Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek with its beautiful glacial valley, pristine turquoise lakes, huge icy glaciers, ridges, and the best panoramic views of the highest snow-capped mountains; is regarded as the most stunning place in the Everest Region. It provides an alternative to the famous Everest Base Camp Trek. This is an ideal option for those who want to get stunning panoramic views of the Everest region Himalayas, glacial lakes, and valleys without too much physical challenge.
After your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport and cultural sightseeing around the Kathmandu valley, we board a scenic mountain flight to Lukla and start our trekking activity towards Phakding. Trekking through forests we head up to Namche Bazaar. We rest for a day at Namche for acclimatization. And then onwards, we make our way to Dole and then Machhermo where we get even closer to the Himalayas.
We arrive at Gokyo while viewing the largest glacier in Nepal, the Ngozumba Glacier. At Gokyo, we can view the great scenes of pristine turquoise lakes. Likewise, the top of Gokyo Ri offers stunning panoramas of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. Finally, we end our amazing trek as we make a descent through Dole to Lukla. We will then catch a flight back to the capital Kathmandu and our Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek is successfully accomplished.
Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek is a moderate-level adventure in the Everest region that requires a reasonable amount of fitness and a positive attitude towards walking, hiking, and viewing the best panorama of the world’s highest Himalayas including Everest.
Join this Trek during the autumn months (mid-September to mid-December) and during the spring months (March to May). Whereas in June, and July months, the trails are not so busy and you can have the natural highlights.
Make this trek come true with Nepal Mountain Trekkers for an amazing holiday in Nepal. Simply fill out the Booking form and let us know about your interest. Or you can contact us directly by sending us an email in order to get more information about this trek.
If this itinerary doesn’t suit your requirement or if you want to customize it, please feel free to contact us. This trek could be customized as per your required time frame and budget limits.
Day 1 : Arrive in Kathmandu [1,300 m/4,264 ft]::
Welcome to Nepal, the Land of the Himalayas, home to Lord Buddha, and the land of Diversity. As you land at the Tribhuvan International Airport and complete the necessary formalities you will be greeted by our representatives and transferred to the respective hotel of your stay.
Depending upon your convenience, you may get your jetlagged body some rest or later may explore the busy streets in and around the place of your stay. You may also go for shopping the missing gear and equipment for your trekking expedition. Thamel and Durbar Square are some of the nearby preferred places to hang on.
Enjoy Nepalese cuisine at the hotel and the hospitality of the hotel staff. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 2 : Kathmandu [1,300 m/4,264 ft]: Sightseeing and Trek Preparation::
Today we shall wander to the heritages that are historical, cultural, and architecturally brilliant and holds a special place among the Nepalese. We shall explore the landmarks listed as the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. These sites include the sacred Hindu temple with masterpiece architecture, the Pashupatinath Temple, the Buddhist shrines of Boudhanath Stupa, and another landmark of Swayambhunath Temple also known as the Monkey Temple. While the octagonal Mandala design of Boudhanath mesmerizes the visitors, the ‘seeing eyes of Buddha’ painted on four sides of Monkey Temple adorn this 2000-year-old stupa. We shall also meet with the guide for our trip and get the necessary information along with our queries being clarified by our guide. Get ready for the adventure beginning the following day. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 3 : Kathmandu – Lukla [2,800 m/9,184 ft] – Phakding (2,652 m/8,700 ft): 3 – 4 hrs::
Today we shall leave Kathmandu to begin the trekking expedition in the beautiful Gokyo region. After around 35 minutes of flight above the breathtaking green hills and glittering majestic mountains, we reach the Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla. After the exciting flight, we shall meet the remaining members of our trekking team at the airport, make some further arrangements and packing and begin our trekking experience. We shall have a short trek today for the purpose of acclimatization. We shall be accompanied by the Dudh Koshi River all along the trail through the prosperous Lukla village to the destination of Phakding. We shall descend to the Chaurikharka and gradually climb up the Dudh Koshi valley to reach our destination for today. Overnight in Phakding.
Day 4 : Phakding – Namche Bazaar [3,440 m/11,283 ft]: 5 – 6 hrs::
We shall traverse through the dense forests dominated by pine groves, an awesome view of the Himalayas seen above the tree line along the way, beautiful gorges, suspension bridges, and torrential rivers decorate this section of the trail. We trek along the torrential Dudh Koshi River and cross it a couple of times and also have a view of Mt Thamserku from Benkar village. After having our permits checked at Monjo, the entry point of Sagarmatha National Park, we gradually reach the village of Jorsale. Crossing through the breathtaking suspension bridge in the last leg of our today’s trail, we reach Namche after a couple of hours’ climb on a wide switchback trail. Intermittently, we shall also have a view of mountains including the mighty Everest, Kusum Peak, Lhotse, Kangaru Peak, and others. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Day 5 : Namche Bazaar: Acclimatization Day::
Today is the day set aside for acclimatization so that our body gets adapted to the climatic conditions of the region. An ideal place for acclimatization in terms of altitude, Namche Bazaar provides many options for exploration as well. As recommended by health experts, being active during the day is preferred over resting all day in the hotel room. A side trip to the Everest View Hotel provides you with fabulous views of Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, and other peaks. Another hike to the nearby Khumjung village provides you with the chance to explore the Khunde Hospital and school (also known as the ‘Schoolhouse in the Clouds’) built by Sir Edmund Hillary. Surrounded by the snowy peaks of Kongde, Thamserku, and the sacred Khumbila peak, Khumjung also has a monastery with the skull of Yeti. Another hike to Thame and Khunde is also a viable option for the trekkers. The vibrant Namche Bazaar has traditional shops and markets, souvenir shops, museums, cafes, and restaurants among others. The visitor center near headquarter of Sagarmatha National Park provides information about Sherpa culture, and floral and faunal diversity along with observation of things associated with Everest climbers. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Day 6 : Namche Bazaar – Dole-[4,200m/13,780 ft]: 6 – 7 hrs::
A longer day awaits us today. We start from the ascend up to the small village of Kyangjuma from Namche Bazaar which provides us with views of Ama Dablam (6856m), Thamserku (6808m), and Katenga (6685m). Gradually we climb up the trail that shall lead us to the village of Mongla which has a collection of teahouses as well as the amazing and panoramic views of snow-clad mountains all around the village. Further, we descend along the Dudh Koshi River and as the trail gains altitude we pass through the dense forests that have rhododendron, fir, and birch in it.
We trek ahead in the trail to reach the settlement of Dole which provides magnificent views of Kantega and Thamserku Mountain, through the settlements of Tongba and Gyele. Overnight at Dole.
Day 7 : Dole – Machhermo-[4,470 m/ 14,663 ft]: 5 – 6 hrs::
Today we have a relatively shorter trek as compared to the previous day. To reach the overnight destination of Machhermo we pass through the settlements of Lhabarma and the beautiful Luza. We ascend gradually on the initial phase of today’s trek traversing through the scenic ridge above Dole and climbing to Lhabarma.
Further along the trail, we have the opportunity to explore the summer settlements and striking Luza village. Ascending ahead in the trail, we pass through the small communities and sandy spurs as we reach our destination of Machhermo. The confluence of streams originating from Kyajo Ri and Pari Lapche mountains along with the views of several of the mountains are the highlights of today’s trek. Overnight at Machhermo.
Day 8 : Machharmo – Gokyo [4,800 m/15,744 ft]: 5 – 6 hours::
Today we shall end our trekking to the vicinity of Gokyo Ri as we shall get prepared for the ascend to the higher altitudes of Gokyo Valley and Gokyo Ri on the following day. We shall have an ascend from Machharmo initially and reach the settlement of Phangka.
Further, the valley starts to open up and we shall climb down towards the river followed by a steep climb to the terminal moraine formed by the Ngozamba Glacier. Crossing the moraines we shall be welcomed by the iron bridge that marks the starting of Gokyo Lake valley. The first lake, Longpongo on a gentle trail leads us to the other lake of the region called by the name Taboche Tso connected through a stream to the third lake called Dudh Pokhari. The village of Gokyo lies on the ban of the third lake. Our destination is reached. Overnight in Gokyo.
Day 9 : Gokyo Valley: Climb Gokyo Ri [5,357 m/17,570 ft] and hike to fifth lakes: 7-8 hrs::
The most awaited day of this entire expedition awaits today. We shall ascend the Gokyo Ri and view the alpine lakes along with the marvelous glacier and Himalayas. We have a continuous and strenuous ascent to the summit of Gokyo Ri. We shall have a slow and steady climb to the summit.
From the top of the summit, we have a breathtaking view of several peaks above 8000 meters including the Cho Oyu (8153m), Lhotse (8501m), Makalu (8475m), Thamserku (6808m), Louche (6145m), and Mount Everest (8848m) among others. Below us lie the marvelous Ngozumba glacier and the Gokyo lakes. We shall also hike to the fourth lake, Thonak Tsho, which lies about 3 km north of Gokyo, and further on the trail Is the fifth lake called Ngozuma Tsho. Depending on the ground circumstances, we can also hike to the Scoundrel’s viewpoint. After the awesome experience, we trek back to Gokyo village. Overnight at Gokyo.
Day 10 : Gokyo to Dole [4,200m/13,780 ft]: 4-5 hrs::
The day onward shall mark the ending phase of our trekking expedition as we trail back to the path traced earlier on our trek to the Gokyo Valley. We shall have a slower and gradual descent from Gokyo village. We pass through the settlements of Machhermo and the attractive village of Luza and Lhabarma before we reach the village of Dole. Along the trail, we shall have a beautiful view of Thamserku, Cho Oyu, and Kangtega, passing through the Chortens, iron bridge, and terraces. Overnight at Dole.
Day 11 : Dole – Namche [3,440 m/11,283 ft]: 4 – 5 hrs::
Another beautiful trekking section waits for us. We shall have a sharp slope to Phortse Tenga and other sections also have descends in the trail. We shall be marveled at the richness of biodiversity including the wildflowers and rhododendron, wild animals such as pheasants, mountain goats, and musk deer along with others. View of the mountain peaks such as Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtega, and Cho Oyu range along with others, the enchanting waterfalls and beautifully winding trails lead us to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar past the army camp hill. We put our tired bodies to rest in Namche and take time to re-energizing for further trekking expedition sections. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Day 12 : Namche Bazaar – Lukla [2,800 m/9,184 ft]: 7 – 8 hrs::
Today shall be one of the longer trekking days of the entire expedition as we take enough time to descend down to Lukla due to the strenuous trekking up in the regions of Gokyo. We trail back along the mighty Dudh Koshi River and through the rich forests as the trail becomes easier as we move towards the Lukla. The trail, though already visited some days back, provides the same magic and amusements that we had experienced a few days back on the initial days of our trekking expedition. Buddhist prayer stones and prayer flags, monasteries and Chortens, and tranquil yet lively villages are the other highlights of the trail back to Lukla, our initial point in the mountainous region for starting the trekking expedition. Marvelous views of mountains are an ever-present companion of this section of trekking as in the other sections of this trek in the Everest region. The completion of a beautiful and memorable trekking experience is further enhanced by the safety of fellow trekkers. Overnight in Lukla.
Day 13 : Fly back to Kathmandu::
A long yet beautiful journey to the mountains of the Everest region comes to an end as we fly back to the medieval city of Kathmandu. The remaining day is upon the trekkers who can either have a full day of complete rest at the hotel or do some shopping for gifts and souvenirs to the near and dear ones back in their respective places. A farewell dinner to the guests shall mark the official end of the trekking expedition. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 14 : Departure Day::
This is it! We have marked an end to an extraordinarily amazing trekking experience. What was a decent beginning has already turned into a marvelous experience and created some wonderful memories for the trekkers! Today you have nothing to do except arrange photographs and have last-minute sharing with fellow trekking companions. You shall be transferred to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for your flight to the respective destinations at least 3 hours prior to the time of the scheduled flight. Hope you have enough reasons to plan another trekking expedition, tour, or other activities in this beautiful nation with warm and excellent hospitality combined with the natural, cultural, and biodiversity.
You will also like …