Everest Base Camp – Cho La Pass – Gokyo Trek

As was agreed, our representative will receive you at the airport on the day of your arrival. They’ll welcome you with warm greetings and have a quick exchange. Shortly thereafter, the staff will transfer you to the hotel where you’re able to freshen up and get some rest. If you want, stroll along the streets or enjoy the service of a fine restaurant in the town. Whatever you decide to do, make sure to return to the hotel on time.

Your first day in Nepal will be centered on planning and preparing for the trip. It includes meeting with the crew members and guides for a quick overview. If you have any trekking essentials left to buy, this is the time to get them. There are plenty of places to shop in Kathmandu, but Thamel has to be the go-to place for all. You can get all the required trekking equipment from here. In the day, we’ll explore a couple of historical and religious sites, including Kathmandu Durbar Square and Pashupatinath Temple. If there’s spare time, we’ll get around some of UNESCO’s world heritage sites like Boudhanath Stupa and Swyambhunath. After exploring some of the best of Kathmandu, we’ll drive you back to the hotel and call it off a day.

Early in the morning, we’ll fly from Kathmandu to Lukla, which is short but adventurous. We’ll board the flight at Tribhuvan Airport, before flying over the valley and then across the towering hills. There’s a swift change in landscapes once you enter the Himalayan region. The views are emotive and awe-inspiring as you descend the steep mountainous terrains surrounding Tenzing Hillary Airport. After the propellor makes the landing at the runway, we’ll meet our team and have breakfast. After some time, we’ll leave the town and mount the trail off the hillside on the bank of Dudh Koshi River. After a short trek through Chaurikharka Village and a gentle ascend up a well-worn path, we’ll reach Phakding. The village will offer you breathtaking scenery and a safe haven to spend the night.

The day starts off with a leisurely walk following the Dudh Koshi River Valley above and below, surrounded by rhododendron forests. After passing several villages along the way, we’ll enter Sagarmatha National Park. On the way, we’ll use suspension bridges to cross the Dudh Koshi River and then continue an uphill climb. After a journey of more than two hours from Jorsale, we’ll finally be able to get to Namche Bazaar.

Trek from Namche is a bit challenging due to excessive gain in altitude. Therefore, to become accustomed to the temperature at a higher altitude, we’ll have a rest at Namche Bazaar. To make the most of the day, we’ll take a walk through the village, before climbing up the hill to Syangboche. The trail here is rugged and continuously upward, so the trek can take anywhere from one to two hours to reach the viewpoint. Once you’ve arrived in the town, enjoy the magnificent view along with a warm breakfast at the Hotel Everest View.

The journey from Namche to Tengboche is relatively easy and fun, but the start is not so much. We begin the trek with a steep climb off the hill for almost 20 minutes before the path gets easier. After two hours of hiking, the trail descends to the river losing all the elevation gained. Once you’ve crossed the river, the trail leads the steep slope passing several teahouses and forests. The final race to Tengboche is quite challenging due to lower oxygen at high altitudes. After a slow and steady walk of more than two hours, we’ll arrive at the beautiful village of Tengboche.

Early in the morning, we’ll visit Tengboche Monastery to offer prayers and receive a blessing. After a round trip of the pilgrimage, we’ll leave the village, taking a gentle walk downhill and crossing the river. The trail on the other side is steep and continuously upward, so the trek becomes a bit strenuous. We’ll be walking along the Lobuche riverbank before entering the Imja Valley where the paths are rough. There are fewer trekkers and porters from here, but you may see some lovely teahouses to stop in on the way. After an uphill trek of three hours, we’ll finally come to Dingboche. Unlike other stops, you’ll find fewer teahouses and more tent camps in the village for accommodation. Apart from the shelter, Dingboche will provide us with a jaw-dropping view of snow-capped mountains and the Imja River, flowing from the east of the village.

Provided the long tiring journey to Dingboche, we’ll let you take a well-deserved break at the village. Instead of continuing along the path, we’ll stroll through the village and use our spare time to visit Chhukhung Valley. It’s one of the major attractions for trekkers in Khumbu given the magnificent view of beautiful landscapes and snow peaks. To visit it, we’ll have to head towards the southern slope of Lhotse and Nuptse besides the Lho Glacier. The trek is mostly uphill with steep slopes and off

After breakfast, we’ll leave for an extended and strenuous walk to Lobuche. The trek begins with a gentle ascent from the edge of a hill above Chhukhung Valley, which provides a mesmeric view of Island Peak at the rear end. Most trekkers often stop here to catch a breath and prepare for a long march ahead. On this day, we’ll trek more than six hours, passing through remote settlements and crossing bridges. After briefly stopping at Dugla for lunch, we’ll continue the excursion with an uphill trek of an hour long. The walk will provide you with a spectacular view of Khumbu Valley and Ama Dablam. Meanwhile, the village at the fore will give us a place to stay.

From Lobuche, we head towards Gorakshep navigating an off-the-beaten path full of rocks and boulders. The paths are unclear traveling up, which adds to the difficulty level. After 3 miles of long and tiring walk, we’ll finally arrive at Gorakshep. Before going further, we’ll make a quick visit to one of the local teahouses for lunch. After a while, we’ll wind up at the rocky trail that leads us to Everest Base Camp. The final three hours walk to base camp is extremely challenging, with steep and unpaved trails. You’ll have to walk along the glacial moraine and over the rocks and debris, which is quite strenuous. After trekking much of the day, we’ll finally arrive at the base camp, facing Mt Everest. From the end of the Khumbu Glacier, you can see gigantic rocky mountains and ice cliffs surrounding the base camp. After spending some time at the camp, we’ll turn back to Gorakshep, which takes another 1 to 2 hours. We’ll stay the night in a teahouse.

Before leaving Gorakshep, we’ll make a quick run to Kala Patthar, one of the prominent landmarks in the region. This rocky mountain lies on the south ridge of Pumori, just 480 meters above Gorakshep. After more than two hours of steep ascent, we’ll finally summit Kala Patthar. The view along the way and atop is surreal. You can see a wide range of mountains such as Thamserku, Kangtega, Taboche, and Chumbu from the ridge. After the sightseeing has been done, we’ll descend the trail and pave our way to Dzonghla covering 9 miles distance. Overnight stay at Dzonghla.

The day starts with an easy walk on a flat rock and across an arid valley. From there, we’ll ascent steep slopes heading towards Cho La Pass. The route is physically challenging even for pro hikers let alone beginners. It requires the trekker to use crampons to ascend slippery glacier and loose rocks with ice. From there, we’ll descend the trail to Thangna, passing the remote village of Phedi. The trek is 6 hours long and expects you to traverse mixed terrains with steep inclines. Along the path, it offers us a mesmerizing view of shimmering snow peaks and rugged hills. At Thangna, we’ll see a lot of small and familial-run teahouses built to provide accommodation to hikers. The village also has a wonderful view to offer its visitors, including the rare glimpses of Machhermo Peak.

On this day, we’ll travel from Thangna to Gokyo, taking more than 7 hours. The initial trip begins through glacial terrains made of ice and boulders. We’ll follow the trail from the west end of Ngozumpa Glacier, passing the first and second lakes. On the eastern shore of Dudh Pokhari is the small village of Gokyo. It’s nestled right underneath the Gokyo Ri at an elevation of 4,750 meters. The village has been commercialized with lodges and guesthouses aimed to facilitate visitors.

At 5,357 meters, Gokyo Ri is one of the most trekkable mountains with a moderate hiking trail. Located on the west of Ngozumpa Glacier, this side trek is more popular among hikers than the Gokyo Valley. They use it as an alternative trekking route and a practice ground to climb mountains. The ascent to Gokyo Ri isn’t easy, with a continuous uphill walk just from the south of Taujun Lake. It features high cliffs and mountain ridges, which are incredibly difficult to climb. But, once reach the acme, you’ll enjoy the magnificent scenery along with surrounding snow peaks. Following the exploration, we’ll plummet the trail and continue the expedition from the base of Ngozumpa Glacier. After an hour of trek, we’ll cross the wild grazing field and trek along the Dudh Koshi River. On the way to the village, you’ll see the dramatic landscapes and yak pastures. After hiking more than 8 km, we’ll arrive at Machhermo. The village lies in the Dudh Koshi River Valley below the terminal moraine of Ngozumpa Glacier. Machhermo welcomes visitors with the impressive scenery of lofty mountains and lush green farms.

After having breakfast, we’ll leave the teahouse and return to Namche following the same trail as previous. We’ll make our way through Phortse Tenga where most trekkers stop for tea and lunch. From here, the trail runs through rhododendron and pine forests before going up to Monglo. You’ll find the routes relatively easy from the village. It's mostly a downhill walk from Khumjung and therefore, doesn’t take much time to finish. A slow descent to the river valley and we’ll end up at Namche Bazaar.

The hike to Lukla is easy compared to any other trek. Most of the walks are downhill through the densely forested area and some remote Sherpa villages. After a gentle descent to Bhote Koshi River and a leisurely walk, we’ll eventually end up at Namche. Overnight stay in a hotel.

After wrapping up Everest Base Camp Cho La Pass and Gokyo Trek, we’re now ready to fly back to Kathmandu. We’ll take the morning flight out of Lukla, which lasts 30 minutes or so. On the journey, you can see many fascinating waterfalls, lakes, and forests. After your flight has landed at Tribhuvan Airport, our staff will transfer you back to the hotel.