Want to avoid the crowds and see some fascinating Himalayan villages? Try walking into Solu-Khumbu, the Everest region, instead of flying into Lukla to start your trek. You'll start this trek with a grueling all-day bus ride and then face a steep uphill climb the next morning. In fact, you'll face steep uphill climbs at the start of three of your first four days on the trail, which is partly why few people still use this route to get to the Everest region. The landscape here is lush and the windswept passes are often luxuriantly green. If you're lucky, you might even get some good views. Along the route are numerous well-built villages, a large Buddhist monastery, and even a cheese factory. Best of all, by the time you reach the higher elevations, you will have been on the trail for a week and will probably be in better shape than most of the other trekkers you encounter above Lukla.

C'mon, climb me: Classic Everest.

Trip Facts
Difficulty rating: Moderate
When to go: Fall, winter, and spring