Everest Base Camp Short Trek

Is trekking to the foothills of the majestic Mt. Everest in your wishlist? Does the spectacular sight of Himalayas make you want to take the Everest Base Camp trek?

Well, it is almost every trekker’s dream to conquer the Everest Base Camp. Getting to witness the magnificent Himalayas is a moment one will cherish for life.

Yet, there are trekkers who are willing to take the trip but do not have sufficient time. In that case, allow us to introduce Everest Base Camp short treks which should be perfect for you.

There are a lot of short EBC treks that include Helicopter returns and a one-day Helicopter trip to the Everest Base Camp. But, if you choose to complete the whole trip on foot, we suggest a 10-day Everest Base Camp short trek.

EBC 10-day trek is a short trek and is amongst the best packages. In this trek, you will get all the benefits of the Everest Base Camp trek but in lesser number of days.

Overall, this trek is great for all those who are looking forward to enjoying the Everest region but also have a busy lifestyle. It is an ideal trek for any trekker visiting Nepal for a short period of time.

Highlights of Everest Base Camp Short Trek

• Trekking to the base of the world’s highest mountain, the Everest, at 5545m
• Magnificent panoramic view of Mt.Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Changtse, Ama Dablam and several other peaks
• Explore the diverse culture, tradition, and lifestyle of the ethnic local Sherpas
• Visit the capital town, Namche Bazaar
• Enjoy the adventure of Sagarmatha National Park and the Khumbu Glacier
• Witness the oldest and ancient Buddhist Monastery, the Tengboche Monastery
• Reach the best viewpoint of the trek, Kala Patthar at 5550 m

Detailed Itinerary of Everest Base Camp Short Trek

Day 01: Early Morning Flight to Lukla and Trek to Phakding

Elevation: 2610m, Phakding

Trekking duration: 4 hrs

Today is the first day of your trip where you will head to the domestic airport in Kathmandu. And, board an early morning flight to Lukla-gateway to Everest.

It is a 45 minutes flight from Kathmandu to Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla. This short flight will give you amazing views of the snow capped mountains.

Once you reach Lukla, you will meet with your guide, porter and the other crew members. Later, you will start your trek to Phakding. Phakding is a small village in the Khumbu region which lies towards the north of Lukla at 2610 m.

To reach Phakding, it will take you about 3-4 hours. During the trek, you will walk along the Dudh Koshi river through the evergreen pine forest.

You will enjoy the small Sherpa villages that you will pass through. You will also get a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila, a sacred mountain in the Khumbu region.

As you reach Phakding, this will be the first stop of the trip where you will spend the night.

Day 02: Trek from Phakding to Namche

Elevation: 3450 m, Namche Bazaar

Trekking duration: 6 hrs

Today after breakfast you will head to your destination for the day i.e Namche Bazaar. You will start the trek along the Dudh Koshi river. The trail ascends steeply over a rocky ridge to the Benkar valley.

You will then cross the Dudh Koshi river with the help of the suspension bridges. Among various bridges, one of the bridge you will cross is the famous- Hillary suspension bridge.

Upon arrival at the Sagarmatha National Park, you will have to register your permits. And as you proceed further, you will pass through Chumao, Monjo and Jorsale village.

On the clear days, you will get a spectacular view of Mt. Everest and Lhotse. Once you reach Namche Bazaar, you can stroll around the marketplace.

Overnight at a tea house in Namche Bazaar.

Day 03: Trek from Namche to Tengboche

Elevation: 3860m, Tengboche

Trekking duration: 4 to 5 hrs

Today your trek continues along the narrow trails to Tengboche. As you gradually gain altitude, you make your way to Tengboche.

The trek starts with a short hike to Kenjoma. From here, the trail to Gokyo Lake and Everest Base Camp separates.

On this trek, you will cross the Dudh Koshi river before ascending to reach Tengboche. The trail goes up steep through beautiful forests. You will wall along the views of mountains like Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and through numerous villages.

Tengboche is a village of Khumbu region. It is a great place where you will get close views of worlds beautiful peak Ama Dablam.

After reaching Tengboche, you will visit the famous Tengboche Monastery. Buddhist monks in the region offer daily morning and evening prayers. It is a sight to witness these prayers taking place.

On the way, you can see chortens, prayer wheels and prayer flags.

Moreover, inside the monastery, you will see the 20-feet image of Buddha. The village of Tengboche lies atop a hill where you can enjoy an amazing view of the mountains.

Overnight stay at a tea house in Tengboche.

Day 04: Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche

Elevation: 4410m, Dinngboche

Trekking duration: 5 to 6 hrs

Today you will descend through the dense conifers, birch, and rhododendron forest. The splendid view of the mountain range and the flora will accompany you along the way.

As you cross the Imja river, the trail will slowly gain its height until you reach Pangboche. You will then enter the Imja valley following the Lobuche river. From here, after a steep trail, you will eventually reach Dingboche.

Dingboche is only a few hours away after crossing Lobuche river. The beautiful view of the field enclosed by stone walls is simply unique. The locals in this region use stone walls to protect their crops from harsh wind.

Dingboche is a famous summer place for yaks. Here you will see a lot of yaks over a slope of the cliff.

Overnight at a tea house in Dingboche.

Day 05: Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche

Elevation: 4940m, Lobuche

Trekking duration: 4 to 5 hours

After breakfast, you will proceed your trek to Lobuche. Today you will come across a vast plain after a little ascend.

After about two hours of walk from Dingboche, you will reach Thukla. Here, you will take a short rest before you climb the Dughla Pass at 4830m. At the top of Dughla Pass, there is a memorial park for those who lost their lives while climbing Mt. Everest.

You will then continue your trek as you pass the tree line to the steep lateral moraine of the Khumbu glacier.

The trek to Lobuche is rewarding as you will get your first glimpse of Kala Patthar and stunning mountain views of Mt. Pumori, Khumbutse and others.

Once at your tea house, get a good night rest as tomorrow is going to be a long day. Overnight at a tea house in Lobuche.

Day 06: Lobuche to Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp to Gorakshep

Elevation: 5380m- Everest Base Camp, 5164m- Gorak Shep

Trekking duration: 9 to 10 hrs

Today you will start proceeding to your destination early in the morning. You will climb over the steep trails that cross the Gorak Shep Lake. Along the way, you will pass the memorials of Indian Army mountaineers with prayer flags on the way.

After a short stop at Gorak Shep, you will continue your hike to the foothill of the highest mountain in the world. As you will be above 5000m from sea level, make sure you do not hurry and maintain your own pace and walk slowly.

You will pass a rocky trail before you reach your goal and destination i.e the Everest Base Camp. The view from this point is just amazing.

You can see the panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains of the giant Mt. Everest including Mt. Nuptse, Khumbutse and Pumori.

After spending some time and embracing the moment, you will trace your way back to Gorak Shep.

Overnight stay at Gorak Shep.

Day 07: Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar and Down to Pheriche

Elevation: 5643m- Kala Patthar, 4371m- Gorak Shep

Trekking duration: 6 hrs

Your target for the way is to make it to Kala Patthar before the sunrise. Hence you will start the trek from Gorak Shep before dawn.

The trail to Kala Patthar is rocky and slightly adventurous as the area is a moraine glacier.

Kala Patthar is a famous viewpoint where you will get a 360-degree panoramic view of Mt. Everest. Moreover, the sun rising over the giant mountains will leave you spellbound.

Do not forget to capture the moment and click pictures. You never know you might just get the best picture of your life.

After this, you will start with your descend towards Periche which is the final stop for the day.

Overnight at a tea house in Pheriche.

Day 08: Trek from Pheriche to Namche

Elevation: 3440m, Namche Bazaar

Trekking duration: 6 hrs

This is the eighth day of your trek where you will head down to Namche Bazaar. You will walk through the tree line.

Soon you will be crossing the suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi river. The trail will take you to Sansa. From here, you will get to see the same mountains, Mt. Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Nuptse but from a different angle.

You could also get the sight of the mountain goats, snow leopards and colorful pheasants in the forests.

You will then reach Namche Bazaar once again, where you can stretch your legs and relax your muscles after the tiring day.

Overnight at a lodge in Namche.

Day 09: Trek from Namche to Lukla

Elevation: 2860m, Lukla

Trekking duration: 7 hrs

Today you will bid goodbye to Namche Bazaar. From here, you will trek down the same way that you came from Lukla. Once again you will walk down to the Dudh Kosi valley. The trek to Lukla will have a little uphill.

However, the trail becomes easier after crossing the suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi river. After a couple of hours, you will reach Lukla.

Once at Lukla, you can get fresh and in the spare time you can go out and enjoy the surroundings.

Day 10: Lukla to Kathmandu

Travel hours: 45 minutes

Today is the day you will fly back to Kathmandu. You will wake up in Lukla with a delicious breakfast. Enjoy the breakfast as this will be your last breakfast in the mountains.

You will then move your way to the airport and finally, it’s the time to leave behind the gateway to Everest.

With amazing memories and once in a lifetime experience, you will board the 45 minutes flight to Kathmandu.

As you land in Kathmandu, you will move to your respective hotel. The remaining time you can either relax in a hotel or get a body massage to soothe your tiring body.

You can also enjoy the day shopping for souvenirs to take back home with you.

Overnight at a three-star hotel in Kathmandu.

Some Useful Tips for Everest Base Camp Short Trek

• Choosing a suitable month for the trek minimizes almost half of the difficulty level of EBC trek. Hence, it is wise to pick a favorable season for the trek.
• Know the weather and temperature before the trek and pack accordingly.
• Since you will move from lower to a higher altitude, there will be changes in the temperature. For that dressing in layers is the way to go.
• The short EBC trek is the fastest trek to the EBC. Since there are no rest days in between, it is very important that you do not rush and maintain your own pace and walk slow.
• The risk of Altitude sickness is always there, hence take the necessary precautions to minimize the risk. Drink plenty of water and always stay hydrated.
• Be physically fit and mentally prepared for the trek. Prior physical training and exercises are helpful to warm up before the trek.
• In case of health problems relating to heart or lung disease etc, take prior consultation from your physician.
• In the case of AMS, always reach out to your guide and follow his instructions.
• Carry enough cash as there are no ATMs in the mountains.

Conclusion

The Short Everest Base Camp Trek caters to all those who do not have enough time to take the ideal EBC treks.

Despite the short duration, the views and the thrill of the trek remain the same as other treks. With this, you get to enjoy the trek in a short period of time and in an affordable budget.

However, you have to be physically fit and mentally strong to complete the trek successfully. Also, it would be best if you have earlier trekking experience so that you are already adjusted to high altitude walking.

For more information, kindly contact us. It is our pleasure to guide and assist you with the best of our knowledge.