Gokyo Ri Trek with View of Mount Everest

Kathmandu – it is very name is synonymous with adventure! From the moment your jet touches down at Tribhuvan International Airport in the midst of the Kathmandu Valley, you will be entering the adventure of a lifetime. It is here that you will be greeted by your representative of Himalayan Planet Adventures and taken quickly to your hotel to rest and check in. You will later meet your guide at the main office of Himalayan Planet Adventures before begin taken to a welcome dinner with traditional Nepali food and dancing. The cultural program will give you an exciting orientation to Nepal’s unique culture as you prepare for your journey into the Everest/Gokyo region.

It is early morning as we fly out of Kathmandu on our way to Lukla, the gateway to the Everest region. The trip only takes 35 minutes, but what a flight it is! Here we fly along the backbone of the eastern Himalayas, looking down at all of the mighty snow-capped peaks. It is literally one snowcapped peak after another, with Mt. Everest continuing to grow in the horizon. The flight ends way too soon for most people. We collect our backpacks at Lukla and begin a four-hour trek to the village of Phakding. It’s a bit up and down, with some high suspension bridges crossing the Dudh Kosi River. One of the today’s highlights is the triple snowcapped peak of Mt. Kusum Kanguru (elev. 6,369 m/20,890 ft.) Along the way, pass Mani walls, which are stones carved by the faithful Buddhists of the region. We get to Phakding with plenty of time to explore the village and to orientate yourself into this new cultural experience.

Namche Bazar is the capital of the lands of the Sherpa people! A district city, there are no roads that connect this village to anywhere in the world. You must walk here, just as locals and travelers have done for over a thousand years. The trail can be steep at times as we make our way uphill from Phakding. The trail is very scenic, passing through forests of pine and rhododendron with incredible views of Mt. Thamserku (elev. 6,608 m/21,675 ft.) Along the way, discover some incredible Himalayan waterfalls as you make your way across the Dudh Kosi River. We enter Sagarmatha National Park at the village of Monjo. From here, it’s uphill to Namche Bazar, the largest Sherpa community in the Khumbu region. Namche Bazar itself features colorful houses, along with good restaurants, bakeries, ATM machine and more. It’s an amazing little city nestled amongst the snow-capped peaks of the Everest region. Trekking time is around six hours today. We will spend the night at a good hotel in Namche Bazar.

We at Himalayan Planet Adventures take altitude sickness very seriously. Because we do, we spend a day adjusting to the high elevations of the Everest region at Namche Bazar. But it’s not a day to just sit around and do nothing. We stay active, allowing our bodies to adjust. Here we can visit the Sherpa Museum to better understand the amazing culture of these hardy people. If we are here on a Saturday, we can enjoy the weekly market day, which is very colorful with the Sherpa’s selling everything from local produce and baked goods to beautifully created handicrafts. If you choose, hike to the top of the hill to Everest View Hotel for an incredible view of Mt. Everest.

We wake up feeling well rested from breathing the pure mountain air here in Namche Bazar. After a delicious breakfast, we begin our trek to the village of Dole. It’s an amazing day for alpine scenery. From where we trek, we can see marvelous views of some of the highest peaks in the world, including Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and several others. We pass terraced farms of the Sherpas as well as passing through their villages. Our destination is the small village of Dole. It’s a small settlement with a few houses, but where can find a nice little guest house for the night. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours.

To reach Gokyo, you have to do some climbing and that is exactly what we are doing. We must cross the ridge in order to discover the beautiful Gokyo Valley. We are climbing today, working our way upwards. This is the land of the yeti, of which one was allegedly sighted here in 1974. Tonight, sleep well at our guest house, having spent the day seeing the incredible scenery of the eastern Himalayas. By the way, are yeti’s real? The Sherpa’s think so. And that strange cry in the middle of the night will have you wondering if the yeti stories are indeed true.

This region is home to some of the highest mountains in the world. In addition to Mt. Everest, this trek today offers magnificent views of Mt. Cho-Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world. Rising to an elevation of 8,188 m/26,864, its name is Tibetan for a turquoise goddess. It is a beautiful peak here on the westernmost point of the Khumbu region. Today we start to see the first of the sacred lakes of Gokyo. Here we will see three of the sacred lakes today, and our guest house in Gokyo is on the third of the sacred lakes. We reach here about noon, have lunch and then spend some time exploring around this incredible lake in the midst of the glaciers of the Gokyo region. Trekking time today is around four hours.

Gokyo Ri is a trekking peak which offers the finest view anywhere of Mt. Everest and its surrounding mountains. It’s an early morning hike as we get up to enjoy watching the sunrise over the Eastern Himalayas. Here the effulgent sun rises regally to open and govern the day. Mt. Everest comes to life in the early morning sunlight, standing forth radiantly in the bright rays. The other great peaks that surround Mt. Everest refuses to be outdone, and you will stand awe-struck by the magnificent beauty of these alpine regions. The day will be ideal for exploring additional sacred lakes that mirror the snowcapped peaks on its mirror-like surfaces. Of course, enjoy viewing the world’s largest glacier, Ngazumpa from various viewpoints. It’s a day unlike anything else as you explore the Gokyo region.

We start the return trip today, finding a different route back to Lukla. This one takes us to a place called a Mongla Hill. It’s a small place but has some good guesthouses. Today is around 7 hours of trekking, which leads us into forests of silver fir, pine, rhododendrons and even some magnolia trees. It’s a quiet day with the sounds of the birds in the trees and incredible wildflower blooming everywhere.

Trek today through small villages as we make our way to the little village of Jorsalle. It’s a long day, but with beautiful scenic views of the mountains. Trekking time is 7 – 8 hours.

We return to the region’s airport. It is another long day, taking between 7 – 8 hours to reach. The trail becomes busier as we meet up with others who have taken the route to Everest Base Camp. It’s interesting because those who trek to Everest Base Camp can’t see the summit of Mt. Everest from Base Camp. But we had the most incredible view of the giant mountain from the top of Gokyo-Ri! In the evening, we confirm our morning flight back to Kathmandu as we celebrate the end of a great trek.

Sometimes flights to Kathmandu are delayed or canceled because of bad weather at Lukla. Our experience at Himalayan Planet Adventures has taught us to be prepared, and we have built in an extra day into our schedule should such a problem arise. These are, after all, the Himalayas, and the mountain weather is always in charge. We try to book the earliest flights back to the capital city. Once we do arrive in Kathmandu, you will be taken to your hotel where you can enjoy the luxury of a hot bath and relax in comfort, knowing that you have conquered the Land of Gokyo!

It’s your day, so go and enjoy all that the Kathmandu Valley has to offer. We’ve built in the free day in case weather forces us a delay at Lukla. But normally, it’s no problem in returning on time. Enjoy seeing the UNESCO World Heritage sites, go shopping in a busy bazaar, or just relax. Whatever you feel up to doing, go for it! But in the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with your guide, porters and staff of Himalayan Planet Adventures where you can swap stories and celebrate your incredible Gokyo Trek experience.

Yes, it is time to leave. Or is it? You can always choose to extend your trip, or even discuss returning to Nepal and the mighty Himalayas. There is so much to see and do in Nepal and the surrounding countries. Now that you have a friend in the travel industry here in Nepal, be sure to talk to your representative at Himalayan Planet Adventures about new destinations to explore. Himalayan Planet Adventures are experts in not only Nepal but also Bhutan, India, Tibet, Bangladesh, Thailand and beyond. We know Asia, and we are more than happy to share all South Asia has to offer.