Khumbu · Trek
Turquoise glacial lakes and the finest Everest view in the Khumbu.
Duration
12 days
Difficulty
Moderate
Max altitude
5,357 m
Best seasons
Spring, Autumn
Group size
Max 12
Region
Khumbu
Overview
The journey
The Everest region without the Base Camp crowds. The trail climbs the Dudh Koshi to a string of turquoise lakes below the Ngozumpa glacier, and Gokyo Ri at 5,357 m gives a wider Everest panorama than Kala Patthar does.
Day by day
Itinerary
- Day23,440 m
Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Suspension bridges and the first Everest view on the climb to Namche.
- Day54,470 m
Dole to Machhermo
Leaving the Base Camp trail for the quieter Gokyo valley.
- Day74,790 m
Gokyo and the third lake
Arrive at the lakes below the Ngozumpa, the longest glacier in Nepal.
- Day85,357 m
Gokyo Ri at sunrise
A steep dawn climb for Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu in one sweep.
Good to know
Frequently asked
Gokyo gives you the better mountain view and a quieter trail; Base Camp gives you the name. Plenty of people do both, linked by the Cho La.
Two acclimatisation days are built in, at Namche and again at Machhermo, on a climb-high-sleep-low rhythm.