Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek Faqs

There are several major trails in the Khumbu Sherpa Valley of the Everest region. Depending on the popularity, duration and difficulty level, hikers have several options to choose from. The most popular trekking routes are Everest Base Camp Trek 14 or 16 Days, Everest Base Camp Luxury Lodge Trek, Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek via Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass, and Everest High Passes Trek. Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek is one of the easiest treks and we highly recommend it those who are looking for adequate scenic beauty on an easy hike. Himalayan Glacier has mindfully designed the trek itinerary so that hikers get to enjoy spectacular views of Mt. Everest and other high Himalayan peaks from the top of Gokyo Ri and at the same time savor the exquisite beauty of the Gokyo Valley, Sherpa villages, and the greater Khumbu Valley. The only challenging factor on this trek is the number of walking days on uneven terrains for several hours each day and a little exposure to altitude, otherwise the trek is moderate and a pleasant walk.

Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri trek is best done in pre-monsoon season i.e. from March to May and post-monsoon season i.e. from late September to December. It is also possible to do this trek in February and early September but the trek is best preferred during the above months.

Absolutely yes! Under normal circumstances, our booked trips are guaranteed to run. You will still be doing your trek even if other trekkers cancel their trip. This is the reason why Himalayan Glacier is different from other agencies, who usually cancel their whole trip a month or even a week before the trip date. We are a tailor-made company and the number of participants does not stop our operation. If your trip has been canceled by your operator and you are in a last-minute stress, remember to find us to sort out your trip decisions. Please feel free to book your stress-free holidays with us. Unless there is a situation which is out of control such as a political riot, natural disaster, pandemic, epidemic or weather catastrophes, our trips are 100% guaranteed to run.

Himalayan Glacier offers a lifetime deposit policy which allows you the flexibility to transfer your deposit to anyone or any other trip. If you wish to cancel your booked trips, certain cancelation charges apply. Please visit our booking terms and conditions for detailed information.

Rest assured that you will be in good hands with our experienced trek leaders, who have multiple years of experience trekking in Nepal. All of our guides, known as Himalayan Glacier dedicated Guides, are locals with a deep understanding of the mountain, its people, culture, health, hygiene, and most importantly, your safety. They are fluent in English and will be able to communicate effectively with you throughout the trek. Our guides are passionate about their work and will ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable trekking experience.

After a long day’s hike, a relaxing night of comfortable sleep is very much crucial for the next day’s walk. Keeping your comfort into account, we make sure to book the best lodge with two beds in each room and western toilet facilities wherever available. Normally, the beds are clean and comfortable with an electric blanket (upon availability) and attached bathroom for most nights. The room’s temperature is usually maintained at 10-12°C / 50-54°F.

You will enjoy 3 hearty meals each day. Generally, you will have your breakfast and dinner at the same lodge you will be staying. Lunch will be provided at tea houses or small restaurants along the trail.  The meals contain fresh fruits and organic ingredients sourced from Kathmandu or local villages throughout the trek. The meals include a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats designed by the nutritionist. The chefs are trained in hygienic food preparation. If needed, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher diets can be arranged with prior notice.

Sample Menu

Breakfast

• Beverage: black tea, milk tea, ginger lemon honey tea, lemon tea, hot lemon with honey, black coffee, milk coffee, hot chocolate
• Toast with jam or honey, toast omelet, pancake, Tibetan bread, porridge/ muesli
• Eggs on your choices
• American breakfast or Continental breakfast

Lunch

• Rice item: veg fried rice, egg fried rice, mixed fried rice, dal-bhaat
• Noodle item: vegetable fried noodle, mixed fried noodle
• Potato item: chips, fried potato, hash brown potato, veg fried potato, boiled potato
• Burger: veg burger, chicken burger, veg sandwich, chicken sandwich
• Pasta: spaghetti tomato sauce, macaroni cheese sauce
• Pizza: veg pizza, tomato cheese pizza, chicken pizza, mushroom pizza
• Momo (Nepali style dumplings): veg momo, chicken momo
• Meat item: chicken sizzler, chicken steak, yak steak
• Beverage: black tea, milk tea, ginger lemon honey tea, lemon tea, hot lemon with honey, black coffee, milk coffee, hot chocolate

 
Dinner

• Soups: vegetable soup, mushroom soup, chicken soup, chicken noodle soup, Rara noodle soup, French onion soup, pumpkin soup, potato soup

Main Meals

• Rice item: veg fried rice, egg fried rice, mixed fried rice, dal-bhaat
• Noodle item: vegetable fried noodle, mixed fried noodle
• Potato item: chips, fried potato, hash brown potato, veg fried potato, boiled potato
• Burger: veg burger, chicken burger, veg sandwich, chicken sandwich
• Pasta: spaghetti tomato sauce, macaroni cheese sauce
• Pizza: veg pizza, tomato cheese pizza, chicken pizza, mushroom pizza
• Momo (Nepali Dumplings): veg momo, chicken momo
• Meat item: chicken sizzler, chicken stake, yak stake
• Dessert: apple pie, chocolate cake, carrot cake, apple fritter, canned fruit
• Beverage: black tea, milk tea, ginger lemon honey tea, lemon tea, hot lemon with honey, black coffee, milk coffee, hot chocolate

Are you trained or going to attend some training soon? If you aren’t already trained for taking up an adventurous trekking in the Everest region of Nepal, we recommend you to train yourself well ahead of time. Although this is comparatively an easy trek, but if you are new to trekking world, you are prone to facing discomforts during the trek. If you aren’t trained and also a new hiker, we do not take your last-minute booking for security reasons. Our mountain experts need at least 3 months’ time to counsel, guide, train and prepare you for this climb. The bottom line is – even if you do not have any experience of trekking, you can still do this trek considering that you contact us at least 3 months before you actually want to begin trekking.

There is no doubt that Everest Base Camp has been a landmark in the world of adventure and trekking. Trekkers always breathe an air of gratification and self-esteem on reaching this historic base camp. It is a personal choice of every trekker what they wish to do and Himalayan Glacier always encourage their clients regardless the routes they choose. We recommend you to do the 14 Days Everest Base Camp trek if you don’t have any previous experience of trekking elsewhere or at high altitudes. While if you are looking for a more picturesque walk along with some adventurous bouts, then go for 14 Days Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri trek. If you have any doubts, please contact our travel experts in USA, the UK, South Africa and Nepal right away. We will educate and guide you so that you transform from a good hiker to an excellent hiker, trekker and climber. WE ARE THE EXPERTS!

Yes, of course you can! Himalayan Glacier has set a record of taking a 12-year old English boy and an 84-year old Canadian woman to the Everest Base Camp in its trekking history. So, there should not be any problem as long as the participant is physically fit and highly determined. We normally recommend this trek even for families but planning and consulting well ahead of time with the professionals play a very significant role for a successful trip. Count on Himalayan Glacier for all your Everest treks as we stand all the way to accomplish your desires.

Yes, cell phone networks can be found on the trek. Most of the places get cell phone coverage either by NCell or NTC networks. However, at certain areas, there may be no coverage at all.

The weather in the Everest region varies differently in different seasons. The Himalayan region is never really hot, not even during summer. The maximum temperature during the day reaches up to 25°C / 77°F while during the night it reaches as low as -20°C / -4°F or even lower.

You will be traveling with like-minded travelers from all round the world. As such, there is no age limit for doing this trek, but we are highly concerned about your physical and mental fitness as well as your previous hiking experience. As far as possible, we try to include the same age-group persons in a group so that the hiking pace among trekkers match and it becomes easier to walk together.

There are few things to keep in mind if you plan on conquering Everest Base camp without any trouble relating to altitude sickness. Here are a few tips from our experienced guides and travel planners to avoid altitude sickness during Everest Base Camp trek.
• Slow ascend with proper rest and enough acclimatization
• Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated
• Eat enough and balanced food
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco during the entire trek
• Be head-strong and mentally prepared
• Train your body to cope with uphill hikes with enough cardio or gym workouts 3 months before the start of
the trek

Yes, you absolutely need to take Diamox on this trek. Diamox is taken as prevention for altitude sickness but not to cure its symptoms. After the symptoms begin to show, the only option you will have is to descend to a lower altitude.

Generally, the first symptoms begin to show 12-24 hours after arriving at high altitudes. Different levels of altitude sickness have different symptoms. Symptoms of mild, short-term altitude sickness are dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems, loss of energy, and shortness of breath.

No. Normally, oxygen is not required for the trek as our itinerary is designed in such a way so that it allows enough acclimatization. In addition, we provide Diamox, a medication that suppresses altitude sickness symptoms, from the beginning to prevent falling sick. However, in case of severe altitude sickness, we will descend to a lower altitude immediately.

During your trek to Everest Base Camp, you will have access to electricity to recharge your electronic devices such as phones, laptops, and iPads. This is made possible through micro-hydropower and solar panels, which are available for a fee. However, it is important to note that Wi-Fi hotspots are scarce along the trekking trail after Namche. The only two places that offer free Wi-Fi are Starbucks Coffee in Lukla and Everest Bakery in Namche. At higher elevations, you will need to pay for internet services, and the cost increases as you climb higher.

For a more in-depth understanding of the internet situation during the Everest Base Camp Trek, we recommend reading the “Internet at Everest Base Camp Trek” article.

Himalayan Glacier has a competent team of trekking leaders and mountain crew who are highly skillful in combating the difficulties or any kind of emergencies that might come up during the trip. If you feel sick with the altitude, in the first place you must let your leader know about it so that he knows just what to do. With all the years of experience, he can sense the intensity of the seriousness and respond accordingly, either by bringing you down to a lower elevation or rescue you using a helicopter. If the helicopter is unable to fly due to any reasons, we will use our local staffs and contacts to coordinate an alternative rescue and treatment procedures, which could mean using horses or stretchers to carry the sick person off the mountain to the nearest health post or safe helicopter landing spot.

In general, crampons are not required for this trek if you are trekking during the season. But if you want to do the trek during mid-winter or monsoon season then crampons may be required. You will really not know what conditions you will encounter on the trekking trail until you get there, so it is better having your crampons and not using it rather than needing it and not having it if required.