Nepal: Everest Base Camp Trek

Here is the thing nobody tells you about Everest Base Camp: when you finally arrive, after twelve or fourteen days of walking upward through increasingly thin air, the mountain itself is mostly hidden. The Khumbu Icefall rises above you in a chaos of tilting seracs, but the actual summit of Everest (that triangle of rock and snow you have been imagining) stays behind the ridge. The real view is from Kalapatthar the following morning, at 5,643 metres, watching the sky go pink behind the highest point on Earth.

That minor anticlimax does not diminish the trek in the slightest. The EBC trail through Nepal’s Khumbu region is one of the best long walks in the world, and it is open to any reasonably fit person willing to slow down and let their body acclimatise.

Starting in Kathmandu

Most international flights land at Tribhuvan International Airport. A taxi to Thamel, the main traveller district, costs around 700 to 900 NPR (roughly $5 to $7 USD) and takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. Taxis in Nepal do not use meters as a rule; agree on a price before you get in.

Spend at least two days in Kathmandu before flying to Lukla. The city’s altitude of 1,400 metres means you will not need these days for acclimatisation, but the time is useful for gathering last-minute gear, sorting permits, and eating well before the trail food takes over. The Thamel neighbourhood is packed with gear shops selling everything from expedition-grade down jackets to basic trekking poles at a fraction of Western prices.

For currency, exchange money at a licensed counter in Thamel rather than at the airport: rates run 1 to 2% better, and the airport counters are reliably worse. Carry plenty of small Nepali rupee notes because beyond Namche Bazaar, cards are accepted nowhere and ATMs do not exist.

Eating in Kathmandu is a genuine pleasure. The local bhojanalayas (basic Nepali canteens) serve dal bhat (lentils, rice, vegetables, pickles) for 200 to 400 NPR with unlimited refills, and it is the most nutritious thing you will eat all week. For something more elaborate, Thamel has a staggering range: Israeli hummus, Japanese ramen, wood-fired pizza. The Newari restaurants on the Durbar Square fringes serve proper Kathmandu cuisine: choila (spiced buffalo), bara (lentil pancakes), and aila (local grain spirit) if you want to drink something that demands respect.

Getting to Lukla

The flight from Kathmandu to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla takes around 35 minutes and costs $170 to $220 USD one-way, totalling roughly $350 to $450 for the round trip. One significant practical detail: during peak trekking season (April to May and October to November), the Lukla flights operate from Manthali Airport near Ramechhap, about four to five hours east of Kathmandu by road. You will need to book a taxi or shared jeep from Kathmandu the night before and leave very early. The Ramechhap one-way fare is around $186 USD. This catches many first-timers off-guard, so check which departure airport applies to your dates.

Book flights two to three months ahead in peak season. Delays and cancellations due to weather are common; build two buffer days at either end of your itinerary. The Lukla runway ends at a cliff edge, which is as thrilling as it sounds.

Permits

You need two documents: the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit (3,000 NPR, about $23 USD) and a TIMS card (Trekkers’ Information Management System, around 2,000 NPR). Both can be obtained in Kathmandu at the Nepal Tourism Board office in Pradarshani Marg, or through your trekking agency. Bring passport photos.

The Route Day by Day

The standard route runs from Lukla (2,860m) to Base Camp (5,364m) and back, usually over 12 to 14 days. Here is a realistic breakdown:

Days 1-2: Fly to Lukla, hike to Phakding (2,610m), then onward to Namche Bazaar (3,440m). The Phakding to Namche leg crosses the famous Hillary Suspension Bridge over the Dudh Kosi river (good for a photo, less good for those with a fear of heights). The final ascent to Namche is steep and nobody enjoys it.

Day 3: Rest day in Namche. This is non-negotiable for acclimatisation. Hike up toward the Everest View Hotel (3,880m) in the morning to gain altitude, then descend to sleep in Namche. Your body adapts overnight. Namche has a Saturday market, several bakeries, a gear shop if you forgot anything, and one of the more improbable Irish pubs at this altitude.

Days 4-5: Namche to Tengboche (3,860m), then Tengboche to Dingboche (4,410m). Tengboche Monastery is worth pausing for. It is the largest monastery in the Khumbu, rebuilt after a 1989 fire destroyed the original building. Monks hold morning and evening puja sessions that are open to respectful visitors; the scent of juniper smoke and the low resonance of horns across the valley are not something you forget easily.

Day 6: Rest day in Dingboche. Same principle as Namche: hike high (to Nangkartsang Peak at 5,083m is a popular option), sleep low. Dingboche is a quieter village than Namche and the views of Ama Dablam to the south are extraordinary.

Days 7-8: Dingboche to Lobuche (4,940m), then Lobuche to Gorakshep (5,190m) and on to Base Camp (5,364m). The Base Camp day is long (eight to nine hours total with the return to Gorakshep). You are walking on glacial moraine by this point, which is unstable underfoot and visually stark. Eat a proper lunch before you go.

Day 9: Kalapatthar at sunrise. Leave Gorakshep around 4am with a headlamp. This is the view that repays all the effort: Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, and dozens of other peaks lit gold by the early sun. Then descend toward Pangboche.

Days 10-12: Descend via Namche back to Lukla, with a flight to Kathmandu the following morning.

Where to Stay

Tea houses line the entire route. Rooms run $5 to $20 USD per night at lower altitudes; at Gorakshep expect $7 to $50 depending on season and what the plumbing situation happens to be. Budget $30 per person per day for accommodation and meals combined as a workable baseline.

In Namche, the Yeti Mountain Home lodges offer a level above standard tea houses: private bathrooms, solar heating, and menus that go beyond dal bhat. Rooms run $80 to $150. Worth it after a hard day, though the budget alternatives are perfectly decent if you’re watching costs.

The Everest View Hotel above Namche sits at 3,880 metres and calls itself the highest hotel in the world with panoramic views. It is also where you go on your rest-day acclimatisation hike, so you can look at the rooms from the terrace and decide whether $120 to $250 per night is a price you want to pay for a view you will also see for free on the hike.

Where to Eat

Dal bhat is the answer to most food questions on the trail. It is cheap, filling, and always available; most tea houses offer free refills. At altitude your appetite will diminish, especially above 4,000 metres, so eat while you can and drink water constantly.

In Lukla, the Everest Pantry is a reliable spot for breakfast before you start walking or while waiting for a flight. The Namche Bakery sells fresh bread, apple pie, and proper coffee in a setting that feels almost absurd given the altitude; the queue at 7am on rest days tells you everything. At Tengboche and above, menus shrink and prices rise sharply: the same plate of noodle soup that costs 300 NPR in Namche will cost 700 NPR at Gorakshep. This is not exploitation; carrying anything to 5,000 metres costs money.

Practical Notes

Tipping is expected and genuinely matters to the people who make the trek function. Guides typically receive $15 to $20 USD per day; porters $10 to $15 USD per day. Pay at the end of the trek in cash. Restaurant tips of 10 to 15% are standard in Kathmandu; on the trail, rounding up on a tea house bill is enough.

Travel insurance must explicitly cover high-altitude trekking (above 5,000m) and helicopter evacuation. Emergency helicopter extraction from the Khumbu costs several thousand dollars. Check the fine print before you leave.

The domestic flight luggage limit to Lukla is 10 kg per person. Hire a porter in Lukla or Namche to carry the bulk of your load; they can manage 20 to 25 kg and the arrangement is straightforward and inexpensive, around $10 to $15 USD per day. Renting gear (down jacket, sleeping bag rated to minus 20) in Kathmandu or Namche is far more practical than transporting it internationally.

The best seasons are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). The monsoon from June through August makes for slippery trails and persistent cloud cover. Winter is cold, clear in spells, and very quiet; many tea houses above Namche close entirely.

One piece of language goes a long way: “Namaste” (nah-MAH-stay) works as a greeting in essentially every situation and is universally appreciated. Nepali people in the Khumbu are accustomed to tourists and remarkably patient with all of them, but a little effort at politeness is remembered.