- Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world with an elevation of 8848.86 meters/29032ft above sea level, whereas, Mt. Ama Dablam stands with an elevation of 6,812 meters/ 22,349 feet above sea level.
- Mount Everest is also known as Sagarmatha ‘top of the world’ in the Nepali language and ‘Chomolungma’ which means mother of the world’ in the Sherpa language. Whereas, Ama Dablam literally means Mother’s Necklace, as the mountain is shaped in a way as if a mother is welcoming her child.
- Mt. Everest was first scaled by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary in the year 1953 AD, whereas Mt Ama Dablam was first scaled on 13th March 1961 by a group of an expedition led by Sir Edmund Hillary.
- Mt. Everest and Mt. Ama Dablam both lie in the Sagarmatha National Conservation Area of the Khumbu region/Everest region, which is the UNESCO natural world heritage site.
- Trekkers can only trek up to the base camp of Mt. Everest which is 5364 meters and the base camp of Ama Dablam 4,600m/15,092ft, at this elevation we can observe the expedition group arranging for the summit to the top of Mt. Everest 8848.86 meters and Ama Dablam 6812 meters.
- Till the Base Camp of both Mt. Everest and Ama Dablam, we can trek using a normal trekking permit, but to summit the top of Mt. Everest and Ama Dablam, we need a special permit and training.
- Everest Base Camp and Ama Dablam Base Camp hike start from Lukla which is 2,840m/9,318ft and the highest elevation for the Ama Dablam Base Camp for overnight camp are Pengboche 3,930m/12,894ft. Whereas, for Everest Base Camp the highest overnight stay is Gorakshep 5140 meters.
- The easiest way to trek to Everest Base Camp and Ama Dablam Base Camp is to fly to Lukla from Manthali/Ramechap airport, which is around 3-4 drive from the main city of Kathmandu.
- Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has issued a notice to all the airlines flying to Lukla that from the month of October 2019 all the flights to and from Lukla will be commerce from Manthali airport which is in Ramechap district, due to air traffic problems in Kathmandu airport, so now to all the trekkers and expedition group taking domestic flight will be operated from Manthali airport, this is only applicable to domestic flight not to the helicopter.
- We can take a helicopter to and from Lukla airport via Kathmandu airport but not the normal domestic flight.
- Normally trekking to the Everest region starts from Lukla and ends at Lukla, keeping in mind the total trekking distance to be covered is 150 km in 13 days which includes two extra rest days for acclimatization one in Namche Bazaar and the other in Dingboche
- Trekking elevation also varies from Lukla to Kalapatthar, as the trekking starts from Lukla which is 2840 meters,s, and Kalapatthar which is 5545 meters, this will be the highest elevation of the entire trek.
- The highest elevation for the overnight stay in the Everest Base Camp trek is Gorakshep 5140 meters which is the final highest point to spend a night.
- The Everest Base Camp and Ama Dablam trek start from a moderate hike to a strenuous hike but two nights extra for acclimatization will help any trekkers to accomplish the entire trek successfully.
- Throughout the hike to Everest Base Camp and Ama Dablam Base Camp, accommodations are from attach-toilet to normal, it depends mainly on the altitude we are. The higher we are the normal tea houses/lodges we are supposed to stay and also the higher we are the number of tea houses and lodges diminishes.
- The only living community in the Everest region is the Sherpas community, they are the aboriginals of the high Himalaya and follow Buddhism as their religion they are very friendly, loyal, and helpful.
- The highest elevation of the Ama Dablam hike is 4600 meters, making it easier than Everest Base Camp, so trekkers can complete the hike in a more relaxing way than EBC without being worried about altitude sickness.
Accommodation during the EBC and Ama Dablam Trek
Accommodation during the trek is the most frequently asked question by trekkers. To speak the truth there are many lodges and tea houses being operated in the Himalayas region but are limited with the occupancy of rooms and also the numbers of hotels. As the Himalayan region are a conserved area, only a limited number of hotels/lodges/tea house can be seen but it depends upon the altitude where we are. The more we ascend the less number of hotels and lodges can be seen, further as the elevation increases the level of accommodation decrease. Normally in Lukla and Namche Bazzar more hotels and lodges are found than the other overnight place.
The accommodation in the trek will be basic, with attach toilet in some of the places below the 3500m, here are some of the basic information about the lodges/hotels and tea house during the trek to the Everest Base Camp according to the Day To Day itinerary to EBC:
Lukla
Lukla is the gateway to the Everest region and the only airport in the Himalayas, which is around a 30-minute flight from the main airport of Kathmandu. The air distance between Kathmandu and Lukla is 136 km making it a 30-minute flight. The airport in Lukla is situated at an altitude of 2840m, is a small airport with a runway of 527m which makes only small aircraft fly. It is also the main town to carry the goods received from the city to transfer to the higher region of Everest. This makes Lukla a big and busy town in the mountain, keeping all this in mind the local has been operating different standards of hotels in Lukla from basic to standard, from attaching the toilet to normal, around 300 tourists can stay in the surrounding hotels in Lukla making it comfortable stay in.
Phakding
Phakding is the first overnight place for trekkers in the Everest region. It is a small village where trekkers prefer to stay while ascending to the Everest region only. The distance between Lukla and Phakding is 8km, which takes around 4 hours to trek. Apart from these the hotels and lodges in Phakding are limited but some are resort-type and comfortable to stay with attached toilet and hot shower, during the peak season of trekking booking the hotel will be good to avoid sleeping in the dining hall.
Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazzar is one of the capital towns of the Himalayan region and a center for trade for the locals. It is 11 km from Phakding, Sufficient numbers of hotels, lodges, and resorts are available in the Namche, as the town is mainly used for acclimatization by the trekkers and also while descending trekkers prefers to say a night extra making it a three-night stay spot but for locals, it is a center of trading. Different categories of hotels and lodges are available from basic to attach toilet from hot shower to electric heater room. In the entire region, Namche provides sufficient facilities for trekkers.
Pangboche
Pangboche is a comparatively small village as it lies in the Himalayas and 6 km far away from Namche Bazaar, less numbers of lodges and tea houses are operated but during the heavy snowfall, the number of lodges and tea houses may decrease. In Pangboche basic facilities of hotels and tea, houses are available but a hot shower is possible in every lodge and tea house. There are some lodges which provide attach toilet, hot shower, and electric heater bedroom as well but need prior booking.
Dingboche
Dingboche is a very popular high altitude acclimatization place for all the trekkers, so trekkers prefer to stay 2 nights in Dingboche to acclimatize. It is 11 km away from Tangboche on the lap of the Himalayas, it is a big town with sufficient numbers of lodges and tea houses to accommodate more trekkers but only limited numbers of the hotel provide attach toilets inside. Normally hot shower is possible in all the lodges but outside, due to its high elevation the lodges and tea houses are not blessed with electricity facility but they use solar power to generate electricity and charge battery, accommodation is basic but good for any trekkers.
Lobuche
Lobuche is 8 km further uphill into the Himalayas from Dingboche, it is a small village mainly operated as tea houses and lodges for tourists. There are around 6 lodges but very basic, hardly some of the rooms have a private toilet inside but in the freezing winter better to use the toilet outside. Upon request, some lodges provide hot water for bathing which needed to be paid extra. None of the rooms has heater facilities but provides blankets to keep warm. Overall in the high mountain areas, this sort of accommodation is fair enough to make us sleep well.
Gorakshep
Gorakshep is one of the highest elevations for any trekkers to be in the Everest region and final overnight at this height. It is 12 km from Lobuche making it the last highest human settlement. Some lodges are operated during peak season but during the snowy month, it is very rare to see any lodges. The lodges and tea houses are very basic but comfortable enough to sleep, no private toilet inside the lodge, it is all common toilets and bathrooms in the lodges but the lodges and tea houses provide blankets to avoid freezing cool.
Pheriche
Pheriche is a small village that trekkers enjoy while descending from the Everest Base Camp. It is 12 km lower than Gorakshep, but more lodges and tea houses can be seen operating than in the Gorakshep. Pheriche village has around 14 lodges and tea houses, some of them provide private toilets and hot shower facilities as well. Accommodations are basic but better than Gorakshep, they do provide blankets to make you sleep well.
Those are the villages where trekkers enjoy their overnight while trekking in the Everest region of Everest Base Camp.
