Everest Base Camp: Is it worth it? The question I kept asking myself
It's at about 4000m above sea level that I start questioning my life choices. More specifically, why I thought it would be fun to spend eight days hiking to Everest Base Camp.
At times, I suspect I'm not alone. As we near our goal, the excited chatter from the start of the trek is replaced by the sound of gasping breaths. At times, the exercise feels like some kind of self-imposed punishment.
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The airports pilots quietly dread
more... more Himalayas or a runway perched on a cliff, these are the airports pilots quietly dread...
Whether it's a hairpin turn over the... ... more
After flying from Kathmandu to Lukla (home to the world's scariest runway), it's an eight-day trek to basecamp. Lie-ins are non-existent. Days start at 6.30am when my friend and I repack our 15kg duffels with items needed during overnight stays, and hand them to our wonderful porter, BB, who tosses this 30kg load onto his back before heading off at a speed which makes our pace look positively sluggish.
Some of the steepest sections are at the start of the trek. The trail which takes us to the town of Namche is a soul-destroying series of steep switchbacks, then there are the endless chain bridges spanning raging rivers. On several occasions we're halfway across one before spotting a herd of yaks (with no intention of giving way) crossing from the other side.
Yaks on the trek to Everest Base Camp. Picture: Tamara Hinson
But then there are moments which make it worthwhile – the camaraderie between fellow trekkers (a big shout-out to the Norwegian hikers who reassured me that my skull-cracking headache didn't mean I was dying, just that I needed to drink more) and the ever-changing landscapes. Initially, the trail weaves through fragrant pine forests and past raging rivers of blue glacial meltwater. Beyond the tree line, forests are replaced by jagged, sky-scraping peaks and scree-covered slopes twisting past monasteries and cemeteries where prayer flag-draped piles of stones honour climbers and sherpas – people like Babu Chiri Sherpa, who summitted Everest 10 times, once spending 21 hours at its peak (without auxiliary oxygen), before tumbling into a crevasse a few years later.
The rumble of rockfalls regularly reminds us of the risks faced by those attempting to summit the world's tallest mountain – as well as the guides who double as their lifelines. I'm blown away by the stamina of the porters who jog past us, humming to Nepali pop songs playing from portable speakers despite having household appliances strapped to their backs. In Namche, which is perched at 3440m and has no roads (almost all building supplies are portered there, although helicopters transport some of the heaviest loads), I spot a thong-wearing Nepali with two doors on his back, and several carrying stacks of mattresses destined for basecamp.
A trekker expresses her joy at the astounding view of Mount Everest and Lhotse with prayer flags near Namche Bazaar, Nepal.
A fun fact – Everest Base Camp, it turns out, is a miniature tented town (albeit one out of bounds to anyone apart from those attempting to summit Everest, along with their support crews), with tents kitted out with double beds, bars and pool tables.
Which, to point out, our accommodation doesn't have. The teahouses we stay in are lovely, but once we're over 4000m, they're somewhat basic, with intermittent electricity. On our final nights there's no heating in the bedrooms (which means ice forms on the inside of the windows) and showers are abandoned because the pipes are frozen.
A porter carries a large load on the base camp trek. Picture: Tamara Hinson
On our second to last day, I feel somewhat broken. Prasant, our wonderful Highland Expeditions guide, hands out anti-nausea pills, but our room is so cold that my friend and I discuss peeing in our room's waste paper bin, rather than the teahouse's communal toilet, should we need the loo overnight.
But the next morning, we awake to bluebird skies which coax us through the longest day – eight hours of hiking. About 3pm we reach the famous boulder marking not only the entrance to basecamp but the end of our trek, and we join a queue of hikers waiting to pose atop the supersized rock, unfurling flags and banners.
It's a wonderful moment, and that evening, as I wriggle into the depths of my sleeping bag, I decide that it's all been worth it. And the best bit? I never had to pee in the waste paper bin. Winning.
Tamara Hinson and Danni Geraghty at the entrance to basecamp.
How to do the Everest Base Camp trek
You'll typically start the eight-day (one-way) trek from the Nepalese town of Lukla (2860m above sea level) after a short 30-minute flight from Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. We recommend packages such as the ones offered by Highland Expeditions, most of which include accommodation in Kathmandu before and after the trek, flights to Lukla, the services of a guide and porter, and all accommodation during the trek. Prices start from around $2843 for return treks to Everest Base Camp to $6498 for one-way treks with luxury accommodation (where available) and helicopter flights back to Kathmandu.
Top tips for hiking Everest Base Camp
Tourist visas for Nepal can be arranged beforehand or purchased on arrival at Kathmandu airport. Ensure your travel insurance covers you for high-altitude trekking and includes medivac coverage (emergency evacuation, typically by helicopter) in the event of medical emergencies.
Originally published as I hiked Everest Base Camp, and in the end, it was worth it
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Everest Base Camp: Is it worth it? The question I kept asking myself
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. It's at about 4000m above sea level that I start questioning my life choices. More specifically, why I thought it would be fun to spend eight days hiking to Everest Base Camp. At times, I suspect I'm not alone. As we near our goal, the excited chatter from the start of the trek is replaced by the sound of gasping breaths. At times, the exercise feels like some kind of self-imposed punishment. The airports pilots quietly dread Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 19.62% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:50 SUBSCRIBER ONLY The airports pilots quietly dread more... more Himalayas or a runway perched on a cliff, these are the airports pilots quietly dread... Whether it's a hairpin turn over the... ... more After flying from Kathmandu to Lukla (home to the world's scariest runway), it's an eight-day trek to basecamp. Lie-ins are non-existent. Days start at 6.30am when my friend and I repack our 15kg duffels with items needed during overnight stays, and hand them to our wonderful porter, BB, who tosses this 30kg load onto his back before heading off at a speed which makes our pace look positively sluggish. Some of the steepest sections are at the start of the trek. The trail which takes us to the town of Namche is a soul-destroying series of steep switchbacks, then there are the endless chain bridges spanning raging rivers. On several occasions we're halfway across one before spotting a herd of yaks (with no intention of giving way) crossing from the other side. Yaks on the trek to Everest Base Camp. Picture: Tamara Hinson But then there are moments which make it worthwhile – the camaraderie between fellow trekkers (a big shout-out to the Norwegian hikers who reassured me that my skull-cracking headache didn't mean I was dying, just that I needed to drink more) and the ever-changing landscapes. Initially, the trail weaves through fragrant pine forests and past raging rivers of blue glacial meltwater. Beyond the tree line, forests are replaced by jagged, sky-scraping peaks and scree-covered slopes twisting past monasteries and cemeteries where prayer flag-draped piles of stones honour climbers and sherpas – people like Babu Chiri Sherpa, who summitted Everest 10 times, once spending 21 hours at its peak (without auxiliary oxygen), before tumbling into a crevasse a few years later. The rumble of rockfalls regularly reminds us of the risks faced by those attempting to summit the world's tallest mountain – as well as the guides who double as their lifelines. I'm blown away by the stamina of the porters who jog past us, humming to Nepali pop songs playing from portable speakers despite having household appliances strapped to their backs. In Namche, which is perched at 3440m and has no roads (almost all building supplies are portered there, although helicopters transport some of the heaviest loads), I spot a thong-wearing Nepali with two doors on his back, and several carrying stacks of mattresses destined for basecamp. A trekker expresses her joy at the astounding view of Mount Everest and Lhotse with prayer flags near Namche Bazaar, Nepal. A fun fact – Everest Base Camp, it turns out, is a miniature tented town (albeit one out of bounds to anyone apart from those attempting to summit Everest, along with their support crews), with tents kitted out with double beds, bars and pool tables. Which, to point out, our accommodation doesn't have. The teahouses we stay in are lovely, but once we're over 4000m, they're somewhat basic, with intermittent electricity. On our final nights there's no heating in the bedrooms (which means ice forms on the inside of the windows) and showers are abandoned because the pipes are frozen. A porter carries a large load on the base camp trek. Picture: Tamara Hinson On our second to last day, I feel somewhat broken. Prasant, our wonderful Highland Expeditions guide, hands out anti-nausea pills, but our room is so cold that my friend and I discuss peeing in our room's waste paper bin, rather than the teahouse's communal toilet, should we need the loo overnight. But the next morning, we awake to bluebird skies which coax us through the longest day – eight hours of hiking. About 3pm we reach the famous boulder marking not only the entrance to basecamp but the end of our trek, and we join a queue of hikers waiting to pose atop the supersized rock, unfurling flags and banners. It's a wonderful moment, and that evening, as I wriggle into the depths of my sleeping bag, I decide that it's all been worth it. And the best bit? I never had to pee in the waste paper bin. Winning. Tamara Hinson and Danni Geraghty at the entrance to basecamp. How to do the Everest Base Camp trek You'll typically start the eight-day (one-way) trek from the Nepalese town of Lukla (2860m above sea level) after a short 30-minute flight from Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. We recommend packages such as the ones offered by Highland Expeditions, most of which include accommodation in Kathmandu before and after the trek, flights to Lukla, the services of a guide and porter, and all accommodation during the trek. Prices start from around $2843 for return treks to Everest Base Camp to $6498 for one-way treks with luxury accommodation (where available) and helicopter flights back to Kathmandu. Top tips for hiking Everest Base Camp Tourist visas for Nepal can be arranged beforehand or purchased on arrival at Kathmandu airport. Ensure your travel insurance covers you for high-altitude trekking and includes medivac coverage (emergency evacuation, typically by helicopter) in the event of medical emergencies. Originally published as I hiked Everest Base Camp, and in the end, it was worth it
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