Everest Base Camp Trek

High moderate fitness is required, not elite athleticism. You should be able to walk 5 to 8 hours per day on consecutive days with a 5 kg daypack and 600 m of elevation gain. Hard pass-altitude days (Namche climb, Lobuche to EBC) involve 7 to 10 hours of walking. We send a 12-week training plan with every booking: progressive cardio (45 to 60 minutes, four to five times per week) plus weekend hikes building from 2 hours to 6 hours with a weighted daypack. If you can complete a 25 km hilly day-hike comfortably at home, you are ready. Altitude tolerance matters more than raw fitness.

Acute Mountain Sickness affects many trekkers on the Khumbu route. Symptoms (headache, nausea, fatigue, poor sleep) typically begin above 3,000 m. We prevent it three ways: a slow ascent profile (sleeping no more than 500 m higher than the previous night above 3,000 m), mandatory rest days at Namche (3,440 m) and Dingboche (4,410 m), and twice-daily pulse-oximeter checks from Namche onward. Acetazolamide (Diamox) can help prevent AMS. A common preventive dose is 125 mg twice daily, so ask your doctor before you travel. Bring a prescription from your doctor before departure.

October and November are the prime months: clear skies, dry trails, stable weather, daytime temperatures of 10 to 14°C in Namche, and good mountain views. April and May are the spring window: warmer pass-day temperatures, slightly hazier views, and the Everest climbing season is underway so base camp is filled with tents. March and September are feasible shoulder months. Avoid June through early September: the monsoon brings cloud cover that hides the mountains, heavy rain, leeches in the lower valleys, and flight cancellations from Lukla. December through February are technically possible but night temperatures at Gorak Shep can drop below -25°C and many lodges close.

Lukla flights are often cancelled or moved to Manthali airstrip in Ramechhap, especially in bad weather. Our itinerary builds in one buffer day on each end of the trek (departure day and return day) to absorb this. If the buffer is not enough, we have three contingencies. First, we book you on the next available flight at no charge. Second, if delays extend beyond 48 hours, we can arrange a helicopter charter from Manthali to Lukla at our cost (covered by our weather contingency budget). Third, in rare full-week closures, we can re-route the trek to start from Phaplu (a 9-hour drive plus an extra 2 days of walking). Refund or rebooking applies only if the trek terminates more than 3 days early due to flight problems.

Personal trail expenses on the Khumbu route are higher than other Nepal regions because everything is carried up by porter or yak. Budget USD 18 to 35 per day, mostly hot showers (USD 3 to 8 per day), WiFi sessions via Everest Link (USD 3 to 5 per day), device charging (USD 2 to 4 per device per evening), bottled drinks, and snacks. Over a 14-day trek that totals roughly USD 250 to 490. Tipping for guide and porters at the end of the trek adds USD 300 to 400 per trekker (paid collectively by the group). Souvenirs and end-of-trip meals in Kathmandu add another USD 50 to 200. Total realistic budget on top of the package price: USD 600 to 1,100 per trekker. Bring USD cash; the only ATM in Namche is unreliable.

Yes, with sensible precautions. All trek meals are cooked fresh and served hot at family-run teahouses regulated by the Sagarmatha National Park Buffer Zone Committee. The safest reliable choice is dal bhat (lentils, rice, vegetable curry, pickled greens), which is freshly cooked, comes with free refills, and is balanced for energy and recovery. Vegetarian options are widespread because dal bhat is naturally vegetarian; many trekkers stay vegetarian for the entire trek by choice. Vegan is possible with advance notice. Gluten-free becomes challenging above Namche where flour-based foods dominate. Avoid meat above Namche (no refrigeration), salads above 2,800 m, and any food that looks reheated.

From Gorak Shep (5,164 m) to the Kala Patthar summit cairn (5,545 m), the climb takes 2 to 3 hours of slow uphill walking with 380 m of vertical gain. Most groups start at 04:00 to 04:30 to reach the summit for sunrise around 06:30. The descent back to Gorak Shep takes 60 to 90 minutes. Total time round-trip: 3 to 4.5 hours. The view from the summit cairn is the closest you get to the Everest summit pyramid (8,849 m) without a climbing permit. The trail is rocky and exposed; bring a headlamp, full down jacket, mittens, and trekking poles. Wind chill at the summit at sunrise routinely hits -25°C even in October. This is the highest point of most Khumbu treks and harder than EBC itself.

Your policy must cover trekking activity up to at least 6,000 m. Kala Patthar is 5,545 m, so any policy capped at 5,000 m or 5,500 m is invalid. Minimum coverage: helicopter evacuation USD 100,000, emergency medical USD 100,000, trip cancellation for full trip cost, and personal liability USD 1 million. Providers that reliably cover Nepal trekking at altitude: World Nomads (Explorer plan), True Traveller (UK Adventure Pack), Safety Wing Nomad Insurance, IMG Global Patriot Adventure, and Allianz Trip Insurance with Adventure Sports rider. Read the altitude limit carefully — this is the single most common gap. Bring a printed policy and 24-hour emergency phone number to the pre-trek briefing.

Yes, mostly. WiFi via Everest Link prepaid cards is available at every teahouse from Lukla to Lobuche, USD 3 to 5 per 24-hour session at 1 to 3 Mbps in Namche, dropping to 0.3 to 1 Mbps at Gorak Shep. Video calls are unreliable above 4,000 m. Mobile coverage from NCell or Nepal Telecom (NTC) is patchy above Namche, with intermittent NCell signal at Tengboche, Dingboche and Lobuche. NCell SIM cards cost USD 5 at Kathmandu airport. Your lead guide carries a Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator for true emergencies that works anywhere on the route regardless of weather.

Yes, with conditions. Recommended age range is 14 to 70, though we have completed the trek with trekkers as young as 12 and as old as 75. Children under 16 must trek with a parent or guardian and benefit from a slightly extended itinerary (16 days versus 14). Trekkers above 65 should obtain a cardiology clearance specifically for sustained exercise above 5,000 m. Chronic conditions that require careful evaluation: hypertension (controlled is generally fine), asthma (mild is fine, severe is risky in cold dry air), diabetes (controlled is fine but eating schedules become important), past episodes of HACE or HAPE (consult a high-altitude specialist), and sleep apnoea (significantly worse above 4,000 m where respiratory drive is suppressed). We require a medical fitness form from every trekker over 60 and from anyone with a chronic condition.

We don't recommend it. Nepal's 2023 rule requires foreign trekkers in national parks to use a licensed guide, and local rules in the Khumbu have been applied differently, so confirm the current position before you go. There are also two practical reasons. AMS is hard to diagnose in yourself, and a guide often spots it first. And from Lobuche onward, mobile coverage is limited and a rescue needs coordination. Our packages always include a licensed guide.

We treat altitude as the main risk on this route. Every group takes rest days at Namche and Dingboche, our guides check oxygen levels twice a day from Namche onward, and we explain how Diamox works so you can ask your doctor about it before you travel. Anyone with signs of HACE or HAPE goes down at once. Lead guides are TAAN licensed with first-aid training. Ask us how we would handle an emergency on your dates before you book.

No technical climbing gear is required for the standard EBC route. The trail is a maintained walking path the entire way. Crampons (microspikes or similar) are recommended only in December through February when ice and snow can cover the trail above Lobuche, and even then most groups manage without them. The main technical concern is the Kala Patthar climb on snow days; the rock is loose, and ice patches can form near the summit. Trekking poles with snow baskets are strongly recommended for the Kala Patthar climb regardless of season. We supply microspikes on request for winter treks.

Every Everest Base Camp booking includes one Kathmandu buffer day on either side of the trek, for a total of two buffer days in the itinerary. These buffers absorb Lukla flight cancellations, which are common. If your inbound Lukla flight is delayed by a day, the buffer becomes the first proper trek day; if delayed by two days, we abbreviate the Namche or Dingboche acclimatisation day. If your outbound Lukla flight is delayed, the return buffer absorbs it and you still make your international flight home. If flights run on time, the buffers become free Kathmandu sightseeing days (Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Durbar Square). We do not charge extra if you use the buffer, and we do not refund if you do not.