How to climb Mount Everest?

You all must have heard about Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. But do you know how to climb Mount Everest? Climbing Mount Everest is not an easy task. It is extremely challenging to climb at high altitudes where there is a lack of oxygen.

Climbers need to use various gears and get the assistance from Nepalese Sherpas to tackle the dangerous crevasses and climb Mount Everest.

Let me share about how to climb Mount Everest after a brief interview of a Sherpa who have climbed it numerous times. I will share detailed techniques, and risks related to climbing Mount Everest.

Seasons to Climb Mount Everest

Those who aim to climb mount Everest starts with practicing by climbing smaller mountains. All Mount Everest climbers are most experienced and have climbed smaller or higher peaks in their respective countries or in Nepal.

In Nepal, mountain climbing is open in four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Usually, during the spring season, the weather is favorable for climbers, which attracts many climbers aiming to reach the summit.

Fees to climb Mount Everest

Foreigners who want to climb Mount Everest have to pay the government a permit fee of USD 11,000 in spring, USD5500 in autumn and USD 2750 for winter and summer season. This permit fee is known as royalty.

For Nepalese, the royalty fee is less. In the spring season it is 75,000 Nepalese Rupees, 37,500 for autumn season while in summer and winter; it is only 18,250 Nepalese Rupees.  Nepali supporters, porters, and guides are exempted from paying the royalty fee.

Climbing Mount Everest requires everyone to purchase life insurance. Foreign climbers spend between 35 to 70 thousand USD to climb Mount Everest. Before going for climbing, one has to obtain climbing permission from the Department of Tourism in Kathmandu, which is valid for 75 days.

Mount Everest Expedition Group

Climbing Mount Everest is not permitted for solo climbers; it is mandatory to go in a group. This group is called a climbing expedition. Name of the climbing mountain, the leader’s name and information about the route to be taken are mentioned in the climbing permit issued by Department of Tourism.

Routes to climb Mount Everest

Till date, there are only two routes to climb Mount Everest. One route is from Tibet side and the other is from Solukhumbu, Nepal side. The Tibetan route is famous for being extremely challenging as it has very steep slopes.

Due to that reaason rescuing climbers is very difficult in case of emergency. That’s the reason climbers prefer the Nepalese route, which is comparatively easier. Due to this reason, each year there are more climbers from Nepal side compared to those coming from the Tibetan side.

To reach Mount Everest from Solukhumbu, climbers must first reach Lukla first. That is why Lukla is also known as the gateway to Mount Everest. It is possible to take a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and from there one must starting their expedition on foot.

Climbers need to bring climbing gear (equipment needed for mountain climbing), sleeping bags, tents, lamps, stoves, food, medicine, toiletries, first aid, oxygen cylinders, and all other necessary supplies that is required during the period of their expedition.

After reaching Lukla by plane, climbers use help of porters and yaks to carry their supplies and reach the Everest Base Camp. The height of the Base Camp is 5,364 meters above sea level. It is roughly 4,000 meters higher than Kathmandu.

From Lukla, it takes climbers about 9 days to reach the base camp. As the altitude increases, the oxygen level decreases. Breathing becomes difficult as the oxygen level decreases. That’s why foreign climbers gradually ascend to the base camp.

After leaving Lukla, they pass through Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, and Gorakshep before reaching the Everest base camp. This is also the standard route of Everest Base Camp Trek, most popular trek in the region and is one of the best ways to enjoy the Himalayas without reaching to the top.

Before attempting to climb Everest, some climbers acclimatize by climbing smaller peaks in the surrounding area of the base camp. This is part of their preparation to climb the highest peak. There are no hotels or settlements above the base camp.

People have to sleep in tents above Gorakshep. Climbers use melting snow for drinking water. To charge mobile phones, cameras, watches, torches, headlamps, and other battery-operated devices, climbers usually use solar powered devices.

Some climbing operating companies also provide generators according to the climbers’ requirements to the base camp.

From the base camp, you can see the tip of the Sagarmatha (Everest) glacier. But it is not easy to reach there. It cannot be reached in a single day. In addition to the one in Base Camp, a camp needs to be set up at four different locations.

The first camp is at an altitude of 6,000 meters, the second camp is between 6,400 and 6,500 meters, the third camp is between 7,200 and 7,400 meters, and the fourth camp is at an altitude of 7,950 meters. There are not any fixed trail above the base camp.

Icefall doctors, who are specially trained for the season, construct a route every year. Above fourth camp, ropes or aluminum ladders are used.

Gears required to climb Mount Everest

Climbers usually wear high-altitude boots with spikes on the icefall and on the snow ridge. To use the spikes, you need gear such as carabiners, harnesses, ice axes, crampons, etc.

As there are no proper mobile phone connection, for communication purposes climbers use satellite phones. Communication is possible between one camp and the next or with a companion ahead or behind using walkie-talkies.

How many days it take to climb Mount Everest?

It takes minimum 15 days to reach the top of Mount Everest from the base camp. We also need to add additional days that climbers wait until they get green signal to start the expedition waiting for the weather to get better; weather in the region is not always good enough for climbing.

The balcony and Hillary Step are the most challenging points above 4^th from the fourth camp to the summit, climber starts in the evening around 9pm and return to Camp 4 by around 11 am after reaching the top.

After that, they quickly descend to the lower region due to strong winds and the risk of avalanches. From Camp 4 or camp three, climbers often return to Kathmandu by helicopters as it descending is difficult and can be risky.

Temperature and Food

Usual temperature at the summit is around minus 40 degrees Celsius. After being exposed to direct sunlight on the white snow, it becomes even more challenging to look at with naked eyes. Above Camp 2, it is almost impossible to cook food.

You have to rely on readymade meals which climbers carry on their backpack along with oxygen and some essential items. .

Getting Certificate after reaching the top of Mount Everest

After completing the expedition and reaching summit of Mount Everest, climbers need to show the photo of themselves at the summit to the Department of Tourism as evidence. Only then does the Nepalese government provide an official certificate of having climbed Mount Everest.

How many people have climbed Mt Everest?

A total of 6,507 people have climbed Mt Everest. This data includes the number of individuals who reached the summit by the end of 2019. Since then, there have been additional successful climbs  but we currently don’t have confirmed data from the Department of Tourism.

Interesting facts about Mount Everest:

• Mount Everest, located on the border of Nepal and China, was first identified by British surveyor Sir George Everest in 1841. Hence it was named after his name.
• 8848.86 meters is the official height of Mt Everest announced by government of Nepal and China on 8^th Dec 2020.
• The youngest person to climb Mount Everest, at the age of 13 years is American national Jordan Romero. The oldest person to climb Everest is Japanese citizen Yuichiro Miura who scaled Everest at the age of 80 years,.
• Kami Rita Sherpa has reached the top of Mt Everest 28 times that is the highest number of times anyone reached the summit. His 28th summit was on May 23, 2023.
• The first ascent of Mount Everest was made by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal and Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand on May 29, 1953.

What world records have been set on Mount Everest?

Here is a list of world records that have been set on Mount Everest, spanning from 1992 to 2019.

• 1922: 7 Sherpa climbers died in an avalanche becoming the first reported deaths on
  Mt.Everest.
• 1953: First Summit on May 29, 1953 by Mr. Tenzing Norgay of Nepal& Sir Edmund
  Percival Hillary of New Zealand via the South-East Ridge Route. (Lhotse face is to
  the South-East Ridge).
• 1965: Mr. Nawang Gombu Sherpa on May 20, 1965 became the first person to summit
  Everest twice. Both of his summits were via the South East Ridge, his first as a
  member of Mr. Jim Whittaker’s American Expedition where he became the 11th
  person to summit Everest. Out of the first seventeen summits of Everest, Nawang
  had two of them.
• 1975: Ms. Junko Tabei of Japan on May 16, 1975 became the first woman to reach the
  summit via the South-East Ridge.
• 1978: First Ascent without bottled oxygen by Mr. Peter Habeler of Austria and Reinhold
  Messner of Italy on May 8, 1978 via the South-East Ridge
• 1980: First Winter ascent by Mr. Krzysztof Wielicki of Poland on February 17, 1980.
• 1988: First ascent by woman without oxygen Ms. Lydia Bradey of New Zealand on
  October 14, 1988.
• 1990: First married couple to summit together by Mr. Andrej & Mrs. Marija Stremfelj of
  Slovenia on October 7, 1990. Marija was also the first Slovenian women to summit
  Everest.
• 1990: First father and son to summit together by Mr. Jean Noel Roche and his son Roche
  Bertrand aka Zebulon. They flew together on a tandem paraglider from the south
  Col. They landed at base camp on October 7, 1990. Roche Bertrand was 17 years
  old at that time and became the youngest non-Nepalese person to ever climb Everest.
• 1992: First two brothers to reach the summit together: Mr. Alberto and Mr. Felix
  Inurrategui on September 25, 1992.
• 1993: The first Nepalese woman, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, summits Everest but died
  descending from the summit on April 23, 1993.
• 1998: Mr. Thomas Whittaker of U.S.A. is the first handicap (one leg artificial) to climbMt.
  Sagarmatha.
• 1999: Mr. Babu Chhiri Sherpa of Nepal became the first and only climber to sleep on the
  summit. Babu spent over 21 hours on the summit of Mt Everest without oxygen. He
  established the fastest record of 16 hours and 56 minutes to reach the top on May 21, 2000.
  He has been successful to summit Mt Everest 10 times.
• 2000: Miss Lhakpa Sherpa of Nepal is the second Nepalese women to successfully
  summit Mt Everest on May 18, 2000
• 2000: First Ski descent by Davo Karnicar.
• 2001: Mr. Temba Chiring Sherpa (16 yrs.) of Nepal is the first youngest mountaineer to
  successfully climb Mt Everest from north side on May 23, 2001.
• 2001: Mr. Erik Weihenmayer of USA became the first ever blind person to summit Mt
  Everest on May 25, 2001.
• 2002: Miss Pemba Doma Sherpa is the third Nepalese woman to successfully climbed
  Mt Everest from both sides. She first climbed Mt Everest from north side and
  became the first Nepali women to climb from north side on May 29, 2000 and from
  south side on May 16, 2002.
• 2003: Mr. Ang Chhiring Sherpa, correspondent of Kantipur Daily from Nepal successfully
  climbed Mt Everest on May 22, 2003. He is the first Nepalese journalist to climb
  the top of the world.
• 2003: Mr. Lakpa Gelu Sherpa of Nepal successfully holds the world record of fastest
  climbing on the top of world on May 26, 2003 for only 10 Hours 56 minutes and 46
  seconds.
• 2003: Mr. Lakpa Gelu Sherpa, Mr. Da Nuru Sherpa and Mr. Jangbu Sherpa, three brothers
  scaled Mt.Everest on May 26, 2003 on same day.
• 2004: Mr. Pemba Dorjee Sherpa of Nepal successfully summit Mt.Sagarmatha by setting a
  new world record of fastest climbing. He completed the distance from Sagarmatha
  Base Camp to the summit in 8 hours and 10 minutes on May 21, 2004.
• 2005: Ms. Moni Mulepati (24 Yrs) and Mr. Pem Dorjee (23 Yrs) of Nepal scaled
  Mt Everest together and got married on top of the world on May 30, 2005.
• 2006: Mr. Lakpa Tharke Sherpa (25 yrs) of Khumjung, Solukhumbu climbed Mt Everest
  on May 24, 2006 and took rest for 3 minutes on the top in naked position of upper
  part of his body in a surrounding temperature of minus 40 degrees Celsius.
• 2007: For the first time in human history, Mr. Appa Sherpa and Mr. Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa
  jointly released a book named ‘Sagarmathako Adhar Sibirbata (From the Everest
  base camp)’ at the top of the Mt Everest on May 16, 2007 at 08:45 AM. The writer
  of the book is Mr. Prateek Dhakal of Kathmandu, Nepal. The publisher of the
  book is Makalu Publication of Kathmandu, Nepal.
• 2007: Mr. Kami Sherpa, Mr. Sonam Sherpa, Mr. Lhakpa Gelje Sherpa and Mr. Da Chhamba
  Sherpa jointly released another book named ‘ Seti Pani Kali Pani’ (Seti as well as
  Kali) at the top of Mt. Everest on the same day (May 16, 2007) at 09:45 AM. The
  writer of the book is also Mr. Prateek Dhakal of Kathmandu, Nepal. The
  publisher of the book is Sajha Prakashan, a Government Publication House of
  Nepal.
• 2007: After climbing Mt. Everest by Mr. Pema Tharke Sherpa of Lamabagar, Dolakha on
  May 23, 2007, a new world record is built by all seven sons of same parents Mr.
  Nim Chhiri Sherpa (father) and Mrs. Pema Buti Sherpa (mother) to climb Mt.
  Everest. The successful climbers are Late Ang Chhiri Sherpa (once in 1999), Mr.
  Nim Temba Sherpa (once in 1992), Mr. Pema Tharki Sherpa (once in 2007), Mr.
  Nima Gombu Sherpa (12 times including China side during 1993-2007), Mr.
  Mingma Tsiri Sherpa (12 times including China side during 1995-2007), Mr.
  Thundu Sherpa (3 times during 2003-2007), and Mr. Pasang Tenzing Sherpa (4
  times during 2003-2007).
• 2008: Mr. Appa Sherpa (48yrs) of Nepal successfully climbed Mt Everest 18th time on
  May 22, 2008
• 2008: Mr. Min Bahadur Sherchan resident of Myagdi district, at the age of 76 years 11
  month and 6 days had successfully climbed Mt.Everest on May 5, 2008. He became
  the oldest person to reach on the top of the world.
• 2008: All members of the First Inclusive Women’s Sagarmatha Expedition 2008
  (FIWSE08) have able to reach on the top of Mt Everest on spring 2008.
• 2008: On the day of 22 may, 2008, there was a record of highest person of 135 to reachon the top of Mt.Everest so far.
• 2009: Mr. Appa Sherpa of Nepal successfully climbed Mt.Everest 19th time on May 22,
  2009.
• 2010: Mr. Appa Sherpa of Nepal Successfully climbed Mt.Everest 20th time on May 22,
  2010.
• 2011: Mr. Appa Sherpa of Nepal Successfully climbed Mt.Everest 21th time on May 11,
  2010.
• 2011: 9 Nepalese Civil Service Personnels of Nepal Civil Servant First Mountain Everest
  Expedition, 2011 team led by secretary of Government of Nepal, Mr. Lilamani
  Paudel have successfully climbed Mt.Everest on May 18, 2011.
• 2018: Mr. Kami Rita Sherpa of Nepal successfully climbed Mt. Everest 22nd time on May
  16, 2018.
• 2019: On 22nd and 23rd May 2019, a total number of 223 and 212 climbers have been
  recorded as the highest and the second highest numbers of climbers reached on
  the top of the Mt. Everest on the particular day.
• 2019: Mr. Kami Rita Sherpa of Nepal has successfully climbed Mt Everest 23rd and 24th
  time on 15th and 21st May 2019 respectively.
• 2019: “Sagarmatha Height Measurement Exp.2019” team, led by chief survey officer Mr.
  Khimlal Gautam of Government of Nepal, have successfully climbed Mt. Everest on
  22nd May 2019 and installed the equipments on the top.
• 2019: Mr. Nirmal Purja of Nepal has successfully climbed all 14 mountains above 8000
  meters in the record time of 6 months and 6 days and became the fastest person
  do so.
• 2019: Mr. Mingma Gyabu Sherpa of Nepal at the age of 31 years has successfully climbed
  all 14 mountains above 8000 meters and became youngest person do so.
• On May 12, 2022, Nepal’s Lhakpa Sherpa set a record for the most ascents by a woman, reaching the summit of Mount Everest 10 times, exemplifying remarkable mountaineering prowess.
• On May 23, 2023, Nepal’s Kami Rita Sherpa made history by summiting Mount Everest 28 times, showcasing unmatched mountaineering expertise and determination.

FAQs

How do I start climbing Mount Everest?

To begin your Everest journey, start by researching and seeking guidance from experienced climbers. Join reputable expeditions, acquire necessary skills, and gear up for this epic adventure.

What’s the preparation like for climbing Mount Everest?

Preparation involves physical conditioning, high-altitude training, and honing climbing skills. Consult experienced guides, follow a training plan, and ensure you have the right gear for Everest’s tough conditions.

How long does it take to climb Mount Everest?

The climb typically lasts around 60 days, including acclimatization. However, weather conditions and the route chosen can affect the duration. Be flexible as weather uncertainties may impact the schedule.

Can I climb Mount Everest without experience?

Climbing Everest requires prior mountaineering experience. Successfully summiting other peaks, having technical skills, and proper training are crucial before attempting Everest.

How many people climbed Mount Everest?

As of 2024, more than 6,664 people have summited Everest, but check the latest statistics as this number may have changed.

When is the best time to climb Mount Everest?

The primary climbing season is late April to early June. This pre-monsoon period offers stable weather for a better chance of success.

Are there age restrictions for climbing Mount Everest?

Most expeditions have age restrictions, requiring climbers to be in their late 20s or 30s with prior high-altitude experience.

What risks are associated with climbing Mount Everest?

Risks include avalanches, extreme weather, and altitude-related illnesses. Thorough training and adherence to safety guidelines are crucial.

How much does climbing Mount Everest cost?

Costs vary but range from $30,000 to $60,000. Understand what’s included in the cost before committing to an expedition.

Can I climb Mount Everest without a guide?

While some may climb independently, it’s recommended to hire a guide or contact with Mosaic adventure for support, navigation expertise, and emergency assistance. Guides increase safety and the chances of a successful climb.

Summary,

The informative article above provides a comprehensive overview of climbing Mount Everest, detailing various aspects such as the process of climbing, seasons suitable for climbing, fees and permits required, routes available, necessary gear, time required for the ascent, challenges faced and notable records associated with Everest climbing.

It emphasizes the need for extremely thorough and careful preparation, including physical training and acclimatization, required for climbers.

The risks associated with climbing, including altitude related illnesses and extreme weather conditions, are highlighted, along with the importance of experienced guides.

Additionally, it covers interesting facts and records related to Everest climbs, including notable achievements and historical milestones.

Finally, it addresses common questions regarding Everest climbing, such as preparation, costs, age restrictions and the necessity of guides.

If you have questions or need more information, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.

Santosh Dharel

Hi, my name is Santosh Dharel and I work as an experienced guide with Mosaic Adventure, a renowned trekking and adventure tour company in Nepal. With years of experience in this field, I have developed a deep understanding of the Nepalese Himalayas and its culture. I am highly regarded for my excellent communication skills, which enable me to make guests feel comfortable and safe during their adventure trips. My passion for adventure and love for nature are the driving forces behind my work, making me a reliable guide and a valuable asset to the Mosaic Adventure team.