Most trekkers who come to the Khumbu walk straight north towards Everest Base Camp, their eyes fixed on the summit pyramid at the end of the valley. They pass beneath Ama Dablam every day without really stopping to look at it. That is a shame, because Ama Dablam, 6,812 metres (22,349ft) of fluted ice ridges and hanging glaciers, is widely considered the most beautiful mountain in the Everest region. Some say it is the most beautiful mountain in the world. This trek takes you to its base camp, where you sit beneath it and understand why.
Eight days from Lukla to Pangboche and Ama Dablam Base Camp and back. A maximum altitude of 4,570 metres (14,993ft), lower than EBC, easier on your lungs, gentler on your knees. The trail follows the classic Everest route through Phakding and Namche Bazaar, past Tengboche Monastery where monks chant at dawn with Everest framed behind the altar, and then turns off the main trail at Pangboche towards the mountain itself. You will sleep in teahouses warmed by yak-dung stoves, eat dal bhat with Sherpa families, and walk trails where prayer flags snap in the mountain wind, with a fraction of the crowds that fill the EBC trail.
What Makes This Trek Unforgettable
- Stand at Ama Dablam Base Camp (4,570m / 14,993ft), directly beneath the most photogenic mountain in the Himalayas, close enough to hear ice crack from the hanging glaciers above
- Trek through the heart of the Khumbu on the quieter side trail, fewer trekkers, more personal encounters with local Sherpa families
- Visit Tengboche Monastery, the spiritual heart of the Khumbu, with Everest and Ama Dablam framed on either side
- Explore Pangboche, one of the oldest Sherpa villages in the Khumbu, home to a 400-year-old gompa and a community that has lived at 3,930 metres for generations
- Acclimatise in Namche Bazaar (3,440m / 11,286ft), the Sherpa capital with markets, bakeries, and the best apple pie in the Himalayas
- Hike to the Everest View Hotel (3,880m / 12,730ft) on your rest day, your first clear view of Everest, with a hot cup of tea in your hand
- Land at Lukla (2,860m / 9,383ft), one of the world’s most dramatic airports, where the runway ends at a mountain wall
- Cross suspension bridges draped in prayer flags over the Dudh Koshi River, some of the highest in the world
- Lower maximum altitude than EBC or Gokyo, accessible to a wider range of fitness levels, including trekkers over 50 and those on their first Himalayan trek
- Walk through rhododendron forests alive with birdsong between Namche and Tengboche, one of the most beautiful trail sections in all of Nepal
8-Day Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek Overview
Eight days is all it takes. You fly to Lukla, walk north through the Dudh Koshi valley, and within a week you are sitting beneath one of the most iconic mountains on earth. This is a trek for people who want the magic of the Khumbu without the altitude extremes of EBC, or who want to see a side of the Everest region that the Base Camp crowds never reach.
The route follows the classic Everest trail from Lukla through Phakding (2,610m / 8,563ft) to Namche Bazaar (3,440m / 11,286ft), where an acclimatisation day lets your body adjust while you hike to the Everest View Hotel for your first sight of the summit. From Namche, you continue to Tengboche (3,860m / 12,664ft), where the monastery sits on a forested ridge with Everest and Ama Dablam filling the sky behind it.
At Pangboche, you leave the main trail. While most trekkers continue north towards Dingboche and EBC, you turn east towards Ama Dablam. The trail climbs through yak pastures and moraines to Base Camp at 4,570 metres (14,993ft), where the mountain rises directly above you, a wall of ice and rock so close you can see the climbing ropes fixed on the lower ridges. On a clear morning, the sun catches the hanging glacier that gives Ama Dablam its name (the “mother’s necklace”), and the ice glows like a jewel suspended in the sky.
The descent retraces your steps back through Namche to Lukla, two days of walking through familiar villages where teahouse owners now greet you by name. The final flight back to Kathmandu closes a journey that delivers the soul of the Khumbu in a compact, accessible package.
Before You Arrive
Please arrive in Kathmandu by 4 PM the day before your trek. This gives you time for a final gear check, a briefing with your guide, and a good night’s rest before the early morning start.
Your Online Briefing
Think of this as our first coffee together, but online. After you book, we schedule a video call where we walk you through every detail: what to pack, what each day on the trail looks like, how the altitude will feel, and anything else on your mind. No question is too small.
This is also when we learn about you. Our trek itinerary does not include your hotel in Kathmandu, during the briefing, share your preferences and budget, and we will arrange accommodation that fits. Whether you want a simple guesthouse in Thamel or a five-star hotel, we will set it up for you.
Lukla Flight — What You Need to Know
The flight to Lukla is one of the most dramatic in the world, a short ride between mountain peaks that ends on a runway carved into a hillside at 2,860m (9,383ft). From Kathmandu, it takes about 40 minutes. From Manthali, it takes about 20 minutes. It is also weather-dependent. Flights can be delayed by fog, cloud, or wind, sometimes for a full day. This is normal in the Himalayas and nothing to worry about, but it is something to plan for.
We strongly recommend keeping two buffer days at the end of your trip before your international flight home. This protects your connection if weather delays your return from Lukla.
During peak trekking season (March–May and October–November), flights to Lukla operate from Manthali Airport (Ramechhap) instead of Kathmandu, to reduce congestion on Kathmandu’s single runway. If your flight departs from Manthali, we will pick you up from your hotel around midnight and drive you there (4–6 hours).
For your return, you fly from Lukla back to Kathmandu or Manthali. If your return flight lands at Manthali, we drive you back to Kathmandu (4–6 hours). All ground transportation is included in every package.
Your Trek, Your Way
Every trek we run is private, your group only, no strangers added. Whether you choose Budget, Standard, or Luxury, the mountains are yours and your companions’ alone. This is not a conveyor belt. This is your personal Himalayan experience.
Your hotel in Kathmandu is not included in the trek package, and that is intentional. Kathmandu has everything from USD 10 guesthouses in Thamel to five-star hotels with rooftop views of the city. During the online briefing, tell us what you prefer and we will arrange it for you. Your trek package begins the moment you leave Kathmandu for the mountains.
Difficulty: Moderate (3.5 out of 5)
You will walk 4-6 hours a day over mountain trails, reaching a maximum of 4,570m (14,993ft) at Ama Dablam Base Camp. The paths are well-established but uneven, stone steps, river crossings, and steep ascents are part of most days. No previous trekking experience is required, and the lower maximum altitude makes this more accessible than EBC or Gokyo treks. One acclimatisation day at Namche Bazaar helps your body adjust, and our guides monitor your condition throughout.
Compare Our Three Packages
| Budget | Standard | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | USD 945 | USD 1,390 | USD 2,500 |
| Meals | Choose your own (approx. USD 15-25/day) | 3 meals + tea + fruits + 2L water daily | All meals + all drinks anytime (except alcohol) |
| Room | Shared teahouse | Private twin w/ bathroom | Private deluxe w/ bed heater |
| Porter | Not included | 1 per 2 trekkers | 1 per trekker (carry nothing) |
| Guide | 1 guide, assistant at 8+ | 1 guide per 6, assistant at 6+ | 1 guide per 2 trekkers |
| Transport | Local vehicle + flight to Lukla | Private vehicle + flight to Lukla | Helicopter Kathmandu–Lukla both ways |
| SIM data | SIM only | Limited data | Unlimited data |
| Best for | Backpackers and independent travellers | Comfort trekkers, couples, first-timers | Premium experience seekers |
Himalayas for Every Budget, same expert guides, same safety, three comfort levels.
Your Trek, Our Family
In the 1960s, Shreejan’s grandfather Hari Lal Simkhada helped international travellers experience the Himalayas for the first time, arranging logistics, finding routes, building trust with people who had come halfway around the world on a dream. His son Ganesh went on to hold senior positions in Nepal’s tourism and mountaineering institutions. And now Shreejan, the third generation, designs every itinerary you see on this website.
This is not a company that was started in a boardroom. It was started on a mountain trail, three generations ago.
Shreejan hand-picks the guide for your group from our team of TAAN-certified mountaineering professionals, people who grew up in these mountains and know every trail, every teahouse owner, and every weather sign. He briefs your guide personally before your trek begins, because your safety and experience are not something we delegate to a system.
Have a question right now? WhatsApp Shreejan directly: +977 9810351300. No sales team. No chatbot. The person who designed your trek answers personally.
Why Trekkers Trust Us
- 197+ TripAdvisor Reviews, 4.9 out of 5 stars, TripAdvisor Travellers Choice 2024
- 108+ Google Reviews, 4.9 out of 5 stars
- TAAN Certified, Member #1586, Government Reg: 147653/072/073
- Secure 10% Deposit, pay just $95 to reserve, via Himalayan Bank
- Himalayas for Every Budget, from USD 945 for the Khumbu’s hidden gem
- Three Generations, family guiding in the Himalayas since the 1960s
Solo Trekkers Welcome
You do not need a travel partner to trek in Nepal. Most of the people who book with us come alone, and by day three on the trail, they are sharing meals, swapping stories, and watching sunrises together like old friends.
Our groups are small, 2 to 20 people, because the Himalayas deserve more than a crowd. You book your trek, and it is yours. We will never add strangers to your group without your permission.
If you want to trek completely privately, you can. If you prefer company, tell us and we will list your dates as a fixed departure on our website so other solo travellers can find you and join. Either way, the trek is built around you.
Difficulty: Moderate (3.5 out of 5)
You need to be comfortable walking 4-6 hours per day over uneven terrain with moderate altitude gain. The maximum altitude of 4,570m (14,993ft) is significantly lower than EBC, making this trek suitable for a wider range of fitness levels. No previous trekking experience is required, but a reasonable level of fitness is important. We build one acclimatisation day into the itinerary at Namche Bazaar, and our guides monitor your condition throughout with pulse oximeters and first aid kits.
Trek With a Purpose — Changing the World, One Step at a Time
In 2019, Shreejan and Shamjhana founded the Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum Village, one of the most remote communities in Nepal’s Dhading District, where children had no school after hours, no computers, and limited healthcare. Today, 70 children receive free education and hot meals every school day. The centre has grown to 7 learning centres across Nepal, providing healthcare for 600 people, internet access for 65 children, and support programmes for over 275 women.
A portion of every trek you book funds this work directly. The centre is verified and listed on the United Nations Partner Portal.
When you walk these mountains with us, every step you take helps change a life in rural Nepal. That is what we mean by Trek With a Purpose — Changing the World, One Step at a Time.
