Everest base Camp, sited in the heart of Himalayas, is considered as the trekker’s paradise. Every year thousands of enthusiastic tourist visit this place. This article is a complete guide to Everest base camp trek, which will help you to make a plan EBC trekking in Nepal.

Everest base camp trek is the most coveted trekking destination around the world. It is comprised of mesmerizing vistas, wonderful trekking facilities, and warm hospitality of the local people.

The major attraction of the Everest base camp trek is you can be close to the tallest mountain of the world, Mount Everest. Alongside that, you can witness the wonderful peaks like Mt.Lhoste, Cho Oyu, and Makalu during your ultimate

Everest Base Camp Trek

EBC is a high altitude trekking which lasts for approximately two weeks. So, there are many things to be considered prior to your trek. This article will function as your ultimate guide for the Everest base camp trekking.

Major Highlights of Everest Base Camp Trek

• Wonderful trek to the Base camp of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain of the whole world.
• Exploration of peculiar Sherpa culture and tradition of Everest region.
•  Visit to different ancient monasteries and beautiful villages of Khumbu region.
• Visit to sublime Sagarmatha national park, a site enlisted in UNESCO natural Sites.
• Witness the mesmerizing view of Khambu glacier.
• Walk through the fascinating rhododendron and pine forest of the Everest region.

Weather of Everest Base Camp

Everest base camp is sited in the mountainous section of Nepal. The elevation gain during the Everest base camp is significant. As a result, the weather of Everest base camp is exceedingly unpredictable and hard to forecast.

Your trek begins with a flight from Kathmandu to lukla and finally ends at Everest base camp. Kathmandu is situated at an altitude of 1400m whereas Everest base camp is situated at an elevation of 5380m.

Thus, in total you will gain an elevation of 4000m. As a result, there will be variation in the weather of various places during the trek.

As you ascend higher, the weather turns out to be more unpredictable in this trek. Therefore, it is best to prepare well before the actual trek. Everest offers four different seasons- summer, spring, autumn, and winter.

Summer

In Everest summer falls in the months of June, July, and August. During these months, the minimum temperature at the highest point of this trek is around 0 degree Celsius. This is very delightful temperature considering the fact that you will be at the highest base camp of the world.

Howbeit, it is considered as the offseason for trekking due to the fact that monsoon coincides with it in Nepal. Anyway, if you plan your trek taking monsoon into account with appropriate trekking gear, summer trek in Everest could be a memorable experience.

Winter

In Everest the months of December, January, and February comprises the winter season. At this time of the year, Everest experiences minimum amount of rainfall. As a result of which, most stunning pictures of mountains are captured in this season. However, due to the heavy snowfall some trekking routes does not function in this season.

Furthermore, some places along the trek have extreme temperature of -20 degrees in winter. Thus, winter treks in Everest is least popular among trekkers. Nevertheless, for the people who like to trek in solitude, this season is ideal.

Autumn

In Everest region, autumn falls in the months of September, October, and November. Autumn has moderate temperature and a slim chance of rainfall, as a result of which trekking in this season is extremely popular. This means you will have a pleasant trekking experience during this time of year. The day time temperature is mild and that of night time is also not that extreme.

Spring

Spring season in Everest base camp falls in the months of March, April, and May. During this time of year the natural vegetation of the region gets exceptionally verdant, especially of Sagarmatha national park. The walk through the pristine forest of rhododendron and pine is an amazing experience. Also, the temperature offered at this season is perfect for trekking.

Furthermore, the mountains, glaciers, and archaic villages are at their excellence during spring. Thus, photography becomes wonderful in the great environment of spring season.

Altitude of Everest Base Camp Trek

During your classic Everest base camp trek, you will come across the number of destinations. Thus, altitude of Everest base camp trek differs as per the destination you are heading at. The starting point of Everest base camp trek is lukla situated at an altitude of 2800m. From lukla, you will stop at various destinations for an overnight acclimatization throughout the trek.

The altitude of the locations you will be trekking during your trek is mostly more than 3000m, however it also depends upon various side trekking option accessible during trek in the Everest region. Thus, you can assume that different trekking packages come along with different destinations and their altitudes.

Here is the list of major destinations that falls under different trekking packages of Everest base camp trek along with their elevation.

Places	Altitude
Lukla	2800 m
Namche Bazaar	3438 m
Khumjung	379 m
Tengboche	3860 m
Gorak Shep	5164 m
Everest Base Camp	5364 m
Kala Pathar	5545 m
Gokyo	4750 m
Island Peak	6189 m

Difficulty of Everest Base Camp Trek

Trekkers often ask how difficult Everest base camp is. The difficulty of Everest base camp is determined by number of factors such as altitude, itinerary and routes, and the season you decide to trek the Everest base camp.

Everest base camp trek is completed around 2 weeks, so it is moderate trek in terms of trekking days. On the other hand during EBC trek, you will have to walk for 5-6 hours a day. After having your early morning breakfast you will trek around 3 hours before having lunch. A bit of rest for a while and then you will continue your trek for further 3 hours to reach the place for night accommodation. Thus, from trekking hour’s perspective also EBC trek is moderately difficult.

Altitude is significant factor for determining the difficulty level of the certain trek. Usually, low altitude treks are easier than the high altitude trek such as Annapurna base camp trek or Everest base camp trek. Trekking at higher altitude is very challenging and demanding. To overcome the difficulty put forwarded by altitude, you must trek at gentle pace, as well as spend enough time acclimatizing so that your body will adapt to the changing altitude.

Last but not the least, difficulty of Everest base camp trek is also influenced by the season you are trekking in. Generally, trekking in autumn and spring is easier than trekking in monsoon and winter season.
Anyway, taking all these factors in to account, EBC trek is a moderate level trek in mesmerizing khumbu region.

Cost of Everest Base Camp Trekking

The cost of Everest base camp trekking covers all the expenses of flight tickets, accommodation, food, appropriate trekking gears, essential permits, insurance, guides and porters, and other miscellaneous cost.

First of all, the flight ticket to lukla from Kathmandu costs about 177 dollar. However if you choose the jiri to Everest base camp instead, you won’t need a flight, hence will reduce the cost of flight ticket. The price of flight ticket from lukla to Kathmandu is somehow identical.

Secondly, during your EBC trek you will have a great range of places for accommodation to choose from. While the teahouses along the trekking trails are quite cheaper, right next to them there are luxurious hotels that are expensive. Thus, the price of accommodation is totally dependent upon you and your comfort and preferred facilities. For instance, if you choose the Everest base camp luxury trekking package, then your cost will be definitely higher. Also, note the fact that you might need to pay higher cost for accommodation in high altitudes.

Moreover, you have to get several permits for the completion of Everest base camp trek. As the trek runs through Sagarmatha national park, it is mandatory for you to have the permit to Sagarmatha national park that costs 33$. In addition, you must have TIMS card, the price of which differs with regards to your nationality. Apart from these, you must acquire permit to Gaurishankar Conservation Area only if you are planning to trek from jiri.

Finally, the prices for hiring guides and porters vary from 20 to 40 $. Remember in order to have a comfortable trek you must hire guides and porters.The miscellaneous expenses includes costs of charging your electronic gadgets, tipping guides or porters and so on.

Travel Insurance for EBC trek

Travel insurance is significant for you to feel secure, regardless the trip you are under taking. And in high altitude trek like this one, you must have one of those. Travel insurance for Everest base camp comes in handy to overcome from the situations of altitude sickness, accidents, and so on that may occur during your trek.

For instance, when you are in  the worst condition of altitude sickness, and at that time if you don’t have the travel  insurance then you must pay 5000$ extra  for an immediate helicopter rescue. In addition, you might lost you bags or other items as a result of misplacement or petty theft. In such cases also travel insurance is helpful.

For these reasons, you must get a travel insurance for Everest base camp trekking. There are number of trekking agency that provides the facility of travel insurance. You must make sure that the provided insurance covers all these aspects.

Altitude Sickness in EBC Trek

One of the major concerns of trekkers while trekking to Everest base camp is altitude sickness. Altitude sickness in EBC is a result of low oxygen level (58%) that compels body to function abnormally, and improper acclimatization trend.

There are many forms of resulting altitude sickness during EBC trekking. They are:

• Acute mountain sickness (AMS)
• High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)
• High altitude cerebral edema (HACE)

These forms of altitude sickness have their distinct symptoms and preventive measures. Acute mountain sickness is comparatively mild while HAPE HACE are extreme form of altitude sickness. HAPE and HACE are the condition where fluid accumulate in lungs and brain, respectively and can be fatal if left untreated immediately.

However, you can reduce the chances of altitude sickness by trekking at rather gentle pace. Plus, make sure you are giving your body enough time to adjust in the changing environment by sensible acclimatization. Moreover, you must provide your body with enough nutrients (especially carbohydrates) and minerals.

Other factors like proper medication, sanitation, and quick descent to lower altitude when you feel the symptoms of altitude sickness are significant in preventing the chance of altitude sickness.

Hiring a Guide to Everest Base Camp

For an experienced trekkers trekking to Everest base camp without guide is not a big deal. However, hiring a guide to Everest base camp becomes significant, if you are amateur trekker and don’t have any knowledge about trekking.
Guides are helpful from different perspective, apart from guiding you to Everest base camp. They can be excellent translator while you interact with locals.

This way, you get to know and enjoy the local culture and lifestyle. Alongside guide, you can also hire a porter who will carry your belongings throughout the trek giving your body much needed relief. This way, you will have a burden less trek and you can complete this memorable trek within time without any major complications.

Alternatively, you can hire a porter cum guide who carries your backpacks, as well as guides you during the trek.

Guides and porter might help you to witness the memorable mountain vistas and landscapes as they are pretty much aware of ideal vantage points for mountain viewing. And, they might be helpful to experience the authentic local cuisine of the region. Finally, they can be a good companion of yours along the trek so that you will be provided with necessary physical and mental support.

For hiring a guide and porters, there are number of agencies in Nepal. Otherwise, you can hire your licensed guides and porters via Dream Heaven Adventure.

Finding a Right Travel Agency for EBC trek

Finding a right travel agency for EBC trek might prove to be tedious work for you as there are thousands of trekking agencies in Nepal that offers the EBC trek packages. However, it is vital to consider various aspect that makes an agency perfect.

Travel agencies plays a vital role when you are in need of accommodation and licensed guides and porters. A good travel agency must have good track records in terms of providing emergency services during the trek. Likewise, they must be able to provide you with vital sets of instructions and customize your trekking itinerary as per your preferences.

You need to take various things into considerations while choosing trekking agency for trekking in Nepal. First of all, check whether the agency is provided with authorized travel agency license. Likewise, another significant factor to consider while choosing right trekking agency is experience of the agency in the field of trekking.

Nonetheless, prior to selecting a trekking agency, you should make rough estimation of the number of days you will be trekking, your budget and the destinations you want to visit. This way, it will be easier for you to choose a trekking agency perfect for your desired trek.

Moreover, go through the reviews of Nepal’s trekking agency online in popular sites such as lonely planet so that you will have clear idea about the standard of services provided by the respective trekking agency.

In the same way, you can interrogate the guide offered by the agency and decide whether he is perfect fit for you. Finally, make sure the agency provide you with standard emergency services at the time of trekking.

Everest Base Camp Training Program

Everest base camp training program is intended for trekkers for successful completion of their Everest base camp trek

For a beginner who has significantly less experience in the field of trekking, a few hours of hiking one month prior to your actual trek is very beneficial. Alternatively, you can arrive in Nepal few days earlier to your trek and undertake a few shorts trek to adjust your body for long walks in changing altitudes.

Besides, get involved in cardio training such as running, cycling, and swimming for better endurance and stamina. Another important aspect to build endurance and stamina is diet. Make sure, you eat foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

You can also take the aid of elevation mask to prepare for your trek as it is believed to build endurance in body. However, preparing with elevation masks does not guarantee that you won’t suffer from altitude sickness later in the trek. Anyway, it assists you in stimulating the environment that you are likely to witness during your trek.

Please note the fact that you should not rush during your trek to EBC. Rather trek at gentle pace and acclimatize properly in the high altitude. If still you don’t feel well, please take a rest until you feel better. At different points of trek, you might feel the symptoms of altitude sickness. In such cases, you must descend to a lower elevation and take vital precautions.

Everest Base Camp Trek Route

Everest base camp trek route depends upon the destinations you want to witness along the trek. However, the classic route to Everest base camp looks like this:

No of Days	Itinerary	Max. Elevation	Distance Covered	Trekking (hrs)
01	Arrival in Kathmandu	1400 m
02	Kathmandu sightseeing tour	1400 m
03	Kathmandu-Lukla-Phakding	2800 m	8 km	3-4 hrs
04	Phakding-Namche Bazaar	3438 m	11 km	5-6 hrs
05	Namche Bazaar acclimatization	3438 m
06	Namche Bazaar-Tengboche	3870 m	10 km	5-6 hrs
07	Tengboche-Dingboche	4360 m	9 km	5-6 hrs
08	Dingboche acclimatization	4360 m
09	Dingboche-Dughla	4600 m	4 km	3-4 hrs
10	Dughla-Lobuche	4940 m	4 km	2-4 hrs
11	Lobuche-Gorak Shep- EBC – Gorak Shep	5364 m	13 km	6-7 hrs
12	Gorak Shep-Kala Pathar – Pheriche	5545 m	16 km	7-8 hrs
13	Pheriche-Namche Bazaar	3440 m	20 km	6-7 hrs
14	Namche Bazaar-Lukla	2860 m	19 km	6-7 hrs
15	Lukla-Kathmandu	2860 m
16	Departure from Kathmandu	1400 m

The above itinerary can be customized as pre your preferences. For that, you need to contact your respective travel agency and put forward you desired itinerary.

Other trekking options in Everest Region

Enthusiastic trekkers are often unknown about the other trekking options in Everest region. Thus, this article will let you know about such trekking options in brief.

Everest View Trek

Everest base camp panorama trek is a perfect fit for those who are amateur trekker, and is looking forward to gather some trekking experience in Everest region. It is a comprehensive trek in the lower elevations of Everest.

This trek takes you through the destinations such as Namche bazaar, Tengboche, and Phakding at altitude below 3500m.

Three High Pass Trek and Island Peak Climb/trek

In this Everest high passes and Island peak trek you will come across Everest base camp and kala pathar, as well as mountain passes such as Cho La Pass and Kongma La pass. In addition to that, you will also climb Island peak of 6187m tall. This three high pass trek in Everest is completed within the span of 25 days.

Gokyo Lake Trek

Gokyo valley trek is a wonderful trek that takes you through the mesmerizing valley of Gokyo provided with breathtaking mountains, monasteries, astonishing glaciers and lake.

Like Everest region, Gokyo valley has a number of trekking options such as Gokyo valley and Renjo La Pass trek and Gokyo to Everest base camp trek. All these treks are customizable and are completed in different span of days.

Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trek

Jiri to Everest base camp trek is considered to be the longest trek of the Everest region that takes you through jiri situated at an altitude of 1900m. This trek helps you to acclimatize at the time of higher regions trekking in Everest.

Deaths in Everest base Camp

If you are planning to undertake Everest base camp trek, you might be wondering about the number of   deaths of trekkers that occurred while trekking to Everest base camp. Deaths in Everest base camp occurs mainly at the time of expedition as they are full of difficulties and challenges. You need a significant amount of training and complex set of equipments for successful Everest expedition.

However, deaths are rare while trekking to the Everest base camp. This is because the trekking trails to Everest base camp are relatively safer and less sophisticated. Thousands of trekkers complete this trek every year with the aid of appropriate training and preparations.

Recently, Everest region saw the death of a travel enthusiast from Australia, Melbourne. In 2014 also, there were some casualties in the Everest region. This happened because these people were having problems coping with the altitude sickness.

Thus, you need to prepare extremely to cope up with altitude sickness prior to your high altitude trek. Having friends in high altitude trek is very beneficial as they will provide you with necessary assistance if incase you suffer from such sickness during your trek. It is very vital for you to hire guide of EBC trekking for such support, if you are travelling alone.

Alternatives to Trekking to EBC

Although you might be desperate to visit the Everest region, you may not be ready for Everest base camp trek. In such case, you might seek for alternatives for trekking to Everest base camp which will take you to mesmerizing Everest region without taking the trouble of trekking. Guess what? There is a way.

Everest base camp can be reached in a comfortable manner via EVEREST BASE CAMP HELICOPTER TOUR. It takes you through the Everest base camp and kala pathar from Kathmandu. First of all, you will travel to lukla from Kathmandu and then stop at syangboche for a wonderful breakfast at Everest view hotel, a luxurious hotel from where you can enjoy the delightful vistas of the peaks in the Everest region such as Mt.Lhoste, Mt.Makalu, including Mt.Everest.

Right after your breakfast, you will head towards Everest base camp and Kala pathar. Kala pathar offers the closest view of Everest. After spending an hour and half there, you will return back to Kathmandu within the same day.

Such helicopter tour is accessible throughout the year. Also, you can choose whether you would like to join the group in a helicopter tour to Everest base camp or choose a private tour.

Everest Base Camp Packing List

Everest base camp packing list plays a significant role in determining the difficulty of your Everest base camp. So, you must pack according to the season you are planning to trek, and must select your trekking gears and clothing accordingly.

At lower altitude, the temperature might be comparatively lower so multi-layered clothing comes in handy. In such regions, you need to put on base layer, insulation layer and the outermost layer of clothing.

As in mountains rain cannot be fully ignored, make sure you pack your down jackets and trousers regardless the season you are planning to trek.

Please choose a voluminous backpack with rain cover that can accommodate your belongings ranging from clothes to digital accessories.

Sturdy trekking boots is mandatory while trekking EBC. Also, make sure you pack sunscreen and sunglasses for UV rays protection.

Moreover, items like woolen hat, gloves, socks, trekking pole, basic toiletries and first aid are significant during your EBC trek.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of accommodation is available in the Everest region?

In lower altitudes, there are luxurious hotels such as Everest view hotel along with basic tea houses. However, as the elevation increases luxurious facilities such as WiFi, room heating becomes scarce and there are only teahouses as accommodation.

What kind of food is served during Everest base camp trek?

The kind of food served is totally dependent upon the hotels you are dinning in. While luxurious hotels offer great range of delicacies from continental to American, normal tea houses often serve you traditional food, dal bhat for lunch and dinner.

Is there a great range of beverage available during the EBC trek?

As Nepal is very famous for beverages like tea and coffee, you will get to taste a range of tea and coffee during EBC.

Nonetheless, you should strictly avoid alcohol as consumption of it leads to dehydration, which increases the possibility of altitude sickness.

What kind of snacks do I need to carry for the EBC trek?

You should always carry carbohydrate rich snacks such as chocolates and energy drinks. Consumption of these helps you to maintain the energy level of your body while trekking.

Is drinking water at EBC pure?

The major problem while trekking the Everest region is impure drinking water. Drinking impure water leads to dehydration as it causes diarrhea. Thus, make sure you carry water purifier so that you can drink pure water in Everest.

What kind of toilet facilities is available in EBC region?

Most of the teahouses in Everest are provided with squat toilets that doesn’t have automatic flushing system. However, in recently built lodges you might find automatic flush toilets.

Is cell phone reception available in Everest base camp trek?

Cell phone reception is available is different parts in EBC trail although, its quality differs from one location to another. At Everest base camp also there is such facilities. Moreover, several villages and tea houses are provided with landline facility.

Is there any limit on age for EBC trek?

No, absolutely not. There are no ages barrier while trekking EBC, however, do consult your doctor before your actual trek. They will provide you proper prescription needed to overcome difficulties that you might encounter during EBC trek.

What is the limit of the weight of my baggage to Everest base camp?

While taking lukla flight, there is a certain limit to the weight of your backpack. The check-in baggage should not excess the weight limit of 10 kg whereas; maximum limit of hand carry is 5 kg.

Are ATMs available in Everest base camp?

Although there are some ATMs available in places like Namche bazaar and lukla, you won’t find any ATMs in the Everest base camp. In fact, sometimes ATMs might run out of cash or machines might malfunction. Thus, carrying some cash is always a good option.

Is there a rule for tipping/donations while trekking in EBC?

We are often asked whether tipping is compulsory or not by enthusiastic trekkers. Tipping is not mandatory. However, you can tip or make donations if in case you are willing to.

Conclusion

Everest base camp is often considered to be a trek of a lifetime as it certainly provides you with tons of memories that will last for a lifetime. However, make sure you are fully prepared before you start your trek. This way, you are sure to have the most amazing trekking experience of your entire life.

Hopefully, this article will guide you while preparing for your Everest base camp trek. If there are any further queries regarding this trek or any other Treks in Nepal, don’t hesitate to contact us.

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