Early in the morning, you will be driven from your hotel to the domestic terminal of Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight to Lukla. Please note that during the trekking season, flights to Lukla may operate from either Ramechhap or Kathmandu, depending on weather conditions and flight availability.

The scenic flight takes about 25 to 30 minutes, landing at Tenzing–Hillary Airport in Lukla, the starting point of your trek. After meeting our local trekking staff at the airport, your trek to Phakding begins.

The trail to Phakding consists mostly of stone-paved and dirt paths, with a few short uphill climbs but generally a gentle downhill walk. Along the way, you’ll cross several suspension bridges and enjoy the surrounding scenery. The walk from Lukla to Phakding covers a distance of approximately 8 kilometers and takes around 3 to 4 hours.

You’ll spend the night relaxing at a guesthouse in Phakding.

After a warm breakfast, you’ll begin your trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar, following the Dudh Koshi River through a lively and scenic landscape. The trail winds through beautiful pine forests and crosses several suspension bridges, making the journey both exciting and memorable.

You’ll stop for lunch at Jorsale, a popular resting point along the route. On the way, you’ll pass through charming villages such as Benkar and Monjo before reaching the entrance checkpoint of Sagarmatha National Park.

After crossing the famous Hillary Bridge, a steep climb leads you up to Top Danda. As you approach this point, you’ll be rewarded with your first stunning views of Mount Everest (8,848 m), along with the impressive ridges of Lhotse (8,516 m) and Nuptse (7,816 m).

You’ll spend the night at a guesthouse in Namche Bazaar. The walking distance from Phakding to Namche Bazaar is approximately 12 to 14 kilometers, taking around 6 to 8 hours of trekking.

As part of your 18-day Gokyo Cho La Pass Trek itinerary, you will spend this day acclimatizing in Namche Bazaar. You can make the most of the day by taking a short hike to the Everest View Hotel, which offers stunning panoramic views of snowcapped peaks, including Everest, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. You’ll also enjoy a relaxing tea break at the hotel while admiring the scenery.

The trail from Namche Bazaar to the Everest View Hotel is a gradual ascent along well-maintained dirt and stone-paved paths, with a few short uphill sections. This day also provides an excellent opportunity to explore the surrounding Namche Bazaar and its beautiful valley views.

After breakfast in Namche Bazaar, your trek begins with a steep ascent out of the beautiful town. The trail then continues with a gradual climb along a well-paved stone path, offering magnificent views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Everest, and Thamserku.

At Kyangjuma, the trail splits—one route leading to Everest Base Camp and the other to Gokyo Valley. We follow the Gokyo route, gradually ascending to Mong La Pass (3,950 meters). Mong La is one of the best viewpoints for Thamserku Mountain, where you’ll stop for a short tea break.

From Mong La, the trail descends to the riverside settlement of Phortse Thanga, where you’ll take a one-hour lunch break. After lunch, the path ascends gradually to Dole (4,130 meters). The trail from Phortse Thanga to Dole passes through beautiful pine and rhododendron forests, with numerous waterfalls along the way. You might spot musk deer, pheasants, and eagles during this stretch.

The total distance from Namche Bazaar to Dole is approximately 16 kilometers, which takes about 7 to 8 hours of trekking. You’ll spend the night at a guesthouse in Dole.

After a warm breakfast in Dole, you’ll begin your trek toward Machhermo. The trail starts with a gradual ascent up to Lhabarma, followed by an easy one-hour walk to the village of Luza, where you’ll take a short break. Afterward, a gentle one-hour climb brings you to Machhermo.

Today’s trek is one of the most scenic and enjoyable days of the journey. Along the way, you’ll be treated to stunning views of Cho Oyu, Thamserku, Kangtega, Taboche, Cholatse, and Machhermo Peak. You’ll have lunch and stay overnight at Machhermo 4470 meters.

The trail is mostly natural and easy to walk on. The distance from Dole to Machhermo is approximately 7 kilometers, taking around 4 to 5 hours of trekking. You’ll spend the night at a guesthouse in Machhermo.

After breakfast in Machhermo, you’ll begin your trek with a gradual uphill climb along a well-marked trail above the Dudh Koshi River. After about an hour of easy walking, you’ll reach Pangka, a scenic resting spot surrounded by dramatic landscapes.

From Pangka, the trail gradually ascends for about two hours before reaching a rocky cliff section, which is the steepest and most challenging part of the day. After a careful 20-minute climb, you’ll arrive near the confluence of the Dudh Koshi River and the Ngozumpa Glacier. From here, the trail follows the left side of the valley, leading you first to the First Lake, then to the Second Lake after about 20 minutes, and finally to Gokyo Lake (also known as Dudh Pokhari) within another half hour.

You’ll enjoy lunch and set up camp or check into your guesthouse at Gokyo. The total walking distance is approximately 8 kilometers, taking around 4 to 5 hours of trekking. You’ll spend the night at a guesthouse in Gokyo.

Today is an acclimatization day on your Gokyo Cho La Pass Trek. Early in the morning, you’ll begin a steep and rugged climb to Gokyo Ri, located on the western side of Gokyo Lake. At the start of the ascent, you may find it a bit difficult to breathe due to the altitude, but as your body warms up and the sun rises, the climb becomes more comfortable.

Standing at 5,360 meters above sea level, Gokyo Ri offers one of the most spectacular panoramic viewpoints in the Everest region. From the summit, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking 360-degree views of Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Kangtega, Thamserku, and many other surrounding peaks, along with the massive Ngozumpa Glacier and the serene Gokyo Lakes below.

After soaking in the incredible scenery, you’ll descend back to Gokyo for breakfast. The rest of the day is free for rest and recovery, as tomorrow you’ll continue your journey toward Thangnak.

After breakfast, you’ll begin your trek to Thangnak. The distance between Gokyo and Thangnak is not very long, as Thangnak lies on the opposite side of the Ngozumpa Glacier.

The trail follows along the edge of the glacier before descending onto its surface. You’ll continue walking across the Ngozumpa Glacier, navigating rocky terrain, glacial streams, small lakes, ice formations, and scattered boulders. It takes about two hours to cross the glacier.

The path includes gradual climbs and descents over uneven glacial ridges, where the trail can often be dusty and covered with loose stones and patches of ice. As you approach Thangnak, you’ll find the settlement nestled at the base of a rocky cliff.

The total walking distance from Gokyo to Thangnak is approximately 5 kilometers, taking around 2 to 3 hours of trekking.

You will start your trek early in the morning to climb the Cho La Pass, which connects the main Everest Base Camp trail with the Gokyo Valley. Depending on trail conditions, we may use crampons and ropes to safely navigate slippery sections, making the ascent and descent easier.

After about two hours of steep uphill walking, you’ll reach Thangnak Kharka, followed by a one-hour descent to Cho La Phedi. From here, the trek becomes more challenging, with a large rocky section filled with massive boulders. Once the rocky section ends, a steep icy climb begins, taking approximately two hours to reach the top of Cho La Pass, where colorful prayer flags flutter in the wind.

At the summit, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks and the Cho La Glacier, creating a truly unforgettable experience. You’ll have a packed lunch at the top of the pass (5,420 meters).

After a short break of about 15 minutes, you’ll begin the descent along a glacier and snow-covered trail toward Dzongla, which takes around two hours. The total walking distance from Thangnak to Dzongla is approximately 14 kilometers, taking about 7 to 9 hours of trekking. You’ll spend the night at a guesthouse in Dzongla.

After breakfast, you’ll begin your trek toward Lobuche. It’s a relatively easy day with a short distance and a gentle trail. Along the way, enjoy stunning views of Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Lhotse, Nuptse, Kangtega, Thamserku, Lobuche Peak, and Taboche. The trail gradually ascends with a few short descents. The walk from Dzongla to Lobuche covers about 7 kilometers and takes 3 to 4 hours.

Today is the highlight of your EBC Trek—standing at the base of the world’s highest mountain. After an early breakfast in Lobuche, you’ll gradually ascend past the Pyramid, an Italian high-altitude research center. It takes about 2–3 hours to reach Gorakshep, where you’ll stop for lunch.

After lunch, a 2-hour hike takes you to Everest Base Camp, set on the Khumbu Glacier, with stunning views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Khumbutse, Lingtren, and Pumori. After exploring the base camp, you’ll return to Gorakshep in about 1.5 hours for an overnight stay. The walk from  Lobuche to Everest base camp and back to Gorakshep covers about 10 kilometers.

You’ll start your hike to Kala Patthar early in the morning to catch the breathtaking sunrise over Mount Everest. From the top of Kala Patthar (5545 meter), enjoy the closest and most spectacular 360° views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtega, Taboche, and Lobuche Peak, with the vast Khumbu Glacier sprawling below.

After sunrise, return to Gorakshep for breakfast, then descend through Lobuche and Thukla Pass to Thukla, where you’ll stop for lunch. After crossing the Khumbu Glacier, enjoy an easy walk to Pheriche, covering about 12 kilometers in 5 to 6 hours of trekking.

After breakfast in Pheriche, you’ll follow the valley, crossing suspension bridges on an easy downhill trail that passes through the beautiful villages of Somare, Pangboche, Debuche, and Tengboche. From Tengboche, the trail descends steeply to Phunki Tenga, where you’ll stop for lunch.

After lunch, the trail climbs up to Kyangjuma. Once you pass the Tenzing Norgay Memorial, you’ll know Namche Bazaar is close ahead. You’ll descend to Namche, covering about 24 kilometers in 8 to 9 hours of trekking.

The scenic flight from Lukla to Kathmandu takes about 25 to 30 minutes. Please note that during the trekking season, flights may operate from either Ramechhap or Kathmandu, depending on weather and availability. Upon arrival, a private tourist vehicle will transfer you to your hotel in Kathmandu.

This is a leisure day, kept as a buffer in case of flight delays from Lukla due to weather. If you’ve already returned to Kathmandu, you can use the day to explore the city, relax, or plan your own activities around the Kathmandu Valley.

Your 18-day Gokyo Cho La Pass Gorek comes to an end today. Our representative will transfer you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure home.