Everest Base Camp with Chola Pass Trek

Best Season to Trek

Spring and autumn are the best times to get aboard the Everest Base Camp and Chola Pass trek. 

Autumn is the most favored and most demanded trekking season in the Nepal Himalayas. This is the season for maximum satisfaction of good glimpses of the Himalayas. The weather is dry, with clear skies clarifying the sun and thus allowing long-distance visibility. The trails are also in fine condition to trek across to the Chola Pass. It is also the peak season.

The spring season is also a popular season for trekking in Nepal. A beautiful forest with wildflowers and rhododendrons is the main attraction of the trek. The temperature remains steady and average, with excellent views of Everest, Ama Dablam, and Cho Oyu. It's the best time to pass Chola Pass.

Avoid trekking during winter and the monsoon months. Winters are chilly, and there is a high possibility that Chola Pass is closed with snow. Monsoon renders it unsuitable to trek in Nepal's high-altitude region. The trekking is worse with heavy rains, slippery tracks, poor visibility, and high possibilities of landslides. Avoid trekking this season.

Trekking Difficulty

The trek via the Gokyo Cho La Pass to Everest Base Camp has always been the most challenging of all high-altitude treks. Physical fitness, past multi-day trekking experience, and resilient adventure-hunters are best adapted to this trek. It offers two classic trekking routes: the Everest Base Camp trek is spoken about in hushed tones by many, while the Gokyo Lakes Trek intrigues a bit fewer people. These two routes are connected by the Cho La Pass (5,420 m), a glaciated and high pass, which is an extremely difficult and exhilarating choice.

The trek demands a day of hard trekking through the various landscapes. You will be walking over terraced fields, well-maintained paths, and green forests, not to mention a few local villages, steep ascents and descents, rocks, glaciers, and high Himalayan passes. Trekking to Kalapatthar would be the highlight trek of this trek, passing via Chola Pass and Gokyo Ri, all high-altitude in the shadow of the great Everest. Altitude sickness (AMS) is a very real risk.

Good acclimatization, gradual and slow progress, good trekking gear, and the services of experienced guides from the region would make this trek extremely rewarding and possible for adequately prepared trekkers. This is not a novice's trek; yet, it provides perhaps the most grueling high-altitude trekking experience in the Himalayas.

Permits and Travel Insurance for Trek

Permit

Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit

You can get this permit from Lukla or Monjo.

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit

You can get it from the office of the Tourism Board in Kathmandu or at Monjo.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a must-have while trekking in the Everest region of Nepal. Given the challenging nature of the trek, unpredictable weather, and potential for altitude-related illnesses or injuries, having the right insurance policy is essential for your safety and peace of mind.

Your policy must cover the following:

• High-Altitude Coverage
• Emergency Helicopter Evacuation
• Medical and Hospitalization Expenses
• Trip Cancellation or Interruption
• Flight Delays or Cancellations

Food and Accommodation

Accommodation

On the Everest Base Camp with Chola Pass, you’ll be staying in a local teahouse. The lodging is basic yet comfortable. Generally, rooms are twin-sharing with wooden beds, a mattress, and warm blankets. Bathrooms are mostly squat-style and shared. A hot shower is rarely available as you ascend to EBC, and if it is available, you need to pay an extra amount of money. Same for electric charging. 

As you ascend, the facilities become more basic and expensive.  

Food

You’ll get fresh and mostly vegetarian foods along the trail. The foods are comforting and basic as you ascend to higher regions. All the meals are prepared by local people, so you get authentic and tasty food. You’ll be eating dal and bhat (rice, lentil soup, and vegetables) for lunch and dinner. The food is nutritious, and there are unlimited refills. The other options are fried rice, noodles, momo, chow mein, pasta, and some other foods. You’ll be having Tibetan bread, eggs, and boiled eggs for breakfast with hot tea. 

Bring some snacks like chocolate bars, biscuits, and instant noodles in your bag. 

Altitude Acclimatization Strategy

For trekking in Everest Base Camp with Chola Pass, smart acclimatization is key to avoiding altitude sickness. If you plan properly, you can complete this trek without any difficulty. 

Plan acclimatization days wisely. Acclimate in Namche Bazaar and Dingboche. Go for a short hike to Everest View Hotel and Nangkartshang Hill, and practice climb-high, sleep-low techniques. 

Acclimatization Tips

• Stay hydrated
• Trek slowly
• Ascend gradually
• Avoid alcohol and smoking
• Climb high, sleep low
• Consider medicine
• Monitor symptoms
• Descend if the AMS worsens

Packing Essentials

While trekking to Everest Base Camp with Chola Pass, you need to carry essential gear that you are going to use on the trek. Here is the list: 

• Down jacket
• Trekking pant
• Trekking shoe
• Windproof and waterproof jacket and pants
• Backpack
• Camp shoes
• Socks
• Thermal wear
• Hat Sunglasses
• Gloves
• Sunscreen
• Headlamps
• Snack
• Sleeping bag
• Trekking poles
• Gaiters
• Toiletries
• First-aid kit
• Documents and permits
• Power bank
• Water bottle
• Water purification tablets