Can you trek to Everest base camp on your own?
As we’ve enumerated before, it is something that you can do but we don’t advise it. There have been a number of trekkers who have lost their way during the Everest base camp trek and lost their lives. Besides, there are also possibilities of avalanches or landslides. These are situations that we wish never to befall any trekker. But we encourage you to take the worst-case scenario into consideration as well.
So a guide will provide you with a sense of relaxation during the trek as he will be there for you in the worst of times. Our guides also carry a first-aid kit with them which you can use when you need it. Besides, there might be times when you feel like giving up on the long and arduous trek to Everest Base Camp. A guide will constantly motivate you to complete the trek. He will also be someone you can converse with during some boredom you might experience during your trek.
How long does the EBC Trek take?
The EBC trek takes anywhere from a week to a month to complete. And this depends upon the number of places you want to cover during the trek. Also, you might want to factor in the transport you are looking to take during the trek.
If you want to complete the classic Everest base camp trek without the flight to Lukla, this can take you around 21 days. The regular EBC trek takes 14 days but If someone wants to complete the EBC trek with a visit to Gokyo lake, it might take a few more days than the 14 days.
If you want to go to the Everest Base Camp trekking and then take a chopper while returning, the number of days that you will be journeying in will be cut in half. If you want to complete the 3 passes trek in addition to the Base Camp, your trek is likely to be physically demanding and also in terms of the number of days you spend.
How far you will go to Everest base camp?
The highest altitude that you will trek to during the Everest base camp trek is 5,364m, but this is not the highest altitude you will trek to. The highest place during your trek will be Kala Patthar. It is at an altitude of 5,545–5,550 m. There are some sources that claim that the altitude of Kala Patthar is as much as 5600 meters.
But you should keep in mind that these measurements are the ones from the Everest Base Camp in Nepal which is often referred to as the Southern Base Camp. There is also the northern Base Camp which is located in Tibet. The northern Base Camp has an altitude of 5150 meters.
How hard is EBC Trek?
EBC trek is not the easiest of the treks and nor is it the most difficult. The greatest challenge that you will face is whether your body will adapt to the altitude gradient. The first flight to Lukla will take you to around 2800 meters which is twice the altitude of Kathmandu. Such steep gradient shifts might cause problems if you don’t acclimatize properly.
Besides, there’s also the question of your experience. If you are used to trekking to relatively high altitudes of around 3000 meters, this might not be the most difficult of treks. And even if you have no experience, you might want to train yourself physically and get in shape to make the most of this trek.
When can you trek to Everest Base Camp?
Needless to say, you can trek to Everest Base Camp any time. But there are seasons when the cold might be too heavy or the rain can make trekking dangerous. So you need to be watchful of those seasons. You can look out for the best season to trek to Everest Base Camp. These are generally the months of spring (April/ May) and autumn (October/ November).
If you’re looking to trek during off-seasons, this might free you up from the trekking traffic. Especially, if you are someone who likes solitude, trekking during the winter is an option. But there might be some snowfall during this season. You have to prepare for this with better trekking gear.
Although you might have some recommendations to complete the trek in the summer season, the poor visibility and high chances of flight cancellation during this season are two of the biggest obstructions to enjoying the beauty of the Everest Base Camp.
How much does it cost to trek to Everest base camp?
Whether you want your EBC trek to be luxurious or not depends upon you. And this also means that there is a range of costs to the Everest Base Camp rather than a fixed number. The cheapest of all is the budget trek to the Everest Base Camp which starts from US$ 1100. The Everest Base Camp fixed departure trek, which involves trekking with a particular group, is a tad costlier than that.
It goes without saying that the higher the number of days you take to trek to the Everest base Camp, the cost increases. This has got to do with the fact that the higher the number of days you spend, the greater the expenses for lodging, fooding, and other miscellaneous expenses you might have. For instance, the Everest Base Camp Mani Rimdu Festival trek is 16 days long and costs more than the regular EBC trek. During this festival, we spend 3 days at EBC observing the festival which makes it a higher cost.
The high pass trek to the Everest Base Camp is 20 days long and costs a tad higher. But if you are looking to make use of the facilities of a Helicopter to the Base Camp, this will cost even higher. The price depends upon how long you want to use the chopper services. And how many days you are willing to spend in the Everest region?
The most comfortable of all the treks to the Everest Base Camp is the Everest Base Camp Luxury Lodge Trek. Needless to say, this is the coziest of the treks and costs US$ 3500.
With Love from Us to You
- Use of sleeping bag and down jacket during the trek.
- Free Sublime Trails t-shirt and duffel bag for you to use and take home.
- Invisible check-in to lodges during the trek.
- Farewell, celebratory dinner.
Things To be Noted While Booking This Trip With Us
Our crew: We only employ fully trained and certified staff. Our guides are very knowledgeable and our porters and other staff are well cared for by Sublime Trails.
Accommodation: We use a three-star hotel in Kathmandu and the best available teahouses on the treks. It should be noted that in high season the demand on teahouses is high but we assure our clients of high standards of hygiene and friendliness! Hot water may not be available everywhere. Electricity to recharge your gadgets may not be available everywhere and where there is normally a small charge for this service. Please be understanding of the situation in these more remote areas.
Food: Many of the items trekkers won't need to be transported into remote regions. Therefore prices may be higher than in the cities for items such as snacks, chocolate, beer, etc. Please do not haggle with the shopkeepers or teahouse owners. Snacks that may not be available further up the trail can be bought in Namche Bazaar.
Transport: We will collect and drop you to the airport by car or van. Domestic flights are subject to delays due to the weather. Please be patient. On that note, please try to leave one or two days between arriving back by domestic flight and your international flight in case of delays.
Weather: This is something we have no control over! Please see the best time to visit the Everest base camp regarding the best months to visit the Everest Region. Weather is very changeable between Kathmandu and Lukla so flight delays do happen. We will do our best to rebook your flight. We do also offer a helicopter alternative (helicopters can often fly when fixed wings cannot).
What to bring: We will bring the best possible crew. You need only bring your sense of adventure! But seriously, we will prove you a sleeping bag and a down jacket but please bring warm clothes you can layer. Please wear your trekking boots for some time before coming to Nepal. Blisters hurt! You may also want to bring some kind of slippers or flip-flops to wear in the teahouses to rest your feet in the evenings. Don’t forget gloves, a hat, and sunscreen! You might want to bring extra batteries or a power pack for your phone, camera, etc.
Your preparations: A good level of fitness is required while trekking in the Himalayas. Particularly on the Everest base camp trek 14 days trek. We suggest you prepare at home by working out in the gym, going on hikes, and looking after your general fitness and health. You will thank us later!
