Everest Base Camp Trek Distance
Trekking to the base camp of Mt. Everest (8848.46m) is an enthralling Himalayan journey. Avid trekking enthusiasts widely rank this fantastic trek as the best in the world. While the Everest Base Camp Trek distance can be intimidating at first, with an adequate amount of preparation, it gets considerably easier to complete the trek.
This classic Himalayan trekking adventure has a total distance of around 65 km from Lukla to the base camp or 130 km round trip. The outstanding trek can comfortably be completed with basic fitness, and therefore, even amateur trekkers can complete it. This long Everest Base Camp Trek Distance will be covered through diverse terrain and other beautiful landmarks of the area.
While the trek takes around 7-12 days to complete, you can add days set for acclimatization. Additionally, acclimatization also provides you with the best adventure in the Everest region. Moreover, trekkers will need to cover 10-15 km daily to finish the trek in time.
The trekking speed ideal for trekkers is around 3-4 km per hour to complete the journey in time. The trails of this EBC trek are famous for being quite steep and rocky. The beautiful terrain will ensure you have a great adventure in the Himalayan foothills.
While the trek requires basic fitness, it is ideal for all travelers. You will have a great time in the region, even if you are a beginner. Since, you will be gaining 600m-700m in altitude, acute mountain sickness can be a major concern for all trekkers.
The following article will provide you with complete detail about the Everest Base Camp Trek Distance. Go through the article before planning your trip!
Everest Base Camp Trek Distance Details
Kathmandu – Lukla – Phakding
Flight duration: 35-40 minutes
Lukla altitude: 2845 m
Phakding altitude: 2610 m
Walk duration: 3-4 hours
Distance Covered: 10 Km
Net Elevation Gain: -230 m
The distance from the starting point of Kathmandu to Lukla is 138 km. You will cover this distance in a flight of around 45 minutes. After reaching the airport at Lukla, on a thrilling adventure, you will start trekking through the Everest region trails.
You will trek around 10 km from Lukla on this journey to reach Phakding village settlement. This section’s trekking duration will take 3-4 hours. During the course of this trek, you will find beautiful trails with many incredible landmarks.
Phakding – Namche Bazaar
Namche altitude: 3,440 m
Phakding altitude: 2610 m
Walk duration: 3-4 hours
Distance Covered: 14 Km
Net Elevation Gain: 830 m
From Phakding, you will trek around 14 km on this journey to Namche. You will trek through the beautiful terrain in this section to Namche Bazaar, a beautiful village. On the journey, you will pass through outstanding landmarks on the lap of nature. You will get to pass through the forest areas covered in numerous other landmarks like rivers and waterfalls.
In the beautiful village of Namche, you will find many hotels, cafes, lodges, etc. You will also get to go on hiking around the hills around Namche as a part of the acclimatization journey. You will get sweeping views of the region during the process of acclimatization.
There is the famous Syangboche viewpoint, known for its awe-inspiring panoramic views of the mountains. Besides, there are cultural points that you can explore in Namche as well, including the Sherpa museum. You can stay there in Namche’s beautiful village settlement after finding a teahouse.
Namche – Tengboche
Namche altitude: 3,440 m
Tengboche height: 3,870m
Walk duration: 5 hours
Distance Covered: 9.5 km
Net Elevation Gain: 430 m
The Namche to Tengboche is a real test of your strength as you will trek for around 9.5 kms. You will continue this section after a day at Namche which will allow you to re-energize your spirits.
The section of the trek will first take you alongside the northern trails then climb up the stony trails. You will enter a forest path before leading to the monastery area. After 5 hours of rigorous trekking, you will reach Tengboche where you will rest at a local teahouse after some exploration around the area.
Tengboche – Dingboche
Tengboche height: 3,870m
Dingboche height: 4,410m
Walk duration: 5-6 hours
Distance Covered: 11 km
Net Elevation Gain: 540 m
The Tengboche to Dingboche trek route will cover around 11 km, which takes around 5-6 km. Trekkers taking this trek will find the trail to be quite different as you will reach an area that is devoid of much vegetation and mostly arid. You will love trekking in the beautiful uphill terrain where you can enjoy the natural landmarks in a chill atmosphere.
The Dingboche settlement will arrive after you trek for around 5-6 hours and cover 11 km. There you can stop your trek and rest in the Dingboche teahouse. Besides that, you can also explore the area before you settle down at the teahouse.
Dingboche – Lobuche
Dingboche height: 4,410m
Lobuche height: 4,940m
Walking duration: 5 hours
Distance Covered: 11 kilometers
Net Elevation Gain: 530 m
At Dingboche, you will spend the day acclimatizing. This is the second day for acclimatization in the EBC trek as it will provide you with adequate strength to cope with the acute mountain sickness. There in the beautiful trail, you will also have the opportunity to experience the magical Himalayan vista.
It will lead you through the incredible terrains of the region from Dingboche to Lobuche. After trekking for 2-3 hours, you will reach Dughla, where you can respite and have lunch for some time while observing the majestic Himalayas of the region. There is also a memorial structured in the memory of the climbers who lost their lives while along the way to the mountains.
You will love the magical snow-clad mountains a few minutes away from the viewpoint. The trail reaches a crossroads where you will choose the road leading to the Zongla settlements, before trekking uphill for 30 minutes before reaching Lobuche.
Lobuche – Gorak Shep – Everest Base Camp – Gorak Shep
Lobuche height: 4,940m
Everest Base Camp altitude: 5,363m
Walking duration: 7 hours
Distance Covered: 15 km
Net Elevation Gain: 454 m
On this route, you will walk uphill from Lobuche to Gorak Shep while passing and exploring the significant landmark of Everest Base Camp. The trails will lead you through the great paths to reach Gorak Shep, the site where Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary made their way to the summit of Mt Everest.
In the Everest Base Camp, you will love the atmosphere of climbers socializing and training for their respective climbs. Then you will return to Gorak Shep on the beautiful trail after exploring around and taking pictures. You will get fantastic pictures of the mountains during your stay in the base camp.
The roads will then route back to reach Gorak Shep village. The highlights of Gorakshep is that it is the highest mountain village settlement on the route to EBC. It is also the highest point where you can find tea houses where you will stay for the night before descending down.
Gorak Shep – Kala Patthar – Pheriche
Ending Elevation: 4,240 m
Kala Pathar altitude: 5,545m
Walking duration: 8 hours
Distance Covered: 13 km
Net Elevation Gain: -885 m
The journey of the route from Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar is another significant part of the EBC trek. The route is technical and challenging and starts early in the morning. You will find it quite challenging to trek uphill on the route to Kalapathar. The beautiful path will allow you to observe the outstanding Himalayan sunrise from the viewpoint of Kala Pathar.
You will lead through the rugged landscapes to arrive at the top of Kalapathar. The beautiful viewpoint is known for its stunning vista, where you can observe the glorious Himalayan sunrise. You will climb for 2 hours to Kalapathar. You will have the best time during this short but challenging hike in the region.
After exploring and observing the Himalayan sunrise, you will return to the Gorak Shep village and the tea house. Beautiful pictures get clicked mainly from Kala Patthar’s viewpoint. We will take around 45 minutes to return to Gorak Shep on a different route and descend to Pheriche.
Pheriche – Namche
Pheriche altitude: 4,280m
Namche altitude: 3440m
Walking duration: 9 hours
Distance Covered: 23 km
Net Elevation Gain: -800 m
The trail from Pheriche to Namche will lead you through the terrains to reach the region’s commercial hub. The course will guide you through the incredible landscapes providing you with the best adventure in the area. The great trail will lead you to the uphill and downhill terrain on the same route you took later.
The course will lead you through the 9 hrs trek, which makes it one of the highest and most extended journeys during the tour. You will trek past the astonishing flora and fauna that includes some of the rare species of wildlife during the trek.
There is a junction to the Khumjung village where you respite for some time before you trek further to Namche. The last climb to the village will offer some other scenic Himalayan views that you will observe delightfully before staying for the night.
Namche – Lukla
Lukla altitude: 3,440m
Lukla altitude: 2,840 m
Walking duration: 4 hours
Distance Covered: 10 kilometers
Net Elevation Gain: -600 m
This stretch from Namche to Lukla is the last day of the EBC trek. The trails of this section of the trek is the last chance you will get to observe the Himalayas and the Himalayan terrain. In Lukla where you will arrive after covering 10 km in a 4 hour journey, you will stay at a lodge.
Lukla to Kathmandu
Maximum height: 2,845m
Flight time: 35 minutes
The Lukla to Kathmandu journey takes you on a flight that takes you around 35 minutes covering 138 km. You will love the fantastic mountain views from the top before you reach Kathmandu.
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Altitude Gain on Everest Base Camp Trek
The Everest Base Camp elevation is another important factor to consider. While you will reach 5000m + elevation during the base camp trek, each trekking day you will gain around 600-1000 m in altitude. But it is just the net gain in elevation, as you will pass through uphill and downhill paths during the trek. So, the actual gain in Everest Base Camp elevation is quite high.
Hence, the total elevation gain is not the accurate picture as you will need much consideration. The trek journey starts at the altitude of 2840 m (9126 ft) which is the Lukla village settlement. You will reach the highest altitude of Everest Base Camp 5,364 m (17598 feet) during the trek. The trek also has an optional hike to Kalapathar at the altitude of 5644 m (18519 ft).
Everest Base Camp Trek Distance Related Difficulties
The Everest base camp trek is a moderately difficult trail. The total distance the trekkers have to cover on a trekking day makes the trek even more difficult. The trekkers will need to pass through fantastic rugged terrains in the gorgeous region. You will travel above the high altitude of 5000m during this base camp trek.
There are some tough difficulties that you might face in the uphill and downhill path during this EBC trek. You will need to traverse through the magical steep and narrow ridges of the area. There you can find difficulty factors like acute or altitude mountain sickness, surprising weather and fluctuating temperatures, etc.
Moreover, you can customize the trip itinerary in such a manner that the trek distance gets reduced. You can start early to reach your destination before dark. Beginner trekkers will find this trek to be high in difficulty and hence this method will be quite beneficial to them. There are facilities or added benefits of helicopter travel that will help you with Everest base camp trek distance.
Ways to Reduce the Everest Base Camp Trek Distance Difficulties
Training Regime
This Everest Base Camp Trek distance is quite a difficulty factor which can get tackled through a thorough trekking regime. You will have a trekking duration of 8-7 hours each day which is quite high. For this, the trekkers will require you to remain in the best shape which can get achieved through physical, cardiovascular, and mental activity. As a benefit, you will also be able to tackle altitude sickness.
Trek in a group
Trekking the distance of such a high length is quite difficult. The trail will lead you through the stunning region; trekking will help you with any emergency. The trek will allow you to travel in a fun atmosphere. You will also be benefited with a joyful trekking adventure in a group.
Trekking gears and equipment
The trekking gear will make the trek quite comfortable for all trekkers. These equipment are especially designed to have the best journey possible. Overall, the difficulty of the Everest Base Camp trek distance get slashed quite a huge amount with these measures.
The other fantastic benefit from these items is the risks of injuries get minimal during the trek. Trekkers have fewer cramps, blisters, and you will have a safe and comfortable trek. Besides the basic trekking clothes, boots, and trousers, you will also need to bring sleeping bags to be safe from the cold.
Get guides and porters
One ideal thing you can do before the trek is hiring guides and porters during the EBC trek. They are quite adept with the navigation even through the remotest trails. It will save you time and energy and protect you from injuries along the route. They can also provide first aid for injuries and protect you from emergencies.
Guides have incredible local knowledge and insight for a fun trekking experience. Guides will also help you with translation. Porters help carry heavy luggage and backpacks so you can trek in the Everest region without any discomfort.
Final Say
The Everest Base Camp Trek is Nepal’s premium trek. Hiking distance is something you should consider before starting the tour. The walk from Lukla will lead you through beautiful terrains. It covers a distance of about 130 km (80 miles) on a round journey passing through several villages to reach Everest Base Camp.
The trek takes around 7-14 days, with steep uphill and downhill terrains and crossing high mountain passes. You will reach more than 5,500 meters (18,000 feet) in elevation. The distances can initially seem daunting, but with proper preparation, equipment, and assistance, fitness can be easily achieved.
Prakash Devkota
Meet with Prakash Chandra Devkota, Managing Director and Team Leader
Mr. Devkota hails from the beautiful hilly region of Gorkha District. He started his career as a guide in 1997 and quickly became a reputed figure in the Tourism Industry because of his extensive experience. He has gathered impressive experience in all Trekking and Climbing Routes, such as Mera, Island, Lobuche, Ama Dablam etc.
His success also lies in his brilliant mind and hospitable nature. He is fully dedicated to providing excellent services and introducing innovative concepts. With more than 15 years of experience in trekking and expedition operations in Nepal, Tibet, India, and Bhutan, he has earned a reputation as a renowned leader in the field. He understands the importance of personalized service for creating memorable experiences for his clients and constantly seeks innovative company operation methods.
Mr. Devkota has always been an avid practitioner of eco-friendly tourism and has always promoted environmental conservation throughout his career. He motivates his staff to embrace eco-friendly tourism through responsible tourism practices.