Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty: What You Need to Know

Trekking to the base camp of Mt. Everest (8,848.86 m/29,029.69 ft), and capturing the scenic beauty of the peaks in the Mahalangur Range is in every trekking enthusiast's checklist. Not only the great views of the Everest range, but you also get the opportunity to learn the culture and lifestyle of the Sherpa people. If you love trekking, then I'm sure you have a dream of witnessing the world's highest peak in front of you.

Before trekking to the Everest Base Camp, one should have an idea of challenges you may have to face on the journey. Leaving your comfort zone without knowing how hard it is can lead you to some trouble during the trip.

You know, merely having such a dream is not enough to accomplish it. You should also learn every detail about your destination while planning it, which includes the difficulty level of the journey you're currently dreaming of from your home.

Yes, getting excited about your coming adventure is a good thing. Nevertheless, at the same time, you should also be fully prepared by researching your journey thoroughly so that you can complete your trip without any problems.

Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty

In terms of the difficulty level, the Everest Base Camp Trek is considered moderate to challenging. It's among the longest treks in Nepal, which usually last for 14 days. You will make it up to 5,555 m (18,225.07 ft), which is Kala Patthar, from where the clear and closest view of mighty Everest is visible.

Most people think the Everest Base Camp (also famous as EBC in short) is the highest point of the trek, which stands at an elevation of 5,364 m (17,598 ft). It's the main point, but not exactly the highest point. The highest point is Kala Patthar.

Anyway, the thing is, the trail isn't technically demanding. It's easy to walk, and you'll find plenty of quality hotels and tea houses for your overnight stays that are equipped with modern amenities along the route, making your journey easier.

However, you'll reach above 5,000 m (16,404.2 ft) on this journey by hiking for a couple of weeks or might take even more time to conclude, depending on your pace. Speaking of total distance, you will cover approximately 106 km round-trip. Thus, especially for beginners, it'll also be challenging at the same time.

Factors Affecting The Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty

As already discussed, the trek is moderate to challenging, meaning it's easy and also hard for some reason. It is easy because the trail mostly doesn't have steep parts.

You don't need to climb, but just walk patiently along mountain paths. Additionally, there are enough hotels along the trail to provide us with quality accommodation.

Yet, you may still feel tough during trekking to the EBC. There are a couple of factors that make this trek challenging as well. They are:

Duration

As I mentioned above, the duration of the trek is 14 days. Some might take more than this, and an experienced hiker can complete it even in less time. However, walking for such a long duration with a heavy backpack on the shoulders is challenging for those who don't have much experience in a nature walk.

Even an experienced individual might find it hard to finish this trek sometimes, as it also depends on your physical condition. As a result, you should be well-prepared both physically and mentally for this trip. 

Elevation

You've already learned the maximum height you will gain during trekking to the Everest Base Camp, which is 5,555 m (18,225.07 ft). The elevation is already scary, isn't it?

Even the starting point of this trek is Lukla, which is at 2,860 m (9,383 ft). This elevation is normal for the locals, but we can't be sure about the person who resides at sea level. Hence, the journey will be demanding, especially if you are a first-timer and from sea level.

Although the route that leads you to the base camp isn't that tough, you still need to use caution due to the height. If you ascend quickly or walk in a rush, you may get caught by altitude sickness at any time.

And you shouldn't take this matter lightly, or else, there'll be a high chance of losing your life. You should be able to recognise the symptoms of altitude sickness in time. We discuss the meaning of altitude sickness, its symptoms, and preventive methods in the sections below.

Weather

The weather is also a factor that affects the difficulty level of the EBC Trek. You should first be aware of the best time for trekking if you don't wanna face any difficulty and want to enjoy your journey to the fullest.

In fact, there are two best seasons for this adventure, and they are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November).

It doesn't mean this trek isn't possible during the off-season: winter (December to February) and Monsoon (March to May). You can do this trek even in winter, but you'll face freezing temperatures.

You already know the lower and higher elevations of this trek. You can imagine how freezing the temperature's gonna be here during winter.

At night, -10 is normal in the upper sections. There's even a high chance of getting sick easily during the cold season. Therefore, very few people go trekking in the Everest Region.

However, if you're still interested in trekking during the winter season, then I'd suggest you plan this adventure for early December. After the third week of the month, it usually starts to snow.

You shouldn't be thinking of planning to go for this trek during the monsoon. There's heavy rainfall in the lower sections and snowfall in the upper sections.

In the lower section, you'll face leeches and other insect bites way more than you deserve. Also, there is a high chance of landslides and floods when it's raining, and if the weather stays unclear for a long time, you won't enjoy the best views of Everest and other mountains in the same range during the trek.

Another problem is that most hotels also remain closed during the off-season, especially during the monsoon. Therefore, choose the season for trekking wisely.

Moreover, you should also stay updated with the weather forecast for the dates of your trip and also, during the trek daily. The weather is so unpredictable. Even during spring and autumn, it can turn around at any time and make you face more challenges while you're enjoying your adventure.

Flights to Lukla

Flights to Lukla are very hard to get specially during the peak season, inorder to get a ticket it's very essential to book early, in such scenarios travel and trekking agencies in Nepal can help you book them in advance, usually your trekking package includes the necessary flights and transportation.

Even if you can manage to book your flights, there may be few chance of flights being delayed, sometimes it may get delayed for a day or two. so it's necessary to add some buffer days in the itinerary incase your flight won't take off on time.

Altitude Sickness On The Everest Base Camp Trek

Just know that altitude sickness is always a common thing on the EBC Trek. Even the trek starts from Lukla at 2,860 m (9,383 ft), and altitude sickness generally begins to occur at 2,500 m (8,202.1 ft). So now, you can understand yourself how likely you're about to get attacked by it during this journey, even though the trail is easy.

First of all, you need to know what altitude sickness is. It's a condition that happens when your body doesn't get enough time to adapt to the lower air pressure at high elevation. It's also called Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).

During the trek to the Everest Base Camp, you should be able to recognise some common symptoms of AMS if you don't wanna get your condition to worsen. These symptoms are as follows:

• Headache (most common and early sign)
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Tiredness or weakness
• Loss of hunger
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia or frequent waking)
• Shortness of breath with exertion
• Swelling of hands, feet, or face (in some cases)

If somehow you find any of these symptoms of AMS developing in your body, you shouldn’t force your body beyond its limit. Self-motivation doesn’t work once you get sick at high elevations like the Everest Region. 

In such a condition, the only favour you can do for yourself is to descend to at least 500 m and spend an overnight stay there. The following morning, if you feel that either of the symptoms has gone, then you may continue ascending again. 

If not, then you'd better spend an extra day there. Finally, the next day, if you feel fine and confident, you may continue your journey. However, if you still feel unwell, then all you can do is quit the trek and go all the way down to the starting point and return home.

How To Prevent Altitude Sickness During the Everest Base Camp Trek

To prevent altitude sickness during the EBC Trek, you can follow some basic but useful tips below:

• Don't rush while walking or ascending. Hike gradually and let your body time to adjust to the air.
• Frequent breaks of at least 7 to 8 minutes while hiking are most needed.
• Eat fully and mostly carbohydrates, such as rice, potatoes, and pasta, during the trek. Carbs stay in the body for a long time and keep you energised.
• Stay hydrated by drinking 3 to 4 litres a day. Also, eat apples and cucumbers every day during the trek if possible, as they contain a high level of water.
• Once you reach above 3,000 m (9842.52 ft), spend an extra day at the same place for acclimatisation.
• Consider doing daily exercise a month before your adventure if you aren't a regular workout person. Exercises, such as stretching, running, squatting, cycling, and swimming, are highly effective for trekking.
• In case you feel unconfident about the EBC Trek due to its maximum height, you may take acetazolamide (Diamox) under the prescription of your trusted doctor. Acetazolamide is the best medication for altitude sickness.
• Garlic and timur (Sichuan pepper) play a major role in avoiding altitude sickness. So, eat a piece of garlic every morning before commencing your hike or add garlic soup with timur powder to your meal during this trek.

How To Overcome the Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty

Now you have a better understanding of the difficulty level of the Everest Base Camp Trek. It's both easy and tough at the same time.

Whatever is easy on the trail is easy; we don't need to invest our time in it anymore. Now our only concern is the challenges that await us on this trek.

So, when heading far from home on an adventure to explore nature's beauty, such as in the Everest Region, it's important to understand how to overcome the potential challenges you may face. For you, I've prepared some tips to overcome the EBC Trek difficulty below:

Follow Your Guide

A licensed trekking guide has proper knowledge of the trail and history of the destination you're heading. They're guide for a reason. To become a professional guide, they've come a long way by taking training and passing exams.

Therefore, you should always follow their command. You've every right to question them during the trek if it's about the destination and the surroundings, because you're hiring them and paying for their service.

But sometimes, what travellers do is they don't obey their guide and prefer to do as they wish and get themselves in trouble in the end. Some get injured, some get sick, and some get lost along the way.

You should be very humble, wise, and cautious while trekking to the EBC if you wanna avoid the challenges ahead on the journey. Don't try to oversmart your guide.

Don't Eat Unhealthy Items

You already know what you should eat most during the EBC Trek, as we've already discussed in the above section. So, what I want to make clear to you here is simple. Please avoid oily, overfried, and non-veg foods.

Such foods may cause you food poisoning. Furthermore, avoid coffee, alcohol and cigarettes while you can because coffee and alcohol dehydrate your body, and cigarettes cause breathing problems and reduce your stamina.

Acclimatise Your Body Completely

Since the beginning of this blog, we've been discussing this matter, and you've already understood it properly, I guess. It is crucial to allow your body time to adjust to the lower oxygen level. However, most of the time, it's found that some trekkers rush to reach the hotel in the place of their overnight stay, which is very wrong.

During the trek, if you think the point where you're heading is far and you need to walk more to reach it in time, then you'd better wake up early, have breakfast, leave the hotel, and begin hiking to another point. But don't hurry while walking.

Bring A Pulse Oximeter

An oximeter ain't exactly necessary to carry with you for trekking at high altitude. However, if you bring it along, it'll be helpful.

It's just a small tool that can be adjusted anywhere in your pocket or in your backpack. It helps you in monitoring your oxygen level and heart rate while trekking to the EBC or anywhere else at high elevations.

You should check your oxygen saturation (SpO₂) with an oximeter every day before hiking and after reaching the place of your overnight stay. If you find your SpO₂ below 80%, then you should be alert, as it's a sign of altitude sickness.

Pre Trek Preparation

Preparation before your journey is highly recommended for the Everest Base Camp Trek. As it involves multiple days of walking and high altitudes, having some exercises and training on your daily routine helps a lot to minimize the difficulty of the trek. 

By preparation we mean both physical and mental preparation, an individual should be equally prepared mentally and physically, so that you can enjoy your trek and finfish it with an ease.

Packing Light and Right

Packing lightly and righlty is a key to a sucessful trek, you must know what items to pack for your Everest trekking. Make sure you don't bring unnecessary stuffs with you and make you bag heavy unnecessarily.

Inorder to provide a guide for your packing, we have a detailed list for gears to pack for the EBC Trek, You may follow the list and make some modification on top if required.

If you are a Female, then you may check: EBC Gear list for Females

Booking through a Certified Local Agency

Booking your EBC trek in advance is highly crucial, Since this trek is highly commercial, huge number of trekkers fly to Nepal every year to trek to the base camp of Everest. In such scenararios early booking of flights, accommodation and guides is highly recommended. Since the flights and accommodations are not available for booking online as bigger hotels and airlines, that's when your local agency comes in handy. 

We at hiking Bees book all the necessary flights, transportations, accommodations and other essential for our guest beforehand so that we could ooperate your journey as smoothly as possible.

If you wish to do the Everest trekking with Hiking bees then you may contact us via mail or whatsapp

• Mail: [email protected]
• Whatsapp: (+977 9860617338)