Trek Nepal
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Gokyo Lake and the Ngozumpa Glacier

Everest (Khumbu)

Gokyo Lakes

The alternative to Everest Base Camp: the Dudh Koshi valley up to the Gokyo lakes and Gokyo Ri, with Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu.

  • Walking days 10–14 days
  • Highest point 5,645 m
  • Level Demanding
  • Permits 6,000 NPR (≈ €35)
  • Start Lukla
  • Guide not required

At a glance

From Namche Bazaar, you leave the base camp route via the Mong La ridge, then walk up the Dudh Koshi valley through Dole and Machhermo to the Gokyo lakes (4,790 m), beside the Ngozumpa glacier. At dawn, Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) offers one of the finest views in the Himalaya: four peaks over 8,000 m.

Less crowded than base camp, just as high, and with two great exits: over the Renjo La pass to Thame, or over the Cho La to join Everest Base Camp.

Highlights

  • The Gokyo Ri panorama: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu
  • The turquoise lakes and the Ngozumpa glacier, the longest in Nepal
  • Fewer people than on the base camp route
  • A possible loop via the Renjo La or the Cho La

Drawbacks

  • Fast ascent after Namche: don't skip the nights in Dole and Machhermo
  • Same reliance on Lukla flights as base camp
  • Cold nights in Gokyo, lodges heated only in the dining room

In pictures

Cairns on Gokyo Ri above the lake
Gokyo village on the lakeshore

Route

Out and back via Dole and Machhermo, or exit over the Renjo La (towards Thame) or the Cho La (towards Everest Base Camp).

10 daysof walking
5,357 mhighest point
94 kmD+ 4,880 m D− 4,840 m
Mong LaPhortse ThangaMachhermoLukla — 2,860 mPhakding — 2,610 mNamche Bazaar — 3,440 mDole — 4,040 mGokyo — 4,790 mEverest View Hotel — 3,880 mGokyo Ri — 5,357 mLukla — Start: Lukla · Finish: Lukla · Finish: Lukla (via the Renjo La) · Finish: Lukla (via the Cho La and base camp)LuklaEverest View Hotel 3,880 mGokyo Ri 5,357 mPhakdingNamche BazaarDoleGokyoCho Oyu 8,188Everest 8,849Lhotse 8,516Makalu 8,485Thamserku 6,623Mong LaPhortse ThangaMachhermoAirstrip — LuklaStart : LuklaStartMove to change your finishing pointFinishN
  • Airstrip
  • Chosen route
  • Other possible trails
  • Possible start or finish

Drag the “Start” and “Finish” labels to another served point, or tap a point. The “+” buttons add a side trip. Zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll wheel), then drag the map to move around.

How do I use it in a hiking app?

The file contains the route you chose on the map (start, finish, side trips), with altitude, and a marker for each night, pass and viewpoint.

  • Organic Maps or Maps.me (free, offline): download the Nepal map before you leave, then open the GPX file from your phone and choose the app.
  • OsmAnd: menu “My places” → “Tracks” → “Import”.
  • Komoot, Gaia GPS, Wikiloc, Garmin: use the app's or website's “Import a GPX file” feature.

With no signal, your phone's GPS still works: you can see your position on the track. The track is indicative: on the ground, waymarks and advice from the lodges come first.

Itinerary
  1. D 0Lukla2,860 m
  2. D 1Phakding2,610 m−250 m8 km140 m370 m
  3. D 2Namche Bazaar3,440 m+830 m9 km910 m120 m
  4. D 3Namche Bazaar via Everest View Hotel 3,880 m rest and acclimatisation3,440 m±0 m8 km490 m490 m
  5. D 4Dole via Mong La, Phortse Thanga4,040 m+600 m12 km1,060 m470 m
  6. D 5Machhermo4,470 m+430 m5 km390 m50 m
  7. D 6Gokyo4,790 m+320 m7 km360 m0 m
  8. D 7Gokyo via Gokyo Ri 5,357 m4,790 m±0 m4 km570 m560 m
  9. D 8Dole via Machhermo4,040 m−750 m12 km60 m740 m
  10. D 9Namche Bazaar via Phortse Thanga, Mong La3,440 m−600 m12 km480 m1,070 m
  11. D 10Lukla2,860 m−580 m17 km420 m970 m
Distances and elevation gain estimated from OpenStreetMap and a terrain model.
  • Lukla — Flight from Kathmandu or Ramechhap depending on the season, then Phakding and Namche Bazaar, where you spend an acclimatisation day.
  • Lukla — Return via Dole and Namche: the simplest option.

Elevation

above 3,000 m: climb slowly2,0003,0004,0005,0006,000D 0 · Lukla — 2,860 mLukla 2,860 mD 1 · Phakding — 2,610 mD 2 · Namche Bazaar — 3,440 mEverest View Hotel — 3,880 mEverest View Hotel 3,880 mD 3 · Namche Bazaar — 3,440 m (rest and acclimatisation)D 4 · Dole — 4,040 mD 5 · Machhermo — 4,470 mD 6 · Gokyo — 4,790 mGokyo Ri — 5,357 mGokyo Ri 5,357 mD 7 · Gokyo — 4,790 mD 8 · Dole — 4,040 mD 9 · Namche Bazaar — 3,440 mD 10 · Lukla — 2,860 mLukla 2,860 mD 12345678910
Altitude of each night, with the day's passes and viewpoints (red dots). Green dot: rest day.

Permits

The same as for Everest Base Camp: Sagarmatha National Park (Kathmandu or Monjo) and the Khumbu municipality tax (in Lukla or Monjo). No TIMS card.

National park

Sagarmatha National Park

3,000 NPR (≈ €17)

At the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu or at the park entrance in Monjo, in cash.

Local tax

Khumbu municipality permit

3,000 NPR (≈ €17)

Only on the spot, in Lukla (or in Monjo if you arrive on foot). Replaces the TIMS card in the Everest region.

See Permits.

Guide

Guide not required

The Khumbu municipality does not enforce the 2023 guide requirement: you can still walk here on your own (check in Lukla or Monjo before setting off).

A guide is still valuable for the passes: the route is hard to follow in bad weather, and there is a glacier on the Cho La. See Guide and porter.

A guide for this trek? The Guides Nepal directory lists guides, porters and agencies who know this trek, with their licence checked, the languages they speak and traveller reviews.

See guides for this trek

Transport

Getting to the start

Kathmandu or Ramechhap → Lukla

Duration 15 to 35 minPrice ~200 (Ramechhap) to 250 USD (≈ €225) (Kathmandu)

As for Everest Base Camp: in high season, some flights (sometimes all) leave from Ramechhap (Manthali), 4 to 5 hrs by road overnight; check the airport shown on your ticket. Morning flights only, frequent cancellations.

Getting back

Lukla → Kathmandu or Ramechhap

Duration 15 to 35 min

Same weather risks as on the way in: don't book your international flight for the next day.

When to go

J: PossibleF: PossibleM: PossibleA: IdealM: IdealJ: Not advisedJ: Not advisedA: Not advisedS: PossibleO: IdealN: IdealD: Possible

IdealPossibleNot advised

October–November and March–May. In winter, the lakes freeze and the passes are covered in snow.

Monsoon: peaks often hidden and Lukla flights heavily disrupted.

On the trail

AccommodationLodges at every stop, basic in Machhermo and Gokyo.
BudgetAbout 35 to 60 USD (≈ €31 to €54) a day excluding guide and flights.
MoneyLast ATMs in Namche.
Phone signalEverest Link wifi (prepaid cards) in Gokyo, Machhermo and Dragnag.

Good to know before you go

Altitude: from Namche (3,440 m) to Gokyo (4,790 m) in three days. Headache or nausea in Machhermo: don't go higher. See Altitude and safety.

What about the visa? A two-week trek plus a few days in Kathmandu and Pokhara quickly adds up to more than 15 days: get the 30-day visa. The calculator on our sister site Visa Nepal shows the cheapest length.

Which visa length?

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Preparing your trek

PermitsPrices, where to buy, documents needed, trek by trek.Guide and porterMandatory or not, region by region, and what it costs.TransportBuses, jeeps and flights to the start of each trek.Altitude and safetyAcclimatisation, altitude sickness, rescue, insurance.BudgetDaily costs, cash to bring, ATMs.FAQThe questions people ask before they go.