Gokyo Lake Trek

On the 2nd day of the Gokyo Lake Trek, we will take a flight to Lukla. This flight is short and scenic, as you near the Lukla airport, you will enjoy the views of the different peaks of northern Nepal. One thing to note; flights to Lukla are frequently canceled due to bad weather, even if the weather seems nice in Kathmandu, storms can be brewing in Lukla.

In such as case, we can arrange a shared helicopter ride to Lukla which will cost you USD 450 per person. Since helicopters are more flexible in terms of landing and more maneuverable, they are safe even during bad weather. This helicopter ride is not a part of the Gokyo Lake Trek package, this is with an alternative additional cost

We will pass the Dudh Koshi, a roaring alpine river, twice today. The name Dudh Koshi translates to “Milk River” which is a fitting name since its water is completely creamy-white. The day’s trip passes through forests of pines and oak in some places and open spaces that show rows of fields with a number of different highland crops.

Along the way, we might come across a handful of yaks, mules, and dzopko (cross-breed between yak and cow) bringing in commodities and trekking equipment. Since Yaks are more suited for the snowy highlands, Dzopkos are the best bet when it comes to traveling to the lowlands to load the goods.

Gradually gaining height, we will pass via a number of little villages before reaching Phakding. Beautiful towering mountains stretch out over us, appearing to float beyond the forest line as they ascend over the dark river gorge.

The Kusum Kangru peak, reaching 6369 meters in height, is visible as we pass the Kusum River. The Kusum Khola River ultimately feeds the Dudh Koshi River down the slope. Beyond the route, Kongde Ri and Nupla soar over the densely wooded slopes to the northwest.

Thamserku stands gloriously at an upward turn as if it were rising out of the riverbed. Today, you will get to see Mani walls for the first time during this Gokyo Lake Trek. These carved stones are made up of a collection of several stone slabs expressing the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum,” which means “Hail to the jewel in the lotus”. This mantra is honored by both Buddhists and Hindus.

As per Buddhist practices, you are supposed to walk on the left side of these Mani walls. Please be considerate of their religions and try to follow their practices as much as possible. The same thing applies to Chortens (small stupas). You will see Chortens in every village you will pass by.

We will cross the creamy-white waters of the Dudh Koshi and enter the Sagamartha National Park after getting our permits verified by the officials at the checkpoint. The creation of this conversation area represents a major effort to reduce the amount of timber used in the region.

Independent trekking parties are required to cook exclusively using kerosene fuels. Although tea houses are urged to run on electrical power, gasoline, or yak waste, they regrettably still mostly rely on timber for cooking and heating. Your hot shower is likely made hot by the timber of the Khumbu region.

After following the path of the river, we will reach the meeting point of the Bhote Koshi and Dudh Koshi. We will cross the river junction via a high-suspension bridge to get on the path to Namche, the hotspot of the Khumbu region. The path goes through an oak forest and presents us with the first sight of Mount Everest, but it’s an exhausting ascent.

The path climbs and twists its way to Namche Bazaar, where the beauty of the vibrant community set in a lush valley is worth the journey. On the way there, you will be able to see Kongde Ri Peak. Perhaps might want to look around for a deal at the Sherpa stores. You might get a souvenir that’s worth taking back home.

Today serves as an acclimatization day following the tiring climb from Phakding to Namche. We’re going to hike over and up the ridge beyond Namche Bazaar, and following our break at the Everest View Hotel for a beautiful scene of the Everest region peaks and refreshments, we’ll descend down to the lovely town of Khumjung.

It will seem like a much easier hike today with no daypacks on our backs. In order to appropriately acclimate, we will sleep at a lower altitude in Namche after the morning hike to Everest View Hotel gaining roughly 400 meters of height.

For the rest of the day, you can visit the museums in Namche. There are a couple of museums in Namche that exhibit mountaineering history, equipment, Sherpa culture, customs, and more. The town of Namche is anything but boring.

We will leave the standard Everest trek after two nights in Namche and travel to Dole. From Namche Bazaar, we will ascend sharply to the village of Khumjung. We will have gorgeous scenes of Ama Dablam, Kantenga, and Thamserku from the village. The day’s toughest and tiring climb is through the Mong La, a magnificent location located on the base of Mt. Khumbila.

The heart of the Mong La village is an old ancient Chorten (remember to walk from the left of the Chorten). We will take a lunch break at the summit of Mong La while taking in the finest scenes of the nearby snow-covered peaks and lush thriving valleys. Along the journey, it is likely to find animals like musk deer, Himalayan thar, mountain goats, and pheasants.

Finally, we reach the village of Dole, a beautiful little settlement with some tea houses for tourists after trekking through forests, crossing rivers, and greeting waterfalls.

Today we will walk from Dole to Machhermo. An early morning gentle rise up a nice slope above Dole leads us to Lhabarma and then Luza. The trail is mostly uphill as we walk past spiny bushes to reach Lhabarma. During this part of the hike, we can see not only Thamserku and Kantega but also Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest mountain in the world.

The path goes through many summer settlements and the tiny village of Luza. The terrain will require you to maintain a low speed, so be hydrated and avoid overdoing the walk. Altitude sickness is the last thing you want to encounter in these highlands.

The Dudhkoshi valley is steep like a gorge with steep walls as you climb from Luza. Trekking from the slope over the roaring Dudhkoshi, we will encounter a few tiny villages and sandy shores before arriving at Machhermo, the final large settlement before reaching Gokyo.

The scenic river that flows through the settlement and empties into the Dudhkoshi River originates at the Phari Lapche peak. It is also the location of the very first reported spotting of Yetis by the Khumbu people. This was back in the 1970s and people in Nepal rarely had a camera with them. Most of all, it was an alleged sighting, with no strong evidence.

We will start our climb up to Gokyo village after passing through a canyon situated over the river. We will take a break in the tiny community of Pangka to take in the lovely scenes of Cholatse. We will then be in remote highland communities, and we will hike along a slope that descends away from Ngozumpa Glacier as we get closer to it.

We will have an amazing view of Cho Oyu and Kantega, both northern and southern. After we successfully reach the glacier’s nose, the trail levels off. Before arriving at Taoche Lake, which is bigger and has many birds dipping in its icy waters, we pass Longpongo, the first lake you’ll encounter on the Gokyo Lake Trek. Our route follows the Ngozumpa Glacier as we ascend the ravine, with the huge side ridge dividing us against the glacier.

The path turns plain as it crosses the valley through the 1st lake, called Longpongo, where we have the opportunity to see the footprints of a monk engraved on a boulder. The path crosses a steel suspension bridge across a creek. You are going to be captivated by the sparkling blue-green surface of the water reflecting in the daylight when you first see the 2nd lake, Taboche Tsho.

We will arrive at the third lake, Dudh Pokhari, which is a short distance from the second one, connected by a rushing stream. There’s a fantastic view of the summit of Cho-Oyu and the village of Gokyo next to the 3rd lake. Dudh Pokhari will be our next destination after lunch.

We will climb Gokyo Ri today if you did not do so the day before. The centerpiece of this Gokyo Lake Trek is obviously the Gokyo Ri. We will ascend Gokyo Ri Peak early in the morning since afternoon winds are not good for climbing peaks. Gokyo Ri is a difficult climb that takes three to four hours to get to the summit.

During the trek, you will see beautiful landscapes featuring the vast Nogzumpa Glacier as well as Gokyo town on the shores of the third lake, which is surrounded by Cholatse. Thamserku, Changtse, Tabsoche, Cholatse, Lhotse, Makalu, Kusum Kanguru, Pumori, Kangtega, Nuptse and Everest seem to stand on all sides.

It is simply amazing to see the sunset on Mount Everest, which towers above all other nearby summits. Additionally, your trip to Gokyo Ri is going to be unforgettable. We descend to Gokyo upon being motivated by the planet’s tallest peaks. We will then head to Dole following a well-earned lunch.

The Dudh Khosi River flows quietly through the route that links Gokyo and Dole. We will be accompanied by the gentle sound of the water for the whole day trek. As we hike, we will pass settlements set away deep within the broad river area, the unforgettable views overlooking the valley are quite delightful. We are sure it will be a scene to remember. Ultimately, we will get to the tree line, a sign that the village of Dole is approaching.

Although the trek returning to Namche is longer, it is simpler because it is primarily downhill. Highlights of the day trek today include returning to the lovely Rhododendron Forest and taking in additional scenery of the valley below. We shall be strolling through a Rhododendron Forest soon, so you will know that Namche is drawing near.

Once we have returned to Namche and settled at our accommodation for the night, we’ll have time to explore the town, buy some keepsakes, and take a relaxing stroll through the town streets.

The route drops off significantly, so we will have to proceed carefully and slowly while battling the rocky ground with our wobbly knees. The path gets a bit flatter and smoother after passing the huge hanging bridge across the swift Dudhkoshi River and its branches. Now that the weather is starting to warm up, it can get rather heated.

As we continue into warmer weather today any lingering colds or sore throats that may be left over will soon disappear. Even though we are in the same way, our viewpoints differ greatly during this descent. Without fail you would longingly stare at an expanse of wide plains, oaks, and rhododendron forests as well as grand remote peaks in the distance.

While walking near the Sherpa settlements, their striking Buddhist faith and custom of hanging prayer flags will catch our attention. At Lukla, we’ll take a moment to ease our tired feet and reflect on things that happened in the last weeks. This time round at Gokyo Lake Trek would be your ultimate stay amid the mountains at high altitude.

The journey back to Kathmandu requires you to get up early in the morning. Our return trip to Kathmandu will be early in the morning since there are fewer flights in the afternoon. For the remainder of the day, you can unwind and recover at the accommodation we arranged for you. If you are not into that, we can arrange for you to see additional attractions in Kathmandu. We will also arrange a farewell dinner for you, the night’s specialty will be traditional Nepalese dishes.

Due to cloudy and windy circumstances, flights to Kathmandu are typically booked for early morning hours. Flights may be postponed for a variety of reasons, including unsuitable weather conditions.

Day 12 of the Gokyo Lake Trek is the final day. You will be returning home, taking all the sweet memories you made in the past 11 days. You are more than welcome to leave reviews about us on different digital platforms.