Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek

Welcome to Kathmandu! As you land at Kathmandu airport (TIA), reclaim your luggage, finish your custom formalities (visa, etc.) and get to the airport waiting terminal; you will find our representative waiting to greet you. They will be holding the Icicles Adventure Treks & Tours signboard with your name.

You will then be transferred to your hotel. Rest at your hotel to recover from jet lag, or if you have plenty of time, you can visit the Thamel market for any trekking gear you lack for your Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek-19 days. Accommodation: Hotel

Note: If you arrive early today and are not too tired, a pre-trip meeting would be done today at our office or your hotel.  If you arrive after 4 pm, the pre-trip meeting and trip briefing would be done tomorrow (Day 02) after sightseeing activities.

During the pre-trip meeting, we would introduce you to your leader/guide and other trekking group members. Please take this opportunity to ask questions you may have regarding the Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek or, as a whole, your questions regarding Trekking in Nepal. We will also provide you with a down jacket, Everest Base Camp trekking map, a T-shirt, and a Duffel Bag in which you can pack your things.

At the meeting, please make sure you bring a passport, two copies of passport-size photos, and a readable copy of your travel insurance policy. During this meeting, please clear the due balance, if any, and sign the legally binding trip form as well as the non-liability disclaimer.

Today after breakfast we start a guided tour to these four medieval and spiritual sites in Kathmandu which are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

Durbar Square: Durbar Square is a complex of historic palaces, courtyards, and temples, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, used to be the Royal palace compound of the ancient Malla kings of Kathmandu. Interesting pieces here to see are 17th century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace, Taleju temple-tallest of all structures built by king Mahendra Malla in 1549 A.D., Jagannath temple- built in the 16th century, known for fascinating erotic figures carving I the wooden struts eaves, Kal Bhairav- one of the largest stone idols in Kathmandu representing the terrorizing aspects of Shiva, Statue of King Pratap Malla in praying gesture to Digu Taleju the royal family deity right across, Kumari Ghar- 17th century Kumari temple, Kasthamandap- built from the timber of a single tree, Kathmandu derives its name from Kasthamandap.

The entire Palace Complex is also known as Hanuman Dhoka named after a monkey god called Hanuman. One can see a huge stone statue of Hanuman painted all red right next to the main entrance (the golden gate) of the palace. Hanuman here is regarded as a powerful protector of the entire Durbar Square.

Pashupatinath: Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world located on the bank of the Bagmati River. It is a square two-tiered pagoda temple built on a single-tier plinth that is famous all over the world.

Although entrance into the temple complex is allowed to Hindus only, you can clearly see the temple and the activities from the eastern bank of the Bagmati River. Besides being a place of worship, the bank of Bagmati River alongside Pashupatinath Temple is the most important cremation site for the Hindus in Nepal.

Bouddhanath: Bouddhanath, a Buddhist shrine in unique octagonal Mandala design with hundreds of prayer wheels and the 108 images of the Buddha set into the niches around the huge structure.  Bouddhanath Stupa is one of the large Stupas in the world.

Bouddhanath is also famous for over 50 Tibetan monasteries, thus the area is also known as ‘Little Tibet’. You can join the locals to circumambulate the Stupa, bargain for handicrafts in the shops or sit on a rooftop restaurant and absorb the atmosphere.

Swoyambhunath: Popularly known as Monkey temple due to profusion of monkey found in the shrine area, Swoyambhunath is a 2000 years ancient Stupa situated on a small hill. It is world’s most celebrated Buddhist shrine and its main temple is capped by a pinnacle of copper gilt and is painted on the four sides with all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha.

In the evening, please pack your things in the duffel bag given to you. You are requested to keep your luggage10 kgs and 5 kg in backpack. However, you can also take extra luggage but please only pack the extremely necessary things only and be kind to porters although they will not say 'no' to carry additional 1-2 kgs too. Accommodation: Hotel. Included Meal: Breakfast

Wake up at dawn and be ready for the adventure. We will escort you to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu airport for an early morning flight. After an adventurous 35 minutes flight above the array of beautiful green and white mountains, we arrive at the Tenzing-Hillary airport at Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft), an entry town from where your Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes trek begins.

This is one of the most beautiful air routes globally, concluding in a dramatic landing site on a hillside surrounded by high mountains peaks. In Lukla, we meet our additional crew members and do some packing and arrangements; we start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla, descend to Chaurikharka, head up the Dudhkoshi valley until we reach Phakding.

As we land at an altitude of almost 3000m today, we only have a short walk today to assist in acclimatization. Yet, if you are interested in additional activities, you can take a side trip to a nearby monastery. Accommodation: local teahouse. Included meals: B, L, D

We start our walk soon after breakfast. Today’s trek is exciting not only due to the first glimpse of Everest (if the weather is clear) but also because of crossing and re-crossings of Dudh Koshi River and magnificent view of Mt. Thamserku (6,608m/21,675ft) from the Benkar village. We get our trekking permits checked at the entrance of Sagarmatha national park at Monjo.

We tumble down and a gradual walk brings us to Jorsale, the last village until Namche Bazaar. The walk is enjoyable through the river bed and we reach Hillary Suspension Bridge. As we climb up towards Namche Bazzar, the superb sight of Kwangde peak, Kusum peak, Kangaru peak, mt. Everest, Lhotse, Tawache, and many other magnificent mountains greet us.

We break at the Chautala (rest spot with a tree) to admire the view. Finally, we reach the colorful village of Namche Bazaar, the main Sherpa town and trading station in the Khumbu situated spectacularly in a CWM on the mountainside. Accommodation: local teahouse. Included meals: B,L, D

In order to do your Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes trek successfully it's crucial that you keep yourself hydrated, walk leisurely giving time for your body to acclimatize, and in order to assist acclimatization we spend some acclimatization days along the trek.

Today is the first acclimatization day. Namche Bazzaar's altitude is an ideal altitude to spend an acclimatization day before heading off towards a higher elevation. It recommends staying active and mobile during the acclimatization day instead of resting in your lodge. If we trek a few hundred vertical feet during the day, it will help us properly acclimatize.

We can either spend the day exploring Namche Bazaar or take an interesting side trip up to Khumjung, Syangboche airstrip, and Everest View Hotel, a Japanese build deluxe hotel which offers you great views of Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, and others.

Surrounded by the snowy peaks of Kongde and Thamserku and the sacred peak Khumbila there is a pretty village namely Khumjung. In Khumjung, there is a school namely “Schoolhouse In the Clouds” built by Sir Edmund Hillary and the famed Khunde hospital is also close by. You can visit the hospital, school, and monastery. You can take a hike to Thame or Khunde if you have time and interest.

Tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu, Namche Bazaar is the center of the Everest region and has plenty of lodges, tea shops, souvenir shops, money exchangers, government offices, ATMs, Internet cafes, restaurants, bakeries, etc. You can also even enjoy a colorful market each Friday evening and Saturday.

You can visit the Visitor Center near the headquarter of the Sagarmatha National Park where you can observe an assortment of things allied to the first Everest ascenders, Sherpa culture and learn about the various flora and fauna of the Sagarmatha National Park. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

After ascending out of Namche Bazaar, the first 2 hours are relaxed pleasant walking, traversing the left-hand side of the valley, high above the valley base.  We must take a photo break across a few small beautiful or we will miss breathtaking mountain views to record in our cameras. From every bend, we can see the outstanding view of the chain of mountains and snowcapped peaks.

As the trail passes through forests of birch and silver fir trees and you may spot wildlife musk deer, a herd of Himalayan Thar, and colorful pheasants. The path then descends steeply downhill towards the river to Phunki Tenga where we have our lunch.

After crossing the suspension bridge over we come across few prayer wheels run through hydropower. Throughout the trek today we walk through the forest and can watch out for animals too. After two hours' uphill walk we reach the beautiful monastery town of Tengboche which is perched on a ridge up the river valley.  After a brief rest, you can visit the monastery and attend a prayer session too. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

Today we have an option to wake up early to witness cultural Tibetan Buddhism rituals at the ancient Tengboche monastery. After breakfast, we start our trek today. We trek gradually downhill through the rhododendron forest and through the village of Debuche until we cross the Imja Khola.

Then after crossing the river, we will be hiking uphill towards Pangboche, where we will have our lunch enjoying the majestic close view of the beautiful mountain The Ama Dablam (literally mother's necklace). We further walk towards Dingboche.

Shortly after lunch, we cross the tree line and the trail starts to be more alpine, i.e. rocky, windy and dusty with only small shrubs instead of lush forests that we walked through before lunch today. Our body may start showing symptoms of the effect of altitude.

We might have headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, but we must try eating sufficient carbs and drinking at least 3 liters of water. Overnight at a teahouse in Dingboche. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

Today is the second acclimatization day. After enjoying breakfast while glancing at Ama Dablam, we hike to a ridge called Nangkartshang Peak which is behind Dingboche Village. You can hike slowly to halfway or even to the top to aid acclimatization.

The higher you go the better the views are. On the way to Nangkartshang peak, you see peak like Lobuche East peak (6119m), Lobuche West (6145m), Taboche Peak (6367m), Thamserku (6608m), Kangtega (6685m) and Ama Dablam (6856m).

If you hike to the top, you can see Pheriche Valley too. You can also opt to hike to Chhukung Ri instead of Nangkartshang but if the whole group decides the same, it would be easier. Hike to Chhukung Ri will be a longer hike with views of 8000m peaks Mount Lhotse, Mount Makalu, and Mount Cho Yu. Overnight in a teahouse in Dingboche. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

Our target distance today is comparatively short, but its going to take us a long time compared to previous days because the presence of thin air makes the walking strenuous. Taking it slow and drinking plenty of water is wise to prevent altitude sickness. Suggested to pack a windproof jacket in your daypack before you hand over your luggage to porters.

We walk across the ravine, which is the end of Khumbu Glacier. Although walking is tough at this altitude, the beautiful snow-capped gleaming peaks all around in the background of a clear blue, lively sky motivates us to move ahead and discover more of the beauties. The first 3 hours include a gradual incline up to the Thukla pass.

As soon as we reach the top of the pass, we enter the Everest Memorial, where we pay our respect to the brave souls who ended their lives in love for Everest. We will rest and explore before walking next one more hour to reach Lobuche. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

We start on a gradual trail first and after an hour the path becomes steep with numerous boulders to pass. Whilst it isn’t a strenuous climb, the altitude will affect us and we will be walking very slowly.

We reach Gorekshep at lunchtime where we check in to our teahouse, have lunch and start our afternoon hike to Everest Base Camp. The trail is beautiful with giant mountains surrounding us but has plenty of rocky sections and loose stones as we walk through the moraine of Khumbu Glacier, so need to be careful. Arriving at Everest base camp is dreamlike.

You can see the Khumbu Icefall in the distance, one of the most infamous critical sections leading up to the Everest. We feel absolutely overwhelmed standing at the foot of the highest mountain in the world. But getting too excited and overexerting is not good for health at this altitude. Now again two hours' hike down to Gorekshep for overnight stay. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

We wake up approximately 2 hours before sunrise (our guide will tell us time depending upon season/month) and hike to Kalapatthar so that we can reach there at sunrise. It is about a steep trail for 1.5 hours to the top of Kalapatthar. Words only might not give justice to the views from the top of Kalapatthar.

You can see a 360-degree panorama of the Everest range right there in front of you, with Mount Everest itself directly in front of you and Mt. Pumori and Nuptse to your left, for a while you will feel like you are at the top of the world. We walk back to Gorekshep which takes about an hour, have breakfast, and trek down to Dzongla.

While we trek down the trail we get to see amazing views of Lobuche peak, Chola Tsho lake, Arakam Tse (6,423 m), Cholatse (6,335 m), and Taboche (6,367 m). Overnight at the small village of Dzongla. Tomorrow its again going to be a long day as we are going towards Gokyo. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

Some people break this day into two, making an overnight at Thaknak, but if possible, it's wise to trek to Gokyo directly from Dzongla. You have to do an early start for Chol La Pass crossing to avoid sunshine which can melt the ice of the trail, making it slippery and wind which enhances stone falls.

So as you start early, if you are a good walker, you will reach Thaknak at lunchtime (by noon, if not at least by 2 pm). After having lunch at Thanknak, it's just two hours walk to Gokyo, which is worth it because Gokyo Valley is better as a place than Thanknak. Also, accommodation is better in Gokyo than that of Thanknak.

So, we start early. The trail is a little tougher compared to the classic Everest Base Camp Trail. As we reach the top of Chola, we will be rewarded with views of Ama Dablam and Cholatse before descending from Chola.

We have lunch and brief rest at Thanknak and walk we cross the Ngozumpa Glacier, and after about two to three hours, we reach Gokyo set at the bank of the third lake of Gokyo Valley. Overnight at Gokyo. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

One of the major highlights of Everest base camp and Gokyo Lakes trek si hiking over Gokyo Ri. We start our day early in expectation of amazing morning views. However, a challenging yet gratifying trek to the top of Gokyo Ri can take more than a couple of hours.

The summit of Gokyo Ri is famous for providing the best panoramas in the Himalayan range. So, reward yourself with the best expansive views of snowcapped 8000m mountains such as the world highest Mt. Everest 8,850m, fifth-highest Makalu 8,485m, fourth-highest Lhotse 8,516m, and sixth-highest Cho Oyu 8,201m, Lobuche, etc. along with glorious Mahalangur Himalayan range, largest Ngozumba glacier, and the five consecutive lakes stretch along the Gokyo valley.

After savoring the amazing Himalayan vista, we return to Gokyo village.  People who still have energy can also do an optional hike to the fourth or even fifth Gokyo Lakes.  Overnight at Gokyo. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

Since you will be losing altitude as you walk, you will find the hike easier today. The scenic track descends past the second and first Gokyo Lake and along the Dudh Koshi River. Behind you will see incredible views of both Cholatse and Cho Oyu peaks.

The trail then climbs again, offering views of Amadablam, Kantega, and Thamserku. We walk past the villages of Machermo and Luza villages and reach Dole early afternoon. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

The day begins with a steep downhill toward Phortse Tenga. It takes approximately ONE and a half hours to reach Phortse Tenga from Dole. Then, the trail ascends steeply from Phortse Tenga up to the village of Mongla. Mongla is is a settlement on a hilltop with awesome mountain views. We walk through the greenery of rhododendron forests, waterfall, and the village of Kyangjuma before reaching the vibrant town of Namche Bazaar. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

Today we complete the Everest Base Camp and Gokyo loop by trekking back to Lukla. Although you are losing elevation, we will feel like a long day because our legs are weary and the downhill will feel stressed on knees. We trek back the same trail we took to our way up.

We took two days to reach Namche Bazaar from Lukla when we walked up, but we have to walk this length in one day. We feel sad that we are leaving the Everest Himalayas back there, the Sagarmatha National Park, the lovely hospitable villages and environment, the lovely trekking crew.

Again there is reason to be happy too that you have your mission successful. We celebrate the farewell with the porter's crew. The porters will not be flying back to Kathmandu tomorrow, so you are suggested to tip them today and show your gratitude to them. Porters are the pillars of the trade of trekking in Nepal. They deserve the appreciation for their hard work. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, L, D

With a great sense of mission being successful, we fly back to Kathmandu. Again try taking the left pane of the plane and savor the Himalayan beauties from the plan as much as you can. Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, we will be transferred to a hotel in Kathmandu.

Take good time to take a satisfying longer hot shower. Rest of the day you can hang around the market and collect souvenirs for your kin or just rest at your hotel. Icicles Adventure would offer you a dinner tonight in a cultural Nepali restaurant.

We would be pleased if you could give your honest feedback regarding the services provided on a trek to the official representative of Icicles Adventure. Accommodation: Local teahouse, Included Meals: B, D

It's time to say goodbye. We are proud and happy that you completed one of the famous challenging adventures in Nepal, the Everest base camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek. Three hours before your flight time, you will be dropped at the airport. Hoping we made you satisfied and happy with our services, we look forward to your comeback for your next trekking in Nepal. Included Meals: B

Note: You are suggested to come with an extra day (or 2) buffer days for all treks that need Kathmandu/Lukla/Kathmandu flights. Since Kathmandu/Lukla/Kathmandu flight is affected extremely by weather, sometimes even in months those are said to have good weather.

Delays are quite common, and cancellation also happens often. Extra days should always be scheduled at the end of the trip; this gives you flexibility with your trekking itinerary for any weather delays. More about Kathmandu/Lukla/Kathmandu flights

If the flights happened as planned, we would help book a hotel in Kathmandu for you. Then, you can further do sightseeing activities in historical and cultural sites near Kathmandu valley. Or, if you have at least 3 buffer days, you can do a visit to the nice natural city of Pokhara or do a jungle safari tour in Chitwan National Park.