

- TRIP DURATION
- 16 Days
- MAX. ALTITUDE
- 5554m
- TRIP GRADE
- Moderate
- LODGING
- Tea house
- BEST SEASON
- Springs and autumn
- MEALS
- Breakfast lunch dinner
- COMMUNICATION
- Local sim card
- PER DAY WALK
- 5 to 6 hours
Everest Base Camp and Gokyo lakes Trek
Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lake Trek Overview
We have all fantasized about being surrounded by mountain vistas and having the most wonderful times of our lives. And that dream can only come true in the proximity of the Himalayas which has some of the tallest mountain vistas in the world. And Everest, being the world’s tallest mountain, is the most wonderful destination for travel freaks around the world.
Everest Base Camp trek is among the world’s most celebrated trekking routes. Each year, over 50,000 trekkers complete this prodigious trek, enjoying the most amazing journey of their life. The cascading rivers, pristine waterfalls, and most importantly, the Majestic Everest standing there proudly, make it a breathtaking view.
And, with this Everest base Camp trek Itinerary, we are walking beyond Everest to explore the hidden glacier lakes of Gokyo Valley while crossing the Chola pass at 5,200 meters. Isn’t this Gokyo Lake trek Itinerary exciting?
The distinction of Himalayan alpine landscapes from the subtropical forest also makes everything interesting. And, the most important part of this Everest Base Camp Trek is the unique Sherpa culture and architecture.
The Everest Base Camp trek begins from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. First, you can take a flight to Lukla (9,383 ft). Then you trek to Phakding (8,562 ft) and head to the famous village of Namche bazaar (11,286 ft). Now, you slowly walk towards Tengboche (12,850ft), Dingboche (13,980 ft), and Lobuche (16,175 ft). Finally, you reach Gorak Shep (17,010 ft), which is the resting point for the Everest base camp trekkers.
Then, we explore the base camp and walk to Chola Pass while the mountain climbers continue to the higher camp. Then, we finally hike to Gokyo Valley, just to witness the even more exciting views from Gokyo Ri. On the return journey, we walked to Dole and then to Monjo. These villages cover significant places for the Everest Base camp trek map.
So, are you excited to learn everything about the most wonderful journey of your lifetime?
Everest base camp and Gokyo Lake Trek Highlights
- Explore the world’s tallest mountain, i.e., Everest, right at its foot
- Enjoy utmost luxury right within the natural paradise- a wonderful blend
- Views of dozens of mountain peaks, waterfalls, rivers, and classic Sherpa settlements
- Visit many UNESCO world heritage sites within capital
- Two rest days at Namche Bazaar and Dingboche to visit the Everest view hotel, Sagarmatha National Park Museum, and more
- Witness the amazing glacier lake chain at Gokyo while also crossing the exciting Chola Pass
- Hike to Kalapathar for a better view of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and other nearby peaks.
ITINERAY
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Upon arrival, there will be our representative waiting for you at the airport. After the visa works, we shall drive to our hotel in Thamel and enjoy the moments of rest. In the evening, we shall arrange a welcome dinner and a tour briefing session. Before that, you can go shopping and prepare your bag so that you are ready to head for the trek.
Everest Base Camp Trek
Meal : Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Accomodation : Tea house
Day 02: Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding
Altitude-2,840 meters
Walking time- 3 to 4 hours
Distance: 11kms
Since we want to engage you with an exciting countryside drive of Nepal, we shall directly fly you to Lukla. Here, a mountain flight to Lukla shall be waiting for us. Obviously, the flight above the high hills of Nagarkot and Jiri as well as the mountains of Nepal will be adventurous. From Lukla, our crew moves towards Phakding. As you walk to Phakding, you can cross several suspension bridges, stupas, Mani stones, and prayer wheels. After a short and easy walk, we stop at the best teahouse in Phakding.
Overnight in Phakding
Day 03: Trek to Namche
Altitude- 3,440 meters
Walking time- 5 to 6 hours
Today’s walk might be a bit demanding as we walk about 11 km. From Namche, we first get to Dudh Koshi River and walk over a suspension bridge. The first stop is about 1km away from Lukla. Then, we entered the village of Monjo. At Monjo village, we enter the Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. From here, the ascent is quite steep and demanding.
By evening, we get into Namche which has some of the best hotels in the entire Everest region. This is one of the largest and most exciting villages we shall encounter in our journey to the Everest Base Camp. There’s a good hotel and amazing restaurants on Namche Bazaar. You can visit the local shops at night.
Overnight in Namche
Day 04: Trek to Everest View hotel and back to Namche Bazzar
Namche is the old salt trading route from Nepal to Tibet. This is among the biggest Sherpa Settlements of the Khumbu region, blessed with both nature and modern technology. We take an additional rest day at Namche and allow ourselves to relax in Namche. Even if you feel completely okay, taking this rest day shall be extremely helpful in the mountains.
In the morning, we can hike to Everest View hotel, a star hotel at the highest altitude. The panorama of Everest and other nearby peaks makes it a wonderful place. Back to Namche Bazaar, we visit some amazing destinations like Sagarmatha National Park Museum which takes about 20 minutes. Then, we went back to Namche Bazaar to spend our night.
Overnight in Namche
Day 05: Trek to Tengboch
Altitude- 3,867 meters
Walking time- 4 to 5 hours
Distance – 11 km/6,8 mi
We wake with a beautiful sunrise before the majestic Everest which is visible from our hotel room. After breakfast, we slowly trace our route to Tengboche. On the way, we first stop at Kyangjuma for some rest. Then, after about 30mins, we reached the village called Leushyasa and then Phungi Thanga. Finally, after about 4 hours we reached Tengboche.
Tengboche is just the small settlements of guesthouses around the monastery. Most of the places about Tengboche follow the same route.
Then, we visited the Tengboche monastery, the most significant Buddhist pilgrimage in the region. We can even join the prayer ceremony in the evening.
Overnight in Tengboche
Day 06: Trek to Dingboche
Altitude- 4,350 meters
Walking time- 4 to 5 hours
Distance – 10.5 km
In the morning, we enjoy a lavish breakfast over Tengboche and slowly head towards Dingboche. Now, this can be a tough day as we cross above 4000m. Now, after a slight ascent, we reach a place called Pangboche or Shomare. If you are finding it hard to walk, we can even stop and Pangboche for a few moments. However, the guest houses are closed here in the off-season.
Beyond the forest i.e. about 8km from Dingboche, there’s a big split in the route. The left one takes to Pheriche and the lower route on the right heads towards Dingboche. Since the way to Dingboche is a bit easy and has better views, we walk to Dingboche. Crossing other rivers, streams, and cascading waterfalls make our walk pleasant. We hike to Orsho before getting to Dingboche.
Overnight in Dingboche
Day 07: Rest in Dingboche
As we are already dwelling beyond 4,000 meters, our body demands some rest. And Dingboche is our ideal place for acclimatization before we gain more altitude. However, it’s your choice if you wanna take this additional day to give yourselves enough rest before reaching the Everest Base Camp. In the meantime, we hike to the nearby hills for better views of mountains like Mt.Tawache, Ama Dablam, north-Pokalde, and more. On the top of the hill, there are some old and new monasteries that we shall witness.
Overnight in Dingboche
Day 08: Trek to Lobuch
Altitude- 4,940 meters
Walking time- 5 to 6 hours
Distance – 8,7 km/5,5 mi
After breakfast in the morning, we will prepare for the walk. This is a relatively easy day for the trek. We follow our classic EBC route taking us to Lobuche. Between Dingboche and Lobuche there’s only one stop that is known to us i.e. Dughla. After a tea break at Dughla, you start the main ascent for the day. However, the view of the Khumbu glacier on the way doesn’t let you bored. Once you walk above the pass, the walk upwards is quite flat and easy along the river.
Thankfully, as we reach Lobuche, we will find some wonderful tea houses. They also serve quite good food at Lobuche, but the cost is higher in comparison to Tengboche.
Overnight in Lobuche
Day 09: Trek to Gorakshep and Everest Base Camp
Altitude- 5,364 meters
Walking time- 7 to 8 hours
Distance – 7 km/4,3 mi
Get ready for the most exciting day of your tour. Today, we walked to Gorak Shep in the morning. We arrive there at about 12 noon and enjoy a delicious lunch. After a meal here, our next destination is Everest Base Camp. From here, the route is long and tough. Also, the route is not marked very well, make sure that you listen to your guide properly. In about 2 hours, you will be in Everest Base Camp.
Witnessing the majestic Everest right from its foothill is already the greatest blessing. There shall be more than an hour to capture the beautiful scenery and take some amazing photos of Everest before getting back to Gorak Shep for the night’s stop. Gorakshep is the last village before Everest Base Camp, so we must get back here.
Overnight in Gorakshep
Day 10: Trek to Kalapatthar and Zongla
Altitude – 2,860 m
Walking time – 7 hours
Total distance – 22 km
This is the longest and yet the most adventurous day of the trip. You wake up very early to hike at Kalapatthar before sunrise. If you don’t feel like waking up that early, you can start the walk at about 7 am and trek to Kalapatthar by 9 am just to see the panorama of the mountains. The views of a mountain range from Kalapatthar are the most rewarding ones.
Then, we get back to Gorak Shep for breakfast. Finally, getting our bags up, we walk to Zongla. The section of the walk can be a bit tricky, but we can easily make it to the Zongla. in time.
Overnight in Zongla
Day 11: Trek Dzongla to Thangna via Chola Pass
Altitude: 4650 m
Duration: 8 hours
Distance: 14 kms
The initial walk on the flat stone path through the arid valley is quite fun. However, then we start the most difficult section of our trek i.e hike to the Chola pass. Trekking on the icy trails along the Chola glacier is certainly not easy. Even then, the breathtaking view from Chola Pass at 5420 meters makes it all exciting. After we reach Chola pass we descend down to a place called Phedi. From there we climbed down up to Thangna. It is a small village with few lodges and tea shops. You can catch a glimpse of Machhermo peak and some others.
Day 12: Trek to Gokyo lakes
Altitude: 4800 m
Duration: 4 to 5 hours
As we hike via the glacier route, we shall stop at the first Lake of Gokyo. From here, the trail following the Dudh Koshi valley is quite flat and easy. We head towards the windy Gokyo valley which is situated near the third lake. This Gokyo valley is one of the highest settlements in the world with a handful of beautiful lodges. At Gokyo, you are stunned by the natural beauty of Dudh Pokhari Lake.
Overnight in Gokyo Valley
Day 13: Hike to Gokyo Ri and Trek to Dole
Altitude: 4200 meters
Duration: 6 to 7 hours
Gokyo Ri, a nearby hill that emerges above the village on the northern side of the Lake is actually our major destination for the trek. From the Gokyo Ri peak, the summits of Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu are very mesmerizing. But what’s better is the view of all the glacier lakes before the mountains. Then we descend to Gokyo village for breakfast and trek down to Dole. Along the yak Pasture, the walk down to Gokyo Valley is quite fun.
Overnight in Dole
Day 14: Trek to Monjo
Altitude: 2,835m
Walking time: 6 hours
Today, we will walk through multiple small villages as we walk down from Dole. This site of the
route is more challenging than the ones from Pangboche. We need to cross a river before getting
to Monjo. You will be staying in great tea houses over Monjo.
Overnight in Monjo
Day 15: Trek to Lukla
Altitude: 2,850m
Duration: About 6 hours
Distance: 20km
From Monjo, we retrace the same route to Lukla. The path is favorable, and the downward walk will be easy. In a few more hours, we get to Phakding and then to Chheplung. Finally, we get back to Lukla only in the evening and bid farewell to the team. Then, you can enjoy a wonderful dinner to celebrate your great accomplishment.
Overnight in Lukla
Day 16: Fly to Lukla
The flight back from Lukla to Kathmandu is usually scheduled in the morning. This 30-min flight will be an epic end to the journey. From the airport, we drove to our hotel in Kathmandu. Once you reach the hotel, you can enjoy a fabulous spa or visit nearby places.
Overnight in Kathmandu
Fixed Departure
Trip Date | Trip Status | |
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include / exclude
Trip Cost Includes
- Domestic and international airport pickup and drop-off services by private vehicle
- all airport taxes at the local level
- Kathmandu to Lukla to Kathmandu airfare
- Professional English-speaking guide for the Full Trek
- Very strong and professional sherpas (potters) for the trek
- Sagarmatha national park permits
- Khumbu Municipality Permits (TIMS)
- One set breakfast, one set lunch, and one set dinner, with a cup of tea in the morning, during trekking days.
- Tea house accommodations in the mountains
- Three-night hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast (3-star standard hotel)
- All government taxes and company service charges
Trip Cost Excludes
- International airfare.
- Travel Insurance
- Tips for guides and potters
- a soft or hard drink
- Wifi and battery charging in the mountains
useful info
FAQs
How hard is the Trek to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes?
Trek to Everest Base Camp is about 13 days of walking in about 130kms. The distance is not a big deal here but that hits you hard is altitude sickness. Trekking above 4,000 meters can take a toll over your body. With such a swift change in altitude, your major concern should be high altitude sickness. The oxygen level lowers as the pressure increases. And when your body doesn’t get enough oxygen, symptoms like nausea, fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite are common. It might get worse as you experience diarrhea, vomiting, insomnia, and shortness of breath. If these symptoms are severe, you should stop the trek and rest wherever you are. It’s better if you head to a lower altitude and take some medications. In the worst case, one needs a helicopter rescue in Annapurna. That’s why we recommend you to get travel insurance to Nepal that covers high altitude rescue.
Altitude sickness might sound very risky, but it’s manageable with some preparation. Start by hiking only for a few hours and gain little altitude each day. Hydrate yourself and always have high-calorie, healthy meals that keep you energetic. Also, avoid all kinds of alcoholic beverages and carry some medications; ask your doctor to prescribe you some medicine. Also, some cardio exercises like running, hiking, swimming, and cycling a few months before the trek are helpful.