Kala Patthar & Gokyo Trek Package

A Basanta Adventure representative will meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfer you to your hotel. Take the rest of the day to recover from your flight. We give you a short introduction to the hotel and the area, and the full trek briefing follows tomorrow.

Overnight: Hotel in Kathmandu

After breakfast, a guide takes you on a half-day tour of Kathmandu's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In the afternoon, we hold the trek briefing: you meet your trekking guide, check your gear and go through the route, the weather and what to expect at altitude. Pack your duffel in the evening for tomorrow's early flight.

Overnight: Hotel in Kathmandu | Meals: Breakfast

An early morning flight takes you to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, the gateway to the Everest region. After meeting the porters, we start walking downhill through Chheplung and Ghat, following the Dudh Koshi River past mani walls, chortens and prayer flags. The short first day ends in Phakding, a Sherpa village beside the river, and helps your body start adjusting to the altitude.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Phakding (twin sharing)

The trail crosses the Dudh Koshi several times on suspension bridges and climbs through pine forest to Monjo, the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, where your permits are checked. After Jorsale, you cross the high Hillary Suspension Bridge and climb steeply to Namche Bazaar. On a clear day, a viewpoint on the climb gives you your first view of Everest. Namche is the main trading town of the Khumbu, with shops, bakeries and lodges set in a horseshoe-shaped bowl.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Namche Bazaar 

A rest day here is essential before you go higher. In the morning, we hike up past the Syangboche airstrip to the Everest View Hotel (3,880 m) for views of Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku, then return to Namche. Climbing high and sleeping low in this way helps your body adapt. Spend the afternoon at the Sherpa Culture Museum, in the town's shops or at one of its bakeries.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Namche Bazaar 

Today you leave the main Everest Base Camp trail and head north into the quieter Gokyo Valley. The trail climbs to the ridge at Mong La, with wide views of Ama Dablam and Thamserku, then drops to the Dudh Koshi at Phortse Thanga. From here, the path climbs through rhododendron and birch forest to the small settlement of Dole. With few other trekkers on this side of the valley, the walk feels peaceful and remote.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Dole

This shorter day keeps your height gain gentle for acclimatization. Above Dole, the forest thins out and the trail climbs along the side of the valley past summer yak pastures at Lhabarma and Luza, with Cho Oyu coming into view ahead. You reach Machhermo by early afternoon, leaving time to rest or take a short walk above the village before dinner.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Machhermo 

The trail climbs to a ridge with views up and down the valley, then follows the edge of the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. A steep section brings you to the first of the Gokyo Lakes, and the path continues past the second lake to Gokyo village on the shore of Dudh Pokhari, the third lake. The turquoise water, surrounded by high peaks, is one of the most striking sights in the Everest region.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Gokyo 

We start early for the steep climb to the top of Gokyo Ri, which takes about two to three hours. From the summit, you see four of the world's 8,000-meter peaks: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu, with the Gokyo Lakes and the Ngozumpa Glacier spread out below. After returning to Gokyo for breakfast, we cross the rocky glacier moraine to Dragnag (also called Thagnak), the base for tomorrow's pass crossing.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Dragnag

This is the most demanding day of the trek. We leave before dawn and climb a long, rocky slope to the base of the pass, then make the final steep ascent to Cho La, where prayer flags mark the top. Depending on conditions, the last section and the descent on the far side may cross snow or ice on the glacier, and your guide will advise on crampons or microspikes. The descent leads down to Dzongla, a small settlement with close views of Cholatse and Ama Dablam.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Dzongla 

After the effort of the pass, today is a shorter walk. The trail contours above the Chola Lake and the valley floor with fine views of Lobuche Peak and the Khumbu, then joins the main Everest Base Camp trail near the edge of the Khumbu Glacier. You reach Lobuche by lunchtime and have the afternoon to rest before the climb to Everest Base Camp.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Lobuche 

We follow the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier to Gorak Shep, the last settlement on the trail, and continue after an early lunch to Everest Base Camp. The path crosses rocky moraine and shifts a little every year as the glacier moves, so stay close to your guide and keep a slow, steady pace. Base Camp sits at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall, with Pumori, Lingtren and Nuptse around you, and in spring you may see climbing expeditions preparing for the summit. We then walk back to Gorak Shep for the night.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Gorak Shep 

Weather permitting, we climb Kala Patthar before dawn, a steep 1.5 to 2 hours from Gorak Shep. It is the highest point of the trek and gives the closest view of Everest's summit you can reach on foot, with Nuptse, Lhotse and Pumori around you. After breakfast back at Gorak Shep, we descend past Lobuche and Thukla to Dingboche, where the thicker air makes for a much easier night's sleep.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Dingboche 

A long but mostly downhill day takes you back through Pangboche and Tengboche, where you can visit the largest monastery in the Khumbu. After dropping to Phunki Tenga, the trail climbs gently to Kyangjuma, a small settlement with some of the best views of Ama Dablam and Thamserku in the region.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Kyangjuma 

A short contour path brings you back to Namche Bazaar, then the trail descends steeply to the Dudh Koshi and crosses the suspension bridges you walked over on the way up. As you lose height, the forest returns and the air feels warm and rich in oxygen. You spend the night in Phakding.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Phakding

The last day on the trail follows the river back through Ghat and Chheplung, with a final climb into Lukla. Your guide reconfirms tomorrow's flight, and the evening is usually a celebration with your guide and porters. Tipping the trekking crew is customary in Nepal, though not compulsory, and this is the usual time to do it.

Overnight: Teahouse lodge in Lukla

Flights from Lukla run in the morning, when the winds are calmer, and can be delayed by mountain weather. On arrival in Kathmandu, we transfer you to your hotel, and the rest of the day is free to rest and enjoy a hot shower and a good meal.

Overnight: Hotel in Kathmandu 

The day is free to relax at the hotel, shop for souvenirs in Thamel or explore more of the Kathmandu Valley at your own pace. It also works as a buffer day in case your Lukla flight was delayed.

Overnight: Hotel in Kathmandu | Meals: Breakfast

Your trek ends today. Depending on your flight time, our representative transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward journey. If you have more time, you can extend your holiday with another tour in Nepal.

Meals: Breakfast