Welcome to Nepal! ! The rich cultural and artistic heritage of Nepal is synthesized in Kathmandu, the capital, which lies in a valley, south of the Great Himalayas, which rise to an altitude of 5,000 feet. Successive dynasties have left their marks upon the stupendous palaces, temples, sculptures and carvings found throughout the valley. Kathmandu is also the largest city of Nepal and its festivals exceed the number of days in a year. The valley has seven heritage sites that have been enlisted in cultural World Heritage Site list. Upon arrival and having cleared immigration, you will be greeted by a Learning Journeys host! · Proceed to the hotel to check in. · You will meet your Trekking/Photography Guide for a briefing on trekking. · Rest of the day spent at leisure · Overnight is at Hyatt Regency. (Full Board)

Kathmandu ✈ Lukla (2,840 M) Fly; Trek to Phakding (2,610 M) After breakfast in the hotel you will be transferred to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu Airport for the 45-minute flight to Lukla. Landing on the narrow, sloping runway high above the Dudh Koshi River in the heart of the mountains is a spectacular way to arrive. To assist with acclimatization, we allow 2 days for the walk up to Namche Bazaar. After meeting our porters, you will have lunch at the Yeti Mountain Home lodge and then start our trek with an easy, mostly downhill leg, from Lukla to Phakding. Our focus is photography as our trek takes us through pastoral lands of the Sherpas, and we pass several small villages and individual farms. Many Sherpas make their living exclusively from trekking. There will be tea houses and basic lodges where we will stop for a drink or a chat and we will also pass by prayer wheels of all sizes and the many stones intricately carved with prayers in the evocative Tibetan script. Everywhere in the valley, colorful strings of prayer flags flutter from high points and bridges. After 2-3 hours of trekking you will finally meet the river and reach the first lodge at Phakding located besides the tumbling Dudh Koshi. The altitude at this first stop is actually lower than Lukla at 2610 meters. Total walk: 3 hrs Overnight is at Yeti Mountain Home (Full Board) What you will learn: Sherpa Village Life

Today will be a day of rest in Namche Bazaar for acclimatization and independent photography experiences. Visit the Sagarmatha National Park Visitor’s Centre and Museum with terrific views of the Everest region, and numerous educational displays about the culture, geography, geology, climatology, and wildlife within the park and the Khumbu. Total walk: 5 - 6hrs Overnight is at Yeti Mountain Home (Full Board) What you will learn: Culture, Wildlife, Geology at Sagarmatha National Park

This morning, you have the option to rest at the lodge, or to enjoy a photographic excursion to Khumjung and Kunde for views of Everest. Namche Bazaar is tucked away between 2 ridges amongst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. An ancient marketplace where goods from as far away as Tibet are still traded, Namche today boasts an abundance of lodges, cafes, bars and souvenir shops. Close to our lodge is the internationally known Museum of Sherpa Culture, and the traditional villages of Kunde and Kumjung are a highly recommended half-day excursion. The location of our lodge provides a superb bird’s eye view over Namche and across the Valley to the serrated ridges of the Kongde range, while the magnificent peak of Thamserku (6,623m) rises as a backdrop. Just a short walk away is a classic view of Ama Dablam, one of the most beautiful mountains in all Nepal and of Lhotse and Everest. This is an ideal place to spend the day, acclimatizing to the new altitude before heading further up-valley to Thame. Later, walk back to Namche. Total walk: 2 – 3 hrs Overnight is at Yeti Mountain Home (Full Board) What you will Learn: Photographic excursion to Khumjung and Kunde for views of Everest.

After a hearty breakfast at Namche Bazaar, set out for another day of photography and trekking towards Everest Base Camp! Breath-taking views of the Himalayas - Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kwangde are some of the unforgettable highlights. A short drop takes you down to the riverside where you will continue across the river upwards through the forest pass. Brace your legs for a continual uphill trek at this point, alternating between a gradual grade and some seriously steep ground! Our destination, Tengboche, is known as one of the most beautiful places in the Everest region. Its views, which include Ama Dablam, are legendary. LEARNING IMMERSION: Meet the Monks. Enjoy a visit to the Tengboche Monastery, which is one of the largest in Khumbu. Nourish your spirit with a guided walk of the monastery grounds, followed by chanting and prayer with the resident Buddhist monks. Continue walking further for another 30 minutes and arrive at Debuche for and overnight. Total walk: 6 - 7 hrs Overnight is at Himalayan Culture Lodge / Rivendel Hotel (Full Board) What you will Learn :Meet the Monks

Our trek today kicks off with a unique photographic opportunity, a walk through the rhododendron forest to Deboche, followed by a bridge over the raging Imja Khol River. You will pass the valley wall and traverse the plains to Pangboche village, the biggest settlement of Sherpas in the region. Enjoy a great opportunity to immerse in a typical Sherpa village and have lunch with the locals! The intrepid can brave a brief hike to the Pangboche monastery, one of the oldest in the area. Your afternoon trek will be a difficult one, as the landscape gives way to dry deserted mountains and you hike towards Dingboche - a gateway to Island Peak climbers. Island Peak is one of the very popular trekking peaks in Nepal. It is a valley situated below hills from all sides. Total walk: 6 - 7 hrs Overnight is at Summit Lodge / Bright star / Khumbu Resort (Full Board) What you will Learn : Life as a Sherpa

This is your chance to rest up before the last leg of our adventure! Savor a full day of exploring Dingboche and the surrounding valleys of Chhukung and Imja, the latter of which links with Island Peak, the high passes of Amphu Laptsa, and Makalu Barun National Park. Taking an optional trek to the valleys will pay off in rewarding views, but taking it easy is the most important thing today. You’ll need your rest for the penultimate day of ascent tomorrow! Overnight is at Summit Lodge / Bright star / Khumbu Resort (Full Board)

From here onwards, the photography trek will move more gradually and be more challenging, due to the higher altitude. You will pass Dungla, but not before a tough, steep walk to the top of a high hill. Here are the memorial stupas dedicated to the climbers and trekkers who lost their lives to Everest over the years. The next part of our adventure brings us over a craggy mountain terrain to Lobuche, a small settlement with amazing views of Mt. Lobuche, Mt. Pumari and the Nuptse. Prepare to snuggle up for a cold night, as you are now almost three miles above sea level and the evenings can be downright chilly! Total walk: 6 - 7 hrs Overnight is at Eco Lodge / Pyramid Lodge (Full Board)

This is it! The ultimate photographic expedition! The big day kicks off with an initial, relatively easy trek from Lobuche to Gorekshep. The subsequent, straight trail to Everest Base Camp is harder, involving rocky dunes and moraine, formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris. On the way to our destination, you will approach the famed Khumbu Glacier and icefall, located on the slopes of Everest. At the Base Camp, you’ll have the chance (during the spring climbing season) to meet climbers attempting to scale the mountain’s summit. Break out your camera to capture unbelievable views of breathtaking beauty. As the afternoon sun starts to wane, we’ll head back to Gorekshep for some much-needed rest and relaxation after a grueling and busy day. Total walk: 7 - 8 hrs Overnight is at Yeti Resort / Himalayan Lodge (Full Board) What you will Learn : Ultimate Mountain Photography

Gorakshep – Kalapathar – (5.545M) – Gorak Shep IMMERSION: SUNRISE PHOTOGRAPHY AT MT. EVEREST Wake up before dawn today and trek towards Kalapathar (which means “black rock”) to witness a fiery, glorious sunrise over Mt. Everest. The day’s first light will illuminate your spectacular view of Nuptse Nup, Changtse and Lhotse. This is the most enthralling moment of your entire journey and the perfect moment to snap amazing pictures of Everest and its neighboring peaks. Trek back to Gorekshep for breakfast and continue downwards in the direction of Pheriche, our nighttime stop. Our pace will be a lot brisker as we descend, and the walking is easier going this way. Total walk: 5 -6 hrs Overnight is at Edelwise Lodge. (Full Board) What you will Learn : Ultimate Mountain Photography

Today we make our way from Pheriche! Today we make our way from Pheriche back to Tengboche and arrive Namche by late afternoon. Arrive Namche by late afternoon and off to bed before your last day on the mountain. Total walk: 7 - 8hrs Overnight is at Yeti Mountain Home. (Full Board)

After breakfast, we embark on a photography themed trek toward the Hillary Suspension Bridge and then pass through several local villages. Our arrival in Lukla brings an evening in our last Tea House and, traditionally, a party with your trekking crew: you made it! Thanks to great teamwork and perseverance, you’ve accomplished a physical feat of which others only dream. Total walk: 6 - 7hrs Overnight is at Yeti Mountain Home. (Full Board)

Proceed to Lukla Airport and board your flight to Kathmandu. Breakfast is at lodge. Proceed to Lukla Airport and board your flight to Kathmandu. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, meet your Learning Journeys guide. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight is at Hyatt Regency. Full Board What you will Learn : Ultimate Mountain Photography

This morning you will visit Bhaktapur, another city founded in the 9th century. The Durbar Square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley as it highlights some of the finest medieval arts of Nepal. The main items of interest in Bhaktapur Durbar Square are: the Lion Gate, the Golden Gate and the statues of kings on stone monoliths. The Golden Gate was erected by King Ranjit Malla as the entrance to the main courtyard of the Fifty-five Windowed Palace. Built during the reign of King Yakshya Malla in A.D. 1427, the Palace of Fifty-five Windows was remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the 17th century. Bhaktapur's Durbar (Royal) Square was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1979. Later, visit Patan, city of fine arts known as "The city of a thousand golden roofs." Once separated from the capital, Patan and Kathmandu are now separated only by a bridge over the Bagmati River. The city of Patan has recovered its label of origin "Lalitpur." The historic heart of the city is entangled with narrow streets and theatrical decoration: brick houses with carved wooden balconies and bronze decorations, patios and backyards that house oratories, temples, and more. The city is famous throughout the country for its tradition of blacksmithing and gold-smithing. Artisans model effigies of the divinities of the Hindu and Buddhist pantheons. The city has more than 50 main temples, some of which were destroyed or damaged by the earthquake of April 2015. Many stupas, chaytyas and bahals (ancient Buddhist monasteries) attest to the long history of Buddhism in the city that remains today a Bastion of Newars Buddhism in the Kathmandu Valley. The four stupas, erected in the four cardinal points, originally defined the city. They were erected during the reign of Emperor Ashoka some 250 years before our era. In the late afternoon visit Boudhanath (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is the centre of Tibetan culture in Nepal. The 36-meter-high Stupa of Boudhanath is one of the largest Stupas in South Asia. Boudhanath Stupa was renovated by Licchavi rulers in the 8th century. The mandala design in Boudhanath is a copy of the one in Gyangtse in Tibet. The stupa is said to entomb the remains of a Kasyap sage venerable both to Buddhists and Hindus. Smaller stupas are located at the base. Gompa monasteries, curio shops, and restaurants surround Bouddhanath, which today bustles with a Tibetan population busy with carpet manufacture, trade, and prayers at the several monasteries belonging to different sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Evening on your own to enjoy the bustling streets of vibrant Kathmandu. Overnight is at Hyatt Regency.(Full Board)

NGO Visit: Morning visit to Mati Nepal- A CNN Hero of the Year MAITI Nepal was born out of a crusade to protect Nepali girls and women from crimes such as domestic violence, trafficking for flesh trade, child prostitution, child labor and various forms of exploitation. Visit the project, learn about their mission and how you can contribute. SINGING BOWL LESSON This afternoon, experience a unique singing bowl lesson Singing bowls are a standing bell that produce sound which can be used for spiritual purposes, meditation, relaxation, religious practice and personal wellbeing. What You Will Learn: NGO Visit-Mati Nepal- A CNN Hero of the Year Singing Bowl Lesson Overnight is at Hyatt Regency.(Full Board)

Don’t leave yet!! Extend your journey on one of our numerous programs in India or Bhutan. Need to head back? We look forward to welcoming you back to Nepal on another Learning Journeys immersion, perhaps to deeply explore rural villages, assist on local project initiatives or enjoy a wildlife immersion.