Everest Close Up

The snowcapped summit of Everest, world's highest peak at 29,035', looms over the Khumbu Region of Nepal. Beneath the icy faces of Everest and its neighboring giants, Nuptse and Lhotse, the Khumbu welcomes the foreign trekker with its Sherpa hospitality. The ethereal beauty of soaring peaks and a rich cultural heritage led to the establishment here of the first national park in the Himalaya: Sagarmatha National Park, after Everest's Nepali name.

Our trekking route begins in Lukla, where we land on a runway surrounded by 20,000' peaks. From there, we ascend the river valley to Kala Pattar (18,200'), visiting Namche Bazaar, Khumjung and Pangboche monasteries, and other mountain villages along the way. At the head of the valley, Kala Pattar provides unobstructed views of the south and west faces of Everest. We then hike past the Khumbu Glacier's tall ice seracs to enter famed Everest Base Camp.

We have carefully paced this two-week trek to allow for ample acclimatization, and to enable you to stop and visit with the locals in tea houses, villages, marketplaces, and Buddhist monasteries.