The first small planes reach Lukla soon after first light, land on a paved runway just 527 m long and unload trekkers at 2,846 m (9,337 ft). Most people walking to Everest Base Camp start right there. Some never see that runway: they start with a long drive and walk in from the lower hills.
How to get to Everest Base Camp, in short: fly to Lukla from Kathmandu or, in the busy seasons, from Ramechhap, then walk about eight days up the valley. No road reaches Base Camp on the Nepal side. The slower ways in start with a long drive to Jiri or Salleri. Our Everest Base Camp trek follows the Lukla route.
In this guide
- The main route: fly to Lukla, then walk
- Why Lukla flights leave from Ramechhap
- Helicopter Kathmandu to Lukla
- The Jiri to EBC trek
- The Salleri to Lukla trek
- From Lukla to Base Camp
- Which route suits you
- Permits
- Frequently asked questions
Key facts
- Lukla airport height
- 2,846 m (9,337 ft); paved runway 527 m by 20 m (CAAN, Tenzing-Hillary Airport profile; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Kathmandu to Lukla flight
- About 30 minutes; 30 to 35 minutes on the filed schedule (Nepal Tourism Board; CAAN-filed Tara Air winter 2026 schedule; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Ramechhap to Lukla flight
- About 20 minutes (CAAN-filed Tara Air winter 2026 schedule; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Kathmandu to Ramechhap drive
- Usually about 4 to 5 hours, longer when the BP Highway is disrupted (OnlineKhabar; operators, Oct and Nov 2026; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Kathmandu to Jiri drive
- About 188 to 190 km, 7 to 9 hours, operators say (Operator itinerary; Wikipedia; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Kathmandu to Salleri drive
- 8 to 12 hours, operators say (Nepal Hiking (operator), 3 Nov 2026; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Kathmandu to Phaplu flight
- About 35 minutes; a few flights a week (CAAN-filed Tara Air winter 2026 schedule; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Walk, Lukla to Base Camp
- About 8 days, with acclimatisation days (kimkim (operator); checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Walk, Jiri or Bhandar to Namche
- About 7 walking days (Three operator itineraries; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Walk, Salleri road head to Namche
- About 2 to 3 days, depending on where the jeep stops (Places Nepal (operator); checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Everest Base Camp height
- 5,364 m (17,598 ft) (Wikipedia, "Everest base camps"; checked 8 Nov 2026)
- Permits
- Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Trek-Card (Nepal Tourism Board; Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality; checked 8 Nov 2026)
How do most people get from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp?
Most people get from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp by flying to Lukla, a flight of about 30 minutes, and walking from the airstrip. In the busy trekking seasons the same flights leave from Ramechhap instead. Either way, the flight depends on the weather, so build spare days into your plan.
Lukla is served by small domestic airlines such as Tara Air, Summit Air and Sita Air. The airport is officially Tenzing-Hillary Airport. The schedule Tara Air filed with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) for winter 2026 shows block times of 30 to 35 minutes from Kathmandu, with the first departure at 06:30. That was a winter timetable, but the pattern holds: Lukla flights start at first light.
Weather decides the rest. On 30 and 31 October 2026, flights to and from Lukla were suspended because of bad weather along the routes.
"Flights to and from Lukla remained suspended on Saturday because of poor weather."
The Kathmandu Post, 31 October 2026
Delays can last days. In late October 2025, rain, cloud and fog shut Lukla airport for three days and about 1,500 Tara Air passengers were left waiting in Lukla. Our guide to Lukla airport and Ramechhap delays goes deeper on the airport itself.
Pack light, too. Tara Air's published free allowance is 10 kg checked plus 5 kg hand carry. Other airlines set their own limits, so check yours.
What about the fare? As a market fare, not ours, a one-way Kathmandu to Lukla ticket for foreign passengers was quoted at about USD 236 to 240 in late October 2026. Under Nepal's civil aviation rules, airlines must keep domestic fares within set lower and upper limits, and fares move with fuel prices: in August 2026, domestic aviation fuel rose from NPR 229 to NPR 249 a litre, CAAN reported.
The Nepal Tourism Board lists October to November and March to May as the best months in Sagarmatha National Park, the protected area that covers the Everest trail. Our guide to the best time for the Everest Base Camp trek compares the seasons.
Why do Lukla flights leave from Ramechhap?
In the busy trekking seasons, Lukla flights are moved to Manthali airport in Ramechhap to ease the traffic at Kathmandu airport. That turns a short hop into a road drive of usually about 4 to 5 hours, then a flight of about 20 minutes. No official notice fixes the dates in advance.
Manthali is the small airport town that most people simply call Ramechhap. In autumn 2026, ekantipur reported that flights from Manthali to Lukla increased from late September, with the start of the autumn season, and that nine flights operated from Manthali on one Saturday in early October. The same ekantipur report said preparations were under way for Kathmandu to Ramechhap flights, but it gave no date, airline or schedule, so plan on the drive.
The drive follows the BP Highway through Dhulikhel and Khurkot. About 28 to 30 km of it was damaged in the 2024 floods and is being rebuilt, and stretches in Kavre were blocked several times in 2026.
How does a helicopter Kathmandu to Lukla transfer work?
A helicopter Kathmandu to Lukla transfer skips the Ramechhap drive and flies you straight to the start of the trail. Operators quote about 45 minutes to an hour in the air, and helicopters also carry passengers when fixed-wing flights are disrupted. Shared seat or private charter, it costs far more than the plane.
As a market range, not ours, operators advertised a shared seat from Kathmandu to Lukla at roughly USD 480 to 1,000 per person, and a private charter for up to five passengers at roughly USD 2,000 to 3,500, as of November 2026. The same operator pages give different prices and flight times on different lines, so treat any single figure with care and get the price in writing before you pay.
It suits people with very few days, people whose plane has been cancelled more than once, and anyone who would rather skip the road to Ramechhap. It does not shorten the walk.
Flying higher than Lukla is a separate matter. A ban on commercial helicopter flights in Sagarmatha National Park, for sightseeing and other purposes, was announced to take effect from 1 January 2025, with rescue, essential cargo and local-need flights excepted. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, the local council for the Everest area, banned commercial helicopter flights in the region again in April 2025. The rules have been contested between the park, the municipality and operators since. We cannot tell you what is enforced this month; check with the operator.
What is the Jiri to EBC trek, and how long does it take?
The Jiri to EBC trek is the classic walk-in: a long road day to Jiri, then about a week on foot to Namche Bazaar before you join the main trail. Operators allow about seven walking days from Jiri or Bhandar to Namche. Then comes the usual climb to Base Camp.
The drive to Jiri is about 188 to 190 km, which operators put at 7 to 9 hours: 8 to 10 hours by bus or 7 to 8 hours by jeep. Many walkers now drive on past Jiri to Bhandar, at about 2,190 m, a drive of about 213 to 220 km and 7 to 9 hours. Jiri itself sits at roughly 1,900 m, though published figures range from 1,877 m to 1,955 m.
The classic route runs Jiri, Shivalaya, Bhandar, Sete, Junbesi, Nunthala and Bupsa, then on to Surke or Chaurikharka and Phakding to Namche. One operator adds a rest day at Junbesi. The highest point before the Khumbu, the high valleys around Everest, is Lamjura La, at about 3,530 m (11,581 ft); la means pass. The route joins the Lukla trail below Lukla, at Surke or Chaurikharka, so you do not have to pass through Lukla at all.
It suits walkers with time who want the lower hills and villages before the big mountains, and no flight at the start. You still need a plan for coming back. We found no dated source for the Jiri bus fare or where the bus leaves from, so ask us before you plan around public transport.
What is the Salleri to Lukla trek like now?
The Salleri to Lukla trek has mostly become a drive. Buses and jeeps now reach Surke, below Lukla, from Salleri, the Solukhumbu district headquarters, so you walk about two to three days to Namche from wherever the jeep stops. Reaching Salleri is a long day's drive from Kathmandu, which operators put at 8 to 12 hours.
From Salleri, the road runs via Jubing and Thamdanda to Surke. Operators put the jeep ride from Salleri to Surke at about 4 to 6 hours, though that estimate dates from mid-2025, before the newest road section. By late October 2026, The Annapurna Express reported, a five-kilometre section from Surke to Lukla had opened to small vehicles. It is unpaved, not formally inaugurated and vulnerable to landslides and mud in the monsoon, and the municipality is extending the road towards Chaurikharka. That is not a regular service to Lukla, and it is not a road to Base Camp.
"claims circulating on social media that a road has reached the base camp of Mount Everest are misleading"
The Annapurna Express, reporting local authorities, 25 October 2026
If you would rather not spend a full day on the road to Salleri, Tara Air flies Kathmandu to Phaplu, the airstrip near Salleri, in about 35 minutes. On its winter 2026 schedule it ran a few flights a week, so check the current timetable before you build a plan around it.
Who does it suit? People who want to avoid the Lukla flight on the way in and have a few more days than the flight route needs, but not the full Jiri week. Expect a rough road, and expect the road head to move from season to season.
How long is the walk from Lukla to Everest Base Camp?
From Lukla, walkers usually take about eight days to reach Everest Base Camp, including acclimatisation days in Namche and Dingboche, and come back down the same trail. Altitude sets the pace, not distance: you climb from 2,846 m at Lukla airport to 5,364 m (17,598 ft) at Base Camp.
The trail follows the Dudh Koshi (the name means milk river) through Phakding to Namche Bazaar, at about 3,440 m. You sleep in teahouses, the family-run lodges along the trail. Above Gorak Shep rises Kala Patthar, the usual viewpoint and the high point of the trek, commonly listed at about 5,545 to 5,550 m. Our guide to how long the Everest Base Camp trek takes goes through the days in detail.
Altitude is the part to respect. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water, and ask your doctor about altitude medicine before the trip. Garlic soup is a comforting local habit on the trail, not a proven cure. If your symptoms get worse, go down. Read how to avoid altitude sickness before you go.
How to get to Everest Base Camp: which route suits you?
If your holiday is short, fly to Lukla from Kathmandu or Ramechhap. If you have about an extra week and want to avoid the flight on the way in, walk in from Jiri. The Salleri road sits in between. A helicopter to Lukla buys time and skips the Ramechhap drive, but the walk from Lukla stays the same.
| Route | How you start | Days to Namche or EBC | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly Kathmandu to Lukla | Flight of about 30 minutes | About 8 days, Lukla to EBC | Short holidays; the classic trek | Weather delays at Lukla; flights move to Ramechhap in busy seasons |
| Drive to Ramechhap, fly to Lukla | Drive of usually 4 to 5 hours, then about 20 minutes in the air | About 8 days, Lukla to EBC | Busy-season departures | BP Highway disruptions; a very early start |
| Helicopter Kathmandu to Lukla | About 45 minutes to an hour, operators say | About 8 days, Lukla to EBC | Tight schedules; a fallback when planes are grounded | Market price, not ours; rules above Lukla disputed |
| Jiri or Bhandar walk-in | Drive of 7 to 9 hours | About 7 walking days to Namche | Walkers with an extra week | Lamjura La at about 3,530 m; permits for the start, ask us |
| Salleri by road | Drive of 8 to 12 hours, then a jeep towards Surke | About 2 to 3 days to Namche from the road head | Avoiding the flight in, with a few spare days | Unpaved road, monsoon mud; the road head moves |
| Fly to Phaplu, then road | Flight of about 35 minutes | As the Salleri route | Skipping the long drive to Salleri | Only a few flights a week |
What permits do you need to reach Everest Base Camp?
On the Lukla route you need the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Trek-Card. We arrange both for our treks. The park permit costs NPR 3,000 per person per entry for foreigners, and the Trek-Card costs NPR 3,000 for most nationalities. A walk-in from Jiri can need more.
For the park permit, SAARC (South Asian) nationals pay NPR 1,500 per person per entry, and children under 10 enter free. It is issued at the Nepal Tourism Board office in Kathmandu or at the park entrance gate at Monjo. The Trek-Card costs NPR 2,000 for SAARC countries and China, and it is issued at the Tourist Information Centre in Lukla on your passport and a recent photo, in about 15 minutes.
From Jiri you need the same two, plus any conservation-area permit your starting point requires. If you never pass through Lukla town, ask us where the Trek-Card is issued for your route.
Guides are where the rules disagree. The Nepal Tourism Board's rule, effective 31 March 2023 and widely reported as 1 April 2023, says trekkers in specified protected areas must be accompanied by a licensed guide. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality said in April 2023 that hiring a guide is not mandatory in the Everest region. A licensed guide walks with you on every trek we run.
Our guide to Nepal trekking permits covers the other regions. Your flight to Kathmandu and your Nepal visa are your own arrangements; the official visa information is on the Nepal Tourism Board tourist visa page.
Plan your route with us
Not sure which way in fits your days? Tell us how much time you have and when you want to go, and we will tell you honestly which route makes sense, even when that means the simpler plan. Our Everest Base Camp trek follows the Lukla route, and we arrange the park permit and Trek-Card. Message us on WhatsApp or send an enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drive to Everest Base Camp?
No. No road reaches Everest Base Camp on the Nepal side, and local authorities have called social-media claims of a road to base camp misleading. Jeeps now reach Surke, below Lukla, but from there it is still days of walking. Tibet's North Base Camp, at about 5,150 m, can be reached by road, but our treks run on the Nepal side.
Do Lukla flights leave from Kathmandu or Ramechhap?
Both, depending on the season. In the busy trekking seasons, Lukla flights move to Manthali airport in Ramechhap to ease pressure on Kathmandu airport, and in autumn 2026 Manthali to Lukla flights increased from late September. No official notice fixes the dates, so confirm the departure airport with your airline close to the date. Reaching Ramechhap means a drive of usually about 4 to 5 hours.
Can a helicopter take you from Kathmandu to Lukla?
Yes. Helicopters carry passengers between Kathmandu and Lukla, including when fixed-wing flights are disrupted, and operators quote about 45 minutes to an hour for the flight. Landing higher up, at Base Camp or Kala Patthar, is a different question. A park ban on commercial helicopter flights took effect from 1 January 2025, the local municipality announced another in April 2025, and the rules have been contested since. Check the current position with the operator before you pay.
How high is Everest Base Camp, and how high is Kala Patthar?
Everest Base Camp on the Nepal side is at 5,364 m (17,598 ft). Kala Patthar, the usual viewpoint above Gorak Shep, is commonly listed at about 5,545 to 5,550 m, though a 2008 GPS reading gave 5,644.5 m. It is the high point of the trek, not a climbing peak.
How much does it cost to get to Everest Base Camp?
It depends mostly on how you reach Lukla. As market fares, not ours, a one-way Kathmandu to Lukla flight for foreign passengers was quoted at about USD 236 to 240 in late October 2026, and operators advertised shared helicopter seats at roughly USD 480 to 1,000 in November 2026. Fares move with fuel prices. For the whole trip, see our guide to Everest Base Camp trek cost.
Which route is best if I have more time?
The Jiri walk-in. It adds about a week of walking to Namche through the lower hills, over Lamjura La at about 3,530 m, and it does not depend on a flight on the way in. If you have a few extra days but not a week, the Salleri road route is the middle option, with about two to three days' walk to Namche from the current road head.
