Everest base camp trek difficulties

Everest base camp Trek may sound scary & daunting but it is not a difficult trek at all as much as it sounds. Every year more than 30,000 tourists enter nepal with a mission to Everest base camp trek which make it one of the most popular trek in Nepal. There are few brave individuals who actually stand at the top of world tallest mountain every year. And for rest the great option will be Everest base camp trek.

People of all age, shapes & sizes have completed the trek over the years. All it takes is a little bit of preparation & determination & you'll find out almost everyone can conquer the trek. Most of the people are mistaken about the fact that this trek requires mountaineering skills or techincal expertise. But infact the Everest base camp trek requires no technical expertise or mountaineering skills. It is basically a long hike at altitude.

There are still some consideration that need to be taken before you set on for Everest base camp trek despite being non-technical & completely available for anyone having basic fitness. Some of them are;-

·         Everest base camp trek difficulty- Length

The trek begins after your arrival at lukla from Kathmandu. Here your 65km trek to Everest base camp will begin. 65km may or may not be dreadful distance for you depending on your trekking experience. But even for unexperienced trekkers 65km isn't very far once you realize that the average walking speed of human id 5km per hour. During your trek you'll be covering 15km per day. It may not sound like much to you but one thing you should keep in your mind is that you will not be walking on a paved path that is flat. The terrain is often rocky, steep & fairly slow going. The condition of path may also depends on when you trek.

·         Everest base camp trek difficulty- Altitude

Altitude is by far the most difficult aspect in this trek which make it tougher that your usual trek with similar length. Acute mountain sickness(AMS) should not be understimated by anyone, especially when trekking a route of this altitude. The trek starts after your flight to lukla, which stands at just below 3,000m & then you make your way up to base camp at around 5,400m. The height from where you can experience breathtaking view of all region is kalapathar at just over 5,500m. Before your trek be sure to seek professional medical advice & information about AMS like symptoms & treatment to make yoursel fully aware about it. It is also necessary to know that altitude sickness have no relation with fitness level, age or gender.

·         Everest base camp trek difficulty- Weather & temperature

Uncertain weather & extreme temperature is another trekking difficulty caused by altitude. The weather cannot really be predicted in this part of the country.  Moreover, depending on the weather and altitude, the temperature can sharply drop down at the night, which even gets below the freezing level in winter.

Despite all these difficulties, this place on earth is able to attract thousands of trekkers every year. Its obvious that you will struggle during your trek, For some trekkers it might be more tougher than they expected & for some it might be less but once you make it to the top, you'll realise yourself that it was all worth it. The majestic view gives you all the reasons to forget about your pain & smile & be proud of your achievement.