Booking open for 2024 and 2025 for all tour and trekking in nepal
Everest Base Camp Trek
5/5 based on 100 reviews
Booking open for 2024 and 2025 for all tour and trekking in nepal
5/5 based on 100 reviews
Trip Duration
12 Days
Group Sizes
2-16 People
Difficulty
Moderate
Max. Altitude
5364m
Activities
Meals
Accommodation
Would you like to experience what it feels like to stand at the highest point of a huge Himalayan realm? Would you like to wave your country’s flag at the top tired and exhausted but still proud? If yes, then your place should be in our 12 days Everest Base Camp trek- a journey for a total reboot of your system and soul.
The world-acclaimed Everest Base camp can be found in the Khumbu Valley where it rests beautifully in front of the 5486 m tall Khumbu Icefall in the protected region of the National Park of Everest. In height, it is not inferior to the Khumbu Icefall as it also rises magnificently to 5364 m above sea level.
As to describe our route of the Everest Base Camp trek, it is the most conventional iconic footpath that is followed by tens of thousands of climbers every year in order to get as close as possible to the mountains of mountains.
The first part of our journey to the 12 days Everest Base Camp trek will walk you through the somewhat magical lands of the Sherpa hamlets via the forestic and alpine landscape. Thus, you will get to know and become part of the Sherpa culture, the ethnic group related to Tibetans who live high in the mountain range.
Then halfway through the journey, you will venture into the colorful tent village of the Everest Base Camp itself. The massive snowy rocky walls of Lhotse and Nuptse will greet you here. Then, the most exhilarating segment of the Everest Base Camp journey awaits you when you will reach the top of the geographically highest point of our 12 days Everest Base Camp trek- the almighty Kalapatthar.
The experience is totally unexplainable but looking around the huge space, the high glistening Himalayan peaks, you will feel the wave-like ecstasy running through your veins that ultimately give you infinite calm.
We are not exaggerating when we say this same feeling will be present with you almost from the beginning to the end of the Everest Base Camp trek.
You can go on this adventure on March, April, May and September, October, and November, the remaining of the time is a little too cold. You should be fit for this trip as it is physically challenging but worth every breath.
The 12 days Everest base camp trek begins with the green mountain forests of Ramechhap from where we fly over the soaring peaks towards Lukla. The strolling path from here leads along the rivers, suspension bridges, colorful prayer wheels, and stones with ancient writings.
Eventually, the Sherpa peoples’ largest settlement of Namche Bazaar will be reached which acts as the border between the forest and alpine zone. The further path now slowly becomes difficult as our journey progresses through Lobuche across the Khumbu Glacier.
We are now closer to the Everest Base Camp and the trail passes along the chaos of ice and stones to the last Khumbu semi-settlement of Gorakshep. The base camp is at a stone’s throw distance from here which we will visit the same day.
The next day, we will climb the 5550 m peak of Kalapatthar that bless us with the astonishing visuals of Everest and its neighboring sister mountains.
We will now walk in a circle and passing through Namche and Lukla, we will reach Ramechhap- a place from where our journey began and now ends.
We will depart from Ramechhap early in the morning and board a fantastic flight to Lukla. During 20 minutes till we land at the runway of the airfield, we will see the hilly landscape below us while on the horizon, the snow-adorned peaks of Kanchenjunga, and Sagarmatha (Everest) tower.
After a hair raising landing at Lukla, we will be met by our assigned group of guides and porters. We will get organized for our tour then we will set off on the trail. The first leg of the tour is short, but still long enough for us to get a feel for what awaits us.
The long main street of Lukla will descend after a while towards Chheplung and Chauri Kharka with the first view of Kusum Kanguru Peak. We will then cross Thadokoshi and Ghat down the foaming Dudh Koshi River.
The mixed forest path then guides us to Phakding- the first overnight settlement in the mountains.
The hiking track after Phakding winds its way through the alternating deep dark rhododendron and pine forests to Zam Phute, Toktok, and Benkar.
Monjo village will be reached within a few hours and cross the border of Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. We will register in the books and move to Jorsalle. Soon after, the Dudh Koshi River meets with the Bhote Koshi and Imja Khola.
A beautiful long Hilary Suspension bridge lets us cross the merging point of these three rivers after which the zigzag track climbs up towards Everest View Point at 3140 m.
The last stage of the track is quite a vertical climb thus finally ending at Namche Bazaar. It is one of the largest villages with restaurants, cafes, bakeries, banks, hotels, and several shops selling climbing and hiking equipment.
Today is a day off or active acclimatization in Namche Bazaar. Either in the morning or late in the afternoon, we can take on a short hike up to the 3880 m Everest View Hotel for the bewitching spectacle of Cholatse, Nuptse, Thamserku, Ama Dblam, Tawache, Everest, and Lhotse.
We can also go up to 3 century old ochre red Gompa where we can meet lamas and monks. Newcomers can walk along the ridge to Choi Gang, the Upper Part of Namche.
Here is Sargamatha National Park’s headquarters and you can visit the small fine museum and at the same time be rewarded with an all-time view of Ama Dablam and Mt. Everest.
From Namche, the track twists around the side above the Dudh Koshi. The path then follows many tea shops and villages and comes down steeply to a bridge over the river at Phungi Thenga (3250 m).
This tiny delightful village serves as a wonderful lunch destination for us at the same time offering a chance to relax before the challenging 2-hour hike up to Tengboche.
Despite the strenuous climb along the winding road, there are plenty of distractions to enjoy, including multicolored rhododendron bushes, beautiful bird species, and stunning mountain views.
Tengboche is famous for its most prominent monastery in the Khumbu region, with the towering peaks of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam creating a picturesque backdrop.
We will now commence with a descent through rhododendron forests to the beautiful settlement of Deboche, where we have the opportunity to see the mighty Ama Dablam up close.
After Deboche, we will pass over a suspension bridge that spans the white, swirling waters of the Imja Khola River. Soon we also reach a beautiful snow-white Buddhist stupa and Pangboche monastery. The Gompa looks up at Ama Dablam with its all-seeing eyes – an excellent photo opportunity.
The trail then slopes gently downwards, and before we reach the Dingboche Valley we pass several farms with large populations of the long-haired yak cattle.
A beautiful rest day at Dingboche! For those who feel they have plenty of energy left, there is the option of going on a day hike up to a brilliantly beautiful lookout point of Nangkartshang Hill (5100m).
Adore the dazzling panorama of Makalu, Ama Dablam, Baruntse, Thamserku, Tawache, Lobuche, Imja Tse, Khankaru, Chopola, and Cholatse among many.
After Dingboche, we will begin to walk 150 m up to a road where we have an incomparable view of the Tawache and Cholatse peaks. Later we will stop for rest and lunch at the Dughla settlement.
We will then make an hour-long trek across the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and eventually arrive at a number of memorials to foreign and Nepali trekkers who have been lost in the mountains. The site is locally known as Dughla Pass towering at 4830 m. which also grants us the grand vista of Lobuche Base Camp with its peak and Ama Dablam.
After that, the trail begins to slope downwards and we follow the western part of the valley towards the small village of Lobuche.
After Lobuche, we cross the Khumbu Glacier moraine for approximately 3 hours. During the first part of the hike, we will look out over the 7,000-meter-high mountain peak Pumori and also glimpse the peaks belonging to Nuptse, Kala Patthar, and Mount Everest.
As we are heading, the Lobuche Pass (Thangma Riju) will be encountered. For the next hour, we will continue hiking along the Changri Glacier ending up with a 20-minute vertical tough climb. The prominent ridge will be reached and we will drop down to Gorakshep. It is a semi-permanent settlement at the bottom of the Khumbu Icefall.
After some preparation, the rocky desert-like path follows the hill which presents us a faraway view of Everest. Once we are at the hill’s end, a sharp downward track will take us to the mouth of Khumbu Glacier where the grand Everest Base Camp is seated.
The rising snowy walls of Nuptse, Lhotse, and Khumbu Icefall hide Everest behind but we can see the village of colorful tents at the camp.
The path back through the same trail will direct us to Gorakshep for a transitory stay.
At around 3 to 4 m, we will prepare to climb the Black Stone Peak more familiar as Kala Patthar. The 2-hour walk up will be hard at first then ease out as we make it to the summit of the Kala Patthar.
We will have Pumori in the west to Nuptse, Lobuche, Changtse, Lingtren, Khumbutse, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Everest- the most astonishing views in the world.
On the way back to Gorakshep, we also get the chance to look over the sparkling glacial lakes of Everest and Pumori. We will eat breakfast and then begin a four-hour hike down towards Pheriche passing over Lobuche and Dughla once again.
Now the descent begins in earnest toward the Pangboche community. The half-hour downward track now takes us to the shaking bridge. After coming out of the bridge, we will comfortably walk for about 40 minutes towards Deboche.
Now, a 30-minute upward track directs us to Tengboche Gompa. From here, the trail slopes steeply down towards Dudh Koshi and the village of Phunki, where we cross the river.
Then it’s uphill again towards Namche Bazaar, which sits high above the river with a view of the northern part of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse.
We will begin today’s six to seven-hour trekking stage by a steep descent from Namche Bazaar to Dudh Koshi, which means a lot of strain on the knees and legs.
The trail then continues up to the hamlet of Monjo. Now we can exhale, the hardest part is over. The road through Benkar, Phakding, and finally Lukla flows on at a pleasant pace.
Our journey today will take us from Lukla, flying once more alongside the great mountain chains towards Ramechhap where a relaxing hot shower awaits us at the hotel.
Normally, the weather at Everest Base Camp is cold all the time because it is 5364 meters high and it is unpredictable. But the periods when the weather is the most constant (with the least temperature difference) are Fall and Spring.
September to November is fall and is the finest season for the Everest Base Camp trek when the weather is most consistent, with clear, dark, and bright skies because the monsoon season has just passed.
The daytime temperature is comfortable between 7 to 13 degrees heat, but the nighttime is cold to 0 to -6 degrees heat, but it’s bearable. During this time at the base camp, you won’t see any climbers’ tents, because the most popular time for climbers to summit Mount Everest is in May.
March to May is spring and the second most fine period when the Himalayas will be most vivid. You will see the sky is bright blue and clear, see the colors of the forest, the greenness, and beautiful flowers along the way.
You will also see many tents of climbers at Everest Base Camp and a herd of yaks carrying many belongings to the base camp for climbers. However, the weather can be less stable, more often it rains or has cold temperatures due to the long winter.
December to February is winter when the days are short, the nights are long and very cold. January is the chilliest month, with temperatures reaching as low as -25 degrees. The overall weather in this season is fairly stable and dry (no rain). The nights are very cold, and in the higher areas, it snows, which makes the sky thick with clouds and makes the view difficult.
Trekking in winter is possible and you can do it, but you need to prepare yourself, prepare your mind, prepare your belongings, especially winter gear, and be very careful.
June to August is the summer season co-occurring with rain and it is not advisable for trekking. The weather is uncomfortable, hot, and humid, and there is rain, which can cause dangerous paths such as landslides.
The 11-day hiking journey in the 12 days Everest Base Camp trek is a 130 km long round route that starts in Lukla just 135 km far from Kathmandu by air. On the other hand, Ramechhap is only 74 km far from Lukla by air. The full length of the flight to Lukla from Kathmandu is 30 minutes while from Ramechhap is only 20 minutes.
The trek will take you to the highest altitude of 5550 m at Kalapatthar while the highest overnight altitude of our tour is at Gorakshep at 5164 m. A doable distance of 15 km will be walked per day at a reasonable pace.
You have to get ready to walk for 4 to 6 hours each day for 11 days straight in our 12 days Everest Base Camp trek. Since the nature of the route on the Everest Base Camp trek differs every day from flat paths to hilly ups and downs, the length of everyday walk thus varies.
The walking journey from Lukla to Phakding on the first day is a quick 3-hour hike along a downward trail. But the ultimate test comes on day 9 when we will tackle the demanding ascent to Kala Patthar before descending to Pheriche, a grueling 8 to 9-hour journey.
The Everest Base Camp trek can be defined as a mixed-level trip- slightly difficult, and a bit challenging. It is slightly difficult because the average duration of the hike is regarded normal trek in Nepal and there are days to sleep in the same place, with no need to pack or carry anything.
Coupled with the extremely high altitude on this route, there are rest days for the body to adjust to the weather at high altitude, or what is called acclimatization day. You will engage in short walks of 2 to 3 hours on these days and there are only 1-2 long treks of 6-9 hours.
And what makes this trek a bit challenging is you have to walk every day no matter how fatigued you are. There will be cold weather and some days you have to leave early before the sun shines. There will be a sharp vertical uphill and downhill when you make it to the top and bottom of Kalapatthar.
The 12 days Everest Base Camp trek doesn’t need any multi-day trekking experience. In addition, we have designed the route well, making it suitable and not too difficult for both beginners and experienced hikers.
It is not too strenuous and not too rushed, avoids altitude sickness, and chooses the accommodation village that is nice to stay in, has a good atmosphere, and delicious food.
However, the vertical inclines on the top day of the Everest Base Camp trek and 4 to 6 hours of walking must require you to be vigorous. So you must like to exercise or exercise regularly and you should have daily walking experience in the park, in the street, forest or anywhere else.
Nothing can really prepare you for trekking in the Himalayas if you are not familiar with the world of mountains. But don’t be scared as people with average physical fitness can easily handle the challenges of the Everest Base Camp trek.
It is significant to keep the right stride: a smooth and unhurried rhythm of movement is the key to achieving the goal. But most importantly, at this pace, you can slowly admire the surrounding landscape and enjoy your stay here.
If you have some time, it would be a good idea to prepare your body for a trek in the Himalayas. Cross-country walking, running, cycling, or swimming several times a week will help strengthen your cardiovascular system and prepare you for the stresses expected during the trek.
Try to train 2-3 times a week for 1-2 hours and at least once a month go for a 4-5 hour cross-country hike. These workouts over the course of 3-4 months will help prepare you for trekking in the Himalayas.
Aside from the route we have proposed through the Khumbu Valley, there is also a second route that traverses the Gokyo Valley before making it to the base camp. The Gokyo Ri lookout point, Gokyo Lake, and the Cho La Pass are the major highlights apart from the Everest base camp and Kala Patthar.
The third route will take you through the three lofty Everest three mountain Passes of Renjo La, Kongma La, and Cho La along with the Gokyo Lake. However, it is a more complex trail that needs you to walk for long hours for at least 17 days.
And for those looking to integrate some mountain climbing into their Everest Base Camp trek, the route can also be merged with an ascent to the peak of Island, Pachhermo, or Lobuche.
For those looking for an effortless and lavish route, the 5-hour Helicopter Everest Base camp is always there.
Altitude is one of the major factors that add difficulty to our Everest Base Camp trek. The further uphill you trek, the higher the altitude also becomes. Altitude sickness and other altitude-related problems can occur due to increasing altitude. During this trek, you will reach a maximum of 5500 m, which is an extreme altitude.
Most often experiences mild headaches with appetite loss, sleep loss, and breathing exertion. Diamox is one of the popular remedies for this condition which helps your body to recover from the illness. There are other herbal remedies as well such as garlic, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon water.
However, if you are impacted by altitude sickness, it is better to rest and stay at where you are currently located. Take rest and take Diamox to relieve the nausea, if this too does not help, drop to lower regions. Do not worry; our experienced team will help you to cure the illness.
A round flight from Ramechhap to Lukla in the beginning and Lukla to Ramechhap flight at the end of the journey will be scheduled for you.
Regarding your lodging, you will rest your bodies and sleep in lodges or tea houses all the way to the Everest Base Camp. These simple mountain shelters provide warm lodging for a one or two-night stay where separate rooms will be offered for two people. Water, toilet, and shower are available in each lodge.
There is no need to overthink about food. Simple, but tasty and varied cuisine three times a day will be at your service. We will arrange everything in the tea houses and orders will be taken from the menu.
For breakfast, you can have toasted bread, pancakes, eggs, hot milk and much more. The typical Nepali lunch consists of rice, pulses, vegetables, pickles, potatoes etc. You can also eat porridge, toast, peanut butter, and much more.
Buy a local SIM Card (NTC and NCELL) right at the airport, it’s faster and easier. You will get a signal almost everywhere on the track, and it’s still more convenient and saves money. It also has 4G internet that works fine in almost all the Everest Base Camp tracks.
For WIFI, you can buy Air Link cards or Everest Link cards for the Internet in advance, it’s cheaper than paying for Wi-Fi in the lodges. A 20 GB card will cost about 2,000 rupees ($15). the Everest Link is often free on the way to the Everest Base Camp except for at Dingboche and Tengboche.
Solar panels and NEA (Nepal Electricity Association) provide electricity, and the teahouses and lodges on the Everest Base Camp trek offer charging facilities. However, an extra fare will be charged for this service. The cost of charging is around $2-3 per hour.
You must have both a Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park Entrance Permit and a Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entrance Permit for the Everest Base Camp Trek. Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit is for entry into the restricted area and costs 3000 NPR (30 USD) per person.
The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit is a new permit that replaces the old TIMS cards. The fee for this permit is 2000 NPR (20 USD) per person and is available only in Lukla. This permit is required to enter the restricted villages of the Khumbu region.
You don’t have to worry about getting the permits yourself, as our tour guide will handle it for you, and the service cost is already covered in our tour price.
Both routes offer stunning scenery and are worth the trip. The variations exist in the diverse tracks and communities you walk through. Everest Base Camp is the path to the highest peak in the globe, Mount Everest, while Annapurna Base Camp is the trekking track to Mount Annapurna- the 10th highest in the world. The travel time to Annapurna Base Camp is shorter than to Everest Base Camp, but it has higher costs and becomes more expensive as the number of days increases as well.
Yes, no one is immune from possible accidents, and if they occur, travel insurance will help save your finances. The helicopter rescue cost and medical attention abroad can be tens of thousands of American dollars. Therefore, it is better to spend some on insurance and provide yourself with peace of mind than to face financial difficulties and stress if an emergency situation arises while traveling.
Even though the journey to Everest Base Camp is long and tiring, it is not dangerous. You should take the necessary steps to be mentally and physically ready for the astounding travel in Khumbu. You can hear inspiring stories of people from 16 years old to 80 years old trekking to Everest Base Camp.
Yes, of course, there are porters who will carry your heavy trekking backpack and other things. The porters are mostly Sherpas who know every corner o the Khumbu Valley and understand everything about the region. They also know, speak and understand fluent English so there is no barrier in communication.
Yes, there are several trekking equipment rental shops in Thamel, Kathmandu. Trekking equipment such as trekking poles, sleeping bags, walking boots, and down jackets are available for rent. The cost of equipment rental is around 1 to 2 USD per day.
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