Everest Area
ALTITUDE – 4100-5545m/13451-18192ft
Overview
Exploration Options
Weather
Access
Overview
Mount Everest or Chomolungma at 8848m/29028ft is the highest point on Earth, and has been the subject of adventure, misadventure, success and death for nearly a century. The holds a massive allure to visitors, and unlike in Nepal where it is necessary to trek for a couple of weeks to get up close and personal with the giant peaks, on the northern Tibetan side, you can access the base camp by 4×4.
The Everest massif is a huge and complex area, with many valleys spilling from its sides. The most famous of these is Rongbuk with its monastery, glacier and the main northern Base Camp.
Exploration Options
The two primary factors up here are available time and health; although at altitude, the weather can never be rulled out either. Unless the point of the trip is to spend time around Everest, most travellers pass through Tingri, or make a quick dash up to Rongbuk and back. Unless fully acclimatised, spending a night at Rongbuk Monastery, located at 5100m/ will surely be an unpleasant one.
The Karta valley that lies to the east of Rongbuk has some beautiful views, but requires time to devote to the area.
There is good accommodation available in both Tingri and New Tingri, which get frequented by Everest climbers on R&R from Base Camp.
Weather
As with most of Tibet the days are usually sunny and warm, and depending on the season, the nights are cold to freezing. The same seasonal considerations as Kailash and the Holy Lakes apply, mid winter is best avoided, and some cloud on Everest would be expected in mid summer, the peak of the monsoon, although dawn can still be clear.
Access
The town of New Tingri is a couple of days drive south of Lhasa and lies at around 4100m/13451ft. It is an ideal place to stop and acclimatise before heading higher towards Rongbuk or the Karta Valley.
