Mount Everest: Where is Mount Everest, how high is Everest, and how much does it cost to climb?
The first people to summit Mount Everest were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Since then, over 4,000 people have reached the summit, including the most recent group, Full Circle.
This team is made up of all-Black mountaineers, motivated by the racial disparity in successful climbers. Of the 4,000 successful climbers, only eight have been Black.
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Hide AdOn the heels of their success, here’s what you need to know about climbing Mount Everest - including how much it costs to do.
Where is Mount Everest?
Earth’s highest mountain above sea level is found in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and the summit point is located along the China-Nepal border.
How high is Mount Everest?
The mountain has an elevation of 8,849 metres, or 29,032 feet. Such a high elevation poses unique risks of altitude sickness and extreme weather to people who try and climb it.
The exact height of Mount Everest has been in contention between Chinese and Nepalese authorities, with the Nepalese government initially using the result of an Indian survey from 1954 which placed it at 8,848 metres, while the Chinese government believed it was four metres lower, at 8,844 metres.
However, both authorities now agree on the official height of 8,849 metres.
How much does it cost to climb Mount Everest?
Climbing the highest summit above sea level in the world isn’t just a physical challenge, but also a financial one. For a standard supported climb, you can expect to pay anything between $28,000 and $85,000 (USD), with the average tending to fall around $44,000. For those who want a fully custom climb, with more unique support and a personal team, costs climb to upwards of $115,000.
Experienced mountaineers who need minimal support could manage the climb for just under $20,000. Usually, such a climb would only include transport from Kathmandu or Lhasa, food for the climb, tents at base camp, Sherpa support, and supplemental oxygen.
These costs also don’t cover the costs of lengthy training and preparation that successful climbers must undertake, or travel to Kathmandu or Lhasa in the first place.
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