EBC via Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass Trek

Upon landing at Tribhuvan International Airport, you'll be warmly welcomed by a representative from the Himalayan Dream Team. After a brief introduction, you'll be escorted to your hotel in the heart of Kathmandu. After checking in, freshen up and rest from your journey. In the evening, enjoy a delightful welcome dinner hosted by the Himalayan Dream Team, offering a chance to meet your fellow trekkers and learn more about the adventure ahead. This will be your first night in Kathmandu, allowing you to acclimatize and soak in the local culture.

After a hearty breakfast, you will have an engaging cultural driving tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu, led by an expert city guide.

✦ Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple)

Holy Swayambhunath Stupa has the distinction of being one of the oldest stupas as well as the sacred site for Nepalese Hindus and Buddhists. It also provides mesmerizing views of the entire Kathmandu Valley. When moving around the stupa you will be greeted by monkeys who inhabit the areas around the stupa.

✦ Pashupatinath Temple

The next stop is Pashupatinath the holiest Hindu Temple in Nepal which is built on the edge of the Bagmati River. This revered place is also a typical Hindu cremation site which is always a striking place to behold the soul of Nepalese culture.

✦ Kathmandu Durbar Square

After lunch today, we shall proceed to Kathmandu Durbar Square which houses an ancient royal palace complex with intricately carved wooden temples around it. The entire area is part of the glorious heritage of Newar civilization and if you are lucky, you will be able to see some locals in traditional costumes which would be great for photographs.

✦ Local Spice and Vegetable Markets – Indra Chowk and Asan

Spend the last part of the day enjoying the local markets of Indra Chowk and Asan. This part of the town is colorful with fresh fruits and vegetables along with lots of spices that are perfect for people who enjoy street photography as well as for those who want to experience a different side of Kathmandu. Later, go back to your hotel and rest and prepare for your trek in the Himalayas.

Your adventure officially begins! Depending on the season, we either fly directly from Kathmandu or drive to Ramechhap for a short Lukla flight. The journey offers mesmerizing views of verdant hills, terraced fields, and the snow-capped Himalayan skyline. Upon landing in Lukla, we meet the trekking team, enjoy a brief rest, and set off on our trek to Phakding. The trail meanders through Cheplung village, offering a glimpse of the revered Mt. Khumbila, untouched by climbers.

Duration Overview:

Kathmandu to Lukla Flight: 35 minutes (off-peak months: Jan, Feb, Jun–Sep, Dec).
Manthali to Lukla Flight (Peak Season): 5–6 hrs drive to Manthali, 20 mins flight, 3–4 hrs trek.

Seasonal Flight Details:

Peak Season (Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov): Early morning drive to Manthali (1:30–2:30 AM) for a 20-min Lukla flight.
Non-Peak Season (Jan, Feb, Jun–Sep, Dec): Direct 35-min flight from Kathmandu to Lukla.

Helicopter Option:

For a smoother start, book a direct helicopter flight from Kathmandu to Lukla at $550/person (5-person sharing basis) to skip the long drive to Manthali during peak season.

Trekking Time: Approx. 3–4 hours from Lukla to Phakding.

Begin your day with a trek through pine forests along the Dudh Koshi River, crossing several suspension bridges adorned with prayer flags. As you climb higher, you'll pass through charming villages like Monjo and Jorsale. Enter the Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its unique flora and fauna. Ascend to the bustling market town of Namche Bazaar, the gateway to the high Himalayas. Enjoy panoramic views of Everest and Lhotse as you acclimatize at this vibrant Sherpa town, complete with shops, cafes, and bakeries. Spend the night in Namche Bazaar, allowing your body to adjust to the higher altitude.

Since we are fast gaining altitude, this is the first of the two scheduled “acclimatization” days. Health experts always recommend to stay active and moving during the rest days instead of being idle. We either spend the day taking a day hike to Thame or visiting Khunde or relaxing and exploring Namche Bazaar itself. Namche Bazzar is the main centre of the Everest (Khumbu) region and has government offices, ATMs, Internet cafes, shops, restaurants, a bakery and a colorful market each Friday evening and Saturday. If we climb a few hundred feet during the day, it will help us to properly acclimatize. Our guides will take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarter of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can observe an assortment of things related to the first Everest ascenders, Sherpa culture and learn about the various plant and animal life of the Everest region.

We'll start walking from Namche Bazaar to Dole and see beautiful sights like Dudh Koshi, stupas, and famous peaks like Ama Dablam and Everest. Keep an eye out for Musk Deer and Himalayan Tahrs. After about two hours, we'll rest at Mong La Pass, then walk through rhododendron forests and Sherpa villages. The path goes up and down, passing Phortse Thanga, until we reach Dole, where we'll stay for the night.

The trek from Dole starts with a tricky downhill walk on a slippery, snow-covered slope. Then, we steadily climb along a path with great views of mountains like Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Kantega, and Mt. Thamserku. As we go uphill, we'll see fewer plants and more rocky areas. We pass by a small place called Lhafarma, then reach Luza village in a side valley. After Luza, we cross the Dudh Koshi River and walk on sandy paths until we get to Machhermo, the last big village before Gokyo. In Machhermo, we can visit the Himalayan Rescue Hospital to learn about altitude sickness. We'll spend the night there.
 

Today, we start by climbing a ridge for a great view of Kangtaiga and Cho Oyu. Then, the trail goes through Phangkha, where an avalanche happened in 1995. We descend to the riverbank, then climb steeply onto the Ngazumpa Glacier's terminal moraine. Crossing an iron bridge, the trail flattens as we pass the first lake, Longpongo. We might see lama footprints there. At the second lake, Taboche Tsho, we'll be amazed by its turquoise blue water. Nearby is the third lake, connected by a stream. Gokyo village by the third lake, with Cho-Oyu Mountain behind it, is an incredible sight. After lunch, we'll explore around the third lake, Dudh Pokhari.
 

During acclimatization, we'll climb Gokyo Ri Viewpoint for stunning views of the Everest region, including Thonak Tsho Lake and Ngozuma Tsho Lake.
Three kilometers north of Gokyo is Ngozumpa Tsho glacier (5,000m), and a short walk from there is Scoundrel's Viewpoint. You can see Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makalu from there.
To the north of the fifth Gokyo Lake, you'll see amazing views of Cho Oyu Base Camp and the Ngozumpa Glacier, which is the longest glacier in the Himalayas. It's incredibly fascinating!
 

If we didn't climb Gokyo Ri yesterday, we can do it today. The climb to the top of Gokyo Ri is challenging; it's steep and takes about 3 to 4 hours. However, the view from the top is worth it. Gokyo village by the third lake, with Cholatse and the vast Nogzumpa Glacier in the background, is stunning. We'll be surrounded by mountains like Kusum Kanguru, Thamserku, Kangtega, Taboche, Cholatse, Makalu, Lhotse, Nuptse, Everest, Changtse, and Pumori. The sight of the sun touching Everest, towering over all the peaks, is breathtaking. Afterward, we'll trek through the Ngazumpa Glacier to the other side of the mountain. Then, we'll follow the edge of that mountain and eventually reach Thagnak. Today's hike will be short, giving us time to rest in the afternoon and prepare for the upcoming long hikes and altitude gain.

Today's trek to Dzongla involves challenging paths with rocky trails and glacial moraines. The Cho La pass isn't extremely difficult, but it's steep and includes crossing a glacier on its eastern side. We must be cautious as the trail can be icy and slippery due to the glazed rocks. Starting from Phedi, we'll climb through a ravine and rocky trail. As we trek alongside a frozen lake, we'll reach the pass adorned with prayer flags. From there, we'll see Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Lobuche East, and Baruntse. We'll navigate through crevasses before reaching Dzongla Village, which offers stunning views of Cholatse, Ama Dablam, Lobuche, and Pheriche Village below.

Today's destination is Lobuche. Once we reach Lobuche, we'll reconnect with the traditional Everest Base Camp Trek. We'll begin our day by following the moraine and descending alongside Chola Lake. Along the way, we'll come across memorial statues honoring climbers who lost their lives in this region. The hike to Lobuche should be quite pleasant as we'll simply follow the trails of Imja Khola Valley to get there.

Today’s adventurous trail to Gorak Shep goes ahead through the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. We pass though the pyramid sign post. Ahead on the trail we see crest of north ridge of Everest along with Mt. Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse, Nuptse. A small ascent will take us to Thangma Riju from where we perceive 360 degree vista of snowy mountains. Climbing steeply up to the top through the torrent of Changri glacier, we catch our first glimpse of Kala Patthar, a grey-green knoll beneath the Mt. Pumori. As we reach Gorak Shep, we will be surrounded by snow-capped mountains looming all around us including the top of the world – Mount Everest.After a brief lunch and rest, we take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once vast Gorak Shep Lake. Continuing straight ahead, we come through the Indian army mountaineers’ memorials. As we reach Everest Base Camp we cannot stop ourselves from appreciating the Everest climbers those take the hazardous route through the Khumbu icefall. Mountaineer’s tents stand out in bright colors against all the dull gray surroundings (especially in the Spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains we can view from base camp.
 

Maybe you slept restless because of the high altitude, which is very common. But wake up early because today is the climax of our trip. We start early in the morning to catch the dramatic views from Kala Patthar witnessing the first light of day shining on Mount Everest. However, we need to get prepared for an early morning, dark and cold temperature (-10 to --14 C) are common. And there is always the potential for chilly winds which are quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself emerging between the west shoulder crest and Nuptse. During the ascent to Kala Patthar we can pause to catch our breath at several outstanding view points to snap pictures. After several hours of an ascent, we reach Kala Patthar. From here we scramble to climb the rocky outcrop near to the summit marked by cairns and prayer flags. As we reach the top, we sit on the Kala Patthar rocks our eyes taking in the unbelievable Himalayan Panorama, wandering from one mighty massif to another. We take as many pictures as we can with our camera and take the in view with our mind’s eye to last lifetime. On returning back to Gorak Shep, we have breakfast and wait other participants to return back. Those participants who plan to visit Everest base camp today will have early breakfast to start early as Everest base camp hike takes longer time (4/5 hrs) than the Kala Patthar hike. Upon return back to Gorak Shep, the group will have lunch together; and afternoon time is taken to descend down to Pheriche for a good night’s rest. 

The trail back is enchanting, least to say. We will trek down through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. If it’s spring, pink and red rhododendron flowers ablaze our surroundings. After crossing the prayer flag festooned bridge over the Dudkoshi River, we reach Phunki Thenga. The trail then follows the Dud Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests. The path eventually reaches Sansa which is the major trail junction in the region. We stop at Kyangjuma (3570 m/11,710 ft) for a relaxed lunch. We unknowingly appreciate the gorgeous Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Nuptese with every bite. Following lunch, the trail to Namche Bazaar clings to the steep wooded slope beyond Kyangjuma, winding through several bends. We keep a lookout for wild life such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants, etc., while we pass through the forest by the trail. After passing a Chorten, we reach the army camp at of Namche Bazaar. We want to take a long last look (and picture!) back to Lhotse, the tip of Everest and Tengboche from here. On reaching our lodge, we take a nice hot shower and have very relaxed sleep in our room in Namche Bazaar.

You will notice that walking is easier because our bodies have adjusted to the high altitudes. The trail descends steeply downward so we need to walk slowly and under control as our (shaky) legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast following Dud Koshi and its tributaries the trail becomes more level and natural. By today we start to get warmed up by the light breeze. Any remaining sore throats and colds will be gone by today as we pass through this charming mountain air. Although we are travelling the same route down, we feel completely different views. We snap a mixture of open plains, rhododendron and pine forests, and in the distance snow covered peaks. On arrival in Lukla, we have plenty of time to relax, stretch those sore legs, and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. We experience the culmination of a fantastic trek on a happy note with everyone back safe and sound with smile on their faces! 
 

After our mountain journey, we take an early flight to Kathmandu. When we get there, we can relax or shop for souvenirs. If we feel like it, we can also explore other parts of Kathmandu today with the help of our guides, who can assist with both shopping and sightseeing.
 

In case there is no flight from Lukla to Kathmandu due to bad weather, we plan to stay one extra day in kathmandu . 

After breakfast or lunch, depending on your flight time, we will transfer you to the international airport or if you leave by evening you can put your luggage at the Hotel and enjoy the city one final day.