seven summit treks everest

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THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE

Mount Everest is still the ultimate mountaineering adventure. To stand at the pinnacle of the Earth is one of life's most rewarding experiences. As pioneers of guided ascents on Everest, Adventure Consultants is recognised as the premier guiding service with a superb reputation for enabling members of our expeditions to achieve summit aspirations.

An attempt on Everest is a committing undertaking which requires a huge amount of dedication and determination. If you are serious about achieving the top and feel you have the right ingredients and experience, we invite you to apply for a position on our team in 2025, on what will be our twenty-ninth Everest expedition.

The Adventure Consultants methodology and tactical approach to climbing Mount Everest has seen us achieve the highest success rates and our extensive experience gives us the edge when it comes to the big decisions. We provide a consistently higher Sherpa and guide ratio than any other operator, resulting in more support and backup for your summit attempt and therefore a greater safety margin and chance of success.

We are constantly developing and evolving our operational systems to ensure you participate in the best expedition available. We figure our expedition members do not deserve anything less! In the interests of giving you the most optimal chance to summit, we limit our team size to ensure the group summits on the best weather day; sometimes there is only one summit day! Large teams offering cheap climbs often miss out as they split their groups over several potential summit days.

Our guides are seasoned professionals who are trained and assessed through the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) resulting in a greater repertoire of skills that enables them to provide a dedicated level of security to you during the expedition. The guide's contribution is predominantly around making decisions to keep you safe and healthy and to avoid mishap. This is based on years of first-hand experience on the mountain and is in contrast to startup operators looking to learn the ropes at your expense or locally-led groups which are wanting of preventative strategies and back-up contingency in case of mishap.

For two decades we have been at the forefront of providing the most current communications systems for our expeditions. These deliver comprehensive weather forecasts which enable us to plan our ascent around favourable weather. Additional meteorological interpretation provided by veteran Everest guides through our head office in New Zealand helps manage the decision-making process.

Our Wi-Fi data connection allows you to keep in touch with sponsors, business, friends and family via email, social media accounts or blog throughout the expedition from the comfort of your tent or our Base Camp lounge. The comfortable Base Camp environment and the quality of food provided by AC is legendary. Our cooks are regarded as the best in the business, providing wholesome and appetising meals with an agreeable array of menus to suit all your food requirements. The meals you are served on the mountain are also of the highest standard and designed to sustain you for the rigours of the ascent. For those with specific needs - we can cater to special dietary requirements.

In line with our objective to ensure you receive the best possible level of care while you are on the expedition, we provide a dedicated Base Camp doctor who is there specifically to ensure the wellbeing of the team members. We have had it confirmed time and again that this consistently makes a crucial contribution to the success rate and well-being of our team members.

You can customize your expedition by adding further service options to complement your ascent, such as private expeditions, additional Sherpa support, Everest Traverse from south to north, training schedules and much more. There is no doubt that an attempt of Mount Everest is a committing and serious undertaking. It takes a huge amount of dedication and determination to be successful. We work with you to help develop a suitable training program and a schedule of preparatory ascents to give you the best chance of achieving that lofty goal.

If you are serious about being successful on an ascent of the world’s highest mountain—and you want an environment that gives you the best chance of attaining that goal in a relaxed team atmosphere or private expedition—then Adventure Consultants is the perfect choice.

• Climb with the pioneers of Everest expedition guiding
• 1:1 Sherpa to climber ratio on summit day and 1:4 ratio of Western Guides
• No other operator offers so much in the way of resources and personnel to help you achieve success!
• High flow oxygen package for all team members

Expedition Level

8,850m/29,035ft

Arrive in Kathmandu

Kathmandu Preparations

Trek to Base Camp 5,300m/17,400ft

Establish camps and acclimatise

Clean up and depart Base Camp

Trek to Lukla

Fly from Lukla back to Kathmandu

Depart Kathmandu

Departures and Pricing

Looking for a specific date? Book a private expedition

The need for exceptional physical fitness cannot be over-emphasised. A regular, strenuous programme must be followed for many months to achieve the level of fitness required. We recommend a training programme tailored to mountaineering such as those from Uphill Athlete .

You must be able to efficiently climb ice, snow and rock terrain, multiple days in a row. Climbers will ideally have a broad set of climbing skills from basic rock climbing to advanced cramponing on snow and ice and strong rope skills such as rappelling and rope ascending. You should be comfortable with camp craft and self-care at high altitude.

Prior ascents of multiple 6000-7000m peaks are required (such as Denali, Aconcagua , Peak Lenin , 6000m peaks in Nepal , or the Ecuador Volcanoes ) and a prior ascent of an 8000m peak, such as Cho Oyu , is strongly recommended. This will allow you to fine-tune your skills and equipment and discover how you personally cope with extreme altitude.

When you climb Everest with Adventure Consultants you'll join a small team of companionable people who are focused on reaching the summit in good style with the highest level of support and safety standards possible. You'll enjoy the  best standards of food and equipment that are attainable - not just at Base Camp, but where it counts the most; on the mountain.

Our methodology and tactical approach to climbing Mount Everest has seen us achieve the highest success rates and our extensive experience gives us the edge when it comes to the big decisions. We provide a consistently higher Sherpa and Guide ratio than any other operator , resulting in more support and backup for your summit attempt and therefore a greater safety margin and chance of success.

In the interests of giving you the most optimal chance to summit, we limit our team size to ensure the team summits on the best weather day ; sometimes there is only one summit day! Large teams offering cheap climbs often miss out as they split their groups over several potential summit days.

Our g uides are seasoned professionals certified by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations ( IFMGA ) to ensure your safety throughout the expedition. Our experienced Sherpa team is enthusiastic, motivated, and regarded as the strongest and most cohesive group of Sherpas on Mount Everest. They have dozens of Everest summits between them. 

You'll benefit from a higher flow of oxygen than other expeditions (sleeping on 1l/min and climbing on 4l/min), maximizing safety and success. Your overnight gear will be carried between camps , meaning you only carry what you need for the day.

We provide a dedicated Base Camp doctor  - proven to make a crucial contribution to our success rate and the well-being of the team members. Our Base Camp Manager ensures the smooth running of the expedition. Our Expedition Chef and cooks are regarded as the best in the business, providing wholesome and appetising meals with a range of menus to suit all your food requirements. Meals on the mountain are also of the highest standard and designed to sustain you for the rigours of the ascent. For those with specific needs, we can cater to special dietary requirements.

For three decades we have been at the forefront of providing the most current communications systems for our expeditions. These deliver comprehensive weather forecasts from our Swiss meteorologists which enable us to plan our ascent around favourable weather. Additional meteorological interpretation provided by veteran Everest guides through our head office in New Zealand helps manage the decision-making process. Our Wi-Fi data connection allows you to keep in touch throughout the expedition from the comfort of your tent or our Base Camp lounge.

The comfortable Base Camp environment and the quality of food is legendary . On the mountain, our camps are comfortable but not excessive - eliminating unnecessary additional loads to be carried through the icefall.

The price of your trip includes the following:

• 1:4 Western guide ratio 
• 1:1 Sherpa to climber ratio on summit day
• High Flow Bottled oxygen
• Personal equipment carried on the mountain
• Helicopter flights Kathmandu-Lukla and return
• Expedition Base Camp Doctor
• High-end Base Camp and mountain camps
• Excellent food and catering
• Wi-Fi at Base Camp
• Regular dispatches for families and friends to follow your expedition updated daily by guides and Base Camp staff, and semi-hourly on summit day
• Comprehensive support from our New Zealand office team.

The ridge between the  South Summit and the true summit  of Mt Everest, is actually the best climbing on the mountain.  Views aren't bad either.

There is nothing like being on the highest summit in the world to bring a smile to your face! 

Adventure Consultants guides are focused on your safety and success.

Numerous climbers have achieved the remarkable feat of summiting Mount Everest with Adventure Consultants. Guided by the expertise of the company's seasoned guides, these individuals showcase a diverse array of stories marked by determination and triumph. United by the shared goal of conquering the world's highest peak, they exemplify the spirit of adventure and the resilience inherent in human pursuit of extraordinary achievements. The success of these climbers with Adventure Consultants underscores the company's legacy in facilitating remarkable ascents.

"Would simply say to other climbers if they want the best possible experience go with Adventure Consultants. I can honestly say I think about the whole Everest experience every day of my life and reminisce what an incredible trip it was and how lucky I was to share it with such wonderful people. As Guy says, keep doing it AC style."

"Maximisation of chance to get to the top would be the main reason I would recommend Adventure Consultants . Small group numbers and flexibility. Detailed dispatches were greatly appreciated. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and never once felt fear or apprehension. Looking forward to climbing with AC again."

"The guides were exceptional in selecting the best strategic plan that put us all in the best position we could have been in to reach the summit. While others moved into weather unnecessarily, Mike was amazing at patiently placing us on the best days to advance and climb."

The Explorer's Grand Slam awaits! Join the exclusive club of explorer's that have climbed the Seven Summits and skied to both the North and South Poles!

Tick off another 8,000er! Join one of our scheduled  Gasherbrum 1 and 2 , Dhaulagiri, Cho Oyu or Manalsu expeditions or plan a custom expedition .

Seven Summit Treks

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Seven Summit Treks - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Triumph at the Top: Seven Summit Treks' Successful Everest Expedition 2023 Comes to an End

A huge congratulation to our Everest Expedition team members and Sherpas for the successful ascent of the world's highest mountain this spring season.

As the successful Everest expedition came to an end, the climbers took a moment to reflect on their arduous journey. It was a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome obstacles, achieve greatness, and reach for the skies. As the climbers return to the lowlands, they carry with them a profound sense of accomplishment and the memories of a lifetime, forever changed by the triumph at the top of the world.

Summiteer List on different dates:

15 MAY 2023

• Xianjie Zeng (China)
• Sikai Du (China)
• Anlin Jiang (China)
• Xiangyu Peng (China)
• Zhuouan Xu (China)
• Guai Zeng (China)
• Daoyong Li (China)
• Artem Gurshtein (Russia)
• Ze Yong (China)
• Miao Yong (China)
• Jiang Yang (China)
• San Jimu (China)
• Luc Beitinckx (China)
• Lakpa Sange Sherpa (Makalu-2, Sankhuwasabha)
• Kaji Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Taraman Tamang (Makalu-1, Sankhuwasabha)
• Pasang Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Mingma Nurbu Sherpa (Makalu-6, Sankhuwasabha)
• Lakpa Tenje Sherpa (Makalu-1, Sankhuwasabha)
• Chhangba Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Sirjangbu Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Pasang Kami Sherpa (Solukhumbu-4)
• Mingma Tenjen Sherpa (Makalu-4, Sankhuwasabha)
• Phurba Chotar Sherpa (Solukhumbu-9)
• Mingma Nuru Sherpa (Solukhumbu-8)
• Tenjing Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Fura Jangbu Sherpa (Solukhumbu-8)
• Pemba Tasi Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Ang Tashi Sherpa (Makalu-1, Sankhuwasabha)
• Phurbu Kusang Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Pasang Nurbu Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Kusang Sherpa (Makalu-1, Sankhuwasabha)

16 MAY 2023

• Dmitry Razumov (Russia)
• Oleg Razumov (Russia)
• Vladimir Kotlyar (Russia)
• Sonam Tasi Sherpa (Makalu-2, Sankhuwasabha)

17 MAY 2023

• Kadyrakun Nurmamatov (Kyrgyzstan)
• Andrej Gradisnik (Slovenia)
• Rouhollah Kazemi (Iran)
• Kuldeep Deswal (India)
• Ravichandran Tharumalingam (Malaysia)
• Chinh Phu Chu (USA)
• Igor Kushnir (Ukraine)
• Oksana Kushnir (Cyprus)
• Oleg Ivanchenko (Ukraine)
• Darren John Verploegen (USA)
• Kami Rita Sherpa (Solukhumbhu-7)
• Pemba Chhiring Sherpa (Dobhane-8, Bhojpur)
• Guru Bhote (Hatiya-3, Sankhuwasabha)
• Chhedar Bhote (Bhotkhola-3, Sankhuwasabha)
• Jyamjo Lama (Hatiya-3, Sankhuwasabha)
• Ang Sumba Sherpa (Makalu-8, Sankhuwasabha)
• Dawanguck Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Ngang Dorchi Bhote (Bhotkhola-3, Sankhuwasabha)
• Sonam Sherpa (Makalu-2, Sankhuwasabha)
• Nyima Gyalu Sherpa (Solukhumu-9)
• Lakpa Thendu Sherpa (Makalu-2, Sankhuwasabha)
• Dorchi Bhote (Bhotkhola-3, Sankhuwasabha)
• Pimba Bhote (Hatiya-2, Sankhuwasabha)
• Lakpa Temba Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Mingtemba Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Lakpa Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)

18 MAY 2023

• Anna Birukova (USA)
• Alina Pekova (Russia)
• Ngima Sherpa (Sotang-2, Solukhumbu)
• Sona Chhiri Sherpa
• Pasang Tenje Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)

19 MAY 2023

• Martin Jachym (Czech Republic)
• Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya (Singapore)
• Maria Andrea Dorantes Hernandez (Mexico)
• Asad Ali Memon (Pakistan)
• Dorchi Sherpa (Makalu-3, Sankhuwasabha)
• Pemba Rinji Sherpa (Makalu-4, Sankhuwasbha)
• Ngima Washer Sherpa (Mahakulung-1, Solukhumbu)
• Dendi Sherpa (Bung-9, Solukhumbu)
• Lakpa Chhiri Sherpa (Juving-5, Solukhumbu)
• Dawajbu Bhote (Hatiya-1, Sankhuwasabha)

22 MAY 2023

• Scott Lehmann (USA)
• Shayna Unger (USA)
• Bernardo Pereira Mascarenhas Da Fonseca (Brazil)
• Gabriel Tarso Parente Carvalho M Silva (Brazil)
• Mingma Dorchi Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Mingma Tenje Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Nurpu Bhote (Hatiya-1, Sankhuwasabha)
• Dawa Sangay Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Dendi Sherpa (Mali-8, Dolakha)
• Jenjen Lama (Hatiya-3, Sankhuwasabha)

23 MAY 2023

• Wen Yi Song (Canada)
• Jacob Urth (Denmark)
• Emma Oestergaard (Denmark)
• Rafael Jaime Jaramillo (Mexico)
• Katrin Merisalu (Estonia)
• Kristin Harila (Norway)
• Jake Julian Barrington Meyer (United Kingdom)
• Kami Rita Sherpa (Solukhumbu)
• Tenjen Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha
• Gesman Tamang (Solududhkunda-8, Solukhumbu)
• Anish Tamang (Solududhkunda-4, Solukhumbu)
• Ngima Dorchi Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Sangbu Bhote (Hatiya-1, Sankhuwasabha)
• Nima Sherpa (Matsyapokhari-4, Sankhuwasabha)
• Phursang Sherpa (Waku-4, Solukhumbu)
• Dawa Temba Sherpa (Makalu-2, Sankhuwasabha)

24 MAY 2023

• Antonina Samoilova (Ukraine)
• Antonio Schiena (Italy)
• Benjamin Douglas Farrar (USA)
• Aleksandr Yul Gromen (Germany)
• Tyler Stanley Rogers (USA)
• Sona Sherpa (Chapali Bhadrakali-9, Kathmandu)
• Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa (Khumjung-9, Solukhumbu)
• Dawa Rinje Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Ngima Dorchi Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha)
• Pastenji Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)
• Rima Rinji Sherpa (Juving-5, Solukhumbu)
• Ngima Dorji Sherpa (Solukhumbu-2)
• Nima Rinji Sherpa (Makalu-1, Sankhuwasabha)
• Shir Jangbu Sherpa (Makalu-2, Sankhuwasabha)
• Pasang Nurbu Sherpa (Makalu-9, Sankhwasabha)

27 MAY 2023

• Gelje Sherpa (Tapting-3, Solukhumbu)
• Chhiring Namgel Sherpa (Khumjung-8, Sankhuwasabha)
• Mingma Thinduk Sherpa (Makalu-5, Sankhuwasabha)

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For expeditions.

• Easy (E): Climb requires one-day climbs, or a multiday climbs with non-technical elements.
• Moderate (M): Either a serious one-day climbs, or a multiday climbs with some technical elements. Requires an average level of physical fitness.
• Difficult (D): Multiday climbs with some moderately technical elements. Requires an above average fitness level and high level of stamina.
• Hard Difficult (HD): Multiday, Highly technical climb. Requires high level of physical fitness and stamina.
• Very Difficult (VD): Multiday, Extremely technical climb. Requires very high level of Physical fitness and stamina.

For Trekking

• Light: Light walking and generally level hiking that is good for most fitness levels. During these trips, hill-walking experience is desirable.
• Moderate: Trek has various types of moderate to difficult terrain, including rough trails and normally 3 to 5 hours a day. Requires an average to above average fitness level.
• Moderate+ : High altitude treks above 3000 meters or in fairly difficult terrain- normally 4 to 6 hours a day. Requires an above average fitness level and high level of stamina.
• Extreme: These high altitude treks or passes are known to be the most strenuous and has difficult terrain and conditions. These treks may require a degree of mountaineering skills and you capability of carrying on normally at an altitude of 4000-5600 meters. Daily walking is 5-8 hours approx.

Tunc Findik

Been with Seven Summit Treks for many years, done all 8000ers ! Services are perfect !! Recently joined Cholatse Expedition - Summit Success

Lukáš Jasenský

Czech republic.

Mardi Himal trek. A wonderful trek ideal even for beginners. Wonderful views, great facilities. Our choice for this trek was through our honeymoon. Seven Summit Treks organized and prepared everything. Sherpa Tashi and porter Nima were great. We could talk, they always prepared everything. I have been in contact with the guys from Seven Summit Treks since the expedition to Makalu and I know that I can rely on them. Thank you for your help and wonderful experience. And see you at the next event.

Sofie Lenaerts

Our first co-operation was in 2013 in Pakistan with Arnold Coster expeditions and Sevensummittreks towards the Gasherbrum. After that, we continued to work together on expeditions towards Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Manaslu (winter), and AmaDablam. For me, SST is a very professional company with a lot of experience and knowledge. We have full confidence in their capabilities and appreciate their flexibility. I would like to thank them for all those years of cooperation and I look forwards to new adventures in Nepal and Pakistan.

Brad Johnson

I have been on many expeditions in Nepal over the years, most of them I organized with friends and used Seven Summit Treks only for their base camp services with great service! This year none of my friends were available to climb in Nepal in the Autumn season so I contacted SST and decided to sign up for the Mera Peak and Baruntse expedition. SST organized everything and provide me with a personal climbing Sherpa for the entire trip. Throughout the entire trip, everything was taken care of by SST, including lodging, tea houses, and meals. At Baruntse base camp I had a nice private tent and the cook and kitchen staff always had smiles and cooked great meals. My Sherpa (Jangbu) was great and we became close friends and climbing partners. Jangbu was always there with a smile, a very strong climber, always wanting to help in any way he could. There was plenty of time to decide how and when we were going to make a summit push based on the weather. We had fantastic summit days on both peaks and finished the trip crossing the Amphu Labste pass into the Khumbu Valley staying each night in nice lodges with all meals included. I would highly recommend using SST for any expedition that you want to go on. Thank you Seven Summit Treks for a great trip and your attention to detail!!

Mohamed H. Al Khalifa

Seven summits are the best! Very professional highly recommended and fun people to work with.. 👏

• About the Seven Summits
• Everest (Asia)
• Vinson Massif (Antarctica)
• Aconcagua (South America)
• Elbrus (Europe)
• Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa)
• Denali (North America)
• Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania)
• Kosciuszko (Australia)
• Explorer’s Grand Slam
• Ecuador Volcanoes Expedition
• Australian Alpine Academy
• Mt. Baker (USA)
• Lhotse (Nepal)
• Manaslu (Nepal)
• Cho Oyu (Tibet)
• Ama Dablam (Nepal)
• Lobuche East (Nepal)
• 3 Peaks (Nepal)
• First Ascent (Nepal)
• Rugged Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek & Stay
• Everest Base Camp Trek (Nepal)
• North Pole Last Degree Ski (North Pole)
• South Pole Last Degree Ski (Antarctica)
• Orizaba Express Mexico Trek (Mexico)
• Mt. Rainier (USA)
• Mont Blanc (France)
• About Us / Why CTSS
• How to Apply to CTSS
• Employment Opportunities
• CTSS’ “No D*ckheads” Policy*
• Letter to your Loved Ones
• Success & Testimonials
• Marginal Gains Philosophy
• CTSS Guides & Team
• Mike Hamill
• Climbing Education
• Climbing Gear Advice
• Female Climber Considerations
• Trip Insurance
• Our Speed Ascents

It’s here! The 2024 Climbing the Seven Summits Everest season is officially underway. If you’re looking for updates on our climbing and trekking teams, you’ve come to the right spot. We will be updating our blog regularly as we receive updates from our teams in Nepal. 

After a few days of sightseeing in Kathmandu, our Rugged Luxury Everest Base Camp trekkers hit the trail on Saturday, March 30th. The team will work their way up the Khumbu Valley staying in the finest lodges the region has to offer under the leadership of legendary Everest guide Big Tendi . 

CTSS Rugged Luxury Everest Base Camp Team (Photo Credit: Big Tendi)

Our Western Guided Team and 3 Peaks Team took a helicopter into Luka yesterday morning and started their trek. Today they reached Namche and will take a rest day tomorrow (April 3rd) to support their acclimatization process. From guide J osh McDowell , “We had a great hike up to Namche today. Fantastic weather with clear skies. Everyone did really well and made great time! Just under 7 hours.”

At the Pasang Lhamu Gate in Lukla (Photo Credit: Josh McDowell)

Western Guided and 3 Peaks Teams in Phakding (Photo Credit: Tomi Ceppi)

Our 1:1 Private climbers have gathered in Kathmandu for their guide briefing, gear checks, and official CTSS welcome dinner. Tonight the climbers will rest before catching a flight tomorrow (April 3rd) to Lukla to begin their trek to the riverside town of Phakding. They will continue their way up the Khumbu Valley with trekking days and rest days to support their acclimatization process. 

CTSS Private climbers in Kathmandu getting ready for their expeditions

Tomorrow (April 3rd), our final wave of Everest summit climbers arrive alongside our Everest Base Camp trekkers and Lobuche climbers . They will spend a few days in Kathmandu for their guide briefing, gear checks, and official CTSS welcome dinner before heading to Lukla and making their way up the Khumbu Valley. 

We will continue to share more photos and updates on our blog, but for now, we want to leave you with a little nugget of joy. Pictured below are CTSS senior guides Tomi and Kami who are sharing a laugh and a smile in the Khumbu Valley. Kami has nearly 40x Everest expeditions under his belt and nearly 70x 8000m expeditions, making him one of, if not the most experienced 8000m climbers in the world. It’s great to have Tomi and Kami back this year on the CTSS team supporting our climbers. 

CTSS senior guides Tomi and Kami are all smiles in the Khumbu  

(Photo Credit: Tomi Ceppi)

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You can still climb Mount Everest. Here’s how to do it responsibly.

New rules are changing the Everest Base Camp hiking experience, aiming to protect the Himalayas’ Sherpa communities and help trekkers make a more positive impact.

Rising to 29,032ft on the border between Nepal and Tibet, Mount Everest — known as Sagarmatha by the Sherpa people of Nepal — has held an almost mystical allure for climbers and hikers since it was first summitted by New Zealand’s Edmund Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

But 2024 marks a significant moment in the story of the world’s tallest mountain. As mountaineers gather in Nepal for the start of the spring climbing season, they face a raft of new rules and restrictions.

Introduced by the regional government, the new Base Camp Management Procedure is intended to improve safety, support local communities and shrink the mounds of rubbish building up on Everest. From wearing mandatory GPS trackers to carrying their faeces down the mountain, climbers have more to consider than ever before.

However, only a tiny fraction of travellers to Everest actually visit the summit. Most trekkers set their sights on surrounding Sagarmatha National Park, the Everest viewpoint at Kala Patthar and Everest Base Camp — the tent village used by mountaineering expeditions, perched at 17,598ft beside the Khumbu Glacier.

Offering a fascinating insight into the world of high-altitude climbing, Base Camp is the only place where hikers will be affected by the new rules for mountaineers. Here’s what you need to know to visit Everest responsibly.

What’s changed at Everest Base Camp?

Trekkers can still end the two-week Everest trek with a day trip from Gorak Shep to the mountaineers’ tent village at Everest Base Camp, but those who wish to stay overnight may find it harder to arrange. The new rules ban commercial enterprises at Base Camp, including the bakeries and massage tents that used to cater to day-trippers; you may still be able to get a cup of tea and a bite to eat, but don’t expect luxuries.

Can I get to the summit?

Climbing Everest is a more serious undertaking than trekking to Base Camp. Around 600 people complete the perilous ascent every year, but it requires months of preparation, support from a mountaineering agency and fees of over £80,000. If you join an expedition, the team will guide you through the new climbing rules, including where to get hold of the faeces bag provided by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee.

How do I support local people?

Many of the new rules for mountaineers are designed to benefit Sherpa guides and porters, and trekkers can play their part on the hike to Everest Base Camp, too. Since April 2023, it’s been a legal requirement for trekkers in Sagarmatha National Park to hire a licensed Nepali guide through a trekking agency, which provides much-needed employment for Himalayan communities (the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal has a list of registered agencies). Hiring local porters and staying and eating in village teahouses, rather than camping, will also provide work for Sherpa people.

Question prospective trekking agencies to make sure guides and porters are being fairly paid (at least $21 (£17) per day for guides and $18 (£14) per day for porters) and protected by insurance to support their families in case of accidents. Poverty is a big issue in the mountains and some porters still tackle the trails in flip-flops due to the unaffordability of hiking gear; make sure your hired team have appropriate clothing and footwear.

Another option is to travel with a responsible international operator. Intrepid and Exodus are two major travel companies that use local guides and porters and have established programmes to train the next generation of mountain workers in Nepal.

Before you trek, visit the Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP) in the capital’s traveller hub neighbourhood of Thamel to learn more about responsible trekking. Visit again at the end of your trek to donate any unwanted gear; it will go to porters who need it.

How do I protect the environment?  

Climate change is causing glacial melting and flooding across the Himalayas. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, take a bus and hike to the trailhead at Lukla, rather than flying from Kathmandu. It adds six days to the two-week Everest Base Camp trek, but will bring income to villages off the main trail.

Regardless of which route you’re trekking, try to stay in lodges that heat water and generate electricity using solar power or water-powered generators. If travelling independently, look out for this equipment as you enter villages. If joining an organised trek, mention to the agency that lodges that have taken sustainability measures are your preferred accommodation.

What can I do to help reduce overtourism?

In 2023, nearly 60,000 people visited the spectacular sweep of mountains, glaciers, Buddhist monasteries and Sherpa villages covered by Sagarmatha National Park. Although the park covers 443sq miles, most trekkers follow a well-established trail to Base Camp, via Namche Bazar, Tengboche, Periche or Pangboche and Gorak Shep. You can spread the economic benefits of tourism by breaking your trek at smaller villages and guesthouses, rather than the busy main overnight stops.

Also investigate quieter trekking routes. There are many rewarding alternatives or add-ons to the Everest Base Camp trek inside Sagarmatha National Park, including the dramatic hike to the jewel-like Gokyo Lakes and the challenging Three Passes Trek, linking three breathlessly high, prayer-flag-strewn mountain passes rising to 18,160ft at Kongma La.

Is there specific mountain etiquette?

Most Sherpas are Buddhist, so treat prayer flags and other religious objects with respect. Ask before you take photos of people, remove your shoes before entering homes or monasteries, walk clockwise around stupas and avoid pointing your feet towards people or images of Buddha. Locals dress modestly, so trekkers should do the same — shorts and T-shirts are fine for walking but avoid revealing outfits. Public displays of affection can also cause embarrassment.

Begging is common on the trails. If you want to help, donate to a local charity or approach schools or community centres rather than handing out gifts that won’t make a lasting difference. Books, stationery, toothpaste, toothbrushes and unwanted trekking gear are useful items to donate.

What can I do to protect the trails?  

Stick to them. It’s important that trekkers always follow established paths rather than hiking through undergrowth, and avoid shortcuts between switchbacks, as these can increase erosion, destabilising the slopes. Also be careful to respect nature while out in the wilderness. Don’t pick flowers, crush plants or feed wild animals that you see on the trails. It’s best to stay a fair distance away from the local wildlife, as animals can carry diseases and feeding them might make them ill or change their natural behaviour.

How can I clean up Everest?

Avoid bringing single-use plastic packaging and plastic bags onto the trails. Don’t drop litter while hiking; consider bringing an empty canvas bag so you can gather up any rubbish you find on the trails and transport it back to Lukla, which has a government-backed rubbish-removal service. Carry toxic spent batteries from equipment such as torches or GPS devices back to Kathmandu.

Throw-away plastic water bottles are the bane of the Himalayas; it’s far better for the environment to carry a reusable bottle and purify your own water with a filter pump or chemical purification tablets. Use proper toilet facilities wherever possible; if you have to go while out on the trail, dig a hole well away from water sources and fill it in when you’re done.

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• Peak Climbing

Trek to Everest Base Camp

2, easy ( technical 0 + altitudinal 2 ) | 14 days in nepal.

The Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the oldest routes used by Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay during their first summit in 1953. Explore and head for an adventure along the same trails with 7summit club.

• A breathtaking flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, where you will see the great snowy Himalayas, and the Kathmandu Valley. 
• Mixed upward and downward trails 
• A trained guide to guide you on your breathing while moving up the altitudes
• Relax and have a great time at Namche Bazar. Enjoy the Irish Pub Bars, Pool Table, Sauna, and also good coffee at 3,440m 
• Multiple pharmacy, dentist, hospital available  in Namche Bazar 
• Enter the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sagarmatha National Park where you will get to see beautiful flowers, greenish plants, deers, and maybe if you are lucky, a red panda as well
• Hike along with your group to Kala Patthar(5,540m), where you will find yourself surrounded by astonishing landscapes with the view of Mt Everest as well. 
• Enjoy various different cuisines along the route. The cuisines you can try are Sherpa, Nepali and also Tibetan Cuisines. 
• Visit Everest Base Camp, take pictures, hold your country flag and enjoy
• Visit Tengboche Monastery, a holy buddhist monastery located high above in a wide field.

You will be arriving at Tribhuvan International airport. Our representative will be waiting for your arrival and transfer you to the hotel. If you arrive with time to spare, you can check out some amazing must-visit places in Kathmandu such as swayambhunath(Monkey Temple), or stroll around Durbar Square. 

Today you will be taking a flight from Kathmandu to the famous Lukla airport(approx 45 min flight). If the weather is clear you will get the chance to see an amazing aerial view of the Himalaya. After we land Lukla, you will be having lunch in a place called Thado Koshi, The trek for today is very easy and will give you a glimpse of the trek for the coming days. Walking time duration will be  approximately 3 hours to reach Phakding (2160m)

From Phakding you will be trekking for approximately  6-7 hours to reach Namche Bazaar. You hike through a very well paved trail, specially made for hikers a good experience. Trekking Trail goes through tok-tok village, crossing Chumao monjo(2835m). You enter Sagarmatha national park check post, also known as the Jorsalle check post. Then cross Dudh Koshi River to reach the village of Jorsalle, a nice place for the lunch break. The walk can get a bit tougher as we ascend upwards. We cross the popular Hillary twins bridge and continue our ascent to Namche. If the weather is clear you can get first glimpse of Everest from this region. Then you reach Namche  Bazaar. 

To get acclimatized with the higher altitude you will be spending another night at Namche bazaar. This will help you a lot to be adapted to a new environment, enjoy every moment of the trek. We will be having some hiking activities up to Everest view hotel situated at a higher altitude. We can get a stunning panoramic view of the most renowned Himalayas which includes Everest, Lhotse, Ama-Dablam. If you are interested you can also visit museums, national park headquarters which gives you insights about Sherpa lifestyle and culture. 

This route includes ascent and descent along the rhododendron forest. You will be able to enjoy upfront view of Mt.everest, Lhotse, Ama-Dablam, and kongde.  Upon reaching Tengboche, you can visit the popular monastery of the Everest region. The landscape starts to change from here as the vegetation becomes a bit thinner.

Hiking duration for today is 6 hours approx.  

Trail goes through beautiful small fields, which are enclosed by stone walls. Trekkers love this trail as the scenery is spectacular all along the trail. You will be passing through the village of Pangboche. If the weather is clear, you will get to a stunning sunset view, which illuminates the peaks.

Hiking duration for today is 6-7 hours.

You start the journey with a climb to the ridge. The trail will be now fairly flat and on a wide-open field. You will be crossing a river which is known as Khumbu Khola at thukla, which is also a stop for a lunch break. Trails are smooth flat land so there is no need for rush. But in the afternoon we will be ascending steep upward climb on a rocky trail, then at the crest, you will pass by a memorial park, which is built in the memory of climbers who have lost their lives. The view from there is amazing as you can get a closer view of Pumori, Nuptse, Cholatse, Tabuche. You will then reach Lobuche after about an hour of a hike from the park. 

Hiking duration:  6-7 hours.  

This is the day when you finally reach the foothills of Everest. You start hiking on the Rocky trail, then after a few hours of hiking which depends upon your speed, you will reach Gorakshep. You will have some rest, have your lunch, sort out your bags at the lodge and make your way for Everest base camp. The hike from Gorakshep to EBC is approximately around 2 hours. From Everest Base Camp you will get phenomenal views of Himalaya which includes Mount Everest, Nuptse, Pumori, and great other peaks. Besides the glorious mountain, you will see glaciers, lakes, caves, Everest icefall that that flows from western CWM.  You will return to your hotel, have dinner and have some rest for tomorrow. you’ll start this day very early at 4 in the morning to experience the sunrise illuminating its lights at the giant mountains from Kalapatthar.

Hiking duration: 5 hours

You’ll start this day very early at 4 in the morning to experience the sunrise illuminating its lights at the giant mountains from Kalapatthar. Kala Patthar is a hilltop, which is below Pumori. We have experiences with travelers becoming very emotional at this place as they stand ahead with a clear view of Everest. After enjoying our time here, you descend back to Gorakshep. Then make your way back to Lobuche.

You will descend through small settlements and pass by Lower Pangboche. You’ll be trekking through the same trail, which you hiked before to reach EBC. You will then reach Tengboche

Hiking Duration: 6 hours approx

You wake up early, have your breakfast then start hiking. We pass through a beautiful forest of juniper, and rhododendron. The trail is smooth and an easy hike, you’ll reach Namche Bazaar today. 

Hiking duration : 6 hours

Descend steeply down towards a large suspension bridge to cross Dudh Koshi river. You will be trekking through Jorsale and Monjo and reach Lukla.

Hiking Duration: 7-8 hours

Depending upon the weather condition we take a morning flight to Kathmandu on day 13. The flight will be approximately 45 minutes. You will be received by the company’s representative to transfer you to the hotel. You will have some free time in the afternoon, which can be utilized by doing some shopping or sightseeing around the valley.

The Journey to Everest base camp is done, with many beautiful memories and friendships that have been created. We bid you farewell, and our representatives will assist you to the airport to the scheduled flight.

Details Information

Price includes.

• Airport transfers - Pick up and drop.
• Domestic airfare (Kathmandu - Lukla - Kathmandu).
• 1 Nepalese English Speaking Trekking Guide for the group.
• 2 Nights on Nomad Hotel accommodations with breakfast in Kathmandu.
• Entry permit fee to Sagarmatha National Park.
• Khumbu Region Permit.
• Necessary travel paper

Necessary Travel Papers

TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) Card.

National Park permit.

Price Does not Include

• Nepal entry visa fee.
• Lunch & Dinner during Kathmandu stay.
• Food during the trek.
• Personal Porters on the trek.
• Travel/medical insurance and emergency evacuation cost.
• Hotel after 2 nights stay in Kathmandu.
• Meals and accommodation during the trek.

Booking procedure

If your decision to take part in our expedition if firm, please send us e-mail with:

Confirmation (in a form you prefer):

Dates & availability

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Summit route opens from Nepal side, 10 ascend Everest

Himalayan news service.

EVEREST BASE CAMP, MAY 10

A team of 10 rope-fixing climbers successfully scaled Mt Everest from Nepal side after they opened a climbing route to the summit point of the world's highest peak on Friday evening.

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Dji's cargo delivery drone to collect garbage from everest high camp, everest rope-fixing team reaches south col, to open summit route by may 10.

Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Expedition Director at Seven Summit Treks told THT that a team of climbers from SST stood atop Mt Everest at 8:15 pm becoming the season's first to scale the tallest mountain from Nepal side.

'The route fixing team from SST under the Expedition Operator Association (EOA) Nepal completed the route fixing up to Everest summit point,' Chhang Dawa said.

The team of rope fixing members includes Dendi Sherpa (team leader), Tenjing Gyaljen Sherpa, Pemba Tashi Sherpa, Lakpa Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa, Lakpa Rinjee Sherpa, Namgyal Dorjee Tamang, Dawa Rinjee Sherpa, Pam Dorjee Sherpa and Suk Bahadur Tamang.

"The team struggled hard to reach the summit point," Chhang Dawa said. The team had also opened the summit route on Mt Lhotse on May 6.

After opening Lhotse route, the SST team headed towards the Everest for opening the climbing route. "They opened a route to South Col on April 28," Sherpa said.

Earlier, the icefall doctors from Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee opened a climbing route from the Base Camp to Camp II by placing ropes and ladders on the treacherous section of the Khumbu icefall on April 17.

According to the Department of Tourism, at least 414 climbers from 41 teams have obtained climbing permits for Mt Everest till date.

Now, the world climbers along with their high altitude workers can make their summit pushes on Mt Everest after the rope fixing team opened the route, Rakesh Gurung, DoT's director said.

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Nepal bans three Indian climbers accused of faking Everest summit

Witnesses claim mountaineers appeared not to have sufficient oxygen to make ascent

Three Indian climbers accused of falsely claiming to have summited Mount Everest in 2016 have been banned by Nepal from mountaineering in the country for six years.

The alleged fake ascent came to light after one of the three, 26-year-old Narender Singh Yadav, was named as a potential recipient of the Tenzing Norgay national adventure award, after which other Indian mountaineers alleged the summit pictures had been faked.

While mountaineering and rock climbing has intermittently thrown up controversies over claimed first ascents, such scandals are less common in the crowded world of commercial expeditions to summits such as Everest, where there are numerous potential witnesses and there is far less incentive to cheat.

The three banned climbers were named as Yadav and Seema Rani Goswami, who were alleged to have made false claims, and Naba Kumar Phukon, who was the team leader during Yadav and Goswami’s climb.

Following news of the ban from mountaineering in Nepal , Yadav denied any wrongdoing, claiming on Twitter that he had been defamed and adding: “There is no competition between donkeys and horses and the world will keep barking like this.”

However, witnesses including Phukon claimed the Indian climbers appeared not to have had sufficient oxygen to make the ascent they planned.

“It’s a victory for the entire mountaineering fraternity and will demotivate others to do such blunder in future,” said Phukon, who works with the Assam sports department.

“From day one I was telling everyone that Yadav’s summit claim was false and he morphed his picture. I was the leader of the expedition and he was part of the team. He never made the summit and even had frostbite. He along with Seema Rani Goswami had to be rescued by the Sherpas.”

The claimed Everest ascent is one of several by Indian teams that have recently prompted scepticism. In 2019 three other Indian climbers were accused in Outside magazine of claiming to have climbed the mountain without getting higher than camp 3, a significant way from the summit.

The Times of India quoted a source at the Indian sports ministry suggesting they agreed with the Nepali ban after an investigation that also involved the Indian Mountaineering Federation.

“The Narender Singh Yadav issue is over from our side. The inquiry initiated by the ministry found he faked climbing Everest. He submitted fake pictures,” the source said.

Everest ascents are usually verified by a liaison officer from the Nepalese ministry of tourism, with climbers required to produce a photograph of themselves standing on the summit with a clear view of their face before they are issued with a summit certificate.

As well as banning the Indian climbers, who had waited until they returned to India to announce their claimed ascent rather than doing so in Nepal, Nepal also fined Seven Summit Treks, which organised the expedition. Yadav’s Sherpa guide Dawa Sherpa has been fined 10,000 Nepali rupees (£60). They had all attested to Yadav’s claims. Yadav and Rani had been members of a 14-strong commercial expedition.

Mingma Sherpa, of Seven Summit Treks, said it issued the certificate because the climbers’ claim was supported by the accompanying Sherpa guide.

“If the climbers do a fake climb, how will the trekking company get to know? Our task is to assist in getting the permit, organise the trek and route. The two Indian climbers showed us the pictures of their summit and we wrote that they had climbed. The Nepal ministry of tourism decides about the certificates,” Mingma Sherpa told the Indian Express .

The banned climbers would not be the first to have claimed summits they had not completed. While sometimes it is a question of stopping at a nearby peak, as is often the case in claimed ascents of Nepal’s Mount Manaslu – which are more widely accepted – in other cases the controversy is greater.

In 1906, Frederick Cook , later to be convicted of fraud for his business dealings, falsely claimed to have made the first ascent of North America’s highest mountain, Denali in Alaska, posing for a summit picture on a rocky outcrop.

Perhaps the greatest climbing controversy centred on the claims by Cesare Maestri – one of Europe’s greatest Alpinists, who died aged 91 last month – to have climbed Cerro Torre in Patagonia in 1959, fuelling a decades-long controversy.

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Will There Be Drama on Mount Everest This Year? You Bet.

Every spring, hundreds of hopefuls make the trek to the world’s tallest summit and the surrounding high peaks. This is your base camp for all the news from the Himalayas.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Hundreds of climbers and guides are venturing onto the world’s highest peak this month for the chance to spend a precious few moments on the summit. Our coverage of the mountaineering season in the Himalayas will encompass the climbs, rescues, records, and controversy on Everest. Veteran reporter and National Geographic Explorer Ben Ayers is leading our coverage alongside Nepali journalist Tulsi Rauniyar and  Outside  articles editor Frederick Dreier. We also have a series of in-depth features for 2024 on some of the most compelling stories on the peak: a profile of a forgotten hero from Everest’s first climb, a look at the brewing debate over the true summit locations of the highest peaks, and an examination of a deadly disaster on 26,335-foot Shishapangma that claimed four lives. Stay tuned to  Outside ‘s Everest Season 2024 coverage for the latest stories from the Death Zone.

The Man Who Raced to Tell the World That Mount Everest Had Been Climbed

When Tenzing Norway and Edmund Hillary made history by reaching the summit, a courier named Ten Tsewang Sherpa ran 200 miles to Kathmandu to deliver the news. His efforts ended up killing him. Last year, his grandson and I retraced his steps.

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Removing Dead Bodies from Mount Everest Is Dangerous and Expensive. Here’s Why.

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Will Alex Honnold Ever Tackle Mount Everest? We Asked Him.

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Everest, Inc. , a new book from veteran outdoor journalist Will Cockrell, documents the mountain’s transformation, first by Western guides and climbers, and now by Sherpas and Nepalis.

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The Disposable Man: A Western History of Sherpas on Everest

For more than a century, Western climbers have hired Nepal’s Sherpas to do the most dangerous work on Mount Everest. It’s a lucrative way of life in a poor region, but no service industry in the world so frequently kills and maims its workers for the benefit of paying clients. The dead are often forgotten, and their families left with nothing but ghosts.

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You were told that Everest base camp is an insult to the true spirit of mountaineering. (Harrumph.) But why weren’t you told about the excellent bars, the butter people, and that friendly Playboy bunny from Poland? The author spends a month at the world’s most exclusive party town.

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Everest: A high-altitude garbage dump

Suzanne OConnell  & Alton C Byers

Spring is go time for climbers who hope to summit Mount Everest, Earth’s highest peak above sea level. Hundreds of mountaineers from around the world travel to Asia in April and May headed for base camps in Nepal and Tibet.

But jagged peaks won’t be the only thing they see. Especially on Everest’s more heavily traversed Nepal side, they’ll find garbage fields—including cans, bottles, plastic and human and animal excrement.

Each year, more than 60,000 trekkers and climbers visit the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone, a high-altitude swath of the Khumbu region in northeast Nepal that includes Everest and seven other peaks—some 400 to 500 climbers attempt to summit Everest every year.

The trash problem first became evident in the 1980s and 1990s, when climbing on the mountain and trekking in Khumbu began to increase. Climber and trekker numbers have further skyrocketed in the past 20 years.

Most coverage of this issue focuses on negative and sensational aspects, such as the frozen bodies of climbers who remain where they died on the mountain because removal operations are risky and expensive.

We are scholars who study geoscience and mountain geography. One of us (Alton Byers) has lived in Nepal and worked with communities around Everest. We are encouraged to see increased efforts to address Everest’s massive trash problem. In our view, modern technology and international cooperation are key to ending the waste pileup in this iconic setting.

Pollution from waste

For most visitors to this area of the Himalayas, Everest base camp on the upper reaches of the rapidly receding Khumbu Glacier is the ultimate destination, at an altitude of 17,589 feet (5,364 metres). Formerly a two- to three-week trek from Kathmandu, today the journey is most likely to begin at the Lukla Airport, which sits about 35 miles (60 kilometres) from base camp.

Climbers who aim to summit Everest typically spend up to two months on the mountain, including weeks making short, incremental ascents above base camp and back down again. This enables them to acclimate to the altitude before climbing to higher camps and then to the summit.

Much of the food and equipment headed to Everest also begins its journey at Lukla. Some is shipped to base camp by helicopter, but much of the gear is carried there by yaks, yak/cattle crossbreeds called dzopkio, mules and horses.

Lots of equipment, food and packaging, plus animals and porters, means a lot of garbage. A 2010 study estimated that park tourism generated 4.6 tons of solid waste per day during peak tourist periods in April-May and October-November.

Eventually, most of this refuse is dumped into unsightly landfills a short distance from local villages. There it is burned, adding particulates and toxic chemicals to the air. The remaining ash is buried, where it can contaminate groundwater.

At the base camp, microplastics—likely from discarded mountaineering clothing, tents, ropes, and boots—have been found in water and snow samples. High levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, widely known as “forever chemicals,” have been found on the Khumbu glacier, probably from materials used to waterproof climbing boots, tents, and clothing.

These substances could pose health risks for transient climbers but are a more serious threat for people who live in the nearby settlements of Gorak Shep, Lobuche, Dugla and Pheriche for most of the year. Some of these villagers work at Everest base camp and are exposed there too.

And then there’s sewage. Most septic tanks at the hundreds of lodges located throughout the national park and buffer zone leak, further polluting groundwater. Camp Four, the last site that climbers occupy before they attempt to summit Everest, is covered with garbage and frozen, wind-swept faeces.

National parks in developed countries have infrastructure to handle waste management, trash pickup, recycling and wastewater treatment. At Everest base camp, there are just collection barrels under toilets. Each year, some 50,000 pounds (22,000 kilograms) of human waste are brought to landfills several kilometres away.

Solutions for sustainable tourism

Recognising the scale of this problem, initiatives are in progress to develop solutions.

The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, created by local Sherpa people in 1991, is an Indigenous nonprofit organisation that is responsible for monitoring garbage in the permit-required mountains and peaks. The group focuses on litter control and periodic base camp cleanups.

In 2014, the government of Nepal began requiring every mountaineer who climbs above the Everest base camp to bring back 18 pounds (8 kilograms) of solid waste from the mountain or forfeit a US$4,000 deposit. Of course, if you’ve paid $75,000 or more for the trip, losing the deposit may not be much of an incentive. Many people elect to forfeit it.

A nonprofit called Sagarmatha Next, established in 2019, is working to promote sustainable tourism in the Khumbu region, partnering with companies and organisations from around the world. The group has raised awareness by producing artworks and souvenirs from trash. It also launched a “Carry Me Back” programme that encourages tourists to take two-pound (one-kilogram) bags of solid waste, such as shredded plastic bottles, to the airstrip at Lukla for processing and disposal in Kathmandu.

At the local government’s request, the University of Colorado Boulder developed a sustainable solid waste management plan in 2019 for the national park and buffer zone. The Covid-19 pandemic delayed implementation of the plan, which proposes creating a five-step process: Waste segregation, collection, sorting, and shredding, transfer to shipment stations, and transportation to recycling facilities in Kathmandu.

Another nonprofit initiative, the NeverRest Project, was created during the pandemic to provide environmental solutions for Mount Everest and other fragile ecosystems around the world. NeverRest is working with the Nepal Tourism Board to revolutionise high-altitude waste management using modern technology.

In 2023, the organisation presented a concept plan for a sustainable Everest base camp that would install technologies such as portable solar tents to reduce the use of fossil fuels, unisex portable urinals with multi-use filters that convert urine into water, incinerator toilets that transform human waste into ash, and modular geodesic dome tents designed for effective heat retention to reduce energy use.

In the 71 years since Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first known successful ascent of Mount Everest, this peak has been a setting for daring expeditions, triumphs and tragedies. We hope that the region’s garbage problem will soon fade into history as new approaches and technologies provide solutions for Everest and other remote high-mountain locations around the world.

-The Conversation

Suzanne OConnell OConnell is Harold T Stearns Professor of Earth Science at Wesleyan University.

Alton C Byers Byers is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder.

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Climbers Have Turned Mount Everest into a High-Altitude Garbage Dump, But There's Hope to Change That!

Spring is go time for climbers who hope to summit Mount Everest, Earth’s highest peak above sea level. Hundreds of mountaineers from around the world travel to Asia in April and May, headed for base camps in Nepal and Tibet.

But jagged peaks won’t be the only thing they see. Especially on Everest’s more heavily traversed Nepal side, they’ll find fields of garbage – including cans, bottles, plastic and human and animal excrement.

Each year, more than 60,000 trekkers and climbers visit the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone , a high-altitude swath of the Khumbu region in northeast Nepal that includes Everest and seven other peaks. Some 400 to 500 climbers attempt to summit Everest every year.

The trash problem first became evident in the 1980s and 1990s, when climbing on the mountain and trekking in Khumbu began to increase. Climber and trekker numbers have further skyrocketed in the past 20 years .

Most coverage of this issue focuses on negative and sensational aspects, such as the frozen bodies of climbers who remain where they died on the mountain because removal operations are risky and expensive.

We are scholars who study geoscience and mountain geography , and one of us (Alton Byers) has lived in Nepal and worked with communities around Everest. We are encouraged to see increased efforts to address Everest’s massive trash problem. In our view, modern technology and international cooperation are key to ending the pileup of waste in this iconic setting.

Pollution from waste

For most visitors to this area of the Himalayas, Everest base camp on the upper reaches of the rapidly receding Khumbu Glacier is the ultimate destination, at an altitude of 17,589 feet (5,364 meters). Formerly a two- to three-week trek from Kathmandu, today the journey is most likely to begin at the Lukla Airport , which sits about 35 miles (60 kilometers) from base camp.

Climbers who aim to summit Everest typically spend up to two months on the mountain , including weeks making short, incremental ascents above base camp and back down again. This enables them to acclimate to the altitude before climbing to higher camps and then to the summit.

Each year, more than 60,000 trekkers and climbers visit the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone , a high-altitude swath of the Khumbu region in northeast Nepal that includes Everest and seven other peaks.

Much of the food and equipment headed to Everest also begins its journey at Lukla. Some is shipped to base camp by helicopter, but much of the gear is carried there by yaks, yak/cattle crossbreeds called dzopkio, mules and horses .

Lots of equipment, food and packaging, plus animals and porters, means a lot of garbage. A 2010 study estimated that park tourism generated 4.6 tons of solid waste per day during peak tourist periods in April-May and October-November.

Eventually most of this refuse is dumped into unsightly landfills a short distance from local villages. There it is burned, adding particulates and toxic chemicals to the air. The remaining ash is buried, where it can contaminate groundwater.

At the base camp, microplastics – likely from discarded mountaineering clothing, tents, ropes and boots – have been found in water and snow samples . High levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS , widely known as “forever chemicals,” have been found on the Khumbu glacier , probably from materials used to waterproof climbing boots, tents and clothing.

These substances could pose health risks for transient climbers, but are a more serious threat for people who live in the nearby settlements of Gorak Shep, Lobuche, Dugla and Pheriche for most of the year. Some of these villagers work at Everest base camp and are exposed there too.

And then there’s sewage. Most septic tanks at the hundreds of lodges located throughout the national park and buffer zone leak, further polluting groundwater . Camp Four, the last site that climbers occupy before they attempt to summit Everest, is covered with garbage and frozen, wind-swept feces.

 National parks in developed countries have infrastructure to handle waste management, trash pickup, recycling and wastewater treatment. At Everest base camp, there are just collection barrels under toilets. Each year, some 50,000 pounds (22,000 kilograms) of human waste are brought to landfills several kilometers away .

Solutions for sustainable tourism

Recognizing the scale of this problem, initiatives are in progress to develop solutions.

The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee , created by local Sherpa people in 1991, is an Indigenous nonprofit organization that is responsible for monitoring garbage in the permit-required mountains and peaks. The group focuses on litter control and periodic base camp cleanups.

In 2014, the government of Nepal began requiring every mountaineer who climbs above the Everest base camp to bring back 18 pounds (8 kilograms) of solid waste from the mountain or forfeit a US$4,000 deposit. Of course, if you’ve paid $75,000 or more for the trip, losing the deposit may not be much of an incentive. Many people elect to forfeit it.

A nonprofit called Sagarmatha Next , established in 2019, is working to promote sustainable tourism in the Khumbu region, partnering with companies and organizations from around the world. The group has raised awareness by producing art works and souvenirs from trash. It also launched a “Carry Me Back” program that encourages tourists to take two-pound (one-kilogram) bags of solid waste, such as shredded plastic bottles, to the airstrip at Lukla for processing and disposal in Kathmandu.

At the local government’s request, the University of Colorado Boulder developed a sustainable solid waste management plan in 2019 for the national park and buffer zone. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed implementation of the plan, which proposes creating a five-step process: waste segregation, collection, sorting and shredding, transfer to shipment stations and transportation to recycling facilities in Kathmandu.

Another nonprofit initiative, the NeverRest Project , was created during the pandemic to provide environmental solutions for Mount Everest and other fragile ecosystems around the world. NeverRest is working with the Nepal Tourism Board to revolutionize high-altitude waste management using modern technology.

In 2023, the organization presented a concept plan for a sustainable Everest base camp that would install technologies such as portable solar tents to reduce use of fossil fuel; unisex portable urinals with multi-use filters that convert urine into water; incinerator toilets that transform human waste into ash; and modular geodesic dome tents designed for effective heat retention to reduce energy use.

Suzanne OConnell , Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science, Wesleyan University and Alton C. Byers , Senior Research Associate, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

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Climbers have turned Mount Everest into a high-altitude garbage dump, but sustainable solutions are within reach

Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science, Wesleyan University

Senior Research Associate, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder

Disclosure statement

Alton Byers has lived and worked in Nepal, and has collaborated with communities around Everest to protect and restore ecosystems that have been damaged by trekkers, climbers and the tourism industry. He was lead author of a sustainable solid waste management plan for Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone produced in 2020 by University of Colorado Boulder researchers with support from the National Geographic Society.

Suzanne OConnell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Wesleyan University and University of Colorado provide funding as members of The Conversation US.

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Spring is go time for climbers who hope to summit Mount Everest, Earth’s highest peak above sea level. Hundreds of mountaineers from around the world travel to Asia in April and May, headed for base camps in Nepal and Tibet.

But jagged peaks won’t be the only thing they see. Especially on Everest’s more heavily traversed Nepal side, they’ll find fields of garbage – including cans, bottles, plastic and human and animal excrement.

Each year, more than 60,000 trekkers and climbers visit the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone , a high-altitude swath of the Khumbu region in northeast Nepal that includes Everest and seven other peaks. Some 400 to 500 climbers attempt to summit Everest every year.

The trash problem first became evident in the 1980s and 1990s, when climbing on the mountain and trekking in Khumbu began to increase. Climber and trekker numbers have further skyrocketed in the past 20 years .

Most coverage of this issue focuses on negative and sensational aspects, such as the frozen bodies of climbers who remain where they died on the mountain because removal operations are risky and expensive.

We are scholars who study geoscience and mountain geography , and one of us (Alton Byers) has lived in Nepal and worked with communities around Everest. We are encouraged to see increased efforts to address Everest’s massive trash problem. In our view, modern technology and international cooperation are key to ending the pileup of waste in this iconic setting.

Pollution from waste

For most visitors to this area of the Himalayas, Everest base camp on the upper reaches of the rapidly receding Khumbu Glacier is the ultimate destination, at an altitude of 17,589 feet (5,364 meters). Formerly a two- to three-week trek from Kathmandu, today the journey is most likely to begin at the Lukla Airport , which sits about 35 miles (60 kilometers) from base camp.

Climbers who aim to summit Everest typically spend up to two months on the mountain , including weeks making short, incremental ascents above base camp and back down again. This enables them to acclimate to the altitude before climbing to higher camps and then to the summit.

Much of the food and equipment headed to Everest also begins its journey at Lukla. Some is shipped to base camp by helicopter, but much of the gear is carried there by yaks, yak/cattle crossbreeds called dzopkio, mules and horses .

Lots of equipment, food and packaging, plus animals and porters, means a lot of garbage. A 2010 study estimated that park tourism generated 4.6 tons of solid waste per day during peak tourist periods in April-May and October-November.

Eventually most of this refuse is dumped into unsightly landfills a short distance from local villages. There it is burned, adding particulates and toxic chemicals to the air. The remaining ash is buried, where it can contaminate groundwater.

At the base camp, microplastics – likely from discarded mountaineering clothing, tents, ropes and boots – have been found in water and snow samples . High levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS , widely known as “forever chemicals,” have been found on the Khumbu glacier , probably from materials used to waterproof climbing boots, tents and clothing.

These substances could pose health risks for transient climbers, but are a more serious threat for people who live in the nearby settlements of Gorak Shep, Lobuche, Dugla and Pheriche for most of the year. Some of these villagers work at Everest base camp and are exposed there too.

And then there’s sewage. Most septic tanks at the hundreds of lodges located throughout the national park and buffer zone leak, further polluting groundwater . Camp Four, the last site that climbers occupy before they attempt to summit Everest, is covered with garbage and frozen, wind-swept feces.

National parks in developed countries have infrastructure to handle waste management, trash pickup, recycling and wastewater treatment. At Everest base camp, there are just collection barrels under toilets. Each year, some 50,000 pounds (22,000 kilograms) of human waste are brought to landfills several kilometers away .

Solutions for sustainable tourism

Recognizing the scale of this problem, initiatives are in progress to develop solutions.

The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee , created by local Sherpa people in 1991, is an Indigenous nonprofit organization that is responsible for monitoring garbage in the permit-required mountains and peaks. The group focuses on litter control and periodic base camp cleanups.

In 2014, the government of Nepal began requiring every mountaineer who climbs above the Everest base camp to bring back 18 pounds (8 kilograms) of solid waste from the mountain or forfeit a US$4,000 deposit. Of course, if you’ve paid $75,000 or more for the trip, losing the deposit may not be much of an incentive. Many people elect to forfeit it.

A nonprofit called Sagarmatha Next , established in 2019, is working to promote sustainable tourism in the Khumbu region, partnering with companies and organizations from around the world. The group has raised awareness by producing art works and souvenirs from trash. It also launched a “Carry Me Back” program that encourages tourists to take two-pound (one-kilogram) bags of solid waste, such as shredded plastic bottles, to the airstrip at Lukla for processing and disposal in Kathmandu.

At the local government’s request, the University of Colorado Boulder developed a sustainable solid waste management plan in 2019 for the national park and buffer zone. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed implementation of the plan, which proposes creating a five-step process: waste segregation, collection, sorting and shredding, transfer to shipment stations and transportation to recycling facilities in Kathmandu.

Another nonprofit initiative, the NeverRest Project , was created during the pandemic to provide environmental solutions for Mount Everest and other fragile ecosystems around the world. NeverRest is working with the Nepal Tourism Board to revolutionize high-altitude waste management using modern technology.

In 2023, the organization presented a concept plan for a sustainable Everest base camp that would install technologies such as portable solar tents to reduce use of fossil fuel; unisex portable urinals with multi-use filters that convert urine into water; incinerator toilets that transform human waste into ash; and modular geodesic dome tents designed for effective heat retention to reduce energy use.

In the 71 years since Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first known successful ascent of Mount Everest , this peak has been a setting for daring expeditions, triumphs and tragedies. We hope that the region’s garbage problem soon will fade into history as new approaches and technologies provide solutions for Everest and other remote high-mountain locations around the world.

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• Microplastics
• Mount Everest
• Solid waste management

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Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Series Part 12–Summit Plan for the Team The Podcast on alanarnette.com

Part 12 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 37, 38, and 38. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a FICTIONAL team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I'll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months. In Part 12, our protagonist, Harper was confident and ready to get going. Sitting around base camp, even with the occasional hike to Pumori or Gorak Shep, was getting old. The conversation around the dining table was also getting old. It was time. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alan-arnette1/support

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Climbers Turned Mount Everest Into A Garbage Dump, But Solutions Exist

S pring is go time for climbers who hope to summit Mount Everest, Earth's highest peak above sea level. Hundreds of mountaineers from around the world travel to Asia in April and May, headed for base camps in Nepal and Tibet.

But jagged peaks won't be the only thing they see. Especially on Everest's more heavily traversed Nepal side, they'll find fields of garbage – including cans, bottles, plastic and human and animal excrement.

Each year, more than 60,000 trekkers and climbers visit the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone , a high-altitude swath of the Khumbu region in northeast Nepal that includes Everest and seven other peaks. Some 400 to 500 climbers attempt to summit Everest every year.

The trash problem first became evident in the 1980s and 1990s, when climbing on the mountain and trekking in Khumbu began to increase. Climber and trekker numbers have further skyrocketed in the past 20 years .

Most coverage of this issue focuses on negative and sensational aspects, such as the frozen bodies of climbers who remain where they died on the mountain because removal operations are risky and expensive.

We are scholars who study geoscience and mountain geography , and one of us (Alton Byers) has lived in Nepal and worked with communities around Everest. We are encouraged to see increased efforts to address Everest's massive trash problem. In our view, modern technology and international cooperation are key to ending the pileup of waste in this iconic setting.

Video of trash on Everest by guide Tenzi Sherpa, who has climbed Everest multiple times.

Pollution from Waste

For most visitors to this area of the Himalayas, Everest base camp on the upper reaches of the rapidly receding Khumbu Glacier is the ultimate destination, at an altitude of 17,589 feet (5,364 meters). Formerly a two- to three-week trek from Kathmandu, today the journey is most likely to begin at the Lukla Airport , which sits about 35 miles (60 kilometers) from base camp.

Climbers who aim to summit Everest typically spend up to two months on the mountain , including weeks making short, incremental ascents above base camp and back down again. This enables them to acclimate to the altitude before climbing to higher camps and then to the summit.

Much of the food and equipment headed to Everest also begins its journey at Lukla. Some is shipped to base camp by helicopter, but much of the gear is carried there by yaks, yak/cattle crossbreeds called dzopkio, mules and horses .

Lots of equipment, food and packaging, plus animals and porters, means a lot of garbage. A 2010 study estimated that park tourism generated 4.6 tons of solid waste per day during peak tourist periods in April-May and October-November.

Eventually most of this refuse is dumped into unsightly landfills a short distance from local villages. There it is burned, adding particulates and toxic chemicals to the air. The remaining ash is buried, where it can contaminate groundwater.

The route for ascending Everest via Nepal runs from base camp on the Khumbu Glacier, upper left, through four higher-altitude camps. Altitudes are in meters. European Space Agency/Flickr, CC BY-SA

At the base camp, microplastics – likely from discarded mountaineering clothing, tents, ropes and boots – have been found in water and snow samples . High levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS , widely known as "forever chemicals," have been found on the Khumbu glacier , probably from materials used to waterproof climbing boots, tents and clothing.

These substances could pose health risks for transient climbers, but are a more serious threat for people who live in the nearby settlements of Gorak Shep, Lobuche, Dugla and Pheriche for most of the year. Some of these villagers work at Everest base camp and are exposed there too.

And then there's sewage. Most septic tanks at the hundreds of lodges located throughout the national park and buffer zone leak, further polluting groundwater . Camp Four, the last site that climbers occupy before they attempt to summit Everest, is covered with garbage and frozen, wind-swept feces.

National parks in developed countries have infrastructure to handle waste management, trash pickup, recycling and wastewater treatment. At Everest base camp, there are just collection barrels under toilets. Each year, some 50,000 pounds (22,000 kilograms) of human waste are brought to landfills several kilometers away .

Solutions for Sustainable Tourism

Recognizing the scale of this problem, initiatives are in progress to develop solutions.

The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee , created by local Sherpa people in 1991, is an Indigenous nonprofit organization that is responsible for monitoring garbage in the permit-required mountains and peaks. The group focuses on litter control and periodic base camp cleanups.

In 2014, the government of Nepal began requiring every mountaineer who climbs above the Everest base camp to bring back 18 pounds (8 kilograms) of solid waste from the mountain or forfeit a US$4,000 deposit. Of course, if you've paid $75,000 or more for the trip, losing the deposit may not be much of an incentive. Many people elect to forfeit it.

A nonprofit called Sagarmatha Next , established in 2019, is working to promote sustainable tourism in the Khumbu region, partnering with companies and organizations from around the world. The group has raised awareness by producing art works and souvenirs from trash. It also launched a "Carry Me Back" program that encourages tourists to take two-pound (one-kilogram) bags of solid waste, such as shredded plastic bottles, to the airstrip at Lukla for processing and disposal in Kathmandu.

Visitors can support cleanup efforts by carrying bags of sorted trash back from Everest to Kathmandu for processing and recycling.

At the local government's request, the University of Colorado Boulder developed a sustainable solid waste management plan in 2019 for the national park and buffer zone. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed implementation of the plan, which proposes creating a five-step process: waste segregation, collection, sorting and shredding, transfer to shipment stations and transportation to recycling facilities in Kathmandu.

Another nonprofit initiative, the NeverRest Project , was created during the pandemic to provide environmental solutions for Mount Everest and other fragile ecosystems around the world. NeverRest is working with the Nepal Tourism Board to revolutionize high-altitude waste management using modern technology.

In 2023, the organization presented a concept plan for a sustainable Everest base camp that would install technologies such as portable solar tents to reduce use of fossil fuel; unisex portable urinals with multi-use filters that convert urine into water; incinerator toilets that transform human waste into ash; and modular geodesic dome tents designed for effective heat retention to reduce energy use.

In the 71 years since Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first known successful ascent of Mount Everest , this peak has been a setting for daring expeditions, triumphs and tragedies. We hope that the region's garbage problem soon will fade into history as new approaches and technologies provide solutions for Everest and other remote high-mountain locations around the world.

Suzanne OConnell is a Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science at Wesleyan University. Alton C. Byers is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at University of Colorado Boulder. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license . Read the original article .