Side by side
| Everest Base Camp Trek | Tsum Valley Trek | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 14 | 14 |
| Highest point | 5,545 m | 3,700 m |
| Difficulty | Strenuous | |
| Total distance | 130 km | 100 km |
| Best months | March to May and October to November | March to May and September to November |
| Typical cost | $1,250 to $2,400 | $1,000 to $2,000 |
| Starts from | Lukla (2,860 m) | Soti Khola or Machha Khola |
| Permits | 2 | 2 |
Choose the Everest Base Camp Trek if
The Everest Base Camp trek is a 14 day teahouse trek in Nepal's Khumbu region, reaching 5,364 m at Base Camp and 5,545 m at Kala Patthar. It starts with a flight to Lukla and needs no climbing skill, only solid fitness and patience with altitude. Spring and autumn are the reliable seasons.
The walking itself is rarely technical. What makes it hard is doing five to seven hours a day, back to back, in air that holds roughly half the oxygen you are used to at sea level.
Choose the Tsum Valley Trek if
The Tsum Valley Trek is a cultural journey into a hidden Himalayan valley near the Tibetan border. Known for its ancient Buddhist monasteries, traditional stone villages, and sweeping views of the Ganesh Himal, this restricted area offers a tranquil, deeply spiritual alternative to the busier Manaslu Circuit nearby.
Requires a good level of physical fitness.
