Skip to Content

Mount Everest, A hike to the basecamp on a budget

mount everest nepalam
I had already been to Mount Everest base camp twice, once in Tibet and once in Nepal, but its something with the mountain that always brings me back.

Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world and one of the seven summits; click here to read the truth about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.

It is already four years since the last time I visited the mountain, and I already then decided to go back someday and see if the trek has changed.
Although last time I walked all the way from Jiri, I decided that this time I would fly into Lukla, supposedly the most dangerous airport in the world.

If you want to do a hike in Nepal, but you don’t have time for Mount Everest Basecamp, then Poon Hill is a great hike to do instead.

Flight to Lukla in Nepal

Inside the flight, 16seats

Mt.Everest

Dornier Do 228 with Simrik Air.

The flight to Lukla from Kathmandu, a Dornier Do 228 with Simrik Air.

Trekking Itinerary to Mount Everest Basecamp.

Day 1 Kathmandu – Lukla – Manjo 12.5km

All the flights from Kathmandu to Lukla only departure early morning, the flight doesn’t take off if it’s too windy in Lukla. It’s not rare that flights get cancelled for days booth in Kathmandu and Lukla.

If you want to do something harder than just hiking, so are climbing island peak, one of the most accessible and easier peaks to climb for a first-time climber. 

Luckily for me, my flight was on time and departure from Kathmandu at 6.30 Am and arrived less than 30min later.

Lukla is the biggest village on the trek and got a few decent restaurants, an Irish bar, a “Starbucks”, a few hamburger restaurants and even a Scottish pub, and the ONLY place with an ATM on the trek is here.

But it’s no reason to stay around in Lukla and since you arrive around 7 am you can as well walk a bit the first day. The only thing you have to do first is to register your permit and TIMS card.

The first day of walking to Manjo is very easy and straightforward, it’s not too much to see the first day, but you feel really refiled about being away from the polluted air in Kathmandu.

The first day of the trek is very easy and to be frank, you should be in Manjo at about 2 pm. Manjo got a lot of decent guesthouses, small restaurants and even a good coffee shop with Wi-Fi.

Day 2 Manjo – Namche Bazar 7km

From Manjo to Namche, Bazar is only about 7km, but for some, this is the hardest day of them all.

The first hour out of Manjo is a very easy and pretty level until you arrive at the 2.bridge across the river. The trip is smooth; from here its up, up and more up for the rest of the day.

About one hour after Manjo, you start the climb up to Namche Bazar, the climb itself is a bit steep in parts, and you can really feel it if your backpack is too heavy.

For many, this is the hardest day, just coz they are not used to walking uphill yet, and you feel really relieved when you arrive in Namche after about 3-4 hours walking uphill.

Remember, this part is without any place to stop for lunch or refill your water bottle.

When you arrive in Namche, you feel pretty happy that you are having a rest day the following day.

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking

Day 3. Namche Bazar, Rest day

Day 3 is recommended as a rest day; Namche Bazaar is a good place to hang around, enjoy some great cakes and bread at Namche Bakery, or hang around Cafe De 8848, where they show movies about Everest and the Himalayas on a big screen TV every day at 4 pm.

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar

Namche Bazar

Day 4 Namche Bazar –Tengboche – Pangboche 14km

This is a long day, and most people decide to stay in Tengboche, but I decided to walk a few hours more to Pangboche.

The first 2 hours walk from Namche Bazar is very easy before you starting going downhill for a while, and you know when you walk down for a while, it’s gone be a big climb up to.

When you arrive at Phunki Thanga, you should stop for lunch coz for the next 2-3 hours, you were gone walk steeply uphill.

You will now start ascending to the attitude, where you can start to notice altitude sickness if you’re not acclimatised properly.

From Namche Bazar can you also make a trek towards the amazing Gokyo Lakes.

When going up a hill, I meet a few people that had to go down coz they got symptoms of altitude sickness.

Most people stopover in Tengboche, it’s a famous monastery where people normally visit; I have been to tons of monastery across Tibet, China, India and Nepal already, and I found the monastery in Tengboche to touristy, so I decided not to stop there, and rather continue a few hours onwards to Pangboche.

After Tengboche, the trail descent down to Deboche. Deboche got a small nunnery that’s worth visiting.

But except that, if you still got enough stamina is better to walk to more hours to Pangboche to get a much easier day the following.

The two extra hours from Deboche to Pangboche starts off at a fairly level before you get along but not very steep climb to Pangboche. Pangboche has a far bit of a guesthouse.

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche

Tengboche, where most people stopover for a night

Day 5. Pangboche – Pheriche 7km

Since I decided to walk a few extra hours the day before, this day becomes very easy.
After leaving Pangboche, you get an easy walk with some uphill for the first hour before its fairly level before a small climb over a pass, before descending down to Periche; this is one of the easiest days on the trek.

Day 6 Periche- Dughla 4km

This day is highly recommended to use as a resting day in Pheriche; it’s from now that a lot of people get altitude sickness.

But since I have been doing a lot of trekking at this altitude/height before and did not show any symptoms of altitude sickness this times either.

I decide to walk the 4km to Dughla, which is a tiny place on the way towards basecamp, it only got two guesthouses, but if you decide to stay there, the next day would be much, much easier.

The walk from Price starts off on pretty level before it goes very steep up to Dughla; even its only 4km today, it is gone take about 4-5hours.
everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche

Day 7 Doughla – Lobuche 5km

This day starts off with what’s the steepest part on the whole trek; only a few minutes after leaving Doughla, you start on a very steep climb. The climb just after Dughla is easiest the hardest part on the trek, and while going up, I meet more than ten people that had to go down coz of altitude sickness.

When you are done with the climb, it’s a bit down before you have to cross a frozen river; from them, it’s a fairly level to Lobuche. Lobuche is small villages that get really crowded in the high season, and it’s not uncommon that you will have to share a room with strangers or sleep on the floor in one of the restaurants.

Day 8 Lobuche – Gorak Shep 4.5km – Mount Everest Basecamp

This is the day you been waiting for!

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche

The trek from Lobuche to Gorak Shep is fairly easy with two climbs, and the rest is pretty easy; it should not take more than 3 hours. When arriving in Gorak Shep its a few places to sleep, and you want to have lunch and drop off your backpack here before continuing on the Basecamp.

It’s nowhere to stay in basecamp if you don’t bring your own tent and got a permit to camp there; Gorak Shep is the only place to stay.
From Gorak Shep to Basecamp, it’s about 4 hours return; the trek from Gorak Shep to the base camp is very easy; the only hassle is that you’re on about 5160m in Gorak Shep and are going to about 5380m at the base camp, so you start to feel the altitude.

So just walking a few meters feels hard if you’re not acclimatised properly. The funny thing that you cannot see Mount Everest from Mount Everest basecamp itself in Nepal.

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche

Almost at Mount Everest base camp.

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche

Mount Everest Basecamp, before climbers starting to arrive with their tents, this is the spot where people put up their tents.

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche

Mount Everest Basecamp with old prayer flags

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche

Day 9 Gorak Shep -Kala Patthar– Gorak Shep – Pangboche 21km

If you got enough Stamina and haven´t got any problem with the altitude, you can “climb” to Kala Patthar at 5643m to see a sunrise over Mount Everest. To see the sunrise over Mount Everest, you have to get up at about 4.30 am and start climbing; the climb is very steep, but luckily no need to carry your backpack up here since you have to go the same way.

everest,basecamp,lukla,ropebridge,bridge,hiking,namche,namchebazar,pangboche,kala,kalapathar

View from the top of Kala Patthar, Mount Everest in the back on the left side

When you get back in Gorak Shep, you just pick up your backpack and might have breakfast before start going the same way down to Pangboche as you walk up.

Day 10. Pangboche – Namche Bazar 13km

The same way back as you walked up to Pangboche from Namche, if you start early from Pangboche, you can enjoy a decent Pizza, coffee and even beer at Namche Bazar.

Day 11. Namche Bazar – Lukla 18km

Also, the same way back to Lukla as you walked the first way of the trek, when arriving back in Lukla you have to re-conform your flight ticket back to Kathmandu, if you did t book your ticket in advance you should do it when you arrive in Lukla, you can easily get stuck in Lukla for days if you’re unlucky with full flights or bad weather, I was lucky and got the last ticket out of Lukla the next day. After I flew out, it was NO flight for 8days coz of bad weather and heavy winds.

Additional info about Mount Everest basecamp trek

Do you need a guide for the Mount Everest basecamp trek?

For me, that question is very easy, a big NO. The Mount Everest base camp trek is such an easy trek that I would t recommend anyone to use a guide; it literally only one road, so you can’t go wrong. The guide might be able to tell you some history and information about the mountains and stuff but to find the way it’s absolutely not necessary.

Is the Mount Everest basecamp trek difficult?

I would say no, the Mount Everest base camp trek is a very easy trek, except for 2-3 steep climbs; the rest it’s fairly slow accent going up. If you acclimatise properly on the way up, it’s no reason you should no be able to finish the trek,

Price:

100 NPR = 1USD

Prices in Kathmandu,  EVERYTHING is more expensive on the Mount Everest basecamp trek,

1L Bottle of water  – 15NPR
0.33L Coke/Pepsi – 35NPR
A meal in a local restaurant – 50NPR for a plate of momos, 150NPR for dal bhat
A meal in a good restaurant – 5000NPR
A big meal at KFC –  460NPR
Coffee in a coffee chain – 200NPR
Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) – 140NPR
Beer local 0.5L can – 200NPR
Beer imported 0.5L(Heineken) – 500NPR

Gasoline (1 litre) – 140NPR

  • A lot of people think the trek to Mount Everest basecamp is very expensive; the fact is, it’s not.
  • Flight Kathmandu – Lukla has a set price for 155USD each way.
  • Guesthouses range from “free” to about 300NPR a night; a lot of guesthouses offer free accommodation as long as you have dinner and breakfast there.
  • Meals are from 150NPR for noodle soup to about 400/500NPR if you want something with meat.
  • Water and soda are gone be your highest expense; a few guesthouses offer free refill of water, and its
  • Also a few streams and rivers you can refill your bottles from; the prices range from 80 rps to about 300 rps a water bottle on the way and about 200NPR to 400NPR for a bottle of Coca-Cola.
  • For me, the 11days trek cost me about 200USD for everything plus the flights, I could have done it a bit cheaper, but I rather spend money on proper food.

Internet along Mount Everest basecamp trek

One big difference these days compared to when I did the trek the last time is that you get WIFI all the way to Gorak Shep, in Lukla, Manjo and Namche Bazar free WiFi is offered by a few of the guesthouses, restaurants for free, while further up the trek you normally have to between 200-500rps for use.

Electricity on the Mount Everest basecamp trek

In most guesthouses and restaurants all the way from Lukla to Gorak Shep, you would have to pay to charge your gadgets with a few of the restaurants in Lukla and Namche offering it for free along as you have a meal there.

The further up the trek you get the more expensive it becomes to charge your stuff, some places charge about 200rps each hour you want to charge, unfortunate the electricity is very weak with a lot of power-cuts so it can easily take 5hours plus to charge a phone or camera battery.

BEER

Nepal got a surpassingly big amount of different beer for its small size of a country, some of them are pretty good and easy drinkable, but some of them is horrible. Carlsberg and Tuborg are also widely available, but for a higher price than the local beer.

Gorkha Beer

Gorkha Beer is one of the most common of the local beers; it’s brewed by Gorkha Brewery and launched in 2006

Ghorkha beer in Nepal

Type – Pale Lager
Strength – 5.5%
Price – 200NPR
Taste – A clear, quite pale golden beer with a small, white head. The aroma is fruity and grainy with a touch of rice cooking water. Easy to drink.
Hangover? None at all.

Score – 5/10

Everest Premium Lager

Everest Premium lager is another one of the most common local beers in Nepal, its brewed by Mount Everest Brewery and was launched in 2003

everest beer in Nepal

Type – Pale Lager
Strength – 5%
Price – 200NPR
Taste-Pale gold with a modest white head that doesn’t last too well. Grainy aroma, some light spices.very easy to drink
Hangover? none at all

Score 5/10

Nepal Ice

Nepal Ice is another one of the popular local beers brewed locally in Nepal, its brewed by Sungold Brewery and launched in 2006

nepal beer

Type – Pale Lager
Strength – 5.5%
Price – 190NPR
Taste- Clear thin golden, medium bubbly white head, thin. Mild aroma, bit malty, easy to drink.
Hangover? None

Score – 5/10

Commando Super Strong

Commando super-strong beer in Nepal

Commando super-strong beer in Nepal

Commando Super Strong seems to be the most popular beer for the locals. It’s brewed by Himalayan breweries.

Type – Malt Liquor
Strength – 6.5%
Price – 190NPR
Taste – Pours clear golden with a white head. The aroma has notes of malt, grain, corn and grass. Strong Taste, I’m not a fan.
Hangover? a small headache

Score – 3/10

Kathmandu

The last of the most common local beers is Kathmandu, brewed by Himalayan Brewery.
nepal beer

Type – Pale Lager
Strength – 5.5%
Price – 190NPR
Taste – Pours clear golden with a white head. The aroma has notes of malt, caramel and grassy. Taste is medium sweet and lightly bitter, Easy to drink.
Hangover? None.

Score – 5/10

Travel Tip about how to hike to Mount Everest Basecamp in Nepal on a budget. #nepal #hiking #mountain #travel #travelblogger #travelblog #traveltips

How to hike to Mount Everest basecamp in Nepal on the budget, do I you need a guide, or can I go on my own. How much do I have to walk each day

Like it? Share it, Pin it!

DINESH

Monday 30th of September 2019

Hi, thanks for providing such a great info, could you tell something about the route from Pangboche to highest level to Everest 8750 m (south ridge from Nepal). Also, is there any age, fitness test and tourist season time to travel.

rainbow mountain trek

Monday 10th of June 2019

Hi! thank you for your post, i’m planning to head to Nepal in October. Two questions: is it necessary to book accommodation on the way up? Can I just show up and find something? It worries me a bit.

Christian L.

Monday 10th of June 2019

Hello. You can just show up, there´s no online booking for 99% of the guesthouses along the way, just start early in the morning and you will have no problem getting a place to sleep-

A Hike To The New Rainbow Mountain In Peru. | Unusual Traveler

Monday 16th of April 2018

[…] used to high altitude hikes so for me it only took 20minitues to cover the 150m (492ft) up altitude climb. The other people in […]

BAGHA

Monday 16th of April 2018

My question is to Chriastian

BAGHA

Monday 16th of April 2018

When did you last visited EBC and what are the cost involvement for food and lodge during EBC trek if I wish to trek in the middle of May-18 onwards?