Updated January 2019: Mt. Everest is the main destination that travelers in Tibet go to. The Tibet-side of Everest offers an amazing view of the world’s highest peak.
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Tibet-side Everest Base Camp
For tour information on going to the Tibet side of Mt Everest (click link) or for any Tibet travel questions, email us at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com
UPDATED January 2019
For many people, the main reason that they go to Tibet is to see the amazing view of Everest’s famous North Face. The view of Everest from the Tibet side gives a clear, sweeping view of the mountain. I receive more emails about the Everest region that any other region of the Tibetan Plateau. I have been fortunate enough to go to the Tibet-side Everest Region over 3 dozen times the past 18 years. In this post, I will answer some of the most common questions I receive regarding the world’s highest peak.
View of Everest and the Himalaya from the Geu La Pass, located along the way to base camp
The awesome North Face of Mt Everest viewed from the Tibet side of the mountain
1. How do I get to Everest Base Camp?
As everyone should already know, the only way that foreigners can go to Tibet or Everest Base Camp Region is by arranging an organized tour through a travel agency. There are NO exceptions. In order to go to Mt Everest, you need to contact a travel agency in advance, preferably owned by Tibetans and based in Tibet, and have them arrange the required travel permits, tour guide, private vehicle and driver. You cannot use public transportation (ie. buses) to travel to Everest. For more detailed information on how to travel to Tibet, go to the following links:
How to go to Tibet from Mainland China
For recommendations on which travel agency to use to go to Everest or other regions of Tibet, send me an email at thelandofsnows@gmail.com.
2. How long does it take to get to Everest from Lhasa?
Everest Base Camp Region (EBC), elevation 5100 meters, is over 800 kilometers (500 miles) southwest of Lhasa. Most people prefer to visit the many amazing sights along the way to EBC such as Yamdrok Lake, Gyantse, Shigatse and Sakya Monastery. Altogether, a journey going from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and back to Lhasa takes between 8 and 12 days. A journey going from Lhasa to the Nepal border via Mt Everest base camp takes 9 or 10 days. Here are some suggested travel itineraries that include going to Everest Base Camp:
Overland from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp
Overland From Lhasa to Kathmandu via Mt Everest
3. How long is the hike to Everest Base Camp?
Unlike the Nepal side of Everest which can only be reached by trekking, no hiking is required to reach the Tibet side of Everest. You can drive all the way to Everest Base Camp from both Lhasa and the Nepal-Tibet border. If you wish to trek there, I recommend starting from Old Tingri and going to EBC from there. The trek normally takes 4 or 5 days.
Tibetans doing work on the road to Everest Base Camp
Trekking in to the Tibet-side Everest base camp
4. What types of accommodations are available at Everest Base Camp Region?
For the 2019 tourism season, the ONLY accommodation option will the Rongphu Monastery Guesthouse. The so-called “tent hotels” will not be open in 2019. It is hard to say if the tent hotels will return in 2020. The Rongphu Monastery Guesthouse is clean, but very basic. The rooms have 4 to 6 beds inside of them. Bathrooms are not located in the rooms, but are located on the far end of the guesthouse and are separated into mens and womens. Showering facilities are not available here. Rooms are not heated, but have plenty of thick, warm blankets. There is also a cozy restaurant that serves decent meals. The restaurant is usually kept heated, especially in the evenings.
The elevation of Rongphu Monastery (around 5100 meters) is very high. If you want to stay at a lower altitude, an alternative to staying at Rongphu is to stay in village of Basum, located 40 kms (25 miles) north of Rongphu. Basum sits at around 4325 meters, considerably lower than the places near base camp. If you want to stay at an actual hotel, consider visiting the Everest Region on a day trip and ten returning to the town of Shelkar (Shegar) that night. In Shegar, there are decent hotels to stay at that have in room bathrooms with hot showers.
New Regulation at Everest Base Camp
A new government regulation as of January 2019 states that all travelers going to the Everest Base Camp region can only go as far Rongphu (Rongbuk) Monastery. To go beyond this point, you will require either a trekking or climbing permit, which will add many thousands of $$$ to your journey price. Don’t worry, the view of Everest from Rongphu is still amazing!
Overlooking the village of Basum. This is a good place to spend the night if you feel the elevation of EBC is too high.
The “tent hotels” with Everest rising above. For the 2019 tourism year, these tents will be CLOSED.
5. Is Rongphu Monastery located at Everest Base Camp Region?
Yes, the monastery is located in the Everest Base Camp Region and offers an excellent view of the world’s highest mountain. For the 2019 tourism season, Rongphu Monastery is closest you will be able to go to the mountain, unless you have an expensive climbing permit ($10,000 USD) or trekking permit. Again, the view from here is AWESOME.
6. What are the best months to see a clear view of Everest?
The best months to see a clear view of Everest are from April through early very June and again from late September through December. During these months, the weather is usually clear offering excellent views of the mountain. You can also visit Everest base camp in January and early February as long as you a prepared for very cold temperatures. The road leading from Lhasa to Mt Everest is almost always open and only rarely closes due to snow.
Though the peak high season for travel in Tibet is during the summer months from July through early October, the views of Everest are often not good in the middle summer time. Don’t expect clear views of the mountain in the summer, especially in July and August. Read the following post for more details when to visit Everest: Best Time to Visit Tibet
7. Is Everest Base Camp going to be covered in heavy snow?
Though EBC Region sits nearly 5100 meters, it is relatively rare to see heavy snow on the ground in the area. While snow does fall in the region, the strong rays of the sun quickly melt away the snow. In all of the times I have been to EBC Region, I have never seen more than 7 cm (3 inches) of snow on the ground there. Most of the times I have been there, there hasn’t been any snow on the ground. However, do keep in mind that you are in the Himalayas at very high elevation, so anything can happen! In October 2013 there was an unexpected heavy snow storm that dropped nearly 1 meter of snow in some places on the Tibet side causing a large group of travelers to become stuck at the Everest Base Camp region (these travelers were completely safe at base camp, but the road leading out was temporarily closed). This group was not stuck for too long as the government cleared the road to get all the travelers out of the region and on with the rest of their journey. Again, heavy snow is the area is very, very rare.
8. Is it possible to go to Everest Base Camp in the winter?
Yes, you can go to EBC Region in the winter months. The road to EBC usually doesn’t receive heavy snow, so getting there is no problem. The Rongphu Monastery guesthouse usually remains open as do the guesthouses in Basum, which about 3 minutes north of Mt Everest. Tibet is closed each year in February and March so it is not possible to go to Everest or any other area of Tibet during that time. Read more on this annual closure in the following link: Tibet closed each year from mid February through March
An expedition tent at Everest Base Camp
Rongphu Monastery with Everest in the background
9. Can you see Everest from the main road that connects Lhasa to the Nepal border?
Yes, there are a few places that you can see Everest from the main road, but none of the views are very good. You will only get a very small glimpse of the mountain. In order to really get a good view of Everest, you will have to take the cut-off from the main road. From the main road, the road to Everest Base Camp Region is around 100 kilometers.
As the view of Mt Everest is amazing, it is easy to see why it is the main attraction in Tibet. If you are planning to travel the route from Lhasa to Kathmandu, it would be terrible to skip going to the Everest Region. The cost is only slightly more to take you up close to the world’s highest peak.
10. Is it possible to trek to EBC?
Yes, trekking the Everest Region is quite popular. The best time to go is from late April to early June and then from mid-September to early November. There are 2 main routes to take. The first is from the village of Baber (often referred to as “New Tingri”) to Everest Base Camp going via the villages of Chay, Tashi Dzom and Basum. This route usually takes about 5 days and follows the newly paved road to base camp. In my opinion, this is not a very good route as the views of Everest and the rest of the Himalaya’s are not that good until you get closer to Rongphu Monastery (the exception being the amazing sweeping view of the Himalaya’s from the Geu La pass).
The more interesting route in my opinion is trekking to EBC Region from the small town of Old Tingri. This route is about 70 kilometers long and can be done in 4 or 5 days. There are several small villages along the way and in addition to seeing good views of Everest, you can also get good views of Cho Oyu, the 6th highest peak in the world, and several other peaks above 6000 meters.
As with all treks in the Tibet Autonomous Region, treks in the EBC region need to be arranged in advance through a travel agency. Even if you have an organized tour, you cannot decide to do a trek at EBC once you arrive there. It must be arranged prior to you arriving in Lhasa.
11. Is it possible to trek higher than Everest Base Camp?
Yes, though it is not often advertised on travel agency websites, many Lhasa-based companies can arrange treks up to Advanced Base Camp (ABC). ABC sits at 6400 meters. From EBC, it takes 4 days to trek to ABC and back down to EBC. No technical climbing is required. ABC, which requires an additional permit, is the highest you can go on Everest without a climbing permit.
12. Can I go and talk to climbing expeditions while at EBC?
No, if you don’t have a trekking or climbing permit that allows you beyond Rongphu Monastery, you will not be allowed to interact with climbing teams. With the new regulation that went into place for 2019, the closest you can get to Everest is Rongphu Monastery. Climbing expeditions in the spring months base themselves a further 3 kilometers past the monastery, so you cannot go and interact with the climbers. Military personnel patrol the area and will not allow anyone beyond Rongphu who does not have the proper permits. Trying to sneak past the military will result in a large fine and will cause your guide and the travel agency you are using to get into serious trouble. Please do not go beyond the area that you are permitted to go to.
Mt Everest from Rongphu Monastery in Tibet
13. How much are the entrance fees for visiting EBC?
In order to enter the Everest Region, you not only need to purchase an entrance ticket, but you also need to purchase a vehicle entrance ticket. The price of an entrance ticket is 180 RMB ($27 USD) per person. You (or your group) are also responsible for purchasing a ticket for your guide. In addition to this, you also have to purchase a 400 RMB ($60 USD) vehicle entrance fee which includes the fee for the driver. Be advised that these prices are scheduled to be raised by summer 2020.
Nearly all places in Tibet are free for your Tibetan guide to enter. The only real exception is the Everest Base Camp region. You will be required to pay for your guides entrance fee to Everest. Be sure you ask your travel agent that is arranging your journey to Tibet if that ticket cost is in your tour price or if you will have to pay it upon arrival.
The road from Rongphu Monastery to Everest Base Camp
14. Which travel agency should I use to arrange my tour to Everest Base Camp?
We can help you! Send us an email and we can give your further details on traveling in Tibet, including to the Everest Base Camp Region. Contact us at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com
Do you have a question about the Everest Base Camp Region or Tibet travel that I didn’t answer? Send me an email with your question and I will add it to this list!
Lobsang བློ་བཟང་
I am very keen to do EC North from Tibet. I have most answers from your website. What will be the total cost and what will be the duration of the trek to base camp ?
I am from India, Kolkata.
Indira, the trek to EBC would only be a part of your overall journey. In order to give you any type of price estimate, I would need to know your ENTIRE itinerary. I would need to know how long you plan to take getting from Lhasa to EBC, what your travel plans after the trek are (going back to Lhasa or going to the Nepal border or somewhere else), what types of hotels you plan to stay at (5* or dorm-style), how many people will be traveling with you, etc. In order to give any type of price estimate, I need a lot more information.
Pl keep my name in your mailing list and inform your forth coming events/adventure activities. If you have any fixed departure/ conducted group trekking/expedition, also let me know. Personally myself and my wife is interested. But if you wish to have a group, we can do that (earlier we had done many such group trekking with various trekking agencies), but in that case please forward some of your best trips with day-wise itineraries brilliantly designed. We like to cover not only the specific trek, but enroute and nearby places also and don’t mind to make the trip 3 to 4 weeks. We wish to explore that areas sector wise, including general tour and travel.
Please suggest me name/s of local Tibetan tour companies who can take us to ABC. We are a group of 7 people, would stay at Lhasa for 2 days, would like to drive to Rongbuk in another 2 days, acclimatize at EBC for 2 days trek to ABC and come back to EBC in 7/8 days and drive to Kathmandu. Please let us know about approximate cost. We would lke to stay at mid range hotels.
Hi, thanks for this article its really informative….. I am hoping to do a trip from Lhasa to EBC at the beginning of August, is it likely that the view of everest will still be possible in this season?
Ellie….The worst months to see Everest are from June through early September. Very few travelers going to Everest during the summer months get a good view of Everest. In fact, few travelers in the summer see Everest at all! I recommend saving Everest for another time and trying to visit the mountain during the months from mid-September through mid-May.
Losang
I am thinking about doing an advanced base camp trip in early January. What is the weather like then? Would I get a good view of Everest? How cold is it?
It is doubtful you will be given permission to make the trek to ABC in winter. Night time temps can easily reach -40° along the trek from EBC to ABC with strong wind being possible. I recommend sticking to the normal trekking/climbing schedule for Himalayan peaks and doing this trek in April, May, September or October.
Lobsang
We are planning to do our trekking starting on May 29 – June 11 to EBC.. it is still good enough to go?
Hello…I am not sure I understand your question. Are you going to the Tibet side EBC or Nepal side? Either way, both base camps of Everest are open. There has been nothing this year to close either base camp. Let me know a little more about your questions and I will be happy to answer it.
Lobsang
I just want to say fantastic work man, super great photos and top notch helpful, useful information.
Hello Losang!
I follow your blog religously and keep my fingers crossed that EBC will remain open in 2013. Last year we postponed our trip to Tibet/EBC because the base camp was closed. Are you feeling positive that EBC will remain open to tourists from now until the end of the 2013 year?
thank you,
Selena
Hi Losang,
We are booked to tour Tibet on a 7 -8 day tour from 25 December 2013 with Great Tibet Tour Co. Lhasa. What is your opinion of this tour company. They appear to be ok in the booking stage but do you have any reviews or comments of their on ground reputation. We are still booked to go to Everest Base camp and stay one night at Rongbuk Monastery and believe the Everest area is still closed. If so …well that’s fate. Do you think it could open between now and late December 2013? Do you think we can still get to Rongbuk as a second option. Many thanks for your help it would be much appreciated. Thank you. Thomas.
Thomas…In general. I recommend using Tibetan owned and staffed companies to ensure that your tourism money goes to the Tibetan people.
As with all travel restrictions in Tibet, it is impossible to say if the Everest region will be open or not.
Losang
Thank you Losang we will have to leave it to fate to see if we can go there or not. Is the Everest region just the EBC and beyond, where is the boundary and is Rongbuk Monastery in or out of the Everest Region? We have asked our tour company that if we cannot get to the EBC can we still get to the monastery and still stay there, what do you think?
Also we are very sorry that we should have used a Tibetan owned company our guide and driver are Tibetan locals. Next time we will make sure we use a local owned company.
Thank you for your kind advice. Thomas
G’day mate, very interesting and informative reading. I am travelling to Kathmandu on 27/05/2014. I fly back to Australia from Kathmandu on 23/06/2014. I would like to travel to Tibet and I was wondering if there’s any trekking companies travelling to Advanced Base Camp or North Col during this period. I’ve experienced high altitude but I am an amateur hiker. Is it possible to trek to North Col without mountaineering experience?
Any information would be appreciated.
Regards
Ward
Hi
What do you recommend about cameras to take to ABC?
Which Tibetan travel agency do you recommend for the advancd base camp trek from Lhasa. I want lots of time to acclimatize between each base camp and return to Lhasa via a different route for more sightseeing. What’s the maximum time I can spend in Tibet?
Which kind of medicine do you advise for altitude sickness? Do I need to be very experienced for the advanced trek? What temperature to expect?
Thanks for all your guidance.
Betty
How far is the bus ride to the real Everest Base camp from the tent hotels? I am planning to go next May 2015 and just want to see the real EBC for a short time… Where do you recommend I sleep (nicest possible please!) near tent hotels? Basum? Many thanks I love your website!
Dear Losang,
I intend to pay a visit to Lhasa during Oct 2014 this year. I also intend to go to Rongbuk Monatery. I want to stay in Tibet maximum for one week. Is it possible to complete this journey from Lhasa and go back to Nepal border [Kodari] within this seven days! What may be the tentative cost for a group of 4 persons. We are having Basic Mountaineering training in India.
Please provide some more information.
Thanks,
Sandeep
Kolkata
India
Cell: 00 98311 78062
Send me an email at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com for more information.
Losang
Can you pls provide tour options and prices for visiting Rongbuk / EBC from Kathmandu and back. I believe it may be much shorter than visiting from Lhasa, if travelling from India. What is the best time for this tour – I believe October to May?
Thank you for the information in your article.
How can you get from EBC to ABC? We are looking at going the last week of November 2014 or the first week of December 2014.
Also can you stay at ABC at least one night if you are coming from EBC?
We would like to see the ABC base camp but do not have enough time to trek.
Thank you
Leah
Trekking season in Tibet is usually from April through late OCtober/early November. It may be difficult/impossible to get trekking permits for ABC (elevation 6400 meters) in late November or early December.
Losang
We are two senior ladies wishing to travel from Kathmandu thru everest base camp to Lahsa
Lahsa–beijing train
Beijing sightseeing
We are keen on travelling end April/ early May 2015
We request you to help put us up with a small group so that the costs can be shared
Im looking for a local agency to (walk) to EverestBase Camp and advanced base camp..
I would like to go in December 2015. Is this a good time to climb?
Thanks!
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I want to know if everest base camp and mansarovar are done in the same tour and how many days does it take
In Tibet you have the complete freedom to design your own travel itinerary. If you want to include Everest and Manasarovar on the same journey, that is absolutely fine. I emailed you further information to assist you.
Lobsang
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Hi Losang
Is it safe for girl to travel alone there?
Yes, Everest and all of Tibet is very safe. Remember, in Tibet all foreign travelers MUST have a complete organized tour that includes a tour guide, private vehicle and a driver. So, you will never be traveling by yourself as you will have a guide and driver with you.
Lobsang
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Hello Lobsang,
I had the good fortune of visiting the EBC (Tibet side) in Aug 2013. I wanted to know the height of the hillock which one has to climb to get a better view of the Everest. It has lots of coloured prayer flags and somekind of building there is guarded by military personnel. This hillock is flat surfaced on the top.
Thanks and Best wishes
Greetings from Tibet. The small hill you are referring to is only 12 to 15 meters higher than base camp, so the elevation would be around 5215 meters, or so.
Lobsang
I am planning a Tibet-Nepal-Bhutan customized tour in 2017. I just started my research. I have altitude sickness. I got seriously sick in Lake Titicaca at 3,860 meters. Do you think I should not go to the Everest Base Camp? Is it possible to fly in & out to EBC and not stay there overnight? Do you think May is the best month to visit all 3 countries? Thank you.
Hello….if you have struggled with severe altitude sickness in the past, then EBC is probably not for you as EBC is MUCh higher in elevation. What type of acclimatization was involved when you were at Lake Titicaca? Most people going to Everest Base Camp take several days to slowly acclimatize to help reduce the risk of serious altitude sickness. Without acclimatization days, you run a very high risk of getting sick. I emailed more info to you.
Lobsang
Hi, appreciate your advise:
1) May I know how much difference if I go all the way to EBC through car or trek to TBC starting from the Old Tingri?
2) Since I’m a Muslim, if there any possibility of me getting a Muslim dish all the way for my journey from Lhasa to EBC (with the tours)?
3) If I’m starting my trip from Xining, how long is the best duration for the overall my trip that I need to consider?
Thanks.
Tibet is a Buddhist region. Outside of Lhasa and Shigatse, it will be difficult to find halal Muslim food. I have emailed you further info to assist you.
Lobsang
Hi Lobsang,
Thank you very much for the insightful information, it has help me a great deal to understand the required logistic to visit EBC. My questions is, I’d like to spend a couple of nights at tent hotel at EBC (September 2017), but most agencies I find on the internet only provide 1 day visit at EBC. Would you know of an agency or recommend one that would accommodate more of a custom schedule? i.e. Lhasa to EBC (EBC – 2 Nights), then return Lhasa. Thanks again for the help.
Hello…You can stay several nights at EBC if you wish. The reason you aren’t seeing it on travel agency websites is because 99.99999% of travelers only wish to spend one night there. There is no need to post travel itineraries on their websites that almost no one travels. Travel agencies only list their most popular journeys, but literally every agency can customize a private journey for you to stay 2 nights at EBC. All you need to do is contact a travel agency and simply tell them you want to stay 2 nights at EBC rather than one. Enjoy your journey!
Lobsang
Hi
we are trying to go 2 girls to tibet. what would be the cheapest way and would we have to book a tour? also would we have to book in advance.
Hello….Tibet is not a budget travel destination. You will require a full organized tour. I have emailed you some travel agencies in Tibet to contact. Enjoy your journey!
Lobsang
Hi Lobsang,
I would like to travel from Nepal to Tibet(Lhasa). Is this possible by bus or minibus?
Probably I’d like to do this in january. Are there any obstacles?
Is it easy to travel futher into China from Tibet?
Greetings,
Stef
Hello…all foreign travelers going to Tibet must be on an organized tour that includes a private vehicle, driver, travel permits and a tour guide. There are no exceptions. You cannot take public buses in Tibet. A travel agency in Tibet will need to assist you. I have emailed you further info to help you.
Lobsang