Everest Base Camp Trek: A Complete 2026 Guide from Kathmandu

Everest Base Camp Trek: A Complete 2026 Guide from Kathmandu

The Everest Base Camp Trek is the trek almost every serious hiker eventually wants to do, and for good reason. Standing at 5,364 metres at the foot of the world's highest mountain is one of the great achievable bucket-list moments in adventure travel, sitting somewhere between the Inca Trail and a real climbing expedition. This guide walks you through the route as our senior Nepali guides run it: the 12-day itinerary, the permits and costs, the packing list, the seasons that work, and the small details that decide whether you summit Kala Patthar grinning or wheezing.

Why EBC, and what makes it different

EBC sits in the Khumbu valley of Solukhumbu district in north-east Nepal, inside Sagarmatha National Park. Mount Everest itself, called Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolungma in Tibetan, rises to 8,848.86 metres. The base camp on the south side at 5,364 m is where every Everest expedition stages its summit attempts in April and May. For trekkers, the prize is not actually base camp itself (which is a chaotic moraine of climbing tents in season) but the sunrise climb to Kala Patthar at 5,545 m, where Everest, Nuptse, Pumori and Lhotse line up in a row.

Beyond the summit views, what makes the Khumbu special is the living Sherpa culture. Villages like Namche Bazaar, Khumjung, Tengboche and Dingboche are not stage sets for tourists, they are working Buddhist communities with monasteries that have been chanting morning puja for centuries. The infrastructure here is also the best on any Nepali trek: well-maintained trails, comfortable lodges, rescue helicopters within an hour, and properly trained Sherpa guides.

How to get there

The standard approach is a 40-minute flight from Kathmandu (or Ramechhap in the high season) to Lukla at 2,840 m. Lukla's airstrip is famous for being short and dramatic, but in good weather it is a safe, routine flight that thousands of trekkers take each year. From Lukla you walk.

If you want to avoid the Lukla flight (cancellations during cloud cover are common) we run two alternative approaches:

• Salleri to EBC: a longer overland start that adds 4-5 walking days but eliminates the flight risk
• Rolwaling to EBC via Tashi Lapcha Pass: a technical, more remote crossing for experienced trekkers

Both approaches save money, give you better acclimatisation, and put you on much quieter trails for the first week.

12-day classic itinerary

This is the schedule we use for fit, well-prepared trekkers. Slower-paced 14 and 16-day versions are available on request.

• Day 1: Fly Kathmandu to Lukla (2,840 m), trek to Phakding (2,651 m) — 3-4 hrs
• Day 2: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,438 m) — 5-6 hrs
• Day 3: Acclimatisation day in Namche
• Day 4: Namche to Tengboche (3,870 m) — 5-6 hrs
• Day 5: Tengboche to Dingboche (4,360 m) — 5 hrs
• Day 6: Acclimatisation day in Dingboche
• Day 7: Dingboche to Lobuche (4,940 m) — 5 hrs
• Day 8: Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5,164 m), afternoon to EBC (5,364 m) — 7-8 hrs
• Day 9: Sunrise Kala Patthar (5,545 m), descend to Pheriche — 7-8 hrs
• Day 10: Pheriche to Kyanjuma (3,550 m) — 6-7 hrs
• Day 11: Kyanjuma to Lukla (2,840 m) — 7-8 hrs
• Day 12: Lukla to Kathmandu by morning flight

The two acclimatisation days are non-negotiable. They are the single biggest factor in whether you make it to base camp without getting sick.

Best seasons

Two windows work cleanly:

• Spring (March-May): warmer days, rhododendrons in bloom from late March, Everest expedition season buzz at base camp
• Autumn (October-December): crisp air, the clearest mountain views of the year, slightly colder nights

We strongly discourage monsoon (June-August), when leeches, slippery trails, low cloud and landslides ruin both safety and views, and mid-winter (January-February) when nightly temperatures at Gorak Shep drop to -25°C and many teahouses close.

Permits and costs

Two permits are needed for EBC, both can be arranged by your agency before you fly:

• Sagarmatha National Park entry: NPR 3,000 (USD 22), or USD 15 for SAARC nationals
• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee: NPR 3,000 (USD 22), collected at Lukla

There is no TIMS requirement on EBC. Total park and municipality cost runs about USD 45. The bulk of your trip cost is the Lukla flight, guides, porters and lodges. A full guided trip with us typically falls in the USD 1,400-2,000 range depending on season and group size.

Packing list

A condensed version of our full briefing, the gear that actually matters:

Footwear

• Broken-in waterproof trekking boots (this is critical)
• Lightweight camp shoes for evenings
• Wool/merino trekking socks plus liner socks

Layers

• Moisture-wicking base layers (top and bottom)
• Fleece or synthetic mid-layer
• Down jacket rated to -10°C minimum
• Hard-shell waterproof jacket
• Trekking pants plus an insulated pant for above 4,500 m

Head and hands

• Warm hat or buff
• Sun hat
• Inner gloves plus insulated outer gloves
• Category-4 sunglasses (snow blindness is real)

Sleeping and carrying

• 4-season sleeping bag rated to -15°C
• 50-60L duffel for the porter
• 25-30L daypack
• Trekking poles
• Headlamp with spare batteries

Health and safety

• Personal first-aid kit
• Diamox (acetazolamide) prescribed by your doctor
• Ibuprofen, throat lozenges, blister plasters
• Water purification tablets or SteriPen
• Sunblock and lip balm with SPF 30+

Five tips that will make or break your trek

1. Acclimatise properly. Build at least two rest days into your itinerary. Climb high, sleep low. Drink three to four litres of water a day. If you feel dizzy, nauseous or short of breath at rest, descend, do not push on.

2. Pack light, then halve it. Your porter carries 10 kg per trekker. Anything you do not actually need is a tax on your knees and his shoulders.

3. Hydrate aggressively. Dehydration mimics and worsens altitude sickness. Skip alcohol entirely above Namche, and limit caffeine to one cup a day.

4. Train for it. Three months of structured cardio (running, cycling, stair-climbing with a loaded pack) is the minimum. Strong legs and a strong heart make the trek enjoyable rather than survival mode.

5. Respect the culture. Walk clockwise around mani walls and stupas, ask before photographing people, and tip your guide and porter generously. They are the reason your trip works.

Difficulty and who can do it

EBC is rated moderate-to-strenuous. No technical climbing is required, but you are walking for 12 days, often in thin air, on rocky uneven trails. Anyone in good cardiovascular health with prior multi-day hiking experience can complete it with proper preparation. The youngest trekkers we have led to base camp were 12, the oldest in their late seventies.

Plan your Everest Base Camp trek with us

We run small EBC groups led by senior Sherpa guides who grew up in the Khumbu. We handle flights, permits, lodges, porters and emergency cover end-to-end. Browse our full Nepal trek collection or contact us to lock in dates for the 2026 spring or autumn season.