EVEREST BASECAMP & GOKYO – 19 DAYS (CHO LA PASS)

Upon arrival at Kathmandu International Airport our staff will greet you and escort you to your hotel in Kathmandu. Depending upon your arrival time you may spend free time visiting nearby cultural sites, shopping or simply resting at the hotel. 

Today we will be finalizing your trek preparations and permits. You will have the afternoon to explore the shops and cultural sites of Kathmandu and do any last minute gear shopping. In the afternoon or evening (your preference) you will enjoy a traditional Nepali welcome dinner and a trek briefing with your guide.

Early in the morning you will be picked up by one of the ITrekEverest staff to go to the airport, from where you will take the 35 minute flight to Lukla.  The Lukla flights depart from Ramechhap during peak season and Kathmandu during the off-season. You can read more about this here – (Lukla flights) At Lukla we will meet with our porters and head north to Chablung (2700m). Here we will cross the Tharo Kosi river on a local-style suspension bridge. Just past the bridge we can see the peak of Kusum Kangru (6367m), which is the most difficult of the so-called “trekking peaks”. Beyond the Tharo Kosi the trail climbs a bit towards Ghat (2590m), we will cross a ridge marked with painted mani stones and then cross a bridge over the Dudh Kosi river to our overnight lodge in Phakding (3 hrs).

From Phakding we follow the valley of the Dudh Kosi river, staying on the west bank of the river. We climb steeply over a rocky ridge towards Benkar (2710m). From here the trail continues alongside the river. All along this part of the trail, villages are interspersed with magnificent forests of rhododendron, magnolia and giant firs. In both the early autumn and late spring, the flowers on this portion of the trek make it a beautiful walk. We cross the Kyashar Khola river and climb out of the valley to Monjo (2840m). Just beyond Monjo the trek enters the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park, which was established in 1976 to protect a 1148 sq km area surrounding Mt.Everest. Beyond the national park entrance station, the trail makes a steep rocky descent and crosses the Dhud Kosi river on a 120m-long suspension bridge towards Jorsale (2830m). After crossing this river a few times while climbing our way up the valley we will reach Namche Bazaar (3420m). Namche Bazaar is the main trading centre in this region and features numerous shops, lodges and restaurants (6 hrs).

The Himalayan Rescue Association doctors have determined that you must acclimatize before we begin our trek to Gokyo. It is easy to get to high too fast and succumb to altitude sickness. Today we will do the hike to Thame and back. Thame lies at an elevation of 3750m, near the foot of a large valley west of Namche Bazaar. The route passes the settlements of Phurte (3390m), Thamo (3440m) and Somde (3580m) before arriving in the Sherpa village of Thami (3750m). We will have good views of the snow peaks of Teng Kangpoche (6500m) and Kwangde (6187m) to the south. After our lunch we will return to Namche Bazaar for the night (6 hrs).

Our route today to Tengboche weaves in and out of side valleys, making small ups and downs, to the teashops of Kenjoma, and joins the trail from Khumjung just before a collection of mani stones. The views of Everest and Ama Dablam are excellent from this part of the trek. We pass the small settlement of Sanasa from where the trail drops towards Phunki Thanga (3250m). From here the trail climbs steeply through forests and around mani stones as it follows the side of a hill to the saddle on which the monestary of Tengboche sits at 3870m. The view from here is rightly deemed to be one of the worlds most magnificent. Kwangde (6187m), Tawachee (6542m), Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse (8501m), Ama Dablan, Kantega and Thamserku provide an inspiring panorama of Himalayan giants. Depending on how we are feeling we can stay here or descend for about 30 minutes through forests of birches, conifers and rhododendrons to the village of Deboche where we will spend the night at an idyllic Sherpa lodge . (5 hrs).

From here the level trail passes many mani walls in a deep rhododendron forest. After crossing the Imja Khola River the route climbs past some magnificently carved mani stones to Pangboche (3860m). This is the highest year-round settlement in the valley, and the Pangboche gompa is the oldest in the Khumbu and contains relics that are said to be the skull of a yeti. Beyond Pangboche the route enters alpine meadows above the tree line, mostly consisting of scrub juniper and tundra. We will cross the Khumbu Khola river then head northwest toward the Chukkung Valley and arrive in Dingboche at the foot of the valley (4:30 hrs).

To help insure our proper acclimatization before ascending further up to EBC we will spend another day in Dingboche. The acclimatization hike to Nangkartshang Peak is one of the highlights of the trek to EBC. From it’s summit you can see Kangtega, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Taboche in their full glory. There are numerous stopping points along the way to rest, have a snack and take in the views. Most importantly you will be able to climb higher than Lobuche village where you will be travelling the following day.  (4-5hrs)

From Dingboche the trail goes directly up a ridge overlooking the deep valley and the village of Periche. After a steep climb from Dulgha, where we can stop for tea, we reach the memorial area known as Chukpilhara which was built in memory of six Sherpas who died in an avalanche during the 1970 Japanese skiing expedition on Everest. From here the trail drops a bit and follows the western side of the valley to Lobuche, a summer settlement at 4930m that has become a major trekking stop. The sunset on Nuptse, seen from here, is a memorable sight. (5 hrs)

The first section of today’s trail follows the western side of the broad Khumbu valley and ascends gently through meadows besides the glacial moraine. The ascent becomes steeper and rougher as it crosses several side moraines. After rounding a bend in the trail, the conical peak of Pumori comes into view. On the lower slopes of this mountain a ridge extending to the south terminates in a small peak, known as Kala Pattar (5545m), meaning ‘black rock’. The trail then makes a short descent onto the sandy, flat expanse of Gorak Shep. From here we will continue to the current Everest base camp, which is about a 4 hours return walk from Gorak Shep. We will return to this small settlement to sleep after our visit to the base camp (6 hrs).

We will start our day very early by climbing the Kala Pattar (5545m) for a spectacular dawn view of the classic Himalayan peaks. This is a steep ascent up the grassy slopes west of Gorak Shep and the highest point on the entire trip. From Kala Pattar the entire Everest south face is visible as well as Lho La (the pass between Nepal and Tibet, also named the Western Cwm), Changtse (the northern peak of Everest) and most of the West-Ridge route. We return to Gorek Shep and and turn onto the trail heading west toward the Cho La Pass, to spend the night in Dzongla.

Today’s journey over the Cho La Pass is one of the most challenging yet rewarding sections of the entire trek. This day requires an early start, as the weather at high altitudes can change rapidly, and it is crucial to cross the glacier-covered pass before noon when conditions are most stable. We descend a steep and rocky trail to the village of Thagnak. (7-8 hours)

We encounter a short yet challenging section of the route today. The highlight of this day is crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in the Himalayas, which presents a unique and rugged landscape of ice, boulders, and moraine ridges. While not as physically demanding as the Cho La Pass, this section requires careful navigation and steady footing due to the unstable glacial terrain. (3-4 hours)

The views around Gokyo are tremendous and hiking Gokyo Ri is one of the most rewarding and scenic climbs in the Everest region. It offers breathtaking panoramic views of the four highest peaks in the world—Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8,516m), Makalu (8,485m), and Cho Oyu (8,188m)—as well as the stunning turquoise Gokyo Lakes and the vast Ngozumpa Glacier.

This non-technical but steep ascent is typically done early in the morning for the best sunrise views and clearer skies. After we have enjoyed the view we will return to Gokyo village for the night (4hrs).

After being at relatively high elevations we can now celebrate a little more as we trek down a beautiful and relatively easy descent compared to the previous strenuous days of crossing Cho La Pass and climbing Gokyo Ri. This section follows the Dudh Koshi Valley, offering spectacular views of the Gokyo Lakes, Ngozumpa Glacier, and surrounding Himalayan peaks.

This is a relaxing day with a gradual descent, allowing trekkers to recover while still enjoying incredible scenery.  (3-4 hours)

The trek from Machhermo to Namche Bazaar is a long but scenic descent, following the Dudh Koshi River through the picturesque Gokyo Valley. This day involves a significant drop in elevation (~1,030m), making it easier on the lungs but challenging on the knees. Along the way, you’ll pass through alpine meadows, rhododendron forests, and traditional Sherpa villages, with stunning mountain views gradually giving way to greener landscapes. Legend has it, it was along this trail that a yeti supposedly killed three yaks and attacked a Sherpa woman. This is the most credible yeti incident ever reported, so be watchful as we visit this region! (7 hours)

It is a fairly easy walk from Namche to Lukla that is mostly downhill along the Dudh Kosi river, with a final climb into Lukla. In Lukla we will have time to reconfirm our flight tickets for the next day and explore the town where we will spend the night (4 hrs).

The 35 minute flight will leave early in the morning from Lukla and bring us back to Kathmandu/Ramechhap airport. There should be plenty of time for any final shopping, sightseeing or just relaxing after your trek. Overnight stay at the hotel where you can enjoy a long hot shower and final celebrations with the group.

Transfer to airport for departure flight from Kathmandu.