10 things you should know before trekking the Everest Base Camp
Hiking in Nepal has been on my bucket list for ages, and this year, I finally decided to do it!
If you want to do the iconic Everest Base Camp Trek like me, here are 10 things you should know before starting your adventure!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
WHAT VISA DO I NEED TO TRAVEL TO NEPAL?
Let's talk about the not-so-exciting (but totally necessary) part of your Everest adventure: getting your Nepal visa.
You've got a couple of options to choose from, depending on how much of a planner you are.
APPLY FOR THE ONLINE VISA BEFORE YOU GO
You can apply for the online VISA, before you go to Nepal. It’s not necessary, but it’s the faster way to enter the country.
Head over to the Nepal Immigration website, fill out the form, and - you're halfway there.
VISA ON ARRIVAL
The most popular option is to do the VISA on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Just remember to bring some passport-sized photos and cash (US dollars work best).
Keep your passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned stay.
Have proof of onward travel ready.
You've got three VISA options:
15 days: USD 25
30 days: USD 40
90 days: USD 100
2. WHAT TRAVEL INSURANCE SHOULD I TAKE?
Everest Base Camp Trek Insurance is an absolute must for any traveller as even small injuries, such as a sprained ankle, can create a logistical nightmare that proves to be quite costly. While the trek is not explicitly dangerous itself, it does pose various risks which all need to be considered when deciding on what insurance to buy for the duration of your visit.
The biggest difference in buying travel insurance for the Everest Base Camp Trek compared to other holidays is altitude. At the highest point of the trek you will be standing at over 5,500m above sea level, while most travel insurance policies cover only up to 3,000m.
The reason for this is the risk posed by Acute Mountain Sickness and other altitude-related illnesses. These can be avoided by practising proper acclimatization techniques and allowing time for your body to get used to the higher-than-normal altitudes.
If symptoms are experienced and don’t improve rapidly, descent is the only option. This can only happen through medical evacuation by helicopter. If your insurance covers up to 6,000m you will be covered for the entire course of the trek and will not have to worry about exorbitant evacuation or medical assistance costs.
Because the travel insurance I usually take does not cover high-altitude treks, I just found out the best option that I will use for the two weeks of hiking in Nepal at the cost of 200 USD:
True Traveller
1st step
Select Extreme Pack - Trekking in NEPAL
If you are going trekking in Nepal, please note that there is a policy excess of £750/€900 if you need to be rescued by helicopter for medical reasons. If you abandon your trek because you don’t want to continue, that isn’t a valid claim, so all helicopter costs will have to be paid by you. Note this excess cannot be waived by taking out the Excess Waiver.
Why are you doing this?
In Nepal, there are now almost 3000 helicopter rescues each season, which is a phenomenal amount, and over 75% of these are for Acute Mountain Sickness or food poisoning. There is increasing corruption in the trekking industry in Nepal, due mainly to weak regulation, and many novice trekkers have had to be rescued as they have been taken to altitude too fast, or have had baking powder added to their food, causing vomiting and diarrhoea. The guides then earn a reward from the helicopter companies of $2000 or more.
In the first five months of 2023, all but 2 of all rescues arranged by True Traveller were for customers who had booked a "cheap" trek online with a local Nepalese company. That’s 97%. So, be warned. If you find a trek “online” at a price that is too good to be true, this is the reason why.
If you book with a reputable international trekking firm or have had a personal recommendation for a local Nepalese firm providing treks at a reasonable price, yes, your trek will cost more, but it will be a much better experience, and the chances of you needing a helicopter rescue will be significantly reduced.
3. WHAT IS THE BEST PERIOD TO DO THE EBC TREK?
Let's break down the best seasons for your epic adventure. Pick the season that suits your style, and get ready for an unforgettable journey!
Spring: The Popular Choice
March to May is prime time for trekking to Everest Base Camp. You'll find yourself surrounded by a burst of colorful rhododendrons and clear, crisp skies. But keep in mind, it's also the busiest season with many trekkers on the way to EBC.
Fall: The Scenic Route
If you're all about those picture-perfect views, autumn's your jam. From September to November, the weather's stable, and the vistas are to die for. Plus, the temperatures are just right - not too hot, not too cold. It's the perfect time for the trekking season.
Winter: Only For the Brave Souls
Feeling adventurous? Winter trekking from December to February is for you!
It's cold, sure, but the trails are blissfully quiet. You'll have those snow-capped peaks almost all to yourself. Just pack those extra layers and be prepared for some chilly nights.
Summer: The Wild Card
June to August brings the monsoon, which might sound like a no-go. But, if you don't mind a bit of rain and mud, you'll be rewarded with lush landscapes and fewer crowds. Just keep an eye on the weather forecast!
In conclusion, September to November and March to May — are the best periods for the EBC trek due to the stable weather, however, it's also the most popular time among trekkers.
4. HOW MANY DAYS DO I NEED IN NEPAL?
Even though the hike is 14 days long, you need some buffer time in Nepal, in case of bad weather during the trek, or in case the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla gets cancelled. Keep in mind that Lukla airport is the world's most dangerous airport with its runaway being only 500 meters long, flight cancellations are very common, in case of wind or foggy weather.
After visiting Nepal I have a connecting flight from Kathmandu to Bhutan, and I certainly don't want to miss it, so for my trip, I am calculating 3 buffer days at the arrival in Nepal, and 2 extra days, before the departure, in case the schedule for some reason might be delayed. So in total, I have planned 5 extra days, where I will stay in the Nepalese capital — Kathmandu.
I recommend doing the same if you have a flight planned back home or to another country!
In total in Nepal I will be staying for 3 weeks, of course, depends if you want to see other places in Nepal, it might be longer, but If you are mostly planning to do the EBC trek, I still recommend planning 5 days extra over your 14 days hike as a buffer time.
5. HOW LONG IS THE EBC TREK & HOW DIFFICULT IS THE HIKE?
The hike is 12 to 14 days long, so in total to EBC and back is 130km – 65km each way — quite a lot of trekking!
The Everest Base Camp trek might sound daunting, but it isn’t one of the more difficult treks. In fact, there are people of all ages and fitness levels that complete the trek every year.
The difficulty of this trek comes from a number of different factors, including the length of the trek, and mostly the elevation gain.
It is recommend that you take part in a few 4-6 hour treks near home so that your body can get used to hiking for that length of time. You should begin your training 6-8 weeks before you are due to leave for the trek.
One way you can help your body to handle the lack of oxygen at higher altitudes is to do some aerobic exercises, such as jogging, swimming or sprinting. This increases your body’s ability to circulate oxygen, which will become harder at higher altitudes.
The goal is to feel happy walking for 5 hours a day with a light day pack.
You start the EBC trek in the mountainside town of Lukla, which is 2,860 m (9,383 ft) above sea level. Everest Base Camp is a whopping 5,364 m (17,598 ft) above sea level. That means your altitude gain on the EBC trek is 2,504 m (8,215 ft).
This is how the trek is organised by most companies, to give you a clear idea of what to expect:
ASCENDING TO EVEREST BASE CAMP
Day 1: Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and then trek to Phakding
Distance: 4.66 mi / 7.5 km; Time hike: 3h
Day 2: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Elevation gain: +830 m; Time hike: +4 h; Distance: 4.6 mi / 7.4 km
Day 3: Acclimatisation Day at Namche Bazaar. Hike to Hotel Everest View and back
Elevation gain: +440 m; Time hike: 4h ; Distance: 4.72 mi / 7.6 km
Day 4 : Trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche
Elevation gain: +427 m; Distance: 5.72 mi / 9.2 km; Time hike: 4h
Day 06: Trek from Tengbocheto to Dingboche
Elevation gain: +540 m ; Distance: 6.71 mi / 10.8 km; Time hike: 3,5 h
Day 07: Acclimatisation Day. Hike to Nangkartsang Peak and back
Elevation gain: +320 m; Distance: 6.9 mi / 11.1 km; Time hike: 7h
Day 08: Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche
Elevation gain: +500 m; Distance: 5 mi / 8,5 km; Time hike: 5,5 h
Day 09: Trek from Lobuche to Everest Base Camp and then back to Gorak Shep
Elevation gain: +230 m; Distance: 2.67 mi / 4.3 km; Time hike: 4,5 h
DESCENDING FROM EVEREST BASE CAMP TO LUKLA
Day 10: Morning Hike to Kala Patthar and then, Descend to Pheriche
Day 11: Trek from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar
Day 12: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla
Day 13: Fly back from Lukla to Kathmandu
6. DO I NEED A GUIDE TO DO THE EBC TREK?
To do the EBC trek, you don’t necessarily need to have a mountain guide with you, however, it is recommended for different reasons:
you are supporting the local economy and the Sherpa community
it’s safer to have someone who knows the place and can guide you if something happens at these altitudes
you don’t have to worry about the accommodations throughout the hike, the guide will be responsible for booking everything in advance. If you go by yourself, it might be difficult to find availably in the mountain houses, especially during the high season
you will have a porter with you so that you don’t need to carry a heavy backpack
you get to know more about the culture and the places
When hiring a porter or guide, do your homework. Look for reputable trekking companies with good reviews. Make sure they treat their staff fairlv and provide proper equipment.
If you want to do the EBC trek, there are many guiding companies to choose from. At first, I wanted to do the trek with ‘ACE the Himalaya’ —one of the best reviewed companies.
But, at the end, I decided to take a different path, to have a more authentic experience..
In November of 2023, I was travelling in the Himalayan region of India, Ladakh.
In a cute Tibetan souvenir shop in Leh, I met a very friendly Tibetan lady, and while mentioning my interest in Nepal, she recommended her brother, who works in Nepal as a mountain guide. That’s why I decided to choose Tenpa as my private guide to Everest Base Camp, also to get a deeper insight into the Tibetan community in Nepal.
In addition to the guide, we will also have a porter that can carry a 25 kg backpack —which will be a huge help during the trek!
7. HOW COLD IS THE EVEREST BASE CAMP?
To pack properly, you’ll need to know what the weather is like on the Everest Base Camp trek. Whatever time of year you travel, you’ll experience a lot of climate and temperature variation. This is because of the significant altitude gain along the track - from the trail starting point at Lukla (2,860m) to base camp itself (5,380m). The weather will become colder and more unpredictable the higher you climb.
During spring (March to May) the daytime temperature hovers around 17°C at lower altitudes, and 10°C as you climb higher. But it’ll drop in the nighttime to somewhere between -5°C to -10°C.
Autumn (September to November) is similar to the spring.
By winter (December to February) the temperatures will drop. Anticipate daytime temperatures ranging from just above freezing to around 10°C, and during the night temperatures can go as low as -10°C.
Whatever time of year you visit, then, be sure to pack some warm clothes.
8. WHAT TO PACK FOR THE EVEREST BASE CAMP?
The quantity of each article of clothing can be adjusted to suit your preferences. What you are gonna take, is gonna change depending of the season you are planning to do the trek.
Hiking clothes can be quite expensive, so if you don’t have the essentials, I recommend buying the gear in Kathmandu —it’s a lot cheaper than buying them for example in Europe or in the US.
These are the most common items you should take with your for hiking the EBC:
GENERAL CLOTHING:
Daypack (35-45 liters recommended) with rain cover
Waterproof Puffy down jacket
Lightweight Down jacket
Waterproof trousers
Lightweight trekking trousers
Hiking shorts (if trekking in the summer)
Thermals (top and bottom, merino ideal)
Two to three trekking t-shirts/shirts
Fleece or warm mid-layer
Waterproof thick gloves
Hiking socks and lighter walking socks
Wool hat
Sun hat
Sunglasses
Headlamp
Spare underwear
One pair of worn-in, waterproof hiking boots
One pair of lightweight trainers (for the camp, in the evenings)
Extra Clothes for Winter:
Extra warm layers (add an extra warm item to all key items above)
Extra set of thermals (pair to walk in, pair to sleep in)
Merino trekking socks
Merino glove liners
Gaiters
Ice Cleats /Micro Spikes (For trekking from November to March, it's recommended to include Ice Cleats/ Micro Spikes to prevent slipping on icy or wet surfaces)
FIRST AID KIT, INCLUDING:
Guides usually carry medications and first aid kits during the trip. However, personal kits and medications are highly recommended, such as:
Anti-Diarrhoea Tablets (Imodium)
Painkillers
Anti-inflammatories
Throat Lozenges
Rehydration Sachets
Blister Plasters
Vaseline - to rub on feet to reduce friction
Diamox for altitude sickness
Lip balm
ointment
Cough Syrup (recommend for Khumbu Cough)
Mosquito repellent cream (for Kathmandu and Phakding)
Reusable water bottle
Water purification tablets or UV water purifier
Hydration bladder
TOILETRIES:
Biodegradable wet wipes
Hand gel
Small biodegradable bags to take toilet tissue off the mountain
Toilet paper
Sunscreen with high UV protection & lip block
ESSENTIALS:
Reusable water bottle
Trekking poles
Towel
Pillowcase
Toilet paper (2 rolls)
High protein snacks (such as protein bars or nuts)
TECH TO PACK FOR TREKKING:
Powerbank
Universal plug adaptor
Charging cables
Phone / iPod /Kindle
9. HOW EXPENSIVE IS THE EBC TREK?
If you do the hike with a guide and a porter in a group together with other people —the price is around 1500 USD. This price usually includes flights from Kathmandu to Lukla (and back), hotel in Kathmandu, guide and porter, food and accommodation for 14 days.
If you decide to go on a private tour, meaning only with a guide and a porter, the price is around 1800 USD, depending on the company you go with.
These are the most common prices you will find on the internet, and I do not recommend booking tours that look suspiciously cheap, because you never know the quality of the service, or what scams you can find on the internet. Always read carefully the review of the companies online!
Moreover, calculate extra costs for the flights from your country to Nepal (and back), the VISA, snacks during the hike, and tips to the porter and the guide.
10. CAN I FLY THE DRONE IN THE EVEREST REGION?
You can fly the drone in the Everest Region, but only with the permission of 4 different authorities.
The permission process is very complicated and discouraging making it almost impossible.
In order to fly your drone in the Everest Region, you need the approval from:
the ministry of home affairs
department of tourism
civil aviation authority of Nepal
conservation area/National parks
SMALL DRONES
Drones weighing less than 2 kilograms do NOT require authorisation from CAAN (Civil aviation authority of Nepal) if flown on private property and under 200 feet.
However, all drones, (no matter the size), must obtain prior permissions from the Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Moreover, all drones are prohibited in the national parks and conservation areas (also the Everest Region), unless you have a special permission.
I have a Dji mini 4 pro and am still in the process of getting my permission approved. Below, you can find the organisations I am trying to contact to get my authorisation settled:
If you you want to register your drone, or you have more questions regarding drone regulations, you can visit the website: Civil aviation authority of Nepal, or email CAAN:
dgca@caanepal.gov.np
Email: info@tourismdepartment.gov.np
E-mail: info@ntb.org.np
The Sagarmatha National Park— is a protected area encompassing the Everest region. To fly the drone in the Everest Region you need to obtain the permit from this conservation area.
Email: info@dnpwc.gov.np
Good luck!
I hope I was helpful and was able to answer the most common questions about the Everest Base Camp Trek. I am preparing for the journey to Nepal and can't wait for my travel to begin!