Everest & Annapurna Trek

Day 1 Welcome to Kathmandu (1300m)

• Welcome to Nepal! On arrival in Kathmandu you’ll be met at the airport by our representative (they’ll have or YMH signboard if you’ve booked direct or the logo of your travel agent you are through your agent) There’s a short drive to your hotel. You’ll be served with welcome drink and will start briefing about your programs and collect necessary documents for permit for the trekking. Your dinner and breakfast is included in the hotel.
• Meals: B/D

Day 2 Fly Kathmandu-Lukla & Trek to Phakding (2,610m).

• We make an early start to take a spectacular, short mountain flight to Lukla, the start point for our trek. Watch out for the Langtang and Jugal ranges then the Rolwaling Himal, Gaurisankar and Menlumtse before getting your first glimpse of Everest on the flight. Our trekking crew meets us at the Lukla airstrip and we’ll spend a few minutes sorting out bags etc before setting off through this winding village to the trek start proper at the Khumbu ‘gateway’. It’s gently downhill on pitched stone trails through low rhododendron forest, small ‘garden’ farms and old and new hamlets to the banks of the foaming Dudh Koshi river. There will be plenty of short stops to meet the locals, take photographs and just soak up the scenery and the clear mountain air as we meander along, the undulating trail glimpsing views of 6000m snow-capped peaks high above. Passing the enormous mani stone at Thado Kosi we meander up through the many chortens and prayer wheels of Sano and along to our destination of YMH Phakding in time for a late lunch. The afternoon is free to rest in the riverside gardens or sun lounge. For those who wish to we’ll make a short trip up to the higher village and delightful tiny gompa perched on the valley side. Gather again for pre-dinner drinks round the fire followed by evening meal.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 3 Trek to Namche (3,440m).

• After breakfast at lodge, we trek to Namche following with the left bank of Dudh Koshi River. While following the level path along the right bank from the resort, Thamserku 6623m looms skyward on the opposite bank. After crossing a stream and climbing the terraced hill from the Dudh Koshi route, you arrive at Banker. Walking on the riverbed on the left bank, through a forest you arrive at Chumow where you can visit the Vegetable Farm. Walking along a path with many ups and downs, crossing a stream you pass by a small village located at 2840m gaining with 230m from Phakding named Monjo. You stop for lunch here.Then from Monjo, descending stone steps you come to a suspension bridge, and, after a short climb you reach Jorshale. This is the entrance to the National Park, and you must wait here while your guide pays the entrance fees. Walking beside the river, you reach a forested mountainside and pass a rocky area.After crossing a high, winding path, you descend to the riverbed and reach a V-shaped valley. The river forks here: the right stream is the Dudh Koshi and the left is the Bhote Koshi that leads to Nangpa La. Crossing another suspension bridge and walking a short distance alongside the Bhote Koshi, you ascend to Tup Dhara where you will get the first view of Mount Everest. From here yo ascend gradually up to Namche Bazaar (The Sherpa capital). Dinner at the evening is included.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 4 Namche day excursion.

• Today we’ll take a gentle walk to gain a little height and then have the afternoon free to explore the shops and cafes of this delightful little town. Your guide will take you to a couple of wonderful viewpoints to see the ‘rockstars’ of the mountain world spread out before you: Lhotse, Nuptse, Everest, Ama Dablam... they ring the deep valley sides in a magnificent arena. You should also be able to see the monastery at Tengboche and the trails to Everest. If you’re feeling energised we’ll continue on to the delightful villages of Kumjung and Kunde with their health post and school both started by the Sir Edmund Hilary Fund. After lunch you are free to head down to the Namche market to browse the shops, chat to the locals and maybe pick up a souvenir or two. You may also see the Tibetan traders who make a yearly journey over the high passes from the Tibetan plateau with their yaks laden with goods to sell at the markets. Late in the afternoon there’s an option to visit Namche Monastery. The monastery is about 80 years old and has beautiful Thanka paintings of Tibetan deities. You are most welcome to burn a
  butter lamp for your loved ones. Dinner at the lodge.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 5 Trek to Thame (3,440m)

• After breakfast at Namche, begin your walk to Thame, which should take approximately 5 hours walk .You will pass through a beautiful pine forest and typically Sherpa homes. This trail forms part of the entry route to Tibet, which passes near the 8,012-metre peak of Cho Oyu, first climbed in 1954. It is also the historical route that the Sherpa’s migrated from eastern Tibet 800years ago.A lunch stop is made at Thamo. It’s also the home Ang Rita Sherpa, who holds the record for scaling Mt Everest ten times without oxygen.
  After lunch you ascend gradually up passing a monastery where nuns live and finally you come to village of Samden .From here you descend down to the bridge and crossing Bhote Koshi River and a half an hour ascent up to reach Thame Village, where you stay at Yeti Mountain Home, your base for the next two nights. Dinner is included at the YMH this evening.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 6 Trek back to Monjo (2850m)

• We retrace our steps to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar with great views of the Khumbu peaks ahead of us. We have lunch at Namche before continuing our descent, steeply at first, to Monjo where we check in at the Yeti Mountain Home lodge.Lunch and dinner are included at the lodge today.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 7 Trek to Lukla (2850m)

• With a chance to take in all of the views that were behind us on the way up, we now walk back to Lukla. The prominent mountain of today is Kusum Kanguru which is prominent from this direction. Descending to ever more lush environs, we walk through several villages before making a final short but steep climb to the airfield at Lukla where we check in at the Yeti Mountain Home lodge. There should be some free time to explore this thriving settlement before returning to our lodge for dinner. This evening we will say goodbye to the trek crew who have been looking after us in the Khumbu.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 8 Flight: Lukla-Kathmandu- Pokhara, drive an hour to Phedi trek to Birethanti (1025m).

• We will be up early today to catch the spectacular flight back to Kathmandu. Here we connect with the 30 minute flight to Pokhara. This equally spectacular flight offers views of the Langtang, Manaslu and Annapurna ranges. We are met on arrival at Pokhara Airport and taken by vehicle (1 hour) to the start of our walk. Together with our new local team, we then follow a trail through the lower foothills of the Annapurnas with surrounding views of the Pokhara Valley. Finally we descend to the very comfortable Ker and Downey Sanctuary Lodge in the valley of the Modi Khola. Lunch is at the lodge and there is the option in the afternoon to walk to the nearby village of Birenthanti (1025m). Alternatively, you can rest at the lodge and do a bit of local exploration.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 9 Trek to Landruk (1565m)

• After breakfast at the lodge, we have a pleasant morning of trekking alongside the Modi Kola (the river that flows out of the Annapurna Sanctuary). There are great views ahead of us of the Annapurna peaks and of the sacred Fish Tail& peak. We cross a suspension bridge to the opposite side of the river and from here it;s about an hour's trek on a combination of a switchback trail and stone steps to reach the village of Landruk (1565m). Landruk affords more glorious views of the Annapurna range. We arrive at the Ker and Downey La Bee Lodge in time for lunch. After lunch, there is the option to accompany the guide on a sightseeing tour of this pretty mountain settlement.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 10 Trek to Majhgaon (1400m)

• Leaving Landruk and the valley of the Modi Khola, today's walk contours the valley-side to the east and heads south, with fairly minor undulations, passing through picturesque villages and farmland with great views looking back to the Annapurnas. We will reach the Ker and Downey Gurung Lodge near to Majhgaon in time for lunch. The lodge is built to resemble a traditional Nepalese village and every room has spectacular views of the surrounding valley and mountains. The afternoon can be spent in the lodge gardens or we can opt to do some exploration to nearby villages with our guide.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 11 Trek to Dhampus (1525m)

• This morning we start out trekking through the unspoilt village of Patlekhet. Our walk takes us through sub-tropical forests that include tree orchids, rhododendrons and magnolias. Along the way, we will stop at the village of Pothana where many Tibetan traders live and sell their souvenirs. Once again, we aim to reach our next lodge in time for lunch. Our accommodation for the night is at the small, but splendid Ker and Downey Basanta Lodge, where we are treated to sweeping views of theentire Annapurna Range. After lunch at the lodge there will be an optional walk through the old village of Dhampus.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 12 Trek to Nayapool, drive to Pokhara.

• After a leisurely breakfast at our lodge, we have a short downhill walk of about an hour and a half along a scenic ridge to the farmland and scattered houses of the broad Yangdi Khola Valley. Here, we meet the road and our waiting vehicle and make the 30-minute transfer to Pokhara, where we check in at a luxurious resort hotel. The afternoon is free for independent exploration of this friendly, lakeside town, before returning to the hotel for dinner.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 13 Fly to Kathmandu, Free day.

• We take the morning flight to Kathmandu. One of the attractions of any visit to Nepal is the chance to walk the streets of Kathmandu, which presents a fascinating mosaic of shops, cafes and restaurants, food markets and street vendors, as well as a bewildering array of colourful temples and shrines. This evening we will have a dinner in one of Kathmandu's excellent restaurants.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 14 Free day / Sightseeing in Kathmandu.

• Today we have arranged a half day';s guided sightseeing tour of several of the main sights of the Kathmandu Valley such as the monkey temple of Swayanabath, the Hindu Temple of Lord Shiva in Pashupatinath, Durbar square, and Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal. After our sightseeing tour the rest of the day is free to relax in the hotel gardens or beside the pool, or for further independent sightseeing. One of the attractions of any visit to Nepal is the chance to walk the streets of Kathmandu, which presents a fascinating mosaic of shops, cafes and restaurants, food markets and street vendors, as well as a bewildering array of colourful temples and shrines. Kathmandu is a very safe city (provided you watch out for the traffic) and exploring on your own is great fun. This evening we will have a celebratory dinner to mark the end of a most excellent trip.
• Meals: B/L/D

Day 15 Final Departure, Transfer to International Airport.

• Package services end after breakfast. Transfers to Kathmandu Airport are provided. There are lots of extensions that can easily be added to your holiday in Nepal. Why not pre-book a simple day-tour in the Kathmandu Valley, or a multi-day excursion to one of the important wildlife reserves at Chitwan or Bardia. Extension packages are also available to include a visit to neighbouring Tibet or Bhutan. Contact our office for details.