Everest High Pass Trek 17D
Overview
The Everest High Passes Trek beckons to the true adventure seeker, offering a challenging expedition through the iconic Everest region. Conquer the renowned Kongma La (5535m), Cho La (5420m), and Renjo La (5340m) passes, making it the ultimate journey for those seeking an unparalleled trekking experience.
Included/Excluded
- Accommodations
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner,
- Transportation
- An experienced English-speaking and government-licensed trekking guide
- All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (ACAP, TIMS)
- Pickup
- Any other transportation except included in the section
- Travel and rescue insurance
- Tips for guide(s), porter(s) and driver(s)
Tour Plan
Day 01. Drive from Kathmandu (1,350 m) to Ramechhap. Flight to Lukla (2,800) and Trek to Phakding (2,651 m): (5 Hrs.)
We will take an early morning drive at 2 am to Ramechhap for 4 hours by Tourist Bus or by Jeep then fly to Lukla (20 minutes) from where the Everest Trek begins. In Lukla will meet our porter and start the trek. We gradually descend to Cheplung village from where we get a glimpse of Mt Khumbila, a sacred mountain which has never been. We walk on a trail that gradually descends to Cheplung village from where we get a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila, a sacred mountain which has never been climbed. The trail again gradually descend until Phakding. Overnight in Phakding.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 02. Trek from Phakding to Namche (3,438 m): (5-6 Hrs.)
The trail passes through pine forest and continue on the trail that goes north up the Benkar Valley. Then we cross Dudh Koshi River and pass Chumoa and Monjo village before reaching the entrance of Everest National Park. After crossing a suspension bridge, we pass Jorsale village and walk alongside of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers. We ascend on a steep trail and reach Namche Bazaar which is probably the biggest town in the Everest region. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 03. Acclimatization Day
Namche Bazaar is the primary town of the Everest or Khumbu region which has government offices, ATMs, internet cafes, shops, restaurants, and a colorful market. We can hike-up to Sagarmatha National Park and enjoy the sunrise over the Himalayas including Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kongde and so on. If we are interested in a day hike, we can trek to Khumjung village. Today we also visit the Hillary School. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 04. Trek from Namche to Tengboche (3,870 m): (5-6 Hrs.)
In the beginning the trail until Phunki is easy walk then ascends to Tengboche village, where the famous Tengboche monastery lies. This is the biggest monastery of the Everest region and located within the Sagarmatha National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery is blessed with panoramic views of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Amadablam and Thamserku. The Tengboche Monastery opens at 3:00pm, so if we reach there by 3 o’clock we can observe a Buddhist religious ceremony. Overnight in Tengboche.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 05. Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche (4,360 m): (5-6 Hrs.)
The trail descends and passes through lush forests of birch, confer and rhododendron trees. While trekking we can admire good views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Amadablam. We walk downhill to Debuche and cross the Imja River to reach Pangboche. We choose the upper Pangboche trail and admire the Himalayan vista and the Pangboche Monastery. We continue our walk to the Imja Valley and Lobuche River before ascending to Dingboche. It is a picturesque village with beautiful barley, potato and buckwheat fields complete with grazing animals dotted along those fields.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 06. Trek from Dingboche to Chhukung (4,750 m): (3-4 Hrs.)
The trail from Dingboche passes through stone-walled fields and Imja Khola valley before entering glacier moraines amidst towering Himalayas and continues to Bibre which is a yak herdsman place. We continue our walk for an hour and reach Chhukung which is surrounded by glaciers and Himalayas. We can also hike further to a rocky knoll of Chhukung Ri which offers stunning views of Lhotse, Island Peak, Amadablam, Makalu and others. Overnight at Chhukung.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 07. Trek from Chhukung to Chhukung Ri (5,546 m) then to Chhukung: (3-4 Hrs.)
Best to spend an extra night in Chhukung before crossing the Kongma La pass. This will help us acclimatize to the weather and prepare us for the next day’s trek. Chhukung Ri is located directly above the Chhukung village. The climb to Chhukung Ri involves some easy scrambling near the summit. From the top, we can look directly across the valley for a fantastic view of Amadablam and Amphu Labsa peaks. Overnight at Chhukung.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 08. Cross Kongma La passes (5,535 m) and Trek to Lobuche (4,940 m): (6-7 Hrs.)
The trek for today starts early in the morning so that we can reach the highest part of the entire trip – Kongma La pass. We can either take a trail over a hill which is to the northwest of Chhukung over the Nuptse Glacier moraines or we can walk back to Bibre and trek on the trail above the Niyang Khola. The top of the pass is marked by cairns and Buddhist prayer flags. The final descent from the pass is the most difficult part of today’s journey. After climbing the moraine on the far side, the trail turns north through Khumbu Glacier which takes us to Lobuche. Overnight at Lobuche.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 09. Trek from Lobuche to Gorakshep (5,170 m), Visit Everest Base Camp (5,364 m): (7-8 Hrs.)
Our trek today moves along the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier with the view of the north ridge of Everest along with Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse, Nuptse and other mountains. A small ascent takes us to Thangma Riju. We ascend on a steep trail up to the top of Changri Glacier. As we reach Gorak Shep, we are surrounded by the Himalayas. After resting for a short while, we continue to Everest Base Camp. We pass through rocky dunes, moraines and streams before reaching the base camp of the world’s highest mountain, the Everest. We trek back to Gorakshep and spend the night.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 10. Trek from Gorakshep to Kala Patthar (5,545 m) then to Lobuche (4,940 m): (8-9 Hrs.)
We hike to Kala Patthar early in the morning in order to catch the remarkable views of sunrise from the top of Mt. Everest. After several hours of ascent, we will be on the top of Kala Patthar. The view of Mt. Everest and other snowcapped mountain peaks from Kalapathar is amazing. We enjoy the stunning Himalayan vista and descend to Lobuche where we stay the night.
Those participants who will visit Everest Base Camp today will have an early breakfast to start early as Everest base camp hike takes longer than the hike to Kala Patthar. After returning to Gorakshep, both the groups will have lunch together.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 11. Trek from Lobuche to Dzongla (4,830 m): (3-4 Hrs.)
The trail from Lobuche descends alongside the Khumbu Glacier and the trail splits then we follow on the right. We pass through a stupa and tombstones in the distance. After walking for a while we begin to ascend. During the ascent, we see Chola Tsho Lake nearby. We continue further and pass another lake which is lot smaller than the Chola Tsho Lake. We cross the Chola Khola on a bridge before reaching Dzongla. Overnight in Dzongla.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 12. Trek from Dzongla to Gokyo (4,800 m) via Cho La pass (5,368 m): (8-9 Hrs.)
As we gain the elevation, the Cho La pass begins to appear and the Amadablam presides over a range of mountains. Climbing the incline is not easy; it is steep, but made worse by boulders over some of which we will have to scramble. The final climb to the Cho La can be a little tricky as the trail curves round a crevasse. The top of the pass is marked by prayer flags and cairns. Scenery of majestic peaks on all directions is breathtaking. Although long, the path leading down to Thangnak is not difficult. Our trail brings us to the edge of the Ngozumpa glacier, which is the longest glacier in Nepal. Reaching the other side of the glacier, we see the second Gokyo Lake on the series of six lakes. A short distance away is the third Gokyo Lake. On the edge of this lake stands the Gokyo Village where we spend the night.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 13. Rest Day in Gokyo. Climb Gokyo Ri (5,357 m)
We will climb Gokyo Ri today including the visit to fourth and fifth Gokyo Lake just 3 km away from Gokyo Village. The view from ‘Scoundrel’s Viewpoint’, located at the edge of the 5th lake, is astonishing. We trek back to Gokyo and spend the night.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 14. Trek from Gokyo to Marlung (4210 m) via Renjo La pass (5,360 m): (7-8 Hrs.)
Today is the long day trek so wakeup early in the morning. The trail moves alongside Dudh Pokhari (lake) for a while and walk for around two hours before descending towards the Renjo La pass. On the way we are rewarded with extravagant views of Rolwaling ranges and others. Views from the Renjo La pass are much like that from Gokyo Ri with the third Gokyo Lake and Gokyo Village beneath the gray smear of the Ngozumpa Glacier. Along the way we see Relama Tsho and Renjo Lake. We walk down a narrow valley clogged with giant boulders to Lumde where there is a support lodge, but it is often closed. We walk almost for an hour from Lumde to get to Marlung on the east bank of the Bhote Koshi River. Overnight at Marlung.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 15. Trek from Marlung to Namche (3,410 m): (5-6 Hrs.)
We descend to Thame following a traditional route used for centuries by the Tibetan traders. After crossing Bhote Koshi river continues descend to Taranga and few small villages before reaching Namche. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 16. Trek from Namche to Lukla (2,800): (6-7 Hrs.)
Today the trails begin on a rocky terrain to Lukla. It is mostly a downhill trek on a trail alongside the Dudh Koshi River. We cross several suspension bridges, pass by several monasteries and villages before reaching Lukla. We spend rest of the day in Lukla taking rest as today will be our last day on the mountains. Overnight in Lukla.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 17. Fly to Kathmandu (1,350 m)
We catch an early morning flight to Ramechhap then drive to Kathmandu after a long mountain journey. In Kathmandu , we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenirs shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of our journey. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Meals included: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner
To celebrate the successful completion of our journey, we will have farewell dinner and share the experiences about our trek.