Overview & Quick Tips
For an iconic view of Mt. Everest, hike up Kala Pattar—a high peak whose name means Black Rock. Kala Pattar is commonly scaled by trekkers on route to the Nepal’s Everest Base Camp (EBC). It’s well worth the short but arduous diversion from Gorak Shep, the last place of habitation before EBC. You’ll be rewarded with an obstructed view of the highest peak on earth, and a dramatic himalayan panorama.Detailed information
Kala Pattar is usually scaled in combination with a multi-day hike to EBC. The summit of Everest is not actually visible from EBC in Nepal, so if you plan on a trekking to EBC you should take the time to the divert up Kala Pattar.
A spread of focal lengths can be used there. A wide angle will give you a sweeping shot of the Kumala Icefall, Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. A zoom lens of around 300mm will give you close up of the Everest summit. 50mm will capture both the summit of Everest, and the tents of mountaineers at Base Camp. Take a polarising filter, but be careful it doesn’t render the sky too dark.
Some photographers like depart for Kala Pattar before dawn to be high up at sunrise, but there’s no advantage, at dawn the sun is hidden behind Everest and the adjacent mountains are dark silhouettes. A pre-dawn hike will only leave you cold! It’s far more comfortable to hike up after the sun has risen.
Mornings provide the best chance of a clear sky, with afternoons offering the best light on cloudless days. Sunset at Kala Pattar would be spectacular, provided you’re lucky with the weather—clouds often move in and obscure the view by early afternoon. I can all but guarantee you won’t want to hike up there twice, so go in the morning if you only have just one shot at it!
Walking down after sunset would be manageable so long as you were well prepared with suitable clothing and a flashlight – but don’t hike this route alone in the dark!
Even on sunny days be prepared for the temperature to plummet within minutes. Don’t depart without a waterproof jacket, balaclava and gloves. Leave all unnecessary items behind in a tea house in at Gorak Shep — you don’t want to be carrying up any more weight than you have to!
Strong, cold gusts are common on Kala Pattar, they’ll easily topple a tripod, and shake it in the least. Wait until a lull to shoot.
There isn’t much colour variety in the high Himalayas, just blue sky, white snow, white, clouds and black rock, but at the top of Kala Pattar you’ll find strings of colourfully flags left behind by sherpas. You can use these in the foreground of your photos to add some colour.
The highest webcam in the world was installed at Gorak Shep, in 2011, it seems to be off line of late, but you can try viewing live pictures You can view live pictures and decide for yourself which time of day you like best! http://www.evk2cnr.org/WebCams/PyramidOne/everest-webcam.html
Most trekkers suffer bad headaches from the effects of high altitudes in this region and most can’t face spending more than one night at Gorak Shep before heading back down. If you make it to Kala Pattar, you’re going to feel like $h!t. Good luck!
Contact Details
- Address: Kala pattar
Best Times of day to visit
- Best time of day: Morning
- Alternative time: Any
Time Required
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Kala Pattar is a gruelling, 2 hour hike up from Gorak Shep. Going back down takes about an hour. The trail starts out across a flat, dry lakebed that doubles as helicopter pad, it then rises steely via a series of switchbacks. Aside from boulders near the top, the trail is predominately obstacle free and requires no mountaineer skills, but it’s an exhausting, steep hike. You need be fit and well acclimatised to the altitude, but if you’ve made it on foot to Gorak Shep, no doubt you’ll already be physical prepared. Kala Pattar is 400 meters higher than Gorak Shep, at an elevation of about 5,500 meters.