Facts Every Hiker Should Know About the Everest Base Camp Trek
Trekking to the Everest Base Camp has to be the ultimate bucket list item for any hiker. Unless you’re a professional climber and able to tackle the peak itself, it’s a challenge like no other. But if you’re going to undertake such a challenge, you should probably know a little bit about your destination.
These are our top facts about hiking to the Everest Base Camp.
10 Facts About Trekking to the Everest Base Camp
1. The Everest Base Camp is high
At an elevation of 17,598 feet (5,364 meters), the Everest Base camp is one of the highest treks that most hikers will ever tackle. Which is no less than you would expect of the base camp for the world’s highest mountain. The peak of Mount Everest is 29,031.7 feet (8.894 meters).
2. Mount Everest goes by many names
While the name of the mountain preferred in the western world, dates only to the 19th century and the former Surveyor General of India, George Everest. In other regions Everest has older names. In Tibet, it is known as Chomolungma, which means ‘Mother Goddess of the World’. While its Nepali name is Sagarmatha, which means ‘Peak of Heaven,’ among other things.
3. There are various routes to the Everest Base Camp
At Choose a Challenge, we favour the route that begins in Kathmandu and follows through Namche Bazaar to Thyangboche and beyond. This takes 13 days. But there are other routes that vary in length and difficulty. Taking between seven and 21 days, depending on your degree of fitness.
4. Namche Bazaar is more than the gateway to Everest
Namche Bazarr is known as the ‘capital of the Sherpas’, and it’s kind of like a city in miniature. Boasting pretty much everything a traveller could need, as well as a fair few things they don’t. But it’s also an ancient settlement and trading point. And it can claim one of the most spectacular views in the world. It’s well worth a visit, even if you don’t plan on heading on to the Everest B0ase Camp.
5. October to December is the best time to trek to the Everest Base Camp
This is because the weather is at its calmest and you’ll get the best views of the mountain. Some people also like to visit between March and May because you’re more likely to encounter flora and fauna.
6. Mount Everest isn’t as cut off as many people think
Despite the fact that the Everest Base Camp is quite geographically remote, trekking there isn’t necessarily the best way to embark on a tech detox. Because what many intrepid travellers are surprised to discover is that the Everest Base Camp now has high speed internet.
7. The weather at the Base Camp is famously changeable
One of the things that hikers most struggle with when trekking to the Everest Base Camp is the fluctuating temperatures. While in the day, you may reach highs of 25°C, at night, that figure can plummet to -20°C. And although there is little precipitation in the area, if a storm is coming in, it usually comes in quickly.
8. Trekking to the Everest Base Camp is surprisingly popular
Roughly 40,000 people take on the Everest Base Camp trek every year. So, although the route isn’t like a Christmas shopping trip to Oxford Street, it might not be the isolated experience you’ve imagined.
9. The Everest base Camp is inside a national park
This is one of the reasons why some visitors prefer to visit in March or April instead of October to December, when they can gain the best views of the mountain. Sagarmatha national park is home to a range of rare and protected species, from red panda and snow leopards to blood pheasants and Himalayan monal.
10. There are two Everest Base Camps
What now? The Base Camp that all Everest Treks will stop at sits at 17,598 feet. But the place that climbers call true Base Camp is quite a lot further up. And the primary reason for this is so that trekkers don’t create hazards for people getting ready to take on the climb of their life.
You don’t need us to tell you that trekking to the Everest Base Camp will be one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life. Or that it’s not a walk in the park. But we can honestly tell you that it is worth every single blister you’ll endure on the journey there!
Find out more about trekking to the Everest Base Camp with Choose a Challenge.
