Magnificent Rongbuk Glaciers at Everest Region

Located at the foot of Mount Everest (Qomolangma), Rongbuk Glacier is known as one of the six most beautiful glaciers in China and the climbing gateway to the north side of the Everest. It is also the most completely developed and best preserved form of valley glacier in world. When you travel to Everest Base Camp, do not miss this magnificent sight there.

Extending in a wide and open area between 5,300 and 6,300 meters above sea level, the Rongbuk Glacier has a total length of 22.4 kilometers and covers a total area of 85.4 square kilometers. It consists of two large tributary glaciers, the East and the West Rongbuk Glaciers. Looking southward from the glacier, the Everest appears as a gigantic pyramid standing above all the other mountains, while the two branches of the Rongbuk Glacier look like a huge tree, holding the peak on its top.

As there is no road to the glacier, you have to trek 4 or 5 hours from the Everest Base Camp to get there. In fact, trekking is a good way to protect the environment there. You will be rewarded with marvelous and unique sights after the hard trekking. The Rongbuk Glacier has many bowl-shaped cirques and hanging glaciers. It boasts a great number of glacial lakes, ice cliffs, ice caves and crevasses. It is called the world’s largest “alpine park”. Standing in the serac ice forest, you will feel you are in a crystal palace. This beautiful glacier was formed mainly due to the low latitude, arid climate and high elevation.

You can also do the Tibet trek further to the Advanced Base Camp at 6340 meters above sea level. It is the world’s highest trek that takes you across the Tibetan highlands to get close to the summit of Everest as any non-climber can go without using any technical climbing gears and without mountaineering skill. It is best to do this trek in April and May when it is the best time for climbers to climb the Everest and also the best season to visit the Mount Everest for travelers. You can see the world’s highest peak at its best state in a year and may also be lucky to meet a group of climbers preparing their adventurous mountaineering at the base camp.