Having woken at 5am to the freezing cold, I reflected once more on Raju’s briefing the night before. For the first time since leaving Lukla, Raju warned that this was going to be a hard day. According to Raju, we’d already had seven easy days though with the challenging climbs, high altitudes and reduced oxygen, easy was not the description any of us would have chosen. If our very experiencee guide, Raju, was telling us to prepare for a hard day, we’d better take him seriously.

Khumbu Glacier

We walked slowly alongside the world’s highest and Nepal’s largest glacier, the Khumbu. Here near it’s Lobuche terminus, the glacier’s elevation was around 4,900 metres while its source between Everest and the Lhotse-Nuptse Ridge a further 17 kilometres onwards starts at around 7,600 metres. 

The pathway was extremely rocky and a bottleneck had formed as dozens of hikers carefully edged their way down the steep trail to cross the tail end of the Shangri Nup Glacier a little back from where that side glacier entered the Khumbu.

Pausing to look back down into the main valley it was difficult to take in the sheer scale of the Khumbu Glacier. Huge chunks of debris covered ice were forcing their way slowly down the valley though at such a pace, it was impossible to perceive any movement. The occasional creak, crack and groan from the ice drifted up to where we stood.

We’d left all vegetation behind a couple of days earlier and there was nowhere to shelter from the weather. Although icily cold, as the sun rose above the Himalayan Range to our east we began to thaw out a little. 

This was a volatile landscape and with the movement of the glaciers, freezing temperatures and avalanches it was little wonder the paths were rocky. 

Gorakshep - Everest Base Camp Trek

Rounding a corner, the tiny settlement of Gorakshep thankfully came into view though characterising it as a settlement was a stretch by any imagination. 

Gorakshep was a primitive cluster of blue roofed tea houses sandwiched warily above the the Khumbu Glacier and on the periphery of a frozen lake bed blanketed in sand. The settlement was only occupied during the Everest trekking and mountaineering seasons, remaining a ghost town at other times. 

This was the location of the original Everest Base Camp used by the Swiss in their 1952 expedition. In later years the base camp was moved to below the Khumbu Ice Fall where it has remained.

Gorakshep is the last overnight accommodation available to trekkers who are not permitted to camp at Everest Base Camp. Competition for beds in the settlement can be fierce and those trekkers lacking an experienced Guide, may, if they’re lucky, find themselves sleeping on the floor of the tea house. The alternative is a tent.

We would return here for the night and we gratefully lightened our day packs, leaving spare items in our twin share rooms. We were now at an altitude of 5,165 metres and everyone was feeling the impact.

Once over 4,000 metres, it becomes difficult to fall into a deep sleep and all sorts of noises echo through the accommodation disturbing your sleep further. I had a dull headache, more from the lack of sleep than anything else however the change in diet at this high altitude had left me queasy and with little appetite. These were typical symptoms of trekking at altitude.

Knowing it was critical to continue eating and drinking, I managed to finish off most of a plain omelette and bit of toast washed down with green tea.

Behind the teahouse, colourful quilts aired gaily on a clothesline and two sturdy white ponies waited patiently. For any hikers who found the trekking too difficult, it was possible to hire a horse to carry them to and from Base Camp.

Everest Views

On either side of the Khumbu Valley, the Himalayan mountains towered unbelievably high above us. Ahead, the view was dominated by the Chinese mountain, Changtse, reminding me that the border between Nepal and Tibet runs across the Everest summit. 

From this section of the trail, Everest remains for the most part, obscured behind Lhotse. The best local view can be had from Kalapathar, back at Gorakshep.

Coming from an isolated island in the South Pacific Ocean, it was difficult for me to comprehend standing in one country while looking at another. I imagined the climbers coming from the Nepalese South Col route meeting up with climbers arriving from the Tibetan North Col route. 

There was plenty of time for musing, trekking to Everest Base Camp was best down slowly allowing the body time to adapt to the altitude.

As it was autumn, the trail wasn’t as crowded as it had been during the spring climbing season, now, most of the traffic were trekkers with their guides. The other group’s porters remained behind at Gorakshep, but our good friends, Bhakta, Purtengi, Pradip and Prashand had all wanted to come to Base Camp with us. 

Having dropped their loads, Purtengi continued to carefully carry the apple box, though now a cut down version of the one he’d started with way back in Lukla. Our tea house dinners had been supplemented daily with fresh apples. The night before in Lobuche, Raj had succeeded in finding someone to help us out as we had planned a surprise celebration for one of our group.

Everest Base Camp

Despite the -22° Celsius start, the clear blue sky and sun bouncing off the snow and rock had improved the temperature. Looking back along the final hundred metres of trail, I once more completed a head count, checking off where everyone was.

A semi orderly queue of excited hikers had formed waiting their turn to climb the "Base Camp" rock and have their picture taken against the stunning backdrop of the Everest amphitheatre. 

The mood was one of jubilation, flags from many nations were pulled out of day packs and some hikers sung their favourite songs or celebrated with a beer. Other hikers wandered about, hugging their friends as they caught up, everyone overwhelmed by the extraordinary place that they found themselves in.

Birthday at Everest Base Camp

While herding our elated group of sixteen together for a photo, I manoeuvred Salish into the centre position. As well as successfully completing the trek to Everest Base Camp, we were going to celebrate his 50th birthday. 

To Sailesh’s immense surprise and delight, out of Purtenji’s apple box came a magnificent birthday cake, baked just the night before in Lobuche. Against the odds, we were able to light the candles and the Base Camp was soon filled with the tunes of "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…"

In Sailesh’s words "This is the best birthday I’ve ever had!" At 5,364 metres, it will quite possibly be the highest!

Where is Everest Base Camp Trek

Best Time to Visit Everest Base Camp

The best time to trek to Everest Base Camp is guided by the seasons, spring and autumn being the best season as the weather is neither too hot nor too cold.

Autumn (September, October, November) follows the monsoon season and the air is clear and mild.  

Spring (March, April, May) brings the new growth and the opportunity to view the flowering rhododendron, magnolia and cherry trees alongside the trail.

Time Required for Everest Base Camp Trek

Using the standard trail itinerary, your Everest Base Camp Trek will take you eleven days to achieve. Heading up the trail, you’ll spend eight days trekking from Lukla to Everest Base Camp and then overnighting in Gorakshep. Included in these eight days are your two acclimatisation days being at Namche Bazaar at 3,440 metres and Dingboche being 4,410 metres.

It will then take you three days to return from Gorakshep to Lukla, the return trip is faster as you do not stop for acclimatisation days nor do you need to travel as slowly as on the way up. You’ll hike between five and seven hours each day, broken by a lunch break in one of the village Teahouses.

How Long is Everest Base Camp Trek

The Everest Base Camp trek distance when measured from Lukla all the way to Base Camp and return is around one hundred and thirty kilometres however this excludes any distances walked on acclimatisation hikes in Namche Bazaar and Dingboche.

Refer to the Freewheeling Kiwi Daily Distance Chart for the kilometres and the Daily Itinerary Chart for the overnight elevations.

Total Ascent on Everest Base Camp Trek 

Everest Base Camp Trek is an undulating walk. Including the two acclimatisation days, on the way to Everest Base Camp, we ascended 4,865 metres. Returning down to Lukla we still had 1,461 metres of climbing to do.

Permits for Everest Base Camp Trek

You will require two permits to Trek for Everest Base Camp

• Khumbu Rural Municipality Permit

• Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit. 

Essential Gear when on the Everest Base Camp Trek

Rain jacket and pants, hiking pants, hiking shirt, merino base layers, gloves, cap, beanie, socks, worn-in hiking footwear, down jacket, sunglasses. day bag, hiking poles, sleeping bag, water bottle and personal toiletries and medications.

For my comprehensive gear list, refer to the Freewheeling Kiwi Nepal Gear List Page.

Local Currency for Everest Base Camp Trek

Nepalese Rupees.

Difficulty Level of Everest Base Camp Trek

The Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty level is generally considered to be of moderate to challenging difficulty. It demands good physical fitness due to the long days of walking and the significant altitude gain, reaching up to 5,364 meters at the Base Camp. The trek involves navigating varied terrain, including rough paths, rocky areas, and steep ascents and descents.

The risk of altitude sickness is a key concern, making proper acclimatisation essential. Trekkers typically spend 10-14 days on the trail, with daily trekking times ranging from 4 to 8 hours. Adequate preparation, including cardiovascular and strength training, along with appropriate gear for cold and unpredictable weather, is crucial for a successful trek.

What is the Cost of Everest Base Camp Trek

The Everest Base Camp Trek cost ranges from $1,499 to USD 1,600 per person, all-inclusive. This price typically covers permits, accommodations, meals, guide services, and transportation, ensuring a comprehensive trekking experience.

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