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.
Now we have accomplished a number of trekking in Nepal together with two treks to Everest Base Camp (EBC). On this put up, we focus on price, itinerary, guides, porters, altitude illness, easy methods to get to EBC and provides packing and money-saving suggestions.
Necessary Replace for 2022 – All airplane flights to Lukla will likely be operated through Ramechhap Airport from the 1st of October 2022.
Everest Base Camp trek overview
- Distance – 120 km/75 mi
- Days required – 12 days
- Complete ascent – 6015 m/19 734 ft
- Complete descent – 5821 m/19 097 ft
- Highest level – 5640 m/18 500 ft Kala Patthar
- Issue – tough
- Permits – Native Authorities price (NPR 2000/US$17 pp.) and Sagarmatha Nationwide Park allow (NPR 3000/US$25 pp.) are required. No TIMS card wanted for the trek.
- Price per day – US$29 (with out flights) $58 per particular person per day together with permits and transportation.
- Information – not obligatory, might be accomplished 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.
Find out how to hike to Mount Everest Base Camp?
You’ve got three most important choices on easy methods to do the trek to Everest Base Camp, you’ll be able to both do a package deal tour by way of an company, do it by your self (no group or information) however rent a porter or information or do it utterly unbiased.
- 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 better however costlier choice.
- Discovering porters and guides in Kathmandu is simple, simply go to any native company they are going to help you to arrange employees to your functions.
- Doing it your self will not be exhausting and airplane, bus or jeep tickets from Kathmandu to Lukla is the one factor that you must set up. You observe a really clear path, everyone stays in the identical little “cities” with many tea homes, it isn’t essential to e-book something.
Now we have accomplished the EBC trek unbiased twice, trekking independently on a reasonably frugal funds 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 suggest.
If like for us attending to the highest of Everest is out of your funds however you continue to want to climb one of many Seven Peaks you would possibly 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.
If you’re trekking in season escape the crowds by climbing the extra quiet manner and expertise unreal views of well-known mountains reminiscent of Okay 43, Taboche, Cholatse, Nuptse and Everest. Climb the powerful Gokyo Ri peak for spectacular panoramic views, take a look at this superior 16 day trek itinerary, climbing to EBC through 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. Price 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
- Impartial EBC trek with a information and porter $1370
- Impartial EBC trek with a information $1085
- Impartial EBC trek with a porter $930
- EBC Trek utterly unbiased $645
In the event you funds round $700 for an unbiased 12 day EBC trek you need to have adequate cash for the trek together with flights, meals, water, tea, snacks, and lodging. The most important risk to economize is to go to Lukla overland as an alternative of flying, we focus on this later within the put up.
There are solely 2 locations the place one can find 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 cozy.
Price of tea home lodging – value diverse between without spending a dime 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 underneath the blankets supplied was adequate on the increased altitudes when it bought very chilly at evening.
Bathe on EBC Trek – All the things will get costlier as you ascend. From Namche Bazaar on we needed to pay for warm showers. The typical price of a scorching bathe was NPR 500 and after an extended day strolling it’s positively price 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 stuffed 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 fingers when water or cleaning soap will not be out there.
Charging – there are lights within the rooms, however no plugs at most tea homes and you must 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 loosen up with different company. 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 bathrooms. You need to take your individual rest room paper.
There are good lodges out there in a number of 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 the event you don’t you’re charged much more for lodging ($15 as an alternative of $3).
You may eat properly in the event you funds about $25 per day ($8 per meal).
See our detailed article on Meals on the Everest Base Camp Trek.
Dhal Bhat is the staple many individuals stay on in the course of the trek and the porters all the time eat this. at most locations it’s ‘bottomless’, when your plate will get empty they are going to 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 – Attributable to airport upkeep work and heavy air site visitors, all airplane flights to Lukla will likely be operated through Ramechhap Airport from the 1st of October 2022. Drawback right here is that you simply now must 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 best option to begin the trek is to fly from Kathmandu to The Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla.
Price 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 technique 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 suggest you reserve the primary flight within the morning since flights from Lukla to get cancelled attributable to wind in a short time, we’ve been caught right here for days attributable to climate circumstances.
You’re allowed solely 10kg of bags, hopefully you weren’t planning to hold extra! If you’re touring with extra baggage verify that you simply keep someplace in Kathmandu that can retailer your baggage safely with out cost.
The sloping Tenzing Hillary airport in Lukla, thought-about by some as probably the most harmful runway on the earth.
Mountain climbing 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 probably the most scary landings on the earth with the Lukla runway on an incline (enjoyable/fascinating land). The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla is pricey.
The most important risk 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 attributable to 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 journey 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 cross by way of Lukla to EBC, it goes as follows Salleri – Ringmo – Kharikhola – Puiyan – Phakding – Namche, becoming a member of the primary route after 5 days at Namche Bazaar so there’s 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
Previously there have been 2 permits required to do that trek, a TIMS and a Nationwide Park allow. Each permits had been nonetheless checked at checkpoints alongside the route after we did the trek the primary time. Solely the native permits which can be 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?
Previously, a TIMS ( Trekkers’ Data Administration Methods) card was vital for trekking within the Everest area. The TIMS card is not required for the Everest Base Camp Trek. The TIMS card has been changed by the native space allow. TIMS is likely to be required for different areas reminiscent of Annapurna or Langtang
In the event you hike from Jiri or Salerri to Lukla you cross by way of areas managed by completely different native authorities and a TIMS is likely to be vital.
How Tough is the Everest Base Camp Trek?
For an individual of medium to good health stage the Everest Base Camp trek is of medium to strenuous issue. 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 need to be capable of do that carrying your individual backpack. Having porters make it simpler. No technical climbing expertise are required. Regardless of how match you’re, climbing to quick can lead to altitude illness.
Our EBC trek was 120 km/75mi, so that you stroll kind of 15km per day for about two weeks. It isn’t a flat strolling floor and typical of treks in Nepal there’s a number of going up and down. The gap you cowl doesn’t require tremendous health, the altitude does nevertheless make it fairly powerful, you begin at 3000m and climb 2400m additional to succeed in base camp at 5365m. Issue 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 Might or within the put up monsoon season from late September, October, November.
See our detailed article on selecting the perfect time to do the Everest Base Camp trek.
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 several components of Thamel and most popular the situation Keshar Mahal Marang Avenue. A small and quiet dead-end avenue in Thamel with solely accommodations, hostels, eating places and low retailers. The road is a 5-minutes stroll from the primary touristy space with lots of of outlets and companies. There are a few nice eating places and low retailers close by.
We had fun staying at Aryatara Kathmandu Lodge, a pleasant place, large rooms, comfy 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 employees. We saved our additional baggage right here each time we went climbing without spending a dime with none downside.
Extra choices in the identical avenue
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 manner 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 companies in Kathmandu set up that you simply meet your information in Lukla whereas some choose 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 decreased value of $100 for the return flight. You wouldn’t have to pay for meals or lodging to your information, they get this for very low cost on the tea home or without spending a dime for bringing you to the teahouse.
I’ll suggest that you simply meet with the
information earlier than, verify if he speaks ok English, in the event you belief
him and in the event you get alongside. I’ve met guides which have climbed
Everest, a few of these guys are extraordinarily educated.
- Be sure you are utilizing a
registered information - The information ought to be insured
Two individuals can thus share a porter so long as you don’t make him carry an excessive amount of, I might say most 15kg for a porter, however many firms let the porters carry 20 kg.
You may funds $30 per day for a information, which might be shared by as much as 4 individuals and $20 per day for a porter.
Tipping the porter and information on EBC
Please take into account that a great tip for the porter/information is anticipated. These guys are unreal and work very exhausting. Tipping is a giant a part of their revenue.
Insurance coverage for the Everest Base Camp Trek
We attempt not to consider what can go to unsuitable an excessive amount of when attacking a brand new journey. Mountain climbing 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 the event 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).
At all times learn the small print and be certain you purchase the proper coverage. Be correctly lined for harm, evacuation, gear loss, journey cancellation and journey delays.
Doesn’t matter the place you reside or the place you’re in the mean 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 to your trek length it isn’t too expensive, beginning in a few days? it isn’t too late
Dangers Throughout Everest Base Camp Trek
Altitude illness (AMS) is the most important threat in the course of the Everest Base Camp trek. Different dangers are abdomen issues (diarrhea) and flight issues touchdown at Lukla airport, rated as probably the most 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 probability 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 loads and may be very unhealthy for the surroundings, ending up in a landfill someplace within the mountain or getting burned.
Stopping Altitude Illness (AMS) in the course of the hike.
Altitude illness (AMS) is attributable to ascending to rapidly, climb slower to stop 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 had been used to the climbing within the altitude.
Altitude illness is quite common on the Everest Base Camp trek. It may well 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 had been feeling very sturdy and didn’t cease to acclimatize at Namche Bazaar, after we bought to Tengboche we had complications in the course of 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 stick 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! Essential keep hydrated.
Trekking Tempo -Don’t go to quick, no more than 600m improve in altitude per day.
Medication
Many individuals take Diamox. At excessive altitude the air stress is low and fewer oxygen out there, Diamox prevents AMS by performing as a respiratory stimulant.
We took Diamox alongside in our first help package, however didn’t use it. We met a number of different trekkers that had been taking Diamox they didn’t have AMS or any unhealthy results from taking the drug, one of many guys mentioned he had some ‘needles and pins’ emotions in his fingertips when he began taking diamox, nevertheless it bought higher with time.
Contraindications Diamox, it’s a diuretic so that you always must urinate, I consider it’s a ache to go to the bathroom within the chilly at evening. Needles and pins (paraesthesia) in fingers in ft, skilled by some individuals.
AMS Signs
- Poor urge for food
- Fatigue
- Complications
- Dizziness
- Issue 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 most of the tea homes. At Periche there’s a clinic with worldwide docs working there and a day by day discuss on AMS.
Keep in mind in the event you carry on pushing by way of extreme signs and also you wouldn’t have insurance coverage a helicopter to take you down can price a few thousand {dollars}.
It’s best to by no means be to fastened on an itinerary, stroll at a cushty tempo, in the event you don’t really feel properly relaxation.
Everest Base Camp Trek Different Routes
There are numerous superb trekking routes and peaks to hike and climb on this superb mountain. That is a number of the commonest 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 through 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 reminiscent of Okay 43, Taboche, Cholatse, Nuptse and Everest and the well-known glacial lakes, cross the attractive and difficult Cho La Cross.
- Climb Island Peak (6,189m/20,305ft) – It’s a actual climb, critical mountaineering, which means it isn’t trekking. Be taught the required expertise and conquer a 6000m peak! Normally accomplished as an additional 3 days with an EBC trek.
Packing Suggestions
Now we have accomplished 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.
Questions or Feedback?
Obtained any questions or feedback? We might love to assist! All questions and feedback will likely be answered by us personally in Purchase Me a Espresso. Click on beneath and ask away.
Be happy to assist our website by shopping for us a espresso!
Preferred this put up? Pin it!
Disclosure: Stingy Nomads participate within the Amazon Companies LLC Associates Program. We earn promoting charges by promoting and linking to Amazon.com. In the event you click on on the hyperlink and buy the merchandise, we are going to obtain an affiliate fee at no additional price for you. Thank You!
Please observe and like us:
The sturdy half of Stingy Nomads, a nomadic aquaman that may be pleased 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 accountable 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.