Everest Base Camp Trek

Getting there: Fly into Kathmandu (Tribhuvan International Airport). Most nationalities, including US citizens, can get a Nepal visa on arrival — roughly $30 for 15 days, $50 for 30 days. From Kathmandu, the Lukla flight takes about 35 minutes; in peak seasons (spring and autumn), flights often depart from Ramechhap instead, about a 4–5 hour drive from the capital. Budget around $360–480 round trip for the flight.

Permits: Two permits are required — the Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit (about NPR 3,000 / ~$30) and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit (about NPR 2,000 / ~$20). The park permit is available in Kathmandu or at Monjo; the local permit is issued in Lukla or Monjo. The old TIMS card has largely been replaced by the local permit for the standard EBC route, though rules shift periodically — verify current requirements shortly before your trip.

Guides and porters: Nepal has tightened rules on independent trekking in recent years, and regulations in the Everest region have gone back and forth — check the current status before planning a solo trek. Regardless of the rules, most first-timers hire a licensed guide ($25–40/day) and a porter ($25–35/day, carrying up to ~20 kg). A good guide handles logistics, monitors you for altitude symptoms, and can organize an evacuation if things go wrong.

Altitude sickness: This is the trek's real danger. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) can affect anyone regardless of fitness. Ascend slowly, take both acclimatization days, drink 3–4 liters of water daily, avoid alcohol on the way up, and never ignore worsening symptoms — headache, nausea, dizziness, or unusual fatigue. Descent is the cure. Many trekkers carry Diamox (acetazolamide) after consulting their doctor.

Insurance: Non-negotiable. Get travel insurance that explicitly covers trekking up to 6,000 meters and helicopter evacuation. A rescue flight from the upper Khumbu can cost several thousand dollars out of pocket without it.

Accommodation and food: You'll sleep in teahouses — simple lodges with twin rooms, shared bathrooms, and a wood-or-dung-fired stove in the dining room. Rooms are cheap (a few dollars to ~$10, rising with altitude) with the expectation that you eat where you sleep. The staple meal is dal bhat (lentils, rice, and vegetables) with unlimited refills; menus also include noodles, fried rice, pasta, momos, and pancakes. Expect food prices to roughly double between Lukla and Gorak Shep.

Money: There are ATMs in Namche, but don't count on them working. Carry enough Nepalese rupees in cash from Kathmandu for the entire trek — budget $25–40 per day on the trail for food, water, charging, Wi-Fi, and hot showers.

Connectivity: NCELL and NTC SIM cards work patchily up the valley; Everest Link Wi-Fi cards are sold in most teahouses. Charging your devices costs $2–5 per device at altitude, so a power bank (or two) is worth its weight.

Water: Skip bottled water — it gets expensive ($4+ per liter high up) and creates plastic waste. Bring purification tablets, a filter, or a UV pen and refill from teahouse taps.

Packing essentials: Broken-in hiking boots, layered clothing (base layers, fleece, insulated jacket, waterproof shell), a warm hat and gloves, sunglasses (category 3–4), high-SPF sunscreen, a headlamp, and a four-season sleeping bag rated to at least -10°C (teahouse blankets alone won't cut it up high). Almost everything can be bought or rented cheaply in Kathmandu or Namche.

Training: You don't need to be an athlete, but you should be comfortable hiking 5–7 hours a day on consecutive days. In the months before the trek, prioritize cardio (hiking, stair climbing, running) and long walks with a loaded daypack.

Flight delays: Lukla's weather cancels flights regularly. Build 1–2 buffer days into your itinerary before your international departure. In a pinch, shared helicopters fly when planes can't — at a price.