The Gokyo valley is a scenic mountain valley in the majestic Everest region. This unique trekking journey to Gokyo Valley takes you through the diverse foothills of the Himalayas. The trekking route of this trek deviates from the mainstream Everest Base Camp trek. This peaceful trek is less crowded and is thus suitable for a tranquil adventure.
Trekkers can observe spectacular natural vistas and traverse through fantastic Himalayan foothills. The trail of this Gokyo valley trek starts from Lukla where we arrive through a Himalayan flight from Kathmandu. Then, the trekkers trek through regular EBC routes passing through Phakding and Namche Bazar. After acclimatizing at Namche, the path deviates from the traditional EBC trek and leads you to Dole.
We will then trek past various village settlements before arriving at Machermo. After resting for a day, we will leave Machermo to arrive at Gokyo. The trail passes through the left path of Dudh Koshi River and crosses the famous Ngozumpa Glacier. Gokyo village (4750m) is a beautiful settlement where you can see many Yak herding.
After hiking to Gokyo Ri (5360m) and exploring around, you will trek back to Dole. Finally, you will retrace back and return to Namche and Lukla. After an incredible trekking journey, you will fly back to Kathmandu. This fantastic trek takes you through the unbeaten, untraced paths. The Gokyo Lakes are a freshwater group of lakes and a sacred site for locals.
Other glaciers, glacial rivers, and small lakes enchant travelers during their journey. This trek also provides trekkers with an opportunity for cultural exploration. Rural monasteries, chortens, gompas, village settlements are present during these trails. Your trekking guide will help you to interact with locals and work as a translator.
We provide this outstanding trek package at an ideal cost. This article provides you with the Gokyo valley trek itinerary, best time, difficulty level, and others in detail.
Highlights of this Trek
- Trekking in the beautiful landscapes of the Gokyo Valley
- Observing the Himalayas and sunrises/sunsets from various viewpoints
- Excursion around Gokyo lakes and its surrounding village settlement
- Visiting various landmarks of Namche Bazaar, including Sherpa museum
- Exploring cultural landscapes, traditional lifestyle, and heritage of the local community
- Endangered wildlife exploration of the region
- Hiking to Gokyo Ri summit and observing majestic views
- Incredible hospitality of local Sherpa people
Gokyo Valley Trek Altitude Chart
Itinerary
Maximum altitude: Kathmandu (1400m)
After you arrive in Kathmandu on an international flight, we will take you to the hotel. Our staff will transfer you to a hotel in a private vehicle. You will get proper welcome reception from the hotel staff. Then, you will get briefed about this Gokyo valley trek itinerary in detail.
You can also explore the beautiful landmarks of this city, including temples, palaces, alleyways, etc., before returning to your hotel. Moreover, you can also rest in the hotel and prepare for your trek.
Maximum altitude: Phakding (2610 m)
Flight hours: 35-40 minutes
Walking duration: 3-4 hrs
We will start our journey on this day with a mountain flight that takes you above beautiful landscapes to Lukla. The incredible flight provides you with stunning views of the Himalayas. It takes around 40-45 minutes to complete this flight.
After arriving at Lukla, we will rest for some time before trekking to Phakding. You will pass through various Sherpa settlements of the region before arriving at your destination. The trails on the foothills of the Himalayas will enchant you along this trail. It is a short duration trek that only takes around 3-4 hrs. After arriving at Phakding, you can stay in a local teahouse or a guesthouse.
Maximum altitude: Namche Bazaar (3500m)
Walking duration: 6-7 Hours
The trail to arrive at Namche from Phakding passes through outstanding landscapes. This incredible section of the trek takes you to Namche Bazaar passing alongside the Dudh Koshi River. There are rhododendron, juniper, and forested magnolia trails that will lead you to your destination.
Trekkers will get their permits at the Sagarmatha National Park checkpoint at Monjo. You can observe beautiful snow-capped mountain views from various viewpoints along these trails, including Mt Everest (8848 m). We will then cross the beautiful Dudh Koshi River through wooden bridges.
There are other suspension bridges that you need to cross to arrive at Namche Bazaar. After an excursion to these places for some time, we will come back to our tea house and rest for a night.
On this day, you will rest and acclimatize at Namche Bazaar. Various landmarks in this region provide trekkers with ideal acclimatization points. Everest View hotel is a perfect viewpoint to observe the stunning snow-capped mountains. This highest placed hotel provides you with a spectacular 360-degree panorama view of the Mahalangur Himalayas. Namche has a vibrant atmosphere full of tourists and travelers arriving for their trekking journey.
Besides that, there is a significant Sherpa Museum in Namche. The museum remains dedicated to the traditional lifestyle of the Sherpa community. If you want, you can go hiking to Khunde and Khumjung near Namche. It is a hilltop with incredible views of the entire mountain vista of the region. There is a Syangboche airstrip that probably provides the best view of the region.
These hiking destinations are of short duration ranging 1-2 hours. Staying idle on acclimatization days is not recommended. Hence, covering some distance and hiking short hills is essential to keep your body fit. It helps you to tackle altitude sickness along these trails. After exploring, we will return to rest in the Namche guesthouse and prepare for our trek the next day.
Maximum altitude: Dole (4038m)
Walking duration: 6-7 Hours
After breakfast in the teahouse, we will start our trek to Dole from Namche. This section passes through the side of Dudh Koshi River. It then climbs uphill, ascending on a colorful trail with Buddhist landmarks. The track then arrives at Dole after a few hours’ treks, providing outstanding views of mountains. You can explore several Sherpa settlements and rural monasteries along these trails. We will rest at Dole teahouse.
Maximum altitude: Machhermo (4470m)
Walking duration: 5-6 Hours
The Dole to Machhermo trail is our next route in this trekking journey. There are beautiful snow-capped mountain views of lesser-known peaks like Cholatse (6335m), Taboche (6367m), and Cho Oyu (8188m) in this section of the trek. You will climb alongside the Dudh Koshi River and pass various village settlements. We will finally arrive at Machhermo after a hike of a few hours. Then, we will rest and prepare for our next day trek at Machhermo teahouse.
Maximum altitude: Gokyo (4750m)
Walking duration: 4-5 Hours
The trail from Machermo to Gokyo has unique landscapes. You will start your trek climbing gradually on the banks of serene rivers like Dudh Koshi. You will pass through multiple settlements of locals and monasteries to reach Gokyo Lakes. The trail then leads you through Ngozumpa Glacier moraines to reach the second Gokyo lake. There is a third Gokyo lake a few meters away. Moreover, you can find a beautiful Sherpa village in the surrounding of the Gokyo lake. We will end our day in Gokyo.
Maximum altitude: Gokyo Ri (5357m)
Walking duration: 2-3 Hours
You will wake up early in the morning as it is your excursion and acclimatization day. You will explore these beautiful lake areas in Gokyo. You can also take a short day hike to Gokyo Ri (5357m) trekking peak. From the summit of this incredible trekking peak, you can observe Everest (8848 m), Cho Oyu (8188m), and other mountains. The Gokyo Valley looks unbelievably awe-inspiring from the summit.
Gokyo lakes, Ngozumpa glaciers, and other landmarks are also observable from Gokyo Ri. After exploring further and capturing memories in your camera, you will return to Gokyo village. You can also interact with the locals with the help of your guide. You will rest and prepare for this trek at Gokyo.
Maximum altitude: Gokyo (4750m)
Walking duration: 4-5 Hours
An early morning rise will provide you with an opportunity to observe the scenic sunrise. We trek through the stunning geographical landscapes of the valley. You will pass through the Gokyo Lakes, passing through Phangan and Machhermo village settlements to arrive in Dole.
Taboche (6367m) and Cholatse (6335m) are the two mountain peaks you can observe in this trek route. Finally, we will arrive at Dole after a trek of a few hours. We will then explore, interact with locals and rest in local accommodation.
Maximum altitude: Dole (4038m)
Walking duration: 5-6 Hours
We will leave Dole early in the morning to start our trekking adventure on this day. There are various forested trails and village settlements that you need to pass to arrive at Namche Bazaar. You will first descend to the village of Sanasa, passing them through Phortse Thanga and Mong to arrive at Namche.
You will also pass through small monasteries to reach Namche Bazaar. There are various scenic points and places to visit in Namche. After exploring these villages, we will spend the night at a teahouse and prepare for the final day of the trek.
Maximum altitude: Namche Bazaar (3500m)
Walking duration: 7-8 Hours
You will start your trek on this day by following the Dudh Koshi River trails from Namche Bazaar to Lukla. The tracks of this trek then pass through forested trails with rhododendron trees and other ancient settlements.
Many local Sherpa villages, Mani walls, and Buddhist monasteries are present along this trail. After arriving at Lukla, you can rest for the evening and interact with locals. Our trekking journey comes to an end in Lukla.
Maximum altitude: Lukla (2860m)
Flight duration: 35-40 minutes
You will finally take the mountain flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. We can observe various landscapes, including slow-clad mountains, for the last time on this journey. You will then have the option to tour around various local landmarks of Kathmandu valley or rest in your hotel.
You will get transferred to Tribhuvan International Airport with the help of our representative staff. You can then proceed to your home or your next destination.
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