandu Sightseeing
After breakfast you will be picked up at the hotel to begin an interesting tour around Kathmandu . Your English-speaking guide will escort you to Durbar Square the historic centre of the city and home to the living goddess Kumari. Then on to Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple, situated high on a hill top this stupa is one of the most recognized images of the Kathmandu Vally and affords magnificent views of the city and valley below. From here we travel to Pashupatinath the site of the most important Hindu temple in Nepal and located on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Here we will see holy men known as Sadhus performing their religious rituals and you may witness funeral pyres burning on the river side ghats.

Day 03 Kathmandu - Lukla - Phakding 2610m (Approx 3 hours trekking)
You will be transferred from your hotel to Kathmandu airport for your 40 minute spectacular flight to Lukla. A few hours of easy walking takes us up to the picturesque village of Phakding at 2,800 metres and where we spend our first night at a trekking lodge. o/n at lodge

Day 04 Phakding to Namche Bazaar 3480m ( Approx 6 -7 hours trekking)
From Phakding we cross the Dudh Kosi river to follow the trail north up the valley where the trail officially enters the Sagarmatha National Park. Here your trekking permits will be checked before continuing on through the National Park . We walk on through Jorsale continue along the trail, cross the Bhote Kosi River on a high suspension bridge and begin the steady steep climb to Namche Bazaar at 3480 metres. o/n at lodge

Day 05 Rest day for acclimatisation
We have a rest day in Namche Bazaar to acclimatize. This town is the hub of Sherpa society and the administrative centre of the Solu Khumbu region. There are many shops selling Tibetan and Nepalese artifacts, restaurants, a bakery, money changer and even an internet service. The National Park Headquarters/information centre is worth visiting and if you have forgotten anything there are plenty of shops selling trekking clothing and equipment. o/n at lodge

Day 06 Namche - Thami return to Namche 3500m (Approx 7 hours trekking)
An acclimatization walk to the west to visit Thami and visit the monastery is a good way to spend the second day in the area. If you are lucky enough to chat with the monks or nuns they can tell you the fascinating origin of the monastery while you admire the religious wall paintings and artifacts. You may also like to visit the local primary school and you will definitely want to spin the huge prayer wheels before we cross the river on our return walk back to our lodge. o/n at lodge

Day 07 Namche Bazaar to Khumjung 3790m (Approx 2-3 hours trekking)
From Namche we ascend the steep path up above the village where we have spectacular views of the town, and then on up to Syanboche airstrip. Above the airstrip is the Everest View Hotel, aptly named for its magnificent views. After sitting on the balcony with a drink and soaking in the vista of the “Top of the World”, we continue our trek onto Khumjung at 3790 metres. Sir Edmund Hilary established a school and science laboratory in this town, it has several lodges, a bakery and is a pleasant town to spend the night. The Khumjung Gompa posseses what is supposed to be a Yeti skull. o/n at lodge

Day 08 Khumjung to Dole 4200m (Approx 4 hours trekking)
Leaving the main trail to Mt. Everest, we climb high on a ridge to 4000m past a large chorten at the village of Mong, birthplace of the famous saint Lama Sange Dorje and from there we descend to the village of Phortse Tenga by the Dudh Kosi river. From Phortse the trail climbs steeply through forests of rhododendrons, the national flower of Nepa.l and then juniper and firs as the altitude increases. We pass through Sherpa kharkas (high pasture summer settlements where Sherpas graze their herds of yaks) and the villages of Tongba 3950m and Gyele 3960m to Dole. We have great views of Khumbila and Tawachee peaks throughout the day.o/n at lodge

Day 09 Dole to Machhermo 4410m (Approx 3 hours)
While many people feel that they could easily walk on further it is vitally important to acclimatize slowly, so today we have a short and fairly leisurely trek to allow us to acclimatize to the altitude. In the morning we have a steep but beautiful climb again through fir and rhododendron forests and stands of juniper to Lhabarma 4220m and Luza 4360m. Past the yak herder settlements we continue to climb along the side of the valley, high above the river to the camp at Machhermo 4410 m. It was here in 1974 that a yeti supposedly killed three yaks and attacked a Sherpa woman. So watch out for Yeti in this area. o/n at lodge

Day 10 Machhermo to Gokyo 4720m ( Approx 3-4 hours)
Due to the high altitude, the trekking today may be described as moderate to difficult and the going is slow (in fact, we recommended that you walk slowly, enjoy the view and take lots of photos). We climb a ridge from where the valley opens wide as the trail passes through Pangkha. and Mt. Cho Oyu at 8153 dominates the skyline to the north as we climb the moraine on the left flank of the Ngozumpa Glacier. The climb is steep to the first of the four lakes that lie in the Gokyo area but the trail levels off towards the second lake, Longponga at 4690m. We finally ascend a path past the largest of the lakes Dudh Pokhari to Gokyo at 4750m. Gokyo is a typical kharka settlement of stone houses and stone walled pastures. After lunch you may rest or explore the surroundings o/n at lodge

Day 11 Rest and Explore around
A free day to explore the area around Gokyo or rest. For enthusiasts who still have the energy, a rigorous hike up to the peak of Gokyo Ri at 5360m provides spectacular views of the Everest trinity, Nuptse 7879m, Lhotse 8511m, and Everest 8848m, as well as Makalu 8463m looming to the east, Cho Oyu 8153m to the north and the smaller but closer peaks of Cholatse and Tawachee to the south. There is a wonderful view of Gokyo and Dudh Pokhari spread out below us. A short walk from behind the lodge will take you to the edge of the Ngozumpa Glacier the largest in Nepal and there are several short walks around the teal coloured glacial lake. o/n at lodge

Day 12 Goykyo to Dole 4200m (Approx 5 hours)
We now return down the same path we traveled before but due to our acclimatization and the decreasing altitude, the pace is much faster and we are easily able to trek to Dole in 1 day. You may be lucky enough to see the Golden Eagles who frequent this area and often soar close to the track. BLD

Day 13 Dole to Pangboche 3930m (Approx 6 hours)
From Dole we continue to descend to Phortse Tenge where we cross the Dudh Kosi river and walk up to Phortse before ascending further to Pangboche. Our path takes us along an exposed trail from where you can see the Thyangboche monastry in the distance across the river. In this area there are many Himalayan Thar and Nepal’s national bird the “impeyan pheasant” with its many brilliant colours is also found in this area. o/n at lodge

Day 14 Pangboche to Pheriche 4240m ( Approx 4 hours)
After our morning’s walk we arrive at the small settlement of Pheriche in the valley. Amongst the lodges is the Himalayan Rescue Association (H.R.A.) first aid/medical centre. You may wish to visit the medical centre for one of the interesting lectures on Altitude Mountain Sickness (A.M.S.) or enjoy a walk in the flat valley in the afternoon.

Day 15 Pheriche to Lobuje 4930m (Approx 4 hours)
The first part of this day is quite flat as we walk along the valley before climbing up to Phalang Karpo and then on at Dughla at 4620.From Dughla we continue along the main Everest trail up the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier past a row of stone monuments in memory of Sherpas and climbers who died on expeditions to Everest. The scenery is spectacular and most people are easily able to manage the increase in altitude due to the acclimatization at Gokyo We follow the path next to the valley stream along to Lobuje where those who still have the energy may wish to climb up another trail behind the lodges to sit at 5000m and enjoy the views of the Khumbu Glacier, Nuptse and your destination for the next day Kala Pattar. o/n at lodge

Day 16 Excursion to Kala Pattar 5545m Return to Lobuje (Approx 8-9 hours)
We make a very early start and ascend the trail along boulder fields and glacial debris to the edge of the Khumbu Glacier then continue up to Gorak Shep at 5160 m which is nestled below the coned summit of Mt. Pumori 7161m. and the sheer west face of Nuptse. This is a good place for breakfast and a rest before making a steep ascent to the top of a small peak, Kala Pattar 5545m meaning "black rock". On the way up you will probably be able to spot the expedition camps at Everest Base Camp below. On a clear day you will able to see the Khumbu Glacier and the ice fall, you may even see climbers walking on the glacier. When you reach Kala Pattar the view is magnificent enough to make you forget any difficulty of the climb. Everest, Nuptse, Ama Dablan, Kantega, Tamserku, Tawatse and Pumo Ri all present themselves in a 360 degree panorama. You will want to try to capture this awesome scenery both with your mind and your camera so take the time and enjoy being “on top of the world”. After soaking up this incredible experience we walk back down to Gorak Shep and have another break and something to eat and drink. Heading back down over the rocky moraine we get a chance to savour the last views of the glacier as we retrace our steps back to Lobuje, This is a long day involving about 6/7 hours trekking, and some people take the option to shorten by staying at Gorak Shep but it is generally agreed that it is more pleasant to return to Lobuje due to the better facilities and lower altitude. o/n at lodge

Day 17 Lobuje to Dingboche 4360m ( Approx 5 – 6 hours)
We now return along the same path to Dughla then and take an easy flat trail to with a small descent to Dingboche. where the decrease in altitude makes it easy walking. Dingboche is the highest settlement in the Khumbu area of Sherpas and is mainly a Summer village with with stone walled fields protecting crops from the wind and yaks graze here in the Summer months. There are many large lodges here and it is a very pleasant place to spend the afternoon relaxing or strolling around the village. o/n at lodge

Day 18 Rest Day
A day to simply rest, enjoy the village or if you wish take an excursion to Chhuking for spectacular views of the surrounding glaciers and awesome snow capped peaks. This day could be taken at any time through the trek if needed and the itinerary then adapted accordingly

19 Dingboche – Thyangboche 3876m ( approx 4 hours)
From Dingboche we follow the trail down through alpine pastures through the kharkas of Orsho and Shomare and turn off before Pangboche to take the patb to Thyanboche. the route descends past some magnificently carved mani stones to the Imja Khola which we cross via a steel suspension bridge high above the river where it rushes through a narrow cleft. From there we have a gentle climb to the tiny village of Debache past mani walls deep in a rhododendron forest. From Debache we have a short steep climb to Thyangboche through a forest of birches conifers and rhododendrons. Because of the ban on hunting at Thyangboche there is much wildlife in this area and there is another chance to see the imeyan pheasant amongst many other birds such as the Himalayan monal, snow pigeons and red billed choughs. A visit to the monastery is a must, there is an Eco information centre where you can see a short video on the impact of tourism in the area and the history of the monastery the monks are friendly and welcoming and you may even see a “Pujo” a blessing by the monks for those intending to climb Mt. Everest. o/n at lodge

Day 20 Thyanboche to Namche Bazaar 3480m (approx 4 hours)
On most days there is the opportunity to witness the early morning ceremony of the monks and the sound of the monks chanting, cymbals clashing and horns trumpeting is an unforgettable experience for those interested and makes a wonderful start to the day before we trek on to Namche Bazaar. Thyangboche is also a wonderful photo opportunity, the monastery looks spectacular in either the mist, illuminated at night or in the morning sun and the singular beauty of Ama Dablam, standing isolated from all other mountains provides a spectacular backdrop and reminder of the height of Himalayan peaks. From here the trail drops sharply down to the Dudh Kosi and the village of Phunki, where we cross the river, and up toward Namche Bazaar, winding high above the river with views north towards Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. For those who wish to establish contact with home, there is once again access to the internet or if you prefer just go and sit in the bakery with a coffee and apple turnover. o/n at lodge

Day 21 Namche Bazaaar to Phakding (approx 4-5 hours)
We retrace our trek down along the gorge of the Dudh Kosi through Jorsale and the beautiful National Park to stay at Phakding once more o/n at lodge.

Day 22 Phakding to Lukla (approx 3 hours)
A mostly uphill walk on our return to Lukla to catch our flight back to Kathmandu but you can have a leisurely start and still reach there before lunch. In the afternoon you might like explore the town of Lukla or visit the local “Thangka Painting School” and witness the students learning the art of these intricate and beautiful religious paintings. For many groups this may be the point where you say goodbye to some of your trekking crew so hopefully you will enjoy a good farewell dinner together, and your crew might even prepare a farewell treat for you where you will be invited to join in the singing and the dancing too. o/n at lodge

Day 23 Fly to Kathmandu
Fly to Kathmandu, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, the remainder of day is yours to spend as you wish. o/n hotel

Day 24 Explore Kathmandu
Explore Kathmandu. There is opportunity to arrange further sightseeing if you wish, perhaps to Patan, the second largest city in the Kathmandu Valley, Patan’s Durbar Square has best display of Newari architecture in Nepal, or Bhaktapur, the medieval city and sometimes described as a living museum. You may like to explore the many shops and market in Kathmandu’s tourist area of Thamel for some unique handicraft as a souvenir of your wonderful experience in Nepal.

Day 25 Morning transfer to the airport for your international departure B.

All land and domestic air transfer as per itinerary
Arrival and departure transfers
Twin share accommodation in Kathmandu 3 star accommodation
1/2 day sightseeing in Kathmandu on day 2
All meals while on the trek and accommodation in lodges
Fully escorted trek with English speaking guide and 1 porter between each 2 person
Trekking permit and National Park Fees

Not Included :
International Airfare and taxes
Visas $Aus 70

Airport Departure taxes/Excess baggage charges $U.S3 for domestic, $U.S.25 for international
Morning and afternoon tea, snacks
Items of personal nature ie. Soft/hard drinks, tips etc.
Travel Insurance (this is a mandatory condition of booking)
Medical evacuation in case of emergency
Optional sightseeing in Kathmandu on day 24
Personal spending money

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is adventure travel in a remote mountain region, we cannot guarantee it! Weather conditions and the health of trekkers can all contribute to changes. The guides and their Sherpa assistants will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if necessary.

Experience Required:
This Trek is suitable for keen walkers who are able to walk for 6 – 7 hours in a day, with a light rucksack. Some of the days are quite long, and the walking feels more strenuous at altitude. Generally the trail is a good track, but occasionally it will be uneven and rocky.

Food & Accommodation :
You are accommodated in lodges whilst on trek. You are free to choose how much and what you want to eat from menus at the lodge which provide good simple food appropriate for the type of physical activity you are undertaking.

Booking Conditions
A non refundable deposit of $350 must be paid at time of booking and booking form must be completed.
Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure
Travel insurance with unlimited medical cover is compulsory for all trips to Nepal

A visa for Nepal is to be obtained prior to departure from Australia

Cancellation Fees
If cancellation in writing is received by Himalayan Holidays more than 45 days prior to departure, the non-refundable deposit will be retained (maximum 10% of total land price) plus any air cancellation fees that may apply.

If cancellation is received within 45 days of departure, the following per person cancellation fees will apply:
15 - 45 days prior to departure: 25% of total price
7 - 14 days prior to departure: 35% of total price
less than 7 days prior to departure: 50% of total price (except for the total cost of government fees)
On departure day or later: 100% of total price.

The penalties for cancellation are designed to safeguard the company, which will have to make certain payments in advance of the trip departure, and are adopted in a similar form throughout the travel industry.