# Everest Trekking Guide

> Independent, guide-written planning reference for the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal's Khumbu region — permits, costs, altitude, seasons, route variants, and Sherpa culture. Written and maintained by Ajay Shrestha, a Nepal-based trekking guide; trips are fulfilled by Swotah Travel and Adventure.

Facts on this site are specific to the Everest Base Camp route (Lukla 2,860 m to Everest Base Camp 5,364 m, with Kala Patthar at 5,644 m). Altitudes, permit costs, and flight logistics are stated in the units and currency used locally and should be attributed to the page they appear on.

## Core planning guides

- [Everest Base Camp trek: the complete route, cost, and planning guide](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/ebc-trek)
- [17 EBC itineraries compared by duration, route, and audience](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries)
- [What an EBC trek costs, broken down by permit, flight, lodging, and guide](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/cost)
- [Sagarmatha National Park and Khumbu Rural Municipality permits](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/permits)
- [Season-by-season conditions for trekking to Everest Base Camp](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/best-time)
- [AMS, HACE and HAPE on the EBC route, and how to respond](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/altitude-sickness)
- [Day-by-day sleeping altitudes for the classic EBC itinerary](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/elevation-by-day)
- [Flying into Lukla, including Manthali/Ramechhap season routing](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/lukla-flights)
- [Tea houses on the EBC route: what to expect and what they cost](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/accommodation)
- [Gear list for Everest Base Camp, by season](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/gear)
- [Physical preparation for the EBC trek](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/training)
- [Trekking insurance and helicopter evacuation cover for the Khumbu](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/insurance)
- [Porter weight limits, wages, and ethical trekking practice](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/porter-welfare)
- [Interactive maps of the EBC route and its variants](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/maps)
- [The guides behind Everest Trekking Guide](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/team)

## Itineraries

- [Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour: 1 Day from Kathmandu](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/helicopter-tour-1-day): 1 days, max elevation 5644 m, moderate difficulty. See Everest Base Camp in one day. Land at Kala Patthar (5,644 m), breakfast at the Hotel Everest View, return by late morning.
- [Everest Panorama Trek: 9 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/panorama-9-day): 9 days, max elevation 3880 m, moderate difficulty. Everest, Ama Dablam, and Lhotse views without going to Base Camp. Max elevation 3,880 m. Ideal for families, older trekkers, and first-time Himalayan visitors.
- [EBC Trek with Helicopter Return: 10 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/heli-return-10-day): 10 days, max elevation 5644 m, moderate difficulty. Trek up, fly back. Save 4 days on the descent and see the Khumbu from 5,000 m on the way home.
- [Everest Base Camp Trek: 12 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/short-12-day): 12 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. Compressed but complete. Two acclimatisation days kept in, no safety corners cut. The minimum responsible EBC itinerary.
- [Classic Everest Base Camp Trek: 14 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/classic-14-day): 14 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. The benchmark itinerary. Proper acclimatisation at Namche and Dingboche. The route Hillary's expedition followed from Lukla.
- [LGBTQ+ Everest Base Camp Trek: 14 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/lgbtq-everest-base-camp-trek): 14 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. The classic route with welcoming small-group departures for LGBTQ+ trekkers and allies, in the most LGBTQ-friendly country in South Asia.
- [Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek: 14 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/luxury-14-day): 14 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. Private guide, best teahouses at every camp, personal porter, Kathmandu in 4-star comfort. EBC without compromise.
- [Everest Base Camp Trek with Kids: 15-Day Family Itinerary](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/family-15-day): 15 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. The classic route re-paced for families: an extra acclimatisation day, shorter stages, and a guide-per-child ratio built around children walking safely to Base Camp.
- [Everest Base Camp Stargazing Trek: 15-Day Astronomy Itinerary](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/stargazing-15-day): 15 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. Base Camp by day, some of the darkest skies on Earth by night — guided telescope sessions with an astronomer, timed around the new moon.
- [Women's Everest Base Camp Trek: 15-Day Women-Only Departure](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/womens-only-15-day): 15 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. A women-only group to Base Camp, led by licensed female guides — supportive, safe, and directly backing women's employment in Nepal's mountains.
- [Everest Base Camp Trek for Seniors: 16-Day Slow-Paced Itinerary](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/seniors-16-day): 16 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. Two extra rest days, portered luggage, and a private guide — the classic route stretched to a comfortable pace for trekkers in their 60s, 70s, and beyond.
- [Everest Base Camp Yoga Trek: 16-Day Yoga & Meditation Itinerary](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/yoga-16-day): 16 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. Morning and evening yoga with a certified instructor on the way to Base Camp — gentle breathwork, restorative practice, and a slower, mindful pace.
- [Everest Base Camp + Gokyo Lakes Trek: 17 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/gokyo-lakes-17-day): 17 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. EBC on the way up. Gokyo Lakes, Cho La Pass (5,420 m), and Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) on the way back. A loop through the best of the Khumbu.
- [Everest Base Camp Trek by Road: 18 Days (No Lukla Flight)](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/by-road-18-day): 18 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. Drive from Kathmandu to the trailhead via Salleri. No flight delays. No pre-dawn Manthali drives. Better acclimatisation.
- [Everest Base Camp + Island Peak Climbing: 18 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/island-peak-18-day): 18 days, max elevation 6189 m, very-strenuous difficulty. Trek to EBC, then summit Island Peak (Imja Tse, 6,189 m). Crampons, ice axe, and a fixed rope: the first technical step above trekking.
- [Everest Three High Passes Trek: 20 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/three-passes-20-day): 20 days, max elevation 5644 m, very-strenuous difficulty. Kongma La (5,535 m), Cho La (5,420 m), Renjo La (5,360 m), and EBC. The complete Khumbu traverse. Experienced high-altitude trekkers only.
- [Everest Base Camp Trek via Jiri: 21 Days](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/itineraries/jiri-route-21-day): 21 days, max elevation 5644 m, strenuous difficulty. Walk the trail Hillary and Tenzing used in 1953. From Jiri (1,935 m) to Base Camp, no Lukla flight required.

## Articles

- [Can You Sleep at Everest Base Camp? The 2026 Rules Explained](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/sleep-at-everest-base-camp): No — ordinary trekkers cannot sleep at Everest Base Camp, and since April 2026 selling overnight-at-Base-Camp packages to non-climbers is banned in Nepal. Here is what the rule actually says, why Base Camp has no lodges, where you really sleep, and the legal ways to get as close as possible.
- [Why Are There Dead Bodies on Mount Everest?](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/dead-bodies-on-everest): Roughly 200 bodies remain on Mount Everest today, most in terrain too dangerous and too expensive to recover from. Here is why they stay, what recovery actually costs, and what it means for anyone trekking to Base Camp.
- [Green Boots on Everest: The True Story Behind the Mountain's Most Famous Landmark](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/green-boots-everest): Green Boots is the nickname for a body that marked Everest's Northeast Ridge for three decades, long assumed to be Tsewang Paljor. In 2026, DNA testing revealed a different identity, and a recovery mission is now underway.
- [Rainbow Valley on Everest: Why This Stretch of the Death Zone Has a Deceptively Beautiful Name](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/rainbow-valley-everest): Rainbow Valley is the nickname climbers give to a stretch of Everest's north side death zone, named for the colorful gear of climbers who never made it back down. Here is what the name actually describes, and why.
- [Sleeping Beauty of Everest: The Story of Francys Arsentiev](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/sleeping-beauty-everest): Francys Arsentiev became the first American woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen on 22 May 1998, then died during her descent; her body remained visible near the route for nearly nine years, giving rise to the name "Sleeping Beauty."
- [Trekking to Everest Base Camp in Winter: What to Expect](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/ebc-in-winter): Winter EBC trekking (December-February) means fewer crowds, clearer mountain views, and significantly colder overnight temperatures. Gorak Shep can drop well below -15°C.
- [Sherpa Guides: Who They Are and Why Their Expertise Matters](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/sherpa-guides-who-are-they): Licensed Sherpa guides bring generations of high-altitude trail knowledge and NTB certification, and whether the Khumbu's guide-mandatory exemption still holds in 2026 is genuinely unsettled, but most trekkers choose to bring one along regardless.
- [What Happens If You Fail the EBC Trek Due to Altitude Sickness?](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/ebc-trek-failure-altitude): Turning back due to altitude sickness is common, manageable, and not a failure of fitness. Most guides descend with affected trekkers immediately and reputable operators plan for this scenario.
- [Is the Everest Base Camp Trek Actually Worth It?](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/is-ebc-trek-worth-it): For trekkers weighing the cost, physical demands, and multi-week time commitment against the payoff of standing beneath Everest, most who complete it rate it among their most significant travel experiences.
- [Responsible Trekking Ethics on the Everest Base Camp Route](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/ebc-trek-responsible-ethics): Responsible EBC trekking covers porter treatment, waste management, cultural respect in Sherpa villages, and choosing operators whose standards go beyond the legal minimum.
- [Porter Wages and Welfare Standards on the Everest Base Camp Trek](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/porter-wages-welfare-standards): IPPG's Nepal load limit is 30 kg per porter, not the 20 kg figure often quoted from its Kilimanjaro guidelines, and a meaningful share of budget operators still fail to meet it.
- [The Khumbu Glacier and Climate Change: What's Actually Changing](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/khumbu-glacier-climate-change): The Khumbu Glacier, which Everest Base Camp sits on, has thinned measurably over recent decades. Research points to accelerating melt affecting both the route and Base Camp's future usability.
- [Teahouse WiFi and Electricity Costs on the EBC Trek, Checkpoint by Checkpoint](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/tea-house-wifi-electricity-costs): WiFi and device charging costs rise steadily with elevation, from free or low-cost in Phakding to NPR 400-500 per device in Gorak Shep, a detail almost no EBC guide breaks down clearly.
- [Everest Base Camp Trek Over 50: What to Know Before You Book](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/ebc-trek-over-50): Age alone doesn't determine EBC trek success. Cardiovascular fitness, joint health, and itinerary pacing matter far more, and trekkers in their 60s and 70s complete the route every season.
- [Trekking to Everest Base Camp with Children: What Actually Works](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/ebc-trek-with-children): Full Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) is a serious undertaking for most children; the lower-elevation Everest Panorama Trek (max 3,880 m) is what most reputable operators recommend as a family introduction instead.
- [Solo Female Trekking to Everest Base Camp: A Safety Guide](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/solo-female-ebc-trek-safety): Women trekking solo to EBC should know the Khumbu's guide-mandatory exemption is currently unsettled, not a settled legal fact. Here's what that means in practice, plus guide vetting advice for those who choose to go guided anyway.
- [Your Lukla Flight Got Cancelled: Now What?](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/lukla-flight-cancelled-what-to-do): A cancelled Lukla flight is routine, not rare: 30-40% of peak-season flights face delay, and one bad day can strand 500+ trekkers. Here's the rebooking process, the helicopter-share workaround, and why buffer days are the only real fix.
- [Kala Patthar vs Everest Base Camp: Which One Actually Shows You the Summit?](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/kala-patthar-vs-ebc-viewpoint): Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) does not have a view of Everest's summit. Nuptse's west ridge blocks it. Kala Patthar (5,644 m), 280 m higher, is the actual summit viewpoint.
- [What Is the Success Rate of the Everest Base Camp Trek?](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/ebc-trek-success-rate): Nepal doesn't publish an official EBC completion rate, but trekking operators most commonly report 80-95%, with acclimatisation days as the single biggest lever between the low and high end of that range.
- [The Manthali (Ramechhap) Airport Situation: A Complete 2026 Guide](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/manthali-ramechhap-lukla-flight-guide): Since 2019, most spring and autumn Lukla flights depart from Manthali (Ramechhap), 132 km and a 4-5 hour drive from Kathmandu, not the single sentence most guides give it. The full 2026 picture: why it happens, what the morning looks like, and three ways to avoid it.
- [EBC vs Annapurna Circuit: Which Nepal Trek Should You Choose?](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/ebc-vs-annapurna-circuit): Everest Base Camp (5,364 m, NPR 6,000 in permits) is a there-and-back Khumbu trek; the Annapurna Circuit (Thorong La, 5,416 m, NPR 3,000 ACAP permit) is a longer loop through more varied terrain at a lower permit cost.
- [What You'll Eat on the EBC Trek: Dal Bhat and Teahouse Menus Explained](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/nepali-food-trekking-dal-bhat): Dal bhat with free refills is the trekking staple, but it's also Nepal's actual daily meal nationwide. What's really on teahouse menus by altitude, why dal bhat became the trail's fuel of choice, and the hydration habits guides expect.
- [Acclimatisation Tips for the Everest Base Camp Trek](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/acclimatization-tips-ebc): Proper acclimatisation on the Everest Base Camp Trek means two rest days minimum, at Namche (3,440 m) and Dingboche (4,410 m), plus adherence to the 300-500 m daily gain rule above 3,000 m.
- [Wildlife of the Everest Region: What You Might See in Sagarmatha National Park](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/everest-region-wildlife): Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, protects habitat for the Himalayan tahr, musk deer, and the elusive snow leopard along the Everest Base Camp Trek route.
- [Namche Bazaar Guide: The Sherpa Capital at 3,440 m](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/namche-bazaar-guide): Namche Bazaar at 3,440 m is the mandatory two-night acclimatisation stop and last major supply town on the Everest Base Camp Trek. What the stay actually looks like, the Saturday market's real trade history, and named bakeries worth the detour.
- [Khumbu Icefall Dangers: Seracs, Ladders, and the Icefall Doctors](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/khumbu-icefall-dangers): The Khumbu Icefall, between Base Camp and Camp I at roughly 5,486-6,000 m, is widely considered the most objectively dangerous section of the entire South Col climbing route.
- [The Everest Death Zone Explained: Why EBC Trekkers Never Enter It](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/everest-death-zone): The 'death zone' begins above 8,000 m, over 2,600 m higher than Everest Base Camp (5,364 m), where oxygen availability drops to roughly one-third of sea level and the human body cannot acclimatise no matter how long it stays.
- [Hillary and Tenzing: The 1953 First Ascent of Everest](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/edmund-hillary-tenzing-norgay-1953): On 29 May 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa reached Everest's 8,848.86 m summit via the South Col route, an expedition organised by Colonel John Hunt whose news reached London the day before Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.
- [Sherpa Culture in the Khumbu: Religion, Villages, and Daily Life](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/sherpa-culture-guide): The Sherpa people settled the Khumbu Valley from eastern Tibet roughly 500 years ago and remain the dominant ethnic group along the Everest Base Camp Trek route.
- [The History of Mount Everest: From First Survey to 1953 Summit](https://everesttrekkingguide.com/blog/mount-everest-history): Everest was mathematically identified as Earth's highest point in 1852, a century before its 1953 first ascent. The full history: the survey that found it, the disputed 1924 Mallory-Irvine attempt, 1953, and the records that followed.

## Attribution

Cite as: Everest Trekking Guide (everesttrekkingguide.com). Individual articles are authored by Ajay Shrestha unless stated otherwise on the page.