Everest Gokyo Lakes Trek Itinerary 

Day 1 - Arrival Day

Personal welcome at Kathmandu Airport and transfer to your hotel in the lively tourist district of Thamel. After a short briefing on our trip plans you will be able to go out to explore the bustling Thamel streets. 

Day 2 - Kathmandu City Tour

After breakfast we will tour the city, visiting many of the “City of Temples” historic landmarks including Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, and the stunning Boudhanath Stupa. 

Day 3 - Lukla to Pakding

After breakfast we will take a short 30 minute scenic flight into the mountain village of Lukla where we start our trek. From Lukla we will have an easy 3 hour walk up the Dudhkoshi Valley through small farms and villages towards Pakding village where we will stay in a local lodge for night. 3 hours trekking.

Day 4 - Pakding to Namche Bazaar

The mornings walk will continue up along the Dudh Kosi river though forests and farms to the small village of Jorsalle where we will stop for lunch. From Jorsalle we will cross an impressive 100 high suspension bridge and ascend up to the mountainside town of Namche Bazaar. As we climb our of the valley you will be rewarded with views of the surrounding snow caped peaks and our first viewpoint of Mount Everest. 3 hours trekking.

Day 5 - Namche Bazaar Acclimatisation Day

At an elevation of 3450m we take a rest day to allow our bodies to get used to our high altitude. Our rest day gives us time to explore the market town of Namche Bazaar and to visit the local buddhist monastery. For those who have too much energy can make the afternoon walk to visit the Hillary School in Khumjung and the Himalayan Trust’s Hospital in Khunde. 

Day 6 - Namche Bazar to Tengboche

From Namche we will gradually wind up the valley passing buddhist shrines and passing though Rhododrendon forests to Tengboche where we will stay for the night. Along the trail we will soak up the impressive mountain scenery that surrounds us and get our first view of the imposing peak of Ama Dablam. At Tengboche we will visit the famous monastery and get to see the elaborate and colourful paintings that cover its walls. We might even pop into the Tengboche Bakery for one of their famous cakes seen as we have come all the way up here! 5 hours trekking

Day 7 - Tengboche to Dingboche

From Tengboche we follow the trail up the valley, through more Rhododrendon forest and small Sherpa vilages. As we get higher the landscape open up to alpine pastures with grazing Yaks scattering the landscape. Our day ends in the picturesque village of Dingboche with its stone walled fields set amongst a backdrop of snow capped mountains. 5 hours trekking

Day 8 - Dingboche Acclimatisation Day

At 4360m high we need to take another acclimatisation day to allow of bodies to get used to the thin air at this altitude. In the morning we will take a short walk to help with this process and then you are free to relax or explore as you wish. 2 hour acclimatisation walk.

Day 9 - Dingboche to Lobuche

Our trail continues gradually up through the alpine grasslands to Thukla at the base of the mighty Khumbu Glacier where we stop of lunch. From Thukla we climb up to a small pass and to where Everest Memorial where stone shrines “chortens” dot the landscape in the memory of the those who have lots their lives in the Himalayas. We continue up alongside the glacier with views of Nuptse and Pumori before we reach the Yak herders settlement of Lobuche. 5 - 6 hours trekking.

Day 10 - Lobuche to Gorek Shep and Everest Base Camp!

Our trail continues up the Khumbu Valley with great views of the glacier ice below and huge mountain peaks around us. We will reach the tiny village of Gorek Shep where we will have an early lunch and drop off our packs at our lodge before heading off for Everest Base Camp further up the glacier. We walk onto the glacier as we make our way up to Everest Base Camp where in the climbing season hundreds of expedition tents form a makeshift city of climbers hoping to make it all the way to the top! 7 - 8 hours trekking.

Day 11 - Gorek Shep, Kala Pathaar and back down to Dzongla

Before the sun wakes up we will make the 2 hours climb to the top of a small peak called Kala Pathaar at 5545m. From this vantage point we will watch the sun slowly rise and and light up Mount Everest and the skyline of jagged peaks that surround you. Once we have taken it all in and used up our camera batteries we will return down to Gorek Shep for breakfast. You will now find the trekking much easier as we walk back down the valley and will make it to the village of Dzongla today. 7 - 8 hours trekking.

Day 12 - Dzongla - Thangnak

From Dzongla we will leave early again to climb up to the top of the Cho La pass which the weather is best during the morning. As we climb we will have spectacular view of the mountains all around us. We get to cross a small glacier to where we find the top of the pass and our route down into the Gokyo valley. With the difficult climb behind us we be able to take our time, stopping for lunch by a nice mountain stream before walking down to the village of Thangnak. 7 - 8 hours trekking.

Day 13 - Thangnak to Gokyo

After two long days we will be able to sleep in before a short morning walk to across the Ngozumpa Glacier to the lakeside village of Gokyo. For those who still have energy to burn their is an afternoon climb up to the top of the adjacent Gokyo Ri that will reward you with amazing views of the 8000m Everest, Makalu and Cho Oyu. For those who just want to relax there are two bakeries in town so you can put your feet up, enjoy some tea and cake and soak up the views of the beautiful lake. 2 hours trekking.

Day 14 - Gokyo Lakes

You can’t come all this way without taking you time here at Gokyo so today we will go for a relaxing day walk up the valley to the fifth of the Gokyo Lakes. This is a nice flat trail and from the top of the valley we will have a great view back to Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. We will return to Gokyo village for lunch with the afternoon free to relax or explore. 5 hours trekking.

Day 15 - Gokyo to Dole 

You will be happy to know that its all down hill from here. We descend down the valley past the first and second Gokyo lakes and down past the head of the glacier into the Dudh Koshi valley. The trail takes us through rural hillside villages to where we will stay in the vilalge of Dole. 6 hours trekking.

Day 16 Dole to Namche Bazar

Today we will return to the the Khumbu’s busy hub of Namche Bazar. We will feel new energy as we breath the richer warm air as our trail descend down into the valley and back into the greener landscapes that we left over ten days earlier. If we feel included we have the option of detouring slightly through the picturesque Khumbjung and Khunde villages before retiring for the day with a well deserved beer in Namche. 5 hours trekking.

Day 17 - Namche Bazar to Lukla

Our last days trekking will be retracing our steps back down the valley to Lukla where we will be able to take you bag off for the last time and celebrate our successful trip. This is a great change to get some local souvenirs before we leave the mountains and fly back to Kathmandu tomorrow. 8 hours trekking.

Day 18 - Lukla to Kathmandu 

With a little luck the weather will be great and we will fly back to Kathmandu first thing in the morning. This will leave you with the rest of the day in Kathmandu to visit temples, look around the markets or simply put your feet up for the afternoon. We will meet up for a final dinner together before we have to say goodbye. 

Day 19 - Departure 

Transfer to Kathmandu Airport.

Note - If the above itinerary does not meet your needs we can easily adjust this to suit your travel requirements.