13-Day Gokyo Lakes Trek in Nepal with Gokyo Ri and Helicopter Return

1

Day 01

Arrival in Kathmandu and Welcome Dinner

• We will pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel.
• In the evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner with the team.

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Day 02

Kathmandu Heritage Tour and Trek Preparation

• We visit Boudhanath, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu, Pashupatinath, and Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple.
• After the tour, we have a team dinner and prepare for an early morning flight to Lukla.

3

Day 03

Flight to Lukla and Trek to Phakding

• We will take a 30-minute flight to Lukla early in the morning, during which you will get your first glimpse of the mountains. Porters will be introduced at the airport.
• Then, after breakfast, we will trek towards Phakding through the Dudh Kosi Valley, crossing a few local-style suspension bridges.
• Admire the mountains and the green valley, colourful prayer flags, and stacks of Mani stones on the way.
• After this 2-3 hour trek, you will have the rest of the day to explore the village in Phakding.

4

Day 04

Trek to Namche Bazaar via Sagarmatha National Park

• Head towards Namche Bazaar. After a short, leisurely hike across several suspension bridges, we will climb up to the Sagarmatha National Park entrance, where permits will be checked.
• Then we will climb for 2-3 hours to Namche. There will be two viewing spots where you will get your first look at Mount Everest.

5

Day 05

Acclimatization Hike Above Namche Bazaar

• 'Climb high, sleep low' is the motto to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness. Most trekkers show the first sign of AMS in or near Namche. Therefore, the day will be spent hiking up and coming back for the night to acclimatize.
• Ascend to Syangboche airstrip and then to Khunde village, passing several chortens. In a monastery lies the purported Yeti Scalp.
• Climbing up further to Everest View Hotel, you will enjoy a 360-degree view of the amazing peaks, including Mount Everest.
• Then, we will go back to Namche Bazaar.

6

Day 06

Trek from Namche Bazaar to Dole

• Walk to Dole via an easy path to Sangnasha.
• Climb uphill until Mong La, where we have lunch. After lunch, it is downhill to Porsche Tanga. A pleasant walk through some forest then brings us to Dole, where we stop for the night.

7

Day 07

Trek to Machhermo with Cho Oyu Views

• Today we head to Machhermo, following a quite easy grassy path. You are provided with views of Cho Oyu (8200m) as we climb gradually, moving up the river valley, passing Lhabarma and Luza to reach our destination of Machhermo.

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Day 08

Trek to Gokyo Lake via Ngozumpa Glacier

• Begin by hiking past Sherpa villages along a steep ridgeline and passing some chortens, or stupas, before reaching a stone staircase that will take us to the moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier. It's here that the Gokyo Lakes are found, between the glacial moraine and the face of Cho Oyu, the world's sixth-highest mountain. The first of their number is Longponga Tso, whose waters are surrounded by low brown hills and ringed with small boulders where pilgrims and travellers have erected a number of little stone cairns.
• Continuing on, we'll approach the second lake, Taujung Tso, which is only a short distance away but is even more picturesque against a backdrop of snow-dusted peaks.
• From here, our path leads on through the stark, rock-strewn landscape of the glacial moraine for about half an hour before arriving at Gokyo itself. This village is truly a wonder out of time: with its stunning location clustered on the shores of Gokyo Tso, its herds of yaks, and its comfortable stone-built houses, it's sure to rank high on your own personal list of Everest trekking highlights. Gokyo is situated at a staggering 4,750 meters above sea level, and we'll spend the rest of the day enjoying the marvels of its high-altitude scenery before spending the night at one of the town's teahouses.

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Day 09

Exploration Day Around Gokyo Lakes

• Get to spend a full day exploring the area around Gokyo Lakes.
• Rest for the remaining day.

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Day 10

Climb Gokyo Ri and Return to Machhermo

• After an early morning breakfast, we'll shoulder our packs and begin the ascent to Gokyo Ri, where we'll earn the most spectacular views on the entire Everest Gokyo Lake Trek. Gokyo Ri is a nearby summit situated at 5,360 meters, which we should be able to reach in just about two hours of strenuous climbing.
• As we ascend, the trail offers fantastic views of the Ngozumpa Glacier and surrounding mountains - but the real star of the show is the panoramic mountain view from the summit itself. We'll bear witness to the unforgettable natural spectacle of a contiguous wall of snow-laden Himalayan peaks: Everest, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Cholatse, and Taboche, among others. Alpine views don't get much better than this, and we'll spend plenty of time photographing the scene and enjoying the lonely beauty of these austere, frozen mountains.
• When we're ready to move on, we'll retrace our steps to Gokyo and retrieve any gear that we've left in town.
• Then we'll begin the return trek to Machhermo, passing the alluring Gokyo Lakes once more before arriving at our guesthouse and spending another night in Machhermo.

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Day 11

Helicopter Charter to Lukla

• In the morning, take a helicopter charter to Lukla; if possible, we will take a flight to Kathmandu the same day.

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Day 12

Flight to Kathmandu and Free Day

• Take the flight to Kathmandu and enjoy a free day.

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Day 13

Departure from Kathmandu

• Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for the return flight.