Trek Nepal
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Everest from the Renjo La pass

Everest (Khumbu)

Three Passes Trek

A demanding loop that links the whole Khumbu: Chhukung, Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar, the Gokyo lakes and the Thame valley.

  • Walking days 17 days
  • Highest point 5,645 m
  • Level Very demanding
  • Permits 6,000 NPR (≈ €35)
  • Start Lukla
  • Guide not required

At a glance

The most complete loop in the Everest region, in the usual direction: Namche, Tengboche and Dingboche, then the Kongma La (5,535 m) to Lobuche, base camp and Kala Patthar, the Cho La (5,420 m) to Gokyo, and finally the Renjo La (5,360 m) to Thame.

About 17 days of walking from Lukla, for trekkers already used to altitude: the passes are long, with no lodge between valleys, and the Cho La crosses a glacier.

Highlights

  • Three passes above 5,300 m, plus Kala Patthar
  • Everest Base Camp and the Gokyo lakes in a single trek
  • Acclimatisation happens naturally before the first pass
  • The quiet Thame valley on the way back

Drawbacks

  • Long pass days (up to 9–10 hrs on the Kongma La), with no lodge or water between Chhukung and Lobuche
  • The Cho La: glacier and a very steep descent; light crampons recommended
  • Very basic lodges at Dzongla, Dragnag and Lungden

In pictures

Aerial view of the Ngozumpa Glacier and the Gokyo Lakes

Route

Anticlockwise loop from Lukla: Kongma La, base camp, Cho La, Gokyo, Renjo La.

17 daysof walking
5,645 mhighest point
152 kmD+ 8,470 m D− 8,440 m
LuklaStart and finish
MarlungLukla — 2,860 mPhakding — 2,610 mNamche Bazaar — 3,440 mTengboche — 3,860 mDingboche — 4,410 mChhukung — 4,730 mLobuche — 4,940 mGorak Shep — 5,164 mDzongla — 4,830 mDragnag — 4,700 mGokyo — 4,790 mLungden — 4,380 mThame — 3,800 mEverest View Hotel — 3,880 mNangkartshang — 5,083 mKongma La — 5,535 mEverest Base Camp — 5,364 mKala Patthar — 5,645 mCho La — 5,420 mGokyo Ri — 5,357 mRenjo La — 5,360 mLukla — Start: Lukla · Finish: LuklaLuklaEverest View Hotel 3,880 mNangkartshang 5,083 mKongma La 5,535 mEverest Base Camp 5,364 mKala Patthar 5,645 mCho La 5,420 mGokyo Ri 5,357 mRenjo La 5,360 mPhakdingNamche BazaarTengbocheDingbocheChhukungGorak ShepDzonglaDragnagGokyoLungdenThameEverest 8,849Ama Dablam 6,812Cho Oyu 8,188Pumori 7,161MarlungAirstrip — LuklaStart : LuklaStartFinish : LuklaFinishN
  • 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 4Tengboche3,860 m+420 m9 km880 m470 m
  6. D 5Dingboche4,410 m+550 m12 km710 m210 m
  7. D 6Dingboche via Nangkartshang 5,083 m rest and acclimatisation4,410 m±0 m3 km620 m620 m
  8. D 7Chhukung4,730 m+320 m4 km350 m0 m
  9. D 8Lobuche via Kongma La 5,535 m4,940 m+210 m10 km750 m550 m
  10. D 9Gorak Shep via Everest Base Camp 5,364 m5,164 m+224 m11 km360 m120 m
  11. D 10Dzongla via Kala Patthar 5,645 m via Lobuche4,830 m−334 m14 km870 m1,240 m
  12. D 11Dragnag via Cho La 5,420 m4,700 m−130 m9 km550 m700 m
  13. D 12Gokyo4,790 m+90 m4 km80 m0 m
  14. D 13Gokyo via Gokyo Ri 5,357 m4,790 m±0 m4 km570 m560 m
  15. D 14Lungden via Renjo La 5,360 m4,380 m−410 m11 km590 m970 m
  16. D 15Thame via Marlung3,800 m−580 m9 km0 m540 m
  17. D 16Namche Bazaar3,440 m−360 m9 km180 m510 m
  18. D 17Lukla2,860 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.
  • Lukla — Return via Thame and Namche.

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 · Tengboche — 3,860 mD 5 · Dingboche — 4,410 mNangkartshang — 5,083 mNangkartshang 5,083 mD 6 · Dingboche — 4,410 m (rest and acclimatisation)D 7 · Chhukung — 4,730 mKongma La — 5,535 mKongma La 5,535 mD 8 · Lobuche — 4,940 mEverest Base Camp — 5,364 mEverest Base Camp 5,364 mD 9 · Gorak Shep — 5,164 mKala Patthar — 5,645 mKala Patthar 5,645 mD 10 · Dzongla — 4,830 mCho La — 5,420 mCho La 5,420 mD 11 · Dragnag — 4,700 mD 12 · Gokyo — 4,790 mGokyo Ri — 5,357 mGokyo Ri 5,357 mD 13 · Gokyo — 4,790 mRenjo La — 5,360 mRenjo La 5,360 mD 14 · Lungden — 4,380 mD 15 · Thame — 3,800 mD 16 · Namche Bazaar — 3,440 mD 17 · Lukla — 2,860 mLukla 2,860 m24681012141617
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 fee (at 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 apply the 2023 mandatory guide rule: you can still trek solo here (check at Lukla or Monjo before setting off).

A guide is still valuable on 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 of them) leave from Ramechhap (Manthali), a 4–5 hr night drive away; 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: Not advised

IdealPossibleNot advised

Mid-October to mid-November and April–May: the passes are usually clear.

December to February, snow and ice make the passes dangerous; during the monsoon, cloud and cancelled flights.

On the trail

AccommodationLodges at every stage, very basic at Dzongla, Dragnag and Lungden.
BudgetAbout 35 to 60 USD (≈ €31 to €54) a day, excluding guide and flights.
MoneyLast ATMs in Namche.
ConnectivityEverest Link wifi (prepaid cards) in most villages; nothing on the passes.

Good to know before you go

The passes: start before dawn, carry 1.5 to 2 L of water, and turn back if the weather turns. The Cho La needs light crampons (rental in Namche). 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.