Everest Base Camp Trek

Our fourteen-day trek runs from 1040 to 1695 USD per person on The Trail and Journey depending on group size, and from 2350 to 3150 USD on the private Transformation. Credible Nepal-based operators sit around 1450 USD all-inclusive, and we price The Journey in that band. Beware headline prices that exclude the porter or your lunches; we tell you exactly what is in and out.

It is challenging but not technical. There is no climbing or rope work on the standard route. The difficulty is the altitude and the accumulation of days, with five to seven hours of walking on most days and a high point of 5545 m at Kala Patthar. If you are fit enough to walk long days back to back and you respect the acclimatisation pacing, you can do this trek.

Yes, for many people it is, but go in honestly. Arrive in good walking condition, accept that the two acclimatisation days are fixed, and tell your guide the truth about how you feel each day. The trek is forgiving of inexperience if you are fit and patient; it is unforgiving of people who rush the altitude.

We check your oxygen saturation every day on a two-checkpoint protocol and watch for early symptoms. Mild symptoms mean we slow down, hold, or descend, and the guide has the authority to turn you around. The rule above 4000 m is simple: when in doubt, go down. Serious cases are evacuated by helicopter, which is why insurance covering evacuation to at least 6000 m is mandatory on this trek.

It can happen, and we plan for it. In spring and autumn the flight runs from Manthali in Ramechhap, with an early-morning drive from Kathmandu, and Lukla has no instrument landing so weather can close it. We build schedule slack into the itinerary so a lost day does not threaten your international flight, and your guide manages rebooking and accommodation if you are held.

As of now the Khumbu region still allows solo trekking with the right permits, unlike most of Nepal where a guide is mandatory. We run all our treks guided anyway, because on this route a guide is your altitude monitoring, your logistics when a flight is cancelled, and your fastest path to help if something goes wrong. We think it is the right call here, not a legal formality.

Teahouses, and they change with altitude. From Lukla to Namche you can have a room with an attached bathroom and a warm dining room. Above Dingboche, everyone stays in basic teahouses with shared facilities and limited heating, because that is all that exists that high. Hot showers, Wi-Fi and charging are paid extras above Namche. We are honest about this rather than promising comfort that the mountain cannot provide.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from late September to November. Both give stable weather and clear mountain views. Winter is possible but very cold with some high teahouses closed, and the monsoon months bring rain and cloud. We run the trek in spring and autumn.