Everest has two main base camps: the southern one lies in Nepal, the northern one in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. They serve different climbing routes and are not linked by any ordinary tourist path. When people talk about “the trek to Everest Base Camp”, they most often mean the walking route through Nepal’s Khumbu valley to the southern camp.
Would you like to walk this route with a group? The Mountain Guide programme is a 14-day trek to Everest Base Camp: acclimatisation days, the ascent of Kala Patthar and lodge accommodation in the Khumbu. Current dates, prices and the list of included services are published on the programme page.
The southern base camp in Nepal
The southern camp sits beside the Khumbu glacier. The trek to it passes through Namche Bazaar, Tengboche monastery, Dingboche, Lobuche and Gorak Shep. The height gain is spread over several days, and a sensible programme includes acclimatisation walks and a margin for weather.
For a trekker the camp is the end of the route, not the start of an independent climb. Going higher, through the Khumbu Icefall, belongs to an Everest expedition and calls for different preparation, permits, team and budget. Visitors must not walk onto the glacier or enter the expeditions’ working areas without permission.
The northern base camp in Tibet
The northern side is Chinese territory. Access is governed by its own rules, permits and organised logistics. Whether you can visit, what accommodation looks like and which areas are open all need checking immediately before you travel: old guidebooks go out of date quickly.
The northern camp gives a different angle on the mountain and is tied to the northern climbing route. It is not a shorter substitute for the Nepali trek: it is a separate journey with a different entry regime.
Can you see Everest from the southern camp
At the southern base camp it is the glacier and the icefall that hold your attention, while the neighbouring massifs partly block the view of the summit. For the classic panorama people usually climb Kala Patthar. A programme that promises only the base camp itself and one that includes the viewpoint therefore offer quite different visual experiences.
When the camp is full of expeditions
In spring the southern camp becomes a working base for climbers. In other seasons the tent city looks different, or is barely there at all. The place itself remains, but a photograph taken during a spring expedition does not describe what an autumn trekker will necessarily see.
How hard is the trek
The standard route asks nobody to climb a technical wall, but the altitude makes it a serious undertaking. Fatigue builds up, temperatures swing, and flights in the mountains depend on visibility. Good physical condition helps you cope with the daily stages, but it is no protection against acute mountain sickness.
- do not cut acclimatisation days to fit a schedule;
- tell your guide about headache, nausea, unusual weakness and loss of coordination;
- check that your insurance covers the actual altitude and evacuation;
- keep a margin for transport delays;
- do not promise yourself the camp at any cost: turning back safely is a normal decision.
How to reach the southern base camp
Take a look at the current Everest Base Camp trekking programme. Before booking, compare the duration, the number of acclimatisation days, the logistics included, the altitude of the overnight stops and the insurance requirements. Other options in the region are collected in our overview of Everest trekking programmes.