Is It Difficult to Trek Everest Base Camp

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Home to many of the world’s highest peaks, the Tibetan Everest Region in the mighty Himalayas is one of the most popular places in the world for trekkers. And the most popular trek in Tibet, and possibly in the world, is the trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC). The trek is challenging, both mentally and physically, and while it may not be long, at only 70 kilometers, it is the experience of a lifetime. With elevations that range from 4,000 meters to around 5,300 meters, this high-altitude trek is classed as “average” in the range of treks in Tibet.

The Everest Base Camp trek in Tibet takes four days for people that are already physically fit, and travels over many different kinds of landscapes, taking in high passes, vast prairies, and rugged hills as you wind your way from the classic starting point in Old Tingri to the stunning location of the tourist Base Camp at the foot of Mount Everest.

How Hard Is It to Trek EBC in Tibet?

The trek to Everest Base Camp in Tibet is not as long or hard as the trek to EBC in Nepal, but it does have the advantage of being at much higher altitudes for the entire length of the trek. It is also done in an environment that barely sustains life as we know it, and can turn out to be one of the hardest treks you might undertake, depending on the time of year.

Altitude

Unlike the start of the EBC trek in Nepal, which begins at the small town of Lukla (2,860m), you are starting at an extreme altitude from day one, which makes the trek harder. Acclimatization to the high altitude of the Shigatse Prefecture must be done before you start the trek, or there is an increased risk of altitude sickness during the trek itself. From Old Tingri, there are two passes you will head over on the route to EBC, and both are over 5,000 meters.

The altitude of Everest Base Camp in TIbet

Overall, the route increases in altitude by around 900 meters, although the hard part is the rising and dropping of the altitudes as the trail progresses to EBC. While there is not that much difference in the altitudes of Tingri and EBC, the repeated climbing and descending can be more tiring than a constant climb to a higher altitude, and there is a high risk of altitude sickness with the exertion that the trek brings.

Environment

The trek from Old Tingri to EBC is done in a fairly harsh environment, which majority of western Tibet features. Not only is the altitude high, all of it above 4,500 meters, but the landscape is rough and rugged in many places, traversing rough, stony ground and hard climbs up scree-covered slopes to the mountain passes. Much of the area around Everest is arid and barren, with just small pockets of lush grasses in a few of the more protected valleys, such as the Zombuk Valley.

Overall, the route from Tingri to EBC is not the best environment in which to trek, as the harshness of the land makes trekking harder. The high altitudes are exacerbated by the rough terrain and rugged landscape, which makes the trek much harder than it would first appear. Multiple stops need to be taken along the route, as the constant exertion of climbing can be dangerous for those not in the peak of physical condition.

Popular Everest Base Camp Trekking Routes

Tingri to EBC is not the only trek in the Everest region, and there are both easier and harder treks you can try while you are in Tibet, some of which are held in some of the most beautiful countryside in the region.

Easy Trek from Old Tingri to EBC

The trek from Old Tingri to EBC is rated as being an average trek, which translates to being slightly demanding physically and mentally. While not the easiest of treks, due mainly to the high-altitude passes and the constant uphill route, it is not the hardest trek in Tibet, though it does require a fairly high degree of physical fitness. The trek starts at Old Tingri, a small Tibetan town that most Tibet tours pass through on the way to Mount Everest National Park. The town lies at an elevation of 4,348 meters, and this is the starting point of the trek.

From Old Tingri, the trail heads south, towards one of the highest mountains in the region, Cho Oyu, which lies at 8,188 meters. The start of the trek crosses some of the lush pasture of the area, as it passes down along the Ra Chu Valley, the easiest part of the trek. However, the entire trek increases in altitude to the point where you climb over the pass in the mountains just before heading to lung Thang, the first stop on the route. The pass itself is 5,170 meters above sea level, and is a hard end to a long day of trekking. From there, it is downhill to Lung Thang.

The trek from Tingri to Mount Everest will follow the Ra Chu Valley

On the second day of the trek, you head up over another pass, at Lamna La, which is 5,150 meters above sea level, and much of the route is uphill to the pass and is a strenuous trek. You have already left the Ra Chu valley behind, and climbed up into the higher mountains, as you head for the pass. Once over the pass at Lamna La, it is downhill for a short distance to the campsite in the valley below.

The third day of the trek is a little easier than the second day, with the route crossing a wide grassy meadow criss-crossed by several streams. Passing through the Zombuk Valley, the third day ends at Zommug Village, near the ancient ruined hermitage of Cho-puk, where you will camp at an elevation of around 4,600 meters.

The final day of the trek takes you to Rongbuk Monastery, at 4,980 meters, which is an uphill climb for the whole trek. From the monastery, it is just a short trek of eight kilometers to EBC, although this is also mostly ascending, finishing at an elevation of 5,200 meters at the tourist base camp.

Moderate Trek in Gama Valley

Another great trek in the area of Mount Everest is that of the Gama Valley. One of four Great Valleys that lie to the east of the mountain, the Gama Valley is often praised as the most beautiful valley in the world, and one of the top ten trekking routes in Asia. 55 kilometers long and 8 kilometers wide, the valley has multiple eco-zones along its length, from evergreen forests to alpine meadows, and includes its own desert.

The trek starts at Chutang Village (3,670m), and the first section is relatively easy, along a gravel road to Youpa Village, and then gets harder as it progresses on to Showotso, at 4,656 meters above sea level. The first pass, at 4,200 meters lies on this part of the route, and it is an arduous climb. From Showotso, on the second day, the route heads upwards to the Shauwula Pass, at 4,900 meters, which is considered one of the more difficult sections of the trek. However, descending can be trickier than climbing, as the terrain is rough and rocky, and it is easy to slip if you are not careful.

Trek in Gama Valley
Gama Valley trekking tour

From the valley below the pass, the route continues through rich forests and lush vegetation to the Sakytang Base Camp (4,400m), near Sakya Monastery. After Sakytang, the route continues to climb gently through primeval forests, with huge trees covered in hanging moss, and passes through a small swamp, though wooden bridges mean you do not have to wade through.

From the forests, the route climbs again to one of the most treacherous legs of the trek, on the route to Chentang Village. The terrain is rough and rocky, and the loose stones can give way to cause landslides, so it is best to stick to the well-trodden path, though even that is treacherous. The final leg runs upwards by over 600 meters, to a ridge that lies near the road that runs through to Dinggye County.

Overall, the Gama Valley treks are the most arduous and daunting of all the treks in the area, and require a high degree of physical fitness and stamina. Not for the faint-hearted, the treks are rated as being hard, and for experienced trekkers only.

Strenuous Trek from Rongbuk to Everest Advanced Base Camp

The trek from Rongbuk Monastery to the Everest Advanced Base Camp (EABC) is probably the hardest trek in Tibet, and should not be attempted by anyone who is not in good physical condition or has any illness or heart condition. Reaching an altitude of 6,340 meters above sea level, the trek takes you to real extreme altitudes, and is an arduous and strenuous route.

Starting at Rongbuk Monastery, at an elevation of 4,980 meters, the trek is mostly uphill, with a regular daily increase in elevation. This is one trek where the rule of “climb high, sleep low” should really be followed to avoid severe altitude sickness. The first day takes you to Camp 1, which is also known as the Japanese Base Camp, heading around 12 kilometers up over the steep eastern side of the Rongbuk Glacier to the camp at the head of the glacial moraine. The first campsite is at an altitude of 5,460 meters, an increase of 260 meters from EBC, and 480 meters from the start at Rongbuk Monastery.

ABC Trekking Tour
Everest Advanced Base Camp Trek

The second increase is from Camp 1 to the Interim Camp, covering a distance of around seven kilometers of hiking. The trek takes around 4-5 hours, and the trail gets steeper as the day progresses. Lying at 5,800 meters, the Interim Camp is the main base camp for supplies for climbers attempting to reach the summit.

From the Interim Camp, the route continues to rise as you head for Camp 2, or the Changtse Base Camp. The camp is so named due to it being used as a base of operations for climbers heading for the summit of Mount Changtse, to the north of Mount Everest. The route is short, covering just five kilometers, but is hard and arduous, traversing rough terrain and hard ridges, taking around 4 hours to complete. The shorter distance allows for a little acclimatization on this section of the trek, as it only increases in altitude by around 300 meters.

The final leg of the trek takes you right up to EABC, which lies at 6,340 meters above sea level. Lying close to the Changtse Glacier, the Advanced Base Camp is reached by a long, hard climb up the rubble of the moraine, and is the closest you can get to Everest without a climbing permit. The trek to the Advanced Base Camp and back to Changtse Base Camp takes around 8 hours, with a break at EABC for you to take photos and admire the view. Just 2,400 meters from the summit of this massive mountain, the views are spectacular, and well worth the effort.