Gokyo Lake Trek via Dole and Machermo

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

The Gokyo Lakes trek route is an incredibly beautiful, remote and challenging high-altitude trek in the Everest region of the Himalayas which is a lifetime adventure for many people. This trek takes you to Cho La Pass (5,420m) offering you the stunning views of mountain landscapes of Everest. It also offers an opportunity to explore the pristine Gokyo Lakes, stunning glaciers, and the iconic view of Mt. Everest and other towering peaks. It requires prior experience with high altitude trekking as it is a challenging trek and categorized under hard adventure.

03 / YOUR ROUTE

Journey at a glance

Day Day 1: Arrival at Kathmandu — Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be picked up by our representative at the airport and taken to the hotel. You will meet your guide, discuss the trek program, and make final preparations for the trek. If you have an early arrival, we will take you for a sightseeing trip in the UNESCO world heritage site in Kathmandu and later, in the evening, you’ll have dinner in the hotel. From 20th March 2020 due to heavy congestion, all flights to and from Lukla depart from Ramechhap airport, 130km, a 4-hour drive from Kathmandu. It means now it’ll take an extra day to get to Lukla from Kathmandu though the flight price is the same. Day Day 2: Drive to Ramechhap (474m/1555ft), Flight to Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft) and Trek to Monjo(2700 m/8858.26ft) — Kathmandu - Ramechhap via Road - Lukla via Air - Chheplung - Ghat - Phakding - Jorsale - Monjo You should travel to Ramechhap from Kathmandu to catch your Lukla Flight and follow the same route for returning to Kathmandu. At 4 am, you’ll have to take a bus ride to Ramechhap which is around 5 hours and breakfast will be on the way. After you reach Ramechhap, you’ll take a flight to Lukla from Manthali Airport which lies at an altitude of 439 m above sea level and is located at a distance of 132 km east of Kathmandu. Lunch will be after we reach Ramechhap. A flight to Lukla is the most unpredictable part of Everest Three Pass trek itinerary and if the flight takes place as scheduled, you’ll reach Lukla in the evening or else you’ll need to wait for the next day to proceed to Lukla. There are several airlines operating flights to Lukla; Tara/Yeti Air, Summit Air,etc. and you can choose the one you like. Moreover, the best views of the mountains can be seen on the way to Lukla. After having quick meal, the trail starts from Lukla and descends to the Dudh Kosi River in Phakding. The first day gets difficult due to the cold, high altitude and backpacks. You will get the view of picturesque Sherpa villages, Tibetan Scriptures engraved Mane Walls and Chhortens and monasteries throughout the trails. Chhortens are like temples and often have relics of buddha in them. You’ll reach Monjo exploring the trail and have dinner and overnight stay at the hotel. Distance from Kathmandu to Ramechhap- 132 km/82mi (5 hours), Ramechhap to Lukla – 73.4km/45.6mi (30-40min) and Lukla to Monjo - 10km (5-6 hours) Trekking distance: 9.5 km / 5.9 mi Trekking time: 4-5 hours Total ascend: 100m / 328ft Total descend: 200m / 656ft Day Day 3: Trek from Monjo to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,283ft) — Monjo - Jorsale - Namche Bazaar The trek from Phakding continues after breakfast, along the Dudh Kosi River, passing through pine forests and crossing several suspension bridges to Monjo. In Monjo, there is a national park checkpost. We will cross the river twice and reach Larcha Dovan, the confluence of two major rivers in Everest Valley and lunch will be in any small hotels or restaurants on the way. Here, we will cross the most iconic suspension bridge and follow a steeper trail to the historic trading town of Namche Bazaar which is surrounded by scenic mountains. From Phakding it's an 8 hrs trek and from Monjo, it's about 5-6 hrs. Dinner will be at Namche Bazar and rest for overnight. Trekking distance: 10.4 km / 6.5 mi Trekking time: 5-6 hours Total ascend: 940m / 3,084ft Total descent – 200 m/ 656 ft Day Day 4: Acclimatization Day in Namche Bazaar — Namche - Khumjung - Khunde - Namche You will take a rest day to acclimate at the high altitude. You can hike to the Everest View Hotel for a panoramic view of the Mt. Everest with delightful breakfast and tea or coffee. Then hike to the beautiful sherpa village of Khumjung and Khunde, have lunch there and return back to Namche via yak farm above Syangboche Airport. There is a newly opened Himalayan Museum and Sustainable Park in Syangboche. You can also explore the town, visit the local markets and Sherpa Cultural Museum if time permits. Make sure to charge all your electronic devices in Namche from there on you’ll have to pay extra for charging. Overnight stay at hotel. Day Day 5: Trek to Dole (3,800m/12,467ft) — Namche Bazar -Mon La - Phortse Tenga - Dole The view is stunning today as we continue on the main trail north from Namche. We have amazing views of Everest and Lhotse after a quick ascent to a ridge. Then, after continuing to follow the main track, we come to a crossroads situated high above the Dudh Koshi. Prior to arriving at Phortse Tenga, we divert from the Everest trail and rise to cross the Mon La. The trail ascends steeply through a rhododendron and birch woodland from Phortse Tenga to Dole. Distance: 11 km / 6.83 mi Trekking time: 5-6 hours Total ascent: 980 m / 3,215 ft Total descent: 320 m / 1,050 ft Day Day 6: Trek from Dole to Machermo (4,400m/14,435ft) — Dole - Machermo As we ascend from Dole along the valley's edge, rhododendron trees give place to juniper scrub as the height rises. When yaks are brought to these pastures to feed throughout the summer, they pass by several summer communities (yersa). From here, you can see Kantega, Thamserku, and Cho Oyu with great clarity. We won't spend much time hiking today, and we'll be to Machermo in time for lunch. Distance: 6 km / 3.73 mi Trekking time: 3-4 hours Total ascent: 600 m / 1,969 ft Total descent: 80 m / 262 ft Day Day 7: Trek to Gokyo (4,800m/15,748ft) — Machermo - Gokyo Lake We now proceed to Gokyo's lakes. To get to Pangka, we take a very beautiful route. From there, we drop a little bit by following one of the rivers that go off the west side of the Ngozumpa Glacier. After passing the first of the holy lakes, we ascend a steep, rocky incline into the valley by the glacier. We quickly reach the second lake and proceed across the slope that leads to Cho La. The town of Gokyo is located on the eastern coast of the third lake, Dudh Pokhari. The backdrop is breathtaking as you stroll by the lakeside with the summits of Cho Oyu and Gyachung Kang. Distance: 5 km / 3.11 mi Trekking time: 3-4 hours Total ascent: 400 m / 1,312 ft Total descent: 0 m / 0 ft Day Day 8: Rest day in Gokyo (4,800m/15,748ft) — This day is spent acclimatizing and exploring Lake Gokyo and other lakes in Gokyo Valley. Early in the morning, you can hike to Gokyo Ri for panoramic views of Mt. Everest and the surrounding mountains. It is one of the best place to see the Everest in the trek. We recommend following options (doing both can be very tiring): Wake up at 4 am and hike up to Gokyo Ri (5360 meters) and back to Gokyo Lake (4790 meters). Distance: 4 km/ 2.4 miles. Walking 3/4 hours. Hike to 4th Lake (4870 meters) and 5th Lake (4990 meters) and back to Gokyo Lake (4790 meters). Distance: 14 km/ 8.6 miles. Walking 6/7 hours. Also, you can simply laze around, sip tea, eat, and rest on your acclimatization day. Take it easy, rest, hydrate with enough water or tea, and take advantage of your free day. Day Day 9: Trek from Gokyo (4,800m/15,748ft) to Dole — Gokyo - Machermo - Dole Now we'll start the return journey from Gokyo to Dole. It is an intense trek of 8-9 hours and after having breakfast in the morning, we’ll descend to Dole observing the beautiful scenery and surrounding mountains. If the trek becomes tiring, you can motivate yourself by watching the mesmerizing view on the way. We will have lunch in Mechermo and continue our trek to Dole. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel. Distance: 13 km / 8.08 mi Trekking time: 6-7 hours Total ascent: 0 m / 0 ft Total descent: 1,000 m / 3,281 ft Day Day 10: Trek from Dole to Namche Bazaar(3,440m/11,283ft) — Dole - Namche Bazaar From Dole, we descend once more to Namche Bazaar by ascending through birch and rhododendron forest. We travel back to Namche from Dole by descending over the Dudh Koshi Distance: 6 km / 3.73 mi Trekking time: 3-4 hours Total ascent: 80 m / 262 ft Total descent: 1,060 m / 3,477 ft Day Day 11: Trek from Namche to Lukla — Namche - Lukla It’s a long and final day of trek back to Lukla. It is about 20 km but mostly downhill with occasional uphill climb. The last couple of hours is an uphill climb. We will retrace our steps on the left bank of Dudh Koshi river passing through lush forests and villages of lower Khumbu valley en route to Lukla. It will take about 8-9 hrs. Dinner and overnight stay at Lukla. Distance: 18-19 km /11-12 mi Time: 6-7 hours Total ascent: Minimal ascent Total descent: 900 m/2,953 ft Day Day 12: Drive to Ramechhap and fly to Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft) — Lukla - Ramechhap - Kathmandu You’ll need to fly back to Ramechhap and drive to Kathmandu. After reaching, we will transfer you to a hotel. In the evening, you can go shopping for souvenirs, trying Nepali or Newari Cuisine (Ethnic group and native people of Kathmandu Valley. We will organize a farewell program for you to create memories with us. Day Day 13: Departure from Kathmandu — If your flight is in the evening, we will take you for sightseeing in one of the Buddhist stupa; Boudhanath/Swayambhunath which is also listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, Our representative will receive you from the hotel and drop you at the airport for your return journey back home.

YOUR DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Arrival at Kathmandu — Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be picked up by our representative at the airport and taken to the hotel. You will meet your guide, discuss the trek program, and make final preparations for the trek. If you have an early arrival, we will take you for a sightseeing trip in the UNESCO world heritage site in Kathmandu and later, in the evening, you’ll have dinner in the hotel.+