Top 3 Base Camp Treks In Nepal
Nepal- The country of the Himalaya is one of the top trekking destinations in the world. Thousands of people visit the Nepalese Himalaya every year. There are hundreds of trekking routes but only some of them are very popular and visited by many trekkers. The people should not trek to the base camps to see the mountains they may see from far these long-ranged mountains doing some short, easy and non-adventurous trekking in Nepal but that’s not enough for all travellers so they may have the desire to visit the base camps of the world’s highest mountains.
Visiting the base camps of the big mountains should take around 2 weeks and need to be well prepared with equipment, physical, and mental to-do these adventure trip in Nepal. There are hundreds of mountains every one of them has their base camps with 8 highest mountains above 8,000 meters from out of 14 highest mountain in the world. Here is information about the top 3 most famous mountain base camps which are popular trekking routes and visiting by many trekking seekers.
Everest Base Camp Trek
Number of Days: 12 (Including 2 altitude practice days)
Trip Grade: Moderate
Best Time to Visit: September- December, and March-May
Maximum Elevation: 5,550m (Kalapatthar)
Highlights of the trek
Scenic Mountain flight to Lukla
Massive Everest Himalayan range
Traditional Sherpa settlements, religion, and culture
Buddhist monasteries and other monuments
Wildlife and vegetation
Valley, green hills, waterfalls, rivers and much more
The Everest base camp trek is a highlighted and most famous trekking in Nepal. Visiting the base camp of the world’s highest mountain and seeing it from very near, should have a dream to the people who love mountains and there is a big number of visitors every year. Everest base camp trek is in the Sagarmatha National Park (Natural UNESCO world heritage site) which starts from Monjo. The Mt. Everest is at the border with the Tibet and Nepal so there are 2 different base camps of this mountain. People can drive to the base camp of the Everest from the Tibet side and have to walk in the Nepalese side that’s why most people visit the base camp of the Nepalese side.
12 days Journey to the Everest base camp (5,364m) starts from Lukla with a half an hour scenic mountain flight from Kathmandu and treks to the base camp via Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, and Gorakshep. It takes 8 days to reach to the base camp including 2 acclimatization rest days than 3 days trek back to Lukla and flight last day.
Manaslu Base Camp Trek
Number of Days: 17
Trip Grade: Strenuous
Best Time to Visit: September- December, and March-May
Maximum Elevation: 5,160m
Highlights of the Trek
Experiencing the local lifestyle of lowland people and highland people
Manaslu Himalayan range
Hindu and Buddhist monuments and culture
High Himalayan Lake and glacier
Adventure experiences of Larke pass
Beautiful valley, traditional local houses, rivers, waterfalls, green hills, wildlife, vegetations, and much more
The Manaslu base camp can be visited during the Manaslu circuit trek which lies in the North West from Kathmandu. This trek is in the Manaslu conservation area. Manaslu circuit trek is one of an adventure trek known as Larke la pass trek. This restrict area trek needs 3 different trekking permits like Manaslu conservation area permit, Manaslu special trekking permit, and Annapurna conservation area trekking permit because of this trek ends in the Annapurna region.
Visiting the Manaslu base camp is in a spare day at Samagaun which is one acclimatization day during this trek. There is a beautiful high mountain glacial lake (Birendra lake) on the way to the Manaslu base camp. The trail to the base camp is not clear as Everest base camp.
Around Manaslu circuit trek starts from Arughat or Soti Khola after a hillside road drive from Kathmandu with a public or a private transport then treks through Lapubesi, Machhakhola, Jagat, Namrung, Lho Gaun, Samagaun, Samdo, and Dharmalasa and cross over the Larke la to reach to Bhimtang. After Bhimtang, the trail meets to the main Annapurna circuit trekking trail in Dharapani and continues to Bhulbhule or Besisahar passing Tal, Chamje, and other small settlements.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Number of Days: 10
Trip Grade: Moderate
Best Time to Visit: September- December, and March-May
Maximum Elevation: 4,130m
Highlights of the Trek
Unblocked sunrise and a great view of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massif from Poon hill
Culture and lifestyle of the Gurung and Magar People (The brave Gurkhas)
Traditional local villages with traditional buildings
Enjoy with a natural hot spring
Valley, rivers, waterfalls, green hills, wildlife, vegetation, glacier, and much more
The Annapurna base camp is very busy trekking in Nepal. It has the best chance to be to very close to the mountain. Annapurna base camp trek has a big volume of the visitors but still, the number of the lodges is limited so the visitors must have to share the rooms with others in some places. This trek is also known as Annapurna sanctuary trek. There is a natural hot spring on the way to the Annapurna base camp trek where people may enjoy a natural hot bath.
The Annapurna base camp trek starts from a beautiful lake city Pokhara with a short drive to Nayapul and treks to Poon hill via some Gurung and Magar villages (Tikhedhunga, Ulleri, and other) and Ghorepani reached. After an unblocked sunrise and stunning Mountain View from Poon hill, the trail leads to Annapurna base camp passing Tadapani, Chhomrong, Himalaya, Deurali, and Machhapuchchhre base camp. After enjoying the view of the sunset and sunrise from the Annapurna base camp, trekkers return the same way until Chhomrong then trek down to Jhinu where a natural hot spring is. Enjoying the hot bath in the hot pool and spending a night in Jhinu Danda, the trek keep continue to Nayapul and drives back to Pokhara.
This article may help to figure out which base camp to choose according to the time frame and with mood to the travellers who are planning to make a base camp trip in Nepal. There are other base camp treks too but these are more popular and have easy access to visit.
