Everest Base Camp Trek

If your dream is to stand in front of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, and experience the legendary Everest region, this trek could be for you.

Duration
16 days
Max elevation
≈5,550 m
Difficulty
Moderate
Price
On request
Route altitude profile

Khumbu region

Lukla to Kala Patthar, via Namche Bazaar and Syangboche viewpoint

Route altitude profile

Highest point: Kala Patthar · ≈5,550 m

2,6103,3454,0804,815≈5,550345678910111213Day
Meters above sea level, days 3 to 13 in the profile · 2 acclimatization days included
  • Route stop
  • Pass or day visit
  • Shaded area: above 3,500 m

Several points on the same day show places visited that day.

Best season
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November)
Trek start and finish
Kathmandu
Permits
Sagarmatha National Park Permit and Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit

Who is the Everest Base Camp Trek for?

We recommend the Everest Base Camp Trek to travelers who want to experience iconic Himalayan landscapes, high mountains, Sherpa culture, and the famous Everest region.

Along the way, you will walk through spectacular mountain landscapes, visit ancient monasteries and gompas, experience Sherpa culture, and discover the unique way of life in the Himalayas.

More about this trek

Route highlights

  • The Everest Base Camp Trek with Himalayan Green Trips offers one of the world’s most iconic trekking adventures while following responsible and sustainable travel practices.
  • This unforgettable journey takes you deep into the heart of the Himalayas to the base of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest (8,849 m), combining breathtaking mountain landscapes, authentic Sherpa culture, and environmentally conscious trekking.
  • The adventure begins with a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, one of the most dramatic mountain airstrips in the world.
  • From here, the trail passes through traditional Sherpa villages, ancient monasteries, and beautiful forests of rhododendron and pine.
  • Along the way, trekkers cross iconic suspension bridges over glacial rivers while enjoying spectacular views of towering Himalayan peaks including Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Nuptse, Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu.
  • One of the highlights of the trek is the vibrant village of Namche Bazaar, the cultural and trading hub of the Khumbu region.
  • The route then gradually ascends through Tengboche, Dingboche, and Lobuche, allowing proper acclimatization while revealing increasingly dramatic alpine landscapes.
  • The ultimate goal is reaching Everest Base Camp at 5,364 meters, where climbers prepare for their ascent of Mount Everest.
  • Trekkers also hike to Kala Patthar (approximately 5,550 m), a renowned viewpoint offering one of the most spectacular panoramic views of Everest and the surrounding Himalayan giants.

Culture and communities

  • Throughout the journey, guests experience the warm hospitality of the Sherpa people while exploring the unique culture and traditions of the Everest region.
  • The trek typically takes around 12–15 days and is suitable for travelers with a good level of fitness and a passion for adventure and responsible travel.

Responsible travel

  • As part of Himalayan Green Trips’ commitment to sustainable tourism, the trek supports local communities by staying in locally owned teahouses, promoting eco-friendly practices, and encouraging responsible waste management throughout the journey.
  • The Everest Base Camp Trek with Himalayan Green Trips is more than just a trek- it is a meaningful journey that combines adventure, culture, and sustainability in one of the most extraordinary mountain environments on Earth.

What is included

Cost includes

  • Airport transfers
  • 4 nights in a standard hotel in Kathmandu (Twin beds sharing based with breakfast)
  • Domestic flights (Kathmandu-Lukla, Lukla-Kathmandu)
  • Basic accommodation in shared twin rooms during the trek
  • Three meals daily during the trek (breakfast, lunch, and dinner with tea or coffee)
  • Government-certified, English-speaking trekking guide
  • Porter service (Each porter carries a maximum of 20 kg)
  • Sagarmatha National Park Permit, and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural village municipality Entry Permit
  • First aid medical kit
  • All the government taxes and company service fees
  • Staff costs: food, accommodation, flights, insurance and transportation
  • 15 trees will be planted to preserve the mountains
  • Duffel bags (for use during the trek only)
  • Save The Mountains eco bag
  • Appreciation certificate (If required)

Cost excludes

  • Nepal visa fee and international airfare
  • Travel insurance (must cover high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation)
  • Personal expenses include additional meals outside of the lodge, bakery items, machine coffee, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, mineral/bottled water, hot or boiled water, hot packs, hot showers, Wi-Fi services, telephone calls, and camera or battery charging, etc
  • Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu due to early arrival, late departure, or flight delays
  • Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
  • Tips for trekking crews
  • Monument entry fees, city guide, transportation for city tour
  • Any additional costs due to itinerary changes caused by weather, landslides, flight cancellation, sickness, or unforeseen circumstances
  • Helicopter rescue/evacuation cost (covered by the traveler's insurance)
  • Helicopter charter flight in case of Lukla flight cancellation

Trek essentials

Accommodation

  • Experience the simplicity of the Himalayas with basic private and shared toilet and bathroom facilities.
  • Alternatively, we can arrange for comfortable hotel stays in Lukla, Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Dibuche, Dingboche and Lobuche offering upgraded amenities.

Food and drinks

  • Indulge in a diverse range of national and international cuisines, including Nepali, Indian, Tibetan, and Italian.
  • Along the trek, discover cozy café restaurants and bars serving hot and cold beverages to enhance your journey.

Food safety

(Important note on consuming non-vegetarian food in the Everest region)

We don’t discourage eating meat during your trek in Nepal; we do care about your health and safety. In the Everest region, there is no direct road access to most trekking areas. This means meat must be carried by local porters or animals from lower valleys, which can take 3–7 days to reach higher altitude tea houses. If you wish to try non-vegetarian food, we recommend trying in Kathmandu city where the meat supply is generally fresher.

Phone and Wi-Fi

  • In the Everest region, most of the teahouses offer rechargeable Wi-Fi cards, providing relatively reliable internet access.
  • While the connection is generally good, some areas may experience outages or weak signals.
  • For seamless internet access, please consult with your guide or local hotel owner for assistance.

Travel and flight delays

  • Please be aware that Lukla Airport can be impacted by cloud cover, especially in early September, March, late May, and November, leading to potential flight delays or cancellations. Sometimes this means waiting hours or even days for a flight. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility.
  • If flights aren’t possible, we can arrange alternatives like helicopter transfers or road travel to get you back on track. We do our best to arrange flights from Kathmandu to Lukla and back, but sometimes weather or other factors might require adjustments.

Safety and rescue

The Everest region has reliable helicopter rescue services available every day, especially during the trekking and climbing seasons. In case of an emergency, helicopter evacuation can be arranged quickly from most areas, depending on weather conditions and visibility.

However, we only request helicopter rescue if the situation is critical, such as severe altitude sickness, serious injury, or any medical condition that requires immediate evacuation. For mild symptoms or non-emergency cases, our first priority is always safety through proper acclimatization, rest, and descending to a lower altitude. In most cases, descending is the safest and most effective solution.

Our team closely monitors each participant’s health throughout the trek and takes early action if anyone shows signs of altitude-related illness. We always follow a responsible rescue policy to ensure both the safety of our clients and the ethical use of helicopter services in the Himalayas.

Tipping

Tipping in Nepal is not mandatory, but it is widely appreciated, especially in the tourism and service sectors. In restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality services, tipping is generally viewed as a gesture of gratitude for good service rather than an obligation. Many restaurants, particularly in urban areas, may include a service charge in the bill; in such cases, additional tipping is entirely optional.

In trekking and adventure tourism, tipping guides, porters, and support staff is customary and often contributes significantly to their overall income. Tips are typically given at the end of the trek and are usually collected as a group and distributed among the trekking team. The amount may vary depending on the duration of the trek, group size, and quality of service, and is commonly calculated on a per-day, per-staff-member basis.

In our case, our staff members are fairly compensated; however, tips are always appreciated as a kind acknowledgment of their effort and support.

Gear and clothing

  • Rain jacket or poncho
  • Gore-Tex jacket
  • Down jacket
  • Fleece jacket
  • Thermal set (top and bottom)
  • Warm pants for evening and morning
  • T-shirts
  • Long-sleeved shirt
  • Warm hat
  • Cap
  • Neck gaiter (Buff)
  • Gloves (recommended for -15°C)
  • Trekking boots
  • Spikes
  • Light shoes or sandals
  • Down sleeping bag (recommended for -15°C)
  • Dry towel
  • Trekking poles
  • Daypack and bag cover
  • Reusable water bottle and light thermos
  • Water filter (bring one if you have one; otherwise, HGT will provide one for the trek)
  • Sunglasses
  • Solar charger
  • Headlamp and extra batteries (a rechargeable headlamp is recommended. If you are no longer using old batteries, please take them back to your home country, as batteries are not recycled in Nepal)

Personal items

  • ATM card and extra money for external expenses (food and drinks)
  • Passport, Insurance document
  • Personal beauty care kit
  • Personal medicines
  • Toiletries (Toilet paper, towels, soap and shampoo are not provided by teahouses in Nepal.

Waste and responsible travel

The Nepal Himalayas are increasingly facing serious waste management challenges, and the Everest region is no exception. As one of the world’s most popular destinations for trekking and mountaineering, the Khumbu region attracts hundreds of visitors each day. This growing number of visitors contributes to a significant increase in waste, including plastic, cans, paper, glass, and batteries, etc., much of which is not properly recycled. Although local organizations and communities are making ongoing efforts to keep the region clean, the accumulation of waste continues to rise each year. Improper disposal methods, including open burning, further damage the fragile mountain environment.

At Himalayan Green Trips, we are committed to minimizing environmental impact by reducing the use and consumption of plastic, cans, and glass products during our trips. We actively promote responsible practices, such as reuse and mindful consumption, to help protect the Himalayas. We also encourage our guests to be conscious of their environmental footprint. Avoiding plastic-packaged products and bottled beverages can make a meaningful difference. Your actions speak louder than words; by choosing not to purchase items that contribute to pollution, you help preserve the mountains while also inspiring fellow travelers and local communities to adopt more sustainable habits. Together, we can protect the beauty and purity of the Everest region for future generations.

On every trip

  • Need to follow the pack in and pack out principle.
  • Leave only footprints on the mountain.
  • Do not bring single-use plastic bags on the trek.
  • Priority is drink natural water, filter, boiled water.
  • Bring your own reusable water bottle.
  • Carry out whatever you buy in the mountains.
  • Clean up the trekking trails if possible.
  • Carry out 1 kg of recyclable waste from the mountains to the city for the city to reduce mountain pollution.
  • Support the Let's Clean Up Nepal Green initiative by spreading an environmental message by displaying posters at guesthouses and educating guides, porters, trekkers, and locals, etc.

Your quote will include the route, itinerary, price, and what is included or excluded. We can also arrange camping treks and tailor an itinerary to your preferences.

All travel plans and itineraries are based on the pack in and pack out principles.