The EBC Insurance Checklist: Go to 6,000 Meters
The single most critical requirement for your EBC Travel Insurance is that it must cover trekking and evacuation up to at least 6,000 meters. While EBC itself is 5,364m, and the viewpoint Kala Patthar is 5,550m, policy requirements often state 6,000m to cover potential detours or policy buffer room. If your policy only covers up to 4,500m, it is effectively useless in an emergency on the EBC route.
Ensure your policy includes these non-negotiable items:
- Helicopter Rescue and Evacuation: The cost of an uninsured helicopter rescue for altitude sickness from locations like Gorak Shep can exceed $20,000. Your policy must have a high enough limit to cover this in full.
- Medical Treatment for AMS: Specific coverage for illnesses resulting from high altitude, including the associated costs of hospitalisation in Kathmandu.
- Lukla Flight Disruption: Flights to and from Lukla Airport (the gateway to EBC) are notoriously unreliable due to weather. Your policy should cover costs incurred due to delays or cancellations, such as additional nights of lodging or new flight reservations.
The Most Common Policy Mistake
The biggest mistake EBC trekkers make is choosing the cheapest policy without checking the altitude limits. Save yourself a major financial headache: don't simply tick the box for Everest Base Camp Travel Insurance—verify that it includes the 6,000-meter minimum altitude coverage. Peace of mind in the Himalayas is priceless, and a good policy delivers exactly that.