The Everest View Trek is perfect for those people who have less time or who do not want to trek at high altitude. It does, however, provide a good insight into the lives of the local people from the Everest Region as well as stunning views of Mount Everest and surrounding mountains and a trip to the famous Tengboche Monastery. On most days walking will take around 5 hours and although the route is still at altitude it is nowhere near as high as many of the other treks. Never exceeding 4,000 m, it is a good option for those who are of average fitness. The trek starts and ends by flight to/from Lukla Airport.
The trekking route goes through alpine forests and interesting villages, and along the glacier fed Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers to a market town with a name that conjures up pictures of red cheeked Sherpa children and generations of mountain expeditions from around the world – Namche Bazaar. Namche is the entrance to Sagamartha National Park, home of the allusive snow leopard and red panda. This area been included in the Sacred Himalayan Landscape initiative by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for very obvious reasons! Namche is also a bustling market town where visitors can see Sherpa people at work, see other trekking and mountaineering groups stock up on supplies for their expeditions, and make use of internet, drink good coffee and eat in great restaurants!
From Namche Bazaar it is possible to take a short trek to Khumjung Village to visit the school set up by Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to successfully summit Mount Everest in 1953. By setting up this school Sir Edmund gave back to the Sherpa community who continue today to be the backbone of any expedition to Everest. If you are lucky you might bump into the sons of both Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa who still lead trekking groups in the area.
Another highlight of this trek is a visit to Tengboche Monastery. At 3,867m it is the largest monastery in the Khumbu Region. Unfortunately the monastery was extensively damaged by the earthquakes in 2015. The panoramic views from the monastery area are, however, still spectacular and include views of Mount Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. With all this natural beauty it is easy to see why the biggest monastery in the region was built on this spot. Both natural and spiritual beauty have always drawn people to this area. Interestingly, the Tibetan and Sherpa name of for Mount Everest is Chomolungma or Mother Goddess of the Universe.
In brief, this short trek is a perfect way to experience the sights and sounds of the Khumbu Region and Mount Everest without the muscle aching accents and descents that are prevalent on other treks in this region. Having said that, this is the Everest Region, so not just a stroll in the park!
| Days | Itinerary | Altitude | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kathmandu to Lukla (Flight) to Phakding | 2651 m | 3 hr |
| Day 2 | Phakding to Namche Bazaar | 3438 m | 5 - 6 hr |
| Day 3 | Acclimatization day | 3700 m | 5 hr |
| Day 4 | Namche Bazaar to Tengboche | 3956 m | 5 hr |
| Day 5 | Tengboche to Monjo | 3870 m | 6 hr |
| Day 6 | Monjo to Lukla | 2840 m | 4 hr |
| Day 7 | Lukla to Kathmandu (Flight) | 1380 m | 30 min |
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