Things to Do in the Khumbu Everest Region

Things to do in the Khumbu

Sagarmatha National Park, the Khumbu region of Solukhumbu District in eastern Nepal, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and covers about 1,148 square kilometres. No road enters the park. Every activity here starts on foot from Lukla, with porters and yaks carrying the loads, so the trek itself is the main thing to do and the sights are strung along it.

Teahouse trekking

Multi-day trekking from lodge to lodge is the core activity. The Everest Base Camp route is the headline walk and commonly takes 12 to 14 days. It climbs from Lukla (about 2,840 m) through Phakding and Monjo to Namche Bazaar (about 3,440 m), then on to Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche and Gorak Shep (about 5,164 m). Everest Base Camp sits at about 5,364 m on the Khumbu Glacier.

Viewpoints and market days

  • Kala Patthar (about 5,644 m) is the sunrise viewpoint for Everest. The path is not technical, but it is very high.
  • Namche Bazaar holds a weekly Saturday market in the morning, and its shops and bakeries are the place to resupply.
  • Hotel Everest View at Syangboche (about 3,880 m) has a terrace with views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. It is widely described as the highest luxury hotel in the world, so check that it is open for your dates.
  • Tengboche Monastery (Dawa Choling Gompa) sits with Ama Dablam behind it. Visitors are welcome, and prayer times vary by season.

Festivals and races

Mani Rimdu is the big annual festival at Tengboche. It falls around October to November on the Tibetan lunar calendar, and dates change every year, so ask the monastery or your agency. The Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon runs on 29 May each year. The full 42.195 km course starts at Everest Base Camp and finishes at Namche Bazaar, and the half marathon starts at Dingboche. Details are on the official marathon site .

Peak climbing

Island Peak (6,189 m) and Mera Peak (6,476 m) are add-on climbs for people with experience. Both need a permit and a licensed guide, and neither is a beginner activity. Check fees with an agency before you book.

Altitude sickness

Acute mountain sickness, and the rarer pulmonary and cerebral oedema, occur on the standard route. Climb slowly, build in rest days (usually at Namche and Dingboche), and keep the rise in your sleeping elevation above 3,000 m to roughly 300 to 500 m a day. If symptoms worsen, go down. Trekking with a licensed guide is the safest plan, and nobody should trek alone at height.

Permits, flights and advice

Expect to pay about NPR 3,000 for the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipal permit, bought in Lukla, and roughly NPR 3,000 to 3,400 for park entry, so confirm both on arrival. The municipal permit stands in for a TIMS card in Khumbu, but ask your agency. The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla takes about 30 to 40 minutes, and in the spring and autumn peaks many flights leave from Manthali, a road transfer of roughly 4 to 5 hours. Plan 2 or 3 spare days, because weather delays are common. Buy insurance that covers trekking at your top altitude and helicopter evacuation, and check current US and UK travel advice before you book. The UK government publishes it on its Nepal travel advice page .

Browse listings for Everest region treks on GetYourGuide .

Read more: Sightseeing in the Khumbu and Multi-day trips .