Nepal is a country full of captivating beauty, awe-inspiring nature, and a hub of ancient culture and history. This small south Asian country is a symbol of peace, a land of inspiration, and a paradise of myth, magic, and fairy tales. With the highest Himalayas, unique culture, and unbeatable natural beauty, Nepal has gained a significant amount of popularity across the globe. It has become the travel heaven for adventurers, nature lovers, and travel enthusiasts. Every year thousands of travelers visit Nepal, to experience the magic and mysteries lying within the mountains and the people. The highest peak is Mount Everest (8848 Meters), deepest gorge, overwhelming nature, vast culture, and rich history, this Himalayan country has become the land to rejuvenate in the little joys of the natural world.
Mount Everest Base Camp Hike
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Nepal offers a wide variety of options to enjoy its beauty. You can walk into the silent forest, fly with the hawk in the open sky, hike to the foothills of mighty Everest, dive into the fast-flowing river of Bhote Koshi, or just relax while watching the wonders of the Himalayas. Whatever you do, it will surely be one of a kind experience that will last for your lifetime.
Among the plenty of things to do in Nepal, trekking to the mount Everest base camp will be an adventure of a lifetime. Conquering the climb to mount Everest base camp is the dream of thousands of avid trekkers. Walking up to the Everest Base Camp and observing the highest point on Earth, Mt. Everest; gives you a sense of f bliss and glorified achievement.
The iconic Mt. Everest Base Camp hike follows the classic trek that retraces the footsteps of legend Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa – the first people to conquer the peak of Mount Everest. As retraces the legendary path to Everest Base Camp, we walk through the Khumbu Valley with countless opportunities to experience the immense beauty of Sagarmatha National Park adornment by the fantastic array of snow giants.
The geography of the Everest Base Camp Hike includes rugged rocky valleys, alpine & fir forests, and green meadows, along with glaciers and icefalls. Most trekkers around the world consider it their paradise for trekking. The off-beaten trail, untouched cultural community and localities, magnificent views of the Himalaya Range, and people unaffected by civilization are highlights of the trek. These highlights unfold Mt. Everest Base Camp, not as trekking but as the thrilling and adventurous journey to the Himalayas of Nepal.
Below we have provided a brief overview of the classical route to Everest Base Camp along with an elevation profile and trek map.
Mt Everest Base Camp Hike Elevation Profile and Trek Map
The graph below shows the altitude profile for the classic Everest Base Camp Trek. The graph makes it easier to see the gradual ascent and more rapid descent of the trek.
The classical 15 Days Everest Base Camp Trekking Begins with a 30 – 35 Minutes flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Strip. From Lukla, the gateway to Mount Everest, the trek officially begins and heads north to Namche Bazaar and reaches Kalapatthar 5545 Meters, the highest point of our trekking.
Everest Base Camp Trek Route
The classical trekking to Everest Base Camp Begins with a scenic flight from Kathmandu to the marvelous hill town of Lukla. Lukla is also known as the gateway to Everest, as all the trekking in Everest Region begins from this location. With the gentle trekking introduction on the second day after the trek to Phakding, the real trekking in the Everest region begins. We traverse through the rich Sherpa hub of Namche Bazaar, culturally rich settlements of Tengboche, the highest around the year settlement of Dingboche as well as the higher altitude stoppages of Lobuche, Gorakshep, and Everest Base Camp, and trek back to the initial trekking point of Lukla. The natural, scenic, and biological, as well as cultural diversity and up-close view of the humongous Himalayas, give us a euphoric feeling.
Besides the classical trekking route, the Everest Region can also be accessed through Jiri. The Jiri variation of the Mt. Everest Base Camp hike begins with an 8-hour of drive from Kathmandu to Jiri. Henceforth we embark on the trekking journey to Everest Base Camp.
View All Trek Route in Everest Region
Accommodation in Everest Base Camp Hike
Accommodation in the Everest Base Camp Trek is pretty basic. As you embark on your journey towards Everest Base Camp, you will be staying at basic lodges and tea houses. Almost every Lodges/Tea house here is run by local people and Sherpa’s. Thus, expecting very good services can make you disappointed but if you are expecting good hospitality you will be surprised to see how friendly and caring these Sherpa of the Himalayas are.
Learn more about Everest Base Camp Trek Tea Houses and Lodges.
Best of Mount Everest Base Camp Hiking
Everest base camp trek is a daring and exciting adventure of a lifetime that you need to experience firsthand. If this kind of daring adventure is not on your travel bucket list then here’s something that will make you dream about this trek. Here is why it's the most popular and the dream of every adventurer around the globe.
Exciting and the most daring Flight to Lukla
Trek to Everest Base Camp starts with the most amazing and thrilling flight to the Lukla. Tenzing-Hillary Airport has one of the shortest runways but the shortest distance does not matter as you will be seeing the most beautiful mountain vistas and the vast landscape of Nepal while heading towards Lukla. The airport itself is so beautifully situated atop a cliff and drops off downwards at the end of the runway. Other than that, you can see the planes taking off and landing, the scene is just too beautiful and amazing.
The beautiful town on the foot of the Himalayas- Namche Bazar
Namche Bazar is one of the highlights of the Everest Base Camp Trek. Namche Bazar is a small town located on the foothill of various mountains. You can get amazing views of various mountains including Kongdi RI, Thamserku, and the side view of Everest. The house around here is clean and beautiful. Namche Bazar is also called the Gateway to the Himalayas of Nepal. The town is filled with warm-hearted Sherpa people and the fresh and cold mountain air. Namche Bazar in ancient times was a trading place for the Nepali and Tibetan traders, where they would trade salt, dried meat, and textiles.
Largest Gompa of Khumbu region- Tengboche Monastery
Tengboche Monastery also known as Dawa Choling Gompa is another highlight of Everest Base Camp Trek. The monastery was first built in 1916 by Lama Gulu. The monastery is beautiful and you can get the blessing for your adventure and life from the Buddhist monk who resides there. The monastery is amidst the Sagarmatha National Park surrounded by beautiful Mountains, including the well-known peaks of Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. You can get a panoramic view of these mountains which makes this place even more glorious, spiritual, and beautiful.
The gompa, as well as the best artifacts and design itself, is amazing. You can explore more about the ancient Buddhist murals and artifacts. You can find walls and gates crafted which depict myths and legends from the Buddhist culture. So, the journey to Everest base camp is not only adventurous, and daring but also spiritual as you will find many such small and big monasteries and shortens along the trail.
Sagarmatha National Park
If you are an adventurer, then you would love to explore the rare floras and faunas. So, you will be mostly hiking through the Sagarmatha National park while doing the Everest Base Camp Trek. It means you will be able to explore something new, different, and beautiful. You can see some of the rarest animals found on earth including the snow leopard, and the musk deer. The winding landscape of the park is home to many endangered species of animals as well, like the Snow-Leopard and the Musk Deer among a myriad of many other creatures. The birch and bamboo forests of the park provide a tranquil nature to trek through, and the beautiful scenery that the park protects is a magnificent journey that adds more worth to the destination of the base camp.
Kalapatthar
Kalapatthar means ‘black rock’ in English, is a notable landmark located on the Pumori above Gorakshep. This is the major highlight of Everest Base Camp Trek itself. From here you can get the most beautiful views of the world’s tallest mountain Mt. Everest. From here you can almost touch Mt. Everest. Once you are here you will dream of conquering the world's tallest mountain and summiting it once in your lifetime. From Kalapatthar you can get views of other beautiful mountains including Nuptse, Changtse, and the Lhotse.
Mani Rimdu
Mani Rimdu is one of the grandest and most colorful festivals celebrated at Tengboche, Thame, and Chiwong Monasteries of the Everest Region. This festival is celebrated every year on November full moon; where Monks of the Monastery perform Buddhist Dance Drama. During the festival, monks wear elaborate masks, and costumes and perform a series of ritualistic lama dances and dramatize the triumph of Buddhism over Bon.
Best Time for Everest Base Camp Hike
Every season is best to do the Everest base camp trek but all you need to do is choose one favorable season which best suits your personality and the environment and surrounding you want to be in. Rather than traveling on the base and pack season i.e. March-April and October-November here are what you will be able to experience while you travel Everest in other seasons.
Everest Base Camp Trek in January/February (Winter)
January/February is the season for those who are wondering to explore the Everest region by taking the trail for themselves. All you need to do is bare the cold rewarding you with the hustle-free trail and majestic and clear views of the mountain.
Popularity: This season is not very popular among the trekkers and only about 7% of trekkers who visit Everest base camp are to trek during January/February. This means you are not going to be all alone, but you will get to enjoy the exploration and trekking to the fullest.
Everest Base Camp Trek in March/April (Spring)
If you want it all, the best season is March/April(spring) during this season you will get everything but the slightest. The trip is no fun if you get only one thing but if you are to get everything to enjoy then it’s the most amazing trip you will have. You will be able to experience the slightest of warm weather, mountain view, crowds and trekkers, and every other thing.
Popularity: This season is considered the second most popular season to trek Everest Base camp and about 25% of total trekkers to the Everest region travel during this season. It means there will not be much of a crowd, but you will experience everything. But if you are a little late and to arrive by April, the tented city of Everest Base Camp is buzzing with activity as April/May is the favored month for an Everest Summit.
Everest Base Camp Trek in May/June (Summer)
It’s the best season for trekking to Everest Region and Everest base camp trek but you need to manage more days to your holidays so that you could compensate for the flight delays and cancellations. The views are great and imagine entering and exiting at Salleri without any associated risk.
Popularity: Given that trekking in the Everest Region is still heavily dependent on flights to Lukla, May/June isn’t yet a popular option with only about 10% of the trekkers coming in during this period.
Everest Base Camp Trek in July/August (Monsoon)
Normally it’s the season for those who are willing to make the trip thrilling, and adventurous, and experience something different. It is only for those hardcore trekkers who are willing to put up with the elements for an authentic cultural experience and high-altitude flowers and can dare up to challenging weather, flight cancellation, and all.
Popularity: This season is the least popular among beginner trekkers and only about 3% of the trekkers that come to Khumbu annually.
Read More about Seasons To Trek Everest Region and Base Camp
Vegetations on Everest Base Camp Hike
Everest Base Camp is the land of mystery. With its amazing nature decorating the mammoth Himalayas, every tourist who visits this place always gets spell bounded. This land is a true oasis of its natural beauty. During your hike to Everest Base Camp, you will be accompanied by the forest of pine, rhododendron, and dwarf junipers. As you hike inward into the forest the colorful blossoms of Rhododendron and the sweet smell of Juniper will surely enhance your trekking experience.
Wildlife on Everest Base Camp Hike
There is nothing more fascinating than observing the wildlife in the natural habitat. Due to the effort of the Nepal Government and the benevolence of local Sherpa, it is possible to witness various wildlife during the Everest base Camp Trekking.
As you retrace the path of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary, you will have a chance to see swimming shrews, inquisitive Pikas, fanged Musk Deers, and nonchalant Himalayan Tahrs. Depending upon your luck you may also encounter Red Panda in bamboo thickets. Similarly, as you move towards Tengboche Monastery the Himalayan Monal and blood Pheasant add color to your trekking. As you move higher, take your eyes off the ground and take a brief look at the sky; you may spot a Lammergeier or Golden Eagle.
If you are a keen animal lover and serious to explore the wildlife in the Everest Region, then, late February and late November is the perfect time of year for you to witness the wildlife. During this time of year, there are very low trekkers due to which it will be much easier to spot the wild animals. During this time, these animals come to the lower reaches of the trekking trail, making it easier for a traveler to witness.
