Arun Valley with Everest Base Camp Trek, via Milke Danda

Today, you will fly from Kathmandu to Basantapur, Biratnagar. The trail to Basantapur has beautiful picturesque where you can stop by and explore the rushing Tamor River and take some memories with you capturing in photographs with the majestic Namaste waterfall and rice farmland.

In the next morning, you will have a quick visit to Basantapur. The locals from the area come to offer handcrafted goods and gardening supplies. After breakfast, you will have an easy walk up into the lush rhododendron forest through a path that goes to Chauki village. Along the trail to village, you will frequently pass tiny local tea shops and also can witness the Makalu and Kanchenjunga mountain ranges. Stay overnight at the guesthouse.

In the morning, we will walk through the path that lead closer to the glorious Himalayas and the rhododendron woodland. As we gradually ascend through the forest trail, you will be encounter with some of the wild animals and also observe tiny herbs and plants. Stay overnight at the guest house.

 Milke Danda is the Marvelous place, which offers you the glorious views of the Himalayas and amazing topography. The majority of the people believe that Gupha Pokhari grants your wishes. Stay overnight at the guesthouse.

While exploring, you will see the astonishing views of the Everest, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga and the eye- catching evergreen Milke Dabda. Similarly, rhododendron forest is the cherry on top of colorful hills. Stay overnight at the guesthouse.

It is a beautiful trail, where one can witness and admire the captivating views of the mountainous peaks. When you trek down the road, you will go through shepherd's tiny huts and the pasture lands. Stay overnight at the guesthouse.  

Chainpur is a majestic trek that is relatively more accessible as we descend slowly. It is the enchanting village which has vintage marketplace famous for various antique items. Stay overnight at the guesthouse.

As you trek to tumlingtar, you will walk across the path of crop fields where you can observe a diversity of people from mixed cultures working in fields. You can also experience agricultural farmer lifestyle and their dedication towards their work.

The next morning, we will trek from Tumlingtar to Gothe Bazaar. The trail goes through Chewabesi crossing a narrow suspension bridge over the Arun River. You will see mules carrying cardamom for trade- in nearby towns. And then, continue trekking to a forested area with cash and food crops like cardamom, papaya, banana grown along the way. Before reaching Gothe Bazaar, the route follows a riverside trail after crossing a couple of bridges.

Gothe Bazaar is a beautiful settlement inhabited primarily by the Gurung and Rai community, who sustain crop production. After settling down, you can interact with the local and explore their unique traditions, dress and language. Stay overnight at teahouses.

After spending peaceful night at Gothe, we will trek along the bank of Benukhuwa Khola, passing through the fields where locals have grown paddy, banana and citrus fruits. Crops are the major income source of the people living in the area. Meanwhile, heading to the north river bank, you will come across a paper factory that produces Nepali paper from a locally grown plant (LOKTA). Stay overnight at teahouses.

The trail to SalpaPhedi is generally flat, with occasional descents to the riverside. After crossing the rice terrace fields and the small settlements into the subtropical forested trail, bamboo bridges and the SanuKhola, we will reach SalpaPhedi. Once you reach there you can visit the nearby gompa and stupa. Stay overnight at Salpa Phedi.

The day, we start our journey with a steep descent from SalpaPhedi walking through Irkhuwa and SanuKhola river. Then, you will ascend to higher elevations through rhododendron forest to reach Thulophokte. Visit the small ChochenGompa where you can explore many beautiful mani walls along the way with Buddhist prayers and drawings on them.

From Gompa, Salpa pass is a few more steps that take you to Solukhumbu. Reaching at the top of the pass, you can view stunning Mt. DudhKunda and Makalu. You can also visit nearby Salpa Lake (3414 m) and the Shilicho viewpoint. From the pass, Sanam is a 2- hour descent to Sherpa village that lead towards Siare, a small settlement passing the rhododendron forest. Taking a left to descend, you will eventually reach a big village Gudel mainly inhabited by the Kulung tribe. The views of the Mt. Chamlang (7319 m) and Mera Peak (6476 m) is mesmerizing. Stay overnight at Gudel.

The next morning starts from across a bridge passing Hinku river that flows from Mera Peak. While moving 54 km ahead south of Mt. Everest, you will reach Bung village bordering the Hunku Drangka in the east, known for primarily inhabited by Rai community. Passing through small settlements best for growing rice in this fertile land, you will reach another beautiful village Khairaule where you pass a school and iron bridge to a small trail up the hill. Walking through stone steps that lead to rhododendron forest, you will come across a small stupa where the trail is decorated with mani walls. Then continuing to charikot, we move ahead to western course leading to Surkie La Pass. After enjoying the distant mountain views from the top of the pass and observing the colorful prayer flags and wonderful mani walls, you will take a descend down a steep path through forest into a yak grazing pasture called Gai Kharka. Overnights stay at Gai Kharka.

In this day, you will trek to Hinku Valley that takes you towards Dudh Koshi River Valley. The Pangmum La Pass is a relatively easy climb but before reaching the Pass, you have to cross a lot of ascend and descend till the Hinku Khola River. After exploring the stunning views of Kusum Kanguru and Mera Peak, you will continue to walk to Kharte. Stay overnight at Kharte.

You will enter the Dudh Koshi valley as you head towards Phakding village. On the way, you will witness your first view of the snow- capped peaks such as Sherpa, kusum kangar, khumbila and gyachen kang. Descending along the main jiri path, you will reach a small Puiyan village on the foot of a towering hill, which is the gateway to the Mera Peak Trek. Before ascending to a high waterfall, you will follow the Dudh Koshi River towards Chauri Karka. As it is also known as the breadbasket of the Khumbu region as the grounds are fertile enough to grow food crops. The route eventually joins Phakding. Stay overnight at a teahouse.

Early in the morning, taking a fresh air and walking beside the Koshi River passing through pine forest and astonishing views of Thamserku peak towering above the valley of Benkar is out of the world. Passing a long suspension bridge shared for trade where the donkeys and mules pass carrying a heavy load. Then the trek continues to Monjo village a gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park. At the Monjo check point, you must show your permits, documents and take an entrance ticket. Taking descend to the river crossing a suspension bridge head to Jorsale village from where Mt. Everest is visible at a distance. After having lunch at Jorsale, the trek begins to a steep forested area until you reach the confluence of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi Rivers. Before reaching Namche Bazaar, you will ascend to Tope Danda, a vantage point from where beautiful glimpse of Namche town is visible. Stay overnight at teahouse.

Namche Bazaar is the starting point of many Everest region treks and the busiest and the liveliest town in the Khumbu region. Namche is filled with locals and traders from nearby villages who come to sell and buy various products. On your first acclimatization day after the long trek, have a delicious foods as there are many shops, bakeries, and restaurant where you can get yourself a decent pizza and espresso that you might be carving. On this day if you like, you can explore the Namche Monastery and visit the famous Khunde Hospital, set up by Sir Edmund Hillary. Similarly, you can also hike to a famous view point which is Everest view hotel for up- close views of Mt. Everest and Mt. Ama Dablam. Overnights stay in Namche Bazaar.

Leaving Namche Bazaar, you will take the northern path towards Tengboche village. Today, you will walk on the sandy Dudh Koshi River, walk past a flight of stone steps and observe some of the highest peaks in the world and mesmerizing views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Ama Dablam, Nuptse and Lhotse. Then you will continue walking into a forest towards a suspension bridge over the Phunki Tenga River, passing a rocky pathway. Following the steep rocky route that leads to an army checkpoint and taking a steep climb from there, you will reach the Tengboche village.

As you arrive, you can settle down and dropping your belongings at a teahouse, you will head to visit the Tengboche Monastery. It is the largest monastery in the Khumbu region where you can explore statues, stupas, paintings, mani walls, shrines, and prayer wheels in and outside the buildings. A visit to the monastery offers a precise depiction of the ancient architecture and heritages of the Buddhists and people of Sherpa community. Similarly, Ama Dablam views towering behind the monastery are extremely adorable that immediately catches your eyes to the breathtaking views of it. Stay overnight at Tengboche.

After exploring the amazing Tengboche village, you will head to another beautiful and significant village of Pangboche where tourists and local pilgrims come to visit the oldest Pangboche monastery in the Khumbu region. Passing the home of local nuns and crossing Imja George, you will eventually reach Pangboche. On the way you will witness many mountain goats/ rams climb on rugged cliff terrain in search of foods. Keep walking to the Lobuche river trail proceeding to Sombare’s village from where you will reach Dingboche in a couple of hours. Stay overnight at Dingboche.

In a 21th day of your trek this is the second acclimatization day at Dingboche to cope with the increasing altitude and decreasing air pressure. It is the best if you take some rest but if you wish you can hike to a nearby viewpoint. It is a short hike so, carry your small day pack and head to Nagarjun hill crossing the 5000 m mark, after having some late breakfast. The hike starts with steep climb on non- technical sections with loose rocks. It is suggested to take smaller steps and follow your guide. Within a minute walk, you will reach Nagarjun hill, which is known locally as Nankartshang, named after a Buddhist hermit. After taking some clips and enjoying the views, take a same path to Dingboche and take a rest. Stay overnight at Dingboche.

Start the trek by heading to the foot of the Khumbu Glacier, one of the highest Glacier in the world and the largest in Nepal which falls in the Lhotse- Nuptse ridge. Then continue to Dugla village for lunch. From there, you will take the steep full of twists and turns climb to Thukla Pass. It is also known as the best for hosting memorial stupas in honor of the brave mountaineers who had lost their lives in their expectations of Everest. Among them, one of the memorial stones is alpinist Scott Fisher and his team members who lost their lives in the 1996 climb. Stay overnight at Lobuche.

The next day, the trail proceeds to Gorak Shep. As a long trek, followed by a hike to the much–awaited Everest base camp will begin with making your way to Gorak Shep, taking small steps as the temperature keeps dropping, and the trail gets tougher. Gorak Shep was the orginal base camp for Everest during the Swiss Expedition in 1952 but to make the trail a little easier, the base camp was shifted near Everest that gave a birth to new Everest base camp. 

Leaving your all the belongings at the teahouse and carrying the essentials only, you will head on hike to Everest base camp (5364 m/ 17594 ft). After walking an hour and a half in the rugged terrain with gravel, icy slopes, and loose stones, you will reach in your destination Everest Base Camp. It is one of the most exciting and memorable days of the entire Milke Danda along with Arun Valley to Everest base camp trek. The welcoming views of the 8000 m mountains of the Khumbu region, dramatic views of the Khumbu Glacier and Khumbu Icefall will wash away all of the tiredness. Notably, you are not able to see the top of Mt. Everest from the base camp. After enjoying and collecting amazing experience, and a ton of memories (photos), you will retrace your steps back to your teahouse in Gorak Shep. The way may be slippery due to all the snow, so be careful when you take small steps. Stay overnight at Gorak Shep.

On this day, you will hike to Kala Patthar which means “black rock” as it is a ridge sitting on the southern edge of Pumori Peak, the highest viewpoint of this trek at 5550 m/ 18209 ft. The peak of the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest is clearly visible from there. Furthermore, the 360° glorious view of the surrounding gigantic mountains such as Nuptse (7861 m), Changtse (7543 m), Lhotse (8516 m), Cho Oyu (8188 m), and Pumori (7161 m) add more beauty to the hike. Therefore traveler does not simply complete the Everest Base Camp trek without hiking to Kala Patthar viewpoint. The reason might be to witness the top of Mt. Everest and explore the surrounding high mountains.

Following the Imja River towards Tenboche, continue your walk after lunch towards Namche Bazaar which is relatively easier and much faster trek than the other days. After a long hike in the icy Everest region, you can enjoy a warm bath at your teahouse and enjoy the café and bakery goods in Namche.

Walking on the stone steps towards a lush green forest, you will reach Pasang Lhamu Memorial Gate, the entrance to Lukla. Enjoy your last day in Khumbu by interacting with locals, having locally brewed drinks and enjoying authentic delicacies.

This is a last day of your Khumbu region trek. The flight to Kathmandu offers beautiful mountains views. Upon the landing in Kathmandu, our team will help you to transfer in your hotel. 

Our one of the member will drop you off at the Tribhuvan International Airport after breakfast on your final day in Nepal. Thank you for hiring Nepal Holiday Treks and Tours Pvt. Ltd. we appreciate your business and we’ll do our best to continue to give you the kind of service you need.