The classic teahouse trek from Lukla through Sherpa villages to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) and the Kala Patthar viewpoint, with acclimatisation days in Namche and Dingboche.
- Days
- 12 days
- Maximum altitude
- 5,644 m
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
Everest Region (Khumbu)फेरिचे
Pheriche
A windy valley-floor village with a seasonal mountain aid post, used by Everest trekkers on the way up or down.
- Altitude
- 4,371 m
- Best months
- Mar-May, Oct-Nov
- Type
- Trek stop
- District
- Solukhumbu, Koshi
- Permit
- Permit required
Higher seasonal exposure: altitude (All year), snow (Dec-Mar), cold (Nov-Mar), seasonal closure (Jun-Sep).
Why go
Pheriche lies at about 4,371 m on the flat floor of the Khumbu valley, above the Tsola river and just across a ridge from Dingboche. Within the Everest region it is an alternative overnight to Dingboche on the way to base camp and a common first stop on the way down, when the long descent from Kala Patthar ends here.
The village is known for its aid post run by the Himalayan Rescue Association, open in the main trekking seasons, where volunteer doctors treat trekkers and give talks on altitude sickness. The valley channels cold wind up from the south in the afternoons, so Pheriche can feel colder than Dingboche, but it has a good choice of lodges and is a natural place to rest after a hard day at altitude.
History and culture
Pheriche was a farming and yak-herding settlement growing potatoes and buckwheat, and many local men now work as guides and porters. The aid post was built with Japanese support in 1975 and is staffed by Nepali and volunteer international doctors. The village was badly damaged in the 2015 earthquake and has since been rebuilt. Nearby, at the top of the Thukla climb, memorials remember climbers and Sherpas who died on Everest.
Things to do in Pheriche
Attend an altitude talk
In the main seasons the aid post usually holds an afternoon talk on altitude sickness; check the time locally.
Walk over the ridge to Dingboche
A short climb over the ridge links Pheriche and Dingboche and makes a gentle acclimatisation walk.
Weather and the best time to visit Pheriche
Weather in Pheriche
Forecast for 4,371 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Best time to visit
Mar-May, Oct-Nov
- Jan
- Feb
- Good month: Mar
- Good month: Apr
- Good month: May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Good month: Oct
- Good month: Nov
- Dec
- Autumn (Sep-Nov)
- October and November usually bring the clearest skies and stable weather, with cold nights well below freezing.
- Winter (Dec-Feb)
- December to February is very cold, with snow possible on the trail; some lodges close and the high passes can be impassable.
- Spring (Mar-May)
- March to May is warmer and busy, with more afternoon cloud; late spring brings expedition traffic towards base camp.
- Monsoon (Jun-Aug)
- June to August brings cloud and rain, poor mountain views and frequent delays on the Lukla flights; few lodges stay fully open.
Where to stay
LodgesTeahouses
Around two dozen lodges along the valley floor.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
Getting there
Pheriche is reached on foot from Tengboche in about 5-6 hours, or from Gorak Shep on the way down.
Nearest hub: Lukla (Tenzing-Hillary Airport)
- flightKathmandu or Ramechhap (Manthali) to Lukla, roughly 25-40 minutes, weather permitting; in busy seasons many flights leave from Ramechhap.
- trekTengboche to Pheriche via Pangboche, about 5-6 hours; Gorak Shep to Pheriche via Lobuche and Thukla, about 5-7 hours downhill.
Getting to Pheriche, by mode
Nearest hub: Lukla. Times are typical ranges, not schedules, and vary with roadworks, weather and the season.
By airfrom Kathmanduabout 0.4-0.7 hLukla (Tenzing-Hillary)often delayed or cancelled by weather
A 25-40 minute mountain flight to Lukla, weather permitting, then the walk in. In the busy seasons most flights leave from Ramechhap (Manthali) instead of Kathmandu, a 3-4 hour drive east, which means a night-time road transfer. Cancellations for wind and visibility are routine, so spare days belong in the plan.
When to set off: Lukla flights are scheduled at first light, before the south-west wind builds from mid to late morning; Ramechhap departures leave Kathmandu by road around 03:00-04:00
On footfrom Tengbocheabout 5-6 h5-6 h from Tengboche via Pangboche; 5-7 h down from Gorak Shep on the way out, losing about 800 m
A standard acclimatisation stop with an aid post, used going up and coming down.
When to set off: teahouse stages start after breakfast, usually by 07:30, to arrive before the afternoon cloud and wind
Where people go next
- Lobucheon foot, about 4-6 hUp via Thukla to Lobuche.
- Dingbocheon foot, about 1-2 hAcross the valley to Dingboche.
- Tengbocheon foot, about 5-6 hBack down to the monastery on the descent.
- Namche Bazaaron footTwo stages down to Namche Bazaar.
Permits and fees
Permit required
This stop is inside Sagarmatha National Park; the park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit apply. Check whether a TIMS card is currently required.
- Sagarmatha National Park entry permit: Issued in Kathmandu or at the park entrance near Monjo; check the latest rules and fees.
- Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry permit: Local permit collected in the Lukla area.
- Licensed guide: Since April 2023 foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas are generally required to go with a licensed guide; the local municipality in Khumbu has disputed this, so check the current rule.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.
On the trail
On the Everest Base Camp trek.
- Previous stop:
- Gorak Shep (on the descent)
- Next stop:
- Namche Bazaar (on the descent)
- A typical day:
- On the way down, about 5-7 hours from Gorak Shep after the dawn climb of Kala Patthar, losing about 800 m.
Risks and conditions
Seasonal risks around Pheriche
What this place is typically exposed to, and when. These are seasonal patterns, not a report on conditions now.
Altitudehigh in a typical yearAll year
Pheriche is at about 4,371 m; the Himalayan Rescue Association aid post here runs daily altitude talks and oxygen checks in the trekking seasons. Acute mountain sickness is common on fast ascents - it affects roughly 40 per cent of people who go up quickly to 3,000 m, and more above that. General information, not medical advice: gain height slowly, keep sleeping-height gains small (about 300 m a day once high), build in rest days, learn the symptoms - headache, nausea, breathlessness, broken sleep - and descend if they get worse. See a doctor before travelling and carry insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Snowhigh in a typical yearDec-Mar
Deep winter snow can block the trails above Tengboche, and spring storms leave fresh snow on the higher stages; December to March is the usual snow window at this height.
Coldhigh in a typical yearNov-Mar
Nights are far below freezing from November to March at this height, with wind on the open moraine and unheated bedrooms in the teahouses; a winter-rated sleeping bag and down layer are the norm.
Seasonal closurehigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
Lukla flights are the weak link in the monsoon: poor visibility stops operations at the airstrip about half the time in that season and about half of flights are cancelled, and waits of several days happen. Any itinerary built on the flight needs spare days at both ends.
Seasonal closuremoderate in a typical yearDec-Feb
Above Tengboche many teahouses do not stay open through the deep-winter months, so the high stages are seldom walked in December to February and food and beds are harder to find.
Otherlow in a typical yearJun-Aug
The monsoon brings cloud and rain rather than views, and the stages are wet and misty underfoot, although the upper valleys get less rain than the forest below.
Check current conditions before you travel
Roads, trails, passes and flights change with the weather and with roadworks, and nothing on this page describes conditions today. Before you set off, check the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather and flood warnings, the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal for incidents, and the local authority, police or your licensed operator for road, trail and flight status.
Practical tips
- This is high altitude: go up slowly, watch for headache, nausea and unusual tiredness, and descend if symptoms get worse. General information, not medical advice.
- The aid post is seasonal (roughly spring and autumn); outside those months medical help is very limited.
- There is no ATM; carry enough Nepali rupees from Kathmandu, Lukla or Namche.
- Afternoon wind is cold; keep a warm layer and hat handy.
Treks through Pheriche
Questions about Pheriche
Is there a doctor in Pheriche?
The Himalayan Rescue Association aid post is usually staffed in the spring and autumn seasons. Outside those months, do not rely on it.
How high is Pheriche?
About 4,371 m, similar to Dingboche across the ridge.
Should I stay in Pheriche or Dingboche?
Dingboche is sunnier and more common on the way up; Pheriche is a common stop on the way down and has the aid post.
More in Everest Region (Khumbu)
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Pikey Peak
A grassy 4,065 m summit in lower Solukhumbu with a long view of the eastern Himalaya, reached on a short trek through Sherpa villages.
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Chhukung
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Dingboche
A walled-field Sherpa village in the Imja valley, the usual acclimatisation stop on the way to Everest Base Camp.
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Dole
A small lodge village in the upper Dudh Kosi valley, the first night above Namche on the way to Gokyo.
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Dzongla
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Nearby
Valley or region
Everest Region (Khumbu)
The Sherpa homeland below Everest, reached on foot from Lukla through stone villages, monasteries and glacial valleys.
Editorial draft: facts are being checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-06. Sources: Pheriche, Wikipedia, Everest Base Camp Trek, Wikivoyage