Trip Facts
Country:
Nepal
Duration:
12 Days
Max Altitude:
Gokyo Ri, 5,357 m (17,575 ft)
Activities:
Trekking and hiking
Region:
Everest / Khumbu region
Starting Point:
Kathmandu
Ending Point:
Kathmandu
Grade:
Moderate to Strenuous
Group Size:
2 to 16 pax
Accomodation:
Teahouses, Hotel in Kathmandu
Best Season:
Mar-May & Sep-Nov
Notice
The Gokyo Valley Trek is a quieter alternative to Everest Base Camp. You reach the turquoise Gokyo Lakes and climb Gokyo Ri (5,357 m).
From the top of Gokyo Ri, you see four 8,000 m peaks at once: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. You also see the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest in Nepal.
This trek goes high, but it crosses no pass. A licensed guide is not legally required in the Everest region, but because of the altitude we recommend trekking with one. Every trek we run includes a licensed guide who carries a first-aid kit and checks your health daily, and we arrange all your permits.
Overview of Gokyo Lakes Trek 12-Days
Quick answer: Turquoise lakes, one quiet trail. The Gokyo Lakes Trek spends 12 days in the valley next door to Everest Base Camp. Here you meet a fraction of its foot traffic. Your high point is Gokyo Ri at 5,357 m, a dawn climb. At the top, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu fill the skyline. On the way up the valley, you walk beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest in Nepal. From US$ 1,560, permits and guide included.
The Gokyo Valley Trek is a 12-day journey into the heart of the Khumbu, in Nepal’s Everest region. People also call it the Gokyo Lakes Trek or the Gokyo Ri Trek. Instead of walking to Everest Base Camp, you head up a quieter side valley. So you trade the crowds for turquoise lakes, a famous viewpoint, and wide open space.
The trek starts with the thrilling flight to Lukla. Then you climb the Dudh Koshi valley to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital. After a rest day, you leave the main trail and turn into the Gokyo valley. The path then climbs gently through Dole and Machhermo to Gokyo village, which sits beside a string of glacial lakes.
The big day is the dawn climb of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m). Many trekkers rate this view as the best in the whole Everest region. From the top, you see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu (8,188 m) at once. Below you lie the bright blue lakes and the vast Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. If you feel strong, you can also walk on to the fourth and fifth lakes.
This trek is graded moderate to strenuous. It reaches 5,357 m, but it crosses no high pass, and the daily walks are shorter than on many Everest routes. Still, the altitude is real, so the plan builds in a rest day at Namche and a slow, steady climb. A porter carries your bags, so you can walk light.
Spade Himalaya runs this trek with licensed Sherpa guides. So your guide sets a safe pace, watches the weather, and checks your health each day. Want the classic route instead? Then see the Everest Base Camp Trek. New to the Khumbu? Start with our Lukla flight guide and our Namche Bazaar guide, the two stops every Gokyo itinerary shares with the base camp trail. To combine base camp and Gokyo over a high pass, see the Everest Base Camp Gokyo Trek. For the ultimate loop, see the Everest Three Passes Trek.
Planning your trip? Then read our Everest region trekking guide, our guide to the best time to trek the Everest region, and our Everest Base Camp cost guide. Since permits here match the classic route, our Everest permit guide has your paperwork covered.
Trips Highlights
- Reach the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, one of the world's highest freshwater lake systems.
- Climb Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu in one view.
- See the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal.
- Trek a much quieter trail than the classic Everest Base Camp route.
- Walk to the fourth and fifth lakes and the Scoundrel's Viewpoint, if you feel strong.
- Take the dramatic Lukla flight, one of the most thrilling flights anywhere.
- Explore Namche Bazaar, the lively Sherpa capital of the Khumbu.
- Visit Khumjung village and the Hotel Everest View on the rest day.
- Walk through Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Meet the Sherpa people and learn about their mountain culture.
Kathmandu (1,400 m) → fly to Lukla (2,846 m) → Phakding (2,610 m) → Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) → Dole (4,038 m) → Machhermo (4,470 m) → Gokyo (4,790 m) → Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) → Namche Bazaar → Lukla → fly to Kathmandu.
In short, you fly to Lukla and climb to Namche. Then you branch into the quiet Gokyo valley through Dole and Machhermo. After you reach Gokyo and climb Gokyo Ri, you return down the same valley to Namche and Lukla.
Trips Itinerary
A Spade Himalaya representative meets you at the airport and drives you into Thamel, about thirty minutes away. You have two nights in the city before flying to Lukla, because this trek branches off the main Everest trail into the quieter Gokyo valley.
Kathmandu sits at 1,400 m, so there is no altitude to think about yet. Shower, eat and sleep off the flight. If you have energy left the lanes around the hotel are full of shops and gear stores, but an early dinner and a long night are the better use of the evening.
- Duration: 30 min
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Welcome drinks (soft)
- Accommodation: Shared 3 Star Hotel
Today you see the Kathmandu Valley with a city guide, and in the evening you meet your trek guide for the full briefing on the route and the days ahead.
You visit Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Kathmandu Durbar Square, all UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is easy walking with short drives between them, so it counts as a rest day. Leave time afterwards for any last kit you need to buy or hire in Thamel.
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Breakfast Included
- Accommodation: Shared 3 Star Hotel
An early forty minute flight puts you in Lukla, where you meet your porter and start walking, dropping gently along the Dudh Koshi to Phakding in three or four hours.
Lukla is at 2,846 m and Phakding at 2,610 m, so the first day loses height on purpose. In the busiest months the flight goes from Manthali instead, after an early morning drive.
The airstrip at Lukla is short and built on a slope, which is what makes the landing famous. The trail below it runs through pine forest and small Sherpa hamlets beside the river.
- Duration: 3 to 4 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 2,860 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
A long climbing day of six or seven hours follows the river, enters Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo, then grinds up the steep hill to Namche Bazaar.
Namche stands at 3,440 m, about 830 m above Phakding, and most of that comes in the final two hours. Slow and steady is the only sensible way to walk it.
You cross the high Hillary Bridge above the river junction, and near the top of the climb Everest appears for the first time on a clear day. Namche is the largest Sherpa town in the Khumbu.
- Duration: 6 to 7 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 3,440 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You stay in Namche for a second night and spend the day walking above it, climbing to the Hotel Everest View and on to Khumjung before returning to sleep low.
The hotel terrace is at 3,880 m, so you go about 440 m above the town and come back down, which is what acclimatization actually means. Khumjung sits below Thamserku and Kongde Ri and has an old monastery and the school Sir Edmund Hillary helped to found.
- Duration: 3 to 4 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 3,880 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You leave the main Everest trail today and branch into the quieter Gokyo valley, climbing through rhododendron and birch forest to the small settlement of Dole.
Dole is at 4,038 m and the walk takes four or five hours. You cross 4,000 m for the first time on this trek, so the shorter stage is deliberate. Musk deer and Himalayan tahr live in this forest, and the tree line ends not far above the village.
- Duration: 4 to 5 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 4,038 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
Another short day of four or five hours climbs steadily up the open valley to Machhermo, with Cho Oyu growing larger ahead of you the further you walk into the morning.
Machhermo sits at 4,470 m, so you gain around 430 m from Dole. Short stages at this height are how you stay well, and they are not a sign of a soft itinerary.
You pass Luza, a summer settlement used for grazing, and the slopes here are yak pasture. Machhermo has a small aid post where the staff run a free talk on altitude in the season.
- Duration: 4 to 5 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 4,470 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
Today you reach the lakes. The trail climbs to a ridge with your first look at the Ngozumpa Glacier, then passes two turquoise lakes before arriving at Gokyo village.
Gokyo sits at 4,790 m beside the third lake, Dudh Pokhari, after four or five hours of walking. The gain is modest but the ground is high and the pace stays slow.
The Ngozumpa is the largest glacier in Nepal and you walk right along its edge. The Gokyo lakes are a protected Ramsar wetland site and among the highest freshwater lakes anywhere.
- Duration: 4 to 5 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 4,790 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
The high point of the trek. You climb Gokyo Ri before dawn for the view, come back for breakfast, and can walk out toward the upper lakes in the afternoon.
Gokyo Ri is 5,357 m, roughly 570 m above the village, and the climb takes about three hours in the dark and cold. It is steep the whole way, with no flat sections to recover on.
From the top you can see four mountains over 8,000 m at once: Everest, Lhotse at 8,516 m, Makalu at 8,463 m and Cho Oyu, spread right across the skyline.
Below you are the lakes strung down the valley and the full length of the glacier. Very few viewpoints anywhere give you this much in one turn of the head.
- Duration: 5 to 7 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 5,357 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
The return begins. You retrace the valley down past Machhermo and Dole, drop back below the tree line into forest, and reach Namche Bazaar after six or seven hours.
You lose around 1,350 m today, from 4,790 m back to 3,440 m. It is a long day but a far easier one than the climb up, and the air gets richer with every hour. Once you are below the tree line the walking turns green again, and Namche has bakeries and hot showers waiting.
- Duration: 6 to 7 hrs walk
- Max Altitude: Gokyo 4,790 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
Your last day on the trail retraces the Dudh Koshi through Monjo and Phakding, and finishes with the short climb back up to Lukla after six or seven hours of walking.
You end at 2,846 m. The day reads as downhill but the final stretch into Lukla climbs, which catches people out on tired legs, so keep something in reserve.
This is the evening to eat with your guide and porters and settle any tips. The lodges in Lukla keep a fire going and the last dinner on the trail is usually a good one.
- Duration: 6 to 7 hrs walk
- Max Altitude: Namche 3,440 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You fly out of Lukla early and are back in Kathmandu within the hour. Lukla flights depend on the weather and delays are normal, so keep a spare day in Kathmandu before any international flight. It is the cheapest insurance on this whole trip.
- Duration: 45 min flight
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Breakfast Included
- Accommodation: Shared 3 Star Hotel
Trips Include
- All airport transfers in a private vehicle.
- 3 nights' hotel in Kathmandu (3-star, twin share) with breakfast.
- Guided Kathmandu Valley sightseeing with a private car and city guide.
- Round-trip flights between Kathmandu (or Manthali / Ramechhap) and Lukla, with airport transfers.
- All ground transfers to and from Manthali / Ramechhap in peak season.
- All teahouse accommodation during the trek (9 nights).
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during the trek, plus a farewell dinner.
- Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit.
- A licensed, experienced Sherpa guide (pay, insurance, meals, lodging).
- Porter support, one porter per two trekkers (pay, insurance, meals, lodging).
- First-aid kit and a pulse oximeter for daily health checks.
- Trip-completion certificate and all government taxes.
Trips Exclude
- International airfare to and from Nepal.
- Nepal entry visa (US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, US$125 for 90 days).
- Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu.
- Kathmandu monument entry fees while sightseeing.
- Travel and medical insurance (mandatory; must cover trekking to 5,400 m and helicopter evacuation).
- All drinks, snacks, hot showers, Wi-Fi, and device charging on the trail.
- Optional Kathmandu to Lukla helicopter transfer (extra fee).
- Tips for guide, porter, and driver.
- Personal expenses and any costs from early departure or itinerary changes.
- Anything not listed under Cost Includes.
Trips Altitude
Trips Map
Trips Gallery
Packing List
General
- Four-season (zero degree) sleeping bag.
- Sleeping bag liner
- Puffy down jacket.
- Duffel bag.
- Daypack, 35 to 45 litres, with a rain cover.
Upper Body
- Knitted hat or beanie
- Buff, scarf, or neck gaiter
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Sunscreen (SPF 35 to 60) and lip balm
- Technical base-layer tops (light and heavy)
- Short and long sleeve trekking shirts
- Fleece jacket or wool pullover
- Waterproof, windproof shell jacket
Lower Body
- Technical base-layer trousers
- Hiking trousers (2 pairs)
- Comfortable trousers for the teahouses
- Waterproof, windproof shell trousers
Lower Body
- Wool or technical liner gloves
- Insulated outer gloves for the high days
Feet
- Waterproof trekking boots (well broken in)
- Warm wool socks and sock liners
- Light shoes or sandals for the evenings
- Micro spikes (useful for Gokyo Ri in snow or ice)
- Gaiters (light for dust, heavier for snow)
Undergarments
- Quick-drying technical underwear
- Sports bras (women)
- Sleeping clothes or pyjamas
First Aid Kits
(Your guide carries a kit, medication, and a pulse oximeter, but a personal kit is strongly recommended.)
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Antiseptic ointment and blister care
- Cough syrup (the dry "Khumbu cough" is common at altitude)
- Personal medication and any altitude medication advised by your doctor
- Water-purification tablets or a UV purifier
Others
- Passport and extra passport photos
- Reusable water bottle and a hydration bladder
- Toiletry kit, quick-dry towel, toilet paper
- High-protein snacks (bars, nuts)
- Waterproof or dry bags for documents and money
- Trekking poles
Optional
- Power bank and spare batteries
- Camera or phone for photos
- Binoculars
- Cards or a book
- Thermos for hot water
Good to Know
Both treks are wonderful, but they feel different. Everest Base Camp is the classic, and it takes you to the foot of the highest peak. The Gokyo valley is quieter, and it rewards you with turquoise lakes and the best viewpoint in the region. So if you want big views with fewer crowds, Gokyo is a great choice. You can also join the two on the longer Everest Base Camp Gokyo Trek.
Lukla is a small mountain airport, so weather can cause delays. In quiet months, you fly from Kathmandu in 35 to 40 minutes. In busy months, you fly from Manthali after a 4 to 6 hour drive. So we suggest you keep a spare day in Kathmandu before your international flight. A direct helicopter can also be arranged for an extra fee.
The plan follows the climb-high, sleep-low rule. So it adds a rest day at Namche and a steady build-up through Dole and Machhermo. Drink 3 to 4 litres of water a day, and walk slowly. Skip alcohol up high, and eat well for energy. If you feel unwell, tell your guide at once. Going down is the best cure, and your guide carries an oximeter to track your oxygen.
You sleep in cosy teahouses with twin rooms. Lower down, in Lukla, Phakding, and Namche, some rooms have a private bathroom. Higher up, in Dole, Machhermo, and Gokyo, rooms are basic and nights are cold, so a good sleeping bag matters. The food is simple and filling: dal bhat, noodles, potatoes, soup, and bread. Vegetarian meals are easy to find, and meat is best avoided high up. For water, refill and purify rather than buy bottles. A dry “Khumbu cough” is common above Namche, so carry a buff and lozenges.
The Gokyo Lakes are sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists, so please treat them with respect. They are also one of the highest freshwater lake systems on earth. Beside them runs the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest in Nepal, which you cross to reach the fourth and fifth lakes. So take your time here, because this valley is the heart of the trek.
The trail runs on cash, so carry enough Nepalese rupees from Kathmandu or Namche. There are ATMs in Namche, but they can run dry. Hot showers, Wi-Fi, and charging all cost a small fee that rises with altitude. So bring a power bank and treat the high days as a chance to switch off.
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Trips FAQs
Permits, Guide & Insurance
Not by law. Nepal’s 2023 rule lists the Everest region among the areas needing a licensed guide (Nepal Tourism Board, retrieved 2026-06-28). However, the local Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality rejected the rule and allows solo trekking (The Himalayan Times, 2023-03-28). Still, this trek reaches 5,357 m, so because of the altitude we recommend a guide. Spade Himalaya gives you a licensed Sherpa guide who handles the route, the permits, and your health.
You need two. First, the Sagarmatha National Park permit (NPR 3,000). Second, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit (NPR 3,000). There is no TIMS card in the Khumbu. Spade Himalaya arranges both, and a ranger checks them on the trail.
Yes, it is a must. Your policy has to cover trekking to 5,400 m and a helicopter rescue. Many normal policies do not, so check the wording first. This route is high and remote, so good cover matters. Arrange it at home before you fly, and leave a copy with Spade Himalaya at the briefing.
Trek Difficulty & Altitude
It is graded moderate to strenuous. You walk 4 to 7 hours a day, and you reach 5,357 m at Gokyo Ri. There is no high pass and no technical climbing. So it is easier than the Everest Base Camp and Cho La route. Still, the thin air makes it a real challenge, so you need good fitness and steady acclimatization.
It is a real risk, because you sleep above 4,000 m for several nights and reach 5,357 m. So the plan adds a rest day at Namche and a slow, steady climb. Your guide checks your oxygen with an oximeter each day. Drink 3 to 4 litres of water daily, walk slowly, and tell your guide early if you feel unwell. Going down is the best cure.
This plan is 12 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu. That includes 2 city days, 9 trekking days, and the flight out. So you get a rest day at Namche and a gentle climb to Gokyo. We can also shorten or extend the trek to fit your time.
Best Time to Trek
Spring (March to May) and autumn (late September to November) are best, with stable weather and clear views. Winter is very cold, and snow can make Gokyo Ri slippery. The summer monsoon brings cloud and rain, so most people skip it.
Trek Highlights & Views
The Everest Base Camp Trek walks to the foot of Everest and the Kala Patthar viewpoint. The Gokyo Valley Trek goes up a quieter side valley instead. So you get turquoise lakes, fewer crowds, and the famous Gokyo Ri view. To see both in one trip, choose the Everest Base Camp Gokyo Trek.
Yes. From the top of Gokyo Ri, you see four 8,000 m peaks at once: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. You also look down on the turquoise lakes and the Ngozumpa Glacier. So many trekkers rate it as the best viewpoint in the whole Everest region.
The Gokyo Lakes are a chain of six turquoise glacial lakes beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. Gokyo village sits by the third lake. If you feel strong, you can walk on to the fourth and fifth lakes, where the Scoundrel’s Viewpoint gives a stunning view of Cho Oyu and Everest.
