Everest Base Camp Trek: All You Need To Know

Everest Base Camp Trek has always been a centre of attraction for Trekkers. Whether experienced trekkers or novices, everyone dreams to come here. Here is all you need to know about the EBC Trek such as best time to go for EBC Trek, it's permits, difficulty level, altitude etc.

Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty Level

As unnerving as the name may seem, the EBC Trek is not a difficult trek at all.
While only a few courageous men and women will summit Mount Everest each year, to catch a glimpse of the tallest mountain in the world.

People of all types have completed the trek over the years – with a little bit of determination and preparation you will find that almost anyone can conquer the trek. It is on most peoples’ bucket list. The Everest Base Camp Trek requires no expertise or mountaineering skills.

Generally, the most off-putting aspect of the trek is its duration – around 12 days
The reason for this is because most of the trekking is at a slow pace – the trek would be much harder if you tried to complete it in under 12 days!

Length of EBC Trek

At 130km (round trip) the trial is long but if you consider that on a typically guided trek, you can cover about 15km per day.
If you keep in mind that the average walking pace is about 5km/hour the figure doesn’t seem all that high!
That being said, the 15km per day will not be on a paved path that is flat.

Altitude of Everest Base Camp Trek

Mountain Sickness and other altitude-related illnesses are a serious risk at the sort of altitudes encountered on the trek.
Altitude is by far the most challenging aspect of the trek and is what makes it more difficult than your average trek of the same length.
The starting point of the trek is just below 3,000m and then makes its way up to Everest Base Camp at around 5,400m. The highest point is 5500 m.

Training for EBC Trek

• Some time spent in the gym will definitely help prepare you for the Everest base camp trek. Although you don’t need to hire a personal trainer to get fit for the trek. 
• Spend some time in the gym focusing on strength training for your legs. While you may not be carrying your bags around you still have to carry yourself! 
• Squats are a great exercise as you will be utilising your quads a lot on the trek.

Everest Base Trek Permit

Those who can climb the world's highest peak Mount Everest will now require the experience of climbing from six thousand meters to eight thousand meters high.

For this, the Government of Nepal has issued an order. The Government of Nepal formed a task force under the leadership of Joint Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyay in May 2019, in view of the growing graph of the death of climbers during the climb of Mount Everest.

This committee was entrusted with the responsibility to study and submit its report to control incidents and pollution during the mountaineering on Mount Everest. The task force submitted its report to Yogesh Bhattarai, Minister of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation, after which the Ministry of Tourism has approved.

With this, climbers will have to follow the new law to climb to a height of 15 thousand meters. On ignoring this, they will not be allowed to climb Mount Everest directly.

A suggestion committee was formed by the Prime Minister's decision to suggest policy, legislation and structural procedures in the field of mountaineering. Apart from Ghanshyam Upadhyay, the head of the Department of Manpower Management and Tourism Promotion, Dundaraj Ghimire, Director General of Tourism Department, Santveer Lama, President of Nepal Mountaineering Association and President of Trekking Agencies Association (TAN) Nawaz Dahal were members.

In this committee, Meera Acharya, deputy secretary of the department was the member secretary. According to sources, many countries of the world were pressurizing the Nepal government that the mountaineering permit should not be controlled as the winter season is only one month.

An official of Nepal Mountaineering Association said that the report proposed that the liaison officer at the base camp be detained during the service period. Similarly, medical examination has been made mandatory. Team members, guides, assistants, porters, etc., who are not fit for a health checkup, will not be able to climb the mountain in any role.

Best Time to visit Everest Base Camp Trek

There are two different trekking seasons. The best time for trekking Everest base camp are February-May and late September- December.

The journey could be made in February and early September for trekking the Everest base camp. March, late October and November can also be favourable.

You can trek to Everest Base Camp in January and February but it will pose challenges because of harsh winter. Snowfall can happen anytime on the trail. You have to need spare time in hand for weather delays. Weather conditions are extreme in these winter months.

The best time to trek also depends on the experience you are looking to have.

You will find that late September-November will provide you with better views. There is less heat haze, no or less cloud, clearer visibility and amazing views of these world-class mountains. The weather can be crisp, but clear and this will you in the trek. There is always the risk of rain at lower elevations and snow higher up on the trail.

Duration to get to Everest Base Camp Trek

12 days - is a usual number of days in which the EBC trek can be completed.
This is when you don’t consider the scenic flight that has it stops in Lukla. Or else it will be 15 days.

A person/group can also complete the trek in 10 days but that would need experience and professionalism. The trek of 10 days is termed as rapid climb and you’ll have to be extremely fit to do so. People with the strong physique or youthful trekkers can undertake this small trek of 10 days.

As the distance of the trek is 130km, it takes more days to get to the base camp and fewer days to get back down. Typically it’s 8 days up and 4 days down, making it 3 days of short trekking and 9 nine days of a long trek.

The trek should always be done at your own pace, with such high altitude trekking you shouldn't push yourself to complete it in a shorter time. This could be risky and hence should be avoided.

Things to Carry on Everest Base Camp Trek

Below is the given list of things to carry to Everest Base Camp Trek Packing List according to given answers-

Important things to carry on Everest Base Camp Trek-

• Trekking Towel
• Pee Bottle or Funnel
• Small Locks – To secure your duffle bag or rucksack
• Waterproof Ziplock Bags
• Camera / Videocamera
• Book / Kindle
• Playing Cards
• Notebook / Journal and Pen
• Portable battery charger
• Water Purification Tablets
• Isotonic Powder
• General Medications paracetamol, Imodium etc
• Basic First Aid Kit
• Suncream/Day cream
• Lip balm
• Baby wipes
• Hand Sanitizer
• Face Wash

What to wear-

For top make layers in this order:

1. Thermal inner
2. full sleeves tee
3. woollen sweater/fleece jacket
4. windcheater / down jacket (water and windproof)

For bottom:

1. Thermal/woollen inner
2. waterproof trekking pants.

For palms :

Carry woollen/fleece gloves and/or waterproof gloves.

For feet :

You can make layers made up of sports socks, woollen socks.

For face and head:

Use a balaclava which covers the head and face, and a woollen cap.

Shoes: Carry Snow trekking boots or local gumboots

Other Treks You can Consider than Everest Base Camp Trek

There are ample of trekking places across India. States of Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are full of trekking trails. There are easy to difficult treks found in these states which are in the northern part of India.

Some famous treks are:

1. Chadar Trek, Ladakh
2. Kedarkantha Trek
3. Hampta Pass Trek
4. Valley of Flowers Trek
5. Har Ki Dun Trek