How far do you actually walk to Everest Base Camp, and how high do you climb each day? Here's the typical profile.
Quick answer: the trek is about 130 km round trip from Lukla, roughly 65 km each way. You climb from Lukla (about 2,860 m) to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m), with the highest point at Kala Patthar (about 5,545 m). Most itineraries take 12–14 days, including two acclimatisation days.
Typical itinerary
| Day | Route | Overnight altitude |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fly to Lukla, walk to Phakding | About 2,610 m |
| 2 | Phakding to Namche Bazaar | About 3,440 m |
| 3 | Acclimatisation day in Namche | About 3,440 m |
| 4 | Namche to Tengboche | About 3,860 m |
| 5 | Tengboche to Dingboche | About 4,410 m |
| 6 | Acclimatisation day in Dingboche | About 4,410 m |
| 7 | Dingboche to Lobuche | About 4,940 m |
| 8 | Lobuche to Gorak Shep and Everest Base Camp | About 5,160 m |
| 9 | Kala Patthar at dawn, descend to Pheriche | About 4,370 m |
| 10 | Pheriche to Namche | About 3,440 m |
| 11 | Namche to Lukla | About 2,860 m |
| 12 | Fly to Kathmandu | About 1,400 m |
Daily walking
Most days involve 5–7 hours and around 10–15 km of walking, with steep sections. Altitude, not distance, is what makes it challenging.
See our EBC guide, difficulty and weather by month.