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Captivating anyone who sets eyes on it, Ama Dablam is one of the most beautiful mountains in the Everest region. When trekkers pass by this majestic mountain, it is almost impossible not to stand in awe and admire its beauty. Compared to the long route treks, which can extend up to 21 days, this trek is considered one of the shortest in the Everest region.
For those looking for a short trek that includes spectacular mountain viewing, experiencing local culture, and an adventure of a lifetime, this trek is perfect for you. To witness this mountain at it’s overflowing glory, Tengboche is the place to see it from. The word ‘Ama Dablam’ translates to mother’s necklace, which is given because of the hanging glacier resembling a necklace; this seems very legit, gazing at her astonishing beauty.
Ama Dablam is the third most popular mountain for the expedition. The glorious journey to this peak starts from the southwest ridge. To reach the main camp, you need to go through two other camps and the beautiful Dablam glacier.
Our trekking starts from Lukla, and as we move forward, we will come across many small Sherpa villages located in the valley of Khumbu. You will be doing some technical climbing as we reach the steep, rocky part of the trek. Trekkers having good skills in rock and ice climbing are encouraged for this journey.
There will be fixed rope along the steep elevations, but that still requires some great climbing skills, which is why the Ama Dablam trek is not a good start for beginners.
Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal
3 Hours Before Flight Time
Upon touchdown at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will do your visa processing inside the airport premises. After completing the processes, you will meet our company representative who will be waiting for you with a placard.
The representative will transfer you to the hotel where you can get refreshed. Afterward, we will brief you about tomorrow’s plan and give you further details about our itinerary.
Kathmandu– the capital city of Nepal, is also known as the city of temples. After having breakfast at the hotel, we will set off to explore this vibrant city.
We will first take you to the Kathmandu Durbar Square, which will give you insights into the history of Nepal’s monarchy system, art, and architecture. Then, you will be taken to Swayambhunath, also known as the ‘monkey temple.’ Here, you will get to see the panoramic view of the Kathmandu valley while being mesmerized by the Hinduism and Buddhism culture.
You will then visit Boudhanath– one of the largest stupas in the world. Besides being a religious site, the area also has many curios shops and eateries with international cuisines.
Lastly, we will visit the Hindu temple– Pashupatinath. This temple is vibrant with holy men dressed elaborately in yellow and orange clothes. During the evening, you will get to witness religious rituals being performed by sacred people.
After an early breakfast in Kathmandu’s hotel, our Kathmandu team will drop you off at the domestic airport. From here on, you will take a 35-minutes scenic flight to Lukla.
Lukla is known to be Nepal’s busiest domestic airport and also one of the dangerous ones. On your flight, you will see some beautiful views of Nepal’s soaring mountains like Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Gauri Shanker, and Melungtse. As scenic as the flight can be, the touchdown can be a little scary.
Once you land at Lukla, you will be greeted by our trekking crew and will be briefed about the trek.
We will right away start the hike from Lukla to Phakding. Our starting to the end of the route will follow the ridge of Dudh Koshi river till Phakding.
You will pass through several teahouses, suspension bridges, shops, picturesque villages, and carved mani stones. You will also pass through small villages like Chauri Kharka and Ghat before reaching Phakding.
After 4-5 hours, we will reach Phakding, have dinner, and stay the night here.
After a warm breakfast at Phakding, we will start our trek by continuing our walk along the northern bank of the Dudh Koshi river and traverse through many suspension bridges, forests, traditional houses, and cultivated fields.
As we incline through the thick forests, we will see Mount Everest and Lhotse’s first glimpses. After that, we will walk for a few hours and reach our destination, Namche.
Namche is the largest town in the Khumbu region, which is dominated by the Sherpa ethnicity. The town, also known as the ‘Gateway to Everest,’ is very picturesque as it has mountain views and plenty of teahouses, restaurants/cafes/bars, and shops where you can buy climbing equipment.
Today you will rest here.
Acclimatization is essential while trekking at higher altitudes. We need to give our body ample rest and adapt it to the thin air of higher altitude. For this, we will stay in Namche and explore the town today.
Namche offers a wide range of wonders, not just in terms of natural scenery but also in attraction to visit. You can go for souvenir shopping or chill at a cafe.
If you want to visit some places, we can take you to the Sagarmatha National Park Visitor Center and Khumjung’s old monasteries. We can also take you to the Everest View Hotel to see the beautiful view of Everest.
You will have lunch in the afternoon and can either chill or go out to explore the eateries of Namche Bazaar.
After a good rest day at Namche, we will continue walking on our trail after having a hearty breakfast.
We will trek uphill and downhill and see some Himalayas’ splendid views like the Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Thamserku. We will also climb through the rhododendron forests till we reach Tengboche.
At Tengboche, we will visit the Tengboche Monastery, known as the ‘monastery on top of the hill.’ We will rest for a while, then continue our walk.
After 15-20 minutes of walking, we will reach Deboche. Deboche is a Sherpa village where we will have dinner and stay the night.
Day 7 is the shortest trekking day of the Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek.
After having breakfast at Deboche, we will start our walk towards the Pangboche village. We will trek downhill till we cross the suspension bridge of the Imja Khola. Then we will start our incline walk towards Pangboche.
After 2-3 hours of walking, we will reach Pangboche village by afternoon and have our lunch. You will have plenty of time to rest while looking at the beautiful views of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Thamserku, Kangdeka, and Ama Dablam.
Later through the day, we will take you to explore the nearby monasteries. Then we will come back to our lodge and sleep.
Resting at Pangboche will help you adapt to the high altitude that we will be reaching tomorrow.
A relaxed day at Pangboche leads to this exciting day as we will be hiking to the Ama Dablam Base Camp today.
We will hit the trail after breakfast. The hike will be long but will be absolutely serene as it will show you beautiful views of the mountainous region.
We will descend till we cross the Imja Khola. Then, we start ascending towards Ama Dablam Base Camp. The more we incline, the more vivid the views of Ama Dablam will be.
In a matter of hours, we will reach the Ama Dablam Base Camp.
Ama Dablam, meaning ‘Mother’s Necklace,’ has stunning views along with the vistas of other mighty peaks like Everest, Lhotse, Kangtega, and more.
We will sightsee, take pictures, and spend some time exploring the base camp. After you have had your share of exploring the beautiful views of the Ama Dablam base camp, we will hike down to Pangboche again.
We will have dinner and stay the night here.
From day 9, we start our descent. We will have an early breakfast and start our walk as today is another long trekking day where we will be walking for 6-7 hours.
We will descend slowly while taking in the views of the Khumblia and Kongde Ri mountains. We will also pass by some traditional Nepalese villages.
We will reach the Khumjung village by afternoon and have lunch.
Khumjung, also known as the Green Valley due to its green-roofed houses, is a Sherpa village that offers excellent views of the Ama Dablam and Thamserku mountains. After resting for a while, we will visit the Khumjung monastery to observe the scalp of what locals believe to be ‘Yeti.’
Then we will go to our hotel to have dinner and rest.
We start our day with an early breakfast. Then we will continue our downhill hike.
Today our destination is Thame– a Sherpa village renowned for being the home to famed climbers like Ang Rita and Appa Sherpa.
The route is rugged till Tesho. From there on, your trail would be easy to walk till Thame. You might see a pheasant or small bouquet while walking the trails. Not to forget the excellent mountain views.
After you reach Thame, you will have lunch and relax. Later in the day, we will visit the Thame monastery, known for being the region’s oldest monastery.
We will return to our lodge and have dinner.
After having breakfast at Thame, we will descend towards Namche Bazaar. The trail is easy, and we will reach Namche within a few hours of walking.
We will have lunch at Namche and rest for a while. Then, we will continue descending towards our final destination, Monjo.
We will pass by the Dudh Koshi river and observe the Kusum Kanguru peak as we go. After we reach Monjo, we will have dinner and rest.
Day 12 marks the end of our Ama Dablam Base Camp trek.
Right after breakfast, we will start our trek for one last time. We will be going to Lukla via Gumila monastery to avoid trekking through Phakding village again.
After traversing the riverside of Phakding village, we will walk for an additional 45-minutes off the trail to Gumila monastery.
Gumila monastery is one of the most famous monasteries in the Everest region, known for being the home to the Gelug sect’s monks. The sanctuary is the youngest school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Afterward, we will have lunch at Thadi Koshi then continue our descent towards Lukla, where we will be staying the night.
After an early breakfast, our trekking team will drop you off at the Lukla airport.
You will take a scenic 35-minutes flight back to Kathmandu. Upon touchdown in Kathmandu, our agent will pick you up from the airport and drop you off at the hotel. You can rest your muscles and reminisce about the fantastic journey that you completed.
One extra day in Kathmandu is included in the package just in case bad weather in Lukla leads to flights’ cancellation.
You can spend your last day in Nepal by shopping for souvenirs to take home or by going to the spa to heal your muscles from all the long hours of walking that you did.
If you want to explore more of Kathmandu, then we can organize a guide for you. You will come back to the hotel for dinner, then start packing your bags and sleep.
It is your last day in Nepal, and all your bags are fully packed with souvenirs and new memories to take home with you.
Our agent will transfer you to the Tribhuvan International Airport 3-hours before your flight departure time.
Every traveler from around the world, besides India, requires a visa to enter Nepal.
You can get the visa at the Tribhuvan International Airport. For this, you need to present a passport of 6 months validity and a passport-sized photo. The visa fee is USD 50 for 30 days, which needs to be paid in cash.
If you want to extend your stay in Nepal, you can go to the Central Immigration Office and fill out the forms and pay.
If you are a citizen of the SAARC countries or China, you will receive a free visa. However, if you are a citizen of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameron, Swaziland, Somalia, Iraq, Palestine, Liberia, and Afghanistan, then you may not receive the visa on arrival to Kathmandu. You need to contact your local Nepalese embassy before flying to Kathmandu.
If you have a child under the age of 10, s/he will get a free visa.
Weather plays a significant role when trekking to the Ama Dablam Base Camp as we need to walk on higher elevations of the Everest region. The weather is hard to predict at such a high altitude, even though a live forecast is available.
The Ama Dablam Base Camp can be trekked all year round, but it is best if you plan it during the spring or autumn season. These are the best times to hike the trails as the skies are clear, and there are no rain clouds to block the magnificent mountains’ view.
Monsoon and winter seasons are challenging times to trek, but if you want pure adventure, then there is nothing better than trekking to the Ama Dablam Base Camp during these seasons. It would be best if you made sure to be cautious on the trails as it can be slippery, and there can be a risk of avalanches.
Extreme Cold! These are the months when the temperature drops to its lowest.
The daytime may be warm with clear skies, but the night will be freezing. The temperature ranges from 15 degrees Celcius to -15 degrees Celsius. Thus, if you are allergic to extreme cold, we suggest you do not trek during these months.
March to April is a great time to commence the Ama Dablam Base Camp trek.
These months mark the spring season. Thus, the weather is relatively warm, and all the plants start blooming throughout the area. The skies are more apparent, due to which you will see the magnificent vistas of the Himalayan ranges.
May to June is another splendid time for the Ama Dablam Base Camp trek as the weather is hot and sunny.
Trekking during the summer season is fantastic as you will get to walk throughout the day in warm weather with a clear blue sky. You will get to see the beautiful mountains and forests while walking the trails during the summer season.
These months are when the monsoon season is at its peak. There is heavy rainfall due to which the flights to and from Lukla have high chances of getting canceled.
The trek can be challenging as the trails are wet and slippery, but it would be worth a try if you are looking forward to satisfying your adrenaline rush.
It is best if you do not trek during these months, but our trekking guides will keep you safe if you are determined to do it.
These are another perfect month for the Ama Dablam Base Camp trek as it marks the autumn season.
The monsoon rain clears off all the dust and rain clouds and leaves crisp air and clear views of the Himalayas. Also, the trail will be dry, and the trek would be pleasurable.
The temperature would be 20 degrees Celsius during the day and drop to 5 degrees Celsius during the night.
Winter begins in November. The snowfalls start to appear, and the nights start getting colder.
For a good part, the days have the clearest skies and show splendid views of the mountains. The temperature is stable too. However, from December, the temperature drops rapidly, and it gets freezing during the night.
On your 15-days Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek, our package will include ten nights at mountain lodges/tree houses en route to the trek and three days in Kathmandu’s hotels (1 before the trek and two after the trek).
We will book the best available lodges and hotels for you.
The first night of accommodation on your arrival in Kathmandu is not included in the package. You will have to book the hotel independently. You can choose from a wide range of hotels/lodges according to your preference, or we can help book it for you.
Trekking to the base camp of one of the world’s highest peaks– Ama Dablam, requires strength and agility. For this, your meals require enough nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fats, fiber, and vitamins. The nutrition-dense food helps you get the stamina that you need for hours and hiking hours throughout the Himalayan trails.
You will be provided with 12 breakfasts, 13 lunches, and 13 dinners throughout the trek. The meals on the trails will be basic in comparison to the food in Kathmandu, but we will make sure that your food constitutes enough supplements to keep you energized and healthy throughout the trek,
Some of the typical food menus that will be provided to you during the trek are:
Breakfast will constitute oatmeal, cornflakes, muesli, toasts with jam, butter, cheese, honey, french toasts, Tibetan bread, chapati, hashed browns, and boiled eggs or omelets, pancakes, fruits, vegetables, and hot drinks like tea, coffee, and hot chocolate.
Lunch will mainly have Dal, Bhat, and Tarkari with poppadoms, Tibetan bread with soup, steaks, sandwiches, momos, macaroni, thenduk, fried noodles, vegetable curry, potato items, pizza, and dessert items like rice pudding and apple pie.
Dinner includes Dal, Bhat and Tarkari, Tibetan bread, soups, stew steaks, sandwiches, Momo, thenduk, spaghetti noodles, pasta, and potato items snacks like poppadoms and prawn crackers and dessert items like rice pudding and apple pie.
All these food items will be fresh, hygienic, organic, and delicious. The menu list is a combination of traditional local Nepalese food, Asian and western cuisine.
Vegetarian and non-vegetarian items are included; however, we do not recommend eating non-vegetarian items on the trek as some places might not be hygienic. We also encourage avoiding dairy items, alcoholic items, and caffeinated items.
It is vital to drink a minimum of 3 – 4 liters of water a day to keep your body hydrated throughout the trek.
You should carry a hydration bladder and use water purification tablets. You can also fill boiled water in your hydration bladder at an extra cost from teahouses.
Or use a reusable bottle with a SteriPen or an inbuilt infiltration system.
If you do not have one, then you can buy sealed mineral water. They are available throughout the trail in local lodges. Mineral water’s price increases with the increase in altitude, NPR 100 / USD 1 – NPR 400 / USD 4.
Never drink water directly from flowing rivers or streams for your safety.
The Ama Dablam Base Camp trek is graded challenging but don’t worry; a bit of determination will take you a long way.
You will be walking through rocky uphill trails as well as steep descents. On average, you will be walking for 5-7 hours per day, including the several breaks in between.
The trek is not suitable for regular people with no activity or for someone who has existing medical conditions related to the heart and lungs. The trek involves long hours of strenuous climbing in high altitudes.
To trek the Ama Dablam Base Camp, you need to remain physically and mentally fit. Having a past trekking experience and exercising regularly a couple of weeks before the trek would be a plus point.
Ensure the travel agency about your medical conditions or consult your physician before booking the trek.
Altitude sickness is the most common problem that trekkers face during the trek to the Ama Dablam Base Camp.
Altitude Sickness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), is preventable if immediate treatment is taken. However, ignoring the signs of altitude sickness like headaches, vomiting, trouble sleeping, and dizziness, to name a few, can be life-threatening
.Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek is easier than the Everest Base Camp Trek. However, it is still vital for your body to adapt to the higher altitude’s atmosphere.
Thus, we will be acclimatizing en route to the Ama Dablam Base Camp in Namche. We will spend our rest day exploring this Sherpa town and visiting the Sagarmatha National Park visitor center and some old monasteries.
We will also have a rest day at Pangboche after hiking from Deboche for 3 hours.
Besides resting, we also need to ascend slowly, take breaks, and drink plenty of water during the trek.
Our trekking guides are also trained and well-experienced in first-aid processes. They will be carrying an oximeter to check your oxygen levels and Diamox tablets for emergencies.
If you have severe mountain sickness, you will be descended immediately.
A client’s safety, security, and satisfaction is our company’s number one priority.
For this, we carry all the required gear, equipment, and first aid kits.
Our team of leaders and guides are skilled professionals who have extensive first aid training. In case a trekker falls sick due to altitude sickness, the trekker needs to tell the trekking guide about what he wants to do or decide accordingly.
If the situation is critical, a rescue helicopter will be sent to bring the trekker back from the higher elevation.
As impressive as Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek is, it is also risky due to its high altitude trekking, potential altitude sickness, and other mishaps resulting from sudden climate change.
The Ama Dablam Base Camp is a challenging trek. Even though we put your safety as our number one priority, you need to ensure yourself with a travel insurance policy that provides coverage for all the costs of injuries or emergencies you may face during the trek.
A travel insurance policy must include costs of helicopter evacuation and hospitalization, incase of an emergency. It would be better to choose an insurance company that provides coverage on domestic and international flight cancellations because Lukla’s weather is unpredictable, and you may face flight cancellations.
All the tour members, clients, and trekking guides need to provide a copy of your travel insurance certificate to the agency. Failing to present an insurance policy or even an improper insurance policy will lead to the cancelation of your trip.
The agency will be using this insurance policy information to arrange a quick and effective rescue operation in case of need.
Mobile service and internet connection are available in all the treehouses and lodges throughout the trek.
You can get internet service at treehouses; some for free while some charge you NRS 100/ USD 1 per hour.
If you have purchased a SIM Card (available at the airport), you can load money and use the data to access the internet.
You can also purchase the Everest Link Card, which provides fast and reliable internet service. You can buy this card in Kathmandu, Lukla, and Namche Bazaar.
We will contact you through the phone and update you at least once a day to make sure you have everything you need and are safe.
You will not have to worry about anything as you will be connected to Kathmandu’s travel agent for any assistance during the trek.
Nepal uses the Nepalese Rupees (NPR/Rs) as their local currency.
1 USD = NRS 118.45
You can exchange your foreign currency at the local banks or the legitimate money exchange companies in Kathmandu and Thamel.
As much as Traveler’s Cheque is a secure way of transactions, the banks prefer cash exchange as it has a quick process.
You can also withdraw cash (in NRS) from many ATMs in Kathmandu and Thamel. When you use a foreign card, the ATM will charge NRS 500 as a processing fee, for which you can withdraw a maximum of NRS 35,000.
If you want to exchange the money at banks and financial institutions, the service charge will be imposed about 4% or more depending on the amount of withdrawal and the bank’s policies.
There are no banks or money exchanges on the Ama Dablam Base Camp trail. You need to exchange your money in Kathmandu depending on how much money you require for personal expenses.
Most of the major expenses during the trek are covered by the package that you bought. These expenses include transportation, accommodation, food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the hike, and permit charges.
The clients themselves need to pay for the expenses of meals and accommodations on the first night of arrival in Kathmandu. The hotels/lodges can be booked online, or you can ask the agency to do it for you.
You will have to separate some cash for personal expenses to cover meals and accommodations in Kathmandu, Visa process fees, travel insurance premium fees, snacks/drinks/beverages during the trek, souvenirs, and tips for trekking crew members.
We suggest you bring cash (dollars) and convert them into Nepalese rupees while you are in Kathmandu because you need to have the local currency to purchase goods and services on the Ama Dablam Base Camp trail.
Carry a minimum of USD 700 as an emergency fund.
Note: the people in the Everest region accept Nepalese currency only.
Electricity and battery recharging facilities are available throughout all the teahouses and lodges in the Ama Dablam Base Camp trail at an extra cost.
Most lodges have hydroelectricity, whereas some also use solar panels for electricity. We suggest you bring a portable power bank, just in case.
A trekker can carry luggage of a maximum of 9kgs.
We will assign a porter to carry your luggage. If you are traveling in a group, then he will be carrying another person’s luggage too. So the combined weight of the bags would be 18 kgs. We would not permit the porter to carry more weight than that for safety reasons.
You should carry your valuables in your backpack and bring only what is necessary. You can leave your excess baggage at the hotel or our office store for free.
Planning what to pack according to the weather is essential. A quick tip is: keep your backpack as light as possible, even if the porters are carrying it for you.
Here are the lists of all the must-have essentials you will need on your Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek.
It is essential to protect our environment and not disturb any natural aspects on the trail, be it plants or animals.
Our company supports eco-friendly trips. We believe in leaving only footprints, not garbage, in the area we visit. We also believe in limiting the use of plastic consumption as well as supporting local communities.
In Nepal, tipping is an action that shows a person that you honor their work and are thankful for their assistance.
The tips should be offered at the end of the trek. There is no specific amount of how much to tip. It can depend on the service quality, length of the trip, budget, and overall appearance of the agency’s work.
We make sure that all of the Get Lost Forever team are paid well and are treated equally. Tipping them makes them feel inspired to give you all an excellent service and offer an enriching journey.
