If you’re into trekking and enjoy extreme challenges, there’s little doubt that the K2 and Everest base camp treks will feature on your bucket list. As the world’s two highest mountains, they both carry a huge amount of kudos in the trekking community. And even non-trekkers will understand the challenge they represent. But taking time and money to complete, there aren’t too many people who will manage to take on both. So, which one is the hardest to reach? And which one will be best for you?

Everest Base Camp vs K2: Which is the Greater Challenge?

The only way to decide which trek is best for you is to assess the different elements.

Weather

Everest Base Camp

Choose a Challenge Everest Base Camp treks usually take place between October and April. This is widely considered to be the safest time to make the journey. Largely because this is when the weather is at its best. In October, temperatures range from around 2°C to 12°C, so you don’t have to worry too much about temperature fluctuations. In April, you will see colder temperatures, possibly as low as -10°C, with highs of 7°C.

K2 Base Camp

We conduct our K2 expeditions in the summer months, which means that there will usually be less snow on the ground. But you can face significant differences in temperature. With daytime highs climbing up to 30°C and nighttime lows dropping below 0°C.  

Trekking difficulty

Everest Base Camp

Everest may be the biggest mountain in the world, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the toughest. The journey to the Base Camp is a lot more than a leisurely stroll, but it isn’t as difficult as you might imagine. You’ll need to be used to walking for long periods of time. The altitude can be hard to deal with. And good cardiovascular health is a must. But although it’s undeniably demanding, most experienced trekkers can manage it.

K2 Base Camp

The trek to the K2 Base Camp is a totally different proposition to Everest. Much of the way, you’ll be walking on a glacier, and that puts a completely new set of strains on your body. It makes the experience a lot more tiring, especially at altitude. And you will need to use specialist equipment, including crampons and an ice axe. While experience of this isn’t essential, K2 isn’t a good place for experimentation. So, if you are intending to take on the K2 challenge, we would strongly recommend that you put in some training and practice time first.

Busyness

Everest Base Camp

Mount Everest is the highest, and therefore most famous, mountain in the world. This makes it absolutely iconic. And therefore, it attracts more visitors. While few people actually summit the mountain (as of January 2023, the total number of people to have done so was 6,338), a lot more visit the Base Camp. So, while it’s not exactly crowded on the trek route, you’ll be far from isolated.

K2 Base Camp

K2 may be only 237m lower than Everest, but who ever remembers the person who came second? That’s one of the reasons why K2 is less popular with trekkers. So, while Everest attracts around 40,000 people per year, the K2 Base Camp will typically see around 1,000 visitors. Giving you many more opportunities for that Insta-worthy selfie.

Time

Everest Base Camp

Because Everest is such a huge draw, a pretty good infrastructure has built up around it. This means that a visit to the Base Camp takes less time than you might imagine. In total, with transfers and flights, it’s possible to complete the Everest base Camp trek in the space of 15 or 16 days, with an average of 12 days of trekking.

K2 Base Camp

As we’ve already mentioned, K2 is far less popular with tourists. The local infrastructure is less developed. And the terrain is tougher. So, it’s much harder to get to. Consequently, reaching the K2 Base Camp takes much longer. On average, the trek time will be around 18 days, with the complete challenge lasting 23 days including flights, transfers, and orientation.

Conclusion

So, which trek is the most difficult? Overall, we’d say that the K2 Base Camp trek is tougher than the trek to the Everest Camp. Both are challenging in their own ways. But Everest can be managed without specialist equipment. It’s a gentler walk, and theoretically achievable for less experienced hikers. The conditions on K2 are a lot more taxing, the terrain is more gruelling, and the inexperienced hiker will likely struggle to complete the challenge, much less enjoy the experience.

So, if you’re an enthusiastic trekker but not used to using climbing equipment and confronting harsh terrain, then Everest is the extreme adventure for you. But if you really want to test your metal, then the K2 Base Camp trek will provide the ultimate challenge.

If you want to know more about any Choose a Challenge adventures, get in touch with our friendly and experienced team. We’re always happy to help. https://www.chooseachallenge.com/contact-us