Gokyo Cho La Pass Everest Base Camp Trek - 19 Days

This route has long walking days and a high pass, so we fly to Lukla on Day 2 instead of adding a sightseeing day in Kathmandu.

The flight takes about 35 minutes and lands at Tenzing-Hillary Airport. In busy months, flights may leave from Ramechhap (Manthali) Airport, so we confirm the airport with you before you travel.

From Lukla you follow the Dudh Koshi River north through Chheplung and Ghat to Phakding, a walk of 3 to 4 hours.

Please note: if AMS or any illness appears during the trek, or Cho La Pass cannot be crossed, we end the pass plan.

Your guide makes this call after checking how you feel and what the weather is doing.

You then trek down through Phortse, Pangboche and Pheriche, and the following day we follow the Everest Base Camp trail.

Today you cross the Dudh Koshi on several swaying suspension bridges and pass the villages of Benkar and Monjo.

At the Sagarmatha National Park gate in Monjo, your guide registers your permit while you rest. After Jorsale, the trail reaches the two high bridges, including the long Hillary Suspension Bridge.

Beyond them the real climb starts. The last stretch to Namche Bazaar gains about 600 m on zigzag steps and takes around two hours, so walk slowly and breathe steadily.

If the clouds clear, you may see Everest and Lhotse for the first time from the upper trail. The whole day takes about 5 to 6 hours.

Namche has bakeries, gear shops and a bank machine, but cash machines can be unreliable above this town, so withdraw the cash you need for the days ahead.

You sleep in Namche for a second night, but you do not sit still. After breakfast, we walk up to the Everest View Hotel (3,880 m) for a first long look at Ama Dablam, Everest and Lhotse.

The path then continues to Khumjung (3,780 m), a Sherpa village of stone houses where you can see the school and the monastery.

Back in Namche, visit the Sherpa Culture Museum or the park visitor centre, and use the afternoon to wash clothes, charge devices and check your gear.

Each evening your guide checks your oxygen level with an oximeter, which gives early signs of how your body is coping.

Climbing high and sleeping low gives your body time to adapt without too much stress.  

Drink at least three litres of water today. Check the weather forecast and tomorrow’s plan with your guide before dinner.

Today you leave the crowded Base Camp trail and turn into the quieter Gokyo side of the valley. The path climbs above Namche to the ridge of Mong La (3,975 m), where Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kangtega come into view.

A steep zigzag then drops through pine and rhododendron forest to Phortse Thanga (3,680 m), a few teahouses beside the river, where we stop for lunch. After lunch you climb about 430 m through fir, birch and juniper, and the trees shrink as the air thins.

This is the biggest jump in sleeping height of the trek, from 3,440 m to 4,110 m. The walk is about 12 km and takes 6 to 7 hours. Keep a rain jacket and a warm layer in your daypack, because afternoon weather turns quickly.

This is a short day on purpose, because your body needs time at this height before Gokyo. The trail stays high above the Dudh Koshi River, crossing sandy spurs and small side valleys with yak pastures on the slopes.

You pass Luza (4,360 m) and Lhabarma, and the valley opens wider with every hour. Cholatse, Taboche, Kangtega and Thamserku rise above the valley as you gain height.

The climb is only about 360 m, but at this height it feels harder than it looks, so keep your pace slow.

You reach Machhermo around lunchtime and have the afternoon to rest. The village has a small aid post that gives talks on altitude sickness during the main seasons, though opening times can change. Eat a hot lunch, stay warm and go to bed early!

This second rest day is the most important one before Gokyo. After a slow breakfast, you can walk for one to two hours up the ridge behind the village to a viewpoint near 4,700 m.

From here you look back along the Dudh Koshi valley you have climbed and across to the slopes of Kyajo Ri. Walk at the pace of the slowest person, stop often and turn back if a headache grows.

You return to Machhermo to sleep at 4,470 m, which is the whole idea of climbing high and sleeping low. The afternoon is for rest, hot soup and tea.

Cold sets in fast once the sun leaves the valley, so keep your down jacket nearby. Altitude affects people differently, so tell your guide early about nausea, poor sleep or loss of appetite.

The walk is about 8 km and takes 4 to 5 hours. From Machhermo, the trail climbs a ridge with a clear view into the Kangtega valley, and Cho Oyu (8,201 m) appears ahead.

After about two hours you pass Phanga, a tiny stop at roughly 4,400 m, and then cross the river onto the rocky edge of the Ngozumpa Glacier.

Here the trail runs beside the first three lakes: Longpong (4,650 m), Taujung (4,710 m) and Dudh Pokhari (4,750 m).

The village of Gokyo sits on the shore of the third lake, and the water often changes colour from blue to green as the light moves.

The last stretch beside the glacier is exposed and windy, so keep your gloves and jacket close. Eat early, because tomorrow starts in the dark.

You start before sunrise with a headlamp and warm layers, and climb Gokyo Ri (5,357 m), gaining about 570 m in two and a half to three and a half hours.

From the top you see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu above the lakes.

After breakfast in Gokyo, you cross the rocky ridges of the Ngozumpa Glacier to Dragnag, a walk of about two hours with loose stones and small ups and downs.

The tea house lodge at Dragnag is basic, and rooms are limited. Decision point: if AMS or other illness appears, or your guide feels that Cho La Pass is unsafe for you, we end the pass plan.

You then go down through Phortse, Pangboche and Pheriche, and the following day we follow the Everest Base Camp trail. Tell your guide how you feel at every rest stop!

This is the hardest day of the trek. You leave Dragnag very early with a headlamp and climb over rocky moraine and loose scree towards Cho La Pass (5,330 m).

Near the top you may meet a short glacier section with snow or ice, and your guide decides whether you need microspikes.

The view from the pass takes in Cholatse, Ama Dablam and Lobuche East, with the Everest valley below you. The descent is steep and rocky at first, and then it eases towards Dzongla.

The day takes 7 to 9 hours, so carry enough water and snacks, because refill points are not reliable. The tea house lodge at Dzongla is basic, so expect a simple room and a shared dining room.

If weather, snow or your health stops the crossing, we turn back and follow the lower route through Phortse, Pangboche and Pheriche.

After the pass, your legs get an easier day. The trail follows the hillside above a small lake, then curves along a high shoulder with long views of Cholatse and Lobuche East. Near Lobuche it joins the main Everest Base Camp trail, and the quiet of the Gokyo side gives way to yak bells, voices and passing groups.

The walk takes 3 to 4 hours, so you arrive by lunchtime. Lobuche has simple lodges beside the Khumbu Glacier, and nights are very cold, so wear a warm hat to bed and use your sleeping bag.

Spend the afternoon resting, wash your hands before meals, and eat well even if your appetite is low. A gentle stroll near the lodge is fine, but save your energy for tomorrow.

Many people sleep lightly at this height, which is common, but tell your guide about a headache or breathlessness at rest.

You walk on the loose moraine beside the Khumbu Glacier to Gorakshep (5,180 m), which takes 2.5 to 3 hours.

After a hot lunch and check-in at your lodge, you walk on to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) over rocky ridges and small climbs, about three hours one way.

In spring, expedition tents fill the site, while in autumn it is usually quiet, with prayer flags snapping in the wind.

Everest itself is hidden behind the Nuptse ridge from here, but you can see the Khumbu Icefall and feel the size of the glacier.

You return to Gorakshep to sleep, so the day is long, about 8 to 9 hours in total.

Gorakshep is the highest overnight stop, so expect a cold night and go to bed soon after an early dinner.

You start around 4:30 am with a headlamp, a down jacket and insulated mittens. The climb to Kala Patthar (5,640 m) takes 2 to 3 hours, and the trail turns to loose rock near the top.

Dress in layers you can remove easily, because the climb warms you quickly while the summit stays freezing.

At sunrise, the first light touches Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Pumori, and the Khumbu Glacier gleams far below.

This is the highest point of the trek, and the wind can be sharp, so your guide may change the timing.

After breakfast in Gorakshep, you walk down through Lobuche, pass the climbers’ memorial stones on Thukla Pass, and continue to Dughla.

From there the valley widens and you reach Pheriche, where the air is thicker and sleep comes more easily. The whole day takes 8 to 9 hours. Keep a snack in your pocket.

You leave Pheriche on the main valley trail towards Pangboche. Your legs may feel heavy after Kala Patthar, so go gently. If time allows, you can visit Pangboche Monastery, one of the oldest in the Khumbu.

The path then drops to the Imja Khola, crosses it, and climbs through pine, birch and rhododendron forest to Tengboche.

The walk takes about 5 to 6 hours, and the trees and thicker air feel welcome after the dry high country.

You may see a colourful Himalayan monal or a musk deer in the forest, and you should pass chortens and mani walls on the left.

Tengboche Monastery sits on a ridge facing Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. Nights at Tengboche are cold, so keep your down jacket within reach once you arrive.

If you arrive at the right time, you may be able to sit quietly at the back during the daily prayers.

This is a long day of about 16 km and 6 to 7 hours, with a big drop and one more climb. A steep descent through the forest takes you to Phunki Tenga (3,250 m) at the river, where you can stop for tea.

You then climb through Sanasa and Kyangjuma to Namche Bazaar, a good place for lunch and a last bakery stop.

After Namche the trail drops steeply to the Dudh Koshi River and crosses the high bridges once more. Your knees will feel this long drop, so trekking poles help a lot.

You continue through Jorsale to Monjo, where you sleep tonight. Monjo is about 1,000 m lower than Tengboche, so many trekkers sleep deeply for the first time in days. Keep drinking water, even when the air feels warm.

This is the last walking day, about 5 to 6 hours. You follow the Dudh Koshi River south through Phakding, Ghat and Chheplung, using the same suspension bridges you crossed on the way up.

The thicker air makes walking feel easy now, but the final climb into Lukla is short and tiring, so keep your poles ready. In the afternoon you can rest, repack your duffel bag and look for small gifts in the Lukla bazaar. 

Keep your passport and flight papers in your daypack, and listen to your guide about the luggage weight limit. 

Many groups share a farewell meal with the guide and porters in the evening. Tips are customary, but the amount is yours to decide. It is a good time to say thank you to the crew who carried your bags.

We keep this day free as a buffer. Lukla flights depend on clear skies, and morning cloud or afternoon wind can stop the planes for a day or longer.

A buffer day gives you room to reach Kathmandu before your flight home. If the sky is clear, you can ask for a seat on a Day 17 flight, subject to availability, and enjoy an extra day in Kathmandu.

If flights are held, you stay in Lukla and wait for the first open window. A long delay may call for a shared or private helicopter, which depends on weather and costs extra.

One spare day cannot guarantee a flight, and we will tell you early if more time is needed. Please keep some flexibility, and a little spare budget, in your own plans.

You take an early flight of about 35 minutes from Lukla to Kathmandu, with a last look at the Khumbu peaks from the window.

On some days the flight may land at Ramechhap (Manthali) Airport, and then the drive to Kathmandu takes around four hours.

Our team transfers you to your hotel, where a hot shower and a soft bed wait for you. The rest of the day is free for laundry, shopping, a massage or a short walk to Durbar Square.

In the evening, HEN invites you to a farewell dinner. It is a good time to share photos and stories with your guide and ask about future treks.

Please return any rented gear and the duffel bag to our team. If you flew out of Lukla on Day 17, this becomes a free day in the city.

Our team transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport about three hours before your international flight. Before you leave the hotel, check the room for chargers and documents, and settle any extra bills such as laundry or drinks.

If you need a late checkout, ask our team at the hotel the evening before. If your flight is late in the day, you may have time for last souvenirs such as singing bowls, thangka paintings or pashmina scarves.

Morning traffic to the airport can be slow, so we suggest leaving early. Please keep your passport in hand luggage. If you wish to stay longer in Nepal, we can arrange a Kathmandu Valley heritage tour, a trip to Pokhara or a Chitwan jungle safari.

Thank you for walking with us, and we hope to see you on another Himalayan trail. Share your trek photos and feedback with us after you reach home!