A quieter alternative to Everest Base Camp: up the Dudh Kosi valley to the turquoise Gokyo Lakes beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, and a dawn climb of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu.
A quieter alternative to Everest Base Camp: up the Dudh Kosi valley to the turquoise Gokyo Lakes beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, and a dawn climb of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu.
The Gokyo Lakes Trek shares the first days of the Everest trail, from Lukla through Phakding to Namche Bazaar, then turns north at Mong La into the Dudh Kosi valley. Here the trail is quieter, the settlements smaller, and the walking climbs steadily through Dole and Machhermo to Gokyo village on the shore of the third lake.
The Gokyo lakes are a chain of glacial lakes between about 4,700 and 5,000 m, protected as a Ramsar wetland since 2007. They sit alongside the Ngozumpa Glacier, a river of ice and rock that runs down from Cho Oyu. Gokyo Ri, the hill behind the village, gives one of the widest mountain views in Nepal, with Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu all in sight from the summit.
Our itinerary takes an acclimatisation day in Namche and keeps the climb from Dole to Machhermo deliberately short. We spend two nights in Gokyo, which gives you a full day for Gokyo Ri at dawn and a walk to the fourth lake, Thonak Tsho, if you feel strong.
Most walking days are four to seven hours on good trails, with one steep climb to Mong La and a few rocky sections near the glacier. Teahouses above Namche are simple and nights in Gokyo are cold, often well below freezing in late autumn. In spring and autumn the Lukla flights run from Ramechhap (Manthali) rather than Kathmandu, and we keep a contingency day at the end for weather delays.
No technical skills are needed, but you sleep at 4,790 m for two nights and climb to 5,357 m on Gokyo Ri, so the altitude is the main challenge. Walking days are four to seven hours, with a steep 500 m climb to Mong La and a long descent to Lukla at the end. It suits regular walkers who can manage back-to-back days of five or six hours on hilly ground. Train for two to three months beforehand with hill walks, stair climbing or running three or four times a week, finishing with weekends of consecutive long walks. Being fit does not protect you from altitude sickness, but it makes each day easier and helps you recover. Check with your doctor first if you have heart, lung or blood pressure conditions.
We meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport and drive you to your hotel. Your guide runs a briefing in the afternoon, checks your kit and confirms whether the Lukla flight leaves from Kathmandu or Ramechhap the next morning.
In peak season we drive from Kathmandu in the early hours to Ramechhap (Manthali) for the short flight to Lukla; at other times we fly straight from Kathmandu. From Lukla (2,860 m) the trail drops into the Dudh Kosi valley and follows the river past mani stones and small farms to Phakding.
We cross the Dudh Kosi several times on suspension bridges, enter Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo and climb from the Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar. On a clear day you get a first view of Everest from the forest partway up the hill.
We hike up to the Everest View Hotel (3,880 m) above Syangboche for views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam, then visit Khumjung village and its monastery before returning to Namche to sleep. The afternoon is free to explore the town.
Leaving the main Everest trail at Kyangjuma, we climb to the Mong La ridge (3,975 m), a viewpoint for Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kangtega. The trail then drops steeply to the river at Phortse Thanga and climbs through rhododendron and birch forest to the small settlement of Dole.
A short day to help acclimatisation. The trail climbs along the open hillside high above the Dudh Kosi, past the summer yak pastures of Lhabarma and Luza, with Cho Oyu coming into view at the head of the valley, and reaches Machhermo by lunchtime. The afternoon is for rest, or a short walk up the ridge above the village to help acclimatisation.
We climb past Pangka and onto the edge of the Ngozumpa Glacier, one of the longest in the Himalaya. The trail passes the first lake, Longponga, and the second, Taujung Tsho, before reaching Gokyo on the shore of Dudh Pokhari, the third lake, with Gokyo Ri rising behind the village.
We set off before dawn for the steep climb up Gokyo Ri (5,357 m), about two to three hours up from the village. From the top four 8,000 m peaks are in view: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu, above the grey rubble of the Ngozumpa Glacier and the turquoise lakes below. After breakfast, if you still have energy, we walk north along the valley to the fourth lake, Thonak Tsho.
We retrace the trail down the valley past Machhermo and Luza to Dole. It is mainly downhill, and with every hundred metres lost you sleep and eat better.
We descend through the forest to Phortse Thanga, climb back up to Mong La and follow the balcony trail via Kyangjuma and Sanasa to Namche Bazaar.
We drop to the Hillary Bridge, leave the national park at Monjo and follow the Dudh Kosi back through Phakding, finishing with a climb of about an hour to Lukla.
We fly out of Lukla in the morning, directly to Kathmandu or in peak season to Ramechhap with a drive back to Kathmandu, and transfer you to your hotel.
We hold this day in reserve in case weather delays the Lukla flights. If everything runs to time, spend it at Boudhanath, Pashupatinath or Patan.
We drive you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight home.
Permits we arrange: Sagarmatha National Park, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu fee
In the main spring and autumn seasons (roughly late March to May and late September to November) scheduled flights to Lukla leave from Ramechhap Airport in Manthali rather than Kathmandu, to ease congestion at Tribhuvan International Airport. Manthali is about 132 km from Kathmandu, a four to five hour drive, so on those dates we collect you from your hotel at around 1 to 2 am to make the early morning flight, which takes about 20 minutes. Outside those windows the flight usually leaves from Kathmandu domestic terminal and takes about 35 to 40 minutes. The return works the same way in reverse. Lukla flights are small twin-engine planes and fly only in clear morning weather, so delays of a day or more happen, especially in autumn cloud and spring haze. The baggage limit is usually 15 kg per person including hand luggage, so we store anything you do not need on the trek at your Kathmandu hotel.
The climb from Namche to Gokyo gains more than 1,300 m in three days, so we keep the Dole to Machhermo stage short and never skip the Namche rest day. Your guide checks your oxygen saturation and pulse each evening. Mild headache and poor sleep are normal; a worsening headache, vomiting, confusion or unsteadiness mean we descend.
You need the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, checked at Monjo, and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit, collected at Lukla. The Khumbu uses this local permit instead of a TIMS card. We arrange both. Nepal's 2023 rule requiring licensed guides is applied unevenly in the Khumbu, but all our departures are led by licensed guides.
Your policy must cover trekking up to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation. There is no road anywhere in the Gokyo valley, so a helicopter is the only quick way out in an emergency. Bring the policy number and the insurer's 24-hour emergency number.
The last ATMs are in Namche Bazaar and Lukla, and they are unreliable. Carry enough Nepali rupees from Kathmandu for snacks, drinks, hot showers, charging and tips. Teahouses in Dole, Machhermo and Gokyo charge to recharge devices, and the cold drains batteries quickly, so bring a power bank.
October and November bring the most stable weather. Snow can fall at Gokyo in any month, and in December to February the lakes freeze and some teahouses close. Do not walk on lake ice, and keep to the marked trail where it crosses the Ngozumpa moraine, as the glacier surface shifts.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Thermal base layers, top and bottom (two sets)
Merino or synthetic, not cotton
Fleece or light insulated mid layer
Down jacketWe provide
On loan from us; bring your own if you prefer
Waterproof and windproof shell jacket
Waterproof overtrousers
Trekking trousers (two pairs)
Quick-dry trekking shirts
Two or three
Warm hat and sun hat
Buff or neck gaiter
Useful against trail dust and cold morning air
Liner gloves and insulated waterproof gloves
Trekking socks (four pairs)
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots with ankle support
Camp shoes or sandals
For evenings in the teahouse
Sleeping bag rated to about -15 °CWe provide
On loan from us; a liner is recommended
Daypack of 25 to 35 litres with rain cover
Trekking polesRent locally
Easy to rent in Kathmandu or Namche
Head torch with spare batteries
Needed for early starts
Water bottles or bladder, 2 to 3 litres total
Insulated bottle helps at night
Water purification tablets or filter
Power bank
Charging costs extra and cold drains batteries
Category 3 or 4 sunglasses
Glare off snow and glacier is strong
Sunscreen SPF 50 and lip balm with SPF
Personal first-aid kit and any prescription medicines
Talk to your doctor about acetazolamide
Hand sanitiser and biodegradable wet wipes
Passport with at least six months' validity and spare passport photos
Travel insurance policy details covering helicopter rescue
Nepali rupees in cash for the trek
It is slightly lower and shorter. The highest point is Gokyo Ri at 5,357 m against 5,545 m on Kala Patthar, and the highest night is Gokyo at 4,790 m against 5,164 m at Gorak Shep. The climb from Namche to Gokyo is steep, though, so it is still graded challenging.
Yes. Gokyo Ri gives a full view of Everest above the Ngozumpa Glacier, together with Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. You also see Everest from the Everest View Hotel on the Namche acclimatisation day.
In the main spring and autumn seasons, scheduled Lukla flights leave from Ramechhap Airport in Manthali, four to five hours by road from Kathmandu. We include the private transfer, which leaves around 1 to 2 am. At other times flights usually depart from Kathmandu.
Yes, by crossing the Cho La pass (5,420 m) between Gokyo and Dzongla. That adds four to five days and needs good fitness and, after snowfall, microspikes. Our Everest Three Passes Trek covers both areas.
On the standard route you pass the first and second lakes on the way in and stay at the third, Dudh Pokhari, where Gokyo village stands. The fourth lake, Thonak Tsho, is a two to three hour return walk north of the village, and we include it on the Gokyo Ri day if the group feels strong. The fifth lake is further on and needs extra time.
October and November for clear skies, and March to May for warmer days and spring flowers lower down. Winter is very cold and the lakes freeze; the monsoon from June to September brings cloud and frequent Lukla flight cancellations.
Gokyo has several lodges with dining rooms facing the lake. Rooms are twin, unheated and simple, with shared toilets, though a few lodges have rooms with attached bathrooms. Dole and Machhermo have fewer, smaller lodges.
Gokyo Lakes Trek
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