Everest Region (Khumbu)
Sherpa villages, Tengboche and Everest views on lodge-to-lodge walks
The Khumbu is the high valley system in north-eastern Nepal that drains the southern side of Everest. It lies within Sagarmatha National Park, listed by UNESCO in 1979, and is home to the Sherpa people, who settled here from Tibet several centuries ago. There are no roads. Everything moves on foot, on the backs of porters and yaks, or by air into Lukla. Villages of stone houses with green and blue roofs sit on terraces of potatoes and buckwheat, linked by trails lined with prayer walls, chortens and suspension bridges.
Most people know the Khumbu through the trek to Everest Base Camp, a two-week round trip that climbs above 5,000 m. Our journeys are different. We stay lower, sleep in the best lodges on the trail, and walk 3 to 6 hours a day at an easy pace. From Namche Bazaar (3,440 m), Khumjung (3,790 m) and the ridge above them, Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam are already in full view. You see the mountains, the monasteries and the Sherpa villages without the strain of high altitude.
Altitude still shapes everything. Lukla is at 2,860 m and Namche at 3,440 m, high enough for headaches and poor sleep for many people. We raise sleeping altitude slowly, spend two nights in Namche, and never go higher with symptoms. Yeti Mountain Home lodges at Lukla, Phakding, Monjo, Namche, Kongde and Thame are our bases, with heated rooms and attached bathrooms. A short walk to Namche needs four nights in the region; the fuller lodge-to-lodge trek, with Tengboche, needs nine.
Highlights
What Everest Region (Khumbu) does best
The Sherpa trading town of the Khumbu sits in a horseshoe-shaped bowl at 3,440 m, its lodges, bakeries and shops stacked in tiers. A Saturday market draws traders from lower valleys. We spend two nights here to acclimatise, with a walk up to the ridge for the first view of Everest.
At 3,867 m on a forested ridge, Tengboche is the largest monastery in the Khumbu, with Ama Dablam and Everest rising behind it. Monks gather for prayers in the afternoon, and visitors can sit quietly at the back of the hall. Each autumn it hosts the Mani Rimdu festival.
From the ridge above Namche, the Syangboche plateau and Khumjung, Everest (8,849 m), Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam appear in one line. Hotel Everest View at Syangboche, at 3,880 m, serves tea and breakfast on a terrace facing the range, an easy goal for an acclimatisation day.
Two Sherpa villages on a high plateau at about 3,790 m, with stone walls, potato fields and old monasteries. Khumjung has the school founded with the support of Sir Edmund Hillary, and Khumjung monastery keeps a skull said by local tradition to belong to a yeti.
On clear mornings a 4 to 5 hour helicopter round trip from Kathmandu flies up the Khumbu, lands briefly near Kala Patthar facing Everest, and stops for breakfast at Hotel Everest View. It suits those who want the view without the walk, weather permitting.
Yeti Mountain Home lodges at Lukla, Phakding, Monjo, Namche, Kongde and Thame offer heated rooms with attached bathrooms, good food and quiet. They make it possible to walk the Khumbu in real comfort, and to plan a route that keeps sleeping altitude below about 3,800 m.
Experiences
Four hours to plan around
Getting there
How to reach Everest Region (Khumbu)
Flights from Kathmandu to Lukla (Tenzing-Hillary Airport, 2,860 m) take about 35 minutes and operate in the morning only. In peak seasons many Lukla flights are routed from Manthali (Ramechhap), a 4 to 5 hour drive from Kathmandu, and cloud often delays them. Baggage is limited, usually to about 15 kg; check current status before you travel.
Private helicopter charters from Kathmandu reach Lukla in about an hour, and can fly higher into the Khumbu for sightseeing or return. They are useful when scheduled flights are grounded or to save the walk out. Everest helicopter tours of 4 to 5 hours land briefly near Kala Patthar and stop at Hotel Everest View, weather permitting.
There are no roads in the Khumbu. From Lukla the trail descends to Phakding (2,610 m, 3 to 4 hours), then follows the Dudh Kosi to Monjo (2,835 m) and climbs steeply to Namche Bazaar (3,440 m). Porters and yaks carry the bags; you walk with a day pack and a licensed guide.
Where to stay
Rooms we book
Yeti Mountain Home runs the best lodges in the Khumbu, at Lukla, Phakding, Monjo, Namche, Kongde and Thame, with heated rooms, attached bathrooms, good food and well-trained staff. We build every Everest journey around them, moving lodge to lodge at an easy pace. Hotel Everest View at Syangboche (3,880 m) is a famous place for tea or breakfast with Everest in view; we visit for the terrace rather than sleep there, since it is a fast jump in altitude from Namche. Above Namche, other lodges are simpler teahouses.
A chain of comfortable mountain lodges along the Everest trail at Lukla, Phakding, Monjo, Namche, Kongde and Thame. Attached bathrooms, warm dining rooms and good food …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginFrom our planners
Five things to know
- Keep a spare day at the end of the trip in Kathmandu, as cloud at Lukla often holds flights for a day or more.
- Raise your sleeping altitude by no more than 300 to 500 m a day above 3,000 m, take the rest day in Namche, and never go higher with symptoms of altitude sickness.
- Pack light: Lukla flights limit baggage to about 15 kg in total, and anything extra can be left at your Kathmandu hotel.
- Make sure your travel insurance covers helicopter evacuation from up to 6,000 m, as weather and altitude can force a quick descent.
- Bring a warm down jacket, gloves and a hat even in May; nights at 3,400 m drop below freezing for much of the year.
Questions travellers ask
Questions about Everest Region (Khumbu)
Can we see Everest without trekking to Base Camp?
Yes. On a short walk from Lukla to Namche Bazaar, Everest appears from the ridge above Namche, Syangboche and Khumjung, at 3,440 to 3,880 m. A helicopter tour from Kathmandu lands near Kala Patthar facing Everest in a single morning. A dawn mountain flight from Kathmandu shows the range from the air without landing.
What permits do we need for the Everest region?
Foreign visitors pay the Sagarmatha National Park entry fee, about NPR 3,000, and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee, about NPR 2,000, with lower rates for SAARC nationals. The 2023 licensed-guide rule applies in most protected areas, and local practice in the Khumbu has varied; we always walk with a licensed guide. Check current status before you travel.
How do we get to Lukla?
Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla in about 35 minutes, on small aircraft in the morning only. In peak seasons many flights leave from Manthali (Ramechhap) instead, a 4 to 5 hour drive from Kathmandu, with a 20-minute flight to Lukla. Delays for cloud are common. A helicopter charter is the fallback when flights are grounded.
How many nights do we need in the Everest region?
Four nights covers a short walk from Lukla to Namche Bazaar and back, with two nights in Namche. Nine nights allows a lodge-to-lodge trek including Khumjung, Thame or Kongde and a day hike to Tengboche, while keeping sleeping altitude near 3,800 m. Add a spare day in Kathmandu at the end for flight delays.
Is altitude sickness a risk in the Everest region?
Yes. Lukla is at 2,860 m and Namche at 3,440 m, where many people feel headaches, breathlessness and poor sleep. We raise sleeping altitude by no more than 300 to 500 m a day above 3,000 m, spend two nights in Namche and never go higher with symptoms. Ask your doctor about preventive medication before travelling.
When is the best time to visit the Everest region?
October and November give the clearest skies and most stable weather. March to May is warmer, with rhododendrons in bloom and longer days, though cloud builds in the afternoons. December to February is very cold and quiet, and some lodges close. June to September brings monsoon cloud, rain and frequent flight cancellations to Lukla.
Are there luxury lodges in the Everest region?
Yes, by mountain standards. Yeti Mountain Home lodges at Lukla, Phakding, Monjo, Namche, Kongde and Thame have heated rooms, attached bathrooms, good food and attentive staff. Hotel Everest View at Syangboche, at 3,880 m, is famous for its terrace view. Above Namche and away from these lodges, accommodation is in simple teahouses.
Do we need to be fit for an Everest lodge trek?
You need to be able to walk 4 to 6 hours a day on rocky trails with long climbs and descents, at altitude. Regular hill walking or stair climbing for two months beforehand helps a great deal. Porters carry the bags, the pace is slow, and a licensed guide adjusts the plan if the altitude or weather demands it.
What is the baggage limit on Lukla flights?
Flights to Lukla usually allow about 15 kg per person in total, including hand baggage, though airlines and seasons vary. Extra weight may be charged or sent on a later flight. Pack one soft duffel for the porter and a day pack for yourself, and leave the rest at your Kathmandu hotel. Check current status before you travel.
Journeys
Routes that stop in Everest Region (Khumbu)
Nearby
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Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. Begin