The Everest region is blessed with many of the world’s highest mountains and is a mecca for trekkers from around the world. Among the many treks, Everest Base Camp is the most popular and this tour extends this classic trek to take in the stunning turquoise lakes of Gokyo. After reaching base camp, you’ll cross the Cho La pass to reach the Goyo Lakes and experience some of the most spectacular views of Everest and Lhotse, to be found anywhere in the Everest region.

Arriving in Kathmandu, you start this trip with a guided walking tour around the colourful and chaotic streets that make up this charming city. From Kathmandu you catch the morning flight out to Lukla where the trekking begins. Heading out of Lukla you follow the Dudh Kosi River valley passing through lush rhododendron forests and charming Sherpa villages as you make your way towards Namche Bazaar.

Namche Bazaar is the main trading centre for the Khumbu region and you spent a full day here acclimatizing to the rapid altitude gain since leaving Kathmandu. You next move onto Khumjung and perhaps make a visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Elementary School, name after the famous climber and first person to successfully climb Mount Everest. Descending back down the river valley followed by a short sharp climb brings you into Tengboche, where you'll get your first proper views of Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Everest. There is also a wonderful Buddhist monastery here, which is well worth a visit.

You continue out of Tengboche along the Imja Kola River stopping in Pangboche and Dingboche, before heading up the Khumbu Glacier. By now the mountains are all around and the Himalayan scenery is simple breath taking. 6,000m plus peak loom and the terrain changes sharply to that of barren, bleak, rock strewn glacial moraine.

Continuing along the Khumbu Glacier, passed Lobuche, you will arrive at Gorak Shep (5,288m), where a short climb takes you up to Kallar Pattar (5,545m). The view of Nuptse, Ama Dablam and Everest, from the summit of Kala Pattar is certainly a major highlight of this trek and ample reward for the effort required to get there. The following morning, you trek to the Everest Base Camp area, starting point for the many expeditions aiming to climb the world highest peak.

Leaving Base Camp behind you retrace your steps back down the Khumbu Glacier and on up the Imja Kola River valley to Dzonglha. The next stage of this trek takes you over the Cho La pass (5,330m), which although hard climbing, requires no specialist training or equipment, just a stout heart and sturdy trekking poles. Once over the pass you descend back down into the Dhud Kosi River valley and spend a couple of days enjoying Gokyo. There are several stunning turquoise lakes to explore and a trek up to Gokyo Ri offer a different, and some say better, view of Everest and it's surrounding peaks.

Reluctantly we leave Gokyo behind and begin trekking back down the valley and on up to Namche Bazaar again. The final part of our trek means retracing out steps back along the Dhud Kosi River and a final ascent into Lukla.

From Lukla you catch the morning flight back to Kathmandu where the rest of the day is kept free after the trek to allow for any delays during the trek, or for delays to the flight back from Lukla.
You can enjoy this trek by joining one of our regular small-group departures, or by arranging it privately with us with one of our local guides, or use it as the base for a tailor-made itinerary. You can also extend the tour to do some wildlife viewing in Royal Chitwan or Bardia National Parks, or try some exciting white water rafting.