Everest Base Camp with Gokyo Lakes Trek via Chola Pass - 15 Days

The ice groans beneath your boots as you cross Cho La Pass at 5,420 metres (17,782ft), a frozen corridor of glacial blue wedged between two of the most storied valleys in the Himalayas. One side holds Everest and the rubble-strewn moraines of the Khumbu Glacier. The other holds the turquoise stillness of Gokyo’s sacred lakes. You will see both. Most trekkers choose one valley or the other. This trek gives you everything.

Fifteen days through the heart of Sagarmatha National Park, from the knife-edge runway at Lukla to the memorial cairns above Gorak Shep, across the glacier pass that separates two worlds, and down through villages where Sherpa families spin prayer wheels in the afternoon sun. You will sleep in teahouses heated by yak-dung stoves, eat dal bhat cooked by families who have lived at 4,000 metres for generations, and stand on three of the greatest viewpoints in the Himalayas, Kala Patthar, Cho La Pass, and Gokyo Ri, in a single journey.

What Makes This Trek Unforgettable

• Stand at Kala Patthar (5,545m / 18,192ft) at sunrise, the highest viewpoint on this trek, with Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Changtse filling every direction
• Cross Cho La Pass (5,420m / 17,782ft), a technical glacier crossing that links the Everest and Gokyo valleys, one of the most rewarding days in the Himalayas
• Climb Gokyo Ri (5,357m / 17,575ft) at dawn, where four 8,000-metre peaks line the horizon and the turquoise Gokyo Lakes glow below
• Walk to Everest Base Camp (5,364m / 17,598ft) across the Khumbu Glacier, where the world’s greatest mountaineering expeditions begin
• See the sacred Gokyo Lakes, five turquoise lakes fed by glacial melt, considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists, in a valley most trekkers never reach
• Visit Tengboche Monastery, the spiritual heart of the Khumbu, framed by Everest and Ama Dablam
• Acclimatise in Namche Bazaar (3,440m / 11,286ft), the Sherpa capital with markets, bakeries, and the best apple pie in the Himalayas
• Hike to the Everest View Hotel (3,880m / 12,730ft) on your rest day, your first clear view of the summit, with a cup of tea in your hand
• Pass the Thukla memorial cairns, a quiet, powerful tribute to the climbers who gave everything to these mountains
• Walk through Machhermo and the Gokyo Valley, a route so quiet you can hear the glacier creak from your teahouse window
• Land at Lukla (2,860m / 9,383ft), one of the world’s most dramatic airports, where the runway ends at a mountain wall

15-Day EBC and Gokyo via Cho La Pass Overview

Fifteen days. Two valleys. Three summits above 5,000 metres. This is the trek for people who refuse to choose between Everest Base Camp and Gokyo, and who want the glacier crossing that connects them. It is harder than the classic EBC route, more remote than Gokyo alone, and more rewarding than either.

The route follows the Dudh Koshi River from Lukla through Phakding (2,610m / 8,563ft) and up to Namche Bazaar (3,440m / 11,286ft), where an acclimatisation day lets your body adjust. From Namche, you climb through Tengboche and Dingboche to Lobuche and Gorak Shep, reaching Everest Base Camp at 5,364 metres (17,598ft) and climbing Kala Patthar (5,545m / 18,192ft) at sunrise the following morning.

Then the trek turns west. You descend to Dzongla, the staging village for the pass, and cross Cho La (5,420m / 17,782ft), a glacier crossing that requires crampons, fixed ropes in places, and steady nerves. On the other side, the world changes. The rubble moraines give way to turquoise lakes, and you descend into the Gokyo Valley. From Gokyo Ri (5,357m / 17,575ft), you see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu, four of the world’s fourteen highest peaks, in a single panorama that many trekkers say is even more spectacular than the view from Kala Patthar.

The return follows a quieter path through Machhermo and down to Namche, where teahouse owners greet you by name. The final flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu closes a journey that spans glaciers, sacred lakes, three 5,000-metre viewpoints, and a pass that most trekkers only dream about.

Before You Arrive

Please arrive in Kathmandu by 4 PM the day before your trek. This gives you time for a final gear check, a briefing with your guide, and a good night’s rest before the early morning start.

Your Online Briefing

Think of this as our first coffee together, but online. After you book, we schedule a video call where we walk you through every detail: what to pack, what each day on the trail looks like, how the altitude will feel, the glacier crossing at Cho La, and anything else on your mind. No question is too small.

This is also when we learn about you. Our trek itinerary does not include your hotel in Kathmandu, during the briefing, share your preferences and budget, and we will arrange accommodation that fits. Whether you want a simple guesthouse in Thamel or a five-star hotel, we will set it up for you.

Lukla Flight — What You Need to Know

The flight to Lukla is one of the most dramatic in the world, a short ride between mountain peaks that ends on a runway carved into a hillside at 2,860m (9,383ft). From Kathmandu, it takes about 40 minutes. From Manthali, it takes about 20 minutes. It is also weather-dependent. Flights can be delayed by fog, cloud, or wind, sometimes for a full day. This is normal in the Himalayas and nothing to worry about, but it is something to plan for.

We strongly recommend keeping two buffer days at the end of your trip before your international flight home. This protects your connection if weather delays your return from Lukla.

During peak trekking season (March–May and October–November), flights to Lukla operate from Manthali Airport (Ramechhap) instead of Kathmandu, to reduce congestion on Kathmandu’s single runway. If your flight departs from Manthali, we will pick you up from your hotel around midnight and drive you there (4–6 hours).

For your return, you fly from Lukla back to Kathmandu or Manthali. If your return flight lands at Manthali, we drive you back to Kathmandu (4–6 hours). All ground transportation is included in every package.

Your Trek, Your Way

Every trek we run is private, your group only, no strangers added. Whether you choose Budget, Standard, or Luxury, the mountains are yours and your companions’ alone. This is not a conveyor belt. This is your personal Himalayan experience.

Your hotel in Kathmandu is not included in the trek package, and that is intentional. Kathmandu has everything from USD 10 guesthouses in Thamel to five-star hotels with rooftop views of the city. During the online briefing, tell us what you prefer and we will arrange it for you. Your trek package begins the moment you leave Kathmandu for the mountains.

Difficulty: Challenging (5 out of 5)

This is the hardest standard trek in the Everest region. You will walk 5-9 hours a day over mountain trails, gaining significant altitude each day until you reach 5,545m (18,192ft) at Kala Patthar. The Cho La Pass crossing involves glacier travel, steep ascents on loose rock, and exposure to high winds. Previous trekking experience is strongly recommended, along with good cardiovascular fitness and comfort on uneven, technical terrain. Two acclimatisation days are built into the itinerary, one at Namche Bazaar and one at Dingboche, and our guides carry first aid kits and pulse oximeters, monitoring your condition daily. If weather or snow conditions make the Cho La crossing unsafe, your guide will reroute you through an alternative trail, your safety is never negotiable.

Compare Our Three Packages

Himalayas for Every Budget, same expert guides, same safety, three comfort levels.

Your Trek, Our Family

In the 1960s, Shreejan’s grandfather Hari Lal Simkhada helped international travellers experience the Himalayas for the first time, arranging logistics, finding routes, building trust with people who had come halfway around the world on a dream. His son Ganesh went on to hold senior positions at the Nepal Tourism Board and the Nepal Mountaineering Association. And now Shreejan, the third generation, designs every itinerary you see on this website.

This is not a company that was started in a boardroom. It was started on a mountain trail, three generations ago.

Shreejan hand-picks the guide for your group from our team of TAAN-certified mountaineering professionals, people who grew up in these mountains and know every trail, every teahouse owner, and every weather sign. For a trek like this, with Cho La’s glacier crossing and three days above 5,000 metres, the guide assignment matters more than on any standard route. He briefs your guide personally before your trek begins, because your safety and experience are not something we delegate to a system.

Have a question right now? WhatsApp Shreejan directly: +977 9810351300. No sales team. No chatbot. The person who designed your trek answers personally.

Our Credentials

• 197+ TripAdvisor Reviews, 4.9 out of 5 stars, TripAdvisor Travellers Choice 2024
• 108+ Google Reviews, 4.9 out of 5 stars
• TAAN Certified, Member #1586, Government Reg: 147653/072/073
• Secure 10% Deposit, pay just $155 to reserve, via Himalayan Bank
• Himalayas for Every Budget, from $1,149 to $2,599, same guides, same safety
• Three Generations, family guiding in the Himalayas since the 1960s

Solo Trekkers Welcome

You do not need a travel partner to trek in Nepal. Most of the people who book with us come alone, and by day three on the trail, they are sharing meals, swapping stories, and watching sunrises together like old friends.

Our groups are small, 2 to 20 people, because the Himalayas deserve more than a crowd. You book your trek, and it is yours. We will never add strangers to your group without your permission.

If you want to trek completely privately, you can. If you prefer company, tell us and we will list your dates as a fixed departure on our website so other solo travellers can find you and join. Either way, the trek is built around you.

Difficulty: Challenging (5 out of 5)

This trek earns a 5 out of 5 rating because of the Cho La Pass glacier crossing, sustained high altitude, and three summit days above 5,000 metres. You need to be comfortable walking 5-9 hours per day over uneven, sometimes technical terrain with significant altitude gain. The Cho La crossing involves glacial ice, fixed ropes, and steep descents on loose rock, it is not dangerous with experienced guides, but it requires focus, fitness, and respect for the mountain.

Previous high-altitude trekking experience is strongly recommended. Cardiovascular training for at least 8-12 weeks before departure will make a meaningful difference. We build two acclimatisation days into the itinerary (Namche Bazaar and Dingboche) and our guides monitor altitude sickness symptoms with pulse oximeters daily. If conditions on Cho La are unsafe, such as heavy snow, ice instability, or poor visibility, your guide will take an alternative route. We will never risk your life for a pass.

Trek With a Purpose — Changing the World, One Step at a Time

In 2019, Shreejan and Shamjhana founded the Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum Village, one of the most remote communities in Nepal’s Dhading District, where children had no school after hours, no computers, and limited healthcare. Today, 70 children receive free education and hot meals every school day. The centre has grown to 7 learning centres across Nepal, providing healthcare for 600 people, internet access for 65 children, and support programmes for over 275 women.

A portion of every trek you book funds this work directly. The centre is verified and listed on the United Nations Partner Portal.

When you walk these mountains with us, every step you take helps change a life in rural Nepal. That is what we mean by Trek With a Purpose — Changing the World, One Step at a Time.