Perhaps most important, many experts say the Tibet side of Everest simply is safer. On the Nepali side, the Khumbu Icefall has claimed more than a dozen lives in the past few years. On the Tibetan side, there are no natural threats—except weather.
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They are both extremely difficult, each in its own unique way. But the south route is believed to be technically easier to ascend and the North side is much harder to climb because of the time spent at high altitude, the weather and the distance travelled to reach the summit.
The Nepal EBC trek takes longer , especially as you need to allow yourself some acclimatisation time during the trek. On the Tibet EBC trek you would've done the bulk of your acclimatisation before starting on the trek, probably in the city of Lhasa. The trek to North Base Camp can be done in four days.
As for success rates, the South side had 6,847 attempts and 3,865 summits (56% success) while on the North, out of 2,723 attempts, 1,652 reached the top (60% success).
The South Route Of Everest Is Technically EasierIt's interesting that this route is considered the easier path up the side of the mountain because, in regard to its terrain, the ascent is much steeper than that of the North route.
The Everest Base Camp trek on the south side, at an elevation of 5,364 m (17,598 ft), is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas and about 40,000 people per year make the trek there from Lukla Airport (2,846 m (9,337 ft)).
The fees are slightly higher if you are climbing from the Tibet/China side of Mount Everest. Expect to pay closer to $15,000-$18,000 per person in a climbing group.
While Western Guides make around 50,000 dollars each climbing season, Sherpa Guides make a mere 4,000, barely enough to support their families. Although this is more money than the average person in Nepal makes, their earnings do come at a cost – Sherpas risk their lives with every climb.
Anyone willing to go into the high mountains has to be physically fit and mentally prepared. Most people spend at least one year training intensely before they are ready to climb Mt Everest. Fortunately, there are many ways through which you can prepare yourself for such a challenge.
In early season, you should be comfortable gaining 2,000 ft. elevation over 5–7 miles round-trip, with a 30–40-pound pack; each hike, try adding three to five pounds until you are comfortable with a 55-lb. pack, then begin increasing the total elevation gain and mileage.
Yes you can do it for less, but in the world of high stakes mountain climbing into “the death zone,” do you really want the cheapest guide service? Another statistic shocked me as well: 80 percent of all accidents that occur when climbing Mt Everest happen on the way down.
Well, when you're climbing above 8,000 meters, a lot can go wrong. Acute mountain sickness and exhaustion are believed to be the leading causes of death on the mountain.