Everest Base Camp

Everest Base Camp (5364 m) is the foothill of the world’s tallest mountain Mt. Everest. It is probably the best place on earth to explore once in a lifetime if you are a traveler. The base camp is also the gateway to the summit of either Mt. Everest or Mt. Lhotse. These two mountains are among the top ten mountains in the world. There are two Everest Base Camps. One is on the southern side of Mt. Everest and other is in the northern side of the Mt. Everest. Southern side is in Nepal and Northern Base Camp is in China.

Accessing to these base camps is possible in different ways. The Northern Everest Base Camp is possible to reach by road as the Chinese government has constructed the road to the base camp. However, the Southern Everest Base Camp is not connected to the road as it is reached either by helicopter or by walking.

How to reach Base Camp of Everest?

The most popular medium to reach the Everest Base Camp is by trekking and helicopter flight. If you people across the globe think about the base camp of Mt. Everest they think about the base camp of the southern side that lies in Nepal. Therefore, this blog will not focus more about the Northern Everest Base Camp. The most famous medium to reach the Everest Base Camp is by trekking. You can do Everest Base Camp Trekking starting either from Lukla or from Phaplu or from Jiri. The latest is from Lukla. Trekkers reach the Lukla either by flight or by helicopter. Nowadays, trekkers use road trips too. The road trip is up to Phaplu and trekkers start their trek to Everest Base Camp by walking.

Another popular way to reach Everest Base Camp is by helicopter. However, the landing in Everest Base Camp is prohibited except for the climbing season. Travelers can reach the Everest Base Camp by helicopter during the peak climbing season but in rest of the time of the year, trekkers have to either land in Gorakshep or Kalapathar; further, they have to trek to the Everest Base Camp.

Note: North Everest Base Camp of China is possible to reach by road.

Best Time to visit Everest Base Camp

Throughout the year, travelers can visit the Mount Everest Base Camp. However, the trail up to the base camp and because of the weather conditions; an ideal time to visit the Everest Base Camp is the months of spring and autumn season. It is similar to the best season to do the Everest Base Camp Trek. If you have not read the blog about Everest Base Camp Trek details; please visit our blogs and surf through it. During this time, travelers will not have any worries about the scenery and hardships of the trekking route leading up to the base camp. So, if you are planning to visit the Everest Base Camp, book the trek to Everest Base Camp for the months of spring (March, April, May) and autumn (August, September, & October).

Weather in Everest Base Camp

You will not find the stable weather in Everest Base Camp. The weather changes every 15 minutes in the Everest Base Camp. The altitude and surrounding Himalayan monuments make the weather of Everest Base Camp unpredictable. Due to the unpredictable nature of the weather in Everest Base Camp, travelers find it hard to reach here. Therefore, reaching to the base camp of Mt. Everest and leaving footprints on the foothills of the world’s tallest mountain Mt. Everest is not an ordinary travel activity.

Lots of cancellation of flights hinders the original plan of trekking to Everest Base Camp. Therefore, people often suffer while doing the Everest Base Camp Trek. Lukla airport is the only gateway to the Everest Base Camp. Flight to Lukla is the most reliable way to get there. Therefore, the unpredictable weather affects the flight pattern to Lukla either from Kathmandu or from Ramechhap. So, weather in Everest Base Camp plays a vital role in the successful completion of the Everest Base Camp Trek. The temperature at night time is below zero degrees but during day time the temperature may vary but overall it is less than 8 degrees.

Uses of Everest Base Camp

Everest Base Camp is not just a destination for travelers to visit to knit the beautiful memory of reaching the base camp of the world’s tallest mountain but the place also acts as the logistics support for the Everest Expedition. During the Mountaineering season, the place seems like a global village. There will be lots of tents of the climbers and support crew members. Besides acting as the final destination of Mount Everest Base Camp Trekking, the place is also crucial for recording information and acting as an anchor for the Everest Expedition.

Spending a night at Everest BC

If you wish to spend overnight without an Everest Expedition permit then it is not possible. Nepal Government doesn’t allow individual trekkers or the group trekkers to spend overnight at the base camp during regular trekking activity. They have to spend overnight at Gorakshep which is 2 hours before the base camp. So, don’t think about spending a night at Everest Base Camp if you don’t have a climbing permit.

Effects of Climate Change on Everest Base Camp

Global warming and climate change is the biggest topic of debate nowadays. The increase in pollution and environmental degradation the climate change effects are seen throughout the world. The Everest region of Nepal is also not an exception. Due to climate change, the landscape of Everest Base Camp is ever-changing. Not only the landscape of Everest Base Camp is changing but the surrounding hills and mountains are also changing. People used to say that before 10 – 20 years the snow-filled sites had changed into barren hills. The shape and location of the base camp are also moving due to the effects of climate change. So, it is very essential for the travelers and travel operators along with the government to act seriously in protecting the environment.