Everest Base Camp Trek Distance, Length and Altitude
- Friday June 5, 2020
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Everest Base Camp Trek is the most popular trek in Nepal and one of the most iconic and classic treks globally. This Everest Trek takes you to the heart of the Sagarmatha region in Nepal.
The total Everest Base Camp trek distance is around 130 km round trip beginning from Lukla. But the distance of this trek can vary depending upon which route you take.
The journey to Everest Base Camp embarks with the 30-minutes adventurous mountain flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Airport, which is considered one of the most dangerous airports. You trek through the trail walked by some brave men such as Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, and many others who climbed Mount Everest.
The Everest Base Camp Trail takes you along the beautiful cultural settlements of Sherpa communities and the staggering Sagarmatha National Park. The trek finally concludes at the world’s highest mountain base camp, Mount Everest.
Now let’s take a closer look at the Everest Base Camp Trek Distance, length, and altitude.
Everest Base Camp Trek Distance
The total Everest Base camp Trek distance is around 130 KM round trip from Lukla. That means you will first ascend 65 KM to the base camp and hike back to Lukla, another 65 KM.
Although the walking distance is the same, the 65 kilometers to Everest Base Camp takes far longer as you will be acclimatizing for a few days. Since it is a very high-altitude trek, there is a high chance of mountain sickness. Thus, acclimatizing is very important for a safe and successful trek.
If you have previous trekking experience, 130 KM may not seem like a challenging task. But you should be aware that the average walking speed on this trek for a human is 5 KM per hour.
If you have the endurance to hike for 5 to 7 hours a day in the high-altitude area, you can quickly complete the trek. However, if you are a novice trekker or a beginner, it is better to hire a porter to make the walk less difficult. The porters will carry all your luggage, and you can walk comfortably.
On average, you will be covering a distance of 10 to 15 KM per day for nine days on a standard 15 days Everest Base Camp trek. You may think that 15 KM a day is not that tough, but the diverse terrain, high altitude, and the rocky and steep trail will slow you down.
But you can customize your trekking itinerary depending on your physical and mental strength.
So, let us know if you want to shorten or extend your days. We can adjust the itinerary depending on your time and budget.
Everest Base Camp Trek Length
The typical length of the Everest Base Camp trek is about 15 days. But the length of the Everest Base Camp Trek depends on the trekking route you choose to trek Everest Base Camp. Various trekking routes, such as Jiri to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Cho La Pass Trek, take longer days to complete.
In a usual 15 Days Everest Base Camp trek itinerary, you will have to hike for around nine days to reach the Base Camp and just three days to return to Lukla to cover the total Everest Base Camp Trek distance. Plus, you will have a few days for acclimatization in between. This is because the ascent is more complex than the descent.
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Distance Covered Each Day During EBC Trek
To get a clear idea of the distances. Let us break down the EBC trek on a day-to-day basis.
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu. Preparation for the trek.
Day 02: Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding
- Distance Covered: 9 KM
- Walking Duration: 4 to 5 hours
Day 03: Phakding to Namche Bazar (3,438m/11,280 ft)
- Distance Covered: 12 KM
- Walking Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Day 04: Acclimatization Day in Namche Bazar
Day 05: Namche Bazar to Tengboche (3,870m/12,694ft)
- Distance Covered: 10 KM
- Walking Duration: 5 hours
Day 06: Tengboche to Dingboche (4,360 m/14,300 ft)
- Distance Covered: 12 KM
- Walking Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Day 07: Acclimatization in Dingboche
Day 08: Dingboche to Lobuche
- Distance Covered: 12 KM
- Walking Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Day 09: Lobuche to Gorak Shep – Everest Base Camp (5170 m/16,961ft), visit Everest Base Camp (5364 m/17,594 ft)
- Distance Covered: 15 KM
- Walking Duration: 7 to 8 hours
Day 10: Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar (5,545m/18,192ft) to Pheriche (4,288m/14,070ft)
- Distance Covered: 13 KM
- Walking Duration: 7 hours
Day 11: Pheriche to Namche Bazaar via Tengboche
- Distance Covered: 14 KM
- Walking Duration: 7 to 8 hours
Day 12: Namche to Lukla (2,860m/9,186ft):
- Distance Covered: 15 KM
- Walking Duration: 7 hours
Day 13: Flight from Lukla to Ramechhap and drive back to Kathmandu
Day 14: Experiencing Kathmandu
Day 15: Final Departure
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Everest Base Camp Trek Distance and Altitude
Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the high-altitude treks in Nepal. Thus, the altitude is one of this trek’s most vital and challenging parts.
The Everest Base Camp Trek starts from Bulk, located at 2800 meters. And the highest point of the trek is Kala Patthar which is located at an altitude of 5545 meters. Kala Patthar is the best point to view the mighty Everest and the nearby peaks.
However, you won’t be spending much time in these altitudes as you hike back down to Pheriche and Lukla.
Since the starting point of Everest, the trek is at such a high altitude; most people usually are not used to this kind of attitude. These treks involve a few days of acclimatization to the base camp during your ascent.
Itinerary and elevation of the places along the way
| Day | Place | Elevation |
| 1 | Kathmandu | 1400m |
| 2 | Lukla/Phakding | 2800m |
| 3 | Namche Bazaar | 3441m |
| 4 | Tengboche | 3860m |
| 5 | Dingboche | 4350m |
| 6 | Lobuche | 4910m |
| 7 | Gorakshep to EBC to Gorakshep | 5170m |
| 8 | Kala Patthar | 5545m |
| 9 | Pheriche | 4280m |
| 10 | Namche Bazaar | 3441m |
| 11 | Lukla | 2800m |
| 12 | Kathmandu | 1400m |
Due to the various altitude, there is a very high risk of altitude sickness during the trek if you don’t acclimatize properly.
So, to avoid the altitude sick, walk slow and steady and never rush. Take enough rest and acclimatize properly. Drink plenty of water and always keep yourself hydrated.
In case of critical problems, you can get medical assistance or helicopter evacuations if you have travel insurance for this trek.
Conclusion
Distance plays an integral part in the Everest Base Camp trek. The duration of the trek depends on Distance, length, and gradual and steady gain of altitude. Everest base camp covers a long distance and takes a certain period to accomplish. So, you must plan and prepare yourself properly to complete the trek conveniently and quickly.
Furthermore, if you have any questions or queries regarding this trek, please contact us.
