Lobuche East Peak Climbing (6,119m)- 20 Days

We complete our customs formalities at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Afterwards, there will be a representative from our company who will take you to your hotel. We can then spend the rest of the day resting. In the evening, we get to try Nepalese cuisine at a welcome dinner hosted by our company. Overnight in Kathmandu. 

Today is set aside for peak climbing preparation and briefing. We will organize and check all necessary climbing gear and equipment, review the climbing route and itinerary, and attend a detailed briefing. After completing the preparations, if time allows and participants are interested, we may explore nearby sites. This day ensures everyone is fully prepared as we begin our peak climbing journey from tomorrow.

After lunch, we drove to Manthali airport, which is located in Ramechhap district, so it is also known as Ramechhap airport, as it faces attractive views of Kathmandu and Manthali. During the trekking season, flights operate via Ramechhap, while in the off-season, direct flights from Kathmandu to Lukla are available. After reaching Manthali, we will stay overnight in a lodge at Manthali. 

Early in the morning, we fly from Manthali to Lukla, experiencing incredible and beautiful views of Manthali and Lukla. After reaching Lukla, we start to trek to a ridge at 2800m, before a gradual ascent to the final ridge from where we descend to Surke, following the path toward Phakding. You will trek on the trail cut deep into the steep rocky side of the valley, where you can come across mule caravans making their way alongside you. At the end, the trekking trail joins back onto the Dudh Koshi River valley, and you can see amazing views of the ebbing river below as you stand high above on the steep side of the impenetrable valley. Overnight at a guest house or lodge. 

After Breakfast at Phakding, we will pass through the famous Namche Bazaar, where altitude gains as the walk progresses morning walk starts following the river and crossing several times to reach Monjo village near Sagarmatha National Park entrance. From here, we walk in the river valley, and George is covered in woodland of tall rhododendron, pines and fir trees. After a few hours, we will reach Namche Bazaar, an ideal place for a rest day to acclimatise, the main town/ village of Khumbu, where a colourful and exciting Saturday market takes place once a week.

After breakfast, we will go to the viewpoint, just behind the back of Sagarmatha National Park headquarters. The panoramic views of the Everest Himalayan chain, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and many more. Then we walk down to the Sherpa cultural centre, where we can observe the gallery and the documentary of Sherpas ascending Mt.Everest. We hike up to Everest View Hotel via Syangboche airport, have a cup of tea and trek to Khyangjum, where we can see many wonderful mountains as well as not so much crowd, a peaceful place to stay. Overnight at a lodge. 

After Breakfast, we started trekking to Tengboche. On the way, mountain goats can be seen. A continual walk through rhododendron forests, we descend about 45 minutes across the river, a place called Phunki Tenga, a small place with few lodges, an ideal place for a refreshing place or lunch. Then we will climb up to Tengboche all the way to Tengboche through the zig-zag trail. Tengboche is the right place to stay, which is surrounded by white peaks just below the Ama Dablam. Overnight at the lodge.

Morning catching super views of high peaks with Mt.Everest, our route descends into forested areas, reaching a metal bridge. We ascend for 30 minutes and reach the gate and enter Pangboche village, this is the last Sherpa permanent village en route to Everest base camp. From here, the walk leads to a barren and arid country where tree lines drop for small bushes of juniper and dwarf rhododendron. The walk leads uphill into a river gorge and finally opens up into a wide glacial valley on reaching Dingboche, with many good lodges around, facing views of Island Peak towards the east.

At Dingboche, we will have another acclimatization day. We can hike to Nagerjun, which lies just above Dingboche, located at a height of 5,100m. While hiking, we will notice the trail turning steeper, making the walk quite strenuous. Walking approximately 3-4 hours, we will reach Nagerjun, which bestows the splendid view of Pheriche valley as well as a stunning panorama of Lobuche East (6119m), Lobuche West (6145m), Kantega (6685m), Thamserku (6608m), and Ama Dablam (6856m). If you are lucky, you can also observe stunning sights of Manaslu, the world’s fifth-tallest peak, on a clear day. Then we will walk back to Dingboche and stay overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast, we headed to the destination of Lobuche. We will climb up through a steep route, and after reaching the stupa, the trail is gradual. Then we reach Thukla in about 2-2.5 hours. We have an early lunch there and make a steep climb for an hour to the ridge. There is a memorial for the Everest climbers who passed away during the expedition. After continual walking, we reach the Lobuche and stay overnight at the lodge. 

This is an anticipated day of the trekking trip, and we will begin through the rugged trail which goes on the other side of the Khumbu glacier. After an hour, we walk through a rough rocky trail and reach Gorak Shep through the Italian research centre and Lobuche Pass. After a rest, we hike to Everest Base Camp through the new moraine route. On the way, we can see pumori, nuptse, and other mountains in the background. The Everest view is available before reaching Everest base camp. It is not that difficult, but the high altitude makes it tough. Then we descend to Gorak Shep and stay overnight at the lodge. 

In the early morning, we will hike to Kala Pathar, which is also a good point of the Everest range. The views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Lobuche East, and Pumori in the background, which are just behind the Kalapathar. The golden mountains during the sunrise period are fabulous, including the top of the world. Then we started to trek back to Lobuche. After reaching Lobuche, we will stay overnight at a lodge.

From Lobuche, we trek towards Lobuche Base Camp. After walking some distance on a relatively flatter plane, the path to the Lobuche base camp gets steeper and rockier. We move forward along the Lobuche glacier while enjoying the great view of Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Pokalde, Thamserku, Kantega and other peaks of the Himalaya. From the base camp, we continue on a rocky moraine path to reach the High Camp. After reaching there, we set up our camp, take lunch and rest. For the climb, we usually will be climbing on a rock surface for up to around 5,770m. After that, we will climb on ice and use ropes when necessary. However, the use of the rope and the length depend upon the season and the crevasses. Fixed rope is used most of the time, whereas the main rope is used when required. The climbing leaders will decide what is best for when. Overnight in Lobuche East High Camp. 

Pre-Climb Training: Our guides will provide training on peak climb techniques and the proper ways of using climbing gear such as the ice axe, climbing boots and crampons, harness, ascender, etc. The training will also use a rope to go up and down. We strongly believe that the training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit, as well as to fully enjoy the experience. 

We wake up early today at around 12 or 1 am and have our breakfast before beginning our climb. It is important to reach the summit before noon because in the afternoon, the strong winds in the highland might become a barrier to a successful summit. We will most likely be walking on a rock surface up to around 5,700m, after which we will climb on ice. We use both fixed rope and main rope as per our leader’s instructions. The climbing surface, as well as the length of the rope, depends on the time of the season and the crevasses. Lobuche East offers more panoramic views of the mountains than any other trekking peak. From the summit, you get to enjoy magnificent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Pumori, and many more. We spend some time at the summit celebrating and taking pictures, then we get back to the High camp again for an overnight stay. 

After taking our morning breakfast, we trek downhill from Lobuche High Camp and join the Everest Base Camp route at Lobuche again. We had our lunch at Lobuche. From Lobuche, we again retrace our path to Pheriche. On the way to Pheriche, we get to enjoy magnificent views of Ama Dablam in the distance. From Pheriche, we continue to Pangboche. We trek down through the hillside, blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. If it’s spring, pink and red rhododendron flowers are ablaze in our surroundings. Upon reaching Pangboche, we may also consider visiting the famous Pangboche Monastery. 

From Pangboche, we retrace our steps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forests to Tengboche. If you are interested, we can also visit the nuns at Tengboche monastery. After lunch at Tengboche, we continue through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi river, our trail follows the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa. We keep a lookout for wildlife such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colourful pheasants, etc., while passing through the forests. After passing a chorte, we reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar. 

The trail descends steeply downward, so we need to walk cautiously as our shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast-flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries, the trail becomes more level and natural. After we arrive in Lukla, we sketch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. Overnight in Lukla. 

Morning transfer to Lukla Tenzing-Hillary airport for a short sweeping flight to Manthali airport located in Ramechhap district, facing scenic views of mountains, green scenery of hills and farm fields with nice villages and towns as the flight lands at Manthali airport and drive back to Kathmandu and transport to your hotel.

After the long, exhausting trek, you might have worn out a bit. Today, you can do some relaxation activities or just take some rest and connect with your friends and family back home. You can also just wander down the lively streets of Thamel and Asan and buy some souvenirs. In the evening, your tour officer will pick you up for dinner at one of the cultural restaurants of Thamel. After the dinner, you will be escorted back to your hotel.

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! We will take you to the airport, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home, you will have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.