Gokyo Valley Trek

Magical Nepal warmly welcomes you to charismatic Kathmandu! Your pick-up and transfer to the hotel is taken care of by a representative. A pre-trek briefing and orientation of the next day’s program are set up in your hotel at a suitable time. You are also acquainted with your guide. Overnight in Kathmandu.

You are picked up from your hotel and transferred to the domestic airport terminal to catch a flight to Lukla. On arrival at Lukla, we are welcomed by our porter. The trek to the day’s destination starts along the Dudhkoshi River. Rhododendron and pine forests offer shade and the Sherpa villages warmly welcome us along our path. The views of peaks like Thamserku and Kusum Kanguru make the walk even more pleasant. At Phakding, we relax with a hot shower and a cup of warm beverage. Dinner and rest at our lodge in Phakding.

We start our trek in the morning after breakfast. The first half of the trek gradually ascends up the Dudhkoshi Valley and the trail includes several suspension bridges over the Dudhkoshi River. We stop at the Sagarmatha National Park entrance in Monjo where our trekking permits are checked. We have lunch a bit further at Jorsale, the last village before Namche. We resume our trek and eventually arrive at the thrilling Hillary Bridge. We now have a steep hill to overcome before we arrive at Namche. We settle into our lodge and soak in the sights and sounds of the Sherpa capital. Dinner & overnight at Namche.

Namche is a beautiful place comprising a series of terraces with Kongde peak gracing it in the west. The morning view is a perfect start to the day that is set aside for hike, rest and exploration. The drop in oxygen levels demands some time for bodily adjustments. A morning hike to the Everest viewpoint showcases a view of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Kusum Kanguru and the first view of Taboche and Amadablam gets us excited for the trek further to Gokyo. We head back to our lodge in Namche for lunch and rest. Namche is a place worthy of spending an entire day at, with a variety of amenities and places of interest. The day ends with dinner and rest.

The trek today gradually pushes the 4000m mark before we reach our destination–Dole. We make a short climb over the ridge out of Namche to join an easy trail with striking views of Amadablam, Kantega, Lhotse Shar, Taboche and others. The white chortens mark almost every turn as we trek along. As we arrive at the crossroads which lies significantly high above the Dudhkoshi River, the trail branches. We relinquish the frequented path that goes downhill, to chase the ascending trail that extends all the way to Gokyo. The trail starts with an uphill along the narrow stone steps leading to the beautiful village of Mong La. The trail then drops down to meet the Dudhkoshi River at Phortse Thanga. Then our trail climbs steeply out of the valley through the Rhododendron and pine forests before the tree line ends at Dole. Once we reach Dole, we spend some time in exploration. Overnight at Dole.

We have a short trek today and the privilege to start relatively late in the morning, without any rush. Gokyo is not very far from Dole, but we take it slow and steady to rest midway at Machhermo the following night. The air gets sparser and it is vital to allow sufficient time for the body to acclimatize. The greenery around us gradually gets reduced to juniper bushes and grasses. The trail is relatively easy and opens up to amazing views of Cho Oyu, Taboche and Chola Tse. We pass through two small settlements – Lhabharma and Luza, short distances apart. We should effortlessly reach Machhermo by lunch. After lunch, we may climb up a ridge beyond Machhermo for more breathtaking views. Overnight at Machhermo.

After breakfast, we start by climbing up a ridge to witness the Khantega Gorge, Cho Oyu, Taboche and other peaks surrounding the valley. We descend down the trail past the moraine of the Ngozumba glacier to reach Phangnga. From here we follow the narrow trail along the rocky edge of a mountain shortly before we arrive at the first of the six Gokyo lakes – the Longpangu Tsho. The second lake Taboche Tsho is only a short walk away and finally, the third lake of Gokyo Tsho emerges alongside the village of Gokyo. We take some time to soak in the beauty of Gokyo that wipes out most of our exhaustion. A delicious lunch and some rest rid us of what remains of our exhaustion and we head out to explore the place. Overnight at Gokyo.

An early morning hike to the viewpoint at Gokyo Ri (5,360m) highlights the day. In the glory of early morning, we are placed in front of a magnificent view of Everest (8,848m), Mt Cho Oyu (8,153m), Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu and other peaks extending from the right. The Eastern side is dominated by the massive Ngozumba glacier, bordered by a column of moraines to the Gokyo village. We make a return hike to our lodge in Gokyo for lunch and hike up to the fifth lake from where the view of Mt. Everest is amazing. After further explorations in the afternoon, we head back to Gokyo for dinner and rest for the night.

After breakfast, we make a return trip all the way down to Phortse Thanga along the same trail that we trekked in the last few days. Overnight at Phortse Thanga.

We proceed towards one of the most famous villages of the Khumbu region–Khumjung. It is the place where famous Sherpa mountaineers were born and learned their basic mountaineering skills. We first walk down the trail to Mong village. We then follow the trail to reach the intersection at Sanasa from where we divert towards the escalating stone-paved steps to reach Khumjung. The majestic Everest and Amadablam complete the wonderful sight behind the green-roofed houses in Khumjung which is a beautiful place worth exploring.

Today, treading on the offbeat trail for a while and trekking on the classic Everest Base Camp trail for the majority of the time, our Gokyo Valley Trek ends at Monjo. We first climb down to Namche and further down the steep forested trail to reach Monjo. Overnight at Monjo.

The final day of the trek goes through the beautiful Sherpa villages and peaceful forests for the last time before we hike and arrive at the Lukla gate. We have completed the Gokyo trek and deserve a good evening of rest and revelries. Overnight at Lukla.

After breakfast, we check in to the Lukla airport and board a plane to Kathmandu. On arrival at Kathmandu, you are transferred to your hotel to rest and relax. Overnight at Kathmandu.

After breakfast, we take a tour of four of the seven UNESCO world heritage sites in the city that embody the diverse culture and religion of the inhabitants co-existing in harmony. We may start with Pashupatinath– a sacred and spectacular shrine devoted to Pashupatinath, revered as the lord of all beings. The holy Bagmati flows beneath the temple; the riverside popularly known as Aryaghat is the cremation site for Hindus. You stand witness to different shades of life in this sacred spot where life comes full circle. We then slip by the commotions of the city to enjoy the marvelous Boudhanath. Boudhanath is a huge stupa with a white dome-shaped base and a golden pyramid top painted with a pair of eyes on four sides. A series of prayer wheels encircle the stupa at the base. The site is not complete without the saffron-clad monks and devotees, souvenir shops and local café and restaurants. The atmosphere is peaceful and intriguing. The historic Kathmandu Durbar Square is where we head next. The exemplary wooden and stone craftsmanship is the specialty of the place. The stone-paved streets, pagoda-style monuments dedicated to Hindu deities are the cultural delights of ancient and medieval Nepal. The square is also home to Kumari, the living goddess. An intriguing trip to Swoyambhunath is also part of the tour. Swoyambhunath is a Buddhist stupa that sits on top of a hillock overlooking the city. You get to experience more of Tibetan Buddhism and witness other temples and monuments within the same vicinity. A viewpoint has also been set up to enjoy the overview of the city. After the tour, a private vehicle escorts you back to your hotel.

In the evening, we meet again; feedback and suggestions are most welcome. We then celebrate with a farewell dinner at one of the finest restaurants in Kathmandu.

You may indulge in shopping for souvenirs for your family and friends or engage in other activities of interest in Kathmandu until your time of departure. An airport drop-off ends the trip. Have a pleasant flight!