Choose Everest Base Camp if
- you have time and want a longer journey
- you want to go high and are ready for the altitude
Nepal treks compared
Everest Base Camp vs Annapurna Base Camp
The two most famous base camps. Everest is longer and much higher, starts with the Lukla flight, and the last days are above 4,500 m among ice and rock. Annapurna Base Camp starts by road from Pokhara, stays lower, and walks through villages, rice terraces and bamboo forest before the Sanctuary. For a first high trek I usually suggest Annapurna; for the highest mountain on earth, Everest, slowly.
- Days
- 12 / 10
- Highest
- 5,545 / 4,130 m
- Checked
- Nov 2026
- Written by
- Rujan Neupane, trained guide
Side by side
From each trek's own page.
| Everest Base Camp | Annapurna Base Camp | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 12 | 10 |
| Highest point | 5,545 m, Kala Patthar | 4,130 m, Annapurna Base Camp |
| Nights at 3,000 m or more | 9 | 2 |
| Grade | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best months | Nov, Apr | Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr |
| On the trail | Busy in season | Busy in season |
| Getting there | With a flight | With a flight |
| Permits | Two permits are needed: the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit. The park permit is bought at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu… | One permit is needed: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). It is issued in Kathmandu or Pokhara and checked on the trail. It is paid at the official price, and… |
| Guide fee | $420 for the walk | $250 for the walk |
The guide fee is one fee for 1 to 5 people. Permits, lodges, food and transport are paid at cost: what a trek really costs.
The difference, in short
- Everest Base Camp takes 12 days, 2 more than Annapurna Base Camp.
- Everest Base Camp goes higher: 5,545 m against 4,130 m, so it needs more rest days and warmer nights.
Which one for you?
Choose Annapurna Base Camp if
- you have fewer days
- you prefer to stay lower
From people I walked with
The walk around Kathmandu was very informative and interesting. Rujan did a great job showing us the highlights. The outdoor crematorium in particular really stuck with me, probably because it was so foreign to us. On our way to our homestay we did a hike where we got to enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. It…
Best three weeks on my trails
Not sure which trek suits you? Tell me your dates and what you hope for, and I will say honestly.
My next free weeks from 12 Nov The calendar
