The Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek is a spectacular excessive altitude trek within the mountains of Nepal. Put together for jaw-dropping surroundings and a novel cultural expertise exploring the difficult trekking routes across the highest mountain on the earth.
We now have completed loads of trekking in Nepal together with two treks to Everest Base Camp (EBC). On this submit, we talk about price, itinerary, guides, porters, altitude illness, how one can get to EBC and provides packing and money-saving ideas.
Essential Replace for 2022 – All airplane flights to Lukla can be operated by way of Ramechhap Airport from the 1st of October 2022.
Everest Base Camp trek overview
Distance – 120 km/75 miDays required – 12 daysTotal ascent – 6015 m/19 734 ftTotal descent – 5821 m/19 097 ft Highest level – 5640 m/18 500 ft Kala PattharDifficulty – tough Permits – Native Authorities payment (NPR 2000/US$17 pp.) and Sagarmatha Nationwide Park allow (NPR 3000/US$25 pp.) are required. No TIMS card wanted for the trek. Value per day – US$29 (with out flights) $58 per individual per day together with permits and transportation. Information – not obligatory, could be completed independently, with a information/a porter, or in a gaggle.Lodging – visitor homes
The place is Everest Base Camp (EBC)?
Everest Base Camp is positioned about 150 kilometres (90 miles) northeast of Kathmandu within the Khumbu area of Nepal at an altitude of 5,364 metres
Everest Base Camp is a camp the place climbers keep and put together earlier than beginning to climb the world’s highest mountain. There are literally two base camps for climbing Mount Everest, the North Base Camp in Tibet and the South Base Camp in Nepal. The Nepalese camp is the Everest Base Camp that most individuals confer with.
How you can hike to Mount Everest Base Camp?
You could have three important choices on how one can do the trek to Everest Base Camp, you may both do a bundle tour by way of an company, do it by your self (no group or information) however rent a porter or information or do it fully impartial.
Doing an organized tour by way of an company is an effective choice if you’re alone or not assured to do the trek unassisted, it’s a neater however dearer choice. Discovering porters and guides in Kathmandu is simple, simply go to any native company they may help you to arrange workers on your functions.Doing it your self shouldn’t be onerous and airplane, bus or jeep tickets from Kathmandu to Lukla is the one factor that it’s a must to arrange. You comply with a really clear path, everyone stays in the identical little “cities” with many tea homes, it’s not essential to e-book something.
We now have completed the EBC trek impartial twice, trekking independently on a reasonably frugal price range our price was $645 (together with the flight) start and finish in Kathmandu in March 2020. You may see our optimized Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary we advocate.
If like for us attending to the highest of Everest is out of your price range however you continue to want to climb one of many Seven Peaks you may contemplate conquering Mount Kilimanjaro, the best peak in Africa, or climbing Mount Elbrus, the best peak in Europe.
Organised Everest Base Camp Trek
For some nice treks with respected worldwide firms check out these nice excursions.
15 day Everest Base Camp trek with G-Adventures beginning and ending in Kathmandu. I consider opinions is a vital useful resource when deciding on an exercise and firm, with greater than 1500 opinions and better than 90% rating this appears to be like like a winner, learn among the opinions. Together with native flights, trekking, guides, porters and lodging.
If you’re trekking in season escape the crowds by climbing the extra quiet approach and expertise unreal views of well-known mountains equivalent to Ok 43, Taboche, Cholatse, Nuptse and Everest. Climb the robust Gokyo Ri peak for spectacular panoramic views, take a look at this superior 16 day trek itinerary, climbing to EBC by way of Gokyo Lakes!
How A lot Cash do I Want for Everest Base Camp Trek?
For a whole cent by cent price breakdown of our trek to Everest Base Camp in 2020. Value of trekking to EBC other ways in a nutshell:
Package deal tour EBC trek with worldwide company $1700 Package deal tour EBC trek with native company $1600 Unbiased EBC trek with a information and porter $1370Independent EBC trek with a information $1085Independent EBC trek with a porter $930 EBC Trek fully impartial $645
In the event you price range round $700 for an impartial 12 day EBC trek you must have adequate cash for the trek together with flights, meals, water, tea, snacks, and lodging. The largest chance to save cash is to go to Lukla overland as an alternative of flying, we talk about this later within the submit.
There are solely 2 locations the place you will see ATM’s on the Everest Base Camp hike that’s Lukla and Namche Bazaar.
Lodging on the Everest Base Camp Trek
Lodging on the Everest Base Camp trek is in Teahouses. Teahouses are mattress and breakfast lodges designed to host trekkers. EBC teahouse lodging in Nepal are easy, clear, and comfy.
Value of tea home lodging – value diversified between without cost and $3 so long as you order meals on the teahouse.
The partitions are skinny and the inside and outside temperatures are about the identical. You do get blankets on the teahouse and sleeping in a skinny sleeping bag in our garments below the blankets supplied was adequate on the increased altitudes when it received very chilly at evening.
Bathe on EBC Trek – Every little thing will get dearer as you ascend. From Namche Bazaar on we needed to pay for decent showers. The typical price of a scorching bathe was NPR 500 and after a protracted day strolling it’s positively value it! In the event you trek early within the season the water is commonly frozen within the pipes and you may solely have a bucket bathe, a bucket crammed with scorching water, which is ok, however in February at Gorkshep it’s simply too chilly. We packed Moist Wipes and did a ‘dry bathe’. Pack hand sanitizer for laundry arms when water or cleaning soap shouldn’t be obtainable.
Charging – there are lights within the rooms, however no plugs at most tea homes and it’s a must to pay for charging within the communal space, normally 200 NPR per merchandise or per hour.
There are not any electrical energy sockets within the bedrooms, can normally pay for charging within the eating room.
The tea home normally have a big eating corridor the place you eat and calm down with different friends. Within the heart of the eating room is a fire that burns wooden and yak dung.
In any respect the lodges we stayed there have been now Western bogs. You must take your individual bathroom paper.
There are good lodges obtainable in among the villages ($20 -40) see within the itinerary later within the article.
Meals on the Everest Base Camp Trek
The tea homes promote good meals and most of the people eat 2 or 3 meals per day on the tea homes the place you keep. It’s anticipated that you’ll eat dinner and breakfast on the tea home the place you in a single day, in case you don’t you’re charged much more for lodging ($15 as an alternative of $3).
You may eat nicely in case you price range about $25 per day ($8 per meal).
Some widespread Breakfast choices trekking to Everest Base Camp: Tibetan bread (bit extra filling and oily than chapatti), Chapatti, Toast with jam or honey, French toast, Pancakes, Porridge with milk, Boiled or fried egg
Meals obtainable on most tea home menus; Thukpa (noodle soup), Momos (dumplings), Sherpa stew, quite a lot of Soups, Macaroni, Spaghetti, Potato, Pizza, Sandwiches, Yak steak, Rice with curry, Burger with chips, Spring Rolls.
Dhal Bhat is the staple many individuals dwell on throughout the trek and the porters all the time eat this. at most locations it’s ‘bottomless’, when your plate will get empty they may refill your dahl, rice and potatoes, in the event that they don’t provide simply ask!
We normally had a late lunch when arriving (15:00) and never too lengthy after a reasonably early dinner (19:00).
Flights to Lukla, the beginning of the Everest Base Camp Trek
Flight Replace for 2022 – Resulting from airport upkeep work and heavy air site visitors, all airplane flights to Lukla can be operated by way of Ramechhap Airport from the 1st of October 2022. Drawback right here is that you just now need to drive about 4 hours to Ramechhap from Kathmandu to catch the flight to Lukla. Good factor is flights from Ramechhap are cancelled lower than from Lukla. Flying from Kathmandu to Lukla remains to be doable by helicopter. Flights Ramechhap – Lukla $301 return
The simplest solution to begin the trek is to fly from Kathmandu to The Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla.
Value of Flights to Lukla– we reserved our flights with Tara Airways in Kathmandu about two weeks forward with out paying. Flights Kathmandu – Lukla price $179 a method with Yeti airways in 2022. Altering the flight dates are straightforward and free even whereas trekking. Our return date modified throughout our trek and we phoned Tara from a tea home on the best way to alter our date. I’ll all the time advocate you reserve the primary flight within the morning since flights from Lukla to get cancelled as a result of wind in a short time, we now have been caught right here for days as a result of climate situations.
You might be allowed solely 10kg of baggage, hopefully you weren’t planning to hold extra! If you’re touring with extra baggage verify that you just keep someplace in Kathmandu that can retailer your baggage safely with out cost.
The sloping Tenzing Hillary airport in Lukla, thought of by some as probably the most harmful runway on the earth.
Mountaineering to Lukla from Kathmandu
Lukla is excessive within the Himalayan mountains with no roads reaching all the best way right here, most individuals fly from Kathmandu to Lukla to begin the EBC trek. The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla has some of the scary landings on the earth with the Lukla runway on an incline (enjoyable/fascinating land). The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla is pricey.
The largest chance for saving cash on the Everest Base Camp trek is by going from Kathmandu overland, skipping the flight.
Flights between Kathamandu and Lukla typically get cancelled as a result of wind and I’ve heard many tales of trekkers spending a few days ready in Kathmandu to fly out or in Lukla to fly again. Our flight from Lukla to Kathamandu was cancelled the primary time we trekked to EBC.
We walked from Lukla to Salerri (2 days) and took an uncomfortable jeep journey from Salerri to Kathmandu for $20.
Coming from Kathmandu you are able to do the reverse and take a jeep from Kathmandu to Salleri. Salleri is 265 km away from Kathmandu. The trip is about 8 hours costing about NPR 1,100 ($10) for Buses and NPR 1700 ($17) for Jeeps, buses go day by day from Kathamandu. You may stroll from Salleri to Lukla in 2 or 3 days.
An alternative choice is to take a bus to Jiri taking about 9 hours, from right here the trekking route doesn’t move by way of Lukla to EBC, it goes as follows Salleri – Ringmo – Kharikhola – Puiyan – Phakding – Namche, becoming a member of the principle route after 5 days at Namche Bazaar so there may be an additional 4 days of trekking.
A great way to hike is strolling the Jiri to Namche EBC route on the best way up and taking the path to Salleri on the best way down.
Everest Base Camp Trek Permits
Up to now there have been 2 permits required to do that trek, a TIMS and a Nationwide Park allow. Each permits have been nonetheless checked at checkpoints alongside the route after we did the trek the primary time. Solely the native permits which are bought alongside the best way are nevertheless now required on the trek.
Everest Base Camp permits required in 2022
Native allow price NPR 2000 ($20) in Lukla.
Sagarmatha Nationwide Park Entry Allow (NPR 3000/$25 + 13% Govt. Tax) can be found on the entrance gate in Monjo or on the Division of Nationwide Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) counter at Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu.
Do you want a TIMS allow to trek to Everest Base Camp?
Up to now, a TIMS ( Trekkers’ Data Administration Techniques) card was vital for trekking within the Everest area. The TIMS card is now not required for the Everest Base Camp Trek. The TIMS card has been changed by the native space allow. TIMS may be required for different areas equivalent to Annapurna or Langtang
In the event you hike from Jiri or Salerri to Lukla you move by way of areas managed by completely different native authorities and a TIMS may be vital.
How Troublesome is the Everest Base Camp Trek?
For an individual of medium to good health degree the Everest Base Camp trek is of medium to strenuous problem. You stroll 4 to six hours a day for 12 days, with a resting day or two for acclimatization. If you’re fairly match you must be capable to do that carrying your individual backpack. Having porters make it simpler. No technical climbing expertise are required. No matter how match you’re, climbing to quick may end up in altitude illness.
Our EBC trek was 120 km/75mi, so that you stroll roughly 15km per day for about two weeks. It isn’t a flat strolling floor and typical of treks in Nepal there may be loads of going up and down. The gap you cowl doesn’t require tremendous health, the altitude does nevertheless make it fairly robust, you begin at 3000m and climb 2400m additional to achieve base camp at 5365m. Problem of the Everest Base Camp Trek is influenced by; your pack weight, a porter could make it a lot simpler right here and season, if you’re chilly and depressing it’s positively more durable.
Finest time to trek Everest Base Camp
There are two distinct seasons for trekking to EBC. The finest months to trek to Everest base camp are within the pre-monsoon season by way of March, April and Could or within the submit monsoon season from late September, October, November.
Pre monsoon (Feb-Could) the climate ought to be largely steady and dry, nice for trekking. We now have completed loads of trekking in Nepal between February and April. We cherished the landscapes on the EBC trek in March and actually most popular the spectacular snow coated mountains late February and early March to the landscapes in center April. This time of the 12 months was nevertheless freezing chilly. If you wish to hike to Gokyo Lakes simply remember that in years with loads of snow Cho La Cross at 5420m on the best way to Gokyo Ri is commonly closed in February and also you won’t be capable to cross.
Submit monsoon (late Sept-Nov) with much less haze and clouds on this interval it’s going to usually present higher views of those spectacular mountains. This time is colder however a good time to hike to Gokyo Lakes. This can be a good season for trekking, however from October it may be loopy busy with packed teahouses, mix this with frozen water pipes could make for some frustrations.
Dec-Feb Mountaineering nonetheless doable however very chilly, as much as -30C at evening! Some occasions loads of snow falls on the path, passes may be closed. Keep away from the crowds however carry correct gear!
Everest Base Camp Trek Suggestions
The place to remain earlier than and after EBC trek?
We’ve stayed at a number of accommodations in Kathmandu in numerous components of Thamel and most popular the situation Keshar Mahal Marang Avenue. A small and quiet dead-end road in Thamel with solely accommodations, hostels, eating places and occasional outlets. The road is a 5-minutes stroll from the principle touristy space with a whole bunch of outlets and businesses. There are a few nice eating places and occasional outlets close by.
We had fun staying at Aryatara Kathmandu Lodge, a pleasant place, large rooms, snug beds, good breakfast (included), nice scorching bathe, AC, wi-fi, TV, and so forth. The room value contains free airport pick-up (for worldwide flights solely). Useful and pleasant workers. We saved our further baggage right here each time we went climbing without cost with none downside.
Extra choices in the identical road
Guides and Porters on EBC
Hiring a porter and information in Kathmandu is extra widespread than to do that in Lukla. You do get approached by touters or guides themselves in Kathmandu, however the most secure approach of doing that is by going to an area company. This fashion you do have somebody to show to if there was an issue, your information can’t simply disappear.
Some businesses in Kathmandu arrange that you just meet your information in Lukla whereas some want to ship a information with you from Kathmandu, on this case you’ll have to pay for the information’s flight, Nepalese residents fly at a lowered value of $100 for the return flight. You shouldn’t have to pay for meals or lodging on your information, they get this for very low-cost on the tea home or without cost for bringing you to the teahouse.
I’ll advocate that you just meet with the
information earlier than, verify if he speaks ok English, in case you belief
him and in case you get alongside. I’ve met guides which have climbed
Everest, a few of these guys are extraordinarily educated.
Ensure you are utilizing a
registered information
The information ought to be insured
Two folks can thus share a porter so long as you don’t make him carry an excessive amount of, I’d say most 15kg for a porter, however many firms let the porters carry 20 kg.
You may price range $30 per day for a information, which could be shared by as much as 4 folks and $20 per day for a porter.
Tipping the porter and information on EBC
Please take into account that a superb tip for the porter/information is predicted. These guys are unreal and work very onerous. Tipping is an enormous a part of their revenue.
Insurance coverage for the Everest Base Camp Trek
We attempt not to consider what can go to improper an excessive amount of when attacking a brand new journey. Mountaineering at excessive altitude in a distant location, there are clearly very actual dangers. Insurance coverage is essential on any excessive altitude trek, altitude illness is quite common and since there are not any roads in these mountains in case you get significantly injured or sick you’ll have to be evacuated by helicopter which may be very costly. Most journey insurance coverage is not going to cowl excessive actions like excessive altitude trekking. Get a quote right here for World Nomads climbing insurance coverage for Nepal that covers you to 6000m (that may be a ‘sure’ for Everest Base Camp at 5364m).
All the time learn the small print and make certain you purchase the proper coverage. Be correctly coated for harm, evacuation, gear loss, journey cancellation and journey delays.
Doesn’t matter the place you reside or the place you’re in the intervening time, it takes lower than 2 minutes to get a quote and you should purchase it on-line even if you’re already touring. In the event you solely take out a coverage on your trek length it’s not too expensive, beginning in a few days? it’s not too late
Dangers Throughout Everest Base Camp Trek
Altitude illness (AMS) is the most important threat throughout the Everest Base Camp trek. Different dangers are abdomen issues (diarrhea) and flight issues touchdown at Lukla airport, rated as some of the harmful airports on the earth.
Abdomen issues on EBC trek
Meat is carried by porters and never all the time refrigerated, attempt being vegetarian. Largest likelihood for an upset abdomen comes from water. Filter your water, simplest way is to hold a lifestraw bottle, shopping for plastic bottles all over the place prices quite a bit and may be very dangerous for the setting, ending up in a landfill someplace within the mountain or getting burned.
Stopping Altitude Illness (AMS) throughout the hike.
Altitude illness (AMS) is attributable to ascending to rapidly, climb slower to forestall it. Once we walked to EBC the second time we had a spare week earlier than our flight to Lukla and determined as coaching and acclimatization to do the Langtang trek. By the point we began the EBC trek, we have been used to the climbing within the altitude.
Altitude illness is quite common on the Everest Base Camp trek. It will probably occur to anyone, no matter how outdated or match you’re or you probably have earlier trekking expertise.
Throughout our first trek to EBC we have been feeling very robust and didn’t cease to acclimatize at Namche Bazaar, after we received to Tengboche we had complications throughout the evening, staying a second evening didn’t make AMS signs disappear and we circled and walked again descending 600m. This labored and we began ascending once more a day later with none additional issues. We persist with the rule of thumb now, not ascending greater than 600m per day.
Throughout our final trek to Everest Base Camp we did acclimatization stops at Namche and Dingboche and by no means had any issues.
Hydration – Drink sufficient! Crucial keep hydrated.
Trekking Tempo -Don’t go to quick, no more than 600m enhance in altitude per day.
Medication
Many individuals take Diamox. At excessive altitude the air stress is low and fewer oxygen obtainable, Diamox prevents AMS by performing as a respiratory stimulant.
We took Diamox alongside in our first help equipment, however didn’t use it. We met a number of different trekkers that have been taking Diamox they didn’t have AMS or any dangerous results from taking the drug, one of many guys stated he had some ‘needles and pins’ emotions in his fingertips when he began taking diamox, however it received higher with time.
Contraindications Diamox, it’s a diuretic so that you continually need to urinate, I consider it’s a ache to go to the bathroom within the chilly at evening. Needles and pins (paraesthesia) in arms in ft, skilled by some folks.
AMS Signs
Poor urge for foodFatigueComplicationsDizzinessProblem sleeping
In case you have solely have gentle complications you ought to be OK, however watch out AMS is harmful and trekkers have died on EBC ignoring it and pushing by way of. You may ask the recommendation of the skilled sherpas that personal lots of the tea homes. At Periche there’s a clinic with worldwide docs working there and a day by day speak on AMS.
Keep in mind in case you carry on pushing by way of extreme signs and also you shouldn’t have insurance coverage a helicopter to take you down can price a few thousand {dollars}.
You need to by no means be to mounted on an itinerary, stroll at a cushty tempo, in case you don’t really feel nicely relaxation.
Everest Base Camp Trek Different Routes
There are a lot of wonderful trekking routes and peaks to hike and climb on this wonderful mountain. That is among the most typical hikes and climbs trekkers do round EBC.
Lukla to Salleri – it’s doable to take a bus from Kathmandu to Salleri and stroll from right here to Lukla, no flights required to trek to EBC! This hike is nice for acclimatization and can prevent a few hundred {dollars} on flights!Hike to Everest Base Camp by way of Gokyo Lakes – Add three or 4 days to your EBC trek by trekking to Goyo Lakes, six spectacular glacial lakes, positioned between 4,700m and 5,000m. Stunning panoramic views of well-known mountains equivalent to Ok 43, Taboche, Cholatse, Nuptse and Everest and the well-known glacial lakes, cross the gorgeous and difficult Cho La Cross. Climb Island Peak (6,189m/20,305ft) – It’s a actual climb, critical mountaineering, that means it’s not trekking. Be taught the required expertise and conquer a 6000m peak! Often completed as an additional 3 days with an EBC trek.
Packing Suggestions
We now have completed a number of treks in Nepal see our full Everest Base Camp trek packing record and video to see what we packed for this trek.
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The robust half of Stingy Nomads, a nomadic aquaman that will be blissful to spend all his life within the water diving, browsing and spearfishing however typically has to compromise with Alya and go climbing as an alternative. Campbell is liable for all our marine adventures and following them with write-ups. He loves touring, braai (BBQ in South Africa), purple wine and spending the day in a wetsuit.
