Short Everest Base Camp Trek-Helicopter Return

Usually, Everest Base Camp Trek’s duration is around two weeks [14 days], but we have developed a short Everest Base Camp Trek comprising seven days itinerary. It is one of the budget treks of Everest Base Camp. If trekkers have a limited period and budget, they can opt for the short trek. Nevertheless, this trek takes you through the standard trail and offers you the same excitement and thrills as the standard package.

Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the most exciting journeys in northern Nepal, featuring the Himalayas and Alpine climate. The magnificent views of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Lobuche Peak, and Island Peak offer great relaxation in the challenging trek. Similarly, culturally rich places like Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Pangboche, and Lobuche reflect the insights of Tibetan Buddhism in the region. Similarly, the diverse flora and fauna and the hospitable society of the Sherpa people will soothe the trek.

Let’s uncover the details of our Short Everest Base Camp Trek in the blog below!!

Highlights of Short Everest Base Camp Trek

• Magnificent views of the peaks from Mahalangur Mountain Range, including Mount Everest, Lobuche Peak, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, and Nuptse.
• Visit Kala Patthar and view the sunrise, sunset, and picturesque vistas of snow-capped mountains.
• Fly back to Kathmandu from Kala Patthar, enjoying the aerial views of mountains, green forests, valleys, gorges, and traditional Sherpa Villages.
• Visit Tengboche and Pangboche Monastery
• Reach Namche Bazaar, Gate of Everest, and be involved in cultural exploration and the diverse people, lifestyles, and traditions.
• Traverse through Imja Valley and reach Gorakshep, the last Sherpa Settlement in the Everest Region.
• Spectacular vistas of Khumbu Glacier and Gorakshep Tsho
• Cross high-altitude passes like Thokla Pass [4830 meters] and Lobuche Pass [5110 meters]

7 Days Short Everest Base Camp Trek-Helicopter Return Altitude Chart

Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty Level | Can I Do It?

The short Everest Base Camp Trek is labeled as a moderately difficult trek. But several factors influence the difficulty level of this trek. Factors such as weather conditions and time of the year can impact the fluctuations in the difficulty. For example, in monsoon, the trails are usually wet, making it challenging to embark via routes. The winter season brings extremely cold temperatures around the Everest region, making breathing hard. The Short Everest Base Camp Trek does not include any technical climb, but here are some aspects that trekkers should consider before embarking on this trek:

Physical Fitness:

The trail to Everest Base Camp features rugged and rocky landscapes. And the steep edges add more risks to this landscape. Similarly, it also features a long duration of walk, steep ascents and descents, and high altitudes. So physical fitness is highly required.

Trekking Experience:

Trekkers must have prior trekking experience to embark on this journey soulfully. Since it is considered a moderately challenging trek, trekkers must have experience in short and easy treks and know traversing through rocky and rugged landscapes. The high altitudes might be a problem for trekkers, so having been exposed to high altitudes before might be helpful and keep you away from altitude-related illnesses.

Altitude Acclimatization:

Our package has no provisions for altitude acclimatization, but it does not necessarily mean we just let things go easy. We know it is essential and plan our itinerary accordingly. Focusing on the gradual ascent, most of our trekking phases are around 5 hours, except for the final push from Lobuche to Everest Base Camp. Nevertheless, we focus on proper nutrition, hydration, and enough sleep and rest during the trek.

Mental Preparedness:

Trekkers should be mentally prepared for this trekking package. Especially if you are going on off-season, then you must be acknowledged with the extreme weather and climate, freezing temperatures, and steep landscapes. Hiking for a long duration might be exhausting physically and mentally. So, having prior preparedness is essential for this.

Guided Trek:

Whether you are a professional trekker or a beginner, it is always recommended to take a guided trek. These treks provide essential guidance, ensure safety, and offer assistance throughout the journey. This will enhance your chances of completing the trek as well.

Best Time to Go for Short Everest Base Camp Trek

The best time to go for the short Everest Base Camp Trek is the peak seasons of Spring and Autumn. During these times, the weather is suitable for trekking and other adventurous activities, as the environment supports the trekkers with feasibility. Here are some reasons why Spring and Autumn are considered the best times to go for this trek:

Spring (March to May):

Spring is the best time to embark on any Nepal trek, including Everest Base Camp Trek. During this time, the weather is stable, and the climate is in your favor. The mild temperature helps your navigation and does not create hassles while embarking on a long journey. Similarly, the sky is blue with fewer clouds, giving you proper visibility of the mountain ranges and surroundings. There is less chance of rainfall and snowfall, which makes the climate favorable to trek. Similarly, the routes are dry and crisp, a plus point for navigation.

Besides, the spring season is a season of colors. The whole forest of the surroundings goes green, and the flowers are in full bloom, which offers a colorful scenery. So whether you are a nature lover or not, the scenes are insightful and breathtaking.

See also:

• Everest Base Camp Trek in April
• Everest Base Camp Trek in March
• Everest Base Camp Trek in May

Autumn (September to November):

Autumn is another best time to go on the Short Everest Base Camp Trek. It also has many similar features to Spring. Some of them are stable weather and climate conditions, mild temperatures, clear skies, and fewer clouds. Whether for sightseeing or long walks, Autumn has a favorable environmental condition, as you expect. The scenic beauty of the snow-capped peaks, lush green forests, traditional villages, rivers, and others will surely be breathtaking during the Autumn. Similarly, the minimal rainfall and snowfall make navigating easy and convenient.

Autumn is also the time of festivals in Nepal - major festivals like Dashain and Tihar fall under this time. During your stay in Nepal, you can delve into the cultural overview of the Hindu Religion and Nepalese people. Festivals are the best means to learn about the country's cultural aspects.

You may also like:

• Everest Base Camp Trek in October
• Everest Base Camp Trek in November
• Everest Base Camp Trek in September

Off-Peak Season Trek | Another Budget-Minimizing Option

Off-Peak season treks are usually carried out during Monsoon and Winter seasons in Nepal. When it comes to the Short Everest Base Camp Trek, it is possible to go during the off-season. However, it poses significant risks and dangers during these times. During the monsoon season (June to August), the Everest region features heavy rainfall, which makes the trail wet and slippery. It will create obstacles in safe navigation on the journey. Similarly, heavy rainfall brings the debris uphill and floods from upstream, which may risk human life. Similarly, risks of landslides and thunderstruck are high during the monsoon.

The winter season has a low temperature below 0 Degrees Celsius in the Everest Region. Lower destinations like Lukla and Phakding are usually warmer than others. But the high altitude locations such as Lobuche, Pangboche, Gorakshep, and Base Camp features freezing temperature. The air is thin with low oxygen levels here, and the freezing temperature puts oil on the fire. Trekkers are usually at risk of frostbite, heavy snowfall, sharp winds, and rockfalls during the winter season.

If you are looking forward to going on an off-season trek to Everest Base Camp, we recommend you go on a guided trek. Trekkers must be professionals and possess the features of withstanding extreme weather and climate conditions.

Preparing for The Trek

Physical Fitness Requirements

Even though this is the short Everest Base Camp Trek comprising only seven days itinerary, physical requirements in very high, if you notice the trekking needs, you will find out that it is more physically challenging in short treks since trekkers have to walk a long distance in a single day.

On our Short Everest Base Camp Trek, we will fly directly to Lukla, and from there, we will embark on long hours of walking. One of the longest duration of our hikes comes in Lobuche, where we set on a 7-hour walk to Everest Base Camp. While it is physically challenging, preparing for the physical requirements is important. Trekkers must have good muscle power and cardiovascular energy to embark on such long treks. Stamina and energy are all that matter in such a trek, so workout on your physical fitness by engaging in short treks, cycling, cardiovascular exercises, and hitting gyms.

Altitude Sickness Prevention

Altitude can be a problem on the Short Everest Base Camp Trek. Since this package has no acclimatization day, trekkers must be careful about ascending to high altitudes. Before the hike, they must take precautions and get enough sleep and rest. Trekkers should take oxygen supplements with them if possible since the long trek will be exhausting, pushing the human body to the danger zone of altitude sickness.

Similarly, high-altitude locations, such as base camp and Lobuche, feature less oxygen in the air and cold temperatures. These aspects become the primary reason for fast breathing and need more oxygen. If our body is not strong enough to withstand high altitude hazards, we are prone to altitude sickness. Some trekkers even show the symptoms of extreme conditions, such as AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), and HACE (High Altitude Celebral Edema).

Packing Essentials for The Trek

Without proper gear and equipment, this short Everest Base Camp Trek is almost impossible. The route is remote, rugged, and sloppy, needing additional support to traverse. So gears like sturdy hiking boots, trekking poles, and other items are very necessary. Hiking boots are designed to navigate through any rocky terrain easily, and trekking poles help maintain balance in the sloppy landscapes of the Everest Region. Besides, trekkers should consider the region's extreme climate and weather conditions and pack warm and thermal clothes. Here are some of the packing lists that you should have for this trek:

● Backpack with a large storage capacity

● Hiking Boots

● Hiking Pants

● Waterproof/Windproof Fleece and Jackets

● Trekking Poles

● Sleeping bag and Sleeping pad

● Inner/outer thermal clothes to keep you warm

● Safety Kits/First aid kits

● Sunscreen/Lip Balm

● Hand gloves, hats, and warm socks

● Altimeter to check on the altitude during the trek

● Guidebooks, maps, and satellite phones for the support

Choosing The Right Trekking Agency

Choosing the right trekking agency is one of the challenging things to do, but it is an integral part of booking your Short Everest Base Camp Trek. Several trekking companies provide this package in Nepal, but you should research and review their services. Also, you must analyze whether the itinerary and services match your expectations.

At Nepal Eco Adventure, we offer high-end services to our clients at a reasonable price. Since we have labeled this package as a budget trek, you must be assured of our handiness in leading the journey. Also, we offer professional guides and porters and help you through 24/7 customer service. Moreover, most of our Everest Base Camp Treks are customizable; if the standard package does not meet your requirements, we can customize them depending on your needs, expectations, and preferences.

Getting to the Starting Point

Traveling to Kathmandu, Nepal

This is the first step to getting to the starting point of Everest Base Camp. Trekkers must arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport from their home country to prepare for the trek. Our official staff will escort them to their respective hotels when they arrive in Kathmandu. Also, they can join the Nepal Eco Adventure office members, discuss the trek, and know more about the guides and porters.

Domestic Flights to Lukla

Trekkers must fly to Lukla from Kathmandu to begin the trek to Everest Base Camp. You can get a flight to Lukla from several operators, such as Tara Air, Buddha Air, Simrik Air, and more. The cost of a normal flight from Tribhuvan International Airport to Lukla Airport is USD 180. The cost is minimal if you are from India and Nepal, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Besides flight, there is an option to reach Lukla by vehicle. Trekkers can reach Tham Danda Buspa or Ramechaap first by bus. Also, they can opt for the ride to Salleri or Sotang Route and then embark on a long trek to Lukla.

Trekking permits and documentation

Having permits is one of the most essential things during the Everest Base Camp Trek. Without permits, trekkers can’t embark on the trek easily. This trek has two required permits: Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality Entry Permit.

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit: This is the must-have permit for our short Everest Base Camp Trek. Base Camp is located within the protected land of Sagarmatha National Park, so to enter its premises, we need to acquire special permission from the Nepal Tourism Board called Sagarmatha National Park. You can get it from the Nepal Tourism Board office in Kamaladi, Kathmandu, or Monjo Checkpost in Monjo Village. The average cost of this permit is NRs. 3000 per person [for foreign trekkers]. Trekkers from SAARC Nations must pay only one-third of the total price, NRs. 1000 per person. Similarly, Nepalese Trekkers have to pay only NRs. 100 per person.

Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality Entry Permit: This is a newly introduced permit in the Everest Region. It replaced TIMS Card and came into action in 2018 after the decentralized system got installed in Nepal. While embarking on the Everest Base Camp Trek, trekkers must pass through the Pasang Lhamu Municipality as well, so to enter the area, trekkers must have this permit. This permit costs NRS. 2000 and can be purchased from Nepal Tourism Board.

Besides, one additional permit is required if trekkers travel from the Jiri side. If they embark on this journey via Jiri to EBC route, the trail traverses through Gaurishankar Conservation Area. So like the Sagarmatha National Park, this conservation area is also a protected land designed to conserve wildlife and plant species. So trekkers must acquire Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit for traveling through Jiri.