All activities / Trekking / Hiking / Khumbu
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Trekking / Hiking in Khumbu
The Sherpa heartland below Everest: the teahouse route from Lukla through Namche Bazaar to Base Camp and Kala Patthar.
Why here
The Everest Base Camp trek is the definitive Himalayan teahouse walk: roughly 130km round trip over twelve to fourteen days, from the Lukla airstrip through Namche Bazaar and the Sherpa villages of the Khumbu to Base Camp at 5,364m and the Kala Patthar viewpoint at 5,644m, face to face with Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. The whole route lies inside Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the lodge infrastructure has no equal anywhere at this altitude: you sleep in beds and eat dal bhat every night of a walk that tops out higher than any summit in western Europe. No technical skill is required; fitness and respect for acclimatization are the entire entry fee.
Best months
Two seasons: March-April (rhododendron bloom, warming toward hazy May) and October-November (the clearest skies). Monsoon is an honest no-go and December is clear but bitterly cold. Nepal's 2023 guide rule makes guided trekking the standard; permits are the Sagarmatha park entry plus the Khumbu municipality permit bought at Lukla or Monjo.
Getting there & around
Fly Kathmandu to Lukla, weather permitting, and build slack for cancellations at both ends. Acclimatization days at Namche and Dingboche are not optional. Agencies bundle permits, guides, and porters.
Skill levels: intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Ace the Himalaya
OutfitterKathmandu operator founded in 2006 running guided EBC departures with strong responsible-tourism practices and porter welfare standards.
Nepal Hiking Team
OutfitterLicensed Kathmandu agency founded in 2009, TAAN member, running EBC and Khumbu treks with government-licensed guides.
Also good for trekking / hiking in March:
Torn between Khumbu and Phong Nha for March?
A plan settles it for your skill and budget, same-day.