Trip Facts
Country:
Nepal
Duration:
19 Days
Max Altitude:
Kala Patthar, 5,545 m
Activities:
Trekking, hiking, and a pass crossing
Region:
Everest / Khumbu region
Starting Point:
Kathmandu
Ending Point:
Kathmandu
Grade:
Strenuous
Group Size:
2 to 16 trekkers
Accomodation:
Teahouses on the trail, hotel in Kathmandu
Best Season:
Mar-May & Sep-Nov
Notice
This trek joins two great trails into one: the classic Everest Base Camp route and the Gokyo Lakes, linked by the Cho La Pass (5,420 m).
You reach four big highlights: Everest Base Camp (5,364 m), Kala Patthar (5,545 m), the Gokyo Lakes (4,790 m), and Gokyo Ri (5,357 m). The high point is Kala Patthar.
Cho La is a glaciated pass, so micro spikes and a guide’s judgment matter. The Everest region does not require a guide by law, but a licensed guide is strongly advised here, and effectively essential for Cho La.
Overview of Everest Base Camp Gokyo Trek 19-Days
Quick answer: The 19-day Everest Base Camp with Gokyo Lakes Trek is a strenuous Khumbu loop reaching Kala Patthar (5,545 m), the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, and a high pass. It starts with a flight to Lukla. Everest-region permits are required. A licensed guide is not legally required, because the local municipality rejected the 2023 guide rule (The Himalayan Times, 2023-03-28), but because of the altitude we recommend one, and every trek we run includes one.
The Everest Base Camp Gokyo Trek is a 19-day loop through the Khumbu region of Nepal. People also call it the Everest Base Camp Gokyo Lakes Trek or the Gokyo Cho La Pass Trek. It links the classic Everest Base Camp trail with the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, by way of the high Cho La Pass. So you see far more of the Everest region than the standard route, and you do it as a circuit, not an out-and-back.
The trek begins with the famous flight to Lukla. Then you climb the Dudh Koshi valley through Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, and Dingboche to Lobuche. From there, you reach Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) and climb Kala Patthar (5,545 m) at dawn for the best Everest view of the trip. After that, you leave the main trail and cross the Cho La Pass (5,420 m) into the Gokyo valley.
The second half is all about Gokyo. You reach the chain of Gokyo Lakes, a sacred, turquoise lake system beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. Then you climb Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for one of the great Himalayan views. From the top, you see four 8,000 m peaks at once: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu (8,188 m). So the trek gives you two summit-style viewpoints, not one.
This trek is graded strenuous. The days are long, you reach over 5,500 m, and you cross a glaciated pass. There is no technical climbing, but you need strong fitness and time to acclimatize. So the plan builds in a rest day at Namche and a slow, steady climb. A porter carries your bags.
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 a different Everest option? The classic Everest Base Camp Trek is shorter. Helpful reading for this route: flying into Lukla, what to do in Namche Bazaar, and why Kala Patthar beats base camp for views. The Everest Base Camp via Kala Patthar adds more rest and a Kathmandu day. For the ultimate circuit, the Everest Three Passes Trek crosses all three high passes. Since this combined route needs the same paperwork as the classic trek, start with our permit guide. Then check when to go and what the trek costs before you lock dates.
Trips Highlights
- Stand at Everest Base Camp (5,364 m), at the foot of the world's highest peak.
- Climb Kala Patthar (5,545 m) at dawn for the best Everest view.
- Cross the high, glaciated Cho La Pass (5,420 m) between the two valleys.
- Reach the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, a sacred high-altitude lake system.
- 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.
- Take the dramatic Lukla flight, one of the most thrilling flights anywhere.
- Explore Namche Bazaar and visit Tengboche Monastery.
- Walk a full circuit, not an out-and-back, for new views every day.
- Meet the Sherpa people and learn about their way of life.
Kathmandu (1,400 m) → fly to Lukla (2,846 m) → Phakding (2,610 m) → Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) → Tengboche (3,860 m) → Dingboche (4,410 m) → Lobuche (4,910 m) → Gorak Shep (5,140 m) → Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) → Kala Patthar (5,545 m) → Dzongla (4,830 m) → Cho La Pass (5,420 m) → Thangnak (4,700 m) → Gokyo (4,790 m) → Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) → Dole (4,038 m) → Namche Bazaar → Lukla → fly to Kathmandu.
In short, you climb the classic Everest trail to base camp and Kala Patthar. Then you cross Cho La into the Gokyo valley. After climbing Gokyo Ri, you descend through Dole back to Namche and Lukla.
Trips Itinerary
A Spade Himalaya representative meets you at the airport and drives you to your hotel in Thamel, about thirty minutes from the terminal. Three weeks in the Khumbu starts here, and the Cho La crossing in the middle of it is what makes this harder than Base Camp alone.
Kathmandu sits at 1,400 m, so there is no altitude to manage yet. There is no briefing today either, so the whole afternoon is simply yours to rest and settle. An early dinner and a long night is the better use of the evening than walking the market lanes.
- Duration: 30 min Drive
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Breakfast Included
- Accommodation: Star Hotel
A guided day around the Kathmandu Valley, followed in the evening by the full trek briefing with the guide who will be with you for the next fortnight.
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 rather than a demanding one. Leave time afterwards for any kit you still need.
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Breakfast Included
- Accommodation: Star Hotel
An early forty minute flight puts you down in Lukla, where you meet your porter and start walking, dropping gently along the Dudh Koshi river to Phakding.
Lukla is at 2,846 m and Phakding at 2,610 m, so the first day loses height rather than gaining any, across four or five easy hours of gentle downhill walking.
In the busiest months the flight leaves from Manthali after an early road transfer. The trail below Lukla runs through pine forest and small Sherpa hamlets beside the river.
- Duration: 4 to 5 hrs Hiking
- Max Altitude: Lukla 2,846 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
A long climbing day follows the river north, enters Sagarmatha National Park at the gate in Monjo, and finishes with the steep hill up to Namche Bazaar.
Namche stands at 3,440 m, around 830 m above Phakding, across six or seven hours. Most of that height comes in the last two hours, so save something for the climb.
You cross the high Hillary Bridge where two rivers meet. Near the top of the hill Everest appears for the first time on a clear day, and you stay in Namche for two nights.
- Duration: 6 to 7 hrs Hiking
- 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, up to the Hotel Everest View and on to Khumjung before coming back down to sleep.
The hotel terrace is at 3,880 m and Khumjung at 3,790 m, three or four hours in all. Khumjung sits below Thamserku and Kongde Ri and has an old monastery and the school Sir Edmund Hillary helped to found, and the hotel terrace takes in Everest and Lhotse.
- Duration: 3 to 4 hrs Hike
- Max Altitude: 3,880 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You leave Namche on a high trail through rhododendron forest, drop steeply to the river, then climb back up steadily through the trees to the ridge at Tengboche.
Tengboche is at 3,860 m and the walk takes five or six hours. You finish only a little above Namche, but the long descent and the re-climb make it a proper day out.
Ama Dablam is in view for most of the way along. Tengboche Monastery is the largest in the Khumbu and sits on the ridge with Everest behind it, and visitors may sit in on prayers.
- Duration: Hike 5 to 6 hrs
- Max Altitude: 3,860 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You walk beside the Imja Khola, pass through Pangboche, then cross open farmland and small hamlets as the trees give out and the valley widens around you.
Dingboche is at 4,410 m after five or six hours, so you gain around 550 m. Pangboche at 3,985 m is the natural stop and has one of the oldest monasteries in the Khumbu.
Above Pangboche there are no trees at all and the country turns to open stone and grazing ground. Dingboche is a patchwork of stone walled fields below the Lhotse wall.
- Duration: 5 to 6 hrs Hike
- Max Altitude: 4,410 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
The trail climbs into a wide valley below Taboche and Cholatse, up the steep moraine to the Thukla Pass, then along the glacier edge to the lodges at Lobuche.
Lobuche is at 4,910 m and the day takes five or six hours, with lunch at Dughla before the climb. Most of the walking is above 4,600 m, so the pace stays slow.
At the top of the pass stands a field of stone memorials to climbers and Sherpas who died on Everest. Nuptse and Pumori stand sharp above the trail beyond it.
- Duration: 5 to 6 hrs Hike
- Max Altitude: 4,910 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
The big day. You follow the glacier to Gorak Shep, leave your pack there, then continue over rock and ice to Everest Base Camp and return the same way.
Gorak Shep is at 5,140 m and Base Camp at 5,364 m, seven or eight hours in total. The ground is loose moraine and the height makes every step slower than it looks.
The Khumbu Icefall tumbles down in huge blocks above the camp, and in spring the tents of the expedition teams cover the ice below it in their hundreds.
Sleep early tonight, because tomorrow starts well before dawn, and the climb up Kala Patthar is done almost entirely in the dark and in serious cold up there.
- Duration: 7 to 8 hrs Hike
- Max Altitude: 5,364 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You climb Kala Patthar for the sunrise, return for breakfast, then leave the main trail and head west across the valley to Dzongla, below the Cho La pass.
Kala Patthar is 5,545 m, the highest point of the trek, and Dzongla is at 4,830 m. Six or seven hours in all, with the climb done in the dark and the cold.
The sunrise from Kala Patthar is the best Everest view on the whole route, with Nuptse, Pumori and Changtse around you. Dzongla is a small place at the foot of the pass.
- Duration: 6 to 7 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 5,545 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
A serious day. You start early to cross the Cho La before the weather changes, climbing steeply to the pass and then descending rough ground to Thangnak.
The Cho La is 5,420 m and Thangnak is at 4,700 m, seven or eight hours in total. There is a small glacier near the top where micro spikes are genuinely useful.
From the top of the pass you look across Cholatse, Ama Dablam and Makalu, with the Ngozumpa Glacier waiting ahead of you in the next valley along to the west.
The descent on the far side is steep and rocky, so take it slowly. This is the day that turns a Base Camp trek into a proper crossing of the whole Khumbu region.
- Duration: 7 to 8 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 5,420 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
A shorter and gentler day today. You cross the wide Ngozumpa Glacier, passing small glacial pools on the way, and come out beside the third lake at Gokyo.
Gokyo sits at 4,790 m and the crossing takes three or four hours. After yesterday this is an easy day, which is exactly what it is in the itinerary for.
The Ngozumpa is the largest glacier in Nepal and crossing it takes longer than it looks. Gokyo village sits on the shore of Dudh Pokhari with Cho Oyu ahead, and you stay two nights.
- Duration: 3 to 4 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 4,790 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You climb Gokyo Ri in the morning for what many people rate the best view in the Khumbu, then come back down and can walk to the upper lakes afterwards.
Gokyo Ri is 5,357 m, around 570 m above the village, and the round trip takes four or five hours. It is steep the whole way with nowhere flat to recover.
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 the lakes run down the valley in a chain and the glacier stretches away south. Very few viewpoints anywhere give you this much in one turn of the head.
- Duration: 4 to 5 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: 5,357 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
The return begins today. You walk down the valley with the glacier behind you, passing Machhermo and Luza, and finish at the small settlement of Dole.
Dole is at 4,038 m, so you lose around 750 m across five or six hours. Machhermo and Luza are summer settlements used for grazing and give a good sense of how people work this valley, and Dole sits among ridges and pasture just below the tree line.
- Duration: 5 to 6 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: Gokyo 4,790 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You leave the high country behind today, dropping back below the tree line into oak and rhododendron forest and rejoining the main trail again near Namche.
Namche is at 3,440 m, around 600 m below Dole, across five or six hours. After a fortnight up high this descent feels genuinely easy and even enjoyable, and the forest and the birdsong come back quickly once you are below 4,000 m.
- Duration: 5 to 6 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: Dole 4,038 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
Your last day on the trail retraces the Dudh Koshi down through Phakding and Cheplung, and it finishes with the short climb back up into Lukla village.
You end at 2,846 m after six or seven hours. It reads as a downhill day, but the final climb into Lukla is real and it catches people out on tired legs.
This is the evening to thank your crew and settle tips. The lodges keep a fire going and the last dinner on the trail is usually a long and cheerful one.
- Duration: 6 to 7 hrs hike
- Max Altitude: Namche 3,440 m
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Guest House
You fly out of Lukla early in the morning and are back in Kathmandu within the hour, where a Spade Himalaya representative meets you and takes you to the hotel.
In the busiest months the flight lands at Manthali instead, with a road transfer on to the city, which makes for a longer morning. After two and a half weeks in the mountains, a hot shower, a proper meal and an afternoon doing nothing all feel like a great deal.
- Max Altitude: Lukla 2,846 m
- Meals: Breakfast
- Accommodation: Star Hotel
A free day that is here as a buffer, because the Lukla flights depend on the weather and delays there are normal rather than exceptional in any season.
If everything has run to plan, the whole day is yours. Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares are both worth a half day, and Thamel and Asan market are good for gifts. This is your last night, so there is a farewell dinner with the team.
- Max Altitude: 1,400 m
- Meals: Breakfast
- Accommodation: Star Hotel
Your trip ends today. The morning is free for any last shopping, then a representative drives you to the airport, about thirty minutes from Thamel though traffic can stretch it. You leave having walked to Everest Base Camp, over the Cho La and up Gokyo Ri.
- Meals: breakfast
Trips Include
- All airport transfers in a private vehicle.
- Shared star hotel in kathmandu for 4 nights (arrival and post-trek), with breakfast Included. (Private room can be organized at extra cost).
- Guided Kathmandu Valley sightseeing with a private car and city guide.
- Round-trip flights between Kathmandu (or Manthali / Ramechhap) and Lukla.
- All ground transfers to and from Manthali / Ramechhap in peak season.
- All teahouse accommodation during the trek (14 nights).
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during the trek.
- 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 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 above 5,500 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
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- 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
Hands
- 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 (essential for Cho La and snow)
- 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
On its own, the Everest Base Camp trek is a classic. Adding Gokyo and Cho La turns it into a full circuit. So you reach base camp and Kala Patthar, then cross to the quiet, beautiful Gokyo valley. You also get two great summit views, from Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri. In short, it is the best way to see the whole heart of the Khumbu in one trip.
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 the plan keeps a free day in Kathmandu at the end, in case of a delay. A direct helicopter can also be arranged for an extra fee.
The pass is the crux of the trek. You start before dawn, move slowly in the thin air, and wear warm layers, because the morning is bitterly cold. There is a small glacier near the top, so micro spikes are a must. Your guide checks the conditions first and will change the timing if the pass is unsafe. The summit view makes the effort worth it.
The plan follows the climb-high, sleep-low rule. So it adds a rest day at Namche and a steady build-up. 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, 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 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.
Trips Reviews
Perfect Combination
Beautiful Route
Dream Trek to Everest
Trips FAQs
Trek Difficulty & Altitude
It is graded strenuous. You walk 5 to 8 hours a day for over two weeks. You reach 5,545 m at Kala Patthar and cross the glaciated Cho La Pass at 5,420 m. There is no technical climbing. Still, the thin air, the long days, and the pass make it hard. So you need strong fitness and good acclimatization.
Cho La is a high pass at 5,420 m that links the Everest Base Camp valley with the Gokyo valley. The crossing is the toughest day of the trek. It has a steep climb, a small glacier near the top, and a steep, rocky descent. So micro spikes help, and your guide checks the weather first. The reward is a huge mountain view from the top.
It is a real risk, because you spend many days above 4,000 m and reach 5,545 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.
Trek Highlights & Views
The classic Everest Base Camp Trek is 14 days and follows one valley out and back. This Gokyo version is 19 days. It adds the Cho La Pass, the Gokyo Lakes, and Gokyo Ri, and forms a full circuit. So you see far more, but it is longer and harder.
The Gokyo Lakes are a chain of turquoise glacial lakes beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. They form one of the world’s highest freshwater lake systems and are sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. Above them rises Gokyo Ri (5,357 m). From its top, you see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu at once.
Permits, Guide & Insurance
Not by law, but yes in practice. Nepal’s 2023 rule lists the Everest region (Nepal Tourism Board, retrieved 2026-06-29), but the local Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality rejected it and allows solo trekking (The Himalayan Times, 2023-03-28). So a guide is not legally required. However, this route crosses a glaciated pass and stays high for days. So a guide is essential for safety here. Spade Himalaya gives you a licensed Sherpa guide who handles the permits, the route, and your health.
You need two. First, the Sagarmatha National Park permit (about NPR 3,000). Second, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu permit (about NPR 3,000). There is no TIMS card in the Khumbu. Spade Himalaya arranges both, and a ranger checks them on the trail. They are paid in cash, in Nepalese rupees.
Yes, it is a must. Your policy has to cover trekking up to 5,500 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 even more. Arrange it at home before you fly, and leave a copy with Spade Himalaya at the briefing.
Best Time to Trek
Spring (March to May) and autumn (late September to November) are best, with stable weather and clear views. The passes need a clear window, so flexibility helps. Winter is very cold, and Cho La can be blocked by snow. The summer monsoon brings cloud and rain, so most people skip it.
Accommodation & Facilities
In the busy months (March, April, May, October, and November), Lukla air traffic moves to Manthali to ease the load. So you drive 4 to 6 hours, then fly 20 minutes. In quiet months, you fly straight from Kathmandu in 35 to 40 minutes. A direct helicopter is also an option for an extra fee.
