Gokyo Lake Trek (14 days)

Welcome to Nepal! A Pure Sherpa Adventure representative will meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Kathmandu. After you check in, your guide will brief you on the trek, go through tomorrow's early flight to Lukla, and answer any questions. If you still need trekking gear, you can use the rest of the day to shop in Thamel. Overnight at the hotel.

Early in the morning we transfer you to Kathmandu's domestic terminal for the scenic flight to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla. The flight takes about 40 minutes, with Himalayan views from the window. In Lukla you meet your porter team and begin trekking. Today's trail is gentle. It passes through a stone gateway (kani), descends past Kyangma with its monastery and school, and continues through Cheplung. You follow the Dudh Koshi River, cross suspension bridges, and pass mani walls, chortens and prayer wheels at Ghat and Chhuthawa before reaching Phakding. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

After breakfast you continue up the Dudh Koshi valley, passing small tea houses and a hydroelectric project on the way to Toktok. You get your first view of Thamserku (6,608 m) here. The trail climbs to Benkar, where you will see waterfalls, then crosses the river on a suspension bridge to Chumoa and climbs to Monjo. Just above Monjo is the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, where your permits are checked. After crossing the river again to Jorsale, you follow the riverbank to the point where the Bhote Koshi and Dudh Koshi rivers meet. Then you cross the high suspension bridge and climb steadily through pine forest to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital of the Khumbu. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

Today we rest at Namche to help your body adjust to the altitude, but we do it by walking gently rather than sitting still. We climb to Syangboche, cross its small grass airstrip, and continue toward the Everest View Hotel, one of the highest hotels in the world, for views of Everest and surrounding peaks. From there we walk on to Khumjung, the largest Sherpa village in the Khumbu, which lies below the sacred peak of Khumbila (5,761 m). We visit Khumjung Gompa, where a relic said to be a yeti scalp is kept, and enjoy views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Khumbila. We return to Namche by the trail behind the village school. If you like, you can also visit the Sagarmatha National Park Visitor Centre, which has exhibits on Himalayan wildlife and Sherpa life.

After breakfast the trail passes a large mani wall and contours north along a long ridge. Along the way the views open up over Thamserku, Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Everest. You pass Kyangjuma, then reach the trail junction at Sanasa, where the Gokyo route splits from the Everest Base Camp trail. From the ridge you can see Tengboche Monastery on the opposite hillside and the walled fields of Phortse. The trail climbs to the small pass of Mong La (3,975 m). Local people say the village near the pass was the home of Lama Sange Dorje, the saint who brought Buddhism to the Everest region. From the pass the path drops through pine and rhododendron forest to the river at Phortse Thanga. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

We cross the stream at Phortse Thanga and climb through forest, then follow the trail northwest along the Dudh Koshi valley toward Gokyo. The path stays on the west side of the valley and reaches Dole (4,110 m), with views of Khumbila to the south and Taboche to the north. Beyond Dole the forest thins into open slopes of tundra grass and juniper scrub, and the trail climbs to Lhabarma, then gently past a large chorten to Luza. Continuing along the valley edge over sandy hummocks, you arrive at Machhermo (4,470 m), where prayer flags flutter around a chorten. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

Leaving Machhermo you climb steeply to a pair of chortens on the ridge and follow it north, with views of Kangtega and Cho Oyu (8,188 m), the sixth-highest mountain in the world. You pass the small settlement of Pangka and drop on rocky steps beside the stream. Soon after you reach the first lake, Longponga Tsho (4,650 m). A side trail just beyond it leads east toward the Cho La pass and Lobuche. The path is almost flat as you cross open, barren country to the second lake, Taboche Tsho (4,710 m). A short walk later you arrive at Gokyo village (4,790 m), set between the moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier and the lake, with jagged peaks all around. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

Today is the highlight of the trek. Start early for the climb to Gokyo Ri. The trail crosses the stream at the north end of the lake and climbs steadily for about two hours to the prayer flags on the summit. From the top you can see Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cholatse and Taboche, with the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in the Himalayas, stretching below. Gokyo village looks like a small dot on the moraine, next to the green lake. After taking in the view, you walk back down to your lodge for a rest. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

After breakfast you retrace your steps down the valley. It is an easy downhill walk along the Dudh Koshi River, which flows from the Ngozumpa Glacier. You pass the lakes and walk down to Pangka. The trail crosses a flat terrace on the hillside and climbs over a rib before descending gradually to Machhermo. Continuing through Luza and Lhabarma, you arrive at Dole. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

After breakfast the trail descends to Phortse Thanga through rhododendron forest, where you may see wildflowers, Himalayan thar, musk deer and pheasants. At Mong La you get another fine view of Khumbila, Taboche, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kangtega, with Tengboche in the distance. You then reach the Sanasa junction and follow the path along a steep grassy hillside past Kyangjuma, winding down several bends to Namche Bazaar. Check in to your lodge and rest. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

From Namche the trail descends steeply to the high suspension bridge, then runs mostly level to Jorsale and on to Monjo, where your permits are checked for the last time. From there it is an easy walk through Benkar and Phakding to Lukla, where your trek ends. Most trekkers celebrate the finish with their guide and crew in the evening. Overnight in a mountain lodge.

Early in the morning you go to Tenzing-Hillary Airport for the scenic flight back to Kathmandu. After landing, we transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. You can have a hot shower, book a massage or spa treatment to relax tired muscles, or walk around Thamel. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, a guide and a private vehicle take you around some of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Kathmandu Valley. You visit Pashupatinath, the sacred Hindu temple complex on the banks of the Bagmati River, dedicated to Lord Shiva. You then see Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world and the heart of Tibetan culture in Nepal. Finally you walk through Bhaktapur Durbar Square, a medieval royal palace complex with fine Newar art and architecture. After sightseeing you have free time for last-minute shopping. In the evening we invite you to a farewell dinner with Nepali food and a cultural dance show at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Your trip ends today. A Pure Sherpa Adventure representative will take you to Tribhuvan International Airport in time for your flight. Thank you for trekking with us, and we hope to see you in the mountains again.