Everything you need to know about the stops / villages during Everest Base Camp trek

LUKLA

Lukla is a small town (more of a village) in Everest / Khumbu region which is also the first village you will come across, when you are traveling towards Everest base camp through Lukla airport (also known as Tenzing Hillary airport). It lies in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu district. Lukla means ‘Place with abundant goats and sheep’, however only few are found in the area nowadays. There are a variety of shops and lodges in Lukla to cater to the travelers. You can find rooms with a mere dollar to hundreds of dollars in this town, depending upon your preference. Good accommodations also means you can enjoy the variety of food choices in Lukla. As trekkers and climbers start from this place onwards, you can also find many trekking and mountaineering supplies. Since everything has to be brought from the cities in flight, things and supplies get a little expensive in Lukla (and it gets more and expensive as you go higher). Namche Bazaar is only 14 kms and Kathmandu is 138 kms by flight (367 kms by road) from here. Lukla has cool summers and cold winters. There is high daytime temperature variation and temperatures can even reach below freezing in some summer days. Lukla (2,860 meters) is a beautiful town below the high hills and is surrounded by dense forests.

PHAKDING

Phakding (2,610 meters) is a moderately big village in Khumbu region. It lies in Dudh Koshi river valley just north of Lukla and South of Namche Bazaar. Often, the main stopping point for trekkers and climbers, Phakding has a huge number of accommodations with various price ranges. It is only 8 kms from Lukla and 6 kms from Namche Bazaar. While trekking from Lukla, you will be ascending little but descending for about 250 meters before arriving in Phakding. About 3-5 hours of hike from Lukla, you will reach Phakding; crossing small villages like Cheplung, Thadokoshi, Ghat and Chhuthawa. There are also few trekking shops in here including a nice popular bakery. The village is in fact divided into two by Dudh Koshi River, connected with a long suspension bridge. Both sides have many lodges to stay the night. Just above the Phakding (on the North side) is a village called Rimijung (30 minutes hike from Phakding) with beautiful cultural & geographical landscapes, few nunnery settlements, an ancient monastery and a nice viewpoint known as Pangjung hill. If you have an extra day, then you can also hike to the viewpoint for panoramic mountain views; 4 hours hike from Phakding. If you’re lucky, you can also witness Himalayan Tahrs in Phakding, roaming on the hills on the opposite side across the river.

NAMCHE BAZAAR / BAZAR

After leaving Phakding village, you will pass through Toktok, Benkar, Chumowa, Monjo (Sagarmatha National Park entrance), Jorsale & 5 large suspension bridges including the famous Hillary bridge; to arrive in Namche Bazaar. Just 14 kms from Lukla and 6 kms far from Phakding village, Namche Bazaar is a village or mostly a town situated at 3 440 meters above the sea level. The main trading center and hub for Khumbu region, this town is made up of hills and people have settled here building their houses on both sides and also the center. There are more than 2500 people living in 400+ households in Namche Bazaar, while the number is increasing every year. On the west of Namche is Kongde Ri (6,187 meters) and to the east is Thamserku (6,623 meters). While on the North is Syangboche airport (3,750 meters; a non-operational airport), Khumjung and Khunde village, Khumbila peak (5,761 meters), etc. Nicknamed as the Sherpa capital, also the home to many renowned Sherpas, Namche Bazaar is the gateway to the high Khumbu Himalayas. Very popular as the acclimatizing stop for the trekkers and mountaineers, Namche Bazaar has a number of lodges (catering to different sorts of visitors), bakeries, restaurants and cafes, internet cafes, trekking or souvenir shops and helipads. There are some clothing brand stores, ATMs and also an Irish pub (the highest Irish pub in the world) down here. On every Saturday mornings, a vibrant market is held in the center of the village. Little above the village on the right side, lies the Sagarmatha national park headquarter and next to it is Sherpa culture museum.

TENGBOCHE / THYANGBOCHE

Lying at the altitude of 3,867 meters, Tengboche village is a beautiful village and also an important stop for the Everest trekkers. Most famous by the inlying Buddhist monastery, Tengboche monastery which is the biggest of its type in Khumbu region, Tengboche offers a panoramic vista of different mountains from all the corners including Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, Taboche, Nuptse, Lhotse, Thamserku, Kangtega, Kongde Ri and more. The first summiteers of the Mount Everest, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary were the inhabitants of this village at sometimes. The expeditioners and trekkers visit the monastery in Tengboche, to light the candles and seek the blessings of the Gods for the safe journey and a good health. Lying on the top of a hill and medieval in appearance, this village is only 9 kms away, both from Namche Bazaar (to the South) and Dingboche village (to the North). The trail coming from Namche Bazaar first crosses Dudh Koshi river in Phungi Thanga and further goes uphill steeply to get to Tengoboche. You will also pass Kyangjuma and Tashinga village en route to Tengboche from below. Every year between October and November, interesting Mani Rimdu festival is held in here; which consists 19 days of meditation, puja ceremonies, blessing ceremonies and spectacular mask dances. There are no shops in the village but few (4+) lodges and a bakery right outside of the monastery gate. The lodges are almost of the same quality but if you hike a bit further down (15-20 minutes) to Deboche, you can get better accommodations too. Pines, azaleas and colorful rhododendrons surround the village and the monastery.

DINGBOCHE

Another popular Sherpa village and a beautiful stop for trekkers, Dingboche village (4,410 meters) lies in Chukhung valley. Surrounded by the Himalayan giants from all around, this is a moderately big village with 20+ lodges offering rooms on different price categories. Most of the visitors normally spend 2 nights in Dingboche for the acclimatization purposes. Imja River flows directly east of the village beneath Mount Ama Dablam and a helipad is there just west of the river. There are internet cafes and also billiard parlors. A very notable characteristics of Dingboche is the kilometers of stone walls, built using the stones of different sizes that cover the entire valley. In the earlier times, these stones were removed and piled up to plough the soil which eventually lead to the long walls today. While coming from Tengboche (and crossing Deboche, Pangboche and Shomare), this is favorably the stop village for trekkers comparing to Pheriche on the other side over the hill because of this place being sunny and less affected by the icy winds coming down from valleys above. It’s only 9 kms from Tengboche and 8 kms far from Lobuche village. While you’re in the village and when you’re acclimatizing, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to climb above Dingboche to Nangkartshang peak (5,083 meters). Only a couple of hours hike from the village, you will get to see many beautiful peaks including mount Makalu, Island peak and Cho Oyu; no need to mention all other peaks which can be seen in earlier days too. Another option is to hike to Chukhung village (on the east of Dingboche) and ultimately to Chukhung Ri (5,546 meters), a rocky peak like Kala Patthar, yet a bit more difficult to climb than the latter one.

LOBUCHE

Lobuche is a small village very close to the Mount Everest which is named after the Lobuche peaks, towering above the village. It is either second last stop or the last stop for the trekkers heading towards Everest base camp. Only 5 kms from Gorakshep, 9 kms from Pheriche, 10 kms from Dingboche and finally 9 kms from Everest Base Camp, Lobuche village is a beautiful place to spend the night. At an elevation of 4,940 meters, it lies near the foot of the Khumbu glacier. There are around 10 lodges in Lobuche providing basic services and facilities to the visitors. Therefore, you cannot expect to get better amenities in this place due to the remoteness of it and the harsh climate. You can marvel at the surrounding mountain panoramas from the viewpoint above or next to the village. Go for a little hike above the village and you will be astonished with the views. Or you can also go towards the Khumbu glacier viewpoint to get better look at the massive glacier and its surrounding beauty. After passing the Everest Memorial through Thugla pass, trekkers coming from South reach in Lobuche village. Also from close to the same village, travelers divert their way towards Dzongla (4,830 meters) for summiting Cho La Pass to enter into Gokyo valley (or vice versa). Totally dependent upon tourism (no agricultural fields), Lobuche village is also the important stop for visitors either wishing to climb the nearby peaks or for those who come down from Kongma La Pass (5,540 meters) via Chukhung.

GORAKSHEP

The last yet the most important village or settlement in Khumbu region is Gorakshep (5,164 meters). This village sits on the edge and next to the Khumbu glacier and Changri shar glacier. Being covered by snow, almost half of the times of the year, this village is not inhabited year-round. There are only a couple of lodges and all of them are basic. Since the trekkers are not allowed to stay or camp in Everest base camp, they have to stay overnight in Gorakshep before going to the base camp or Kala Patthar (5,644 meters). There’s a helipad and also internet connection in Gorakshep. Gorakshep means “dead ravens”, because of the complete lack of vegetation in the area. Hardly few visitors feel comfortable in this village because of the high altitude it lies in, so you have to be mentally prepared. Just being in the village, makes you feel like you’re in heaven since you will be totally surrounded by the huge mountain giants. Mount Everest is not visible from here so you have to climb either to Kala Patthar or towards Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters) to get a closer look at it. As Everest is not visible from base camp itself, your better choice is to climb Kala Patthar which is the most famous vantage point in Nepal. A non-technical peak, a giant dune looming over the lakebed (as seen from Gorakshep and the surroundings), Kala Patthar is a difficult one to summit, taking some great efforts and 2-3 hours of strenuous hike. Either you have to climb in the early morning or in the late afternoon for stunning sunrise and sunset views. Gorakshep was the original Everest base camp in the earlier days, which was moved later to this position now, closer to Mount Everest and below the Khumbu icefall. Gorakshep to Everest base camp (4 kms) is about 2-3 hours of moderate hike through the rocks and moraines. Getting to the base camp is one of the best feats, you can achieve in your life since you’ll be standing right beneath the world’s highest, Mount Everest.

PHERICHE

Lying at 4,371 meters above the sea level, Pheriche village is an important stop for the trekkers and mountaineers in Khumbu region. Right above the Chola or Tsola river, Pheriche village is nestled beneath soaring Mount Taboche which is the neighbor of Cholatse. A close neighbor to Dingboche village over the hills, Pheriche has also a small rudimentary hospital operated by Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA). Therefore, it’s a relief and treatment center as well as another evacuation point in Khumbu region. Before, this village was simply a farming village mainly for growing potatoes and buckwheat, and raising yaks but due to the village men getting involved in tourism, it slowly changed to the stopover today. Now, there are a number of teahouse lodges (15+) with various price ranges to cater to the visitors. Most of the people stop here after completing Everest base camp trek, however few people would like to stay here instead of Dingboche after crossing Pheriche pass (coming from South side). On the North side of the village is the trail to Thugla and onwards. There is also a field full of cairns on the north side in the memory of the fallen climbers on the mountains. There is also a nice bakery and some good restaurants in here. Pheriche is merely 1 km from Dingboche and about 4 kms from Thugla. While coming from the North side (back from Everest base camp), from Thugla, you have to take the lower path to Pheriche instead of upper path towards Dingboche. The Chola river flows into the Imja river just below Pheriche which further flows into Dudh Koshi river, right below Pangboche.