The trek less traveled may feature the best view of Mt. Everest!
Mount Everest attracts most people around the world. Most trekking companies offer the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek which doesn’t necessarily have the best views of Mt. Everest. So, we offer an even more impressive journey with one of the finest views of Mt. Everest, the Gokyo-Ri trek.
The Gokyo-Ri Trek takes you to trails less traveled by tourists. These trails are the “highways” of the Himalayas where you will encounter yak trains and the Sherpa people moving about the Khumbu region. It’s a land of sacred lakes and alpine farms that cling to the sides of the mountains. You’ll have the opportunity to see the local culture. Have a cup of tea or local wine with the local people. Trek High Mountain passes for the finest views of not only Mt. Everest, but all the massive peaks of the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal. Take the more rewarding Gokyo-Ri trek with a view of Mt. Everest. You’ll be glad for your choice.
Duration: 14 days
Group Size: Minimum of 2 persons
Grade: Moderate
Maximum Altitude: 5,357 meters (17,575 ft.)
Destination: Nepal
Activity: Trekking in Nepal
ITINERARY FOR GOKYO-RI TREK WITH VIEW OF MT. EVEREST
DAY 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
An adventure always has its beginnings, and the trip of a lifetime is no different. Your flight will land at Tribhuvan International Airport, located in the ancient capital city of Nepal. You deplane, make your way through passport control and step into the crisp mountain air of Kathmandu. Here your representative from Himalayan Planet Adventures will greet you and take you to your hotel to freshen up from your long flight. Later meet your guide at the headquarters of Himalayan Planet Adventures to go over the last-minute details for your trek. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner with your guide and friends from Himalayan Planet Adventures as well as a Nepali cultural show.
Elevation: (4,592 ft / 1,400 m)
DAY 2: Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding Village
It’s an early morning flight as you rise to see sunrise in the Himalayas. The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla only takes about 30 minutes, but what a flight. Our journey takes us along the backbone of the world’s highest mountains. You land in Lukla, the gateway to the Khumbu region. We collect our backpacks and begin our trek. Today’s trek takes around four hours to reach the Sherpa village of Phakding. Walk through dense forests of pine and rhododendron, tracing fast flowing mountain rivers that tumble down. Phakding is a pleasant Sherpa village to explore after we arrive. We will spend the night here at a tea house.
Elevation: (Lukla: 9,184 ft / 2,800 m) / (Phakding: 8,528 ft / 2,600 m)
Distance: (Kathmandu – Lukla 138 km) / (Lukla – Phakding 7.8 km)
Duration: (Kathmandu – Lukla 30 minutes) / (Lukla – Phakding 3 hrs)
DAY 3: Trek to Namche Bazaar
Our destination is what is known as the capital of the Khumbu. Namche Bazaar is the largest village in the region. It serves as the administrative center of the Sherpas. Here you’ll find nice hotels, restaurants, gift shops, internet and even an ATM machine. We will have time to explore all of this tomorrow. Today we trek 6 – 7 hours to reach the village. It’s all uphill most of the way. We will get glimpses of the snowcapped peaks. Halfway through we enter Sagarmatha National Park. Our hotel will be our home for two nights.
Elevation: (11,283 ft / 3,440 m)
Distance: (10.4 km)
Duration: (5 hrs)
DAY 4: Acclimatization Day in Namche Bazaar
We take a day to allow our bodies to adjust to the high elevations of the Khumbu region. Acute Mountain Sickness is a real medical condition and if not properly treated, can be fatal. The best way to prevent it is to take acclimatization days to allow your body the opportunity to adjust to the thinner Himalayan air. There will be time to explore Namche Bazaar. You can even trek to the top of the hill for a really good view of Mt. Everest.
DAY 5: Trek to Dole Village
Up until now, we’ve been following the traditional Everest Trek. Today, we embark on a different route. We’re now heading into the Gokyo region. This beautiful green valley is surrounded by incredibly high peaks. We will be trekking upwards to reach the Sherpa village of Dole. The trail rises significantly in elevation today. Dole is 4200 meters (13,776 ft). We leave the forests behind as the vegetation becomes shorter and closer to the ground. We pass farms that grow limited crops of buckwheat, carrots and potatoes. Because of the lack of trees, we are rewarded better views in all directions of the high snowcapped peaks. Up here we not only see Mt. Everest, but also several of the other 8,000 meter peaks. We will spend the night in a small but comfortable guest house in Dole. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours.
Elevation: (13,245 ft / 4,038m)
Distance: (6.9 km)
Duration: (4.5 hrs)
DAY 6: Trek to Machhermo Village
We’re climbing more today as we enter the heart of the Khumbu. We aren’t seeing many tourists, but we’ve seen yak trains which move goods throughout the high Himalayas. There is not a lot up here as the land and climate is harsh. The views are great as we make our way to Machhermo Village. We’re trekking only 3 – 4 hours today because of the higher elevation. We will spend our night in the village.
Elevation: (13,152 ft / 4,010 m)
Distance: (4.5 km)
Duration: (3.5 hrs)
DAY 7: Trek to Gokyo Valley
We cross the pass and drop down into the Gokyo Valley. It’s a beautiful green valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks. From the top of the pass, we can look down and see the several sacred lakes of the Gokyo. These lakes are fed by the coldest waters you can image! They reflect the deep blue skies of the Himalayas. Around us, we can see Mt. Cho-Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world along with Mt. Makalu, the fifth highest mountain. Both are well over 8,000 meters it takes us 3 – 4 hours to reach our lodge where we will spend two wonderful nights in this pleasant valley.
Elevation: (15,711 ft / 4,790 m)
Distance: (5.7 km)
Duration: (4 hrs)
DAY 8: Hike to the Fifth Gokyo Lake for finest view of Mt. Everest
It’s the day you’ve been waiting for as you hike to the vantage point to see the best view ever of Mt. Everest! We travel first to the Fifth Gokyo Lake. We are entering the upper Gokyo Valley to see this beautiful sacred lake. Its colors will dazzle you! Once we reach the region of the lake, we will see the finest view of Mt. Everest you could ask for. We can stay for a while, take pictures, and enjoy a picnic lunch. We don’t advise trying to swim in any of the Gokyo Lakes as these are extremely cold! The day also will feature a climb to the top of Mt. Gokyo-Ri, a trekking peak. Rising to an elevation of 5,330 m (17,483 ft.) we will see many of the majestic peaks in all directions, including Mt. Everest. We hike back to our lodge for a second restful night.
Elevation: (16,372 ft / 4,990 m)
Distance: (12.2 km both ways)
Duration: (7 hrs)
DAY 9: Trek to Mongla Hill
We are beginning our return trip today. Our guide has chosen a different route so we can enjoy some different scenery along the way. The trail beings to descend and our destination is a small little village called Mongla Hill. Of course, what Nepali’s call a “hill” is a mountain anywhere else in the world! There are a few nice lodges here and this tiny village will be our home for the night. Keep watch along the way of the breathtaking peaks. Trekking time is around seven hours.
Elevation: (Gokyo Ri: 16,372 ft / 17,575 ft) / (Mongla: 19,777 ft / 2,980 m)
Distance: (1.5 km one way) / (Gokyo to Mongla: 14.1 km)
Duration: (Gokyo Ri: 2 hrs one way) / (Mongla: 8 hrs)
DAY 10: Trek to Jorsalle Village
Today we definitely drop below the tree line as we enjoy several small Sherpa villages along today’s path. These trails are not often used by visitors, so our scenery is more pristine. We pass farms which are starting to look more prosperous with the lower elevation. Our destination is Jorsalle Village. It’s small but very scenic. As most trekkers to the Khumbu region miss this charming village, you’re one of the lucky ones. We will spend a night here in a local tea house. Trekking time is 7 - 8 hours.
Elevation: (8,990 ft / 2,740 m)
Distance: (11.4 km)
Duration: (7 hrs)
DAY 11: Trek to Lukla
We are now into the forests. We pass by Namche Bazaar in order to make a direct route to the airport at Lulka. We follow the Dudh Khola River, crossing it on suspension bridges. Here we see plenty of wildlife including a variety of birds. It’s primarily downhill almost all the way. It takes us between 7 – 8 hours to reach Lukla where we spend our final night in the Khumbu region.
Elevation: (Lukla height: 9,184 ft / 2,800 m)
Distance: (10.8 km)
Duration: (7 hrs)
DAY 12: Fly to Kathmandu
Today the trek ends with the flight back to Kathmandu begins. We rise early to catch our flight, enjoying the 30 minute flight over the mountains. We arrive in Kathmandu where we return to our hotel. We can rest today or do some exploring of the Kathmandu Valley. There’s plenty to see and do in this ancient city of mystery.
DAY 13: Free Day
Himalayan Planet Adventures always builds an extra day into the trip in case we can’t fly back as planned. The weather of the Khumbu region is very unpredictable as the high mountains create their own weather systems. Because of this, we add an extra day just in case we can’t fly back on day 12. Today, enjoy the Kathmandu Valley. Your friends at Himalayan Planet Adventures can easily help you with car, driver and guide to the various interesting places in the Kathmandu Valley. You can also just grab a map and go exploring on your own. There are over 1000 temples plus royal palaces within this large valley. Or simply take the day to rest or shop. In the evening, we’ll take you to a farewell dinner with your guide and porters.
DAY 14: Departure
It’s the end of the journey of a lifetime and your representative from Himalayan Planet Adventures will take you by private car to the airport to connect with your flight. Of course, you don’t have to leave. You can extend your holiday, or make plans for a return trip to the land of the Himalayas. Did you know Nepal has the highest return rate of visitors of any country in the world? There is so much to see and explore, and the hospitality of its people keep you wanting to come back again and again. Now that you have made so many friends in the land of the snow leopard, it’s only natural to want to return. Talk to your friends at Himalayan Planet Adventures about returning to explore another part of this truly amazing land. Namaste!
