Gokyo to Everest Base Camp Trek - 18 Days

Namaste! A hearty welcome to Kathmandu. A pick-up service and transport to your hotel in Kathmandu are arranged for you. Later, a short meeting at your hotel further introduces and informs you about the trek. Time for you to get some rest and prepare for the introductory day of the trek.

Included: Airport pick-up, Accommodation in Kathmandu hotel

An early flight is scheduled for Lukla. You are picked up from your hotel and taken to the domestic airport in Kathmandu. The weather needs to be courteous if you expect to catch a quick view of the Himalayas. After we land at the mountainous airstrip of Lukla, your bags are arranged by your porter and you are served breakfast. We then advent on our trek. The destination for the day–is Phakding, a settlement by the Dudhkoshi River serving the trekkers with food and accommodation. It is a pleasant afternoon walk through the mid-hill forests and several Sherpa villages while the views of peaks like Thamserku, and Kongde Ri and refreshing breaks at stops like Thado Koshigaon with a viewpoint of Kusum Kanguru grace you on the way. As you reach Phakding, you can also witness the first view of Kongde Ri. Dinner and overnight at Phakding.

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with Mountain Lodge accommodation

We will trek to the Sherpa capital of Namche today. The first full day of trekking is a roller coaster that gradually ascends the Dudhkoshi Valley and crosses over the Dudhkoshi River several times via exciting suspension bridges until it reaches a confluence at Larja Dobhan where the trail demands a steep ascent to Namche. The first half of the trek is rather enjoyable and easy with stopovers at settlements like Bengkar, Monjo, and Jorsale. A great view at the Larja Dobhan of Thamserku, Kongde, and Kusum Kanguru is truly alluring and inspires you to tread on the steep ascent through dense pine forests leading to Namche Bazaar. Overnight at Namche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

An acclimatization day is arranged for us to cope with altitude sickness before we ascend further. Rest is important, but some activity at a mild altitude is vital. We start off our day with breakfast as usual before we trek to the Everest viewpoint. The view comprising Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Kusum Kanguru, and the first view of Taboche and Abadablam is sure to delight us. We then make a return trek to Namche to treat ourselves to lunch and some leisure time. Namche is a beauty in itself, with beautiful stone houses perched on hill terraces, framed by Kongde Ri in the west. A vivacious town with internet cafés, well-stocked markets, bakeries, and eateries, we can surely find something to amuse ourselves. We end our day with dinner and then rest to prepare for another day of action.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

From Namche, we follow the popular Everest Base Camp trail up to Kenjoma, which is a walk along a flattened trail with the Everest massif getting closer. After Kenjoma, we abandon the popular trail and get on the trail to Gokyo, which then takes a gradual ascent to Mong for another two hours. If our stars are lucky, we may have rare encounters with musk deer, Himalayan pheasants, and Lophophorus while yaks and mountain goats pop up quite often. A walk through pine and Himalayan birch forest drops down to Phortse Thanga after which we cross the Dudhkoshi River and hike up an hour to reach the village of Phortse. Phortse, which is a small detour from the main trekking trail, offers more authenticity. We may take a stroll around the village and check out the local monastery and a powerhouse. Overnight at Phortse.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

Destination today –Machhermo. A quick descent back to join the main trail at Phortse Thanga and then we make a gradual ascent to Dole which takes about two hours. The altitude is now well above 4000m. The trail passes through dense pine and rhododendron forests and opens up to views of Thamserku and Khantega peaks in the south. After Dole, the terrain starts to take on a barren outlook. As we trek further, we come across summer settlements and grazing lands. The excellent views of Cho Oyu and other peaks like Kantega and Thamserku are now within sight. After another two or three hours of climbing through villages like Kele, we reach Machhermo. Overnight at Machhermo.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

As we leave Machhermo behind and follow the ridge that opens up to a view of Cho Oyu to the north, a sense of solitude and deep connection to the mountains starts to take over. A small settlement of Phangka is half an hour away before we make a steep climb along the stream that flows towards the Dudhkoshi River. A sequence of six lakes that feed the river emerges and we cannot help but acknowledge the beauty. We make our way past the lakes on the left side. The enchanted village of Gokyo is by the third lake called Dudhpokhari. While we may be tempted to move on with the exploration, it can wait as we have an entire day tomorrow reserved for it. Rest at the magical Gokyo.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

One of the days that highlight the trek is in store for us. The day can be spent hiking along the lakes, all the way up to the last one without the burden of the backpack. We would be walking between the mountain wall and the Ngozumba glacier. We may choose to climb any of the small peaks for amazing views of the mountains all around. A dip into the lakes is also an option if it’s not frozen! These sacred lakes draw in pilgrims from all over during the festival of Janai Poornima (August) who take a holy bath in the icy waters. We head back to our lodge for lunch and the rest of the day can be spent lounging around and soaking in the beauty of the calm blue lakes reflecting the mountains towering above it. Overnight at Gokyo.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

An early morning hike to Gokyo Ri is scheduled to ensure the best view. Gokyo Ri is a 5360 m high peak, one of the best viewpoints that offer jaw-dropping panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Tabotse and the entire Ngozumba glacier extending all the way. We trek back to our lodge for lunch and prepare for our trek to Dragnag. Dragnag is a small settlement that stands at almost the same altitude as Gokyo. It is a four-hour trek that crosses the Ngozumba glacier. Overnight at Dragnag.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

An early start is made to avoid bad weather. The trek through the Cho La pass is a thrilling and challenging one. After we carefully ascend the steep trail marked by loose stones and rocks piled up on the side, we reach the pass with beautiful views of the Amadablam and Cholatse appearing towards the southeast. We then descend down the path which is rocky and slippery; remain alert! The trail up ahead cuts through some streams, levels out with huge boulders alongside and we reach the village of Dzongla. Overnight at Dzongla.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

The trek for the day is limited to a short one to help us recover from yesterday’s long and tedious trek. The trek begins with a series of descents and ascents before it almost flattens up to Dughla. From Dughla, we get back on the classic Everest Base Camp trail. A little further and then we cross a bridge over the Khumbu River before making a brief ascent to Lobuche. Rest and stay at Lobuche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

With the Everest Base Camp in mind, we move on to Gorakshep, the last settlement before it. The Khumbu glacier groans on the right as we trudge along the steep trail. Over the moraines are rewarding views of the highest glacier and towering peaks. After overcoming a brief but difficult trail with steep climbs, moraines, and rocks, we reach Gorakshep. After lunch and some rest, we get ready to traverse the Everest Base Camp. We may take only the essentials on our trek further. The rest of our luggage can be left at the hotel at Gorakshep, where we plan to return for the night. The highway to the camp is mostly leveled, but the Khumbu Icefall poses some challenges. Having stood witness to the spectacle from Gokyo Ri, the view from the base camp may not be over the top, but the sense of what the climbers on their way up to Everest summit feel makes it worthwhile. The towering Lhotse, Nuptse, and the Khumbu Icefall make for a dramatic setting, nevertheless. We now trek back to Gorakshep for a warm filling dinner. Overnight at Gorakshep.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

The concluding highlight is in store for us! We hike to Kalapatthar today, one of the best vantage points in the Himalayas. We set off early morning or at the break of dawn, so be sure to add extra layers to stay warm and carry a reliable torch. A gradual ascent takes you to the viewpoint that truly is a Shangri-La for mountain lovers. The entire Khumbu range spreads out right in front of you, the Everest Massif standing tall and graceful. The beauty of mountains -Amadablam, Pumori, Lho La, Chakung, and other smaller peaks can’t be missed either. We head down to Gorakshep where we have breakfast. The significant descent to Pheriche can be weary for some and the windy conditions require additional protection for the trekkers. The trail descends all the way down to Dughla before we take the trail on the right at the junction to reach Pheriche. A long and eventful day comes to an end with dinner and much-needed rest at Pheriche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

A return trek to Namche is set for the day. At this point, the trek may come as a respite to weary trekkers. It may also be a trek back to civilization. As we make the triumphant descent, the abundance in vegetation and favorable wind conditions make us feel more welcome. The path drops along the Imja River through Orsho, Somare, Pangboche, and Tengboche before it reaches Phunke Tenga, where the Imja River converges with the Dudhkoshi River. Mount Amadablam and Nuptse seem more distant now towards the north, and Thamserku can be seen towards the southeast. We descend further to reach the junction at Kenjoma after which we follow the familiarly leveled path up to Namche. Overnight at Namche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

The final day of the trek has come. We trek today to Lukla to catch a return flight tomorrow. The trek begins with a steep descent through dense pine and rhododendron forests up to the Larja Bridge. We may notice that the bridge is not as scary as it felt on our second day of the trek! It is a flat trail until the Jorsale check-post. We then tread further to Phakding, where lunch is served before we climb through the pine forest to reach the gates of Lukla. It’s not unusual if some of us feel like celebrating. After all, an epic adventure comes to an end, and we can finally let our hair down after days of physical exertion. Overnight at Lukla.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

Our flight to Kathmandu is in the morning. After breakfast, we checked in to Lukla airport and boarded the plane to Kathmandu. Flight depends on weather conditions so be prepared for any possible delays. On arrival at Kathmandu, you are transferred to your hotel. In the evening, our office representatives are eager to meet you expecting to hear exciting accounts of your adventure and comments for us, if any.

Included: Accommodation at a hotel in Kathmandu

We start our tour in the morning (around 9.30). A cultural sightseeing tour of the historic Kathmandu Valley takes you through four heritage sites recognized by UNESCO. The sacred premises of Pashupatinath are centered around the magnificent two-storied temple with a golden roof. Other monuments made of stone and wood on either side of the Bagmati River including a deer park and ashrams on the eastern side are worth your visit. Next, the grand stupa of Baudhanath—a pyramidal golden top over a white dome-shaped base, welcomes you amid the beautiful square just beside the main road. The Patan Durbar Square is another historic destination, one of the three palace courtyards within the Kathmandu Valley. In addition to the historic palace of the ancient kingdom of Patan, it houses numerous monuments that display fine craftsmanship on wood, stone, and metal. Swoyabhunath or the “Monkey temple”, similar to Baudhanath, is a beautiful shrine atop a hillock in the western part of Kathmandu. Other temples and monuments make this heritage site a must-visit.
In the evening, one of our office representatives will meet you expecting to hear exciting accounts of your adventure and comments for us if any. A farewell dinner awaits you at one of the finest restaurants in town. Last night in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Included: Dinner and accommodation at a hotel in Kathmandu

The last day in Kathmandu can be spent exploring Thamel and other nearby areas. Thamel is a great place to shop and eat. Getting some souvenirs for your family and friends back home is a great idea too. We will transfer you to the airport with enough time to spare for your departure from Kathmandu. Hope to see you again!

Included: Breakfast and airport drop-off