Side by side
| Annapurna Base Camp Trek | Everest Base Camp Trek | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 10 | 14 |
| Highest point | 4,130 m | 5,545 m |
| Difficulty | Moderate | Strenuous |
| Total distance | 110 km | 130 km |
| Best months | March to April and October to December | March to May and October to November |
| Typical cost | $650 to $1,200 | $1,250 to $2,400 |
| Starts from | Nayapul or Jhinu Danda, near Pokhara | Lukla (2,860 m) |
| Permits | 1 | 2 |
Choose the Annapurna Base Camp Trek if
The Annapurna Base Camp trek is a 10 day route in central Nepal that climbs through terraced villages and bamboo forest into the Annapurna Sanctuary at 4,130 m. It starts near Pokhara, needs no flight, and is the best first Himalayan trek for most people.
Long staircase days rather than thin air. The altitude stays low enough that acclimatisation is rarely the limiting factor, but the stone steps above Chhomrong punish unprepared knees.
Choose the Everest Base Camp Trek if
The Everest Base Camp trek is a 14 day teahouse trek in Nepal's Khumbu region, reaching 5,364 m at Base Camp and 5,545 m at Kala Patthar. It starts with a flight to Lukla and needs no climbing skill, only solid fitness and patience with altitude. Spring and autumn are the reliable seasons.
The walking itself is rarely technical. What makes it hard is doing five to seven hours a day, back to back, in air that holds roughly half the oxygen you are used to at sea level.
