Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lake Trek
Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lake Trek is one of the most fascinating trekking routes in Nepal which couples Everest Base Camp Trek and Gokyo Lake Trek. Everest Base Camp Trek in itself is a wonderful trekking route in the Everest region as it offers panoramic view of the world’s tallest mountain peak—Mountain Everest. While the Gokyo Lake Trek takes the trekkers to the vicinity of Gokyo Lake. Gokyo Lake, Gokyo peak (Ri) and Gokyo valley are very popular amongst the tourists. Gokyo valley is one of the highlights of Everest trek. Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lake Trek offers a panoramic view of the Himalaya Mountain Range including the world’s tallest peak Mount Everest. Gokyo Lake Trek brings with it the opportunity to explore the beautiful Gokyo Lake, the Gokyo Valley, stunning view of the Gokyo peak and Ngozumpa glacier, the largest glacier of Nepal.
Besides, Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lake Trek provides opportunity for the trekkers to see the diverse flora and fauna scattered around the Everest region and also learn about the rich Sherpa culture. Everest Base Camp trekking is very crowded throughout the year, while Gokyo Valley Trek can be a lot quieter but equally adventurous. The trek begins from Kathmandu with a flight to Lukla or the Tenzing-Hillary Airport from Kathmandu. Flight to Lukla itself can be very adventurous as Lukla Airport is one of the most dangerous airports in the world.
Itinerary Outline
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1.360m)
Day 02: Half day sightseeing tour in Kathmandu
Day 03: Flight to Lukla, trek to Phakding (2.600m)
Day 04: Trek to Namche (3.446m)
Day 05: Rest & acclimatization in Namche
Day 06: Trek to Mong-La (3.892m)
Day 07: Trek to Dole (4.084m)
Day 08: Trek to Machhermo (4.465m)
Day 09: Trek to Gokyo (4.750m)
Day 10: Rest & exploration in Gokyo
Day 11: Back to Dole (4.084m)
Day 12: Trek to Pangboche (3.985m)
Day 13: Trek to Dingboche (4.360m)
Day 14: Trek to Lobuche (4.930m)
Day 15: Trek to Gorak Shep (5.160m)
Day 16: Rest & exploration – Everest Base Camp (5.350m) Kala Patthar (5.364m)
Day 17: Trek to Tengboche (3.875m)
Day 18: Trek to Monzo (2.835m)
Day 19: Trek to Lukla (2.827m)
Day 20: Fly back to Kathmandu
Day 21: Shopping in Kathmandu
Day 22: Departur
Detail Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu
Our team members will welcome you at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and you will then be transferred to the hotel. Our travel representatives will explain briefly about the travel itinerary upon arrival at the hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 02: Half day sightseeing in Kathmandu
Upon arrival at the Kathmandu, you will be preparing for the trek while enjoying sightseeing around Kathmandu Valley. Several world heritage sites including the Basantapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa and Pasupatinath Temple are the places you will visit on the second day. Overnight stay at a hotel.
Day 03: Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding (2.600m)
On the third morning, you will catch a flight to the Lukla Airport, also commonly known as Tenzing-Hillary Airport. It is a wonderful mountain flight and the flight will be very adventurous as the airport is one of the most dangerous airports in the world, taking consideration of its location, altitude and topography. In less than 30 minutes, you will reach Lukla while enjoying the breathtaking views of the mountains during the flight. After landing at Lukla, you will take a light breakfast and start the trek. In around 3 hours, you will reach Phakding village where you will be staying overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 04: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3.446m)
On the fourth morning, we resume our trek and follow the trail along the Dudh Kosi River while ascending through Himalayan Pine and Deodar Cedar forests to the ultimate destination, that of the popular village of Namche Bazaar. The village of Namche remains a historic trading point for Nepalese and Tibetan traders who exchange salt, dried meat and other consumable and textile items. Overnight stay at a guesthouse in Namche.
Day 05: Rest day in Namche for acclimatization
The fifth day of the trek will be spent in Namche itself for acclimatization purpose. With the gradual rise in altitude, a day of acclimatization is very important and strictly advisable for prospective trekkers. One can spend the day in Lukla visiting the local Bazaar of Namche or visiting the nearby Sherpa villages. If you are not much tired and are ready for a few hours of trek, then you can go to Everest Hotel for great panoramic views of Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse and others. Everest Hotel (3.900m) is the hotel that is situated at the highest altitude in the world. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 06: Trek to Mong-La (3.892m)
The next day, you will have breakfast in the morning at Namche and head towards Mong-La Pass. It will take around 4 hours to reach Mong-La Pass from Namche. You will have a wonderful time climbing uphill from Namche, while enjoying the high mountains and the beautiful nature. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 07: Trek to Dole (4.084m)
From Mong-La, we resume our trek on the seventh morning. The trail is easy initially as we cross many valleys along the rhododendron, juniper and large coniferous forests. Especially during spring the forests are great to see as that is the time when rhododendrons bloom and the fragrance lingers on the air. We also see Sherpas bringing their herds of Yaks for grazing on the green pastures. After almost four hours of trek, we reach Dole, the destination for the seventh day. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 08: Trek to Machhermo (4.465m)
The trail now steadily becomes strenuous as the trekkers will have to go through thick forests, the increasing altitude and also the lack of settlement areas. The trail continues to climb up along the side of the valley until it reaches Machhermo, which is a small and beautiful village in region of Khumbhu. Sherpa people still believe that the region of Machhermo is the home for Yeti, a mythical snow man. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 09: Trek to Gokyo (4.750m)
On the ninth day, we climb just around 300 meters and reach Gokyo Valley, one of the destinations and highlights of our trek. Gokyo is a small settlement area on the base of Gokyo peak (Ri). Ngozumpa glacier, the largest glacier in the Himalayas, lies in the region of Gokyo. Five mountain peaks more than 8.000 meters of altitude, namely Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Lhotse are visible from Gokyo. Overnight stay at a tented camp in Gokyo.
Day 10: Rest & exploration in Gokyo
The following the day, you will be resting and also exploring around the Gokyo valley. Gokyo Peak, Gokyo lake and the entire Gokyo valley will be there for you to explore. You can also have amazing views of several great mountains including the Mount Everest. In the evening, you will return back to the camp near Gokyo lake.
Day 11: Back to Dole (4.084m)
Following the rest and exploration in Gokyo, the next day you will resume your return trek from Gokyo and head back towards Dole. It will take around 4 hours of downhill climbing to make it back to Dole. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 12: Trek to Pangboche (3.985m)
The distance from Dole to Pangboche is quite short as you reach there in less than three hours. Pangboche is a well known village in the region of Khumbhu with the facilities of lodges, hotels and guesthouses. You will be staying at one of the guesthouses in Pangboche for the overnight.
Day 13: Trek to Dingboche (4.360m)
From Pangboche, we will resume our trek on the 13th day and continue climbing uphill until we reach the beautiful village of Dingboche. Dingboche is located at an altitude of almost 4.400 meters. Dingboche also has the facilities of guesthouses and lodges, so we won’t be having any problems of accommodation. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 14: Trek to Lobuche (4.930m)
Trekking from Dingboche to Lobuche will be an adventurous journey as you will relish the 4-5 hours of trekking while interacting with the local Sherpa villagers. On the way, you will also meet merchants and traders who are returning to Namche Bazaar, and you can also have a peak on the lifestyle of the Sherpa traders. In Lobuche, you will be staying at a guesthouse overnight.
Day 15: Trek to Gorak Shep (5.160m)
Trek to Gorak Shep will also be a short trek as we will hike for around four hours and reach the destination for day fifteen. Gorak Shep is one of the major highlights of the trek and we will explore around the region the next day. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 16: Rest & exploration
The sixteenth day of the itinerary is meant for rest and exploration around the region of Gorak Shep. Hence, after resting for a while we will head towards Kala Patthar - the best place to view the Mount Everest and the surrounding peaks. Kala Patthar is located at an altitude of 5.545 meters. After spending some time at Kala Patthar, we head back towards Gorak Shep. You can also visit the Everest Base Camp at the altitude of 5.364m.
Day 17: Trek to Tengboche (3.875m)
It will be a long climb back as we start the return journey from Gorak Shep to Tengboche. Tengboche is a nice little village in the region of Everest which provides lodging and accommodation facilities to numerous trekkers. It will nearly take around 6-7 hours to reach Tengboche village. Overnight stay at a guesthouse.
Day 18: Trek to Monzo (2.835m)
The next day we will be stopping by at Monzo during the return journey. Monzo is located at around 2.835 meters and is nearby Lukla. It will take around 5 hours to reach Monzo from Tengboche.
Day 19: Trek to Lukla (2.827m)
On the 19. day, we will reach Lukla in less than an hour and have breakfast at a guesthouse in Lukla. We will then take rest for the rest of the day at the guesthouse as we are by now tired from almost three-week long trek.
Day 20: Fly back to Kathmandu
The next morning, you will board a flight back to Kathmandu while enjoining the 30-minutes of exhilarating mountain flight from Lukla. The rest of the time in Kathmandu, you will be shopping and buying souvenirs to your loved ones. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.
Day 21: Shopping in Kathmandu
The second last day in Kathmandu will be for rest or else you can amble around the streets of Kathmandu and buy some gifts for your family and friends. After shopping, you will return to the hotel where you are staying.
Day 22: Departure
On the last day of the itinerary, you will catch a flight from the TIA in Kathmandu so that you can return to your home country or else move forward to your next destination.