Everest Base Camp Trek

When is the best time to go to Everest Base Camp?

The generic answer to this question is ‘spring and autumn, but of course, we cannot guarantee the weather in such a uniquely high location.  While we see trekkers and climbers coming year-round, there are definite times when the weather is more suitable for the average trekker.  

Everest Base Camp in Spring (March to May)

Spring is a busy time on this trek as the sky and mountain views are clear.  Plus, the temperatures are the best at this altitude – up to 20 degrees centigrade in the day and around 5 degrees at night.

Everest Base Camp in Monsoon (June to August)

Monsoon is when many folks in the west take annual leave, but this is not the best time to visit the Khumbu (Everest) Region.  Incessant rain can make the hardiest trekker miserable and the trails more slippery.  Flights into Lukla are frequently canceled due to the weather; you should build that into your plans.  On the plus side, the trails and guest houses are less busy, and it feels like a blessing when the sun is out. 

Everest Base Camp in Autumn (September to November)

Autumn is the second most popular time to come to the Everest Region, and the views are also stunning.  On the downside, lodges can be busy and colder on nights.  There is a possibility of snowfall, which can be a glass-half-empty, glass-half-full situation – either you love the added enchantment snow brings or dislike having to wrap up warmly.  As a bonus, this is festival time in Nepal, and your guides and locals will be in a celebratory mood, making your trip even more memorable. 

Everest Base Camp in winter (December to February)

Winter is definitely for the more experienced trekker.  The weather is unpredictable, and trails can change in hours due to snow. The sky will most likely be clear, and the scenery changes daily as snow drifts in.  On the positive side, fewer trekkers will be on the trail and lodges.  But if this is for you, let’s discuss the possibilities as lodges often close for the winter as locals go down to lower altitudes to wait out the cold.  

What is the Food Like on the Everest Base Camp Trek?

There is plenty of good, multi-cuisine options on this trek, from pizza to chowmein and porridge to omelets. However, above 3,000m (basically above Namche Bazaar), we recommend you not to eat meat because, normally, teahouses do not have refrigerators. You will eat at the tea house you are staying.

They do, though’ have a great selection of vegetarian meals. In the larger towns, such as Namche and Lukla, there are more options available – even bakery items fresh from the baker’s oven and a pub.   

You can expect eggs, toast or Tibetan-style bread, porridge, or noodles for breakfast.  

The local dish of dal bhat is preferred by the guide and porters.  Dal bhat consists of vegetable curry, lentil (dal) soup, and rice.  Very filling and a staple throughout Nepal. 

The dinner menu at your overnight teahouse can vary, particularly at lower altitudes.  There will be soups of different kinds, noodles and pasta in different forms, fried potatoes, fried rice, pizza (of different qualities), more dal bhat, and for dessert, perhaps custard or rice pudding. 

At each stop, there will be soft drinks and tea, and coffee 

Bakeries serve bread and cakes in larger settlements such as Namche and Lukla. 

Breakfast at your overnight teahouse in EBC Trek:

• Spicy Nepali omelet with chili, onion, and tomatoes or piping hot porridge with milk
• Toast with jam or honey
• Nepali spiced tea or coffee (most likely instant coffee outside the bigger settlements).

Lunch on EBC Trek:

• Dal bhat (rice, curry, lentils) or noodles when available
• Nepali tea or a soft drink (where available)
• Chowmin
• Pasta

Dinner at your overnight teahouse in EBC Trek:

• Garlic soup
• Tibetan bread 
• Fried macaroni with vegetables
• Custard 
• Beer/ spirits (we recommend you limit your consumption at altitude)Tea/ coffee

Acclimatizing During the EBC Trek

As soon as you arrive at the airport at Lukla, you are at an altitude of 2,860m – having left Kathmandu at 1,440m an hour earlier.  By the time you reach Namche, you have reached 3,440m above sea level.  At this height, some may begin to see their bodies react to the altitude.  Our guides are well-trained in the signs of altitude sickness and what to do should any trekker suffer.  Our trek leaders and guides will also carry an oximeter to monitor your oxygen level should there be any questions. But avoidance is better than cure, so keep well hydrated and alert the guide to any changes in your body.  

To avoid problems, we have an acclimatization day at Namche Bazaar and another at Dingboche. 

Acclimatization days don’t mean you are doing nothing.  It means walking around at a higher altitude and sleeping at a lower altitude to accustom your body to the height.  On our EBC trek, we have built-in interesting things to do and see on these two days.  

Altitude Variation in EBC Trek and What Magical Nepal Does to Minimize Altitude Sickness

You enter the Everest Region at Lukla airport at 2,860m/ 9,383ft.  On that arrival day, you hike for four hours to the first overnight stop at Phakding, which is at 2,651m/ 8,697ft. As you can see, you are already at quite some height. 

Therefore, there are two acclimatization days to minimize the chances of altitude-related problems.  The first is at Namche Bazaar at 3,700m/ 12,139ft, and the second is at Dingboche at 3,956m/ 12,979ft. This way, your body gets used to the high altitude and the stress it is under. 

Of course, nothing is guaranteed, so if there are any problems, Magical Nepal’s guides are trained in first aid and have been guiding treks in the Himalayas for at least seven years. They will keep their eyes open for any symptoms you may have, but if you feel unwell, regardless of how slight it feels, you should report this to your guide immediately.  They aim to make this the best experience you have had – which includes keeping you well and safe. 

Are There Hot Showers and Electricity on this Trek?

Yes, hot showers are available, but you must pay for them.  Why? Gas canisters are brought in from nearby cities and carried to teahouses.  That is an expensive journey.  You will be expected to pay around $3 to $5 per shower, depending on the height of your lodge. We recommend you conserve energy (and your money) and don’t shower too often.  And the effort to take off and put on clothes might be too much in the cooler weather.  

As for electricity, most teahouses now depend on solar power, installed at a considerable cost.  Therefore, they will ask you to pay to charge your equipment – $3 to $5 per item.  We suggest you carry your own power bank or portable solar charger. 

How High is Everest Base Camp?

Everest Base Camp sits at 5,364m (17,598 ft). 

However, you will go even higher – Kalapathar (the Everest viewpoint with astounding views) is 5,545m (18,192 ft).  As this is a day hike, this should not cause any problems as you will return to a lower altitude to sleep. 

Tell Me About the Flight to Lukla

Lukla Airport (actually called the Tenzing Hillary Airport after the first two men to ascend Everest) sits at an altitude of 2,846m (9,337 ft).  To safely fly into the airport, good weather is required at the starting and ending point.  We always recommend that our guests leave for two days at the end of their trek as a contingency plan in case the weather closes.  You don’t want to miss your international flight.  

As a result of this uncertainty about whether – the weather needs to be good at Kathmandu and Lukla as well as everywhere in between – and the fact that there can be a build-up of tourists waiting for flights should the weather turn bad, another airport has been recently utilized for flights to Lukla.

Ramechhap Airport Flight for the trek

is situated on the Terai and is closer to Lukla than Kathmandu.  The weather at Namecheap is generally better than that at Kathmandu. Thus, there is less build-up of delayed flights.  On the downside, the airport is an hour’s drive from Kathmandu.  This requires tourists to drive (organized bus) through the night to reach Ramechap in time for their early morning flight to Lukla.  Departures by bus from Kathmandu are around  3 am.    We can look at this positively – another adventure and new scenery to see on route.  If you have doubts, please ask us. 

Trek Difficulty and Physical Fitness Required for Everest Base Camp Hike

While we recommend you bring only what you will need on the trek to Nepal, we realize many clients go to other countries or parts of Nepal that require different clothing and/or equipment.  It is possible to store luggage in your hotel in Kathmandu, most likely at a fee or at our office (depending on demand).  We can also store any valuables in our office locker at no charge. 

Extend your trip after Everest Base Camp

If you are interested in staying longer in Nepal, we can organize that for you too.  If you are keen to extend your trip to the Everest Region, we recommend Island Peak. This is considered a trekking peak.  Some climbing gear is required, but you do not have to be an experienced climber to do this climb.  It is ideal for those who want to try climbing but have little or no experience and want to see Mount Everest simultaneously.  You can combine both treks together.  Please ask us about dates and prices. 

If you would like to visit another part of Nepal, we can recommend both Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Park.  Or if your time is short, we can provide Kathmandu Heritage sightseeing with a guide, taking you into a fascinating ancient world and culture. 

Trip Extension National Parks

Both Chitwan and Bardia are beautiful national parks in Nepal.  But both are different regarding location, difficulty getting there, facilities, and, to some extent, wildlife. 

Chitwan is very close (around 5 hour drive or a short flight) from Kathmandu and has been established as a national park open for visitors for decades. It is easy to spend 2 nights in Chitwan with little difficulty because of the distance to Kathmandu.  As a result, there is a wide range of accommodations, some quite luxurious.  There is also a range of restaurants and bars in the tourist town of Sauraha for those who would rather party the night away.  The wildlife guides provide walking safaris, jeep safaris, and short canoe rides.  The main animals of interest are rhinos, deer, leopards, monkeys, and smaller mammals. Tigers do live here but are quite difficult to spot.  

Bardia National Park is situated at the other end of the country and takes around 12 hours to reach by road or 1.5 hours flight then 2 hours drive. We recommend staying at least 3 nights to enjoy the ambiance here fully.  It is less busy with tourists and more rustic in terms of accommodation and local villages.  Wildlife here consists of tigers, elephants, leopards, monkeys, and deer.  Like Chitwan, there is a huge range of bird life for those interested in bird watching. Jeep and walking safaris are offered, and rafting on the river with perhaps fishing.   Nightlife here is more confined to your lodge. 

There are now options for wildlife spotting between these two parks.  The village of Megauli, which is really in Chitwan District, is an up-and-coming place in terms of luxury lodges. At the moment, does not see a lot of visitors but offers the same safari options of the jeep and walking safaris.  It is more difficult to get to than Chitwan and requires either a private vehicle or to be collected from the nearest big town by the lodge vehicle. 

Cost and the Booking Process for EBC Trek

You can book your trek and other trips via our booking system, which will collect all the necessary information from you.   You can pay the deposit or the full amount via credit card. As we require you to book your flight to Lukla, we need a copy of your passport at the time of booking, as per our booking system. 

Porter Weight Limit and Information for Trekking Everest Base Camp

We use porters to carry clients’ bags.  Porters are also human, so they also have a limit on how much they can carry (more than us, for sure, but there is a limit to their capabilities).  A porter’s weight limit is 20 kg, and we will provide you with a kit bag/ duffle bag designed to make it easier for them to carry. Porters are 2:1 ratio. For two clients, one porter  

These amazing people are used to walking at altitude and on these rough trails, so they walk faster than the average trekker.  As they will head off ahead of you and reach the teahouse first, where they will deposit your bag, please ensure you carry what you need for the day with you. 

Our porters will start work for you at Lukla airport. 

Charging Your Equipment on the Everest Base Camp Trek

Everyone carries electronic equipment these days: phones, cameras, Ipad, etc.  But on most treks in Nepal, basic facilities have not caught up with modern-day technology.  The majority of electricity in the teahouses is solar generated.  Someone carried those solar panels up the mountains, and the teahouse owner had to pay for them and maintain them.  So it’s only natural they pass this cost on to you.  Generally, teahouses will charge you $2 to $3 for your phone or camera.  This can become expensive as there are so many wonderful things to photograph.  We recommend you carry a power bank or a small solar charger to avoid paying too much.  There are some great solar chargers that clip onto your day pack. 

Accommodation on the EBC Trek

On EBC trek, you will stay two nights in a hotel in Kathmandu and 12 nights in teahouses in the mountains. 

What to expect in Kathmandu Accommodation:

We provide our guests with accommodation in a good hotel on a twin-share basis.  If you require a higher standard of the hotel, let us know, and we can provide this at an extra charge.  Your hotel will have an attached bathroom, good bedclothes, and the usual things you can expect from a good standard.  They are located in the heart of the tourist area, Thamel.  There is a wide range of restaurants, cafes, and bars nearby and shops for souvenirs and essentials. 

Breakfast in Kathmandu in your hotel is included, and there may be either a buffet style or a menu to choose from.  

What to expect in a teahouse in EBC Trek:

A teahouse is like a simple guest house on the mountain trails.  It provides trekkers with accommodation, meals, and a place to socialize.  These provide pretty basic accommodation, either in twin rooms or in dormitories.  Toilets and bathrooms are shared, with either a Western-style toilet or a squat style. 

Showers normally only have cold water; you will be expected to pay for it in those with hot water on offer.   The sleeping rooms consist of beds, blankets, and not much else.  Bringing your own sleeping bag is always recommended.  There are no ‘single rooms’ unless it is off-season, and you are lucky. Sharing a room is perfectly normal. There is no heating in the sleeping rooms. 

Some sort of stove usually warms the dining area. Light is provided by solar.  Most teahouses have the ability to charge your gadgets, for which you have to pay. Breakfast and dinner are taken in the teahouses at communal tables where you can discuss the day’s journey with others.  Some menus offer a variety of food.  Boiled water is usually available, rather than in plastic bottles, which hurts the environment. There is a small charge for boiled water.  Bringing your own sterilization tablets/ life straw is a good idea. 

Luxury lodges on the Everest Base Camp trail:

Some luxury lodges are at lower altitudes within the Everest Region. While these are not up to Marriott or Hyatt standards, they are extremely comfortable with a good range of amenities.  If this interests you, we can point you to our Everest Luxury Lodge Trek for more information. If this interests you, we can point you to our Everest Luxury Lodge Trek for more information.  

Upgrade to Helicopters for Everest base camp trek

Helicopters are sometimes used to reach the Everest Region more quickly. There are several options available.  For those not able to spend the time trekking, there is a short half-day tour, with a landing on Kalapathar for close-up views of Everest and Everest View Hotel for breakfast. Ask us about the Breakfast on Everest Heli Tour. For those who do want to trek, there is the option to arrive at Lukla by helicopter. Naturally, arriving by helicopter rather than plane adds to the expense, and there must be others in your group to make up the numbers (unless you want to charter a whole helicopter). Please ask us about this option.

Will I be Able to Communicate with Those at Home During the EBC Trek?

There is Wi-Fi and cellular signals at all stages of this trek.  This is weather-dependent, however.  And trickier as you go higher.  Let friends and family know you may be out of communication for several days, so they do not worry.  

Group Size for EBC Trek

Your trekking group is generally 8 people, but it is often smaller.  If you require a tailor-made private trek, you can choose this option at no additional cost during checkout. 

We have found that trekking makes the trip more fun, especially during the evening relaxation. 

Arriving in Kathmandu

We will pick you up at the airport in Kathmandu and take you to your hotel.  If you are late (flight delay etc.) and have been unable to contact us to let us know, please make your way to the hotel. There are pre-paid taxis at the exit of the airport, which will cost you around Nrs600 – Nrs800 to Thamel. Few people might come up to help you with your bag and later ask for money. Ignore them.

Travel Insurance for EBC Trek

While our insurance covers our team, you are not.  Please ensure you have the correct travel insurance before leaving home.  That is insurance that covers trekking at high altitudes and the cost of helicopter rescue in the unlikely event it will be necessary.

Safety and Security in Nepal and EBC Trek

In general, Nepal is a very safe country.  But please check your home government’s website for the latest information.  There may be demonstrations – if you see one, please avoid it.  Theft is unusual, but it does happen.  Ensure all your valuables are hidden from sight.  You can leave any valuables in our office locker while on your trek.  

It is unlikely, but if there is any landslide, avalanche,e or earthquake on the mountain, please follow instructions from your guide.  Similarly, if you feel unwell at all, please advise your guide.

Tipping Culture in Nepal

It is expected in restaurants and cafes to tip 10% of the bill.  Tipping your driver, porter, guide, and another staff on your trek is also normal. Please tip drivers of private vehicles separately.  $1 to $5, depending on the length of the journey.  Normally tips for the trekking crew are given as a group and depend on the group’s satisfaction.  

Local Dress and Culture in Nepal

 Please respect the local culture.  For example, when entering someone’s house, please remove your shoes and leave them outside.  This does not apply to trekking lodges.  Please dress conservatively.  It is doubtful whether you will wear short shorts on the trek, but please consider this when packing for your adventure.  Please dress respectively when visiting religious sites of any kind.  Public displays of affection between men and women are still rare in Nepal. Whatever you may witness in the bars of Thamel is not common outside in rural areas! 

Money Exchange in Kathmandu

There are plenty of ATM machines in Kathmandu which provide Nepali currency.  You will only find an ATM in the Everest Region at Namche Bazaar, so bring any cash you need.  The ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard and have a limit on each withdrawal.  Some shops accept Visa and Mastercard also, but there will be a 3 or 4% charge for each transaction.   The rate of exchange varies daily at both ATMs and money changer booths.  Money changer booths will only change hard currency into Nepali rupees.  They do not accept cards. Often it is easier to bring some US dollars, Pounds, Australian Dollars, Singaporean Dollars, Malayasian rings, and Euros with you.