People Interested
1
Location
Everest
Durations
16 Days
Trip Grade
Challenging
Max group size
14
Best Time
Spring and Autumn
Geography: Himalaya
Location: Everest Region
Level of Difficulty: Challenging
Duration of Trek: 16 Days (includes 2 nights in Kathmandu)
Average Walking Duration: 5-6 hrs per day
Max Altitude: Kala Patthar (5,545m/18,192 ft.)
Ethic People: Sherpa, Tamang, Magar
Accommodation: Tea house/ Lodges
Transportation: Private or Shared Jeep (no flight)
The Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek is renowned worldwide as one of the most thrilling and rewarding treks in the world. Usually, this journey to EBC begins with a flight to Lukla, followed by days of trekking through the Khumbu Valley.
However, an emerging alternative route to Everest Base Camp is now gaining popularity: Everest Base Camp trek by road. Due to the extension of roadways in the Khumbu region, people now prefer to do the Everest Base Camp Trek without taking a flight as it only costs two extra days of trekking.
Among the several ways to reach the Everest Base Camp, Choosing the road journey to EBC over the traditional flight to Lukla offers several advantages. Some of them are described below:
Doing the Everest trek by road is a safer alternative, as it avoids the sketchy and often unpredictable flight to Lukla, which has one of the shortest and most challenging runways in the world. There have been a few instances of trekkers being stuck on Ramechhap and Lukla due to the bad weather for up to three days.
The road journey to the starting point of EBC trekking provides an opportunity to explore more of Nepal's stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage, as it passes through various towns such as Khurkot, Phaplu, Nunthala, Bupsa, Puiya, Tham Danda, and several other villages before arriving at Phakding.
You will witness lodges and teahouses run by local Sherpas along with mountains like Everest (8848.86m/29031ft), Lhotse (8516m/27940ft), Nuptse (7861m/25791ft), Cho Oyu (8188m/26864ft), Thamserku (6608m/21680ft), Pumori (7161m/23494ft), Ama Dablam (6812m/22349ft), etc
Taking a ground route to EBC can be a cost-effective option, especially for those on a budget. The flight to Lukla from Kathmandu/Ramechhap is one of the most costly aspects of the Everest Base Camp Trek, doing it without a flight helps minimize your costs.
Keeping the trekker's preferences in check, Hiking Bees has crafted this 16-day Everest trek package by Jeep. This safe alternative ground route commences at Tham Danda after a 12 hr long jeep drive from Kathmandu. If you wish you can even get off at Puiya or Bupsa and start your trek from there.
An added benefit of this trek is its lower risk of altitude sickness compared to the direct flight from Kathmandu to Lukla followed by the trek to Everest Base Camp. This is because you will be moving gradually upwards compared to directly stepping at an elevation of 2,846m(Lukla) from 1,400m (Kathmandu).
A surface itinerary for trekking to Everest Base Camp by jeep.
Both routes to reach the Everest Base Camp have their unique perspectives along with advantages and disadvantages. Although the flight option is a quick option to reach Everest region some people still prefer to take the ground route as it is comparatively cheaper and safe.
The Lukla flights depart early morning from Kathmandu/Ramechhap as the weather tends to be clear and there’s less chance of flights being delayed. If the weather is not in our favor trekkers sometimes need to wait for a few days to get a flight from or to Lukla Airport. During the peak trekking seasons flight tickets are very hard to get and tickets need to be booked beforehand. When you book a trek with Hiking Bees, we will arrange the Lukla flight tickets for our guests.
The Everest trek by road/ground route requires a jeep drive from Kathmandu. The jeep departs early in the morning and is a long drive till you reach Tham Danda. Choosing the road route to Everest takes a few extra days compared to the traditional flight route, however, even during the extra hike days, you will be witnessing local villages, unique culture, greenery, rivers, and some amazing mountain views.
In addition, when you choose the ground route you will gain elevation gradually which provides an acclimatization opportunity for the trekkers instead of directly landing at Lukla airport which may create a chance of altitude sickness.
Tip: You also have the option to start your trek by driving and then wrap it up with a flight from Lukla to Kathmandu, allowing you to enjoy a mix of both experiences.
The jeep ride to the starting point of the Everest Base Camp Trek via ground route, (Tham Danda) is a full day-long journey. You have two options for this one i.e. private and Shared.
Taking a shared Jeep is cost-efficient especially if you are one or two people then it’s better to opt for the sharing option, however, if you are a group of more than four people, hiring a private Jeep could be a better option as it provides a sense of comfort and luxury. In addition to that, you can stop whenever you like during the trip to have a look at the amazing mountains along with small toilet breaks.
Having said so, you need to keep in mind that private jeeps are expensive compared to shared ones but provide extra space inside the vehicle and with extra added benefits. If you want to hire a private jeep for this EBC trek via jeep you may contact us with your preference and Hiking Bees will arrange your trek to Everest accordingly.
Analyzing the Seasons and Months the best times for the Everest Base Camp Trek by Road are Spring (March, April, May) and Autumn (September, October, and November).
The best season for a trip to EBC without a flight to Lukla is Spring. It is known as one of the best seasons for most of the trekking in Nepal. March, April, and May bring spring to Nepal. The weather tends to remain stable with clear blue skies and there’s very little chance of sudden rainfall. The daytime temperatures are perfect for trekking however the night and morning temperatures may be a little chilly. The trails are not slippery and are safe for trekkers to make it up to the summit.
Since we will be trekking in the Sagarmatha National Park during the EBC trek via ground route, you will have the opportunity to discover endangered floras and faunas as flowers tend to bloom during this season and animals tend to come out of hibernation.
Another favorable time for Everest Base Camp Trekking by road is Autumn. Autumn season faces very minimal weather-related issues which makes it a perfect time for the trek, as we are choosing the road route to Everest we must remain safe from Landslides, avalanches, and other issues. The skies are clear with snow-covered mountain landscapes throughout the trek. The temperatures are balanced and optimal for hiking during these periods.
Another special aspect of this season is that many important festivals of Nepal lie at this time of the year. A wide variety of cultures and traditions can be seen so when planning a trek make sure you can see a few of these traditions along. In short, Autumn tends to be a safe and happy time for trekking to Everest Base Camp by Road.
Hiking Bees is a registered local company based in Nepal, launching various treks in the Himalayas. Every year we have been launching the Everet Base Camp Trek by road (without flight) and the below-mentioned points are what we offer
Join our Everest Base Camp Trek departures for 2025/2026/2027 by road and experience the popular Everest Base Camp Trek with a different perspective.
If you want to experience the thrill of flying to the world's highest airport, you may check out our EBC trek package with a flight to Lukla.
For queries and booking regarding the package, contact us at [email protected] or directly call/text us at +977 9860617338 (Whatsapp/Viber).
Trekking to the Himalayas is not an easy thing to do and not everything goes as planned, keeping the conditions in check we at Hiking Bees are very flexible with the itinerary and can be customized as needed mid-trek.
Our experienced guides are trained to handle last-minute changes and modifications so if in case you need any kind of changes you can feel free to ask us. You may even return by flight to Kathmandu if needed during this ground route trek to EBC.
Day 2 : Early morning drive to Thamdanda (2,326m) from Kathmandu
Today we will start our trek to EBC without taking a flight, so we need to take a jeep ride from Kathmandu to Tham Danda at 2 am. Your guide and porter’s will arrive at your hotel reception and then they’ll guide you for the next step. If you hire a private jeep then the jeep comes to pick you up at your hotel. Otherwise, we need to go to the pickup location and board on a shared jeep.
We will be traveling on the BP Highway and the journey will take around 20 hours via jeep to reach Tham Danda (2,326m) from Kathmandu. On the way to Tham Danda, we will pass through Khurkot, Phaplu, Nunthala, and Bupsa which are known as ancient trek routes to Everest. We will have our dinner in the teahouse at Tham Danda and sum it up for the day.
Overnight stay in a tea house at Tham Danda.
Day 3 : Trek from Thamdanda to Phakding (2,640m)
On this third day of Everest trekking, we will start walking towards the Everest Base Camp and won’t be taking any vehicles from now on. Our trek begins from Tham Danda after a warm breakfast. With two hours of hiking uphill, we will reach Paiya. From there we will be descending to Surke followed by the popular Dudh Koshi River till we reach Chaurikharka which is located just below Lukla.
With a short hike from Chaurikharkha, we then join the main EBC trekking route at a place called Chheplung. Since we will be on the main trail, you can expect lots of trekkers who are ascending from Lukla to EBC. With an additional two hours of hike from there, we will reach our destination for today, Phakding (2,640m)
Overnight stay in the tea house at Phakding.
Day 4 : Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,440m)
Today is one of the important days of our 16 days Everest Base Camp Trekking as we will be heading towards Namche Bazaar (3,440m), a beautiful and popular place in the Everest region. We will start our trek after breakfast in Phakding and after three hours we will reach Monjo where we enter the Sagarmatha National Park (Our permits and paperwork are checked here).
After the paperwork, we will descend towards Jorshalle by crossing a suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. Today we will cross five different suspension bridges among which one of them is made in honor of Tenzing Hillary and named Hillary Bridge. After a few hours of hike through the forest, we will ascend towards Namche Bazaar. We will spend the remaining day exploring the Sherpa market and the National Park.
Overnight stay in teahouse at Namche Bazaar
Day 5 : Acclimatization day at Namche Bazaar
Acclimatization is very important during the Everest Base Camp Trek as it involves huge elevation gain and longer hours of hiking every day. So on the fifth day of our Everest trekking without flight, we won’t head to the next destination instead, we stay in the same tea house and roam around Namche Bazaar interacting with people and learning about their cultures.
We will leave our backpacks in the tea house and carry a small day pack for the necessary items. The destinations that we will be visiting today are Khumjung Village, Everest View Hotel, and Sherpa Museum. Our trek guides will show you around the Sagarmatha National Park where you’ll get to discover new flora and fauna. After a refreshing walk around, we will head back to our respective tea houses and spend our evening in the tea house playing cards, singing, and resting.
Overnight stay in the same teahouse in Nachme Bazaar.
Day 6 : Trek to Tengboche (3,865m)
Just like every other day during our Trekking to Everest Base Camp via road, our 6th day also starts with a warming breakfast. After breakfast, we will head towards Tengboche (3,865m). Today’s route is one of the most scenic routes as it offers majestic mountain views of Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Thamserku.
After a 3-4 hour hike, we again cross the Dudh Koshi River and hike downhill towards the forest. As we follow the trail we can have a chance to see the Himalayan thar and Himalayan Monal in the forest. The jungle route leads us to Tengboche Monastery from where we can get the best view of Mt. Ama Dablam, Everest, and Lhotse. We will find our teahouse and have dinner. Teahouses here have some of the best views of the Himalayas from the window.
Overnight stay in a tea house at Tengboche.
Day 7 : Trek from Tengbochge to Dingboche (4,410m)
After breakfast in the tea house, we will be heading toward Dingboche (4,410m), followed by a lovely walk through the forest where you can spot a lot of endangered species of the Himalayas such as Lophophorus (Danphe), the National bird of Nepal and Musk deer. After the jungle, we will pass Milingo and cross the Imja River Bridge.
After the river crossing, we will be welcomed by a beautiful gate to Pangboche, which offers a closer view of Mt. Ama Dablam. After a three-hour hike from Pangboche, we reach a sherpa community named Somare and from there, it is an additional 2-3 hours to reach our day's destination. Upon reaching our destination we freshen up at our tea house and have our dinner.
Overnight stay in the tea house at Dingboche.
Day 8 : Refreshment day at Dingboche
The eighth day is our second acclimatization day of our EBC trekking via ground route. As we are already high up at an elevation of 4,400 meters, acclimatization is highly necessary.
Today we will be heading toward the northern side of Everest towards Island Peak on the way we will have a glance at the Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Nuptse. For people looking for an alternate option you can ask your guide to go to Chukkuing Ri instead, Chukkung Ri also offers majestic views of Islan Peak, Ama Dablam, Makalu, etc.
After the excursion, we will return back to our respective tea houses and call it a day
Overnight stay in the same tea house in Dingboche.
Day 9 : Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche (4,910m)
Today our destination will be Lobuche (4,910m), which is about 6 6-hour walk from Dingboche. As per our itinerary of 16-day trek to EBC without taking a flight, we head to Pheriche, a town just below Lobuche. After a few hours of hike, we reach Thokla a community situated just near the edge of Khumbu Glacier, We continue our trek to Thokla Pass glancing at the amazing landscapes. After about two hours of shaking around the Glacier of Khumbu, we will reach Lobuche, our resting destination for the day.
We will have our dinner in the tea house of Lobuche and be prepared for the next day as a big day awaits us tomorrow.
Overnight stay in Teahouse of Lobuche.
Day 10 : Trek from Lobuche to Gorakshep (5,140m) and hike to Everest Base Camp (5,364m)
Today is the day that we all have been waiting for, the most important day of our Everest Base Camp Trekking by Road as we will reach the Everest Base Camp (5,364m). We leave our teahouse after breakfast and start heading towards Gorakshep (5,140m), which is about a 3-hour walk from Lobuche. We will check in at our tea house in Gorakshep and leave our backpacks there. We recommend you carry a day pack and start your walk to the popular Everest Base Camp which takes about 2-3 hours from Gorakshep.
Your day pack should consist water bottle, important documents, personal items, and other essential items only. You will witness a huge number of trekkers on the way to the Base camp of Everest. Reaching the Base Camp you’ll see Everest expedition group tents and lots of happy people celebrating the achievement.
After the base camp, you’ll see the Khumbu Glacier along with the Khumbu Icefall. The mighty peaks in front of you will keep you in shock and will leave an impression of a lifetime in your mind. However today you can’t see the top of the Everest as it remains hidden behind, so we have to wait for tomorrow to have a glance at the peak of Everest.
We return to Gorakshep at our respective tea houses and have a proper rest.
Overnight stay in the teahouse of Gorakshep.
Day 11 : Trek to Kalapatthar (5,555m) and back to Pheriche (4,240m)
On the eleventh day of the EBC trek without a flight to Lukla, we wake up early in the morning and head towards Kala Patthar for an incredible mountain view in the Everest region. Kala Patthar is also popular as the best viewpoint to observe Mt. Everest. The view includes mountain peaks like Mt. Everest (8,848.86m), Mt. Pumari (7,145m), Lingtren (6,695m), Khumbutse (6,623m), Changtse (7,550m), and Nuptse (7,879m).
The route to the top of the Kalapatthar is quite technical and challenging. The ascent nearly takes about two hours however the reward after reaching the top is totally worth it. After enjoying the incredible views and capturing pictures we head back to our teahouse in Gorakshep and have our breakfast.
From here we start our descent and start descending to Pheriche. After a 5-hour descent, we reach our tea house and wrap it up for the day.
Overnight stay in teahouse of Pheriche.
Day 12 : Trek from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar
On the 12th day of our road route to the EBC trek, we continue descending and trekking to Namche Bazaar after breakfast in Pheriche. Since these are few of the last times you will be seeing those mountains make sure you enjoy the Himalayan views as much as you can.
It’s about eight hours of trek until we reach Namche Bazaar, after retracing the same route we will again spend our night in a tea house of Namche enjoying the accomplishment and spend the night.
Overnight stay in the teahouse of Namche Bazaar.
Day 13 : Trek from Namche to Chaurikharka (2694m)
Trek from Namche Bazar to Chaurikharka is a 6-hour hike, most part of the trek is downhill so, you may feel a lot easier to walk.
You will cross the Dudh Koshi River and pass through the small Sherpa towns of Monjo, Ghat, and Chheplung. Upon continuing the hike we will reach the settlement of Chaurikharka.
Here is the moment if you want to experience the thrilling flight back to Kathmandu. If you want to follow the itinerary and return back via road then we will head towards Tham Danda the next day, else we can hike for an extra two hours and reach Lukla to catch a flight the next day from the popular Tenzing Hillary airport.
Overnight stay in ChauriKharaka
Day 14 : Trek from Chaurikharka to Thamdanda
Day 14 is our last hike day as we will be driving back to Kathmandu on the 15th day of our Everest Base Camp Trekking via road. After breakfast in Chaurikharkha, we will head towards Paiya entering through the forests. We continue our descent until we reach Tham Danda. Since the jeep leaves early morning we will rest our final hike day in Tham Danda and our guide will finalize a jeep for tomorrow.
We continue our celebration on this last day and get ready for tomorrow.
Overnight stay in the teahouse of Thamdanda.
Day 15 : Drive back to Kathmandu (1,400m) from Thamdanda
Our starts very early in the morning and we will get in a 4*4 jeep. We will retrace the same route for the last time. The route takes you through the Kharikhola, Jibung, and Andheri till you reach Salleri. After lunch, we again continue our drive to Kathmandu. After about a 10-12-hour drive from the Everest region we finally arrive back in our hotel in Kathmandu.
We call it the end of the trek to EBC without a flight after we arrive in Kathmandu. We will share our stories with the office members and have a comfy rest as you’ll be tired after such a lengthy trek journey.
Overnight stay in a hotel in Kathmandu.
Day 16 : Farewell/Fly back home
Day 16, the last day of our 16-day trip to Everest via Road. We will have breakfast in our hotel and members from the office along with your guides will bid you farewell. Depending upon your departure time we will drop you off at the Kathmandu International Airport.
Thank you for joining our hive and doing the trek with Hiking Bees. We hope to see you again and wish best of luck in the upcoming days.
Can you get to Everest Base Camp without flying to Lukla?
Yes, it’s possible to reach the Everest Base Camp without taking a flight to Lukla. You can take a classic Jiri to EBC route where you will take a drive to Jiri and start your trek.
As of 2024, now the vehicles directly reach Thamdanda and you can start your trek from there resulting in quicker completion of the trek without taking a flight.
Which route is best for Everest Base Camp?
For people with flexible time and looking for a deeper connection with the culture and locals we highly recommend taking the ground route to EBC as it not only provides a deeper connection with the area but also helps to avoid the unstable flight to Lukla.
However, if you want to enjoy the scenic view and experience the thrill of a high-altitude flight, Taking the flight option is a great option. The flight route also helps you save a lot of time as it only requires a 30-minute flight from Kathmandu/Ramechhap.
Is there a road to Everest Base Camp?
No there, no roadways to directly reach to the Everest Base camp the highest you can reach by road is Tham Danda as of 2024. Some trekkers prefer to drop off at Salleri and start the hike from there.
Can we reach Everest Base Camp by car?
No, Since there are no roads to the Everest Base Camp driving there by car is impossible. The only possible means to reach Tham Danda (The highest possible point by road) is by a jeep.
If you directly want to reach the Base Camp then the only way to reach there is by hiring a helicopter.
How long is the flight to Lukla?
The flight to Lukla usually takes about 35 minutes from Kathmandu, however, during peak seasons we need to take a drive to Ramechhap which is about 6 hrs drive from Kathmandu, and then take a flight to Lukla.
How to reach Everest Base Camp without taking a flight to Lukla?
The other way to reach the Everest Base camp without a flight to Lukla is choosing a ground route in which we take a jeep to Tham Danda and start hiking from there the next day. on the second or third day you can join the main route and continue the trek to EBC.
Wondering how much will it cost for the Everest Base Camp Trek without a flight to Lukla?
The EBC trek cost by road is similar to the usual flight route, however, you can save some amount by skipping the flight as flight cost is one of the major aspects, affecting the EBC trek pricing. However, by doing so you need a few days extra to reach the Base Camp of Everest.
Hiking Bees Treks offers EBC trekking without flight options at different rates depending on the number of people in the group.
|
No. of pax |
Starting price |
Book/Enquiry |
|
1 |
$1279 | Inquiry |
|
2-4 |
$1199 | Inquiry |
|
5-8 |
$1119 | Inquiry |
|
9-12 |
$1049 | Inquiry |
If you want any extra service included in the package or want to upgrade the trip with better accommodations and food options you can always make an inquiry to us and customize your trip to your preferences.
The food and accommodation you get during the Everest trek without the flight are proper, healthy, and clean. On the first day when we will stay in a teahouse in Tham Danda, accommodations may not be as proper compared to Lukla or Namche Bazar because not many tourists prefer the ground option, however, that doesn’t mean it’s bad by any means. As we head on to Lukla we will get more facilities in the tea houses.
You can expect private rooms with attached bathrooms and proper breakfast lunch, and dinner with a wide variety of options to choose from. The few dish items you get during the trek are mentioned below.
Remember The higher you go, the lower the facilities in the teahouses
Breakfast:
You can expect options like pancakes, cornflakes, local bread, chapatti, porridge, and a variety of egg dishes (fried, scrambled, boiled, omelet). There’s also toast, Muesli with milk, and hash browns. Along with the food tea and coffee are also available as your preferences.
Lunch:
Lunch during the EBC trek offers choices like chapatti, momo, chow mien, spring rolls, dal-that, fried Rice, Sherpa stew, and different types of egg dishes. There are options for vegetarians as well so you don’t need to worry about what to eat.
Dinner:
Dinner usually mirrors lunch but with the addition of soups such as tomato, mushroom, garlic, vegetable, and chicken soup. However, if you want to try something different then it’s also possible. You can ask your guide what you want to eat and they will order it for you.
Drinks:
For drinks, you can enjoy black tea, milk tea, lemon tea, ginger tea, and mint tea. Coffee options include milk coffee and black coffee.
Along with tea and coffee, you can find beverages and local drinks, although it’s not recommended to drink beverages, especially during a trek in the Himalayas, still, you can have a taste of local beverages as well as your favorite drink.
For more detailed info: Food on the Everest Base Camp Trekking
Packing the light and right is the key to a successful trek. In order to make your trekking smooth and enjoyable here’s our recommended equipment/gear list for the Everest trek.
Also Check: Everest Trek Female Packing List
Lukla Airport receives a huge amount of activity with up to 50 aircraft navigating the skies during the peak trekking and climbing seasons every day.
In 2008, this gateway to Everest was renamed, Tenzing-Hillary Airport to pay homage to the legendary duo, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who first set foot at the top of the world's highest peak, Mt. Everest (8,848m).
Due to its high altitude, precarious geographical setting, and remarkably short runway, Lukla is often recognized as one of the most dangerous airports globally. A towering mountain wall anchors one end of this runway, while the opposite side drops directly into the valley below.
Before the airport's existence, the only route to Lukla from Kathmandu was a laborious journey by road to Jiri, followed by an extra five-day hike. It wasn't until 1964 that the airport was established, although operations only commenced in 1971. Remarkably, the runway wasn't blacktopped until 2001.
Spanning just 527 meters in length and 20 meters in width, the runway's dimensions present significant challenges for pilots during both takeoff and landing.
The creation of Lukla Airport is credited to Sir Edmund Hillary, not the Nepalese government. The land where the airport now stands was purchased by Hillary from local Sherpas for $2,650, after local farmers refused to relinquish their fertile fields. With the collaboration of the Sherpa community, Hillary was able to bring the airport to function.
Lukla Airport lacks modern air navigation systems or radar; instead, pilots rely on radio communication to guide their landings and takeoffs. Over the course of more than two decades, the airport was consistently ranked as the world's most dangerous by "Most Extreme Airports," a program aired on The History Channel.
The weather at Lukla is highly unpredictable, sometimes trekkers need to get off the plane at the last minute because of sudden weather changes and there have been few instances of flights being delayed for days.
Book your trip when you are ready. You can book your trip now and choose your arrival date