The Everest Base Camp Trek elevation gradually increases and reaches up to 5555 meters at Kala Patthar. During our 14 Days Everest Base Camp Trek, we go through villages, valleys, forests, glaciers, and moraines to reach the base camp.
Everest Base Camp Trek is a popular trekking route in Nepal. From Kalapatthar you can witness the tallest mountain in the World, Mount Everest(8848.86m). It is a highly sought-after trekking destination for seasoned and experienced trekkers looking for thrilling and adventurous trek. The trek takes you to the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal. It is the best way to witness the tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, up close. Additionally, you can get panoramic views of some of the world’s tallest mountains like Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and many more.
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The trek journey begins with a 35-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. Then you will walk through the forests of rhododendrons, pines, and alpine meadows. You will also trek through the Sagarmatha National Park while witnessing the diverse Himalayan flora and fauna. En route, you will come across Khumbu Glacier and Khumbu Icefall.
Similarly, you will make your way through villages like Namche Bazaar, Tengbochee, Dingboche, Pherice, and many more. You will come across ancient monasteries, prayer wheels, mani stones, and colorful flags. The EBC Trek is not only adventurous but also a cultural experience. It provides an opportunity to immerse into the culture, tradition, and local customs of the Sherpa community and other ethnic groups of the Khumbu region.
To know what awaits you during the trek, let us dive into this Everest Base Camp Trek Elevation article.
Daily Everest Base Camp Trek Elevation
For the detailed Everest Base Camp Trek route elevation, this section will provide you with the information. We will begin from Kathmandu and proceed with the daily stops during the EBC Trek. Here is a breakdown of our 14 Days EBC Trek itinerary and route elevation:
Kathmandu Elevation
Kathmandu is at 1350 meters above sea level. You will land first thing at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. To begin your Everest Base Camp Trek, you will have to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla. The Tenzing Hillary airport sits at an elevation of 2800 meters. It’s an hour and a half flight from Kathmandu. Our trekking will begin from this point onwards.
Phakding Elevation
From Lukla, our trail will gradually descend to Cheplung village. While en route, we will be able to witness Mt. Khumbila for a brief time. The mountain is a sacred site that to date remains unclimbed. Our trail will keep descending until we reach the Phakding village. Phakding is situated at an elevation of 2651 meters. The walking distance from Lukla airport to Phakding is around 3 to 4 hours. We will stay overnight there.
Namche Bazaar Elevation
From Phakding village the trail goes through a pine forest and Benkar valley. Similarly, we will have to cross the Dudh Koshi River along the way. Then we will pass by Chumoa and Monjo villages to reach the Sagarmatha National Park, also known as Everest National Park. Then onwards, the trail begins to ascend steeply. We will pass by Jorsalle village and a few suspension bridges to finally reach the Namche Bazaar.
Namche Bazaar is an important acclimatization stop that sits at an elevation of 3448 meters. We will let our body adjust to the high elevation and thinning air. You can witness mountain views like Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and several others. Trekkers can find luxury facilities in this picturesque village. There are luxury accommodations, ATMs, internet cafes, restaurants, and more.
During the acclimatization day, we will take a tour of Sagarmatha National Park. Likewise, we will visit the Hillary School and monastery that has remains of Yeti’s scalp. The next day, we will head to Tengboche.
Tengboche Elevation
The trail will descend towards Dudh Koshi River at the beginning. We can see the gorgeous views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and Thaserku while descending. Then the trek begins to ascend through rhododendron forests and pass by Phunki and Tenga village. After a 5 to 6-hour trek, we will reach Tengboche.
Tengboche village is at an altitude of 3870 meters. It is home to one of the oldest monasteries, the Tengboche monastery which is also the region’s largest monastery. We will stay overnight in the village. Likewise, we will also tour around the monastery.
Dingboche Elevation
The trail to Dingboche will descend through the forest of conifers, birches, and rhododendrons. The mountain views will keep us company the whole way during our trek. Then, we will pass by the Imja River. From then onwards, we will begin our climb uphill to upper Pangboche.
Upper Pangboche is home to the Pangboche Monastery. We will continue our trek passing by Imja Valley and Lobuche River. The trail will keep ascending as we reach Dingboche. The whole trek from Tengboche to Dingboche takes around 5 to 6 hours. The Dingboche village sits at an elevation of 4360 meters. It is another important acclimatization stop for the Everest Base Camp Trek.
During our acclimatization day at Dingboche, we will hike to Nangkartshang Peak. The peak is situated at 5083 meters elevation. From the peak, we can see a magnificent and striking view of Ama Dablam. Then, we will head back to the Dingboche. We will also tour the surrounding villages.
Lobuche Elevation
We will head to Lobuche after an acclimatization day at Dingboche. The trail goes along the lateral moraine of Khumbu Glacier. Similarly, we will also see stone memorials along the way. The memorials are dedicated to the climbers who lost their lives during Everest expeditions. The trail will continue ascending until we reach Lobuche. Lobuche sits at the foot of Lobuche Peak at 4910 meters altitude. The trek takes around 5 hours.
Everest Base Camp And Gorakshep Elevation
After a good night’s rest at Lobuche, it is time to climb the Everest Base Camp. It is a difficult hike alongside the Khumbu Glacier. The Everest Base Camp sits at an elevation of 5365 meters. We can get the closest view of Mount Everest. The base camp is filled with colorful expedition teams’s tents in springtime.
Likewise, we can also see the Khumbu icefall from here. After exploring for some time at the base camp, we will descend to Gorakshep. It is the last village before the Everest Base Camp. It sits at an elevation of 5130 meters. We will stay overnight at a tea house at Gorakshep.
Kala Patthar And Pheriche Elevation
The following day, our difficult trek continues as we make our way to Kala Patthar. We will begin our hike early and ascent through the steep trail to reach Kala Patthar. It is a small peak sitting at an elevation of 5555 meters. The gorgeous view of Mount Everest from here is worth the difficult hike.
Similarly, we can witness the mountain views of Mt. Lhotse, Nuptse, Chagatse, Pumori, and several more. After exploring for a while, we will descend to Gorakshep and then head towards Pherice. The whole day’s trek duration takes around 7 hours. Pherice sits at an elevation of 4371 meters. We will stay overnight in the village.
After this, we will retrace our paths back to Namche Bazaar the following day. Then, we will head back to Lukla and hop on a flight back to Kathmandu.
Altitude Gain During EBC Trek
To further help you understand the altitude gain during the Everest Base Camp Trek, we have presented it in a table here. This simple table states the elevation from Kathmandu and of every stop along the EBC Trek.
| Destination | Elevation |
| Kathmandu | 1350 meters |
| Lukla | 2800 meters |
| Phakding | 2651 meters |
| Namche Bazaar | 3448 meters |
| Tengboche | 3870 meters |
| Dingboche | 4360 meters |
| Lobuche | 4910 meters |
| Everest Base Camp | 5365 meters |
| Gorakshep | 5164 meters |
| Kala Patthar | 5643 meters |
Everest Base Camp Trek Challenges
The Everest Base Camp Trek is an adventurous and challenging trekking experience. It is difficult and trekkers have to be ready physically and mentally. During the trek, the trail goes through rough terrains, glaciers, and moraines. Trekkers have to be ready to ascend and descend on these varied terrains including some steep sections.
Similarly, you have to cross through several suspension bridges along the way. The trek duration can be around 5 to 6 hours each day and sometimes even more. The trail only gets difficult as you go higher up. The oxygen level in the atmosphere also begins to drop as we go higher. It can cause trekkers to experience altitude sickness and is common.
Another challenge of Everest Base Camp Trek is the lack of infrastructure and facilities in the region. After Namche Bazaar, the facilities get basic. There is limited availability of internet and phone signals might not work properly. The weather also changes rapidly at the higher elevations which can further make the trek difficult.
Therefore, Everest Base Camp Trek is a challenging adventure. Trekkers need a good level of fitness and mental preparation. It is recommended that trekkers undertake some form of exercise or training to increase their stamina, endurance, and mental resiliency.
Food And Accommodation During EBC Trek
The Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the popular trekking destinations so there are no shortages of accommodations. You will find tea houses, lodges, and guest houses along the trail. Moreover, there are also luxury accommodations available at Namche Bazaar. Usually, the tea houses and lodges are cheaper and budget-friendly options.
These accommodations provide rooms on a twin-sharing basis and basic facilities like beds, blankets, and pillows. Similarly, there are shared bathrooms and common dining spaces. You have to pay additional costs for hot showers, laundry, charging, internet, and other extra facilities.
Meanwhile, in luxury accommodations, the rooms are spacious with attached bathrooms. There are also facilities like beds with electric heating, hot showers, heaters, and more. However, these accommodations are expensive and most trekkers prefer cozy tea houses to these luxury ones. The facilities get more basic and amenities availability becomes more limited as you go higher.
Read More: Everest Luxury Trek
The meals during the Everest Base Camp Trek consist of Nepali staple foods, local specialties, and even Western cuisines. The popular breakfast option consists of bread (Tibetan/chapati), eggs, pancakes, porridge, and oats. The lunch and dinner menu usually consists of Dal Bhat, momo, thukpa, spaghetti, pasta, sandwiches, and more.
For physically demanding treks like EBC, it is important to take carbohydrate and protein-rich food. Dal Bhat is one of the ideal meals. It consists of steamed rice, lentil soup, vegetables, pickles, and sometimes meat. It is a well-balanced meal that has carbs, protein, and nutrients to energize you for the trek.
NAATA’s 14 Days Everest Base Camp Trek package includes accommodations and meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek. You will stay at tea houses and your meal will consist of Nepali and Western cuisines. Drinks and expenses like hot shower, phone bill, charging, etc are not included in the package.
Symptoms Of Altitude Sickness and Prevention During EBC Trek
Trekkers usually start experiencing altitude sickness from above 3000 meters. The oxygen and air pressure level in the atmosphere starts to decrease as you go higher. As a result, trekkers begin to experience symptoms of altitude sickness. Since the Everest Base Camp sits at an elevation above 5,000 meters, there is a high risk of altitude sickness. It further adds to the challenges of trekking to the base camp.
Rapidly ascending to the higher elevation can cause trekkers to experience the sickness. The symptoms of altitude sickness include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and rapid pulse. It is very important to check these symptoms and take action.
Symptoms like shortness of breath and rapid pulse are severe and can prove to be fatal if not taken seriously. The best way to prevent altitude sickness is through proper acclimatization. Acclimatization helps the body to adjust to the elevation, temperature, humidity, and surroundings. During the acclimatization day, trekkers should remain active. There are medications like Acetazolamide (Diamox), Ibuprofen, etc available for curing altitude sickness.
Another way of altitude sickness prevention is to stay properly hydrated during the trek. You should drink at least 3 to 4 liters of water daily. Excess consumption of caffeine, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco should be avoided. Proper rest and sleep also aid in the prevention. However, despite the precautions and medication if the altitude sickness symptoms persist, descending to the lower elevation is the best course of action.
