Everest Base Camp Chola Pass Gokyo Trek

The trip begins with your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Our company representative will welcome you at the airport. Then you will be transferred to the hotel for your overnight stay. There are no other plans besides your arrival in Kathmandu. So, you can explore the city.

You will meet our tour guide at the hotel premises. He will give you the highlights of the day which includes a brief history of the places you will be visiting. Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Boudhanath are the sites you will visit on this day which are also listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These sites are the representations of culture and belief of the people in ancient Nepal.

In the morning, you will be transferred to the airport by a private vehicle. Then, you will fly to Lukla enjoying the magnificent views of the high mountains and deep valleys. Upon arrival, you start trekking to Phakding. The trail downhill runs alongside Dudh Koshi River and crosses numerous suspension bridges. The trek is short and goes through a dusty and rocky track.

From Phakding, you follow the western bank of Dudh Koshi and gently rise through the rhododendron and magnolia forests. Eventually, you arrive at the village of Jorsalle which is the entry point of Sagarmatha National Park. Enjoying the views and bio-diversity of the national park area, you reach Namche Bazaar. The last session of the trail is a steep ascent up for around two hours. Namche is a delightful town and the main trading hub of the region.

Today is the day for rest and acclimatization. In the morning, you can hike up to the nearby viewpoint and enjoy the splendid views of the Himalayas. You can also hike to the nearby Sherpa settlements of Khumjung and Khunde. These short hikes up will help your body adjust to the depleting oxygen. You can also hike to the Everest View Hotel, famous for offering panoramic views of the Himalayas including the Mt. Everest (8848m). Later, you return to Namche and prepare for the trek.

The trail descends deep into the Dudh Koshi Valley and climbs to the right bank of the Imja River to Tengboche. Along the way through rhododendron forests, the skyline will be decorated with the views of snow-capped mountains. Tengboche is a small Sherpa settlement which also hosts the Tengboche Monastery. It is the biggest monastery in the Khumbu region and grants the views of Ama Dablam (6,856 m) and the Mt. Everest (8848m).

You start today’s trek by climbing down to Debuche and pass the villages of Pangboche and Somare to reach Dingboche. The trail takes with through lush green hills and you arrive at Dingboche crossing a suspension bridge. In a clear sky, you can observe the views of Imja Tse (6189m), Lhotse (8,414m), Ama Dablam (6,856 m), Dingboche Ri (5075m), and other peaks from Dingboche.

You stay in Dingboche for an additional day to get adjusted to the high altitude conditions and climate. You can walk around the village or even hike to the nearby village of Chhukung. In the evening, you can visit the Dingboche Monastery and gain some insight into the Buddhist culture that is very specific to the region.

The trek starts with an uphill climb and then the trail follows a gentle track pass shrines and small monasteries to Thukla. You can see many peaks from Thukla like Lobuche (6119m), Pumo Ri (7165m), Taboche (6367m), and Ama Dablam (6856m). After lunch at Thukla, you head along with the memorial for climbers who have lost their lives in the Himalayas. Shortly after, a climb to the top of Thukla Pass (4830m) offers mesmerizing views of the surrounding landscapes. A short walk from the pass will take you to Lobuche.

On the 10th day, you visit the Everest Base Camp which is the crown jewel of the Khumbu region. The trek starts on a narrow uphill path and moves towards the wide valleys. As you proceed further, the vegetation begins to disappear. You walk past the village of Gorakshep and then ascend to the Everest Base Camp. The trek takes you along wide stone paths alongside the Khumbu Glacier. Upon arrival at the camp, you will see the panoramic view of the mountains and surrounding glaciers. After exploring the base camp to your heart’s content, you return to Gorakshep.

In the morning, you hike to Kalapatthar to witness the sunrise over the Himalayas, often described being the best viewpoint to observe the Mt. Everest (8848m). Numerous other mountains in the Everest massif are also clearly visible from Kalapatthar. The hike is fairly steep so we will climb up at a slower pace. Afterward, you will walk back to Gorakshep for breakfast. After breakfast, you descend to a small valley and make your way to Dzongla.

Today is going to one of the toughest treks on the trip. Leaving Dzongla, you follow a steep uphill path to reach the Cho La Pass (5,420 m). The climb might even require the usage of mountaineering equipment like ropes and crampons. From the top of the pass, you can see Mt. Everest (8,848 m), Cho Oyu (8,188 m), Nuptse (7,861m ), Pumo Ri (7165m), and other peaks. Descending down the pass, you trek on a descending trail to arrive at Dragnag.

From Dragnag, you take an easy short walk following the Gokyo trail to Gokyo. Following the glacial routes, you trek through the Ngozumpa Glacier, also the largest glacier in the country. You continue to follow the trail and arrive at Gokyo Village. The village sits north to the Gokyo Lake, the third lake in the Gokyo Lake system. Heading further north from the village, you arrive at the fifth lake, the Ngozumpa Tsho (4980m). You will trek back to Gokyo for an overnight stay.

In the morning, you hike up to Gokyo Ri (5360m). The trail crosses the stream at the north end of the village and climbs for a couple of hours. From the summit, you see the exquisite view of the Gokyo lakes, Ngozumpa Glacier, and mountains including Mt. Cho Oyu (8188m) and the Mt. Everest (8848m) among others. You return to Gokyo for breakfast and then walk south from the village of Machhermo to reach Dhole.

Leaving Dhole behind, you drop down to Phortse Thanga. On the way, you might come across wildlife like musk deer, pheasants, and mountain goats. You make a short steep climb to Mong La Danda and walk downhill to Sanasa. Then, you follow a gentle path downhill with a scenic view of the hills and mountains to reach Namche Bazaar.

This is the final day of trekking. You descend from Namche and walk through pine and rhododendron forest. The trail crosses many bridges and takes you to Phakding. From Phakding, you walk following the Dudh Koshi River and retrace your steps back to Lukla. This long downhill trek to Lukla also marks your exit from the Sagarmatha National Park.

You take an early morning flight back to Kathmandu. After checking into the hotel, you can go out for some massage therapy or any other recreational activity. You can also celebrate the successful completion of a long and hard trek in the Himalayas.

This is a free day so you can use it as per your wish. You can head out for some souvenir shopping at the local markets and street shops. Exploring the UNESCO world heritage sites is also a possible option to end the journey on a high note. In the evening, you join Nepal Alibaba Treks team for a farewell dinner.

The 19-day long trip comes to an end. A company representative will look to your call as you prepare to head out of the country on a scheduled flight. Thank you for traveling with us. We hope to see you soon for another adventure.