Most Everest expeditions on the Nepal side arrive at base camp in early April, acclimatise through April and early May with rotations up to Camps 1, 2 and 3, and wait for a summit window, usually in the second half of May. During these weeks base camp is a seasonal settlement stretching more than a kilometre along the glacier. Teams have dining tents, kitchens, communication domes and their own stone chortens hung with prayer flags.
Before climbing, each team holds a puja: a lama blesses the climbers, their ropes, crampons and ice axes, juniper is burned on the altar, and rice and tsampa flour are thrown in the air. If you happen to pass one, watch from a respectful distance. You may also see the icefall doctors, the specialist Sherpa team that fixes the ladders and ropes through the Khumbu Icefall every season, coming and going with loads.
As a trekker you visit the lower edge of the camp. Keep to the main path, do not wander into team areas, and never walk on prayer-flag lines or altars. Teams protect their health carefully because a cold can end an expedition, so do not approach climbers to shake hands. The busier atmosphere comes with a cost: trails, lodges and Lukla flights are at their busiest in April and early May, so book early.
Good for
- Photographers
- Solo
- Groups
- First-timers
Questions travellers ask
When are there tents at Everest Base Camp?
Mainly from early April to the end of May, during the spring climbing season. A smaller number of teams climb in autumn on other peaks nearby, but the large tent city is a spring sight. From June to March the area is largely empty glacier.
Can trekkers visit expedition camps at EBC?
Only if invited by a team. Trekkers may walk through the public area at the lower edge and the marker boulder. Climbers guard their health closely, so keep your distance and avoid entering dining tents or puja areas uninvited.
Is EBC more crowded in spring or autumn?
The trail and lodges are busy in both peak seasons. April and early May add expedition traffic, so base camp itself is far busier in spring. October has the clearest skies and fewer climbers. November is a little quieter on the trail.
