With its enticing side glens, a string of turquoise lakes, Nepal’s biggest glacier and an arc of snow mountains, the Gokyo valley is the most attractive in the Khumbu Region. Our Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek is an alternative to classical treks in Khumbu that has been specially designed for travelers who are eager to experience the magnificence of the Everest range, while avoiding too much mental and physical stress. The view from Gokyo is exceptionally beautiful and offers more of the legendary mountain than the views from Kalapattar.

Introduction

The trail of this trek follows the Everest Base camp route up to Sanasa, and then the follows Dudh Koshi River to its source, Ngozumpa Glacier. After a brief sightseeing in Kathmandu, we fly to Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft), from where we will proceed to Phakding. The next and more scenic day will be spent trekking up to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,286ft). The subsequent days we will pass through Phortse Village and Machhermo where the mountains are more spectacular. Passing through these villages, we also get a chance to have a look at the lifestyles of high altitude dwellers. We reach Gokyo enjoying the breathtaking beauty of Ngozumba Glacier, the largest of its kind in the Nepal Himalayas. The small herding settlement of Gokyo (4,750m/15,584ft) lies on the banks of the third lake in a series of small turquoise mountain lakes. On ridge above Gokyo the four peaks above 8,000m (26,246ft), Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu, expose themselves. If that is not enough have a look at the tremendous ice ridge between Cho Oyu and Gyachung (7,922m/25,991ft), considered one of the most dramatic panoramas in the Khumbu region. There are many options for additional exploration and high-altitude walking, including the crossing of Cho La, a 5,420m (17,782ft)-high pass into Khumbu and a hike to Gokyo Ri (5357m/19,216ft). The descent is made through Dole to Lukla to resume a fly back to Kathmandu.