Everest Base Camp vs. K2 Base Camp: Which Trek is Right for You?

Katharine Levins
Mar 6
7 min read

K2 as viewed from the Godwin-Austen glacier

The Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the most iconic there is. Well trafficked with plenty of infrastructure, people have been flocking there for decades. But arguably more adventurous with even more wild sights sits the K2 Base Camp Trek located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The trek will take you deep into the Karakoram with rarely another soul in sight.

Days of trekking on the Baltoro glacier and wild camping will leave you feeling refreshed and like you’ve truly accomplished something extraordinary when you return to Skardu after two weeks in the mountains. In this article I’ll walk you through all you need to know about the differences between the two treks and what you need to be prepared for a successful adventure in Pakistan.

Preparation & Infrastructure:

Everest Base Camp requires little advanced planning with visa on arrival for most countries flying into Kathmandu. You can easily rock up with little gear and find an outfitter in Kathmandu that provides full services & gear rental. Walking around the city you’ll see shop after shop after shop offering clothing/jackets/shoes/poles & more. There are guides everywhere you go that can arrange the trek for you and customize as you wish. You are also able to complete the trek alone with no guide or porter needed.
On the other hand, much more preparation is needed to embark on a trek to K2 Base Camp. You’ll need to apply specifically for a trekking & mountaineering visa a few months in advance that will require the help of a tour operator. There is a bit of bureaucracy here, but nothing that is really an impediment. Your tour guide will also work to get all permits & registrations necessary to trek in the K2 region. Note that it is a restricted region and you absolutely must have a guide to enter Central Karakoram National Park. Hiking independently here is not possible and risks fines and/or arrest due to its location. Your expedition will require many porters & mules as well to carry everything you need. Once you are on the trek there is no chance to restock or pop into a store so everything you need must be taken from day 1. The porters are the real heroes of the trek and seeing the loads they carry is humbling.

Getting to the trek:

Starting the Everest BC trek is typically done via a short 30 minute flight to Lukla from Kathmandu or Ramachap. The flight is often delayed or canceled due to the nature of the Lukla runway (often called the world’s most dangerous airport). If your flight is canceled and you have the time, you can opt for a full day jeep journey followed by a 3 day trek to start. This is much less popular and really only reserved for those trying to save some money or travel when flights are impossible due to weather. Once you are in Lukla, the trek to BC starts immediately.
To get to the start of the K2 BC trek you need to make your way to Skardu. The easiest and most popular way to do this is by daily flight. Years ago the flights were often canceled and harder to rely upon, but lately more airlines now fly daily and flights are much more reliable. As of August 2023 you can now even fly directly there via Dubai 2x a week! Once you are in Skardu, your tour company will likely need a few days to arrange final permits and stock up for the trek as you’ll be really off the grid for the next 2 weeks. Once all final preparations are complete, you’ll head to Askole in 4x4 jeeps on a harrowing road. The journey can take anywhere from 6-8 hours driving and marks the start of the adventure! Once in Askole, you’ll camp there for one night before officially beginning your trek the next morning.

Terrain in the Himalayas & Karakoram:

Everest BC is set in the Himalayas in a place many are familiar with. The first few days you are surrounded by lush forests and flowing rivers before you begin climbing deeper into the mountains and gaining elevation. The trail is frequented by between 30,000-45,000 people a year and well maintained. It is mostly on a dirt path and it’s impossible to get lost. There are porters, yaks, guides & fellow trekkers surrounding you. As you get further towards Everest, the views become incredible and you begin to see the iconic mountains of Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse & more. There are really no technical challenges along the way and anyone with a decent level of fitness should be able to complete the trail.
K2 BC on the other hand is considerably more wild and takes you on a journey that feels much more like an expedition. The first few days are scorchingly hot with little shade and direct sun. Once you get on the Baltoro the trek really begins and your days are filled with a constant flow of up and down trekking on the glacier. The path changes as the glacier ebbs and flows with little in the way of a set route. Rocks move under your boots constantly as you make your way towards Concordia. Everyday the mountains grow in size and you are left speechless by the pure nature surrounding you. On Everest BC the actual view of Everest is often blocked and a bit underwhelming, but on K2 BC once you reach Concordia you are left in awe of the mountains before you. K2 is entirely unobstructed and sits at the end of the Godwin-Austen glacier. The view on a clear day is absolutely incredible with K2, Broad Peak, G1 & G2 all visible.

Accommodation on the treks:

Everest BC is considered a teahouse trek where you trek from village to village daily staying in teahouses nightly and eating lunch in them along the way. Teahouses offer some of the comforts of bigger cities and provide beds, blankets, often western toilets, showers (even hot if you’re lucky) and food to order. All teahouses will have a dining room that has a fire lit nightly to keep everyone warm during meals.
The entire K2 BC trek will have you camping nightly, mostly directly on the glacier. There are only toilets at a few of the campsites, but you should be prepared to use the toilet in the wild. Your tour guide will provide a dining tent where meals are served and often used as a hangout place for your group during down time. Depending on the price/quality of your tour operator, they may provide a generator as well that can be used nightly to recharge batteries. All food is carried in by porters and prepared family style. You can expect bread, jam, eggs, oatmeal, cereal etc for breakfast; soup, crackers, cheese, bread and tinned fish for lunch; and a large meal of rice, daal, pasta, vegetables, meat, and likely a dessert at dinnertime as well.

A Buddhist Stupa on the way to Everest Base Camp after a fresh snow

Culture:

Many people have heard of the Sherpa people of Nepal and any journey into the Himalaya’s isn't complete without exposure to their culture. Most of the tea houses are owned by Sherpa people and you will see many temples & monasteries in villages along the way.
While you will see some villages on your way to Askole and during your time in Skardu before the trek begins, trekking in the Karakoram is generally much more isolated and your exposure to locals will be more limited. Porters often don’t speak English but will go out of their way to help you & show you their local hospitality which in my opinion, is unmatched. Because the trek is so much more remote, I think this is a prime reason to go with a local operator over a western one. Making sure you have a local guide ensures they are able to properly communicate with staff & share their culture with you. Some of the real highlights of a trip to the Karakoram are the unexpected encounters you will have with local staff. Learning about the lesser known culture here is more of a journey, but leads to incredibly rewarding conversations & interactions with the Balti people.

Skills Needed to Complete Everest Base Camp vs K2 Base Camp:

A hike to Everest BC is achievable for most people with decent fitness and a good acclimatization schedule. Because the path is so clear and well maintained, there is little in the way of route finding. Everest BC is often the first multi-day trek for people and most are able to complete it without too many challenges getting in the way. There are really no technical sections and no specialty gear is required when doing the standard route.
Trekking to K2 BC on the other hand is significantly more difficult and requires much more preparation. You can’t underestimate the toll on your body wild camping for two weeks will have. No technical experience is necessary but it is highly recommended to do a multi day trek at altitude before embarking on this as knowing how your body will react to days without comfort will only make it easier. When you combine K2 BC with Gondorogo La, you up the adventure as well. Here you can have your first go at crossing a semi-technical pass while wearing a harness and clipped into a fixed line. The pass is achievable by anyone with good fitness and a positive attitude, but should not be underestimated as the altitude gain is significant.

Trekking Season:

EBC can be trekked during both the spring and fall. The weather is predictable during both seasons with mostly clear mornings and cloudy afternoons. Except lots of sun with the occasional shower and cooler nights. As you move closer to the monsoon season in May, rain becomes more frequent and a hindrance. Starting in late November the trek will also start to be very cold, but the cold also means fewer people on the trail.
K2 BC has a much shorter season as weather is generally much harsher in the Karakoram. The season runs from June-September with July and August being the best months. You can expect a mixture of sun, rain, clouds, snow & fierce wind. If you are attempting a crossing of Gondogoro La, your best chances will be in July & August.