Atlas of China
Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp 珠峰大本营Zhūfēng Dàběnyíng
Face the full north wall of Everest from around 5,000 metres
- Best time
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Time needed
- 2–3 days
- Days to budget
- 3 days
- Stay in
- Shigatse
- Region
- Tibet
- Type
- Nature
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area
Why go to Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp
On the Tibetan side a road runs up the Rongbuk valley, so you can stand before the full north face of Qomolangma (Everest) without trekking for days. Since 2019 tourists have been kept below the climbers' base camp, staying at the guesthouse by Rongbuk Monastery or in the seasonal tent camp nearby and watching the summit catch the last light at sunset.
The story
Long before Nepal opened its borders, the British expeditions of the 1920s, including George Mallory's fatal attempt in 1924, approached Everest from this side by way of the Rongbuk valley. Rongbuk Monastery, at close to 5,000 metres, is often called the highest monastery in the world.
What to see at Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp
- Rongbuk Monastery 绒布寺: A Nyingma monastery founded in 1902 at about 5,000 m, among the highest monasteries in the world, with a prayer hall and a terraced chorten facing the mountain.
- North face viewpoint 珠峰北坡观景台: From the end of the Rongbuk valley the whole north face of Everest rises above the glacier moraine; the summit is often sheathed in cloud by afternoon.
- Hermit caves and mani walls 修行洞与玛尼墙: The cliffs round the monastery are dotted with meditation caves, and mani stone walls carved with prayers line the paths.
- Rongbuk valley drive 绒布沟: The long road up the Dzakar Chu valley from the Friendship Highway, with the Himalayan peaks growing larger ahead.
How to visit Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp
Visitors usually drive from Shigatse along the Friendship Highway to Shelkar (New Tingri) or Tingri, then spend two to three hours up the valley to Rongbuk. Plan to arrive for the late-afternoon light and stay overnight so you can see the peak at sunset and sunrise, since cloud often hides it in the middle of the day. A day trip is not realistic. The scenic area can close at short notice after heavy snow or an earthquake, so keep a spare day in the itinerary.
How to get to Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp
Base camp is a long day's drive from Shigatse along the Friendship Highway and a winding mountain road, usually as part of an agency-run overland trip from Lhasa.
Where to stay
Overnight at the guesthouse beside Rongbuk Monastery or in the seasonal tent camp nearby, both simple and cold at night; Shelkar (New Tingri) or Tingri are the fallback bases on the drive in.
What to eat
- Yak butter tea 酥油茶: Hot tea churned with yak butter and salt, served everywhere on the plateau and more of a warming broth than a tea.
- Tsampa 糌粑: Roasted highland-barley flour, usually kneaded by hand with butter tea into a doughy ball; it is the staple of Tibetan cooking.
- Thukpa 土巴: A hearty Tibetan noodle soup, often with yak meat, found on breakfast menus and in tea houses.
Tips for visiting Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp
- Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit plus extra permits for the Everest area, all arranged by a licensed agency with a guide.
- Acclimatise in Lhasa and Shigatse first; you'll sleep at around 5,000 m.
- Pack a down jacket and warm sleeping gear, as nights are below freezing even in summer.
Trips with Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp
- Tibet: Lhasa, Namtso and Everest Base Camp 7 days · Lhasa and Shigatse
On the map
Open Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.
Open Everest (Qomolangma) Base Camp on the map