Things You Really Need to Know before Staying Overnight at EBC

About 18km to the north peak of Mt. Everest, lies the famous Everest Base Camp (EBC). As one of the highest points tourists can accommodate, the staying overnight at EBC is challenging for its high altitude (5200m) and harsh environment. Below are things you should know before a trip to EBC.

How to deal with altitude sickness when staying overnight at EBC?

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), also known as altitude sickness, is one of the most common concerns when visiting EBC in Tibet. At its extreme altitude, altitude sickness is often a potential problem for those staying overnight at the base camp. While you may have spent a couple of days acclimatizing to the higher altitudes of the plateau in Lhasa, this is nothing compared to the extreme altitude of the base camp. And when you ascend once more by another 1,500 meters, you should prepare for the possibility of feeling the symptoms of AMS once again.

Altitude sickness is the top concern for tourists staying overnight at Everest Base Camp

Admittedly, not everyone traveling from Lhasa to EBC will feel the symptoms of AMS returning. For some, the stopover in Shigatse (3,900m) is enough to stave off further effects of altitude sickness when they reach EBC. However, for others, there are often the feelings associated with altitude sickness, such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, etc., and these symptoms do need to be taken care of for the good of your health.

Besides the oxygen supply, We also offer apron and sleeping bag for tourists staying overnight at EBC.

Here at ChinaTibetTrain.com, we can assist you with the problem, and help you to deal with your return of altitude sickness in a number of ways. Firstly, we elaborately design our Lhasa to EBC tour so that you can acclimatize to Tibetan plateau in Lhasa (3,650m) for 2 days before heading for EBC. Secondly, on the way to EBC, we will make stopover at Gyantse and Shigatse, so you can adapt to the coming high altitude gradually. Thirdly, our guides for all EBC tours are experienced in both taking tours to the base camp and are knowledgeable on the symptoms and aids for altitude sickness. They can give you hints and tips on the best ways to help prevent it at EBC, as well as providing a caring and conscientious service to help you reduce the risk of AMS. Last but not least, we also have oxygen bottles available for those that are in need of some aid due to more serious effects of AMS, and have our own hyperbaric chamber set up at the base camp for those that suffer more serious effects and require a higher pressure to reduce the effects before transfer to a clinic.

Is it worth risking high altitude to stay overnight at EBC?

Many people ask this question, and the answer is a simple yes for most tourists. The ones that do require more concerned aid with AMS at EBC are few, and for most tourists, only the milder symptoms will appear, if any. An overnight stop at EBC is an opportunity to view the beauty of the sunset and sunrise, with the rays of the sun shining orange on the slopes of the snow-clad mountain. You can also spend some time exploring Rongbuk Monastery, the highest Buddhist monastery in the world, and send postcards to your family and friends from the highest post office on the planet.

Staying overnight at EBC, you can have opportunity to appreciate the stunning sunset, the Milky Way, and the sunrise over the peak of Mt. Everest.

If that is not enough, the experience of standing below the highest mountain in the world and staring at its dangerous slopes is an experience well worth the risk. Thousands of people may come to Tibet every year to visit EBC, but think how many of those you know that have done it. Chances are, you will be the only one in your circle of friends.

Where and when can I stay overnight at EBC?

EBC in Tibet has places to stay, unlike the base camp in Nepal, to the south of the great mountain. Here, you have a choice of accommodation, depending on the time of year and your personal budget. The most popular place to stay is in the tent guesthouses that line the outer edges of the base camp, set up by local entrepreneurs to provide decent nomad-style accommodation for tourists. The alternatives to that are the Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse which has rooms instead of tents to stay in. And while the monastery guesthouse is open all year round, the tents close up at the end of November, and return at the beginning of April.

How about the accommodation at EBC?

The tent guesthouses are real nomad tents, made from canvas and lined with yak hair. Unlike any hotel you have ever stayed in, the tents are basic, with no running water, outdoor toilets, and only the central yak-dung burning stove for heat. However, despite being hugely popular, the tents are packed up at the end of November, and do not return to the base camp until the following April.

Tent guesthouses operated by local Tibetans are available from April to Oct.

The other main option is the Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse, which lies close by the base camp itself, now that it has moved 4km further away from the original site. Little better than the tent guesthouses, you will also be sharing rooms with others in dorms that sleep 2-5 people. However, while there is no internal heating, you do get electric blankets and power for charging your devices. And the monastery guesthouse is open all year round, for those that travel to EBC in winter.

Available all the year around, Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse protects tourists from the cold wind at night.

EBC in Tibet does have a pretty good cellphone signal. However, you are unlikely to be able to access the internet sometimes. And there is no Wi-Fi available anywhere at EBC, so you will have to wait until you get back to Shigatse to upload your photos to the cloud. And for those that want some extra warmth, we can offer a sleeping bag rental service.

What can I eat and drink at EBC?

Food and drink is available at EBC. While Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse has its own restaurant, the tents have restaurants and stores around it. Food at EBC is pretty basic though, as there are few deliveries to the base camp, and only basic goods are transported this far across the plateau. Do not expect to see western foods such as pizza and chips, and most dishes are either Tibetan or Chinese, and consist of rice, noodles, pork, eggs, porridge, etc. A good meal can cost as little as ten yuan, and we do recommend bringing some high-energy foods, such as chocolate, dried fruits and nuts, and biscuits with you to add to your diet at the base camp.

You can have decent and hot meal at the restaurant of Rongbuk Monastery Guesthouse.

Toilets at EBC

Toilets at the base camp are basic holes in the ground inside a tin or wooden hut. You should bring your own toilet paper. In the monastery guesthouse, you have indoor toilets, but these are only a little better than the outdoor ones, just much cleaner. The toilets are all of the Asian squat type, and western toilets are not to be found here, so get some practice in.

Conclusion

A trip to Everest Base Camp in Tibet is well worth the troubles you will experience, and the good points far outweigh the few low points. For the stunning mountain views, the selfie opportunities, and the kudos you will get back home from your friends is more than worth the harsh conditions you will have to endure for the experience. One night of roughing it is well worth the chance to stand in the shadow of the World’s Highest Mountain, on the Roof of the World.