Everest Base Camp vs Ama Dablam Base Camp trek

Everest Base Camp is a 12 to 14 day trek to 5,364 m. Ama Dablam Base Camp is a shorter trek of 8 to 10 days to about 4,570 m, on a quiet side trail from Pangboche. Choose Ama Dablam Base Camp for a gentler, lower trip with a beautiful mountain close at hand; choose Everest Base Camp for the famous goal.

Everest Base Camp and Ama Dablam Base Camp at a glance

• Days from Kathmandu. Everest Base Camp: 12 to 14. Ama Dablam Base Camp: 8 to 10.
• Highest point. Everest Base Camp: Kala Patthar, 5,545 m. Ama Dablam Base Camp: base camp, about 4,570 m.
• Highest sleeping point. Everest Base Camp: Gorak Shep, 5,164 m. Ama Dablam Base Camp: Pangboche, about 3,985 m.
• Altitude risk. Everest Base Camp: significant. Ama Dablam Base Camp: lower.
• Crowds. Everest Base Camp: busy. Ama Dablam Base Camp: few trekkers; climbers in season.
• Grade. Everest Base Camp: moderate to hard. Ama Dablam Base Camp: moderate.

The two treks

Both start with the flight to Lukla and follow the same trail through Namche Bazaar and Tengboche to Pangboche. The Everest trek carries on for four more days to Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorak Shep and base camp. For Ama Dablam Base Camp you cross the river below Pangboche and climb for two to three hours to a wide grassy shelf under the west face of the mountain, then return to Pangboche the same day.

What you see

Ama Dablam, 6,812 m, is on every list of the most beautiful mountains in the world, and its base camp puts you directly beneath it. In spring and autumn the meadow is dotted with expedition tents. On the way you also see Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse from Namche and Tengboche. What you do not get is the Khumbu Glacier, the icefall and the close view of Everest from Kala Patthar. For those you need the longer trek.

Altitude and difficulty

This is the main difference. The Ama Dablam trek never sleeps above 4,000 m, so the risk of serious altitude illness is much lower and most people feel well throughout. The Everest trek sleeps at over 5,100 m and needs two acclimatisation days. If you have limited time, are trekking with older family members or teenagers, or have had trouble with altitude before, the shorter trek is the sensible choice.

Best season

Both are best from October to early December and from March to May. Ama Dablam Base Camp is the better winter choice, since it stays lower and avoids the hard cold of Gorak Shep, where night temperatures in January can fall below minus 20 C. In the main Ama Dablam climbing seasons, October and November especially, the base camp is busy with expeditions and has a lively atmosphere.

Cost and lodges

The shorter trek costs less in proportion to its days: fewer nights, and none at the highest lodges, where food and rooms are most expensive. Lodges up to Pangboche are comfortable, with attached bathrooms available in Namche and some other villages. Above Dingboche on the Everest route rooms are simpler and colder, and everything costs more because it is carried further.

Who the shorter trek suits best

Families with teenagers, trekkers over sixty, and people who have had altitude trouble before often get more pleasure from the Ama Dablam trek. The days are moderate, the lodges are warm, and you still walk the famous trail through Namche and Tengboche and see Everest. It is a complete trip, not a consolation prize.

Choose Everest Base Camp if

• Reaching Everest Base Camp itself is the point of the trip.
• You have two full weeks.
• You are fit and willing to deal with cold nights above 5,000 m.
• You want the view from Kala Patthar.

Choose Ama Dablam Base Camp if

• You have about nine days.
• You want mountain scenery without very high altitude.
• You prefer quiet trails.
• You are deciding whether you enjoy trekking before a bigger trip.

Can you do both?

Easily. Ama Dablam Base Camp is a half-day side trip from Pangboche, and it fits well as an acclimatisation day on the way up or as an extra day on the way down. It adds one day to the Everest trek.

Plan it

See the Everest Base Camp guides and the Ama Dablam Base Camp itinerary, or ask us about a combined plan.

Common questions

How high is Ama Dablam Base Camp?

About 4,570 m, roughly 800 m lower than Everest Base Camp.

Is Ama Dablam Base Camp easier than Everest Base Camp?

Yes. It is shorter and lower, with only one steep climb above Pangboche.

Can you see Everest from Ama Dablam Base Camp?

Not from base camp itself, where Ama Dablam fills the view. You see Everest earlier, from Namche and Tengboche.

Do you need a climbing permit?

No. Trekkers visiting base camp need only the normal Everest region permits.

Heights, days, fees and rules are approximate and can change, so confirm the current details with us before you book.