Everest Three High Pass Trek - Clockwise Route

A Glorious Himalaya representative will pick you up at Tribhuvan International Airport and help you transfer to the hotel. You will have some time for refreshment after check-in. Then, our senior Sherpa guide will come to meet and provide you with a brief orientation about the upcoming trek. They will also answer your queries if you have any. After orientation, you can spend your time exploring around the city and bustling markets. You can try Nepali cuisine in a traditional Nepali restaurant and retire for the day.

We will take an early morning flight to Lukla. The scenic flight will give us the first glimpse of the Himalayan ranges and Everest region’s landscapes. After a 35-minute flight, we will land on the steep mountain runway of Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Lukla. From here, we will begin our trek.
The trail follows the Dudh Koshi River on the east side. We must also descend to the Thado Koshi River while crossing several suspension bridges. The trek is short and takes around 4 hours. The Phakding village lies at an elevation of 2,610 m, and we will stay overnight here.

During the peak trekking season, you will take a flight from Manthali Airport, Ramechhap, to Lukla. It is ideal to avoid the crowded Tribhuvan Airport and air traffic. However, you must drive from Kathmandu to Ramechhap, which can take 4 to 5 hours.

After breakfast in Phakding, we will continue our trek towards Namche Bazaar. The trail goes north along the Dudh Koshi River banks. Then, it enters the dense forests of rhododendrons through Monjo Village to the Sagarmatha National Park entrance. There is a checkpost at the entrance, where we must show our permits.

From here onwards, the trail ascends through dense woodlands and rocky trails. We will keep moving upstream until we reach the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi Rivers junction. Similarly, we will see Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and other peaks. Finally, after crossing several bridges, we will reach Namche Bazaar.

On this day, we will take an acclimatization day. Namche Bazaar is a picturesque town and trading center of the Everest region. It is also famously known as the “Sherpa Capital.” There are several luxury accommodations, restaurants, the world’s highest pub, and souvenir shops. The bustling and vibrant market is also full of amusing tiny local shops.

Since staying active during acclimatization is crucial, we will take a short hike to Everest View Hote. The hotel is slightly higher than Namche, at 3,880 m. The hotel offers excellent services and mountain views. It is one of the best vantage points to enjoy the views of Mount Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Everest. After the excursion, we will return to our hotel in Namche.

From Namche Bazaar, we will follow the Bhote Koshi River through dense forests of rhododendrons and pines. En route, we will pass by the mud-plastered stupa at Phurte and Thamo Gompa. Then, the trail descends steeply to Khumbu Hydroelectric Plant. After climbing downhill for a while, we will reach Thame at the end of the Khumbu Valley.

Thame village is home to some of the world’s most renowned Sherpas. Tenzing Norgay, the first person to climb Mount Everest, and Appa Sherpa, who climbed the summit 21 times, were from Thame. The village also offers stunning views of Teng Kangpoche and Kwangde peaks.

Our destination for the day is Lungde. After breakfast, we will begin trekking north towards Marulung. En route, we will pass several charming settlements like Thambuteng, Hungmo, and Taranga. Similarly, the trail passes several green highland pastures where you can see yaks grazing before arriving at Maralung. The village sits above the Bhote Koshi River.

From here, you will follow the ancient salt trading route between Nepal and Tibet. Several ancient Tibetan settlements are along the way. Then, we will begin climbing uphill to Lungde. As we get closer to the village, the mountain views get closer.

We will take another acclimatization day at Lungden. It will help our body adapt to the growing altitude. On this day, we will prepare for a high mountain pass climb the following day. We will explore around the village. We can visit the ancient Nakpa Valley, the old trading route to Tibet. Likewise, we can take a short excursion hike to Cho Relmo Lake.

We will begin our trek to Gokyo via Renjo La Pass on this day. The trek starts with relatively easy trails but soon becomes demanding as we get closer to Renjo La Pass. The mountain pass is at an altitude of 5,360 meters. Once at the top, we can get the majestic views of Mount Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, and Cho Oyu. Similarly, we can also catch sight of Dudh Pokhari and the villages around it.

Then, we will slowly descend from Renjo La Pass. It is essential to be careful as the trail can be icy and slippery. Finally, we will reach the Gokyo Valley. The valley sits right next to a beautiful turquoise lake. We will rest overnight in the valley.

We will have a rest day at Gokyo. After breakfast, we will hike up to the Gokyo Ri viewpoint, which is at 5,357 meters elevation. From here, we can get a surreal view of the Gokyo Valley and surrounding mountains. Similarly, we can get incredible views of Thonak Tsho Lake and Ngozuma Tsho Lake.

The Ngozumpa Tsho Glacier lies three kilometers north of Gokyo. Five minutes from the glacier lies the Scoundrel’s viewpoint, which offers mesmerizing mountain views. Likewise, we can also see the Cho Oyu Base Camp and the Ngozumpa Glacier. The Ngozumpa Glacier is one of the country’s longest glaciers. It flows down the Gokyo Valley and passes near the Gokyo Lakes.

After resting at Gokyo Valley, we will resume our trek to Thangak. We will cross the Ngozumpa Glacier. Then, we will make several ascends and descends. The terrain becomes rougher and rockier, making the trek more difficult. The vegetation around the trekking route is sparse and barren.

The trail then descends to a valley on the eastern glacial moraine. A few hour’s walk from the second lake, we will arrive at Thangnak. We will stay overnight at a teahouse in Thangnak.

We will begin our trek early in the morning, ascending to Cho La Pass and heading towards Dzongla. The Cho La Pass is at an altitude of 5,420 m. The trail ascending to the pass has steep sections, and we must also cross a glacier on the eastern side. As we get higher, the trail gets slippery, and the frozen rocks make the ascension more challenging.

Numerous colorful prayer flags adorn the top of the Cho La Pass. Similarly, we can get stunning views of Kyajo Ri, Numbur Himal, Tengkangpoche, Kangchung, and several other snow-capped peaks. Then, we will descend steeply by crevasses and alpine meadows to Dzongla.

After breakfast in a teahouse at Dzongla, we will head towards Lobuche. The trail goes alongside the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and descends alongside the Chola Lake. Similarly, we will come across a memorial for the Sherpas who lost their lives during Mount Everest expeditions. Then, the trail goes lower and west of the Imja Khola Valley to Lobuche. From here onwards, we will rejoin the classic route of Everest Base Camp.

Today is an exciting day for us as we will climb Everest Base Camp. We will begin an early morning trek to Gorakshep and head towards the base camp. We will first head to Gorakshep, leaving our belongings at a teahouse. Then, our ascent to the base camp begins.

We must trek on rocky, rough terrain, passing the beautiful Khumbu Icefall. When we reach Everest Base Camp, the majestic towering mountains greet us. We can get an up-close view of Everest, along with Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, and other peaks. Similarly, we can see bright-colored tents of expedition teams scattered around. You will have time to take photos and explore for a while. Then, we will descend back to Gorakshep.

Our day begins early on this day as well. Today, we will first hike to Kala Patthar, a popular viewpoint. The viewpoint offers an even more spectacular view of Mount Everest than the Everest Base Camp. We will enjoy the sunrise view from Kala Patthar. It is one of the most beautiful sunrises you can observe. It is enchanting to see the golden sun rising amidst the snowy peaks.

Then, we will return to Gorakshep for breakfast. We will then head towards Lobuche and stay there overnight.

From Lobuche, we will descend to Chhukung via Kongma La Pass. The Kongma La Pass takes us to an elevation of 5,535 meters. It is the most challenging of the three passes. The trail goes alongside the frozen lakes, and a mummy-wrapped crane denotes the pass. We must make a steep uphill climb and cross a few glacial sections. Once we reach the top of the pass, we can see Mount Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Makalu, Baruntse, and more.

After descending from the Kongma La Pass, we will head east of Nigyang Khola Valley. Then, we will enter the Chukkung village. No permanent settlements are here, but we can see beautiful green pastures. Likewise, we can see Island Peak and Amphu Lapcha from here.

After breakfast, we will trek towards Chubejung Kharka. Then, the trail descends to Imja Khola Valley and towards Dingoche. En route, we will cross the Pheriche village and Orsho. From here, the route goes along the Imja Khola’s west bank.

We will continue descending to Pangbochee and Deboche. En route, we will also pass by several monasteries. After a 7-hour trek, we will reach Tengboche village. It is home to the largest monastery in the Everest region, the Tengboche Monastery. We will visit the monastery and learn about its significance.

Today, we will descend on the trail alongside the Dudh Koshi River and into dense rhododendron forests. We will head towards Namche Bazaar and then descend towards Larja Dobhan. As we continue descending, we can glimpse Mount Everest and Lhotse at a distance.

After reaching Larja Dobhan, we will pass under a bridge, and the trail will continue along the Dudh Koshi River. After Jorsale, we will have to cross a suspension bridge. Then, we will climb steeply for a short while to reach Monjo.

On this day, we will begin our trek to Lukla after breakfast. The trail goes alongside the Dudh Koshi River and makes a steep descent. Similarly, we will trek on the familiar forest trail of rhododendrons, oaks, pines, and firs. We will stay overnight at a lodge in Lukla.

We will take an early morning flight back to Kathmandu. But during the peak trekking seasons, all the Lukla flights fly to Manthali Airport, Ramechhap. From Ramechhap, you must take a 4-hour drive to Kathmandu. The weather at Lukla is infamous for changing rapidly and causing flight delays or cancellations. Upon reaching Kathmandu, we will transfer you to your hotel. You can spend your remaining time as you please.

Our representative will drop you at the Tribhuvan International Airport three hours before your scheduled flight. We hope your time in Nepal was memorable and enjoyable. Have a safe journey!