Among the Himalayan base camps, the base camp of Mt. Everest is the most desirable adventure landmark and among the top 10 destinations in the world. Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain; adventure enthusiast has this journey to Everest base camp on their bucket list as a must-do adventure trip in a lifetime. There are many trekking routes to get to the Everest base camp. Choosing the best trek itinerary to Everest base camp is essential to a great and better adventure experience. The time duration you have of your adventure holiday and your physical fitness also determine the trek itinerary you choose. Ever the trail you trek on the Himalayan panorama and legendary Sherpa settlements, their culture, and hospitality are always welcoming. A proper acclimation plan on your trek itinerary and having suitable gear are necessary to complete the journey to the Everest base camp with outstanding achievement. All itinerary to base camp starts typically with a flight to Lukla, though a few trekkers take the longer route, with a drive to Jiri and a trek to Lukla. All trekking itinerary we are talking about below follows the same way till Namche after the Lukla flight.
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Direct and Short Cut Route via Tengboche
Among the available trekking route, most people follow this shortest itinerary to Everest base camp via the Tengboche monastery. On this shortest itinerary to Everest base camp, we head to Tengboche and Dingboche after Namche. Tengboche monastery is one of the most highly respected places in the whole Khumbu region. We spend two nights at Dingboche, as in Namche Bazaar, for proper acclimation, which is a must on your trip itinerary. Then, we trek to Lobuche and Gorak Shep, where we spend a night. We explore the Everest base camp and hike the Kalapathar from this high Himalayan settlement of Gorak Shep. Afterward, we retrace, following the same route via Thangboche and Namche to Lukla. We complete the trekking section of this shortest route to the base camp of Everest in 11 days, besides your extra days in Kathmandu. The physically fit and experienced trekkers are recommended to do this short Hike.
Less Trodden Trail via Phortse village
This Hike to the base camp of Everest via the less trodden route of Photse village offers a diverse view and fewer tourist Sherpa settlements to explore on the way. From Namche, we follow the Gokyo lakes route and spend a night at Phortse village on the less visited settlement in Khumbu before we reach the Dingboche. Spending two nights at Namche Bazaar and Dingboche is a must on this itinerary to Everest base camp. Then, we hike to Lobuche and spend a night at Gorak Shep, the last Himalayan settlement before the base camp. Finally, we leave our footprint at the base camp and walk to Kalapathar to stand face with face the tallest peak of Mt. Everest. With this trek itinerary on our retrace, we follow the regular route via Thangboche on your pay to Namche; these routes return a different way with a diverse view and more exploration options than the shortest itinerary. We complete this itinerary trekking section in 12 days' time duration. This is one of the best itineraries to Everest base camp trekking in terms of proper acclimation and exploration at your own pace.
The challenging route via Gokyo and Chola pass
This is the relatively challenging route to get to the Everest base camp in Nepal. We can complete the hiking section in 15 days, making a big circuit of the entire Khumbu region. Then, we head to Gokyo lakes from Namche via the Dole and Macherrmo. Hike to the Gokyo Ri and stay a night on the bank of pristine Himalayan lakes at charm on your journey to Himalaya. The crossing over the Chola pass over 5400 meters is one the most challenging section on this route to the base camp. The view and experience of walking snow at Cholgivess no doubt offer the great adventure experience of being on the Himalayas. We can add the visit to Thame and Rinjo pass on the way to Gokyo lakes on this itinerary to base camp. After exploring the Everest base camp and Kalapathar, we returned to the different and regular EBC route; thus, we made a big circuit from Namche to Namche. This Everest Circuit Trek itinerary is recommended to those who have time and wish to explore the whole region in one go.
Trek in and Helicopter ride out.
Trek in and Helicopter Ride Out is one of the luxurious ways to reach Everest base camp and return with a Helicopter ride out from Pheriche. We don't have to retrace the same route back to Lukla thus the hiking section 09 days only. On your way to base camp, we follow Everest base camp's regular path. We spend proper acclimation with exploration at Namche and Dingboche, ensuring everyone enjoys the adventure journey at its best. This itinerary of Everest base camp trek and Helicopter out is recommended to those with less time but who have a budget to spend a few hundred dollars more to make a dream come true.
One more option, though, is not the trekking adventure we would like to mention here. This is a day Helicopter ride to Kalapathar next to Mt Everest, and your photo will be taken. Proper safety measures must be taken for this Helicopter to land the Kalapathar. Oxygen supplement with good regular is recommended along with many safety measures.
Extra Optional: EBC Trek with 6000-meter Peak Climbing
Suppose you are physically fit, have extra time, and wish to explore beyond simply trekking in the Himalayas. In that case, you can join the 6000 m trekking peak to climb the Island peak in Nepal. One needs 4/5 days more time after the Everest base camp hike to scale this famous trekking peak climbing in the Everest region. Unfortunately, few companies provide all the personal and group climbing gear to make the climbing trip a hassle-free and cost-effective adventure.
Conclusion
Of course, there are various routes to the Everest base camp, and all hiking trails are equally compelling. Choosing which trek itineraries depend on the time duration and budget you have on your bucket list destination. The common thing on all this itinerary to Everest base camp is that you must have proper acclimation on the route, great warm gear, and pre-trek preparation is a must to enjoy the journey to the base camp of Mt. Everest, a lifetime adventure destination in the Himalayas.
