Everest Base Camp Trek

Pre-monsoon Mar-May & post-monsoon late Sep-Nov (best visibility Oct-Nov); avoid monsoon Jun-Aug (cloud, Lukla delays) & deep winter cold Dec-Feb

Lukla flight cancellations (weather), afternoon cloud, extreme cold/wind high up, altitude sickness (AMS/HAPE/HACE)

Rhododendron bloom in lower Khumbu in spring (Mar-Apr); clearest Himalaya panoramas Oct-Nov; Mani Rimdu festival at Tengboche in autumn (dates vary) - booking hook

Stone-paved village paths, rocky moraine near EBC, suspension bridges, glacial terrain at Gorakshep

Non-technical trail (well-trodden, teahouses every few hours); suspension bridges; crux is altitude, distance, cold - not terrain

Obvious, busy trail; a guide is now effectively required (see permits) so independent navigation is moot; solo strongly discouraged at altitude

Requires good cardio fitness & altitude tolerance; kids/elderly only if very fit and well-acclimatized; not wheelchair accessible

Himalayan tahr, musk deer, danphe (Himalayan monal), yaks (pack animals); snow leopard extremely rare (unlikely)

Rhododendron & pine forest lower; alpine scrub then barren above the tree line (~4,000 m)

Very popular in peak seasons; teahouses & trail busy in Oct & Apr; trekker cap trialled in peak October

Natural turnarounds at Namche Bazaar (3,440 m), Tengboche (3,867 m) or Dingboche (4,410 m) - a group can split, weaker members resting/descending while others continue; add-ons: Gokyo Lakes, Three Passes, Kala Patthar sunrise; heli return from Gorakshep

Fly Kathmandu -> Lukla (Tenzing-Hillary Airport, ~30-40 min; in peak season some flights shift to Ramechhap/Manthali - confirm); trek begins on foot from Lukla

Domestic flight to/from Lukla is the key logistic; weather delays common - build in buffer days; heli charters available

Teahouse lodges every 1-3 hrs (Phakding, Namche, Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorakshep) - basic dorms/rooms; peak season fills, agencies pre-book; premium lodges lower down. Confirm.

Full cold-weather kit, down jacket, -10 to -20C sleeping bag, sturdy boots, layers, sun protection; water via teahouse boiled/treated (avoid single-use plastic); Everest Link Wi-Fi cards + patchy cell; carry cash (few ATMs above Namche)

Teahouses every 1-3 hrs the whole route (meals, beds, toilets, paid charging/Wi-Fi); bakeries & gear shops to Namche; last ATMs at Namche; quality and warmth thin out above Dingboche

A licensed guide (via a TAAN-registered agency) is now effectively required in Khumbu - the previous local flexibility has largely closed and solo trekkers report being turned back at Monjo; a minority of sources still describe solo as technically legal. Treat as guide-required and CONFIRM the current rule before booking. Typical crew: licensed guide + porter/porter-guide (~1 porter per 2 trekkers); agencies arrange sherpa support. Vendor-bookable.

Altitude sickness (AMS/HAPE/HACE) is the principal danger - acclimatization days at Namche & Dingboche are essential; Lukla flight risk; cold; expensive rescue - insurance mandatory

Descent IS the treatment - turn down at any village; heli evac widely available weather permitting (insurance mandatory, agencies coordinate); HRA aid post at Pheriche (seasonal, plus Everest ER at base camp in spring); guides carry pulse oximeters; Lukla flight is the region exit