Everest Cho La Pass Trek

Our representative from Himalayan 360 will be at the airport to greet you. They will help you with your hotel transfer. You will have some time for refreshment before a short briefing session on the Chola Pass trek. With your remaining spare time, you can explore the city.

We start the day early by checking out of the hotel and heading to the domestic airport for our flight to Lukla. However, during the busy trekking seasons (spring and autumn), direct flights from Kathmandu to Lukla are often not available due to air traffic restrictions. In that case, we will need to drive around 4 to 5 hours to Manthali Airport in Ramechhap. From Kathmandu, the flight to Lukla takes about 35 minutes, while from Manthali Airport, the flight is shorter, just 15 to 20 minutes.

As you land at the Lukla airport (Tenzing Hillary Airport), you will get your first look at the Everest region’s landscapes and Mountain vistas. You will meet with your guide and porter here and begin your journey to Phakding. The trek on this day is relatively easy. You will stay overnight at Phakding.

On day 3, we will continue our trek after breakfast at Phakding. Today’s trek requires us to climb uphill and downhill while crossing several suspension bridges. The route passes through dense subtropical rhododendron, oak, and fir forests. We will cross suspension bridges across the Dudh Koshi River and continue climbing uphill and downhill.

Then, we will arrive at the Sagarmatha National Park’s entrance gate in Monjo. We must show our permits to trek from here onwards. The pathway from Jorsale Village will get extremely steep and uphill. After the steep climb for around two hours, we will reach Namche Bazaar. We will take our day’s rest here.

The Namche Bazaar is a Sherpa capital and an important acclimatization stop. Today, we will let our bodies adapt to the growing altitude. The place has markets, souvenir shops, restaurants, hotels, and internet cafes. We will also take a short hike to the Everest View Hotel, which sits right above the village.

The hotel is a popular vantage point and offers stunning views of Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, and other nearby peaks. We can also witness the pleasant valleys, villages, and forests from there. After soaking in the scenery for some time, we will return to Namche and explore the area.

We will continue our trek after our breakfast at Namche Bazaar. The walkway enters rhododendron forests as it slowly gains elevation. We must make a steep uphill climb, as the gorgeous mountains, such as Thamserku, Kantega, and Kusum Kanguru, accompany us. Then, we will cross an old wooden bridge over the Dudh Koshi River and start trekking uphill again. After walking for a few hours, the trail slowly descends towards Phungi Tenga.

It will take another few hours before we reach Tengboche village, covering a total distance of 9.3km. The small village is home to the ancient Tengboche Monastery. It is the oldest Tibetan monastery in Nepal and sits right below Mount Ama Dablam. You can see religious rituals and ceremonies at the monastery. We will stay overnight at Tengboche.

As we enjoy breakfast, we will take in the spectacular beauty of Tengboche. Then, we will resume our trek. Today’s destination is Dingboche, and we will begin with a short downhill climb. Similarly, we will cross a wooden suspension bridge on the way. The route passes through rhododendrons, oaks, birch, and fir forests.

Along the way, we will traverse Pangboche and Deboche villages, passing several monasteries and chortens. The surrounding scenery slowly changes, and dense forests become highland alpine grassland. We will also cross small villages like Somare and Orsho before reaching Dingboche. The village of Dingboche is the last permanent settlement by the Imja River. Stone walls surround the terrace fields, creating a unique scene with the mountains in the background. The overall journey from Dungboche to Tengboche takes about 6 hours. Overnight at Dingboche.

Today, we will take a second acclimatization at Dingboche. After breakfast, we will take a short hike to the viewpoint, Nangkartshang Peak. It is a four-hour hike. From the top of the viewpoint, the surrounding scenery of the Dingboche village and the mountain panoramas look spectacular.  After spending some time there, we will return to our tea house or lodge in Dingboche, have lunch, and explore the area for a while.

We start our trek after breakfast in Dingboche and begin walking towards Lobuche. The trail goes above Pheriche and takes us to a small place called Dugla. From here, you’ll get amazing views of the mountain Ama Dablam. After Dugla, we climb up a rocky path to Thukla Pass. At the pass we will stop for the while to honour the mountaineers who lost their lives during the Mount Everest expedition.

After that, we will keep walking on the trail that connects to Cho La Pass and the Gokyo route, then follow the main path to Everest Base Camp. The land becomes more dry and rocky as we get closer to Lobuche. After about 5 hours of walking, we reach Lobuche where we’ll spend the night.

Today is an important and exciting day as we will climb the iconic Everest Base Camp via Gorak Shep. It will also be a long trek, and our journey will have two phases. For the first phase, we will ascend to Gorak Shep. We will begin trekking along the route alongside the lateral moraine of Khumbu Glacier. En route, we will encounter a pyramid-shaped signpost. From here, we will head to Thangma Riju. We must conquer several ascent and descent sections before reaching Gorak Shep.

Upon reaching Gorak Shep, we will begin the second phase of our journey: hiking to Everest Base Camp. We will leave our luggage at the accommodation and start our hike. It’s an exciting hike along a rocky walkway, with the icy landscape surrounding us. We will also get to witness the spectacular Khumbu Glacier and Khumbu Icefall. The view from Everest Base Camp is unlike anywhere else as we get to see some of the tallest mountains on earth. After exploring for a while, we will return to Gorak Shep. On this day, we’ll walk from 8 am to 4 pm, covering a distance of 11 km.

We will take an early morning hike to the Kala Patthar viewpoint to witness the sunrise. Hiking to Kala Patthar takes some physical strain. However, the magnificent view is worth the effort. You can witness panoramic views surrounding vistas, including Everest. The view of the golden sunrise hitting the shining snow-covered mountain panoramas is extraordinarily beautiful.

You can take a short stroll and photograph at Kala Patthar before returning to Gorak Shep. After breakfast, we will retrace the same trail back to Lobuche and continue our hike to Dzongla. The walk is challenging as you have to travel through rugged terrain and steep hill. We will stay overnight at a teahouse here.

On this day, we will leave Dzongla and trek to one of our most challenging ascents to Cho La Pass. Due to its high altitude, the rocky trails will gradually turn into icy ones as we keep ascending. The path is also covered with snow. We will make our way through the frigid and snowy trail as we cross the high pass. The top of the mountain pass offers a stunning view of Mount Ama Dablam and Cho La Lake. There are also numerous prayer flags.

Descending from the Gokyo Cho La Pass is easier than ascending it. However, it is still important to be careful as the rocks on the pathways are covered with ice. We will continue trekking and reach Thagnak. We will stay overnight at a teahouse in Thagnak.

The 12th day is about travelling from Thagnak to Gokyo lake trek. The route from Thagnak continues on off-beat and remote sections. En route, we will come across Nepal’s longest glacier, the Ngozumpa Glacier. From the opposite side of the glacier, we can witness the stunning second glacial Gokyo Lake among the six.

We will continue trek via Gokyo Lakes until we reach the Gokyo Valley on the edge of the third glacial Gokyo Lake. The trek on this day is relatively short and takes only 2.5 to 3 hours. We will stay overnight at Gokyo Valley.

The Gokyo Valley offers breathtaking views of mountain panoramas and the serene Gokyo Lakes. We will have our breakfast while enjoying the surrounding beauty, and then begin our trek via Gokyo to Dole. The walkway will go through Ngozumpa Glacier alongside the Dudh Koshi River. After passing the village of Macchermo, we will continue descending to the Luza and Lhafarma settlements. Finally, we will rest after reaching Dole.

if you have enough time today you can hike upto Gkyo ri but you have to connect our team to customize your itinerary.

As we descend from Dole, the scenery changes into lush green again. We will pass through a subtropical rhododendron, oak, and birch forest. The journey makes a steep descent before reaching Phortse Thanga. Similarly, we will continue to descend on a moderate section as we head towards Mong La and then to Namche Bazaar. We will stay overnight at Namche. You can take this opportunity to explore the Sherpa capital with its traditional houses and narrow alleyways.

We will leave Namche Bazaar and make a steep downhill climb. Then, we will retrace our steps back to Jorsale, Monjo, Phakding, and Lukla. The pathway goes alongside the Dush Koshi River. Similarly, we will trek through dense forests of rhododendrons to reach Lukla. The mountain view, on the other hand, becomes more distant. We will spend our last day in the Everest region at a teahouse or lodge in Lukla.

It is time to say goodbye to the Everest region and return. You will fly back to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, or Manthali Airport, Ramechhap. As you fly back, you will get a last glimpse of the amazing Mt Everest landscapes and mountain panoramas. You will have to take a 5 to 6-hour drive to the capital city from Ramechhap. We will host a farewell dinner in the evening to commemorate our journey. Later, you can unwind and enjoy yourself around the city.

Our representative will drop you off at the airport in a private vehicle two hours before your scheduled flight. We wish you good luck for yoour next trek and hope to see you soon! Have a safe flight!