Transfers are included from the airport, irrespective of arrival date. We stay at a comfortable hotel in the popular Thamel district of Kathmandu which is bustling with cafes, shops, and restaurants. You should plan to be at the hotel for the briefing at 6.00 pm where you will pick up your free AAN Duvet Jacket, Kitbag, AAN T-Shirt and your free hired Sleeping Bag. We will also run through the list of equipment needed for the trek, there is time for shopping and to change money the following day (see spending money requirements and tipping guidelines). The group dinner will be in a restaurant close to the hotel. O/N Hotel. Alt. 1400m

“Kathmandu is a riot of sights, sounds and smells that can quickly lead to sensory overload. Whether you are barrelling through the traffic-jammed alleyways of the old town in a rickshaw, marvelling at the medieval temples or dodging trekking touts in the backpacker district of Thamel, Kathmandu can be an intoxicating, amazing and exhausting place” (Lonely Planet)
You are free to explore, maybe visit the Monkey Temple, the Bodnath Stupa and Durbar Square or simply wander through the alleys and streets of Thamel and to buy any items that you may have forgotten. Dinner in a nice traditional restaurant in Thamel. O/N Hotel Alt. 1400m

We are up early for a 7.00 am start for the 6-hour drive to Pattale at an altitude of 2800m. Here we get our first views of Mount Everest from the foothills that are covered in Rhododendron. Transport will be in a comfortable SUV, be prepared for some spectacular views and a sometimes bumpy road as we drive from the valley floor up and into the mountains. We break the journey with a “Dal Bhat” lunch on the way. We stay in a nice local lodge with views across the terraced hillside to Pikey Peak in the distance. O/N Lodge. Alt. 2800m

Waking up to clear views of Mount Everest, we set off once again in our SUVs for the 3-4 hour drive to Taklung where we will start the 6 hours walk tour to the campsite close to Ranjana Beni School. The campsite will be ready and prepared for our arrival and your camp crew will be waiting with drinks and refreshments before serving our first dinner. O/N Camp. Alt. 2800m

Ranjana Beni School is Juniper Trust’s 20th school rebuilding since the earthquake in 2015. The school has 100 children and is still using temporary classrooms following the earthquake. They have had some help from the government, to rebuild one classroom block and for new toilets, but in 2019 they asked the Juniper Trust for help to rebuild a separate block of three classrooms that remains destroyed. Due to Covid, they were unable to start the rebuilding work until recently, but the target is for the builders to be finished by the time our group arrives. We will spend three days painting, furniture building and interacting with the children. Alt. 2800m

A second day painting and interaction with the children at Ranjana Beni School. We will arrange break out groups to visit some of the homes in the village to learn and experience the Nepali hospitality way of life.

A busy last day at Ranjana Beni School where we make final touches to the classrooms, distribute the uniforms and equipment provided by the group’s fundraising and have a farewell dinner and presentation.

Leaving our camp at the school, we make the 6-hour trek to Mountain Agra Resort, which is just 30 mins walk from Maili Village School, which was visited by the 2022 AAN group. Set in a stunning location at 2,800m high above the Kinja Valley, it is the perfect base for our group to relax after working at the school. Owned by a retired army officer, who has received several horticultural awards, the resort is self-sufficient in growing its own fruit and vegetables and serves excellent organic home-grown food. There is a beautiful, terraced garden where you can enjoy a mint tea whist taking in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings or why not try the local “Thomba” made from fermented millet. O/N Agra Resort Alt. 2800m

Maili Village School was Juniper Trust’s 19th school rebuilding project since the earthquake in 2015. In 2022, Juniper Trust will be making repairs to some of the other existing classrooms that are still damaged since the earthquake. Our group will spend a day making the final touches to these newly repaired classrooms and distribute more desperately needed school equipment.

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and rural villagers depend on their natural environment for food and housing but chopping down trees can unintentionally destroy the habitat they depend upon to live. In 2021, working with the communities in the Kinja Valley, the Juniper Trust distributed 10,000 fruit tree saplings, a mixture of Walnut, Pecan, Peach, Plum, Sichuan Pepper, Mandarin and Lapsi which will generate fruit for the communities as they grow for up to 25 years. Part of our group’s fundraising will be used to buy 2,500 saplings for a new orchard to be planted on land belonging to the Agra Mountain Resort. Whilst most of the trees will be delivered in the spring, some will be delivered in the autumn so that our group can help with tree planting.

After a light lunch, it’s time to leave the Resort and start the climb to Pikey Peak. Although the road continues to the pass at 3,300m, we can cut through the rhododendron forest in places making a very enjoyable walk. We get our first glimpse of Pikey Peak to the north as we climb higher. Our camping crew will have gone ahead to prepare the camp outside the lodge next to the Gompa. O/N camp Alt. 3500m

An easier day and very enjoyable short day’s walking through the forest below the Taklung Danda but we will feel the altitude slightly. It’s a four hour walk on a well-trodden path, through more rhododendron forest with a moderate incline most of the way. Wildlife and bird sightings get better here. Elevation gain is significant, and a short day is better to give the body the time and rest to get acclimatised. We can see the summits of Pikey not too far from the Lodge and it’s a good idea to go for a short walk above the lodge if you can, to help acclimatise. Save the summit for the morning though! O/N Lodge. Alt. 3750m

A super early start at 0530 am for the one hour walk up to the summit of Pikey Peak. It’s dark and cold when we set off and we will use our head torches as we follow a newly built trail with many steps which winds its way to the top. The summit is marked by hundreds of prayer flags, and we regroup to wait for the spectacular sunrise on Mountain Everest. As the sun climbs higher, the view opens up to reveal some of the highest mountains on earth, Kanchenjunga and Makalu included. After hugs and photos, we continue across the ridge for 30 mins to the second summit before descending steeply for well-deserved refreshments at Jase Bhanjynag. Another one-hour climb follows, before a big two-hour descent through the forest to Lhodi where we can take a late lunch. A leisurely late afternoon walk along the valley in the evening sum will take us to Junbesi (2680m) where we are rewarded with a very nice lodge and a few celebration beers at the end of a great day. Lodge Alt. 2680m

The village of Junbesi, just outside of the Everest National Park, lies nestled below the Thubten Choling and Chiwang Monasteries and on the main pilgrim trail to the sacred lake at Dudh Kunda. We have a full day here to rest from trekking and to get involved in two tree planting projects in the village, one at the new school by the river and the second in the Chiwang Monastery itself. Alt 2650m

We make last minute preparations for the trek to the sacred lake known as Dudh Kunda (Milky Lake). Today is a most spectacular day as we climb through a beautiful forest overlooking the monastery to cross two small passes marked by cairns and prayer flags. We have ever closer views of Mt.Numbar and the Karyalung Glacier and the peaks across in the Rowaling Valley. In summertime, these hillsides are used by Yak herders to graze their animals and our camp is by a Yak Kharka (Yak house) in a spectacular position with great views all around. O/N Camp Alt. 4100m

We descend to Saharsbeni, a collection of yak herders houses and after a short break, continue up to the sacred lake at Dudh Kunda, at 4593m, which is the highest point of our trek. From Saharsbeni, it’s a two to three hour walk up to the lake and the altitude will slow you down for the final part of the trek. We will take a packed lunch for the walk, which can be had by the lake or during the walk. The lake is regularly visited by pilgrims, but you may want to test the water temperature before thinking about a swim! We return to our camp at Saharsbeni in the afternoon. O/N Camp. Alt. 4037m

A leisurely start for the walk to Taksindu via the Taksindu La. The trail descends gently as first before a very small climb to the pass followed by a steep descent for 3 hours to Taksindu . O/N Lodge

We descend again through more beautiful forest, making a short detour to the cliff-top Gompa at Chiwong. Built in 1935 by legendary Sange Lama of Phaplu, the Chiwang Gompa is one of three monasteries in Solu Khumbu to play host to the Mani Rimdu festival of Nepal. We can take our time here before dropping down to the busy roadhead town at Phaplu for lunch. To break the long journey back to Kathmandu, we will drive for 3 hours to Pattale where we have our final views of Everest and Pikey Peak O/N Lodge Alt. 2800m

Today’s drive back to Kathmandu will take approximately 10 hours but the road has recently been re-surfaced to supply the airport. We reach Kathmandu in the early evening and check into our hotel before heading into town for dinner.

Depending on your flight time there is a chance to see more of Kathmandu or last minute shopping. Transfers to the airport are included.