Thousands of travelers each year visit Nepal to complete the popular and rewarding Everest Base Camp trek. This trek is more than just conquering altitude, living for about two weeks away from luxury and merging yourself into the Himalayan lifestyle makes you feel completely different. The outstanding beauty of nature that surrounds you during each day of the trip makes this trip spiritually satisfying.
Of course, the main highlight of this trek is to reach Everest Base Camp which lies at the foot of the world's highest mountain, Mt. Everest. But, you can’t see Mt. Everest from here that nicely. Kalapatthar is the place where this trip takes you ultimately from where the majestic view of Everest can be caught. Most of the route of Everest Base Camp trek lies inside the Sagarmatha National Park. So, this trek can let you explore the biodiversity of Nepal.
Everest Base Camp Trek is a bucket-list trek for mountain enthusiasts all over the world. This 15 days trek gives you to once in a lifetime experience of living in the isolated parts of the Himalayas surrounded by astounding views of the mountains. This trekking package starts and ends from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu and takes you up to 5550 meters at the top of Kalapatthar.
Everest Base Camp lies inside the Sagarmatha National Park, home to many mountains higher than 8000 meters, various species of plants and animals, as well as groups indigenous to the area, like the Sherpas.
The Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary is designed to take you through many unique villages, scenic valleys, rhododendron, oak and pine forests, and exhilarating suspension bridges over raging rivers. This trek also allows you to be a part of the amazing Sherpa culture as you visit monasteries and live among the villagers to witness their way of life. With the combined effort of experienced guides and your persistence, trekking to Everest Base Camp can give you one of the best experiences of your life.
Even though you will be trekking to the remote Himalayan region of Nepal, you will be provided with the internet service, electricity, hot showers, batteries charging services, etc. You may have to pay an extra price for these amenities. While having the heavenly experience of trekking to the Himalayas, you will also not lose the comfort of modern life.
Major attractions of Everest base camp trek
Sagarmatha National Park
Most of the part of the Everest Base Camp trail lies inside the Sagarmatha National Park. The park is filled with thousands of species of flora specific to the Himalayan region and diverse fauna. Sagarmatha National Park is home to various exotic animals like Musk deer, Himalayan giant Thar and Snow Leopard. If you get lucky, you can see one or more of these exotic animals along the trail. Most of the trail is covered with rhododendron, oak and pine forest and you may see blooming flowers depending on the season.
Tengboche Monastery, Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar
The main highlight of the trip is standing at the foot of the world's highest mountain, Mt. Everest.
Reaching the Everest Base Camp, you get the best view of mountains like Lhotse and Nuptse. But, to catch awesome views of Everest, you have to trek up to the top of Kalapatthar. Everest and adjacent peaks look amazing during sunrise and sunset from there. Another mountain viewpoint you reach during the early days of Everest Base Camp trekking is Tengboche Monastery. This monastery is also the best place to learn about Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan architecture and tradition of people living in the Himalayas.
Glorious views of the Himalayas and the Landscape
The trail that leads you to the Everest Base Camp is equally rewarding as reaching the destination itself. The Himalayan landscape filled with traditional houses, farms, rivers, waterfalls, rhododendron and pine forests makes your journey memorable. Ever since you start your journey from Lukla, you will be rewarded with spectacular views of the mountains. The views get better as you trek toward your destination. Tengboche and Kala Patthar are the best viewpoints to behold the landscapes of this region. You can expect to see the mountains such as Everest, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Nuptse, Lobuche, etc.
The Sherpas, Tradition, and Culture
Sherpas are the gems of the Himalayas. Ever since the starting of your journey from Lukla, you will pass through many Sherpa villages during your Everest Base Camp trekking journey. They are known for their bravery, loyalty, and mountaineering skills. Their culture is heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism. Their tradition is rich in many cultural festivals and rituals. You will get plenty of opportunities to explore their lifestyle during your Everest Base Camp Trekking staying at tea houses owned by Sherpas. Our guides and Sherpa assistants will help you dive more into their stories. During your stay in teahouses, you will also get to know more about their unique lifestyle.
How to reach Everest Base Camp?
South Base Camp of Mt. Everest, the popular trekking destination lies in the Khumbu region. The most taken and most convenient route to Everest Base Camp starts with a flight to Lukla from Kathmandu. The trekking starts from Lukla the same day and you have to walk about 4 hours to reach Phakding. The next day, you will head towards Namche, the trade center of the Khumbu region. After spending another day at Namche for acclimatization, the route takes you to Tengboche. Dawa Choling Gompa, also known as the Tengboche monastery is the first vantage point from where outstanding views of mountains can be seen. The next day, you will head towards Dingboche and spend another day for the second acclimatization. After trekking from Dingboche to Lobuche the next day, the route finally lets you trek to Everest Base Camp trek via Gorakshep. Returning from Everest Base Camp the same day, you will stay at Gorakshep and head towards Kalapatthar the next morning and return to Pheriche. From Pheriche, you will return to Namche and finally to Lukla from where you can catch a flight to Kathmandu.
There are other alternative routes that take you through high mountain passes and/or Gokyo lakes in addition to Everest Base Camp. You can also trek up to Lukla from Jiri instead of taking a flight. These options increase the trek duration, difficulty and also the overall cost of the trek. To reduce the trekking duration, you can also return from the trek on a helicopter.
How hard is Everest Base Camp trek? - Difficulty
Everest Base Camp trek is a strenuous grade trek. Starting from Lukla, you have to walk up to the final destination with an average of 6-7 hours a day for about 9 days. The altitude gain becomes so high that sometimes you need to spend a whole day in the same village and give your body some time to adapt to the increasing altitude. You will spend each day at Namche and Dingboche acclimatizing and exploring the villages. With most of the route above 4000 meters, you may encounter extreme weather and a decreased oxygen level typical to the mountainous region.
The trekking terrain is almost never flat with several uphills and downhills and some extreme slopes. Walking above crevasses and glaciers can be a bit hard and need to be crossed carefully. Some days, you may need to start trekking in the early morning to reach the daily destination and some days are shorter allowing you to rest and explore.
Keeping all that in mind, we can conclude that Everest Base Camp trek is not an easy trek but with prior physical preparation, determination and with guidance with experts, it is totally possible.
What should I pack for Everest Base Camp trek?
You should pack enough clothes to keep you warm in cold temperature, fleece jacket, down jacket, thermal insulation should be packed with other trekking clothes. You should also not miss trekking socks, trekking and hiking boots, slippers, enough underwear, gloves, towels, beanie, etc.
Besides clothing and footwear, you should also carry your prescription and basic medicines like Diamox tablets for altitude sickness. Basic toiletries, torches, extra batteries, zip locks, trekking pole, sunglasses, etc. make your life easier in the mountains.
You should also pack snacks that don’t spoil easily like chocolates, energy bars, cereals, etc.
A porter can carry up to 30 kgs of weight. The porter that you get within the package will be shared between two people. So, a person can make a porter carry up to 15 kgs and the rest of the weight should be carried by themselves. While packing for the trek, you should keep this in mind.
What is the necessary paperwork for Everest Base Camp trekking?
First of all, you need a visa to Nepal which you can get on arrival or need to apply beforehand. You also need a valid passport to which may be asked for in various places including entrances. Trekking in Nepal possesses some health risks and risks of property loss, theft or damage. Getting travel insurance that covers all these cases can prove helpful.
Along with that, you also need a TIMS card and a Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit which can be obtained in Kathmandu.
What kind of food and accommodation can be found along the route?
Namche and Lukla have some additional facilities than other villages, but most of the tea houses found in other villages provide simple and nutritious food with clean and functional facilities. The rooms may either be a single room or double, triple or multiple sharing. The options you may have depended on the season you travel. In peak season, it’s hard to choose anything, you may have to continue with whatever you get. If you book your trip early, there are chances that you get to choose what you want.
The tea houses also provide hot water for bathing, but you have to pay an extra charge. Drinking water can be filled into a bottle while you are at tea houses. You may also use tap water with water purification pills.
Is solo Everest Base Camp trek possible?
Since Everest Base Camp trek is a strenuous grade trip, it is always safe to trek with someone who knows all about the Everest region. There are also multiple risks of hazard when you do something uncalculated. If this is your first trekking in Nepal, then going solo in the Everest region should be avoided.
This is not to say that Everest Base Camp trek is completely impossible to complete solo. If you are experienced in trekking in the mountainous region of Nepal, if you have done all your research and you know exactly what to do in every situation, you can also do this trek solo.
But trekking with a company has its advantages even when you are an experienced trekker. Mostly, it will be easier for you to handle your budget and communicate with the locals. If you book your trek with a company, you don’t have to keep worrying about multiple things and just enjoy the beauty of nature. If you don’t want to book a complete trek package, you can also just hire a guide and/or a porter and manage everything else on your own.
What can be additional expenses during the trek?
When you book a package with a company, most of the things you need during the trek will be included within the package. Meals except breakfast in Kathmandu are usually not included in the package to let you explore the variety of restaurants and food found there. Any item of personal nature should be bought by yourself including snacks and bottled water except three meals during the trek. You may also want to buy souvenirs and tip people who provide you services.
Other expenses may be for things like phone calls, internet, laundry, battery recharge, extra porters, hot shower, etc. If you want to upgrade accommodation or services, you may need to pay extra charges.
Weather and Temperatures of EBC Trek
Weather conditions in the Everest region depend upon the season. During spring and autumn, the weather conditions are stable and calm, providing the clearest mountain views. Nights can get a bit chilly but the temperature is bearable. During the day, you can complete the trek easily with just shorts and a t-shirt on. You may need a down jacket while trekking at high altitudes and/or fleece during the evenings and early mornings.
During winter, the days are cold and windy and nights are even colder. The temperature level drops to below freezing point. There might even occur episodes of snowfall and snow blizzard in the high altitude region. Summer trekking is also possible but the temperature drops low during rainfall and might be hot the other time. You also have to prepare for the rainy days to keep yourself and your belongings dry or waterproof.
What Type of Logistics is provided By Sublime Trails For this trek?
During the Everest Base Camp Trek, you will have two types of accommodation. During your days in Kathmandu, you will stay at a 3-star hotel and during the trek, you will stay at tea houses. These tea houses are run by local people and provide you with minimalistic but proper services and clean beds. The room will either be private or on a twin or triple sharing basis.
Your hotel in Kathmandu provides you breakfast while for other meals, you are recommended to try other restaurants in the city providing amazing multi-cuisine food.
Tea houses along the trail provide food rich in carbohydrates and protein. As the trekking takes you to higher places, there will be fewer food options to choose from. For three meals, there is the food like noodles, pasta, rice, vegetables, dal Bhat, eggs, etc. At Lukla and Namche, you can find additional food like bakery items, pizzas, and beverages.
Three meals, breakfast, dinner, and lunch are included in the package while you have to carry extra snacks you need like chocolates and energy bars. You can also buy some snacks on tea houses which may cost you more. Tea house where you have your meal allows you to fill your water bottles while you can refill your bottles with tap water and use the water purification pill as well.