20-Day Excursion To The Everest Three High Passes Trek

This is the most adventure in the Himalayas of Nepal that includes trekking on popular Everest trails while also discovering unique gems of the Khumbu region. On our trekking adventure, we cross three high passes in the Everest region which is very popular among the all fit trekkers. Kongma La Pass (5,535/18,159ft), Cho La Pass (5420m/17,782ft) and Renjo La Pass (5,340m/17,520ft) and set foot on the Everest Base Camp, Climb up to Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri; an incredible tour to Gokyo Lakes. This route also introduces trekkers to the remote and untouched Nangpa La Valley, the Sherpa village of Marlung and the monastery village of Thame.

This 20-day tour is an ideal choice for a true adventure seeker looking for a challenging trek in the Everest region of Nepal which also involves crossing high mountain passes where you can do on the same trekking route without spending lots of gaping days.

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1300 m/4264 ft)

After our arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, Himalayan Adventure Treks & Tours staff will pick us up from the airport and take us to our hotel. An evening we will be a briefing about the trekking and introduce with our experience Guide and porter.

Day 02: Fly to Lukla and Trek to Phakding (2610m.)
On this day, you will be transferred to the airport for a short scenic flight to Lukla. It is less than 30 minutes flight with astonishing views of mountains, forests and river valleys. After landing in Lukla, we begin our trek to Phakding. The trail leads to Phakding enjoying the natural scenario along the way.

Day 03: Phakding to Namche Trek- 6 hrs. (3446m.)
on this day, we trek to Namche Bazaar from Phakding Village through Dudh Koshi riverside. The trail is pleasant with the views of forests of pine, fir and Rhododendron trees. We reach Monjo which is the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park. The views of giant mountains are impressive while walking through the trail.

Day 04: Acclimatization Day- Visit Khumjung Village, Hotel Everest View.
It is acclimatization day in Namche so you have enough time to explore the lifestyle of locals. Short hiking can be utilization of the time. High altitude can be harmful if we ignore resting. It is necessary to adjust your body with high elevation. Visit Sagarmatha National Park and hiking to Everest View Hotel. On our way back to Namche Bazaar.we also tour the Khumjung. Monastery and Hillary School. Our guide can also take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarter of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can observe an assortment of things related to the first Everest ascenders, Sherpa culture and learn about the various plant and animal life in the Everest region. You can view the world’s amazing panoramic scenes of the earth from the highest hotel in the world and get a chance to observe uniquely different Sherpa Culture.

Day 05: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3860m/12,660 ft): 5 – 6 hours

We begin today’s trek on an easy trail to Phunki Thanga. From here we ascend towards Tengboche village which is home to the largest monastery in the Everest region. The monastery is located within the Sagarmatha National Park and provides panoramic views of the highest mountains on earth including Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Nuptse and Lhotse. We try to reach the monastery in the afternoon and may even be able to witness a religious Buddhist ceremony.

Day 06: Tengboche to Dingboche (4,360 m/14,300 ft): 5 – 6 hours

We begin today’s trek by walking downhill and pass through lush forests filled with birch, conifers and rhododendron forest. We continue our trek with Amazing views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam to keep us more energetic. The picturesque trail dips down to Debuche, crosses the Imja River and takes us to Pangboche. While walking the upper Pangboche trails, we get a more pristine view of the Himalayas and Pangboche Monastery. We move ahead towards the Imja Valley, Lobuche River and ultimately climb up to Dingboche. The village is a beautiful windy settlement overlooked by chortles and prayer Buddhist flags everywhere on the monastery.

Day 07: Dingboche: Acclimatization and rest

Dingboche is a popular stop for trekkers and climbers headed to Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam or Imja Tse. The village is beautiful with an array of fields enclosed by stone walls to protect barley, buckwheat and potatoes from the cold wind and grazing animals. We spend a day at Dingboche for acclimatization. We take a day hike to Nagarjuna Hill for great views of Makalu, Lhotse, Chalotse, Tawache, Ama Dablam and others.

Day 08: Dingboche to Chhukung (4750m/15,580 ft), climb Chhukung Ri (5,546m): 6 -7 hours

Our trail passes through stone-walled fields and Imja Khola valley before entering glacier moraines amidst towering Himalayas. The trail continues to Bibre which is a yak herdsman place. From here, directly across the valley is the fantastic Ama Dablam and the Amphu Labsa mountains. The trail ahead is intersected by icy streams. We continue our walk for around half an hour and reach Chhukung. After lunch, we begin our trek towards Chhukung Ri. The climb to Chhukung Ri involves some easy scrambling near the summit. From the top, we can look directly across the valley for a fantastic view of Ama Dablam and Amphu Labcha peaks. We descend back to Chhukung to spend the night.

Day 09: Cross to Kongma La pass (5535m/18,159ft), trek to Lobuche (4940m/16,210ft): 6 – 7 hours

We begin today’s trek very early in the morning to reach the highest part of the entire trip which is Kongma La pass. We can either take a trail over a hill which is to the northwest of Chhukung over the Nuptse Glacier moraines or we can walk back to Bibre and trek on the trail above the Niyang Khola. The top of the pass is marked by cairns and Buddhist prayer flags. The final descent from the pass is the most difficult part of today’s journey. After climbing the moraine on the far side, the trail turns north through Khumbu Glacier which takes us to Lobuche.

Day 10: Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5170 m/16,961ft), visit Everest Base Camp (5364 m/17,594 ft): 6-7 hours

Our trail moves along the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. Ahead on the trail we see the crest of the north ridge of Everest along with Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse, Nuptse and other mountains. A small ascent takes us to Thangma Riju. From here we admire panoramic views of the Himalayan vista. We ascend on a steep trail up to the top of Changri Glacier. As we reach Gorak Shep, we are surrounded by the Himalayas. After resting for a short while, we continue to Everest Base Camp. We pass through rocky dunes, moraines and streams before reaching the base camp of the world’s tallest mountain, Everest. From here we admire Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori mountains. We trek back to Gorak Shep and spend the night.

Day 11: Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar (5545 m/18,192 ft), then to Lobuche (4940 m/16,207 ft): 8 – 9 hours

We start our trek to Kala Patthar early in the morning in order to catch remarkable views of the first light of the sun shining on Mt. Everest. However, we need to be prepared for trekking in the dark and cold temperature (the temperature varies according to the season). Furthermore, there is always a chance for chilly winds which are quite common. As we continue our trek, familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse, Everest and Nuptse tower above us. After several hours of ascent, we will be on the top of Kala Patthar. The close-up view of Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks from Kalapathar is amazing. We enjoy the stunning Himalayan vista and descend to Lobuche where we stay the night.

Day 12: Lobuche to Dzongla (4830m/15,850 ft): 3 – 4 hours

From Lobuche, we trek downhill on a trail alongside the Khumbu Glacier. Our trail splits into two and we choose the trail on our right. On the way, we can better admire the view of the looming Awi Peak. We pass through a stupa and tombstones in the distance. After walking for a while we begin to ascend. During the ascent, we see Chola Tsho Lake nearby. We continue further and pass another lake which is a lot smaller than the Chola Tsho Lake. We cross the Chola Khola on a bridge before reaching Dzongla.

Day 13: Trek to Thangnag Kharka(4800m/15,580 ft) via Cho La pass (5368m/17,611 ft): 5 – 6 hours

As we gain height, the Cho La Lake begins to appear and the Ama Dablam presides over a range of mountains on the south and Cholatse soars on the west. Climbing the incline is not easy; it is steep, but made worse by boulders over some of which we will have to scramble. The final climb to the Cho La can be a little tricky as the trail curves around a crevasse. The top of the pass is marked by prayer flags and Cairns. The scenery of majestic peaks on all directions is breathtaking. Although long, the path leading down to Thangnak is not difficult.

Day 14: Trek to Gokyo (4800m/15,580 ft): 3 – 4 hours

After taking good rest at Thangnag Kharka we walk down up to the Gokyo valley. Our trail brings us to the edge of the Ngozumpa glacier, which is the longest glacier in Nepal. Reaching the other side of the glacier, we see the second Gokyo Lake on the series of six lakes. A short distance away is the third Gokyo Lake. On the edge of this lake stands the Gokyo Village where we spend the night.

Day 15: Rest day in Gokyo: Climb Gokyo Ri (5357m/17,575 ft), tour 4th and 5th Gokyo lakes: 3 – 4 hours

We climb Gokyo Ri today and enjoy views of the incredible mountain vista. We can also tour the fourth Gokyo Lake today which is only 3km north of the Gokyo Village. Next, continue trekking to the 5th lake. The view from ‘Scoundrel’s Viewpoint’, located at the edge of the 5th lake, is astonishing. Cho-Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makulu mountains and the huge Ngozumba Glacier are ours to admire. We trek back to Gokyo and spend the night.

Day 16: Gokyo to Marlung (4210m/13,810 ft) via Renjo La Pass (5360m/17585 ft): 7 – 8 hours

We start the day early in the morning to complete the long day’s trek ahead. Our trail moves alongside Dudh Pokhari (lake) for a while. We walk for around two hours before descending towards the Renjo La pass. On the way, we are rewarded with extravagant views of the Himalayan and Rolwaling ranges and others. Views from the Renjo La pass are much like that from Gokyo Ri with the third Gokyo Lake and Gokyo Village beneath the grey smear of the Ngozumpa Glacier. We also get outstanding views of Mt. Everest from the top of the pass. Continuing on from the pass our trail winds down a stone staircase and then moves over loose scree to reach the south bank of Angladumba Tsho Lake. The presence of ice on the trail while descending down can make our descent a bit hazardous. Along the way, we see Relama Tsho and Renjo Lake. We walk down a narrow valley clogged with giant boulders to Lumde where there is a support lodge, but it is often closed. We walk almost for an hour from Lumde to get to Marlung on the east bank of the Bhote Koshi River.

Day 17: Marlung to Namche Bazaar: 5 – 6 hours

The descent from Marulung to Thame follows a traditional route used for centuries by the Tibetan traders. We cross the Bhote Koshi River and descend to Taranga. The trail continues to descend and we cross two bridges before reaching Thame. Overlooking Thame is its famous Gompa situated on a hill to the west. From here, we descend gradually on a trail that passes through a few small villages before reaching Namche Bazaar which is probably the biggest town in the Everest region.

Day 18: Namche Bazaar to Lukla: 6 – 7 hours

We begin our trek with a descent. As we continue our trek, we cross several bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi River and its tributaries. Now the trail has become more level and natural. On our trek, we enjoy walking on open plains, through rhododendron and pine forests and enjoy distant views of the snow covered peaks. We walk through Sherpa villages noticing their impressive faith in Buddhism and the culture of prayer stones and prayer flags. After reaching Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. Our long trek to the mountain and its high passes ends today.

Day 19: Lukla to Kathmandu: 40 minutes of Scenic flight.

The flights to Kathmandu are usually scheduled for the morning for safety purposes. After reaching the Kathmandu. We could take a rest in our hotel room or shop for souvenirs for our Family and friends. In the evening we will have a farewell dinner at an authentic Nepalese restaurant with a cultural performance.

Day 20: Departure from Nepal.
As it is the last day, we have to bid goodbye to the guest as a visit to Nepal comes to the end for this time. If you have time enough, you can have sightseeing and purchasing the token of love from Nepal. Before 3 hours of scheduled flight, our representatives will take you to the TIA.