EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK

Everest Base Camp trek is a journey to the lap (Kalapathar & Everest Base Camp) of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak, and Khumbu region-the home of Sherpas. Trek costs USD 1350 PP including accommodation, meal,  transportation, flight ticket, permit, guide, porter and trekking gears.

Everest Base Camp trek is world’s most famous trek that takes you to Everest Base Camp at 5360m. What makes EBC trekking is so famous is not just the opportunity to see Mt. Everest but also to experience the culture of Sherpa community and to trek in Sagarmatha National Park which is a world heritage site.

The Everest Base Camp trek itinerary also includes a hike up to Kalapatthar at 5550m to witness the glory and beauty of Mt. Everest along Cho Oyu, Khumbu Glacier and Island peak. Everest Base Camp provides even closer view of the south face of Mt. Everest. Everest Kala Patthar trek passes through some of the most beautiful Sherpa villages including Monjo, Namche, Phortse and Monju. The Kalapathar trek up to the 800-year old Thyangboche Monastery will be memorable as will be the view of beautiful Ama Dablam from here.

Much of the Everest Base Camp trek passes through Sagarmatha National Park whereby the chances of seeing wildlife such as Blue Sheep, Lophophorus (Nepal’s national bird) are pretty high. The Everest Base Camp trek with its finest facility for hotels and lodges runs during Spring (Mar-May) and Autumn (Sep-Nov) seasons.

Trekking package includes all required services such as Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu flight ticket, ground transportation, permit, accommodation, food, guide and porter, all documentation, staff insurance etc. There is simply no hidden cost. 

If more than 2 persons in a group, the price per person will be lower. For solo trekker, a supplementary charge will apply on top of the standard rate given above.

There are several routes for doing Everest base camp trek. The map for the 13 days Everest Base Camp is given below.

Everest Base camp Trek is one of the must-do treks for trekker and adventurer. Here is the day-to-day itinerary for Everest base camp trek, begininng and ending in Kathmandu

Trekking to Everest Base Camp is for many a lifetime experience. The goal of the trek is to walk through Everest region and reach Everest Base Camp, located at the altitude of 5,364 meters. The trek will present you with full of spectacular views of tallest mountains in the world, sublime biodiversity and amazing hospitality of local Sherpa community.

Everest Base Camp Trek is second most visited area by trekkers after Annapurna region. Everest, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, Ama Dablma, Thamserku, Island Peak are some of the peaks you will witness up close. You will also make a memorable visit to Namche, Tyangboche Monastery, Hillary School and Sagarmatha National Park, the latter being a world heritage site.

Nepal visa info(UPDATED)

Nepal Visa Fee
15 Days – 30 USD
30 Days – 50 USD
90 Days – 125 USD
Visa fee for travelers of SAARC Countries and China is fully waived. Indian nationals require no visa to enter into Nepal. Visit here for more info

What permits are required to do Everest Base camp trek?

Visitors (trekkers) are required mandatorily to carry three permits for Everest Base Camp trek.

Local Entrance Permit: Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality in Solukhumbu district issues Entrance Permit locally to trekkers upon the payment of NPR 2000 or US$20 per person for four weeks stay and NPR 2500 if more than four weeks. The permits can be obtained at the municipality office directly.

TIMS Card: Trekking information management system(TIMS) card is another permit trekkers are required to acquire for EBC trek. TIMS Card is issued by both Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and can be obtained from their respective offices in Kathmandu. It costs NPR 1000 (US$10) per person

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit: This park permit is available from Nepal Tourism Board office in Kathmandu or Monjo in Solukhumbu district at the cost of NPR 3000 or US$30 per person.

Note: We will arrange all the permits for you before your arrival in Nepal.

Note: The Park Permit is free for children under 10 years of age.

Fourth (Optional) Permit

Gauri Shankar Conservation Area Permit: This permit is only applicable to those trekkers who are starting EBC trek from Jiri. The short section from ….. to ….. falls within the Gauri Shankar Conservation Area and hence the need for permit.  The permit is available at the cost of NPR 3000 or US$30 per person.

Accommodation on Everest Base camp Trek

Everest Base Camp trek is the most popular and prominent trekking trail in Nepal. Here you will plenty of well-equipped tea houses (lodges) as well as luxury hotels along all points of the trek. Trekkers will have a variety of accommodation to choose from cheap lodges to sophisticated hotels for their comfortable stay.

Tea Houses (Lodge) Accommodation in Everest Base camp trek.

Tea houses are lodges specially designed to provide comfortable and affordable rest-place for trekkers. The lodges on the trails of EBC trek are comfortable, warm and affordable. Rooms are available on a twin-sharing basis. Each room comes with two beds, small table or a chair but usually without attached bathroom. In Lobuche and Pheriche, some lodges provide room with attached toilet. The beds have mattresses, pillows, bed sheets, and some blankets. Almost all lodges provide gas-heated hot showers whereas some offer buckets filled with hot water for bathing purposes. Wifi is freely available in nearly all lodges in the Khumbu (Everest) region. For charging your mobile phone, torch and other electronics, it is highly recommended to bring your own power banks.

Because they are limited in numbers, good lodges often pre-booked or booked in advance.

Luxury Lodge Accommodation in Everest Base camp trek.

Luxury Tea House accommodation offers privilege lifestyle in Everest region for those trekkers who can afford it. They come with highly comfortable bed with electric heating attached to it, bigger room with attached bathroom and 24 hr hot water & charging facilities. These luxury rooms certainly come at a price. Currently you can enjoy luxury accommodation in Lukla, Phakdng, Monjo, Namche, Debuche and Pangboche.

Pre-booking rooms especially in Luxury Lodges is a must so as to ensure that trekkers get all the mentioned facilities provided by the lodge.

Camping Accommodation in Everest region.

Camping trek is also possible in Everest region. It is generally common for Everest expedition teams to do camping trek. Tents are used for accommodation, cooking, sleeping, resting and as toilets. A special cooking staff will prepare food for expedition members and porters are employed to carry tents and other logistics.

Food during Everest Base camp Trek

Today, a range of food is available for trekkers on Everest Base Camp trek. But because Everest region sits at high altitude and everything has to be transported either on airplane, by porters or on yaks, food are relatively expensive. Nepali rice and lentils, soups, Momos, fried rice, dishes, noodles, Tsampa, spaghetti, spring rolls are available during the trek. The prices fo the same item of food increases with increasing altitude.

In comparison to other trekking areas, the quality and quantity of food available in Everest region is better. Those trekking in Everest region are recommended to choose locally-produced organic vegetables and cereals over meat items owing to the high cost of the latter in transporting and preserving in high-altitude region.

Drinking water during Everest Base camp Trek

Bottled water and Jars are highly used by trekkers on the EBC trek. They can be easily purchase from local stores along the trekking trail.

Boiled Water on the other hand are the safest- they are offered by lodges upon request and is often charged a certain price.

The third option is to use local water collected from local streams/rivers for drinking. This can be made drinkable by adding water purification tablets or chlorine dioxide before drinking. But due to its strong smell, trekkers often avoid drinking this type of water which can result in dehydration. So we highly recommend to use boiling water at all times.

How difficult is Everest base camp trek?

Everest Base Camp trek has been graded moderate on difficulty scale. It means that the trek is not easy but at the same time not very adventurous. EBC trek can be done by all age groups of people, from teenagers to seniors. No prior trekking experience is required; however, participants must be fit and healthy and able to walk.

When is the best time to trek to Everest Base Camp?

Spring and Autumn are considered the best seasons for tourism activities in Nepal. Especially, the months of March, April and October and November are finest for trekking in the mountains, as the weather is calm and balmy: it is neither too cold nor too hot. You will trek mostly under clear and blue skies with high visibility which allows you catch spectacular views of snow-capped mountains. You will also enjoy fresh air amidst lush green forests and vegetation and the trails are easily walkable with far less risk of avalanches and landslides.

Weather in Everest region

Nepal commonly hosts 4 seasons: Spring (March, April and May), Summer (June, July, August), Autumn (September, October, November) and Winter season (December, January, February). Generally, due to its high altitude, weather in Everest Base Camp is much colder than rest of the country. Even in summer the temperature during the day is below 20 degrees Celsius, maximum. In Winter the temperature can drop below zero during day and up to -20 degree at night.

Therefore, expect to face harsh temperatures and winds if you are planning to reach higher altitude above Namche. The temperature at the Everest Base Camp rarely gets above freezing throughout the year, and the biting winds that blow across the Himalayas make the temperatures feel even colder. The coldest months of the year are from December to February, when temperatures drop well below freezing. Trekking in Everest region is best during Spring or Autumn when temperatures are warmer and the visibility is clear to witness tallest mountain peaks.

Spring at Everest Base Camp.

Spring at Everest Base camp is one of the best time to visit. The weather is generally balmy with clear skies and few clouds so visibility of the summit is much better. Temperatures may not be as high as summer, but it is still warm enough to be comfortable.

Monsoon at Everest Base camp.

The monsoon season sees a much higher rainfall at EBC than throughout the rest of the year. Temperatures are high, reaching up to around 22 degrees, but the higher rainfall can make the area muddy along with poor visibility.
Spring at Everest Base Camp

Autumn at Everest Base Camp.

The autumn season is another great time to visit EBC, with the skies being clear once more after the monsoon rains and the landscape still as lush and verdant as ever. Bright sunshine is warming, with highs of up to 17 degrees, though the winds can still be strong and cold, making it feel cooler.

Winter at Everest Base Camp.

Winter is the coldest time of year at EBC, though January is actually the coldest month, with an average temperature of around -10°C through the season. Despite being the middle of winter, there is often little snow around EBC, and it is still possible to travel to the base camp easily, even in January.

Everest Base Camp Vs. Annapurna Base camp: Which is best?

Trekking in Annapurna Region is much easier than Everest region. To begin with you can easily find a land transport to take you to the starting point of Annapurna Base Camp trek. consists of lots of villages in the journey which makes the trip easier and facilities are also easily available,

Whereas to trek to Everest base camp, trekkers must board a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, albeit a short one. Trekkers will also need to constantly deal with elevation level of 4000-5000m in Everest Base Camp trek. Annapurna Base Camp trek on the other hand makes a gradual and easy approach to the base camp.

However, both ABC trek and EBC trek are on well-beaten trail and both trekking trails have plenty of choices to offer in terms of accommodation and food.

Everest Base Camp cost for Nepali and Indian travellers

Nepal offers warm hospitality to all international travelers without any discrimination. But Nepali and Indians enjoy one big advantage while travelling in Nepal: They are entitled to some discounts on flight fare as well as tourism permits such as National Park fees.  However, the cost for food, hotel accommodation, guides and porters will be same for every tourist as most commodities including food have to be brought in by airplane, porter or mules.

Cell service, internet or WIFI during Everest Base Camp trek

The importance of phone and internet connection is high when trekking or holidaying in remote mountain regions. Today, the coverage of mobile phone and internet has reached every nooks and corners of Nepal.

Cellular phone (mobile phone) connections are available everywhere along the Everest Base Camp trekking route. However, major places like Lukla, Namche and Tyangboche have excellent mobile connection as opposed to other areas where the network signal is occasionally poor.

Regular WIFI connection is available in the entire Everest region for accessing internet and emails. All tea houses and lodges on the Everest trekking route provide regular and reliable WIFI connection.

Everest Link, a private IT company, provides WIFI data package at a reasonable cost. The WIFI package is highly reliable and can be easily accessed from any part of Everest trekking route.