The Lukla to Tumlingtar Trek is one of the most incredible off-the-beaten-path treks that link two of the most renowned regions in the Himalayas – Everest and Makalu. This trek provides a unique combination of nature’s beauty, richness in culture, and tranquility in trekking. The trek starts with a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and gradually unfolds to reach Tumlingtar.
Unlike the more popular trekking routes in the Everest region, this trek takes you to a more peaceful and less explored region between Sagarmatha National Park and Makalu Barun National Park. During this trek, you will cross some of the highest mountain passes, like Salpa Bhanjyang and Surkie La. You will also visit the sacred Salpa Pokhari, which is considered a sacred place by both locals and pilgrims.
This trek will allow you to experience the way of life of the Kulung Rai and Sherpa people, with their time-honored traditions, customs, and architecture. The trekking route goes through picturesque settlements, rhododendron forests, waterfalls, and farmland, all set against the majestic backdrop of the Mahalangur Himalayan Range. Along the way, trekkers are treated to the vistas of towering peaks like Mount Everest, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku.
The trek is best suited for trekkers looking for solitude and the experience of the Himalayas. The trek from Lukla to Tumlingtar is a mix of adventure and cultural experience. The trek culminates with the descent through the lush lowlands and villages, followed by a scenic flight back to Kathmandu, leaving behind memories of the hidden gem of eastern Nepal.
Highlights of the Lukla To Tumlingtar Trek:
Welcome! To Kathmandu, Nepal. You will be welcomed by an Asian Heritage Travel representative with a nameplate upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, and you will then be taken to your hotel located within the busy tourist district known as Thamel in Kathmandu. You will see some of the highlights of the city while traveling to the hotel, including Pashupatinath Temple, Narayanhiti Royal Palace Museum, and the peaceful Garden of Dreams. Once you arrive at your hotel, a representative will meet you to discuss your itinerary and answer any questions you might have about it. After you check into your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to explore the busy streets, cafés, and shops of Thamel or relax at your hotel.
Includes: Private transport and an overnight accommodation at Yatri Suites and Spa or a similar hotel in Kathmandu.
Start your sightseeing tour by meeting your guide and climbing into your private vehicle. Your first stop will be Kathmandu Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you will walk among centuries-old royal palaces, intricate carvings on countless temples, and traditional courtyard-style buildings indicative of the venerable history of ancient Kathmandu.
Your next destination on your journey is Swayambhunath, commonly referred to as the Monkey Temple. Swayambhunath is a sacred stupa located atop a hill that contains both Buddhist and Hindu cultural influences, and provides fabulous views of the Kathmandu Valley and the distant peaks of the Himalayas.
The next stop on your tour is Pashupatinath Temple, one of the premier Hindu pilgrimage destinations in Southeast Asia. Pashupatinath Temple is built on the banks of the Bagmati River, where you will get a glimpse of the open-air cremation ceremonies and experience the spiritual practices surrounding the temple complex.
The last stop of the day is the incredible Boudhanath Stupa (another UNESCO World Heritage Site), which is one of the largest stupas in the world. The stupa dates back to approximately 600 A.D. and represents the center of Tibetan Buddhist culture, surrounded by local life, monasteries, and prayer wheels.
After completing our sightseeing, you can get back to the hotel, and our representative will facilitate and discuss your travel itinerary regarding your Upper Dolpo Trek. Our representative will also help you out if you need to buy or rent any sort of trekking equipment required for your trip.
Includes: Breakfast, Private Transport, English-speaking Tour guide, and an overnight accommodation at Yatri Suites and Spa or a similar hotel in Kathmandu.
After an early breakfast, you will be taken to the airport for a short domestic flight to Lukla from Kathmandu. The 45-minute flight will provide you with breathtaking views of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains before landing at the world-famous Tenzing-Hillary Airport, situated beautifully in the hills.
On arriving at Lukla, you will begin your trekking journey to Paiya, meeting your trekking crew along the way. The trekking journey will take about 5-6 hours to complete at a comfortable trekking speed. The trekking journey begins with a steep descent to Surke, followed by a gradual trek to Paiya La Pass, also called Chutok La Pass, at an altitude of 2,945 meters above sea level, passing through small settlements and alpine forests, finally arriving at Paiya, where you will stay at a lodge for the night.
Includes: Airfare, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Paiya.
From Paiya, the trail gradually descends. After some time, you will cross a small wooden bridge over the Paiya Khola. Moving forward, the trail will lead you towards Kharte. On the way, you have to cross the Kari La Pass, which lies at an altitude of 3,145 meters. The path to the top of the pass is very narrow and sometimes slippery. After crossing the pass, the trail leads through dense forests of oak, birch, bamboo, and rhododendron. On the way, you will cross several old Mani walls. After this, the traditional Sherpa village of Panggom awaits.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Panggom.
From Panggom, the trek starts with a gradual climb towards Narkhung (Panggom La) Pass at 3,286 meters, where one can enjoy a stunning view of the Everest range, including Mount Everest and Mera Peak, as well as other rugged and forested valleys and distant views of Najingdingma.
The gradual descent begins from the pass towards Sibuje Village, which has very basic facilities like lodges and a monastery. Further on, the trek passes through dense forests of bamboo, birch, and rhododendron, along with stone stairs, and then a final climb to Najingdingma (2,650 m), where one will stay overnight.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Najingdingma.
This is one of the most interesting and rewarding days of the trek. The trail from Najingdingma follows a picturesque ridge, then climbs to Surke La Pass (3,085 m). Once you are at the top, you can enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding mountain ranges and the picturesque Hongu Valley.
After enjoying the views, the trail begins to descend towards the village of Bung. The village of Bung is inhabited by the Rai community and other ethnic communities, who practice a culture heavily influenced by Buddhist traditions. During the trek, you can see the presence of many Mani walls and chortens, which reflect the spiritual tradition of the region. You will be staying overnight at Bung.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Bung.
Today, the trail goes down towards Hongu Khola, passing through various vibrant villages such as Gudel, Chachalung, and Sorung villages inhabited by the Rai tribe, before finally reaching Sanam. During this trek, you will come across large stone carvings inscribed with Buddhist mantras, waterfalls, and wooden bridges. Also, you will pass through beautiful forests filled with rhododendron, chir pine, and brown oak trees. Overnight stay will be at Sanam.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Sanam.
Today is the most challenging and rewarding part of the trek, as you will reach the highest point of the trek, Salpa Bhanjyang (3,350 m). The day starts with a steep ascent to the pass, where the reward is the spectacular view of the sacred lake of Salpa Pokhari and its surrounding valley. As the trek progresses, the route takes you through rhododendron forests, fields, and villages inhabited by the Sherpa people. You will finally reach Guranse, where the night will be spent.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Guranse.
Today, our journey will be from Guranse to Salpa Phedi. On the way, you will encounter beautiful vegetation and quaint villages. You will cross several wooden bridges and enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding mountain ranges, including Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Mera Peak, and the majestic Mount Everest. You will be staying overnight at Phedi.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Phedi.
From Salpa Phedi, the trail passes through several villages, including Dobhane, Balwa Besi, Marduwa, and Dingla, before finally reaching the destination of the day, Gothe Bazaar. During the journey, you will cross many small bridges made of bamboo over the rivers, walk over the ridges with small ascents and descents, and walk through the tropical forests, which consist of cardamom, banana, and papaya trees, among others. The overnight stay will be at Gothe Bazaar, which is home to the indigenous Gurung and Rai communities.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Gothe Bazaar.
After breakfast, we will start a relatively easy day of trekking to Majwa. The day will be spent trekking alongside the Irkhuwa Khola, which meets the Arun River. During the day, you will experience a mix of uphill and downhill trekking, as well as trekking through villages, alongside the river, and through the vegetation. You will stay the night at Majwa.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Majwa.
Similar to the previous day, the trek on this day also goes through the beautiful banks of the Arun River on the conventional route to the Makalu region. Along the way, you will encounter small trails, several villages, and fields in which the local inhabitants cultivate different types of cash crops, with cardamom being the dominant crop in the region. You will also cross several suspension bridges and subtropical jungles before reaching Kartiki Ghat, where you will be staying the night. Kartiki Ghat is famous for bees and honey.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Kartiki Ghat.
On the last day of our journey, we begin our trek in the morning from Kartiki, passing through picturesque villages and riverside routes until we reach Tumlingtar, marking the end of this memorable trekking journey from Lukla to Tumlingtar. The route from Kartiki goes through various villages such as Bheteni, Chewabesi, Kumal Gaon, and other small villages. Along the route, you will also trek by the Arun River, go through forest routes, and enjoy the view of Makalu and Chamlang peaks. You will stay overnight in Tumlingtar.
Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, English-speaking guide, Porter, and an overnight accommodation at an available lodge/tented camp in Tumlingtar.
Crossing over the towering Himalayas and green hills, we will land back in Kathmandu after a scenic flight of around 50 minutes. Upon arrival, you will be taken to your hotel for some leisure time, to connect with your loved ones, or to buy some souvenirs. In the evening, you will celebrate the successful completion of the Lukla to Tumlingtar Trek with your team members. Overnight will be in Kathmandu.
Includes: Airfare, Breakfast, Private Transport, an English-speaking guide, and an overnight accommodation at Yatri Suites & Spa or a similar hotel in Kathmandu.
Today is the last day of your journey. Three hours before your scheduled departure back to your home or another location, our representative will pick you up in a private vehicle after breakfast and drop you off at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport.
We hope you travel safely and look forward to seeing you again soon.
Includes: Breakfast and private Transport.
Getting to Nepal as an international visitor is easy with the availability of an easy-to-use Visa on Arrival service at Tribhuvan International Airport and almost all the land border crossings into Nepal. Upon arrival at the airport, you will complete the visa form, submit the necessary documents, pay the applicable visa fee online, and then you will be given your visa within a very short time.
With several different types of Nepali visas available for various duration periods, visitors have the choice of whether they want to stay for a few days or months; however, some nationalities must obtain their visa in advance of travelling, so you must check the current visa requirements.
Learn more about visa guidelines and requirements: Tourist Visa Information
Nepal offers a wide variety of accommodation to meet the varying requirements of travelers at every budget level and personal comfort preferences.
Luxury Accommodation
Enjoy the luxury and the comfort of a highly rated hotel, and are looking for a high-end experience. You will find many luxury hotels in Nepal with an array of modern conveniences, such as spa treatments, fine dining, beautiful locations, breathtaking views of the Himalayas, and individual attention from the staff. These types of hotels are perfect for people who want to relax, unwind, and experience luxurious facilities while traveling throughout Nepal.
Budget Accommodation
Travelers who want to experience Nepal without breaking the bank will be happy to know that there are also many inexpensive accommodation options, including guesthouses, boutique lodges, and homestays, which are all clean, friendly, and very good value. Budget accommodation allows a traveler to stay within their budget while experiencing the generosity of local hospitality.
We ensure that your accommodation matches your preference, whether you seek luxury or convenience.
Explore available accommodation categories: Accommodations in Nepal.
Nepal has a lot to offer with its incredible natural beauty, rich culture, and warm hospitality. Travelling can also come with risks, which is why anyone visiting Nepal needs to consider purchasing travel insurance, particularly those involved in adventure activities or trekking, as well as those who will be travelling to remote areas of Nepal. A well-rounded insurance policy can provide peace of mind through protection against the following:
Many trekking routes in Nepal are over 3000 meters (9842 ft); therefore, your policy should specifically state that high altitude travel is part of your Insurance plan, as well as the option to be evacuated in the event of an emergency. Choosing the right policy will help you receive the best possible care in your time of need.
Find out more about travel insurance for Nepal: Travel Insurance in Nepal
For hikers traveling to the Nepalese Himalayas, it’s essential to have the correct trekking equipment. Depending on what elevation you’re at, the weather might change drastically, so it’s crucial to use and carry the proper clothing and equipment in order to enjoy a safe and comfortable trip.
If you don’t want to travel with your own equipment, there are plenty of places in Nepal where you can rent or purchase what you need (particularly in Thamel, Kathmandu’s main shopping district). There are also locations within the city where you can find stores that offer a variety of high-quality trekking apparel and equipment at very reasonable prices.
See the complete trekking gear guide: Trekking Gear
