While the remote exploration of the Khumbu region that takes leads to the base of the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest (8,849 meters) can be a journey of solitude and self-discovery for many. Some prefer staying connected with their friends and family throughout the experience. For those of you wondering is there Wi-fi available on the Everest Base Camp Trek, and whether you can keep your family and friends circle updated throughout your expedition, the answer is Yes!!
Trekkers can use several modes of internet services during their expedition through the route and of course at the Everest Base Camp. The teahouses spread across the trail in most cases do provide Wi-fi services and in case the connectivity isn’t like what you expected then you can always switch to the mobile network like Ncell or NTC (Nepal Telecommunication Corporation) or use the service of the dedicated ISP service provider for the Everest region, Everest Link.
Free Wi-Fi on the Everest Base Camp Trek
Generally, most of the lodges/teahouses in the lower regions like Lukla, Phakding, Monjo, and Namche Bazaar, provide free Wi-fi services to their guests. It is a business module to attract customers where the competition is pretty stiff, so if you want to stay connected to the internet you would stroll around and check out the sign for free Wi-fi in a cafe and restaurants too. But, depending on the number of users the bandwidth may not be top-tier as you would expect it to be in the urban cities.
But as you ascend to the higher altitudes, the free Wi-Fi-providing establishments slowly start to thin out. Still, if you hate slow connection and buffering, you might want to stick with paid internet services for just a few extra bucks.
Is There Wi-fi Available on the Everest Base Camp Trek?- Cost Estimation
During your Everest Base Camp trekking, if you prefer to use a mobile network for the internet connection, you can expect the cost to be around somewhere between US$ 2.50 for a 1GB data package valid for 30 days. The data cost for both mobile networks NTC and Ncell is pretty much similar, so you can expect a similar data volume and extension period in both of the networks.
If you are a vivid internet surfer who doesn’t want to miss out on any updates during your Himalayan exploration, you can also check out the larger volume data package in both of these mobile networks. In general, for a data package worth 15 GB- 25 GB, you will pay somewhere between US$ 10 to US$ 12 with a validity period of 30 days. You can check out the data package of both of these networks here to find the right package for you:
In case you want to use Everest Link, you can buy the wifi cards with different data volumes, for instance, the 10 GB data plan of this Everest region dedicated ISP costs around US$ 18, and if you want an even larger data volume the 20 GB Wi-Fi data costs around US$ 25.
How is the Connectivity of Mobile Networks and Everest Link in Everest Base Camp Trek?
The Wi-Fi network of Everest Link is pretty much good throughout the expedition, although you might feel like it’s lagging at the lodge houses or popular resting areas due to the large number of users on the server. Still, it is one of the most preferred modes of internet connection during the Everest Base Camp trek.
If you want to switch to the data connection of mobile networks like NTC and Ncell, both of these major mobile networks offer their services from Lukla (2,860 meters) to all the way up to Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters). However, the quality of the connection may differ in both networks depending upon the altitude during the trek.
In general, the Wi-Fi services and data connection of both mobile networks are pretty good at lower elevations like Lukla and Phakding. You will also be able to use the 3G services of both NTC and Ncell networks, but as you gradually ascend towards Tengboche, Dingboche, and Lobuche the NTC coverage is either unavailable or very bad. You will still be able to use the Ncell internet services in these areas where the signal is ‘good to moderate’.
As for the Gorakshep, Kalapatthar, and Everest Base Camp, the coverage of both Ncell and NTC staggers between good to moderate; the Everest Link Wi-Fi connection is also available at the base camp with pretty good coverage.
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Conclusion
The Wi-Fi and mobile network coverage available in the Everest Base Camp trek is pretty much decent considering the remoteness. You will be able to stay connected with your friends and family throughout the routes of these amazing trekking experiences and share your updates with them without missing a beat.
Everest Link is a reliable connection throughout the expedition though you might have to face certain speed bumps in the densely populated areas with a large number of users. Similarly, if you are planning to use mobile networks during your expedition, the NTC network connection does cover a wide area coverage but has a slower connection. On the other hand, the Ncell network is well known for its reliable service and easy setup.
