How to get to Everest Base Camp- Detailed Trek Guide

Mount Everest Base Camp Trek is the ultimate adventure in the Himalayas. It’s on the bucket list of every outdoor enthusiast. Trekking for 12 long days to complete this trek is an achievement, but not everyone can trek here. Yet, only a few know the alternative tours to see Everest instead of opting for the strenuous high-altitude trek. Thus, we aim to present our “How to get to Everest Base Camp” blog so that you’d have ideas of different tours and treks that lead to the base camp of Everest.

Trek Duration	12-16 days
Daily hike hour	5-6 hours at most. 8-10 hours while returning to Namche
Max-Altitude	5,635 metres (At Kala Patthar)
Accommodation Style	Tea House, Hotels, and Lodges
Transportation	Private vehicle and Ramechhap Lukla Flight
Acclimatization	Two (Namche and Dingboche)
Trek Permits	Require (two)
Trek cost	USD 1400 (Base Price)

Primarily, there are two direct approaches to reaching the base camp of Everest. They are:

• 12 days standard Everest Base Camp Trek (Most preferred)
• One-day Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with landing at Kala Patthar

Now, we’ll discuss each of these two topics in detail to find which style suits you best to see Mt. Everest from a very close point.

Getting in Everest Base Camp with different itineraries

More than 90% of Everest region trekkers prefer the 12-day long itinerary. They want to experience the Everest region’s high-altitude terrain through the multiple day’s hike. It’s filled with once-in-a-lifetime adventures, sweaty and freezing days, incredible panoramas, cultural experiences, and much more.

Here are several steps you must go through while trekking to prepare to get to Everest Base Camp.

Hire a local travel agency or a licensed trek guide

With Nepal’s new trekking rule, Nepal has banned Free Individual Trekking (FIT), effective from April 1, 2023. Hence, if you had plans for Everest Base Camp Solo Trek in 2023, forget about it. You must hire a local travel agency like NepTrek or Nepal government-licensed trekking guides for Everest Base Camp and other Everest region treks.

Local agencies offer you the best budget for different EBC Trek itineraries. Upon hiring a local trekking agency like us, you’ll get diverse benefits like Kathmandu Lukla flight tickets, hotel reservations, trek guides and porters, Everest trek permits, transportation, logistics, and more.

If you want to hire a licensed trekking guide for the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek, your trek guide prepares the itinerary, permits, finds the porter, and airline ticket. However, hiring a guide often puts trekkers in jeopardy as you won’t know how trustworthy the trek guide will be.

However, if you trek with the agency, your agency offers experienced and reliable trek guides.

Get your Everest Trek Permits ready

Sagarmatha National Park Permit and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit are essential Everest region trekking permits. And if you’re planning for Everest Base Camp Trek in Autumn 2023, these are necessary. And if you fail to obtain these, you won’t be able to continue the trek past Lukla or Monjo.

If you’re planning this trek independently by hiring a trek guide, your guide will manage all permits. And if you’re planning EBC Trek in 2023 with an agency, your agency will prepare all trek permits before your trek starts.

Cost and Validity of Everest Region Trek Permits

The two Everest region trek permits cost USD 50 or NPR 5000. You must visit the Nepal Tourism Board tourist help counter for permits if you’re alone. And with the agency, you only need to provide them with some passport-sized photos and a copy of your valid passport and visa. Also, the Mount Everest Base Camp Trek Package you purchase from the agency includes the cost of trek permits.

The good news, you don’t have to purchase TIMS Card for Everest region trekking.

Know your Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary

There are numerous EBC Trek itineraries, and deciding the best fit is up to you. The most days to complete “Only” the base camp of Everest is 12 days. However, shorter itineraries are just seven days with a helicopter return.

If you wish to trek to Everest Three High Passes along the base camp, it can be long days itineraries, more than 17 days.

Moreover, a few panorama and cultural treks like Everest View Trek and Everest Mani Rimdu Festival Trek in the Everest region offer the base camp hike optional.

Kathmandu Lukla Flight

It’s a first step every Everest Region Trekker does before starting the hike. Lukla, often known as Gateway to Everest, is accessible only through helicopter and domestic flights.

Kathmandu to Lukla flight now operates from Ramechhap Airport, often known as Manthali Airport. As there are no direct flights from Kathmandu to Lukla, trekkers must drive to Ramechhap overnight to catch the flight early the next day.

The total flight time from Ramechhap to Lukla is 20 scenic minutes. And upon landing Lukla, you’ll start your first day of the Everest Base Camp Trek to Phakding.

Since Lukla has a notorious reputation, as many call it dangerous and scariest, you can also fly here on a helicopter. A helicopter from Kathmandu to Lukla takes 40 minutes to land at Lukla. It’s carefree and luxurious, with the utmost comfort and affordable.

Whichever you take, a domestic flight or by helicopter, reaching Lukla is a must.

12 days Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary – Short Overview

Most trekkers who hike up to the base camp of Mt. Everest purchase the 12 days itinerary from local agencies. They first fly to Lukla and gradually hike to the base camp via different villages, settlements, and fantastic mountain scenery.

Upon starting the trek from Lukla, you’ll hike to Phakding for 4 hours, covering almost 6 km distance. You’ll stop at Phakding for overnight.

After leaving Phakding, you’ll hike to Namche Bazaar. At Namche Bazaar, you’ll stop for one day for acclimatization. Here, you’ll climb to Hotel Everest View and catch the first glimpse of Everest and other mountains. Namche Bazaar is ideal for acclimatization as you’ll gain nearly 1000 meters of altitude after leaving Lukla. Plus, you’ll hike to Hotel Everest View, at 3,880 meters, which prepares you for better adaptation at Thengobche on the following day’s hike.

From Namche, you’ll hike to Tengboche and stop overnight. From Tengboche, the 6 hours hike takes you to Dingboche, where you’ll stop for overnight accommodation. Plus, it’s also where you’ll stop for the second acclimatization before hiking to Lobuche and Gorak Shep.

On the following days, you’ll hike to Lobuche, stop overnight, and walk to Gorak Shep and Everest’s base camp. Moreover, you’ll hike to Kala Patthar vantage point for the ultimate glimpse of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and other panorama.

Physical fitness is must

Physical fitness is necessary if you want to get to Everest Base Camp. The high-altitude terrain of the Everest region makes it very challenging to hike. It is because it’s the highest altitude seated base camp on an 8,000 meters mountain, at 5,365 meters.

Numerous pieces of training help you build stamina and breathing techniques. One such widely practiced method is aerobic exercises. Running, Biking, Swimming, and yoga are also among the best practice to prepare yourself for EBC Trek. Make a routine of uphill and downhill runs for a few months before joining the group for the trek.

Sort out your heart and blood pressure conditions.

If you have existing heart problems, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, please make sure that you take good advice from your doctor. The high-altitude environment can be fatal for those with pre-existing health issues. Thus, consult with your doctor regarding your plans for EBC Trek. And book the trek only if you get the green light from the doctor.

Almost all agency rejects booking request from people with pre-existing medical issues.

Avoid Diamox if possible

Diamox (Acetazolamide) tablets prevent you from getting altitude sickness. However, we don’t recommend consuming such medicines while on trek. It makes your body dependent on the same drug while doing other tours in high altitudes.

Since you spend thousands of dollars for a trek, you want to complete it anyway. You want to avoid risking your trek’s success and want it to be a successful one. We value your priority and suggest you refrain from relying on such medicines.

On Everest Base Camp Trek, you’ll get two acclimatization stops, one at Namche and one at Dingboche. With these two acclimatization, you’ll survive the altitude sickness. Plus, our trek guides will take your care 24/7 throughout this trek to ensure you’re doing well. So, there’s no need to consume such medicines while you can hike with acclimatizations.

Stay healthy, hydrate often, and go vegetarian

Staying healthy is one of the most crucial and challenging tasks on Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek. Not only do this trek but trekking to other places also demands health and safety.

Hydration is essential if you want to avoid altitude sickness symptoms. You sweat a lot as you hike for four to five hours each day. And in this, you’ll lose water in the form of sweat, urine, and saliva. Thus, between 9 am to 4 pm, you should drink at least 3-4 litres of water to replenish the body fluids. You can also add electrolytes and ORS solutions to replenish body salts.

Vegetarian meals are best while trekking in Nepal. Carried by porters for several days, the meat and meat products at high altitudes deteriorate by the time it reaches higher places. While trekking, by chance, if you trail behind one porter carrying meat, you may end up vomiting from the foul smell of meat. We recommend not eating meat throughout your 12 days of Everest Base Camp Trekking.

Carry appropriate trekking gear for Everest Base Camp Trek

Trekking gears and other accessories are a must if you want to trek to Everest’s base camp comfortably. Trekking gears not only help you keep nice and warm. But they also make the trek experience much more comfortable while hiking in snow and winds.

Hiking pants, fleece, sleeves, quick dry t-shirts, sun hat, sunglasses, buff, down jacket, gloves, trekking boot, and more are essential body wears.

Moreover, skin care and personal cleanliness items are essential for each day on the trek. You may not have an option for taking hot showers at high altitudes. Thus, you should use wet wipes, tissue paper, and more to maintain hygiene.

Plus, gear like a camera and binoculars give you excellent photography and visuals.

Read our Backpacking List for Trekking in Nepal blog for a complete Everest Base Camp Packing List.

Purchase and carry your travel insurance policy

If you’re planning or have booked your Everest Base Camp Trek in 2023, ensure you’ve arranged your travel insurance policy. Without this, you may have your booked trek cancelled. Travel agencies like NepTrek hold every right to cancel your spot in the group if you fail to provide a travel insurance document.

The crucial document keeps you alive during challenging times in the mountains. Everest Trek is susceptible to high altitude sickness so you may get sick at higher places. And if you get seriously affected by altitude sickness, a helicopter evacuation can only save you. A rapid descent is only possible by helicopter.

Moreover, you may pay for expensive medicines and treatments while visiting clinics in Lukla, Namche, and Pheriche. But, if you carry a travel insurance policy, it compensates your medication bills and other treatments.

Furthermore, during theft and robbery or damage of personal goods, you’ll also have the right to claim for the damage upon insuring them.

One day Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour

The four-hour-long Everest Helicopter Tour with landing at Kala Patthar is the shortest, most luxurious, and most affordable way to get to Everest Base Camp. In recent years, Everest Helicopter Tour has been a favourite among elite and timebound travellers.

Often known as Everest Breakfast Tour on a helicopter, this tour takes you to Kala Patthar, tours around Everest Base Camp, returns to Hotel Everest View or Kongde View Point, stops for breakfast, and flies to Kathmandu.

Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour- Short Itinerary

The first section of the Everest Helicopter Tour begins with a flight briefing at Kathmandu airport. From here, you’ll fly to Lukla and stop there for 15-20 minutes.

Past Lukla, the flight takes you to Pheriche. If the helicopter has only three passengers, it continues beyond Pheriche. However, for passengers of more than 3, the aircraft does shifts, carrying three at once. It’s because of the weight limit and high altitude guidelines.

Past Pheriche, the helicopter flies over Thugla, Lobuche, Khumbu Glacier, Everest Base Camp, Camp I, Camp II, and Kala Patthar. The aircraft stops at Kala Patthar for 5-10 minutes for sightseeing. From here, you’ll get an utter glimpse of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, and more.

The helicopter then flies for 20 minutes and lands at Hotel Everest View for breakfast. These days, people on Everest Base Camp Helicopter Landing Tour fly to Kongde View Point Hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, the helicopter takes you to Lukla airport and refuels.

From Lukla, you’ll fly for another 50 minutes to Kathmandu, which marks the end of this one-day tour.

Everest Helicopter Tour Phases

Phase	From	To	Altitude	Time
Phase 1	Kathmandu	Lukla	2,860 meters	40 minutes
Phase 2	Lukla	Pheriche	4,371 meters	20 minutes
Phase 3	Pheriche	Kala Patthar	5,644 meters	20 minutes
Phase 4	Kala Patthar	Hotel Everest View	3,880 meters	20 minutes
Phase 5	Hotel Everest View	Lukla	2,860 meters	5 minutes
Phase 6	Lukla	Kathmandu	1,400 meters	40 minutes