Useful Information
Everest Base Camp Route
Everest Base Camp Trek begins with a scenic morning flight to Lukla. The trail follows a deep river valley, continuing into Sagarthmatha National. Next is Namche Bazaar, where you take arest day to acclimatize. The trail ascends to Everest Base Camp, while stopping for a night at the lovely villages of Tengboche, Dingboche, and Lobuche. Before returning to Lukla, you climb Kala Patthar for a stunning Mount Everest view.
Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty
The Everest Base Camp Trek is not an extreme challenge. It is considred moderately difficult.Though it may sound daunting, the EBC Trek has been done by both young and elderly people, as well as adventure-seekers with little trekking experience. Our itinerary allows for proper acclimatization to avoid altitude sickness. The round-trip trek is roughly 130 kilometers long – very doable over 11 days. With some fitness, training, and determination this dream trek can become a reality!
Everest Base Camp Trek Training
Training isn’t required, but training for the Everest Base Camp Trek is recommended to have a better experience in the Himalayas. You do not need to hire a personal trainer or spend hours each day in the gym, but a little bit of preparation goes a long way. Doing some cardio exercises (running, jumping rope, swimming, etc.) to strengthen your legs and improve your respiratory system will help. If available, hiking in hills or mountains is a great way to prepare.
Everest Base Camp Trek Permit
Yes, two permits are required: Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, and the new Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee. The TIMS card, required by most treks, is no longer required for the Everest Base Camp trail. Sagarmatha National Park entry permit costs rps. 3000 plus a 13% tax, bringing the total to 3390 rupees per person. Finally, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee is 2000 rupees (roughly $20 USD).
Accommodation and Food/Drink on the Everest Base Camp Trek
The accommodation and food on the Everest Base Camp Trek is at a higher standard than most treks in the Himalayas. The comfortable teahouses offer basic beds with a mattress, blanket, and pillow. Some places offer hot showers for an additional cost. These teahouses are an awesome opportunity to get to know locals as well as travelers from around the world. Most guesthouses in the Everest region offer both local and western dishes. Breakfasts include Tibetan bread, pancakes, chapatti, eggs, porridge, or muesli. Enjoy dal bhat (typical Nepali dish of rice, lentil soup, pickle, and vegetable curry), fried rice, curry, thukpa, fried noodles, momo, pizza, sandwiches, pasta and more. Water is always available, as well as beer and local drinks, though we don’t recommend partaking in booze-drinking on the way up.
Best Time to take the Everest Base Camp Trek
The best time for the Everest Base Camp Trek is autumn (September to November) and spring (end of February to first week of May). September marks the end of monsoon season in Nepal and the beginning of clear, cloudless skies. The temperature during the day is moderate, but it gets a little chilly at night. The combined view of the colorful landscapes, partly cloudy skies and snowy mountains is priceless! Spring offers beautiful Himalayan views, pleasant weather, and colorful wildflowers. The days are warm and sunny, with pleasantly cool nights. Because spring and fall have the best weather, they also bring the most tourists, so guesthouses must be booked ahead of time. The winter and monsoon seasons are possible, but the weather can make it slightly less pleasant. The winter still has clear skies, but snow can prevent access to Base Camp. If the conditions are right, though, winter can be an adventurous time to trek. During monsoon season, the trails are quiet, but clouds can block the best views and you may have to spend some days trekking in the rain.
Phone and Internet on the Everest Base Camp Trek
Using data on a local SIM card is usually the easiest way to access the internet on the trail. Since 2010, there is Ncell coverage all the way up to Everest Base Camp itself. Also, most guesthouses have WiFi, though many require you to pay some rate to use it.
Everest Base Camp Altitude Sickness
Though it is not super common, Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) can happen on the Everest Base Camp Trek. AMS happens while trekking 3000+ meters and on this trek, we reach up to 5545 meters at Kalapatthar. There are several acclimatization days on this itinerary, which prepare your body to ascend into high altitude. In the case that you show symptoms of altitude sickness, our guide will descend with you immediately.
IMPORTANT : What happens if the delayed or canceled Flight in Kathmandu or in Lukla
Our 16 - days EBC trek package is all about trekking. Thus, we highly recommend you keep 1 to 2 days at hand. This is because the weather in the Himalayas is highly unpredictable. Thus, due to bad weather, the Lukla flight may get delayed or even canceled. We would not want you to miss your flight back home! On top of that, with the leisure day in hand, you can even have a sightseeing day around the city! At Ashmita Trek and Tours, we make sure you get the best sightseeing around the city and some adventure activities, such as a: mountain flight by plane or Bungy or Rafting, etc.
Sometimes flights get canceled after waiting a few hours at the airport because of the unpredictable weather conditions at Lukla. The chances of getting the next flight are pretty slim. In case of flight cancellations, we suggest:
Taking a Helicopter Flight
This is the best alternative because this is going to occur on a sharing basis making the cost to be only USD 500 - USD 700 per head!
Taking a Chartered Flight
You can also charter a helicopter flight while the whole of the flight costs you around USD 2700 - USD 3000!
Note : Some insurance policies will cover emergency flights, cancellations, or adjusting international travel rates if there is an issue. Before getting your travel insurance, make sure you understand all of the policies, terms, and restrictions. If you need to make a genuine claim on your insurance, Ashmita Trek and Tours will be able to supply the necessary paperwork.