There are actually two base camps for Everest trekking: the North Base Camp in Tibet and the
South Base Camp in Nepal. The Nepalese camp in the Khumbu region is the Everest Base Camp
that most people talk about, and the end point of this legendary trek.
It’s tucked away at the end of a long valley that carves through the Himalayas after splitting at the
Sherpa village of Dingboche. The formidable Khumbu Icefall – the first obstacle for those
attempting a summit push to Everest – begins right on the doorstep of the camp, leading up to
the Western Cwm (also known as the Valley of Silence) and the peaks of Lhotse and Nuptse.

South Base Camp in Nepal

The Everest Base Camp trek on the south side, at an elevation of 5,364 m, is one of the most
popular trekking routes in the Himalayas and about 40,000 people per year make the trek there
from Lukla Airport.
However, trekking to Lukla is possible. There are no roads from Kathmandu to Lukla and as a
result, the only method of transporting large and heavy goods is by plane.

North Base Camp in China

A visit to the North Base Camp requires a permit from the Chinese government, on top of the
permit required to visit Tibet itself. Access to the North Base Camp has been closed to tourists
since February 2019.
The North Base Camp is accessed by vehicle through a 100 km road branching to the South from
the Friendship Highway near Shelkar, at the southern foot of the 5,220 metres high Gyatso La
pass. The road leads to Rongbuk Monastery with dramatic views of the north face of Mount
Everest.

Distance

The rewards of the trek don’t come so easily. EBC is a high-altitude path that requires
considerable acclimatisation over a good distance. You’ll typically need 12-14 days of full-on
trekking to complete the 80-mile round trip that starts from Lukla.
This distance is roughly divided into individual daily sections of 8-10 miles, but the reason the
whole adventure takes so many days is because it needs to be broken down into bite-sized
chunks due to the altitude with acclimatisation and rest days mixed in.

Food on the Everest Base Camp Trek

All that trekking is going to work up a serious appetite, you can be sure of that. Thankfully, EBC
teahouses tout some decent grub for when it’s time to refuel. Don’t be surprised to find that the
menus are virtually identical the whole way along, even if the dishes themselves vary greatly with
the whims of different chefs up and down the trip route.
The common dishes which include:
● Dal bhat
● Egg and fries
● Shyakpa (Sherpa stew)
● Pizza