DESCRIPTION:
Simply mentioning the word ‘Everest’ is enough to captivate the adventurous spirit of the most common person. Rising above every single thing that materially exists, the great goddess Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolangma in Tibetan, has made many a person dream.
This trek presents itself as an alternative route to the more classic ‘Everest Base Camp’ trek, passing by the spectacular Gokyo Lakes. While the classic walk to the Everest Base Camp is definitely not nearly as demanding as the Gokyo route, the rewards that this trek offers are absolutely unrivaled. The Gokyo route has the advantage of passing through a gallery of beautiful turquoise lakes, moonscape-like glaciers and the famous Cho La pass, from where the views are simply breathtaking.
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Stretching over a period of 15 days, the trek starts in green hill country passing through picturesque villages slowly ascending the summer pastures for yak grazing along the ancient Sherpa trading routes to Tibet, and arrives at a land of stark glaciers and ice with the world’s highest summits at your reach.
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Before and after the trek, we have also arranged a
brief cultural tour of the Kathmandu valley, so that you may marvel at the diversity and rich cultural heritage of Nepal.
Highlights of this journey will include walking through the bustling markets of the Kathmandu valley with ancient temples at every street corner, visiting the beautiful monastery of Tengboche with Mt. Ama Dablam towering behind it, watching the snow-capped peaks reflected in the clear waters of the Gokyo lakes, and of course standing in thin air at 5545 meters atop Kalapattar, facing the world’s mightiest giants.
~$3150
21 Days/20 Nights Trekking Tour (15 days on trek)
EVEREST GOKYO LAKES TREK
21
days
PRICE INCLUDES:
Twin sharing accommodation in government approved hotels
All meals (except dinners in Kathmandu)
All trekking equipment
All transport within Nepal
Airport transfers
Entrance fees
All permits
PRICE EXCLUDES:
All international airfare
Any expenses of personal nature
Personal Medical Insurance
Travel insurance
Visa Fee
Airport Taxes (if applicable)
Tips to local staff
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
The best seasons to visit Nepal are Spring and Autumn. During the months of March till May, the country enjoys beautiful days and moderately cold nights. Flowers are in full bloom and it is a perfect time to go trekking in the Annapurna and Everest regions. The months of September till the end of November are equally sunbathed. The autumn light is particularly clear compared to the Spring and offers a photographer’s paradise.
Although the weather can be cold in the winter, with snow in upper valleys, the winter months can prove to be the best time for a cultural tour of Nepal with the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys enjoying mild weather. If you plan to visit the southern Terai plains in Chitwan or Lumbini for example, then winter will be an ideal time to go.
Summer corresponds to the monsoon season in Nepal. Although the days are often cloudy and rainy, summer provides an excellent opportunity to see the exceptional fauna and flora of the country in full bloom. For exceptionally high altitude trekking such as Upper Mustang, summer is the only season possible. Adding to this, as Spring and Autumn can often be a little crowded with tourists, Winter and Summer can provide a much more peaceful and exclusive journey.
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE:
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu – visit of Swayambhunath
Day 2: Visit of Pashupatinath and Boudhanath
Day 3: Visit of Patan and Baktapur
Day 4: Flight to Lukla - on trek - Lukla to Phakding (2/3 hours)
Day 5: On trek - Phakding to Namche Bazaar (5 hours)
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Day 6: On trek - Rest and acclimatization day at Namche Bazaar
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Day 7: On trek - Namche Bazaar to Phortse Tanga (6 hours)
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Day 8: On trek - Phortse Tanga to Machermo (7 hours)
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Day 9: On trek - Machermo to Gokyo (7 hours)
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Day 10: On trek - Gokyo to Thaknak via Gokyo Ri (5 hours)
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Day 11: On trek - Thaknak to Dzonglha via Cho La pass (8 hours)
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Day 12: On trek - Dzonglha to Lobuche (5 hours)
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Day 13: On trek - Lobuche to Gorakshep (5 hours)
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Day 14: On trek - Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp/Kala Pattar and back to Gorakshep
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Day 15: On trek - Gorakshep to Dingboche (6 hours)
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Day 16: On trek - Dingboche to Tengboche (4 hours)
Day 17: On trek - Tengboche to Namche Bazaar (7 hours)
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Day 18: On trek - Namche Bazaar to Lukla (5 hours)
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Day 19: Flight to Kathmandu
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Day 20: Last day visit of Kathmandu
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Day 21: exit to onward destination
GRADE: DEMANDING
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE ON TREK: 5545 mts/18192 ft
NUMBER OF PASSES ON TREK: 1
Cho La Pass (5330 mts/17486 ft)