Mt. Everest is located in the Mahalangur Himalayan range in the Everest region. It is on the border of Nepal and Tibet. Two base camps are on this highest mountain's south and north sides, so the south Everest base camp is located in the Sagarmatha National Park at 5364m. The South Everest base camp is in Tingri country of Tibet (China) at 5200m above sea level. You can fly to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, or Lhasa (Tibet) to travel to Everest for the Everest climb and tour. Still, if you are planning the base camp trek, you can only travel from Kathmandu, Nepal, so we will provide information on traveling to Everest from Kathmandu in this post.
Travel to EBC from Kathmandu
Most Everest travelers take 8 days to reach the base camp from Kathmandu, including two rest days on the way up for altitude practice and 3 days to walk back to arrive at Lukal and fly out to Kathmandu the following day. This means it is an 8-day trip from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp, then returns to Kathmandu in four days.
Those who do not have 12 days to complete the Everest base camp trek or do not want to trek back using the same way they have already visited. Those travelers can follow a typical EBC trekking itinerary on the way up to the base camp and Kalapatthar and then fly out directly to Kathmandu from Gorakshep on a helicopter, the Everest base camp helicopter return trek. You can also travel to the Everest base camp from Kathmandu in a luxurious way. A helicopter ride from Kathmandu is the fastest way to travel to Everest base camp.
Fly to Lukla and Trek to EBC
The most popular way of traveling to the Everest Base Camp from Kathmandu, which many people use, is by taking a regular plane flight or charter helicopter to Lukla from Kathmandu or Ramechhap (Manthali). The regularly scheduled flight to the Lukla airport is affected by changing weather often, so you need to take a helicopter flight in this case. You can see stunning mountain views while you fly to Lukla to reach the Everest base camp from Kathmandu.
After landing at Lukla airport from the plane/helicopter (lands in Surki sometimes), you start walking toward Phakding, the first destination of the Everest base camp hike. And then, you walk another 6-7 days to the base camp after spending a night in Phakding to Reach the Everest Base Camp from Kathmandu. The total length of the Everest base camp hike is about 130km, and the maximum elevation you visit during the trek is 5550m (Kalapatthar), which is higher than the EBC (5364m). The highest elevation where you spend a night during the base camp trek in Nepal is Gorakshep (5180m). It is one of the most popular and accessible mountain trekking in the Himalayas.
12 Days Trek to Everest Base Camp From Kathmandu
The most popular way to travel to Everest is by scenic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla or by driving to Ramechhap and flying to Tenzing Hilary airport before starting a Trek to the Base Camp. This is a 12-day adventure mountain round trip, with eight days up and four days back to Kathmandu.
Walking through Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, you can see many natural attractions, such as waterfalls, streams, rivers, valleys, glaciers, and vegetation. The beautiful landscapes change daily. Fascinating high, snow-capped mountains make your trip a memorable lifetime experience from the Everest Himalayas, Nepal. You will also feel peaceful while visiting the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and monuments along the way to the base camp.
Seeing traditional Sherpa settlements and lifestyles with warm hospitality infatuates you and those natural and religious things in the Everest region. So, how do you go there to have all those great experiences then? Check the itinerary below:
- Day: Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla (2840m) - 30 minutes [alternatively, drive to (Manthali) – 4 hrs and fly to Lukla] and trek to Phakding (2610m) 3 hrs
- Day: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3440m) 6-7 hrs
- Day: Acclimatization rest day in Namche and hike to Everest View hotel (3880m) 3 hrs
- Day: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3860m) 5 hrs
- Day: Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche (4410m) 5 hrs
- Day: Altirude practice day in Dingboche and hike to Nangkar-Tsang hill (5150m) 4 hrs
- Day: Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche (4910m) 5 hrs
- Day: Trek from Lobuche to Gorakshep (5180m) for 3 hrs and hike to EBC (5364m) for 4-5 hrs both way
- Day: Hike to Kalapatthar (5550m) for 2 hrs and trek to Pheriche (4210m) for 5-6 hrs
- Day: Trek from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar (3440m) 6 hrs
- Day: Trek from Namche to Lukla (2840m) 7 hrs
- Day: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu (1350m) in 30 minutes or fly to Ramechhap and drive to Kathmandu- in 4 hrs
Find detailed information about the 12-day Everest base camp trek:
9 Days Trek to Everest Base Camp From Kathmandu
The 9-Day Trek is a short base camp walking trip in the Everest region, also known as the Everest Base Camp Helicopter Return Trek. For this short trek to the base camp, you follow the same 12-day itinerary from Kathmandu to Everest and Kalapatthar and then fly back to Kathmandu on a helicopter.
A helicopter return EBC trek is recommended to those traveling to Everest from Kathmandu who are time-bound or do not want to use the same way to return, where they have already visited on the way up. Follow this itinerary for a 9-day Everest base camp tour from Kathmandu:
- Day: Lukla (2840m) flight from Kathmandu – 30 minutes or Ramechhap (Manthali) 15 minutes and trek to Phakding (2610m) 3 hrs
- Day: Phakding to Namche (3440m) 6-7 hrs trek
- Day: Namche Bazaar rest and Everest view hotel hike (3880m) 3 hrs hike
- Day: Namche to Tengboche (3860m) 5 hrs trek
- Day: Tengboche to Dingboche (4410m) 5 hrs trek
- Day: Dingboche rest and Nangkar-Tsang hill (5150m) 4-5 hrs hike
- Day: Dingboche to Lobuche (4910m) 5-6 hrs trek
- Day: Lobuche to Gorakshep (5180m) 3 hrs trek and Everest base camp (5364m) 4-5 hrs hike both ways
- Day: Kalapatthar (5550m) 2 hrs hike Kathmandu flight on a helicopter 2 hrs
Find the detailed information, cost, and departures of the 9-day Everest base camp trek here:
Quickest Travel to Everest From Kathmandu
Helicopter tour to the Everest base camp
A helicopter ride from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp takes only a few hours. The Everest Base Camp helicopter tour is a luxurious flight from Kathmandu to the base camp. It is the fastest option to reach the world's highest mountain, Everest, from Nepal's capital.
The EBC Heli tour is also known as the 'Everest base camp helicopter tour with landing.' There are a few landings while flying to the base camp and after. The helicopter lands for refueling, for the views, for shuttle change, and breakfast in the mountain region.
If you do not have many days while traveling in Nepal or can not go for a long mountain trek, the Everest base camp helicopter tour with landing is a perfect tour for you to travel to Everest from Kathmandu.
Overland Travel to Everest From Kathmandu
You can also Travel toEverest Overland From Kathmandu. You need a few more days, then travel by airways to Everest from Kathmandu. Everest Himalayas is in Solukhumbu district and is known as the Khumbu region. The lower areas where you visit overland are known as the Solu region, so you can explore Solu and Khumbu if you like to go to Everest from Kathmandu Overland.
Jiri to Everest Travelling Route
Jiri to Everest route is a classical trekking route, which all the Everest base camp trekkers and climbers had to use before the Lukla airport was established. No trekkers or at least numbers traveling through this route after Salleri road was constructed. You need about a week more than using the Lukla to Everest base camp route if you plan to travel to Everest using the Jiri route. Check an outline itinerary of the Jiri to Everest base camp trek here:
- Day: Drive from Kathmandu to Jiri by bus - 7-8 hrs
- Day: Trek from Jiri to Bhandar -7 hrs
- Day: Trek from Bhandar to Sette – 6 hrs
- Day: Trek from Sete to Junbesi – 6/7 hrs
- Day: Trek from Junbesi to Nunthala – 7 hrs
- Day: Trek from Nunthala to Bupsa (Wapsa) – 6 hrs
- Day: Trek from Bupsa to Surki – 5 hrs
- Day: Trek from Surki to Phakding – 5 hrs
- Day: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar – 6 hrs
- Day: Altitude practice rest day in Namche Bazaar and hike to Everest View hotel – 3/4 hrs
- Day: Trek from Namche to Tengboche – 5 hrs
- Day: Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche – 5 hrs
- Day: Rest day in Dingboche and hike to Nangkar-Tsang hill – 4 hrs
- Day: Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche – 5/6 hrs
- Day: Trek from Lobuche to Gorakshep – 3 hrs and hike to EBC – 4-5 hrs (Both ways)
- Day: Hike to Kalapatthar early morning – 2 hrs and trek to Pheriche – 5 hrs
- Day: Trek from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar – 7 hrs
- Day: Trek from Namche to Lukla – 7 hrs
- Day: Fly out from Lukla to Kathmandu – 30 minutes
Contact us for Jiri to Everest base camp travel.
Salleri to Everest Travel
A new route to Everest is to travel to Salleri from Kathmandu using an overland jeep and then walk for a few days. Salleri is the district headquarters of Solukhumbu, which is close to Phaplu Airport. Before the road was constructed to Salleri, trekkers to the Everest base camp also used to fly to Phaplu from Kathmandu.
The Salleri route to Everest from Kathmandu is three days shorter than the Jiri route. You drive to Salleri by jeep, stay overnight in Salleri, and then start walking through Nunthala, Bupsa, Surki, and further to the Everest base camp. You can contact us to make a trekking itinerary to the Everest base camp from Salleri.
Best Time to Travel to Everest
Trekkers on the Everest trail
You can travel to Everest overland at any time of the year, but weather conditions affect Lukla's flight from Kathmandu to Everest. If you travel in summer, you won't have perfect mountain views, and it will rain a lot. However, greenery everywhere, attractive waterfalls, wildlife, and quiet trekking trails in summer, among other things, provide a different experience from Everest.
Winter offers better mountain views in the Everest region, so traveling to Everest base camp in winter is not bad. However, it will be freezing, so you must have hot equipment. December offers the best mountain views in the Everest Himalayas compared to the other months.
Autumn after mid-September to November and spring from March to mid-May are the best times to travel to the Everest Base Camp From Kathmandu. Autumn comes right after the rainy season, so all the summer rain clears haze, and the environment stays bright so that you can see crystal mountain views in autumn. Autumn months are colder than spring months, and it may snowfall sometimes at the beginning of spring. Spring is the primary season for the Everest expedition, so you can meet a lot of Everest climbers while Traveling to Everest in spring From Kathmandu.
Stay Safe While Travelling to Everest
Traveling to high altitudes is not easy for everyone, so you must be careful when Visiting the Everest Region. Take enough warm equipment, drink plenty of fluid, and stroll to prevent altitude sickness. Travel with insurance, which covers any emergency evacuation up to 6000m above sea level. Yaks and other wild animals move above walking trails, so stones may sometimes fall from them. Do not stand straight below them while taking pictures; always check above the track.
Yak, Jopke (a hybrid of yak and cow), mule, and human porters carry the supplies in the region as transportation for daily usage. The trail is narrow along the way to Everest, so it may not have enough space everywhere. Please do not stand on the cliff side while you are passing them. They might mistakenly push you to the cliff if you do not stand safely. Be careful while walking close to wet surfaces in winter because there might be ice, which you may not see easily. It will be slippery, so do not go close to streams, rivers, and waterfalls in winter. Check this for details about the Everest base camp trek safety:
Lodge and Food While Travelling to Everest
There are plenty of lodges to stay in along the way to the Everest base camp while you are traveling to Everest. However, you must book accommodation in places like Tengboche, Lobuche, and Gorakshep if you travel to the Everest Base Camp from Kathmandu during the high season. You get a private twin-sharing or single room everywhere. Most lodges have standard rooms, but there are rooms with bathrooms attached also. You can also get luxury accommodations in places like Lukla, Phakding, Namche, and Deboche. So, you do not need to carry tents while traveling to the Everest region.
Like the accommodation facilities, food availability is also accessible in the region. You will have a food menu with lots of different food items. You can get Western and local cuisine, so you do not need to always stay with the local food during your Everest travel.
You can buy bottled water in the Everest region, but the price increases as you ascend altitude. Alternatively, using purification or sterilizers, you can fill your empty bottle with normal water. We suggest buying bottled water in the last two places, Lobuche and Gorakshep, because it might be dusty water in these places. You may feel the smell of kerosene in the water sometimes. Check this about the lodge, food, and drink:
Conclusion
Travel to Everest From Kathmandu is mainly for the base camp trek or climb. It is about a 200km flying distance from Kathmandu to the Everest Base Camp and about 130km walking distance from Lukla to Lukla round trip. Trekking to the Everest base camp is one of the most popular adventure activities in the region, so thousands of people go on a trek to the Everest base camp, Gokyo lakes, and the high passes every year.
More than 80% of Everest travelers travel to Everest from Kathmandu using airways, such as flying to Lukla and walking to the base camp and top of this world's highest mountain. You can also use the overland drive to Jiri or Salleri and walk if you have a long vacation for the Everest trip. You can reach the Everest base camp and Kalapatthar from Kathmandu within an hour's helicopter flight. Hundreds of people take luxurious helicopter flight tours during high tourism seasons. Traveling to the Everest Base Camp From Kathmandu on a helicopter is suitable for those traveling to Nepal for a limited time and can not go for a long trek in cold and high altitudes. A helicopter tour to the Everest base camp is one of the best options to explore the Everest Himalayas luxuriously.
This post has provided information on how to travel to Everest from Kathmandu, and hopefully, you have found the information you were looking for before planning a trip to Everest. By contacting us, you can choose any option from above according to your time, physical conditions, and interests. We are happy to arrange trekking and a tour of Everest for you.
