Higher Limits Trek

Gokyo Kalapathar EBC Trek - 19 Days

A trip into familiar territory on wonder trails where the grass is as green as home, over high mountain passes that culminates into Gokyo and its beautiful lakes….this is a wonder venture with some of the most stunning landscapes on earth.

This adventure is for those with a love for the wild. It should never be avoided for those seeking physical challenges. This graded trek takes you into wild country at an elevation of 5420 m. you also get the opportunity to trek to the summit of both Gokyo RI [5340m.] and Kala Pattar [5554m.] for majestic views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. A visit to Everest Base Camp will give you chances to view the spectacular Khumbu Icefall which is one of the highlights of this trip.

Starters or inexperienced climbers could go ahead with this adventure into remote mountainous land, but this trek requires one to be moderately fit. Considering the snowfall conditions over Cho La Pass, this trek should not be taken during winter months of January & February and the monsoon period of July & August.

Outline Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 02: Sightseeing of Kathmandu Valley
Day 03: Flight to Lukla & Trek to Phakding [2656m]
Day 04: Trek to Namche [3450m]
Day 05: Rest day in Namche
Day 06: Trek to Dole [4084m]
Day 07: Trek to Machermo [4410m]
Day 08: Rest day in Machermo
Day 09: Trek to Gokyo [4750m]
Day 10: Rest day – Ascent of Gokyo Ri [5483m]
Day 11: Trek to Tragnag [4690m]
Day 12: Trek to Lobuche [4928m]
Day 13: Trek to Gorak Shep [5184m]
Day 14: Trek to Everest Base Camp [5357m] & return to Gorak Shep.
Day 15: Trek to Pangboche [3985m]
Day 16: Trek to Namche [3450m]
Day 17: Trek to Lukla [2800m]
Day 18: Fly to Kathmandu
Day 19: Depart Kathmandu

Cost Include

  • Sagarmatha national park fee permit
  • Trekking Map of Everest region
  • Full Board Plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner, accommodation, tea or coffee) during trek,
  • Join Nepali Cultural Program with dinner,
  • Hotel in Kathmandu as your requirements.
  • An experienced licensed holder Guide and required porters
  • Food, drinks, salary, insurance, equipment, transportation, accommodation, and local tax for guide and porters,
  • Transportation by flight and car.
  • Medical kit box
  • TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management Systems)
  • Trekking Equipments
  • All government tax
  • All guided sightseeing tour in Kathmandu and entry fees
  • All necessary transportation while sightseeing
  • Airport pick up and drop with an escort

Cost Exclude

  • Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu.
  • Your travel insurance
  • International flight and departure tax
  • Any expense of personal nature
  • Nepal entry visa fee US 100 (duration 90 days from date of issue)
  • Any kinds of Bar bills

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
it’s exciting as you fly into Kathmandu if the day is clear. The views from the windows of your plane give you fantastic views of snow-capped mountain peaks begins to stir the excitement in you that makes you feel elated, & this begins a whole link of blissful experiences that stay with you for a long time. Our escort and driver from our office will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Our escort will also help you check into your reserved hotel. At the hotel, you will be oriented on your daily activities. This is your first overnight in the valley of the gods.

Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu is the cultural heart of Nepal and has been a famous destination for tourists ever since Nepal opened its borders to visitors. The city displays an interesting combination of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence in the Valley. Patan and Bhaktapur, the two important neighboring cities bear much cultural and religious significance to Nepal’s landscape. There will be a half day guided tour to the famous and biggest Hindu shrine of Pashupatinath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal Boudhanath, the 15th century Palace of 55 windows and Swoyambhunath.  Overnight at your hotel.

Day 03: Fly to Lukla & Trek to Phakding [2656m}
we start with a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla [2800m], a small airstrip high above the Dudh Kosi valley. After meeting up with our trekking crew and sorting out our gear, we begin the trek by descending to Chaunrikharka and hiking up the Dudh Kosi valley to Phakding, where we camp by the river.

Day 04: Trek to Namche [3450m]
From Phakding; we cross on the river over suspension bridges. We then head into Monjo which is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park and was set-up in order to protect and preserve this fragile mountain environment. We then ascend up to Namche and along the way, if the weather is clear, catch a first glimpse of Mt Everest in the distance. Namche is a busy town & is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market – an ancient meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La.We camp near the bazaar at Namche.

Day 05: Rest day in Namche
Namche is geographically situated between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. This outpost situated town, is well known for its lodges and tea shops and souvenir shops. You can even stay in communication with your office from namche. This is a place where you can rest your self & acclimatize to the new altitudes before heading off towards Gokyo. Your options for acclimatization can include an uphill visit to Khunde Hospital, which was set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or take a one hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above Namche. From this point, you can watch the sunset over Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. We can also get good views from the National Park Centre and Museum above the village.

Day 06: Trek to Dole [4084m]
we now will approach altitudes of 4500m, so we will stay at Machermo for an extra day. Today is a special day for great sceneries as we follow the main trail north out of Namche. A short climb to a crest reveals a wonderful view towards Everest and Lhotse. We hang on to this primary trail for a while longer, passing many traders selling Tibetan handicrafts, to crossroads high above the Dudh Kosi. The trail to Everest drops down the hill but we steer off here and climb to cross the Mon La before reaching Phortse Tenga. From Phortse Tenga, the trail climbs steeply to Dole, through rhododendron and birch forest bedecked with hanging mosses and lichens.

Day 07: Trek to Machermo [4410m]
From Dole we climb progressively along the side of the valley, where the rhododendron forests give way to scrub juniper as the altitude increases. The trail passes many summer settlements [versa], which are used when yaks are taken to these pastures to graze in the summer months. As we look far beyond, we get excellent views of Cho Oyu, while at the rear are the peaks of Kantega and Thamserku. We don’t hike much today and arrive at Machermo in time for lunch.
Day 08: we rest in Machermo
We are now getting close to 4500m, so we stay at Machermo for an extra day to acclimatize. There’s plenty to do and explore around the camp and just above the village there is an excellent view encompassing Cho Oyu [8210m] and the mountains which flank the Ngozumpa Glacier.

Day 09: Trek to Gokyo [4750m]
after we feel much rested, we make headway for the lakes at Gokyo. We hike through a scenic trail to Pangka and then descend slightly, hanging to the route of the rivers which flow down the west side of the Ngozumpa Glacier. We climb a steep rocky incline into the valley by the side of the glacier, passing the first of the holy lakes. We soon arrive at the second of the lakes, crossing the path which heads across the glacier to Cho La – our route to Lobuche and Everest, later in the trek. The third lake is known as Dudh Pokhari and on its eastern shore we come across the settlement of Gokyo. Walking by the outer rings of the lake, the scenery is almost stunning with the summits of Cho Oyu and Gyachung Kang reflected in its emerald green waters.

Day 10: Rest day – Ascent of Gokyo RI [5483m]
Gokyo RI stands high above the village on the northern edge of the lake and we leave camp just after first light, following a steep path up the hillside. As we climb, the summits of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu slowly come into sight and the view from the summit of Gokyo Ri itself is one of the most beautiful to be seen in the Everest region – some say it is even better than that from Kala Pattar. For those with all the energy, there are more good views to be had by dropping back down to the main path and following it north to the fourth and fifth of the Gokyo lakes, the latter being about three hours from Gokyo.

Day 11: Trek to Tragnag [4690m]
after we feel well acclimatized; we leave Gokyo to cross the Ngozumpa Glacier. We descend to the second lake and drop down onto the glacier. The route across the glacier is identified by cairns and follows a superficial valley to our camp by a small kharka.

Day 12: Trek to Lobuche [4928m]
we must start early today, as we have to cross Cho La and make the long descent to Lobuche. Continuing up the valley, we cross a ridge and an old lateral moraine, before beginning the rocky jumble to the pass. From the pass there are excellent views, across to the Rolwaling Valley in the west and Ama Dablam to the south east. The descent from the pass involves the crossing of a small glacier [often covered with snow] which is fairly straightforward. There are more wonderful views of Ama Dablam and the forbidding north face of Cholatse as we descend to the green pastures below. The way to Lobuche winds around grassy slopes above a lake, the Tshola Tsho, to join up with the main Everest trail from Pheriche and Thyangboche. The trail runs flat out and follows the valley on the west side of the Khumbu Glacier to Lobuche.

Day 13: Trek to Gorak Shep [5184m]
to reach our next objective, which is Kala Pattar, the trail continues to follow the valley beside the Khumbu Glacier, and offers great views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the trail is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at our camping place for the night in Gorak Shep. Later in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set over the Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Khumbu, Kala Pattar [5549m]. As the light begins to become paler we stroll back to our camp at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for our trek to Everest Base Camp the next day.

Day 14: Trek to Everest Base Camp [5357m] & return to Gorak Shep
For us to reach Everest Base Camp, we’ve got to begin quite early. It takes several hours on a trail across the Khumbu Glacier which weaves its way along transparent ice pinnacles and past seemingly bottomless crevasses. At Base Camp, there will hopefully be great views up into the Khumbu Icefall where there is often some climbing activity. On the return leg, we can hike through a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the south Col. We then return to Gorak Shep.

Day 15: Trek to Pangboche [3985m]
from here on, It is downhill most of the way today, past Lobuche to Duglha and Pheriche. The Himalayan Rescue Association has trekkers’ aid post based here and is interesting to visit. After lunch, we cross the Khumbu Khola on a wooden suspension bridge and follow the Imja Khola to the village of Pangboche.

Day 16: Trek to Namche [3450m]
we continue to go on  the trail near the river and, after crossing it, climb up through birch and rhododendron forest to Thyangboche and its well known monastery. There are magnificent views from here and Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega and Thamserku are just a few of the Himalayan giants which can be seen from here. From Thyangboche, we descend to the bridge over the Dudh Kosi at Phunki Tenga, where there are water driven prayer wheels, before making our way back to busy Namche.

Day 17: Trek to Lukla [2800m]
towards the end of our trek, we hike along the Dudh Kosi back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal time for a farewell party with our Sherpa guides and porters, who stayed with us all this time. This is where we can sample some chang and do a dance to some Sherpa steps and look back on a memorable adventure. It’s our last night on these mountains & we prepare for the night.

Day 18: Fly to Kathmandu
On touchdown, the rest of your day is free to do your own things. Today, we go for a local dinner to one of Kathmandu’s famous local kitchens where you sample some of the most delicious Nepalese cuisines & while enjoying your meal, you will also watch the local belles performing a wonderful & thrilling cultural dance. Your dinner & dance is complimentary which is provided to all our guests after your program before your departure home. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 19: Depart Kathmandu
Our office support team will take you to the airport for your flight home. (Or you can hang around longer for short tours such as game drive at National parks, do some wild-water rafting, a Tibet tour or even mountain biking, etc- just let us know your preference & we’d be glad to serve with a program that will suit your timeframe.

Start Price (USD) AVAILABILITY Booking
A private departures on any day all around the year can be arranged for this trek/tour, for more details and dates E-mail info@higherlimitstrek.com

AVAILABILITY OPTIONS

OPENED: This date is available and open for bookings.
LIMITED: There are very limited number of available places on this departure. Immediate booking.
GUARANTEED: We have reached minimum numbers and this trip is guaranteed to depart.
CLOSED: This date is currently unavailable. Please contact us, if you are interested in travelling on this date.

Your Program Duration = 19 Days
All the Prices are in USD ($) Per Person.
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Why choose Higher Limits Trek?

Higher Limits Trek is a local agency base on Himalayan Country, Nepal. We know better our Cultural, Heritage & Nature.
Higher Limits Trek believe the beautiful Nature & Culture are our best attributes, so we never undertake any activity that undermines our Heritage.
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Higher Limits Trek & Expedition Pvt. Ltd.
P.O.Box. No.12386
Thamel Marg | Kathmandu | Nepal.
Telephone: 00977-1-4510237
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