The Everest Base Camp Trek is always considered one of the finest and best adventures. Thus, set foot beneath the Third Pole, as christened by National Geographic as Mt. Everest due to its arctic climatic zone.
Mount Everest has several local names: Sagarmatha in Nepalese and Chomolungma of Tibetan origin, where both words mean Great Mother.
Before Mt. Everest was named in the early days, it was known as Peak XIV. To date, it is claimed as the world's highest mountain. And it got the title ‘Everest,’ a tribute to the late George Everest. He was the founder and chairman of the British East India Company, a survey department stationed in Calcutta/Kolkata, India.
After the conquest by legendary mountaineers Tenzing and Hillary on May 29th, 1953, it was widely exposed to the outside world. Also, the stunning scenic country of the Everest region and its fascinating local culture started getting popular after their conquest.
At present, the Everest Base Camp trek is one of the most popular adventure destinations. Enjoy incredible mountain views in the harmony of a pristine environment and its dramatic scenic landscapes. Likewise, explore unique Sherpa culture and lovely, colorful villages. If this trek feels long for you, then we have another shorter trekking package that also takes you to the Everest Base Camp, the Short Everest Base Camp Trek, which provides the same thrills, but this trek is finished relatively quicker.
In this trekking, we will walk around Sagarmatha National Park, a world heritage site. This is a great country to experience once in your lifetime with an adventure in the high and beautiful Khumbu Valley.
The Everest Base Camp trek route starts and ends at the busy Sherpa town of Lukla. After taking a swift, short flight, land at the gateway town in Lukla. Afterward, the walk takes you into the scenic Dudh-Kosi River valley and gorge, facing tremendous views of peaks.
As the walk progresses, enjoy time around lovely Sherpa villages adorned with Buddhist monuments lined with prayer walls and spinning large bells. And then take the high route to reach the famous Namche Bazaar for acclimatization days in this exciting town village. Moreover, it has many shops, stores, and various high points for excellent views.
At Namche, the colorful and busy Saturday market occurs weekly with fascinating and pleasant stops. From there, head higher past the beautiful Tengboche Monastery, surrounded by green woodland and mountains.
Finally, the walk leads to our main destination at Everest Base Camp height of 5365 meters. While we will be leaving tree lines and lush green vegetation behind for windswept landscapes. As similar, our next adventure leads to a steep climb on a top rocky hill at Kalapathar. Enjoy a breathtaking panorama of high peaks with Mt. Everest at its nearest.
The return journey leads back to Lukla on a downhill with a short climb for a super sweeping flight. Reach Kathmandu after a glorious, mesmerizing adventure at Mount Everest Base Camp.
Before planning this trek, know the difficulty level of Everest Base Camp well. So that you can complete this without any issues.
Best Time to Visit Everest Base Camp:
Nearly all months of the year except the monsoon. Wet months from mid-June to mid-September.
The best time to trek to Everest Base Camp is March to May, with clear views till the afternoon. The wildflowers are in bloom with fantastic views of mountains. And a pleasant day with more relaxed morning and nighttime.
Another best time to hike Everest Base Camp is October to December. It offers a clear view of peaks with harsh sunlight days. It can be freezing cold in the morning and at night, depending on the overnight stop's altitude.
Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty
The Everest Base Camp Trek is a moderate to challenging trek in Nepal. There may be a question: why moderate to challenging? Because the majority of the people find it moderate, and a few people consider it challenging trekking in the Everest region.
The trek to Everest Base Camp elevation varies from 1400 m to 2860 m to 5643 m. The trek begins from Lukla after a short and scenic flight from Kathmandu. The highest elevation of the Everest Base Camp Trek is Kalapatthar, which is 5,643 m above sea level. We do not get such a steep trail except near Namche from Jorsalle. But it lasts for one hour. Otherwise, the entire Everest Base Camp Trek trail is flat with enough space to trek, enjoying magnificent mountain panoramas. We do not need to pass any avalanches and glaciers.
Those with essential hiking or trekking skills can accomplish the Everest Base Camp trek. No technical skills in climbing and mountaineering are required for the Everest Base Camp Trek. The trek to Everest Base Camp is not specified for people of any group and age.
Short trekking, hiking, jogging, aerobics, etc., help enhance stamina, so people do these activities before the Everest Base Camp trek. Also, if you have serious health issues like lung problems, heart disease, asthma, etc., please, go to the doctor and make recommendations. Bring proper medicine for the whole trip.
Everest Base Camp Trek Cost
It is hard to determine exactly how much is enough for your trek to Everest Base Camp. However, the significant indicators can help us to determine it approximately. So, before telling the Everest Base Camp Trek cost, let’s discuss the following titles for the total cost.
Guide and Porter:
We need a professional trekking guide for the Everest Base Camp Trek. The guide helps you in many ways, like showing you the right trail, telling you about mountain peaks, local culture, flora, and fauna, and arranging accommodation and food. A maximum of 12 people can share one guide. The cost will be divisible to all individuals in the group. The guide costs USD 25 per day.
The porter will help you carry your luggage on the trail. One porter can be shared by a maximum of two people. One porter can carry a maximum of 25 kg. The porter costs USD 20 per day.
This cost for the guide and porter includes their food and accommodation.
TIMS Permit:
Every trekker requires a TIMS card before making the Everest Base Camp trek. We can obtain a TIMS card from the Tourism Board office at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu. The Tourism Board office is a 15-minute walk from Thamel. One TIMS card costs USD 20. If you take a taxi, it is a 10-minute drive from central Thamel. Or if you book your trek to Everest Base Camp via a trekking company, they will arrange it for you before the trek.
Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit:
Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit can also be obtained from the Tourism Board in Kathmandu. If you are making your Everest Base Camp Trek via a trekking company located in Kathmandu, the team will help you obtain it. Optionally, we can get it at its office in Monjo on the way to Namche from Phakding. Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit costs USD 34.
Food and Accommodation:
One food item in Nepal trekking costs between USD 2-8 depending on what you eat. The food items are mentioned on the menu, and you can choose the item you like. Regarding accommodation, one accommodation (twin sharing) costs between USD 5-15. You will get very average mountain accommodation for your Everest Base Camp Trek. The lodges and teahouses are run by local people and are very ordinary. But these days, we also can get luxury accommodation in a few places like Lukla, Phakding, and Namche.
Personal Expenses:
You may like to have something like drinks in the mountain. And also, you may like to buy some souvenirs on the mountain. For this, you need to have some personal expenses. Additionally, you may like to donate money to some communities and restaurants. Your expenses depend on how generous you are.
Tips to the porter and guide:
Typically, we allocate USD 4 each day for our guide and a porter. We collect from each member and distribute to the guide and porters individually. Or, you can give it to the leader/guide, and he will give it to the porters. Tipping is done at the end of the trip when you say goodbye to your team.
So, all the aspects mentioned above help us to determine the trek cost for Everest Base Camp.
14 Days Everest Base Camp Trek Elevations:
You might be wondering what your day-to-day trek elevations are for your 14-day Everest Base Camp trek. Here, we offer you a trek chart for your ease and hope it helps you to plan your trek to your dreamland of Everest base camp.
Alternatives:
Suppose you want to spend a day more in this fantastic and stunning mountain region. In that case, Eco Holidays Nepal recommends another Everest Base Camp trek package, the 16 Days Everest Base Camp. Also, if you’re interested in a short trek to the Base Camp of Everest, then go ahead for the Short Trek to Everest.
