The Complete Everest Base Camp Trek Guide: Permits, Teahouses, Budget and Altitude
The Everest Base Camp trek is the ultimate high-altitude pilgrimage — a two-week walk through Sherpa villages, over swaying suspension bridges, and past Buddhist monasteries in Sagarmatha National Park to stand at 5,364m beneath the Khumbu Icefall. This guide covers everything you need to plan it well: when to go, how to get there, where to sleep, what to eat, what it costs, and how to stay safe in thin air.
Overview
You'll trek roughly 12-14 days round trip from Lukla, including two crucial acclimatization days. The route climbs from Lukla (2,845m) through Phakding, Namche Bazaar (3,440m), Tengboche (3,867m), Dingboche (4,410m), and Lobuche (4,940m) to Gorak Shep (5,164m). From there you day-hike to Everest Base Camp itself at 5,364m and, the next morning, to the trek's true viewpoint prize — Kala Patthar at 5,644m.
A quirk worth knowing upfront: from Base Camp you can't actually see Everest's summit — Nuptse blocks it. The classic golden-dawn view comes from Kala Patthar. Both are worth every step.
Best time to visit
Two windows work. Pre-monsoon (March-May) and post-monsoon (late September-November). October offers the clearest skies and the most stable weather — it's the sweet spot. Winter is brutally cold, and the monsoon months (June-August) bring cloud, mud, and constant flight cancellations. If you can only pick one month, pick October.
Getting there: Kathmandu and the Lukla flight
You'll fly into Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International (KTM). Most nationalities get a visa on arrival — 15 days for about $30 USD, 30 days ~$50, 90 days ~$125, payable in USD cash. Your passport must be valid 6+ months.
From Kathmandu, the trek starts with the legendary Lukla flight — a 30-40 minute hop onto Tenzing-Hillary Airport's short, steeply inclined 527m runway at 2,845m. It's regularly called one of the world's most dramatic airports. Flights only run in clear morning weather and are routinely delayed or cancelled by cloud. In peak season (October, April), the flight often departs from Ramechhap instead, after a 4-5 hour pre-dawn drive from Kathmandu.
Build buffer days. Add at least 1-2 spare days at the end of your trip so a Lukla weather delay doesn't make you miss your international flight. In a full weather lockout, a helicopter charter out can cost $500+ per seat.
Where to stay: teahouses
Along the trail you'll sleep in teahouses — family-run lodges that get simpler and colder the higher you climb. In Namche you'll find hot showers, Wi-Fi, and genuine comfort; think of it as the last real luxury. Lower down, riverside lodges in Phakding are cozy and warm. Higher up — Lobuche, Gorak Shep — expect basic rooms, thin walls, a shared yak-dung stove in the dining room, and freezing nights.
Most teahouses expect you to eat dinner and breakfast where you sleep, which keeps room costs low (sometimes just a few hundred rupees, or even free if you dine in). Bring your -20°C sleeping bag for the high camps.
What to do along the way
Namche Bazaar (3,440m) — the Sherpa capital in a natural amphitheater. Sip a flat white at one of the world's highest cafes, visit the Sherpa Culture Museum, and hike up to the Everest View Hotel for your first peek at the mountain.
Tengboche Monastery (3,867m) — the largest in the Khumbu, framed by Everest and Ama Dablam. Attend the monks' prayer ceremony (free; remove shoes, no flash).
Everest Base Camp (5,364m) — the boulder-strewn moraine at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall, marked by prayer flags. A tent city in spring.
Kala Patthar (5,644m) — the pre-dawn climb for the definitive golden view of Everest.
Gokyo Lakes — a quieter, arguably more scenic alternative or add-on, six turquoise glacial lakes beside the Ngozumpa glacier, with the option to link over the Cho La pass.
Food
The trail runs on dal bhat — lentil soup, rice, vegetable curry, and pickle, usually with unlimited refills for around 500-700 NPR. It's the smart choice: cheap, filling, and the local wisdom "dal bhat power, 24 hour" isn't wrong. Beyond that, teahouse menus offer fried noodles, momos, Tibetan bread, garlic soup (a traditional altitude remedy — order it often), and surprisingly good bakery items. Namche and even Dingboche do apple pie, pizza, and espresso. Stick to vegetarian dishes higher up, where meat has been carried a long way without refrigeration.
Budget
Most people trek with an agency package covering guide, porter, permits, and the Lukla flight. On top of that, budget roughly $25-40 per day for food and lodging. Prices climb sharply with altitude — a bottle of water can hit 300-400 NPR at Gorak Shep, a hot shower 500-800 NPR, and phone charging 300-500 NPR.
Key line items:
Lukla flight: ~$180-220 one way (usually in your package)
Carry more cash than you think you'll need. ATMs vanish after Namche — those are the last reliable machines, and they charge high fees and often run dry.
Safety: altitude and AMS
The terrain is safe. The real danger is altitude. Above 3,000m, ignoring acute mountain sickness (AMS) can be fatal — and it can escalate to HAPE (fluid in the lungs) or HACE (brain swelling).
The rules that keep you safe:
Ascend slowly. Never gain more than ~500m of sleeping altitude per day up high.
Take the acclimatization days at Namche and Dingboche seriously — climb high, sleep low.
Drink 3-4L of water daily.
Watch for symptoms — headache, nausea, breathlessness. If they worsen, descend immediately. This is non-negotiable.
Many trekkers carry Diamox (acetazolamide) as a preventive after consulting a doctor.
Get insurance that explicitly covers high-altitude trekking to 6,000m and helicopter evacuation — confirm the altitude limit in writing. An airlift can otherwise cost $3,000-5,000. And be aware of the well-documented helicopter-evacuation scam: only agree to an airlift on genuine medical grounds.
Since 2023, Nepal requires solo trekkers to hire a licensed guide in most regions, Everest included. A reputable agency arranges the guide, porter, permits, and flights as one package.
Useful phrases
English is widely understood in teahouses, but a little Nepali goes a long way:
Nepali
Meaning
Namaste
Hello / greetings
Dhanyabad
Thank you
Tato pani
Hot water
Kati paisa?
How much?
Dal bhat
Lentils and rice (order this)
Bistarai
Slowly (your trail mantra)
And the Sherpa greeting you'll hear on the trail: Tashi delek — good fortune.
Get the season right, respect the altitude, carry cash, and let a good guide handle the logistics — and if you're routing home through northern India, the Golden Temple at Amritsar makes a serene, level-ground counterpoint to two weeks on the glacier. Do that, and the walk to 5,364m becomes exactly what it should be — the trip of a lifetime rather than a slog. The mountain has been there for millions of years. It'll be worth the two weeks it takes to reach it.
