The Ultimate Guide to Tibet Everest Base Camp Trek Tour

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Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world and at 8,848 meters above sea level, the summit of this huge mountain has long been an achievement of mountaineers and the dream of many tourists from across the globe to see. And while mountaineers can get right to the top, tourists are limited to viewing the mountain from the famous Northern Base Camp, 5,200 meters above sea level.

One of the most popular treks in Tibet, the journey to the Everest Base Camp (EBC) is one that is undertaken with gusto and enthusiasm, secure in the knowledge that completing the four-day trek across some of the most hostile terrain in the world is an achievement in itself. While not as long as the trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal, it is just as exciting and adventurous, since you will be starting the trek at an altitude above 4,000 meters.

Trekking anywhere in a high-altitude environment is dangerous, as over-exertion can easily lead to altitude sickness, or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) as it is also known. Proper acclimatization is necessary before you start, especially when you are starting your trek at high altitudes, instead of starting low and acclimatizing as you ascend.

Weather conditions around Mount Everest can also be very unpredictable, and even in periods when the weather is normally good, it can change in a heartbeat. It is important to know when is the best time to make the trek, as well as what you will need to complete it without any problems.

Where Is Everest Base Camp in Tibet?

EBC, or Everest Base Camp, lies a few kilometers to the north of the mountain’s summit, in the Rongbuk Valley near the moraine at the foot of the Rongbuk Glacier. Located in the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve in Shigatse Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region, the base camp is 610 kilometers from Lhasa, in the west of Tibet. Close to the border with Nepal, which is directly on the other side of the mountain, the base camp can be reached by road direct from Lhasa, without the need to walk at all. However, this is actually the “tourist” base camp, and the furthest you can travel by private vehicle, and the Climber’s Base Camp is around 10 kilometers further on.

Everest Base Camp

The Tourist Base Camp can be accessed by a 100 kilometers stretch of road near Shelkar (Shegar) that branches off from the famed Sino-Nepal Friendship Highway, part of the G318 National Road that runs from Shanghai to Zhangmu. However, the base camp is not actually the closest you can get to the mighty Mount Everest. A short distance from the actual base camp itself there is a marker, which is the 5,200 meter point, from which you can get the best view of the mountain. This can be reached either by a short walk or by local government minibus, and lies just before the Climber’s Base Camp.

EBC Trekking Route in Tibet

One of the most popular treks in Tibet, the route of the Everest Base Camp trek starts in Old Tingri, on the Friendship Highway, and heads south over a varying terrain to the base camp. Covering a distance of over 70 kilometers, the trek takes around four days to complete.

Day one sees you starting the trek after obtaining your entrance tickets to the Qomolangma National Park, where Everest is located. Once done, you can be on your way, and the aim of the first day is to finish at village of Lung Thang. As you head south from Old Tingri, you can see the peak of Cho Oyu in the distance, and after a short time crossing the lush plain south of the highway, you cross over into the Qomolangma National Park itself.

Ra-Chu Valley

The first village you come to is called Che Village, and it is the point where you can choose which path to take. The path to the east is the shorter and more popular route, and it takes you to the Ra-Chu Valley, which you will walk along until you come to a nomad camp by the river. From there, you ascend the sides of the valley to the mountain pass, at 5,170 meters, and then down to the Chholong Village. There is a small gompa on the route from Chholong to Lung Thang, surrounded by a bleak, barren wasteland, which makes an ideal photo shoot location. At Lung Thang, you have a selection of camping grounds to choose from.

The second day is the hardest of the four, and much of the route is uphill. In these high-altitude conditions, this can be very challenging, as well as extremely tiring, so regular breaks are needed to replace lost energy. The uphill trail to the Lamna La Pass is a hard and strenuous hike, although the view from the pass does make it worthwhile. Once over the pass, at 5,150 meters, the campsite for the night lies down in the valley below, an hour’s walk downhill.

Day three sees the trekking getting easier, as you cross the meadows in the valley, crossing a number of small creeks that meander along the valley floor. The trail continues to be easy along the valley, and you reach the village of Zommug in the afternoon, with the stunning view of Mount Everest in the background.

On the final day of the trek, you will make the journey to Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world, with its many hermitage retreats. Lying just eight kilometers from the Everest Base Camp, the monastery is a great place to stop for lunch, before heading off to visit the base camp and see Mount Everest. The views of Everest from the monastery are stunning, and it is widely known as one of the best places for viewing and photographing the massive mountain. Once there, you will set up camp for the night, or book into one of the tent hostels, and the rest of the day is yours to photograph and experience the amazing sight of the world’s tallest mountain.

Best Time to Go

Tibet has a four-season climate, although the area around Mount Everest can be unpredictable at times. Trekking and visiting the base camp can be done at almost any time of the year, as the weather does not get as cold on the northern base camp area as it does at the southern base camp. For most people, the optimum time to make the trek is from May to late June and from October to early December. During these periods, the weather is mild and warm, with almost no rain and clear skies. The autumn period can be a little colder than in spring, but warm clothing will make it comfortable enough.

Best Time to Trek to EBC
Best Time to do the EBC trekking tour

The summer months, from mid-June to September can be wet in the region, as this is the monsoon season in Tibet. While the area around Everest does not get as much rain as Lhasa and Nyingchi, it can still make it a little harder to trek to EBC from Old Tingri. There is also a higher likelihood of cloud cover obscuring the mountain’s summit, so views may not be as good as in the rest of the year.

The winter months from December to January are also open to trekking the route to EBC, although there can sometimes be some snow in the area, due to the altitude. However, it is actually quite rare for the snows to be heavy and deep, so the trek is normally open in winter. It is a lot colder, and you will need warm thermal clothing and a good arctic sleeping bag, but the views of the mountains are spectacular, and well worth the chilly conditions.

Where to Stay during the Everest Trekking Tour

The trip to Old Tingri in Shigatse Prefecture from Lhasa normally takes three days, with stops at Gyantse, Shigatse, and Rongbuk Monastery on the way to Mount Everest. After leaving Lhasa, your accommodation will be in hotels for the majority of the trip to Rongbuk, where you will need to stay in a guesthouse or tent hostel. The same goes for the base camp accommodation itself, since there are no hotels at EBC, just tent guesthouses.

EBC Tent Guesthouses

The accommodation in these tent guesthouses and smaller hostels is basic, with few amenities, and often no hot water. However, the tents are fully furnished with chairs and tables, and the cots are fairly comfortable for sleeping in. You may need to bring a sleeping bag for the nights spent at Rongbuk and EBC, as the temperature can get a little cold, and blankets are not enough. The guesthouses may be basic and fundamental, but they are a great way to experience the way of life of the Tibetan people in these remote areas, and it is an amazing experience.

What to Eat during the Everest Trekking Tour

The hotels outside Lhasa do have good menus, although they do consist mostly of Chinese and Tibetan dishes. Some, in Shigatse, do have some western dishes available, so if Chinese food is not to your liking, you do have a choice. Outside the cities, however, the guesthouses will have some variation of western foods, depending on the supply available, and many have plenty of Chinese dishes available.

Enjoy the Tibetan dishes in a local hotel

As you venture further out into the remote areas, the food is more Tibetan in style, and often includes dishes like tsampa, momos, and yak meat in various kinds of stews. While the Tibetan dishes can be very tasty, they are not to everyone’s taste, and it pays to bring some food of your own with you, such as pot noodles and packaged foods. Tibetans drink copious amounts of hot, sweet tea, which is good for warming you up and adding energy, and is available almost everywhere you go. Tibetan tea is a delicious drink that is very refreshing and energizing, so it is a good idea to try it.

More Travel Tips

The area around Mount Everest is at high altitudes of well above 4,500 meters, so you should be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness, and watch for them. If you start to feel symptoms like headaches, nausea, and dizziness, let your guide know, and try to drink plenty of water and rest as much as possible. Altitude sickness can be fatal if not dealt with quickly at high altitudes, so it is wise to know what to look for.

Prepare your trekking packages

The area around Mount Everest gets very cold at night, even in the summer months, and good warm clothing is necessary. Layers of clothes are better than a few thick sweaters and jackets, and are easier to take off or put on to maintain a regulated body heat. Take a good arctic sleeping bag with you as well, as a few blankets, which you will find at the guesthouses, will not keep you warm enough at night.

If you are visiting Tibet in the winter months, when there is snow on the ground, you would be wise to bring a good pair of sunglasses, as snow blindness can occur easily at this altitude. The harmful rays of the sun, reflected off the snow, can cause severe damage to the eyes.

Make sure you bring moisturizers, lip balms, and a good hat, for protection from the wind and harsh sunlight. Winds around Mount Everest are strong and dry, and can damage your face and chap your lips. And while sun cream works to protect against UVB rays, a hat is needed to keep off the stronger UVA radiation in the thinner atmosphere.