Everest Base Camp Trek - 14 days

Everest Base Camp Trek Distance 

The Everest Base Camp Trek covers a distance of approximately 68 kilometers - 46 miles in feet, which means after landing in Lukla from Kathmandu with a daily coverage of 5 to 6 hours of hiking duration. In total, the distance to Everest Base Camp tends to be at most 132 kilometers, or 87 miles, from the starting point to the ending point in Kathmandu. 

The longest coverage of the expedition is the day, while trekking to Kala Patthar, from Gorakshep in both ways, descending to Pheriche and then returning the way back that demands almost 16 km (9.8 miles), with 8 to 9 hours of hiking. However, the distance of the EBC Trek, is not so difficult to pass through as it has several terrains, from easy to moderate, if you have prior experience of how elevation expedition or similar category of records of treks in the mountain areas, then, the distance won't be a hassle to pass through.

But considering the fact that the Everest Base Camp Trek route does meander through several settlements in between and some steep, rocky, glaciers, and continuous descent, one shall be prepared beforehand, and ace the mountains and new heights!

Best Time for Everest Base Camp Trek

The best time to trek to Everest Base Camp is during the months of March to April - Spring and September to November - Autumn seasons, as this span of the year offers stable weather with moderate temperatures, contributing highly to hiking with ease. The climatic condition simply remains mild, with the chill surrounding from 6 to at most 14 degrees Celsius, making the trailhead easy to ascend without fearing about the chances or possibility of high precipitation (snowfall/rainfall).

However, one can venture out for the Everest Base Camp Trek in winter as well, if you are looking for pushing challenges, as due to the cold temperature and high snowfall, the route becomes 10 times more challenging, but worth it with the spectacular view of mountains covered with snow. Keeping in mind the safety, breathtaking, undisturbed views of mountains, and the possibility of succeeding this hike to EBC, the ideal seasons are Spring and Autumn, offering distinct features and perks, rewarding visitors with the best experience.

What to expect in Spring (March to May)?

Spring is always the most preferred season for any sort of expedition, as this time of the year, the temperature condition is moderate, ranging from 5 to 16 degree celsius, avoiding the extreme sunlight making the navigation smoothly complete.

On top of that, this ideal time always brings out the best of nature as blooming rhododendrons and Himalayan blue poppies add a vivid shade of blue and red against brown landscapes. Not to forget, the breathtaking mountain views befriend you throughout the trail just in the front rising highly in the crystal clear skies making it an excellent choice and peak season for trekkers to embark on this incredible voyage. 

What to expect in Autumn (September to November)?

Autumn is supposedly the best season to hike the Everest Base Camp after spring. This period falls right after monsoon offering perfect stable weather with less risk of muddy and slippery paths. The trails are incredibly captivating as the verdant environment and fresh alpine air along the clear weather offer close visibility of snowy peaks without any disturbing fugs.

Not to forget! Trekking at this particular time is a journey full of meaningful experiences as the big two festive celebrations- Dashain and Tihar fall between September and October. While staying at the tea houses of locals along the route, you can live their present moments by celebrating the unique culture of Nepal making your trip worth cherishing forever. 

Please note that Lukla flights are often delayed during the monsoon season due to heavy rainfall, sometimes extending even several days. This unpredictability can affect the itinerary, especially if visitors have a limited timeframe for this adventure. Such frustrating delays can disrupt holiday plans, making it challenging to commence the trek. 

However, if you are an experienced trekker opting for some challenges, this trip can be worth trying for around the winter and monsoon season. We, Destination Himalaya Treks and Expedition are here to guide you thoroughly with the right gear, planned itineraries, and tracking weather situations to make your trip to the Khumbu (Everest region ) a hassle-free and safe adventure. The heavenly snowy trails and mountains make this Everest Base Camp Trek even more alive and of course! navigating along the peaceful trails connects you with this region even more deeply. 

Short Notice regarding Lukla Flight from Kathmandu

The flight to the Lukla starting point differs based on peak hours and off seasons. In the peak seasons of Autumn and Spring, the flights from Kathmandu are re-routed to Ramechhap/Manthali Airport to avoid the huge flow of travelers in Tribhuvan International Airport. As it is also the peak month of other famous trekking expeditions as well, this diversion is done to avoid flight delays, and air congestion and not to forget safety purposes.  Hence, To reach the Ramechhap airport, you'll need to take a 5-hour drive from Kathmandu and upon reaching this Airport, the 30-minute Lukla flight will be taken. 

Please note to arrive in Nepal 2-3 days before the scheduled Everest Base Camp Trek. This will allow you to manage the trip within the planned timeframe without missing your flight back to your homeland. This small initiative can turn out to be a significant positive decision for your trip.

What to do if Lukla's flight gets delayed?

A genuine concern that many hikers have is, " What if our flight gets delayed before reaching Mt. Everest Base Camp? " Well, the honest answer is! Yes, it is quite possible due to traffic congestion during peak season. In that case, please make sure to allocate 2 to 3 extra days for the hike, as the flight to Lukla can be delayed for several days, as mentioned before. Reaching Lukla 2 days in advance can help us start the trek on schedule and return home to avoid adverse flight situations.

However, if you have a tight schedule, we can charter a helicopter in case of a delay to ensure that you catch your flight back to your home country on time. Please note that this would cost you an extra $500, assuming 5 people share one helicopter. At Destination Himalaya, we will brief you on everything before the EBC trek starts to clear any confusion, as we value our clients' time and safety. Or, you can also opt for our Everest Base Camp Trek by Road itinerary, starting and ending in Salleri.

How High is Everest Base Camp?

The Everest Base Camp elevation soars at 5364 meters, starting the expedition from the beginning point - Kathmandu at 1360 meters and reaching the highest level of 5545 meters. Standing tall at the altitude, it marks as being the world's heighest trekking destination, that mostly begins after a fly over to Lukla flight, and bypasses the main stopping points likewise, Lukla at 2860 meters, Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, and proceeds further to Gorakshep - also known as the last stopping point before reaching the base camp of Mt. Everest. 

Reaching the highest at 5555 meters - Kala Patthar viewpoint rewards you with surreal views of glorious peaks like Lhotse, Khumbu glacier, and panoramic views of Mt. Everest itself, all bathed in the golden color of the sun. If reached earlier, the sunrise views over the glaciers from this vantage point reveal a unique side and perspective beyond just the breathtaking mountain vista.

Everest Base Camp Trek difficulty

Everest Base Camp Trek falls under a moderately challenging trek in terms of difficulty level, reaching an altitude of Everest base camp 5364 m to a maximum of 5500 meters (Kalapatthar) by covering approximately.130 km and demands a long hike of 5-6 hours a day through rough, unpaved terrains. Reaching the launchpad of climbing, none other than Mount Everest, it isn't an easy hike that can be completed in the blink of an eye. Even for experienced hikers/climbers, if proper planning and preparation aren’t done well, there is a huge risk of altitude sickness as you ascend to higher elevations each day.

The most difficult section of the Everest Base Camp Trekking is reaching Kalapatthar, the trails from the Gorap shep to Kalapatthar that require a continuous uphill climb for 3 hours with steep, narrow sections along the drop of significant oxygen levels if proper acclimatization isn’t done. While descending from this vantage point, trekkers must be careful as the path is quite slippery and mentally exhausting.

Meanwhile, if you are a novice trekker, you can avoid this section of Kalaptthar by reaching the base camp of Mt. Everest, but with proper preparation, even for beginners, it won't be any challenge with a gradual ascent. To conclude, no matter what experiences you had beforehand, or if you are thinking about opting for this expedition, along with kids, friends, or families, with effective guidelines, it can surely be tackled with ease.

Our experienced guides will always be there to guide you thoroughly through every step of the Khumbu region. Porters will take care of all your trekking gear and equipment. The pro expert teams will tailor this package, prioritizing gradual acclimatization, the right gear and equipment, and, most importantly, a short briefing and preparation before trekking to Everest Base Camp. So, you can complete this adventurous trip without any challenges.

Altitude Acclimatization Days during the EBC Trekking

Leaving the capital city - Kathmandu, behind, soon after landing in Lukla, we stand at an elevation of 2862 meters. The Lukla Airport is basically the starting point of the Everest Trek in feet beginning the journey to Phakding. By the Second day, moving to Namche Bazaar, the altitude increases by 580 meters, reaching 3,440 meters above sea level. In the meantime, you might feel a slight effect of altitude sickness, such as a headache. But there's nothing to worry about, as we have set an acclimatization day for tomorrow morning.

An acclimatization day doesn't mean resting all day. In our 14-day Everest Base Camp itinerary, we have planned an excursion to the Hotel Everest View. After that, you can just roam around Namche Bazaar, adapting to the changing environment. We've set another acclimatization day at Dingboche on Day 7. These two acclimatization days are tailored to prevent issues like altitude sickness, allowing you to fully enjoy and explore the region at a comfortable pace.

As we have mentioned earlier, "Your safety is our topmost priority". Our guides and porters are well-trained and know how to handle any sort of adverse situation in the mountain areas. They will carry an oximeter and a basic first aid kit to check your blood oxygen level on a regular basis. Feel free to inform the guide if you feel any sort of discomfort during the EBC Trekking, he'll guide you thoroughly and advise what is best for you. 

Preventive Suggestive Guidelines to Avoid Altitude Sickness 

Having said that, “Prevention is always better than a cure”, especially when you are embarking on such high-altitude treks. Even though the unfortunate situation doesn’t come along with a sounding horn, if everything is done and planned well, then the trip can go smoothly without any hint of difficulty. So you might be wondering, what can be done to prevent altitude sickness during the Everest Trekking. Here are some of the guidelines mentioned below:

• Talk to us to discuss thoroughly elevation changes, hiking hours, pace of the trek, and distance. You can customize it by discussing it with our expert team if it doesn't match your preference. 
• Walk at your own pace along with your guide. Don't rush, and do not panic.
• Drink plenty of fluids and hydrate your body properly.
• Please note, to have garlic soup and ginger water to warm up your body (if you aren't allergic to it).
• Avoid taking alcoholic beverages. Limit the caffeine intake after reaching an altitude of 3000 meters.
• Avoid having red meat in the upper areas, as they are not fresh and can cause stomach problems. As a substitute for red, chicken meat would be great!
• Limit consuming dairy products if you are lactose intolerant. If you want, then you can start taking it lightly and see how the body reacts. If you feel any discomfort, then inform your guide immediately. 

Accommodations during the Everest Base Camp Trekking

During the 14-day Everest Base Camp Trek, you’ll be accommodated for 12 days in a basic tea house/ lodge along the Everest region, where the rooms are cozy with an attached bathroom. Till the Namche Bazar, the rooms are quite a tourist infrastructure with hot water showers, laundry facilities, along charging electric plugs in each dorm. whereas while ascending the higher mountain areas, one single bedroom for 1 person is rarely to be found due to the limited amenities. The rooms are basic but comfortable enough. For the extra facilities like WiFi, charging, hot water, and single rooms, you’ll have to pay an extra $3-$6. However, if your booking is done quite early, then single rooms along the Everest Base Camp route are still manageable. 

Please note that comfortable mattresses, cozy blankets, and pillows are provided in every tea house. Meanwhile, if you are more likely to catch a cold in high altitudes, then it is crucial to bring sleeping bags along with you (provided freely by us throughout the trip). 

Kathmandu accommodations for the EBC Trek

In Kathmandu, you will be accommodated in a 3-star hotel with buffet breakfast, such as Lo Mustang, Hotel Ambassador, Aagantuk, Dalai-La, or any other 3-star hotel as per your preference for 2 days. Upon your arrival in Nepal and after completing your trek, you will be transferred to one of these hotels. The rooms are air-conditioned (AC rooms), and have attached washrooms, and not to forget personal wardrobes with ample space for storing your luggage. 

Note: For the upgradation of the lodging, one can upgrade to premium accommodations by adding on their packages, where in Kathmandu - the beginning of the expedition, you will be provided 5-star hotels, and along the trailhead, you will be accommodate at standrad and premium hotels; best of the best ones with great hospitality and other amenities. 

Food options throughout the EBC Trekking

Our Everest Base Camp Trek package includes all the standard food options throughout the expedition, covering breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that can be chosen by taking a look at the menus provided. The iconic Everest region caters to everyone's taste, whether you prefer vegetarian, Western cuisine, or local dishes, whatever you prefer! From pizza, burgers, and chapati (roti) to hot chocolates, americano, and even ice cream. This EBC route has so much diversity to offer, ensuring that every visitor can enjoy the delicacies without compromising their taste. For breakfast, you can look out for trying their Tibetan breads, oatmeals, porridge, and many others.

During this trek, lunches are usually done in some famous tea houses between the hikes. To level up our energy while trekking, you’ll see every trekker along the guide and porter having “the ultimate Dal Bhat,” full of nutritious side dishes like lentil soup, spinach, and pickles with veg or non-veg curry. The most amazing part is that you can refill it as much as you can. In the dinner options, you can choose from the menu, which is freshly cooked straight out from farms by locals, such as Spaghetti, noodles, French fries, fried rice, ramen, spring rolls, and many more.

Don’t miss out on trying delightful bakery items in Namche Bazar and Phakding like apple pie, custard, blueberry cake, and croissants straight out of a hot oven in the lap of the mountains, making your hike to Everest Base Camp even more enjoyable.

Breakfast at the teahouse/lodge on the EBC Trek

• Tibetan bread served with egg, beans, and omelet
• Toast with butter, jam, egg, and veg curry
• Pancake with chocolate or Peanut Butter
• (Hot drinks like Hot chocolate, coffee, masala tea, green tea, garlic soup for beverage options, along with breakfast)

Lunch on the EBC Trek

• Chowmein / Pasta
• Veg or Non veg Dal Bhat 
• Thukpa
• Momo
• Any tea or coffee (beverages)

Dinner at the teahouse/lodge on the EBC Trek 

• Garlic Soup
• Nepali noodles
• Tomato, Chicken, and Mushroom Soups
• Ham Burgers
• Potato cheese momo
• (Any beverages like hard and soft drinks)

Preparation for Mount Everest Base Camp Trek

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced hiker/ climber, noting down some essential facts for the preparation of the Everest Base Camp Trek 2025 / 2026 is always a good idea. Ascent to an altitude above 3000 meters isn’t an easy task that can be done in an instant. Here is some adequate information mentioned below to clear your dilemma regarding prior preparation for this adventure to the base camp of Everest.

• Physical Preparation: The Everest Base Camp Hike demands navigation for 4-5 hours per day. If you are a naive hiker who doesn’t have prior experience. Engaging in some sort of cardio or strength training for 1-2 months is pretty crucial. To strengthen the body, you can do some sort of cardio like running, cycling, and hiking with some kgs of loads in the bag, which makes the challenging trek smoother for beginners as well.
• Medical Consideration: Before heading on this trek, please do a whole body checkup and make sure that everything is okay. As this trail takes you to a remote area with limited amenities, immediate health care isn’t easy in the Everest region, which means we may have to descend to Pheriche, or, for serious issues, only helicopter evacuation is possible. Please note that our guide carries a basic medical kit for minor issues, but don’t forget to carry your essential daily medicines.
• Mental Preparation: Being mentally prepared and ready for the EBC trek is much more crucial than being physically fit, especially if you are a beginner, as you don’t know much about mountain areas. Hiking to rising altitudes with limited amenities far away from the city can be mentally draining sometimes. So, you must have a high level of the 3 P’s- Persistence, Patience, and Perseverance level and overcome tiredness with a positive mindset. 
• Balanced Diet: Balanced nutritious foods may sound like an obvious basic thing to consider throughout any trek. It would be the best thing if you manage your eating habits filled with nutritious meals, some days before the trip begins, as this trek tends to burn more calories than regular days. So, plan your meals accordingly that suit your body and will help you to have good strength without compromising your go-to meals.

Permits for Everest Base Camp Trek

To do the Everest Base Camp Trekking, in Nepal, there are two permits required and asked for at many stopping points, which can be acquired either in Monjo or at Kathmandu - Nepal Tourism Board. Firstly and most importantly, the Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit and another tends to be, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit, which replaced the another permit - TIMS Card, hence these are two permits that have been mandatory by the Government of Nepal to enter the Everest region. These permits and all the paperwork will be arranged by us at Destination Himalaya Treks and Expedition soon after your booking is confirmed with us.

Hence, here are the costs of permits priced for the Everest Base Camp Hike:

• Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit fee: NRS 3000, per person, for foreign nations; meanwhile, costs differ distinctly for Nepalese and SAARC citizens, NRS 1500 per person - USD 12 per head.
• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit fee: NRS 3000 per person for foreigners and NRS 2000 per head for SAARC and Nepalese.

Is Travel Insurance mandatory for the EBC Trek?

We kindly suggest and recommend travel insurance for this Everest Base Camp Trekking to our clients for safety purposes and in case of emergency evacuations. As this trek takes you to an elevation of above 5000 meters and remote areas and trails along the mountain areas, there are always risks of unseen medical emergencies (rarely) occurring. 

Having a good policy helps us to send emergency airlifts immediately and also acts as a safety net for you to enjoy the Everest Base Camp Hike without worrying much about unfortunate situations. 

Note: Please make sure that it covers medical injuries, theft, loss of property, and, not to forget, helicopter evacuation. These are essential for any kind of high-altitude trek above 4000 meters. If these are not managed before the trek, then it can cost thousands of dollars to cover the bills. So, please note to consider this and check the clauses thoroughly mentioned in your travel insurance.

Everest Base Camp Trek Solo, Group, and Private

Are you solo and wondering how to join someone to accompany you for the hike to Everest Base Camp? Or, craving a private trek to explore the more out of the Himalayas, feeling the tranquility? We got you! After serving our friendly and valuable clients for more than 15 years. We know how the perspectives or tastes of trekkers differ to fulfill your demand. We at Destination Himalaya offer a group departure to ensure that you are not all alone in the mountains. To simplify it, many solo clients are aligning up to trek with a group. Our group departures are fixed for 2025 and 2026. You can choose any of the departure dates and go for this trek with our group. 

Private Trek: We also offer private treks so you can hike all alone to the Everest Base Camp at your own pace, along with a guide. The itineraries can be customized to suit your pace and preferences.  

Recommended Packing List for EBC Trek 

As we are quite well known that reaching the lap of Mount Everest - the world's greatest peak is not anyone's forte, and there are several things to consider beforehand, and the first and foremost essential is the packing essentials for Everest Base Camp Trek. On top of that, you might have many confusing questions, what to enlist and what to leave behind. 

Having proper warming gear to tackle cold night temperatures and easy, comfy wear to ascend easily is crucial when it comes to hiking in such mountainous areas, with limited facilities. The suggested required gears can either be bought from the Kathmandu - Thamel area, or you can just rent them at Thamel or Namche Bazaar, whatsoever, if you want an assistance for budgeted and best gears and clothings then, our representatives (guide, porter or management team), will guide you to shops.

• 25 to 50 L of backpack to fit all the clothing items. Do not exceed the limit of 15 kgs as it is the maximum weight that one can get to the Lukla Flight.
• A day backpack (small one) or just a waist bag (trending), so you can just store in the permits, cash, chargers, cameras, or any kind of gadgets.
• Duffle bag - to store essentials (will be carried by porter) - provided by us
• Sleeping bag, if you want, or reactive to cold weather, will be provided by us if needed
• Down jacket (lightweight if possible) and 2 pairs of windproof waterproof jackets - suggested
• Hiking boots with proper grip and 1 comfortable pair of shoes with cotton socks
• 5-6 pairs of long socks - needed at higher elevations
• Dry Fit T-shirts - if possible, with longer sleeves
• A raincoat and a backpack cover
• Travel documents like passports, permits, and if you have do not miss out on bringing 2 passport-sized photos
• Hiking shorts and lightweight hiking pants
• Crampons - if it's the winter season
• Other skin care essentials like Sunscreen, lip balm, moisturizer, and others
• Toiletries like toilet paper, soaps, tooth brushes, paste, combs, and towels
• Gloves, trekking poles, sunglasses, hats, and any other basics
• Basic First aid kit with oximeter and water purification tablet - will be provided by us

Those are some suggestions, or list the required gear and other essentials that shall be carried with you for a comfortable expedition, and also those that are compulsory to bring. Nonetheless, these are only recommendations; it is up to you what to include and exclude as per your experiences and choices.

Safe Trek Booking Procedure

Destination Himalaya Trek and Expedition is a government-authorized trekking agency in Nepal that has been serving trekkers for more than 2 decades and member of TAAN (Trekking Agency Association of Nepal) and NMA (Nepal Mountaineering Association), which itself acts as a safety net for our valuable clients. On top of that, nothing are no hidden charges here. We never charge you extra for anything. For more details, you can check our include/ exclude section thoroughly. 

To confirm your bookings, we require only 10% of the advance payment to book your domestic flight tickets and accommodations. For the payment, you can directly pay through our website or simply transfer the advance payment. After your booking is done, please send us your passport, 2 passport-sized photos, flight details, and travel insurance. For the remaining payments, you can do it after arriving here in Nepal via card, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Cash, Western Union, or whatever you prefer. For extra details, please email or WhatsApp us. 

Last-minute Booking

Even though it is quite hard for us to book the trip, Destination Himalaya Treks and Expedition will arrange it for you to make your trek to Everest Base Camp possible even during peak season without any problem. But to confirm the last-minute booking for the trek, you must pay 100%, and there will be no refund as we must pay for a guide, porters, and accommodation before the trek, just to make the trip.
For more details, make sure to WhatsApp or Viber (+977 9851016814) or mail us directly at info(a)destinationhimalayatreks.com