For a travel enthusiast, the Everest region in Nepal is nothing less than a dream come true! The Everest region has a reputation for being the mightiest! After all, it’s home to the world’s highest mountain, i.e., Mt. Everest, with many other tallest and iconic mountains amplifying the region's glory. Walking in the Everest region is not easy as we know how harsh and demanding it is to be up there! We must push ourselves towards the hurdles nature sets to get the best from it.
Nepal has always been the number one destination for travel and treks. It has eight out of the ten highest mountains in the world. It wouldn’t be unjust to say that Nepal is a topmost destination for mountain lovers and adventure seekers. With different rustic trails leading to mountains, trekking in Nepal is a moment of immense pleasure. And amongst the varieties of trails, trails in the Everest region are among the most cherished and frequented. The reason behind its charm is the grandeur of the world’s highest mountain.
The Everest Region can be harsh for novice trekkers, but it’s heaven for experienced trekkers. The wilderness of mountains, glaciers, the high altitude terrain, pastures, no tree areas, and quaint and tranquil atmosphere; everything about this region is classic. Trekking in the region offers a vast opportunity for mountain views, a pleasing walk along with Sagarmatha National Park's rich ecosystem, and interaction with locals to get meaningful insights into their culture, tradition, and lifestyle.
There are many trekking routes in Everest based on the preference of trekkers. We have everything from easy, moderate, and difficult to strenuous. In this blog, World Alpine Treks presents the best five treks in the Everest region of Nepal. It may help you decide on your next fabulous Nepal trip anytime soon!
Everest Base Camp Trek takes the number one position among the best-selling treks in the Everest region of Nepal. It is a pride of Nepal where one can see the world’s six highest peaks looming above the clouds and everything else. Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, and Cho-Oyu! Who would not be familiar with these four high peaks? These peaks soar above the sky like a crown of the Himalayas and are placed magically. Anyone visiting the base camp would surely fall in love with this place. It’s so ecstatic and surreal. The journey to the Everest Base Camp starts with a flight to Lukla. From Lukla, the trail drops down to Dudhkoshi River and ascends up to Phakding to enter into Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO-listed heritage site enriched with geographical and biodiversity. The trail passes through the forested area and climbs to Namche and Tengboche. At Tengboche one can visit the Tengboche monastery. It is a famous monastery in the region that sits just below Mt. Ama Dablam.
From the monastery, the trail climbs up to the pastures of Dingboche and then to Lobuche. In the winter, the place is full of snow. As we move up, we will find the mountains closer to us. Leaving Lobuche, the trail climbs to Gorekshep and Everest Base Camp. From the base camp, one can enjoy the close-up and wild views of the mountains. But still, the Everest, the mightiest of all, is invisible from here. Hence, we climb up to Kalapatthar, from where we can enjoy 360-degree views of the mountains in the region. Mt. Everest looks stunning, along with other mountains like Mt. Amadablam, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Cho-Oyu, Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Tawache, etc. More astounding are the sunrise and sunset views amidst the mountain peaks!
Duration: 16 days
Max. Elevation: 5545 Meters
Start / Finish point: lukla/ lukla
Best Season: Feb – May & Sep – Nov
Difficulty: Moderate
Accommodation: Teahouse
Gokyo Lake Trek takes you to the valley of Gokyo, which is one of the heavenly places on earth. Many travelers have fallen short of the words/phrases to describe the beauty of this trek. Embarking the trek from the Lukla airport, the trail climbs up to the valley of Gokyo. As we move deep into the valley, we come across Gokyo's azure and turquoise-colored freshwater lakes. Many small lakes beside the village of Gokyo add to the glory of this place. At an elevation of 5357 meters, Gokyo Ri is a beautiful viewpoint that lies just above the valley. From this point, one can admire some mind blowing views of Gokyo lakes in the backdrop of impressive Himalayan ranges. Further, one can end the journey by retracing the steps back or moving ahead towards Everest Base Camp.
Gokyo Lake Trek is an ideal journey for those who want to relish the best views of the Everest region. An aerial view of Gokyo Valley, Gokyo lakes, Gokyo village, and Ngozumpa glacier from the Ri is outstanding. The glory of sunrise and sunset amidst the mountains, such as Mt. Everest, Mt. Cho-Oyu, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Ama Dablam, etc., add to the radiance of the views. So, are you ready for this incredible walk to the core of nature and wilderness?
Duration: 15 days
Max. Elevation: 5360 Meters
Start / Finish point: lukla/ lukla
Best Season: Feb – May & Sep – Nov
Difficulty: Moderate
Accommodation: Teahouse
Chola Pass Trek consolidates the adventure of Gokyo Valley Trek with the challenge of crossing Cho La Pass, which is one of the high mountain passes in the Everest region of Nepal. The trek introduces you to some wild and classic beauty of mountains, lakes, valleys, glaciers, and icefalls. The trail of the trek goes up straight through the traditional Sherpa villages where we can get some insights into Sherpa culture, lifestyle, and Buddhism religion. As we move up, we come across a magnificent valley surrounded by towering snow-clad mountains and emerald-colored lakes embedded in it. Watching the serene lakes in the shadows of wild mountains is truly a magical experience. Ahead of the valley, we cross Chola Pass, from where one can enjoy the splendor of Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Cho-Oyu, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Katenga, Mt. Kusum Kanguru and many other surrounding peaks.
Apart from these, Chola Pass Trek traverses through the sections of Sagarmatha National Park. We can experience the rich ecosystem and biodiversity of the national park. Villages like Namche Bazaar, Jorsale, Phakding, Monjo, Khumjung, etc., help us get close to people and learn about their culture and lifestyle.
Duration: 17 days
Max. Elevation: 5545 Meters
Start / Finish point: lukla/ lukla
Best Season: Feb – May & Sep – Nov
Difficulty: Hard
Accommodation: Teahouse
Everest View Trek is one of the most accessible trekking options available in the Everest region of Nepal. It is a short and easy trek suitable for first-time trekkers as well. It takes you close to Mt. Everest and rewards you with incredible views of mountains in the region, such as Mt. Everest, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Tawache, etc. Like all other treks to Everest, Everest View Trek starts with an exciting flight to Lukla. From here, the trek follows a path down to the Dudhkoshi River and ascends up to Phakding. Slowly and gradually, the trail enters Sagarmatha National Park and passes Sherpa villages like Monjo and Jorsale on the way to Namche. Namche is a crowded and buzzing town in the region full of shops, lodges, and guesthouses. A hike to Everest View Hotel and an exploration of Khumjung village make an extra day in the Namche. Further, the trail heads to the Tengboche monastery, and the trip concludes with several retracing steps back to Lukla. Overall, the trek gives a sneak peek of the Everest region. It offers close-up views of mountains and makes us familiar with the locals, their culture, tradition, and lifestyle. Also popular as Everest Panorama Trek, it is one of the worthiest treks not to be missed while in Nepal.
Duration: 07 days
Max. Elevation: 3880 Meters
Start / Finish point: lukla/ lukla
Best Season: Feb – May & Sep – Nov
Difficulty: Moderate
Accommodation: Teahouse
Everest High Pass Trek is the ultimate adventure of thrill and adventure. It is a complete package of challenges where one has to cross three high passes, namely the Chola pass, Renjo La pass, and Kongma La pass, in a single go. The trail to cross these three passes forms the Three High Pass Trek in the Everest region of Nepal. Out of the other treks in this chart, this trek is the most extended and demanding. Not all who long for this is suitable for this trip; only the expert trekkers can take this challenge! The trek covers most of the sections of the Everest region; hence it is also referred to as the entire circuit trek of the Everest region.
The journey initiates with a flight to Lukla. From Lukla, the trail follows the classic route to Namche bazaar, the only gateway to Everest. From Thame village, a little ahead of Namche, we divert from the standard route to the base camp and follow a route that brings us to Gokyo Lake. On the way, we already cross the trek's first pass, i.e., Renjo la. Further, we hike to Gokyo Ri for beautiful views of Gokyo Valley, cross Chola Pass, and move ahead to the Everest base camp. We hike up to Kalapatthar and descend down to Lobuche. Again, from Lobuche, we cross Kongma La to enter into Chhukung Valley. We walk past Chhukung village and Pangboche village to Namche. We conclude the trip with a walk back to Lukla. So, overall Everest High Pass Trek is a journey full of classic mountain views, glaciers, icefalls, mountain lakes, valleys, villages, and many more. In short, it is a full and complete version of the Everest region trek.
Duration: 19 days
Max. Elevation: 5545 Meters
Start / Finish point: Lukla/ lukla
Best Season: Feb – May & Sep – Nov
Difficulty: Hard
Accommodation: Teahouse