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Everest Base Camp trek is a dream of every trekker and adventurer alike. This trek—to the base camp of the world’s highest mountain—has forever been a must-do adventure for adventurers from around the world. Each year, over 30,000 adventurers embark on a journey to the Everest Base Camp (EBC), conquering the trek in approximately two weeks. But how long exactly does it take to do the Everest Base Camp trek? Can you complete the trek in a week? How about a day? Well, let’s find out.
Yes, if you are not trekking! You can reach Everest Base Camp in a day from Kathmandu by helicopter. This is possible through the swift means of helicopter transport from Kathmandu. By opting for this efficient mode of travel, you can bypass the arduous trekking routes and enjoy a unique perspective on the breathtaking beauty that surrounds the iconic Everest Base Camp.
Yes and no. Yes, if you plan the itinerary, that entails a helicopter flight to Lukla and a helicopter return from the base camp to Lukla. But this itinerary is fraught with risk and not advisable. The trek to Everest Base Camp usually spans about 12 to 14 days, allowing trekkers to acclimatize to the high altitude and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Khumbu region. The trek involves gradual ascents, providing ample time for acclimatization. It’s clear that rushing the trek in a week might not provide sufficient time to acclimatize. Here’s the Everest Base Camp Trek 7-day itinerary:
Day 1: Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding (35-minute flight) (3 to 4 hours)
Day 2: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (6 to 7 hours)
Day 3: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (5 to 6 hours)
Day 4: Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche (5 to 6-hour trek)
Day 5: Dingboche to Lobuche (5 to 6-hour trek)
Day 6: Lobuche to Gorakshep, visit Everest Base Camp and Fly back to Lukla (7 to 8-hour trek)
Day 7: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu (35-minute flight)
The standard duration for the Everest Base Camp trek is around 12 to 14 days to and from Kathmandu. This itinerary allows for proper acclimatization to the high altitude and gradual ascent and descent for a more enjoyable and safer experience. If you’re not looking for a customized itinerary, the majority of travel agencies offer 14-day trek itinerary. Here’s our standard 14-day Everest Base Camp trek itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 2: Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding (35-minute flight and 3–4-hour trek)
Day 3: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (6 to 7 hours)
Day 4: Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar
Day 5: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (5 to 6-hour trek)
Day 6: Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche (5 to 6-hour trek)
Day 7: Acclimatization day in Dingboche
Day 8: Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche (5 to 6 hours)
Day 9: Trek from Lobuche to Everest Base Camp and back to Gorak Shep (7 to 8-hour trek)
Day 10: Trek from Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar and to Pangboche (6 to 7-hour trek)
Day 11: Trek from Pangboche to Namche Bazaar (6 to 7 hours)
Day 12: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Phakding (5 to 6 hours)
Day 13: Trek from Phakding to Lukla (3 to 4 hours)
Day 14: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu (35-minute flight)
Did you know you can also trek to Everest Base Camp from Tibet? The Everest Base Camp trek from Tibet is an alternative route to the Nepalese route. You can drive all the way to EBC from Lhasa. It takes around 5 days to drive to Everest Base Camp and back to Lhasa. Here’s the itinerary:
Day 1: Lhasa to Shigatse (5 to 6 hours, approximately 390 km)
Day 2: Shigatse to Shegar (4 to 5 hours, approximately 240 km)
Day 3: Shegar to Everest Base Camp (2 to 3 hours, approximately 100 km)
Day 4: Everest Base Camp to Shigatse (8 to 9 hours, approximately 390 km)
Day 5: Shigatse to Lhasa (5 to 6 hours, approximately 270 km)
Please note that these are rough estimates, and this route from Tibet is not much preferred. And if you want to trek, you can trek to the North Everest Base Camp at 5,150m. Here’s an outlined itinerary for the Everest Base Camp trek from Tibet:
Day 1: Arrival in Lhasa
Day 2: Drive to Shigatse via Gyantse (5 to 6 hours)
Day 3: Drive from Shigatse to Shegar (New Tingri)
Day 4: Drive to Rongbuk Monastery (5 to 6 hours trek)
Day 5: Trek from Rongbuk Monastery to Everest Base Camp (4 to 5 hours trek)
Day 6: Exploration Day at Everest Base Camp
Day 7: Trek or drive back to Tingri from Everest Base Camp
Day 8: Drive to Lhasa from Tingri
Day 9: Final Departure
As we mentioned earlier, every year, around 30,000 trekkers from across the world trek to Everest Base Camp from Nepal side. If you are short on time, we recommend you customize the trek that best fits your preference. If you have a day, we recommend hopping on a Heli and fly directly to the base camp and returning the same day. If you have a week, you can check the above-mentioned 7-day EBC trek itinerary. For those who have enough time and want to experience something different, the best option is the standard 14-day trek. The only drawback is that it’s crowded. If you want to traverse the less-crowded trail, you can do the trek from Jiri.
The Everest Base Camp trek from Jiri, also known as the classic Everest Base Camp trek, is the alternative to the popular Everest Base Camp trek from Lukla. This route follows the footprints of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. Instead of flying to Lukla from Kathmandu, this trek takes you to the beautiful village of Jiri by taking road transport from Kathmandu. This trek winds through less-travelled paths, thereby offering respite from the crowds and providing a more authentic adventure and trekking experience. The trek is extended and longer, taking around 18 to 21 days to complete. Here’s the itinerary for Everest Base Camp Trek from Jiri:
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Bhandar via Jiri (7 to 8 hours drive)
Day 3: Trek from Bhandar to Sete (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 4: Trek from Sete to Junbesi (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 5: Trek from Junbesi to Nunthala via Trakshindu La Pass (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 6: Trek from Nunthala to Bupsa (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 7: Trek from Bupsa to Surke (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 8: Trek from Surke to Phakding (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 9: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 10: Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar
Day 11: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (5 to 6 hours trek)
Day 12: Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche (5 to 6 hours trek)
Day 13: Acclimatization day in Dingboche
Day 14: Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche (5 to 6 hours trek)
Day 15: Trek from Lobuche to Everest Base Camp and back to Gorak Shep (7 to 8 hours trek)
Day 16: Trek from Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar and to Pangboche (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 17: Trek from Pangboche to Namche Bazaar (6 to 7 hours trek)
Day 18: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Phakding (5 to 6 hours)
Day 19: Trek from Phakding to Lukla (3 to 4 hours)
Day 12: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu (35 minutes flight)
