Punam Phuyal
Yes, the Everest base camp trek is possible without a Lukla flight. We can skip the Lukla flight in the Everest base camp trek by selecting Kathmandu to Lukla by road routes. The more adventurous trial of Lukla is awaiting you. The amazing beauty of Salleri and Thamdanda is a unique destination that makes the Everest base camp trek without Lukla flight more adventurous.
Lukla is the gateway to the Everest base camp trek. You can reach Lukla both by flight and road. Here we have two possible Everest base camp trekking routes, including the Kathmandu to Lukla road.
Surke Route: Kathmandu ⟶Dhulikhel ⟶ Nepalthok ⟶ Gurmi ⟶ Sallari ⟶ Thamdanda ⟶ Surke
We can extend the EBC trek and start the Everest base camp trekking route from Thamdanda. To skip Lukla flight, we should drive from Kathmandu to Salleri and then to Thamdanda the next day. You have to walk around 6 hours to reach Lukla. In this way, we can skip Lukla flight by driving up to Thamdanda and hiking to Lukla.
| Day | Activity | Altitude | Duration |
| 1 | Arrival in Kathmandu | 4,390ft/1338 m | |
| 2 | Drive to Salleri | 7,578ft/2309 m | 8 hrs |
| 3 | 6-hour drive to Surke | 7,631.23ft/2326m | 6 hrs |
| 4 | Trek to Phading | 9,156ft/2791m | 6 hrs |
| 5 | Phakding to Namche | 11,286ft/3440m | 7 hrs |
| 6 | Rest day in Namche | 11,286ft/3440m | |
| 7 | Namche to Tangboche | 12,566.4ft/3860m | 6 hrs |
| 8 | Tangboche to Dingboche | 14468ft/4410m | 7 hrs |
| 9 | Rest day in Dingboche | 14468ft/4410m | |
| 10 | Dingboche to Lobuche | 16.210ft/4940m | 5 hrs |
| 11 | Lobuche to Gorakshep – Everest base camp (5364m) | 16942ft/5164m | 5 hrs |
| 12 | Gorekshep to Pheriche | 14,340ft/4371m | 7 hrs |
| 13 | Pheriche to Namche | 11,286ft/3440m | 8 hrs |
| 14 | Trek to Surke | 7,575.46/2309m | 8 hrs |
| 15 | trek to Thamdanda (7,631.23ft/2326m) and drive to Salleri | 7,578ft/2309 m | 5 hrs |
| 16 | Drive to Kathmandu | 4,390ft/1338 m | 8 hrs |
| 17 | Rest day in Kathmandu |
Note: The road from Thamdanda to Surke is under construction. We can get jeeps for certain distances that shorten our trekking route.
The second optional route to skip the Lukla flight in the Everest base camp trek is the Jiri to Everest base camp trekking route. It takes 21 days to complete the Jiri to EBC trek without the Lukla flight. You should take a drive from Kathmandu to Jiri, Switzerland, in Nepal. You can visit Jiri bazaar, which is commonly known as Switzerland due to its scenic beauty. Spending one night in Jiri, we will start the trek to Sete, Jun Beshi, Nunthala, Bupsa, and Surke and reach Lukla on the eighth day of your arrival in Nepal.
After reaching Lukla, you will follow the Everest base camp trekking itinerary.
| Day | Activities | Elevation | duration |
| 1 | arrival in Kathmandu | 4,390ft/1338 m | |
| 2 | Kathmandu to Jiri | 6250ft/1905m | 9 hrs |
| 3 | Jiri to Sete | 8448ft/2575m | 7 hrs |
| 4 | Sete to Jun Beshi | 8759ft/2670m | 7 hrs |
| 5 | Junbeshi to Nunthala | 7283ft/2220m | 6 hrs |
| 6 | Nunthala to Bupsa | 7742ft/2360m | 6 hrs |
| 7 | Bupsa to Surke | 7513ft/2290m | 6 hrs |
| 8 | Trek to Phading | 9,156ft/2791m | 6 hrs |
| 9 | Phakding to Namche | 11,286ft/3440m | 7 hrs |
| 10 | Rest day in Namche | 11,286ft/3440m | |
| 11 | Namche to Tangboche | 12,566.4ft/3860m | 6 hrs |
| 12 | Tangboche to Dingboche | 14468ft/4410m | 7 hrs |
| 13 | Rest day in Dingboche | 14468ft/4410m | |
| 14 | Dingboche to Lobuche | 16.210ft/4940m | 5 hrs |
| 15 | Lobuche to Gorakshep – Everest base camp (5364m) | 16942ft/5164m | 5 hrs |
| 16 | Gorekshep to Pheriche | 14,340ft/4371m | 7 hrs |
| 17 | Pheriche to Namche | 11,286ft/3440m | 8 hrs |
| 18 | trek to Surke | 7,575.46/2309m | 8 hrs |
| 19 | trek to Thamdanda (7,631.23ft/2326m) and drive to Salleri | 7,578ft/2309 m | 5 hrs |
| 20 | Drive to Kathmandu | 4,390ft/1338 m | 8 hrs |
| 21 | Rest day in Kathmandu |
Everest base camp trek without Lukla flight is secure to aircraft crisis, flight delay, and bad weather. You can start the trekking after a drive to Salleri/Jiri. In comparison to flight, the roadway is the safest.
EBC trek without Lukla flight itinerary begins with a drive to Thamdanda. You will explore the Khumbu region from Thamdanda and reach Lukla. The trekking becomes more adventurous and you will spend more days in the Everest region. You will enjoy the beauty of Salleri, Thamdanda, and Phaplu if you use Salleri to EBC trekking route.
If you use Jiri to Everest base camp trekking route, you will explore Jiri, Sete, Jun Beshi, Nunthala, Bupsa, and Surke.
Since the EBC trek skips the Lukla flight, the Salleri-to-EBC trekking route begins from Thamdanda. You will be exposed to the weather and temperature of the Everest region from a low elevation. Until you reach Namche and Tengboche, your body will acclimatize to changing atmospheric pressure. In this way, your body will adjust to altitudinal change and have a lower chance of Altitude sickness.
Everest base camp trek without Lukla flight is safe to unusual conditions such as cancellation of the flight. Sometimes trekkers have to stay 2–3 days more in Lukla Due to bad weather,. Trekkers directly trek down to Thamdanda and drive to Kathmandu. No extra days and no waiting for weather changes save your time and you can return to Kathmandu in time.
The Everest base camp trek is the most demanding trek among Americans, Russians, Asians, and Europeans. The thrilling flight to Lukla is one of the risks that make the EBC trek more difficult. To skip the risk and make your holiday more entertaining, always choose Everest base camp without the Lukla flight, either from Salleri or Jiri. Skip the Lukla flight on the Everest base camp trek and complete the trekking in a comfort zone. If you want to see more scenery, we suggest you go to Everest Base Camp from Kathmandu to Lukla by road.
If you are afraid about the Lukla flight then we have Everest Base Camp Trek Without Lukla Flight package which takes 17 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu.
