Trekking to Everest Base Camp from Phaplu is the alternative trekking route. It does skip your Lukla flight and have an opportunities of exploring less touristic trekking route with fabulous lower part of Khumbu. Besides that, Everest Base Camp Trek from Phaplu also get acclimatized gradually to the climate and altitude of the Khumbu region. 16 days trek is driving from Kathmandu to Phaplu and return Kathmandu by Lukla flight. You also have option to trek up to Phaplu and driving back to Kathmandu again at end of the trek.
Kathmandu to Phaplu is 7/8 hours driving with Jeep. It also have option to take Kathmandu Phaplu 20 minutes flight. This trekking is really good idea to skip adventure flight of Kathmandu Lukla. Mountain driving road is a kind of adventure drive but you will have a witness with an amazing landscape, beautiful hills and the colorful valleys, local villages. After trekking for 2 full days you will meet regular trekking path of Everest Base Camp that is Phakding. The regular trekking path reach at Namche to get extra day stay for acclimatization and hike to best Everest view point. Dingboche is another Sherpa village where we again will have another extra day to get more acclimatization and get rest to be ready for climbing Kalapathar (5,545m) and walking up to Everest base camp (5,360m). Trekking through dense forested trekking path with the views of high Himalayas including three over eight thousand meter high mountain Mt Everest, Mt Cho-oyu, Mt Makalu. Way from Tengboche to Dingboche become less vegetation and area of less oxygen. Among three major valleys inside Everest region, Everest Base Camp, Chhukung and Gokyo, you will reach near the Chukung valley and explore full of Everest Base Camp valley. Trekking path become harder from Dingboche to Lubuche, Gorakhshep and to EBC and Kalapathar due to walking on high altitude.
Gorakhshep is the last village to get guest house accommodation. From here we will trek to Everest Base Camp and back to the place again for overnight. Early morning climb to Kalapathar. Trekking to Kalapathar is three hours normal walking. It can get one of the hard time in entire trekking. Best sunrise view and probably one of the best Himalayan views in the world. The closer views of Mt Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Changtse, Amadablam, Makalu, Pumori, and some of the Tibetan mountains can be seen from here. Most of the trekkers who are in Everest Base Camp Trekking can’t skip to get experience of climbing Kalapathar.
The way back trekking route is via Lobuche, Pheriche, Tengboche, Namche, Phaking, Lukla and to fly back Kathmandu. Trekkers also will get an opportunity to return back Lukla by helicopter flight from Gorakhshep near EBC instead of trekking the same way back. It saves 3 day trekking days. Nepal Highland treks can customize your itinerary as per your wish. Everest Base Camp Trekking from Phaplu can be with any group size. Even single pax can run any date. The best season for EBC trekking is from March month till May and another season is from month of September till December. Route to Phaplu is mountain rough road and raining season might disturb blocking with landslide.
Phaplu to Everest Base Camp trekking need professional trekking guide. A professional trekking guide not only lead your trek, also provide you information about local peoples, local cultures and talk about lots of experience of Mountain and arrange accommodation, foods for you. Trekking in the high Himalayan region, a guide is your life saver. It is also strongly recommended to get porter to carry your big bag. If you are two trekkers get one porter for entire trip in enough. Porter can carry total 20 kilograms. Nepal Highland treks make your Everest base Camp trekking one of the memorial in your lifetime.