Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty

Everest Base Camp treks are intensive treks that require mental and physical toughness, but the rewards make them equally worth it. Remember, your physical struggles help you become more determined and ambitious. 

Everest Base Camp Trek Details

Everest is the tallest and perhaps the most popular mountain on the planet. So, it is natural that most travelers, adventurers, and trekkers place Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek on their bucket wish list. Since Everest is a fold mountain that lies in the remote Himalayan region, the terrain around Everest is full of high-altitude mountains. Because of the landscapes surrounding Mount. Everest, there are several routes you can take to reach Everest Base Camp. 

Everest Base Camp - 5,364m

Everest lies in the northeast of Nepal, inside the Sagarmatha National Park. The easiest way to reach the Everest region is to take a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. However, once you land in Lukla, your itinerary changes according to your choice. Most treks, however, reach Namche Bazaar - the gateway to Everest. 

You can take the most popular classic Everest Base Camp route or add high passes to the trek making it more exciting. You can even visit the oligotrophic high altitude Gokyo Lakes en route to Everest Base Camp. If you just want to see EBC, you can take part in helicopter tours. There are even treks that allow you to view Everest from the foothills of Everest.

 

This trek requires effort from you.

Everest Base Camp treks are not casual hikes that you can undertake without much thought or effort. Everest Base Camp trek requires proper planning, determination, and reasonable physical fitness. 

Most probably, you will need to take an international flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, and then a domestic flight to Lukla. The trekking starts from Lukla, and there are various routes to reach Everest Base Camp. Though all trek routes to EBC require plenty of physical and mental effort, certain paths are more challenging but equally rewarding. 

Since your trek is at high elevations and in harsh remote regions, you need to pack your gear, clothing, or equipment accordingly. You will also need to think about your safety, as all high-altitude treks contain certain inherent risks, including altitude sickness.

 

Miles to walk

After a thrilling flight from Kathmandu, you will land in Lukla, and from Lukla, you will start your journey to the Everest Base Camp. The exact path you will match to the one taken by Sir Edmund Hillary and other mountaineering pioneers. The length of classic EBC treks from Lukla is about 65 kilometers one way. So, you will need to cover a distance of 130km, which is quite long. However, remember that you will need to cover this distance generally in twelve days, which means, on average, you will cover about 11 km per day. 

Please remember that hiking at high altitudes requires more effort, and due to low oxygen, hiking gets very difficult. So, it is important not to rush and walk at your own pace. If you rush, your chances of catching high altitude sickness get high.

You also need to note that you will be trekking in remote regions, often on rocky paths consisting of steep ups and downs. A substantial portion of the trek passes through forests as well. Though you will find it difficult to climb up, you must remember that the views get more stunning from higher grounds. 

 

The condition of the trails

The trails to Everest Base Camp elevates rapidly, passing through several climatic regions. The path consists of numerous ups and downs, often by the side of gigantic cliffs and supplemented by thrilling suspension bridges. Trail conditions also depend on the season you are traveling. Everest Base Camp trek is possible throughout the year, but for a comfortable trek, you can choose spring (March-May) or autumn (September-November). 

Trails during spring (March to May) 
From March, snow on the trails, lakes, and passes starts to melt, allowing comfortable hiking. By April, the snowfall at even the highest trek regions gets occasional. When May sets in, the trails are free of snow, and it is the most desired month to scale Everest. 

Trails during summer (June to August)
The monsoon brings in heavy rainfall making the trails slippery, wet, and even muddy. There are even chances of landslides and avalanches. So, summer treks can become quite challenging.

Trails during autumn (September to November) 
During the first half of September, there are chances of rain that makes trails wet and slippery, but otherwise, the weather is perfect. By October, trails are back in great condition, allowing you to enjoy the lush vegetation, stunning seasonal flowers, and photogenic waterfalls. However, from November, the temperatures start to dip down, and snowfall starts at high elevations, mainly in the second half of this month.

Trails during winter (December to February) 
The temperature starts to go down, and by December, early mornings and evenings in trek regions get cloudy, obstructing views. The winter brings in heavy rainfall, making treks quite difficult. However, the snow cover looks lovely. 

 

Hire a trek operator.

You might be tempted for a solo trek to Everest Base Camp. However, this is not a great idea. We believe your EBC trek should be stress-free, allowing you to enjoy every moment. This is why you need to book your trek with a trek operator. 

Trek operators will hire a guide for you. Guides can inform you about the happenings in trek regions and even the whole nation. They can narrate myths related to trek regions, the culture of the people, religious practices, and pretty much everything you want to know. 

After you book your trek, the guides will arrange your booking for flights, accommodations, etc. They will take care of the permits, transport arrangements, and other necessities. Without a trekking guide, you will have no idea where you can get hygienic food and which restaurants/hotels fit your budget and tastes. 

Your guide also ensures your safety and security against events like unpredictable weather, getting lost, or catching altitude sickness. They will also help you break the language barrier and remind you of the absolute necessities you need to pack for the trek. 

Ticketing/ Flights

Most Everest treks start from a flight to Lukla Airport from Tribhuvan International Airport at Kathmandu. Lukla Airport is very busy, especially during trek seasons (spring and autumn). There are also chances of flight delays and cancellations because of weather reasons. However, if you book Everest treks with Discovery World Trekking, we will take care of these flight arrangements.

Preparing for Everest Base Camp Trek

Everest Base Camp Trek is a huge undertaking that needs proper planning and preparedness. Here are the things you need to pay attention to.

Start Exercising
Trekking at higher elevations is quite different than at lower altitudes, as it is physically exhaustive. So, start exercising a few weeks before your trek departure date. You can engage in stamina-building exercises such as jogging, swimming, or cycling. If you want to recreate the trek experience, get yourself a small backpack and trek for about six to seven hours.

Eat Healthily. Drink enough water.
Trekking at high altitudes requires lots of energy, so you need to get enough hygenic, nutrient-rich foods. You will get enough food choices, but they get more limited as you climb up. The food also gets more expensive. Though you will get plenty of meat items, we suggest avoiding them for hygiene concerns.

One of the ways to reduce the chances of getting altitude is to drink enough water, more than 4 liters per day. However, you should avoid drinking water from wells, taps, and rivers in trek regions because the water may not be potable. You can either buy packed mineral water or carry a water bottle. The best choice is to bring a water bottle and fill it with boiled/filtered water. You can buy boiled/filtered water from lodges/teahouses in trek regions.

Though you can buy packed mineral water, some trek regions will not allow plastic bottles. 

 

Porters

Discovery World Trekking has full-time experienced porters. So, if you book your trek with us, we will arrange porters for you. We are an ethical company, and we do not allow our porters to carry more than 18kg of luggage weight. 

Porters carry the main luggage for the trekkers, lifting the heavy weight-lifting that you would have to do yourself, and they can provide a different view of their way of seeing life. Moreover, porters come from impoverished parts, and by employing them, you contribute to the economic development of remote regions.

 

Preparing and tackling altitude sickness

High altitude treks come with inherent risks of altitude sickness. This is one of the reasons why you need adequate health insurance, including helicopter rescue and repatriation charges. However, there are ways to minimize the chances of getting altitude sickness.

Avoiding altitude sickness

• Do not skip acclimatization days. Acclimatizing is crucial.
• Walk at your own pace, do not hurry
• Drink at least 4 liters of water every day 
• Drink garlic soup. It is very effective against altitude sickness
• Take enough nutrient-rich food
• Keep your body warm 
• Take plenty of rest after a daily hike 
• Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks.

 

Altitude sickness requires immediate attention. Here are the signs you need to pay attention to.

• Tiredness and dizziness 
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Headache 
• Difficulty in sleeping 
• Appetite loss
• Increased heart rate and shortness of breath
  
  

If you book your trek with us, our guides will take care of you. They will monitor your oxygen blood saturation level using oximeters at high altitudes. In emergencies, we will use your insurance and deploy a helicopter to bring you back to safety.

 

Slow and steady wins the race.

Most Everest Base Camp treks last for two weeks. So, you need to understand that the Everest Base Camp trek is not a sprint. You require planning for long day hikes without exhausting yourself. Our trek leaders can also advise you on ways to remain steady so that your trek to EBC is successful. 

 

The difficulty

The mountains are not just simple geographical structures. They also symbolize the challenges that we face in our life. Your trek to the Everest Base Camp will make you more determined and resolute - ingredients for success in life.

Everest Base Camp treks are challenging treks that need proper planning, and you will be better off trekking as a group through trek and tour operators. Discovery World Trekking has been providing excellent services for trekkers all around the world to reach Everest Base Camp. 

Please contact us at 977-9840055491 (call/Viber/WhatsApp) or email info@discoveryworldtrekking to plan a hassle-free Everest Base Camp trek with us.