A fantastic way to unwind and to become stress-free is definitely to opt for a trekking trip in Nepal instead. When you go hiking in Nepal, you tend to gain a new perspective regarding the place and to enjoy this trekking destination in its own pure wonder. This is why trekking is so much popular among every adventure buff these days. So, are you up for a trekking trip for your upcoming vacation in Nepal and seeking to test the limits of your boundary? Before diving deep into Everest Base Camp Vs Kilimanjaro difficulty, let’s dive into overview of these treks.
Difficulty Level – A Very Important Consideration
One of the most essential things to keep in mind while selecting your trekking destination in Nepal is the difficulty level. The number of kilometers, elevation and the terrain of the place will determine the difficulty level of the trek you will go. Obviously, for your trekking trip, you will like to choose a destination that makes you feel complete and also proves helpful for you to challenge yourself for a new daredevil experience to remember forever. The trekking difficulty level can be classified into the following:
Easy: Those trails which are shorter with the elevation gains that is minimal.
Moderate: Trails that have steady ascents with some of the other obstacles.
Difficult/Strenuous: Steeper and longer trails which include debris, rocks, and roots.
Therefore, depending on the above classifications, you need to pick your trekking destinations. If you are stuck in a dilemma as to whether to go to Kilimanjaro or to the Everest Base Camp, then let us tell you that both come under the strenuous trekking category because one is the tallest mountain of Africa and the other is the tallest mountain on Earth. Before you decide which one is difficult to hike, let us get you acquainted with both the destinations.
Everest Base Camp
The Great Himalayas are home to the tallest peak of the world- Mt. Everest which is definitely a mountain range full of wonder and splendor. Hiking the mountain peak is not only expensive but also a time-consuming and difficult exercise. You should not feel disheartened as the Everest Base Camp is available for all. Even the most inexperienced trekkers can enjoy the views of the iconic Mt. Everest without even troubling themselves of the ordeal of hiking the summit by opting to trek in the Everest Base Camp to fulfill their adventure urge.
Yes, the trek is challenging but the scenery around it is definitely worth it. You are exposed to a scenario that becomes an experience for a lifetime. The moment you lay your eyes on the snow-covered summit Everest, you will forget about all the sufferings that you had to go through to reach there. Along with that, you can catch a glimpse of the spectacular and diverse wildlife of the area like mountain goats, different bird species, Himalayan snow cocks and more. In terms of costs, also Everest Base Camp is cheaper and helps you save a lot of your hard-earned money. This is how it becomes the most preferred choice of a large chunk of adventure geeks from around the world.
Approximate Altitude: 18, 513 ft.
Trekking Season: March to May and October to November.
Difficulty Level: Difficult.
Best For: Photography, Wildlife, Mesmerizing Views and Culturally More Enticing Experience to receive.
Drawbacks: Too crowded, food availability is less and the trekking trail is strenuous.
Duration for the Trip: 2 weeks.
Closest Airports: Kathmandu in Nepal.
Accommodation Options: Hotels, lodges, camp tents and tea house accommodations.
Success rate: 90%
Tips for a Trekking Trip to Everest Base Camp: Carry enough money as well as food items during your trip. Also, pack clothes that are suitable for extreme weather conditions. Make sure that you stay hydrated and don’t forget to carry a camera for sure. After all, you would like to capture the moments to cherish forever.
Popular Trek Routes: The trekking trail generally goes through the Khumbu Valley and Sagarmatha National Park and back to the base camp. Sometimes, offbeat routes like through the Gokyo Lakes Trek, Tumlingtar Trek, Jiri Trek, Lukla to Tengboche Trek are also opted for by several tourists.
Mount Kilimanjaro
From the world’s tallest peak, let us come to the tallest mountain range in the African region which is also known with the metaphor – the ‘Roof of Africa’- Mount Kilimanjaro. This dormant volcanic peak is surrounded by the vast stretches of savannahs. Two places that you must stop by during a trekking trip to Kilimanjaro that you should plan are Crater Camp and Lava Tower. Crater Camp houses some of the awe-inspiring natural ice sculptures and Lava Tower is a tall volcanic structure of around 300ft height.
Hiking the Kilimanjaro is undoubtedly difficult but even beginners can conveniently opt for this destination. It is possible because the trekking trail is comparatively a shorter one and even the time spent on the elevated height is short. Food around the area is conveniently available and that too they are fresh for consumption. The best part about the Kilimanjaro is that there are 7 trekking trails to choose from . Since, many climbers bucket list contains Kilimanjaro, the routes are likely to be crowded even with multiple routes avilable. Climb Kilimanjaro without crowd is a way to enjoy the trek.
Approximate Altitude: 19, 340 ft.
Trekking Season: January to March and October.
Difficulty Level: Difficult.
Best For: Less crowded, fresh food availability and ideal for even novice hikers.
Drawbacks: Expensive and not much wildlife is present there.
Duration for the Trip: Approximately 7 days.
Closest Airport: Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Kenya & Nairobi.
Accommodation Options: Tents, huts and nearby hotels.
Success rate: 40%
Tips for a trekking trip to Mount Kilimanjaro: Book your tickets well in advance especially for the peak season. You can choose one of the 7 routes according to your fitness level and also prepare yourself mentally and physically for the trip.
Popular Trek Routes: Machame, Mweka, Umbwe, Shira, Rongai, Marangu and Lemosho.
Is Kilimanjaro a Difficult Trek Compared to Everest Base Camp?
Before any decision is made regarding whether the Kilimanjaro trek is harder than the Everest Base Camp or not, it is essential to note that both the treks provide you different surreal experiences. The trekkers and adventure freaks can find in both many distinct attributes that are unmatched and can’t be compared. Being worth exploring one in the specific connotations, none of them can be downgraded or devalued. The similarity between both Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp is that these destinations have high altitudes and the difficulty level of both treks is the strenuous ones that become a lifetime experience for the trekkers.
Kilimanjaro is one of the seven summits (others being Vinson, Puncak Jaya, Mount Everest, Denali, Mauna Kea, and Aconcagua) and Kilimanjaro is considered to be the easiest amongst these seven summits. The summit day is generally very tiring on Mount Kilimanjaro whereas for trekking on Everest Base Camp you will require a high level of fitness and endurance. Keep these crucial factors in mind when comparing both. It will help you make an informed decision. Below, we provide different view on difficulty between Everest Base Camp and Kilimanjaro based on some facts .
Acclimatization Issues
Acclimatization is a process through which your body gets used to differences in the environment such as changes in pH, humidity, altitude, temperature and much more. If one takes into consideration the issues of acclimatization, then Everest Base Camp at the altitude of 5365 meters rises gradually and one gets lots of time to get acclimatized to the altitude changes. Once acclimatized, one is able to enjoy the trekking trip at the Everest Base Camp in high spirits and also find that an easy experience during the trekking.
When one considers the altitude of the Kilimanjaro which is 5895 meters, it is more than the base camp of the Mt. Everest and the trek tends to elevate much rapidly in comparison to the elevation gains of the Everest Base Camp. Due to this, Mount Kilimanjaro trek routes tend to become more stressful and strenuous as well. The success rates of many trek routes of Kilimanjaro are low due to the elevation gain.
Final Ascent of Kilimanjaro is Difficult
The biggest challenge while trekking on Kilimanjaro is definitely the final ascent of the summit which is usually undertaken overnight. The final ascent starts from the routes which are around 1200 meters below the summit making it the most daring trek ascent of the Kilimanjaro trekking trip. It actually tests the guts as well as the endurance of even the most experienced trekkers. Along with that, the temperature and scenery around the area during the summit day is also not very much pleasing- making the whole experience even drearier and horrible too. Therefore, trekkers must showcase maximum determination to achieve the goal.
Days required for trekking make Kilimanjaro more cumbersome
Everest Base Camp trip is usually over in around 14 days and approximately 75 miles are covered during the entire trip. While if you compare this with the Kilimanjaro trekking trip, approximately 50 miles are covered within a week making the entire schedule a completely rushed one. Thus, people might find the week-long trek as cumbersome and giving no time to breathe.
Accommodation options also make a difference
As we know, comfort and sound sleep are extremely important during a trekking trip. In Nepal, you can get hold of the comfy accommodation options like the availability of many tea houses and lodges, etc., to spend your nights and to refill your energy. But in Kilimanjaro, you will usually have to camp out living in the tents or huts that might make it harder for a person who prefers comfort above everything else.
Accomodation in Kilimanjaro
Making Mount Kilimanjaro trek easier
But if you play smart and choose your trek route for the trekking trip to Kilimanjaro wisely, then you can avoid being tired and straining yourself. Multiple routes are there out of which some routes are tougher than the others like Shira or Umbwe so these can be safely avoided by you. While some trek routes give you more time for acclimatization like Lemosho and are less challenging yet appealing like Rongai. It all depends on you how you plan things and what strategies you take to make things easier for you. Don’t make your decision in haste. Do extensive research and plan things after doing an extensive comparison on broader as well as narrower aspects to make your adventure trip joyful.
Like we said earlier, both the trekking destinations have different things to offer to you in the context of their specific connotations. Therefore, don’t ponder over which is harder than the other. Why not go for both the trekking trips and decide for yourself for an unforgettable experience in life? Challenging oneself twice and going to trek two of the seven summits of the world. Isn’t it an idea of firm determination? Right! Simply explore both for your cherishing memories.