You will be met by a representative of World Expeditions and transferred to the hotel. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure. A pre-trek briefing will be given around 4.30pm where arrangements will be made for the distribution of your kit bag, sleeping bag and down/fibrefill jacket. A representative from World Expeditions will run through the route notes, answer any questions you have regarding the trek and help you settle in with a welcome drink on offer. If there are other self guided trekkers arriving today, you'll also meet them at the briefing. There are a million things to see in Kathmandu and we recommend you spend the afternoon wandering the town and exploring the valley on bicycle or by taxi. The old Royal Palace, Durbar Square and the tourist quarter of Thamel are all worth a visit. The evening is free for you to enjoy this bustling, vibrant city.

Meals:  Nil

You will be transferred to the airport for the 45 minute flight to the STOL airstrip at Lukla. This was the airstrip built by Sir Edmund Hillary and his friends to service the Everest Region when he began his work of building schools and hospitals for the Sherpa people. It is a memorable flight, with marvellous views of the Eastern Himalaya. At Lukla you will be immediately impressed by the scale of the huge peaks that surround the village, but this is only a foretaste of what is to come. Your porter will meet you to take your kitbags and, after consulting your route notes, you'll head downhill towards the Dudh Kosi, named "Dudh" (milk) Kosi (river) because of its colour, a raging river that flows from the highest peaks. The broad and well-marked trail meanders around fields of potatoes and buck-wheat, and passes through small villages, as you pass rows of tree dahlia to make your way to the first campsite at Ghat, where you will sign in on arrival. Whilst you may feel like continuing and indeed, the days walk is short, the night here is imperative to ensure good acclimatisation for the trek ahead.

Meals:  B

Following tea or coffee in your tent to welcome the day and breakfast in our comfortable dining room, you'll set out on the days walk, using the map and route notes provided. Per our safety protocols, it is important that you 'sign out' of the campsite prior to leaving. Sections of today's walk are through pine forest, and cleared areas reveal terraced fields and a variety of crops. Expect to pass small groups of donkeys, yaks and dzopko carrying trading goods and trekking gear along the trail. A dzopko is a yak-cow crossbreed while a yak is a full-blood long haired male, more commonly found at higher altitudes. You will pass through a variety of small hamlets as we slowly gain altitude. Spectacular mountain peaks unfold above us, and seem to hover above the tree-line as they rise above the deep river valley. Shortly after leaving camp you will cross the Kusum Khola, a tributary stream to the Dudh Kosi, and the peak of Kusum Kangru (6369 m) can be seen to the East at the head of the valley. Further along the trail, across the valley to the North-West, Nupla (5885 m) and Kongde Ri (6093 m) rise above the forested ridges. At a turn of the trail, Thamserku (6808 m) rises majestically, seemingly from the river floor and you will see your first Mani walls today. These stone structures are a compilation of many stone tablets, each with the inscription "Om Mani Padme Hum" which translates to "Hail to the jewel in the lotus", and is mantra (chant) venerated by Buddhists and Brahmans alike. Buddhists will walk to the left of these Mani Walls and chortens, but you may notice that people of the lowlands who have no knowledge of Buddhism do not follow this ceremony. The camp for the night is our private eco camp site located above Monjo. After signing in, the night is at leisure.

Meals:  B

Your morning routine is becoming more familiar, with a warm drink your tent provided to ease into the day, before preparing for the days trek. This morning you will cross the milky waters of the Dudh Kosi and pass through the gates of the Sagarmatha National Park. The establishment of this national park is a significant attempt to stem the use of fire-wood in the area and the few local people who have a permit to cut wood must gain approval from the authorities on the basis of it being for their personal use. Follow the river course to the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Bhote Kosi, and cross a spectacular high bridge before commencing your ascent to the village of Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa "capital" of Nepal. It is a tough climb as the trail passes through forest of pine to a vantage point that provides your first view of Mt Everest. The trail continues to climb and meander to Namche, and the sight of this prosperous village spread within a horse-shoe shaped valley opposite the beautiful peak of Kongde Ri is worth every step. There are many lunch options in the thriving village of Namche and you may wish to peruse the Tibetan trader's stalls or the Sherpa shops in search of a bargain. Our accommodation will be at our private eco campsite.

Meals:  B

This rest day in Namche Bazaar is very important for safe acclimatisation. Sagarmatha National Park Headquarters offers a very interesting display of photographs, memorabilia and information on the park, and is a wonderful vantage point for the spectacular view up the Imja Khola Valley towards Everest. The change from the narrow lowland valleys to the broad glacial ones is immediately obvious. The steep-sided glacial valley before us gradually winds towards the base of Everest, broken only by the moraines left by retreating glaciers. Its more gradual rate of climb is a blessing for those trekking higher. Towering to over 4000 metres above the valley floor, spectacular peaks seem to engulf you. Around us are Taweche (6542 m), Thamserku (6808 m), Kantega (6685 m), Ama Dablam (6856 m), Nuptse (7896 m) and Lhotse (8511 m). The greatest of all, Mt Everest (8848 m), rises at the head of the valley. The Sherpa Cultural Centre has an interesting collection of mountaineering items and photographs - ask our campsite staff for recommendations for the days activites, if you're feeling like exploring. If you are fit and acclimatising well, you may wish to take the optional morning walk to the Everest View Hotel where spectacular views of Everest and Ama Dablam may be seen. Overnight at our private eco campsite.

Meals:  B

The walk to Deboche is one of the most spectacular trekking days in Nepal. The trail meanders easily around the ridges and Everest can be clearly seen on the horizon ahead before you descend through splendid rhododendron forests. You will cross the Dudh Kosi and begin the ascent to the top of a long ridge which flows from the summit of Kantega. The trail takes you through pine and rhododendron forest, and, as this is a devout Buddhist region, the wildlife is unharmed and not too shy. As a result there is a possibility that we may see Himalayan Thar, Musked Deer or pheasants in the forest and around our campsite. As you approach the ridgeline, you will pass through a traditional gateway and around a chorten before cresting the ridge onto a wide grassy meadow at the monastery village of Thyangboche. The monastery was re-built with the assistance of Sir Edmund Hillary after it was destroyed by fire in 1989. The views of the Everest massif, as well as all the other major peaks of the area are astounding. After a rest and visit to the monastery, you will head downhill to our private eco campsite at Deboche.

Meals:  B

If the weather is clear, the mountain views from Thyangboche monastery as you pass through are outstanding - Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse are at the head of the valley, their line of sight flanked by Taweche on one side and Ama Dablam on the other. Almost directly above are Kantega and Thamserku. Completing a 360 degree panorama of mountains are Khumblia and Kongde Ri which encircle you from across the valley. It is a comfortable day’s walk, with time to explore some unique and more traditional villages. As you near the villages, you will pass through terraced fields that are home to a brightly colored pheasant, the Danphe Pheasant, the national bird of Nepal. Khumjung is where Sir Edmund Hillary built his “Schoolhouse In the Clouds” and the famed Khunde hospital is close by. World Expeditions supports both of these famous community facilities, as well as the many other projects operated by the Himalayan Trust. There will generally be the opportunity for you to visit the hospital and school. You will also be able to see the monastery at Khumjung where you may have the opportunity to see the “scalp of a yeti”. Nearby on a hilltop, with views of the mountains, is the Everest View Hotel, a joint Nepali - Japanese project, where you can stop for refreshments before passing through the yak breeding farm and descending to Namche where you'll stop for the night. Overnight at our private eco campsite.

Meals:  B

This morning you will farewell the 'Sherpa Capital' and begin your return journey. The trail meanders through the forest to the valley floor to follow the Dudh Kosi downhill, and out of the national park to the camp at the small settlement of Monjo. Overnight at our private eco campsite.

Meals:  B

Retracing your steps along the valley, you'll pass through a variety of settlements and forests before an undulating climb to Lukla. Here you can savour your final mountain sunset of the trek as you complete this exhilarating journey. The last evening of the trek is a good time to farewell your porters who will return to their villages from here and to reflect on your trek in this magnificent place.

Meals:  B

Today you will fly to Kathmandu, a thrilling takeoff followed by a patch work quilt of terraced fields, forest and villages, with the Himalaya chain to the north. On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is your own to do some last minute shopping or sightseeing.

Meals:  B

After breakfast arrangements cease unless further arrangements have been made. If you are travelling by aircraft to further destinations you will be transferred to the airport.

Meals:  B