Everest Base Camp Via Gokyo Valley

Welcome to Kathmandu – the capital city of Nepal. Today is your first day with EverTrek. Once you’ve passed through passport control and collected your bags, you’ll head out to the front of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) to be greeted by one of our friendly team members  - look for the EverTrek sign, you won’t miss them! They will be there to pick you up and transport you to your hotel in Thamel.

Today, the itinerary is clear, as EverTrekkers will be arriving throughout the day at differing flight times. This means that you will have a chance to rest and relax after your journey to Nepal, and may also have the opportunity to meet some of the team and fellow trekkers, to discuss details of your upcoming trek.

Today you will head out into Kathmandu and visit the cultural and historical sites of the Kathmandu Valley. You will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu and enjoy lunch at one of our favourite viewpoints in the city. Kathmandu lies at 1300m above sea level so it’s important to get out and about today and let your body acclimatise.

In the evening you will enjoy a delicious welcome meal with your fellow EverTrekkers. In previous years this had been on the first day of the trip, however it has been moved to Day 2 to ensure that those trekkers on later flights don’t miss out on this enjoyable experience. If in Kathmandu, (see below), you'll be taken to one of the most popular local restaurants where you can enjoy Nepali food along with cultural music and ethnic dance.

Today also gives you the opportunity to grab any last-minute items in the trekking hub of Thamel and get an early night ready for the trek tomorrow.

*Something to note*

Due to ongoing development and important maintenance at Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport, your flight to Lukla may be rerouted to Ramechhap Airport. This is because the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) ruled that flights to and from Lukla during the 2019 post-monsoon season would operate through Ramechhap rather than Kathmandu. This action has been prolonged longer than expected and the CAAN is looking at permanently moving all flights that go to Lukla from Ramechhap. While some flights will certainly still go from Kathmandu, they are not always guaranteed, even when booked in advance and can be subject to unplanned and prolonged delays.

If flying to Lukla from Ramechhap Airport, the journey to Ramechhap will start on day two of your itinerary. After a part-day tour of Kathmandu, you will drive for approx. four to five hours to the town of Mulkot where EverTrek will provide accommodation and your evening meal. As with all Nepalese roads, the journey will be a bumpy one, but it’s necessary to ensure your dream of Base Camp becomes a reality! It will be an early start on day three, as you wake up at 3:30/4:30 am and take a short 30-minute drive to the airport. The flight to Lukla is shorter from Ramechhap than from Kathmandu which means we can monitor the weather windows with greater accuracy. EverTrek will get you on one of the first flights to Lukla where you can have a hearty breakfast and celebrate the start of your trek!

On the return journey, you will fly from Lukla to Ramechhap and then take the long bumpy adventurous drive back to Kathmandu. The traffic going into Kathmandu can be severe, so this may take approximately six to seven hours (with breaks for food and a stretch).

Although this has been an enforced change for everyone from CAAN, our ultimate aim is to get you on the trek safely and to make it to Everest base camp so we have made plans to make sure there will be as minimal disruption as possible. We will provide all the additional staff and accommodation for the diversion, absolutely no cost will be passed onto you, our awesome EverTrekkers, but we do ask for your patience with the potential change with the itinerary.

Today is the first day of the trek and our destination is Phakding. We will be escorted in a private vehicle to the Tribhuvan International Airport to board an early morning flight to Lukla. After 30-35 min the plane will finally land at the Lukla Airport (Tenzing Hillary Airport). On reaching the airport, we will be introduced to the other crew members awaiting our arrival. At the same time, luggage will also be prepared for the porters. Once everything is set, the ultimate trek begins towards the destination of the day, leaving Lukla behind. After four hours of downhill and flat trail experience, we finally reach Phakding. You can freshen up and rest for some time. Then we will go for a short walk in the village of Phakding or even a hike to nearby Gompas for acclimatization purpose. The night will be spent at a lodge in Phakding.

Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Wonderful aerial view of the mountains on the flight to Lukla, ‘Mani’ prayer rocks, Phakding village and ‘Gompas’ monastery)

Today is the second day of the trek and our destination is Namche Bazaar. Without wasting a single minute we leave Phakding and move towards Monju crossing a few suspension bridges and small settlements. Monju is popularly recognized as the gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park. On reaching Sagarmatha National Park, the team leaders will take care of the necessary national park formalities at entrance, while you can enjoy small tea houses and shops. We then enter the national park, from where a vertical drop down the hill will bring us across a few suspension bridges. On crossing these bridges the trail leads uphill towards Namche Bazaar that offers the first view of Mt. Everest along with other peaks. The night will be spent at a lodge in Namche Bazaar.

 Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Visting small settlements like Zapute, Toktok, Benkar, Chumoa and Monju, Sagarmatha National Park, small tea houses and shops, suspension bridges, steep trail, Namche Bazaar and the very first view of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Mt. Kusum Khangaru.)

Today, the third day of the trek, we get involved in activities that help us adapt to the change in altitude and thinning air. Remaining active is the best way to acclimatise. Therefore, instead of resting, we follow the tried and tested method of "climb high, sleep low". We will be visiting the Sherpa museum and the famous Tenzing Norgay statue which is set in front of truly epic views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. We will then take a steep climb up to the Everest View hotel at an altitude of 3880 meters above sea level and have some lunch. We then return to Namche bazaar to enjoy the rest of the day exploring before getting a good sleep at our comfortable lodge.

 Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Thame Sherpa village, Khumjung/Khunde/Khongde, Hotel Everest View, cafes, bakeries, shops, restaurant etc)

Today is the fourth day of the trek and our destination is Dhole. Leaving Namche Bazaar behind, an easy walk will take us to Kyangjuma that offers one of the best views of towering peaks. The walk continues through the rhododendron forest until we reach Sanasa, which is a major trail junction of Gokyo Valley and the Everest Base Camp. Leaving the Everest Base Camp trail, we follow the stone steps trail that lies on our left hand side and walk towards Mong. From Mong, a slight descent will take us to the bank of the Dudh Koshi River as we cross Phortse Thanga. We hike up till Tenga, following the bank of the Dudh Koshi River. From here, leaving the bank of the river, we further hike up to Dhole through birch and rhododendron forest. The night will be spent at a lodge in Dhole.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Splendid view of Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse, Khumbila (a sacred mountain of the patron god of the Khumbu region, first view of Ama Dablam, Lhotse Shar, Taboche, Kangtega & Thamserku, longest Mani wall (prayer stone) in the Khumbu region, monastery, birch and rhododendron forest featuring musk deer, Himalayan thar, pheasants, and a wonderful view of the waterfalls.)

Today is the fifth day of the trek and our destination is Machhermo. As we hike up from Dhole, the vegetation becomes sparse, which is definitely dominated by the magnificent view of the nearing peaks. We first climb a short scenic ridge and head towards north, enjoying the mountain views. A gentle ascend will first take us to Luza, from where we walk down to the river. Then a steep climb will take us to the terminal moraine of Ngozumba glacier. From here, we head towards Machherma, which is the last major settlement on the way to Gokyo. The night will be spent at a lodge in Machhermo.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Magnificent views of snow capped peaks, tea shops, terminal moraine of Ngozumba glacier and few small settlements.)

Today is the sixth day of the trek and this day will take us to one of the destinations of this trek, Gokyo Valley. We first climb up the ridge, then an easy flat walk will take us to the bottom of the small rocky mountain. After a short climb, we cross a bridge and get to the first Gokyo lake (Lonspunga Tso). We continue towards the second Gokyo lake (Taujung Tsho). Following the west bank of the glacier, we walk up to the third Gokyo lake (Gokyo Tsho). On reaching the lake the walk continues till the east bank of the lake where lodges are located. The remaining days will be spent exploring the lakes and glacier. The night will be spent at a lodge in Gokyo.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: First lake, where we get to observe the footprints of ancient Lamas, splendid turquoise blue Second Lake and Third Lake, splendid view of Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori and Thamsermu, Gokyo Village and the facilities offered by the lodges in the village.)

Today is the seventh day of the trek and the day is spent exploring the valley. First, we climb up the Gokyo RI (5,630m) above the village on the northern edge of the lake. We spend some time relishing the view of the magnificent mountains. Then, we walk down to the lodge, have lunch and hike around the glacier. The night will be spent at a lodge in Gokyo Valley.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Excellent view of Mt. Everest and Mt. Makalu from Gokyo RI, Gokyo RI is also a famous vantage point of a series of six Gokyo lakes, magnificent view and experience of Ngozumba glacier-the longest glacier in the Himalayas.)

Today is the eighth day of the trek and our destination is Dragnag. Leaving the Third Lake behind, we start to walk early in the morning as we need to walk across the Ngozumba glacier. We cross the glacier before the sun gets stronger, as during the sunny days the ice melts, making the trail more slippery and difficult to walk. After crossing the glacier, following the east bank of the glacier, we slightly descend to Dragnag. The rest of the day can also be spent hiking nearby hills, which helps to acclimatize. The night will be spent at a lodge in Dragnag.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Slippery trail across Ngozumba glacier, view of small ice lakes formed by the glacier, ice falling with the sound of ice cracks, small hill hiking in Dragnag.)

Today is the ninth day of the trek and our destination is Dzongla via Chola pass. Today we reach the second destination of the trek, Chola Pass (5,420m). Initially, we walk a vertical uphill trail along a small stream crossing Chola Phedi. Then, the trail drops down to the bottom of the Chola pass. The trail here is icy, slippery and difficult to cross. From the base, a steep rocky ascent will take us to the top of the Chola Pass. The top greets you with flapping prayer flag and a wonderful view of Gokyo Valley. After spending some time here, a steep descend following icy (use of crampons recommended) and rocky trail will first take us to the valley, from where Dzongla is fairly an easy walk. The night will be spent at a lodge in Dzongla.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Magnificent view of Ama Dablam & Cholatse and the Gokyo Valley from Cho La pass, flapping prayer flags on top of Chola pass, experience of difficult, icy, slippery and rocky up and downhill trail, and a grand view of Cholatse North face from Dzongla.)

Today is the tenth day of the trek and our destination is Lobuche. From Dzongla, the trail continues to descend east, crossing Chola and then taking the trail on the left side, we continue to hike up to the place where the trail meets the Everest Base Camp trail. Further ascend from here will finally take us to Lobuche. After having lunch, we also hike a bit and explore the Khumbu Glacier. The night will be spent at a lodge in Lobuche.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Splendid views of mountains and glaciers, tombstone of trekkers who lost their lives in the glacier, view of the Khumbu and Lobuche glacier.)

Today is the eleventh day of the trek and we finally reach the major destination of the trek, the Everest Base Camp. Following the west bank of the Khumbu Glacier, the trail continues to ascend till Lobuche pass. Shortly after crossing this pass, we come across a junction of Changri Nup and Changri Shar Glacier that merge to Khumbu Glacier. We walk across the glacier to reach Gorakshep, located at the bottom of Kala Patthar. Leaving the trail that leads to Kala Patthar, we hike up to the base camp of the Everest. We spend some time exploring the area and then walk back down to the lodge at Gorakshep. The remaining day will be spent either exploring the area or simply resting at the lodge. The night will be spent at a lodge in Gorakshep.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Experience of glaciers like Khumbu, Lobuche, Changri Nup and Changri Shar, Lobuche & Thokla pass, north ridge of Everest along with 360 degree vista of snowy mountains like Mt. Pumori, Mt. Mahalangur, Mt. Lingtern, Mt. Khumbutse, Mt. Nuptse, a glimpse of Kala Pathhar, rocky and glacial trail and the Everest Base Camp marked with colorful prayer flags.)

Today is the twelfth day of the trek and our destination is Pheriche.  We first hike up to Kala Patthar, which is considered the best vantage point in the entire Khumbu region. Today we start early, in fact, before breakfast to see the early morning sun rays striking the mountains. Initially, we hike for about two hours, which will take us to Kala Pathhar. We enjoy the sunrise view in the mountains, spend some time taking pictures and relishing the view, then we hike down to Gorakshep for breakfast. Following the same route used earlier, we hike down to Lobuche. After walking for some time, we cross Thokla pass and further walk down towards the suspension bridge at Dughla. We cross the suspension bridge and then walk down to Pheriche. The night will be spent at a lodge in Pheriche.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day:Sunrise view and the mind blogging view of majestic Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Pumori, Amadablam, Thamserku, Mera Peak and other peaks of the Everest region from Kala Patthar, and a second chance to experience the view of glaciers like Changri Shar, Changri Nup and Khumbu, the experience of Lobuche pass and Thokla pass, tombstones and small settlements like Lobuche, Dhughla, Phulaji and Pheriche.)

Today is the thirteenth day of the trek and our destination is Namche Bazaar. In the beginning, the downhill walk is quite easy. We pass through the yak grazing area of Somare, and then crossing the village of Pangboche and Deboche we reach Tengboche, through the rhododendron forest. From Tengboche, a vertical descend will take us to the bridge across the Dudhkoshi river. On crossing the bridge, we again hike up to Kyagjuma, crossing Sanasa. A fairly easy, downhill walk will finally take us to Namche Bazaar.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Vertical and flat trail experience, lifestyle and settlement of people in the settlements like Somare, Pangboche, Deboche, Tengboche, Phunke Tenga, Khyangjuma and Namche featuring a number of monasteries and Chortens, Tengboche Monastery – the largest monastery in the Khumbu region, along with the view of majestic peaks: Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Tawache, a walk through rhododendron, pine and juniper forest, water driven prayer wheels, stone-steps, the longest Mani walls, Tenzing Norgye Memorial Stupa, and the modern facilities at Namche Bazaar.)

Today is the last day of the trek and our destination is Lukla. Starting Namche, a 6-7 hour trek will finally take us to Lukla. The trail continues downhill towards the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, where the Bhote Koshi River meets the Dudh Koshi River at Larja Dobhan. A slight descent from here will then take us to Monjo (entry and exit point of the Sagarmatha National Park). After the national park exit formalities, we walk down to cross a suspension bridge across Kyashar Khola, and following the east bank of the Bhote Koshi River, we further walk towards another bridge over the Bhote Koshi River. Now, following the west bank of the Bhote Koshi River, we walk down to Phakding. From Phakding, the trail descends till Thado Koshi Gaon, and a gradual ascent from here will finally take us to Lukla. Today, after reaching Lukla, you can either spend your time with the crew member or opt for some alone time to recollect the memories made during the past few days. The night will be spent at a lodge in Lukla.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Highlights of the day: Last view of Mt. Everest from Namche Bazaar, Kongde RI from Phakding and Kusum Khangkaru from Thado Koshigaon, beautiful rhododendron and Magnolia forest, trail accompanied by various prayer rocks –Mani wall and monasteries including 500 years old monastery – Pemacholing Monastery, small Sherpa settlements like Zapute, Toktok, Benkar, Chumoa and Monju, and finally the colorful village of Lukla.)

Today is your last day in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Our porters will carry your luggage to the airport where we have our final farewell. Once the plane lands at the airport, we will directly board the plane and fly back to Kathmandu early in the morning, enjoying the scenic view once again from the sky. A comfortable private vehicle will be awaiting our arrival in Kathmandu Airport, which will safely escort you to the hotel. In the evening, we meet for some time to discuss your trek and get feedback. The night will be spent at a tourist standard hotel in Kathmandu.

Meals included: Breakfast

(Highlights of the day: Wonderful aerial view of the terrain from the plane, hotel in Kathmandu)

Today is the last day of your trip in Nepal with EverTrek. If your flight is scheduled early morning, then one of our company representatives will escort you to the airport as per your flight departure time. But, if the flight is scheduled later in the evening, you can go shopping and collect a few mementos or simply hang around shopping areas in Kathmandu. However, if you are planning to spend some extra days in Nepal, we can also make the arrangements for some other top adventurous activities that you can attend while you are in Nepal.

Meals included: Breakfast

(Highlights of the day: Wonderful aerial view of the terrain from the plane, hotel in Kathmandu.)