Out of the three passes, the two incredible high Passes- Cho La Pass (5,420 m) & Kongma La Pass (5,535 m) - are the exceptional viewpoints of Everest. They are popular for their spectacular glacier views, particularly of the Nuptse-Lhotse glacier wall, and the mountain glimpses of several distinguished peaks- Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse. Besides watching these icy buttresses, one can see attractive glimpses of sublime Sherpa settlements-Dingboche, Gorakshep, Lobuche, and Gokyo- in the lower valley, sustaining their cultural anthem for ages under the shadow of the invincible mountains of Everest Region.
This Everest two-pass trek will push you deep into the least visited traditional villages and farm fields, where the time-honored mountains of Everest inspire the lifestyle of the local Sherpas. Their quaint stone houses, surrounded by stone walls, protect their family from the heavy winds of Everest. Their clothing, basically made from the furs of yak, is to provide warmth from the icy cold of the snowy mountains. Likewise, their tradition of sipping locally made liquor, of rice, in the rituals and ceremonies is to warm the inner vital organs. All these pieces of evidence infer that the mountains are their greatest home and they are the legends of the mighty Everest. This Everest two-pass trek package is one of the best ways to explore the Sherpas and their cultures.
This trek can be attempted in any season, but the autumn season (September, October, and November) provides the best experience that you want to gain from Everest. To do this trek, we can help you in choosing the appropriate trekking gear and other trekking essentials for a sound and productive trip. No matter whether your purpose of the visit is educational or for fun, we can set your itinerary and programs as per your purpose of visit. Let us know your expectations, and we will give you the trek of your choice.
The Everest Base Camp Trek through Gokyo Cho La and Kongma La Pass Trek necessitates thorough planning for an exceptional journey in Nepal's Everest area. To prepare for high-altitude hiking, first examine your physical fitness and speak with a healthcare practitioner. To prepare your body for the difficult terrain, follow a complete fitness plan that includes aerobic activities and strength training. Be aware of altitude, take precautions, budget properly, respect local culture, and make all required travel preparations. When properly prepared, this difficult trip provides great vistas and cultural experiences.
The Everest Base Camp via Gokyo Cho La and Kongma La Pass Trek is best done during the pre-monsoon (spring) season (March to May) and the post-monsoon (fall) season (September to November). This trip takes place in the spring, against a backdrop of blossoming rhododendrons and a mild environment, with bright sky blessing hikers with spectacular mountain panoramas. The nights stay rather warm, allowing for restful sleep.
Autumn, on the other hand, has a consistent weather pattern with clear skies, little precipitation, and pleasant temperatures. The sceneries are vibrantly colored, providing spectacular vistas of the Himalayan peaks. Whether you prefer the vibrant colors of spring or the crystal-clear vistas of fall, both seasons provide an unforgettable trekking experience through one of the world's most appealing locations. Trekkers should, however, be prepared for changing weather and freezing temperatures at higher elevations during their expedition.
Due to bad weather conditions and safety concerns, trekking to Everest Base Camp via Gokyo Cho La and Kongma La Pass is not suggested during two specified times of the year. First, the monsoon season, which lasts from June through August, brings considerable rain to the Everest region. This causes muddy and treacherous paths, landslides, and frequent cloud cover, which obscures the stunning mountain vistas. Second, the winter season, which lasts from December to February, brings with it bitter cold, considerable snowfall, and terrible weather. Snow and ice have covered hiking pathways, needing specialist equipment and creating avalanche concerns near high passes.
Almost all of the accommodations for the Everest Base Camp Trek through Gokyo Cho La and Kongma La Pass are in teahouses. These provide simple yet comfortable housing with twin-sharing rooms and communal restrooms. The food is broad, with both local and foreign alternatives, however, fresh vegetables should be avoided. Trekkers should have refreshments and water-purifying devices with them. As you climb, your lodgings may become more basic, and your heating alternatives may become more restricted. Electronic device charging is provided but may incur an additional fee. Respect local customs and keep your environmental effects to a minimum for a mutually rewarding encounter.
It is also advised that you consult about the food to your guide for much better and hygienic selections.
Travelers must take a four-hour shared Hiace Van trip from Kathmandu to Manthali Airport because there is no direct route from Kathmandu to Lukla. This is a result of high airport traffic in Kathmandu (October through November and March through April).
From Rameechap Manthali Airport, we will then fly directly to Lukla Airport. There is an extra charge of USD 100 when using a private vehicle. Travelers should prepare to check out at around 1 a.m. in order to catch a flight the same day.
You will be required to pay an additional sum for the hotel, which will be around USD 20 per person if you decide to stay an extra night in Rameechap in order to catch the same-day flight.
We will start our journey after we arrive in Lukla and go to Phakding from there.
Once you return to Lukla for your domestic trip to Rameechap, our tour will come to a close. From there, you must board another flight to return to Kathmandu.
In order to visit the territory, Everest requires three sorts of permits. A Trekker's Information Management System (TIMS) Card is no longer required. These permissions can only be obtained from licensed agencies, and no freelancing guide can give them.
1. Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entrance Permit:
This permit is intended to supervise and handle tourism activity in the Khumbu region. It is necessary across the Khumbu region, including Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, and Gorakshep, and is valid till Jiri.
Cost: NPR 2000 Per Person for each foreigner.
2. Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit:
The purpose of this permit is to restrict and manage entry to the Sagarmatha National Park in order to preserve its natural beauty and biodiversity. The cash collected by these permits is utilized to conserve and maintain the park.
Cost: NPR 3000 Per Person for each Foreigner
3. Additional Permit for Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trek:
While entering Jiri, an extra permit for the Gaurishankar Conservation Area is required till we reach the Everest Base Camp Trek.
Cost: NPR 3000 Per Person for each foreigner.
(All the permits required are included in this package).
You will only need your valid passport photocopy(validity of 6 months).
Day 01: Kathmandu or Ramechhap to Lukla flight (35m) same day trek to Phagding
Day 02: Trek to Namche (3,440 m)
Day 03: Acclimatization at Namche (3,440m) & Hike to Khumjung (3,780m) and Khunde (3,840m)
Day 04: Trek to Tengboche (3,860 m)
Day 05: Trek to Dingboche (4,410 m)
Day 06: Acclimatization day at Dingboche (4,410 m) & Hike to Nangkar Tshang Hill (5,616 m)
Day 07: Trek to Chhukung (4,730 m) & Hike to Chhukung Ri (5,550 m)
Day 08: Trek to Lobuche (4,910 m) via Kongma La Pass (5,535 m)
Day 09: Trek to Gorakshep (5,140 m) & Hike to Kalapatthar (5,550 m)
Day 10: Hike to Everest Base Camp (EBC) (5,364 m) & Trek to Dzongla (4,830 m)
Day 11: Trek to Dragnag (4,700 m) via Cho La Pass (5,420 m)
Day 12: Trek to Gokyo (4,790 m)
Day 13: Hike to Gokyo-Ri (5,360 m)
Day 14: Return trek to Dole (4,200 m)
Day 15: Return trek to Namche (3,440 m)
Day 16: Return trek to Lukla (2,840 m)
Day 17: Flight back to Kathmandu or Ramechhap (1,338 m)
This package does not cover the cost of a private vehicle and Hotel in Rameechap.
Price for private car- USD 100(up to 3 people per car excluding driver)
Price for Hotel in Rameechap- USD 20 (per person)
The short flight to Lukla takes about 25-45 minutes. Yet, it is incredibly fascinating with first-class views of the mountains and other undulating ridges. Upon landing in Lukla airport, in one of the shortest runways of the world, we will proceed towards our next station, Phakding. The trail to Phakding passes through the farm fields and quaint settlements of Chopulu. Few distances ahead, a gorgeous view of the Kusum Kanguru peak welcomes you to another village of Ghat. The main village of Phakding is not very far away from there.
From Phakding, the path to Namche starts by crossing a suspension bridge to be on the west side of the river. While there are Chortens and Mani walls keeping track of your footsteps, you will be amazed typically by the traditional mountain houses of Sherpa people. A beautiful waterfall at the village of Toctoc is a wonderful inspiration to proceed ahead to the Sagarmatha National Park. But, eventually, another waterfall welcomes you at Bengkar, in the middle of Toctoc and Sagarmatha NP. You will check your permits in the Sagarmatha National Park and then, head through the dense jungle sheltering beautiful Blue Sheep and Snow leopards. As you cross the jungle, a beautiful Kani Gate welcomes you to the Namche, the vibrant city of the Everest.
Namche is geographically and culturally an ideal spot for acclimatization. Because of receiving most of the sunlight during the day, Namche is warm and welcoming. Even the hills, surrounding the Namche, have welcomed the visitors by being a perfect viewpoint to see the heavenly peaks of Everest, Ama Dablam, and Lhotse. The museums and monasteries display the rich culture and time-honored history of mountain people. Namche is, indeed, a flabbergasting town.
From Namche, many side trips can be attempted. But, the most rewarding option is to hike to Khumjung and Khunde. The Hillary Hospital, founded by Sir Edmund Hillary and the traditional Khumjung monastery are the highlights of this hike, but there is much more to see and learn from this incredible short hike. It is also an acclimatization hike, so don’t mess up the adventure by going fast.
From Namche, the rightmost trail takes us to Tengboche via the fabulous Tenzing Norgay Memorial Stupa. Few distances ahead from this monastery, we will come across a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the peaks of Ama Dablam, Lhotse Shar, Kangtega, Taboche, and Thamserku. It is a good startup for the rest of the journey. Within a while, a chain of 7 remarkable water-driven prayer wheels meets our eyes, before crossing a suspension bridge to Phunke Tenga. These are the rare glimpses in the mountains. As you cross the bridge, the vast pasture opens up that finally leads you to the village of Tengboche.
Pay a visit to the Tengboche Monastery, the largest monastery of the Khumbu (Everest) region. The intricate décor within and outside the monastery is worth exploring.
A trek to Dingboche is many times considered as the best day of the overall trekking in the Everest Region. The trails are exposed and offer open views of the incredible Himalayas up to the Dingboche. For a while, the views are closed up. But, as soon as you cross a suspension bridge at Melingo, the incredible peaks of the Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, and Taboche open up wide and live. You will go parallel to the Imja Khola and encounter several little Buddhist shrines and Chortens to rinse your city soul by the purity of nature. Upon arriving at Dingboche, you will see a completely different world.
At a glance, Dingboche is nothing more than a stone village. All the houses, including the outer fencing walls, are made up of stones. Even the Chortens and monasteries are of no exception. Nevertheless, all of these beauties are fascinating. During the day, we will hike to the Nangkar Tshang hill to watch the polished peaks of Makalu and its counterparts in the sky. The trail passes through a brief forest that introduces some of the rare species of butterflies and birds on the way. It is an exotic experience. Later, you will return to Dingboche for the night stay.
The trail to Chhukung is very much physically demanding. First, it rises to an arid meadow and then, climbs over several cliffs to finally arrive at the Chhukung. From there, the hike to Chhukung Ri begins. You will follow the snowy track in most of the journey until arriving at the top of the Ridge. The most difficult part of this journey is the altitude. Stepping a short step feels like running in a marathon. Despite all these painful encounters, the views from the top are very much gratifying. It compensates the pain and rewards you with the additional views of the mountains and glaciers.
From Chhukung, the trail to Kongma La rises steeper and steeper until it reaches the top of the pass. While the views of the mountains on the way are not so disappointing, they are still nothing in comparison to what is seen from the Kongma La pass, the highest pass of the Everest Region. The beautiful peaks of Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse are incomparable to any other views. Plus, the blue glacier walls seem to inspire the neighboring buttresses to stand strong and proud on their feet. The whole mountain families appear extraordinary from the Kongma La pass. Soon, we will descend to the Lobuche for the night stay. But, the trail is very slippery.
Early in the darkness of the morning, we will leave Lobuche and walk over the moraine towards the Gorakshep. It is because the cool wind from the glaciers increases its pace in the morning hours, thereby resisting your speed. When you are half-way ahead of Lobuche, a beautiful snowy pyramid glitters on the west. Once you arrive at Gorakshep, head towards the epic hill station of Kalapatthar, overlooking the unforgiving panorama of whole mountain series. It is simply magical. Descend back to Gorakshep for the overnight stay.
Early in the morning, hike up to the Everest Base Camp along the snowy path. At a glance, Everest base camp is just a vast snowscape with tents distributed in a certain flat section. You will see the summiteers preparing for their final ascent to the top of the Everest. Mostly, the views from the base camp are covered by the haze, but if you got lucky, then you will witness the rare views of the Himalayas.
Descend back to Gorakshep for lunch and then, head towards the Dzongla via the Lobuche. A beautiful turquoise Tshola lake makes your day more enjoyable until Dzongla
From Dzongla, we will leave early and then, proceed slowly towards the Cho La pass as it aids in acclimatization. The trail to the Cho La pass is narrow, icy and exposed, so there is a greater risk of falling. Therefore, one needs to be very much careful while climbing to the top of the pass. From the pass, the view of the Ama Dablam is the best of all, while Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse appear satisfactory. Besides, you may as well inspect the faraway view of the Gokyo valley but the lakes will be covered by the hills. Like the ascent, the descent to the Dragnag is equally threatening. But, once you cross these trails, you are welcomed by the village of Dragnag.
The trail descends for a while from Dragnag, and then climbs steeply across the Ngozumpa glacier, the longest glacier of Nepal. Here, you will catch the fleeting glimpses of the mountains. As you descend to the Gokyo valley, leave the settlement area to see the Gokyo Lakes system, the highest freshwater lake system in the world. Every lake in this lake system is turquoise in color because of the tiny glacial matters deposited at the bottom of the lake. Among others, Dudh Pokhari is the most beautiful and revered lake in the Gokyo lakes system. We will return to Gokyo valley later on.
From Gokyo, hike to the hill station of Gokyo Ri to witness some of the exceptional scenarios of mountains. Gokyo Ri is compared to the spectacular Kalapatthar in terms of beauty, and at times, visitors find the views from Gokyo Ri superior to that from Kalapatthar. Still, both are the gems of Everest. The peaks of Everest and other countless ranges make this vantage point a must-visit destination in the world.
Later, we will return to Gokyo valley for the overnight stay.
From Gokyo, descend to the Dole along the classic Gokyo routes. The trail follows the rocky boulders and steeply descends to Machhermo. From there, the farm fields join you on both sides of the trail before arriving at the Dole. While Dole has its own cultural magnetism, the views of the Thamserku and Taboche are truly reminiscing from there. The quaint settlements on the way are worth exploring if you like to gain some real-life experiences. Dole is perfect for learning about the Sherpas.
From Dole, we will descend back to Namche through the shortest way possible
Retrace your steps back to Lukla via Phakding. The descriptions are already mentioned above.
Catch the earliest possible flight to Kathmandu and explore the remaining places of Kathmandu on the very same day. It is so much fun to do that.
