Tour Guide, Kathmandu, Nepal
| 13 mins read
Everest Base Camp Trek always makes its way to the top of the list as one of Nepal's best mountain adventures. It is one of the most sought out trekking destinations in the world. The trek's main highlight is gazing at the striking beauty, which stands tall at the height of 8848m.
The beauty of Khumbu Mountain Ranges is not all there is to this trek. It is also a thrilling mixture of breathtaking flora and fauna and the unique yet heartwarming culture of people who live in the Everest region. EBC Trek is the perfect embodiment of what a journey in Nepal's rural mountain regions should be like.
Key Features of Everest Base Camp Trek
Stunningly beautiful view of Mt. Everest along with other Khumbu Giants.
Scenic and thrilling flight to Lukla from Kathmandu airport.
Thoroughly experience the rural mountain lifestyle and get the chance to understand the unique Sherpa Culture from up close.
The extremely breathtaking mixture of a large variety of flora and fauna surviving in the mystical mountain ecosystem.
The mystical view of mountains from Kalapatthar.
EBC is recommended by Lonely Planet and BBC much time
Everest Base Camp's dream destination is the most sought out and one of the most recommended trips worldwide. This is because the trails for Everest Base Camp have more infrastructures than other trekking trails in Nepal. After all, taking a glimpse of the highest mountains in the world is not a small thing.
In 2002, the BBC UK made a comprehensive list of "50 places to visit before you die," among which the Everest Base Camp, including Gokyo Ri Trek of the Everest Region, was also one. Several other lists prepared by well-renowned sites like Lonely Planet will tell you the same. The reason for Everest Base Camp's recommendation is not only for its natural beauty but also for its culturally rich environment. People who have already completed the trek talk about how eye-opening of an experience it was, urging people to visit the place at least once in their life.
In addition to Everest Base Camp Trek's beauty, it is also one of the world's cheaper trekking options. All the more reason to join the Everest Base Camp Trek today!
Seven key attractions of EBC Trek
Thrilling Kathmandu Lukla Flight
The thrilling flight from Kathmandu to Lukla is one of the most famous mountain flights in Nepal. The main reason for its popularity is the stunning rise and fall in Nepal's topography, which will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the ride. Throughout the flight, you can enjoy the picturesque view of lush green hills, terraced paddy fields, and of course, the breathtaking mountain ranges.
The 35 minutes flight takes off from Kathmandu (1300m) and ends at Tenzing-Hillary Airport (2860m). Lukla Airport is the starting point for all trekking adventures in the Everest Region. The short runway and the challenging topography is the reason why it is also known as the "world's most dangerous airport." While it is dangerous, a safe and secure flight is the top priority for flight operators. This is the reason why there are frequent cancellations, even in the case of slightly lousy weather. Flying to Lukla through such challenging landscaped of Nepal is not for the faint of heart.
Many thrill-seekers worldwide join the Lukla flight for the adrenaline rush, while for many others, the spectacular scenery makes up for the adrenaline rush. It is also suitable for people of all ages; you can enjoy the flight even with your kids. On a sunny day, you can view the 18 highest mountain peaks, among which four are above 8000m. The most prominent ones are Mt. Dhaulagiri (8167m) in the east and Mt. Everest in the West, and many others in between.
Spring and autumn seasons are the best time for the flights because of more clear weather conditions. Cancellation of flights and delays are common during monsoon. This is because of constant rainfall and foggy weather, making it harder to navigate through Nepal's continually rising and falling topography.
Ancient Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar, standing at 3500m, is one of the most ancient Khumbu Region trading hubs. It is also a staging point for thrilling mountain expeditions in the Everest Region. It is popular among travellers. It is also the altitude acclimatization point as travellers spend one to two days in Namche Bazaar to get their bodies used to the air pressure.
The beautiful Namche Bazaar is located amid mountains. Immediately west of Namche Bazar is Kongde Ri (6187m), while in the east part stands Thamserku (6623m). You can also view the spectacular Mt. Everest from the Everest View Hotel, one of the hotels' highest altitude.
There are countless other things to do in Namche Bazaar except for viewing Mt. Everest. You can enjoy warm coffee in one of the German Bakeries and smaller café's in the place or even enjoy a nice beverage in the Irish Pub. If not, you can also enjoy Himalayan cuisines like Rigi Kur (Potato Pancakes), Tzen (millet roti), Thukpa (Noodles), Yak cheese, Butter, and so on. There is also a small Namche Monastery located at the Thame Trail made for the followers of Tibetan Buddhism, and you can visit the Namche Market as well.
The most striking feature of Namche Bazaar is its rich cultural presence and the people living in these harsh mountain conditions. The majority of the settlements are Sherpas, including a handful of other Hindu cultures. Tibetan Buddhism is the most prominent culture, followed by the people residing here. The Namche Bazaar still stands in time as it did several decades ago, mostly because of the harsh topography. It gives a perfect look into the intricate culture and lifestyle of people who have been residing here for generations.
Sacred Tengboche Monastery
Tengboche Monastery stands in the path of the Everest Base Camp trek at the height of 3867m. It takes trekkers about three days to reach the monastery from Lukla. Built-in 1916 by Lama Gulu, the Tengboche Monastery originates from its mother monastery known as Rongbuk Monastery. The monastery is one of the sacred sites of Nepal, especially for people who follow Tibetan Buddhism.
Tengboche was one of the first celibate monasteries in the Everest region. The monastery gives travellers an outlook into the rich Tibetan Buddhism culture that has resided in the Everest Region for hundreds of years. Some of the temple Chortens and some smaller religious shrines around the monastery were built earlier than 1800.
Inside the monastery are rich paintings, murals, and structures that depict Tibetan culture. One of the most unique and eye-catching paintings is the Tarke-La's wall paintings that show different Bodhisattvas (Different forms of Buddha). The religious room of Guru Rimpoche is another peaceful sight in the Tengboche Monastery. The areas surrounding the monastery are resided by the Sherpa Community.
Apart from the holy presence, the Tengboche Monastery also resides amid mystical mountain ranges. The view of mountain ranges like Ama Dablam (6812m), Mt. Everest, Taboche (6367m), and other snow-covered giants of the Khumbu Region. The Himalayan backdrop from Tengboche Monastery is the most beautiful during the winter with the freshly snowed mountain ranges.
The peaceful structure and the beautiful lush forests with the mountain backdrop of Tengboche Monastery provide a perfect meditation place. The Tengboche Monastery not only provides a feast to the eyes, but it is also a place for relaxation and soul searching. The Everest region's peaceful terrains, combined with the monastery's holy presence, make for a perfect place for meditation.
Rich Sherpa Culture
Sherpa is one of the native Tibetan ethnic groups whose presence you can find in Nepal's mountain regions. A trek to the Everest Region is not complete without the presence of the Sherpas. The reason is that the majority of the residents of the Everest Region are Sherpas. As such, the culture of Sherpas is the most prominent in the Khumbu Region. Whether it may be tradition, dresses, language, to even festivities, the trail to Mt Everest contains a profound presence of Sherpa Culture.
The first nomadic settlement of the Solukhumbu region was that of the Sherpas. The name Sherpa is taken from the word Sherwa of the Sherpa Language, which loosely translates to "east people" (shyar means east and pa means people). More than 20 clans of Sherpas initially came from four fundamental clans, i.e., Mingyapa, Thimmi, Sertawa, and Chawa.
Throughout the Everest Base Camp Trek, you will get several chances to mingle with the Sherpa community's people. People of this community-run most of the lodges and home-stays. There are also several gompas, Chortens, monasteries, and so on along the way that depict the Sherpas' rich Tibetan roots. Among them, one of the most prominent monasteries is the Tengboche Monastery.
The older generation can be seen sporting traditional clothing like long-sleeved robes called Kitycow for men with a chuba tied around their waist. Women generally wear a long-sleeved dress called tongkok with a raatuk (blouse). These clothes are usually made from sheep wool. The Sherpa communities' language is a mix of eastern and central Tibetan dialects that is generally unintelligible to Lhasa speakers.
The Sherpa community's people live with the common Nepali motto that "guests are equivalent to god." So, they are famous for being one of the most loyal, friendly, and welcoming people out there in the world. Living in these tough mountain conditions for centuries has also made them a perfect companion for thrilling mountaineering expeditions. A trek to the Everest Base Camp cannot be complete without experiencing the Sherpas' challenging everyday life. Of course, it is also not complete without mentioning the heroic feat of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.
Everest Base Camp
One of the most sought out destinations in the world is the Everest Base Camp. It is the starting point of an adrenaline-filled Everest expedition among many other expeditions and tours in the Sagarmatha mountain region. There are two base camps for Everest, among which the South Base Camp resides in Nepal, and the Northern one is in China. The South Base Camp of Nepal stands at the thrilling height of 5364m above sea level, overlooking many mountain panoramas.
The trek to reach the Everest Base Camp comes with the picturesque backdrop of mountains and a large stretch of forests. It is a once in a lifetime to truly live your life along with Nepal's rural mountain ranges. Lukla takes trekkers nine days to reach the stunning destination of Everest Base Camp, and you will be back in Kathmandu in the time of 2 weeks. It is not only the Everest Base Camp destination you will enjoy, as the journey leading up to it is even more exciting.
The stunning panorama as seen from the Everest Base Camp includes Mt. Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8501m), Nuptse (7879m), Pumori (7165m), along with countless smaller and larger peaks of the Khumbu Region. The Everest Base Camp's dome view is one of the most sought out and breathtaking mountain views globally.
The best time for a perfect view of the mountains in winter when the fresh snow has just landed in the mountains. However, the weather conditions during winter are tough to tackle. The Everest Base Camp thus welcomes the most travellers during the autumn and spring seasons.
Kalapatthar
Standing at the height of 5555m, Kalapatthar is also one of Nepal's world-renowned destinations. It is also one of the most sought-after destinations after Everest Base Camp, mainly for its jaw-dropping view of mountain ranges.
According to the Nepali Language, ‘Kala’ means ‘Black’ and ‘Patthar' means 'rock". So, the direct translation of Kalapatthar is 'Black rock,' a name was given the courtesy to its geographical structure. It is a small ridge standing right at the start of Pumori. The rock in itself has prayer flags all around, making it easily recognizable from all the other peaks.
The marvellous sight from Kalapatthar is what people look forward to the most during the Everest Base Camp Trek. It is located perfectly on the south ridge of Pumori, above Gorakshep. The highlight view of Kalapatthar is, of course, the awe-inspiring close-up view of Mt. Everest. It also provides the most accessible view of Mt. Everest as the Everest Massif covers a large portion of Everest from the rest of the world. Along with Everest, you can also view other Khumbu structures like Nuptse, Changtse, and Lhotse. Kalapatthar is one of the best viewpoints in the Everest Region because of this magical view of mountains, which you will not find anywhere else.
Due to the constant steep inclines, Kalapatthar is also one of the hardest ridges to conquer. The winter and monsoon (summer) seasons are significantly more demanding because of the slippery paths and adverse weather conditions. Autumn and spring seasons are more comfortable but still on a moderate difficulty level because of the rough topography of Kalapatthar.No matter what, you need not worry; the end destination with the stunning view is definitely worth the grind.
Sagarmatha National Park
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sagarmatha National Park is everything you can wish for and more in the Khumbu Region. Riddled with countless flora and fauna species, along with the mysterious Mt. Everest, it is an indispensable treasure of the world. It consists of numerous glaciers, deep valleys, high mountains, and rare and almost-extinct wildlife species.
The Sagarmatha National Park came into prominence in 1976 with an area of 1148sq. Km. It later got titled UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The terrain of the park follows the Dudhkoshi and Bhotekoshi rivers. It is also home to some of the world's highest peaks, like Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Thamserku, and Nuptse.
The park's lower altitude contains pine and hemlock forests, and as the height increases, fir, juniper, birch, rhododendron, and other alpine vegetation are more prominent. Several exotic animals like Red Pandas, Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Himalayan Thar, Himalayan Mouse Hare, and so on take Sagarmatha National Park as their home. There are also over 118 species of birds, including Impeyan Pheasant, Snow Cock, Blood Pheasant, Red-Billed Cough, etc.
The park is also a religiously rich site. World-renowned monasteries and gompas like Tengboche, Khumjung, and Pangboche are present in Sagarmatha National Park. The majority of the population follows Buddhism and Hinduism. Sagarmatha National Park is one of the most popular parks in Nepal for its rich history and culture.
Conclusion
Everest Base Camp Trek is a mountain trekking endeavour and a once in a lifetime experience for trekkers worldwide. It is the dream of every mountain trekker in the world. The mixture of a heavenly view of mountains, a breathtaking collection of flora and fauna, and the unforgettable mountain lifestyle experience is EBC trek's speciality. There is a reason why Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the most sought-out destinations globally, and it is a cultural, spiritual, and physical experience all meshed into one trek. Not everyone can have the chance to say that they have gazed at the highest peak of the world with their own eyes.