When talking about the Everest Three Passes Trek, also known as Everest High Pass Trek in the Khumbu region of Nepal, think about all the words that are synonyms with the word challenge. This strenuous trek is difficult for sure, but it is an awesome trek at the same time. Hiking through tough passes, and admiring breathtaking views are some of the perks of doing this demanding hiking journey. Popular as one of the most strenuous treks in the world, this journey takes you on a trip of a lifetime. Be part of the exciting Everest Three Passes Trek that is truly outstanding with World Alpine Trek and take away the golden memories of cruising through the Himalayas of Nepal.
Take on the ultimate Everest Three Passes trek to test out your daringness and explore the exciting mountain galore. This challenging journey includes exploring various natural beauties such as stunning landscapes, mountain rivers, glaciers, large lake basins, and the beautiful greenery of Sagarmatha National Park. The journey starts with an exhilarating 20 min flight to Lukla Airport and directly heads into the colorful mountain villages. From there the journey takes us on the trail that leads to these amazing mountain passes locally known as Kongma La Pass, Cho La Pass, and finally Renjo La Pass. One can head start this epic journey with Renjo La Pass, Cho La Pass, and then Kongma La Pass. Either way, any route you prefer, World Alpine Trek is always ready to build a trip of your choice under the supervision of our professional travel planner and experienced trekking guides.
The journey up to Namche Bazar is the same as any other trekking route in the Everest region. There are two trekking trails to do the Everest Three Passes trek from Namche Bazar. You can either take the route that leads to Tengboche from Namche or start by crossing Kongma La (5535 m). Or one may choose to trek to Thame from Namche and cross Renjo La (5360 m) first. The most popular one with trekkers commencing with Kong Ma La as it is considered one of the hardest passes to cross. Therefore, most like to cross difficult ones before hiking a comfortable one. Between them is Cho La pass, which requires hiking past a glacier; hence extra trekking gear such as micro-spikes may be necessary. Nevertheless, the checklist for Everest Three Passes trek equipment mostly depends upon the weather and season you are trekking in.
Gokyo Valley, which trekkers reach after crossing the exhausting Cho La pass, is a pleasing addition to this journey. Everest Three Passes Trek venture surely includes picturesque and breathtaking mountain scenery but the emerald beauty of Gokyo Valley and Gokyo lakes is something not to miss while venturing the Everest region. Tucked under the lap of Mt. Cho Oyu, these turquoise six-pool lakes hold mythical values and are quite breathtaking sites to explore for peace and relaxation. On the same note, the 360-degree view from Gokyo Ri, even more, intensifies the beauty of this arduous journey. On the whole, the trip covers most of the Everest region and includes all of the attractions you'd anticipate. So, if you're extremely driven and want to see the finest of the Everest Three Passes Trek, join us on this thrilling adventure.
The first day marks your arrival day in Kathmandu. Clear all the visa requirements and customs clearance, if any, at the arrival section of the airport. As you come out, you will find a representative from World Alpine Treks waiting for you holding a board with your name. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Kathmandu. The representative will shortly inform you about the plans ahead.
The second day is a day tour to warm up prior to your trekking journey. Kathmandu is a city enriched with artistic palaces, beautiful monuments, ancient temples, and other constructions of historical and cultural importance. No wonder the city has seven out of ten UNESCO-listed world heritage sites. Today, you will be guided to the UNESCO-listed heritage sites in Kathmandu. These heritages are perfect examples of the rich history, exceptional culture, and architectural treasures of Nepal. At first, you will be taken to Kathmandu Durbar Square. The art, crafts, and carvings in the palaces, temples, and other monuments of the durbar square are excellent. After that, you will be escorted to Swayambhunath stupa (Monkey Temple), Pashupatinath Temple, and Boudhanath stupa respectively. (Inclusive of breakfast).
On the second day, you will be headed to the domestic terminal of Tribhuwan Airport for a flight to Lukla. The flight to Lukla in itself is an enriching experience where you will be able to enjoy some wonderful views of the mountains. As you land in Lukla, you will meet our other crew members at the airport. From Lukla, we walk down the trail along with hotels and lodges to Dudhkoshi River. We cross a long suspension bridge over the river and follow a path that takes us to Phakding. We stay at Phakding for the night. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We wake up early and enjoy our breakfast. Then we follow our trail that goes through an undulating path up and down via traditional villages, fields, and rhododendron forests. We gradually ascend and enter Sagarmatha National Park with magnificent views of Mt. Thamserku on sight. We pass villages like Jorsale and Monjo on the way to Namche. Namche Bazaar is an old but lively Sherpa village. It is a gateway to all the trekking routes to the Everest region. There are many vibrant shops, cyber cafes, restaurants, hotels, and lodges now. Namche Bazaar never rests. It always gets a lot of visitors and is always crowded. We stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Namche for the night. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
The narrow street of Namche is always crowded. Do not get surprised if the yak bells and other horns wake you up. Today is a day set aside for acclimatization purposes. As we gain height, our body needs to be well adapted to the altitude change. Therefore, we have set aside an extra day in Namche. Today, we hike up to Everest View Hotel for close-up views of the mountains in the Everest region. From the hotel, we can enjoy some striking views of mountains like Kwangde, Thamserku, Kangtega, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, etc. from the hotel, and we walk towards the village of Khunde and Khumjung. We explore the villages and visit a museum and a photo gallery on our way back to Namche. We stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Namche for the night. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
As we ascend, our trail traverses through the forests of rhododendron with brilliant views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Amadablam, and Mt. Lhotse on sight. After a while, the trail descends down to the Dudh Koshi River at Phungi Thanga. From here, the trail further ascends up through the forests of pine and rhododendron to Tengboche. Tengboche is accessible from the Tengboche monastery and has astonishing views of Mt. Ama Dablam along with other peaks in the region. Tengboche monastery is considered the largest monastery of the region. Today, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Tengboche for the night. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We leave Tengboche and start climbing up the trail for around six hours to Dingboche. As we ascend up, we can notice the change in vegetation. We can find ourselves moving above the tree line with pastures and meadows along the way. On the way, we can see small fields enclosed by stone walls to protect crops from cold winds. As we open up to the meadows of Dingboche, we will find ourselves in a spectacular location with wonderful views of Lhotse and Nuptse Ridge on sight. If the weather is favorable, one can relish the fantastic views of the sunset over the Ama Dalam Himal in the Everest region. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Dingboche. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We leave Dingboche and start walking to the trail for around two hours to Chukkung. You will likely come across the different Himalayan animals like Mountain Goats, Yaks, and Mules grazing on the lush grassland that lines the trail.Chhukung village serve trekker Nuptse Peaks by the Lho Glacier and Nup Glacier . Chhukung Valley is a good place for acclimatization, several guesthouses have been built here. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge inChukkung. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
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 passes 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. We stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Lobuche. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Today is one of the most rewarding days of our journey. Our week-long hard work is going to pay off as we will be stepping into the Everest Base Camp – the dream of every single travel lover. From Lobuche, we follow a rocky path to the last village of the trail – Gorekshep. From Gorekshep, we continue towards the world’s highest base camp, i.e., Everest Base Camp through the Khumbu glacier. It is considered one of the most dangerous sections of the Everest Base Camp Trek. As we reach the base camp, we will be showered with some mesmerizing views of glaciers, lakes, caves, and icefalls. Though the views of Mt. Lhotse and Mt. Nuptse are quite clear, Mt. Everest hides back behind the shades of Lhotse and Nuptse. After spending some time in base camp, we return back to Gorekshep via the same route. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Gorekshep. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Today, we woke up a little early to catch the sunrise views from Kalapatthar. We hike up for around two to three hours from Gorekshep to Kalapatthar. As we ascend up, we get the first glimpse of the mighty Mt. Everest along with the other peaks like Mt. Pumori, Mt. Lingtren, Mt. Khumbutse, Mt. Changtse, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Ama Dablam, etc. The golden rays of sunrise glittering over the snow-clad mountains in the region look amazing. After having this fantastic view from Kalapatthar, we retrace our steps back to Gorekshep and descend down to Dzongla. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Dzongla. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
As we move ahead from Dzongla, we come across a stone-paved flat path. We walk along the trail and ascend up steep to the Chola pass. The trail along the pass is rocky and icy, which makes our walk quite difficult. However, the views of mountains and glaciers that the pass offers are more than enough to overshadow all the difficulties. From the pass, we make a steep descent down to the village of Thangna/ Dragnak. From the village, we can rejoice in some stunning views of Machhermo Peak. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Dragnak. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
From Dragnak, we climb up to a ridge that offers splendid views of Gokyo Valley and Mt. Cho-Oyu. From the ridge, we walk through a trail that widens up and passes through Pangka. From here, the trail descends down to a riverbank. No sooner, we climb on through the moraine of Ngozumpa glacier. The climb up the moraine is quite steep, but the first view of Gokyo Lakes is enough to get rid of all the hasty moments during our journey. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Gokyo Valley. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
From the Gokyo Valley, we hike up to Gokyo Ri for stunning views of mountains and serene emerald lakes in the valley. Gokyo Ri is often considered as one of the best viewpoints in the Everest region. As you hike up the Ri, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of the Mahalangur Himalayan range. The peaks of Mt. Cho-Oyu, Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Cholatse, and Mt. Tawache rising tall in a row looks amazing. Even the view of glaciers, icefalls, and groups of lakes in one shot is alluring. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Gokyo Valley. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Moving ahead from the Gokyo Valley, we continue along our trail to Lunden. Today is an adventurous day as we will be crossing the Renjo La pass at the height of 5435 meters. The steep ascent up the pass and walk through the pass can be a bit difficult. The pass might be rocky and slippery; however, we cross the pass, enjoying some majestic views of mountains, glaciers, and valleys. After crossing the pass, we descend down to the village of Lunden. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Lunden. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Leaving Lunden, we descend down to the village of Thame, enjoying the splendor of mountain peaks in the backdrop. We pass the forested area on the way to the village. Thame is an interesting village in that region, mostly inhabited by people of the Sherpa community. Upon arrival, we trek to Thame monastery and explore around the village areas. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Thame. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
Today, we descend down to Namche Bazaar via the same path that we had taken earlier. We descend down through the same path to Namche Bazaar. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Namche. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We further descend down to Lukla via Phakding. We stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Lukla for the night. (Inclusive of Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We take a return flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel room in Kathmandu. You can relax in your room for the rest of the day. (Inclusive of Breakfast).
After fourteen days of long journeys, today is a free day in Kathmandu. You have two options for the day – you can either explore some unexplored UNESCO-listed heritage sites around Kathmandu or go to the shopping malls for shopping. You can also collect some souvenirs for your family and friends back home. (Inclusive of Breakfast).
Before a few hours of your scheduled flight, you will be transferred to the international terminal of Tribhuwan International Airport. (Inclusive of Breakfast).
