Clear information, comprehensive cover and an easy purchasing process.
Everest Base Camp Insurance
Cover for guided Everest Base Camp treks, including trekking up to 6,500m, emergency medical expenses and approved helicopter evacuation.
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Up to 6,500m
Trekking cover
Helicopter
Approved evacuation
24/7
Emergency assistance
Is this cover suitable for my EBC trek?
Yes, Rise & Shield cover is suitable if you are following recognised Everest Base Camp routes with a licensed guide, remaining below 6,500m and not attempting technical climbing or an Everest summit.
Your trek should meet these requirements:
- You are trekking with a licensed guide
- You are following a recognised route
- You will remain below 6,500m
- Your trip does not involve technical climbing
Everest Base Camp insurance, explained
See what the policy can cover, how approved helicopter evacuation works and which add-on you need when buying.
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What can our Everest Base Camp travel insurance cover?
Depending on your chosen plan, Rise & Shield can provide cover for some of the most important risks surrounding an Everest Base Camp trek.
What's not included in this policy?
Our Everest Base Camp cover does not extend to:
Altitudes above 6,500m or any trekking higher than the Adventure Extreme limit are out.
Solo, unguided or off-route expeditions that wander away from recognised trails.
Helicopter rescues without prior authorisation (and the separate excess unpaid).
Why use Rise & Shield's Everest Base Camp insurance?
A high-altitude trek needs more than ordinary holiday cover.
Rise & Shield specialises in insurance for adventurous travel, with 24/7 emergency assistance, trusted industry relationships and the reassurance of an FCA-regulated insurance provider whose programme is reinsured at Lloyd’s of London.
Rise & Shield is trusted by reputable tour operators and adventure companies
Why do I need Everest Base Camp insurance?
Everest Base Camp sits at 5,364m, and ordinary travel insurance may not cover trekking at that altitude.
Specialist Everest Base Camp travel insurance can help protect you against eligible medical emergencies, approved helicopter evacuation and unexpected disruption before or during your trek.
What altitude cover do I need?
Your policy should cover the highest point on your itinerary—not only Everest Base Camp. Rise & Shield’s Adventure Extreme add-on provides eligible trekking cover up to 6,500m, subject to the policy terms and exclusions.
Important: Add Adventure Extreme and check that it appears in your policy summary before buying.
Does travel insurance cover altitude sickness?
Eligible emergency medical treatment for altitude illness may be covered when Adventure Extreme is included.
Cover remains subject to the policy terms, exclusions and applicable medical conditions provisions.
Is helicopter evacuation covered?
An eligible helicopter evacuation may be covered when it is medically necessary and approved by the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Centre. A separate helicopter evacuation excess applies.
What if my trip is cancelled or delayed?
Cover may help with eligible, unrecoverable costs if an insured event forces you to cancel your trek, return home early or disrupts your travel plans. Benefit limits, waiting periods and policy conditions apply.
Can I trek without a guide?
No. Solo and off-route expeditions are not covered. You must follow a recognised trekking route with a licensed guide.
Are technical climbs or summit attempts covered?
No. This cover is designed for trekking. Technical mountaineering and Everest summit attempts are not included.
How to buy high-altitude trek insurance with Rise & Shield
Getting a free quote with Rise & Shield is easy. Follow these simple steps to secure your trip:
1. Start your quote
- Go to go.riseandshield.com
- On the first screen, under “What type of trip are you planning?”, select: Single Trip (for your specific EBC trek), Then click Next.
2. Add your trip details
On the Destination step: Country of residency: Choose your usual country of residence from the drop-down (e.g. United Kingdom).
Where are you going?
Choose the region that matches your itinerary, for example:
- Worldwide (excluding North America)
The key is: pick the region that covers every country you’ll set foot in on the way to and from your EBC trek.
When are you going?
Select your start date as the day you leave home, not just the day your trek starts.
Select your end date as the day you arrive back home.
This makes sure flights, hotel nights and delays around the trek are all covered.
How many people are travelling?
- Choose the number of adults and children.
- Enter each traveller’s date of birth when prompted.
Click Next to move on.
3. Choose your base cover (Essentials / Classic / Elite)
On the Cover step you’ll see three options:
- Essentials
- Classic
- Elite
Your ability to trek EBC at altitude depends on the Adventure Extreme add-on, not which of these three you pick.
However, because high-altitude treks are remote and can be pricey, many trekkers go for Plus or Elite to get higher limits for:
- Emergency medical expenses
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation
- Trip cancellation/curtailment
Click the card for Essentials, Classic or Elite (whichever suits your budget and risk appetite).
Hit Next.
4. Add high-altitude trekking cover (Adventure Extreme add-on)
This is the crucial step for EBC-type trips.
On the Extras page you’ll see several tiles:
- Adventure: automatically included for a wide range of standard activities.
- Adventure Plus: for mid-level adventure (e.g. lower-altitude trekking, certain dives, etc.).
- Adventure Extreme: for high-altitude treks such as Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp and similar expeditions.
- Winter Sports, High Value Items, etc.
For high-altitude trekking like Kili or EBC you must:
- Find the Adventure Extreme tile.
- Click ADD on that tile.
- Check the policy summary box on the right:
The price updates.
Adventure Extreme appears under your cover/extras.
Remember: If Adventure Extreme is not listed, your high-altitude trek is not correctly covered, even if you’ve chosen a base policy.
Leave other extras (Winter Sports, High Value Items, etc.) off unless you specifically need them.
Click Next once Adventure Extreme is clearly shown in your summary.
5. Enter traveller, contact and address details
On the Checkout step:
Traveller details
- Enter your first name and surname exactly as they appear on your passport.
- Confirm your date of birth (auto-filled from earlier).
- Select your nationality from the drop-down.
Contact information
- Add an email address – this is where your policy documents are sent.
- Add a mobile number, including the country code if needed.
Address details
- Fill in your home address, town/city, postcode and confirm your country.
6. Payment & final checks
At the bottom of the Checkout page:
- Enter your card details securely.
- Tick the checkboxes to confirm.
- When you’re ready, click Confirm Purchase to complete the policy.
That’s the moment the policy is actually bought, so double-check:
- Dates are correct from leaving home to returning home.
- The destination region matches your full route.
- Adventure Extreme is still listed in your policy summary.
7. After you’ve bought the policy
Check your email for:
- Policy schedule (shows your dates, regions, add-ons like Adventure Extreme, and benefit limits).
- Full policy wording.
And then...
- Save a copy to your phone/tablet and/or print a copy to keep with your travel documents.
- Make a note of the emergency assistance number so you have it handy on the trek.
Everest Base Camp insurance FAQs
Does travel insurance cover Everest Base Camp?
Yes, provided your travel insurance specifically covers trekking at Everest Base Camp altitude. Rise & Shield’s Adventure Extreme add-on can cover eligible trekking up to 6,500m, including the standard Everest Base Camp trek, subject to its route, guide and policy conditions.
What travel insurance do I need for Everest Base Camp?
You need travel insurance with an altitude limit above the highest point reached anywhere on your itinerary.
Rise & Shield includes eligible trekking up to 3,000m under its standard activity cover, Adventure Plus extends this to 4,600m, and Adventure Extreme extends eligible trekking to 6,500m.
Do I need Adventure Extreme for Everest Base Camp?
Yes. Everest Base Camp sits at approximately 5,364m, which is above the 4,600m Adventure Plus trekking limit.
Select Adventure Extreme when buying and check that it appears in your policy summary before travelling.
Why does Everest Base Camp insurance cover up to 6,500m?
Your insurance should cover the highest altitude reached anywhere on your itinerary rather than only the altitude where you sleep or finish the trek.
Adventure Extreme provides a maximum eligible trekking altitude of 6,500m, giving room for qualifying high-altitude routes and side trips above Everest Base Camp itself.
Does Everest Base Camp insurance cover Kala Patthar?
Potentially, yes. The policy does not name Kala Patthar individually, but Adventure Extreme covers eligible trekking up to 6,500m on recognised routes with a professional, qualified and licensed guide.
If Kala Patthar forms part of your guided EBC itinerary and remains within the trekking conditions, it may therefore fall within the Adventure Extreme trekking cover. Check your exact itinerary before buying. This is an inference from the current activity rules rather than a separately named route guarantee.
Can an Everest Base Camp trek via Gokyo or the Three Passes be covered?
Potentially. The policy does not individually name every EBC itinerary, but Adventure Extreme can cover eligible trekking up to 6,500m when you remain on recognised routes and use a professional, qualified and licensed guide.
Routes involving additional activities or specialist climbing equipment may need to be assessed differently, so check your complete itinerary rather than relying only on the trek name. This is an inference from the general Adventure Extreme trekking rules.
Does Everest Base Camp insurance cover altitude sickness?
Eligible emergency medical treatment for sudden altitude illness may be covered when Adventure Extreme is included and your trek meets the applicable activity conditions.
Medical cover remains subject to your selected plan’s benefit limits, medical provisions, exclusions and excesses.
Is helicopter rescue covered at Everest Base Camp?
An eligible helicopter evacuation may be covered when it is medically necessary and pre-approved by the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Centre.
The assistance team decides the appropriate evacuation method and provider based on the medical circumstances. A separate helicopter evacuation excess applies.
Do I need approval before arranging a helicopter rescue in Nepal?
Yes. The current policy requires helicopter evacuations to be pre-approved by the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Centre, which also determines whether helicopter evacuation is medically necessary.
If an emergency physically prevents immediate contact, the policy has separate emergency-notification provisions, so contact the assistance team as soon as possible.
Do I need a guide for Everest Base Camp to be covered?
Yes. Adventure Extreme trekking carries a condition requiring you to be with a professional, qualified and licensed guide, instructor or operator.
You must also stay on recognised routes or trails and follow the relevant safety requirements.
Can I trek to Everest Base Camp solo?
Not under the Adventure Extreme trekking conditions required for EBC. The policy requires a professional, qualified and licensed guide and limits trekking to recognised routes or trails.
An unsupported or off-route EBC trek should therefore not be assumed to be covered.
Is Everest Base Camp trekking considered mountaineering?
The standard Everest Base Camp trek is treated as trekking, provided it follows a recognised route and does not require ropes, picks or other specialist climbing equipment.
If specialist climbing equipment is required, the policy directs you to the separate mountaineering activity classification instead.
Does Everest Base Camp insurance cover climbing Mount Everest?
No. An Everest summit attempt exceeds the policy’s 6,500m maximum altitude for Adventure Extreme mountaineering.
High-altitude climbing above 6,500m is specifically excluded.
What if my Everest Base Camp trip also includes Island Peak?
That changes part of the trip from trekking to mountaineering. Island Peak is one of the named peaks that may be covered under Adventure Extreme mountaineering up to 6,500m.
Additional mountaineering conditions and technical-climbing restrictions apply, so check an EBC-plus-Island-Peak itinerary specifically rather than assuming ordinary EBC trekking conditions are sufficient.
Is camping on an Everest Base Camp trek covered?
Adventure Extreme currently includes eligible camping up to 6,500m.
The policy requires established campsites, a professional guide where condition (a) applies, recognised routes, and either a satellite communication device or an itinerary filed with local park authorities or wardens. High-altitude camping must also include an acclimatisation schedule.
Can Lukla flight delays be covered?
Potentially. The policy includes certain missed-departure and missed-connection benefits, and specifically states that pre-booked internal flights forming part of your trip can fall within this section.
There is an important Nepal-specific condition: claims for missed departures to or from Nepalese airports due to weather are excluded if you have not allowed two extra days in your itinerary for possible delays.
Should I add spare days for weather delays when trekking to Everest Base Camp?
Yes, particularly if your itinerary relies on flights to or from airports such as Lukla. The policy specifically requires two extra days to be built into your itinerary for Nepal airport weather delays if you want qualifying missed-departure claims to remain eligible.
That makes contingency days more than just sensible trekking planning — they can matter to the insurance conditions too.
What if my Everest Base Camp trip is cancelled?
Your selected base plan may cover eligible, unrecoverable costs if an insured event forces you to cancel the trip before departure or cut it short after it begins.
Cancellation and curtailment limits vary between Essentials, Classic and Elite, and the reason for cancelling must meet the policy terms.
Is my trekking gear covered on an Everest Base Camp trip?
Eligible personal baggage and belongings may be covered under your selected plan, subject to overall baggage limits, single-item limits, security requirements, depreciation and the applicable excess.
The policy also contains specific exclusions, including damage to sports equipment while it is being used, so check the baggage wording for expensive trekking equipment.
Is hired trekking equipment covered?
No. The current baggage section excludes items that are loaned, hired or entrusted to you.
That is worth remembering if you intend to rent sleeping bags, down jackets, trekking poles or other equipment in Nepal rather than travelling with your own gear.
Does Everest Base Camp insurance cover emergency medical treatment?
Eligible emergency treatment for a sudden and unforeseen illness or injury abroad may be covered up to the medical limit of your selected Essentials, Classic or Elite plan.
For inpatient treatment, MRI or CT scans, medical evacuation or repatriation, the policy requires contact with the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Centre.
Can one policy cover Everest Base Camp and the rest of my Nepal holiday?
Yes. Your policy can cover the wider insured journey as well as the eligible EBC trek, provided your policy dates cover the full trip, the correct destination region is selected and Adventure Extreme is included for the high-altitude trekking portion.
You do not normally need a separate policy purely for the days spent trekking.
Can I buy Everest Base Camp insurance if I do not live in the UK?
Rise & Shield offers anywhere-to-anywhere travel insurance to eligible travellers from many countries and nationalities.
Your purchase still remains subject to the residence, destination and other eligibility rules shown during the quote process and in the policy documents.
Can travellers aged 65 or over get Everest Base Camp cover?
Under Rise & Shield’s current activity guidance, Adventure Extreme is not available if you are 65 or older.
Because Adventure Extreme is required for the altitude of Everest Base Camp, travellers aged 65 or over would not currently be able to use this cover for the standard EBC trek. Check the latest eligibility when obtaining a quote, as product rules can change.
Does Everest Base Camp insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?
No. The current policy excludes claims arising from conditions that meet its definition of a pre-existing medical condition.
That is particularly important for a high-altitude trip, so read the medical-condition wording carefully before buying.
When should I buy travel insurance for Everest Base Camp?
It is generally sensible to arrange your insurance once you book the trip so that any eligible pre-departure cancellation protection in your chosen base plan can begin.
Before purchasing, confirm your full itinerary, maximum altitude and activities, add Adventure Extreme, and make sure it appears on your policy summary.
How can I check whether my exact Everest Base Camp itinerary is covered?
Check the highest altitude, every side trip and every activity included in your itinerary rather than searching only for “Everest Base Camp”.
If the trip involves specialist climbing equipment, a summit extension or another named peak, it may fall partly under the mountaineering rules instead of ordinary trekking. Rise & Shield’s activity checker and travel team can help you confirm the appropriate classification before buying.
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