Everest South Col vs Northeast Ridge: Which Route Should You Climb?

By Blake Penson · Updated 2026-10-24

Blake Penson has climbed Everest twice and has 20 years in the mountains.

For most first-time Everest climbers, the South Col route in Nepal is the better choice. It has more operators, more reviews, better rescue options and a more stable permit system. The Northeast Ridge in Tibet avoids the Khumbu Icefall and is usually quieter, but its summit day is longer, colder and more exposed, rescue is harder, and Chinese access rules have closed or restricted the North side at short notice in several recent years. Historically the South Col has also had higher success: in spring seasons from 1980 to 2002, about one in three South Col climbers and one in four North Col climbers reached the summit (Huey and Salisbury, American Alpine Journal, 2003). On ExpedReview, as of 23 October 2026, the South Col has 56 verified reviews across 10 operators, and the North side has 16 across 3. Below are both rankings, then a full comparison.

South Col vs Northeast Ridge: key facts

	South Col (Nepal)	Northeast Ridge (Tibet)
Base camp	About 5,364 m, reached on foot	About 5,150 m, reached by road
Signature hazard	Khumbu Icefall	Long, cold, exposed summit ridge
Highest camp	South Col, about 7,900 m	About 8,300 m
Permits	Nepal Department of Tourism	Chinese authorities, via the China Tibet Mountaineering Association
Historical spring success (1980–2002)	About 1 in 3 climbers	About 1 in 4 climbers
ER operators with reviews	10, with 56 reviews	3, with 16 reviews

Everest South Col operators with verified reviews

ExpedReview ranks operators by their verified client reviews for each place: the star rating, adjusted so one or two reviews, or only old ones, count for less than many recent ones. Every review is checked by hand before it is published, critical reviews stay up, and operators cannot pay to appear or rank higher. Prices are the operators' own guide-listed "from" prices, not quotes. Data as of 23 October 2026: 10 operators with 56 verified reviews for Everest via the South Col.

Rank	Operator	Based in	Rating here	Reviews	Latest review	Guide-listed price
1	Climbing The Seven Summits	United States	5.0★	14	June 2026	From US$54,995
2	Furtenbach Adventures	Austria	4.5★	18	July 2026	From US$88,501 (package)
3	Dream Himalaya Adventures	Nepal	5.0★	5	June 2026	From US$41,000 (package)
4	Adventure Consultants	New Zealand	5.0★	3	September 2026	From US$83,000
5	Summitclimb	United States	4.7★	6	October 2023	From US$42,450, up to US$56,450
6	Pioneer Adventure	Nepal	4.7★	2	October 2021	No recent price listed
7	360 Expeditions	United Kingdom	5.0★	1	February 2021	No recent price listed
8	Seven Summit Treks	Nepal	4.8★	1	June 2022	No recent price listed
9	Tim Mosedale	United Kingdom	3.8★	4	July 2020	No recent price listed
10	Elite Exped	Nepal	3.6★	2	May 2024	No recent price listed

What clients say

Recent South Col reviews from 2026 are strongly positive. A Climbing The Seven Summits client (June 2026) says the company "exceeded my expectations in every aspect of the climb", praising the food, an "absolutely exceptional" Sherpa team and knowledgeable Western guides. Several Furtenbach Adventures clients (July 2026) praise a comfortable base camp that "helps preserve your energy for climbing", a large Sherpa team that gives "more flexibility in timing", and organisation, leadership and safety "at the highest standards"; one gave four stars rather than five. An Adventure Consultants client (September 2026) had "complete confidence" in guide Rob and the team, and praised base camp manager Kim. A Dream Himalaya Adventures client (June 2026) climbed Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Everest with the company. Older reviews for Tim Mosedale (2020) and Elite Exped (2024) are more mixed, so read them in full on each operator's profile.

Everest North side operators with verified reviews

Data as of 23 October 2026: 3 operators with 16 verified reviews for Everest via the North side (see all).

Rank	Operator	Based in	Rating here	Reviews	Latest review	Guide-listed price
1	Furtenbach Adventures	Austria	4.8★	12	July 2025	From US$88,501 (package)
2	Kobler & Partner	Switzerland	5.0★	2	April 2023	No recent price listed
3	Summitclimb	United States	4.6★	2	November 2023	No recent price listed

Furtenbach Adventures has most of the North side reviews, so it is hard to compare operators on this side. Read reviews in full on each operator's profile.

The two routes at a glance

The South Col route starts at Everest Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier, at about 5,364 m, after a trek of about a week to ten days from Lukla. It climbs through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 1 at about 6,000 m, up the Western Cwm to Camp 2 at about 6,400 m, up the Lhotse Face to Camp 3 at about 7,100 m, and across to the South Col at about 7,900 m. Summit day climbs the Southeast Ridge, past the Balcony, the South Summit and the Hillary Step, to the summit. This was the route of the first ascent by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

The Northeast Ridge route starts at the Chinese base camp below the Rongbuk Glacier at about 5,150 m, which is reached by road. Climbers then move to Advanced Base Camp at about 6,400 m, climb to the North Col at about 7,000 m and up the North Ridge to high camps at about 7,700–7,900 m and 8,300 m. Summit day follows the Northeast Ridge past the First, Second and Third Steps to the summit. The Second Step, at about 8,600 m, has had a ladder since a Chinese team fixed one in 1975. George Mallory and Andrew Irvine disappeared on this ridge in 1924, and the first confirmed ascent of the route was by a Chinese team in 1960.

Hazards compared

The South Col's main objective hazard is the Khumbu Icefall, a moving mass of crevasses and ice towers between base camp and Camp 1. Climbers pass through it several times, usually at night or early morning when the ice is colder. The worst single disaster on Everest, the 2014 avalanche that killed 16 Nepali workers, happened in the Icefall. The Lhotse Face also has rockfall and ice-fall risk.

The North side has no icefall, and the climb to the North Col is relatively short. But its high camps are higher, so climbers spend longer above 8,000 m. The summit ridge is long, exposed to the wind from the west and slow to descend, and rescue from it is very difficult. The North side is generally colder and windier, which increases the risk of frostbite.

Summit day

On the South Col route, summit day usually starts from about 7,900 m, with roughly 950 m to climb. Most teams leave late in the evening and reach the summit in the morning, then descend to the South Col or lower. On the North side, summit day starts from about 8,300 m, with about 550 m to climb, but the ridge is long and has steep, technical steps, so the day is still long. In both cases, crowding at bottlenecks, such as the Hillary Step area on the south and the Second Step on the north, can cause dangerous delays.

Access and permits

Nepal's permit system has been stable for decades, although rules and fees change. The royalty is set by the Nepal Department of Tourism and varies by season. See our Everest permit guide.

The North side depends on Chinese permits issued through the China Tibet Mountaineering Association. Permits are often confirmed late, and access has been closed or limited to foreign climbers in several seasons, including after 2020. Most operators therefore offer refund or transfer terms. Check these carefully before you book a North side climb.

Crowds

The South Col is the busier route, with more permits issued each spring than any other route. Crowding on summit days, such as in May 2019, has drawn criticism. The North side is usually quieter, partly because Chinese authorities have limited permits. But the number of climbers on either side varies from year to year, and good operators avoid the busiest days on both sides.

Rescue and medical support

On the South Col, helicopters can reach base camp and, in good weather, Camp 2, and there is a seasonal clinic at base camp run by the Himalayan Rescue Association. On the North side, road access to base camp helps evacuation from lower down, but helicopter rescue is very limited, and rescues from high on the ridge depend on climbers and Sherpas.

Success rates

The best long-run comparison of the two routes is Huey and Salisbury's analysis of Himalayan Database records, published in the American Alpine Journal in 2003. In spring seasons from 1980 to 2002, about one in three South Col climbers and one in four North Col climbers summited. Success rates have since risen on both routes, with more oxygen, fixed ropes and Sherpa support. See our Everest success rate guide.

Cost

On ExpedReview, guide-listed South Col "from" prices run from US$41,000 to US$88,501 among reviewed operators, as of 23 October 2026. On the North side, only Furtenbach Adventures lists a current price on ER, at US$88,501. North side prices vary by operator, and some climbs include overland travel from Lhasa or Kathmandu. Compare what each quote includes rather than the headline price. See our Everest cost guide.

Which route should you choose?

Choose the South Col if this is your first 8,000 m peak or your first Everest attempt, you want more choice of operators and reviews, you want the best rescue and medical options, or you want more certainty that your season will go ahead.

Choose the North side if you have high-altitude experience, prefer fewer people, want to avoid the Khumbu Icefall, and accept the colder, longer summit day and the risk that access may change late. In both cases, the operator you choose matters more than the route. See our guide to choosing an Everest operator by style.

Acclimatisation on each route

On the South Col, most teams do two or three rotations from base camp, sleeping at Camp 1, Camp 2 and sometimes Camp 3 before the summit push. Each rotation means another trip through the Icefall. Many teams now cut the number of Icefall crossings by acclimatising first on a trekking peak such as Lobuche East.

On the North side, teams usually rotate from Advanced Base Camp to the North Col and sometimes higher. Getting to Advanced Base Camp takes several days, with yaks carrying loads from base camp. Because there is no Icefall, rotations carry less objective risk, but the time spent at Advanced Base Camp, at about 6,400 m, is hard on the body. Some operators on both sides use hypoxic tents at home to pre-acclimatise and shorten the time on the mountain.

Getting there

For the South Col, most climbers fly from Kathmandu to Lukla and trek through the Khumbu, passing Namche Bazaar, Tengboche and Dingboche. The trek is a key part of the experience and helps acclimatisation. Flights to Lukla are often delayed by weather.

For the North side, climbers usually travel overland from Lhasa or from Kathmandu via the Nepal–Tibet border, crossing the Tibetan Plateau by road. The drive is quicker but gives less time to acclimatise, so teams stop in towns such as Tingri on the way. Travel in Tibet requires Chinese visas and permits, which your operator arranges.

Camps and comfort

Base camp on the South Col is on a glacier, and tents are pitched on rock and ice. Base camp on the North side is on solid ground and can be reached by vehicles, which makes supply easier. The North side's Advanced Base Camp, however, is high, cold and windy. On both sides, the quality of camps depends heavily on the operator, from basic tents to heated domes with good food and internet.

Climbing culture and Sherpa support

Both routes rely heavily on Nepali and Tibetan staff. On the South Col, climbing Sherpas from the Khumbu and elsewhere in Nepal fix ropes, carry loads and guide clients. On the North side, Chinese rules have often required expeditions to use Tibetan staff and Chinese rope-fixing teams. Ask your operator who will be supporting you and how experienced they are.

Photos and views

The South Col route offers views of Lhotse, Nuptse and the Western Cwm, and the trek in passes many famous peaks, including Ama Dablam. The North side gives the classic view of Everest's North Face from Rongbuk, and summit day has wide views over the Tibetan Plateau.

Frequently asked questions

Is the North side of Everest easier?

Not clearly. It avoids the Khumbu Icefall but has a longer, colder, more exposed summit day.

Which Everest route is safer?

Neither is clearly safer. The South Col has the Icefall, while the North has a longer summit ridge and harder rescue.

Which route did Hillary and Tenzing climb?

The South Col route, in 1953.

Is Tibet open for Everest?

Access depends on Chinese permits and has closed at short notice. Check with your operator.

Which route has more operators?

The South Col does. On ExpedReview, 10 operators have reviews for the South Col, compared with 3 for the North side, as of 23 October 2026.

Where did Mallory and Irvine disappear?

On the Northeast Ridge in 1924. Mallory's body was found on the North Face in 1999.

Do I need a different visa for the North side?

Yes. You need Chinese travel documents and Tibet permits, which your operator arranges.

Can operators pay to rank higher on ExpedReview?

No. Operators cannot pay to appear, rank higher or have reviews removed.