Everest Base Camp And Gokyo Lakes Trek

A spectacular flight and hair rising landing on a steep mountain runway brings us to the start of our trek at the village of Lukla [2800m]. After meeting the crew, we head up the Dudh Koshi Valley on a well-marked trail to our first lodge near the river at Phakding.

From Phakding, we cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park, which was set-up in order to protect and preserve this fragile mountain environment. We then ascend quite steeply to Namche and along the way, if the weather is clear, catch a first glimpse of Mt Everest in the distance. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market – a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La.

Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu and has an abundance of lodges, teashops and souvenir shops as well as a magnificent outlook. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatising to the new altitude before heading off towards Tengboche. Options for acclimatisation walks include a visit to Khunde Hospital which was set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or a one hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. There are also good views from the National Park Centre and Museum just above the town.

From Namche, the trail contours around the side of the valley, high above the Dudh Kosi. Now we get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu including Mt Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we descend steeply to a bridge over the river at Phunki Tenga. The village is an excellent lunch spot, and here we can rest before making the steep climb to Thyangboche. Although tiring, the hike up the zigzag path has numerous distractions, with rhododendron bushes, beautiful birds and superb mountain scenery. Tengboche is famous for its legendary monastery, the largest in the Khumbu. We stay near the monastery with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam framed in the doorway of the lodge.

We descend steeply through a forest, cross the Imja Khola and climb steadily to the village of Pangboche. This is directly opposite Ama Dablam [6,856 m], and has exceptional views of the mountain, with the gompa, mani walls and scattered pine trees in the foreground. Old Pangboche’s gompa is the oldest monastery in the Khumbu, founded in 1667 and housing relics said to be the skull and hand of a yeti. A further two to three hours walking brings us to Dingboche.

Today you can enjoy another day for acclimatization. We will do an excursion to Chhukung valley via the Imja Khola valley to get some fabulous views including the stupendous, 3.600 meters high wall of Lhotse [8.501 m], neighbor to Everest, and the north face of Ama Dablam, with its fluted ice walls. The high ridge point of Chhukung Ri [5.560 m] will provide an incredible amphitheater view of the Chhukung area as well as the west face of Makalu [8.463 m].

We continue up the wide valley beneath the impressive peaks of Cholatse and Tawache on the left. We then turn right and climb more steeply towards the foot of the Khumbu Glacier. At the top of this climb there are many stone cairns, built as memorials to the many Sherpas who have died while climbing Mt Everest. Our path then climbs gently along the glacier, to eventually reach the cluster of houses at Lobuche.

To reach our next objective, Kala Pattar, the trail follows the Khumbu Glacier, and offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at our lodge for the night, Gorak Shep.

Later in the afternoon, when the sunset colours begin to appear on Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Everest region, Kala Pattar [5554m]. As the light begins to fade we stroll back to our lodge at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for our trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.

To reach Everest Base Camp, a very early start is required, as it takes several hours on a trail which weaves its way through ice pinnacles and past the crevasses of the Khumbu Glacier. On the return leg, we can take a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu Ice Fall and the route to the South Col. We return to either Gorak Shep or Lobuche to stay for the night.

An early start for the crossing of the scenic Cho La pass (5370m), a steep and somewhat difficult ascent of a rocky ridge a few hours walk from Dzongla kharka. We start by ascending gently around the ridge above the lodge, continuing for half an hour along a relatively flat plateau and then crossing a small glacial stream on rock steps, often icy. We begin the real climb from here, first switch backing gently to a massive rock wall which blocks the entrance to the pass ahead of us. Stopping for a rest, we’ll soon turn sharply right and start climbing a rock staircase, often with hands to steady us. It’s a fun ascent, and soon we’ve reached a small plateau where we gaze down on the Ama Dablam valley far below us. Again we start climbing towards the pass, first right under a rock outcropping afterwards on rocks and snow, often icy and slippery and finally on the Cho La glacier itself. Once up on top of the glaciated pass, we trek across the snow, with Lobuche West looming above us, to the summit and hang some Buddhist prayer flags to send prayers out across the Himalaya. From the Cho La pass, we’ll marvel at views of Ama Dablam, Kantega, Thamserku, Taboche, Cholatse and Baruntse, and to Nangpai Gosain, Pasang Lhamo, and Numbur and on the Gokyo side. After a snack, it’s a scramble back down the very steep pass followed by a rocky, hilly trail across the valley, and another long, steep descent to the yak kharka of Tangnak.

We start the morning by crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier on a sandy, shifting trail, the frozen lakes creaking below and beside us as we snake our way to the other side. Once back on the main trail to Gokyo, we have an hour’s hike past the second lake to the lodge at Gokyo. In the Gokyo valley, the character of the trekking changes abruptly. The opaque powder blue lakes are often on the verge of freezing over, and sometimes performing a Himalayan symphony of expanding and retracting ice. We have entered the grassy ablation valley running beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, and have our first sight of Gokyo, a seasonal village and grazing area built beside the third, and biggest lake. Gokyo has become something of a Himalayan resort without the crowd – at least in terms of the comfortable lodges with sunrooms, unbeatable views, excellent food and warm stoves.

It is a great base to explore from, and we have plenty of time for it. Lured into the wonderful sun-room, it is easy to spend the day chatting with fellow trekkers, watching shaggy yaks amble their way in and around Gokyo (sometimes casually sticking their heads inside the lodges) and admiring the views. For those with energy left over after the pass, a must is an excursion up Gokyo Ri (5360m) for some Everest spotting and all-around spectacular views of the lakes, the glacial moraine, the Khumbu icefall and the Himalayan peaks surrounding us on all sides (including Makalu, this time). It is fantastic in the morning, the middle of the day or for sunset, but don’t forget to bring a torch if you opt for a ‘sunset on Everest’ views, which is better than the sunrise.

If you didn’t get up Gokyo Ri yesterday, you have another chance today. Another option is an incredible day hike up the Gokyo valley, past two or three more glacial lakes, towards Cho Oyu. There are several trails that snake up this gorgeous valley, one emerging on the ridge overlooking the creaking glacier, another passing the eerily deserted fourth lake with it’s white, stony beach, and all with unforgettable views of Everest and the Himalayan range. The unobstructed view of Everest from Scoundrel’s Point (4995m) is a decent reward for the walk. A third option is an hour’s hike around Cho La Lake, passing the beach and Buddhist and Hindu ‘temples’ on the opposite side. On the other hand, just sit by lake and relax. You are on VACATION…

Downhill to Dole- The name means ‘many stones’ but despite this it’s a pleasant kharka with six lodges. Here the yaks and naks are brought up in the mid-june to graze and fertilize the soil with their dung, producing a rich crop of hay. The afternoon and sunset views of Kangtaiga and Thamserku from the hill behind Dole are most impressive.

Today we head towards Phortse Thenga on the trail at the southwest corner, and continue to Namche Bazaar; from there we retrace our original route. The descent of that long hill that we plodded up less than a fortnight ago seems amazingly short and easy on the way down. After one last steep hill to the National Park gate, we reach the welcome sight of Monjo and the National Park entrance.

Our final day’s trekking follows the Dudh Kosi back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal opportunity for a farewell party with the sherpa guides and porters, where we can sample some chang, try Sherpa dancing and look back on a memorable trekking experience.

We’re up early to take our morning flight back to Kathmandu