Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek

Arriving at Kathmandu counts as your 1st day of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp. As your get flight enters Nepal, you will immediately be able to see the mountains of the Himalayas in the north.

After your flights get to the Tribhuvan International Airport, you must fill out your tourist visa application before you are allowed to leave the premises. For this, you will be directed by an airport official towards the immigration booth where you have to ask for an application form. You can also fill out the form online, to do so just click here.

Filling out an online form comes in handy during peak travel season (spring and autumn) since there are high chances of long lines at the immigration desk. After you fill out the form and pay the required visa fees, you will be provided with a confirmation slip which you must print out or download on your device. After you’ve finished all the mandatory steps, you should wait a while to get a “visa granted” email.

The government of Nepal has not clarified yet the time it takes to get the email for your visa approval.

The other option is to fill out your visa application a the airport, pay your visa fees at the nearby bank counter, and submit it to the immigration officer. You will get your visa granted shortly afterward.

For both approaches, you are required to submit proof of accommodation, proof of return tickets, recent passport-sized photos (two), and your passport that is valid for at least 6 more months.

After you are granted your tourist visa, you can exit the terminal where you will find one of your reps waiting for you. He will guide you to our vehicle, which will take you to your hotel for the night. For the time being, you can stroll the bustling and vibrant streets of Kathmandu. We recommend you not buy anything from the street vendors who may try to sell you different goods; just enjoy the vibes of Kathmandu.

The next day your Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp takes you to Lukla. The airport at Lukla is a sight to remember and also one of the most scenic flights you will ever experience. The views as you fly over the hills of Solukhumbu region will definitely capture all your attention. So, be ready with your camera, these scenes can only be found in the Himalayas of Nepal.

Once we land at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, we will gather our belongings and get on the way to Phakding. We can rest for a couple of minutes to take in the scene from the wide-open airport. The flight is a short one, lasting only 45 minutes from Kathmandu but if you are feeling more adventurous we can also arrange a trek to Lukla which takes about 2 additional days.

Our flight will leave early in the morning as afternoon and evening flights are not an option. This is because the Himalayan winds bring in a lot of clouds which causes poor visibility.

As we walk through the town of Lukla, you will get your first glimpse of life in the remote Himalayas of Nepal. Lukla is not particularly a remote village but you will see some sights that give you an idea of the inaccessibility of the area.

Crossing the parameters of Lukla, we will reach our first checkpoint of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp. There are multiple checkpoints throughout the trek which helps authorities track where trekkers and visitors are and also help track down trekkers who lose their way.

At this checkpoint, your permits will be checked and you will also have to get one of the permits for the trek there. Our guide will help you get these permits which are covered by your Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp package.

Today’s trek is not lengthy or difficult as it is your first day. We have to take it nice and slow to avoid the effects of altitude sickness at any cost.

Your trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar is a bit more taxing than the previous day. Today, we will gain 830 meters of elevation covering a total distance of 10.4 kilometers.

Starting off the trek, we will walk a fairly plain section for about 500 meters before dropping down and gradually ascending. From this point on, the trail takes an ascending profile with a few drops in between. After about 7.5 kilometers of ascending trek with few downhill sections, you will drop down one final time and hit the final stretch of the day.

This section is the hardest of the day as you have to trek about 1700 meters uphill. This section starts as you reach the Bhote Koshi River. Today’s trek will have us travel through several villages namely, Zamphuti, Toc Toc, Benkar, Chumoa, Monjo, and Jorsale.

The day starts at 2,610 meters of altitude while our final standing will be at 3,440 meters above sea level.

After gaining over 800 meters of altitude in a single day, we should take a mandatory acclimatization/rest day to let our bodies adapt well to the change in climate and environmental conditions. The oxygen level at Namche Bazaar is 67% of the sea level which is not an alarming number but it does mean that there is less oxygen in the air.

You can spend your day visiting the local attractions of the town. We recommend you visit the Sherpa Museum which displays different historical mountaineering equipment. You should also visit the Sagarmatha National Park Museum, this requires a short hike which is good for acclimatization. This museum houses a Tenzing Norgay statue and displays a bunch of equipment and images related to the pioneer Sherpas.

Additionally, you can also visit the Syangoche Panorama View Point, Namche Bazaar Stupa, the Irish Pub (which claims to be the highest-located Irish Pub in the world), and the Art Museums.

Doing a bit of uphill trek during your acclimatization day helps your body adapt better to the new and harsh environment. The best thing to do is climb high and sleep low.

Day 5 of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp takes you on an 11.5-kilometer trek from Namche to Dole. Trekking at a safe pace, we should be able to cover this distance within 6 hours at most.

The first part of today’s trek takes us on a steep uphill trail gaining about 100 meters of elevation in just 400 meters of trekking. After this part, the trail turns to a gradual ascend for the next 4 kilometers. Following a gradual descent, we will reach Kyangjuma village which leads us to Sanasa village, the start of the difficult section.

Over the next 2.2 kilometers, we will gain about 373 meters of altitude before sharply dropping down 365 meters of altitude. The uphill section is hard on your thighs while the downhill slope is sharp and tricky. You must be very considerate of where you step. At the top of this section, we will stop for lunch and enjoy the panoramic view of Khumbu’s natural landscape.

At the end of the downhill slope, we will reach Phortse Tenga. From that point, the trail gradually ascends to Dole, our final destination of the day. Our final altitude of the day will be 4,030 meters starting from 3,440 meters.

Today’s trek of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp takes us to the beautiful village of Machhermo from where views of Cho Oyu, Cholatse, and Tawoche, are apparent. The day trek starts with a downhill slope and a gradual ascent all the way to Luza village. From there, the trail turns more steep as we walk through ridges of the hills with the Dudh Koshi River flowing in the basin.

We will reach a maximum altitude of 4440 meters on the top of the ridge and descend a couple hundred meters to reach Machhermo at 4390 meters of altitude. Today’s trek is also considered a difficult one as the trail is mostly uphill and through inhabited lands of the arid ridges.

Closing in on the 4500-meter mark means we are now within the Himalayan territory of the Nepalese highlands. Today’s Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp day trek starts with a short steep section followed by 1.3 kilometers of plain trail. This trail leads us to an ascending trail which is the way to Langponga Tsho Lake. Continuing the trek, we will reach Taujung Tsho Lake and Dudh Pokhari Lake which are far bigger than the first one. These are the famous, pristine blue, Gokyo Lakes.

At the end of the day, we will have gained 310 meters of elevation which is under the recommended elevation gain per day. During these high Himalayas adventures, you should avoid gaining more than 500 meters of

Day 8 of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp is yet another acclimatization day but a really scenic one. We will hike up to Gokyo Ri before the break of dawn to experience a glorious sunrise up in the Himalayas. From Gokyo, we will have to cover about 1.67 kilometers approximately to reach Gokyo Ri, which will take around 2 hours.

This day of the trek is one of the most challenging ones as the way up to Gokyo Ri is steep and snow-covered. Reaching an altitude of 5350 meters above sea level, the panoramic view up north is signified by Mt. Cho Oyu while the eastern scene is home to Mt. Everest. When the sun hits the snow-covered slopes of the peaks, the radiant glow that shines upon the entire scene is something out of a fairy tale.

Gokyo to Thangnak is probably the easiest trekking day of the entire Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp. With only 4 kilometers to cover for the day, you just have to trek for about 2.5 hours. We will follow the same trial as Day 7 and get back to Gokyo before hitting the left and continuing to Thagnak. We’ll once again visit the Gokyo Lakes for one last time.

Located at an elevation of 4700 meters above sea level, this village is the connecting point of Gokyo Lakes and the standard EBC trek trail. This village is set on a foothill that is usually halfway covered in snow which makes it a scenic treat.

The most challenging day of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp has come; the day we cross Cho La Pass. The trek starts with a steeply ascending trail that goes on to descend after 1.2 kilometers of an uphill trek. This part is followed by 1 km of gradual descent after which the real deal starts.

We will bring the steep climb to the Cho La Pass where the steep gradient goes as high as 87.4%. The final part of the climb is the most difficult as we have to climb the steepest section of the entire Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp. We will gain about 133 meters of altitude in just 450 meters of trail. For this part, crampons are recommended.

Once at the top of the pass, you will get to see why Ama Dablam is considered the most gorgeous mountain on the planet. In addition that, you also get to see views of Cholatse, Lobuche East, Nuptse, Kumbutse, Kangtega, Thamserku, Lingtren, Pumori, and Taboche.

From the top of Cho La Pass, it will take us about 2 hours to reach Dzongla, our destination for the night.

Dzongla to Lobuche is one of the easiest days of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp. Today, we will cover only 6.3 kilometers of distance within 3 hours of descent. Starting off, we will descend sharply to a river and cross a suspension bridge after which the trail gradually steepens. Trekking through highs and lows, we will reach our lunch spot in about 2 hours, or you can just have a well-prepared lunch at your accommodation in Lobuche.

Following an easy day, we are back to a hard day of trekking in the Himalayas. Even though we only have to cover 4.3 kilometers of distance to reach Gorakshep, the ruggedness and steepness of the trail make it harder for trekkers. Not to mention, today’s trail is narrow at some points and can get a bit congested when a long line of transport cattle comes from the opposite side of the trail.

We will reach Gorakshep in just 2.5 hours from Lobuche; we will check in at a lodge there, leave our belongings and heavy baggage in our room, and move towards the Everest Base Camp. From Gorakshep, our ultimate destination is 3.5 kilometers away which should take us about 3 hours to cover and 1.5 to 2 hours to get back to Gorakshep.

The trail is somewhat uneven because of all the stones, pebbles, and snow but looking around you, the scenes will always motivate you to go higher. Once you get to the base camp, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the entire Khumbu region with towering peaks like Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Pumori, Mt. Ama Dablam, and Mt. Thamserku.

After spending the night in Gorkashep, the next morning we will hike up to Kala Patthar, the best viewpoint in all of Khumbu region. Even though it’s only 3.7 kilometers away, we are in for a hard day as the trail is steep all the way to the top. After 2 hours of uphill ascent, we will reach the viewpoint from where views of Mt. Ama Dablam, Lobuche, Thamserku, Taboche, Kangtega, Nuptse, Changtse, and Everest are apparent. The view from there is the best scene you can witness in the entire region.

Following a scenic adventure at Kala Patthar, we will get back to Gorakshep for breakfast and be on our way to Pheriche by 10 AM.

From Pheriche, the first portion of the trail descends down to a river, crossing a suspension bridge, we will get ascend a little to leave the premises of the town. Our first destination of the day is Pangboche where we can stop for a little refreshment, perhaps a cup of tea to re-energize ourselves. From Pangboche, we will get on the road to Deboche which requires crossing yet another suspension bridge.

We will stop at Deboche for lunch. The trail from Deboche is quite the work as it ascends sharply. This steep section can take about 40 minutes to cross after which we will arrive at Tengboche.

Dropping down to the Imjatse River and following it, the day trek begins on the 15th day of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp. The trail takes us to Sanasa village after about an hour of uphill stretch. From there, Namche Bazaar is not very far, we will get there in about an hour. We will take a break there, enjoy the vibrant town, and have some lunch before we continue the trek.

From Namche, we will get on the trail to Jorsale crossing yet another suspension bridge. The trek to Monjo takes about 6 hours of total walking.

Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park which is where your permits will be checked once again. From Monjo, the trail is simple and ascends gradually for a while. Today’s day trek is only 4 hours long and the trail is much simpler compared to the other days of the Gokyo Lake Trek with Everest Base Camp.

From Lukla, we will get on an early morning flight to Kathmandu as afternoon flights are not available. It will take us about 45 minutes to reach Kathmandu airport where one of our drivers will be there to pick you up. The driver will drop you off at your hotel, the same one you stayed on day 1.