When you’re considering taking on the EBC trek, the first question you’ll have will probably be, “how high is Everest Base Camp?” Well, considering that Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world, it’s understandable that you’d want to know!
There are actually two official base camps for climbing Mount Everest – one on the south side, and one on the north side. North Base Camp is in Tibet, and sits at 5,150 metres, but the Everest Base Camp you will have heard of – and the one you can trek to – is located on the south side in Nepal. This is technically called South Base Camp.
So, how high is Everest Base Camp?
In short, Mount Everest Base Camp sits at 5,364 metres above sea level – or 17,598 feet.
Everest is the highest mountain in the Himalayas – and in the world – at 8,848 metres – so there’s a big difference between trekking to Base Camp and climbing to the summit! Reaching the mountain’s lofty peak might be an elite task, but the majority of people with a good level of physical fitness can trek to Base Camp.
How to get to Everest Base Camp
So how much elevation do you gain during the Everest Base Camp trek?
Well, you’ll fly from Kathmandu into Lukla Airport, at 2,860 metres. From there, you will steadily trek up through the mountains to 5,364 metres, thus gaining 2,504 metres over eight days of trekking to reach Base Camp. This includes two acclimatisation days to help your body adjust to the altitude.
We offer a variety of trips to Base Camp, including a trek to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes and a trip to climb Island Peak after you’ve reached Base Camp.
Along the way, we stop visit all the highlights of the Everest Base Camp trail, including Namche Bazaar, Dingboche and Kala Patthar – where you can enjoy arguably the best view of Everest’s peak in the world.
Trekking to Everest Base Camp is something of a rite of passage for mountain folk, and is at the top of many people’s adventure bucket lists. It might seem daunting, but when you consider that you begin the trek at around 2,500 metres – and that you have over a week to make the trip to Base Camp – it’s actually very achievable.
We’ve taken hundreds of people to Everest Base Camp over the years – experienced and novice trekkers alike. It’s a popular hike, but it’s famous for a reason – there’s nothing quite like standing at the base of the world’s highest mountain and knowing that you’re following in the footsteps of Hillary, Tenzing and so many other great explorers.
If you’d like to find out more about our Everest Base Camp treks, feel free to contact us on 01769 309 007. Our adventure experts will be happy to answer any questions you have about this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
