Gokyo - Cho La pass - Everest Base Camp Trek
Duration: 21 days
Region: Everest Region
Dates: March / April / May / October / November
The trek to Gokyo offers an alternative to the traditional trek to Everest Base Camp. From Gokyo, you can see Everest though from a slightly greater distance. The high mountain views are spectacular from here and from a ridge above Gokyo you can see four eight thousand meters mountains at once (Cho-Oyu, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu).You can also do some exploration and high altitude walking including the crossing of Cho La pass, a 5,420m high pass into the Khumbu valley and combine the Gokyo and Everest Base Camp Trek.
Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to hotel upon arrival.
Day 02: Sightseeing (Boudha, Pashupatinath and Swambunath)
Day 03: Kathmandu - Lukla - Phakding
This is an hour flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Airport (2,800m). The trail from Lukla, leads north from the airstrip and drops steeply for a bit, then descends gently to Phakding (2,700m), your first overnight here. This is a two hour trek.
Day 04: Phakding - Namche
From Phakding the trail continues north up the Dudh Koshi Valley. (Koshi means river in Nepali and it comes down from the Everest glacier). All along this part of the trail, there is a magnificent forest of Magnolia, rhododendron and giant firs. On the cliffs above the river it is possible to see musk deer and Himalayan tahr. At Monjo the trek enters the Sagarmatha National Park. The trail follows the river and crosses Dudh Koshi and makes a steep climb to Namche (3,440m). Namche is a very colorful Sherpa village where you will see vendors selling antiques and each Saturday there is an important weekly haat or market.
Day 05: Namche
We stay one more extra day at Namche for acclimatization.
Day 06: Namche - Khumjung
From Namche we come to Khumjung which is a 3 hour walk. We stop at Kumjung where there is a school built by Sir Edmund Hillary and the Himalayan Trust. The views of Amadablam, Thamserku and Tawache are really breathtaking. Khumjung’s elevation is 3,790m.
Day 07: Khumjung - Dole
Dole is another 5 hours trek from Khumjung. The trail passes through many Kharkas, summer settlements used when Sherpas bring herds of yaks to graze in these high pastures. The views of Khumbila and Tawachee (6,542m) are tremendous throughout the day.
Day 08: Dole - Machhermo
From Dole the trail climbs to Lharbama at 4,220m and luza at 4,360m. The trail is steep in most places as it climbs through junipers to Lhabarma. The trail continues to climb along the side of the valley, high above the river, crossing sandy spurs to Machhermo at 4,410m.
Day 09: Machhermo - Gokyo
Beyond Machhermo the trail climbs a ridge for an excellent view both down the valley to Kantega and up towards Cho Oyu (8,153m). Beyond the ridge, the valley widens as the trail reaches Panka.The trail descends to the river bank before beginning the climb on to the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier. It is a steep climb up the moraine, switch backing alongside the stream to the first lake at 4,650m. The trail now becomes almost level as it follows the valley past a second lake, known as Longponga, at 4,690m and finally up a boulder strewn path to Gokyo at 4,750m.
Day 10: Gokyo
The views in the Gokyo region are tremendous. For the best view, we climb Gokyo Ri (5,350m). It is a two hour climb to the top of the peak, providing a panoramic view of Cho Oyu, Gyachung kang, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cholatse and Tawachee.
Day 11: Gokyo - Cho la pass High Camp
About half way between the first lake and second lake a trail leads off across the moraine to the east. This is the route to the 5,420m Cho la into the Everest region. We will establish our High Camp at 5,000m.
Day 12: Cho la pass - Dzongla (4,843m)
The pass is not difficult, but it is steep and involves a glacier crossing on the eastern side. After crossing the pass, we rest at Dzongla from where you have splendid view of Lobuche East, Amadablam, Tawachee and Cho-latse.
Day 13: Dzongla - Lobuche
We start heading down to Tugla. From Tugla, we head up towards Lobuche. The trail climbs higher on the moraine to a row of stone monuments in memory of six Sherpas who died in an avalanche during the 1970 Japanese skiing Expedition. The trail then drops a bit and follows the western side of the valley to Lobuche, a summer village. The ascent becomes steeper and rougher as it crosses several side moraines. After rounding a bend in the trail, the conical views peak of Pumori (7,145m) comes into view.
Day 14: Lobuche - Goraksheep. 5,160m.
We trek to Goraksheep today and then trek to Everest base camp. Return to Goraksheep.
Day 15: Kalapattar - Goraksheep 5,160m - Dingboche 4,410m
On this lower slope of this Mt Pumori a ridge extending to the south terminates in a small peak. This peak, Kalapattar, is 5,545m and it provides the best vantage point for viewing Mt Everest. We will climb Kalapattar in the morning and spend some time on the top. Return to Goraksheep for breakfast and trek downwards to Dingboche.
Day 16: Dingboche - Debouche
We start heading down to Pangboche where we will visit the oldest monastery in this region. From Pangboche, we will head down to Debouche and stop at the Debouche nunnery which is another oldest nunnery in the Everest region established in 1924.
Day 17: Deboche - Namche
We pass the famous Thyangboche monastery. We will stop here for at least an hour and will tour the monastery. The trek from Thyangboche to Phortse Tanga is all down hill. After stopping for a short tea beak, we will continue our trek to Namche and slowly climb to Sanasa for two hours and the trail from Sanasa to Namche is pretty straight and easy.
Hot shower in Namche!!
Day 18: Namche - Lukla
Day 19: Lukla - Kathmandu. Transfer to hotel upon arrival.
Day 20: Visit Bhaktapur
Day 21: Departure
Services Includes
Flights Kathmandu / Lukla / Kathmandu, all meals and accommodations in tea houses during the trek, English speaking Guide / Trek leader, porters for the trek, Sagarmatha national park fees, all airports pick up and drop, sightseeing in Kathmandu, four nights hotel in Kathmandu.
Services Excludes
Insurance (should cover helicopter evacuation in case of an emergency)
Soft drinks and bottled mineral water, personal trekking gear, meals in Kathmandu, any other expenses in case of any political disturbances or natural disaster.