Gokyo Lake With Everest Base Camp Trek

After completion of passport, immigration and visa procedures, we will meet you outside the terminal hall (look for your name board) and transfer you to the hotel. 

In the evening, you will meet with the manager to discuss the program in detail and introduce your trekking guide. Our guide will help you buy or rent trekking gear if it is missing from your pack. 

You drive to the domestic airport and take an early morning flight to Lukla. It's better to take a left seat to enjoy the view of Mahalangur peaks. Once in Lukla, you meet our porters and start trekking through the pretty easy trail to Phakding.

After a gradual downhill, you will reach Cheplung village, from where you get a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila (18,900ft), a sacred mountain that has never been climbed. From Cheplung, you continue downhill to Phakding, where you spend the night.

You start the trek by following the Dudh Koshi River after a hot breakfast at the tea house. By uphill and downhill trails and cross over the Dudh Koshi River, with a great view of Mt. Thamserku (21,675ft). After Benkar village, you cross more bridges and reach the entrance point of Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo. Here, you get your permits checked and continue to Jorsale village before climbing to Namche Bazaar. You get astounding views of the Himalayas—Everest, Lhotse, Tawache while ascending the Namche Hill. 

This is the first scheduled rest day, which will help us acclimate to the high altitude. Mountain experts believe staying active even during rest days is better: climb high and sleep low. You hike up to Everest View Hotel to admire the incredible views of Himalayan vistas.

On the way back to Namche, you will visit Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery, which houses the Scalp of Yeti! Moreover, our guide will take us to the Tourist Visitor Center of the Sagarmatha National Park, where you can observe various displays of floral and fauna species and Sherpa culture.

Today, you climb to the edge of town and contour around the hillside, enjoying superb views of Everest and Khumjung. Then, you walk almost flat along the lower reaches of Khumbila, which branches northwest of Everest and continues up the Dudh Koshi Valley.

The trail then rises steeply to the small village of Mong La before dropping down to Phortse Thanka and finally climbing through pine and rhododendron forest to Dole. Here, you get marvellous views of snow-covered peaks, Mount Cho Oyu (8,201 m). You may encounter different wildlife and birds (including Musk Deer and Danphe, the National Bird of Nepal). 

Today, you walk along the high trail through thorny alpine scrub to scenic ridges above the river. Dwarf vegetation ensures the altitude; trek slowly to avoid AMS risks. Walk along the summer grazing Kharkas: Mt. Cho Oyu, Kangtega, and Thamserku walls to the south of the valley. Machhermo lies in a broad valley below the moraine.

The trail climbs gently from the village to a ridge that unveils the first glimpse of the north face of Cho-Oyu and more views of Kangtega and Thamserku. Beyond the ridge, the valley opens as the trail goes through a Chorten and reaches Phang.

You climb down to the river bank before rising to the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa glacier on a steep trail. You walk through Longpongo, Raboche Tsho and Dudh Pokhari before reaching Gokyo. A little further, you can discover the footprints of a Lama (Buddhist priest). 

A pre-sunrise climb to Gokyo Ri (5,367m) starts on the northern side of the lake, just opposite the village. It takes two hours to reach the summit. The summit overlooks the vast, rubble-covered Ngozumpa Glacier (the largest Himalayan glacier) beneath the Cho Oyu wall.

Ahead are remarkable vistas of the Himalayan chain that includes Cho-Oyu and Ghyanchung Kang, Everest’s north face, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, Cholatse, Taboche, Thamserku, Kangtega, Kusum Kangru and numbers of unnamed peaks. Retrace your step back to Gokyo village: enjoy a free afternoon. 

Today, you hike through the Ngazumpa Glacier to the mountain on the other side. Next, you walk along the edge of the mountain until Thagna. It is a short hike today with an afternoon of rest, which allows you to acclimatize and prepare for a long hike on the following day. 

Today is one of the most challenging parts of the trip. The Cho La Pass is not strenuous in itself, but it is steep up and down and involves a glacier traversing the eastern side. Extra caution is needed as the trail is vertical, and the rocks are often glazed by ice, which makes the trail slippery and difficult. The trail from Phedi rises through a ravine and rocky trail.

You climb through the side of a frozen lake and reach the summit. The pyramidal Ama Dablam stands over a range of mountains on the south, Cholatse to the west, Lobuche to the East, and Jagged Baruntse soars to your right. You hike down through some crevasses before reaching Dzongla Village. The village commands great views of Cholatse, Ama Dablam, Lobuche, and Pheriche village to the far below. 

Today’s trail is short and pleasant, so you have a lot of time to relax and enjoy nature. You walk down from Dzongla and through a grassy trail with great views of Lobuche Peak. The trail swings through the board river bed before arriving at Lobuche.

You take a well-deserved rest, which assists in preparing for the next day’s trip. In the afternoon, you can do a short acclimatization hike to see the Khumbu Glacier. 

A secluded trail along the moraine leads to the last, the seasonal village of Gorak Shep, beneath Pumori. After early lunch, head towards EBC, positioned on the Khumbu Glacier – just opposite the massive icefall – the most petrifying trail of Everest summit. 

During the high season, March to May and October to November, the Everest Base Camp is filled with colourful tents on levelled areas. Expect in season, the entire area is silent; all you can hear is the winds and the friction of your shoes. Trek back to Gorak Shep for the night.

From Gorakshep, a pre-sunrise climb up to Kala Patthar (5,545m) unveils the superb view of sunrise over Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8,516m), Nuptse (7,861m) and Changtse (7,550m, north of the Rongbuk Glacier). Also, there is a spectacular view of Pumori (7,145m), Lingtren (6,697m), and Khumbutse (6,623m), among the myriad of other peaks.

Then, you head down to Gorakshep for a hot breakfast in the highest Inn on this trip. You follow the same trail to Lobuche before following the western trail to lower and warmer Pheriche. 

The descending trail to Namche takes much time and effort, but obviously, AMS is no longer an issue. You descend through the passes, forests, and villages to Punki Thangna. Then, the trail climbs to Kenjuma before you join the flat until you again reach Namche for an overnight stay. 

Today, you descend a dusty and rocky trail and cross several suspension bridges before reaching a plain trail. You start feeling warmer air as you make your way back to Lukla. Your Gokyo Lake with EBC Trek ends after you reach Lukla. You can celebrate with local porters for the last time, as they are not joining you back in Kathmandu.

You fly back to Kathmandu on the earliest possible flight. Once in Kathmandu, you will drive back to the hotel and take a rest day off.

Our airport representative will drive you back to Tribhuvan International Airport at the right time. Farewell, and we hope to see you again!