hike mt everest

The route to Mount Everest’s Base Camp—a 15-day round-trip trek with a 10,000-foot altitude gain—delivers you to a physical and psychological crossroads: Sure, you’ve entered the realm of high-altitude climbing, but you’ll still feel mighty small staring up at what remains of the world’s tallest mountain (29,035 feet). Standing among the discarded supplies of those aiming for the summit, you won’t feel too lonely, though. Second only to the Annapurna Circuit in popularity, the journey to Everest Base Camp, on the Nepalese side of the peak, draws adventurers from every corner of the world. The route will reward you with unparalleled views and the chance to retrace, completely or in part, the 1953 ascent of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.