Everest High Pass Trek - 18 Days

Welcome to Kathmandu: the gateway to all treks in Nepal. The country’s capital has often been called the City of Temples, and it’s not hard to see why. Few places in the world can boast such a stunning array of ancient religious temple complexes, where the faithful of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths mingle freely. When you arrive in this bustling city, you’ll be warmly welcomed by a member of the Alpine Ramble Treks team and transferred to your hotel in the tourist district of Thamel. You’ll meet our trekking experts, who will explain your itinerary and review all of the trekking equipment and essentials that you’ll need for your Everest Three Passes Trek. Later this evening, you’ll want to spend some time exploring the markets and shops in Thamel’s lively streets before returning to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Today, we’ll take our first steps on the Everest Three Passes Trek. We’ll board an early morning flight to the mountain town of Lukla, where most Everest treks begin. This short flight will offer you the chance to feast your eyes on some of Nepal’s most spectacular alpine scenery—so be sure to grab a window seat. When we arrive in Lukla, we’ll connect with the rest of our trekking team, including the porters who will be in charge of carrying our gear over the high-altitude mountain passes we’ll soon traverse. It’s all on foot from here, and our first day of trekking in Nepal will take us about three hours. Our destination today is the small town of Phakding: to get there, we’ll cross daring suspension bridges, hike alongside the glacial Dudh Koshi River, and share winding hillside trails with traveling Sherpas and their herds of yaks. Upon reaching Phakding, we’ll set aside our gear and get checked into a comfortable mountain teahouse or trekkers’ lodge.

Please note: Your flight to Lukla may depart from the Ramechhap Airport in Manthali rather than Kathmandu, due to ongoing upgrades at the Tribhuvan International Airport. Alpine Ramble Treks will keep you apprised of the situation and arrange any necessary additional transportation via microbus.

Our journey will start from Phakding after having our morning breakfast at Hotel, our journey to Namche is quite a long day for today, and we will be following the Dudh Koshi River up to the valley crossing a few beautiful suspension bridges and waterfalls walking through the historical Sherpa villages of Manjo (An entry point of Sagarmatha National park) and Jhorsalle (Lunch Camp), we will be walking continually up to Namche after Lunch at Jhorsalle village, it will be 2 hours walking through pine forest before we reach Namche we will enjoy seeing the highest mountain in the world (Everest) if not clouded by the time, after walking 20 minutes from this point finally we will reach to the entry point of the main town of Khumbu region Namche, overnight at lodge.

Service Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Lodge (B+L+D)Our day begins with a hearty breakfast and a steaming mug of tea—if you’re feeling adventurous, try the local yak butter tea to get a real taste of Himalayan culture. When we’re properly fortified for the hike ahead of us, we’ll set off for today’s portion of the Everest Three Passes Trek. We’ll be on the trail for about five hours today, following the Dudh Koshi river, crossing steep ravines on picturesque suspension bridges draped with colorful prayer flags, and trekking beneath the boughs of sweet-smelling pine and rhododendron. You’ll get a firsthand look at Sherpa culture today as we pass through the villages of Monjo and Jorsalle, and we’ll also be formally entering the Sagarmatha National Park: Nepal’s premier wilderness and trekking destination. Sagarmatha is the Nepalese name for Mount Everest, and we can anticipate getting our first good view of the mountain today as we climb to a high vantage point near the town of Namche Bazaar. When we arrive in town, we’ll settle in at the best available teahouse or lodge.

We’ll soon be trekking over the three high passes of the Khumbu, so we’ll need to make sure our bodies are properly acclimatized to the high-altitude air of the Himalayas. To give ourselves enough time, we’ll spend the day here in Namche Bazaar—fortunately, there’s plenty to do and see. Namche is widely regarded as the most important town in the Khumbu, where it’s served as a historic trading center and, in more recent years, as the base of operations for travelers and trekkers. You’ll have the chance to visit the local Sherpa museum to learn more about their culture, and we can also take an acclimatization hike to the spectacular Hotel Everest View to earn splendid views of Thamserku, Taboche, Cholatse, and Everest itself. The outlying village of Khumjung is also home to the Edmund Hillary School, originally founded by the famous mountaineer. And you won’t want to miss what’s purported to be a genuine yeti scalp at Khumjung’s monastery—this is a real piece of Himalayan history. This evening, we’ll spend another night at our guesthouse here in Namche.

Now that we’ve started to adjust to the rarefied atmosphere of the Himalayas, it’s time to continue our Everest Three Passes Trek. We’ve got about five hours of hiking ahead of us today, beginning with a gentle ascent through hushed forests of tall pines. Spectacular mountain views will be the order of the day—after making a brief descent and crossing a suspension bridge, we’ll climb a series of switchbacks to earn a marvelous look at the mighty summits of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. From here, it’s not far from the town of Tengboche. After checking in at our guesthouse and dropping off your bags, you’ll want to make a point of visiting the Tengboche monastery. Set amongst impossibly scenic Himalayan mountains, the monastery is the largest of its kind in all of Khumbu. After admiring the stunning artistry of its murals and sculptures, we’ll return to our lodge to spend the night here in Tengboche.

As we draw closer to Everest Base Camp, you’ll begin to notice that the majestic peaks of Nepal’s Himalayas seem to grow larger with every step. This impression will only get stronger today, as we follow the banks of the Dudh Koshi and trek beneath the towering frozen summits of mountains like Nuptse, Lhotse, Thamserku, and Ama Dablam. Before reaching Dingboche, we’ll cut through the villages of Deboche and Pangboche. The former is home to a particularly fine example of the Buddhist mani wall: each stone that comprises this long structure has been carefully inscribed with the mantra om mani padme hum. From here, we’ll climb higher and further across the length and breadth of the Khumbu, arriving at Dingboche after a total of about five hours on the trail. Then it’s time to unload our bags, take off our boots, and enjoy a hard-earned, home-cooked meal at a local guesthouse before retiring for the evening.

Today’s route is shorter and gentler than the past few days, but the mountain scenery is no less impressive. Our riverside trail leads through rocky terrain, with snowcapped mountains peeking out from behind just about every ridge: Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam will be the stars of today’s show. We’ll reach the village of Chhukung after about three hours of hiking, and we’ll check in at a local teahouse before spending the rest of the day at our leisure. If you’re keen to do some more exploring, you can extend today’s section of the Everest Three Passes Trek by ascending to the nearby vantage point of Chhukung Ri. This mountaintop viewpoint offers a crowd-free look at some of Khumbu’s most marvelous summits: Ama Dablam, Makalu, Nupste, and Imja Tse (also known as Island Peak). If you’d rather sit back and relax with a cup of tea to enjoy the fine Himalayan view, you’ll have another chance to enjoy an acclimatization hike tomorrow; we’ll overnight here in Chhukung.

It’s almost time to approach the first of the high mountain passes that give the Everest Three Passes Trek its name, which means that we’ll soon be tackling some serious altitude. Today, then, will serve as another acclimatization day to prepare our bodies for the upcoming challenge. But that doesn’t mean you have to sit still. If you didn’t make it to Chhukung Ri yesterday, a sunrise hike to the viewpoint to watch dawn break across the Himalayas makes for an experience you won’t soon forget. We can also embark upon short-but-challenging day hikes to get a closer look at the twin summits of Ama Dablam and a nearby frozen lake; these smaller excursions will keep our bodies active and help us to adjust to the increasingly high elevations of the Khumbu. However you choose to spend the day, we’ll return to Chhukung in the afternoon to prepare our supplies for tomorrow and to spend another night in our cozy teahouse. Make sure to get plenty of rest to get ready for tomorrow’s climb!

We’ll make an early start this morning as we strike out for the first of our Everest trek’s three high passes: Kongma La. Our path leads across the outstretched arm of Nuptse’s glacier, tracing a twisting course through rocky terrain before climbing the Niyang Khola valley to arrive at a series of frozen lakes. We’ll make a steep continuous ascent from here to reach the magnificent Kongma La itself. Standing at a lofty 5,535 meters above sea level, this represents the highest point so far on the Everest Three Passes Trek. After enjoying the remarkable alpine scenery and savoring our accomplishment, we’ll begin our descent to the other side. Our path now leads in the direction of Everest’s famous Khumbu Glacier, and we’ve got a tricky bit of downhill trekking ahead of us before we reach Lobuche. We’ll set a slow and steady pace, descending gradually and safely to arrive at our destination after about four hours of hiking from Kongma La. When we arrive at Lobuche, we’ll be more than ready for a good night’s rest!

This morning marks another major accomplishment on our Everest Three Passes Trek. We’ve specifically designed this itinerary to include the chance to visit Everest Base Camp, and today we’ll make the trek from Lobuche to this coveted mountaineering landmark. Our path leads along the rocky moraine of the Khumbu glacier on the approach to Gorak Shep, where we’ll stop to unload some of our gear and enjoy a hot lunch before pressing on for another two or three hours to reach Everest Base Camp itself. Along the way, we’ll achieve unbelievable mountain views from high vantage points along the apex of the Khumbu glacier, our destination drawing nearer with every step. When we arrive at Everest Base Camp, you’ll quickly find yourself caught up in the infectious atmosphere of celebration that pervades this bucket-list Himalayan hub. After mingling with other trekkers and climbers and taking plenty of once-in-a-lifetime photographs, we’ll make the return trek to Gorak Shep, where we’ll spend the night at the best available trekking lodge.

With Everest Base Camp at our backs, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we’ve already seen the most remarkable views that the Himalayas have to offer. But when we make the early-morning ascent to the mountaintop of Kala Patthar today, you’ll be rewarded with the best alpine panorama you’ve seen so far. As the sun breaks over the Himalaya’s finest peaks, you’ll have front-row tickets to the show of a lifetime. Later this morning, we’ll descend back to Gorak Shep to retrieve our luggage and enjoy a late breakfast. Then we’ll strike out for the town of Dzongla, which should take us about four or five hours of trekking to reach. We’ll follow the right bank of the Dudh Koshi as we travel peacefully along this quiet stretch of the Everest Three Passes Trek, enjoying close-up looks at Ama Dablam, Lobuche, and some especially striking frozen lakes throughout the day. At Dzongla, we’ll get checked in to our teahouse and spend the rest of the day at our leisure.

After enjoying an early-morning breakfast, we’ll set out for the second of our trek’s three high passes. Turning our steps towards the sky-scraping mountain of Cholatse, we’ll begin by traversing gentle terrain and crossing a series of streams before beginning to climb the rocky field of the glacial moraine. We’ll be surrounded by some of the highest peaks in the Himalayas all day long, and mind-blowing scenery will greet your eyes in every direction. When we arrive at the high-altitude pass of Cho La, we’ll have climbed to 5,420 meters in elevation. After taking some spectacular photos of prayer flags set against a backdrop of jagged mountain peaks and icy blue lakes, we’ll begin the long descent from the opposite side of Cho La. It should take us about five hours to pass through the midway point of Thangnak and reach today’s destination, but our long hike will make for an unforgettable journey with unparalleled mountain scenery along the way. When we arrive in Gokyo, you’ll quickly fall in love with this charming village nestled along the azure shores of a lovely alpine lake.

Just two days after watching the sun rise over Kala Patthar, we’ll embark on a second early-morning hike to catch a view that might just be its equal. The magnificent mountaintop vantage point of Gokyo Ri sits at an astounding 5,357 meters in elevation, and it’s one of the highest points on our Everest Three Passes Trek. We’ll arrive at the viewpoint just in time to watch the illumination of daybreak bathe the summits of Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, and Nupste with spectacular golden light. From here, the turquoise pools of the Gokyo Lakes are especially bewitching as they glitter and shine in the dawning light of the morning. After enjoying this stunning view to its fullest, we’ll return to Gokyo Ri and spend the rest of the day at our leisure, allowing ourselves time to continue adjusting to the high altitudes of the Khumbu.

After having breakfast in Gokyo, we’ll strike out for the last of the three passes on our Everest trek: Renjo La. We’ll approach the northern shore of the lake and traverse a series of switchbacks as we climb to the pass, which should take approximately three or four hours. Renjo La itself is situated at an altitude of 5, 345 meters, and the views from the pass are nothing short of stupendous: from here, you can see the colossal trail of the Ngozumpa Glacier, the distant town of Gokyo, and the peaks of Everest, Lhotse, and Taboche clutching at the sky. The second half of today’s trek will bring us down from the pass, descending along steep paths and treading alongside more of the region’s most stunning frozen lakes. Soon we’ll reach the village of Lumde, where we may stop to purchase supplies and grab a quick bite to eat. From here, it’s a short hike to Marulung, where we’ll stop for the day and spend the night in a local trekking lodge.

Today marks the beginning of our long descent from the highest reaches of the Khumbu. To get started, we’ll hike along the riverbank of the Bhote Koshi, following an ancient salt trading route used historically to exchange goods and supplies from Tibet. After about three hours on the trail, we’ll come across the village of Thame. This is a great place to stop for lunch and reflect on the miles we’ve covered so far. Thame is also renowned locally as the hometown of Apa Sherpa, who long held the record of summiting Mount Everest more times than any other climber. We’ll move on after lunch, making the final approach to Namche Bazaar as we descend through the highlands of the Khumbu for a few more hours. When we arrive at Namche, make sure to take advantage of the town’s bakeries for a truly sumptuous treat before turning in at our guesthouse for the night.

As we prepare to bid farewell to the Khumbu and conclude our Everest Three Passes Trek, we’ll make the final leg of our journey: our destination today is Lukla, where our adventure first began. We’ll start by descending steeply, following the Dudh Koshi river beneath the overhanging boughs of pleasant pine forests and treading the boards of a few suspension bridges to crisscross over the river’s swiftly flowing glacial waters. While we’ve already trekked this stretch of trail between Namche Bazaar and Lukla, following the same path in reverse yields surprising views from entirely new angles. We’ll cross open plains, trek amongst gorgeous rhododendrons, and follow sacred mani walls as we approach the end of our trek. When we arrive in Lukla, it’s time to celebrate: we’ve successfully completed the Everest Three Passes Trek! We’ll enjoy one final meal together as a team to commemorate our accomplishments before spending the night here in Lukla.

After more than two weeks of trekking in Nepal, it’s time to return to Kathmandu at last. We’ll enjoy another scenic flight between Lukla and the capital city, offering one last glimpse of the majestic Himalayas before you’re transferred to your hotel. Depending on your outgoing travel plans, you may have the opportunity to shop and dine in the busy tourist district of Thamel tonight. If you’re staying on in Nepal, we’d be happy to arrange another trek or any number of adventure activities, wildlife tours, or cultural excursions. And when it’s time for you to say goodbye to Nepal, we’ll transfer you back to the Tribhuvan International Airport in time for your outgoing flight. Thank you for choosing Alpine Ramble Treks for your Everest Three Passes Trek!

Our journey in the Himalayas now comes to an end today! Finally, an Alpine Ramble representative will drop us off at the airport approximately 2-3 hours before our scheduled departure flight for home. If you wish to extend your stay in Nepal some other adventure activities can be arranged based on your time time and preferences, we will be pleased to be part of this help and will assist you with all the formalities!

Please note: The trekking times indicated in ABOVE are approximate and are best used as general guidelines. During the Everest Three Passes Trek, you’ll be able to travel freely at your own pace. We also recommend arriving in Kathmandu at least one day before your scheduled itinerary begins; this will allow you to meet with our trekking team in advance to learn more about your planned activities. Staying in Kathmandu for an extra day or two at the end of the itinerary will also provide you with a more flexible schedule in the event that mountain flights between Kathmandu and Lukla are delayed due to weather.