The heartbeat of the true trekker with the temptation of this mountain, calls out its beauty and challenges. Still, there’s no doubt; it is one of the most dangerous hikes one can undertake. The mountain is named after Colonel Sir George Everest, CB FRS FRAS FRGS, was a British born surveyor and a former Surveyor General of India, in the nineteenth century. The Nepali name is Sagarmatha, which has various meanings. The Tibetan name is Chomolungma, which means Mother Goddess of the World.

Is Mount Everest in China or Nepal?

Many are not sure if Mount Everest and the base camps are in Nepal or China. Mount Everest is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China, and is the world’s highest mountain. The Everest Base Camp sits on the Khumbu Glacier at the foot of Mount Everest. Reports say that while earthquakes and landslides are rare, in 2015, an earthquake of 7.8 shook the base camp’s area, killing 19 people. This earthquake killed more than 9,000 people and injured more than 23,000 in Nepal. This occurrence is out of the ordinary, but precautions are in place for everyone’s safety, and why the pace and rest periods are part of every hike. The Nepalese name Sagarmatha and the Tibetan name Chomolungma are other names this mountain is named. This magical mountain expands across both countries. To be clear, Mount Everest Base Camp is located in Nepal.

How high is Everest Base Camp?

Perhaps you may be wondering about how high the South Base Camp at Mount Everest is or the North Base Camp is from Tibet on the China side. The South Everest Base Camp is 5,500 meters high (17,598 feet), and the North Base Camp is 5,150 meters or 16,900 ft. It takes eleven days to reach it, using at least two of those days for complete rest. Acute mountain sickness occurs in approximately 20% of people after rapidly ascending to 8,000 feet and 40% for those going to 10,000 feet. The trek to the South Base Camp begins in Luka. The days of rest are to acclimate the trekker to the elevation while en route, as altitude sickness is the greatest risk for trekkers. Remember, you will go slow and steady up the mountain, so should your training should do the same. Give your body plenty of time to adjust.

How hard is it to trek to Everest Base camp?

Please understand that this journey to the Everest Base Camp is not a climb. It is a trek on zigzagged mountain paths with the last two days of the lateral moraine.

Training for your trek to the Everest Base Camp can be challenging if you are not in physical condition. This trekking journey does not require that you be a marathon athlete or runner. You must train to be in good physical condition, with strength and stamina to walk several hours daily while carrying twenty-five pounds on your back. It is strongly recommended for your enjoyment, that you train from 3 months up to 12 months, depending on your physical condition before taking this hike, and your current level of fitness. Before training, be sure to visit your doctor for their opinion regarding your ability to complete this challenge. It would be best if you remembered that each day trekking, you would be walking another 1,000 feet up and need your lungs to be healthy to make this elevation challenge. If you can meet the training exercises and aerobics, then this trek will be enjoyable for you.

You need to walk, swim, or run at least 3.75 to 5 miles three times a week. Your training should include exercise to improve your cardio endurance, strength endurance, and comfort, carrying a daypack weighing approximately 25 pounds overtime for long periods at a time. Other tips for training would include hiking or taking long walks, building up your time to 5 or 6 hours with a minimal number of rest periods, and aerobic conditioning and elevation training. Be sure to train in areas similar to that of the Everest area, such as hilly and uneven terrain as often as possible. If you live in an area without hills or mountain terrain, then visit a gym where cycling and swimming are available and benefit your training so long as it has an adjustable incline. A stair stepper would also help your practice. Twice a week is a good train routine. In addition to this gym treadmill training, you should complete a full-body strength workout twice weekly. This training should be eight to twelve weeks before departure for Kathmandu.

Trekking to the Base Camp is usually a slow pace, but you will be trekking five to eight hours daily and gaining bout 1,000 feet in elevation. Following a training ritual similar to what you will do in Nepal will provide you with a feeling of what you will expense on your hike to the Everest Base Camp. While you should never underestimate this challenge, you do not need to be a marathon runner or athlete to make the trip. However, practice and preparation will make your trek much more doable.

Just remember to start slow and build your endurance. You will quickly learn where your body struggles with pacing. Once you do, push beyond your comfort zone so that over time, you will get used to pushing through what feels like the impossible the discomfort of driving your body so hard. While you’re training for Everest Base Camp, consider the following tips to help make your training more effective.

Your Needed Gear

YouTube has many great options that can be done at home or for a better way to find equipment. Be sure to acquire your trekking boots early and break them in! The absolute worse that could happen is if you wear boots that are no broken in, and you develop blisters and sores on your feet. There should be a finger width of space between your toes and the end of the boot.

Get your gear early so you can train with them to know the feel of the different gear or equipment during training. This gear also includes your daypack, adding more weight as you train, and your boots.

Nutrition

As you increase your training, you will need to make sure you’re advancing your nutrition training. Your body will burn more calories and use more protein, and it will need additional nutrients to build your muscle to stay healthy.

Many of my friends and I have trekked long and difficult trails. They know that the one sure thing you must do is to add 5 to 15 minutes before and after each daily hike to stretch out your muscles. Your body will be grateful for getting ready by warming up and again at night to relax before sleeping. Please do not push yourself too hard before your trek. If you’ve begun training early, let your body rest for a few days or even a week before you travel to Nepal. It would be best if you stay active and continue stretching, but don’t train too hard any longer. You want and need to arrive fresh and ready to hit the trail.

You must keep in mind that the Base Camp is a long route of over 74 miles, but you trek slow and unwavering the entire journey, hiking five to eight hours daily. You will be trekking more than 11 days, with eight days up to the top, three days back down, and two days for resting on the way up as you acclimate to the elevation. Taking it easy, you will enjoy the views and avoid altitude sickness.

If you are trekking on from the Base Camp up the mountain, you will have another 12,000 feet to climb. Mount Everest, is the highest of the Himalayan mountains, with an altitude of 8,850 meters (29,035 feet), and is considered the highest point on Earth. It is also known as the death zone. There are some that do not survive at this altitude, but it is impossible for bodies to be rescued and taken back down the mountain. During the Spring, when the snow has begun to melt, many trekkers are forced to walk past the skeletal remains, reminding the trekkers of just how fragile life can be.

The South Base Camp, located in Nepal, is the base used to access Mount Everest. It is also used when climbing the mountain via the southeast ridge. The North Base Camp is used when climbing via the northeast ridge. Trekking the North Base Camp requires a permit from the Chinese government, and a permit is required to visit Tibet. The North Base Camp was closed to any visitors in February, of 2019

The needed supplies for trekkers are shipped to the South Base Camp by porters usually accompanied by the use of yaks or other animals. However, the North Base Camp was accessed by a paved road that branches off from China National Highway 318.

How much does it cost to go to Mt Everest Base Camp?

The average trekking cost to the Everest Base Camp ranges from $1,400 to $5,000.USD per person, taking from 11 and 15 days. These costs include airfare, permits, food, lodging, and other accommodations at the Base Camp. The charges also depend on if you are with a group or trekking independently. A group pays less in almost every aspect. If you do not pack enough or the proper snacks, you will pay a premium price to purchase them in Nepal. An example I found, reports of trekkers paying $10 for a single can of Pringles and as high as USD of $8 for a small bottle of water. If you are an independent trekker, costs are higher, meaning you pay a premium. Costs can quickly add up.

The cost of your gear, boots, and equipment can also affect your costs. You can either rent or purchase the needed supplies, as discussed above.

You can also purchase guided tours that are in this price range, which include an additional area such as Kalapathar, where you can see Mount Everest. Still, it costs you the higher price range and extends your total time on vacation, affecting your overall costs. You should also carry pocket money for whatever extra supplies you may need.

Vaccinations

Traveling to Nepal will require vaccinations, insurance, and other expenses to fulfill legal obligations. Be sure you contact your physician regarding what you need to take to protect your health. You should also seek advice from your travel agent regarding requirements for entering Nepal. Research recommends but also states that these may not be required but be cautious. The following are advised or suggested: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid vaccinations. It is also recommended that you get advice regarding the need or not for Rabies and Japanese Encephalitis jab. Please keep in mind that Malaria pills and prophylactics for Cholera is advised if visiting the Southern region of Terai during the monsoon season. Lastly, never drink the water in Nepal, unless filtered and the water that you save from the mountain, please be sure to treat all water collected in the mountain regions with iodine water purification tablets. The average cost for getting these vaccinations is $200. USD per person.

Travel Insurance

Requirements state that the Proof of travel insurance is issued before you start the trek up to the Everest Base Camp. Here is where you need to be cautious. There are travel insurance policies with limitations that could cause you problems unless they cover what you need. Make sure yours includes trekking as an activity up to 6000m. Be prepared to pay for your medical expenses in advance. You will be reimbursed once
back in your country and submit the paid documents. Other than medical, be sure your insurance covers evacuation and trip interruption. Be sure you understand what you are buying and be prepared to pay whatever debt you incur before departure from Nepal. A 30-day insurance policy is likely to cost around $150 and is for 30 days.

What is the Temperature at Everest Base Camp?

The best times to make this trek are between late September to November and February through May, to avoid the monsoon season, and when you will have reasonably stable conditions. These times offer excellent visibility and temperatures reaching a minus 6 Celsius or 21.2 degrees F.

Nepal has four distinct seasons, with the Everest Base Camp weather differing in every season. The snow-capped mountain region is rarely hot even in the summer, with temperatures reaching 77 degrees. At night, the temperature does not vary by much and maybe 68-degrees or lower on the same day.

Should you decide to go on and trek up to the top of Mount Everest, you should know about the following facts. The cost of trekking Mount Everest is a wide variance depending on what you do. The standard supported climb ranges from $28,000 to $85,000, while a full custom climb can cost over $115,000. For those daredevils and risk-takers, it’s possible to skimp by for under $20,000. I would consider your choices carefully concerning expenses, as cheap does not always provide you with the best results. There are potentially severe dangers on the mountain. Still, these costs usually include your gear, which can make a massive difference in costs. Typically, the higher price range includes transportation from Kathmandu or Lhasa, food, base camp tents, Sherpa support, and supplemental oxygen.

The average price is usually between $45 to $65,000. It may be higher depending on if you use a western agency or less if using a local Nepali operator ranging from $25,000 to $40,000. Most fees include the $11,000 price paid to the government for the royalty peak fees. Other trekkers share that raising funds for this trek is the second hardest part of this challenge, up the Everest Mountain. Many climbers find a sponsor. The rest either save the funds or are fortunate enough to have it in hand to fulfill their dreams of this extraordinary trek. Trekking Everest is the dream of most trekkers, but the reality of the price, not only monetarily, but physically and mentally sets in. Not all who dream of this opportunity can afford to trek the Everest.

Packing List for Everest Base Camp

Your trekking experience will depend on you packing the proper clothing, equipment, and needed supplies to trek the Everest Base Camp, providing you with a good experience. You must keep in mind that you will need two packs accordingly. Your daypack is the one you will carry needing not to exceed 25 pounds, and your duffel bag that a porter will carry between tea houses. Any extra luggage will be left at
the hotel before you begin trekking up to the Everest Base Camp.

The only time you can access your gear from the duffel bag is when you arrive back at the tea house in the evening. You must be diligent in packing what you need in your day pack you will be carrying. Remember, it will be on your back for hours. You need to keep it light but pack items such as water, snacks, camera, headlamp, poncho, extra socks, and sun protection. You need to pack from home layered clothing, so you stay warm and comfortable. An extensive clothing list and other needed supplies are available for you if you write to me.

The following are a few suggestions for healthy snacks that are easily carried in a daypack.

•Snacks (combine a protein & carbs for a
well-balanced energy source).
•Pack a thermos (optional for hot beverages
such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate).
•Re-hydration gels or powder.
•Peanut Butter and Bananas. Our old standby snack of peanut butter is chock full of energizing goodness, which includes proteins, calories, and the healthy kind of fat.

• Beef Jerky.
• Fresh or Dried Fruit.
• Granola.
• Nuts and Seeds
• Trail Mix.
• Pistachios Roasted and Salted, but with no shells.

When you land in Kathmandu, you either take a flight or helicopter to reach Lukla. Your thoughts may be to wonder which is the safest way to travel. The Lukla airport has a reputation as the most dangerous in the world, but it still has 20 to 30 flights in and out daily, during the peak season. The danger lies in the fact that there are short runways, so, getting the plane off the ground and land safely, presents a problem.

Everest Base Camp has approximately 30,000 trekkers annually who travel through Lukla. The runway sits at 9,400 feet on top of a 2,000-foot cliff and ends where a high mountain wall begins. Lukla-bound flights have become infamous for crashes. The harsh landscape surrounding it is severe, with a stone wall at the end of the runway and a steep mountain. Although its reputation is of danger, its delays are common. Luggage has been known to be placed on different flights, though not frequent, or delayed by the airline. If you fly with them, be sure to carry on the valuables, prescription medicines, and essential documents.

The other option is to fly with a helicopter. This option is a bit more flexible in the landing approach to Lukla. Still, it is more expensive and no guarantee of on-time scheduled departure. Helicopters have a little more flexibility in their approach to Lukla. They can often make the flight in weather or visibility too miserable for a small plane. It is sometimes possible to shift your flight plan to a helicopter instead. However, this can be expensive and is no guarantee of an on-schedule departure. The cost to travel from Kathmandu to Lukla is between $400 to $600 per person. However, the prices change depending on demand.

Delays from the weather between Kathmandu to Lukla will warrant that you book between 2 to 4 days at the end of your departure date. The extra days will be handy in case your Everest Base Camp trek cannot begin on time. That extension Depends on what start date you select for trekking the Everest Base Camp.

This photograph provides you with an incentive to realize your dream and follow it to the top. Mount Everest Base Camp is your first step to reaching Mount Everest should you decide to go the distance and challenge. I wish you the very best of luck as you ascend the mountain. Be sure you allow extra time to explore Nepal or at least Kathmandu.

Everest Base Camp awaits you!

Thank you for visiting and following my blogs. Be sure to read the many blogs to follow for more about your trek to Everest Base Camp and the areas in Kathmandu