How to Trek to Everest Base Camp 

Everest Base Camp Trek is an adventure that offers full of jaw-dropping scenery, unique cultural encounters. And a lifetime experience of the challenging routes around the highest mountains of the world. Also famous as “step to heaven”, this trek remains in the bucket list of many travelers. The route in this trek takes the adventurous trekkers to the foot of greatest of all

How to trek Everest Base Camp?

Mount Everest, also known as Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolungma in Tibetan.

Climbing to the summit of Mount Everest is no joke, but the delight it offers is worth all the hardships. Being one of the most popular treks all over Nepal, it is crowded with a lot of people exploring the beauty of this route. In recent years there has been a lot of controversy about trekkers “traffic jams”, “littering” and potential limit of the number of trekkers permitted per year.

Highlights of Everest Base Camp Trek 

• Kalapathar, the most attractive and the highest viewpoint of the trek.
• Khumbu Glacier, the biggest glacier in Nepal consisting of large waterfalls which starts from the Everest base camp.
• Visit to the Tengboche monastery, oldest and the biggest monastery of the Khumbu region.
• Visit to the beautiful Gokyo Lake and Gokyo Ri as an optional route of the trek.
• Walk through the untouched villages and dense forest of the adventurous Everest Three Highest Passes
• Namche Bazar, the gateway of the Khumbu region to the beautiful Sherpa settlements and ethnic culture.
• Explore the wilderness in the Sagarmatha National Park and

What’s it like trekking to the Everest Base Camp? 

In the journey to the Base camp, the travelers will get a perfect combination of majestic views, panoramic sceneries, wonderful wildlife and unique local cultures. Along with the coordination with local guides travelers can get heartwarming welcome by teahouse owners and the locals as well.

Each day the journey gets better and the trekkers get to experience the sense of achievement. The day starts walking though the beautiful trail filled with prayer flags and traverse metal bridges strung across deep canyons. Likewise evenings are decorated with teahouse fire, delicious Nepali food and conversations with local guides and fellow trekkers.

The enchanting local culture, eye-captivating natural beauty of the Himalayas and the Warm hospitality of the locals make the trek to Everest Base Camp a memory to be cherished for lifetime.

Along with the beautiful memories there are few hardships to this trek making it a more memorable one. The technical difficulties and the challenging climb could be a little tough as

the altitude increases. But as most trekkers believe hardships and challenges make a trek adventurous, the difficulties are worth it.

How difficult is the Everest Base Camp Trek? 

Everest Base Camp trek is not a very difficult trek one can undertake. Every year a lot of people walk through the trails of Khumbu Region to the Everest Base Camp to catch a glimpse of the highest mountain of the world. With a little bit of determination and a lot of willingness, almost anyone can conquer the trip and fulfill their bucket list wish.

The Everest Base Camp Trek does not necessarily require technical expertise or mountaineering skills as it is basically a long hike at altitude. However, there is still some consideration regarding the physical fitness and health that needs to be taken into account before planning the trek.

How to get prepared for the trek? 

It is very important to prepare for the altitude. The cross training and the individual fitness plans turn out to be very helpful for such treks. Practice of hiking, running might also help a lot as the Everest Base camp is all about the same routine of walk and hike for days.

The individual training plan should include cardiovascular, endurance and strength work several times a week. Running, stair climbing and such exercises should also be followed for the muscle training to be prepared for the Everest Base Camp. Yoga and swimming sessions can help with breathing control and help in high altitude as well.

How to reach Lukla, by plane or road?

To go to Mt. Everest Trek, there are two options from Kathmandu; you can choose flight option to and from Lukla either a long adventure off-road journey from Kathmandu to Salleri –Kharikhola-Surke locally. The return flight (40 minutes one way flight) cost 392 US$ for foreigner and 11400 INR for Indian Citizen. If you choose road will be much cheaper, approximately 100 US$ for return. But, it will take almost one and half days to reach and return back.

Tengboche Gompa Trek in Everest

More than 80 percent of Everest trekkers they will use flight to get Everest Base Camp from Lukla. Lukla is Nepal’s remote and small but so much busy airport in the corner of Himalaya. Offer daily flight starting from early morning until the mid day by small 18 seats planes. Those who have only limits holiday can use flight and if you have more vacations and more than 17 days from the road is much nicer, the lower khumbu range is one of beautiful rural heritage of Nepal.

Best Time to plan the EBC trek? 

The preferable time to trek to the Everest Base Camp is from March to May and from September to December. The trails are beautifully decorated with gorgeous blooming rhododendron flowers during May. December can be chilling cold as temperature reaches below zero degree but the days are stunning with the least crowd.

Trek Permits for Everest Base Camp? 

To go to Everest Base Camp trek and the whole khumbu valley, every foreigners required to pay for Local Khumbu entry permits while un arrival in Lukla and Chaurikharka village (who come from Jiri), and the Sagarmatha National Park entry ticket from Manjo Entry post. SARC countries nationalities also required for this permits and entry tickets but the cost is much lower than other foreigners.

If you are on a organized trek through the trekking companies from Nepal and beyond with a guide they will manage everything for you through the guide and agency from Kathmandu. Only you required to show your valid identity either copy of passport while on the trek to EBC in Nepal.

Do we need a guide to EBC Trek? 

The trail to the Everest base camp is well marked so it is not a compulsion to get a guide. But a local guide can greatly enrich the experience with the local encounters to the rich cultures and majestic viewpoints.

A trekking company can plan the trek in a more organized way having all things arranged including airport transfers, flights, accommodations, daily lunch and dinners, porters and guides and their insurance .As the guides are trained with the signs of altitude sickness, and carry canisters of oxygen with them, it can be a great help for any trekker keeping them safe along the way.

What should we take to the trek? 

The packing must be done lightly around 10-15 kgs considering the porters load. The climate gets colder along with the increase in elevation and most of the tea houses are unheated, So it is necessary to have packing layers. The base layer must contain thermal wear, long pants and a few t-shirts and the insulating layer must include fleece jackets and long sleeve shirts.

A raincoat and down jacket must also be taken for the high altitudes. Some necessary items for the trek include gloves, woolen hat, a headlamp, polarized sunglasses, sleeping bag and trekking poles. Footwear’s such as broken-in boots and trekking socks must also be included.

The packing must also include a proper first aid kit with all necessary medicines, travel size toiletries, filtration water bottle and Nepalese Rupees in cash for other necessities along the way.

Things to be considered on the EBC trek 

Trek to the Everest Base Camp is not just a simple walk. The trails can be risky and challenging along with the altitude. So it is necessary to be careful about certain things while on the trek.

Altitude Sickness can be one of the major problems which can affect anyone, even a physically fit person. It is necessary to observe the symptoms such as breathlessness, low oxygen saturation, dizziness etc and take medication such as Diamox to prevent altitude sickness.

The sheer cliffs, made narrower by the passing herds can make the trails crowded and treacherous. It is important to alert and stand on the inner side of the trail to avoid being injured or knocked off.

To avoid being sick during the trip it is also important to eat healthy and avoid things that can upset your stomach. It is the safest and healthiest option to eat the local food like the local guides and porters.

All in all, the trek to Everest Base Camp can be a memory to be cherished lifelong reliving the majestic Himalayas and mystic wildlife.

Lodges and food in Everest Trek

The accommodation and catering services are much more high level and expanded in the EBC trek route. There are plenty of local Sherpa family owned lodges, offering clean restaurant with multi-cuisine menus. Offer you daily fresh and hot Dal Bhat or locally grown Potatoes dishes (Most not forget to Eat while on EBC hiking) to Italian Pizza. Simply the best clean beds rooms (privately) with the option of sharing and private bathrooms.

Many places offer hot shower cozy dining halls. Above the 4000 meters, there are lodges with the minimum facilities and it may crowd at the evening. You may need to share the room if you travelling individually. If you a organize trek your travel company book early for you which is hassle free.

Conclusion of Everest Base Camp Trek

However, Mt. Everest trek up to Everest Base Camp hike is one of must do adventure episode for lifetime. The tallest snowy peaks and the warm traditional hostility from locals Sherpa is memorable. It’s not only the EBC Trek but also an experience with nature and remoteness. When you planning a hike to Everest Base Camp you can book your trip through Nepali local tour operator, they will arrange for you everything which is one of best way to Everest Base Camp safely.