Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days

Reaching Kathmandu counts as the first day of the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days. It is going to be a scenic flight to Kathmandu, where you will get to see the northern Himalayas of Nepal once your flight enters Nepal’s territory. Once you get to the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will have to apply for a tourist visa. It’s actually very easy to get one as the Government of Nepal has made an active effort to streamline the process, offering “visa on arrival” for most international visitors.

At the immigration desk, you have to ask for a visa application form, fill it out, and pay your visa fees at the nearby banking counter. Following that, you must present your application form and visa fees receipt along with your passport, return tickets, proof of stay, and two passport-sized photos. This whole process should take no more than an hour.

If you are planning to visit Nepal during the peak travel seasons, we recommend you apply for a tourist visa online, days before your arrival in Nepal. This will help you avoid the long lines at the immigration counter.

The very next day, we will get on a morning flight to Lukla, the starting point of the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days. This 45-minute flight happens only in the morning hours since the hilly regions of Nepal are infamous for strong afternoon winds that result in unpredictable weather and flight conditions. After we land at the Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla, Glory Adventure’s porters will handle your heavy luggage while you just have to carry a light day pack.

Having a day pack gives you quick access to things like water bottles, energy bars, gadgets, and other important items you might want during trekking. Today’s trekking distance is just 7.5 km, which is a great thing since it’s our first day of trekking on the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days itinerary. It should take us about 3 to 4 hours to complete the trek, and we will lose over 250 meters of elevation as we get to the destination of the day.

Today’s trekking distance stretches over 10.5 km with an elevation gain of over 800 meters. This trek will take us 6 to 7 hours to complete because of the sharp ascents it offers. Leaving Phadking, we will first cross the Dudh Koshi River over a suspension bridge and follow the river’s path upstream. We will first each the village of Zamfute, followed by Toktok and Benkar village, where we will rest a while.

Moving on, we will cross a few more suspension bridges to get to Monjo village, the main entrance point of the Sagarmatha National Park. Our trek permits will be checked at the checkpost nearby before we are allowed to move forward. Entering the national park, we will soon arrive at Jorsale village, our lunch stop, and the last major settlement before Namche.

Following our meal, we will now get on the final ascent to Namche Bazaar, which is a steep climb for more than an hour. It will be an exhausting day, but the vibrant setting of the town will surely give you an energy boost.

From Namche Bazaar to Hotel Everest View, it’s a 5.4 km round-trip trek that takes no more than 3 hours to complete. But we will be adding Khumjung village to today’s acclimatization hike itinerary. This will add about 1.5 to 2 hours of trek time and 3 more km of trek distance. Overall, we will be on our feet for 4.5 to 5 hours and cover a distance of 8.3 km. The elevation gain of the day is 440 meters at Hotel Everest View.

Leaving Namche Bazaar, we will climb up a steep forested trail and also pass the National Park Museum to get to the Hillary Viewpoint. This viewpoint is just 2 km away from Namche, which should take us about 45 minutes to cover. A great view of Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Everest awaits us. We will soon reach Hotel Everest View, sitting at 3880 meters above sea level, and enjoy the great scenery of the entire Everest Himalayan range.

After that, we will descend to Khumjung village, which is a popular destination on the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days itinerary. The Khumjung monastery and the Hillary School are notable sites within the village.

Today’s trek spans over 11 km, takes about 6 to 7 hours to complete, and has an elevation gain of 700 meters. The trek starts with a climb to Kyanjuma village, this ascent is very gentle. At Kyanjuma, we will reach a fork on the road; taking the left, we will get on the trail to Gokyo Valley.

After a while, we will reach the Mong La pass, sitting at 3975 meters, and offering a wide scene of the Khumbila, Thamserku, and Ama Dablam peaks. The trail then descends through a forest of pine and leads us to Phortse Tenga, reaching 3600 meters above sea level. This is where our lunch will be served, and we will ascend through a rhododendron forest to get to Dole. This forest will bloom beautifully in the spring season.

Today is a short trekking day as the trek distance just spans a little over 4 km, making it the shortest trekking distance of the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days itinerary. This trekking day will last about 3 to 4 hours with an elevation gain of over 300 meters. Leaving the village of Dole, we will get on a gentle ascent through pasture lands with no trees in sight. We have left the tree line way behind, and now there are open views of the valley with patches of bushes and meadows.

Slowly and steadily, we will make it to Lhabarma village, followed by an arrival at Luza, where we will have our lunch. After a filling and energetic meal and a long resting period, we will get back on the trail. Shortly afterwards, views of Thamserku, Cho Oyu, and Kantega are apparent in the distant north. It is a gentle climb all the way to Machhermo.

Day 7 of the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days itinerary requires about 4 to 5 hours of trekking with an elevation gain of 320 meters and a total trek distance of 6.8 km. Our trek today begins with a gradual ascent, taking us to a wide open meadow, where you can see Yaks and other cattle grazing. You might have to give way to passing herds of Yaks; these creatures are very gentle in nature, but refrain from touching them without a shepherd’s permission.

As we head forward, the trail turns rugged and dry as we approach the first Gokyo Lake. We will pass a narrow canyon trail and see the Longpanga Tsho Lake (4668 m). This lake freezes over in the spring. Moving on, we will reach the Taboche Tsho Lake, the 2nd Gokyo Lake, reaching 4728 meters above sea level. Then, we will reach the third Gokyo Lake, Dudh Pokhari or Gokyo Tsho, sitting at 4738 meters.

We will head straight to the Gokyo Village to check in at our teahouse for the night. You can explore the surrounding areas since you will have a few daylight hours to spend.

Today is the climax of the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days itinerary. We will wake up to a gorgeous view of the Gokyo Lakes, have the most beautiful breakfast with scenes of glaciers, lakes, and peaks, and proceed to hike up to Gokyo Ri. The total distance is just 3 km, but it will take us about 3.5 to 4 hours to complete this hike round trip. The elevation gain will reach over 560 meters.

The hike will begin with leaving the Gokyo village and heading west along a ridgeline of the Ngozumpa Glacier. After a while, the trail turns into a sharp ascent with loose rocks; this part requires trekking poles. Over a short distance, we will gain considerable elevation, which makes this trek a challenge. However, with the help of Glory Adventure’s guides and porters, you will make it to the top of Gokyo Ri.

There, we will get to enjoy a panoramic view of the Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Makalu, and Everest peaks, 4 of the top 6 highest peaks on the planet in one single frame. Following the same path, we will descend to Gokyo village after spending some quality time at the summit. We will have our lunch at the village before getting on the trail to Dole.

Leaving the Gokyo Lakes, we will follow the Dudh Koshi River downstream. This trail takes us through Machhermo, Luza, and Lhapharma village to finally get to Dole. We will stop for rest and refreshments on the way. The total distance from Gokyo to Dole is 14 km, which will take about 4 to 5 hours to complete, making it the longest trekking day of the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days itinerary.

Day 9 is your first descending day of the trek, and the trek distance today measures 12 km. This will have us on the trail for 5 to 6 hours with an elevation loss of over 600 meters. The descent brings with it exiting the Dole village over a well-maintained trail. This initial section of the trek features many ups and downs, along with a backdrop of Everest and Ama Dablam peaks.

As we lose elevation, we will have to go through forested sections of rhododendron and pine. You might even get to see a couple of wild animals on the way; you will definitely get to see some Himalayan birds.

Today is the last trekking day of the Gokyo Lakes Trek 12 Days journey; for our final act, we will trek all the way down to Lukla from Namche Bazaar. This trek spans over 19 km with an elevation loss of 580 meters. Leaving Nacmhe, we will descend sharply and get a crossing over the Dudh Koshi River. This will be one of the many suspension bridges we will cross to get to Lukla.

Passing Monjo, we will leave the Sagarmatha National Park and get to Phakding, where we will rest a little. From there, we will first reach Chheplung and get on the final descent to Lukla.

The very next day, we will get on a morning flight back to Kathmandu. We will have a brief meeting before we drop you off at your accommodation for the night. You are free to rest for the entire day or roam around the streets of Kathmandu, visiting a couple of attractions and cultural or historical sites within the city.

The next day, we will bid you farewell with high hopes to see you again soon; your next Himalayan adventure is waiting. We hope you had a great time with Glory Adventure, and we are very grateful for any feedback and review you can leave us. Our representative will drop you off at the airport at your preferred time.