Everest Luxury Helicopter Treks & Tours | Nepal Himalaya

Ultimate Everest Helicopter Trek & Tour | Luxury Everest Lodges + Dwarika’s Hotel (8 Days)
Day 1 – Arrive Kathmandu 1340m | Transfer Dwarika’s Hotel
Welcome to Nepal! You will be met at Tribhuvan International Airport by a representative from Kamzang Journeys, please look for a sign with your name on it. Transfer to Dwarika’s, one of Nepal’s premier luxury hotels, a wonderful heritage hotel with a pool, lovely cafes in the shady courtyard, world class restaurants, and the truly luxurious Pancha Kosha Himalayan Spa.

“Dwarika’s Hotel was registered in 1977, with the idea of reviving the architectural splendour of the valley. All the terracotta work was made in the valley, using local clay and skills. The couple also incorporated elements of Nepal’s diverse cultural heritage, including those from beyond the valley, when designing the rooms. The furniture was crafted by families of traditional carpenters, and the linen, textiles and embroideries were hand woven and used Nepali patterns. In all purposes, Dwarika Das Shrestha took some of the finest elements of Nepali crafts, and presented them in a way that had not been done before. In explaining his vision, he once stated: “My project is to recreate a 15th-17th century environment where tourist and Nepali alike would have a sensation of the original. The hotel as a commercial enterprise is merely a vehicle to finance and carry my dream forward.”

Dwarika’s Today The hotel is still managed by the Shrestha family – Ambica, Sangita and Dwarika Das’ grandson, Rene Vijay Shrestha Einhaus – and now makes up one of the largest private woodwork collections in the world. However, the family no longer buys old wood works unless they are significantly damaged and require restoration at the heritage workshop in the hotel. Where possible, the hotel instead encourages people to incorporate the pieces into their homes and appreciate their cultural heritage. The influence of Dwarika Das Shrestha’s vision can be observed to clearly in the old cities of Patan and Bhaktapur, where public and private initiatives are gradually restoring the city to its past glory. The Dwarika’s Hotel retains Dwarika Das Shrestha’s guiding philosophy and remains a beacon on the importance of heritage conservation in Nepal.”

Read the history of Newari culture in Kathmandu, inspiration for the beautiful heritage architecture of Dwarika’s:
Newari History in Kathmandu

Read about the history of Dwarika’s Hotel
Dwarika’s History

NOTE: Your guide will collect a copy of your travel medical insurance, a copy of your passport and Nepali visa, and one visa-sized photo for your trek permits.

Day 2 – Kathmandu
Enjoy a free day exploring Kathmandu’s many World Heritage sites or embark on a tour of the beautiful Kathmandu valley, surrounded by Himalayan snow peaks (See Kathmandu Valley Tours for optional tours with a qualified guide, car, and entrance fees included). Or just relax at the hotel, visit the spa, have a massage, wander Kathmandu’s fascinating streets, pop into neighborhood Hindu temples and Newari-styled courtyards, join in on koras of the Buddhist temples. (B)

Cafe Caravan & Dolpo Gallery
Dolpo Artist Tenzin Norbu creates wonderful Dolpo paintings, the prints (and some originals) are available from our Cafe Caravan at Boudhanath Stupa, housed in one of Boudha’s original historic buildings, decorated in a bright, Tibetan style and overlooking the magnificent stupa!

Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Nuru Wangdi Sherpa (Khumbu Adventures & Café Caravan) has his Kathmandu guide license and a large SUV vehicle, and can arrange any sightseeing you might want to do in Kathmandu and the Kathmandu valley. He is often available for guiding your excursions as well. Mobile + WhatsApp: +977 9803633783 (WhatsApp)

Massage in Kathmandu (Ramji of Relieving Hands)
Ramji is a blind masseur trained by Seeing Hands in Kathmandu, who now offers wonderful at home (or hotel) massages, with his own massage table and oil. He is truly a master masseur, a real healer and VERY highly recommended. His prices are extremely reasonable. Let us know if you want help to arrange a massage.
Relieving Hands by Ramji

Kathmandu | World Heritage Sightseeing Tours – Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Durbar Square & Swayambunath
Kathmandu is filled with World Heritage sites and sacred destinations, crowded with traditional neighborhoods and colorful festivals. Spend a few days exploring Nepal’s exotic capital and the history-laden Kathmandu valley. We can arrange sightseeing guides and vehicles as required. See Kathmandu Heritage & Happenings for more details.

We recommend beginning with Pashupatinath in the early morning and moving on to Boudhanath mid-morning. Hindu Pashupatinath on the sacred Bagmati river and its sacred temple complex is one of Nepal’s most important sites, a powerful cremation site, and Nepal’s most important Hindu temple. Here, monkeys run up and down the steps of the burning ghats, and trident-bearing saddhus draped in burnt-orange and saffron sit serenely meditating when they’re not posing for photos-for-rupees. Local guides can explain the significance of the complicated ceremonies. Please be respectful when taking photos.

Boudhanath, in the midst of traditional monasteries (gonpas in Tibetan) and hung with long strings of multi-colored prayer flags, attracts Sherpas, Tibetans, and tourists alike for daily circumambulations (koras) of the iconic stupa. The striking Buddha eyes of Boudhanath Stupa watch over a lively and colorful Tibetan community and attract pilgrims from all over the Himalayan Buddhist realm. There are wonderful spots for lunch at Boudhanath (Roadhouse Cafe has wood-oven pizzas and a breathtaking view of the stupa and colorful Nepals circling it), and it’s a good place to learn the technique of thanka painting and purchase a thanka (Buddhist mural). See also Bhaktapur for more options for shopping for thankas.

Wander through the many temples, pagodas, courtyards, and the museum at Kathmandu Durbar Square, a timeless gathering spot and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Kathmandu Durbar Square, including the old royal palace, is Kathmandu’s ‘Palace Square’, a showcase for the world-renowned artisans and craftsmen of Kathmandu and a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist palaces, temples, stupas, and statues. The Malla and Shah kings ruled over the Kathmandu Valley during the centuries of the building of the layers of this Durbar Square. Along with their opulent palaces, the square surrounds numerous courtyards and temples, all works of art with intricate and often erotic carvings. Kathmandu Durbar Square is known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, a name derived from a statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, at the entrance of the palace. The social, religious and urban focal point of the city, Durbar Square is often the site of festivals, marriages, and other ceremonies such as Teej. Some important structures are Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar (Abode of the Living Goddess), Taleju Temple, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, the 17th century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages.

In the evening (take the interesting back streets from Durbar Square) climb the many steps to the gilded Swayambhunath stupa (known as the monkey temple) which rises from the Kathmandu valley floor at 1420 meters and is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. Swayambunath, the ‘self-created’  stupa, was founded over 2000 years ago at a time when the Kathmandu valley was filled by a large lake, with a single lotus in the center. Mythology says that Manjusri, a bodhisattva, drained the lake with one cut of his sword and the lotus flower was transformed into the stupa. From its commanding views of Kathmandu, circumambulate Swayambunath’s white-washed stupa, painted with distinctive Buddha eyes, the complex a unique synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism. Another interesting time to visit Swayambunath is in the mornings when Nepalis visit the temple dedicated to the God of Smallpox with colorful offerings for the goddess.

Stop to photograph reflections in Kathmandu’s many pokharis or ponds, including the beautiful Rani Pokhari (queen’s bath) near New Road, and the Naga Pokhari (pond of the snake gods of the underworld) just beyond the palace gates. The many bathing ghats, square enclosures with steps leading down to water spouts, often decorated with naga heads, are also interesting and colorful gathering spots.

Day 3 – FLY Lukla 2850m/9350′. HELICOPTER Namche Bazaar 3465m/11,365′ | Moonlight Lodge
Lhakpa or Doma Sherpa will transfer you to the domestic airport, and just after sunrise you’ll embark on a spectacular 30-minute flight over the Kathmandu valley and along snow-capped Himalayan peaks to the well-known Lukla airstrip. You will meet your Sherpa guide at the Lukla Airport, and board your private helicopter for a spectacular, 15 minute helicopter trip up to Namche Bazaar. En route, look ahead for views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Thamserku, Ama Dablam + more Himalayan peaks, a sublime panorama!

Namche is an old trading village of Namche Bazaar, now a thriving trekking metropolis. Have a short wander through the maze of shops and bakeries in Namche before heading up steep stone steps to the Moonlight Lodge, owned by Natang & Pemba, scenically situated at the top of Namche.

Namche Bazaar, once called Nauje and now the most prosperous trading village on the old trade route with Tibet, sits in an amphitheater surrounded by mountains. From Namche we have perfect views of Kongde Ri in front of us, Kangtega, Thamserku and Kusum Khangkuru to the east and Khumbila to the back. Down-valley the hills and valleys along the route from Solu to Khumbu from Jiri sit shrouded in hazy shades of steely-grey and blues.

Day 4 – Namche Bazaar | Day Hike Everest + Himalayan Views!
Today is your chance to do some Himalayan hiking to get some incredible views of the surrounding Himalayan peaks! If you’re feeling good in the morning, your Sherpa guide will take you on a hike above Namche, past the Syangboche Airstrip, for unforgettable views of the Himalayan chain of peaks which includes Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtega, Kusum Khangkuru, Tarboche + more! The hike will take about 1 1/2 hours of ascent, and another half an hour (or hour slowly) back down to the lodge, with as much time for Himalayan peak gazing as you’d like!If you are in Namche Bazaar for the lively Saturday (or Friday) Market, take the morning to explore the bustling market, a feast of colors, smells (not all of them appealing), and colorfully-clad Sherpa women up from their villages for the weekly event. The market is as much a social gathering as a produce, meat and essential goods market, so the atmosphere is spirited and lively.

People are free to relax and explore the crowded main streets of Namche, the Sherpa Cultural Center (photographic museum, fantastic), the reconstructed traditional Sherpa house (next door), the National Park Headquarters Museum (where you’ll have easy views of Everest, Lhotse & Nuptse+), colorful Namche Gompa with its own new museum and the Tibetan market. The Tibetans are often encamped in the center of town in a muddy bazaar (potato fields in the summer) touting their goods from China. Indulge yourself at one of the many bakeries, shop for some yak bells or hand-woven Himalayan hats, chat with the sociable Sherpas in the village, or just relax in preparation for the trek. There are now new Mountain Hardwear and Sherpa Gear shops as well as Tsedam’s Gear Shop with a great variety of real trek gear if you find that you’re missing warm clothes. All often have gear on sale, bonus! Watch out for dzobkios and cows wandering the narrow streets.

For some wonderful Everest and Himalayan peak spotting at sunset, hike up 15 minutes from the lodge, take the intersection to the right of the trail just past the National Park headquarters.

Day 5 – Trek Chhuserma 2660m/8725′ | The Beyul Hermitage
Leaving Namche along the main trail, you’ll hike down the big, steep hill, stopping at the Everest viewpoint for views of Everst, Nuptse and Lhotse. Another half hour or so of steep descent brings you to the high bridge, covered with Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags, suspended high above the confluence of the Bhote Khosi (river from Tibet) and the Dudh Khosi. Once over the bridge, you’ll continue to trek along the riverside for half an hour, climbing stone steps to trek throught the National Park Entrance gate just past Jorsale. Jorsale is the home of Phuru Diki, one of the girls the Kamzang Fund has sponsored since class 3 (she’s finished nursing school in Kathmandu and is now in Australia ). Once through Monjo where Kim once taught English (Dawa Yangi and Nimalee, two Monjo sisters that the Kamzang Fund has sponsored for school, come from Monjo. Dawa Yangi is now studying tourism at college in Kathmandu, while Nimalee is working at one the high end lodges in the Khumbu) you will trek two hours through lovely woods, staying closer to the Dudh Khosi, to reach Phakding,, from where you will cross the river and hiking along the opposite side of the river, well away from other trekkers. Your destination is Nima’s charming Beyul & Hermitage Lodge where you will enjoy Himalayan views on their terrace, sit around the stove with the welcoming family, eat an organic meal from their own garden and enjoy true peace. This is a unique lodge and a chance to get to know Sherpa culture with some Western amenities!  (5 hrs)

Phakding Option
You have an option to trek to Phakding, on the main trail back to Namche. Leaving Namche along the main trail, you’ll hike down the big, steep hill, stopping at the Everest viewpoint for views of Everst, Nuptse and Lhotse. Another half hour or so of steep descent brings you to the high bridge, covered with Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags, suspended high above the confluence of the Bhote Khosi (river from Tibet) and the Dudh Khosi. Once over the bridge, you’ll continue to trek along the riverside for half an hour, climbing stone steps to trek throught the National Park Entrance gate just past Jorsale. Jorsale is the home of Phuru Diki, one of the girls the Kamzang Fund has sponsored since class 3 (she’s finished nursing school in Kathmandu and is now in Australia ). Once through Monjo where Kim once taught English (Dawa Yangi and Nimalee, two Monjo sisters that the Kamzang Fund has sponsored for school, come from Monjo. Dawa Yangi is now studying tourism at college in Kathmandu, while Nimalee is working at one the high end lodges in the Khumbu) you will trek two hours through lovely woods, staying closer to the Dudh Khosi, to reach Phakding, where you will stop for the night at Shangri La Lodge. (5 hrs)

Day 6 – Trek Lukla | Eco Paradise Lodge
Trekking down to the river, you’ll again cross on the bridge and start your hike uphill through Chharikharka. You will finish the trek back at Dawa Phuti & Ang Pasang’s Eco-Paradise Lodge (boutique) where everyone stays in the new en-suite rooms. In the evening you will have yet another Sherpa feast (after hot showers) and perhaps try some of Dawa’s famous Sherpa tongba. This warm Sherpa-styled dining room is one the nicest in the Everest region, so it’s always an added treat to return there after the trek. Ang Pasang works for the airport, so you are in good hands for your flight out the next morning. (2 hrs)

Day 7 – Fly Kathmandu | Transfer Dwarika’s
A spectacular mountain flight back to Kathmandu and transfer to Dwarika’s. Perhaps head out after breakfast on one of our many optional Kathmandu sightseeing tours. Do treat yourself to a massage or a spa treatment if you didn’t before your Annapurnas trek. Dine at one of their wonderful, world class restaurants in the evening, a full Nepali experience!

Day 8 – Trip Ends
Relax over breakfast at Dwarika’s lovely garden cafe. Transfer to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for your flight home. Namaste!

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Everest Helicopter Luxury + Boutique Trek | Everest Base Camp (10 Days)
Day 1 – Arrive Kathmandu 1340m/16,350′ | Hyatt Regency, Yak & Yeti or Dwarika’s
Welcome to Nepal! You will be met at the Tribhuvan International Airport by a representative from Khumbu Adventures. Transfer to either the Hyatt (near Boudhanath) or Yak & Yeti Hotel (Durbar Marg), whichever premier Kathmandu hotel you prefer, where your rooms have been booked. Option to upgrade to Dwarika’s Hotel near Pashupatinath and the airport.

The historic Yak & Yeti Hotel is just off Durbar Marg, a tree-lined, upscale road of shops and hotels. Enjoy views of Boudhanath Stupa from the beautiful Hyatt Regency, with its incredible lobby of chortens, Buddha statues and fountains. Dwarika’s is an oasis of calm near the airport and Pashupatinath Temple, renown for its historic architecture, unique style and wonderful atmosphere. Relax by the pools, visit the spas and enjoy dining at one of their world class restaurants.

We will collect a copy of your travel medical insurance, your passport, your Nepali visa and a visa-sized photo, so have them ready to give to Khumbu Adventures. Enjoy a wonderful dinner at your hotel and unwind from your travels!

Day 2 – Kathmandu
Enjoy a free day exploring Kathmandu’s many World Heritage sites or embark on a tour of the beautiful Kathmandu valley, surrounded by Himalayan snow peaks (See Kathmandu Valley Tours for optional tours with a qualified guide, car, and entrance fees included). Or just relax at the hotel, visit the spa, have a massage, wander Kathmandu’s fascinating streets, pop into neighborhood Hindu temples and Newari-styled courtyards, join in on koras of the Buddhist temples. (B)

Cafe Caravan & Dolpo Gallery
Dolpo Artist Tenzin Norbu creates wonderful Dolpo paintings, the prints (and some originals) are available from our Cafe Caravan at Boudhanath Stupa, housed in one of Boudha’s original historic buildings, decorated in a bright, Tibetan style and overlooking the magnificent stupa!

Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Nuru Wangdi Sherpa (Khumbu Adventures & Café Caravan) has his Kathmandu guide license and a large SUV vehicle, and can arrange any sightseeing you might want to do in Kathmandu and the Kathmandu valley. He is often available for guiding your excursions as well. Mobile + WhatsApp: +977 9803633783 (WhatsApp)

Massage in Kathmandu (Ramji of Relieving Hands)
Ramji is a blind masseur trained by Seeing Hands in Kathmandu, who now offers wonderful at home (or hotel) massages, with his own massage table and oil. He is truly a master masseur, a real healer and VERY highly recommended. His prices are extremely reasonable. Let us know if you want help to arrange a massage.
Relieving Hands by Ramji

Kathmandu | World Heritage Sightseeing Tours – Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Durbar Square & Swayambunath
Kathmandu is filled with World Heritage sites and sacred destinations, crowded with traditional neighborhoods and colorful festivals. Spend a few days exploring Nepal’s exotic capital and the history-laden Kathmandu valley. We can arrange sightseeing guides and vehicles as required. See Kathmandu Heritage & Happenings for more details.

We recommend beginning with Pashupatinath in the early morning and moving on to Boudhanath mid-morning. Hindu Pashupatinath on the sacred Bagmati river and its sacred temple complex is one of Nepal’s most important sites, a powerful cremation site, and Nepal’s most important Hindu temple. Here, monkeys run up and down the steps of the burning ghats, and trident-bearing saddhus draped in burnt-orange and saffron sit serenely meditating when they’re not posing for photos-for-rupees. Local guides can explain the significance of the complicated ceremonies. Please be respectful when taking photos.

Boudhanath, in the midst of traditional monasteries (gonpas in Tibetan) and hung with long strings of multi-colored prayer flags, attracts Sherpas, Tibetans, and tourists alike for daily circumambulations (koras) of the iconic stupa. The striking Buddha eyes of Boudhanath Stupa watch over a lively and colorful Tibetan community and attract pilgrims from all over the Himalayan Buddhist realm. There are wonderful spots for lunch at Boudhanath (Roadhouse Cafe has wood-oven pizzas and a breathtaking view of the stupa and colorful Nepals circling it), and it’s a good place to learn the technique of thanka painting and purchase a thanka (Buddhist mural). See also Bhaktapur for more options for shopping for thankas.

Wander through the many temples, pagodas, courtyards, and the museum at Kathmandu Durbar Square, a timeless gathering spot and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Kathmandu Durbar Square, including the old royal palace, is Kathmandu’s ‘Palace Square’, a showcase for the world-renowned artisans and craftsmen of Kathmandu and a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist palaces, temples, stupas, and statues. The Malla and Shah kings ruled over the Kathmandu Valley during the centuries of the building of the layers of this Durbar Square. Along with their opulent palaces, the square surrounds numerous courtyards and temples, all works of art with intricate and often erotic carvings. Kathmandu Durbar Square is known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, a name derived from a statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, at the entrance of the palace. The social, religious and urban focal point of the city, Durbar Square is often the site of festivals, marriages, and other ceremonies such as Teej. Some important structures are Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar (Abode of the Living Goddess), Taleju Temple, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, the 17th century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages.

In the evening (take the interesting back streets from Durbar Square) climb the many steps to the gilded Swayambhunath stupa (known as the monkey temple) which rises from the Kathmandu valley floor at 1420 meters and is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. Swayambunath, the ‘self-created’  stupa, was founded over 2000 years ago at a time when the Kathmandu valley was filled by a large lake, with a single lotus in the center. Mythology says that Manjusri, a bodhisattva, drained the lake with one cut of his sword and the lotus flower was transformed into the stupa. From its commanding views of Kathmandu, circumambulate Swayambunath’s white-washed stupa, painted with distinctive Buddha eyes, the complex a unique synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism. Another interesting time to visit Swayambunath is in the mornings when Nepalis visit the temple dedicated to the God of Smallpox with colorful offerings for the goddess.

Stop to photograph reflections in Kathmandu’s many pokharis or ponds, including the beautiful Rani Pokhari (queen’s bath) near New Road, and the Naga Pokhari (pond of the snake gods of the underworld) just beyond the palace gates. The many bathing ghats, square enclosures with steps leading down to water spouts, often decorated with naga heads, are also interesting and colorful gathering spots.

Day 3 – Mountain Helicopter Flight Kathmandu – Lukla 2850m/9350′. Trek Phakding 2630m/8650′ | Yeti Mountain Home (YMH)
Just after sunrise, embark on a spectacular 45 minute helicopter flight over the Kathmandu valley to Lukla, flying parallel to some of the world’s highest Himalayan peaks. Just before landing, look directly out the cockpit of the helicopter at Everest, a breathtaking sight. After a hearty Sherpa breakfast at Eco Paradise Lodge at the other side of the airstrip, you’ll start trekking towards Everest.

Leaving the bustling village of Lukla, packed with colorful shops, restaurants and bars and still a bit of Sherpa character, you trek north, with snow capped Karyolung peak in the distance. The quaint village of Chaunrikharka lays below you. The trail takes us above a rhododendron choked forest, over the school and gompa and past the checkered fields of barley, spinach and potatoes of the village. We are trekking along the Dudh Kosi (river) on a centuries-old trading trail from Nepal to Tibet. It is well traveled by stout, heavily loaded Nepali porters and Tibetan traders (Khampas, most distinguishable by the length of red or black tassel wrapped around their heads) conducting business between the weekly markets of Lukla and Namche with Chinese and Tibetan goods brought over the 5700m Nangpa La (pass) from Tibet. (Note the market isn’t functioning recently as the border between Nepal + Tibet has been closed for several years).

Half an hour out of Lukla we reach the idyllic hamlet of Chheplung. Up valley rises the sacred peak of Khumbila, a black triangle that dominates the valley. From the small hamlet of Thado Kosi, while crossing the metal bridge, we have our first view the three sister peaks of Kusum Khangkaru to the east. Half an hour of lovely trekking over cobbled trails brings us to Ghat and the best-maintained cluster of mani stones and prayer flags in the Khumbu. The local lama, owner of the Lama Lodge in Ghat, is responsible for this magical setting. Once at Phakding, a lively village a half hour’s walk from Ghat, you’ll check in to the luxurious Yeti Mountain Home (YMH) where you will enjoy your choice of lunch from the extensive menu from the organic garden.

Relax in your traditionally decorated room on the banks of the Kudh Kosi (River), surrounded by alpine evergreen forests, drink plenty of water and rest up in the sunroom for the next few days hikes at altitude. Thi Rumijung Monastery, founded by the Sherpa Lama Khemp Dorje in the 16th century, is an hours walk away for those with extra energy to spend. Please discuss taking Diamox with your guide. (3 1/2 hrs)

Day 4 – Trek Monjo 2835m/9300′ – YMH
Enjoy breakfast in the mountains before setting off on the short hike to beautiful Monjo. Hiking by the small tea-houses servicing the locals and workers in Phakding, you will cross a long suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi and trek above the river, climbing through evergreen forests to reach the first lodge of Benkar. Look up on the protruding rocks for Himalayan thar. Continuing over a small bridge, continue through larger Benkar, the first village to attend the Monjo school. Another suspension bridge, several small tea houses serving local fare and another climb, and you will reach Chumoa, with apple and peach trees which bloom in the springtime. One more small bridge and a last climb on uneven stone steps to reach Monjo, where you will stop at the luxurious, Tibetan-styled Yeti Mountain Home for the night. Order lunch and dinner off the menu and enjoy your ‘five-star’ mountain experience!

The newly built Monjo YMH is steeped in luxury, decorated and designed in classic Sherpa style. You’ll enjoy a warm, very comfortable stay at Monjo! Monjo is a small Sherpa village tucked away in the forests high above the Dudh Kosi where Kim (Kamzang Journeys) taught English years ago, only the newer part of the village visible from the trail. There is a newly reconstructed gompa above the school, and above than a steep drop off and good view of tomorrow’s hike. Feel free to visit the school or the monastery nearby in the afternoon, or to hike through the more traditional section of the village on the mountain side of town. After another night at a similar altitude, you will be in good condition for the 600 meter climb to Namche Bazaar tomorrow. (2 1/2 hrs)

Day 5 – Trek Namche Bazaar 3340m/10,990′ – YMH
After a short walk past the school with Khumbila (or Khumbu Yul La) looming majestically ahead of us, you enter the gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park. Descending steeply on a stony trail to the river, cross a long suspension bridge to reach the hamlet of Jorsale, and then cross one more long bridge before continuing along the sandy riverside trail, still amongst the pine forest, the shores peppered with large, rounded river rocks. Continue along the river for about 45 minutes, with two large ascents on steep, stone staircases. Hike carefully as these steps are a bit precipitous.

Bring your five-colored Tibetan prayer flags to hang on the long (new in 2013) suspension bridge over the confluence of the Dudh Kosi (milk river) and the Bhote Kosi (river from Tibet) and send prayers out into the Everest region! The steep hour and a half climb to Namche on a dusty, rocky, switch-backing trail is broken half-way up the hill by our first view of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. Local women sell delicious oranges at this resting point, which we’ll share for sure with other trekkers. Another 45 minutes of climbing, mostly off the main trail amongst the evergreens, and you arrive at the old trading village of Namche Bazaar, now a thriving trekking metropolis. You’ll have a short tour of the shopping and bakeries in Namche before heading up steep stone steps to the Yeti Mountain Home, situated on top of Namche’s amphitheater, with incredible views throughout the day.

Namche Bazaar, once called Nauje and now the most prosperous trading village on the old trade route with Tibet, sits in an amphitheater surrounded by mountains. From Namche we have perfect views of Kongde Ri in front of us, Kangtega, Thamserku and Kusum Khangkuru to the east and Khumbila to the back. Down-valley the hills and valleys along the route from Solu to Khumbu from Jiri sit shrouded in hazy shades of steely-grey and blues.

You will feel the altitude, so enjoy a leisurely lunch and then relax the rest of the day. If you feel up for a wander into town, see tomorrow’s suggestions. The Namche YMH is a breathtakingly beautiful lodge, perched on the upper slopes of Namche’s ampitheater, and has an in house spa for a well earned massage! (3 1/2 hrs)

Day 6 – Namche Bazaar | Day Hike Khunde 3855m/12,638′ + Khumjung 3800m/12,465′ – YMH
This is your acclimatization day in Namche, and a chance to experience some traditional Sherpa culture in the villages of Khunde and Khumjung. If you arrive for the Saturday (or Friday) market day, take the morning to explore the bustling market, a feast of colors, smells (not all of them appealing), and colorfully-clad Sherpa women up from their villages for the weekly event. It’s as much a social gathering as a produce, meat and essential goods market, so the atmosphere is spirited and lively.

You are free to relax and explore the crowded main streets of Namche, the Sherpa Cultural Center (photographic museum, fantastic), the reconstructed traditional Sherpa house (next door), the National Park Headquarters Museum (where you’ll have easy views of Everest, Lhotse + Nuptse+), colorful Namche Gompa with its own new museum and the Tibetan market. The Tibetans are often encamped in the center of town in a muddy bazaar (potato fields in the summer) touting their goods from China. Indulge yourself at one of the many bakeries, shop for some yak bells or hand-woven Himalayan hats, chat with the sociable Sherpas in the village, or just relax in preparation for the trek. There are now new Mountain Hardwear and Sherpa Gear shops as well as Tsedam’s Gear Shop with a great variety of real trek gear if you find that you’re missing warm clothes. Watch out for dzobkios and cows wandering the narrow streets.

For some peak-spotting at sunset, hike up 15 minutes from the lodge, take the intersection to the right of the trail and hike left on a smaller trail just past the National Park headquarters. For a higher viewpoint, climb steeply to any of several viewpoint an hour+ walk straight up the ridge (above the huge mani stone at the top of the steps). Continue just past Syangboche airstrip, worth the effort for the panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Thamserku, Kantega, Kusum Khangkuru, Tarboche and Ama Dablam.

Day Hike Khunde + Khumjung Villages
Your guide will lead you on a scenic and cultural high loop through the Khunde and Khumjung valley. Taking advantage of the crisp morning light, hike up the steep hill in back of Namche (the same as towards the viewpoint) towards the lively, old Sherpa villages of Khunde and Khumjung, passing through the old airstrip at Syangboche en route. The first section of the climb is steep and sandy, and we will break the climb with great photos from the large mani stone hung with colorful prayer-flags. On the ridge above the airstrip, climb gradually on tundra to a large, whitewashed chorten to the right of the yak-breeding center. From here we climb briefly to a small hill topped with chulung (memorial chortens) for fabulous views of Kumbila, Tabuche, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtega, Kusum Khangkuru, Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. We  trek down to Chhukhung along a small, scenic trail through rhododenrons. You may spot Himalayan tahr grazing on the hillsides, and possibly iridescent danphe and chortling chukkars.

Descending to magical Khumjung (marketed as the Green Valley), walk through the entrance chorten and past a long, beautiful mani wall and the old Khumjung school, established by Hillary in the 70s. Contour through ancient rock walls through the lower half of the village to Khumjung Gompa, one of the oldest in the Khumbu (approximately 500 years) and home to the only existing Yeti scalp on the planet …

The adjoining villages of Khumjung and Khunde are some of the original villages of the Khumbu region, both about 600 years old and wonderful examples of local Sherpa architecture with their winding stone walls, yak paddocks, potato patches and wood and slate houses. Perhaps you will run into Sherpa friends who will invite you in for some salt-butter tea, climbing up a wooden ladder over the straw-lined manger to get into the main house on the first floor. Both villages sit below Khumbila, the sacred Sherpa peak surrounded by lhaso (shrines to mountain deities), above a famous rock-mural of Guru Rimpoche. The views of Ama Dablam from this valley are breathtaking. Heading up the valley to neighboring Khunde, continue to trek through trails lined by lichen-covered stone walls, past traditional Sherpa houses, to Khunde Hospital, where Lhakpa’s (Khumbu Adventures) uncle Kami is the head doctor.

Next door, at Khunde Guest House, have lunch with the lovely owner Doma Tseri and her daughter. Their lodge has expansive mountain views from the warm, glass dining room. Satiated, hike through Khunde’s entrance kane and back up the small ridge, where more Himalayan vistas await. Way down below us, along another magical trail, is Namche, awarm and cheerful dining room and a delicious dinner.

Hillary Memorial
The side trip to Hillary Memorial (4200m), locally referred to as Gong Ri, is a relatively easy hike (approximately 45 minute) along a gradually ascending through a hillside lightly wooded with fir and juniper above Khunde Monastery. Just before reaching the monastery, take the intersecting trail heading left to a scenic ridge with a nearly 360 degree view of Himalayan peaks. The dramatic ridge top setting was dedicated as a memorial to Edmund Hillary’s wife, Louise, and his 16 year old daughter, Belinda, who died tragically in a plane crash just outside of Kathmandu in 1975. The plane was heading to Phaplu Airstrip. Just above the memorial to Louise and Belinda Hillary is a chorten built by local Khunde inhabitants to honor Sir Edmund Hillary.

Views from the memorial include Everest, Lhotse, Nupte, Tabuche, Ama Dablam, Kangtega, Thamserku, Kusum Kangkaru, Kwongde and Pharchamo, as well as the twin villages of Khunde and Khumjung just below Khunde Gompa, Shyangboche, Namche and Monjo down valley, and Tengboche and Pangboche to the north. From the ridge, look to the west to the Thame valley leading to the Nangpa La, once an important Tibetan trade route. The narrow valley before the Thame valley is rumored to be the home of several yetis. Descend from the memorial along the same trail, or head straight down the ridge towards Shyangboche, cutting back towards Khunde to meet the main trail back to Namche as well as the trail leading west towards Thame. You can bushwack your way directly down to Namche but it takes some work, and the trails are only for wood cutters or musk deer. On the plus side, you’ll encounter the many colorful Danphe en route! (6+ hrs)

Day 7 – Helicopter Kwongde 4250m /13,945’| YMH
An epic day, with lunch overlooking some of the best Himalayan views on the planet! Board your private helicopter for the quick flight to Kwongde YMH, and enjoy lunch overlooking this vast panorama of peaks. Views include some of the highest peaks on the planet, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Gyajung Khang (the higest peak under 8000m) and the majestic Ama Dambam. From the YMH lodge you can look down on Kwonde Lake, generally hidden, and up the awe inspiring Khumbu valley. You have the rest of the afternoon to peak gaze, followed by ‘sundowners’ and a wonderful dinner, with unforgettable sunset views over Everest. You will stay at Yeti Mountain Home’s most remote location on top of Kwongde ridge, with Kwongde peak as a backdrop. The Kwongde YMH is a ’boutique’ lodge, one of the world’s highest hotels. Enjoy!

Day 8 – Mountain Helicopter Sightseeing Helicopter Tour | Everest, EBC, Lhotse, Nuptse + More! Helicopter Kathmandu
A once in a lifetime helicopter trip to Everest Base Camp, up and over the Everest icefall with in-your-face views of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse! Your helicopter will land above Gorak Shep on the flanks of Kala Pattar (5300 meters) for a great photo op! After this exciting helicopter flight, we head back down the beautiful Khumbu valley to Lukla, and continue on to Kathmandu, flying over the patchwork of terraced fields, traditional villages and mountain roads that comprise Nepal’s beautiful ‘middle hills’.

You arrive back at your luxury hotel in time for lunch, followed by a glass of wine or beer to celebrate this incredible journey into the Sherpa Everest region

Day 9 – Kathmandu | Hyatt or Yak & Yeti | World Heritage Sightseeing
Helicopter directly back to Kathmandu, flying over the patchwork of terraced fields, traditional villages and mountain roads that comprise Nepal’s beautiful ‘middle hills’. You’ll arrive back at your luxury hotel in time for lunch, followed by a glass of wine or beer to celebrate this incredible journey into the Sherpa Everest region!

Day 10 – Trip Ends
Transfer to the international airport for your trip home. Namaste + Tashi Delek!

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Everest Helicopter Luxury + Boutique Trek | Everest Base Camp (13 Days)
Day 1 – Arrive Kathmandu 1340m/16,350′ | Hyatt Regency, Yak & Yeti or Dwarika’s
Welcome to Nepal! You will be met at the Tribhuvan International Airport by a representative from Khumbu Adventures. Transfer to either the Hyatt (near Boudhanath) or Yak & Yeti Hotel (Durbar Marg), whichever premier Kathmandu hotel you prefer, where your rooms have been booked. Option to upgrade to Dwarika’s Hotel near Pashupatinath and the airport.

The historic Yak & Yeti Hotel is just off Durbar Marg, a tree-lined, upscale road of shops and hotels. Enjoy views of Boudhanath Stupa from the beautiful Hyatt Regency, with its incredible lobby of chortens, Buddha statues and fountains. Dwarika’s is an oasis of calm near the airport and Pashupatinath Temple, renown for its historic architecture, unique style and wonderful atmosphere. Relax by the pools, visit the spas and enjoy dining at one of their world class restaurants.

We will collect a copy of your travel medical insurance, your passport, your Nepali visa and a visa-sized photo, so have them ready to give to Khumbu Adventures. Enjoy a wonderful dinner at your hotel and unwind from your travels!

Day 2 – Kathmandu
Enjoy a free day exploring Kathmandu’s many World Heritage sites or embark on a tour of the beautiful Kathmandu valley, surrounded by Himalayan snow peaks (See Kathmandu Valley Tours for optional tours with a qualified guide, car, and entrance fees included). Or just relax at the hotel, visit the spa, have a massage, wander Kathmandu’s fascinating streets, pop into neighborhood Hindu temples and Newari-styled courtyards, join in on koras of the Buddhist temples. (B)

Cafe Caravan & Dolpo Gallery
Dolpo Artist Tenzin Norbu creates wonderful Dolpo paintings, the prints (and some originals) are available from our Cafe Caravan at Boudhanath Stupa, housed in one of Boudha’s original historic buildings, decorated in a bright, Tibetan style and overlooking the magnificent stupa!

Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Nuru Wangdi Sherpa (Khumbu Adventures & Café Caravan) has his Kathmandu guide license and a large SUV vehicle, and can arrange any sightseeing you might want to do in Kathmandu and the Kathmandu valley. He is often available for guiding your excursions as well. Mobile + WhatsApp: +977 9803633783 (WhatsApp)

Massage in Kathmandu (Ramji of Relieving Hands)
Ramji is a blind masseur trained by Seeing Hands in Kathmandu, who now offers wonderful at home (or hotel) massages, with his own massage table and oil. He is truly a master masseur, a real healer and VERY highly recommended. His prices are extremely reasonable. Let us know if you want help to arrange a massage.
Relieving Hands by Ramji

Kathmandu | World Heritage Sightseeing Tours – Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Durbar Square & Swayambunath
Kathmandu is filled with World Heritage sites and sacred destinations, crowded with traditional neighborhoods and colorful festivals. Spend a few days exploring Nepal’s exotic capital and the history-laden Kathmandu valley. We can arrange sightseeing guides and vehicles as required. See Kathmandu Heritage & Happenings for more details.

We recommend beginning with Pashupatinath in the early morning and moving on to Boudhanath mid-morning. Hindu Pashupatinath on the sacred Bagmati river and its sacred temple complex is one of Nepal’s most important sites, a powerful cremation site, and Nepal’s most important Hindu temple. Here, monkeys run up and down the steps of the burning ghats, and trident-bearing saddhus draped in burnt-orange and saffron sit serenely meditating when they’re not posing for photos-for-rupees. Local guides can explain the significance of the complicated ceremonies. Please be respectful when taking photos.

Boudhanath, in the midst of traditional monasteries (gonpas in Tibetan) and hung with long strings of multi-colored prayer flags, attracts Sherpas, Tibetans, and tourists alike for daily circumambulations (koras) of the iconic stupa. The striking Buddha eyes of Boudhanath Stupa watch over a lively and colorful Tibetan community and attract pilgrims from all over the Himalayan Buddhist realm. There are wonderful spots for lunch at Boudhanath (Roadhouse Cafe has wood-oven pizzas and a breathtaking view of the stupa and colorful Nepals circling it), and it’s a good place to learn the technique of thanka painting and purchase a thanka (Buddhist mural). See also Bhaktapur for more options for shopping for thankas.

Wander through the many temples, pagodas, courtyards, and the museum at Kathmandu Durbar Square, a timeless gathering spot and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Kathmandu Durbar Square, including the old royal palace, is Kathmandu’s ‘Palace Square’, a showcase for the world-renowned artisans and craftsmen of Kathmandu and a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist palaces, temples, stupas, and statues. The Malla and Shah kings ruled over the Kathmandu Valley during the centuries of the building of the layers of this Durbar Square. Along with their opulent palaces, the square surrounds numerous courtyards and temples, all works of art with intricate and often erotic carvings. Kathmandu Durbar Square is known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, a name derived from a statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, at the entrance of the palace. The social, religious and urban focal point of the city, Durbar Square is often the site of festivals, marriages, and other ceremonies such as Teej. Some important structures are Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar (Abode of the Living Goddess), Taleju Temple, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, the 17th century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages.

In the evening (take the interesting back streets from Durbar Square) climb the many steps to the gilded Swayambhunath stupa (known as the monkey temple) which rises from the Kathmandu valley floor at 1420 meters and is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. Swayambunath, the ‘self-created’  stupa, was founded over 2000 years ago at a time when the Kathmandu valley was filled by a large lake, with a single lotus in the center. Mythology says that Manjusri, a bodhisattva, drained the lake with one cut of his sword and the lotus flower was transformed into the stupa. From its commanding views of Kathmandu, circumambulate Swayambunath’s white-washed stupa, painted with distinctive Buddha eyes, the complex a unique synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism. Another interesting time to visit Swayambunath is in the mornings when Nepalis visit the temple dedicated to the God of Smallpox with colorful offerings for the goddess.

Stop to photograph reflections in Kathmandu’s many pokharis or ponds, including the beautiful Rani Pokhari (queen’s bath) near New Road, and the Naga Pokhari (pond of the snake gods of the underworld) just beyond the palace gates. The many bathing ghats, square enclosures with steps leading down to water spouts, often decorated with naga heads, are also interesting and colorful gathering spots.

Day 3 – Mountain Helicopter Flight Lukla 2850m/9350′. Trek Monjo 2835m/9300′ – YMH| Yeti Mountain Home (YMH)Just after sunrise, embark on a spectacular 45 minute helicopter flight over the Kathmandu valley to Lukla, flying parallel to some of the world’s highest Himalayan peaks. Just before landing, look directly out the cockpit of the helicopter at Everest, a breathtaking sight. After a hearty Sherpa breakfast at Eco Paradise Lodge at the other side of the airstrip, you’ll start trekking towards Everest.

Leaving the bustling village of Lukla, packed with colorful shops, restaurants and bars and still a bit of Sherpa character, you trek north, with snow capped Karyolung peak in the distance. The quaint village of Chaunrikharka lays below you. The trail takes us above a rhododendron choked forest, over the school and gompa and past the checkered fields of barley, spinach and potatoes of the village. We are trekking along the Dudh Kosi (river) on a centuries-old trading trail from Nepal to Tibet. It is well traveled by stout, heavily loaded Nepali porters and Tibetan traders (Khampas, most distinguishable by the length of red or black tassel wrapped around their heads) conducting business between the weekly markets of Lukla and Namche with Chinese and Tibetan goods brought over the 5700m Nangpa La (pass) from Tibet. (Note the market isn’t functioning recently as the border between Nepal + Tibet has been closed for several years).

Half an hour out of Lukla we reach the idyllic hamlet of Chheplung. Up valley rises the sacred peak of Khumbila, a black triangle that dominates the valley. From the small hamlet of Thado Kosi, while crossing the metal bridge, we have our first view the three sister peaks of Kusum Khangkaru to the east. Half an hour of lovely trekking over cobbled trails brings us to Ghat and the best-maintained cluster of mani stones and prayer flags in the Khumbu. The local lama, owner of the Lama Lodge in Ghat, is responsible for this magical setting. Once at Phakding, a lively village a half hour’s walk from Ghat, you’ll check in to the luxurious Yeti Mountain Home (YMH) where you will order lunch from the menu.

Hiking by the small tea-houses servicing the locals and workers in Phakding, cross a long suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi and trek above the river, climbing through evergreen forests to reach the first lodge of Benkar. Look up on the protruding rocks for Himalayan thar. Continuing over a small bridge, continue through larger Benkar, the first village to attend the Monjo school. Another suspension bridge, several small tea houses serving local fare and another climb, and you will reach Chumoa, with apple and peach trees which bloom in the springtime. One more small bridge and a last climb on uneven stone steps to reach Monjo, where you will stop at the luxurious, Tibetan-styled Yeti Mountain Home for the night. Order lunch and dinner off the menu and enjoy your ‘five-star’ mountain experience!

The newly built Monjo YMH is steeped in luxury, decorated and designed in classic Sherpa style. You’ll enjoy a warm, very comfortable stay at Monjo! Monjo is a small Sherpa village tucked away in the forests high above the Dudh Kosi where Kim (Kamzang Journeys) taught English years ago, only the newer part of the village visible from the trail. There is a newly reconstructed gompa above the school, and above than a steep drop off and good view of tomorrow’s hike. Feel free to visit the school or the monastery nearby in the afternoon, or to hike through the more traditional section of the village on the mountain side of town. After another night at a similar altitude, you will be in good condition for the 600 meter climb to Namche Bazaar tomorrow. (6 hrs)

Day 4 – Trek Namche Bazaar 3465m/11,365′ – YMH
After a short walk past the school with Khumbila (or Khumbu Yul La) looming majestically ahead of us, you enter the gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park. Descending steeply on a stony trail to the river, cross a long suspension bridge to reach the hamlet of Jorsale, and then cross one more long bridge before continuing along the sandy riverside trail, still amongst the pine forest, the shores peppered with large, rounded river rocks. Continue along the river for about 45 minutes, with two large ascents on steep, stone staircases. Hike carefully as these steps are a bit precipitous.

Bring your five-colored Tibetan prayer flags to hang on the long (new in 2013) suspension bridge over the confluence of the Dudh Kosi (milk river) and the Bhote Kosi (river from Tibet) and send prayers out into the Everest region! The steep hour and a half climb to Namche on a dusty, rocky, switch-backing trail is broken half-way up the hill by our first view of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. Local women sell delicious oranges at this resting point, which we’ll share for sure with other trekkers. Another 45 minutes of climbing, mostly off the main trail amongst the evergreens, and you arrive at the old trading village of Namche Bazaar, now a thriving trekking metropolis. You’ll have a short tour of the shopping and bakeries in Namche before heading up steep stone steps to the Yeti Mountain Home, situated on top of Namche’s amphitheater, with incredible views throughout the day.

Namche Bazaar, once called Nauje and now the most prosperous trading village on the old trade route with Tibet, sits in an amphitheater surrounded by mountains. From Namche we have perfect views of Kongde Ri in front of us, Kangtega, Thamserku and Kusum Khangkuru to the east and Khumbila to the back. Down-valley the hills and valleys along the route from Solu to Khumbu from Jiri sit shrouded in hazy shades of steely-grey and blues.

You will feel the altitude, so enjoy a leisurely lunch and then relax the rest of the day. If you feel up for a wander into town, see tomorrow’s suggestions. (3 1/2 hrs)

Day 5 – Namche Bazaar | Day Hike Khunde 3855m/12,638′ + Khumjung 3800m/12,465′ – YMH
This is your acclimatization day in Namche, and a chance to experience some traditional Sherpa culture in the villages of Khunde and Khumjung. If you arrive for the Saturday (or Friday) market day, take the morning to explore the bustling market, a feast of colors, smells (not all of them appealing), and colorfully-clad Sherpa women up from their villages for the weekly event. It’s as much a social gathering as a produce, meat and essential goods market, so the atmosphere is spirited and lively.

You are free to relax and explore the crowded main streets of Namche, the Sherpa Cultural Center (photographic museum, fantastic), the reconstructed traditional Sherpa house (next door), the National Park Headquarters Museum (where you’ll have easy views of Everest, Lhotse + Nuptse+), colorful Namche Gompa with its own new museum and the Tibetan market. The Tibetans are often encamped in the center of town in a muddy bazaar (potato fields in the summer) touting their goods from China. Indulge yourself at one of the many bakeries, shop for some yak bells or hand-woven Himalayan hats, chat with the sociable Sherpas in the village, or just relax in preparation for the trek. There are now new Mountain Hardwear and Sherpa Gear shops as well as Tsedam’s Gear Shop with a great variety of real trek gear if you find that you’re missing warm clothes. Watch out for dzobkios and cows wandering the narrow streets.

For some peak-spotting at sunet, hike up 15 minutes from the lodge, take the intersection to the right of the trail and hike left on a smaller trail just past the National Park headquarters. For a higher viewpoint, climb steeply to any of several viewpoint an hour+ walk straight up the ridge (above the huge mani stone at the top of the steps). Continue just past Syangboche airstrip, worth the effort for the panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Thamserku, Kantega, Kusum Khangkuru, Tarboche and Ama Dablam.

Day Hike Khunde + Khumjung Villages
Your guide will lead you on a scenic and cultural high loop through the Khunde and Khumjung valley. Taking advantage of the crisp morning light, hike up the steep hill in back of Namche (the same as towards the viewpoint) towards the lively, old Sherpa villages of Khunde and Khumjung, passing through the old airstrip at Syangboche en route. The first section of the climb is steep and sandy, and we will break the climb with great photos from the large mani stone hung with colorful prayer-flags. On the ridge above the airstrip, climb gradually on tundra to a large, whitewashed chorten to the right of the yak-breeding center. From here we climb briefly to a small hill topped with chulung (memorial chortens) for fabulous views of Kumbila, Tabuche, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtega, Kusum Khangkuru, Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. We  trek down to Chhukhung along a small, scenic trail through rhododenrons. You may spot Himalayan tahr grazing on the hillsides, and possibly iridescent danphe and chortling chukkars.

Descending to magical Khumjung (marketed as the Green Valley), walk through the entrance chorten and past a long, beautiful mani wall and the old Khumjung school, established by Hillary in the 70s. Contour through ancient rock walls through the lower half of the village to Khumjung Gompa, one of the oldest in the Khumbu (approximately 500 years) and home to the only existing Yeti scalp on the planet …

The adjoining villages of Khumjung and Khunde are some of the original villages of the Khumbu region, both about 600 years old and wonderful examples of local Sherpa architecture with their winding stone walls, yak paddocks, potato patches and wood and slate houses. Perhaps you will run into Sherpa friends who will invite you in for some salt-butter tea, climbing up a wooden ladder over the straw-lined manger to get into the main house on the first floor. Both villages sit below Khumbila, the sacred Sherpa peak surrounded by lhaso (shrines to mountain deities), above a famous rock-mural of Guru Rimpoche. The views of Ama Dablam from this valley are breathtaking. Heading up the valley to neighboring Khunde, continue to trek through trails lined by lichen-covered stone walls, past traditional Sherpa houses, to Khunde Hospital, where Lhakpa’s (Khumbu Adventures) uncle Kami is the head doctor.

Next door, at Khunde Guest House, have lunch with the lovely owner Doma Tseri and her daugher. Their lodge has expansive mountain views from the warm, glass dining room. Satiated, hike through Khunde’s entrance kane and back up the small ridge, where more Himalayan vistas await. Way down below us, along another magical trail, is Namche, awarm and cheerful dining room and a delicous dinner.

Hillary Memorial
The side trip to Hillary Memorial (4200m), locally referred to as Gong Ri, is a relatively easy hike (approximately 45 minute) along a gradually ascending through a hillside lightly wooded with fir and juniper above Khunde Monastery. Just before reaching the monastery, take the intersecting trail heading left to a scenic ridge with a nearly 360 degree view of Himalayan peaks. The dramatic ridge top setting was dedicated as a memorial to Edmund Hillary’s wife, Louise, and his 16 year old daughter, Belinda, who died tragically in a plane crash just outside of Kathmandu in 1975. The plane was heading to Phaplu Airstrip. Just above the memorial to Louise and Belinda Hillary is a chorten built by local Khunde inhabitants to honor Sir Edmund Hillary.

Views from the memorial include Everest, Lhotse, Nupte, Tabuche, Ama Dablam, Kangtega, Thamserku, Kusum Kangkaru, Kwongde and Pharchamo, as well as the twin villages of Khunde and Khumjung just below Khunde Gompa, Shyangboche, Namche and Monjo down valley, and Tengboche and Pangboche to the north. From the ridge, look to the west to the Thame valley leading to the Nangpa La, once an important Tibetan trade route. The narrow valley before the Thame valley is rumored to be the home of several yetis. Descend from the memorial along the same trail, or head straight down the ridge towards Shyangboche, cutting back towards Khunde to meet the main trail back to Namche as well as the trail leading west towards Thame. You can bushwack your way directly down to Namche but it takes some work, and the trails are only for wood cutters or musk deer. On the plus side, you’ll encounter the many colorful Danphe en route! (6+ hrs)

Day 6 – Trek Tengboche – Boutique Lodge (Himalayan Lodge) or Tashinga Summit Lodge 3450m/11,316′ – Everest Summit Lodge
Two hours after leaving Namche we reach Tashi & Lhakpa’s Ama Dablam Lodge in Kyangjuma, perched dramatically on a steep hillside overlooking the peak of the same name. Tashi has the best jewelry shopping in the Everest region so we’ll have a short stop at her lodge. Continuing along the main trail through a lovely rhododendron forest we take a sharp left at the intersecting trail leading to Gokyo and ascend the steep trail up to the bridge which intersects the old trail from Khumjung. Along the way we are likely to see wildlife such as himalayan tahr and the spectacularly-hued danphe (the Nepali national bird).

We climb gradually for about twenty minutes and then spot the Sherpa-style Summit Lodge just below us. From here we have the option of a shorter day at a luxury lodge, or climbing another 2 hours to stay near Tengboche Monastery in Tengboche. (4 or 6 hrs)

Day 7 – Trek Pangboche 3900m/12,792′ – Everest Summit Lodge or Dingboche 4300m/14,015′ – Boutique Lodge (Snow Lion Lodge)
It’s a beautiful hike leaving Tashinga and trekking down to Phunki Tenga, from where you’ll cross the suspension bridge and climb for an hour or so up to Tengboche Gompa, one of the Khumbu’s most beloved monasteries. You’ll have plenty of time to visit the monastery, possibly stopping for cup of tea at one of the lodges.

Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse dominate the northern skyline from here, while Ama Dablam is just ahead and the wall of and Kangtega towers above. Descending through a dense rhododendron forest, we pass through the small hamlet of Devoche where the tiny nunnery, called an ani gompa in Tibetan, is worth a visit. Descending a bit to a bridge over the Imja Khola, you will have to climb for about an hour to reach the kane, or entrance chorten of Pangboche. The Pangboche Summit Lodge is in Lower Pangboche, so after lunch and relaxing at the lodge, do take an hour to wander the old alleys of Upper Pangboche, and visit Pangboche Gompa, approximately five hundred years old, one of the oldest in the Khumbu. It’s a lovely village to stop in for the evening, with views across the river to the trail to Ama Dablam Base Camp and the old airstrip at Mingbo. Enjoy the glowing sunset over Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse.

Our second option is to trek another 1 1/2 hours to Dingboche, staying the lovely, family run Snow Loion Lodge. Leaving Pangboche, we trek above the Imja Khola along a rocky trail to tiny Somare and then along wide yak trails past the one lodge of Orsho and then past the intersection to Pheriche (home of the the HRA health post). Just past the intersection we descend to the intersecting Chola Khola which we cross on a small, wooden bridge to reach the scree hillside leading to Dingboche. Dingboche is another old Sherpa village, now a primary stop on the Everest Base Camp route, a semi-permanent village whos inhabitants traditionally would stay in nearby kharkas, keeping their livestock away from their precious barley crops.

The lower half of Dingboche is a line of trekking lodges interspersed with a few local shops and internet cafes, while the upper half is still local Sherpa dwellings, fields, rock walls and yak enclosures, reminiscent of Sherpa villages of yore. Three whitewashed chortens with Buddha eyes lead up the ridge to the peak called Dolma Ri, topped with prayer flags. Look on top of the peak for the eagle, or ‘lak’, perched there. Above, nestled in the hillside, is an old Buddhist hermitage called Nangar Dzong, the summer meditation place of Lama Sangwa Dorje. We stay at the bottome of Dingboche, at at Nima Yangjin and Samden’s welcoming Snowlion Guest House, and enjoy the afternoon at the bakery in the sun! (4 hrs)

Day 8 – Dingboche | Snow Lion Lodge | Day Hike Chhukung Valley
If we are all acclimatized we’ll head up to Chhukhung for a day of mountain views. The trail ascends the grassy left bank of the boulder-strewn Imja Kola to Chhukhung, a seasonal herding village nestled under Ama Dablam, Lhotse, the Nuptse wall, Peak 38 and Island peak, to name just a few of the peaks that make this such a superb setting. The trek is only 2-3 hours so there is time to absorb the great views en route.

We’ll have lunch at the Chhukhung Resort, owned by Chunti Sherpa, a lovely lodge with a warm sunroom and a slate deck, perfect for peak-gazing in the afternoon. You might want to hike up to 5000 meters on Chhukhung Ri, or to wander up the glacial morraines just north of the lodge. Take it easy as we’ve gained quite a bit of altitude! (4 1/2 hrs RT)

Day 9 – Trek Lobuche 4935m/16,186m | Boutique Lodge (Eco Lodge)
After breakfast you will crest the chorten-topped ridge to the west of Dingboche and traverse the plateau for another three hours, looking down on the trail to the Cho La Pass and Dzongla. Walking along the flat, grassy grazing pastures, we pass the summer ‘doksa’, or yak-herding settlement, of Dusa before heading down to the stony river coming from the Khumbu Valley, and crossing it on a small bridge. A quick five minutes up the hill and we arrive at Thugla and Tsering Lhakpa’s Yak Lodge, probably the most genuine alpine lodge in the Khumbu. And it’s worth a trek up to Thugla just to meet Tsering, who often takes out his Tibetan ‘damnye’ to play some traditional Tibetan songs. We’ll have lunch at Thugla before continuing up.

From Thugla, it’s straight up the steep, yak-trodden trail to the memorials to the many climbers who have died attempting one of the many peaks in the area (including Babu Chiri and Scott Fischer’s). The Sherpas call this place Chukpi Lhare, meaning ‘wealthy persons’ kharka’. Check the mountain views behind you when you reach the memorial crest, they’re spectacular. Next, we head up-valley towards Lobuche, where we stay the night at the Eco Lodge. The views from the edge of the glacier down valley are superb, almost more so as the clouds move up the valley, so don’t miss an afternoon walk up to the ridge with your camera. At Lobuche, almost 5000 meters, it is especially important to take it easy, stay hydrated and get plenty of rest. (6 1/2 hrs)

Day 10 – Trek Gorak Shep 5180m/16,990m | Alpine Lodge (Himalayan Lodge) | Climb Kala Patar Peak 5645m/18,516′
You will leave Lobuche early, trekking up a rocky yak trail on the right side of the Khumbu Glacier towards Gorak Shep, a walk of about three hours. The walk isn’t difficult, but there are a few hills to crest, more memorials along the way, and you should feel the altitude. The last stretch of the trail snakes up and down glacial scree, and just before Gorak Shep we get a view of Everest. Gorak Shep, with Kala Pattar just to the left, is a welcome sight; the Himalayan Lodge has expanded, the rooms are lovely, the toilets are inside and the dining room is always lively and warm. The food is even good, quite a feat at 5180 meters, many days walk from the markets! To the east of Gorak Shep, Nuptse looms magnificently above us, now a triangular rock face which turns pink with the evening light.

You have a chance to climb the 5645-meter Kala Pattar later in the morning, a steep, 2-hour climb from the lodge. From the rocky, prayer-flag strewn summit which is actually a spur from Pumori we are rewared with in-your-face views the 6, 7 & 8000 meter peaks as Everest, Lhotse (the tip), Nuptse, Amadablam & Kangtega to the south and Lhola Peak, Changtse, Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori & Chumbu. Changtse is fully in Tibet, and the others for the most part form the border of Nepal and Tibet.

Descending is much faster than the ascent, and hot drinks are waiting back at Ang Tsering’s Himalayan Lodge. For the remainder of the day: a late lunch (if you didn’t have it earlier), rest and lots of water! (3 hrs + 4 hrs RT)

Day 11 – Trek Lobuche | Boutique Lodge (Eco Lodge) | Morning Hike Everest Base Camp 5365m/17,597m
You have the morning hike to Everest Base Camp at 5365 meters, a 5-hour round-trip walk along the glacial ridge leading to the Khumbu icefall, descending right onto the glacier. At ‘Korean Base Camp’ there is a rock strung with 5-colored prayer flags which looks out at the Khumbu Ice Fall, a perfect spot for photos. If you have time, venture into the ice pinacles just a few minutes from the prayer flags, a sign of the melting glaciers and global warming …

If you didn’t do it yesterday do head up for a climb of the 5645 meter Kala Pattar in the morning. Rob Hall’s memorial makes a nice side-trip up the valley if you’re short on energy. Back at the lodge we’ll have lunch and then head back down the glacial valley to the Eco Lodge at Lobuche, showers, a warm stove and a good dinner! (4 hrs RT + 2 hrs)

Day 12 – Mountain Helicopter Sightseeing Tour Gokyo Valley. Helicopter Kathmandu
A once in a lifetime helicopter trip over the stunningly beautiful Gokyo Lakes, flying low over the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, and crossing the snow covered Cho La pass from the Everest Base Camp valley to the Gokyo Valley. You’ll touch down at Gokyo to splash some sacred water on yourself, enjoying the spectacular setting. After this epic helicopter flight, a highlight of the trip, you will re-board the helicopter and continue the trip!

Lunch finished, you’ll enjoy the continued helicopter flight back to Lukla and Kathmandu, flying over the patchwork of terraced fields, traditional villages and mountain roads that comprise Nepal’s beautiful ‘middle hills’.

You arrive back at your luxury hotel in time for lunch, followed by a glass of wine or beer to celebrate this incredible journey into the Sherpa Everest region.

Optional Lunch Overlooking Everest
An option for your last day in the Khumbu region is lunch overlooking some of the best Himalayan views on the planet! Board your private helicopter from Namche for the quick flight to Kwongde YMH, and enjoy lunch overlooking this vast panorama of peaks. Views include some of the highest peaks on the planet, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Gyajung Khang (the higest peak under 8000m) and the majestic Ama Dambam. From the YMH lodge you can look down on Kwonde Lake, generally hidden, and up the awe inspiring Khumbu valley. The Kwongde YMH is a ’boutique’ lodge, one of the world’s highest hotels. (+$250)

Day 13 – Trip Ends
Transfer to the international airport for your trip home. Namaste + Tashi Delek!

TripAdvisor Reviews!

Client Highlights
Travelers’ Comments

Trip Highlights

• Epic Everest Helicopter Tours
• Everest Trek & Sublime Himalayan Views
• Spectacular Himalayan Panoramas + Traditional Villages
• Dwarika’s Hotel
• Kathmandu World Heritage Sites
• Sherpa Lodges (Boutique & Luxury Accommodation)
• Private En-suite Bath Facilities on Trek
• Hot Showers + Hot Water Bottles
• Optional Chitwan Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge (Wildlife Extensions)

Luxury Trek & Heli Tour Comments
Kim arranged a wonderful helicopter tour for me and my husband. We spent 5 days trekking the Ghandruk Circuit and stayed at Kerr & Downey lodges, which were great. Then we had an interesting flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and a fantastic helicopter ride to Namche Bazaar. We stayed in Namche for 2 nights so that we could acclimatize and trek to the Everest view point. We trekked back to Lukla over 2 days. It was a great trip, we highly recommend it!
– Cheryl + David B (USA), Everest Helicopter Experience & Annapurna Luxury Trek 2017

Trekkers’ Comments
Kamzang Journeys is the best in the Everest region! Some of the most spectacular landscapes in the Nepalese Himalayas. A window on the traditional villages of Sherpas and the “gompas” (monasteries), their Buddhist culture of mountains as well their summits and sacred valleys. The Everest area is a very spiritual and colorful place. We flew to Lukla, at the base of Himalayan peaks, where I spent a little more than three weeks hiking around the world’s highest mountains. Namche, a wonderful mountain perched village, Chuckung, where for the first time I reached the summit of a mountain at more than 5000 meters, Gorak Shep, at the base of Mount Everest where I climbed Kala Patthar (5600m), the Cho La and Renjo La and much more! Thanks to Kim and the entire Kamzang Journeys team for allowing me to discover this wonderful place!
– Adam D, Everest High Passes Trek 2015
Watch the Video!
Everest High Passes Trek | Adam D on Vimeo

Awesome guide, perfect arrangements and detailed advice! We loved our trek to Everest base camp, thanks a lot to Kamzang Journeys!
– Karen + Wang (USA), Private EBC Trek 2019

We went on 19 day trek through the Khumbu with Phu Tashi Sherpa of Kamzang Journeys. He is an excellent guide and a terrific person (and a pretty good card player). Tashi is very attentive and tuned into his clients from a health, acclimatization and safety standpoint as well as overall comfort and enjoyment of the trip. He is super knowledgeable about routes, peaks and wildlife, and we also appreciated that he is from the area and shared info with us about villages, customs, and the history of what we were seeing and experiencing. On top of this, he seems to know just about everyone. We didn’t realize how important this is until we saw first hand some trekkers who weren’t doing so well. A good network of contacts is vital in that situation! Beyond all of this, he is a kind and caring person with a great sense of humor. After spending almost 3 weeks with him, we truly miss him and hope to trek with him again.
– Kay + Jamie (USA), Private Everest High Passes Trek 2016

Thank you for everything you did to make our anniversary trip special. From the extras at our hotel rooms to the amazing quality, warmth and hospitality of every person who works with you – we were blown away by the trip you planned. We loved meeting you, Lhakpa, Doma and all the guides, drivers and porters who created such a hassle-free and seamless environment for us to explore beautiful Nepal.  Thank you so much – you created a truly life changing and unforgettable trip for us.
– Kim + Bob (USA), Private Amazing Nepal Trek 2016 (Honeymoon Trip)

I really enjoyed my cultural trek in the Khumbu and the Everest region with Kamzang Journeys! It was good to have a local guide in Tashi. He was such a quiet and gentle guy, and I was impressed with his respect for culture and Buddhist philosophy. I was able to learn about the way of life in the villages and about the gardens and crops, and it was also interesting to visit the monasteries and hear about Buddhist practices and philosophy. The route chosen was great – away from the main trekking routes and very scenic. I could feel myself becoming more acclimatized and fitter after a few days above 3000m. Basanta was such a cheerful porter and always greeted us with a big smile. All the flights and connections went smoothly thanks to Lhakpa and Doma in Kathmandu, and Tashi and the host from Paradise Lodge at Lukla. Doma was very generous with her time and went with me to see Durbar Square. Kathmandu Guest House was lovely and the staff were so helpful, especially Binod. So a very memorable trip. Thanks so much!
– Maureen H (Australia), Private Everest Cultural Trek 2015

Tsering Sherpa is marvelous, extremely responsible, serious, devoted, very thoughtful, discreet and very pleasant to trek with. He is very helpful, well travelled, speaks good English, is well-mannered and has a good experience as a mountaineer and a climber.  He is very powerful, strong and quick, and smiles a lot! He seems to know everybody on the trail, is active in his community and is respected by other Sherpas. On trek he was a good counsellor on food, and of course respectful of tradition and of the Tibetan Buddhist faith. With him we felt very secure as he knows the trail and all the short cuts.
– Nan + Odette (France), Private Everest Base Camp Trek 2014

Viney was my private guide to trek to Everest base camp in October 2013.  I felt very secure with him the entire time.  He was always attentive to my wellbeing from the time we started in x (kim pls fill in) where we ended up slogging through rainfall and mud due to the cyclone left over from India, all the way through to the end of our trip in Lukla.  I could count on him without a doubt every day of the entire 3 weeks we spent together.  Thanks to Viney for an excellent trek!
– Lori C (USA), Private Everest High Passes Trek 2014

Last May I spent almost three weeks hiking with Mingma in the Khumbu region of Nepal and we explored the Gokyo lakes, Gokyo valley and we climbed Gokyo Ri. Mingma is an experienced mountain-guide, knows all the summits in the region, the Sherpas and routes.  He is responsive of the challenges, strong and kind, but he is very calm in case of difficult situations. While we walked together, he was attentive and he always tried to accommodate my phyisical condition and my spiritual eagerness. We spent wonderful time together and I immensely enjoyed every moment of the trek. I am planning to walk with him again in 2015!
– Kati K (Hungary), Private Gokyo Lakes Trek 2014

Tashi was the perfect guide for me. I was going solo, and looking mostly for solitude; Tashi’s temperament was the perfect match for mine. When he had something to say, it seemed eerily to come right when I was about to ask him a question about the very thing he started to speak about! He has a real passion for the natural world he lives in and for the Sherpa people and their traditions, too. I ended up falling ill with something and here again Tashi was the perfect guide – helpful but not smothering or overly-solicitous. I will be back, and with my family and I’m certain to request that Tashi accompanies us when we return.
– Nick A-H (UK), Private Everest Base Camp Trek 2014

Tsering Sherpa is marvelous, extremely responsible, serious, devoted, very thoughtful, discreet and very pleasant to trek with. He is very helpful, well travelled, speaks good English, is well-mannered and has a good experience as a mountaineer and a climber.  He is very powerful, strong and quick, and smiles a lot! He seems to know everybody on the trail, is active in his community and is respected by other Sherpas. On trek he was a good counsellor on food, and of course respectful of tradition and of the Tibetan Buddhist faith. With him we felt very secure as he knows the trail and all the short cuts.
– Nan + Odette (France), Private Everest Base Camp Trek 2014

Viney was my private guide to trek to Everest base camp in October 2013.  I felt very secure with him the entire time.  He was always attentive to my wellbeing from the time we started in x (kim pls fill in) where we ended up slogging through rainfall and mud due to the cyclone left over from India, all the way through to the end of our trip in Lukla.  I could count on him without a doubt every day of the entire 3 weeks we spent together.  Thanks to Viney for an excellent trek!
– Lori C (USA), Private Everest High Passes Trek 2014

Last May I spent almost three weeks hiking with Mingma in the Khumbu region of Nepal and we explored the Gokyo lakes, Gokyo valley and we climbed Gokyo Ri. Mingma is an experienced mountain-guide, knows all the summits in the region, the Sherpas and routes.  He is responsive of the challenges, strong and kind, but he is very calm in case of difficult situations. While we walked together, he was attentive and he always tried to accommodate my phyisical condition and my spiritual eagerness. We spent wonderful time together and I immensely enjoyed every moment of the trek. I am planning to walk with him again in 2015!
– Kati K (Hungary), Private Gokyo Lakes Trek 2014

Kim and her colleagues at Khumbu Adventures arranged a solo trek for me at very short notice in November 2013 – and did it even whilst most of them were leading another trek in Mustang! They made the complex easy. From a wonderful guide to helping me arrange evacuation when I got sick, I was always in knowledeable, kind, efficient hands. I recommend Kamzang Journeys without reservation and I’ll be using them when I return to Nepal in September 2014!
– Nick A (UK), Private Everest Trek 2013

Kim Bannister Photo Gallery | Trip + Trek Photos
Kim Bannister Photography

Travel Reading | Enhance Your Trip!
Travel Books

Sherpa Books
Stories & Customs of the Sherpas – Frances Klatzel
Gaiety of Spirit – Frances Klatzel

Online Articles + Documentaries on Everest Region
Everest High Passes Trek – Adam D on Vimeo

Glacier Works – David Breshear’s Interactive Site

Everest by Drone | National Geographic Adventure

Battle of the Himalayas: The Fight to Film Everest – BBC Four Documentary

1953: First Footsteps – Sir Edmund Hillary & Tenzin Norgay – National Geographic

Sherpas | The True Heroes of Mount Everest – Film Adventure

Glory or Death | Climbing Mount Everest – True Sports (YouTube)

On Mount Everest, Sherpa Guides Bear the Brunt of the Danger – NPR

Lakes Expanding Dangerously in Everest Glacier – BBC

Rivers of Ice – Vanishing Glaciers – BBC

Everest – National Geographic Adventure

Climbing Everest Then & Now – National Geographic Adventure

Everest Revealed: Photos by Renan Ozturk – National Geographic Adventure

Flying a Drone at Everest – Himalayan Aerials

The Everest Avalanche 2014 – YouTube

Living Through the Himalayan Thaw – Himalayan Times

Nepal Quake Caused Minimal Damage to Everest Trails – Reuters

Nepal Before & After the Earthquake – New York Times

Jan Morris: No One Else Needs to Climb Everest – New Statesman

Airport Near Everest is its own Perilous Adventure – New York Times

Sherpa – They Die, We Go Home – New York Times

On Mount Everest – Surviving and Earthquake & an Avalanche – New York Times Lens Blog

Climate Model Suggests Glaciers Could Nearly Disappear – New York Times

Forty Years of Everest – YouTube

Nepal Drains Dangerous Everest Lake – BBC

The Epic of Everest – BBC Four

Sherpaland Gets a Makeover – Nepali Times

On Thin Ice in the Khumbu – Nepali Times

Taking the Pulse of Ngozumba – BBC 

Former Miss Nepal an Everest Helicopter Pilot | ABC News

Yaks in the Everest Region | YouTube (Kamzang Journeys)