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Everest Base Camp Elevation
Everest Base Camp elevation is 5,364 m (17,598 ft) above sea level, on the South side, in the Khumbu region of Nepal. It is on a large pile of rocks and ice left behind by the Khumbu Glacier. To give you an idea of how high it is, it is higher than any mountain in North America, including Denali. The air here has only about half the oxygen you’d breathe at sea level, which is a big reason why the last part of the trek feels so much harder than the earlier days.
Because the altitude is so high, most trekking plans have at least two extra rest days in the villages of Namche Bazaar and Dingboche to let the body adjust slowly. Moving up too fast can cause headaches, nausea, or worse, so guides recommend gaining no more than 300 to 500 m of sleeping height per day once above 3,000 m. The trek starts in Lukla (2,860 m), reached by a short flight from Kathmandu, and takes about 8–9 days and 65 km of walking to reach Base Camp.
Table of Contents
Everest Base Camp Heights on the Nepal and Tibet Sides
Mount Everest has two base camps, on opposite sides of the mountain, and they are located at different heights. Let’s take a look at the details of each one.
| Base Camp | Country | Elevation | Access |
| South Base Camp | Nepal | 5,364 m (17,598 ft) | Multi-day trek from Lukla |
| North Base Camp | Tibet, China | 5,150 m (16,900 ft) | Vehicle via Friendship Highway |
The South Base Camp is the one referenced in almost every trekking itinerary, news report, and record book, because it is the endpoint of the classic Everest Base Camp trek and the staging point for climbers on the southeast ridge route. About 40,000 people attempt the trek to South Base Camp each year, starting from Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla at 2,846.
The North Base Camp, by contrast, is reached by road from Shelkar and needs a Chinese government permit. Because vehicles can drive most visitors to within a short walk of the site, altitude sickness risk there is higher, not lower, since there is no gradual climb to help the body adjust.
Why the Everest Base Camp Elevation Figure Confuses So Many Trekkers?
Search for Everest Base Camp elevation, and you will find numbers ranging from 5,150 to 5,644 m on the same page. Three things cause the spread. First, writers frequently mix up South Base Camp (5,364 m) with Kala Patthar (5,545 m), the viewpoint most trekkers climb the morning after reaching Gorak Shep, or with Gorak Shep itself (5,164 m). These are three different locations with three different elevations, all visited on the same standard itinerary.
Second, older guidebooks and travel blogs provide a range of historical survey figures for both camps, some dating to expeditions decades old, before GPS-based measurement was standard.
Third, the ground itself is moving. South Base Camp is situated directly on the Khumbu Glacier, and glacial ice is not static. As the ice thins and shifts, the physical camp location and exact coordinates can change each year slightly.
What 5,364 Meters Does to Your Body?
Elevation numbers on a map do not explain what the altitude feels like. At Everest Base Camp, atmospheric oxygen availability drops to half of sea-level concentrations, and our body compensates by breathing faster and producing more red blood cells, a process that takes days, not hours.
A study following 332 lowland trekkers to 5,300 meters on the Khumbu trail recorded acute mountain sickness in 73.5% of participants, with just over half of those cases rated moderate to severe. A separate survey of 366 trekkers on the Everest Base Camp trek found that 40.5% experienced at least one medical incident during the trip, with acute mountain sickness responsible for close to half of those cases. Neither age nor fitness level predicted who got sick.
That is the challenging part of trekking at high altitude. It is also why having a balanced itinerary can matter more than being physically fit. A well-planned, guide-supported itinerary can make a big difference. Himalaya Trip includes acclimatization days in every Everest Base Camp itinerary based on the altitude and elevation changes, rather than treating rest days as unnecessary extras.
Everest Base Camp Trek
14 Days
Adventure Treks
USD 1,349 per person
Everest Base Camp Trek With Helicopter Return
12 Days
Trekking
USD 1,949 per person
Everest Base Camp Elevation Compared to Other High Points
At 5,364 m, Everest Base Camp elevation exceeds the summit of every mountain in the Alps and sits above Africa’s Kilimanjaro base routes. It remains 3,485 m below the summit of Everest itself, a gap that needs supplemental oxygen, fixed ropes, and weeks of further acclimatization to close.
| Location | Elevation | Note |
| Lukla (trek start) | 2,846 m (9,337 ft) | Above the altitude where AMS symptoms can begin |
| Namche Bazaar | 3,440 m (11,290 ft) | First scheduled acclimatization stop |
| Dingboche | 4,260 m (13,980 ft) | Second scheduled acclimatization stop |
| Everest Base Camp (South) | 5,364 m (17,598 ft) | Higher than Mont Blanc’s 4,809 m summit |
| Kala Patthar | 5,545 m (18,192 ft) | Highest point most trekkers reach |
| Mount Everest summit | 8,848.86 m (29,031.7 ft) | Officially confirmed by Nepal and China in December 2020 |
What is the daily elevation gain on the route?
The classic trekking route from Lukla covers approximately 65 km one way, gaining 2,524 m of net elevation over seven to nine days of climbing. Let’s take a look at the day-by-day elevation breakdown for the Everest Base Camp trek.
Lukla to Phakding
- Starting Altitude: 2,840 m
- Ending Altitude: 2,610 m
- Net Vertical Change: -230 m
- Distance: 7.5 km
The trek starts at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla. The first day follows the Dudh Koshi River valley downhill to Phakding. This gives your body time to get used to walking at a lower elevation before starting the longer climbs.
Phakding to Namche Bazaar
- Starting Altitude: 2,610 m
- Ending Altitude: 3,440 m
- Net Vertical Change: +830 m
- Distance: 11 km
This part is the first major physical challenge. Trekkers enter Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo before crossing the high Larja Suspension Bridge. The trail then climbs for about three hours, gaining more than 600 meters in height and reaching Namche Bazaar above 3,000 meters.
Namche Bazaar Acclimatization Stop
- Sleeping Altitude: 3,440 m
- Day Hike Altitude: 3,880 m at Hotel Everest View
- Net Vertical Change: 0 m net (day climb of +440 m)
Trekkers spend two consecutive nights in Namche Bazaar. The protocol need an active day hike up to Hotel Everest View or Khumjung village before returning down to Namche to sleep. This climb high, sleep low technique increases red blood cell production while protecting your recovery.
Namche Bazaar to Tengboche
- Starting Altitude: 3,440 m
- Ending Altitude: 3,860 m
- Net Vertical Change: +420 m
- Distance: 9 km
After descending to the river crossing at Phunki Thenga (3,250 m), the route climbs through rhododendron forests to Tengboche Monastery. Temperatures drop easily here, and atmospheric oxygen levels continue to decrease.
Tengboche to Dingboche
- Starting Altitude: 3,860 m
- Ending Altitude: 4,410 m
- Net Vertical Change: +550 m
- Distance: 10 km
From Tengboche to passing Pangboche and arriving Dingboche means leaving the trees behind and entering open mountain valleys. Reaching 4,000 m is a major change for your body. Walking becomes slower and breathing becomes harder as the altitude increases.
Dingboche Acclimatization Stop
- Sleeping Altitude: 4,410 m
- Day Hike Altitude: 5,083 m at Nangkartshang Peak
- Net Vertical Change: 0 m net (day climb of +673 m)
Dingboche is the critical second acclimatization hub. Skipping this rest day increases failure rates higher up. A morning hike up Nangkartshang Peak pushes your body above 5,000 m for the first time, preparing your cardio-respiratory system for the final push.
Dingboche to Lobuche
- Starting Altitude: 4,410 m
- Ending Altitude: 4,940 m
- Net Vertical Change: +530 m
- Distance: 8 km
The trail follows the high ridge to Dughla before climbing the hill to Thokla Pass. Reaching the top means seeing dozens of stone memorials built for climbers who lost their lives. The route then follows the edge of the Khumbu Glacier before reaching Lobuche.
Lobuche to Gorak Shep and Everest Base Camp
- Starting Altitude: 4,940 m
- Intermediate Stop: Gorak Shep at 5,164 m
- Target Altitude: Everest Base Camp at 5,364 m
- Net Vertical Change: +424 m
- Distance: 11 km
Trekkers spend about three hours walking over rocky ground to reach Gorak Shep. Leaving their heavy bags at the teahouse means continuing toward Everest Base Camp with lighter packs. Walking across the rocky edge of the Khumbu Glacier leads to base camp.
Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar to Pheriche
- Summit Viewpoint Altitude: 5,545 m
- Ending Descent Altitude: Pheriche at 4,370 m
- Net Vertical Change: +381 m push, then -1,175 m descent
- Distance: 14 km
Before descending the valley, trekkers make an early morning climb up Kala Patthar. Because Mount Everest’s peak is hidden behind Mount Nuptse from base camp, Kala Patthar provides the perfect viewpoint of the summit.
Everest Base Camp Elevation Breakdown Table
| Trekking Segment | Starting Altitude | Ending Altitude | Net Gain / Loss |
| Day 2: Lukla to Phakding | 2,840 m | 2,610 m | -230 m |
| Day 3: Phakding to Namche Bazaar | 2,610 m | 3,440 m | +830 m |
| Day 4: Namche Acclimatization | 3,440 m | 3,440 m (3,880 m hike) | 0 m net |
| Day 5: Namche to Tengboche | 3,440 m | 3,860 m | +420 m |
| Day 6: Tengboche to Dingboche | 3,860 m | 4,410 m | +550 m |
| Day 7: Dingboche Acclimatization | 4,410 m | 4,410 m (5,083 m hike) | 0 m net |
| Day 8: Dingboche to Lobuche | 4,410 m | 4,940 m | +530 m |
| Day 9: Lobuche to Gorak Shep to EBC | 4,940 m | 5,364 m | +424 m |
| Day 10: Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar to Pheriche | 5,164 m | 5,545 m peak / 4,370 m end | -794 m net |
How the Elevation Number Was Measured?
Elevation figures for Everest Base Camp come from GPS-based surveying, not from a single historic reading. This separates the base camp elevation from the ongoing debate over Everest’s summit height. For decades, Nepal and China published different summit figures, 8,848 m versus 8,844.43 m, depending on whether the measurement included the snow cap or stopped at bare rock.
In December 2020, after a Nepali survey team reached the summit in 2019 and a Chinese team followed in 2020, both countries jointly announced a revised summit height of 8,848.86 m, ending the discrepancy. Base camp elevation has not been part of the same debate because the camp sits on moving glacial ice rather than solid rock. Its exact height can change slightly as the Khumbu Glacier moves. For this reason, 5,364 m is used as the standard elevation for Everest Base Camp rather than as a fixed height.
Is Everest Base Camp Higher Than Kilimanjaro?
No, Everest Base Camp is not higher than Mount Kilimanjaro. The altitude of Everest Base Camp is 5,364 m, while Kilimanjaro’s summit is 5,895 m. That’s a gap of over 500 m, or roughly 1,700 ft. Even Kala Patthar, the highest viewpoint most trekkers reach on the EBC trail, is 5,545 m and still falls short of Kilimanjaro’s peak.
The real difference comes down to what each trip actually means. Walking to Everest Base Camp is about reaching the doorstep of the tallest peak and looking up at climbers who still have thousands of meters left to go. Climbing Kilimanjaro means standing on the very top of the peak.
Conclusion
Everest Base Camp is currently listed at 5,364 m above sea level. This altitude is supported by surveyed measurements and used by reliable sources. However, tourism authorities of Nepal have noted that the elevation may change over time. For your trek, knowing the exact number is less important than understanding how the altitude can affect your body during the 8 to 9-day climb.
Talk to Himalaya Trip about an itinerary that gives you enough time to adjust to the altitude and keeps the camp conditions in mind.
