Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek at a glance
How the grades compare across routes: Nepal trek difficulty grades explained.
Overview
The Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek links the remote Rolwaling valley, west of the Everest region, with the Khumbu. It follows the Rolwaling Khola past Beding and Na to the glacial lake Tsho Rolpa, then climbs the Trakarding and Drolambao glaciers to the Tashi Lapcha (about 5,755 m) before descending to Thame and Namche Bazaar.
This is not a teahouse trek. Above Na there are no lodges, so nights are spent in tents, and the pass itself involves glacier travel, crevasses and rockfall-prone sections that usually need crampons, ropes and a guide with mountaineering experience. Weather can close the pass for days.
The lower valley is the reward for the effort: Gauri Shankar rises above Simigaon, Beding's monastery sits among stone houses, and Tsho Rolpa spreads below the Trakarding glacier. Because Rolwaling is a restricted area, the trek is arranged through a registered agency, and the crossing usually takes about two weeks with a spare day for weather.
It suits trekkers who have already done high-altitude routes and want a quiet, demanding traverse rather than a well-trodden trail. Expect long, cold days, a careful acclimatisation schedule and a team carrying camping and climbing equipment. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can tell you how they run the crossing and what experience they ask for.
🌟 Trail Highlights
- Tsho Rolpa, one of Nepal's largest glacial lakes, below the Trakarding glacier
- The Rolwaling valley villages of Simigaon, Beding and Na
- Gauri Shankar's twin summits above the lower Rolwaling valley
- Glacier camps under the Tashi Lapcha before the crossing
- Crossing the Tashi Lapcha at about 5,755 m from Rolwaling into the Khumbu
- Descent to Thame and Namche Bazaar at the end
Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek itinerary
- Day 1
Kathmandu to the Rolwaling road head
A long drive east via Charikot and Dolakha to the road head below Simigaon, around Sigati or Chhetchhet depending on the season and road.
- Day 2
Road head to Simigaon
Climb out of the Tamakoshi gorge on steep stone steps to Simigaon, a Sherpa and Tamang village on a shelf above the river at the mouth of the Rolwaling valley.
- Day 3
Simigaon to Kyalche
The trail enters the Rolwaling gorge through forest and crosses side streams below Gauri Shankar. Lodging is sparse, so this is often a camp.
- Day 4
Kyalche to Beding
Continue up the valley to Beding, the largest village in Rolwaling, its houses stacked on the hillside below the monastery.
- Day 5
Beding to Na
A short climb brings you to Na, a summer settlement where the valley opens into a wide glacial trough. Na is the last place with simple lodges.
- Day 6
Acclimatisation day at Na
Walk up towards the Yalung glacier or the moraines above Na and return to sleep lower. Your guide checks equipment for the glacier section.
- Day 7
Na to Tsho Rolpa
Follow the moraine to Tsho Rolpa, a large glacial lake held back by the Trakarding glacier. From here on the trek is fully camping.
- Day 8
Tsho Rolpa to the Trakarding glacier
Travel along the moraine and onto the Trakarding glacier, picking a route between crevasses and ice towers to a glacier camp.
- Day 9
Trakarding glacier to high camp
Climb onto the upper glacier below the pass. This section has rockfall-prone ground and fixed ropes are sometimes used.
- Day 10
Cross the Tashi Lapcha
An early start for the pass at about 5,755 m, on snow and ice, then a careful descent on the Khumbu side to a camp below Pharchamo.
- Day 11
Descend to Thengbo
Leave the glaciers behind and descend into the Bhote Koshi valley to the yak pastures of Thengbo.
- Day 12
Thengbo to Thame
An easier day down the valley to Thame and its monastery, back among lodges.
- Day 13
Thame to Namche Bazaar
Follow the main trail east to Namche Bazaar, the trading town of the Khumbu.
- Day 14
Namche Bazaar to Lukla
Descend to the Dudh Koshi, cross the long suspension bridges and climb to Lukla.
- Day 15
Fly Lukla to Kathmandu
A morning flight back to Kathmandu, or to Ramechhap in peak season. Flights depend on weather.
- Day 16
Spare day
A weather day for the pass or the Lukla flight. Treat it as part of the plan, not optional.
This trek climbs above 3,000 m, where the pace of the climb matters. See our guide to altitude sickness on Nepal treks for how to prevent, spot and respond to it.
Best time to trek
The best months for the Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek are Apr–May, Oct–Nov.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
How does it compare with other routes? See our month-by-month guide to trekking in Nepal.
Permits & costs
- Permit & park fees
- US$20 + NPR 11,000 per person (≈ US$91 in total)
- Area
- Restricted: a special permit is required
- Guide day rates
- $25–$40 per day, set by the guides below
- Rolwaling restricted-area permit (Dolakha): USD 20 per person per week. The upper Rolwaling valley is a restricted zone, so a registered agency applies on your behalf and a licensed guide is required; solo applicants have been accepted since 22 March 2026.
- Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit: NPR 3,000 (about USD 19), for the Rolwaling side up to the pass.
- Sagarmatha National Park: NPR 3,000 (about USD 19), for the descent through Thengbo and Thame.
- Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee: NPR 3,000 (about USD 19) for most foreign nationals, once you are in the Khumbu.
- TIMS card: NPR 2,000 (about USD 13). The Nepal Tourism Board names both the Rolwaling trek and the Tashi Labtsha Pass crossing in its list of guide-and-TIMS routes.
- A peak permit is not normally needed just to cross the pass, but ask your agency, since some teams combine it with Pharchamo or Ramdung climbs that do need one.
- Fees change; confirm current rates before you travel.
Every fee and rule, trek by trek: our guide to Nepal trekking permits. Which routes need a licensed guide: do you need a guide to trek in Nepal? What a day rate covers, tips and flights: how much a trekking guide costs in Nepal.
Getting there & back
The trek starts with a full-day drive from Kathmandu east via Charikot and Dolakha to the road head below Simigaon; road conditions decide how far vehicles get. It ends at Lukla, with a flight to Kathmandu or, in peak season, to Ramechhap (Manthali) followed by a four to five hour drive. Weather often delays Lukla flights, so keep spare days at the end.
📸 Trail Checkpoints & Scenery Gallery
Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek FAQs
Is the Tashi Lapcha Pass a trek or a climb?
It is a glaciated pass, closer to a mountaineering route than a trek. The crossing involves crevassed glacier, rockfall-prone slopes and snow and ice near 5,755 m, so you need crampons, a harness and a guide and crew who carry ropes. It is not suitable as a first high-altitude trip.
What experience do I need?
You should have done at least one long trek above 5,000 m and be comfortable walking roped on a glacier with crampons. Many guides ask for prior glacier experience or a short training session before the crossing.
Where do I sleep?
There are simple lodges and homestays up to Na. From Tsho Rolpa until the descent to Thame the trip is fully camping, with your crew carrying tents, food and fuel. Lodges resume in the Khumbu.
Which permits does the route need?
The Rolwaling side needs the Dolakha restricted-area permit and the Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit; the Khumbu side needs the Sagarmatha National Park permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee. A TIMS card and a licensed guide are required, and only a registered agency can obtain the restricted permit.
When can the pass be crossed?
The usual windows are April to May and October to November. Outside them, snow, cold and storms make the pass dangerous or impossible, and even in season a team may wait a day or two for safe conditions.
How do I acclimatise?
The itinerary gains height slowly through the Rolwaling villages and takes a rest day at Na before the glaciers. Sleep altitude stays below about 5,300 m until the crossing, and a fast descent is possible on the Khumbu side once over the pass.
Can I do the route in reverse, from the Khumbu?
Some teams do, starting from Thame, but acclimatisation is harder because you reach the high glacier sooner. Most operators cross from Rolwaling to the Khumbu, as described here.
Guides who lead the Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek
Every one of them is licence-verified by our compliance team. Open a profile to read about them, then send your dates — they reply to you directly with their own price.
Guides On
Languages
Guides On
Languages
More guides working in Everest
These guides haven't listed the Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek specifically, but they work this region — ask them whether they lead it.




