A Complete Guide To Everest Base Camp Trek

Everest Base Camp Trek is the world-famous trekking trail that exhibits a number of peaks over 8,000 meters. This is a  trek into heaven surrounded by mountain peaks everywhere with stunning views.

This two weeks popular trek allows you enough time in the Khumbu region. You get to spend time with the local Sherpa people and get a closer look at their lifestyle and culture. Plus, the waving prayer flags, mani walls, and white painted chortens make this trek even more rejoicing.

On walking across the bank of Dudh Koshi River, you will catch the stunning views of the chain of the Himalayas, dispersed settlements, lust barren hills, and diverse vegetation. This is what lures every trekker during the Everest Base Camp.

This trip to the Everest region is a moderate-level trek that anyone with a fit body and strong mentality can opt for. You need to walk for around 6-7 hours each day while taking rest at many rest stops.

The local Autumn and Spring seasons are the peak time to trek in the Khumbu region. These months welcome thousands of trekkers from all over the world.    

Highlights of Everest Base Camp Trekking Route

• Everest Base Camp (5380 meters) and Kala Patthar (5555 meters)
• The bustling Sherpa hub – Namche Bazaar
• Spectacular views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Nuptse, Pumori, and so on
• Sagarmatha National Park – National park located at the highest altitude in Nepal
• Tengboche Monastery – among the oldest monastery in the Khumbu region
• Everest View Hotel – hotel at the highest altitude in the world
• Khumjung Monastery – a monastery that preserves Yeti’s scalp
• Enticing Khumbu glacier, icefall, and hanging icicles
• Hillary School and hospital in Khunde village
• Breathtaking Lukla flight

Altitude and Route Information for the Everest Base Camp

Trek to Everest Base Camp is among the high-altitude treks in Nepal. Starting from the low altitude of 1400 meters at Kathmandu, you trek to the highest point at Kala Patthar at 5,555 meters.

So, every day on this trek, you gain a certain height. With the change in altitude, your body feels the decrease in oxygen level. So, with the increasing height, your body becomes prone to altitude sickness.

On the first day, you will fly from Kathmandu to Lukla at 2,800 meters altitude. Then you will walk to Phakding (2,610 meters) then to Monjo to Namche Bazaar (3,440 meters). During your acclimatization, you will walk to the Everest View Hotel (3,962 meters) and to Khumjung village (3,790 meters). Walking at such a height helps your body adjust to the changing oxygen level.

From Namche, you will walk to Tengboche monastery (3,860 meters) then to Pangboche then to Dingboche (4,360 meters). At Dingboche, you will spend a day extra for acclimatization. The next stop will be at Lobuche (4,940 meters) and then at Gorak Shep (5,170 meters).

From Gorak Shep, you will walk to Everest Base Camp (5,300 meters) and to Kala Patthar (5,545 meters). Kala Patthar is the final destination of this trek. From there, you walk back to Pheriche (4,270 meters) and to Namche Bazaar. On the final day, you will walk back from Namche to Lukla.

Everest Base Camp Weather and Temperature

In the autumn season (late September, October, and November), the weather in the region remains quite stable with a moderate temperature. The average temperature during this season is 15ºC. While the temperature may drop down to -7ºC in the morning and night.

Spring (March, April, and May) is the warmest time of the year with an average temperature of 17ºC. However, the morning and evening temperatures may drop down to as low as -5ºC. This is the time for rhododendrons and other wildflowers on the trekking trails. This makes the surroundings more pleasant to walk into.

Summer (June, July, and August) is the time of monsoon season in Nepal. So, this month experiences rainfall in the lower elevations. But as you ascend above Dingboche, you will experience snowfall when it rains in the lower altitudes.

The average temperature may remain around 17ºC when it’s sunny and not raining. But, when it starts to rain the temperature starts to fall. During the morning and night, the temperature may drop down as low as -5ºC.

Winter (December, January, and February) is the coldest time of the year where the routes from above Tengboche are usually covered in dense snow. In winter the daytime temperature is around 8ºC. But, as night approaches the temperature drops to as low as -15ºC.

During the summer and winter seasons, weather change is quite frequent. This may lead to difficulty in walking further on the trekking trails, and flight delays in Lukla are quite common.

Note: Since the Everest Base Camp involves walking to the exact base of mountains on the snowy terrain, the weather change may happen anytime, any month. So, many trekkers who plan to join this must be prepared psychologically for such changes and harsh weather.

Best Time for Climbing Everest Base Camp

As the best time for trekking in Nepal, the best time for every trekker to trek in the Everest region is Autumn and Spring. During the autumn and spring season, the weather remains the most moderate with the best skies and the clearest landscapes.

While trekking during these months you can walk in the dry trials with no rain, snow, and bugs. You can just enjoy the glistening hills, forests, and eye-catching mountains in the soothing weather and temperature.

These are also the best months if you want to go camping in the Everest region. You can spend your nights in the backpacking tents under the star-filled sky in quite tolerable temperatures.

Besides these, the trek is doable in the winter as well as the summer season. But, due to the extreme cold in winter and rainfall in the summer, the trek gets quite difficult in these months. These offseasons may not be the best option for novice or inexperienced trekkers.

Everest Base Camp Trekking Difficulty

Altitude is the major difficulty factor in this trek to Everest Base Camp. This high-altitude trek takes you to the largest height at 5,555 meters at Kala Patthar in around 8/9 days. So, the major difficulty a large number of trekkers experience is the risk of altitude sickness.

Some trekkers who have come from the sea level and have no previous high altitude experience may feel the sickness even at Lukla (2,800 meters) and Namche Bazaar (3,400 meters).

Besides the altitude, the other difficulties you may face during the EBC trek are the cold and wind chill. The moment you land at Lukla, you start feeling wind chills. And as you go higher, the cold increases.

Likewise, the other possible difficulty many trekkers find is the rough and rocky trekking trails. There are a number of ascending trails where you will walk for 6-7 hours on average for around 2 weeks. So, many trekkers may find the trails and trekking duration exhausting.

The other hurdle in this trek is the herd of walking yaks, mules, and horses that sometimes block the roadway and bridges. And, they may kick you off the cliff if you are on the edge-side of the road. So, many trekkers fear whenever these animals approach them on the route.

Training for the Everest Base Camp

Unlike other trekking trails in Nepal, you cannot trek to EBC without proper physical fitness and training. Although you do not need special climbing training, you need to be involved in endurance and altitude training.

You need to walk on the trails for longer hours and for many days on this day. So, you must focus on cardio training like running, swimming, cycling, and so on.

You can also do some strength training. For this, you can do squatting, lunging, aerobics, push-ups, sit-ups, shoulder press, and the like.

Training like this keeps you physically fit and boosts your stamina. You will have a much easy time walking on the trails. Besides physical strength, you must boost your psyche to become ready to face any challenges that may come along during the trek.

What to Pack for the Everest Base Camp Trek?

Packing for Everest Base Camp Trek is simple but you must be very careful about what you pack. The place is deprived of proper road transportation. So, there are basic facilities of tea houses for food and accommodation during the trek. So, while walking to this place you must pack all the necessities you need for the whole trek.

A must common packing list for your EBC Trek is as follows:

• Breathable underwears
• Base Layers
• Trekking T-shirt and pant
• Wind and waterproof jacket
• Fleece jacket
• Down Jacket
• Water Bottle and purification tablets
• First Aid Kit
• Sturdy trekking boots
• Trekking socks
• Trekking Poles
• Toiletries
• A high SPF sunscreen, moisturizer, and lip balm
• Sun protection hat
• Beanie or headband
• Neckband, Buff
• Gloves
• Gaiters
• Duffle bag, Day pack, Backpack
• A four-season sleeping bag
• Sunglasses
• General medicines
• Sanitizers

Note: This is an all-season packing list for the EBC trek. You need to customize it depending on the season you are trekking to. For example, for a winter trek, you need to focus on thermals and warm clothing. While for the summer, you need to pack dry-fits and water-proof clothing.

Tips for Trekking to the Everest Base Camp

• Wind chills are very common in the Everest region. So, you must pack head gears and a scarf to protect yourself from the cold.
• To trek to the Everest region, you need to take a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. This is a 35-40 minutes flight but because of the bad weather, you may have to face flight cancellations. Come prepared for such delays and cancellations.
• Because you will walk very close to the mountains in this region, the weather is usually cold. So, it is a good idea to wear layers.
• Although you will spend nights in the teahouse, it is good to bring along a four-season sleeping bag for the trek. The blankets and mattresses you get in the teahouses may not be sufficient for you. So check the temperature according to the month in which you will be traveling and then determine the sleeping bag rating temperature. Many trekkers don’t do this and bring sleeping bags that don’t provide them enough warmth.
• If you want to reduce the cost of food and accommodation, you can choose to stay in local tea houses with basic facilities. They provide you room for free if you eat food in their place.
• Altitude is real in the EBC trek route. So, you must walk slowly and take good care of your body before you proceed to the new height in order to avoid getting sick.
• Carry enough Nepali cash that is sufficient for you throughout the trek. You do not find ATMs in the Everest region except at Lukla and Namche Bazaar.

Conclusion

The EBC is sure to fulfill your dream of standing at the base of the Himalayas and experiencing it. Along with the mountain views, this trek promises spectacular views of Himalayan settlements, diverse landscapes, and typical monasteries.

This is a trek for a trekker who is physically as well as emotionally fit, and ready to face any weather challenges that may occur during the trek.

Keep reading: 20 Amazing Everest Facts