This Gokyo trek to the Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri is a great alternative for the busier route to Everest Base Camp. From Namche you take a side route, which takes you to the breathtaking Gokyo lakes.
The Gokyo region has several bright blue highland lakes and glistening glaciers. On the way to the Gokyo Lakes you pass several times along green meadows with grazing yaks. You climb the top of the Gokyo Ri (5350 m) and as a reward you get beautiful panoramic views of some of the highest peaks in the world. You’ll see Mount Everest, the Makalu and the Cho Oyo, among others.
The six bright blue Gokyo lakes are mineral-poor lakes, situated at an altitude of 4,700-5,000 metres above sea level. Together, these lakes form the highest freshwater lake system in the world!
On the way back from the Gokyo you will spend the night in the picturesque village of Khumjung, where you can get acquainted with the lifestyle of the local Sherpa people.
If you really want to hike a little longer and combine it with Everest Base Camp and Kalapathar, this is of course possible! We also have a nice trek that combines both!
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Overview
- Enjoy the beauty of nature on the shores of six turquoise lakes fed by glaciers
- Hiking along the Ngozumpa glacier (optional), the largest glacier in the Himalayas
- Avoid the hustle and bustle of Everest Base Camp, but enjoy some great views of the Himalayas
- Climb the Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) and enjoy spectacular views of Everest, Lhotse and Cho Oyu.
- Stay in the nice and authentic Sherpa village Khumjung
Itinerary
Day 1 :
Early drive to Manthali (ca.5 hours), Domestic flight to Lukla & Starting day Trek to Phakding (2652m) - ca. 4 hours
Namaste and welcome to Nepal!
Today starts early! Very early in the morning you and your guide will go to Manthali airport for the flight to Lukla (2853m). Lukla is the gateway to the Everest region and also the starting point of your trekking to the beautiful Gokyo lakes. During the flight you will get a foretaste of the splendour of the Himalayas and catch your first glimpse of Mount Everest in the distance.
In Lukla you will meet your porter and depart towards Phakding (2600m). This village is located along the main route towards Namche Bazaar and houses some clean lodges.
You will spend the night in a teahouse in Phakding.
Day 2 :
Trek to Namche Bazaar (3440m) - ca. 4 hours
You walk further up along the banks of the Dudh Kosi River crossing the river twice via a suspension bridge. In the village of Monjo starts the Sagarmatha National Park.
Afterwards you cross a high suspension bridge again, where the Dudh Khosi and the Bhote Khosi rivers meet. You climb uphill to Namche Bazaar. Namche is the Sherpa capital of the Everest region and a busy market place where Tibetans sell their merchandise. From Namche you have a view on some high snowy peaks.
You spend the night in a teahouse in Namche Bazaar.
Day 3 :
Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar
To acclimatize to the altitude, with a lower amount of oxygen, you stay one day longer in Namche today.
To acclimatize further, walk today to Shangboche (3900m), situated on a hill. From this point you have a beautiful view on the whole Everest area. After enjoying the view, you return to Namche for lunch. This hike is ideal to let your body get used to the altitude even further.
In Namche you will visit the Sherpa museum where you can learn about the locals and the surrounding area.
You will spend the night in a teahouse in Namche Bazaar.
Day 4 :
Trek to Dole (4200m) - ca. 5 to 6 hours
You climb briefly from Namche and then make a long picturesque trip through the valley of the Dudh Khosi River. You will enjoy the view of Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse, Thamserku and other snowy peaks and pass beautiful stupas. You walk through a pine and rhododendron forest until the route splits. From here you take a less busy route than this to Everest Base Camp.
The path is narrow at first, but then becomes wider and slightly flatter after climbing a series of steep stairs.
After a few hours you'll reach the village of Mong, which is one of the most beautiful small villages in this region. It is not only beautifully situated on top of a ridge, but also gives a breathtaking view of the surrounding area!
After a lunch in Mong the path descends steeply to a river. Just before the river it climbs up again. In March and April you can sometimes see frozen waterfalls here, really spectacular! Also the rhododendrons bloom then in beautiful shades of red and pink!
A few hours after lunch you leave the forest and arrive in the picturesque village of Dole. It can be windy here, but the view is great!
You spend the night in a teahouse in Dole.
Day 5 :
Trek to Machhermo (4410m) - ca. 3 to 4 hours
Yesterday in Dole, you came out above the tree line. So the next days the landscape is calmer and with less vegetation. The path to Machhermo is quite easy compared to the previous day. This gives you some space to acclimatize further.
The landscape becomes more and more beautiful as you ascend. Above you towers the Cho Oyu, one of the highest peaks in the world with its height of 8188 meters! This is also the sixth highest mountain in the world!
Machhermo itself isn't that special: it's the location that makes it special. It is situated in a small valley, above which a snowy peak towers. Just like Dole, Machhermo is a summer destination for the Sherpas who let their yaks graze on the green slopes here during the monsoon.
You'll spend the night in a teahouse in Machhermo.
Day 6 :
Trek to Gokyo (4750m) - ca. 5 hours
After a short climb from Machhermo, from a ledge you have a magnificent view of the Cholatse (6335 m), the Taboche (6367 m) and the Cho Oyu (8201 m). Afterwards you'll gradually climb through an open landscape. In the summer a lot of yak caravans pass here.
As you get higher, the path becomes rougher and the surroundings more barren. You pass the first two Gokyo lakes. When the weather is nice, the mountains in these bright blue lakes reflect, which is breathtakingly beautiful!
If you hike further you'll reach the third Gokyo lake, where the village of Gokyo is located. You will stay in Gokyo for the rest of the day to acclimatize further.
You spend the night in a teahouse in Gokyo.
Day 7 :
Gokyo: day walk to the holy Gokyo Lakes
The six lakes around Gokyo are the source of the river you followed from Lukla. These lakes are sacred lakes for both Hindus and Buddhists.
The first lake you encounter is Thonak Tsho (4835m). From here you walk further to the fifth lake Ngozumba Tsho (4980m), located under the icy rocks of the Cho Oyu.
At the end of the moraine there is a viewpoint (5000m), Scoundrel`s Viewpoint, from where you have a beautiful view of the Cho Oyu and the Ngozumpa glacier. From here you can return, but if you want to go even further, you can walk on to Ngozumba Ri (5550m), from where you have a magnificent view of the Cho Oyu, the sixth lake and Everest. You can walk on to the sixth lake: the Gyazumba Tsho (5150m).
Overnight stay in a teahouse in Gokyo.
Day 8 :
Climb to Gokyo Ri (5360m) - Trek to Phanga (4300m) - ca. 7 hours
Today you get up early for the climb to Gokyo Ri, a small mountain above the lake. The weather is brightest early in the morning. The hike isn't that difficult, but the altitude makes it tough and you're walking at a slow pace.
The view from Gokyo Ri makes the climb worthwhile: you'll be between 4 of the 14 highest peaks in the world: Everest (8848 m), Lhotse (8516 m), Makalu (8485 m) and Cho Oyu (8118 m). But the view is much more than the view of these mastodo's! You have a horizon full of snowy peaks and below you can see three of the beautiful blue Gokyo Lakes and the village of Gokyo. Also the Ngozumpa glacier, with its length of 36 km the largest in the Himalayas, can be seen from here!
After recording these unforgettable impressions, you will descend again to Gokyo where you will spend the rest of the day.
Afterwards you will leave Gokyo and walk to Phanga.
Overnight stay in a teahouse in Phanga.
Day 9 :
Trek to Khumjung - ca. 7 hours
You're walking down today. You pass Machhermo and Dole again. You're going faster than on the climb.
Khumjung is a village located in the hidden Khumjung valley in the Everest region. Be sure to visit the Khumjung monastery. Inside is a large statue of the Guru Rinpoche. This monastery also has a skull which according to them comes from a Yeti. You can also visit the school founded by Sir Edmund Hillary.
If you still have energy left, you can also visit the other Sherpa village in this valley, Khundu. You walk slightly uphill to Khunde through potato fields. There you can visit the Khunde Hospital and the Khunde Monastery. The view from above on Khunde and Khumjung is great.
You spend the night in a teahouse in Khumjung.
Day 10 :
Trek via Namche to Monjo (2835m) - ca. 5 hours
After breakfast you start your walk to Monjo.
The path largely runs through an alpine forest. Once passed Phortse Thanga the path goes steep uphill to Mohan Danda. On the way you have a beautiful view over Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. If there are no clouds, you can also see Mount Everest!
Then you will hike along an easier path over a ridge to the Namche Bazaar you are familiar with. You can take a break here, but then continue your way further down.
You descend and cross the high suspension bridge. You walk along the river before crossing a few more suspension bridges until you arrive in Monjo, where you will spend the night today.
Overnight stay in a teahouse in Monjo.
Day 11 :
Trek to Lukla (2860m) - ca. 4 hours
Today is the last day of the trekking!
After half an hour of walking and enjoying the surroundings, you pass Phakding. Even though you return on your footsteps, you will see the Khumbu valley completely different at the descent!
From Phakding you will hike for another 3 hours or so back to Lukla. Flying is only possible early in the morning, so you will sleep in Lukla today.
You will spend the night in a teahouse in Lukla.
Day 12 :
Domestic flight to Manthali - drive to Kathmandu (ca. 5 hours)
The end of your journey is unfortunately in sight! Early in the morning you go back to Manthali (Ramechhap) with a small propeller plane from Lukla. This flight takes about 20 minutes. On the way you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the snowy peaks of the Himalayas one last time.
From Manthali you will be brought back to Kathmandu in a small minibus. The rest of the day you are free to spend in Kathmandu.
Are you a bit overwhelmed by the pressure of the city? Then take a look at the Garden of Dreams, a neo-classical garden in the heart of Kathmandu!
What's included?
- Trekking briefing with your guide
- Domestic flight Manthali - Lukla and Lukla - Manthali
- 11 nights in teahouses during the trekking, 11x breakfast, 11x dinner and 11x lunch included (drinks excl.)
- English speaking guide during the trekking (his salary, meals, transport, insurance, entrance fee Khumbu region and overnight stay)
- Porter for your luggage during the trekking (his wages, meals, transport, insurance and accommodation) - 1 porter per 2 persons - max. 18 kg
- The necessary trekking documents
What's not included?
- Visa fee of approx. 30 USD per person for 15 days: this is available upon arrival at the airport in Kathmandu or in advance through the Nepalese consulate or embassy.
- Entrance fees when visiting monasteries or places of interest during your trekking and free days
- International flight tickets Nepal: We deliberately do not include this in our price. It is easier and cheaper to book this yourself.
- Tips for drivers, guide, porter etc.: In Nepal it is customary to give a tip. For this trip this is about € 80 per person.
- Personal expenses such as check, electricity for recharging batteries, hot shower, boiled water,...
