Everest Base Camp in autumn: what two weeks really feels like
Day by day through the Khumbu, from the Lukla landing to sunrise on Kala Patthar, and the moments nobody warns you about.
Pasang Sherpa
Lead guide · 14 Everest summits
8 min read
The flight into Lukla is over in forty minutes, and it is the last time anything about this trek feels fast.
Days 1–3: finding the rhythm
The first days follow the Dudh Koshi through pine forest and suspension bridges. We walk short days on purpose: the mountains reward patience.
Days 4–9: going high, slowly
Above Namche the trees give way to juniper and yak pasture. Two acclimatisation days are built in, and they are not optional.
- Drink four litres of water a day
- Climb high, sleep low
- Tell your guide about every headache
Standing at base camp, nobody talks about the summit. They talk about the people they walked with.
What we would tell a first-timer
Bring broken-in boots, a good sleeping bag and more patience than you think you need.
Tagged
- Everest
- Teahouse trek
- Autumn
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Written by
Pasang Sherpa
Lead guide · 14 Everest summits
Pasang grew up in Khumjung and has guided in the Khumbu for over twenty seasons.
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