Everest Base Camp height in feet is 17,598 feet (5,364 metres) above sea level on the Nepal side, the number every trekking permit, GPS device, and guidebook uses. That’s the short answer. But if you’re planning the Everest Base Camp trek, the number on its own doesn’t tell you much until you know what it means for your lungs, your itinerary, and your legs.
Quick Facts:
- South Base Camp (Nepal): 17,598 ft / 5,364 m
- North Base Camp (Tibet): 16,900 ft / 5,150 m
- Difference between the two: 698 ft / 214 m
- Highest point most trekkers reach (Kala Patthar): 18,192 ft / 5,545 m
- Oxygen available at EBC: roughly half of sea-level oxygen
This guide breaks down where that 17,598-foot figure comes from, why some sources quote a slightly different number, how EBC’s height compares to other famous peaks, and what the altitude actually does to your body on the trail.
Everest Base Camp Height in Feet and Meters: The Exact Number
The figure trekking agencies, park offices, and Sagarmatha National Park signage all use for the south side is 5,364 metres, which converts to 17,598 feet. This is the elevation of the boulder-and-prayer-flag marker where most trekking groups take their final photo, on the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier.
You’ll sometimes see this ebc elevation ft figure written as 17,600 feet, which is simply the number rounded for readability; the underlying elevation guide figure hasn’t changed. A handful of older mountaineering references cite 17,585 feet (5,360 m), which reflects a slightly different survey point on the moraine rather than a disagreement about the mountain’s location. For everyday trekking purposes, 17,598 feet is the figure to use for permits, insurance forms, and trip planning.
It’s worth being precise about which base camp you mean. “Everest Base Camp” without qualification almost always refers to the Nepal side, since that’s the endpoint of the classic 12–14 day trek from Lukla and the staging point for the South Col climbing route. If you’re researching a Tibet-side visit instead, the numbers below are different; more on that shortly.
Pro tip: if a website or blog post quotes an Everest base camp height figure below 17,000 feet without specifying “North Base Camp,” treat it cautiously; that’s a common area where outdated or copy-pasted content gets the two camps mixed up. Always check whether the figure is labelled Nepal (south) or Tibet (north) before you use it for altitude planning.
How Does EBC’s Height Compare to Other Famous Peaks?
At 17,598 feet, Everest Base Camp sits higher than the summit of every mountain in the contiguous United States; Mount Whitney, the tallest, tops out at 14,505 feet. It also clears the highest peak in the Alps: Mont Blanc reaches 4,808 metres (15,774 feet), roughly 1,824 feet lower than where EBC trekkers sleep.
Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest point, is one of the few widely known peaks that beats EBC outright, at 19,341 feet. So when trekkers reach the boulder at Everest Base Camp, they’re standing higher than 48 of the 50 US states’ high points, and only around 1,750 feet lower than Africa’s tallest summit, without having climbed a technical metre.
For context inside Nepal, this altitude guide comparison helps too: Annapurna Base Camp sits at 4,130 m (13,549 ft), meaning EBC is over 4,000 feet higher than its Annapurna counterpart. That difference is exactly why EBC demands a longer, more conservative acclimatization schedule.
North vs South Base Camp: Why the Elevation Differs
Everest has two base camps, one on each side of the Nepal–Tibet border, and they sit at genuinely different heights because of the geography beneath them, not measurement error.
Nepal’s South Base Camp: 17,598 ft / 5,364 m
The south camp sits directly on the Khumbu Glacier, a moving river of ice that has been thinning for decades. Because the ice surface itself shifts, the exact elevation drifts by a small margin year to year. Mountaineering historian Alan Arnette has documented the site dropping from roughly 17,454 ft (5,320 m) in 1953, when Hillary and Tenzing staged their summit push there, to a lower figure today as the glacier has thinned. In 2022, Nepal’s government proposed relocating the camp 200–400 metres downhill specifically because of this glacial melt, though the plan was shelved after Sherpa mountaineers, including Kami Rita Sherpa, the record holder for most Everest summits, argued the current site remains safer than the alternatives.
This is genuinely useful to know before you go: the “exact” height you read isn’t a fixed survey benchmark like a summit elevation. It’s a snapshot of a glacier that’s actively changing, which is also why the camp itself has no permanent structures; tents go up each spring and autumn climbing season and come down afterwards.
Tibet’s North Base Camp: 16,900 ft / 5,150 m
The north camp sits on stable ground near Rongbuk Monastery rather than on moving glacial ice, which is a large part of why its elevation figure stays fixed year to year. It’s also the only Everest base camp reachable by vehicle, via a paved branch road off the Friendship Highway, which means visitors can reach 16,900 feet in a matter of hours rather than the 8–12 days it takes on the Nepal trekking route.
That speed is a double-edged sword. Nepal’s multi-day approach through Namche Bazaar and the Khumbu villages forces the kind of gradual acclimatization your body needs above 3,000 metres. Driving straight to 16,900 feet skips that process entirely, which is why altitude sickness rates among North Base Camp day-visitors can be surprisingly high despite the lower number on the sign.
What Altitude Checkpoints Lead You There?
Understanding the full height ft/m progression matters more than knowing the final number, because altitude sickness risk builds gradually along the route, not just at the destination. Here’s the standard South Base Camp trekking itinerary elevation profile:
- Lukla – 9,383 ft (2,860 m) — flight landing point from Kathmandu
- Phakding – 8,563 ft (2,610 m)
- Namche Bazaar – 11,290 ft (3,440 m) — first acclimatization stop
- Tengboche – 12,687 ft (3,867 m) — monastery village
- Dingboche – 14,468 ft (4,410 m) — second acclimatization stop
- Lobuche – 16,109 ft (4,910 m)
- Gorak Shep – 16,942 ft (5,164 m) — last overnight stop
- Everest Base Camp – 17,598 ft (5,364 m)
- Kala Patthar – 18,192 ft (5,545 m) — highest point most trekkers reach
Pro tip most guides skip: Kala Patthar, not Base Camp itself, is where you get the clear summit photo. Nuptse blocks a direct line of sight to Everest’s peak from the EBC marker, which surprises a lot of first-time trekkers who expect their “made it” photo to include the summit. Budget an early-morning side trip to Kala Patthar into your itinerary if that photo matters to you.
Read our companion piece on what makes altitude gain genuinely difficult on this route for a day-by-day breakdown of ascent rates and rest days.
Why Do Different Sources Quote Slightly Different Numbers?
So what does an accurate elevation guide altitude check actually show for EBC right now? If you’re cross-referencing multiple travel sites, you’ve probably noticed the figure wobbles between about 17,585 ft and 17,651 ft depending on the source. Three real factors explain that spread, rather than sloppy research:
- Glacial movement — the Khumbu Glacier’s surface shifts over time, so a GPS reading taken at the marker in 2015 and one taken today won’t match exactly.
- Measurement point — some sources measure at the painted boulder/prayer-flag site, others at the edge of the tented camp area itself, which can be several hundred metres apart in elevation.
- Rounding conventions — 5,364 m converts to 17,598.4 ft; different sites round this differently (17,598 vs 17,600).
None of these differences is large enough to change your trip planning. For permits, insurance, and general reference, 5,364 m / 17,598 ft remains the standard figure used across Nepal’s tourism sector.
How Does This Height Affect Your Body?
At 17,598 feet, atmospheric pressure drops to roughly half of sea-level pressure, meaning each breath delivers about half the oxygen your body is used to. This isn’t a number to be alarmed by tens of thousands of trekkers reach EBC safely each year but it is the reason the standard itinerary spreads the ascent over 8–12 days with two dedicated acclimatization stops, at Namche Bazaar and Dingboche.
The “climb high, sleep low” principle governs the whole route: day hikes push slightly higher than that night’s sleeping altitude, then you descend to sleep lower, which trains your body to adapt without overtaxing it. Skipping this pattern, flying in and rushing the ascent, is the single biggest driver of altitude sickness on this trek, far more than fitness level.
Pro tip: carry a basic pulse oximeter from Namche Bazaar onward. A resting blood oxygen reading below 80% alongside a headache, nausea, or loss of appetite is your body’s clearest early signal to stop ascending and rest, regardless of how fit you feel.
Everest Base Camp Height FAQs
Here are the 10 FAQs, each answer kept within 200–270 characters:
1. What is the base camp height in feet?
Everest Base Camp (South, Nepal side) sits at approximately 17,598 feet above sea level. This is the standard elevation trekkers reach before attempting summit routes on the southeast ridge.
2. What is the EBC elevation in ft compared to the summit?
EBC elevation is about 17,598 ft, while the Everest summit reaches 29,032 ft. That’s a vertical gap of over 11,400 feet climbers must cover using higher camps and fixed ropes.
3. What is the Everest Base Camp height in meters and feet?
Everest Base Camp height is roughly 5,364 meters, which converts to about 17,598 feet. Trekkers often check both units since guidebooks and permits list elevation differently.
4. Is the height of North Base Camp in feet different from that of South Base Camp?
Yes. North Base Camp in Tibet sits at about 16,900 feet, slightly lower than the South Base Camp in Nepal at 17,598 feet. Route difficulty and access also differ between the two.
5. Why does EBC altitude info matter for trekkers?
EBC altitude info matters because elevations above 17,000 feet increase altitude sickness risk. Knowing the height helps trekkers plan acclimatization days and pace their itinerary safely.
6. How high is base camp compared to other famous peaks?
At 17,598 feet, Everest Base Camp itself is higher than many famous mountain summits worldwide, including Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro, even though it’s just the starting point for Everest.
7. What altitude checkpoints exist before reaching EBC?
Trekkers pass altitude checkpoints like Namche Bazaar (11,286 ft) and Dingboche (14,470 ft) before reaching EBC at 17,598 feet, allowing gradual acclimatization along the route.
8. Does base camp height in feet change with weather or season?
No, the physical elevation of 17,598 feet stays constant year-round. However, accessible camp locations may shift slightly each climbing season due to glacier movement on the Khumbu Icefall.
9. How does the height ft/m guide help with gear planning?
A height ft/m guide showing EBC at 17,598 ft (5,364 m) helps trekkers pack correctly, since gear needs at this altitude differ significantly from lower Himalayan trekking routes.
10. What elevation guide should I follow for the EBC trek?
Follow an elevation guide tracking key stops: Lukla (9,383 ft), Namche (11,286 ft), Dingboche (14,470 ft), and EBC (17,598 ft) to understand gradual altitude gain across the trek.
Planning Your Trek to This Altitude
Knowing the exact height in feet is only the starting point. What actually determines whether you handle 17,598 feet comfortably is your acclimatization schedule, your pace between villages, and how honestly you respond to early altitude symptoms. Nepal’s trekking infrastructure, teahouses, established trails, and experienced local guides through the Khumbu region exist precisely to make this extreme elevation achievable without technical climbing skill.
If Everest’s altitude has you curious about other high-altitude regions in Nepal, our guides to Mustang’s high desert landscapes, the Langtang Valley, and Nepal’s glacial mountain lakes cover routes at varying elevations for different fitness levels. And before you fly out, our Kathmandu city guide covers the acclimatization-friendly base you’ll want before heading up to Lukla.
Browse our full library of Nepal trekking guides to start building your itinerary around the altitude you’re ready for.
Sources: Everest Base Camps – Wikipedia; Sagarmatha National Park elevation data; Alan Arnette’s Everest coverage on glacial change at South Base Camp.
Last updated: July 2026.