Gokyo Lake Trek - 13 Days

Following breakfast we will start our Kathmandu tour with Places Nepal. Today we will walk through the ancient city town of Kathmandu and visit UNESCO World Heritage sites like Soyambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudanath Stupa & Pashupatinath Temple among others.

Strolling through the city's gullies is like taking a time pill to a distant past that has not yet been forgotten. We will have lunch during our tour and then return to Thamel for trek preparation and some last-minute shopping.

Today will mark our first trek day, and the intrepid journey starts with a mountain flight to Lukla. A Places Nepal representative will pick you up from the hotel and take you to Tribhuvan International Airport. During the peak trekking season, we must drive to Manthali, Ramechhap, which takes about 5 hours to drive from Kathmandu and catch a flight to Lukla. The 45-minute flight is a great introduction to the Himalayas of Nepal. 

Once we land in Lukla, we will prepare for our trek to Phakding. Phakding is a small town north of Lukla, situated at 2,610m above sea level. The hilly town is filled with hotels and lodges that provide necessary accommodation to mountaineers and trekkers on their way to Mt. Everest. 

Along the way, we will pass through the villages of Chheplung, Nachipang, Koshigaya, and Ghat until we finally reach Pkhading. We will also cross a suspension bridge, which is great. On a clear day, we will be blessed by a view of Mt. Kusum Kanguru and Mount Kongde, among other peaks.

It will take 3 to 4 hours to reach Pkhading, where we will spend the night.

The fourth day of our trek starts with an early breakfast. Today, we will travel to Namche Bazaar, a Sherpa village at 3,440m above sea level.

We will cross the village of Thulo Gumela, Tok Tok, Benkar, Manjo (the entry point of Sagarmatha National Park), and another place called Phakding, Jorsalle. From there, we’ll cross the famous Hillary Bridge (suspension) to reach Mt. Everest View Point. Here, we will first glimpse the giant Mt. Everest, standing tall at 8848 m.

We will call it a day at Namche Bazaar

On the fifth day of our journey, we’ll rest at Namche Bazaar to acclimatise. Namche is a popular destination and is considered one of the most significant towns in the Himalayas. It is also an “unofficial” gateway to the Mt. Everest Trek, or Climb in Nepal.

Today, you can choose where to travel as there are many places you can hike in Namche Bazaar for acclimatisation. Usually, people tend to travel to Hotel Everest View, or locally called Everest View Hotel for acclimatisation and continue to Khumjung Village for a round trip.

Among the exciting attractions on today’s hike is Khunde Hospital, established in 1966 by Sir Edmund Hillary and currently supported by the Himalayan Trust. The Khumjung School, also initiated by Sir Edmund, is even older. Furthermore, the Khumjung Monastery is a testament to Sherpa heritage, dating back centuries. Visitors may encounter an intriguing artifact inside the monastery — a purported Yeti scalp, although its authenticity remains unverified.

We will return to Namche Bazaar and call it a day for the hike tomorrow.

Following an early breakfast, we will start making our way towards Dole. Deep into Sagarmatha National Park, we will start seeing rare Himalayan animals like Tahr, Munals, and, if we are extremely lucky, some Snow Leopards.

With Dudh Koshi River by our side, we will hike towards Mong La Pass and slowly descend towards Khumbila. Trekking today will be rewarding with excellent views of Kongde, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Mt Everest, and Thamerku. 

The trail ascends towards Mong La pass. Crossing the Mong La pass, 3972 metres, the trail descends into Khumbila. To the left is the route to Gokyo Lakes and we reach Mong village. The views from this ridge village reach Tengboche and beyond. Enjoy waterfalls and rhododendrons on this trail, but not so much the stone stairs.

Finally, we reach the village of Dole, where we stop for the night.

On the seventh day, we will travel from Dole to Machhermo. The route is relatively short and straightforward, with only a few stairs. 

Following early breakfast, we will start walking towards the village of Lazu and slowly ascend towards Machhermo. The hike today will reward you with an excellent view of Mt. Cho Oyu, the fifth-highest mountain in the world. 

We will call it a day at Machhermo. 

Today we will say goodbye to Machhermo and start our trek to Gokyo. Grab a heavy breakfast as lodges are scarce on the path today. 

As the hike today is short we will try to reach Gokyo for Lunch. We will pass the Karnasa, Phangga, and Langpanga villages along the way. View of the Gokyo II or Yaujan Pokhari will indicate that we are closer to Gokyo Village. A couple of lakes that we pass are sure to take your breath away. The blue water body reflecting mountains often provides the best view of the Himalayas in a clear reflection. 

We will grab lunch at Gokyo, go on an acclimation hike to see Ngojumba Glacier, and return to Gokyo for the night.

Today, we wake up early, finish breakfast, and try to reach the fourth Gokyo Lake via Ngojumba Glacier before sunrise. Gokyo Fourth Lake, locally called Tonak Pokhari, is one of the best glacier lakes in the Himalayas, providing a breathtaking view of Mt. Everest and other 8000m massifs. 

Once the trek to Gokyo Lake is done we will return to Gokyo and start our descent back to Machhermo.

We will call it a day at Machhermo.

Now that Gokyo Lake has been checked off, we continue our descent, leaving along rocky Himalayan terrain. With views of magnificent Himalayan massifs, we will cross a few bridges and pass the villages of Thortse and Phortse. 

Following lunch at one of the lodges along the way we will reach Namche Bazaar. Here we can already feel the difference in atmospheric air as breathing becomes easier. We will call it a day at Namche Bazaar. 

Today we will travel directly from Namche Bazaar to Lukla passing the villages of Pkhading, Thulo Gumela, Tok Tok, Benkar, Manjo, and others along the way.

Following many suspension bridges and crossings we will reach Lukla in the afternoon. We will rest in Lukla before returning to Kathmandu the next day.

Get ready for our domestic mountain flight back to the capital after breakfast. It's an easy transition from the mountains to Kathmandu's metropolitan life. Upon arrival, a private car waiting to take us to our accommodation. It's good to be welcomed back so easily and comfortably.

Based on your flight time, a representative from Places Nepal will drop you off at the airport. 

Thank you for trekking Gokyo Lakes with Places Nepal.