Overview
The Everest Base Camp trek via Gokyo Lakes is a fourteen-day teahouse trek that links the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, the Cho La pass and Everest Base Camp into one demanding loop through the Khumbu. From the Lukla flight it climbs to Namche Bazaar, then breaks away from the main trail into the quiet Gokyo valley, reaching the lakes and the summit of Gokyo Ri at dawn. It crosses the Cho La pass at 5,420 metres to join the classic base camp trail, reaches Everest Base Camp at 5,364 metres and climbs Kala Patthar at 5,545 metres for the finest sunrise on Everest, before descending to Lukla to fly out. It is a strenuous, high-altitude route for fit and experienced trekkers, walked on teahouse trails but with real days of five to eight hours and a genuine pass crossing.
The itinerary
- Morning mountain flight from Kathmandu to Lukla
- Trek along the Dudh Koshi River through Sherpa settlements
- Overnight at Phakding (2,610 m)
- Cross several suspension bridges, including the Hillary bridge
- Enter Sagarmatha National Park and climb to Namche
- Overnight at Namche Bazaar (3,440 m)
- Acclimatisation hike to the Everest View Hotel and nearby viewpoints at 3,880 m
- Panoramas of Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku
- Second night at Namche to adjust to the altitude
- Leave the main Everest trail for the quieter Gokyo valley
- Climb through rhododendron forest and open mountain slopes
- Overnight at Dole (4,110 m)
- Gradual ascent through alpine terrain above the tree line
- Views of Cho Oyu and the surrounding peaks open up
- Overnight at Machhermo (4,470 m)
- Follow the valley past the first Gokyo lakes
- Reach Gokyo village beside the third lake with its mountain reflections
- Overnight at Gokyo (4,790 m)
- Pre-dawn climb of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for a panorama of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu
- Return to Gokyo and cross the moraine towards Thagnak
- Overnight at Thagnak
- Early start for the demanding crossing of the Cho La pass at 5,420 m
- Sections of glacier and steep rock, one of the toughest days of the trek
- Descend to Dzongla for the night
- Join the classic Everest Base Camp trail
- Traverse alpine terrain with views of the surrounding peaks
- Overnight at Lobuche (4,940 m)
- Follow the rocky glacial trail to Gorakshep, then on to Everest Base Camp
- Stand beneath the Khumbu Icefall at 5,364 m
- Return to Gorakshep for the night
- Pre-dawn climb of Kala Patthar (5,545 m), the highest point and finest Everest viewpoint
- Sunrise over Everest, Nuptse and the Khumbu giants
- Long descent to Pheriche for the night
- Descend through Pheriche and Tengboche
- Return through rhododendron forest to Namche Bazaar (3,440 m)
- Easier walking as the altitude drops
- Final trekking day along the Dudh Koshi through villages and bridges
- Recross the suspension bridges towards Lukla
- Celebrate the trek in Lukla (2,860 m)
- Scenic morning flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu (1,400 m)
- Transfer to your hotel in the city
What the price covers
Things to carry
- A warm four-season sleeping bag and a down jacket for the cold at altitude
- Layered clothing, broken-in trekking boots and warm socks
- Sturdy gloves, a warm hat, a buff and trekking poles for the Cho La descent
- Sunglasses, sun hat, high-factor sunscreen and lip balm
- A soft duffel kept within the Lukla flight weight limit, plus a daypack, a refillable water bottle with purification and a power bank
Good to know
Complete guide
The Everest Base Camp trek via Gokyo Lakes is the Khumbu at its most complete: the turquoise Gokyo Lakes, the dawn viewpoint of Gokyo Ri, a genuine pass crossing at the Cho La, and then base camp and Kala Patthar on the classic trail out. It is a bigger, wilder and harder trip than the standard route, and it rewards trekkers who want more than the direct line to base camp. Here is how the trek works and what to know before you commit.
What the Everest Base Camp trek via Gokyo Lakes covers
From the Lukla flight the route climbs to Namche Bazaar, then breaks away from the main trail into the quiet Gokyo valley, reaching the lakes and the summit of Gokyo Ri at 5,357 metres for one of the widest Himalayan panoramas in the region. It then crosses the Cho La pass at 5,420 metres to join the classic trail, reaches Everest Base Camp at 5,364 metres and climbs Kala Patthar at 5,545 metres for sunrise on Everest, before descending to Lukla. If you would rather skip the pass and the Gokyo detour, the standard Everest Base Camp trek reaches the same base camp on a shorter, more direct itinerary.
How hard it is and how the altitude feels
This is a strenuous trek and should not be underestimated. You spend two weeks at altitude, walk five to eight hours on many days, and cross the Cho La pass on a mix of glacier and steep rock that is the crux of the trip. Three separate points top 5,300 metres, so altitude sickness is a real risk and the acclimatisation days are there for a reason. Come with solid fitness and ideally some high-altitude trekking behind you, walk slowly, hydrate well, and be ready to tell your guide the moment you feel unwell.
Permits, guides and teahouses
You need the Sagarmatha National Park permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry permit, and since April 2023 a licensed guide is mandatory in Nepal's national parks; the old TIMS card is not used in the Khumbu. We arrange the permits and the guide, whose judgement matters most on the Cho La and at altitude. Nights are spent in teahouses, family-run Sherpa lodges that grow simpler and colder as you climb, so bring a warm sleeping bag and carry only a daypack while your guide's team helps with the load.
If the full route is too much
Fourteen days at altitude with a high pass is a serious undertaking, and it is not the only way to see this side of Everest. An Everest helicopter tour reaches a high viewpoint and is back in Kathmandu within a morning, while trekkers who want base camp without the Cho La can take the direct route instead. For those with the fitness and the time, though, the Gokyo and Cho La loop remains the most rewarding trek in the Khumbu.
