Everest Base Camp Trek

The Everest Three Passes Trek is a long loop through the Khumbu that crosses its three high trekking passes: Kongma La (about 5,535 m), Cho La (about 5,420 m) and Renjo La (about 5,360 m). Along the way it takes in Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar, the Gokyo Lakes and the quiet Thame valley, so it covers almost every viewpoint the region is known for. Most groups walk it anticlockwise: up to Dingboche and Chhukung, over Kongma La to Lobuche, on to Gorak Shep for base camp and Kala Patthar, west over Cho La to Gokyo, then over Renjo La and down through Thame to Namche Bazaar. Each pass day is long, starts before dawn and can involve snow, ice and loose rock, and Cho La usually crosses a small glacier. This is a trek for people who already have multi-day hiking experience and are comfortable with long, cold days above 5,000 m. The route spends many nights high, so a gradual itinerary and well-placed acclimatisation days matter more than speed. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can advise on the direction to walk, current conditions on the passes and whether crampons or microspikes are needed.

📅 Duration: 18-22 Days

🏔️ Max Altitude: 5644m

📝 Permit: Standard Parks

The Everest View Trek is the short way into the Khumbu. It follows the same trail as the base camp route from Lukla up the Dudh Koshi valley to Namche Bazaar, then climbs to the ridge above town at Syangboche, where the Hotel Everest View (about 3,880 m) looks up the valley to Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Most itineraries spend a night in Khumjung or Khunde before turning back down. Because it stays below 4,000 m, the altitude is manageable for most fit walkers, though the climb to Namche is steep and the first night there is often when people feel the height. Days are short, which leaves time to wander Namche's market, visit the monastery in Khumjung and the school Edmund Hillary helped found, and stop at teahouses along the way. It suits travellers with a week to spare, families with older children, and anyone who wants to see the Khumbu and its Sherpa villages without committing to two weeks at high altitude. The flight to Lukla is part of the experience and also its biggest variable: weather delays are common, so it is worth leaving a spare day at the end. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can tell you how they plan around flight delays and acclimatisation.

📅 Duration: 5-7 Days

🏔️ Max Altitude: 3880m

📝 Permit: Standard Parks

The Gokyo Ri Trek leaves the main Everest Base Camp trail above Namche Bazaar and heads up the quieter Dudh Koshi valley instead, past the villages of Dole and Machhermo to a chain of turquoise glacial lakes at Gokyo. From the lakeside village you climb Gokyo Ri, a 5,357 m viewpoint that looks across the Ngozumpa glacier, the longest in Nepal, to Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. The route sees fewer trekkers than the base camp trail, and the lodges in Dole, Machhermo and Gokyo are smaller and more spread out. The scenery changes from rhododendron and pine forest below Dole to open yak pasture and moraine as you gain height, and the lakes themselves are frozen at the edges for much of the season. It suits trekkers who want big Himalayan views without the crowds, and who have time to acclimatise properly: Gokyo sits close to 4,800 m, and the itinerary gains height slowly for that reason. Walking days are moderate, usually four to six hours, with one early start for the Gokyo Ri sunrise. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can adjust the pace or add the fifth lake and an extra night in Gokyo.

📅 Duration: 10-12 Days

🏔️ Max Altitude: 5357m

📝 Permit: Standard Parks