Everest North Face vs. South Face | How they Differ?

Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world. Climbing Mount Everest is a dream for most mountaineers. Climbing Mount Everest is itself a challenge. People find thrills, life lessons, and a feeling of accomplishment that ascends with each step from Everest North Face vs South Face.

Mount Everest lies in the Himalayas, stretched across the Tibetan plateau. With a height of 8,848.86 meters, it presents extreme weather conditions, remoteness and uncertainty. Apart from its physical and geographical aspects, the journey to the Everest Base Camp is filled with layers of experiences.

You get to experience centuries-long practices among Sherpas and closely observe the way of life of local people. Sherpa Culture and traditions stand out for being the oldest and purest, and Mount Everest is also part of it.

Climbing or trekking Mount Everest Base Camp is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and comes with a lot of excitement, fun, adventure and memories. Climbing Mount Everest has many Accesses, but two major routes are Everest North Face vs South Face.

Everest North Face – Tibet Side

Everest’s North face is the Northern route to climb Mount Everest, which is situated in Chinese territory formerly called Tibet.

Everest’s North base camp can be reached without trekking, unlike the South Face. Which requires 10 to 12 days of trekking to reach base camp, depending on acclimatization and other factors. Advanced Base Camp, a high camp en route to Everest summit, lies at an elevation of 6,340 m in Tibet. For non-climbers, it’s the easiest alternative to be close to the Everest Summit.

Everest North base camp can be reached by a flight to Lhasa and an overland drive through Gyantse, Shigatse, and Tingri, which takes about 4 days. After reaching the world’s highest monastery, Rongbuk, you can either take a bus or walk for an hour and a half to reach base camp.

Why do climbers choose the North Face to summit Everest?

Climbing Mount Everest from the North side (Tibet) is cheaper than climbing from the South side (Nepal) because the permit fees are too high. There are fewer crowds on the North side, causing no congestion.

Climbers on Everest Base Camp’s North side do not need to cross deadly ridges like Khumbu Icefall, where sudden avalanches occur. One of the major reasons to climb Everest North Face is because of its low permit fees and less congestion.

Difficulty of Everest North Face

Everest North Face is notorious for causing more climbers to die because of harsh weather conditions. As you ascend higher in elevation, the intensity of strong winds increases, resulting in accidents.

The helicopter rescues above Advanced Base Camp are very difficult, so there’s no immediate helicopter evacuation if you are stuck above that point. One of the scariest parts of summiting Everest from the North side is the section called the second step, where the climb is almost vertical, making it the most death-caused section.

Technical climbing, harsh weather, and longer exposure of climbers to extreme altitudes make the Everest North Face climb difficult.

Everest South Face – Nepal Side

Everest’s South Face is a standard route to summit Mount Everest. It is situated on the Nepal side. Climbers who attempt to summit Everest from the South Face have a higher success rate compared to the North Face.

The Everest Base Camp in the South Face is located at an elevation of 5,364 m. It takes about 10 to 12 days of rigorous walking through the rough terrain of the Khumbu region. Everest climbing from the South Face starts with a flight to Lukla and trekking all the way through Namche to Everest Base Camp, after which the climb starts from the South Face.

Why do climbers choose South Face to summit Everest?

Everest’s South Face (Nepal) is safer and has more established routes. In case of emergency, helicopter evacuations are available most of the time. The South Face gets more sunlight, resulting in warmer temperatures compared to the North Face.

Technical climbing in the South Face is very difficult. The final push during the summit approach is easier because of fewer winds. One of the major contrasts is the Hillary step, which is less challenging than the second step of the North Face. It plays a big role for climbers choosing the South Face.

Everest South Face Difficulty

The permit fees are too high if you choose to climb from the South Face. Being a standard route for summiting Everest, the traffic jams and crowds in the Everest South face are the problem. One of the most challenging parts of climbing from the Nepal side is the Khumbu Icefall, where sudden avalanches occur. This section should be crossed multiple times while acclimatizing, making it the deadliest section of Everest’s South face climb.

Everest Geographical Location: Tibet vs. Nepal

Mount Everest lies between Nepal and Tibet. Sharing most of its part with Nepal, which is called the Southern side of Mount Everest. Mostly, the summit of Mount Everest is attempted from Nepal.

On the Tibet side, it lies on the northern side of the Himalayas, and on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. it is also called the “Roof of The World” because of its elevated surface area.

Tibet’s side of Mount Everest has rugged terrain, rough weather, strong winds, and extremely cold temperatures. Summits from Tibet are rarely attempted because of the country’s rough geography.

The Everest Base Camp in Tibet lies at an altitude of 5,150 meters. It offers easier accessibility options by road without needing to trek for days, unlike Nepal. The northern face lies in the Tingri County of Shigatse Prefecture of Tibet.

The Everest Base Camp on the Nepal side is at an elevation of 5,364 meters. Everest in Nepal is in the Mahalangur Sub-Himalayan Range, which stretches across northeastern Nepal and southern Tibet.

Everest is locally called Sagarmatha, and it is in province no 1 of the Solukhumbu district, Nepal. The journey to the base camp on the southern side is attempted on foot from Lukla, crossing iconic locations like Namche bazaar.

The South Face is defined by steep and rocky slopes, deep valleys and icy glaciers. The lower region is full of dense forests, and the upper region is barren and snowy. Nepal side Everest experiences frequent avalanches and rockfalls.

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Weather and Climate Conditions

The North Face experiences cold and dry conditions because of the influence of the arid Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The region experiences strong winds in winter, and temperatures drop to –30 degrees Celsius.

Because of its elevation, even during summer, the temperatures remain –10 degrees. The North face often faces powerful windstorms, which make conditions unfavorable for climbers. Snowfall rarely happens in the North face, but coldness can be expected all the time.

During the climbing season, the weather is more stable compared to the South Face, but dry air and cold temperatures increase the risk of frostbite and altitude sickness. The complicated geography and strong winds of the North face make the climbing more technical.

The South Face of Everest has frequent snowfall and rain because of the influence of the Indian monsoon. During monsoon, heavier snowfall happens, which causes blizzards and whiteouts, making it challenging for climbers.

During the winter season, temperatures drop to – 20 to – 30 degrees Celsius in higher altitude areas and during summer, temperatures drop to – 10 degrees Celsius near the summit. In comparison to the North Face, the South Face is slightly warmer and presents favourable weather conditions for climbers.

Nepal side Everest is known for its unpredictable weather and rapidly changing weather that changes from sunny days to heavy snowfall within a few hours. Despite challenging weather, climbers choose the South Face to summit as weather is more predictable during spring and autumn.

Better infrastructure and mild temperatures make climbers prefer climbing from the South face to the North Face. 

Permit and Cost For Everest Climbing

The permit and cost requirements for climbing Mount Everest differ significantly between the South side (Nepal) and the North side (Tibet) due to varying government regulations, services, and logistics.

Everest Climbing Fees for North Side:

There are a few permits that you need to climb Everest from the North Face:

• A climbing permit issued by the China Mountaineering Association (CMA) costs around $15,800 – $18,000 per person.
• An Alien Travel Permit can be obtained on arrival in Tibet, and it’s required if you are not a native or citizen of Tibet.
• A mountaineering license is required for climbing activities in Tibet. 
• Environment fee issued to manage waste. 
• The total estimated cost for climbing Everest from the North side is $30,000 – $45,000 per person, including logistics, guide services, transportation and other expenses.

Everest Climbing Fees for South Side:

Everest’s south side is the main route to summit Everest, and climbers’ fees vary depending on the season. Below are some of the Everest permit from South Side that one must get: 

• As per Department of Tourism, the permit fees of climbing Everest has increased by 36%, which will be implemented from September 1, 2025. Before the increment in fees, the cost for climbing Everest in Spring was 11,000$ which is now 15,000$.
• Outside the peak season, it will also increase by same percentage. During Autumn, September to November period from $5,500 to $7,500 and $3,750 from $2,750 during Winter and Monsoon.
• Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit, which costs $30 per person. This permit is required as you will be crossing some sections of Sagarmatha National Park.
• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry permit, which costs $20 per person. It is required as you will be crossing the Khumbu region. This fee is charged to build better infrastructure, waste management and trail maintenance.
• A tourist Visa is required as you will be travelling to Nepal, too.
• The total estimated cost required to climb Everest from the South face is $40,000 – $80,000, depending on the season, services and support chosen.

Getting to Everest Base Camp from Nepal and Tibet

The Everest Base Camp (Nepal side) can be accessed by a flight to Lukla from Kathmandu. After landing Lukla, the trek starts through Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Pangboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorakhshep and ultimately, Everest Base Camp. This is the standard route to reach Everest Base Camp.

If you want to go roadways, which are a little rough but scenic, you can book a bus or jeep from Kathmandu to Bhandar, Sete, Junbesi, Nuntala, Bupsa Surke and finally to Phakding.

The Everest Base Camp (Tibet Side) Can be accessed without having to trek for days. The transportation services are available to take you to base camp. Fly to Beijing or fly to Kathmandu from your location.

Then again, fly to Lhasa from either location; in Lhasa, you can find stations that offer bus rides to Everest base camp. You travel to Shigatse from Lhasa, Shigatse to Tingri, and Tingri to Rongbuk Monastery and walk for a few hours to reach Everest Base Camp Northside.

South Face Everest Route:

People begin their climb through the South Col route from Nepal, which remains the most travelled path. The climbing route from Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) toward the Khumbu Icefall involves unavoidable dangers since the ice blocks have the potential to collapse without warning.

The climbers continue to Camp 2 (6,400 m) in the Western Cwm before ascending the Lhotse Face to reach Camp 3, then further advance to the South Col (7,906 m) before conquering the Hillary Step and summit. These two dangerous obstacles are the Khumbu Icefall and the Lhotse Face.

North Face Everest Route:

Experienced climbers consider the North Face route from Tibet more technical than Base Camp, yet it poses less danger to mountaineers.

The climber’s journey starts at Rongbuk Base Camp in Tibet at an altitude of 5,150 meters and moves sequentially to Advanced Base Camp (6,400 meters) and then to the North Col (7,000 meters), followed by crossing the steep Second Step (8,610 meters) to finally achieve the summit.

Steep rock climbing, harsh cold weather and powerful wind conditions turn this trail into a perilous ascent.

Safety and Risks: Which Route is Safer?

The comparison between routes leads to assessments regarding their safety levels as climbers make their journey to the top.

Many climbing fatalities occur in the initial sections of the South Face (Nepal) climbing route due to collapsing ice forms in the Khumbu Icefall.

During the final summit push, the climb is considered safer because climbers maintain quick options to return to lower camping areas if emergencies occur.

Going through the North Face approach takes the climber’s danger of Khumbu Icefall yet exposes them to different perils. The technical difficulties of the Second Step reach their peak at an elevation of 8,610m due to its steep rocky terrain.

Cold weather conditions and strong winds prevail on the Tibetan side, which leads to frequent instances of frostbite among climbers. Medical treatment in high-elevation camps has become more complicated in Tibet due to helicopter flight restrictions.

Support and Infrastructure: Camps, Guides, and Facilities

The South Face of Nepal provides established infrastructure, better camps, helicopter rescue facilities and skilled Sherpa guides.

Full-service support for trekking is available through numerous agencies that operate in Nepal. They provide oxygen supplies, portering assistance, and food provisions.

The North Side of Everest, located in Tibet, has fewer support facilities. They have also restricted helicopter rescues above a certain altitude in Tibet, which results in limited emergency services.

Climbers can save money on the Tibet route because they access Base Camp by driving instead of trekking through the lengthy treks.

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Conclusion: So, which side are you on?

Keeping safety, support, and difficulty levels into account, the South Face is by far a better route to climb Mount Everest than the north face. However, your considerations may be different, and you can climb successfully from both sides with better preparation, technical support, and planning.