The Highlights
“The world’s highest mountain is tagged with several great and good names.
The early name Peak XV, then Mount Everest, Sagarmatha, and Chomolungma.
The Third Pole, the summit of Mt. Everest as listed by the National Geographic.
Several routes to the summit of Mt. Everest from Tibet, China and Khumbu, Nepal.
The first successful ascent on May 29th 1953 by the late Tenzing & Edmund Hillary.”
Overviews
Where is Everest Base Camp? Why is Everest Base Camp Trek so popular ? Most people around the world are unaware of Mt. Everest location. Although there are several names for the same mountains, the most popular and known to the world is Mt. Everest. Similarly, Mt. Everest in Nepal is called Sagarmatha, the local Sherpa of Khumbu and across the border in Tibet. Chomolungma, in both languages, means a Great Mother as big as an ocean.
Mt. Everest straddles the borders between Nepal and Tibet, China.
The Northern Face belongs to Tibet, and the most popular South Face or Col
is in Nepal. Thousands of trekkers, adventurers, and mountaineers visit the
Mt. Everest South Base Camp at the best time of the season.
Mt. Everest towers at 8,848.86 m / 29,032 feet high. The new heights were declared on December 08th, 2020 by both countries, Nepal and Tibet, China. The southern side of Mt. Everest Base Camp is in Nepal’s Far North Mid-East within the Mahalangur Himalayan Ranges.
Around the district of Solu-Khumbu of the Everest region, about 300 km from Kathmandu. The capital city of Nepal, to reach, Everest Base Camp involves a short flight of 30-35 minutes to Lukla.
Lukla is the gateway town for various adventures around Khumbu, and Everest Base Camp. Lukla is the main gateway for Mera Peak Climbing and Everest Base Camp Trek. Lukla is a popular town with a small airstrip named Tenzing & Hillary Airport, a tribute to late legendary mountaineers. The first to conquer Mt. Everest on May 29th, 1953, from the Nepal side of South Col. The walk from Lukla takes about a week to reach Everest Base Camp, spending overnight at designated stops.
To cover a distance of approx. 65 k.m. / 41 miles one way. It includes rest days for acclimations at certain heights, especially at the famous Namche Bazaar and scenic Dingboche settlement.
Mt Everest Base Camp history and Location
In the early days of the past centuries, Mt. Everest was unknown as just a simple jagged peak of the Himalayan range. Then, the British and European Mountaineers were interested in the towering peaks of the Himalayas. In comparison to all the world’s mountain ranges of the Alps and Andes, the Himalayan peaks seemed like giants. In 1865, this highest mountain was called Peak XV. As years went by, it was renamed Mount Everest in tribute to Sir George Everest.
The Surveyor General of British India during his term from 1830 to 1843 AD. The first attempt was made on June 6th, 1924, by Irvine and Mallory, British veteran mountaineers. But so far, no one knows whether they have made the summit. They did not return from the summit bid, and the bodies were recovered in 1999 by other mountaineers.
Mt. Everest is located at Longitude and Latitude of 28°0′26″N 86°51′34″E, on the crest of the Great Himalayan ranges. At one time million years back it was under the sea or ocean. Then the Tectonic Plate thrust the whole ridges from the seas upwards towards the north from the south.
This was between 25 to 30 million years ago, as the rocky terrains began to rise. At present it is known as the Himalayas, the name Himalaya comes from the ancient Sanskrit word meaning the snow range.
The mountain is composed of multiple layers of rocks, consisting of metamorphic schists and gneisses. The summit top is hardened by igneous granites and sedimentary rocks of marine origin. The remnants, of the Tethys Sea, when it was submerged million years ago, with traces of a Yellow Band.
Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Everest
Mt. Everest Mountaineering Expeditions began in the early 20th Century from the Tibet side of North Col. But never succeeded to the summit, as Nepal was closed during the early days for outside visitors.
Nepal was under the rule of the Rana aristocratic regime until the early 1950s. A few groups of mountaineering expeditions began to venture into the new raw country of the Nepal Himalayan regions.
Until then, no one had stepped on the summit of the world’s number one peak. On May 29th, 1953, history in mountaineering was made by the British Expeditions led by Sir John Hunt. The British Expeditions had chosen two veteran mountaineers for the summit bid of Mt. Everest.
The famous and legendary Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal and Edmund Hillary from New Zealand conquered the summit of Mt. Everest.
From then on, Nepal and the high region of Khumbu were exposed, to the world. Then slowly the influx of foreign visitors, explorers, mountaineers, and trekkers began the adventurous journey around the Nepal Himalayas.
As well as Mt. Everest Base Camp, at present, has become one of the number one adventure destinations. Among the worldwide trekkers and mountaineers due to its picturesque locations in the backdrop of majestic Mt. Everest.
Facilities for trekkers to Everest Base Camp
Visitors to the Nepal Himalayas and Everest base camp will be surprised by the well-maintained routes to base camp. Trekkers can enjoy the best comfort of accommodations and food with options from budget and standard to luxury-class hotels and lodges.
The lodges are available in each designated overnight destination as you start the trek from Lukla. As you head towards the Everest Base Camp, find good meals and cozy lodges with the warm hospitality of the Sherpa. The lodges are available throughout the treks to Everest Base Camp up to Gorak Shep. The last settlements with good lodges before reaching Everest Base Camp. All lodges have a lighting system either from local hydroelectricity or solar power. Including Wi-Fi and Internet services, nearly in most lodges around the high Khumbu region of Everest.
The Best Season to Everest Base Camp
The best times to enjoy Everest Base Camp Trekking are spring and autumn/fall. The spring begins in March and ends in May, one of the high times for trekking and mountaineering expeditions. Most days are fine and clear, with longer sunshine hours from 6am to 6pm It can get overcast in the afternoon sometimes, with chances of light snowfalls. Spring is when the wildflowers are in seasonal bloom, especially the rhododendrons of various species and colors.
The next best season is autumn/fall, where most days are clear with sunshine, which starts from September to November. It is one of the high seasons for Everest Base Camp Trekking, where days are fine with crystal clear blue sky. But, it gets dark soon due to limited sunshine hours.
Morning and late afternoon until the nighttime is cold, with chances of snowfall above 3,000 m high. Interested trekkers can venture during the winter times of December to February, the low season for trekking.
Most days are clear, with sunny days for views and walks, despite the cold temperatures. The days are short due to limited sunlight hours, but enjoyable
Conclusion
Everest Base Camp is also the base of the world’s 4th highest Mt. Lhotse at 8,516 m high. Trekkers have a choice of routes to start the treks to Everest Base Camp, as per the duration of your holidays.
The longer and classic route is from Jiri Town and beyond to join the main trail at Phakding Village. The other is the eastern route from Tumlingtar near Makalu region. Take about weeklong treks to reach the main trail to Everest Base Camp. The shortest, most straightforward is flying to Lukla at Tenzing & Hillary Airport. After visiting Everest Base Camp, the return journey to Lukla is approx. of 11 to 12 days, with flights both ways.