Trek to Everest Base Camp is a journey in layers. First you get to Kathmandu, then to Lukla, and then you walk. But is that one classic route the only way to do the trek? The answer is no! The Everest Base Camp trek has different routes. This guide covers all of it, step by step, so you know all the details about how you can reach Everest Base Camp.
First Step To Reach EBC: Getting to Kathmandu
Every route to Everest Base Camp starts at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Several Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Varanasi, have direct flights to Kathmandu, and the flight time is short, usually under two and a half hours.
Kathmandu to Lukla: The Real Starting Line of EBC Trek
Lukla is where the actual trek begins, and getting there is its own small adventure.
By flight: The standard way is a 30 to 40 minute flight from Kathmandu to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, operated by airlines like Tara Air, Summit Air, and Sita Air. It’s a short flight but a scenic one, with the Himalayan range visible almost the entire way.
Note: During peak trekking seasons (March to May, and September to November), flights are usually rerouted through Manthali Airport in Ramechhap instead of Kathmandu. This happens because Kathmandu's airport gets too congested with international traffic to reliably fit in domestic mountain flights.
If your dates fall in peak season, expect a 4 to 5 hour road journey from Kathmandu to Manthali, often starting as early as 1 or 2 AM, followed by a shorter 15 to 20 minute flight to Lukla. Your trekking operator will usually arrange this transport, so it’s worth confirming this with them in advance rather than assuming a direct flight.
By road plus trek: If flights get cancelled due to weather (which happens fairly often), or if you’d rather skip flying altogether, you can drive from Kathmandu to Jiri or Salleri/Tham Danda and trek in from there. You will find more information on that below.
The Trekking Routes to Everest Base Camp
There are multiple ways to trek to Everest Base Camp. Some routes start right from Lukla, while others join the trail in lower areas.
1. The Classic Lukla Route
This is the one most trekkers do. From Lukla, the trail runs through Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, and finally Gorak Shep, before the last push to Everest Base Camp at 17,598 ft.
- Distance: Around 130 km round trip
- Duration: 12 to 14 days, including two acclimatization days (usually at Namche and Dingboche)
- What you’ll see: Suspension bridges over the Dudh Kosi river, pine and rhododendron forest in the lower stretches, the Tengboche monastery with Ama Dablam behind it, and increasingly bare, high-altitude terrain as you approach the Khumbu glacier. Most people also add the sunrise hike to Kala Patthar (18,192 ft), which is actually the best spot to see Everest itself, since the mountain isn’t visible from Base Camp.
2. The Jiri Route (No-Fly Option)
This is the original route to Everest, walked long before Lukla airport existed, and it’s still used by trekkers who want to skip flying or want a longer, more gradual approach.
- Distance: Around 220 to 230 km total round trip (adding roughly 80 to 90 km of walking from Jiri to Lukla before joining the main route)
- Duration: 18 to 21 days, since it adds roughly a week of walking before you even reach Lukla
- What you’ll see: Lower-altitude Solu region villages, Sherpa and Rai settlements, forested passes like Lamjura La (around 11,581 ft), and a much slower, steadier gain in altitude, which some trekkers prefer for acclimatization. It then merges into the classic route near Namche and follows the same trail onward.into the classic route near Namche and follows the same trail onward.
3. Gokyo Lakes via Cho La Pass
This route is for trekkers who want more than the standard trail. It branches off after Namche instead of heading straight up the main valley.
- Distance: Around 160 to 170 km round trip
- Duration: 15 to 18 days
- What you’ll see: The trail climbs through Dole and Machhermo into the Gokyo valley, home to a series of glacial lakes and the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest in Nepal. From Gokyo Ri, you get a different angle on Everest, Cho Oyu, and Makalu. The route then crosses the Cho La Pass, a demanding but non-technical crossing over ice and rock, before rejoining the classic trail near Lobuche and continuing to Base Camp.
4. The Phaplu Route (Shorter Overland Option)
This is the option for trekkers who want to avoid the Lukla flight without committing to the full Jiri trek. You drive from Kathmandu through Phaplu (or Salleri), but the road doesn’t stop there anymore. Off-road 4WD jeeps now push well past Phaplu to Tham Danda—and in good weather, almost directly to Surke.
- Distance: Around 270 km by road from Kathmandu to Phaplu, then a 5 to 7 hour bumpy jeep ride to Tham Danda/Surke. From there, total on-foot distance to Base Camp and back comes out to roughly 130 to 140 km round trip, nearly identical to starting from Lukla itself.
- Duration: 12 to 16 days total (1.5 to 2 days driving each way, plus 10 to 12 days trekking).
- What you’ll see: The drive itself passes through Dhulikhel, Okhaldhunga, and terraced hillside villages before reaching the Solukhumbu district. By driving all the way to Tham Danda or Surke, you skip several days of low-altitude walking and join the main trail just a short 2 to 3-hour walk below Lukla. From there, it follows the standard route through Phakding, Namche, and onward to Base Camp. This route is popular with trekkers who don’t want to gamble their trip on a Lukla flight, since it removes that uncertainty while keeping the total trek length close to the standard route.
5. Helicopter Tour (No Trekking)
If time or fitness is the limiting factor, this skips the trek entirely.
- Duration: A single day, 4 to 5 hours total from Kathmandu and back.
- What it covers: The helicopter refuels at Lukla, flies over Namche, Tengboche monastery, the Khumbu valley, and Everest Base Camp, making a scenic flyover pass near Kala Patthar before landing for a famous mountain breakfast at Hotel Everest View in Syangboche (~12,700 ft).
- Aviation Note: Helicopters generally do not drop off tourists for long on top of Kala Patthar (18,192 ft) due to extreme risks of rapid high-altitude sickness when ascending directly from Kathmandu (4,593 ft) in just 90 minutes.
Every one of these routes asks something different of your body. Jiri and Phaplu add more days of walking before you even reach the altitude gain, while Gokyo adds a high pass crossing on top of the standard climb to Base Camp. Which one suits you comes down to your fitness and how much time you can prepare with. Our Everest Base Camp Difficulty Level guide breaks down what each stage actually demands, so you can match the route to your own fitness rather than just the scenery.
Whichever path you choose, you will end up standing beneath the mighty Everest. So, plan smartly and fulfil your dreams
Frequently Asked Questions
The helicopter tour is the fastest, covering the journey in a single day. If you want to trek, the classic Lukla route at 12 to 14 days is quicker than the Jiri or Gokyo options.
No. You can drive to Jiri or Salleri and trek in, which takes longer but avoids flying altogether.
During peak trekking seasons, Kathmandu airport gets congested with international traffic, so domestic mountain flights are shifted to Manthali Airport in Ramechhap, about 4 to 5 hours away by road.
The Gokyo Lakes route via Cho La Pass is generally considered the most scenic, since it adds the Gokyo valley and a second Everest viewpoint from Gokyo Ri, on top of the classic Base Camp views.
It depends on your fitness and preparation. We’ve covered this in detail in our Everest Base Camp Difficulty Level guide, including what to expect season by season.
Both let you skip the Lukla flight, but Phaplu is closer to the Khumbu. With the road now extending to Tham Danda, the Phaplu route can take as little as 12 to 16 days, compared to 18 to 21 days from Jiri. Phaplu also has its own airstrip if you’d rather fly partway instead of driving the whole distance.
