Everest Base Camp Trek

The standard Everest Base Camp trek runs from Lukla up the Dudh Koshi through Namche Bazaar, Tengboche and Dingboche to Gorak Shep and the base camp moraine at about 5,364 metres, taking twelve to fourteen days with acclimatisation days built in, and most people add the climb of Kala Patthar for the view of Everest itself, since the mountain is largely hidden from base camp. The route is not technical, but the altitude is the real work, and the schedule exists to manage it. Khumbu is Sherpa country, and the trail passes gompas at Tengboche and Pangboche, yak trains, and villages that have been shaped by mountaineering for seventy years. This is the busiest trek in Nepal and the lodges reflect that.

What you actually see

• The base camp moraine - the glacier below the Khumbu Icefall.
• Kala Patthar - the 5,545-metre viewpoint that actually shows Everest.
• Tengboche gompa - the monastery below Ama Dablam.
• Namche Bazaar - the Sherpa town built into a horseshoe bowl.

When to go

March to May and October to November. October is clearest and also busiest. Winter is intensely cold with some lodges closed. The monsoon brings cloud, no views and frequent flight cancellations.

Honest expectations

Altitude sickness is common and evacuations happen regularly; the acclimatisation days are not optional. Lukla flights cancel for days at a time in poor weather. The trail is crowded in season and lodge prices climb steeply with altitude. Everest is not visible from base camp itself.

Nearby

Gokyo lies west over the Cho La; Lukla is the usual start and finish.