Everest Base Camp - 3 Passes trek

Early morning we fly from Kathmandu to Lukla. The 30 minutes flight from Tribhuvan Domestic Airport (Kathmandu) to Tenzing Hilary Airport (Lukla) offers marvelous views of mountain ranges as rays of light fall on them. We start a 3-4 hours trek to Phakding shortly after meeting our crew members in Lukla.

We continue along the trail soon after having our breakfast in Phakding. After crossing Dudh Koshi River we register our permit number and group details at the National Park office in Monju, the entrance of the Sagarmatha National Park. Then we ascend to Namche Bazaar crossing the Hillary Suspension Bridge.

This is the day to rest in the center of Khumbu region, the Namche Bazaar. It’s also a day to adjust our body to the high altitude. Though we stay in Namche, it is recommended that we stay active and moving. The place is well facilitated with banks, ATMs, and Cyber Cafés and you can also visit the Sherpa museum or visit the local community.

We start for Tyangbuche after breakfast in Namche. On our way, beautiful views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse, Mt Ama Dablam, and Thamserku accompany us while walking the smooth and sometimes zigzag trail.

The morning view of the mountain panorama is outstanding and you can click the breathtaking views of Kangtega range, Thamserku, Amadablam, Taboche, Kwangde, Tengboche, Lhotse, and Nuptse. Our day begins along the trail through Imja Khola then to Tengboche where we descend to the riverbank, through the rhododendron and birch forests. At Deboche we visit a Buddhist nunnery and cross a few chortens to reach Pangboche where we can have a splendid view of the wonderful mountains. One can easily notice the thinning vegetation on walking from upper Panboche to the dry and alpine terrain of Shomare. The apical ridge of Mt. Pumori can be viewed from Orsho then finally we reach the cold and windy village of Dingboche where we stay overnight

we wake up to find ourselves amid a stone-walled alpine landscape of Dingboche. We continue our trek through Imja Khola valley to glacier moraines in the middle of towering mountains. Our walk continues for the next 2-3 hours through the valley viewing Lhotse Mountain and Ama Dablam on our sides until we reach yak Bibre, the herdman’s place. Walking further we can have a wonderful view of the rocky and icy appearance of Imja Tse peak at the terminal moraine. Half an hour's walk from Bibre leads us to Chhukung where we can view the glaciers and snowy mountains. Some trekkers they don't stay in Chhukung and do the Pass BUT it is recommended to stay in Chhukung to get acclimatize.

Getting acclimatized to this height we start to ascend early in the morning. On this day we enter the remote hinterlands of the mountains where we cannot find any teashops further so we carry plenty of water for ourselves. We have the option of either taking a climb over the hill northwest of Chhukung over the Nuptse glacier; the other option is to walk down the valley of Bibre and then to the high trail above Niyang Khola. On walking further we can have a stunning view of Island peak valley and the jagged ridge of Amphu Lapcha. On ascending along the east side of Niyang Khola valley through a stony trail we reach a wide basin dotted with frozen lakes. We leave Chhukung after 5 hour walk through the trail Kongma La. We reach the top to see the prayer flags fluttering to mark the pass at the ridge. Now the descent begins which is the difficult and challenging experience of today’s trek. We then climb the moraine on the far side, then turn north through the trail of Khumbu glacier which finally leads to today’s final destination:

Ahead of Gorakshep, the trail leads through the lateral moraine of Khumbu Glacier. Passing through the pyramid sign post we find ourselves we can view the north ridge of Everest along with Mt. Pumori, Mt. Mahalangur, Mt. Lingtern, Mt. Khumbutse, and Mt. Nuptse, etc. We can view the 360-degree vista of snow-covered mountains after ascent to Thangma Riju. On climbing the top of Changri glacier we catch the sight of Kalapatthar, a green knoll beneath Mt. Pumori. When we reach Gorakshep we can view the snow-capped mountains all around including the crown of the world, the Everest. We then take the trail to Everest base camp through once Gorak Shep Lake and reach Indian army mountaineers’ memorials on continuing. Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp we realize the hazardous route of the Khumbu icefall

This is the climax of our trip which starts with the walk to catch a dramatic view of shining Everest from Kalapatthar. As we descend to Kalapatthar, we can catch our breath while snapping the pictures of peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbuttse, and Changtse appearing to the East, the Everest revealing between the west shoulder crest and Nuptse. After several hours we reach Kalapathhar where we sit to quench the ultimate thirst of eyes to see the unparalleled Himalayan panorama. We leave our footsteps to take away the memories and snapped pictures for a lifetime experience.

In the morning we will wake up to see the mesmerizing view of Cholatse. The early part of this one of the toughest trips begins as we transverse through Dzonglha across spur forest which then descends to a basin. As we climb the height again we see the picturesque view of Chola lake and Mt Ama Dablam. The steep climb is made worse by boulders which then lead us to the curvy trails of Bergschrund. At the top of CHO- LA ( 5368 m) we can enjoy the sight of majestic peaks all around standing by the side of fluttering prayer flags. The descent to Dragnag is relatively easier unless the rocks are glazed by iced making the path slippery and hazardous. We stay in Dragnag for the night.

Early morning the next day we step out of the small village and keep following the trail through Ngozumpa glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. As we reach the other side of the glacier, we can catch the sight of second Gokyo lake, which is one of the six series. On the edge of the third lake which is at a short distance from the second; we see Gokyo village. Stay and rest in Gokyo for 1 day and 2 nights.

Towards the end of the second week of our trek, we stay to rest in Gokyo valley. The acclimatization day is an excellent opportunity to climb Gokyo Ri which is one of the best places to catch a view of the Everest region, and the six lakes. The fourth lake is 3 Km north of Gokyo with its high cliffs and peaks rising above it. The trail continues to the fifth turquoise blue shimmering lake which is the biggest. We can even climb the hills at the edge of the lake to catch the breathtaking scenery of Cho-Oyu, Gyachung, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makalu.

Today we start to walk to Renjola pass early in the morning. We leave the main trail of Gokyo valley to take Renjola trail by Dudh Pokhari. After 3 hour walk, the vista of Everest, Lhotse, Cholatse, and Taboche can be enjoyed. The trail continues down the stairs to reach Angladumba Tsho. On further walking, we see Relama Tsho and Renjo Lake then we walk through these narrow valleys teemed with giant boulders to Lungden.

The next day we follow the traditional route that had been followed for centuries by the Tibetan traders which is a descent from Marlung to Thame. Crossing Bhote Koshi, descending to Taranga we reach Langmuche Khola. We can view astonishing views of the mountains such as Thamserku, Katanga, Kusum Kanguru, etc from the lodges besides seeing the famous Buddhist shrine (Gompa) at Thame. We cross the bridge to reach Same, the place which offers breathtaking beauty of mountain views. Down the steep path, we reach Thamo village where there is a monastery called Khari Goma which is the nunnery. Finally, we reach Namche through some gompas, prayer flags, chortens, and Mani stones. Overnight in Namche.

This is the final day of the three-day high pass trek. On this day we start from Namche and reach Lukla but the challenges are huge walking down the steep with shaky legs until we reach the airport area.

An early morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. The taking off is a dramatic scene just like the landing. The rest of the day can be used for sightseeing or relaxation.