Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek  - 14 Days

On arrival at Kathmandu International Airport, a representative from Himalayan Glacier will pick us up from and escort us to our designated hotel. In the afternoon, we may take rest or visit Himalayan Glacier’s office. In the evening, there will be a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier. For dinner, you will be served authentic Nepalese cuisine which will introduce you to the country’s food culture. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Today after breakfast we start a guided tour to several of the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu which are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. We visit the historic Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous ‘Monkey Temple’ (Swayambhunath) and Buddhist shrine (Bouddhanath), which is also one of the largest stupas in the world. At noon, we get our equipment checked by our climbing leader, get introduced to fellow participants, and discuss our trip at Himalayan Glacier’s office. Overnight in Kathmandu.

We take an early morning flight to Lukla which is where all Everest treks begin. We meet the rest of our team in Lukla and start trekking from there. We walk on a trail that gradually descends to Cheplung village from where we get a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila, a sacred mountain which has never been climbed. From here, we gradually descend until Phakding. Overnight in Phakding.

Today, we move ahead on a trail alongside the Dudh Koshi River crossing several suspension bridges and small villages, monasteries, and chortens. From Benkar Village, we get to enjoy stunning views of Mt. Thamserku. As we enter the Sagarmatha National Park, we will have our trekking permits checked at Monjo.  A descent, gradual walk brings us to Jorsale, the last village before Namche Bazaar. The walk is enjoyable through a river bed and we reach the Hillary Suspension Bridge. As we climb up towards Namche Bazaar, the magnificent sights of Kwangde Peak, Kusum peak, Kangaru peak, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Tawache, and many other fabulous mountains greet us. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

The day is set aside for us to get acclimatized and adjust to the gradual change in the environment. Acclimatization will help prevent being hit by Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), also known as ‘altitude sickness’. To acclimatize our body, today we will hike to Khumjung, enjoy the Himalayan scenery from Syangboche or just simply tour around the quaint Namche Bazaar. We may also visit the Tourist Visitor Center, where we get to see a variety of things related to the first Everest climbers and the Sherpa culture.  This visit will also get us acquainted with various flora and fauna of the Everest region. In Khumjung, we can even visit a monastery that houses a yeti scalp! We also climb up to the airstrip above Syangboche and enjoy incredible views of Kongde, Thamserku and Khumbila mountains. We walk back to Namche Bazaar to spend the night. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

After a sumptuous breakfast, we begin our trek to Dole with gradual ups and downs. The trail is scenic and keeps getting more and more amazing as we proceed ahead. On the way, we are likely to spot Himalayan pheasants, musk deer, and Himalayan Tahrs. Descending a little bit through the alpine and rhododendron forest, we reach the village of Kyanjuma, where we stop for a short break. Moving further ahead, we reach Sansa from where we will follow the Gokyo trails, which is a bit rough and lies just above the Dudh Koshi river’s gorge. From Mong La Pass, we get a glimpse of Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Tawoche, and Mt. Khumbila. From the pass, the trail descends to Dudh Koshi Khola after which it is an uphill climb up to Phortse. We get magnificent views of the mountains from this point. After hiking for a couple of hours through lush forest and green pastures, we will reach Dole from where we get to watch the mesmerizing sunset views. Overnight in Dole.

Trek from Dole begins with a fairly tricky descent on a slippery, snow-covered slope. Then, we begin to climb on a steady trail through a scenic ridge with views of Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Kantega, and Mt. Thamserku. The uphill walk comprises of increasingly barren hillside, covered in tundra grasses and dotted with scrub junipers. We cross a small settlement of Lhafarma, and then Luza village, tucked into a side valley. Ascending from Luza, we walk over the Dudh Koshi River and continue walking through sandy trails before reaching Machhermo, the last major settlement before Gokyo. We can visit the Himalayan Rescue Hospital to learn a lot related to altitude sickness. Overnight in Machhermo.

Today, we leave the foothills and ascend on a hill gradually entering the desolate tundra of the high mountains, enjoying views of the Dudh Koshi valley and Mt. Kangtega, Mt. Thamserku and Mt. Cho-Oyu. Beyond the ridge, the valley widens as the trail passes through a Chorten and we reach Phangga. We descend to the river bank before climbing up to the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier on a steep trail. We pass through Longpongo, Raboche Tsho and Dudh Pokhari before reaching Gokyo. On the trail next to the first lake, we see what is believed to be the footprints of a Lama (Buddhist priest). We explore Dudh Pokhari before calling it a night. Overnight in Gokyo.

We will spend another day in Gokyo to acclimatize to the high altitude. If the weather is good, we climb Gokyo Ri today. From the top of Gokyo Ri, we get to admire the Himalayan vistas and the tranquil Gokyo lakes. We also hike to the fourth and fifth Gokyo lakes. The 4^th lake is only about 3km north of Gokyo. It is marked by high cliffs and Himalayan peaks rising above it. We continue to walk a little further and reach the 5^th lake. A climb up a nearby hill will guarantee us remarkable views of Cho-Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makulu. We can see a lot more from here – the spot is called Scoundrel’s Viewpoint. From the northern part of the 5^th lake we see the Cho Oyu base camp and Ngozumpa Glacier, which is the biggest glacier the world. We walk back to Gokyo to spend the night. Overnight in Gokyo.

We descend on a trail along the Dudh Koshi River passing the first few Gokyo lakes. On the way, we get to enjoy views of the Cholatse and Taboche peaks. Our trail descends before climbing a hill. After reaching the chorten at the edge, we see great views of Thamserku, Cho Oyu, and Kangtega mountains. We walk past Machhermo, Luza and Lhafarma villages before reaching Dole. Overnight in Dole.

We descend on a steep trail to Phortse Tenga admiring rhododendrons, wildflowers, and waterfalls. We also come across mountain goats, musk deer, pheasants, etc. From Mong La Pass, we can admire a good view of the Khumbila peak. On our way to Namche the view of Taboche, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kangtega mountains are exceptionally stunning. After walking for a while, we reach an intersection where the trail from Sanasa meets our trail. We walk on a trail that clings to a forested slope beyond Kyangjuma, winding through several bends. After reaching Namche army camp hill, we look back to see Lhotse, the tip of Everest and Tengboche for one last time. About a kilometer from here is Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

We descend on a rocky trail and cross several suspension bridges before walking on a leveled trail. The air is warmer as we walk on the same trail to reach Lukla. Our trek in the mountain ends after we reach Lukla. We spend our time reminiscing about our time spent in the mountain. Overnight in Lukla.

We fly back to Kathmandu on the earliest possible flight. After reaching Kathmandu we have the rest of the day off to rest. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner to enjoy with our trek leader and a few Himalayan Glacier staff to mark the end of our trip in Nepal. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Our adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! A Himalayan Glacier representative will escort us to the airport approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight. If we wish to extend our holidays in Nepal, then we may request Himalayan Glacier to organize other adventurous activities for a few more days, or head back to our home country with plenty of memories to cherish!