This ultimate Everest Three High Passes Trek is for those who seek for more wild and challenging holidays experience as it is more demanding and the longer route crossing through three high passes that are not on the regular Everest trail. These are the Kongma La (5,535m), Cho La (5,420m) and the Renjo La (5,417m). You will also climb three hikng peaks; Gokyo Ri (5,360m) and Kala Pattar (5,54m) offer superb views of Everest, whilst Chukkung Ri (5,550m) is a lesser-known summit, tucked under the imposing Lhotse-Nuptse wall. This westerly approach to Everest provides amazing vistas of the world´s highest mountain and should be considered in particular, by the keen photographer or by those who want a tougher trek.
Our adventurous Everest Three High Passes Trek starts with an exciting mountain flight to the Tenzing Hillary Airport at Lukla – a beautiful mountain town. We begin our hiking from here to Phakding on the first day and second day we trek to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital. We have a rest and acclimation day at Namche as it is vital to get acclimatized ourselves to adapt with high altitude. On the rest day we have option to hike to Khunde and Khumjung – a charming twin Sherpa Villages nestled bellow the Khumbila Rock and visit Everest View Hotel – the Five Star Hotel in the world´s highest place offering stunning views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Amadablam, Thamserku, Khangtega, Taboche Peak etc.
Our rest and exploration day at Namche is followed by the regular Everest Base Camp Trek route walking through the places of Tengboche; where we will visit region´s most active monastery, enjoy colorful landscapes, other Buddhist monasteries, prayers walls, manis and Dingboche in the land enclosed by the soaring peaks. At Dingboche, trail breaks off with main trail and we head up to Chhukung – a beautiful hamlet of Sherpa Village, we will climb Chhuking Ri on the acclimation day at Chhukung and overnight in Chhukung, also it is always recommended that “hike higher and sleep lower” helps you acclimatized. Then our first three passes, the Kongma La, is probably the toughest day, but your reward is stunning views of Makalu (8,485, the world´s fifth highest mountain) to the east. It is a leisurely descent to Labuche, where we rejoin classic Everest Base Camp Route, before climbing the famous view point of Kala Patthar, second of our three peaks.
Our trek to the view point of Kala Pathar is followed by the tough climb through Cho La pass that takes us to the cobalt-blue lakes at Gokyo. Here we trek our third peak; Gokyo Ri (5,360m). This is a lovely peak above the Gokyo Valley, with fabulous views of the Mt. Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Cholatse and many smaller snow-capped mountains. After enjoying awe inspiring views from Gokyo Ri and exploring Gokyo lakes, we make our way to the next great pass, the Renjo La. Making a night in Lungde or Marlung we follow a little of the route used for centuries by the Tibetan Traders via Nangpa La to get to Thame. Following the classical route, we drop down to Lukla and fly back to Kathmandu leaving behind our foot prints in the shadow of the Everest.
If you are a real adventurer seeking for more of a challenging trek crossing some of the most famous high passes in the world, you really need to consider Wilderness Excursion´s Everest High Passes Trek. If you are looking a slightly less adventurous than this involves suburb views of Gokyo Lakes along with Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar, “Everest Base Camp Trek via Gokyo Lakes – 17 Days” would be ideal for us! Wilderness Excursion´s “Everest Base Camp – 16 Days” itinerary would be perfect for you if you are young, energetic, physically fit, and yearn to hike up to Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar but will have a limited amount of time to trek. If you are a novice trekker and want some easier itinerary but want to visit the Everest Base Camp, Wilderness Excursion recommend for Everest Base Camp 17 days itinerary would be best option.
Itinerary
The Everest High Passes Trek itinerary starts with your arrival in Kathmandu. We welcome you to the land of pure mysticism and spirituality. Our representative will greet and warmly receive you at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu and support you with the transportation to transfer you to your respective hotels.
As you check into the hotel, the representative will give you a synopsis of our plans. Tonight, spend your time at a hotel in Kathmandu.
We pick you up in the early morning and escort you to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu airport. Here, we catch a flight that will take us to Lukla Airport in the Khumbu region of Nepal.
The flight to Lukla is full of magnificent mountain views. The region is probably one of the most loved and frequented trekking regions in Nepal. It takes pride in having the world’s highest mountain, i.e., Everest. As you land in Phakding, meet our remaining crew in Lukla for your Three Passes Trekking journey ahead.
The adventure begins with an exciting, rare flight that will chill your bones, followed by beautiful trekking through Sherpa villages, passing through the Dudh Koshi gorge, beautiful landscape, and deep valley.
Tonight, spend your time at a guesthouse in Phakding, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
The start of the three-pass trek will energize you with the beauty you can observe while interacting with fellow trekkers.
The days ahead will be more interesting. As we leave Phakding, we follow a trail that traverses through Sagarmatha National Park. We march ahead through a forested area enriched with various species of flora and fauna. We pass interesting Sherpa villages like Monjo and Jorsale on the way to Namche.
The route from Phakding to Namche undulates many times. It can be quite tiring, but the pristine air, amazing views, and the quest to reach the top of the world will keep you going.
Tonight, spend your time at a guesthouse in Namche, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Today, you are at Namche, which means you are already at the heights of around 3440 meters. Therefore, the Everest high pass trip stops here for some time, and we take our time for acclimatization in Namche. Namche Bazaar is a vibrant town in the Khumbu region. It is the only gateway to Everest, and it is densely packed with hotels, lodges, cyber cafes, shops, and other amenities.
After breakfast in the guesthouse, we hike up to the Everest View Hotel. From here, one can get some close-up views of the mountains in the Everest region. You will be blessed with some fascinating views of mountains like Mt. Everest, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Cho-Oyu, and Mt. Thamserku, Mt. Tawache, and many more. After exploring the place for a while, we return to Namche for the night. On the way, we visit a photo gallery, a museum, and a few Sherpa villages.
Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Namche, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Leaving Namche, we follow a route that climbs up to Tengboche at an elevation of 3860 meters. It’s an easy way to get up to Tengboche. The route offers some incredible views of Mt. Everest along with other mountains like Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Lobuche, and many other adjacent peaks. At first, we descend to the Dudh Koshi valley at Pungi Thanka and slowly ascend to Tengboche.
At Tengboche, we visit a popular monastery known as the Tengboche Monastery. It is an old Buddhist monastery on the way to Everest. It is not just known for its spiritual significance, but also its amazing location. One can see the great Mt. Ama Dablam rising just above the monastery.
Likewise, the views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Lobuche, and many other mountains in the region look magnificent from here.
Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Tengboche, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Moving ahead from Tengboche, we follow a trail that descends to the Imja River. From the river, we follow a scenic trail full of mountain views and picturesque landscapes to Pangboche village. The village, at an elevation of 3900 meters, is in a dramatic location with appealing views of mountains in the backdrop.
An amazing ascent with beautiful views of gigantic mountains and passing deep valleys, you will reach Dingboche on the backdrop of Mt. Ama Dablam. Besides, on the way, we pass various pastures and summer settlements of yak herders until we open up to the vast pasture.
We also refer to Dingboche as a summer valley. In winter, snow fully covers it, but in summer it looks wonderful with grassland and yak herding in it.
Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Dingboche, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Take some rest and adapt to the altitude. You can go roam around the Sherpa villages with our guide.
Tonight we stay at the same guesthouse in Dingboche, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Leaving Dingboche, we head towards the Chhukung valley. It is a small settlement in the Khumbu region around the Island peak that offers some magnificent views of snowcapped mountains in the region.
From there, we climb up to Chhukung Ri, a beautiful point that offers some amazing views of mountains in the Everest region. From the top of the Ri, we can admire some amazing views of Island Peak, Mt. Ama Dablam, Amphu Labsa, and many more. Later, we descend from the Ri to the Chhukung valley for the night.
Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in the Chhukung valley, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
It’s a big day today because we will cross one out of three high passes on this Everest three-pass trek. After breakfast, we start our day with a challenging walk along an icy path to cross Kong La Pass at 5535 meters.
We cross the pass, enjoying some classic views of Mt. Nuptse, Nuptse glacier, Pokalde peaks, etc. After crossing the pass, we climb up towards the Khumbu glacier until we arrive at Lobuche village to join the trail to Everest Base Camp.
Tonight, we will spend our time at a guesthouse in Lobuche, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Finally, the wait is over. We are into one of the most expected days of our entire trekking journey. After breakfast in Gorakshep, we walk towards the Everest Base Camp, the base camp of the world’s highest mountain. It is a moment of pride for anyone. We explore the area and witness the glory of the mountains that rise just before us.
Though Mt. Everest is hidden between Mt. Lhotse and Mt. Nuptse, the views of the other mountains are simply incredible. As we explore the base camp and capture the moment in photos, we return to Gorakshep for an overnight stay.
Tonight, we will spend our time at a guesthouse in Gorakshep, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Another most awaited day of our trekking journey. In the early morning, we wake up and hike to Kala Patthar. It is one of the renowned viewpoints in the Everest region of Nepal. It is popular for sunrise views and panoramic views of mountains in the Everest region, including the mighty Mt. Everest.
From there, we catch the golden rays of the sun falling over the glittering snow of Mt. Everest, along with other towering peaks in the range. After some quality time, we descend to Dzongla.
Tonight, spend your time at a guesthouse in Dzongla, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Get set for a tough yet rewarding day of our journey. Today, we start our day early with a three-hour walk toward Chola Pass.
As we are walking in a high-altitude region, the walking itself is an enormous task here. Even the path is quite terrifying, with dangerous passes and avalanches all around. Crossing Chola Pass is one of the challenging parts of the Everest three high passes trip. Sometimes rocks may fall from above, so we need to be careful.
As we climb up to the pass, we cross the pass at an elevation of 5420 meters and descend downhill along a slippery path full of rocks to Dragnak. We take around three hours from the Mountain Pass to reach the destination.
Tonight, spend your time at a guesthouse in Dragnak, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
After an energizing breakfast, we head along a rough trail towards the Gokyo valley. The trail is too challenging and unstable. Dragnak is not so far from Gokyo Lake, but walking along the glacier takes time.
One needs to be very careful while walking. In around three to four hours, we reach Gokyo valley, from where we can enjoy some of the heavenly beauty of the mountain lakes (Gokyo lakes) in the backdrop of the beautiful Himalayas.
Tonight, spend your time at a guesthouse in Gokyo, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Today is an acclimatization and rest day for your body. However, we climb the amazing Gokyo Ri and enjoy breathtaking views of the great peaks.
Gokyo Ri is one of the popular viewpoints in the Everest region of Nepal. It is at an elevation of 5360 meters and offers some stunning views of mountains like Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Cho-Oyu, and many other peaks.
The small mountain lakes of Gokyo look fantastic. The blue-colored lakes shine like emeralds in the beautiful snow. We descend to Dole for the night after taking in some spectacular views from the Ri.
Tonight, spend your time at a guesthouse in Dole, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
We set out early from Dole for the last mountain pass of our Everest High Passes Trek. With the amazing views of the mountains in sight, we walk past the final lake in the valley to climb up to the pass.
Upon arrival, we cross the Renjo La Pass at 5435 meters and descend to Marlung. The walk up to the pass is quite challenging along a rocky and slippery path. The walk down the trail is easy compared to other days. Be cautious with sloppy stepping.
Tonight, spend your time at a guesthouse in Marlung, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
From Marlung, we follow a trail that descends to the village of Thame. We walk past various Sherpa villages and forested areas until we reach the vibrant town of Namche. It’s a beautiful day to walk along easy terrain, enjoying the local people, their culture, and lifestyle.
Tonight, we will stay at a guesthouse in Namche, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
We begin our journey back to Lukla after taking in some breathtaking views of the mountains in Nepal's Everest region from Namche.
We descend via the same well-paved path along Jorsale, Monjo, and Phakding to Lukla. The lush forests and amazing mountainous terrain will keep us engaged throughout the trek.
Tonight, spend your night at a guesthouse in Lukla, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
In the morning, we took an early flight to Kathmandu. Upon your arrival in Kathmandu, we will drop you at your hotel in Kathmandu.
You have two options for the day—explore the streets and malls for shopping or visit some places that you want to explore but are not included on the trek.
Tonight, spend your time at a hotel in Kathmandu, breakfast included.
Lukla flights are uncertain sometimes and highly dependent on the weather on that day. Thus, we request that you have a buffer day for the alternatives.
If your flight is canceled or delayed, this day will be used in the mountains. By doing so, you won’t have to go through the hassle of changing your international flights.
Alternatively, if everything goes well, you can choose to enjoy and relax in Kathmandu. Use the day to try amazing local dishes, look for souvenirs, and get a spa or massage, or anything you prefer.
Overnight at the Hotel, breakfast included.
Today, the Everest high pass tour package with Heaven Himalaya ends. Our team will conduct farewells to be amazing travelers. You can either fly home from Kathmandu or continue your trip to some other destinations.
If you choose to stay, we will arrange for you the accommodations, transport, and others. If you choose to leave, we will drop you at the airport three hours before your scheduled flight.
We hope you had a great time with us.
Breakfast included.
