Gokyo Lake – Chola Pass – Everest Base Camp Trekking - 16 Days

From Kathmandu, we take a 30 minutes flight to Lukla. We will enjoy our breakfast with our porters and rest of the trek members. The first day’s trek is only three hours long through Dudhkoshi Valley. First, we head north from the airport towards Chheplung. We cross Thado Koshi River on a suspension bridge from where we can see Kusum and Kanggru. Beyond Thado Koshi, the trail climbs towards Ghat. When we cross a ridge marked with Mani stones, we climb to Phakding. We stay here overnight.

The second day’s trek moves through the valley of Dudhkoshi River.  We cross the river five times on the suspension bridges that are decorated with prayer flags. After the last bridge, there is a steep climb that leads to Jorsale. After 2 and a half hours climb with two viewpoints, we finally reach Namche.  We spend the night here.

We rest in Namche for a day to acclimatize to the higher altitudes. We hike through the villages of Khunde and Khumjung during the day.  We take a steep climb to Syangboche airstrip and ascend to Khunde through chortens. Then the hike proceeds to Khumjung, the largest village in the area situated at the foot of sacred Khumbila peak. We can see the head of a yeti in one of the monasteries and visit the bakery at world’s highest altitude. We enjoy panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam among many others. We return back to Namche and spend the night here.

The trek begins from the stone steps above Namche. After the stairs, the trail becomes easier and passes through Dudhkoshi Valley. We see Khumbu valley surrounded by the world’s highest mountains and Tengboche monastery. After a few hours of easy trekking through rhododendron forests, we reach Sanasa. From here, we take the left trail leading to Gokyo Lake. The climb steepens from here, finally reaching Mongla Danda after few hours. We rest here for awhile enjoying the magnificent views of Ama dablam, Mt. Thamserku and Dudhkoshi valley. From Mongla Danda, the trail turns into steep bends leading to Phortse Thanga. From here we again take the left route through rhododendron and juniper forests to finally reach Dole. We spend the night here.

We climb along the side of the valley through the summer settlements and pastures. As the altitude increases, we find thick bushes and scrub junipers on the trail. We enjoy the beautiful views of Cho-Oyu, Thamserku and Kantega. We pass through Lhabarma, Luza and finally reach Machermo. We stay here overnight.

Today we pass through a ridge that enjoys the view of Cho-Oyu above and Kantega valley below. After the ridge, the trail opens into a valley. After some time, we descend to a river bank and then climb the terminal moraine of Ngozumpa glacier. At the end of the hard ascend, we cross a bridge over a stream flowing from Gokyo. Here, we see the first lake of Gokyo, Longponga.  Then the trail levels and we explore the second lake, Taujung and continue to Gokyo trek at 4750m. We stay here overnight.

We stay in Gokyo for the day to rest and explore the lakes.  We explore Gokyo valley with its people and unique culture. Then we also explore the turquoise 5 lakes of the area. We rest and acclimatize for the remainder of the trip.

The hike to Gokyo RI is considered difficult by many trekkers. It is advisable to carry water and extra clothes for the hike. After a steep climb for 2 and a half hour, we finally reach Gokyo RI at 5340m. Every difficult step is made worthwhile by the jaw-dropping sceneries of the region from the top. We can enjoy Gokyo valley, Ngozumpa glacier, and panoramic views of Khumbu giants. Cho-Oyu, Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and many others can be seen here. Then we return to Gokyo.

From Gokyo, the trail ascends to the glacier. After that, the trail descends along the valley to reach Thaknak, the base of Cho- La pass. It is a short easy walk as we enjoy the mountain views and natural beauty of the area.

We start the trek before sunrise to reach the pass early and avoid bad weather conditions. Trekking is made difficult by the slippery trail and glacier traverse on the eastern side.  We climb through a narrow valley and then a rocky trail as we continue climbing from Phedi. As the trail ascends, it becomes more mesmerizing with the surrounding views and frozen lakes.  We finally reach Cho la pass at 5368m which is decorated with prayer flags. From here, the trail steeply descends towards Dzongla at 4830m after passing through crevasses and pine forests. Dzongla is a perfect spot for the breathtaking views of Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt Cholatse and the villages below.

From Dzongla, we take an easy trail to reach the beautiful village of Lobuche. From here, we follow the western side of Khumbu valley as we walk past rocky and icy moraines. After a while, we reach the world’s highest settlement at 5160m in Gorakshep. We forget the exhaustion of the trip with beautiful mountain vistas, especially the formidable wall formed by Everest, Nuptse, and other Himalayan giants. We spend the night here.

On this day, we explore the destination of our trek, Everest Base camp. From Gorakshep, we trek on glaciers and snow-capped rocks for a few hours to reach Everest base camp. We come across a few frozen lakes in the base camp area. We see Pumori, Khumbutse, Lhotse and others from the camp. The most exquisite sight is that of Khumbu icefall. After enjoying the majestic and adventurous base camp of the tallest mountain in the world, we trace our steps back to Gorakshep.

The early morning hike to Kalapathar takes about 2 hours. The trail is mostly steep climbs and bends that lead to the thump in the Khumbu region called Kalapathar. A rocky climb leads to the summit of Kalapathar at 5545m. The climb is rewarded by the exquisite sunrise from the viewpoint accompanied by peaks like Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama dablam, Thamserku, and Kusum Kanggru among many others. We also see many other peaks, icefalls, and lakes in the area. We have a life-changing experience as we stare at Pumori and Mount Everest right in front of us.

Then we move down towards Gorakshep and then continue to Lobuche. After a while, we cross a river and follow the left route that leads to Dingboche. It is a smooth descent to Dingboche passing through chortens. We spend the night in Dingboche.

From Dingboche, we mostly descend through the trail crossing various villages like Pangboche. After a while, we reach Tengboche which is most famous for its monastery. It is one of the most beautiful places in the region with settlements nestled below the majestic views of Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and other peaks. We stay here overnight.

We trek through rhododendron forests, waterfalls, and pine trees along the river to finally reach Namche. Namche bazaar is a busy hub where all tourists, porters, guides, and Sherpas converge for the different treks.  We spend the night here.

The final day’s trek is mostly a smooth descend to the flat lands of Lukla. We end the trek as we exit the Sagarmatha National Park. After the 7 hours journey, we explore the area and take a rest. We stay in Lukla.

From Lukla, we take a flight back to Kathmandu in the morning. We can enjoy the rest of the day travelling to the various tourist destinations in the city. Durbar Square and Thamel are great spots for souvenir shopping.