dZi Foundation Fundraiser Trek
Visit one of the most spectacular mountain regions in the world and do something to help the local people rebuild after the earthquakes of 2015! Join Mountain Trip on this beautiful trek to Everest Base Camp, climb Kala Pattar, learn about the local culture from our Sherpa guides, and know that you are helping people out! The dZi Foundation has a great organization on the ground in Nepal to continue to help with the immediate needs of rebuilding, and they’ll be there in the long term as well to help with sustainable community development projects to improve the lives of the people of rural Nepal.
On our Spring Everest Base Camp Trek we will trek through the spectacular Khumbu Valley, marvel at some of the most iconic and storied peaks in the world, stay in locally owned lodges and “tea houses”, and visit the bustling Everest Base Camp. This is truly THE iconic trek of Nepal, and each day new views of the Himalayas open up until we are standing at the base of the highest mountain on earth. Our treks are led by a team of local Sherpa guides and US trained Mountain Trip guides so you get the best of both worlds. We work with a great team of local Sherpa guides on our climbs and treks, most of whom come from the village of Kurima in the Solukhumbu district.
**You can do it all in just two weeks! There is an option of flying out via helicopter if you need to make this a two week trek to accommodate people with a more limited time to visit Nepal (please contact us for details and costs)
Please see the dZi Foundation Fundraiser tab for more details on this special trek.
Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu. We will meet you at the airport and bring you to your hotel.
Day 2: Explore Kathmandu — This will be a day of leisure in the bustling city of Kathmandu. You can visit local temples and we will check your gear to be certain that you are have everything you’ll need for the trek. This evening we will have a team “Welcome Dinner” and a representative from dZi Foundation will give us a presentation about their programs in Nepal.
Day 3: Fly to Lukla and begin the trek! We will catch an early morning flight from Kathmandu to the village of Lukla in the foothills of the Himalaya. After organizing our gear and meeting our team of porters, we’ll have a bit of lunch and then begin our first short day of trekking. We’ll follow the Dudh Kosi river from Lukla up to the village of Phakding (9,000 ft/2610 m) along the banks of the Dudh Khosi River, where we will spend the first night. (3 hours trekking)
Day 4: Phakding to Namche. We will continue to follow the Dudh Kosi river deeper into the mountains to the village of Jorsale where we enter the Sagarmartha National Park and register with the park. From here the trail gets steeper as we climb towards Namche Bazaar (11,200ft/3440m) which is the capital of the Khumbu region and the Sherpa people. As the trail climbs towards Namche we’ll cross a spectacular suspension bridge above the confluence of the Bhote Kosi and Dudh Kosi rivers. (5-6 hrs trekking)
Day 5: Namche Bazaar. We will spend the day enjoying the bustling trading hub that is Namche. This day is an important acclimatization day as we are climbing high into the Himalaya. It is also a great place to hang out and see how many bakeries you can visit in one day. The Sagarmartha National Park Visitors Center is just above Namche and is a fascinating place to explore, we’ll also hike up to the Everest Hotel, have a cup of tea and enjoy our first views of Everest.
Day 6: Namche to Tengboche Monastery, and down to Deboche. The views above Namche become dominated by the striking mountain, Ama Dablam (22,493ft/6856m), and views of Mt Everest and Nuptse still off in the distance. The trail eventually drops down to the Dudh Khosi river one more time, followed by a 
steep climb out of the river valley to the Tengboche Monastery (12,700ft/3870m). The monastery sits high above the river and under the towering Himalaya. We’ll visit the monastery and visitors center, and enjoy some spectacular views of the Himalayas from this high point. We may have an opportunity to attend some Buddhist ceremonies in the famous Tengboche Monastery, and get a chance to learn about the Buddhist culture that is foundational to the lives of the local Sherpa people at the Sherpa Cultural Center. We’ll enjoy the afternoon here, and visit one of the local bakeries before descending a short way down through lush rhododendron forests to Deboche, where we will spend the night. (4-5 hrs trekking)
Day 7: Deboche to Dingboche. The trail climbs very gradually from Deboche thru lush rhododendron forests up to the small village of Pangboche, and then the gradual climb up the valley to the village of Dingboche (14,500ft/4410m). We can stop in Pangboche at another famous monastery where Llama Geshe offers blessings to climbers heading up into the high mountains. We’ll continue up to the village of Dingboche at the base of Ama Dablam, where we will spend an extra day to acclimatize. (4 hours trekking)
Day 8: Dingboche acclimatization and hiking. We will spend a day in Dingboche to allow our bodies to catch up to the thin air at this altitude. There are many great hikes to take out of Dingboche including a hike to the village of Chhukung near the base of Island Peak. There is plenty of exploring to do, or you can sleep in and read a book!
Day 9: Dingboche to Lobuche. The trails ascends slowly out of Dingboche towards the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. This mound of rock was pushed in front of the glacier before it retreated back up to the flanks of Mt Everest. The terrain above here becomes more rocky as we climb higher into the upper Khumbu valley. Along the way we’ll pass the collection of memorials to mountaineers who have died on Everest. The bulk of Nuptse (25,850ft/7879m) dominates the views as we climb towards the lodges of Lobuche (16,175ft/4930m) where we will spend the night. (4-5 hrs trekking)
Day 10: Lobuche to Gorak Shep. The trail continues to climb up to the last lodges before base camp at Gorak Shep (16,920ft/5157m). The terrain becomes more stark and the air becomes colder as we continue to climb into the alpine environment high in the Himalaya. After reaching Gorak Shep we can take a tea break, and if the weather is nice, continue up to the famous Everest viewpoint of Kala Patar which is a short and very rewarding hike. This will be the highest point we reach on the trek at 18,300 ft/5577 meters. You will certainly notice your lungs working overtime as you hike at this altitude. If the weather doesn’t cooperate on this day, we’ll work the Kala Pattar climb into another day. (3-4 hours trekking)
Day 11: Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp. From the last lodges we will set off across the enormous moraine of the Khumbu glacier and on to the bustling tent city that is Everest Base Camp (17,300ft/5273m) during the climbing season. It is an unlikely environment of rock and rubble to carve out a home, but a community of mountaineers and adventurers come every year to live in the tent city. When we arrive, we’ll settle into our tents, and enjoy meals cooked by our wonderful base camp cook. (4-5 hours trekking)
Day 12: Everest Base Camp. We will spend the next day exploring base camp, the lower reaches of the Khumbu Icefall, and feeling the incredible energy of the climbers making their preparations for their Everest expeditions. We will be able to watch climbers, and the hard working Sherpas begin their ascent through the Khumbu icefall 
and hope to be able to witness the traditional Puja ceremony. **(If you need to leave the trip early, you can fly back by helicopter to Lukla/Kathmandu from Base Camp on this day, please inquire for details and costs)
Day 13: Everest Base Camp to Pheriche. After saying goodbye to the Mountain Trip Everest climbing team, we will begin the trek back towards Lukla. It goes much quicker on the return, but it’s hard to leave this stunning place. (7-8hrs trekking)
Day 14: Pheriche to Namche. One more night in Namche in the bustling village. (6-8hrs trekking)
Day 15: Namche to Phakding. We’ll have one last opportunity to visit our favorite bakeries and even buy a few souvenirs from the Bazaar before heading down valley back to Phakding. (4 hours trekking)
Day 16: Phakding to Lukla. Our final stretch of the trek is back uphill to the village of Lukla where the local airport sits. We’ll have this evening to enjoy the relatively urban feel of Lukla and to celebrate our return. We’ll say our farewells and thank you’s to our local porters and Sherpa team this evening. (4 hours trekking)
Day 17: Fly to Kathmandu. These are usually early morning flights to take advantage of the typically clear morning weather. We’ll return to the hustle and bustle of the city, and enjoy one of the many great dinner spots. (This day also serves as an extra day in case we have any weather delays flying in/out of Lukla)
Day 18: Kathmandu. One last day to explore the exciting blend of Hindu and Budhhist cultures that define this city. Visiting Durbar Square, Boddinath Stupa, Temples, and shopping in Thamel will keep you busy. We’ll have our final farewell dinner before everyone begins their journey’s onwards.
Day 19: Flights back home!
