Gokyo Lakes Trek

Gokyo Lakes Trek Brief Insight

Trip Overview

The Gokyo Lake is an alternative to the Everest Base Camp, presenting a stunning view of the gigantic Himalayan range. Like EBC we will be overnight staying at the famous Namche Bazaar known as the ‘Kingdom Of Sherpas’. Similarly, the trek takes you from Sagarmatha National Park to observe the protected flora and fauna. We will be trekking along the Dudh Koshi through numerous Mani, stone houses, prayer flags, and monasteries.

On the Gokyo Lake trek you will have a spectacular view of some of the highest peaks like Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Makalu, and most importantly Mount Everest. The incredible views of those highest mountains will be captured in your mind for a lifetime. Similarly, on the trek, you will come across the largest glacier of Nepal that is Ngozumpa Glacier.

Namche Bazaar is a famous tourist hub, which is a gateway to the Khumbu region. We will stay here to explore the culture and lifestyle of local people and for acclimate to the altitude of the trek. Here you can visit the most famous Tengboche Monastery.

Then we will trek through Dole, Macherma to reach the ultimate destination of our trek, Gokyo. You can explore the Gokyo valley including the amazing  Gokyo lakes. The first lake that we will see in Gokyo valley is Longpongo which is located at the altitude you 4690m above the sea level.

The attraction of Gokyo Lake trek

Gokyo Valley is one of the most stunning valleys in Nepal which lies on the west of the Khumbu region of the Himalayan. In the valley, you can see the massive pastures for a yak to graze. The valley offers mesmerizing lakes which are simply breathtaking. The trek has many attractions to offer the trekkers. We will be trekking along the Dudh Koshi River through Mong La Pass. The trail goes through the oak, pines, and rhododendron forests and also many waterfalls. Gokyo Lake Trek is the best trek route for the trekker who loves to travel in peaceful surroundings. You will see the largest glacier in Nepal that is Ngozumpa Glacier which is really breathtaking. The ultimate attraction of Gokyo Lake Treks is the Gokyo Valley and its beautiful lakes. Gokyo Valley has so much to offer trekkers. The culture and lifestyle of the local people, you will find it unique and beautiful. You need to try to communicate with the people of Gokyo who can be really optimistic and genuine by heart.

Best time to visit Gokyo Lake

As most of the trek in Nepal, the best seasons to do the Gokyo Lake trek is Spring and Autumn. In Nepal, Spring and Autumn season lies in March to May and September to November. During these seasons the temperature is moderate and warmer in the lower range. Similarly, in this season you will have a clear view of mountains and hills.

Trekking in summer and winter seasons is also possible, but you need to do well in preparation for possible difficulties. As you won’t have a clear view of mountains and lakes will be frozen in winter.

Difficulty level of Gokyo Lake

Gokyo Lake is generally considered to be of moderate level difficulty. The highest of this trek is at around 5400m above the sea level. The summit of Gokyo Ri is at a similar altitude as Everest Base Camp which is easier in terms of altitude. Though some newbies might feel the trek is a bit difficult. But the physical and mental preparation need to be done to minimize the problem and challenges. Similarly, trekking in the right time and right season need to be done with needed acclimation days.

Accommodation during the Gokyo Lake Trek

Trekking Gokyo Lake is comfortable as there are well-developed teahouses and guesthouses.  When you enter the teahouses you will get a warm welcome. In this region, you can get variations in the price and facilities. You will have a good mobile network and some tea houses also provide free wifi. You can also have a hot water shower and electric blankets on the bed with an extra charge.

The region is famous for the Tibetan-style foods and Nepali Khana set. Foods like noodles, momos, soup, apple-pie, rice, and curry are popular in the Khumbu region. Potatoes are the staple food of the Khumbu region. So you need to try potato cuisine to be close with the Sherpa. At these teahouses, you will get fresh food.

Permits

Gokyo Lakes trek will take you through Sagarmatha National Park which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. So you need to take a Sagarmatha National Park and TIMS permit. The cost of the permits are:

1. Sagarmatha National Park permit: 30 USD per person
2. TIMS permit: 10 USD per person

You don’t need to be worried about the permits if you are trekking through a trekking agency. But if you are trekking by yourself, you will need to take a Sagarmatha National Park permit and TIMS permit from Monjo and Kathmandu respectively.

What to pack for Gokyo Lakes

The level and difficulty of the trek depends on the items you are taking with you. So you need to be careful while packing the things for the trek. The items you are packing need to keep you warm, protect you from sun, and must be comfortable while walking. The equipments and clothing for the treks are given below

Equipments

1. Personal towel
2. Sun Lotion
3. Water bottle
4. Touch light
5. First Aid kit
6. Sewing kit
7. Swiss army knife

Clothing

1. Waterproof jacket
2. T-shirt
3. Down Jacket
4. Hiking Pants
5. Hiking shirts
6. Woolen socks
7. Trekking shoes
8. Full Sleeve shirts

Miscellaneous

1. Map
2. Notes
3. Camera
4. Binocular
5. Music
6. Compass

You can also do some shopping of these items and clothes in the famous tourist hub of Nepal, Thamel. You can find any quality trekking items from here. Here you can get any trekking item at a good price.