The Everest Basecamp Accommodation regards the demanding accommodation, sleeping and living conditions at an altitude of 5365m on the south side of Mt Everest. We will outline the various accommodation options available and discuss what properties make effective housing at such an altitude. The key issues we will discuss are the importance of sleep, recovery, oxygen consumption, acclimatization, weather, desire for traditional housing, and costs. This will cover the physical and mental concerns of both the native Nepalese people and foreign tourists looking to trek further into Khumbu and eventually up into the Western Cwm and South Col in hopes of ascending Mt Everest. Different accommodations are available at the destination. These days trekkers have more choices on where to spend the night. Now, trekkers can choose from camping, privately owned lodges, and government-run lodges. Different surveys have been carried out for different periods since first reaching EBC, which investigate where decisions on accommodation affect ascents of climbing teams and individual trekkers. These issues affect general trends in dynamic mental concepts of decision making to the logical and objective science-based theory for the best welfare and efficiency of an expedition or trek up into higher altitude.
Importance of Accommodation at Everest Basecamp
It is incredibly important for trekkers and climbers at Everest to be able to rest comfortably and recover from the daily physical exertion in order to maintain both physical and mental health. In terms of the mental health of climbers, a great deal of mental strength is required to achieve the feat of reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, therefore climbers require a peaceful environment in which they may rest. This type of accommodation provides them with tranquillity which is necessary to maintain mental health and fulfil their personal goal. Accommodations such as these are carried on from home to home, once they have set up a camp, requests can be sent to the sardar to set up a camp at a certain place and it will be done. Trekkers and climbers benefit from the mindset of knowing that at the end of a day’s continual trekking that they have somewhere comfortable to rest and regroup for the following day.
There are many aspects that one must take into consideration when trekking in a location such as Everest Base Camp. One of the most important necessities is accommodation. This essay will address the importance of the different types of accommodation available at Everest Base Camp and which types may be suitable for either a trekker or a climber.
Types of Accommodation
Camping Camping is an option that not many trekkers to Everest Base Camp consider as a favored alternative to the common teahouse and lodge accommodation. However, camping can be very rewarding for the trekker who prefers the solitude and time alone away from the hustle and bustle of tourism. Many groups (including Adventure Consultants) offer a fully supported trek whereby you need to only carry a small rucksack containing your personal belongings. Sirdars, who are the expedition leaders, employ a team of yaks and their yak drivers who will transport all the camping equipment and establish a comfortable campsite each day.
Teahouses Teahouses are the local Nepalese version of motels. They are small guesthouses offering private rooms and dorm rooms. The accommodation is basic with some offering a variety of food and beverage such as rice, curry, chips, and eggs. They usually provide only the basic necessities, so don’t expect the Grand Hyatt and check your expectations in for the night. This form of accommodation is prevalent in the Everest Region and makes for a cozy and social haven away from the ferocious Himalayan elements.
Teahouses
After reaching Namche Bazaar, there will be a choice of stopping at teahouses along the way or camping with your guide/porter. The teahouses are houses along the trekking route that have communal sleeping rooms and provide other basic facilities varying from place to place. Bedding is provided, so no need to worry about a sleeping bag (except for Lukla where sleeping bag hire is necessary). Rooms are typically shared with 2 beds. The advantages of teahouses are that they provide a warm meal and warm shelter during the colder trekking months for the same price, or cheaper, than the cost of food and hiring campsite equipment would be. They are more convenient and give you the chance to meet and interact with other locals or trekkers. If you are on a tight budget or only have a limited time, teahouses may be the best option for you. Keep in mind, there are not a huge number of teahouses at the higher altitudes, and some of these close down during the colder months, so it may not be a suitable option for certain treks during the off-season. In contrast, camping provides a quiet and more private atmosphere.
Along the Everest Base Camp trek, trekkers will encounter a variety of teahouses and lodges offering accommodation and basic amenities. Here is a list of some of the teahouses and lodges commonly found along the trail, along with brief descriptions of their facilities:
- Namche Bazaar Teahouses:
- Namche Bazaar, the bustling hub of the Khumbu region, offers numerous teahouses and lodges catering to trekkers.
- Facilities: Most teahouses in Namche Bazaar offer private rooms with twin beds, blankets, and pillows. Some teahouses have attached bathrooms with hot showers, while others have shared facilities. Dining areas serve a variety of meals including local and Western dishes.
- Tengboche Teahouses:
- Tengboche, home to the famous Tengboche Monastery, has several teahouses offering accommodation to trekkers.
- Facilities: Teahouses in Tengboche provide basic rooms with shared bathrooms. Dining areas serve meals such as dal bhat, noodles, and soups. Some teahouses offer views of the surrounding mountains.
- Dingboche Teahouses:
- Dingboche is a popular stopover for acclimatization on the Everest Base Camp trek, with several teahouses available for accommodation.
- Facilities: Teahouses in Dingboche offer basic rooms with shared bathrooms. Dining areas serve a variety of meals, and some teahouses may have outdoor seating areas with panoramic views.
- Lobuche Teahouses:
- Lobuche is situated at a higher elevation, closer to Everest Base Camp, and offers teahouse accommodation for trekkers.
- Facilities: Teahouses in Lobuche provide simple rooms with basic amenities. Dining areas serve meals, and some teahouses offer views of nearby glaciers and peaks.
- Gorak Shep Teahouses:
- Gorak Shep is the last settlement before reaching Everest Base Camp and offers a few teahouses for trekkers.
- Facilities: Teahouses in Gorak Shep offer basic rooms with shared bathrooms. Dining areas serve meals, and some teahouses may have limited electricity and charging facilities.
- Pheriche Teahouses:
- Pheriche is a popular stop for trekkers descending from Everest Base Camp and offers teahouse accommodation.
- Facilities: Teahouses in Pheriche provide basic rooms with shared bathrooms. Dining areas serve meals, and some teahouses offer views of the surrounding hillsides.
These teahouses and lodges along the Everest Base Camp trek provide trekkers with essential accommodation and facilities, allowing them to rest and recharge before continuing their journey through the stunning Himalayan landscape.
Camping
Camping is another option for staying during an Everest Base Camp trek. The trekker who is willing to spend their holiday in the pristine nature can enjoy the option of camping. It will be a fully organized camping trek with Nepalese staff, guides, porters, sherpas, and the leader with the camping crews. They will prepare the camping equipment, set up the camps, and the kitchen will be set for making food. Our chef will prepare fresh food at the camps. Read more about camping here
Lodges
Sherpa lodges are smaller and less formal than national lodges and make use of a more traditional and familial type of management. These lodges are often constructed as add-ons to a preexisting home or yak barn and are primarily built with the Sherpa style of mud and stone or local wood. The dining room is smaller and carpeted, generally having an open central fireplace area where guests and family members can gather. Bathroom facilities are more simple and generally cater to local or individual use. The outright cost of building and maintenance of a Sherpa lodge is less than that of a national lodge, and the same holds true for the price of food and lodging. Read more about tree houses and lodges along Everest basecamp
Facilities and Amenities
Almost all tea houses have a twin sharing room with a very simple basic attached toilet. While these are generally quite clean, it can be much nicer to use the toilet at the guesthouse where the locals are happy to let you, provided you buy a hot drink. They are very friendly people, so take the time out to chat with them. They will make your stay all the more rewarding.
Most of the dining rooms are quite comfortable with plenty of light during the day. However, once the sun sets, the dining rooms are only heated by a stove so it can still get quite cold, especially in the winter months. All of these allow you to relax and chat with other trekkers.
The accommodation at the Everest Base Camp is basic, but also quite adequate. Most come with a mattress and twin sharing pillows. You will need a good sleeping bag and you might want to have a sleeping mat. These are easily available in Kathmandu and are cheap to rent for the duration of your trek. Try to get a room near the dining room as this is the only heated room in the building. If you can’t get a room near the stove, ask for extra blankets. It can be quite cold at night. Also, try to get a room on the top floor as heat rises and these rooms are a bit warmer than the lower floor rooms.
Basic Accommodation Facilities
Almost all of our staff are Nepalese, and we keep most of our income in the country. We want them to be able to return home after long treks and share in the benefits of tourism in their own country. This is not always possible for various reasons. Most lodges do not have a designated kitchen, and if they do, it may not be any better than the main room. In such cases, food is prepared in a very smoky atmosphere and is not very palatable. Lodge owners generally expect groups to eat and purchase meals at their own lodge. This is understandable, but some lodge owners may become quite insistent in their selling tactics. We, therefore, sometimes have difficulty in finding accommodation in certain lodges. This can be quite frustrating, however, pre-arranged treks such as ours ensure that food and accommodation are taken care of, staff know where to stay, and meals are coordinated at a convenient time. This prevents unnecessary lining up at a small smoky kitchen and provides quality alternatives if we are unable to find suitable lodging. In the event of camping, we can provide meals and a comfortable social atmosphere for our clients in any situation.
A wood or kerosene stove is the only system for heating. Don’t expect to be able to warm your hands, it will be warmer in the dining room than the bedroom. The standard meal is Dal Bhat (rice and lentils) or Sherpa Stew. This will be followed by a cup of tea or a hot drink to take the chill off. Most lodges have running water facilities. Some provide hot water at an extra charge. However, we discourage our clients from using water not provided by the lodge as this must be boiled first, and we do not encourage our clients to buy or use pre-boiled bottled water. Our staff’s first priority is to ensure that the water provided for our group is safe. Step one in achieving this is to provide safe food and drinking water in our own private dining tent. We provide meals for our staff at the same or at a higher standard than we provide for our clients. Buying food and accommodation along the way is step one in achieving this.
The dining room is usually centrally located, the stove may be in the corner or in the center. At high altitudes, it is more comfortable to sit by a stove so try to get a room near the stove. The dining room is the warmest place in the lodge and the gathering place of the lodge. Bedrooms can be quite Spartan.
The lodges along the trail provide basic accommodation, with a room that has two narrow beds. A mattress, pillows, and a blanket are provided. It is best to have your own sleeping bag, which can be hired in Kathmandu. The rooms are sparsely furnished and a single supplement is not available.
Dining Options
So what does this all mean for you, the customer? It means you have a vast selection of dining options to cater to any taste or budget. Just be aware that in the off season, lodges in some of the more remote locations may have a more limited menu and there is no pizza delivery at Gokyo!
Compared to other trekking destinations, the food available at Everest Basecamp is quite good. The large and constant traffic of trekking and climbing parties sends in a steady supply of fresh vegetables from Namche, and considerably fewer cases of food poisoning are reported than in the Khumbu’s earlier days of trekking tourism. An increasing number of lodges now pre-cook bottled water for their guests as an alternative to boiled tap water. Soyos Pat and Gamow bags have maintained their popularity with higher altitude trekking and climbing groups. With the large number of medical clinics and aid posts in the area, there is help close by if you do succumb to a stomach ailment.
Many of the trekking lodges have now built separate kitchen huts where a cook will prepare a variety of meals for their guests. Many restaurants have sprung up with large and varied menus. One of the more recent innovations is the local pizza delivery service where after a hard day’s trek, you can relax in the warmth of the lodge dining room and have a pizza delivered to your table. Although your understanding of what makes a good pizza may be slightly altered by the cold cheese and tinned vegetables, it may still surprise you!
The numerous dining options available in Everest Basecamp are often quite surprising. The larger trekking expeditions have their own personal Sherpa kitchen and a cook that travels with them. The cook prepares meals for the group, providing an extensive menu that includes local, Asian, and Western dishes. Your supply of noodles and tinned tuna will seem quite insipid in comparison! The better organized trekking companies will employ their porters to carry kerosene and a kerosene oven to bake bread and even to try their hand at a cake.
Along the Everest Base Camp trek, dining facilities primarily consist of teahouses and lodges that offer meals to trekkers. Here’s a list and description of dining facilities commonly found along the trail:
- Teahouse Dining Halls:
- Teahouses typically have dining halls where trekkers can enjoy meals prepared by the teahouse owners.
- Facilities: Dining halls are often cozy and communal, with long tables and benches or chairs. Some dining halls may have traditional decor and cultural elements, providing a unique ambiance for diners.
- Outdoor Seating Areas:
- Some teahouses offer outdoor seating areas where trekkers can dine al fresco while enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
- Facilities: Outdoor seating areas may consist of benches, tables, or picnic-style seating arrangements. They provide trekkers with an opportunity to soak in the natural beauty of the Himalayas while enjoying their meals.
- Menu Variety:
- Teahouses typically offer a variety of dishes, including Nepali, Tibetan, and Western cuisine, to cater to the diverse preferences of trekkers.
- Facilities: Menus often feature staples such as dal bhat (rice and lentils), noodles, soups, momos (dumplings), fried rice, and pasta. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available, along with meat dishes for those who prefer them.
- Meal Service:
- Meals are usually served at designated meal times, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner being the main meals of the day.
- Facilities: Dining facilities provide trekkers with hearty and filling meals to fuel their trekking adventures. Portion sizes are typically generous, ensuring trekkers have enough energy for their daily hikes.
- Family-style Dining:
- In some teahouses, meals are served family-style, where trekkers gather around a communal table and share dishes together.
- Facilities: Family-style dining fosters a sense of camaraderie and community among trekkers, providing an opportunity to socialize and bond over shared experiences.
- Cafeteria-style Service:
- Larger teahouses may offer cafeteria-style service, where trekkers can select dishes from a buffet or counter and pay for them at a designated cash register.
- Facilities: Cafeteria-style service provides trekkers with flexibility and convenience, allowing them to choose their preferred dishes and portion sizes.
Bathrooms and Toilets
Each teahouse has washing/toilet facilities with provision for a basic shower and a toilet in a separate small hut. This will be a clean commode style. Even though they are usually basic and not always available, TTH has endeavored to provide the best washing/toilet facilities possible along the way – sometimes in very difficult circumstances. You will need to bring your own toilet paper and showering equipment. The price for the shower is 200-500 rupees and the price for the toilet is 100-300 rupees. The cost of both depends on the location and the altitude. Although these are absolutely necessary, it is something you would prefer not to use regularly. Therefore, our groups are also supplied with a bowl of hot water each day. At teahouses above Pangboche, we are also able to provide bucket showers. This will enable you to wash in your own privacy away from the communal wash areas. On the odd rest day, it is also possible to organize a visit to a hot spring for a wash. We always take our groups’ hygiene seriously and ensure the best for our clients.
Booking and Reservations
In regards to trekkers who plan to book and pay upon arrival at EBC, it is impossible for us to confirm availability for the desired room. There are cases where some trekkers who have booked in advance decide to stay an extra night due to altitude acclimatization. This often results in rooms being occupied for an extra night. In other cases, trekkers have fallen ill and have been unable to trek. Hence, they require a bit longer in order to regain strength and continue ascending. With the unpredictability at high altitude, we apologize, but this form of reservation does not guarantee the desired room. We recommend pre-booking via the EBC website to ensure availability on the desired room and date.
To secure a reservation, the guest simply needs to complete the online booking form via the website, requesting their desired dates. The guest is then contacted via email within 24 hours of the request to confirm availability. Once availability is confirmed, the guest will be required to pay a deposit of 15% for the booking to be secure. This can be paid via bank transfer. The remaining balance is to be paid upon arrival to EBC in either currency. We accept USD or NPR. This process eliminates any possibility of overbooking and ensures the guest their reservation.
Pre-Booking Process
Our website lists accommodation facilities we operate at Base Camp. We suggest that you read through this section of our website and obtain an understanding of the types of accommodation we operate. This will provide a clearer picture of what to expect from our accommodation facilities. Similarly, clients are encouraged to obtain a realistic understanding of the trek to Base Camp required to reach our accommodation facilities. The ability to actually get there and find us is somewhat of a surprising problem for many of our clients! We suggest the use of a good guide book, i.e. a more recently published edition of a Lonely Planet trekking guide to the Everest region. Also, understand that whilst we are the largest provider of lodging facilities at Base Camp, we still, on occasion, may not have enough rooms to fully accommodate all intakes of trekkers – particularly if an excessive number of independent clients arrive at once. This is especially an issue during the peak trekking seasons in April and October. Thus, it is best to book with us in advance and do some pre-planning to figure out how and when to find us.
Availability and Pricing
The prices for our camps are generally reviewed annually. We do our best to provide clients with a top quality service at competitive prices. On booking, you would be required to fill in a booking form and provide us with a signed undertaking and registration form. We would then require a 40% deposit. Full payment arrives 60 days before the commencement of your trip or we will be happy to arrange an installment plan. Failure to comply with our payment requirements can result in cancellation of your trip. At peak times, we may require full payment of treks in order to secure accommodations. If trekking with larger groups, we offer the group leader a certain amount of complimentary services. And finally, remember the price for staying in our camps includes accommodation and breakfast. The above information is designed to give you an idea of how we process bookings and to encourage our clients to book in advance. We do, however, appreciate that some of you may wish to inquire about availability of our services if planning to make a late booking.
Group Bookings
Group bookings should be made well in advance. In the past, we have given option dates to several groups, allowing for the best possible spread of trekkers at base camp. It is essential to have the group numbers finalized so that the required accommodation is not overbooked by the possibility of extra people arriving at a given group. Average count per night is probably the best guide when deciding how many tents will be required. Note: If a group is late in booking and the intended accommodation is already taken or the camp is in a full position, it may be necessary for the group to mix tents with other groups for the first night or until space becomes available in the intended position. This happens often at the peak of the season, and a cooperative, flexible attitude by group leaders is essential. If you require cooks to be provided at our kitchen, this should also be finalized well in advance. A MYL doctor will be available throughout the season at MYL, but if medical cover is required for a large number of people or if an individual is at higher risk (i.e., going up the mountain), this should also be disclosed well in advance. Group rates can be negotiated on an individual basis depending on the circumstances and duration of the intended stay. MYL has in the past supported research teams and charity events by giving reduced rates or providing extra services at no cost. If you feel that your cause is worthy of special consideration, please contact MYL to discuss the possibilities.
Accommodation Safety
Altitude considerations Basecamp is the beginning of your trek above 5000 meters. This means from this point on, altitude-induced illness is a concern. Your accommodation at Basecamp is as comfortable as we can make it while still remaining in a remote mountain environment. Our large walk-in tents with permanent bases provide a haven of warmth and protection from the elements. A combination foam and air mattresses offer insulation and comfort. Our dining tents are spacious and provide a warm, friendly area to meet and chat with other trekkers from around the world. Our main concern while providing accommodation to teahouse trekkers is providing an adequate level of comfort and protection to minimize the risk of illness and injury in a harsh and unforgiving environment. Our private rooms include comfortable beds with clean mattresses and clean cotton sheets and pillowcases. A solar light to brighten the room in the evening is a comfortable alternative to the harsh, cold light of a fluorescent ceiling lamp more commonly found in teahouses. Yet our lodgings are priced only slightly higher than the surrounding teahouses, which we believe makes staying at our lodge a very attractive option. One major advantage of staying at Basecamp is that if your health begins to deteriorate, we have a full high altitude medical clinic located only minutes away. We are able to offer a gamut of medical services and advice and would essentially serve as your definitive safety net from this point on.
Altitude Considerations
Altitude affects everyone differently; no matter your level of fitness or previous experience at a high altitude, you can develop AMS. It is caused by the failure of the body to adapt to the lower amounts of oxygen in the air at higher altitudes. Symptoms can range from mild headaches and fatigue to nausea, dizziness, insomnia, and swelling of the face and hands. If any of these symptoms are exhibited while acclimatizing, it is important that they not be ignored. Your guide will be monitoring you on a daily basis for symptoms and will make decisions on your progression based on their observations. On our treks, a slow and steady ascent will be made with a number of rest days at intervals to allow for acclimatization. High altitude treks are graded on the average altitude that will be reached and the highest point to be visited, and our itineraries are designed within safe limits.
The percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere at sea level is about 21% and the barometric pressure averages 760 mmHg. As altitude increases, the percentage remains the same but the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced. At 12,000 feet, the partial pressure of oxygen is reduced by 40% when compared to sea level. Since our bodies have some ability to acclimatize to higher altitudes, a process that takes about 1 to 3 weeks, we can become accustomed to these changes. This is why staged ascents while climbing are so important. If you ascend faster than your body can acclimate, you will begin to develop symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness.
Health and Safety Measures
Accommodation operators take the health and safety of their staff and guests seriously. In addition to providing medical training for their staff, there are a number of specific health and safety measures that have been implemented. Ranging from simple but effective things such as door handles on all interconnecting room doors to enable better isolation in the event of illness and reduce spread of bugs, to other measures such as regular checking of oxygen levels in guest rooms to give an indication of any potential acute mountain sickness that individuals may be suffering. All staff in the accommodation is trained in food hygiene and there is regular monitoring of kitchen hygiene standards to ensure the food provided to guests is prepared in a safe and hygienic environment. This is an often overlooked area which can have a big impact on reducing the risk of altitude-related illness. In order to avoid overexertion and ultimately improve safety, especially amongst porters, the accommodation will be available to independently purchase and use Gamow Bags (inflatable mobile chamber to aid treatment of altitude sickness) for staff training on how to use these. Finally, there have been discussions with the Himalayan Rescue Association with a view to an extended service with a small health post at the village in Namche.
Accommodation Alternatives
There are a few alternative accommodation options available if one wishes to avoid the trek to EBC and yet still take in some of the breathtaking views and the experience of the Everest region. In Khumjung, at the base of Mt. Khumbila, there are some well-built stone lodges where food and accommodation are provided. Khumjung is a small Sherpa village that also has a high school built by Sir Edmund Hillary. There is also Khunde, which is quite similar to Khumjung with many good options for accommodation. Further on, one should take a rest day in Namche Bazargyang known for its Museum and Monastery. From here, it is possible to take a short detour to the holy lakes at Gokyo. The largest of these lakes, Dudh Pokhari, is located at an altitude of 4,940m and is said to be the residence of the Naga Kinjury and the location of a yeti seen by the locals! Across from the lakes, there is a viewpoint called Gokyo Ri at 5,357m which provides some awesome views of Mt. Everest, Cho Oyo, Lhotse, and Makalu. Finally going towards the Everest trail, there are quite a few tea houses in Dukla, before reaching Tengboche which is an ideal place to spend a night and experience some Sherpa culture.
Nearby Villages and Towns
The most obvious option for accommodation at Everest Basecamp is to stay in one of the many lodges. These vary in quality and price, with the lower cost lodges generally offering the basic essentials – a bed in a shared room, with a cooked meal on the side. Higher priced lodges offer more privacy, a wider selection of food, and a warm common room to socialize with other trekkers. If you choose this option, you will not need to book in advance and can decide on the day where to stay. Lodge accommodation is available all year round, although some lodges close in the winter months. Another popular option is to stay in one of the permanent tented camps. These are essentially tented villages and offer more comfort than the lodges themselves. Many of these tented camps provide various sleeping options (dormitory, twin bed and single rooms) and have a communal dining tent where meals and drinks can be purchased. This is a good mid-range option and provides the best of both worlds – the experience of camping, with added comfort. Tented camps are in operation during the trekking season only, generally from March to May and September to December each year. It is highly recommended to book a tent at one of these camps in advance, particularly if you are trekking during April or October.
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