Everest Base Camp via Gokyo Ri 2023

The Everest Base Camp/EBC trek begins with a flight to Lukla, the gateway to the Khumbu region in Nepal. The tiny sleek runway of the airport makes the takeoff and landing experience worthwhile and memorable. (and to be honest, a little nerve-wracking). 

Lukla has no roads, so from the airport itself, you start your trek! You follow a well-marked and well-traveled path with some sections of suspension bridges as well as cobbled stone steps. The route is continuously climbing and descending. You get plenty of chances to breathe in the fresh Himalayan air and look at the views of the Himalayas. You cross numerous villages on the way to Phakding and reach in around 2 hours. The overnight stay will be in Phakding in a tea-house/guest-house. 

The route today gradually climbs through many villages. Upon reaching Monjo, after a couple of hours of easy walk, take a break, hydrate, and prepare for your first difficult ascent on the way to Everest Base Camp – the Namche Bazaar climb!

You start leaving the villages behind and continuously make your way up alongside the Dudh Kosi river. You cross the highly photographed suspension bridges on your way. Cross the bridges and then follow the route as it zig-zags up to Namche. The climb from the suspension bridge to Namche Bazaar is just under 600 vertical meters (2000 ft) but feels hard due to the altitude and takes more than 2 hours for most trekkers.

There is a famous spot 2/3 of the way up to the Namche Bazaar from where Mount Everest is clearly visible, which is a good place for a break. The best way to tackle the climb is to set a slow, steady pace and maintain it. Take your time and don’t rush!

We’ll be resting for the day in Namche, and taking an extra day for acclimatization depending on the health of the whole group.

We’ll be resting and acclimatizing in Namche today. Take it easy today, and give your body time to adjust to the raw Himalayan environment and altitude of the Khumbu region.

We will be doing a short hike to nearby villages, and attempt to get the best Himalayan views. You can get amazing views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse as well as Mt. Ama Dablam.

Leaving Namche is like leaving behind civilization and entering the high altitude Himalayan region. The route climbs gently towards the east and traverses the Khumjung village. After a couple of hours of trekking, you reach the famous tea house at Kyangjuma. The views of Mt. Ama Dablam from this place and from the walk up to it? You have to see it to believe it. 

From Kyangjuma, we will begin climbing up and then start traversing the mountain. Once we reach the Chorten (a Buddhist shrine), which is perched on a ridge, we will begin descending about 300 m. to a small village called Phortse Tenga, which is next to the Dudh Kosi river.

From Phortse Tenga, the trail up to Dole climbs through a beautiful rhododendron forest for about an hour,  then the trees begin to thin out and you reach a place from where you can enjoy amazing views of Mt. Cho Oyu. 

From the Mt. Cho Oyu viewpoint, a short walk leads to Dole. It is a tiny village tucked into the huge hills. Dole is at significantly high altitude, and you will feel the effects of the altitude. So, make sure to keep hydrated, and give your body the rest it deserves. 

As you move higher up the mountains, the altitude keeps on jumping. So, this short day ensures that you don’t stress your body more than necessary, and take this day slowly.

Machermo village is a good place for a rest day before pushing on up to Gokyo because it is high, but not too high so your body can acclimatize properly. Enjoy the warmth of the sun’s rays while letting your body acclimatize naturally while looking at amazing views of Mt. Cho Oyu. 

You start your day by leaving Macchermo behind. We descend down to a river and then climb steeply from the river up to the first of the 3 holy lakes which are considered the end of the lower Gokyo valley as you enter the upper and deserted Gokyo valley.

It’s not very far from the first lake to the second (larger) and next to the second lake is the route that goes up to the Cho La Pass!

We will be carrying on easily from the second lake to the third and the largest holy lake, which lies next to the Gokyo village. Gokyo has expanded in recent years and is now a quite busy little place where you can buy some snacks and enjoy a social evening in one of the various lodges around the village.

Being next to a lake in a barren place is highly enjoyable, and we prefer to take an extra day for acclimatization and to give our body rest before climbing up to Gokyo Ri the very next day. 

Pass the day enjoying the peace of the lake and hiking up to the 4th and 5th Gokyo lakes. This extra day will be worth it and can make the difference between making or breaking your trek up to the Everest Base Camp .

This day requires an early start and Gokyo Ri is worth getting out of bed early for. The best time to arrive on top is at sunrise so we will be starting our trek in the dark, wearing head torches and pretending to climb Mt. Everest! It will take us around 2 hours to get up to the summit, which is via a steep route, and is sure to test your determination!

Once you reach the summit, you will instantly forget how exhausted you are and start clicking panoramic pictures because oh my god, the view! You can find Cho Oyu to the north, and Everest to the east. Take your time to enjoy the beauty and identifying the various peaks around you. 

We will start descending once the batteries of our cameras have drained by clicking so many pictures. It will take us around an hour to get back to the village. Have a quick second breakfast, and start crossing the moraine at the foot of the Ngozumba Glacier.

The crossing of the moraine will take us around 1 hour and is clearly marked even though it changes every year. At the end of moraine, we will reach the tiny village of Dragnag.

Today is another day when we have to get up early for the crossing of Cho La Pass. We are sure to get amazing views if we cross the Col early and avoid the afternoon clouds. 

From Dragnag, we gradually ascend to a field of boulders. We will be crossing this in awkward positions. Be sure to help each other out! From here, the steep climb up to Cho La starts. The trail is rocky but can be easily done without the use of a rope and a brave heart. The final climb may sometimes be covered in snow, depending upon the weather. 

Once you reach the Col, you can find Mt. Ama Dablam and understand why it’s called the most beautiful peak in the world! We will descend from the col onto the glacier. When you cross the glacier, the path becomes well marked again, and the views to your right open up as you descend. The walk down is not long and soon after reaching flat terrain, you will arrive in the little village of Dzonghla.

Today is another short day, so take your time having a leisurely breakfast and enjoying the Himalayan views.  The day begins with a descent down to the river. We will cross this and then traverse above the lake. Ama Dablam dominates the views from a distance.

We will continue on the route and eventually join with the main Everest Base Camp route and leave behind the Gokyo valley. We are now in the high Khumbu valley, home of the highest mountain on earth! You can see the glacial moraine of the Khumbu glacier, which leads up the summit of Mt. Everest. 

We will be following the main Everest trail up to the Lobuche village. We will be spending a relaxed evening here. 

The path from Lobuche begins to climb up, down, and around the glacial moraine. The path is well marked and established but narrow in some places. It can be busy with human and yak traffic going both up and down the mountain.

You will arrive in Gorak Shep, the final place before the Everest Base Camp! Whatever you do, move slowly here and drink plenty of water because you are above 5000 m and you will definitely be feeling the effects of the altitude, and water is the only medicine. 

After having a quick lunch, we will be moving onto Everest Base Camp, the highlight of the whole trek! The trek is not easy as it crosses continuously moving glacial moraine and the path is not clear. Be sure to stick with your guide! However, you’ll be surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the world! So, there’s that.

Keep moving until you see the prayer flags at the base camp. Soak in the fact that you’re actually here, at the foot of Everest, and congratulate yourself! It is an amazing place to be and reflect on your life. It is sure to send a chill down anyone’s spine. 

Again, take photos until your batteries are dead, and start descending down to Gorakshep looking forward to warmer days in the coming days. 

From Gorakshep, the route up to the south face of Kala Patthar is vague. We will be starting our day early, and start climbing in the dark. The path is on scree but is well made and easy to follow. It will take you around 2 hours to reach the summit of Kala Patthar.

Once you are there, take a moment to sit down and simply enjoy the special view. You can watch the sun rising directly behind Everest and if you’re a mountain geek like us, you can map the route to the summit. Take it easy, and spend an hour or two at the top, before retracing your steps and heading back to Pheriche.

The trail to Tengboche from Pheriche is easy compared to all that you’ve been through in the past few days. It is a continuous descend down from Pheriche, and you’ll be meeting numerous trekkers on the way. Be sure to share your newly acquired wisdom!

We will be staying here for the day, and keep on the lookout for any famous mountaineers you may come across. 

You are continuously descending to the lower parts of the Khumbu region. The day starts with a steep descent to Phunki Thanga where we will be having lunch. From here, we will climb the short ascent to Namche, and feel as though we’re back in civilization. 

Today is going to be a hard day for people who don’t like descending. Take it easy, and descend carefully. Even more carefully than you climb. Because as you know, most of the climbing and trekking injuries happen while you’re descending. So, if you feel too tired, take a rest for a few minutes and start again. 
We should reach Lukla by evening, and will be spending the night at Lukla in order to catch the morning flight back to Kathmandu. 

Today we will be flying back to the civilization after successfully completing the trek to Everest Base Camp. We will be taking the early morning flight back!

Once you reach Kathmandu, you can leave for your respective places, or spend a day in Kathmandu exchanging pictures and reliving some of the best memories of your lives with your trek mates, and team leaders. 

We keep a buffer day in our pass-crossing treks or long treks because of any hurdles we might face during the trek, like bad weather including heavy snowfall, or rain. In such situations, it becomes risky to cross the pass or to carry on trekking.

In such situations, it must be a unanimous decision to use the buffer day. All the participants will be required to pay 3,999/- INR (exclusive of 5% GST) if the group decides to use the buffer day. The amount will be collected by your trek leader in cash.

This day can come in handy if your flight cancels or is rescheduled due to some reason or if the weather gods are angry.