Everest Cho La Pass
Adventure, high altitude snow capped mountains, serene Himalayan lakes. Cross Cho La pass and visit beautiful blue lakes of Gokyo, get to experience the unique and traditional lifestyles of the legendary mountaineer tribe, the Sherpas. View of the mountains from the Gokyo Ri, Gokyo valley, a remote Himalayan valley which offers views of the mountains, glaciers, gokyo lake etc. get a chance to enjoy the Dumje festival which falls in the month of April and Mani Rimdu dance, performed in the monasteries by the Sherpa people. Sagarmatha national park and its amazingly unqiue flora and fauna.
Live the best of Everest in just two weeks. The Gokyo Cho La pass Everest Base Camp trek has everything to offer; nature, adventure and culture. This is a true adventure as we cross the high altitude Cho La pass (5,330m) and get to see the serene Himalayan lakes. All while experiencing the traditional lifestyles of the legendary mountaineer tribe, the Sherpas. The best time to do this trek would be April – May and September-October. You can enjoy the pleasant weather in October or get the best of the Himalayan culture in April. The trek is based in the Sagarmatha National Park which is full of amazingly unique flora and fauna. If you want to get the best of your short time in Nepal and challenge yourself to an adventure of a lifetime, join us.
Itinerary
Day 1: Free day in Kathmandu
Take some time to repose after your flight. You will get to meet your crew and the rest of your trekker friends. Your guide will help you with final gear check and any last day shopping. Or, you can choose to explore the city and visit the nearby attractions. Enjoy a group dinner and get ready for the big day tomorrow.
Altitude: 1400 m
Overnight: 3 star hotel in Thamel, Kathmandu
Day 2: Flight to Lukla and walk to Phakding
Today is the start of our legendary trip. You may have to wake up early for a drive to Ramechhap and a flight to Lukla. Flying into the famous Tenzin Hillary airport is a thrilling experience in itself. You can see the small airstrip sprawled out in front of you as you bend around green hills. Lukla feels fascinating. You can smell the incense in the air, see yaks and donkeys all while smelling some real good coffee and walking through the bustling streets. As soon as you exit Lukla, it’s a whole different place. We pass prayer wheels and lush green forests. You cross a big suspension bridge just before you reach the Phakding village. Take time to explore the village or relax in the common room.
Altitude: 2652 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Phakding
Day 3: Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Get some good hearty breakfast as we have a big day today. The trail to Namche Bazaar is one of the most iconic and strenuous ones on the trip. We pass a check point at Monjo where we enter the Sagarmatha National Park. We will cross the Dudhkoshi river, the highest of the world several times and stop for lunch at Jorsalle. Enjoy lunching beside the rapid water. We walk through pine forests where we may get a glimpse of the Mt. Thamserku (6608m) if the weather permits. Once we reach the clearing on the top of the hill, we can see the gateway to the Everest. Namche Bazaar is a horse shoe shaped town which is right infront of the Kongde Ri peak. Settle into your room and entertain yourself with the view.
Altitude: 3440 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Namche Bazaar
Day 4: Acclimatization day at Namche Bazaar
As we gain altitude, it’s important that we take time to adjust and prevent altitude sickness. So, we will have an acclimatization day at Namche. This village has a lot to offer. From souvenir shops to cafes and bars, you can find almost anything here. You can choose to rest and explore the village or hike up to the Everest view hotel which is an hour away and enjoy the panoramic Himalayan view. There is also a Sherpa museum and Buddhist monasteries if you are up for it.
Altitude: 3440 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Namche Bazaar
Day 5: Namche Bazaar to Dole
Our destination for the day is Dole. We walk up the hill from Namche to a Sherpa village called Kyangjuma. The trail is flat and easy to walk. Kyangjuma is a peaceful village and you can enjoy the serene view as we eat. The trails separate as we walk further up. We will take the Gokyo lake trail. We will walk slowly as we cross tiny settlements to reach Dole.
Altitude: 4040 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Dole
Day 6: Dole to Machharmo
The trail today is steeper so we will move slowly. Also, the walk is totally worth the view. The fact that Machharmo is the exact place where people claimed to have witnessed the Yeti, the abominable snowman for the first time makes it even more exciting. Have fun and look out for the Yeti!!
Altitude: 4470 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Machharmo
Day 7: Machharmo to Gokyo
Today is one of the main days of the Cho La pass trek. We will be walking up to the Gokyo lake over the Ngozumpa Glacier, longest glacier in Nepal. On the trail, we can get beautiful view of the Mt. Thamserku and Kangtega mountain peaks and as we go higher, we get to witness the majestic Cho Oyu mountain up close. We will walk extra slow because some of the trail is icy and slippery. Now after crossing the glacier, we can see the icy turquoise Gokyo lakes. We can take some time to take in the view and take pictures. Soon enough, we will reach the Gokyo village, our stop for tonight.
Altitude: 4800 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Gokyo
Day 8: Gokyo acclimatization day
We will wake up early to catch the sunrise mountain views from the top of the Gokyo Ri. The walk will only take 45 minutes but we will move slow and steady. Gokyo Ri is a famous view point in all of the Khumbhu region. Enjoy the spectacular scene before you. The view is unreal. Climbing the steep hills is so worth it considering what you can get here. Take as much time as you need and explore. We will descend to Gokyo for lunch and spend the rest of the day in leisure. You can also choose to go back to see the lakes again. Totally optional.
Altitude: 4800 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Gokyo
Day 9: Gokyo to Dragnag
After breakfast, we will walk towards Dragnag. The trail is mostly flat making the walk smooth and easy. We will walk around and across glaciers alongside the Mt. Taboche and Cholatse.
Altitude: 4750 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Dragnag
Day 10: Dragnag to Dzongla via the Cho La pass
Another exciting day!! Today’s trail is the hardest of the entire trip but that’s what makes it fun and memorable when you are with a reliable team. The trail is steep and slippery making it challenging. But the whole crew and your friends will be along with you to support and help. Cho La pass (5420m) is one of the most difficult passes and you will feel it. Nevertheless, you will feel like you are on top of the world at its peak. You can see small settlements on the horizon far below and the insanely crazy path you just passed. Imagine feeling like you are one of the Himalayas. That could be you. We will stop for a while to take pictures and make new memories. Descend slowly until you reach the Dzongla village.
Altitude: 4830 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Dzongla
Day 11: Dzongla to Lobuche
After a challenging day, we have a relaxing day ahead. The trail to Lobuche is gentle and mostly flat.
Altitude: 4940 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Lobuche
Day 12: Lobuche to Everest Base Camp to Gorakshep
Today, we get to walk on the most popular trekking trail of the world. The trail is flat, wide and easy to walk on but as we gain altitude, it becomes exhausting. We can walk slow and take rest in between sharing snacks along the way. Make sure to keep yourself hydrated. We will have lunch at Gorakshep. After fueling our body with some amazing nepali food, we will ditch our bags and walk towards Everest Base Camp (5364m). The trail is rocky and can be slippery at times. We will walk over the Khumbu moraine and we may even get to see avalanches and glaciers on the other side of the Khumbu glacier. We can have a tiny celebration at the Everest Base Camp. You will be standing on the Khumbu glacier which was once THE EVEREST! We walk back to Gorakshep for the night.
Altitude: 5170 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Gorakshep
Day 13: Gorakshep to KalaPattar to Lobuche
Today we will wake up early for a sunrise view at the top of the Kala Pattar. Kala Pattar which roughly translates to black rock in Nepali is literally a chunk of rock atop a hill. From there, you can get a 360 view of some of the highest peaks in the world. It’s a magical indescribable feeling when you are on top. We can enjoy our packed lunch at the top in ease or come back down for food. Either way after lunch, we will be retracing our steps back to Lobuche.
Altitude: 4940 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Lobuche
Day 14: Lobuche to Deboche
The trail is a pleasant one today. We will pass the Everest memorial ground on the way to lunch. There are chortens dedicated to those who lost their lives here. Look around and rest. We will have lunch at Thukla. Here on, we will walk towards Pheriche. The walk is lovely as we walk through green pastures. We can see yaks and occasionally pass by small streams. After crossing a suspension bridge, we will be nearing Somare. We can rest here for a while and get some tea. Soon enough, we will reach Deboche.
Altitude:3820m
Overnight: Local lodge in Deboche
Day 15: Deboche to Monjo
We will retrace our steps to Monjo via Kyangjuma and Namche Bazaar.
Altitude:2835m
Overnight: Local lodge in Monjo
Day 16: Monjo to Lukla
As we near the end of our trek, we will catch the final glimpses of the Himalayas as we cross Phakding. At the horizon, we get to see the tiny settlements and villages for one last time. From Lukla, the porters of your crew will be going back to their family so bid them goodbyes. We will have a tiny celebration where we will eat and drink.
Altitude: 2800 m
Overnight: Local lodge in Lukla
Day 17: Lukla to Kathmandu
We will catch a flight to Kathmandu. Say your goodbyes to the Himalayas until next time. Your guide will check you into your hotel. Have the day to yourself.
Altitude: 1400 m
Overnight: 3 star hotel in Kathmandu
Day 18: Kathmandu celebration day
We will come together for a group dinner before we part ways.
Activities
Cost included
- Kathmandu arrival and transferred to hotel
- Kathmandu to Lukla return by flight
- All ground Transportations
- All necessary permits and TIMS card
- All meal during the trek (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Guide and staffs wages and insurance
Cost Excluded
- Bar bills, laundry and tips
- Rescue, insurance, souvenir shopping
- Items of personal expenses
- Nepal entry visa fees
- Personal rescue if needed
#Note above day to day itinerary. May be change depending on weather and flight.