The best base camp treks in Nepal are Everest Base Camp for fame and height, Annapurna Base Camp for the best first experience, and Makalu and Kanchenjunga for wilderness. Mardi Himal and North Annapurna are quieter choices, and Dhaulagiri is the hardest. Days range from 5 to 24 and heights from about 4,100 m to 5,364 m.
The short list
- Annapurna Base Camp: 7 to 10 days, high point 4,130 m. The most achievable big-mountain base camp.
- Everest Base Camp: 12 to 14 days, high point 5,364 m; Kala Patthar 5,545 m. The famous one.
- Mardi Himal Base Camp: 5 to 7 days, high point about 4,500 m. The shortest route to a base camp.
- Manaslu Base Camp: a day trip on the 12 to 16 day circuit, high point about 4,800 m. A side trip, not a separate trek.
- North Annapurna Base Camp: 7 to 9 days, high point about 4,200 m. The quiet alternative.
- Makalu Base Camp: 16 to 20 days, high point 4,870 m. For experienced trekkers.
- Kanchenjunga Base Camp: 20 to 24 days, high point about 5,140 m. The longest and most remote.
The treks in detail
Annapurna Base Camp. You walk from Gurung villages through forest into a glacial basin ringed by Annapurna I, Annapurna South and Machapuchare, and sleep at base camp itself. Lodges are good, the altitude is moderate and no flight is needed beyond Pokhara. It is the base camp trek we suggest most often to first-timers.
Everest Base Camp. The trail through Namche, Tengboche and Dingboche to the Khumbu Glacier is the best supported in Nepal. The height is serious and needs two acclimatisation days. Base camp is a place on moving ice with no view of the summit, so the climb of Kala Patthar next morning is the real climax.
Mardi Himal Base Camp. A steep ridge walk from near Pokhara to a viewpoint and base camp beneath Machapuchare. Lodges are simple and the last morning is hard, but nothing else reaches this height in so few days.
Manaslu Base Camp. From Samagaon on the Manaslu Circuit a steep trail climbs beside the glacier to the expedition base camp. It makes a superb acclimatisation day before the Larkya La.
North Annapurna Base Camp. The base camp of the 1950 first ascent, in a wild valley with very few trekkers and basic shelter. For those who have done the southern base camp and want solitude.
Makalu Base Camp. A long, steep approach over the Shipton La into the uninhabited Barun valley, ending under the south face of the fifth highest mountain. Lodges are basic and few.
Kanchenjunga Base Camp. Two base camps, north and south, of the third highest mountain, in a restricted area in the far east. It needs three weeks, a guide and at least two trekkers.
Which is the hardest?
The Dhaulagiri Base Camp route, normally done as part of the Dhaulagiri Circuit, is the hardest of all: a camping trek across a glacier at 4,740 m with two passes above 5,200 m to follow. Among lodge treks, Makalu and Kanchenjunga are the most demanding, mainly for their length and remoteness. Everest is the highest but the best supported.
Which is best for a first trek?
Annapurna Base Camp, if you have a week to ten days. Mardi Himal if you have less and are fit. Everest Base Camp is perfectly possible as a first trek for anyone who trains for it and follows a 14-day plan. See Everest or Annapurna Base Camp.
What "base camp" really means
A base camp is where climbing expeditions set up for an attempt on the peak. Some, such as Annapurna, have lodges. Others are seasonal tent sites on rock or ice. On Everest in spring you will see hundreds of expedition tents; in autumn the site is nearly empty. At most base camps the summit is hidden by nearer ridges, and the best views come from a nearby hill.
Season
October to November and March to May for all of them. Annapurna and Everest can be done in winter with warm gear. The eastern treks, Makalu and Kanchenjunga, have shorter seasons because of the longer monsoon.
Common questions
Which is the easiest base camp trek in Nepal?
Annapurna Base Camp, with Mardi Himal the shortest.
Which base camp is highest?
Among trekking goals in Nepal, Everest Base Camp at 5,364 m.
Can beginners trek to a base camp?
Yes. Annapurna and Everest are both done by first-time trekkers with preparation and a sensible itinerary.
Which base camp trek has the fewest people?
Kanchenjunga, Makalu and North Annapurna.
Heights, days, fees and rules are approximate and can change, so confirm the current details with us before you book.
