I have now published several posts on my recent Everest Base Camp Trek! However, I believe that more information you have the better you will be prepared for a huge trek like Everest Base Camp. This post covers some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Everest Base Camp Trek.
When is the Best Time to Trek?
This is one of the most common FAQs about the Everest Base Camp Trek! This trek essentially has 2 seasons. The first one is from April to May and the other from October to November. The April to May season is the most popular time to trek. This is also the time when people who attempt to summit Mount Everest arrive, so it’s a little more crowded with all the support teams as well. October to November is after the monsoon period (June to September) but before the cold winter months and in my opinion is a better time to visit. It’s not as crowded as April and May and if you go towards mid November you are almost guaranteed clear skies and good weather!
How Many Days Does it Take?
This really depends on what itinerary you decided on. The classic Everest Base Camp Trek takes 12 days with an additional day for the flight back to Kathmandu. This is the recommended time to complete the trek so that you have enough days to acclimatize. If you decide on a private tour, you probably have the opportunity to take it even slower. Usually with altitude, the slower you go the better chance you have of your body adjusting to the altitude.
What Are All the Itineraries?
As I mentioned, the classic trek is an out and back hike that takes 12 days. In addition to this you can also do the Everest Base Camp Trek with the Gokyo Lakes. This trek takes 15 days with an additional day to fly back. The Three Passes Trek to Everest Base Camp takes 17 days with one more day to fly back. Another variation is the Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trek. This actually is the longest itinerary at around 22-24 days. All these day estimations are the minimum days needed. You can certainly take longer if you are going with a personal guide.
How Much Does it Cost?
Hate to say it and not give a definitive answer but the truth is that it depends. Your biggest contributors to the cost will be the cost of the trekking company if you decide to go with one and depending on where you live, the flight to get there. If you trek with a trekking company, they will most likely charge you around $1200-1800. This cost will most probably include accommodation and transport from Kathmandu to Lukla and back but not all companies include food. The list below is what you may need to pay for even with a trekking company.
- Food (not all companies cover food)
- Internet
- Charging
- Showers
- Tips for porters and guides
In addition to this, you will also need additional contingency funds.
This is what you will have to pay for prior to the trip that’s not trekking company related
- Flight to Kathmandu and back
- Insurance
- Gear (some items can be bought in Kathmandu for cheap but recommend getting shoes and a pack from home and breaking both in)
How Difficult is the Trek?
The trek is certainly no walk in the park but the difficulty will really depend on factors personal to you. The altitude certainly added to the level of difficulty for me. I know this because I trekked with ease as we descended. My advice is to take it slow and keep to your own rhythm and pace even if you are trekking with a large group.
How Do You Train?
I am no expert on training but cardio and lower body strength training will be very helpful. In addition to this, walk or hike for a few hours or long distances with a backpack or weighted vest. I walked/ran a lot of stairs with a weighted vest and this was also very helpful! There are a lot of steps and stairs on the trail and I think you will benefit from practicing with at least 20 minutes of actual stairs or a stair climber at the gym.
How Do I Avoid Altitude Sickness
The thing about altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is that it can affect anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are an elite athlete or have been at high elevations before. One way to reduce your risk of altitude sickness is to trek very slowly and take your time. Another is to drink a lot of water. Our guide recommended that we drink at least 4 liters of water.
What to Pack?
I published an in-depth post on what to pack for the trek. In addition to what to pack, I also included what I packed and did not use, what I wore at different elevations and packing tips. Check out this post HERE!
What is Accommodation and food Like?
Accommodation is very basic. You will stay in teahouses with just the necessities. Bathrooms are shared most of the time and there’s only usually 1 or 2 for an entire floor. We stayed in one teahouse where we had 1 bathroom per 2 rooms and this was a luxury in my opinion.
Food is also basic. It is best to eat a full vegetarian diet during the Everest Base Camp Trek and to avoid meat at all cost. This is because meat is carry up the mountain on humans or yaks without cold storage.
I cover both accommodation and food in-depth in this post HERE
What Was it Like Flying to Lukla?
Lukla is one of the most if not the most dangerous airports in the world. The runway is very short and there’s very little room for error. I am generally not afraid of flying so I wasn’t nervous per se. However I did notice how loud the engines were and the smell of jet fumes were very strong. Those that do not like to fly may find this experience a little more nerve-wracking.
One thing to call out is that the Lukla flight is extremely weather dependent. Cloudy skies, rain, fog, etc. can either cause delays or even cancelations. Therefore, it is best to keep buffer days on both ends.
Can Kids do the Trek?
This really depends. There are plenty of kids who have done the trek. Most recently, I saw that a 6 year old from India had completed it. This is a 12 days hike covering 130 KM that reaches an elevation of over 5000 meters. You know your kids best!
Is There Internet?
Yes! I got this question a lot. We actually had very decent connectivity throughout. Of course internet comes at a price but if you want it, it is readily available. Lower elevations have regular wi-fi that works with a username and password and higher elevations use something called Everest Link or Nepal Link. Both of these work in the same way. You pay for a card that has a username and password that is unique to you.
How do I Charge My Electronics?
You can pay to charge your phone, electronics and an external battery pack at Teahouses. The cost increases as you climb up, so my tip would be charge your battery packs lower down and preserve them to use at higher elevations. See more tips like this HERE.
Do You Need Insurance?
Yes! Insurance is highly recommended. I fact, most trekking companies mandate it. When you buy insurance, make sure it covers helicopter evacuations at up to 6000 feet. If you need to use it, some insurance providers make you call them and clear it with them or they do not approve the claim later. Read the fine print before you purchase insurance.
Is it Safe to Drink Tap Water?
Yes but with a water purification tablet. I used aquatabs and had no issues. This is also a lot more environmentally friendly than using bottled water.
Did you find this Everest Base Camp Trek FAQs post useful? Please let me know by liking/commenting below or sharing this post on social media! Thank you!!
See all my posts on the Everest Base Camp Trek HERE.
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