How old is too old for Everest Base Camp?

The death of an 85-year-old man attempting to reclaim his title as the oldest person to climb Mt Everest early last year reignited concerns over whether an age limit needed to be imposed on any Everest summit attempts or even Everest Base Camp itself. Min Bahadur Sherchan died of a heart attack at Everest Base Camp, and the Nepal Mountaineering Association stated, "He was in good health. He used to walk 15 km every day. But I think his age was a factor." One of the EverTrek guides, Rawal, and some of the customers met him a week before he passed away and confirmed he was physically fine and, although 85, was walking around the base camp with ease. It seems that it was just his time.

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If you’re thinking of heading to Everest Base Camp and think age is a factor, then in some ways, you may be correct. However, age doesn't really matter when it comes to trekking to Everest Base Camp. As long as you have that determination and a desire to want to get to Everest Base Camp, that's massively important. Obviously, fitness helps and is important, and you have to be in good physical shape, but you don’t need to be a superhero or an elite marathon runner. The fitter you are, the more relaxed you will be on the trek, especially when you're trekking at high altitude, and your body's working overtime.

The trek to Everest Base camp at 5364m/17,598ft is one heck of a challenge and providing you’re ready for it, we will help you get there. The tried and tested way of slow walking (Bistari Bistari in Nepalese), drinking 4-5 litres of water per day, being in good physical shape, and building 2 acclimatisation days into our trek gives the body enough time to adjust to the significant altitude. The trek is a massive challenge, and if you are around 50/60 years old and asking yourself, "Can I get to Everest Base Camp?" 100% with the right preparation.

We always recommend you visit your GP before any high altitude trek as it’s good to know where your body is at and if it is ready for an oxygen-depleted environment. The Altitude Centre provides excellent resources and information for training and acclimatizing to high altitudes.

At EverTrek, we have had numerous customers in their mid-60s successfully reach Everest Base Camp, and we have seen people in their 20s turn around. It really comes down to a few factors and also a little luck. Your current fitness level, your desire to want to get to Mt Everest, and your physical health. We have a success rate of 95% in getting customers to Everest Base Camp compared with industry levels of 65%, which is something we are super proud of.

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Get Ready to Trek to Everest Base Camp

The trek to Everest Base Camp is a challenging one, and if you’re thinking about it, it’s essential to prepare yourself both physically and mentally. We recommend you visit the Trip on our website to learn more about the trek.

To get your body ready for the trek, we highly recommend visiting the Altitude Centre to train and acclimate your body to high altitudes. It’s also a good idea to visit your GP and discuss any concerns you may have.

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Written By

Andy Moore

Head Yeti & CEO