Everest Base Camp Trek

The Everest Base Camp Trek is a roughly 130 km out-and-back trail in the Khumbu region of Nepal, gaining about 2,770 m of elevation to reach 5,364 m over 12 days. Rated strenuous, it climbs from Lukla through Sherpa villages to the foot of the world's highest mountain, with Kala Patthar offering the finest Everest panorama.

About the Everest Base Camp Trek

The Everest Base Camp Trek (EBC) is the most famous high-altitude walk on Earth, threading through the Khumbu Valley of north-eastern Nepal to the southern base camp of Sagarmatha — the Nepali name for Mount Everest (8,849 m). Part of Nepal's National Walking Network, this point-to-point route covers around 130 km round trip from the airstrip at Lukla (2,860 m) to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) and back, with the high point of the journey reached on the optional dawn climb of Kala Patthar (5,545 m).

Despite the daunting altitude, the EBC is a teahouse trek rather than a mountaineering expedition: no ropes, crampons or technical skills are required. The challenge is endurance and acclimatisation. Days typically involve 5 to 8 hours of walking on well-trodden trails, suspension bridges and stone staircases, with two dedicated rest days built in to let the body adjust to thinning air. The trek lies almost entirely inside Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1976 that protects 1,148 km² of glaciers, gorges and rhododendron forest, home to Himalayan tahr, musk deer and the elusive snow leopard.

What draws roughly 30,000 trekkers here each year is not just Everest itself but the cultural depth of the Khumbu: Buddhist monasteries, prayer-flag-draped passes, and the Sherpa communities whose mountaineering heritage stretches back to the 1953 first ascent. The trek is demanding but achievable for fit, well-prepared walkers, which is why understanding the stages, the weather windows and the gear is the difference between a triumphant arrival at base camp and an early retreat. If you are weighing up your first big multi-day mountain route, you may also find our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day useful for planning energy on the trail.

Route Overview & Stages

The classic 12-day itinerary below follows the standard southern approach from Lukla. Distances are approximate one-way figures for each trekking day; the two acclimatisation days include short "climb high, sleep low" hikes rather than onward progress.

Combined ascent and descent over the full out-and-back route totals roughly 130 km. Many operators add a buffer day in case bad weather grounds the Lukla flights, so a realistic trip length is 13 to 14 days door to door.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) — the bustling "capital of the Khumbu", an amphitheatre of lodges, bakeries and gear shops, and the key first acclimatisation stop.
• Tengboche Monastery (3,867 m) — the largest gompa in the Khumbu, set against Ama Dablam, where trekkers can witness afternoon prayer ceremonies.
• Hillary Suspension Bridge — the dramatic high bridge above the Dudh Koshi confluence, draped in prayer flags, on the climb toward Namche.
• Ama Dablam (6,812 m) — often called the most beautiful peak in the Himalaya, its distinctive twin ridges dominate the middle stages of the trail.
• Thukla Pass memorials — a sobering ridgeline of stone chortens honouring climbers and Sherpas lost on Everest, just above Dughla.
• Khumbu Glacier & Icefall — the tumbling river of ice that forms the gateway to the summit route, viewed up close from base camp.
• Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) — the trek's namesake goal, a cluster of boulders and (in spring) the colourful tents of summit expeditions.
• Kala Patthar (5,545 m) — the rocky shoulder of Pumori that delivers the single best unobstructed view of Everest's summit pyramid at sunrise.

Best Time to Hike the Everest Base Camp Trek

The Khumbu has two reliable trekking windows, and the single best month is October. Post-monsoon autumn (late September to November) brings clear, stable skies, crisp mountain air and temperatures that sit around 12°C in Namche by day, dropping well below freezing at the higher camps overnight. October combines the cleanest visibility of the year with comfortable daytime walking before the deep cold of December arrives, which is why it is the most popular month on the trail.

Spring (March to May) is the second prime season and the only time you will see summit expeditions occupying base camp. April delivers warming temperatures, blooming rhododendron forests below Tengboche and longer days, though afternoon haze can build as the season progresses. As of 2026, both shoulder weeks in early March and late November remain quieter alternatives, with fewer trekkers competing for teahouse beds, at the cost of sharper cold and a higher chance of snow on the upper sections. Avoid the monsoon (June to August), when rain, leeches at lower altitudes, mud and grounded Lukla flights make the trek frustrating, and the heart of winter (December to February), when nightly temperatures at Gorak Shep can plunge below −20°C and many high lodges close.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The EBC is a teahouse trek, meaning you sleep in family-run lodges every night and do not need to carry a tent. Standards drop as you climb: lower villages such as Phakding and Namche offer rooms with private bathrooms, hot showers and bakeries, while above Dingboche lodges are plywood-walled with shared squat toilets and unheated bedrooms warmed only by a communal dung-fired stove. Expect to pay roughly €4–€8 per night for a twin room at lower elevations, rising toward €10–€15 at Gorak Shep, where demand outstrips supply. Lodges expect you to eat dinner and breakfast where you sleep, and the staple dal bhat (lentils, rice and vegetables) runs about €5–€9 a plate, climbing with altitude as everything must be carried up by porter or yak. Budget extra for charging devices (€2–€4 per hour), hot showers (€3–€5) and bottled or treated water.

Getting There & Back

The trek begins at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla (2,860 m), reached by a roughly 35-minute mountain flight from Kathmandu or, during the busy autumn and spring seasons, from Ramechhap (Manthali) airport about a 4–5 hour drive east of Kathmandu. These flights are weather-dependent and frequently delayed or cancelled, so a buffer day is essential. An increasingly common alternative is to drive from Kathmandu to Salleri or Surke (roughly 9–12 hours by jeep) and walk in, adding two days but avoiding the flight uncertainty. The nearest international gateway is Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, where most trekkers spend a night before and after the trek.

Permits & Fees

Two permits are required and are checked at trailside posts. The Sagarmatha National Park entry permit costs 3,000 NPR (about €21) for foreign visitors, issued at the Monjo park gate or in Kathmandu. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit costs 2,000 NPR (about €14), paid at Lukla or Monjo. The older TIMS card is generally not required on this specific route as of 2026, but rules change, so confirm before departure. Independent solo trekking remains possible on the EBC, though hiring a licensed guide or porter supports the local economy and adds a safety margin at altitude.

Gear & Packing List

Because porters or yaks can carry your main duffel, many trekkers walk with a light daypack holding water, snacks, a down jacket and a camera. A 30–40 litre pack is ideal for this style; the Abisko Hike 35 and the running-vest-style ADV Skin 20 both suit day-carry duties well. If you intend to carry everything yourself, a larger ultralight pack such as the 3400 Windrider handles a full multi-day load while keeping base weight low. For wider comparison of carrying options, our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 tests seven packs head to head.

Beyond the pack, the essentials are a four-season sleeping bag rated to around −15°C, a down jacket, waterproof shell, sturdy broken-in boots, trekking poles, sunglasses and high-SPF sun cream for the intense altitude sun, plus a reliable water-treatment method. Layering is the key principle: mornings can start below freezing and warm rapidly in the sun. Keep your loadout planned digitally so you can balance warmth against weight before you fly. Track everything you carry — from sleeping bag to spare batteries — in our gear database, and log your trail meals and daily calories in the food planner so you arrive at altitude properly fuelled.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the Khumbu has caught your imagination, Nepal offers several other classic teahouse treks that pair high-altitude scenery with the same lodge-to-lodge convenience. For a wilder, higher-altitude loop that links three 5,000-metre passes with the EBC region, the Three Passes Trek is the natural next step. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek delivers an amphitheatre of 7,000-metre peaks in a shorter, lower window, while the quieter Langtang Trek offers glaciers and Tamang culture within easy reach of Kathmandu. Further afield, Europe's cross-border classic — covered in our guide on how to hike the Theth to Valbona trail in Albania — scratches a similar high-mountain itch on a smaller scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Everest Base Camp Trek?
October is the single best month, offering the clearest skies, stable weather and comfortable daytime temperatures after the monsoon clears. Spring, from March to May, is the second-best window and the only season when summit expeditions occupy base camp. Avoid the June-to-August monsoon and the deep cold of December to February.

How difficult is the Everest Base Camp Trek?
It is rated strenuous, though not technical — no climbing skills are needed. The difficulty comes from sustained 5-to-8-hour days, cumulative elevation gain of about 2,770 m and the thin air above 5,000 m, where altitude sickness is the main risk. Good fitness and two acclimatisation days make it achievable for most determined walkers.

How many kilometres do you walk per day?
Daily trekking distances range from about 7.8 km on the gentle first day to roughly 18 km on the longest descent days, with most stages between 9 and 12 km. The pace is deliberately slow to aid acclimatisation, so even shorter days can take 5 to 7 hours including rest stops and photo breaks at altitude.

Where do you sleep on the trek?
You stay in family-run teahouse lodges every night, so no tent is required. Lower villages like Namche offer private rooms and hot showers, while high stops such as Gorak Shep have basic plywood rooms with shared toilets and a communal stove. Expect to pay roughly €4–€15 per night depending on altitude.

What permits do I need for Everest Base Camp?
Two permits are required: the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit at 3,000 NPR (about €21) and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit at 2,000 NPR (about €14). Both are checked at trailside posts near Monjo and Lukla. The older TIMS card is generally not needed on this route as of 2026, but always confirm current rules before you travel.

Authoritative resources: Nepal Tourism Board for entry requirements and seasonal advisories, and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation for Sagarmatha National Park permit and conservation information.