The Gokyo & Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the famous treks in Everest Region. This trek is both challenging and rewarding, as it involves traversing the snow-covered Cho La Pass while providing breathtaking views of the turquoise Gokyo Lake and the majestic Himalayan peaks, including Everest, Cho Oyu, and Makalu. This trek takes you through remote villages and high-altitude landscapes. The Chola Pass crossing is one of the most difficult and challenging aspects of this trek, as it requires hiking over a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5,420 meters.
The journey commences with a scenic flight to Lukla, followed by trekking alongside the Dudh Koshi River, passing through Sherpa settlements and lush rhododendron and pine forests, until we reach the charming Gokyo Valley. The trail leads you through high pasturelands, offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Along the way, you’ll pass by chortens, traditional Buddhist shrines, and witness the fluttering prayer flags that symbolize prayers and blessings for travelers on their expedition. From Gokyo, we continue our trek over the Cho La Pass, standing at an altitude of 5420 meters, and finally make our way to the renowned Everest Base Camp, situated at 5364 meters.
Upon your arrival in Kathmandu, you will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Later in the evening, we will have a pre-departure meeting regarding the details of your trip.
We will pick you up from your hotel in the morning and take you to the airport for our picturesque flight to Lukla (2,800m). Starting in Lukla, we descend through the charming Chaurikharka village and toward Dudhkoshi Ghat, which is located at an elevation of 2,530 meters, before arriving at Phakding. We’ll have a delightful, short hike today that will help us adjust to the higher altitude. In our free time, we can visit surrounding monasteries like the Rimishung Monastery to learn more about the customs and culture of the area. This time will also be used to get ready for the lengthier walk we have coming up the next day.
We will continue our hike down the DudhKoshi River’s picturesque northern bank in the morning while taking in the breathtaking landscapes that are opening out in front of us. Our route will take us over multiple suspension bridges, including the well-known Hillary Suspension Bridge, that traverse the turbulent DudhKoshi River. Ascending through the deep forests, we will eventually reach the Sagarmatha National Park checkpoint where our permits will be registered. Here, among the lush vegetation, is where we will get our first look at the magnificent Mt. Everest. As we continue on, our steps will lead us to Namche Bazaar, the vibrant entrance to Mount Everest.
Our first day of acclimatization will be today. We will have several hiking choices to explore the surrounding areas while we are at Namche Bazaar. We can go to the Hillary School, a school that Sir Edmund Hillary founded, and immerse ourselves in the Sherpa community to learn about their rich culture. The Syangboche Airport, one of the highest airports in the world, is another option, where we may visit and explore the yak farms in the area. But climbing up to the Everest View Hotel is a must-do for Everest aficionados. You will be rewarded with amazing views of the mighty Mt. Everest from this vantage point, which is an experience not to be missed.
As we continue our trek, we ascend steeply to reach Kyangjuma, where breathtaking views of majestic mountains unfold before us. Our journey then takes us to Mong-La, and we continue along the trail, making our way towards Phortse Thanga. Finally, we arrive at the charming village of Dole. Along the way, we are immersed in the beauty of amazing rhododendron and birch forests, and we pass through several Sherpa villages, each adding its unique charm to our trek as we head towards Dole. You’ll also explore the upper Dole Valley to take some incredible photos of Cho Oyo (8135m) and Gyachung Kang (7922m) to the north, and Taweche (6542m) and Cholatse (6440m) across the valley to the east.
Continuing our steady but constant climb out of the charming Dole Valley, we reach Machhermo for our lunch. The landscape gradually transforms into a barren alpine scenery, with only small clusters of scrub juniper, standing in stark contrast to the snow-capped peaks and clear blue skies above. This day is crucial for acclimatization as we prepare ourselves for the upcoming ascent of Gokyo Ri (5483m).
Leaving Machhermo behind, today’s trail is relatively moderate, with only one or two short steep sections to navigate. The path leads us down to the Dudh Koshi River, followed by a steep ascent to the magnificent Ngozumpa Glacier, Nepal’s largest glacier and the source of the Dudh Kosi River. Along the way, we encounter the first Gokyo lake, which is small in size, and then the second lake, stretching long and running parallel to the hiking trail. Continuing further, we reach the third lake, Gokyo Tsho, where the glistening turquoise lake captivates us with its pristine beauty. The Gokyo village lies nearby, with the grand backdrop of Cho-Oyu (8201m), adding to the awe-inspiring scenery. After lunch, we hike to Gokyo Ri, which takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. This viewpoint, situated at a high altitude of 5,357 meters, offers a breathtaking panorama of towering mountains such as Everest (8848m), Cho-Oyo (8153m), Lhotse (8511m), Makalu (8481m), Gyachung Kang (7922m), Cholatse (6440m), Taweche (6542m) and Kangchung (6103m) and glimmering Gokyo lakes and Ngozumpa glaciers.
In the morning, we will set out to explore the pristine beauty of Gokyo’s 5th Lake. After soaking in the enchanting surroundings, we’ll have breakfast and then resume our trek towards Thagnag. Leaving Gokyo behind, our journey takes us across the glacier and rocky terrain as we make our way towards Thagnag, where we will spend the night. The trek will offer us stunning views and a sense of adventure as we traverse these remarkable landscapes on our way to our next destination.
Today is a challenging day of our trek, as we have an early start, waking up around 3 am to embark on the ascent of Cho La Pass (5330m), one of the highest passes in the Khumbu Region. The trail is steep and slippery adding to the difficulty and leads us through a ravine and rocky terrain, demanding strength and determination. After a strenuous climb, we finally reach the top of Cho-La Pass, adorned with colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind. We will be rewarded with a breathtaking panorama of awe-inspiring peaks, including Ama Dablam (6856m), Cholatse (6335m), and Lobuche East (6119m), making the effort all the more worthwhile. However, the challenge is not over yet, as we need to carefully navigate through some narrow splits before we eventually arrive at the picturesque Dzongla village. The day’s adventure will leave us in awe of the natural beauty and our own determination to conquer the pass.
Today’s trek is relatively short and easy, with a flat trail to follow. After the challenging climb of Cho La Pass, this day serves as a welcome respite for us to recover and rejuvenate. Despite its ease, this day’s trek still offers plenty of picturesque views and a sense of tranquility, making it a pleasant and enjoyable experience.
We begin our trek early in the morning, setting off alongside the majestic Khumbu Glacier, the highest glacier in the world. The trail winds its way through rocky moraines, guiding us towards the settlement of Gorakshep, a village surrounded by breathtaking snow-capped mountains. Upon reaching Gorakshep, we will drop our baggage behind and start our hike up to Everest Base Camp. The views from the base camp are nothing short of awe-inspiring, leaving us mesmerized by the grandeur of the surroundings. This is a moment to capture the beauty in photographs, reflect on the incredible journey we’ve undertaken, and celebrate the accomplishments that have brought us here. After cherishing these unforgettable moments at Everest Base Camp, we will make our way back to Gorakshep, where we will spend the night.
We wake up early in the morning to prepare for a refreshing hike to Kala Patthar. This ascent offers a unique opportunity to witness a mesmerizing sunrise view over the magnificent Mount Everest and its neighboring peaks, such as Nuptse, Changtse, and Lhotse. The magical moment of sunrise provides the most favorable conditions for capturing breathtaking photographs of these iconic mountains, a memory that will stay with us forever. After taking in the awe-inspiring panorama and allowing the beauty of the Himalayas to leave a lasting impression on our souls, we’ll make our way back to GorakShep. There, we’ll enjoy a satisfying breakfast before we trek to Pheriche.
It’s important to note that both the trek to Everest Base Camp and the climb to Kala Patthar are physically demanding. Depending on the group’s abilities and weather conditions, we may adjust the order.
After having breakfast at the hotel, we will trek down towards Tengboche. Our route takes us through enchanting rhododendron forests as we make our way across the ImjaKhola bridge. Continuing on, we traverse through a juniper forest, immersing ourselves in the natural beauty of the surroundings. Upon arriving at Tenboche, you can visit Tengboche Monastery, one of the largest Monastery in Khumbu Region. From Tengboche, you will have panoramic view of the Himalayan Mountains, including the well-known peaks of Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku.
The views of the mountains as we get closer to Namche Bazaar are simply breathtaking if the weather is clear. As our trip draws to a close, we will have free time to explore the Tibetan markets in search of trinkets or just stroll through the thriving Sherpa city and unwind with a cup of coffee. We leave Namche Bazaar behind and proceed to retrace our steps by crossing and re-crossing the Dudh Kosi River as we make our way through the forest towards the river. Finally, we leave Sagarmatha National Park and make it to Monjo, signaling the end of our unforgettable journey.
We go back retracing our steps down the DudhKosi River’s east bank and continuing on the well-worn route towards Lukla. This offers us a chance to relax, think back on the amazing journey we’ve been on since getting to Lukla, and appreciate the Sherpa people’s gracious hospitality. It’s a time to unwind, reflect on the incredibly amazing days we’ve had, and honor the distinctive culture and traditions that have enhanced our vacation.
Depending on the weather, we’ll board a flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu. After our thrilling hiking expedition, we will drop you off at your hotels in Kathmandu so you can settle in and unwind.
