Sagarmatha National Park Nepal

Lukla Airport Has a Runway That Slopes Uphill and Ends at a Cliff Edge

Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla is consistently rated the most dangerous commercial airport in the world. Flights operate in morning weather windows (usually 06:00 to 10:00) and cancel frequently. If you have a fixed return flight from Kathmandu, build two or three buffer days at the end of your trek for delays. This is the essential practical fact of the Everest Base Camp trek: you cannot guarantee the first or last day. Everything in between is manageable with preparation.

Sagarmatha National Park covers 1,148 square kilometres of northeastern Nepal, from the Dudh Koshi river valley to the summit of Everest at 8,849 metres. The park entry fee is USD 30 (collected at Monjo gate after the flight to Lukla). A TIMS card costs USD 20 and is obtained in Kathmandu. Budget a full day in Kathmandu for permits before flying to Lukla.

The Route to Everest Base Camp

The standard EBC trek from Lukla takes 12 to 14 days return, including two acclimatisation rest days at Namche Bazaar (3,440m) and one more at Dingboche (4,410m). The altitude sequence: Lukla (2,860m), Namche (3,440m), Tengboche (3,860m), Dingboche (4,410m), Lobuche (4,940m), Gorak Shep (5,164m), Base Camp (5,364m).

The acclimatisation days are not optional. Acute Mountain Sickness progresses to High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema or Cerebral Oedema if you push through warning symptoms. The Himalayan Rescue Association staffs clinics in Namche and Pheriche.

Tengboche Monastery at 3,860m has daily puja ceremonies at around 06:00 and 18:00 open to visitors. The view of Ama Dablam (6,812m) from the monastery terrace is one of the most repeatedly photographed mountain views in the world – and unlike many such superlatives, the reality matches the claim. Spend real time in Namche Bazaar rather than passing through; the Saturday market draws traders from Tibet.

Alternative: Gokyo Lakes

The Gokyo valley branches west from Dole, bypassing Base Camp entirely. The route climbs to Gokyo village (4,750m) beside a chain of glacial lakes, then up Gokyo Ri (5,357m) for a 360-degree view including four 8,000-metre peaks simultaneously: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. The Three Passes Trek connects Gokyo with the EBC route via the Cho La pass (5,420m), requiring crampons in icy conditions.

Teahouses and Food

The teahouse network has improved significantly since 2015. Above Namche expect basic doubles or dormitory rooms at under USD 10 per night, meals at around NPR 700 to 1,200 each. Dal bhat – rice, lentil soup, and vegetable curry with unlimited refills – is the best nutrition-to-cost option on the trail.

October and November give the clearest skies. March through May is also popular with rhododendrons on the lower slopes. Monsoon runs June through September.