Everest Base Camp Trek via Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass - 17 Days

Today is the second day of your journey. Now, while we’re still not on the trekking route, the day could be quite exciting. Today is the day when you can do all the last minute preparation. If you need to buy clothes or equipment, or have your money exchanged, today is the day.

Considering that you don’t have anything to do, and are completely prepared for the trek, you could spend the day exploring the city of Kathmandu. It is regarded as the administrative as well
as cultural capital of the country. Walk in the streets of Basantapur and feel as if you are teleported back in time.

A few significant places that you could visit are Swoyambhunath, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and Kathmandu Durbar Square. We will be happy to organize a Kathmandu SIghtseeing for you, just let us know.

Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast at the Hotel, and drive to the domestic airport (TIA domestic section)to take your flight to Lukla, which is 2845m high. The domestic airlines take around 35 minutes to reach Lukla airport. The Lukla airport is named after Tenzing-Hillary Airport.

As soon as we take off, we are able to see mountains like Mt. Ganesh. Mt. Langtang, Mt. Jugal and so on towards the north. As we reach the Lukla airspace, we are able to view peaks like Mt.
Everest and Mt. Lhotse itself.

In Lukla, we take some time to meet our porter and supporting crew and manage the baggage. Through the Lukla village, we start our adventurous journey to Phakding, which lies at an altitude of 2,610m. Our day ends when we reach Phakding village, Spend some time walking around the village, visiting Phakding monastery. 

Lukla flight update: In March, April, May, September, October, and November, the Lukla flights are operated from the Ramechhap Airport because of heavy air traffic at Kathmandu Airport. It takes around 4 to 5 hours to drive to reach this airport from Kathmandu, so you have to leave from Kathmandu around 1 AM midnight. In other months, you will take the Lukla flight from Kathmandu Airport.

After an early morning breakfast, we make our way towards Namche Bazaar. The majority of the trek we walk alongside the Dudh Koshi River. The sound of the water rustling in the river
accompanies you all the way. We also cross numerous suspension bridges, including the one named afterEdmund Hillary - Hillary Suspension Bridge.

Right before we reach Namche, we need to cross a gate, which is considered as the gateway to the Khumbu region, and to get to that gate, we need to go for an excruciating 2-hour climb.
It’s just a hike on steep terrain!

Namche is the most happening settlement area in the region. It is busy with local people selling all kinds of things, and tourists exploring the streets. The village offers panoramic views of major
Mountains in the region, without a doubt, apart from that, you can also see Konde Ri and Thamserku

In a high-altitude trek like this, it’s important for us to acclimatize. We acclimatize by going on short hikes around our place of stay, taking enough rest and maintaining a good diet.

On this day, we go on a short hike to the Everest View Hotel. It is a hotel situated at an altitude of 3880 m. Apart from excellent food and hospitality service, it offers the most stunning view that
you can imagine. From here, you are able to enjoy views of peaks like Mt. Everest, Mt. Ama Dablam and Mt. Lhotse.

After spending a significant amount of time here, we make our way back to Namche Bazaar. If you are feeling energetic enough, you could explore the village, though resting is highly recommended.

After spending two amazing nights in Namche Bazaar, it’s important to move ahead. Now, since we are covering Gokyo Lakes, from Namche Bazaar, instead of heading towards Tengboche,
which is the standard Everest Base Camp Trek route, we will head towards Dole. In short, our path is slightly deviated from the main route.

After an hour of trekking you will experience a sudden peacefulness. The route or the settlements are not as crowded anymore. We make our way through forests of rhododendron and fir. In the right season, you can see them blooming and covering the green trees completely. On the trek, you might also spot Danphe, which is the national bird of Nepal.

As you look behind, on the way, you will get a stunning view of Mt. Aama Dablam. The trek for the day will end at Dole. The village also lies in Dudh Koshi River Valley, and it is primarily a Sherpa settlement. You will find a line of tea houses here catering to the tourists. Take enough rest, or explore the village if it interests you.

As usual, after an early morning breakfast, we head towards Machermo. Yet another interesting village on the route! As you walk further, the first thing that you will notice is the trees getting
sparser and being replaced by shrubs. Now, along the way, you will find juniper and alpine shrubs and flowers. You will also feel the air getting thinner and the temperature dropping.

To make up for all that, nature will reward you with views of the astonishing landscapes and that of the mountains. The trek for the day will end at Machermo. Machermo is yet another small
settlement, and it feels as if the village exists just to serve the tourists trekking on the route.

However, apart from serving the tourists, Machermo also functions as a settlement used seasonally by yak herders. Provided that you’re here in season, you will see a long line of yaks
heading in a direction or simply grazing at different locations. You will see numerous relics covered in Buddhist prayer flags here, which is a sight for sore eyes.

On this day, we make our way towards one of the major attractions in the Everest region - Gokyo Lakes. As we move ahead, we will see the land getting barren and all sorts of vegetation
getting sparse as if we are walking on a desert, except it is cold, and we are in the mountains.

One of the first things we will notice on the route as we reach closer to Gokyo Lakes is the moraine, which belongs to Ngozumpa Glacier. Now, though the glacier seems stagnant, it
moves every day. Heading further, we come across one of the Gokyo lakes, then another one in a while, then another one, and finally Dudh Pokhari, the biggest of them all.

Generally, trekkers feel as if they have reached a different world altogether once they are close to these lakes. There is a small settlement area by these lakes which is called Gokyo. The simple architecture of the houses, built with stones, looks fascinating. The setting along with a few religious spots around the village make the place feel quite spiritual.

Today is going to be your second day of acclimatization, and quite a crucial pass because in the next two days, we will be crossing Cho La, the highest point of the trek. So, it is absolutely
important that we are well prepared for it.

On this day, we go on a short hike to reach the top of Gokyo Ri. You could consider it as a mini mountain, and ascending it, though a little challenging, isn’t as tough as ascending other
mountains above 6000 m. The steep hike will test you, but as you reach the top, you will be rewarded with the most amazing panoramic views of mountains in the Everest region.

After descending from Gokyo Ri, we will head straight back to Gokyo. Here, you could spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the beauty of Gokyo Lakes.

After spending two amazing nights at Gokyo, it’s time to move ahead to another village known as Thangna. When you think about the distance between Gokyo and Thangna, it isn’t that
much. However, when it comes to the terrain that you need to walk on to reach here, the place feels quite distant. Rocky, steep, uneven - the path is going to test you.

The dryness in the landscapes and the thin air gets monotonous. You will spot glaciers, ice and pools made of melted glacier along the way. After much hardship, you will finally reach
Thangna, which is a small settlement situated at the base of Cho La mountain pass. Our trek for the day will end at Thangna itself.

The village is one of the most remote villages that you will come across. Nothing much to see except a line of teahouses, and spots wrapped in prayer flags. Now, while the mountain views
are rewarding, you may not be able to do much here. Enjoy the sight and go to bed early as the following day is a big day!

Our trek starts way early today, in comparison to other days. The goal is to reach the pass before the dawn breaks. Cho La is the highest point of the trek so you could assume the
environment to be extreme. However, reaching here feels like a battle won.

Covered in prayer flags, Cho La feels quite spiritual. Ascending the top of the pass, and watching the sun gain an altitude, painting the peaks and eastern skies with bright yellow and
orange is an unforgettable experience.

Finally, we descend and head towards another destination for the day, which is Dzongla. This one also feels quite remote as Thangna. However, during summer, it functions as a temporary
settlement for the yak herders of the region. From here, you can view a small segment of Cholatse Lake. Dzongla also offers amazing mountain views. The trek for the day ends here.

On this day, we make our way towards the main destination of the trip, and on the way, we will halt at Lobuche. The trek is a combination of ascents and mostly descents. As you walk further,
you will feel physically close to major peaks of the Khumbu region.

On the route, you will also cross a pass called Thukla. Here, you will find dozens of chortens and plaques established as a memorial to remember the brave climbers, who passed away
trying to ascend Mt. Everest.

The trek for the day will end when we reach Lobuche. It is yet another small settlement located near the Khumbu glacier. Lobuche functions as a temporary settlement for yak herders during
summer, and as a support village for trekkers and climbers heading towards the Mt. Everest Base Camp. The following day is going to be a long and exciting day so it is recommended that
you go to bed early and take enough rest.

Finally, it’s the day when to go face to face with the beast itself. We start the trek early, and following a path that is dry and rocky, we reach Gorak Shep. Here, we drop all our bags at a
lodge, carry only the important stuff and head towards Everest Base Camp for a visit.

After walking for a few hours, we will finally reach the Everest Base Camp. The entire camp looks like a small village that is made with colorful tents. You will find everything here, even local
vendors selling apple pie. The base is used by mountaineers who seek to tame the giant known as Mt. Everest. It feels awe-inspiring and even overwhelming to reach here and standing so
close to Everest after a weeklong, excruciating trek. It feels worth it.

After spending quite a time here, we make our way back to Gorak Shep. It is a basic settlement established with the objective to serve the climbers and the tourists mainly. Enjoy up close views
of the mountains as the Khumbu glacier from here. Our day ends here itself.

On this day as well we will start our trek in the dark, and our objective is to reach the top of Kala Patthar before the dawn breaks. Now, though standing on Everest Base Camp is the closest
that you can be to Mt. Everest, the clamp doesn’t offer you as good of a view, and Khumbu icefall is the one to be blamed for that. The icefall stands as a wall between the trekkers and Mt.
Everest. The best view of Everest that you can possibly get is from Kala Patthar.

It is yet another mini mountain on our route. Hiking to reach its top could be tough, but all that effort will reward you with a view never seen before. A panoramic 360-degree view of major
mountains in the region, may it be Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, you say it! You won’t feel like leaving this place that early and easily.

After descending from Kala Patthar, we make our way back to Gorak Shep, and after a brief stop there, we head towards Phiriche. Our journey for the day will end at Phiriche.

Phiriche is a small village, but a very important one. It is known mainly for Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic, which offers primary health treatments and awareness regarding health
problems that trekkers and mountaineers might encounter in the region. After spending a night here, we head towards Namche Bazaar.

On the route, you will feel a lot of changes - the vegetation, the weather, the air, and so on. You will suddenly find more people on the route, and the settlements that we cross on the way. Our
trek for the day ends at Namche Bazaar.

After reaching Namche Bazaar, you have the entire evening to yourself. Take and stroll around or simply spend time with your fellow trekkers. This is a good time to celebrate as you have
successfully reached your goal and are almost at the end of your journey.

This is the final day of the trek as we head back to Lukla. Quite like Namche Bazaar, Lukla is a village bustling with local people and tourists. You will find all kinds of shops here, and spots
where you can spend your leisure time. The path from Namche Bazaar to Lukla goes mostly downhill. We follow Dudh Koshi River, and cross several suspension bridges quite like the
beginning of the journey. On the route, we will cross Phakding.

Namche Bazaar will be the last village where you can enjoy panoramic up close views of the mountains. As you descend, the mountains feel distant. The landscapes will please you with
their beauty though - rhododendron, fir, the sounds of the birds and rivers, it all comes back!

The official trek will end at Lukla where we will spend the night. You have the entire evening to yourself, so you could explore the village, communicate with the locals or the fellow trekkers or
Simply take a rest.

Today is the day when we head back to Kathmandu on an early morning flight. Now, while you have taken this flight before as well, the memories that you have made on this trip will make you
feel different. Some will feel relaxed as the difficult part of the trip is over; others, on the other hand will feel sad and start missing the landscapes, the mountains and the people already.

After landing at the airport, you will be escorted back to your hotel. Now, you have the remaining day left to yourself. You could choose to rest, or explore the city. Try some of the places
mentioned on Day 2 that you missed out before the trek.

Trying the local cuisines is another thing that is highly recommended. We will organize a small gathering in the evening where we will reflect on our experiences during the trip. This will be the
last time we are together. You are highly encouraged to offer feedback or share your story.