Dates: Apr 11-26, 2026
We are offering multiple versions of our iconic Himalayan adventure for our Spring 2026 season. The prices and length of the trip will vary a bit depending on the option that you choose, but they will all begin in Kathmandu on April 12th. If you have questions about the options below, please let us know and we will be happy to talk you through the differences.
- EVEREST BASE CAMP ONLY [NO HELICOPTER] (Apr 11-26) // $3,550–This is our traditional Everest Base Camp trek. It requires a full 16 days round trip including flights from the States. Pros: This is one of the most iconic treks in the world done with the exact itinerary of 8 days up and 4 days down that tens of thousands of people have used for decades to encounter the mighty Himalayas. Cons: 12 days is a lot of days both to be hiking and also just to be away from home. We are happy to offer the traditional trek, but for those that can afford it, we definitely recommend option 2 that replaces 3 days of descending with a helicopter flight down to Kathmandu.
- EVEREST BASE CAMP ONLY [HELICOPTER DESCENT] (Apr 11-23) // $4,550–This option follows the same itinerary to Everest Base Camp, but instead of spending 4 days descending back to Lukla to catch a flight off the mountain, those choosing this option will take a helicopter from Pheriche directly down to Kathmandu. This option is $1,000 more expensive…choppers at that altitude are not cheap, but we prefer it for two main reasons. First, helicopters can often fly when planes cannot, so utilizing the helicopter eliminates the possibility of waiting in Lukla for airplanes to be cleared to fly, which happens from time to time. Second, this option cuts off 3 days of hiking, which is a lot of days retracing the trail you spent 8 days ascending. Not only is the trip 3 full days shorter, but we find it to be much more enjoyable utilizing this option as well.
- EVEREST BASE CAMP + LOBUCHE EAST CLIMB [HELICOPTER DESCENT] (Apr 11-26) // $5,350–This option follows same ascending schedule to Everest Base Camp, but also adds a 2 day climb of 20,080ft Lobuche East. Lobuche East is considered a “trekking peak,” but the climb will require mountaineering gear (crampons/harnesses/ropes/etc.), all of which is provided in your trip cost. This climb not to be underestimated; it is a very difficult challenge. That said, the views of the world’s highest peaks from Lobuche summit are unmatched and absolutely impossible to describe. We are open to taking novice climbers on Lobuche, provided they demonstrate significant fitness and/or a history of mental toughness and resilience. Upon completion of the climb, we will take a helicopter down from Pheriche to Kathmandu. We are not offering a trek down option for those choosing to attempt Lobuche East.
- EVEREST VIEW ONLY [QUICK] // $2,950–We are also offering an abbreviated Everest View trek that will spend the first 3 days on trail with our Everest Base Camp trekkers, but will then turn around at 12,800ft just above Namche Bazaar. This option is designed for those who want to encounter the beauty of the Himalayas, but either cannot afford the time off and/or do not want to undertake the difficulty of the full Everest Base Camp trek. Click here read more about our Everest View Trek [QUICK] option.
- TAJ MAHAL ADD-ON (+$850)–We are offering a 2 day add-on to the beginning of all of these itineraries that includes 2 nights in a hotel in Delhi, round trip travel from Delhi to Kathmandu, and a day trip to visit the Taj Mahal. Those choosing this option will arrange international travel into Delhi (arriving Apr 10) instead of Kathmandu. Flights into Delhi are often several hundred dollars cheaper than flights directly into Kathmandu, so this option is a bargain if you can afford to add the extra two days to your adventure.
Cost: $3,550 (EBC No Heli) /$4,550 (EBC + Heli) /$5,350 (EBC + Lobuche + Heli)
- A non-refundable 20% deposit is required at the time of registration to secure your spot on the team. Please read our Trip Cancellation and Refund policy before registering for your adventure.
- 40% is due before October 1st, 2025
- 60% is due before December 1st, 2025
- 80% is due before February 1st, 2026
- 100% is due before April 1st, 2026
What is included:
- One night hotel in Kathmandu before the trek and one night hotel in Kathmandu after the trek.
- Ground travel and round-trip flights from Kathmandu to Lukla/One way flights from Kathmandu to Lukla and helicopter transport down from Pheriche to Kathmandu for those choosing a helicopter option.
- 8 to 11 nights accommodation in tea houses along the trek depending upon which itinerary option you choose. Tea houses offer modest dorm like accommodations. Each room will have two or three simple beds with a pillow and a thick blanket. Some team members will choose to use the bedding provided at lower elevations, but team members will need to bring a sleeping bag (15 degree sleeping bag is probably ideal, though some will choose to bring a 0 degree or 30 degree bag depending upon your comfort level) to supplement the provided bedding as we get higher into the Himalayas. Night time temperatures in the higher tea houses may be below freezing at night. Those choosing our Lobuche option should bring a 0 degree bag or warmer.
- All food throughout our time in Nepal. We will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinners each night in the tea houses that mark the trail. There are several food options at the tea houses. We encourage team members to bring a small supply of snacks for the trail, but you will definitely not go hungry on this trip and there is no need to bring huge supplies of food.
- Trekking permits and TIMS card. We will take care of all arrangements for the permits required to enter the Everest region.
- We will be utilizing the services of porters to carry a majority of our gear. This is a great way for us to invest in the local economy and you will enjoy the trip quite a lot more if you are not carrying heavy each day. We will employ one porter for every two trekkers on our EBC only itinerary and one porter per climber for those attempting Lobuche East. Each porter will carry up to 40lbs. Discipletrek will cover the cost of the porters, but not the tips.
- For those attempting Lobuche East, we will provide harnesses/crampons/ropes/helmets/etc. for the 2 days of climbing.
What is NOT included:
- You are required to purchase your own international flights Kathmandu. We are happy to help you to arrange your flights.
- You are required to bring your own trekking gear (sleeping bag, day pack, clothes, trekking poles, hiking shoes/boots, etc.). We will provide an extensive and detailed packing/gear list for all of our participants. It is possible to do this particular trek with very little gear and a small trekking pack. We will discuss this at length as the trip approaches.
- Team members are responsible for bringing some cash to tip our porters. Tips are at the discretion of the team member, but we typically recommend each team member bring between $150 & $300 to split between our guide and porters.
- We will cover the cost of all food and one drink per meal. If you would like more drinks (cokes, tea, other beverages are all a couple of dollars in the tea houses), you will need to pay for that. The tea houses will only take Nepali Rupees and we will give you time to change some cash over before the start of the trek. A budget of $10/day is more than enough to get a couple of extra cokes or snacks along the trail.
- Each team member must secure a Nepal tourist visa upon arrival in the country. Please bring $50 in cash with you to pay for the visa.
- Cash summary–Required expenses ($150-$300 for tips, $50 for Nepali visa) + daily snack budget & money for souvenirs. Most team members will probably bring between $400 and $500, but you are only required to spend around $250.
Trek Difficulty: Very Difficult (EBC ONLY) // Extremely Difficult (EBC + LOBUCHE EAST)
Trekking to Everest Base Camp is among the most difficult treks that we offer. The trek will begin near 9,300ft in Lukla and will top out over 18,519ft at the summit of Kala Patthar. This is quite a long time to spend at such elevations and it should not be underestimated.
We expect all members of our team to take the season of preparation seriously and devote themselves to a minimum of 3 months of physical training that should include a mix of smaller training hikes, strength work, and significant cardiovascular exercise.
In addition to physical fitness, this trek will require significant mental toughness and fortitude. We are venturing into one of the most remote and unforgiving regions of the world. It is not for the faint of heart.
Itinerary:
Day 0/1 (Apr 10/11)
Depart USA for Kathmandu in time to arrive on Apr 12, which likely means departing Apr 11. There is little time to recover from jet lag built into our itinerary, so if you prefer to depart on Apr 10, we are happy to arrange an extra day for you in Kathmandu to recover at no additional cost.
Day 2 (Apr 12)
Arrive in Kathmandu and overnight in hotel.
Day 3 (Apr 13)
Depending upon our flight options. We will either fly directly from Kathmandu to Lukla, or we will leave our hotel around 2:00AM to make the drive to Ramechhap to catch our flight to Lukla. We would obviously prefer to fly directly from Kathmandu, but the Nepali government has been going back and forth about whether or not to allow the flight from Kathmandu or only from Ramechaap. It is a bit of a long story, but if the flight from Kathmandu is available, we will take it. If it is not, we will drive to Ramechaap to catch the flight. Either way, the flight is very short, but it will absolutely be one that you will never forget. Upon arriving in Lukla (9,320ft), we will begin our trek to the village of Phakding (8,560ft)
Day 4 (Apr 14)
On our first full day of trekking we will be heading up to Namche Bazaar (11,290ft). The trek begins with a walk ascending beautiful pine forests along the banks of Dudh Koshi river. You’ll cross the Hillary Suspension Bridge and have a chance to see a bit of wildlife along the trail. The climb up to Namche Bazaar will be your first real test of the adventure, and you can expect to be pretty exhausted by the end of this day. If the weather is clear, you will get your first glimpse of Everest from Namche Bazaar.
Day 5 (Apr 15)
Today is our first acclimatization day. We will spend the day hiking around Namche and getting a bit of rest. We will be following the “hike high, sleep low” philosophy by taking a day hike up to Everest View Hotel (12,730ft) and then descending back into Namche to sleep. With clear weather, the views from the hotel are stunning. You will will be able to see Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam.
Day 6 (Apr 16)
On this day we will climb to the village of Tengboche (12,664ft). The trail up to Tengboche will pass through beautiful rhododendron forests with lesser Himalayan peaks soaring in the distance. There is a lot of up and down on this day. Though it won’t be an incredibly long day of trekking, it is a pretty good climb up to Tengboche. From this point on, we will absolutely be feeling the elevation. We will finish this day by visiting the Tengboche Monastery, one of the most famous monasteries in all of Nepal.
Day 7 (Apr 17)
Leaving Tengboche the trail descends for the first couple of miles and then begins a steady climb past the iconic peak Ama Dablam across an incredible suspension bridge and finally to the village of Dingboche (14,459ft). As we near Dingboche, we ascend out of the forrest, the terrain opens up, and you really begin to get a sense of the Himalayas. This is a short, but pretty challenging day on trail, and we will all be very grateful for the rest day awaiting us at Dingboche.
Day 8 (Apr 18)
This is our second built in acclimatization/rest day. We will take a day hike in the morning to take in otherworldly views of Ama Dablam and Lhotse. We will be back in our tea house by midday and enjoy a nice rest. We will need it. The next couple of days on trail will be very challenging.
Day 9 (Apr 19)
After a nice rest day, we will begin our journey up to Lobuche (16,105ft). The first half of the day will be spent on steady uphill trail to the village of Thukla where we will stop for lunch. The trail after Thukla is quite steep. It will be very slow going, but the views will be magnificent. A bit before we arrive in Lobuche, we will pass a very sobering monument to the many climbers who have lost their lives attempting to earn the summit of Everest. Lobuche, and all of the settlements further up the mountain, are sparse. We will have passed the point where any vegetation can survive. From here on it is only dirt, rock, ice, and the world’s tallest mountains looming in every direction.
Day 10 (Apr 20)
We will leave Lobuche in the morning, traverse along a glacial moraine to Gorekshep (16,942ft). After a brief stop in Gorekshep those who are up for it will ascend the summit of Kala Patthar (18,500ft) to take in the views of Everest & Nuptse. The views from the top of Kala Patthar are almost otherworldly. After descending back to Gorekshep we will travel on to the bustling tent city of Everest Base Camp (17,599ft). Since our trek will coincide with Everest climbing season, EBC will be at maximum population and the tents will spread out over a mile to the base of the Khumbu Ice Fall that represents the beginning stage of an Everest summit attempt. We will spend some time at EBC taking photos before descending back to Gorekshep for the night.
Day 11 (Apr 21)
After a breakfast in Gorekshep, the team will split up and move to their next locations. Those doing only EBC will descend through Lobuche to Pheriche. Those who are attempting Lobuche East will have a shorter day on trail and will stop in Lobuche to get some much needed rest.
Day 12 (Apr 22)
Those choosing the EBC with helicopter option will take an early chopper down from Pheriche to Kathmandu. They will have an option to do some sightseeing if they are up for it, or they can simply rest. They will begin their flights home on April 2nd & will arrive in the States on April 3rd.
Those choosing EBC with no helicopter will descend from Pheriche back to Namche. This is a pretty long day on trail, but it will end in the relative comfort of Namche, where team members can enjoy a bit of shopping and a nice meal.
Those who are taking on Lobuche East will make their way to high camp where they will spend the afternoon getting a training/refresher course on all of the gear needed to gain the summit of Lobuche East. They will be in bed in their tents very early to prepare for the 2AM start towards the summit.
Day 13 (Apr 23)
The Lobuche East team will begin their ascent around 2AM. If all goes well, they should be standing on the summit sometime between 10AM and Noon. They will then descend back to high camp, then trek off mountain down to Pheriche where they will spend the night.
The EBC no heli team will spend this day trekking from Namche to Lukla. This is a surprisingly long day on trail (7-8 hours) with a good climb in the last couple of miles into Lukla. This crew will enjoy a relaxing evening and ready themselves to fly off the mountain the next morning.
Day 14 (Apr 24)
Both our Lobuche and EBC no helicopter crews will both make their way back to Kathmandu on this morning…one via helicopter and the other via plane. The teams will regroup at the team hotel in Kathmandu for some sightseeing and a celebratory dinner.
Day 15 (Apr 25)
Everyone will depart Kathmandu for the States on their international flights.
Day 16 (Apr 26
Arrive back in the States