Lobuche East Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek - 20 Days

Kathmandu sightseeing tour is one of the most appealing chunks of this whole expedition. On this day, you will explore some of the brilliant architectural marvels of Kathmandu, which are also listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These edifices are so tempting that you can gaze on these mansions the whole day without drinking even a single drop of water. This is not an exaggeration, but the words automatically flow out when I ponder on those marvelous structures.

Firstly, we will visit Patan Durbar Square (ancient Royal Palace of Malla Kings built in the 12th century), which is not only one of the oldest mansions, but also the most beautiful one in the whole Nepal. The interiors and exteriors of this palace are well furnished with the ancient carvings of godly images, while the courtyards are full of monstrous sculptures. Near to Patan, there is a golden temple, whose outer coverings are plated with gold. We will also make our visit there.

Moreover, Pashupatinath Temple is no less enticing. It is one of the most revered shrines of Lord Shiva in the whole world, receiving more than a million visitors annually. Inside the temple, there is a never-ending number of shrines, each with a Shiva Lingam and a sculpture of god. The roof of the main temple is plated with gold, while the outer walls with brass and other metals. There is a large golden sculpture of Bull in front of the entrance to the main temple.

Swayambhunath, on the other hand, is a Buddhist pilgrimage Site, which is believed to have self-emerged from the ground thousands of years ago. This temple is located at the hilltop, which is one of the perfect locations to gaze upon the beauty of the overall Kathmandu valley. Similarly, another popular Buddhist Shrine is the Boudhanath, which is famous for its massive mandala. Its large dome-like structure makes it one of the largest unique stupas in the world.

Around these sites, there are many souvenir stalls- displaying antique pieces of handicrafts and souvenirs, which you may buy at a certain cost. Some of the popular purchases are Thangka Paintings, singing bowl, Pashmina, and Khukuri.

Every day, the flight to Lukla leaves early in the morning. To check-in, you should arrive for 3 hours or so early at the airport. Sometimes, it becomes so early that the doors to the terminal remain closed. But, once you step into the plane, the real adventure begins.

As your flight takes-off from the ground, you will notice the size of the Kathmandu being squeezed into a tiny greenish bowl, which is filled by little legos of different sizes. This is really beautiful to look at. The more you proceed, the better the views become. If you are lucky enough to have a clear day during the flight, then the Himalayas is all at your hand.

Your plane wings its way through the cloudy horizon above the pointed-looking mountain ranges, and far ahead on the northern side, the beautiful snow-clad ranges appear mesmerizing. This is really a heavenly glimpse. By the time you land in the Lukla Airport, you will hand your baggage to the porter and start your first day of trek to Phakding.

Often times, the way to Phakding is crowded by the trekkers as it is the shortest way to reach the popular village of Namche (the heart of Khumbu). But the trails are beautiful and so are the views around. Perhaps it is because of the excitement of walking in the Himalayas that everything there begins to appear beautiful. Near to the exit point of the Lukla, there is a check post of Rural Municipality Ticket (RMT), which is required instead of TIMS for trekking in Everest.

On the way, there are few suspension bridges that you will come across. Yak caravans are quite frequent, which come with a load packed up its back. By the time you arrive at Phakding, it would have been evening. Take proper rest for the next day walk.

The trek to Namche can be a bit more exhausting. It is not the terrain that makes the walk so challenging, but the altitude. So, it is recommended to walk slowly in order to acclimatize properly at higher altitude.

From Phakding, the trail meanders on the west side of the Dudh Koshi for a while and then passes through the pleasant forest of pine and rhododendron. Within an hour of walking, you will come across a village named Toktok. There is a beautiful waterfall in this village that takes few steps to finally fall down to the plain. Shortly after this, there is another waterfall in the village of Bengkar, which is famous for its apple pies.

The path then climbs up towards Monjo. The large Kani gate at Monjo is decorated with the prayer flags and the paintings of Buddha, Manjushri, Guru Rinpoche, and many other spiritual leaders. After crossing Monjo, you will see the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park. Then the trail enters into the forest through Jorsalle until Namche Bazaar. The occasional glimpse of the red panda is rumored by the locals during the forest walk, but don’t expect anything like this because red panda is a shy creature. However, you might encounter the Blue Sheeps.

Once you come out of the forest, you could see the distant-view of Namche. After a short walk, a beautiful chorten and the Kani gate (like the one at Monjo) will welcome you in the village of Namche.

Namche is a perfect spot for acclimatization. It is geographically fit, and historically handsome in a sense that the memories of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary are still preserved in the museum at Namche. Plus, a number of side trips branch off from there, which makes it an ideal destination for acclimatization.

Namche has stayed as a trading hub for centuries, which may be the reason why this place is so luxurious and well-facilitated with modern day amenities than other parts of the Everest region. Especially in the market place of Namche, there are many shops and souvenir stalls, displaying various handicraft items on sale.

What’s more interesting is that even if you have missed any trekking equipment, which could be needed in the days to come, you can purchase it at Namche.

During the day, there are a lot of places to hang out at Namche, but no place is as better as the Hotel Everest view. From the balcony of this hotel, the legendary Everest appears mesmerizing. It is such a blissful glimpse that your heart will melt away. After spending quality time there, we will return to our hotel room at Namche for the overnight stay.

Early in the morning, we will leave Namche and kick off towards Tengboche- one step closer to the legendary Mount Everest-, which will be our next stop-over for the night. The path until Tengboche is quite interesting.

Within first few hours of walking along the rugged pedestrian lane, sometimes crossed by the Yak Caravans, we will arrive at a Memorial Stupa of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. The trail contours several times, and climbs up and down, making it more challenging for us to cross through. But, the surreal views of Mount Ama Dablam, Lhotse Shar, Taboche, Kangtega & Thamserku are worth of all the efforts made until now.

The more we go higher, the better the views become. Also, the vegetations grow sparse and the leaves become pointed as we proceed to a higher altitude.

Before we arrive at Phunki Thenga, we could see 7 large water-driven prayer wheels, spinning with the rage of water and blessing us with a stroke of good luck. The surrounding is very much peaceful, except that the natural sounds such as of river and birds keep ringing in our head.

Once we arrive at Tengboche, we will enter into the famous monastery of Tengboche, which is the largest one in the Everest region. This monastery is very much colorful, and its interior is adorned with the beautiful paintings of Buddha and other peace Messengers.

 It is said that when the Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first conquered the legendary Everest, he identified the Tengboche Monastery from the top of the world and bowed in its reverence.

The walk to Dingboche is often cited as the most pleasant walk while on a trip to Everest Base Camp. It is because, from most part of the trail, the spectacular glimpse of the Himalayas could be seen smiling with the clouds.

After walking continuously for about 30 mins or so, we will reach Debuche, where some of the trekkers stay at overnight instead of staying at Tengboche. There is also a National Park Office, and a health post.

Once we arrive at Pangboche, there is a junction taking us to various destinations. But we will follow the left one to arrive at Somare. We will meet many suspension bridges and teahouses on the way, that direct us towards Tengboche.

Before arriving at Dingboche, there is fairly a steep trail, which is pretty difficult to climb; it maybe because of altitude also.

Once we arrive at Dingboche, we could see the great views of the Himalayas such as Ama Dablam, Lobuche East Peak, and many other ranges. There are quite a very good lodges and even bakeries.

Once you reach Dingboche, acclimatization becomes absolutely necessary for a safe journey ahead to the Everest Base Camp. For perfectly adjusting in the higher altitude, it is recommended to hike high and sleep low; as per that, we will be hiking to the Chhukung Ri during the day and will return to Dingboche, later on.

The path, after Dingboche, is well-defined for the most part of the way until Chhukung. To reach there, an icy river needs to be crossed, following several boulder fields.

Chhukung is a hub for viewing the fabulous peaks of the Taboche, Nuptse, and Lhotse. The mind-blowing peak of Ama Dablam is enough to captivate a dead soul into the realm of the mountains.

After Chhukung, we will follow the trail to the Chhukung Ri (5550 m) along the green pastures, to finally, see the stunning views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Lhotse Shar. By spending quality time on top of the Chhukung Ri, we will return to Dingboche for the overnight stay.

Until Dughla, the views are rewarding and also, the path is fairly an easy one. But, after that, there are few sheer climbs that will ask you to push as much as you can to finally reach Lobuche- our next stop-over.

From Dingboche, we will walk to the north of the village, from where we could clearly see the ridge standing few distances ahead. As we climb the Ridge and stand on it, the views appear extremely wonderful, especially in the northern quarters. During the spring, the ridge often becomes grassy. But that doesn’t matter at all. It takes about 3 hours to reach Dughla; however, not everybody requires so much of time.

From Dughla, the path is pretty steep until Lobuche. Various memorials of the trekkers and climbers are built by the side of the track to Lobuche. This region has the chances of an avalanche during spring, so beware of it. The views of Pumori peak is worth watching from here.

Once you arrive at Lobuche, lie down on the bed instantly. The view of Nuptse is highly admired from Lobuche; maybe because it is the only one peak that could be seen clearly from Lobuche.

This is the big day as you are about to live your dream of being on top of the world- Mount Everest- for the first time. There is a long way to go, so it is better to leave Lobuche before the sunrise. To walk in the rugged path in the dark would be difficult. Therefore, a head torch or any light is highly recommended for the trekkers.

For about an hour, the trail is pretty easy, but then, the short and steep trails follow until Gorakshep. As I said earlier, the trail is quite stony, and the irregular boulders make it hard to progress. Plus, the icy winds blowing all the times on your face need to be done something; or else, there are chances of dehydration. So, cover your neck and face properly while moving this way.

Finally, within a few hours, you will arrive at Gorakshep. Continue to walk towards the Everest Base Camp. When you reach there, you will see nothing, but a large canvas of white, dotted with tents throughout the snowscape. But, the feeling of being on top of the world is enough to explain the beauty of that place.

After spending quality time at the base camp of the Everest, return to Gorakshep for the overnight stay.

Before the crack of dawn, hit on the trail to Kalapatthar to witness the spectacular sunrise above the snow-laden peaks of the Himalayas. It takes about 2 hours to reach the summit of Kalapatthar, and once you reach there, the beauty is all at your hand.

Kalapatthar offers 360o panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges, including the mightiest Mount Everest just in front of your eyes. It is very much thrilling experience to see such a wonder of nature. Snaky Khumbu glacier peeks on the south while the horizon is dominated by the Mount Ama Dablam. To the East, there is a large black rocky southwest face of the Everest. Plus, western flank is bewildered by the great Lhotse.

Capture some memories in the grand Kalapatthar and return to Lobuche for the overnight stay along the same track via Gorakshep.

From the Lobuche, the trail descends towards the Dzongla. It is quite slippery, so walk slowly to avoid any kinds of accidents. While on the way, the chilly wind blows all the time, posing extra barrier. After a while, you will reach the Lobuche Base Camp. For the night, stay at Lobuche Base Camp.

Lobuche High Camp is just a couple of Kilometers away from the Lobuche Base Camp. Walk along the snowy path to make an appearance at Lobuche High Camp.

Once you arrive at Lobuche High Camp, you will be provided with the training of peak climbing including the tips on how to use the climbing gears and how to climb more efficiently. This is absolutely essential when it comes to summiting a peak. Most part of the day will be spent for training.

Next day is the peak climbing day. So, preserve enough energy for it.

From the Lobuche High Camp, we make our ascent to the Lobuche East Peak as early as possible because later in the day, we have to arrive at Lobuche High Camp also. So, after backpacking the climbing gears, we start our ascent.

Remember, you need a strong self-motivation to successfully climb to the top of Lobuche peak. There will come some moments, which will force you to give up, but that is the real challenge of Peak climbing. Save energy and implement it in the right place. This is the only secret to climb.

Once you make a successful ascend, descend safely using the techniques that were taught to you before ascending. For the night, you will stay at Lobuche High Camp.

Weather is unpredictable, especially in the Mountain region. For that, we have allocated an extra day in case the climate doesn’t favor for climbing.

From Lobuche High Camp, trek back to the Base Camp and then, return the way to Pangboche.

Pangboche to Namche is the same way that you had been before. Now, you are descending, so at least there is no problem of altitude.

Namche to Lukla is the same route via Phakding. For the night, stay at one of the lodges at Lukla.

Lukla is a beautiful city, dotted with countless settlements. In the village side of Lukla, there are many alleys, each of which takes you to the new place. Explore the hidden alleys of Lukla at its depth.

Return to Kathmandu via the same flight that you had been earlier. Guess what, the beauty of the Himalayas is still enough to startle you.

Finally, the day has come to return home. If you wish to go for any other trips as well, we are ready to help you out. But, officially, it is goodbye.