Everest Base Camp
A classic Everest base camp trek on the south face of Everest is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Nepalese Himalayas. During the high trekking seasons, thousands of trekkers visit the base camp yearly. Several routes lead to base camp, but most people fly from Kathmandu to Lukla to save time and energy.
After landing at Lukla in a small aircraft, a few hours of hiking follows along the Dudhkoshi River valley to Phakding. The same trail continues the next day to the beautiful Sherpa village of Namche Bazar. The route includes villages, suspension bridges, and teahouses. The Sagarmatha National Park starts from Monjo, where federal park entry permits are checked. After around an hour's hike from this checkpoint, you arrive in Namche Bazaar.
Namche Bazaar has many lovely shops, coffee shops, bars, and much more to hang around, and it offers scenic Mountain Views of Kongde Ri, Thamserku, Kusum Kangri, and more. This is where trekkers spend two days acclimatizing, then hike to the Everest View Hotel to enjoy the Himalayas, including Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Lhotse, and other high mountains.
Leaving Namche Bazaar behind, the trail continues to Tengboche, with a beautiful course and spectacular views of Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse, Khangtse, and other peaks. The trail descends from Sanasa, from where one route goes to Gokyo Valley. The Dudhkoshi River comes from Gokyo Lakes, which you pass after crossing it from Phunki Tenga; the trail then ascends to Tengboche. Tengboche is an open hill station with a famous historic old Buddhist monastery, and it offers scenic views of the Everest massif.
The trail descends for a few minutes to Dingboche, then gradually ascends along the Imja River valley, passing Pangboche and Somare, and reaching Dingboche. Here, you'll stop again to acclimatize the next day. To explore the day, hike up to Nagar-Tshang Hill or Chhukung towards the Island's peak.
About a 5-6 hour walk from Dingboche, crossing Thukla tea shops and Thukla Pass, where the monuments of the dead climbers are, you arrive at Lobuche. Lobuche sits in a valley at an elevation of 4910m above sea level. You can see the giant Nuptse peak here, and you'll have enough time to explore the Khumbu Glacier.
On the final day, the big goal is to reach the main destination (Everest Base Camp). After walking through the Khumbu Valley and crossing Lobuche Pass and the glacier, you reach Gorakshep. Take about an hour's break here and have a quick lunch or snack, then hike to the base camp, which takes around 2-3 hours one way. The trail is primarily rocky and winding. During the main climbing season (spring), it feels like a small mountain city.
Best routes to Everest
Visiting Everest Base Camp is not the only way. Several routes exist, but flying to Lukla in a small aircraft is a quick, easy option most trekkers use. However, driving to Jiri by bus or Salleri by jeep and walking for about a week is also possible for those with a longer holiday. A Helicopter flight to the base camp is another luxury option for people who have only one day to explore the Everest region in a few hours.
Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Lukla
Best Time to Visit Everest Base Camp
Autumn (September – December) and spring (March- May) are the best times to do the Everest Base Camp trek. These are Nepal's primary trekking seasons. Usually, the weather is clear during these seasons. Spring is the primary expedition season for Mt. Everest, so hundreds of climbers will be at base camp to take on the most adventurous mountain sport. There are significantly fewer trekkers during winter because of the cold and during summer because of clouds and a lower chance of flying into Lukla, so autumn and spring are highly recommended.
Weather and Temperature in EBC
Winter (December – February) is cold, so trekking during these months is the most challenging. I recommend hot trekking gear. Temperatures are high, but the views are still good. Spring is warmer than autumn, but both seasons are perfect for Everest Base Camp treks. Summer is warm, but the weather is unpredictable and often rainy.
Minimum Temperature of 12 Months (Average):
- January - (-20 degrees Celsius)
- February – (- 18 Degrees Celsius)
- March – (-14.5 degrees Celsius)
- April – (-9 Degrees Celsius)
- May – (-5.5 degrees Celsius)
- June – (-1 Degree Celsius)
- July – (1 Degree Celsius)
- August – (0 degrees Celsius)
- September – (-3 degrees Celsius)
- October – (-9 degrees Celsius)
- November – (-15 degrees Celsius)
- December – (-18 degrees Celsius)
Lodge and Food Facilities
The lodge's facilities and food are well organized during the Everest Base Camp trek from Jiri, Salleri, or Lukla. Several tea houses have a private room every half hour or at every stop. Most tea houses have standard rooms with shared bathrooms, but some lodges have attached bathrooms. Some places also have luxury hotels.
Visitors may think they must eat local Nepalese food during the trek. This is not true; tea houses have the same food menu, with mostly the same items everywhere, cooked primarily by trained cooks, though in some places the chefs are well trained. Meat during the trek may cause food poisoning, so it is better to be safe and stay vegetarian until the tour. Drinking regular water using purifying tablets, sterilizers, or other medication is also okay; you can buy bottled water. However, the water may be dusty for a few days at higher elevations, so buying bottled water is recommended.
View from the Base Camp
Mt. Lhotse (west shoulder) and Nuptse block Everest, but you can see Everest on the way to base camp. From here, you can see other high mountains like Nuptse, Lhotse, Pumori, Lingtin, Khumbutse, and the Tibetan mountain Changtse. The area below the base camp is all ice, so the base camp sits on the glacier. Khumbu Icefall, which the climbers cross during the expedition, is very near. There is no massive sign at the base camp; there is just some writing on the big rock and Tibetan prayer flags.
Everest Base Camp
Sleeping at the Base Camp
There are no lodges at the base camp, so you can't stay there. However, if people have tents and sleeping gear, they can sleep here with dry food or cook their own; otherwise, only climbers sleep at the base camp. For regular trekkers, Gorakshep is where you sleep, hike to the base camp, and return to the lodge.
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