There are a few major factors you need to consider when preparing for your Everest Base Camp Trek. When you combine the elevation gains, the daily distances, weight you will carry on a daily basis and the lack of oxygen in your body, then you will then be able to formulate the correct training plan for your journey. Coming on the Everest Base Camp trek with the correct physical preparations will be paramount in whether or not you can safely and successfully reach your goal.
The reason the elevation gains are important to your training is so that you can make sure you are reaching these gains in your daily training and can build up to doing this on a multi-day basis. Once you sign up for our trips, we are happy to assist you with coming up with the correct training program for your Everest Base Camp experience. CONTACT US and we can help you fully understand the challenges of trekking to Everest.
Here is a short breakdown of the elevation gains for our Everest Base Camp treks in Nepal. If you are on one of our Sleeping in Base Camp treks, days 9 and 10 will be slightly different than the information below.
Day 1). Fly Into Lukla
The Lukla airport sits at a height of 2,850m/ 9,350 feet. From there, you will walk through the town before going down hill for 315m/ 1,033 feet. After that, you will then head back up 315m/ 1,033 feet over uneven terrain. This hike today will take approximately 6 hours. We always aim to reach Monjo on the first day of our treks. However, if we arrive late into the mountains, we aim for Phakding, which take 3 hours. There are lots of steps up and down on this part of the trail. Distance: 13km/ 8.8 miles
Day 2). Namche Bazaar
If we have made it to Monjo the day prior, then you will start the day with a hike up 740m/ 2,427 feet up hill, over suspension bridges on uneven terrain to reach Namche Bazaar. There are some short down hill sections on steps and it will take approximately 4 hours to reach Namche. After crossing through Jorsalle and into the Sagarmatha National park, you drop down hill over another suspension bridge before hiking alongside the river and up steps to the high suspension bridge. From the high bridge you need to pace yourself as it will take two hours, uphill, to reach the village of Namche Bazaar. Distance: 8km/ 5 miles
Day 3). Acclimatization Day
We spend 3 nights in Namche Bazaar, which greatly aids in your acclimatization and therefore gives you a safer and more successful ascent to Everest Base Camp. You hike up 120m/ 400 feet to the Sherpa Museum to acclimatize. This is just a short 30 minute hike each way. The team will relax up at this elevation for a few hours, and learn more about the Sherpa culture, the national park and keep adapting to the lower levels of oxygen. Distance: 1km/ .6 miles
Day 4). Acclimatization Day
Today is our second day acclimatizing in Namche Bazaar. Having three nights in Namche gives our clients the best chance of a safe and successful trek to Base Camp. Today, the team will hike up 460m/ 1,500 feet up and 460m/ 1,500 feet downhill. Today will be approximately three to four hours of trekking. The trail will take the team up and down steep steps up out of Namche Bazaar to Shangbouche Hill. However, the views from Shangbouche Hill will be worth the effort! More acclimatization will help you as you move higher. Distance: 3km/ 1.8 miles
Day 5). Tengbouche
Today we will hike up out of Namche Bazaar and then traverse the side of the mountain gaining 260m/ 850 feet of elevation. Then, you will drop down 300m/ 984 feet to the lunch spot. After lunch, you will have the steep uphill Tengbouche Hill, which is 600m/ 1,968 feet. This hill alone takes 2 hours to get up to Tengbouche. The total time trekking today is about six hours. This is another challenging day for a lot of people. Pacing, hydration and lots of prior training is needed. Distance: 12km/ 7.5 miles
Day 6). Dingbouche
Today you will first hike down 110m/ 360 feet to the river side and then go back up 518m/ 1,673 feet passing through Pangbouche on route to Dingbouche. The hike today will take approximately six hours and you will reach a new height record. Distance: 12km/ 7.5 miles
Day 7). Acclimatization Day
Our trips all spend 2 nights in Dingbouche to further aid in the acclimatization process. Today, you hike up 490m/ 1,600 feet and back down 1,600 ft. The trek will take about four hours and this is an important acclimatization day. The mountains start to get very close and if the weather is clear this is one of the best mountain scenes you will ever see. Distance: 3km/ 1.86 miles
Day 8). Lobuche
Today you will move towards Lobuche. Firstly, you will move on gradual terrain, as you hike up 520m/ 1,700 feet. You will reach Tukla for your early lunch. After lunch, you will begin the uphill trek up the Tukla Pass. This will take approximately 45 min to one hour. At the top of the Tukla Pass you will have time to enjoy a break at the Everest Memorial. Then, from the Memorial, the incline is more gradual uphill to Lobuche. The total time hiking today will be approximately five hours. Distance: 12km/ 7.5 miles
Day 9). Everest Base Camp – Gorak Shep
Today is your day. You will hike up 400m/ 1,300 feet and down 183m/ 600 feet into Everest Base Camp. Today should be approximately seven hours of trekking. You will leave at 6am and will arrive in Everest Base Camp by 12pm/ 1pm and aim to be back in Gorak Shep by 4pm. Today is a long and challenging day, but you will finally reach your goal of Everest Base Camp. Distance: 10km/ 6.2 miles
Day 10). Kala Patthar – Pheriche
Today is also a big and special day as you are aiming to stand on top of Kala Patthar at 5,645m/ 18,520 feet. You will wake early, before sunrise to begin the hike up to Kala Patthar. The total hike today will bring you uphill 365m/ 1,200 feet, and down 1,127m/ 3,700 feet. The total time hiking today will be around eight hours! This is another long day hiking up Kala Patthar early in the morning and then returning to Gorak Shep for Breakfast. Then, you will continue down the trail past Lobuche all the way to Pheriche or Dingbouche. Distance: 18km/ 11.2 miles
Day 11). Namche Bazaar
You will be up early today for the long road back to Namche Bazaar. Overall, today you will hike down 1,000m/ 3,280 feet and up 304m/ 1,000 feet on route to Namche Bazaar. Today is a long day, however reaching Namche and the showers in your room will be a treat! The total journey today will take about eight hours. Distance: 22km/ 13.7 miles
Day 12). Lukla
This will be your final day of trekking as you make your way back to Lukla. We will aim to get back to Lukla in the early evening after a long day of trekking. The return flight back to Kathmandu will be the following day. You will hike down 700m/ 2,296 feet, and up 365m/ 1,200 feet today. The total time of hiking is around eight hours, however, once you reach Lukla, you know that you have completed your goal! Distance: 21km/ 13 miles
If you are looking to learn more about the trail and how many miles you will cover each day, check out the daily distances on our Everest Base Camp trek.
The elevation gains for the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal are one element of the trek to Everest Base Camp. Therefore, you need to build up your training around the sort of elevation gains you will be doing on the trek. Also, remembering that you will be getting 30% to 50% less oxygen getting to your muscles. Your body will be under more pressure to adapt, so you need to have the physical conditioning for the distances and elevation up and down. Remember, altitude is cumulative, therefore, the higher you go the harder it gets.
Training Advice
In preparing for the elevation gains for the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal, you also need to build up to training with a weighted backpack. You should be building up to training with double the weight you will be carrying each day on the trail.
For example you will be carrying approximately 6kg/ 13lbs on each day of the hike. You will have your backpack, 2 liters of water, rain gear, sun cream, camera, snacks, small personal medical kit and and possibly an extra layer of clothing higher up. Therefore, you REALLY need to be building up to training with twice the weight at sea level. This will make sure that you are getting the right conditioning into the muscles. You will also be gaining the endurance, fitness and muscle memory needed to make the trek a safe and successful one.
For more information about how difficult it is trekking to Everest Base Camp, read more here. Then, with the combined information, you will then be able to formulate how much training you will need to do.
Get in Touch Today
If you are ready to take on the challenge of trekking into Everest Base Camp, then GET IN TOUCH today! Our team has the information and experience you need to give yourself the best chance of successfully reaching Base Camp. In addition, our teams have four guides for every group of ten trekkers, and safety is our number one concern. Let us help you reach the base of the World’s Highest Mountain!