Nepal · Hiking

15-Day Gokyo Valley Trek from Kathmandu with Gokyo Ri and Lukla Flight

15 Days Round trip from Ring Rd Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Trek the scenic trails of beautiful Gokyo Valley and its emerald lakes
02 See the giant high peaks of Cho-Oyu and the adjoining mountains
03 Admire panoramic views of the world's four highest mountains at one glance from Gokyo Ri
04 Overlook scenic Gokyo Valley with Nepal's longest Ngozumba Glacier

Sign up for this traditional trekking tour in the Everest region to Gokyo Valley and enjoy a perfect blend of natural beauty, adventure, and diversity. Enjoy magnificent views of the tallest peak in the Himalayas, Everest, along with scores of other big and small Himalayan peaks, the largest glacier in the Nepalese Himalayas, a variety of flora and fauna, and uniquely cultured settlements in the region.

With its glacial lake and the surrounding high snow-capped mountains, Gokyo certainly makes this place one of the gems of the Khumbu region.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 15 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Kathmandu, Lukla, Namche Bazaar, Phakding, Dole, Machhermo, Gokyo, Sagarmatha National Park

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival in Kathmandu and Durbar Square Visit

Upon arrival, meet your tour representative at the international airport in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel.
After refreshments, go for a half-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu's Durbar Square.
In the evening, travel from your hotel for a cultural dinner.

Stay overnight at the hotel.

Day 02

Kathmandu Heritage Sightseeing

Tour the Buddhist and Hindu sights in Kathmandu, probably including Durbar Square, then visit "Swyambhunath," a holy site of Hinduism and Buddhism also known as "the monkey temple," as a large number of holy monkeys live in the north-west part of the temple.
Next, go to "Pashupatinath," a sacred Hindu temple situated on the bank of the Bagmati River.
Drive to "Boudhanath Stupa," one of the biggest and oldest stupas in the world.
Later in the afternoon, attend a pre-trip meeting with your trekking guide at your hotel to get a brief regarding the trek.

Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

Day 03

Fly to Lukla and Trek to Phakding

Transfer early in the morning to the airport for a 35-minute short but scenic flight to the Himalayan foothills, where you will begin your trek into the Everest region. The views from the plane are stunning, providing dramatic sights of terraced hills and the distant Himalayan giants.
After landing at Lukla airport, walk for 3 hours to the town of Phakding with a few ups and downs along the Dudh Koshi River.

Stay overnight at a tea house in Phakding.

Day 04

Trek to Namche Bazaar

Today after breakfast, continue trekking along the banks of the Dudh Koshi River. Cross this majestic river numerous times on exciting suspension bridges decorated with prayer flags.
After entering Sagamartha National Park, from Larja Dobhan, the trail climbs steeply with breathtaking views to Namche Bazaar, the gateway to the Everest region.

Stay overnight at a tea house in Namche Bazaar.

Day 05

Acclimatization Day in Namche Bazaar

Today is a rest and acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar. Namche is a colourful village with many wonderful and interesting shops and vendors, fabulous food, and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
Go for an early hike above town before the clouds move in to see a spectacular Himalayan sunrise and views of Mt Everest, Lhotse, and the beautiful Ama Dablam.
On your way down, visit the Sherpa Museum, which exhibits the traditional Sherpa lifestyle and a fabulous photography display by a local Nepalese naturalist.

Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 06

Trek to Phortse Tanga via Khumjung Hill

Climb Khumjung Hill and descend east of the village down the broad valley leading to the Dudh Koshi, from where the route turns to the north. There is a chorten on the ridge top at 3973 m, which descends from Khumbila (5761 m).
Visit Mohang, the birthplace of the re-incarnate Lama of Rongbuk Monastery of Tibet, who introduced Buddhism in the Khumbu region.

Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 07

Trek to Dole through Sherpa Summer Settlements

Start your day with a steep climb out of the valley through rhododendron forests. The trail passes through many Kharkas - the summer settlements used by Sherpas while bringing herds of yaks to graze. The route passes through the territories of Tongba (3950 m) and Gyele (3960 m).

Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 08

Trek from Dole to Machermo

From Dole, climb the trail steadily along the side of the valley. As the altitude increases, you will pass through many summer settlements used when yaks are taken to these pastures to graze in the summer months.
Arrive at Machermo (4410 m) after this short day trek.

Day 09

Trek to Gokyo via Ngozumpa Glacier

Climb a ridge beyond Machermo for an excellent view of Kantega and Cho-Oyu (8,153 m).
Descend to the river bank before beginning the climb up to the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier. It is a steep climb on the moraine. Afterwards, the trail levels out as it follows the valley past a second lake, known as Longponga, at 4,690 m, where you can find the Lama Footprints. Then ascend a boulder-strewn path to Gokyo at 4,750 m, on the edge of the third lake. Gokyo is a small settlement but is slowly growing, with about 6-8 lodges. With its glacial lake and the surrounding high snow-capped mountains, Gokyo certainly makes this place one of the gems of the Khumbu region.

Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 10

Gokyo Ri Sunrise and Fifth Lake Exploration

Today go to Gokyo Ri (5463 m/17923 ft) for a sunrise view.
Enjoy a chance to see the entire Mt Everest, Cho-Yu, the lake in the valley, and the biggest glacier, named Na-Jumpa Glacier.
Be back at the hotel for breakfast, and in the afternoon, you will have a chance to explore the fifth lake.

Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 11

Retrace to Dole via Machhermo

After a wonderful time, re-trace back to Dole via Machhermo.
Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 12

Return Trek to Namche Bazaar

Today, after breakfast, start on the same trail with a big descent till Phortse Tanga, then ascend to Mongla Dada, from where the trail goes slowly down to Namche.

Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 13

Retrace to Lukla

Today, re-trace back to Lukla with a few ups and downs.

Stay overnight at a tea house.

Day 14

Fly Back to Kathmandu

Transfer to the airport for a short but scenic flight back to Kathmandu.
Upon arrival, you will be picked up and transferred to the hotel by our airport representative.

Stay overnight at the hotel.

Day 15

Departure from Kathmandu

Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for departure.

Where this trip takes you

Gokyo Ri sunrise, Gokyo Lakes City, Ngozumpa Glacier

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Ring Rd 8 cities · 15 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

All airport pick-up and drop-off by private vehicle
Welcome dinner in an authentic restaurant
03-night twin/double sharing accommodation on BB in Kathmandu
Guided sightseeing tours in Kathmandu with a private vehicle
Kathmandu to Lukla to Kathmandu flight with airport departure tax
National Park entrance fee and Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS card)
A highly experienced, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, English-speaking, well-trained, government license holder guide with all salary, food, drinks, accommodation, transport, and insurance covered
Accommodation in the mountains during the trekking
Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus tea/coffee during the trekking
Safe drinking water and first aid kit box

What's Not Included

Travel Insurance

What to bring

Duffel/rucksack bag/suitcase (we provide one complimentary Trekking Planner duffel bag that is to be returned after the trip)
Day pack
Trekking shoes
Sports shoes or sandals
Sun hat/cap
Warm woolen cap
Warm fleece jacket or puffy jacket
Waterproof Gore-Tex layer
Pullover or warm sweater
Raincoat
4/5 pairs of good-quality socks
Hand gloves
2/3 pairs of trekking trousers
3/4 pairs of trekking shirts
3/4 pairs of underwear (non-cotton preferred)
Sunglasses
Water bottle
4-season sleeping bag (optional; we can provide one if you need it. It is to be returned after the trip)
Flashlight or torchlight
Camera and batteries

Know before you go

A trekker or walker who is able to hike normally 5-6 hours per day carrying a lightweight backpack will be fit enough to do this trekking. There are uneven stone steps up and down, and due to some long descents your legs may feel shaky, so we recommend the use of walking poles. The maximum altitude of the trek is 5545 m, so you need to be careful about your health and the altitude-related risks. To properly acclimatize, one needs to walk slowly and drink more water.
Generally, you can find bottled water at lower-altitude places, but it gets harder to find in higher-elevation places and becomes more expensive. At those higher altitudes, we recommend drinking previously boiled water, which tea houses sell for a small fee. You can also bring chlorine tablets to purify your water if you wish. Due to the lack of regulation on the disposal of plastic bottles, it is probably better to use boiled water, which is also very helpful for the protection of our environment.
Hydroelectricity or solar power sources are used to charge your electrical items like cameras, batteries, iPods, phones, etc. Tea houses or lodges may charge a small fee per hour for charging facilities. We recommend buying adapters before the trip since plugs are limited. In Nepal, 220-240 volt power is used, and sockets fit round and flat plugs.
During your trekking, you might come across some beautiful and sweet children and may want to distribute balloons, chocolates, money, and pens, as many trekkers have felt the same. But it is best not to do so because it encourages them to beg. During trekking, keep your valuables safe. Do not leave valuables behind. Ensure that you lock your door when you leave your room, and do not hang anything outside at night.
Use dustbins and do not throw anything into the fire. Carry your garbage where dustbin facilities are not available and help conserve the environment.
It mainly depends upon spending habits. Normally, you should allocate US$ 9-12 per meal in Kathmandu and Pokhara. On trekking, US$ 10-15 a day is good enough to buy drinks and chocolates.
You should be sufficiently protected and need to have travel insurance that covers emergency evacuation, lost items, liabilities, injuries, and medical treatment. Ensure the insurance covers all the activities in the Himalayas. Trekking Planner can offer the appropriate medical response based on your policy and insurance.
All the guesthouses offer hot showers, which can be in the bathroom or can be a bucket of hot water. Please note that at high altitudes there may not be enough hot water for all trekkers. Limit the use of hot water unless the water is solar heated or firewood is used, for ecological reasons. Every lodge has some kind of washing facility, but you must carry a bar of soap. If the water freezes, ask your guide to get a warm bowl of water. Toilets are mainly Asian squat style. Toilets are outside your room, and cleanliness varies. You should not throw toilet paper in the toilet hole; rather, you should use the rubbish bin kept inside the toilet.
On this trekking route, local people have built tea house lodges with food and beverage facilities. A simple room usually has two narrow beds. While staying in the tea houses, you will have the opportunity to interact with the charming local people and experience their hospitality.
Trekking Planner is a government-licensed trekking company in Nepal, as you can see from the photos of legal documents in the About Us section. Under the following terms and conditions, we accept your booking: we require a non-refundable deposit of 15% as a down payment in advance in order to book flight tickets, hotel bookings, TIMS cards, and permits. Booking must be done 5 days earlier, and the amount can be paid by bank transfer, Western Union, Money Gram, or credit card, with the balance payable upon your arrival in Nepal.
Trekking Planner's sleeping bag, down jackets, T-shirt, cap, duffle bags, city and trekking route maps can be provided if necessary.