Lobuche East Expedition

Kathmandu is an incredible, vibrant, and wild city that we’ve fallen in love with. That’s why we’re always so excited to receive you on the first day and share the gateway to the Himalayas with you.

On arrival day, you’ll be met by an LHO representative at the airport and driven to our centrally located hotel by private transfer. Navigating Kathmandu airport can be an adventure in and of itself, so you’ll receive a text with detailed instructions on how to efficiently make your way to us.

Your LHO Team Leader will be waiting to receive you at our hotel, check you in, and make sure that you have everything you need for our adventure. If you arrive early, there are loads of incredible places to visit around us. Your LHO Team Leader will send you a detailed list of restaurants, coffee shops, heritage sites, and markets to visit closer to your trip start date so that you can make the most of your time.

Our first official event of the trip is a team dinner at 7:30 pm hosted by your LHO Team Leader and local lead guide. This will be your first opportunity to meet everyone, ask any questions you have, hear all about the amazing week ahead of us, and enjoy a great meal. Although it’s difficult not to be tempted by the nearby nightlife, we recommend an early rest to recover from your travels.

Our first full day together gives us an opportunity to discover the magical city of Kathmandu, check our gear, and get to know each other before we head out to the trail. We’ll visit the nearby sites of Durbar Square and the Monkey Temple as well as get our first taste of Nepali cuisine during our team lunch.

Because aviation into the Everest region is highly weather dependent, the exact Lukla travel plan is confirmed close to departure. Your itinerary includes one helicopter sector between Kathmandu and Lukla and one fixed wing domestic flight sector between Kathmandu and Lukla. The helicopter may be used on the way into Lukla or on the way back from Lukla, depending on weather, airport operations, and the plan that gives the group the smoothest overall journey. Your LHO Team Leader will confirm the plan in Kathmandu and make sure everyone is clear before we leave for the mountains. Regardless, our team dinner will be at the accommodation we sleep at on the night.

Distance: 8.7 KM | Ascent: 364 M | Descent: 521 M | Max Altitude: 2,860 M

Our day starts early as we make our way to the airport for the journey into Lukla, the gateway to the Everest region. Depending on conditions, this sector may be operated by helicopter or fixed wing flight. Your trip includes one helicopter sector between Kathmandu and Lukla, used either inbound or outbound, and one fixed wing domestic flight sector for the other direction. This gives us more flexibility around one of the most delay prone parts of the Everest Base Camp experience while keeping the trip sensibly priced.

Once in Lukla, we’ll be met by our porter team who will collect our duffle bags and take them to a local tea house where we’ll have lunch and prepare ourselves for the trek to Phakding. Lukla is one of the most vibrant villages in the Khumbu region. It’s an important hub of local and regional commerce as well as the border to the sacred high-altitude regions. Above Lukla, animal slaughter is religiously banned. That’s why we don’t recommend choosing any meat or chicken options above Lukla.

The trail begins at the entrance of the village and is actually mostly descending in the alpine forests and through the many towns that dot this section of the trail. The Tibetan influence and Buddhist character of the area are immediately apparent in the calligraphy, architecture, and religious stupas and shrines.

Our accommodation sits just above Phakding near the Khumbu river that is formed from the melting glaciers of the towering summits of the region, including Everest. In Phakding, we use one of the better available tea houses in the village, giving you a more comfortable first night on the trail while still keeping you fully connected to the atmosphere of the Khumbu.

Depending on our arrival time, it may be possible to explore the coffee shops and market streets of the village before dinner.

Our accommodation sits just above Phakding near the Khumbu River that is formed from the melting glaciers of the towering summits of the region, including Everest. Depending on our arrival time, it may be possible to explore the coffee shops and market streets of the village before dinner.

Distance: 9.1 KM | Ascent: 1,095 M | Descent: 380 M | Max Altitude: 3,440 M

Our second day on the trail will be a full-on ascent to an impressive altitude of 3,445 meters, arriving at one of the most vibrant and remote high-altitude towns on the planet: Namche Bazaar. The trail begins by following the river and passes through the alpine forests. The trail is once again dotted by a series of villages and farming communities that add an incredible element of rural life to the walk.

Our first main objective is reaching the town of Monjo. This is the official entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park. There is a brief checkpoint where we present your permits to the authorities. Once through, we’ll descend a series of staircases flanked by Tibetan calligraphy carved into the rocks. We’ll stop for lunch at the last village in the valley before the direct ascent to Namche Bazaar. The trail to Namche is predominantly ascending and sustained. Our trekking team will set a slow, steady pace so we can manage the ascent to Namche efficiently without wasting energy unnecessarily.

Slow and steady is the name of the game here as we make our way up a series of stairs, cross the epic Tenzing-Hillary suspension bridge, and join the winding trail through the pine forest that leads to the village entrance. There’s a viewpoint of Everest halfway up to the top. On a clear day, this offers the first opportunity to see the world’s highest summit, albeit from afar. We’ll also use this as an opportunity to take a break and use the serviced bathrooms available there.

The reward at the end of our ascent is our arrival in the incredible Sherpa town of Namche, nestled between the towering summits of the high Himalayas. After checking into our tea house, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore the markets, coffee shops, and bars that give this place so much life. In Namche, we use one of the stronger available tea house options in the village, giving the group a more comfortable base for rest, acclimatization, and recovery before we move higher into the Khumbu.

This will be our home for the next two nights. Dinner will be at our tea house.

Distance: 5.5 KM | Ascent: 503 M | Descent: 503 M | Max Altitude: 3,700 M

We’ll be staying in Namche Bazaar for a second night. That means we don’t have to repack our bags or check out from the Tea House. Our day will slowly start after breakfast. We’ll climb to the top of the town and visit the Sherpa museum where we can learn about the Sherpa culture, mountaineering history of the region, and about new sustainability practices that your visit to the region helps finance.

From there, we’ll trek to the hilltop high above the village to acclimatize by exposing ourselves to higher altitudes. The hilltop offers a jaw-dropping view of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam, three of the most iconic summits on the planet. We’ll be able to see all the way up the Khumbu valley and get a visual representation of what lies ahead of us.

There’s an opportunity for a short tea break at the Everest View Hotel nearby before we descend back to Namche for lunch at our Tea House and a free afternoon to enjoy the town. Dinner will also be at our Tea House.

This second night in Namche is also one of the places where our accommodation selection matters most, giving you a better chance to rest, recover, and enjoy the village before the trail becomes more remote.

Distance: 9.4 KM | Ascent: 901 M | Descent: 454 M | Max Altitude: 3,860 M

If you’ve ever watched a movie or documentary about climbing Everest, then you’ve surely seen scenes from the Tyanboche monastery. This is where climbers come to receive a blessing of protection before ascending the giants of the region. The monastery is exactly where we’re heading.

After breakfast, we’ll depart in the direction of the Sherpa museum, but this time we’ll continue past it and follow the wide trail that heads straight down the valley. The trek is characterized by incredible photo opportunities, stupas, and the unlimited views of towering summits all around and the fewer villages that inhabit these parts. Although the trail does begin above the tree line, we will eventually start descending toward the valley floor, re-entering the thick forest and reaching the riverside once again.

We usually stop for tea along the descending portion of the trail and have a lunch break at the riverside. After lunch and a bit of rest, we begin the long ascent to Tengboche at a manageable pace set by our trekking team, helping the group arrive feeling strong. At 3:30 pm, the monastery opens for visitors, and we’ll have a chance to visit and participate in the rituals of one of Buddhism’s holy sites before dinner and rest at our Tea House.

Distance: 10.6 KM | Ascent: 773 M | Descent: 279 M | Max Altitude: 4,410 M

The 4000-meter mark is universally considered the start of the high-altitude environment. Today is the day we’ll breach that ceiling and reach 4,400 meters. After breakfast, we’ll descend into a Rhododendron forest. The Rhododendron is the national flower of Nepal, and this forest has an incredible energy that really feels like a border between worlds.

We’ll emerge from the forest onto an iconic suspension bridge, which is where it’s possible to take a photo of trekkers walking above the mountain of Ama Dablam. Once we cross the bridge, we’ll start climbing a series of staircases with the summit of Ama Dablam immediately to our right.

The trail eventually enters the remote town of Pengboche, our lunch stop for the day. After a good meal and some rest, we’ll continue along the trail as it turns behind Ama Dablam and closer to the south face of Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest summit. The forests are now replaced with limited short grass vegetation as the drier climate becomes more apparent.

Our final destination for the day is Dingboche, our home for the next two nights. Dingboche was once primarily herding grounds for yaks. The town has developed substantially over the past decades due to its position at the crossroads of the main climbing and trekking routes in the region. Dinner will be at our Tea House.

Distance: 3.1 KM | Ascent: 476 M | Descent 476 M | Max altitude: 4,600 M

We’ll be staying in Dingboche for two nights to rest and acclimatize. The Tea Houses in this area are relatively comfortable, giving us the opportunity to relax before pushing into the higher altitude environment.

Depending on the conditions and the spirits of the group, we may choose to take a short walk up to the pass to enjoy the views and acclimatize. This is completely optional, and it’s perfectly fine to choose not to exert yourself at all on this day. There are a few coffee shops worth visiting in the town, and we’ll also have plenty of free time to do that. Both lunch and dinner will be at our Tea House.

Distance: 8.2 KM | Ascent: 951 M | Descent: 91 M | Max Altitude: 4,940 M

We’ll get an early start from Dingboche, departing after breakfast in the westerly direction. The close proximity of the mountains and glaciers is immediately apparent when we exit the town. On our left are the towering summits of the Cholatse and Taboche mountain ranges. Ahead of us is Lobuche. Behind us is Ama Dablam, and to our right is the south side of Lhotse and Nuptse. This area is full of wild yaks grazing in the open spaces.

The first portion of the trail is Nepali flat, which means it’s inclined but interrupted regularly by brief flat sections and even small descents. We’ll follow the trail until we reach a river crossing that can sometimes be a little tricky to navigate because of the regularly changing trails. Our trekking team will brief the group on staying together, particularly around the river crossing, where trail conditions can change regularly.

Once we cross the river, we’ll find a small cluster of Tea Houses known as Thukla. This will be the location of our lunch break for the day. After lunch, we’ll begin the ascent to the Thukla pass. Many people will describe this as the most challenging section of the trail. With a slow, sustained, and adaptive pace set by our trekking team, the climb to the Thukla Pass becomes much more manageable than many people expect.

The top of the trail is the infamous Thukla pass, home to the dedications to the many climbers who have died in the surrounding mountains, including Everest. This is a holy place for many, and although we can certainly take pictures, we should also be respectful to those of us who come here to mourn loved ones. After a break, we’ll follow the glacier moraine in the direction of Lobuche. It’s possible to see Pumori for the first time, an impressive 7000-meter mountain that stands freely in the shadow of nearby Everest. The Lobuche Tea Houses will gradually emerge from behind the northeast slopes of Lobuche summit, and we’ll make our way directly to our accommodation. Unlike previous villages, there are no more coffee shops or market streets. We are now in the wild outback of the Nepali Himalayas. Dingboche is the last village on this trail.

Distance: 13.3 KM | Ascent: 997 M | Descent: 312 M | Max Altitude: 5,364 M

Unlike traditional trekking groups, we choose to depart very early for our hike to Everest Base Camp. The reason for this is that we would like to give ourselves the opportunity to optionally climb Kala Patthar on the same day to catch the sunset on Everest. It is the sunset rather than the sunrise that is exceptionally beautiful from the top because we will be observing the mountain from its west face, which means the colors are most spectacular at sunset. The trail from Lobuche starts flat and is quite similar to the final stretches of our previous day. All that changes when we begin ascending the glacier moraine. The trail shifts dramatically from flat to incredibly hilly as we go up and down the terrain dug up by the glaciers. The trail even goes onto the glacier itself, albeit a section of the glacier almost fully covered by small stones. Once the trail starts to level out, it means we’re arriving at Gorak Shep, the final collection of tea houses before Everest Base Camp. We’ll stop there for tea, and it’s also possible to leave anything we don’t need for the final walk to base camp since we will be staying in the same place tonight. Once we’ve regained some energy, we’ll make our way out along the glacier’s side. The trail is less dramatic than the previous section with more easily navigable areas. The excitement is now super high as the base camp starts to become more and more visible ahead of us. As we approach, the towering summits of Nuptse and Pumori start to give way to the black summit pyramid previously concealed behind them. Mount Everest is finally revealed. From there, it’s a short descent onto the historic Khumbu glacier as we make our way to the famous rock that has welcomed trekkers and climbers to Everest Base Camp for a century. If conditions are favorable, we can take our time at the base camp to take pictures, enjoy the views, and appreciate the incredible achievement of just being there. Our way back is a short retracing of our steps along the side of the glacier and back to Gorak Shep. After lunch, for those of us feeling motivated and capable, it is possible to trek to the summit of Kala Patthar just above Gorak Shep. It takes about three hours and offers the most stunning views of Everest and the region. Our trekking team will discuss the Kala Patthar option with the group at lunchtime, taking into account weather, timing, energy levels, and how everyone is responding to the altitude. Otherwise, it is possible to rest at Gorak Shep for the afternoon and enjoy the achievement.

Distance: 4.9 KM | Ascent: 91 M | Descent: 339 M | Max Altitude: 5,164 M

After breakfast, we begin our descent to Lobuche Tea Houses by retracing our steps over the glacier and along the moraine. Arriving in Lobuche is often a bittersweet moment for the team because this is where those who joined only for the Everest Base Camp trek begin to separate from those continuing toward Lobuche East.

For the climbing team, we’ll check back in to our tea house, settle in, and rest. After lunch, we’ll meet our climbing team and head onto the nearby ridge for the first technical training session. The aim of the day is to balance recovery with learning. That is why the training is split over three days, so we can build the required skills without asking too much of the body in one go, especially with the main climb still ahead. Dinner will be at our tea house.

Distance: 2.8 KM | Ascent: 359 M | Descent: 63 M | Max Altitude: 5,400 M

After an early breakfast, we begin the ascent to Lobuche Lower Camp, also known as Advanced Base Camp. The trail to camp is not technical, but it does require some mild scrambling, similar to the kind of movement we may have experienced on the approach to Everest Base Camp or during the Kala Patthar hike.

The trail begins gradually in a southerly direction, with views back into the valley we followed from Dingboche to Lobuche earlier in the expedition. From there, the route follows the circular cone of the mountain until we reach a series of large rocky structures. This is where we use basic scrambling skills before reaching the plateau above.

From the plateau, it is a short walk to camp, which sits beside an incredible glacier lake. The views toward the lower Khumbu and the Gokyo summits are breathtaking. The giants on the Everest side are now hidden by the towering presence of Lobuche East above us. The next time we see the roof of the world will be from the roof of Lobuche.

After checking in and receiving the full briefing from the climbing guides, we continue with another technical training session. We keep the session limited to a couple of hours so we can build confidence without tiring the team too much before the main climb. Dinner will be early at camp so we can rest properly for the days ahead.

Distance: 1.2 KM | Ascent: 434 M | Descent: 8 M | Max Altitude: 5,700 M

In some seasons, we may choose to climb directly to the summit of Lobuche East from Lower Camp. This can be the better plan when Higher Camp is unsafe, not properly equipped, affected by weather, or unsuitable for the team on that specific departure. If we climb directly from Lower Camp, we will start early with the aim of reaching the summit and returning to Lower Camp for one more night.

If we follow the regular schedule, we depart for Higher Camp after breakfast. The route begins by circling around to the opposite bank of the glacier lake before ascending a series of rock slabs with varying inclines. These slopes are usually not covered in snow and do not normally require technical equipment, but we will still wear harnesses and helmets because ropes may be needed if we encounter unexpected ice. There are also a couple of fixed ropes on the steeper slabs.

Higher Camp sits at the very start of the glacier. The slabs lead directly toward camp, with some flatter sections in between that feel more similar to the trails we have followed earlier in the expedition. Once we arrive, we follow the same camp routine: check in first, then rest or lunch depending on timing and how the team is feeling.

The afternoon is focused on summit preparation. The climbing guides will lead training on crampon movement, ice axe use, and how to move safely on the fixed rope system that leads toward the summit. Dinner will be early at Higher Camp so we can rest properly before the summit push.

Distance: 2.2 KM | Ascent: 587 M | Descent: 1,953 M | Max Altitude: 6,119 M

If we followed Plan B and climbed directly from Lower Camp on the previous day, this day will be dedicated to descending from High Camp to Pheriche, and potentially lower depending on timing, weather, and how the team is feeling.

If we follow Plan A, we depart from High Camp just before daybreak for the Lobuche East summit attempt. The ascent from High Camp to the summit usually takes between 3 and 4 hours depending on pace, conditions, and traffic on the route. From camp, we head north beneath the summit toward the start of the first fixed rope.

The exit from High Camp is one of the most technically demanding sections of the climb because of the ice on the rocks. The good news is that we will have trained on this exact section the previous day. From there, we exit the rocky couloir onto a snow slab where clear steps are often dug into the snow and ice by previous climbers.

The fixed ropes are easy to follow and help guide our way, but it is important not to rely on them to pull yourself up. The aim is to use your feet, balance, and the techniques practised during training. This is more efficient, conserves energy, and is safer. The fixed ropes are there to assist. They are not there to climb for you.

The route continues across four consecutive fixed rope sections, each roughly 100 meters in length. At the top of the final rope in this series, we reach a plateau of snow and ice just a few meters below the summit. The narrow summit ridge and the slightly steeper section used to gain the ridge can create a bottleneck, especially in busier seasons. If needed, we may wait on the plateau until the summit ridge is clear and safe to access.

From the plateau, it takes less than 10 minutes to reach the summit. Once on the ridge, the Everest range opens up again in full force. From the summit of Lobuche East, it is possible to see the 8000 meter giants of Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu. It is an incredible moment and one of the most powerful summit views in the Khumbu.

We will try to spend as much time as conditions allow on the summit, taking photos and appreciating the achievement. Weather, temperature, wind, timing, and other climbers may limit how long we can stay. Either way, we still have a significant descent ahead of us, so we begin moving down as soon as the climbing guides decide it is time.

The descent follows the fixed rope system back toward Higher Camp. We may need to abseil to access the plateau at the start of the descent, and extra care is needed on the final icy rock section before returning to camp. In some conditions, abseiling may also be the safest option there. Your climbing guides will remain close throughout the technical sections, advising on rope technique, movement, abseiling, spacing, and descent decisions so the team can move as safely and efficiently as conditions allow.

Once back at camp, we have a second breakfast, pack up our tents, and begin descending the rock slabs toward Lower Camp. The descent to Lower Camp is usually faster than the ascent because we are moving into lower altitude and higher oxygen levels. Depending on our arrival time, we may have a snack or lunch before continuing down toward Pheriche. Lunch is usually taken at the tea houses of Thukla.

After some rest, we continue along a descending trail that differs from the route we used on the way up. The descent drops altitude quickly before opening into an easier, flatter walk near the north faces of Cholatse and Taboche. Ama Dablam comes back into view ahead of us, while Lobuche East stands clearly behind us.

At the end of the valley is Pheriche, our home for the evening. Pheriche is a key hub for high altitude expeditions because of its clinic and helicopter access. It is also where the body begins to feel the relief of lower altitude again. There are a few coffee shops to visit, and life slowly starts to feel a little more comfortable as we return toward the lower Khumbu. Dinner will be at our tea house.

Distance: 10.5 KM | Ascent: 323 M | Descent: 766 M | Max Altitude: 4,371 M

For those who have selected the optional high altitude helicopter return from the trail, this may be the point where your shortened descent begins, depending on the confirmed landing point, weather, aircraft availability, and operational conditions. This is separate from the included Kathmandu to Lukla or Lukla to Kathmandu aviation sector. If the high altitude helicopter return is used, the LHO team will confirm the exact routing, handover, and hotel transfer arrangements before departure and again during the expedition.

For the rest of the team, we begin after breakfast by reconnecting with the trail that follows the Khumbu River in the direction of Ama Dablam. As the valley starts to steepen, the trail veers to the right and follows an embankment that reconnects with the ascending trail toward Dingboche. We continue along the descending route until we reach the familiar village of Pangboche, where we stop for lunch and take time to enjoy the borderland feel between the greener lower valley and the dazzling white peaks of the upper Khumbu.

After lunch, we resume the descent along the stairs that lead to the suspension bridge on the edge of the rhododendron forest. The most challenging part of the day is often the final ascent through the forest to the pass where Tengboche Monastery sits. Depending on the pace of the team, it may be possible to descend beyond the monastery to tea houses closer to Namche Bazaar. Our trekking team will assess the conditions closer to the time and brief the group on the final destination.

Distance: 14.5 KM | Ascent: 688 M | Descent: 1,685 M | Max Altitude: 3,860 M

Tengboche is the last truly remote village along this part of the trail, and nothing makes that contrast clearer than leaving the monastery behind and passing through Namche Bazaar later in the day. Both places are beautiful in their own way, but they feel completely different. Tengboche carries the quiet atmosphere of the upper Khumbu, while Namche brings us back into the movement, colour, and trade of the lower valley.

The trail begins with a long descent to the valley floor before crossing a series of suspension bridges and ascending through pine forest toward the junction between the Khumbu and Gokyo valleys. We’ll stop at a tea house in the forest for a short break before continuing toward the high point of the day. This is the final major ascent of the expedition.

As we approach Namche, we begin to see small market stalls along the trail and the familiar sight of donkey caravans, which gradually replace the yaks used higher up the valley. From there, it is a short walk into Namche Bazaar, where we stop for lunch. Depending on our pace, there may be time to roam around before we continue our descent through the forest, cross the Tenzing Hillary Suspension Bridge, and reach the valley floor where the village of Monjo awaits.

Our night will be spent at a tea house in Monjo.

Distance: 12.6 KM | Ascent: 722 M | Descent: 715 M | Max Altitude: 2,835 M

The end of the trail is the Sherpa village of Lukla, home to Tenzing Hillary Airport. Monjo is only a few hours from Lukla, which gives us some flexibility if weather conditions suggest that flying out earlier may be the better plan. Because the expedition includes one helicopter sector between Kathmandu and Lukla, the final aviation plan will depend on how the inbound journey was operated and what conditions allow. If the helicopter sector has not yet been used, it may be used from Lukla to Kathmandu to reduce the risk of delay. If it was used on the way in, the return from Lukla is usually by fixed wing flight, subject to weather and airport operations.

Assuming conditions are favourable, we start slowly after breakfast and take our time moving through the villages along this final section of the trail. We passed through many of them on the way up, but the mindset is different now. With the main objective behind us, there is more space to enjoy the rhythm of the valley, the tea houses, the people, and the final steps of the expedition.

Lunch will be in Phakding along the trail, with plenty of opportunities to stop for tea and coffee along the way. The final push to Lukla is a mild challenge as we ascend a series of stairs and village trails toward the entrance of town. The afternoon is free to explore the coffee shops, pubs, markets, and stores.

We’ll spend our last night on the trail at a local tea house in Lukla, where we’ll also share our final trail dinner.

Hot showers await us on our return to Kathmandu. Depending on how the journey into Lukla was operated, today may involve either the included helicopter sector from Lukla to Kathmandu or the fixed wing flight back toward Kathmandu. The decision is made according to weather, airport operations, and the best available plan for the group.

Patience is key when it comes to aviation in Nepal, although including one helicopter sector gives us more flexibility around one of the most unpredictable parts of the expedition. Depending on when we move, lunch may be in Lukla, Kathmandu, or the alternative airport sometimes used to manage Lukla air traffic into Kathmandu.

Wherever we finally land, the LHO team will do everything possible to get you to the hotel smoothly so you can shower, rest, and enjoy Kathmandu before our farewell dinner.