Everest Base Camp with Gokyo RI Trek, avoided Chola Pass-17-Days

Upon arrival in Kathmandu. Complete all the custom work. Your representative from The Everest Holiday will welcome you and transfer you to your accommodation. You can rest at the hotel or stroll around the streets of Kathmandu. Kathmandu is a valley surrounded by hills with diverse cultural practices, brotherhood, and multilingualism. If you have time, The Everest Holiday recommended you spend time in the local environment for a unique experience.

An early start sees you transferred to Kathmandu Airport (or Manthali, depending on flight operations) for a scenic mountain flight to Lukla (2,860 m). This thrilling flight offers incredible views of the Himalayan range. Upon landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport, you'll meet your porters and begin your gentle trek. The trail descends through charming Sherpa villages, pine and cedar forests, and along the Dudh Koshi River to Phakding (2,610 m). Enjoy the serene beauty of the Khumbu Valley on your first day of trekking. 
 

After breakfast, you will continue trekking along the Dudh Koshi River, enjoying the trail's majestic view and crossing many suspension bridges, including the Hillary Bridge, where you can experience new recreational activities like bungee jumping. As you move forward, you will enter the Sagarmatha National Park checkpost, where your permits are registered, and then ascend up through the dense forests. You will see the first sight of Mt. Everest. Trekking further, you will arrive at Namche Bazar, the gateway of Everest.

Today marks your first day of acclimatization in Namche Bazaar. Acclimatizing your body during a high-altitude voyage is crucial for preventing altitude sickness. We will be spending the day perusing the Namche Bazar, engaging with locals, and visiting museums. 
After a short hike, you will reach the Everest View Hotel at an elevation of 3,962 meters. This hotel is renowned for its breathtaking vistas of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains, including Mt. Everest, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Lhotse, and Kongde Peak, as its name suggests. Enjoy the breathtaking vistas for a while before descending to Namche Bazaar to spend the night.

Today, the trail is less congested and leads to the picturesque Gokyo Valley. You will travel through rhododendron forests that offer magnificent views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kusum Kanguru. A steady ascent leads to Dole, a small hamlet known for its breathtaking mountainous panoramas.

 The trip from Dole to Machhermo is short and not very steep. You will gradually go up, passing through small Sherpa towns and farmland that are higher up. The land changes into a more rocky and alpine area, giving you amazing vistas of the peaks around you.

Today, we are visiting the stunning Gokyo Lakes. The trek offers stunning vistas of Cho Oyu, a 6,000-meter peak, and the initial of the picturesque turquoise Gokyo Lakes. You will traverse the moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier before arriving at the scenic settlement of Gokyo, situated beside the third lake.

An ascent to Gokyo Ri (5,400 m) at dawn provides a breathtaking vista of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu during sunrise. You may relax and acclimate to the new environment for the remainder of the day. You may either relax and appreciate the serene beauty of the area or explore the other Gokyo Lakes.

You will go back the same way you came from Gokyo and down the same route. The path goes back through Dole and Machhermo the way it came. To reach Phortse, a calm and lovely Sherpa village where you can spend the night, you will continue down a different path.

 The trail from Phortse to Pheriche slopes up slowly and provides great vistas. You will go to the village of Pangboche, which is home to one of the oldest monasteries in the Khumbu area. The area gets drier and wider as you travel up, which enables you to view Ama Dablam in the distance.

Today is a challenging but rewarding day. The trek leads you to the Khumbu Glacier moraine. The trail passes through the poignant Thukla Pass, which is marked by memorial chortens for climbers who perished on Everest. From there, it's a short, steep climb to Lobuche.

Today marks the finish line of our journey: Everest Base Camp (5,364 m)!

You will start early from Lobuche (4,930 m/16,175 ft.) for a challenging yet rewarding trek. The path takes you through rugged terrain, often alongside the Khumbu Glacier, with breathtaking vistas of jagged peaks and the massive icefall. Your destination for the morning is Everest Base Camp (5,364 m/17,598 ft.). At EBC, you'll spend some time soaking up the atmosphere, observing the bright camps of expeditions preparing for summit attempts (during climbing season), and admiring the breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains, notably the towering Khumbu Icefall.

After achieving our goal, you will return to Gorak Shep (5,185 m/17,011 ft.). While tough, this descent will be critical for our acclimatization, following the "climb high, sleep low" philosophy. You'll relax and recuperate in Gorak Shep, reflecting on our incredible achievement of climbing Everest Base Camp. This evening, you'll get ready for tomorrow morning's trek to Kala Patthar.
 

The best view of Mount Everest at sunrise is from Kala Patthar (5,555 m) in the early morning. After that, you'll go back to Gorakshep for breakfast before starting the long walk down to Pheriche. Going down is considerably easier and faster than going up.

You will keep going down, following the same path you took through the Imja Valley. The trail is primarily downhill now and goes through a few small settlements and monasteries. You will cross the Imja Khola and then return to Namche Bazaar, where you may enjoy the vibrant environment and amenities once more.

On the final day of your walk, you'll retrace your route from Namche Bazaar to Lukla, descending steeply via pine forests, suspension bridges, and Sherpa settlements. The trail continues past Monjo and Phakding before making the final easy ascent to Lukla. It's a lengthy but enjoyable hike through the Dudh Koshi River and the vivid hills of the lower Khumbu, allowing you to reflect on your adventure. After reaching Lukla, you'll have time to celebrate with your trekking group and prepare for your trip back to Kathmandu the next day.

Our day begins early at the Lukla Tenzing-Hillary Airport (2,860 m/9,383 ft.). Flights from Lukla are highly weather-dependent, so there can often be delays. You will need to be flexible and prepared for any changes to the schedule. Depending on the air traffic and weather conditions, our flight will either take us directly back to Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) or to Ramechhap's Manthali Airport. Due to congestion at Kathmandu's airport, many Lukla flights operate to and from Ramechhap, a small airport located a few hours' drive east of Kathmandu.

Upon landing at your destination, whether it's Kathmandu or Ramechhap, you will be met by our ground transfer. If you land in Ramechhap, a comfortable drive of approximately 4-5 hours will take you through scenic countryside back to Kathmandu. Once back in the bustling capital city, you will be transferred directly to the hotel. After days in the mountains, the comforts of a city hotel—hot showers, reliable electricity, and a wider range of food options—are waiting for you. 

After your 16th night in Nepal, it’s a final day of departure. Morning will be free, and before the 3 hours of your flight schedule time, you will transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight back home.