Luxury Lodges of Everest

Day 1 - Depart London.

Fly overnight London to Kathmandu.

Overnight: In flight

Day 2 - Arrive in Kathmandu. Group transfer to hotel.

You will be met at the airport and transferred to Dwarika's Hotel, a luxurious and stylish 5* hotel filled with Nepalese furniture, carvings and statues with a cool elegant courtyard where it is a pleasure to relax. The hotel has a superb restaurant, where you can eat in traditional style, as well as a swimming pool. It is a peaceful haven and an excellent place to unwind after the long flight from London.

Overnight: Dwarika's Hotel, Kathmandu

Day 3 - Drive to Manthali. Approximately 4 hours.

Today you will make the drive from Kathmandu to the small town of Manthali which is conveniently located close to Ramechap Airport. The drive takes around 4 hours (traffic dependant) and you will wind your way through the Nepalese countryside before reaching the town and your hotel for the night.

Overnight: Freedom Resort Or Similar, Manthali

Day 4 - Fly to Lukla, 2,743m/8,999ft. Trek to Monjo, 2,835m/9,301ft - 5-6 hours.

You will have an early start for the 45 minute drive to Ramechap to catch your flight to Lukla. The early morning flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and the landing at the small mountain airstrip is something you will be talking about for many years to come. The scenery is fantastic and as you fly like an insect up the vast valleys towards Lukla, the giants of the world appear on the horizon. It is then about 2 hours to walk to Phakding, 2,652m/8,700ft, where you will probably stop for lunch. First the path drops down a steep, stony path to meet the trail coming up through Chaurikhirka. You will encounter porters, sherpas, trekkers and the common beast of burden, the dzo. The path contours the mountainside, past lodges and the small hamlets of Ghat, 2,490m/8,169ft, and Chuthrawa, 2,591m/8,500ft. The trail takes you past large stones carved and painted with prayers, a couple of large new suspension bridges and under large cliffs with trickling waterfalls. From Phakding it is another 2-3 hours to Monjo, 2,835m/9,301ft, which lies just past Chumoa. Before you get to Monjo, there will be time for tea at Benkar, at a lovely lodge in a wild spot. Memories of the day will include the sounds of porters listening to radios, a cacophony of different languages, strange sounding birds, the sight of porters and loads resting on sticks outside tea houses, tired trekkers making their way back to Lukla, prayer flags, the gaudy colours of the tea houses and, of course, the dramatic scenery.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 5 - Day walk from Monjo, 2,835m/9,301ft - 4 hours.

Monjo is a picturesque small village comprising about 25 houses and located at a small, narrow valley at the base of the peaks Thamserku, 6,608m/21,680ft, and Kaysaro. It is also at the junction between the Thamserku & Dudh Kosi kholas and is just on the edge of the Sagarmatha National Park.

Today, to help you acclimatise, your Sherpa sirdar will take you on a day walk to Thakcho Hill, which lies a little above 3,000m/9,843ft. From this vantage point the views of the Kongde Ri, Thamserku and the Numbur Himal are quite spectacular. The total excursion should take about 4 hours.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 6 - Trek to Namche Bazaar, 3,445m/11,303ft - 3-4 hours.

This will be one of the harder days physically on your trek, so take it slowly. The path itself is full of interesting sights. Not least of these will be your first view of Everest as you get higher up the trail. From the lodge it is 15 minutes to the Everest National Park boundary and already the scenery is inspiring, with deep gorges, bare vertical rock faces, pine forests on some steep slopes and wispy waterfalls. Having completed the paperwork, it then takes 15 minutes following the right bank of the river to where it starts to climb to the Hillary Bridge, named after Sir Edmund of Everest fame. This is a tremendously impressive suspension bridge, spanning a deep chasm. The path then zigzags up through the forest where trees pack themselves in between giant boulders and cliffs. If you are lucky, you may well see small herds of thar, a small deer-like animal.

Eventually, you pull into Namche Bazaar, its Sherpa houses built one above the other on the steep sides of a sloping mountain bowl. The narrow streets at its centre are a mixture of cyber cafés, souvenir shops and places where you can rent/buy any piece of equipment under the sun. Namche is a bustling place and the hub of everything that goes on in the Everest region. All expeditions pass through here on their way to the peaks and there is a huge cross section of nationalities staying in lodges, or camping.

Overnight: Namche Hotel Or Sherpaland

Day 7 - Trek to Tashinga, 3,360m/11,024ft - 2 hours.

It is only a short trek, less than 2 hours, to Tashinga, on the classic route towards Everest. First you have the steep pull up the hill out of Namche to the national Park HQ (good views of Everest here). Then the path is more or less level as it winds its way around the mountainsides. It then drops down the hill to the river below Thyangboche and after a couple of lodges the path breaks off to the small hamlet of Tashinga. The afternoon can be spent relaxing in the lovely lodge gardens.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 8 - Trek to Thyangboche, 3,873m/12,707ft and on to Pangboche – 5-6 hours. 31st October departure attends the Mani Rimdu Festival in Thyangboche.

This morning, looking across the valley, you will be able to see the path sloping diagonally up towards the famous monastery of Thyangboche, but first you have to descend to the river. This takes half an hour to an hour, descending steeply in a series of zigzags to the Dudh Kosi River. Here you cross a suspension bridge in the lee of a gigantic overhanging cliff, 3,200m/10,498ft. A little way further on is a small hamlet, Phunki Tenga, where you could stop for a cup of tea. It is 2-3 hours from the bridge to reach the monastery at a slow, even pace. At first you climb steeply up through a pine forest, thankfully in the shade and then emerge to walk up a long gentle straight path that rises like a ramp to the monastery.

Emerging at the top, there is a mandala gateway and a huge chorten which you pass before your first sight of the gompa. The setting is nothing short of magic and it is incredible to think that the temple was burnt down only a few years ago and was re-built largely through the efforts of the Sir Edmund Hillary Trust. There is a very good Visitors’ Centre and in the afternoon it is possible to sit down inside the temple for afternoon prayers. Conch shells are blown, the monks arrive and visitors are expected to sit quietly on the right hand side of the temple. A small donation is appreciated.

For those travelling on the 31st October 2025 departure you will spend some time at the Mani Rimdu Festival. This Buddhist festival, the most important festival of the Sherpa people, celebrates the role of Guru Padma Sambhava in the founding of Tibetan Buddhism. The three days of the festival in Thyangboche begin on the first day with a special blessing ceremony by the re-incarnate lama of Thyangboche, followed on the second day by masked dances and celebrations and concluding on the third day with the Fire Pooja Ceremony. The masked dances and various mystical ceremonies are performed to dispel evil spirits and to confer 'merit' to those attending. Long Tibetan horns blare, drums beat, black hat dancers twirl and the whole event has a magical ambiance. Each day of the festival is interesting in its own right and besides the masked dances there is the creation of a sand mandala and the construction of butter tormas (symbolic offerings made of coloured butter and barley flour). Please be aware that the 'running order' of the festival and even the dates can sometimes change with little notice.

Leaving Thyangboche, your path descends through trees to Deboche where the small and atmospheric nunnery is well worth a visit. You pass further houses and ‘mani’ walls as the path continues along the river valley amongst the trees. After crossing a bridge over a picturesque gorge, the path gradually climbs, with stunning views of Ama Dablam ahead. There are numerous fantastic photo opportunities in both directions, and frequent chortens and mani walls are passed as height is gained to reach the village of Pangboche. This is a very photogenic village with stone walled fields and there is a very interesting monastery set in trees at the top of the village.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 9 - Trek to Phortse 3,810m/12,500ft - 4 hours.

Today, you head south out of Pangboche along the high trail. You have a leisurely trek through a rocky landscape dotted with scrub junipers, great great views over the Imja Khola valley. The trail skirts around the ridge and drops down to the potato fields of Phortse at 3810m/12,500ft. This is a lovely village, with a monastery that you can visit. There are musk deer in the forest and you might be lucky enough to spot a Himalayan monal – Nepal’s national and very colourful bird. One of Phortse’s biggest charms is that it lies just off the main trekking trail, so feels like an authentic Sherpa village. You will stay in a tea house tonight as there is no luxury lodge here.

Overnight: Tea House

Day 10 - Trek via Khumjung and Khunde to Mende, 3,738m/12,264ft - 5 hours.

Today, you will trek by the villages of Khumjung and Khunde, across the top of Namche Bazaar and then up the Nangpo Dzangpo valley to the lodge at Mende. Leaving Tashinga Lodge you contour on a small path to reach the main trail leading to Khumjung, approximately one hour. The path leads gently up the shallow valley and Khumjung itself is built into a mountain bowl. The village is surrounded by mountains and regular patterned terraced fields. It has the best bakery in the Everest region and a stop for coffee and cakes is a must. The village of Khunde is a short walk further on and contains the famous medical centre instigated by the Sir Edmund Hillary Trust. Take time also to visit the Edmund Hillary School.

Leaving Khumjung behind, there is a short climb out of the valley and the path then descends towards Namche. You in fact take the high level path across the top of the township, turning the corner to head north again. The valley ahead is extremely beautiful and you just wander along a dappled forest track, or in the open with wonderful views. Again, you may see monal pheasant or small herds of thar. Having turned the corner above Namche, after an hour you come to the small village of Phurte where there is a Sir Edmund Hillary forestry project, a large chorten and some very attractive mani walls (prayer walls).

The path continues quite easily and rounding a corner you look down at the small hamlet of Tshro. You now turn off the main trail and make your way slowly up a closed valley. This valley is closed off by the holy peak of Khumbui Yul Lha, 5,761m/18,900ft. As you move up to the head of the valley you come to one or two lone houses and small fields and then you will cross the river and climb steeply up the hillside to the hamlet at Mende. This is the sting in the tail at the end of the day!

This lodge has a commanding position and very fine views and once reached you will feel the effort has been worth it.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 11 - Trek to Thame, 3,801m/12,471ft and return to Mende - 5 hours.

A small path contours off, passing above the much larger villages of Dramo and Thomde. After ½-¾ hour, you connect with the Tibetan trade route and may well meet Tibetan people who come over the Nangpa La, 5,716m/18,754ft, to trade in Namche Bazaar. The path then becomes an airy traverse, with big dark cliffs above and large drops to the river below. The path is well formed and wide, but do stand on the uphill side if there are trains of yaks passing through. The path then descends to a bridge over a narrow fissure with water roaring below. Here there are large wall paintings of Guru Padmasambhava. The path up to Thame requires a very determined final push, (the time to Thame is about 2 hours).

Zig-zagging across ancient moraine, you come to a lovely stream with inviting pools on the left. Suddenly you crest a slope and there is the village of Thame, one of the prettiest villages you will visit. It has scattered houses, enclosed fields and a backdrop of massive snow and ice peaks. Rest and have a cup of tea in one of the tea houses and if you have the energy to walk up to the monastery it is well worthwhile. Incidentally, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay's house is situated near the top of the village where he lived with his first wife.

The walk up to the monastery, 3,940m/12,925ft, which being over 600 years old is one of the four oldest in Sherpa country, may take about one hour. The main temple has a fantastic atmosphere, and not surprisingly, the monks who live here smile permanently. The walk back to Mende in fact now only takes about an hour as it is mostly downhill, but you could opt to take the higher level traverse to visit another interesting monastery. It is not occupied, but well worth a visit if you can find the energy.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 12 - Trek to Monjo Lodge - 4 hours.

We would highly recommend the half hour steep walk up to the monastery above Mende. The main temple is only 40 years old and was used until recently as a school for Western Buddhists. It has a remarkable meditation room built underneath a huge rock. The main temple is also beautiful, the prominent figure here is Chenrizig, the Buddha of Compassion and there is a full set of Buddha's works. Four people still live here and a stout, old nun may well serve you tea in her house.

From Mende you will return to the lovely lodge at Monjo. You will take the lower path to trek back to Namche. There will be time for a short stop in Namche to do some last minute shopping before making the descent to Monjo. You'll cross the Edmund Hillary Bridge and will soon be in the familiar surroundings of the Monjo Lodge.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 13 - Trek via Gumila Monastery to Lukla, 2,743m/8,999ft - 5 hours

Today you will trek back to Lukla. You will pass through the village of Phakding where you will have a chance to view the monastery at Gumila above Phakding. Within the monastery reside 12-15 monks from the Gelukpa Sect; it is also a Buddhist teaching monastery. It takes about 30-45 minutes to reach the monastery from the main trekking route. From here you will retrace your steps back to Lukla and stay at the Everest Summit Lodge.

Overnight: Luxury Lodge

Day 14 - Fly to Ramechap. Drive to Kathmandu.Time at leisure.

This morning you will take the small fixed wing flight back to Ramechap, to be met on arrival and transferred back to Kathmandu, for some well-earned relaxation. Please note that flights into and out of Lukla are sometimes delayed due to weather conditions; be reassured that our staff in Lukla and in Kathmandu will be doing everything possible to minimise the inconvenience caused if this happens. Your patience in the trying circumstances which can occur, will be greatly appreciated.

Overnight: Dwarika's Hotel, Kathmandu

Day 15 - Half day sightseeing in Kathmandu. Afternoon at leisure. Transfer to airport.

This morning you will be able to enjoy the medieval atmosphere of Asia's former hippy capital which has a wonderful mixture of crowded bazaars, Hindu and Buddhist temples, shrines and stupas, colonial and ancient architecture as well as modern buildings. We include a half day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu with an English-speaking guide visiting the Monkey Temple, Durbar Square and Boudhanath Stupa.

After the tour you will have some free time before the group transfer to the airport for your overnight flight home.

Overnight: In flight

Day 16 - Arrive London.