Introduction
As we all know Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. And to conquer it, it is evident that many climbers have to pass through the base camps. For this tallest mountain in the world, we have to tell you that there are two base camps from where the climber can approach the summit. To approach the summit, the South Everest base camp is located in Nepal whereas the Advanced base camp (north base camp) is located in Tibet (modern-day China).
Besides climbing, you may also know that Everest is famous for attracting global tourists with its Everest base camp trekking. And obviously, this epic adventure can be done through these iconic base camps. If you have done any of these, you must have a great experience, but if you haven’t done any of them and you are looking to choose from one of them, then hold on! We have something for you.
With plenty of differences between these two, many people may get confused about the features of these routes. For that reason today, we will discuss the specifics of the Everest base camp vs the Advanced base camp in this blog. So, without wasting any time, let’s get started.
Everest base camp and Advanced base camp
These two base camps are often compared with each other as they both have different approaches and difficulty levels. The difficulty level of the southern base camp trek is moderate whereas the advanced base camp is a little bit easier as you can drive through the routes. Meanwhile, even though it is a little bit easier than the southern base camp, it is 976 meters higher than it. Compared to the Everest base camp at 5364 meters, the advanced base camp has a staggering altitude of 6340 meters.
Talking about the starting points, both of these places start from different points. The journey to the southern Everest base camp starts with a flight from Kathmandu or Ramechaap to Lukla. Then from there, they progress towards different popular villages like Phadking, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, and Gorakshep, and then to Everest Base camp.
The journey to the advanced base camp on the other hand starts in Tibet. First, you will fly to Lhasa and then continue your journey through the Monasteries like – Pelkor Monastery, Shakya Monastery, and mountain passes. Finally, after journeying through these places, you will reach the base of the North col of Everest via Rongbuk Glacier.
Popularity
To be honest, the southern base camp situated in Nepal is more popular than the Advanced Everest base camp trek in Tibet. If you want to know you can see that most people on the internet are searching for the Everest base camp that goes through Nepal. In our opinion, it is because this option is more budget-friendly and it has more facilities and charm than the advanced base camp.
Everest base camp and Advanced base camp trekking experience
Both of the journeys have different trekking experiences. While journeying through the routes of the south base camp, you will find the landscapes are changing along the route. You will go up and down through the hills where you will pass through rivers and suspension bridges with lush forests. You will face these landscapes at the start of the trek. As you pass through the higher altitudes, you will see the barren lands and the mountains surrounding you.
In the case of the Northern Base camp, you can travel with the help of a car, which will eventually take you to the ridge of the mountain. To the base camp, the Tibetan paths have been paved all the way. Although you can drive all the way through, you can choose to trek and reach the destination.
Best time to trek Everest base camp and Advanced base camp
The best time to trek both of the base camps in spring and autumn. To be more typical, the best months to trek these base camps are March to May or September to November. In both of these seasons, the surroundings offer favorable conditions to the trekkers. These seasons, provide travelers the clear views and moderate temperatures. Here the environment will feel very pleasant and the conditions are very favorable to walk. Rather than these two seasons, we do not recommend trekkers to travel as you may face rainfalls and extreme weather conditions.
Everest base camp and Advanced base camp difficulty
While both of these base camps are the top mountain base camps of the world, you do not have to possess any mountaineering skills to reach there. However, if you have done previous treks then it will be a big plus point for you. The main thing is, while trekking, you must have the knowledge of acclimatization and when to rest. As you move further the high altitudes and gain elevation, it becomes very important for you to listen to your body. Therefore, crossing the mark of 5000 meters and 6000 meters requires lots of patience. So, we request you to stay hydrated all the time and walk patiently to reach the destination safely.
Attractions of Everest base camp and Advanced base camp
Before choosing any of these destinations, you will consider the highlights of the trips. If we talk about the attractions of these trips, you will see there is some kind of similarity in them as both have a Tibetan influence. Particularly, if you journey through the Nepali base camp route, you will experience the Unique Tibetan Sherpa Culture of the Khumbu region. Also, you will walk through Sagarmatha National Park which is also one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Walking through this heritage, you will pass through different landscapes and terrains and famed villages like Namche Bazaar and Tengboche villages on the route.
Further, while walking through the routes of the Advanced base camp, you will see the Tibetan influence in the cities. In the city Of Lhasa, you will see the Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple, and Norbulingka Palace. To make you indulge in the Tibetan culture, sites like Shigatse and Tingri are also famous in the routes. So, we want to say that there are no shortages of attractions while journeying toward these destinations.
Conclusion
Therefore, through the information in this blog, you must be now able to know the differences between these two trips. It’s up to you whether you choose to trek that represents the different landscapes with charming villages and the people or the trek that represents the original taste of the Tibetan culture and the new way of approaching the tallest mountain. If you ask us as a nonexperience, we have to tell you that both of the adventures will come in front of you as a challenge.
However, if you want to choose the best budget and the iconic route that many climbers and travelers choose, then we highly recommend the Everest base camp trekking/climbing from Nepal. But if there is some special thing that Advanced Base Camp attracts you, then it is also equally worth visiting.
Birendra Duwadi by profession a trekking and tourist guide and an enterpreur whose passion is trekking in the himalayas start Mission Himalaya Treks in 2015 with a new vision to introduce Nepal Himlayas to the world. his vision is explore and documentation new trekking routes . Birendra leads Mission Himalaya, a small company that change the qualities of trekking in Nepal.
