# Everest Base Camp Trek 2026 — Full Itinerary, Cost & Permits

Lukla flight, the classic Sherpa-village route through Namche, Tengboche, and the Khumbu icefall to Base Camp at 5,364 m.

The Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek is a 12-16 day Sherpa-village route from Lukla (2,860 m) to Base Camp at 5,364 m, with the optional sunrise climb of Kala Patthar (5,545 m) for the postcard Everest view. Yatra For Fun books the trek with Sagarmatha National Park + Khumbu Municipality permits, Lukla return flights, a licensed English-speaking trekking guide, porter, teahouse accommodation, and three meals daily, for NPR 130,000-280,000 per person (2-pax group, spring/autumn season).

Booked on Yatra For Fun (yatraforfun.com) — our Kathmandu concierge confirms the exact NPR price, permits, guide, and dates within 2 business hours.

## Key facts

- Duration: 12–16 days
- Max altitude: 5,545 m
- Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
- Best season: March-May (spring, Apr-May peak) and September-November (autumn, Oct-early-Nov peak). Avoid late December-February (intense cold, flights frequently delayed). Monsoon June-August has cloud-covered views and Lukla weather frequently grounding flights for 1-3 days at a time.
- Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov
- Typical cost (per person, 2-pax group, mid-tier): NPR 1,30,000 – NPR 2,80,000
- Start / end: Kathmandu (Lukla flight) → Kathmandu (Lukla flight)
- Permits: Sagarmatha National Park Entry (NPR 3,000); Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality Entry (NPR 2,000); Local-government TIMS replacement (Included in municipality fee)
- Fitness: Moderate to strenuous. Two factors make EBC harder than ABC: altitude (sleeping above 4,000 m for 5 consecutive nights, max sleeping altitude 5,164 m at Gorak Shep) and route length (14 walking days). Recommended preparation: 8-12 weeks of cardio + leg strength training, plus a high-altitude trek above 4,000 m if at all possible.

## Why this trek

EBC is the trekking world's most famous big-mountain pilgrimage — the trail Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay walked in 1953 before their summit. The route passes Sherpa villages (Namche Bazaar, Khumjung, Tengboche), the spiritual heart of the Khumbu at Tengboche monastery, and onto the Khumbu icefall lapping at Everest's south face. The final view from Kala Patthar at sunrise — Everest (8,849 m), Lhotse (8,516 m), Nuptse, Pumori — is one of the great alpine panoramas. Compared with Annapurna Base Camp, EBC is roughly double the budget and double the days. The trade-off is the scenery: the Khumbu valley is at a consistently higher altitude (Namche is 3,440 m, EBC itself is 5,364 m) so the views are more relentlessly Himalayan. The cultural payoff is also bigger — you sleep in actual Sherpa villages, attend dawn prayers at Tengboche, and meet families whose ancestors guided the first Everest expeditions. Yatra For Fun's concierge books the standard 14-day Lukla → EBC → Kala Patthar → Lukla itinerary with two built-in acclimatisation days (Namche day 3, Dingboche day 6). For more time, we add the Gokyo Lakes lobe (16-18 days total) which crosses the Cho La pass (5,420 m) and adds three turquoise glacial lakes.

## About the route

The trek opens with a 30-minute mountain flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (2,860 m), one of the most dramatic STOL airfields in the world. Day 1 walks down-valley to Phakding (2,610 m), an easy first day to ease into altitude. Day 2 is the iconic climb to Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) — the Sherpa capital — via the suspension bridges of the Dudh Koshi. An acclimatisation day at Namche includes a 1-hour climb to the Everest View Hotel for the first sight of Everest. The route then continues to Tengboche (3,860 m), Dingboche (4,410 m, second acclimatisation day), Lobuche (4,940 m), Gorak Shep (5,164 m), and the final 2-hour walk on the Khumbu glacier moraine to Base Camp itself. The descent retraces in 3-4 days. Lukla's flight schedule is weather-dependent in early spring; Yatra For Fun builds a 1-day Kathmandu buffer at the end of every itinerary to avoid missed international connections.

## Day-by-day itinerary

### Day 1: Kathmandu → Lukla flight → Phakding (2,610 m · 3h walking)

30-min mountain flight to Lukla (2,860 m), trek 3h down-valley to Phakding.

### Day 2: Phakding → Namche Bazaar (3,440 m · 6h walking)

Cross the Dudh Koshi suspension bridges and climb to the Sherpa capital at Namche.

### Day 3: Namche acclimatisation (Everest View Hotel) (3,880 m · 3h walking)

Rest day with a 3h round-trip climb to the Everest View Hotel for first Everest sighting.

### Day 4: Namche → Tengboche monastery (3,860 m · 5h walking)

Trek to Tengboche (3,860 m) for the most important monastery in the Khumbu and evening prayers.

### Day 5: Tengboche → Dingboche (4,410 m · 5h walking)

Cross the Imja Khola to Dingboche (4,410 m); first view of Ama Dablam south face.

### Day 6: Dingboche acclimatisation (Nangkar Tshang) (5,050 m · 3h walking)

Rest day with a 3h climb to Nangkar Tshang (5,050 m) for AMS adaptation.

### Day 7: Dingboche → Lobuche (4,940 m · 5h walking)

Cross the high-pasture moraine to Lobuche (4,940 m); pass the Everest memorial chortens.

### Day 8: Lobuche → Gorak Shep → Everest Base Camp (5,364 m · 8h walking)

Morning trek to Gorak Shep (5,164 m), then 2h walk on the Khumbu glacier moraine to EBC (5,364 m). Return to Gorak Shep.

### Day 9: Kala Patthar sunrise → Pheriche (5,545 m · 7h walking)

Pre-dawn 2h climb to Kala Patthar (5,545 m) for the postcard Everest sunrise. Descend to Pheriche.

### Day 10-12: Pheriche → Namche → Lukla → Kathmandu

Three-day descent retracing the route. Lukla flight back to Kathmandu the final morning.

## Cost breakdown

- **Sagarmatha NP + Khumbu Municipality permits:** NPR 5,000
- **Kathmandu ↔ Lukla return flights:** NPR 45,000-60,000 — USD 200-220 each way per person, weather-dependent
- **Guide (licensed, English-speaking):** NPR 35,000-50,000 — USD 25-30 per day × 14 days
- **Porter (1 per 2 trekkers):** NPR 25,000-32,000 — USD 18-22 per day × 14 days, 25 kg max
- **Teahouse accommodation (twin-share):** NPR 14,000-22,000 — Higher above Namche; NPR 1,500-3,000 per night × 13 nights
- **Three meals per day:** NPR 35,000-55,000 — Higher above Namche; NPR 2,500-4,500 per day × 14 days
- **Hot showers + device charging:** NPR 4,000-8,000 — Premium above Namche, NPR 300-700 per shower
- **Yatra For Fun concierge + emergency line:** NPR 15,000
- **Total per person (2-pax group):** NPR 130,000-280,000 — Lower end = published starting price; upper end = 16-day with Gokyo extension

## What's included

- Sagarmatha NP + Khumbu Municipality permits
- Kathmandu ↔ Lukla return flights
- Licensed, English-speaking trekking guide
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers, 25 kg max)
- 13 nights teahouse accommodation (twin-share)
- All meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Tea / coffee with every meal
- Welcome briefing + farewell dinner in Kathmandu
- Yatra For Fun 24/7 emergency line + helicopter evac coordination
- 1-night Kathmandu buffer to absorb Lukla flight delays

## What's not included

- International flights to Kathmandu
- Nepal visa fee (NPR 4,000 for 30 days / USD 50)
- Mandatory travel insurance with high-altitude + heli-evac cover up to 6,000 m
- Tips for guide + porter (recommended: USD 10-15 per day per trekker)
- Hot showers + device charging fees (NPR 4,000-8,000 typical)
- Soft drinks, alcohol, chocolate bars + premium snacks
- Personal trekking gear (Yatra For Fun rents major items)
- Lukla helicopter alternative if flights grounded > 2 days (USD 500-800 per pax)

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does the Everest Base Camp trek cost in NPR?

NPR 130,000-280,000 per person (2-pax group, spring/autumn). The Lukla flight alone is NPR 45,000-60,000 round-trip, which is why EBC is significantly pricier than Annapurna Base Camp. The full breakdown above shows permits (NPR 5K), guide (35-50K), porter (25-32K), accommodation (14-22K), meals (35-55K), and Yatra For Fun concierge fee (15K). Booking through Yatra For Fun includes a 1-night Kathmandu flight-delay buffer at no extra cost.

### How long does the Everest Base Camp trek take?

12 days for the standard route (Lukla → EBC → Kala Patthar → Lukla) including 2 acclimatisation days. 14 days is more comfortable. 16-18 days adds the Gokyo Lakes lobe (3 turquoise lakes + Cho La pass at 5,420 m). Yatra For Fun's most popular itinerary is 14 days door-to-door from Kathmandu, with a 1-day Kathmandu buffer at the end for Lukla flight delays.

### Is the Lukla flight really as scary as people say?

Lukla airport has a short runway sloping uphill towards the mountainside, so the takeoff and landing are dramatic, and flights only operate in good visibility. The most common problem is weather delays — Lukla closes when visibility drops, and trekkers can be stuck for 1-3 days at either end. Yatra For Fun builds a 1-day Kathmandu buffer into the end of the itinerary to absorb this.

### What's the maximum altitude on the EBC trek?

5,545 m at Kala Patthar — the optional sunrise climb on day 9 — is the highest point. Base Camp itself is 5,364 m. Maximum sleeping altitude is Gorak Shep at 5,164 m for one night. The two built-in acclimatisation days at Namche (3,440 m, day 3) and Dingboche (4,410 m, day 6) follow the standard high-altitude protocol of 'climb high, sleep low'.

### How does altitude sickness risk on EBC compare with ABC?

Higher. EBC sleeps trekkers above 4,000 m for 5 consecutive nights with a maximum sleeping altitude of 5,164 m, whereas the ABC itinerary tops out at 3,700 m — but altitude sickness is possible on both. The itinerary includes two acclimatisation days (Namche, Dingboche) and a briefing on AMS, HAPE and HACE symptoms. Talk to your doctor before the trip about altitude sickness prevention and medication, and descend if symptoms get worse. Helicopter evacuation cover up to 6,000 m is mandatory on the insurance policy.

### When is the best time to trek EBC?

April-May (spring) and October-early-November (autumn). Late October offers the clearest mountain views and stable Lukla flight weather. Spring is warmer at altitude (-5°C nights at EBC vs -15°C in October) and adds rhododendron blooms in the lower Khumbu. Avoid December-February (extreme cold, frequent flight cancellations) and June-August (monsoon clouds, frequent Lukla closures).

### Can I trek to EBC solo without a guide?

Since April 2023, all foreign trekkers are legally required to use a licensed guide in Nepal's national parks. Yatra For Fun arranges a licensed, English-speaking trekking guide. We can add a porter at +NPR 25-32K for the trek if you'd rather carry only a daypack.

### What gear do I need for EBC?

Cold-weather boots (B0 or B1 rating), -15°C sleeping bag, expedition-weight down jacket, hard-shell layer, base layers, gloves (liner + heavyweight), buff, sunglasses (Cat 4), trekking poles, daypack (35-40 L), water bottles + treatment, and any altitude medication your doctor prescribes. Yatra For Fun can arrange rental of the bulky items (sleeping bag, down jacket, poles) in Kathmandu. Bring boots already broken in.

## Book this trek

- Yatra For Fun page: https://yatraforfun.com/treks/everest-base-camp-trek
- WhatsApp concierge: https://wa.me/9779708072951
- Email: support@yatraforfun.com