Everest base camp - chola pass & Gokyo lake Trek

Our Himalayan journey begins with a flight to Lukla. Depending on seasonal flight arrangements, the flight may operate directly from Kathmandu or from Ramechhap Airport after an early drive from Kathmandu.

After landing in Lukla, we meet our porter team and begin walking into the Khumbu Valley. The first day is relatively gentle, following a trail through Sherpa villages, mani walls, suspension bridges, and forests above the Dudh Koshi River. We reach Phakding in the afternoon and spend our first night in the mountains.

• Trekking: Approx. 3–4 hours
• Final altitude: 2,610 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Phakding

Today we follow the Dudh Koshi River deeper into the Everest region. The trail crosses several suspension bridges and passes through villages before entering Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo.

After crossing the famous high suspension bridge, we begin the long uphill climb toward Namche Bazaar. On a clear day, we may catch our first distant view of Mount Everest along the way. Namche Bazaar sits naturally in the mountainside and has been an important trading center of the Khumbu for generations.

• Trekking: Approx. 6–7 hours
• Final altitude: 3,440 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Namche Bazaar

We spend another night in Namche to allow our bodies to adjust gradually to the altitude. Instead of resting all day, we take an acclimatization walk toward Everest View Hotel, Khumjung, or Kunde. Weather permitting, the trail offers our first clear views of Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and other peaks of the Khumbu. We return to Namche in the afternoon and prepare for the higher mountains ahead.

• Walking: Approx. 4–5 hours
• Final altitude: 3,440 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Namche Bazaar

Leaving Namche, we follow a beautiful hillside trail with views toward Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam. The trail gradually descends to the Dudh Koshi River before climbing through rhododendron and pine forest toward Tengboche. Tengboche is home to one of the most important monasteries in the Khumbu. Its location, surrounded by high Himalayan peaks, makes it one of the memorable stops on the Everest trail.

• Trekking: Approx. 5–6 hours
• Final altitude: 3,860 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Tengboche

We descend through the forest toward Deboche before crossing the river and continuing through Pangboche. As we move higher, the landscape becomes more open and alpine. Ama Dablam remains close throughout much of the day, while the mountains around the upper Khumbu begin to dominate the horizon. We gradually reach Dingboche, a traditional high-altitude settlement surrounded by stone-walled fields.

• Trekking: Approx. 5–6 hours
• Final altitude: 4,410 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Dingboche

We spend another night at Dingboche before continuing toward Everest Base Camp. Depending on weather and the condition of the group, we make an acclimatization hike above the village, gaining altitude during the day before returning to sleep lower. From higher ground, there are beautiful views toward Ama Dablam, Makalu, Island Peak, and the surrounding mountains. This extra day helps prepare the body for the higher elevations ahead.

• Walking: Approx. 4–5 hours
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Dingboche

Leaving Dingboche, we walk across the broad valley toward Thukla. From Thukla, the trail climbs more steeply toward the memorials dedicated to climbers who lost their lives on Everest and other Himalayan mountains. Beyond the memorials, the trail becomes gentler as we continue through a rugged high-altitude landscape toward Lobuche. By now, we are surrounded almost entirely by rock, glacier, and high mountain walls.

• Trekking: Approx. 5–6 hours
• Final altitude: Approx. 4,910 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Lobuche

Today we reach the first major goal of our journey: Everest Base Camp. We leave Lobuche and follow the rocky trail beside the Khumbu Glacier toward Gorak Shep, the final settlement on the Everest Base Camp route.

After a short rest and lunch, we continue across glacial moraine toward Base Camp. The landscape becomes increasingly dramatic, with Nuptse, Pumori, the Khumbu Glacier, and the surrounding Himalayan peaks filling the horizon. We eventually reach Everest Base Camp at 5,364 m. After spending time here, we return to Gorak Shep for the night.

• Trekking: Approx. 7–8 hours
• Highest point: Everest Base Camp, 5,364 m
• Final altitude: Approx. 5,164 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Gorak Shep

We wake early and begin climbing toward Kala Patthar. The ascent is steep, but the reward is one of the finest mountain views of the entire journey. Everest rises behind Nuptse, while Pumori and the Khumbu Glacier dominate the surrounding landscape. After reaching approximately 5,545 m, we spend some time taking in the panorama before returning to Gorak Shep for breakfast.

We then descend past Lobuche and leave the main Everest Base Camp trail behind, turning toward the quieter route to Dzongla. From this point, the journey changes character as we prepare to cross Cho La Pass.

• Trekking: Approx. 7–8 hours
• Highest point: Kala Patthar, 5,545 m
• Final altitude: Approx. 4,830 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Dzongla

Today is one of the longest and most demanding days of the journey. We leave Dzongla early and gradually climb through rocky terrain toward Cho La Pass.

The route can include snow, ice, loose rocks, and steep sections depending on recent weather and trail conditions. We move carefully and steadily under the guidance of our trekking team. Reaching Cho La Pass at 5,420 m is one of the great moments of the trek. From the pass, we begin a careful descent toward the quieter valley on the Gokyo side, eventually reaching Thagnak for a well-earned rest.

• Trekking: Approx. 7–9 hours
• Highest point: Cho La Pass, 5,420 m
• Final altitude: Approx. 4,700 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Thagnak

After the long Cho La crossing, today's walk is shorter but takes us through another remarkable Himalayan landscape. We cross the rough moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in Nepal. The route winds between rocks, ice, and glacial terrain before finally reaching the other side of the valley.

As we approach Gokyo, the landscape suddenly opens, and the turquoise waters of the Gokyo Lakes appear beneath the surrounding mountains. We spend the night in the peaceful settlement of Gokyo beside the lake.

• Trekking: Approx. 3–4 hours
• Final altitude: Approx. 4,750 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Gokyo

We start early for the climb to Gokyo Ri at 5,357 m. The trail climbs steeply above the lake, and with every step the view becomes wider. From the top, the turquoise Gokyo Lakes and Ngozumpa Glacier lie below us, while Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu rise across the Himalayan skyline. It is a fitting final high point of the journey after Everest Base Camp and Cho La Pass. We descend back to Gokyo, have breakfast, and then begin the long journey down the Gokyo Valley toward Dole.

• Trekking: Approx. 6–7 hours
• Highest point: Gokyo Ri, 5,357 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Dole

Today we continue descending through the Gokyo Valley. The barren high-altitude landscape gradually gives way to juniper, rhododendron, and pine forest as we return to lower elevations. We pass small settlements and yak pastures before eventually rejoining the main Everest trail. By afternoon, we arrive back in Namche Bazaar, where warmer air, bakeries, cafés, and busy streets feel very different after several days in the high mountains.

• Trekking: Approx. 5–6 hours
• Final altitude: 3,440 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Namche Bazaar

Our final day on the trail begins with a long descent from Namche. We cross familiar suspension bridges and pass through Monjo, Phakding, and other villages along the Dudh Koshi River. The air becomes warmer as we descend, and the green landscape feels almost completely different from the glaciers and rocky terrain we left behind.

The final section climbs gradually toward Lukla, where we spend our last evening with the trekking team.m It is time to look back on a journey that brought together Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar, Cho La Pass, and Gokyo Lakes in one complete Himalayan experience.

• Trekking: Approx. 6–7 hours
• Final altitude: 2,860 m
• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge in Lukla

Weather permitting, we take an early flight from Lukla. Depending on seasonal flight arrangements, we may fly directly to Kathmandu or land at Ramechhap Airport and continue to Kathmandu by road. After arriving at the hotel, the rest of the day is free to relax, explore Thamel, enjoy a good meal, or do some last-minute shopping. Flight schedules in Lukla are always dependent on weather and visibility, so delays can occasionally occur.

• Transport: Flight and private/shared road transfer as required
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Hotel in Kathmandu

Your journey through the Everest region comes to an end today. Depending on your international flight time, you will have some free time in Kathmandu before our representative transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure.

You leave Nepal with memories of Sherpa villages, Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar, the crossing of Cho La, the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, and some of the highest mountains on Earth.

• Transport: Private airport transfer
• Meals: Breakfast