Summary of Day 3 of the Everest Base Camp Trek
- Starting elevation: 3,440 m (11,300 ft)
- Ending elevation: 3,820 m (12,530 ft) (temporary)
- Elevation gain: 380 m (1,250 ft) (temporary)
- Distance covered: 2.5 km (1.5 mi) (roundtrip)
- Time hiked: 2h 0m
Day 3 is generally the shortest and easiest day of any Everest Base Camp Trek. This day serves primarily as an acclimatization day, during which hikers are expected to ascend a hill, gain some elevation, and subsequently descend back to Namche Bazaar for another overnight stay.
A popular option to achieve this is by taking a day hike to Hotel Everest View. This charming hotel is located on a steep hill overlooking Namche, and visitors are rewarded with spectacular views of Everest and several other mountain peaks from its vantage point.
As I stepped outside my lodge in the morning, it became immediately clear that views of Everest were unlikely that day. The weather was extremely overcast and cold, even for February, and visibility was poor. To add to the challenge, it soon began to snow.
Nonetheless, the duty of acclimatization was calling, so I began my ascent up the hill. After approximately one hour of steep hiking in chilly and challenging conditions, I arrived at a different hotel, Everest Sherpa Resorts.
However, at this point, the fog was so dense that I couldn’t see any of the surrounding mountains. Therefore, I decided to take a break and enjoy some lemon tea while checking my altitude. It turned out that Everest Sherpa Resorts is situated at 3,820 meters, indicating that I had accomplished the majority of my acclimatization.
Given that visibility was still limited, I opted to return back down to Namche.
