The classic Everest Base Camp trek takes about 12 days from Kathmandu and back, including the flights to and from Lukla and two acclimatisation days. Allow 14 to 15 days in Nepal if you want a buffer for weather delays, because Lukla flights are often cancelled or pushed back. You need two permits, a Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and a Khumbu local municipality permit, and what decides whether you reach the top is how slowly you gain sleeping altitude, not how fit you are.
How many days does the Everest Base Camp trek take?
Most standard itineraries run 11 to 13 days door to door from Kathmandu, with 8 or 9 of those spent walking up to Gorak Shep and back. Shorter schedules exist, but they cut the rest days, and those rest days are the part of the plan that protects you from altitude sickness. A realistic trip is 12 days of plan plus two or three spare days at the end. Domestic flights from Lukla depend on the weather, and a bad run can strand you for a day or two, which could make you miss your international flight home. Treat the buffer as part of the itinerary, not a luxury.
What does a day-by-day itinerary with acclimatisation look like?
The table below is a common pattern that gains altitude gradually and puts a rest day at Namche Bazaar and at Dingboche. Altitudes are approximate and vary by source and by where in the village you sleep. Walking times are typically 3 to 7 hours a day, but you get slower as the air thins. Reaching Gorak Shep and Base Camp on the same day is long, so many people sleep at Gorak Shep, visit Base Camp in the afternoon and save the Kala Patthar viewpoint for the next morning.
| Day | Route | Sleeping altitude (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fly Kathmandu to Lukla, walk to Phakding | 2,600 m |
| 2 | Phakding to Namche Bazaar | 3,440 m |
| 3 | Rest day in Namche, short hike higher (e.g. towards Khumjung), sleep back in Namche | 3,440 m |
| 4 | Namche to Tengboche | 3,860 m |
| 5 | Tengboche to Dingboche | 4,410 m |
| 6 | Rest day in Dingboche, hike up and return to sleep | 4,410 m |
| 7 | Dingboche to Lobuche | 4,940 m |
| 8 | Lobuche to Gorak Shep, afternoon visit to Base Camp (about 5,364 m) | 5,160 m |
| 9 | Kala Patthar at dawn (about 5,640 m), then descend to Pheriche or Pangboche | about 4,000 to 4,400 m |
| 10 | Descend to Namche | 3,440 m |
| 11 | Namche to Lukla | 2,860 m |
| 12 | Fly Lukla to Kathmandu | 1,400 m |
Base Camp itself has no big view of the summit, and in trekking season it is a rocky area on the glacier moraine. Many walkers find Kala Patthar the better viewpoint. The descent goes faster than the climb, but your knees will notice it, so poles are worth packing. For the wider picture of the region, the Nepal trekking guide is the place to start, and a personal account of a trek in Nepal gives a sense of the mood on the trail.
Which permits do you need, and what do they cost?
You need two permits for the Everest region: the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality local permit. The park permit has traditionally been about NPR 3,000 per foreign visitor plus VAT, and the municipality permit has been about NPR 2,000 per person for the first weeks, though the local fee has changed in recent years. The old TIMS card was historically required on many routes, but in Khumbu the local permit has largely taken its place. Treat all of this as approximate: fees, names and which office issues what are set by the Nepali authorities, so confirm with the Nepal Tourism Board or your registered agency before you fly.
The park permit can usually be bought in Kathmandu or at the park entrance near Monjo, and the local permit is typically sold at a checkpoint on the way, such as Lukla or Phakding. Carry rupees in cash and a couple of passport photos, and keep the paper permits handy because several checkpoints inspect them. Nepal has also tightened rules around independent trekking, including moves to make licensed guides compulsory in some areas, and the details have shifted, so check the current position before you commit to going without a guide. Your visa is a separate matter, handled through the Department of Immigration, and the general visa and entry guide explains how to check requirements for any trip.
How do you avoid altitude sickness on the way up?
The rule most trekking medics repeat is to increase your sleeping altitude by roughly 300 to 500 metres a night once you are above about 3,000 metres, and to take a rest day for every 1,000 metres gained. The itinerary above follows that pattern, and it is why the climb from Dingboche to Gorak Shep is split into two shorter days. Climb high, sleep low is the useful habit: the rest-day hikes let your body feel a higher altitude, and you return to sleep lower. Drink plenty of water, eat even when you do not feel like it, and avoid alcohol on the way up. Fitness helps you walk, but it does not protect you from altitude sickness, and strong, fit people get sick too.
Know the warning signs before you leave:
- Mild AMS: headache, nausea, poor sleep, loss of appetite. Stop going up and rest at the same altitude.
- Getting worse: a headache that painkillers do not touch, vomiting, unusual tiredness. Go down.
- Emergency signs: confusion, stumbling as if drunk, breathlessness at rest, a wet cough. Descend immediately and arrange evacuation.
Acetazolamide (often called Diamox) is sometimes used to help acclimatisation, but ask a doctor or travel clinic before you go, as it is not suitable for everyone. Never ascend with symptoms, and never let a group schedule override how you feel.
When is the best time to go, and what does it cost?
The two main windows are spring (roughly March to May) and autumn (roughly October to November), when skies are usually clearer and paths drier. Autumn has just finished, so if you are planning for spring 2027, book your Lukla seat and rooms early, because the trail is busiest in April and the weeks around early May. Winter is colder and quieter, with some lodges closed higher up, and the summer monsoon brings cloud, rain and leeches at lower altitudes. Mountain weather is never guaranteed, even in the best months.
For budgeting, the main costs are the return Lukla flight (often a couple of hundred US dollars each way, with prices changing frequently), permits, teahouse lodging and food, a guide or porter if you hire one, and travel insurance. Teahouse prices rise with altitude because everything is carried up on foot, so a meal at Gorak Shep costs noticeably more than one at Phakding. Hot showers, device charging and Wi-Fi are usually extra. As a very rough guide, independent trekkers often plan a daily budget in the tens of US dollars before flights and guide fees, but get current quotes rather than rely on this. If you would rather compare organised options, you can compare Everest Base Camp tours on GetYourGuide (affiliate link: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you). The World Traveler does not sell trips and is not a travel agency, so check any operator's registration and what is included.
What should you sort out before you leave?
Insurance is the item people most often get wrong. Check that your policy explicitly covers trekking up to 5,500 metres or higher and covers helicopter evacuation, since rescue flights can be very expensive and some standard plans exclude them. The travel insurance basics explain what to look for in the wording, and the 2026 insurance review compares options. Your boots should be broken in before you arrive, and you should have layers for temperatures that fall well below freezing at night, a warm sleeping bag (or a rental), and a headlamp.
Finally, keep your plans flexible. Lukla flights run early in the morning, and in busy seasons some are routed from Ramechhap (Manthali) rather than Kathmandu, which means a very early road transfer, so ask your airline or agent which airport applies for your date. If you are comparing Everest with other long walks, the roundup of the world's best hikes may help. Plan dates, permits and insurance first, then book flights.
Everest Base Camp trek questions
How many days do you need for Everest Base Camp?
About 12 days from Kathmandu and back, including two acclimatisation days and the Lukla flights. Add 2 or 3 spare days for weather delays so you do not miss your flight home.
Do you need a guide for the Everest Base Camp trek?
Rules on independent trekking in Nepal have been tightened and have changed over time. Check the current requirement with the Nepal Tourism Board or a registered agency before you go.
Which permits are needed for Everest Base Camp?
A Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and a Khumbu local municipality permit. Fees have been roughly NPR 3,000 plus VAT and NPR 2,000, but confirm current amounts officially.
Can you get altitude sickness even if you are fit?
Yes. Fitness does not predict who gets altitude sickness. Gain sleeping altitude slowly, take the rest days, and descend if symptoms get worse instead of pushing on.
When is the best time to trek to Everest Base Camp?
Spring (about March to May) and autumn (about October to November) are the main windows, with clearer skies. Spring is the next one after this autumn, so book flights and rooms early.
Does travel insurance cover Everest Base Camp?
Only if the policy states trekking to about 5,500 m or higher and helicopter evacuation. Read the wording and ask the insurer in writing if it is unclear.
Rules, fees and flight arrangements in Nepal change from season to season. Confirm each of them with the Nepal Tourism Board, the national park or your registered trekking agency before you travel, and build rest days and spare days into your plan so that the weather and your own body can set the pace.
