Gokyo Lake Trek

We begin our adventure with a short drive to Pashupatinath, a popular tourist site and a religious embodiment. It’s a sacred Hindu pilgrimage along the bank of the Bagmati River, which has great significance. The temple is also an architectural gem with a tiered towered design, wood carving, and statues.

After visiting the temple, we’ll head to Boudhanath, another must-visit religious place in the northeastern outskirt of Kathmandu. Only a 5-minute drive away from Pashupati, the stupa is a Buddhist pilgrimage, so you can see lots of prayer flags and mani wheels during your visit here.

Another center of attraction and a historical site to visit is Kathmandu Durbar Square. Built during the Shah dynasty, it’s one of the most iconic places to learn about history. You can see a lot of premedieval statues, courtyards, and temples in the square. After finishing the exploration, we’ll return back to our hotel and take the day off.

Phakding Altitude: 2,610m /

Time Taken: 2-3 hrs

Overnight at: a hotel

After a full-day tour of Kathmandu, it’s time for us to leave the city and take the first step on the trek. So, without further delay, we’ll transfer you to the Tribhuvan airport early in the morning. After checking in at the airport, you’ll board the flight and spend another half an hour extolling the scenic view.

At Lukla, we’ll meet our crew and have breakfast before setting off on a journey to Phakding. The trail starts with a gentle ascent from the mountainside along the left bank of the Dudh Koshi River, providing a stunning view.

It runs through Chaurikharka village and descends to Dudhkoshi Ghat before climbing up the hill. The trek from Lukla to Phakding shall take us anywhere from 2 to 3 hours going on a slow and steady. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Namche Bazaar Altitude: 3,440m / 11,285 ft

Time Taken: 6 hrs

Overnight at: a hotel

The trek from Phakding starts easy, following the north bank of Dudh Koshi River and above. The trail climbs the steep stairs and runs through the rhododendron forest before crossing the Hillary suspension bridge.

After passing several villages, we’ll arrive at Sagarmatha National Park, where our permits will be registered. From there, the trail heads to Jorsale and makes a final ascent to Namche. This journey will take almost 2 to 3 hours due to the steep climb. Upon arriving at the town, we’ll watch the surrounding view of the mountains and head to our hotel to get a rest.

We plan to spend a day at Namche before the trail gains an elevation. It’s your first acclimatization so we won’t be hard on you. Instead, we’ll just walk through the nearby villages and enjoy a short side trek to Syangboche. We’ll start climbing the trail before the day and finish it in about two to three hours. After returning, we’ll explore Namche Bazaar and visit the Sherpa museum. Overnight stay in the same hotel.

After a day’s off, we’ll again return to the trail heading to Khumjung. Passing the beautiful Tibetan monasteries along the view of Thamserku and Ama Dablam, we drift apart from the village. From here, the trail runs up the ridge to a large chorten and makes a quick drop, passing through Phortse Tenga. After gently climbing up the trail, we’ll finish at Dole, a beautiful village. Overnight stay at the teahouse.

Once the breakfast is done, we’ll leave Dole and get on our next journey to Machhermo. The trek begins with a slow ascent past the meadows and yak pastries. You’ll see numerous religious shrines and fluttering prayer flags on the way.
The trail ahead opens the marvelous view of Mt Cho Oyu, Kangtega, and Thamserku. It also provides spectacular glimpses of sweeping hills and rivers as it heads to Lapahrma village. Soon the trail winds at Machhermo, passing Luja village in Khumbu.

Leaving behind Machhermo, we’ll make the most significant climb of the entire trek. Without wasting much time, we’ll have our breakfast and start to roll on the trail that crosses yak pastures and reach Phanga. Along the way, you can see memorials built in the memory of climbers who lost their lives.
As we gain elevation, the trail becomes narrower, passing the first Gokyo Lake. Walking the rugged trail at a farther distance will take us to the second Gokyo Lake and, finally, to the village lying on the eastern shore. You can see the other lakes and Gokyo Ri from there, so enjoy the view. Get some sleep, and we’ll further continue our journey tomorrow.

After a long and intense journey to Gokyo Lake, it’s fair for you to spend the day at the Gokyo and soak in its beauty. You can just look through the window to see the tranquil lake at the base of Gokyo Ri and other surroundings.
The view outside the teahouses is also magical, with surrounding mountains and glaciers. The valley has many side treks which you can walk the rest of the day. Enjoy the time, and we’ll be back in the hotel in the evening.

We’ll hike Gokyo Ri early this morning to make the adventure even more exciting. After breakfast, we’ll leave our hotel and start walking the rugged trail along the Ngozumpa Glacier and up the slope crossing the stream.
After a steady climb of one and a half hours, we’ll arrive at Gokyo Ri to capture the beauty of Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu. We’ll spend some time at the summit admiring the scenic view, then descend the trail to Machhermo. It isn’t much walk, but you still have to be prudent as the trails are mostly downhill.

With the trek almost ending, it’s time for us to retrace our steps and return to Namche. The trek begins with an easy descent along the Dudh Koshi River and into Dole. We’ll further trek downhill to Phortse Tenga and then take the steep course ending at Mongla Danda.
The trail will take us through the rhododendron and pine forest, which provides a lovely view. After a short break, we’ll descend the trail to Kyanjoma with a few ups and down. This section of the trek will take us about an hour or so. After arriving at Namche, we’ll head to our hotel and take rest.

After breakfast, we’ll leave Namche and follow the trail along the bank of the Dudh Koshi River. There are few crossings along the route, after which we enter the forest heading to Phakding. From here, we descend further down the Dudh Koshi River Valley and climb uphill to the Kusume stream. Soon we follow the trail to the west and to the Toktok before ending up at Lukla.

After waving goodbye to this beautiful town, we’ll head to the airport to get our flight. The flight duration from Lukla to Kathmandu from Lukla is just half an hour, so it won’t be too dreary. Instead, you’d enjoy it as the view through the window anytime is a sight to see. After landing at the airport, our staff will usher you to our shuttle and transfer you to your hotel.

Today’s the last day of your stay here in Kathmandu, so enjoy visiting the remaining tourist sites. You can also go shopping to get souvenirs for your friends and family. On the side options, you can go out for dinner or a musical show that gives you a taste of Nepalese culture.