Gokyo Lakes and Everest Base Camp Trek

After breakfast, you discover Kathmandu, one of the world’s oldest living capitals, where sacred sites and daily life blend into a vivid, timeless scene. You visit Durbar Square, once the royal heart of the valley, with temples rising around the old palace of Hanuman Dhoka. You also see Kasthamandap, the historic wooden structure linked to the city’s name, and the temple associated with the Living Goddess tradition, where devotees gather in quiet reverence. Later, you continue to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa known for its all seeing Buddha eyes and its sweeping views over the valley. In the afternoon, you meet your trekking guide and review equipment to ensure everything is ready for the days ahead. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Today the trail becomes more dramatic as you cross suspension bridges high above rushing rivers, moving steadily upstream through pine forests and riverside villages. Beyond Monjo you enter Sagarmatha National Park, a protected Himalayan landscape of steep valleys and high passes. The climb into Namche is demanding, but if the weather is clear, this is often the day you catch your first distant glimpse of Everest. Namche Bazaar appears like an amphitheatre of stone houses and lodges, the commercial heart of the Khumbu where traders, yak caravans, and trekkers converge. Overnight in a lodge in Namche.

Leaving the main Everest trail, you turn toward the quieter route leading to Gokyo. The path moves across ridges and valleys with wider views opening toward high Himalayan giants. As you gain altitude, the forests thin and the landscape becomes more rugged and exposed. The day ends in Dole, a small settlement surrounded by high pastureland and open skies. Overnight in a lodge in Dole.

You continue upward toward the lakes, where the first flashes of turquoise appear against the grey and brown mountain world. These high altitude waters feel almost unreal, reflecting the sky and surrounding ridges. You arrive in Gokyo village beside the lakes, with the massive Ngozumpa Glacier nearby and snow capped peaks framing the horizon. Overnight in a lodge in Gokyo.

An early start takes you up Gokyo Ri before sunrise, a climb that is steep but deeply rewarding. From the summit, the Himalayan panorama unfolds in every direction, with Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu among the giants on display. After returning to the village, you cross the Ngozumpa Glacier, a surreal landscape of rock, ice, and shifting moraine, and continue to Dragnag for the night. Overnight in a lodge in Dragnag.

You rejoin the main Everest route, where the landscape becomes broader and more austere. The trail passes memorials dedicated to Sherpas and climbers who lost their lives on the mountain, a moving reminder of the power and risk of these peaks. The path gradually leads to Lobuche, set among moraine and stone, with the Khumbu Glacier close by. Overnight in a lodge in Lobuche.

An early start brings you along the glacier route toward Everest Base Camp, where the terrain becomes more complex and the path weaves through moraine and icy formations. Standing at base camp is a powerful moment, surrounded by the Khumbu Icefall area and the vast amphitheatre of rock and ice that climbers must face. After taking in the scene, you return along the trail and head back toward Lobuche for the night. Overnight in a lodge in Lobuche.

This day allows a gentler rhythm as you take in the village life and the surrounding landscapes. The stone walls, grazing fields, and monasteries of the Khumbu carry a calm presence, and the views remain immense even as you move lower. Overnight in Pangboche.

Your final trekking day follows the Dudh Koshi valley back toward Lukla, retracing suspension bridges, villages, and riverside paths. Reaching Lukla brings a sense of closure and celebration, often shared with the trekking team in the evening, marking the end of the mountain journey. Overnight in a lodge in Lukla.

After breakfast, time is free until your transfer to the airport for your international departure, bringing this Himalayan journey of lakes, passes, glaciers, and Everest’s legendary landscapes to a close.