Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lake Trek – 18 days

Once you arrive at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will meet our guide at the terminal. He will be holding a placard with your name or Extollo Adventures printed. After a warm greeting, he will drive you to your hotel. Check-in and catch up on your sleep.

Late afternoon or evening, you will meet your trek guide, who will brief you about your upcoming trek. You can go through your packing list with your guide once again to see if you have packed all the essential items needed for your Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lake trek.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

During your flight try to sit on the left-hand side to soak in the views of the Himalayas. Landing at the narrow Lukla airport surrounded by mountains is an intense experience.

Your crew will be waiting for you at the airport. You have a slow day today as you will be covering only 8km. The trail is lined with rhododendron trees which burst into colorful blooms in spring. Walk past mani stones and turn the prayer wheels as you inch your way towards Phakding. You reach the scenic settlement after crossing a suspension bridge over the thundering Dudh Koshi river. Head to a local teahouse and enjoy a good rest.

Overnight in Phakding.

It is going to be a lot of ups and downs along a scenic trail today. Taking an upward climb past villages with mani walls and prayer wheels. You will get your first close-up glimpse of a Himalayan peak as the craggy summit of Thamserku glistens alluringly on the horizon. You will enter the Sagarmatha National Park, a natural world heritage site from Monjo. There's an army checkpoint at the gate where your baggage will be checked for drones or any illegal item not permitted inside the park. Please note you need to obtain a license from CAAN (Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal) to fly a drone in the Everest region.

You will stop for lunch at a Sherpa village and, after a brief rest, carry on towards Namche. After crossing the Hillary Suspension Bridge, you get your first view of Mount Everest. Namche Bazaar will soon appear after this viewpoint. Following your guide, climb the steps to the center of Namche Bazaar and the lodge where you will be sleeping overnight.

The bowl-shaped settlement of Namche is known as the Sherpa capital. It is a trading hub in this remote corner of the Himalayas where people have to walk for days to buy essentials. Here you will find a bustling market with shops, cafes, bakeries, spas, a bank with an ATM, government offices, etc.

You will spend this day acclimatizing, letting your body adapt to the high altitude. Your guide will take you on a hike to Hotel Everest View, which lies above Namche Bazaar. Leaving Namche, you climb up a stone staircase to Shyangboche. Walking past a grassy meadow, you reach the hotel from where you can savor panoramic views of Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, Thamserku, Khumbila, and other peaks.

After soaking in the views, you return to Namche or take a detour to Khumjung and Kunde. These two historic Sherpa villages were chosen by Sir Edmund Hillary for his developmental projects in the Khumbu Region.

Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

You leave Namche and take the trail radiating west towards Khumjung. Hike past one of the longest mani walls in the Nepal Himalaya before walking out of the valley. Continue on the main course till you reach a junction. You take the path leading to Mong.

After a series of ascents and descents, you reach Mong, which offers some nice views of the Himalayan giants. From Mong, it’s downhill all the way to Phortse Thanga, which sits beside the Dudh Koshi River. There are only a few lodges in Phortse Thanga. The village of Phortse lies further up across the river.

Enjoy a hearty meal and a good night's sleep at a local teahouse.

Today you tackle a stiff uphill section out of Phortse Thanga, which eventually levels out as you approach Dole. Being way past the treeline, the landscape turns dramatic and barren, with stubby grasses and snow-covered mountains fencing the horizon. Don't forget to keep yourself hydrated as you will gain altitude and walk beyond the 4000m mark.

From Dole, it's an upward ascent to an exposed ridge till Lhabarma. Cross Luza while enjoying jaw-dropping views of the valleys and mountains. After a pleasant hike, you finally reach Machhermo, which lies in a gorgeous location offering fantastic views of the mountains.

Overnight in Machhermo.

You trek through one of the most spectacular segments of your trek, crossing a landscape filled with contrasts - vast plains with towering 8000-meter peaks in the background, thundering rivers, mountain lakes, and a glacier which is the longest in the Himalayas (Ngozumpa Glacier).

Leaving Machhermo, you climb up a ridge that offers outstanding views of Cho Oyu, the sixth highest peak in the world, and Kantega. The trail levels out as you reach Pangka and Nilibuk. The trail again goes upwards, and you ascend a steep stone staircase. After crossing a bridge, you arrive at the first of the six Gokyo Lakes. Walking past a level trail, you reach the second lake and eventually reach the third lake, Dudh Pokhari or Gokyo Tsho. Lying on the shores of the Gokyo Tsho is Gokyo village, your rest stop for two nights.

Overnight in Gokyo.

Gokyo lies at an amazing location with the lake at the center and Renjo La and Gokyo Ri rearing towards the west. Cho Oyu looms majestically towards the north.

You take an acclimatization hike to Gokyo Ri, a hill that lies close to the village. Sunrise from Gokyo Ri looks magical, but to enjoy it, you need to wake up before dawn and make the ascent. With your headlamp lighting the way, make your way up a dirt path. It's a steep and strenuous climb to the top.

From the top, you can savor outstanding views of the four highest mountains in the world – Mount Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and a host of other smaller peaks. The Gokyo lakes look stunning in the early morning light, surrounded by the glowing snow-covered mountains and Ngozumpa Glacier.

After soaking in the views and taking pictures, you descend to the village. You can spend the remainder of the day exploring the lakeside or hiking up to Ngozumpa Glacier.

Overnight in Gokyo.

It's a short but tedious hike to Thagnak. You climb over the Ngozumpa Glacier and walk on the lateral moraine stepping carefully on loose rocks and pebbles. The trail is mostly flat, with some gentle ups and downs. Once you reach Thagnak, head to a teahouse and enjoy a hot meal. Spend the rest of the day warming yourself by the woodstove reading, playing cards, or exchanging anecdotes with the other trekkers.

Overnight in Thagnak.

Today is a big day for you as you will cross Cho La Pass, one of the major mountains passes in the Khumbu Region. The hike is long and strenuous and could be the most challenging day of your trek.

You start your trek early in the morning, leaving Thagnak and ascending a narrow valley. Hike up a rocky zigzag path with a safety line attached. You will be walking on ice and snow, so wear your crampons. Colorful prayer flags and rock cairns greet you at the top of the pass. The mountains, as always, look amazing. The summits of Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Baruntse and Lobuche appear quit close.

It's a steep descent to the other side of the pass. Traverse the Cho La glacier cautiously and head down to a barren valley. After walking for a while, you reach your destination, Dzongla.

Dzongla, which is actually a summer camp of yak herders, has a couple of teahouses run by local families.

Overnight in Dzongla.

Today's walk is short and easy. After leaving the settlement, you cross a small stream and follow an up and down route. En route, you come across the beautiful Chola Tsho Lake, while the jagged summits of Arakam Tse, Taboche, Cholatse, and other mountains cover the horizon. You soon reach Lobuche and head to a teahouse. Rest and recharge for your long hike to Everest Base Camp.

Overnight in Lobuche.

Wake up early and take the trail to Gorak Shep. Head north-east and walk along on an even path which later climbs up and dips down on the glacial moraine. It's a short walk to Gorak Shep. The trail is easy, but the high altitude might make breathing difficult. Therefore, it's essential to maintain a slow but steady pace and keep oneself hydrated. After reaching Gorak Shep, have your lunch, leave your bags (heavier ones) and make your final push towards Everest Base Camp.

The trail to EBC follows the outskirts of the Khumbu Glacier. You will be walking on a mixture of sand and stone, so be careful. As you approach the base camp, you can see the Khumbu Icefall and prayer flags strung beside the rocky boulders. Walk the final stretch and reach the famous Everest Base Camp rock covered with numerous prayer flags. Further down, you can see the tented camps of the Mount Everest expedition groups.

Take pictures and celebrate with your group. Later you retrace your steps and head down to Gorak Shep.

Gorak Shep will be the highest overnight stop of your trek.

Overnight in Gorak Shep.

Before leaving Gorak Shep, you hike to Kala Patthar at dawn to catch the sunrise over Mount Everest and other giants. Kala Patthar, which lies at an altitude of 5550 meters, is one of the most famous viewpoints in the Everest region. From here you can enjoy panoramic views of Mount Everest, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, Thmaerku, Kantega, Changtse and Lobuche.

After witnessing the glorious sunrise over the snow-draped peaks, you return to Gorak Shep and leave for Pheriche via Lobuche. You walk down the Khumbu Glacier while soaking in the dramatic landscape of the Sagarmatha National Park. I

t's downhill all the way from Lobuche to Pheriche, which lies beside the Imja River. En route, you cross the Thukla Pass and the hundred-plus memorials dedicated to climbers and Sherpas who lost their lives on the world's tallest mountain.

On reaching Pheriche, you can rest your weary legs by a warm woodstove fuelled by sun dried yak dung at a local teahouse.

Overnight in Pheriche.

You return to Namche via Tengboche. It's a long day of hiking past a picturesque trail. You take a break at the settlement of Tengboche, which is home to Khumbu's most important Buddhist monastery, Tengboche Gompa.

The descent may be tough on your knees, but the steady loss in elevation means that you can breathe easier and walk faster. Once you reach Namche, you can indulge yourself and enjoy a nice hot shower, and have your favorite meal.

Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

It is downhill all the way to Lukla. Walk through the pretty villages while pausing at intervals to savor the mountain views for one last time. Cross the swaying metal bridges and take a final hike up to Lukla, where you spend the last night of your trek.

Before retiring for the night, get together with the local crew to celebrate the success of your trek. You can thank the staff and hand over the tips as an appreciation for their hard work.

Bid goodbye to Lukla and the mountains and fly back to Kathmandu. Our guide and vehicle will be waiting for you at the domestic airport. After landing in Kathmandu, drive back to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. You can chill out at your hotel or go souvenir hunting at the local bazaar.

A day reserved for emergencies like flight delay or cancellation, bad weather, illness, or injury that might throw a wrench in your plans. If everything goes smoothly, you can enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour in Kathmandu on this day.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

It's time to bid goodbye to Nepal and head home. We will pick you up from your hotel and drop you at the international airport at least three hours prior to your flight's scheduled departure.

If you want to explore more trails or discover more destinations, please do let us know. Our travel consultant will help you plan your next trip.