Whether you’re a beginner or a pro-track adventurer, the Mount Everest base camp elevation trek opens a window to the top of the world. To be sure, the base camp elevation trek is one of the most popular and spectacular trekking destinations in the world.
It is higher than everything else and ranks at the top of most hikers’ bucket lists. This 11-day hike takes you through the valleys of Sagarmatha National Park to the base of the tallest mountain on Earth, Mount Everest, the Chomolungma, the Mother Goddess of Earth.
From high altitude mountaineering in Nepal to the breathtaking exhilaration of the Himalayas, being able to stand at the foot of the tallest mountain on earth, you get to experience the beauty and majesty of the mountain peaks and have a chance to explore the most challenging trekking routes around the tallest mountain across the entire world.
Nevertheless, the base camp elevation trek for Everest is on the bucket lists of many travelers, but the 5,600 meter Base Camp Trek is no joke – it involves back-to-back days of trekking at high altitudes, sometimes over rugged terrain. If you want to reach the summit of the tallest mountain on planet Earth, you need to have a complete itinerary – trip descriptions, things to prepare, where to stay, a packing list, and a day-by-day breakdown of your budget.
So here we are presenting you with the ultimate Mount Everest guide, entailing everything you need to know to have the best trekking experience of your life.
All you have to do is scroll down the page and get ready to embark on a lifetime adventure.
Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation Guide-Trek Overview
The Mount Everest elevation trek (also known as the EBC trek) is an 11-day out-and-back route that makes its way through Sagarmatha National Park in the Himalayas, where you’ll experience the most iconic trekking routes that the world has to offer.
The Mount Everest elevation trip is a core walking journey that begins with the flight from Kathmandu (capital of Nepal) to the hair-raising Lukla, the gateway to Everest. After a scenic flight to Lukla, you start your trekking journey.
The Everest base camp trip is a high-altitude hike; you may encounter frequent difficulties on the trail to the Everest base camp. Some days of the trek may include a lengthy walkthrough of a tiring trail. To help you out with this, here’s a quick overview of Everest base camp elevation facts.
Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation Guide: Trip Facts
- Location: Khumbu region of Nepal
- Total distance: 125km
- Days required: 11-12 days
- Level of difficulty: moderate to challenging
- Starting elevation: 2,800 meters/9,200 feet at Lukla
- Peak elevation: 5364 meters/ 17,598 feet at Everest base camp
- Guide: recommended but not compulsory, it can be done independently
- Highest point: 5640 m/18,500ft at Kala Patthar
- Best viewpoints: Gokyo Ri and Kala Pathar
- Major towns: Lukla, Namche, Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorekhshep
- Mode of accommodation: guest houses, tea houses, local lodges
- Cost: without flights, $29; with flights, $58 per person per day, including transportation and permits.
Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation Guide: Options To Hike The Mountain
You have got three options to make the trek to the base camp elevation and they are:
- You can either do a package tour through a trekking agency, which is a good option if you’re alone or not able to do the trek unassisted. It is an easier, but much more expensive option.
- You can do it by yourself by hiring a porter or guide. Finding porters and guides is easy in Kathmandu – go to a local trekking agency that’ll assist you with organizing staff and all travel-related services.
- You can do it yourself independently, which is not hard. The only thing you need to organize is plane, bus, or Jeep tickets to travel from Kathmandu to Lukla. You’ll follow a clear and safe path. There’s no need to book anything, as everybody stays in small towns with tea houses.
Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation Guide: Day By Day Breakdown Of Elevation Gains
To give you an idea of the Everest base camp trek itinerary, we have compiled a day-by-day breakdown of the trip. This breakdown will walk you through exactly what to expect during your 11 days in the Himalayas exploring the region.
Day 1: Fly To Lukla – Hike To Phakding
To complete the trek, you’ll start your journey from the capital city of Kathmandu, which is at an altitude of 1400 meters. The short hikes around the hillocks in Kathmandu can be a great way to stretch your legs. From here, you get some height and steep, sloppy trails.
From Kathmandu, you’ll fly to the thrilling Lukla airport at an altitude of 2800 meters. Kathmandu to Lukla is a short 30-minute flight and one of the most memorable routes in the world. From Lukla, you’ll walk through the town to Phakding, which is 200 meters lower than Lukla. There are several steps up and down on this part of the trail. It’ll take you 3 hours to cover a distance of 13 km (8.8 miles).
Day 2: Namche Bazaar
On day 2, you must be making a move for the Namche Bazaar, the largest village on the trek. Over 7 hours, you’ll have to climb your way to make it to the valley. Here you’ll cross several bridges and small towns as you make your way to the Namche Bazaar.
This city-like place is located at an altitude of 3441 meters. Just like your first day, you’ll have to trek across a combination of uneven terrain on your second day of the trek. You will have to follow the flow of the river until you reach this gorgeous valley, where you’ll get a chance to bask in fantastic views of the water flowing down Everest.
Day 3: Namche Bazaar Acclimatization
To get you adjusted to the severe and harsh conditions that await, later on, day 3 focuses on an acclimatization hike. To acclimatize, you’ll hike up 120m (400ft) to the Sherpa museum for a few hours to learn more about Sherpa culture and keep adapting to the lower levels of oxygen.
From Namche Bazaar, you’ll take a popular day hike to Hotel Everest, located around 1400 ft. from the center of the town. You’ll leave the teahouse and head up for a couple of hours of trekking. Not too far from Namche, you’ll come across one last resting area, where you’ll get your first glimpse of Mount Everest.
Day 4: Namche Bazaar To Tengboche
Spending two nights in Namche gives you the best chance of a safe and successful trek to base camp. Today you’ll hike out of Namche Bazaar and head towards the small village known as Tengboche. Day 4’s journey will further push the elevation of the climb at around 260m (850ft).
To get up to Tengboche, you’ll have to walk up a steep hill, which is 600 m (1,968 ft), and the trekking time is about 5 hours. Alongside the trail, you’ll have scenic views of the incredible Mount Everest and the Ama Dablam mountain landscape.
Although it is a route with serene views to enjoy, the track along Tengboche will become more challenging. After crossing some rough and rigid terrain and suspension bridges, you’ll soon reach Tengboche, where you can take some rest by spending the night in the teahouse.
Day 5: Tengboche To Dingboche
Day 5 includes heading to Dingboche village, where you’ll spend two nights getting used to the elevation. Having fantastic views, you’ll find yourself stunned by the mighty Ama Dablam and Mount Everest.
The hike to Dingboche will take approximately 6 hours, and you’ll reach a new height of 518m/1,673 ft. During the Dingboche hike, you’ll come across a small village by the name of Pangboche, where you can spend some time relaxing and basking in the views. You’ll spend the next two nights of your trek in the teahouse.
Day 6: Acclimatization Day
After spending two nights in Dingboche, you must embark upon a small hike to get yourself accustomed to the altitude challenges later on. Today, you hike the zigzagging route up the mountain, which is about 490m/1600ft. The trek will take about 4 hours, and you’ll head up the mountain just behind the village—Nangkartshang peak.
This route has a steep climb uphill so you would want to take several breaks along the way. This way, you can rest, recharge, take in the views, and continue your trek.
Day 7: Dingboche To Lobuche
After spending two days in Dingboche to get yourself acclimatized, you’re ready to head to the next destination on the Everest base camp itinerary, a small village by the name of Lobuche.
Firstly, you’ll move on gradual terrain as you slowly gain elevation to 1,700ft. Today is an easy day as compared to the ones in the past. You will pass through the valley and go towards the famous Khumbu Glacier.
At the base of this glacier, you’ll reach Lukla. This is a fantastic place to relax for a bit and take a break as the rest of the part of the trail becomes tougher. After around forty-five minutes climbing up to Lukla, you’ll start to walk alongside the Khumbu glacier towards Lobuche, where you’ll spend the 7th night of the Everest base camp trek.
Day 8: Lobuche To Everest Base Camp – Gorak Shep
Next to Lobuche is Gorak Shep, a village at the highest elevation on Everest. Today is a long and challenging day-you’ll hike up 1,300ft. and down to 600ft. of Everest base camp. Finally, you’ll reach your goal: Mount Everest base camp.
The trek is straightforward but it is still challenging as you walk parallel to the Khumbu glacier making your way towards the Gorak Shep. However, you’ll come across some short, elevated sections too. At Gorak Shep, you can head on to your teahouse and have your fill with the tasty lunch served there before going on with your day.
After 7 hours of trekking and crossing the Khumbu icefall, you’ll soon start getting glimpses of Mount Everest base camp rock.
Day 9: Gorak Shep To Pheriche: Kala Pattthar
Today is a big and special day as you’re aiming to reach the top of Kala Patthar, with fantastic Mount Everest views at 5645m (18,520 ft.). Hiking up Kala Pathar is another long day with a total hiking time of 8 hours.
After reaching the Kala Patthar, you’ll have a 360-degree view of Sagarmatha National Park and enjoy the lighting of the mountains and the beautiful sunrise. After enjoying the beautiful sunrise, prepare yourself to start the trek to Pheriche (which lies just below the Dingboche).
From Pheriche, you’ll continue down the trail to Lobuche. Soon you’ll enter the tiny village, where you’ll stay for a night. From here, you’ll have to go back to Namche.
Day 10: Pheriche To Namche Bazaar
On the 10th day of your trek, you’ll continue losing your net elevation, dropping to 1000m (3,280ft). You’ll have to trace your steps back as you first make your way to Tengboche before continuing the journey to Namche Bazaar.
The total journey will take about 8 hours. Tengboche is the halfway point of the challenging twelve-mile trail, so feel free to have some rest and lunch in Tengboche. From Tengboche, you’ll immediately lose the elevation, making your way on the uneven, tricky terrain to the valley of Namche Bazaar.
Day 11: Namche Bazaar back To Lukla
This day is your final day of the itinerary for the Everest base camp elevation trek as you make your way back to Lukla. You might feel exhausted but don’t give up as it is the final leg of the twelve-miles long trek.
After leaving Namche, you’ll make your way to the town along the rocky terrain until you reach the resting platform. Your total hiking time is around 8 hours, and you’ll hike down 700m (2,296ft.). After enjoying the final view of Mount Everest, your return flight back to Kathmandu will be the following day.
Some Tips To Climb To The Base Camp
Best Time To Trek
So now you’ve got a better understanding of the day-by-day distances and elevation gains of the Everest base elevation trek, your next step is to figure out exactly when to head out on your trip. Well, there are mainly two best seasons that you’ll want to complete your trek:
- Spring: mid-March to May
- Autumn: September to November.
During this time, the weather is clear and dry. Outside of these months, the weather is going to be either too rainy, cold, or snowy. Even the visibility is unclear, with patches of clouds in the sky. We recommend not hiking during the winter and early monsoon. Besides, the springtime period is a perfect season to trek as you may meet mountaineers and you are likely to see an active base camp.
Prevent Altitude Sickness
One of the most important things for the Everest base camp elevation Trek is to prevent altitude sickness. Following our guide, you can restrain altitude sickness during the Everest base camp trek.
- Do not push yourself hard on this trek. Always ascend slowly and gradually, maintaining an average walking speed.
- To avoid elevation sickness, proper acclimatization is necessary. Since the Everest base camp is a high-altitude trek, each day will take you up to a high altitude, so it’s vital to maintain the oxygen level in your body. Lack of acclimatization may cause some significant mountain sickness, so do not skip days set for acclimatization.
- The Everest base camp trek is long, so it requires moderate fitness if you’re a beginner.
- Give yourself a proper rest each day so your body recovers and gains strength before hiking to a new destination.
- Drink plenty of water and eat plenty of healthy food.
Do You Require Trek Permits For Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation?
To take part in the Everest base camp elevation trek, you’ll need to buy two trekking permits:
- Sagarmatha National Park permit: You’ll purchase it on the first day when you reach the entrance gate of the National Park, on the trail just as you leave Lukla, and
- Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality permits: you’ll purchase on the trail between Phakding and Namche Bazaar.
There’s no need to purchase any sort of permit before Lukla. You’ll get the tickets on the trail itself. You’ll have to show the permits at checkpoint spots during the trek, so keep your consent in a safe place.
Organizing Your Adventurous Trek
Accommodation At Everest Base Camp Elevation
One of the best things about the Mount Everest base camp elevation trek is that the accommodations are reasonable and straightforward. For the duration of the trip, you’ll stay in teahouse accommodation. These tea houses/lodges offer core services and food at a reasonable cost of $5 per night. The tea houses have all kinds of basic amenities like telephones, WiFi, electricity, etc.
Food At Everest Base Camp Elevation
The best thing about tea houses and lodges is that they offer a variety of food within the fixed menu. For breakfast, they provide different options like eggs, milk bread, tea, coffee, pancakes, apple pie, chocolate roll.
Furthermore, for lunch and dinner, they offer Nepali food like achar, Terkari, and Dal Bhat, a local dish comprising rice and veggies. We recommend having vegetarian food during the trek. They offer other options like pizza, burgers, chicken, soups, and noodles to your preference.
Trekking Gear For Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation
Your gears are one of the prime factors you should focus on before going on the trek. You should pack the right tools that will help you throughout the trip. Make sure you get the fresh, lasting ones that will not betray you in the middle of the trek. We also recommend you pack as light as possible.
Below we have prepared a list of the essential packing items not only for Everest base camp but also for trekking on all routes of Nepal.
- A pair of comfortable boots
- Pair of shocks
- Down jacket and rain jacket
- Trekking poles
- A set of lightweight wool gloves
- One pair of lightweight thermal bottoms
- Hiking shorts and trousers
- Water thermos and water purifier
How Should You Train For The Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation?
One of the most commonly asked questions about the Everest base camp elevation trek is how challenging this trek is. Everest base camp is categorized as moderate in terms of difficulty. Although training is not a compulsion for the trip, it requires general physical fitness and a level of stamina. As you’ll walk along the rocky trail with several uphills and downhills, the hike demands continuance capacity.
We recommend routine exercise and aerobics, which will help you maintain your body. Although it is not a mountaineering activity, sometimes it might be hard. So, aerobic training and hiking to some nearby hills for at least a week before the commencement of the Everest base camp trek is highly commendable.
How Much Does The Mount Everest Base Camp Elevation Cost?
The total cost of the Everest base camp elevation trip depends widely on many factors. If you’re planning to travel through an agency, the prices vary accordingly. The travel agencies have their own set of itineraries and prices.
If you take a package tour of about two weeks, it will cost about $1260, exclusive of your visa and plane ticket from Nepal. The main cost of the Everest base camp elevation trek will be around $20-$40, excluding all your permits and ticket changes.
In conclusion, the Mount Everest Base Elevation Camp trip is one of the most popular holidays on earth. Walking among the giants of nature through the stunning region of Nepal to view the mighty peaks of the world is an adventure of a lifetime and something everyone should experience at least once. Although this iconic trek is not easy, one can discover and enjoy this trekkers’ pilgrimage site with relatively good fitness and determination.
We hope our Mount Everest base camp elevation guide has given you a good sense of how to prepare for and what to expect on the Mount Everest base camp trek. By following our above Mount Everest base camp elevation guide, you can have a good chance of having a fun and successful trip to the Mount Everest base camp elevation trek.
Good luck with your Mount Everest base camp elevation trek and enjoy the impressive mountain views alongside the way!
