Sightseeing · Nepal
Khumbu Glacier
The world's highest glacier, flowing from Everest's Western Cwm past Base Camp and the notorious Khumbu Icefall.
The Khumbu Glacier is the highest glacier in the world, flowing from Everest's Western Cwm at around 7,600 metres down to roughly 4,900 metres near Gorak Shep. Its lower tongue is crossed on the Everest Base Camp trek, and its upper section forms the perilous Khumbu Icefall on the standard route to the summit.
Overview
The glacier sits in the heart of Sagarmatha National Park in the Khumbu region of northeastern Nepal. It is roughly 12 kilometres long and gathers ice from the high basin enclosed by Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. Like most large Himalayan glaciers, its lower half is debris-covered: a chaos of rock, rubble and meltwater ponds rather than the clean white ice many visitors expect. Everest Base Camp itself is pitched on the glacier's surface, which shifts and groans audibly as the ice moves beneath the moraine.
The Khumbu Icefall
The glacier's most famous feature is the Khumbu Icefall, where the ice pours steeply out of the Western Cwm just above Base Camp. Here the glacier breaks into a shifting jumble of seracs — house-sized blocks of ice — split by deep crevasses. It is the most dangerous part of the standard south-side climb of Everest, and expedition teams cross it before dawn while the ice is at its most stable. Trekkers see the icefall from below at Base Camp but do not enter it.
How to see it
The glacier is reached on foot via the classic Everest Base Camp trek through the Everest region. The route begins with the flight to Lukla, climbs to Namche Bazaar and Tengboche, and follows the valley up to Gorak Shep, where the trail steps onto the rubble-strewn glacier to reach Base Camp. The nearby viewpoint of Kala Patthar (about 5,545 m) gives the finest overview of the glacier curling beneath Everest. For a quieter look at a larger glacier, many trekkers add the neighbouring Ngozumpa Glacier on the Gokyo route, and compare both in our overview of the great glaciers of Nepal.
Plan your visit
This is serious high-altitude terrain. You sleep above 5,000 metres at Gorak Shep, so a slow ascent with proper acclimatisation is essential — read our altitude sickness in Nepal guide before you go. October and November offer the clearest skies, with March to May a strong second window; check the best time to visit Nepal for details. A licensed guide is now required for the route, and you will need the national park and local rural municipality permits covered in the Nepal trekking guide.
Fast facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | About 12 km |
| Elevation | Source about 7,600 m; terminus about 4,900 m |
| Region | Khumbu, Sagarmatha National Park, Koshi Province |
| Best season | October to November and March to May |
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Frequently asked questions
Where is the Khumbu Glacier?+
The Khumbu Glacier is in the Everest (Khumbu) region of northeastern Nepal, inside Sagarmatha National Park. It flows southwest from the Western Cwm between Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse down to about Gorak Shep, near Everest Base Camp.
Is the Khumbu Glacier the highest glacier in the world?+
Yes. The Khumbu Glacier has its source at around 7,600 metres in the Western Cwm, making it the highest glacier on Earth. Its lower tongue ends near Gorak Shep at about 4,900 metres.
What is the Khumbu Icefall?+
The Khumbu Icefall is the steep, chaotic section where the glacier spills out of the Western Cwm above Base Camp. It is a maze of huge moving ice blocks and crevasses, and is the most dangerous part of the standard south-side route up Everest.
Can trekkers walk on the Khumbu Glacier?+
Yes, in a limited way. The Everest Base Camp trail crosses the rubble-covered lower glacier near Gorak Shep and Base Camp itself. Trekkers should stay on the marked path; the deeper crevassed sections and the icefall are climbing terrain only.
