Mount Everest Expedition Faqs

The requirement of time varies depending on the various agencies, weather conditions and the approach. In general, climbing Mount Everest takes anywhere around two months or a little more. This includes time for gathering supplies, trekking to the base camp from Lukla, acclimatization to the altitudes, and ultimately reaching the summit.

Getting acclimatized at different elevations is very important for a successful climb. Thus, you will be spending few days at the base camp before climbing higher. Similarly, you will also spend few days at camp 1, camp 2, camp 3 and camp 4 before actually getting to the top.

Himalayan Glacier’s Everest expedition itinerary requires 70 days to complete the adventure, the first day being your arrival day while the next two days will be preparation day in Kathmandu. Day 69 will be the day you fly back to Kathmandu from Lukla and day 70 is the day you will return home. The total climbing days excluding the days required for trekking up to the base camp and acclimatizing there begins on day 19 and ends on day 64. So, reaching the top from the base camp requires 45 days in total including several acclimatization days in the high camps.

Weather conditions in Mount Everest is always predisposed to unpredictable variations. However, the best time to climb Mt. Everest is during the spring season. The months of April and May are the best times to reach up to the summit. During this time, the peak is mostly clear and visible. The fall season in September and October, right after Nepal’s monsoon, is also a suitable time for climbing. The weather is moderate, and there is no chance of rainfall.

Apart from these two seasons, Mt. Everest is always cold, and reaching the summit is challenging during any other time of the year. It’s essential to plan your climb during the optimal times to increase your chances of success while keeping in mind that weather conditions can still be unpredictable.

Once you arrive in Kathmandu airport, we recommend you purchasing a local SIM card. You can use this SIM card to communicate with your friends or family when you are in Kathmandu and during the entire trek. But, when you are climbing the Everest, the SIM card won’t work, and if it does, communication is possible on a very limited basis. You can use a satellite phone (if you have one) or you may request us to supply a satellite phone for your expedition journey to the Everest.

Firstly, you need to get your insurance in your home country as it is not available in Nepal. It is mandatory for our clients to be protected against comprehensive expenses likely to incur due to health issues, accidents, flight cancelation, trip cancelation (due to pandemic, political riots or natural calamities), to join any of our trips. However, the insurance coverage is not necessarily the same for different travel packages. For the type of insurance coverage you will need to do this trip, you can visit our travel insurance section that contains all detailed information.

Climbing a Himalayan peak that is 8000m or above is a critically physical endeavor. No matter what, it is still the ultimate mountaineering adventure. Getting to stand at the pinnacle of the earth is undoubtedly one of life’s most rewarding experiences. The steep snow-climbing through ice chunks during the expedition tempts climbers to test, enhance and improve their mountaineering skills. When you consider climbing the Mt. Everest, you need to ask yourself several questions and be very candid about your outcomes.

You need to be truthful about your physical fitness, technical capability to handle the terrains, and mental capability of the associated hardships in the high altitudes. You need to have a very high level of physical endurance and also a previous experience of having climbed a 6000-er, a 7000-er or even an 8000-er before attempting to scale the highest one. Climbing Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Shishapangma or Mt. Manaslu would be a perfect recommendation before trying out on Mt. Everest.

The risk of altitude sickness such as AMS can increase due to certain medical conditions such as any form of respiratory disease or medications like sleeping pills. Before making any ascent on the mountains, it is always beneficial to inform your guide of any medical complications or the medications that you have been regularly using. The best ways to help your body acclimatize and avoid altitude sickness are as follows:

• Refrain from taking alcohol, tobacco produces and any other elements that may impede the delivery of oxygen to your brain and body
• Eat small portions but quite frequently with more carbohydrate constituents
• Drink sufficient water to stay away from dehydration. Colorless urination means that you are properly hydrated
• Whenever possible, sleep at a lower altitude
• Climb the mountain gradually and stop for a few days to rest and acclimatize for every 600 to 800m
• Get ample rest and take it easy
• Nap whenever you can
• Walk at a slower pace than you would at sea level in order to avoid over-exertion
• Learn the tactics of identifying the early symptoms of altitude sickness

The price for climbing Mt. Everest varies widely. Most climbers choose commercial expedition operators for their adventure trip. Usually a foreign agency that relies on local mountain guides and crew members charge from $60,000 to $65,000. While the price offered by various agencies ranges from almost $30,000 to $100,000. Most local agencies have considerably lower charges for a full package supported climb, which is anywhere around $35,000.
It is mandatory for all expeditions to pay for their life insurance as well as helicopter rescue insurance. As a matter of fact, Everest expedition is arguably the most expensive of all treks in Nepal. Himalayan Glacier offers this experience at a meagre amount of $ 65,000 which includes the peak climbing fees of $11,000. The price also includes a pollution control fee of $600 per person and the fees of a liaison officer costing $2,500.

As such, there is no legal requirement to join a group for climbing any peak above 8000m in Nepal. But in Tibet, the mountaineering association has set a minimum requirement of two persons while issuing the climbing permit. However, you need to understand that climbing solo in Nepal could prove to be quite expensive and less safe than joining a group with professional team leaders, guides and porters. Of course, don’t forget to go along with a reputed company that possesses highly experienced and technically sound crew members.

During the Everest expedition, especially when you are at high altitudes, it is most likely that your cardio-pulmonary system gets affected due to the low oxygen content in the atmosphere causing general breathing difficulties such as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). This sickness is usually the beginning stage of all mountain related illness with symptoms like headache, lethargy, nausea, vomiting and general flu like symptoms. The AMS can further progress into more serious conditions like Cerebral Edema and Pulmonary Edema. Cerebral Edema is a serious illness that is caused by swelling of the brain while Pulmonary Edema is a fluid built up in the lungs causing serious issues. Both these illnesses can lead to deaths of climbers, if not dealt with proper care.

Another issue during the Everest expedition is sunburn and this can be prevented by using appropriate sunscreen and clothing to protect against the UV rays. Snow blindness is another serious condition that can arise, which is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays during the daytime.