Where is Mount Everest?

In 1894, Winston Churchill scaled Monte Rosa in the Swiss Alps, standing at an impressive 4,634 meters (15,203 feet). Afterward, he vowed never to undertake a more dangerous expedition. At the time, Everest remained an unassailable peak, with nearly 30 years to go before the first attempt to conquer it.

Fast forward to today, climbing Everest is no longer a rare feat, and visiting its base has become an industry in itself — one that many are eager to experience. But where exactly is Mount Everest located? Where can you enjoy breakfast with a view of the "roof of the world"? And how can you reach the base camp without a two-week trek? Find out in this article by Altezza Travel.

Where is Mount Everest on a map?

By the way, these figures won't always be accurate. Data from global positioning devices installed on Everest back in the late 1990s indicate that the mountain is "moving" northeast at a speed of almost 4 cm (1.6 inches) per year. So it's possible that in the future, China could become the sole owner of the highest peak on the planet—provided that Everest remains the highest by then.

The thing is, coordinates aren't the only variable. Currently, the generally accepted height of the mountain is 8,848 meters (29,029 feet). But the devil is, as usual, in the details, specifically in centimeters.

The indicated value was accepted as constant in the mid-20th century. With the advent of more advanced measurement methods, new studies were conducted: China measured 8,848.11 meters (29,029.3 feet), the USA reported 8,850 meters (29,035 feet), and Italy even claimed 8,872 meters (29,100 feet). The last attempt to settle the matter was in 2020, when China and Nepal, after joint consultations and data comparisons, declared that Everest's height is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet). This figure was agreed upon by survey and cartography specialists worldwide.

Now for the promised intrigue: the height of Mount Everest is constantly changing, both upwards and downwards. On one hand, due to ongoing geological processes, Everest gains from 0.16 to 0.53 mm per year (0.006 to 0.021 inches). On the other hand, strong winds coupled with precipitation gradually erode the peak, global warming reduces the thickness of the summit's ice cover, and underground tremors cause the entire mountain to "sink." For example, after the earthquake in 2015, it became about 2.5 cm (1 inch) shorter.

Moreover, Everest isn't even the fastest-growing mountain. For instance, Nanga Parbat on the same Himalayan ridge increases by about 7 mm (0.28 inches) per year. In the absence of global changes that would affect erosion rates or tectonics, this mountain could become the highest on Earth in just a hundred thousand years. Currently, it rises 8,126 meters (26,660 feet) above sea level.

How to get to Mount Everest?

Let's clarify that by traveling to Everest, we mean the journey to its base camps: the Nepalese (southern) and Tibetan (northern). While the first is much more popular, the second offers a less difficult path, a less crowded route, and stunning views of the Himalayas.

Traveling to Everest Base Camp via Tibet: Chomolungma

The base camp of Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for EverestMount Everest has been known by various names, reflecting its cultural and historical significance in the Everest Region and beyond. Before being named after Sir George Everest, a British surveyor-general of India, it was referred to simply as "Peak XV" during early English surveys, emphasizing its status as the tallest peak identified at the time. In Tibetan, it is called Chomolungma (ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ), meaning "Goddess Mother of the World," highlighting its sacredness. In Nepali, it is Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा), which translates to "Head of the Sky," symbolizing its towering majesty. Each name reflects a different aspect of the world's highest mountain.) is located at an altitude of 5,150 meters (16,896 feet). Most travelers start their expedition from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. This is the most convenient and fastest way to get to the northern face of the mountain.

The journey by car, along a decent road called the "Friendship Highway," takes about 7–9 hours. This option is advised for those who are short on time or don't have sufficient physical preparation for a multi-day trek. Others are recommended trekking routes lasting 4–5 days, which allow you to enjoy the picturesque trails of the Himalayan ridge fully.

Most often, the path to the base camp passes through Langtang—a picturesque valley inhabited by TamangsTamangs are a people inhabiting the southeastern and northern parts of Nepal, including the Langtang area adjacent to Tibet. Depending on their place of residence, they speak Tamang, Nepali, or Tibetan. Often engaged in agriculture, they are adherents of Buddhism, less commonly Hinduism., whose traditions and way of life are similar to Tibetan ones. The itinerary also includes paths through glaciers, the sacred lake Gadaikunda, and Buddhist pilgrimage sites. A must-visit is Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery on Earth at 5,050 meters (16,568 feet), where you can stay overnight in a guesthouse.

Traveling to Everest Base Camp via Nepal: Sagarmatha

The road to the southern base camp of Sagarmatha (the Nepalese name for the mountain) at an altitude of 5,364 meters (17,598 feet) starts from Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, followed by a flight to Lukla. The trek proceeds through Sagarmatha National Park. For this journey, it's recommended to allocate a few extra days. This small town, with the world's most dangerous airport, is nestled among mountains at an altitude of 2,860 meters (9,383 feet), so bad flying weather is common in this region.

From Lukla to the camp, you have two options: on foot or by helicopter. Trekking routes are designed for 7–14 days and pass through high-altitude Sherpa settlements like Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, or Dingboche, featuring guesthouses, museums, and viewing platforms. The Altezza Travel team detailed this in an article comparing an expedition to the Everest base camp with climbing Kilimanjaro.

A helicopter tour takes only a few hours. During this time, you'll fly over the Himalayan ridge, visit the Everest base camp, and have breakfast at the Everest View Hotel at an altitude of 3,880 meters (12,730 feet). However, such a journey will cost upward of $4,000.

Climbing Mount Everest

Mount Everest was first conquered from the Nepal side on May 29, 1953, by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand climber Sir Edmund Hillary. The Tibetan side remained unassailable for another seven years. Only on May 25, 1960, did Chinese climbers Wang Fuzhou, Qu Yinhua, and Gongbu manage to climb Mount Everest via the northern slope.

This trend continues today: the overwhelming majority of successful climbing expeditions to summit Everest take place on the southern side (southeast ridge). At the same time, some consider the northern slope (the north ridge) to be safer and more accessible, both technically and financially. But again, it all comes down to details.

Such an opinion may have formed for two reasons. First, on the Tibetan side, unlike the Nepalese, climbers do not have to overcome the constantly shifting Khumbu Icefall with its giant crevasses. Crossing them requires horizontal ladders, almost literally thrown over an abyss. Second, you can reach the base camp by car, and from there to the peak and back, including acclimatization, takes about 10 days. On average, such an expedition to summit Mount Everest costs over $25,000.

This option to climb Everest indeed sounds much more attractive compared to the route in Nepal, which takes about 40–60 days and can cost up to $80,000–$90,000. However, many experienced climbers consider the northern slope a much more difficult and dangerous place, even without having to cross the Khumbu Icefall. Their arguments:

• The ability to reach the base camp by car is convenient only for those who want to get a glimpse of Mount Everest and return soon after. For most climbers, a sharp altitude gain to 5,150 meters (16,896 feet) almost guarantees multi-day headaches, at the very least.
• On the Tibetan side, there's practically no infrastructure. In case of bad weather or symptoms of altitude sickness, climbers have nowhere to descend to wait out the storm and recover in warmth and comfort.
• The northern side is known for strong winds, which, coupled with extreme altitude, often become an insurmountable barrier. For the same reason, there's no possibility of organizing a helicopter evacuation here. In an emergency, the climber has to be lowered to the base camp, and only from there can they be taken by car to the nearest hospital.

In this context, professional climber and mountain guide Tim Mosedale, who has climbed Mount Everest seven times, makes a compelling case. In his blog, he has repeatedly compared the difficulty of climbing both routes and the mortality statistics. One of his notes ends like this:

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