Of so many wonderful hikes in the world, Everest Base Camp is the most surreal walk. It’s jam-packed with natural grandeur and otherworldly scenic views that blows up a traveler’s mind. The trek offers a spectacular sight of Mount Everest and the overwhelmingly impressive landscapes that’s nowhere to be seen.
Walking the steep hills is stressful but worthwhile as it delivers a great view down the valley. The swishing sound in the trees on a breezy morning and soaring ridge are phenomenally amazing. The walk alongside Dudh Koshi River also gives trekkers immense satisfaction of getting in through nature.
On foot, travelers will explore so many unique landscapes, encounter new people with different cultures, and take a glimpse of wildlife. The old trail running towards Everest Base Camp provides a spectacular view of primordial monasteries, old Chortens, and meadows.
With just a week left in hand to accomplish 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek, we’ll rush to Tribhuvan airport on the first day of the expedition. After landing at Lukla airstrip, we’ll climb 3.8 miles on a well-marked trail up to Phakding.
The route above is irregular and steeper, so we’ll have to take gentle steps and complete a destination at a time. Ascending 7.4 km for nearly 6 hours on day 02 of 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek, we’ll arrive at Namche. Mostly inhabited by Sherpa people, the town is used for acclimatization by too many hikers.
Next, we’ll head towards Tengboche which is popular for its ancient Tibetan monastery. Trekkers usually stop at the village to rest and offer their prayers to the deity after finishing the trek for the day. From there, we’ll climb steep hills and follow a zig-zagged trail alongside fabulous Ama Dablam and Pheriche Village.
After hiking for around 5 hours, we’ll get to Lobuche which is small in size and has a few villages. Most trekkers here prefer to book a room in a lodge instead, placing a tent. Finally, after Lobuche, we’ll climb uphill to Gorak Shep before setting the foot on Everest Base Camp.
Contents
Highlights of 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek
- Dreamy flight to Lukla with a marvelous snow peak view and visionary landscapes
- Warm hospitality and fine etiquette from locals en route
- Culturally rich villages, ancient monasteries, and stunning mani walls to spot
- Luscious hemlock forest with pine, juniper, birch, and scrub
- Possibilities to come across wild animals inhabiting Sagarmatha National Park
- Exquisite view of Ama Dablam alongside Cho Oyu and Nuptse
Best time for 7 days Everest Base Camp Trek
Everest Base Camp never minds hosting the visitor all year-round. It’s pleased to embrace more and more trekkers and give them the taste of each season. However, not all trekkers are delighted to travel the base camp at any time.
Most of them only plan the trip during autumn and spring as the season tends to have moderate weather. The views are pure magical with exploding fall colors and full blossom rhododendron all through the forest.
In autumn, the temperature doesn’t exceed 24 Degree Celsus and neither drops below 5 Degree Celsius, giving off lovely weather. Meanwhile, the temperature during spring ranges from 12-20 Degree celsius making days quite warm and night super chilly.
When the winter starts to roll in, the climate at base camp gets frigid with the temperature dropping below -11 Degree Celsius in late autumn. Simultaneously, on the other side of winter, spring has more cold start with the temperature falling up to -2.6 Degree Celsius.
Difficulties of 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek
It may be nothing compared to what trek difficulties, Mount Everest, possesses but Everest Base Camp is not easy either. The long jagged trail, continual rising steep trail, and cliffs make the trek incredibly challenging and tedious.
With the elevation gain after each climb, trekkers have to deal with acute mountain sickness. Most people start showing symptoms of altitude sickness right from Namche that get worse with each scale above.
Therefore, the ailment has to be treated on time so that it doesn’t turn into High altitude Pulmonary edema. For that, trekkers must drink a liter of water every 2 hours and avoid climbing more than 500m a day.
Trekkers on the Everest Base Camp trail must be fit enough to travel at least 6 hours a day for one week. While it doesn’t have any technical climb, the hiker should still pull off an intense workout regimen and follow a strict diet.
You may also like:
- Everest View Trek
- Luxury Lodge Trek to Everest Base Camp
- Everest Gokyo Trek Map
- Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
Food and Accommodation at 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek
The food at 7 Day Everest Base Trek is simply appetizing although not as varied as that in Kathmandu City. Most of the time, it’s basic with a local Nepali dish, boiled rice, fried vegetables, pulses, and pickles. Some lodge and guest houses also serve Tibetan noodle soup, spaghetti, and cheese omelet but they cost high due to inaccessibility.
The quality of accommodation on Everest Base Camp Trek depends on the cost and location. Hotels and lodges at lower hills like Lukla are standard with a well-facilitated room, lovely interior design, and high-quality services.
The quality of amenities declines as you scale up towards base camp. It limits within tea houses and local homestays, providing minimal facilities. They’re comfortable but basic with a single or double bed, woolen blanket, and a pillow. Hot showers and chargers are available for an extra buck.
Accommodation is of a high standard at Kathmandu varying from 5-star hotels to pricey lodges and guest houses. You can also find cheaper dwellings that cost anywhere between US$3 and US$5. Hotels that come cheaper are gross and usually of a poor standard so it’s better to spend a few extra dollars rather than have such dwelling.
Essentials for 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek
Even though it’s moderate trekking, Everest Base Camp also demands the right gear from hikers. The weather in the Himalayas is unpredictable so the equipment that you’ll need depends on the season. To determine what to bring on the trek, first, you need to understand the climate in the base camp lying at an altitude of 5,364 meters.
Clothing
- Lightweight fleece shirt and jacket to prevent cold at campsite
- A set of windproof clothes if the place endures a strong wind
- Lightweight moisture-wicking t-shirt
- Quick-drying pants
- Rainwear jacket in case it rains
Footwear
- Quality mountaineering boots to walk the rugged trail
- 2 pair of synthetic socks
- Climbing shoes suited to all kind of terrain
- Casual slippers
Other Miscellaneous
- Trekking poles to walk steep hills and stairs
- Water Bottles to drink water and prevent altitude sickness
- Personal first aid kit including prescribed medications
- Spare camera battery and charger
- Portable power bank and binoculars
Itinerary
Day 01: Flight to Lukla, trek to Phakding
Maximum Altitude: 2,860 meters
Flight distance: 138 km
Trek Distance: 9 km
Flight Duration: 40 minutes
Trek Duration: 3-4 hrs
Our 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek kicks off with a short flight to Lukla airstrip from Kathmandu. Thus, after picking you up from the hotel, we’ll drive to the city’s only international airport and board the flight.
Next, 40 minutes, we’ll be occupied sighting the dynamic landscapes, rising hills, and rushing waterfalls. After landing at Lukla airport, we’ll take a quick tea break to have our brunch.
Though small in area, Lukla is a ginormous town in itself with varieties of shops and guest houses. Hikers can walk along the street and even do the last-minute shopping here before climbing steppe trails to Phakding.
After you’re done with picking the items, we’ll ascend the trail on the left bank of Dudh Koshi River and walk ups-and-downs toward Phakding. After almost 3-4 hours of a hike on an even trail, we’ll make it to the village which is where we’ve our lodging.
Day 02: Trek to Namche Bazar
Maximum Altitude: 3,440 meters
Trek Distance: 7.4 km
Trek Duration: 6-7 hrs
Rising to the warm sunshine and breathtaking view of Phakding, we’ll have the delicious meal provided by the lodge. Sometime later, we’ll carry on with the trek by trekking alongside Dudh Koshi river valley.
The trail above and around offers an astonishing view of the Rhododendron forest. As we scramble further, there are few villages like Monjo for trekkers to stop and have lunch and drinks. Leaving the villages behind we’ll delve into Sagarmatha National Park, just after getting the permit.
We’ll cross the suspension bridge several times while on a way to Namche. At the other end of Dudh Koshi River in the west, there’s an imposing Jorsale village. We’ll stop here for a few minutes so you can stock the food and water as there are no shops ahead.
Trek above Jorsale is difficult with a steep climb that takes 2 hours or more depending on the pace of walking. The trail alone drains a lot of energy so we’ll have to be physically fit at least to pass this section. Finally, after trekking for about 6 hours, we’ll arrive at Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa town. Overnight stay at a lodge in the village.
Day 03: Trek to Tengboche
Maximum Altitude: 3,860 meters
Trek Distance: 9.2 km
Trek Duration: 4-5 hrs
Amid the lofty hills and glorious mountain surrounded by, we’ll wake to the beautiful morning of Namche. The trek isn’t long today so you’ll get to enjoy the vista for a little more time with tasty breakfast before fleeing the trail.
This will also provide us a direly needed acclimation to prevent sickness at high altitude. The trek doesn’t start easy with a steep climb for several hours. From a far distance on the route, we’ll be able to hear a yak bell sound and sight magnificent Tengboche monastery.
After coming above the ground level, we’ll have a little easy hiking until the old wooden bridge. From there, the trail picks up an altitude that only pro hikers can traverse at a reasonable speed.
Hence, we’ll take a slow and steady walk uphill alongside a lush-green forest towards Tengboche village. It’s a lovely village in Khumbu with glorious history and rich Tibetan culture. It has the oldest monastery in the Khumbu region carrying the heritage of several years. Tonight we’ll rest at a teahouse in the village.
Day 04: Trek to Dingboche
Maximum Altitude: 4,400 meters
Trek Distance: 12 km
Trek Duration: 5 hrs
Our next destination on the 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek is Dingboche which climbs more than 500m altitude from the village. So, after having breakfast, we’ll gently climb downhill on the trail and cross the screeching river from where the trail ascends uphill.
For better or worse, time runs by rambling along the river valley on a dusty trail today. The trek above is exhausting with a sharp incline for the most part. However, the views are absolutely incredible from the top with differing landscapes and glistening snow peaks.
At this point, the climb becomes tough with the lack of oxygen in the air. Mild symptoms like headaches and nausea are common on the trail. After climbing towards the mani stupa, we’ll have a slightly moderate trek all the way to Dingboche.
There’s no way we can make the hike any farther especially after that long travel. So, we’ll call it for a day there and spend the night at a local teahouse.
Day 05: Trek to Lobuche
Maximum Altitude: 4,910 meters
Trek Distance: 5 km
Trek Duration: 5-6 hrs
The 7 day Everest Base Camp Trek has another long and tiring day awaiting hikers at Dingboche. The trail starts with a steep climb up the rim of the hill beside a wonderful view of the valley down.
For most of the day, we’ll walk a high flat ground and pass a village called Pheriche. After crossing an old wooden bridge over the river flown from Khumbu glacier, we’ll arrive at Dugla where there are small shops for drinks and food.
We’ll stop here for about an hour to have lunch and continue the upward trek along the way to Lobuche. The village is relatively exposed like that to Tengboche with few accommodation and houses. At an altitude of 4,910m, it receives a strong wind so often, therefore most trekkers choose to stay inside rather than camping at the uneven ground.
Day 06: Trek to Gorakshep, Hike to Everest Base Camp
Maximum Altitude: 5364 meters
Trek Distance: 4.5 km
Trek Duration: 2-3 hrs
The walk today is only 3 miles but it can still take us more than 5 hours given the higher elevation and jagged trail. Walking over loose rocks and moraine is strenuous due to low oxygen towards Gorak Shep.
Thus, we’ll gently ramble the jagged trail with dust and pass the rocky moraine dune to reach Gorak Shep. Within a 2 to 3 hours trek, our trail unfolds a spectacular view of Mount Everest, airy ridge, and glacier.
Gorak Shep is a remote settlement placed on the brink of a frozen lakebed at 5,164 meters. Travelers use the village as a camp before trekking ahead and even stop at a teahouse to fill the stomach with something delicious.
From here, we’ll ascend the rocky trail at the northeast towards the base camp. Upon the arrival at the campsite, we’ve got a spectacular view of Mt. Everest as well as its neighboring snow peaks including Nuptse and Cho Oyu to sight. After spending a few hours and exploring the awe-inspiring landscapes and Khumbu icefall, we’ll descend the trail.
Day 07: Trek to Kala Patthar, Flight to Kathmandu
Maximum Altitude: 5,643 meters
Trek Distance: 1.2 km
Flight Distance: 138 km
Trek Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Flight Duration: 4-5 hrs
It’s the last day of our 7 days Everest Base Camp Trek and we have a big one in the store to celebrate it. After breakfast, we’ll climb the mucky trail leading to Kala Patthar. The walk to this black rock mountain is straight uphill and takes about one and a half hours to complete.
Kala Patthar not only has easy access but an amazing view of Mt. Everest and Pumori. Hikers also get to glance at the vivacious valley, gorgeous landforms, and ice sheets. After you’re done watching the vista, we’ll board the flight at Kala Patthar and return back.
On the way home, we’ll stop at Syangboche’s Everest View Hotel to have breakfast. Throughout the flight, we have a majestic view of diverse topography, high cliffs, and mountains to glance one last time. After taking down the airport, our officials will drop you at the hotel.
Similar articles you may like:
