Trekking Venue Nepal P. Ltd || Gokyo Valley Trek

Trip Overview

Gokyo Valley is an exquisite and eminent high altitude location which is spaced in the Khumbu/Everest Region. This place is an abode to the highest freshwater lake system in the world and a quintessential spot for locating a few of the highest mountain peaks in the world.

This the valley comprises of about 19 lakes, both big and small. These freshwater lakes are seated in the lap of Himalayas, their altitudes varying from 4,700m to 5,000m. These pristine lakes easily captivate the attention of visitors with their turquoise-colored appearance and the enchanting views of snow-capped mountains that surround them. Out of those 19 lakes, 6 hold significant importance as they are comparatively larger and deeper.

As Gokyo valley offers tourists with the serenity of nature, the enormity of the mighty Himalayas, and a sneak into the local culture and tradition of Sherpa people, Gokyo valley trek is very popular among tourists who wish to explore the Khumbu region. Many other routes will allow you to explore more destinations in the Khumbu Region and also add to your challenges. But, for anyone who wants a moderately challenging trek in and wills to avoid the crowd of people in the Everest Base Camp region, this trek is perfect.

During your Gokyo Valley Trek, you will be able to behold jaw-dropping views of mountain peaks like Mt. Everest (8,848m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), Lhotse (8,516m), Makalu (8,485m), and many more. The extreme view of the huge ice ridge located between Cho Oyu and Gyachung is another highlight of the trek. An awe-inspiring view of the Ngozumpa glacier-the longest glacier in the Himalayas will add to the list of things you will rejoice later in your life. This trek will also help you explore some wildlife species in the region. Musk deer, colorful pheasant, mountain goats, Monal, Danfe, etc., are the list of few animals and birds that can be expected to be spotted quite often. If luck is on your side, you can expect to spot Red Panda and snow leopard which are two of the rare species in Nepal.

The best seasons for trekking this route would be Spring (March-May) and Autumn (September-November). During the spring season, you would discover much more of greenery all around and the temperature is also warmer in comparison to autumn. Moreover, if you do your trek in April, you can also enjoy the Dumje festival and Mani Rimdu dance which is performed in the monasteries of the Sherpa people. However, you can expect drizzle in late May due to pre-monsoon activities, but that might not really affect your trip. If you trek during autumn, the weather condition is very much favorable for views and scenic activities.

The trip duration is of 13 days that includes only 9 days of real trekking. The difficulty of this trek is moderate; therefore anyone with an average fitness level can attempt this trek. However, you cannot ignore the chances of getting high altitude sickness our trip will take us as high as 5,000+ meters.

Itenerary

Day 01 Airport pickup and hotel transfer

Our Representative will be waiting for you at the airport and welcome you in our typical Nepali culture. You will be quickly arriving at the hotel afterward where you can expect luxurious accommodation. There will be a welcome dinner tonight and afterward a proper sleep which is much needed after the long trip from home.

Day 02 Rest and Tour Day at Kathmandu

Today we will discuss our trekking and make necessary preparations and we take a quick city tour of Kathmandu as well. After all the briefings regarding the trek and acquainting necessary permits, we will arrange a short trip to a few UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city such as Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambunath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa and so on. A quick stroll in the streets of Kathmandu and last minute gear shopping is a perfect thing to do in the evening.

Day 03 Flight to Lukla (2,800m) and trek to Phakding (2,850m)

The early morning 30 minutes flight to Lukla is definitely going to give you some Adrenaline rush. A quick tip: Try to sit in the right-hand side seat of the aircraft for mesmerizing views during the final approach to the airport. After landing, the trek begins where you follow Dudhkoshi River valley, cross Tharo Koshi River through a suspension bridge and make a final climb towards Phakding. We will walk about 5 hours today before arriving Phakding and stay overnight.

Day 04 Trek to Namche (3,440m)

On our fourth day of the trip, today, we will walk about 5 hours, starting by following the same Dudh Koshi River. The first interesting destination of today would be Zamputhi where you will get a mesmerizing glance of Thamserku Peak. Another interesting destination will be Chomoa, which is the site of an agricultural project. This location will offer you an insight into the farming style of the people in this region. On walking further uphill, we will enter Sagarmatha National Park and we continue to finally reach Namche Bazaar. On our trip today we cross a suspension bridge that falls in 123rd position in the list of world’s tallest bridge. We stay overnight in Namche.

Day 05 Acclimatization Day

In the morning we make an acclimatization hike to Everest view hotel and during the afternoon we explore the local market of Namche Bazaar. There are a lot of things that Namche offers and a single day can be short enough for you to enjoy everything. For a short day of refreshment, you can go for a movie or to a bar for refreshment. There are also a few popular coffee shops in the area. And of course, if you want to have a refreshing massage before you really start climbing; Namche can be the perfect point to do it. Or, we have another choice of doing a quick hike to Syanboche, where you can get your first close-up of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Amadablam and Thamserku.

Day 06 Trek to Phorse village (3,810m)

After a proper day of acclimatization, we begin our climb uphill towards Phorse village. We will walk 5-6 hours to reach our destination. On the way, you will get a sneak peek to beautiful mountain tops of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Amadablam, Nuptse, and others. The trail is rocky paths and there are chances of spotting musk deer, Danphe, and Himalayan Thar during our walk. The uphill climb steadily takes us up to the Mongla pass (3,975m) from where Mt. Khumbila shows up. Khumbila is known as the god of Khumbu, therefore Mt. Khumbila is considered as a sacred mountain and is not expedited. After walking further we finally reach Phorse village which is situated just under the snow-dusted peaks of Tawoche and Cholaste. We stay overnight at Phorse.

Day 07 Trek to Machhermo (4,470m)

We eat our breakfast early and start walking. The trail passes through the forests and leads us to various placid waterfalls and suspension bridges. And we reach the village of Dole, this is the location where we will stay overnight in the returning leg of our trip. We ascend the track where the magnificent views of Cho Oyu, Thamserku continuously escort us. We pass through the small settlement of Luza(4,360m) and continue walking along the Dudh Koshi river. After hiking for almost 6 hours we arrive at Machhermo, which is the last settlement before Gokyo. You can also get a view of Mt. Machhermo from here. This place is also famous for the sighting of yeti back in 1974. We stay overnight in Machhermo.

Day 08 Trek to Gokyo (4,800m)

After a week of our trip, the day comes when you will reach Gokyo. So, we start walking early in the morning. Our path climbs through a ridge Chorten and offers a spectacular view of the valley along with the snow-capped mountains of Mt. Kangtega and Mt. Thamserku. After crossing the Chorten ridge, the valley widens and we arrive at the village of Phangka(4,480m). We continue walking steady and we climb to the terminal moraine to climb the Ngozumpa Glacier. The serene turquoise lake of Taboche Tosho welcomes us after few hours. Rejoicing the beauty of the place we continue further and cross another lake finally reaching Gokyo village that is situated just after the third lake. We stay overnight in Gokyo.

Day 09 Trek to Gokyo Ri and fifth lakes (5,357m)

Gokyo Valley itself is not the final destination of our trek. Today we make a further hike of about 6 hours to climb Gokyo Ri and further up to the fifth lakes. Today we will reach the highest altitude of our entire trip: Gokyo Ri (5,357m). Gokyo Ri is a famous viewpoint in this region because it offers a stupendous view of the Majestic Everest from a different perspective. We can also see other surrounding mountain peaks in the area. We climb further up to the fifth lakes and the main attraction of this place is the overwhelming view of the Cho-Oyu Base Camp and the Ngozumpa glacier we get from here. We then descend back to Gokyo and stay overnight there.

Day 10 Trek back to Dole (4,200m)

From the 10th day of our trip, we now start backtracking. Trekking from Gokyo to Dole is not a long trip; it takes only 4 hours or so. The trail we follow today is a gradual downhill moving along the banks of the Dudh Koshi River; the river that originates from the Ngozumpa Glacier. There is nothing new that you see in this trail as you just hiked it a few days back. Beholding various springs and waterfalls and leaving majestic mountain peaks behind we continue climbing down and reach Dole.

Day 11 Trek back to Namche (3,440m)

We will be meeting with a lot of Sherpa people and settlements on the way. We will be learning the cultures and rituals of the Sherpa people as we observe them while descending. Since we are returning, quick souvenirs shopping in the evening at Namche would be a good idea. This will help you recall your memories from the trek. We will be walking with a view of alpine forests and rhododendron

Day 12 Trek back to Lukla (2,800m)

By now, we would have collected awesome memories to rejoice. The final walk of the trip is steeply descending. We will be crossing the suspension bridge over the pristine Dudh Koshi River and its tributaries. After about 8hours of a long but comfortable walk, we reach our destination. With a heart full of reminiscences we descend back to Lukla where our flight to Kathmandu would be waiting for us.

Day 13 Fly back to Kathmandu

Usually, the flights to and from are completed in the early morning because of the unpredictable weather patterns in the afternoon. So we can expect to be in our hotel in Kathmandu by early afternoon.

Map

Videos

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What is Included?

For both international and domestic flights: Airport transfer.
Luxurious hotel accommodations in Kathmandu
Variety of meal choices during the trek.
Boiled water during the trek.
Luxurious accommodation at the teahouse in the trek route.
Welcome and farewell dinner with cultural program.
All necessary permits.
Supplementary oxygen cylinders.

What is Excluded?

Nepal entry Visa fees.
Travel Insurance
International Airfare
All Drinks and main meals in cities.
Tips
Any items of personal use like beverage drinks, telephone, etc.

Trip Info

Explore Gokyo Ri which gives you a different perspective of Mt. Everest view.
Astounding views of peaks above 8,000 metres in addition to Mt. Everst.
Mesmerizing view of mountains like Amadablam, Lhotse Cho Oye, Kanchenjunga, etc.
Explore the exquisite ice ridge between Cho Oyu and Gyachhung.
Exploring the turquoise-colored Gokyo Lakes inside the Gokyo valley.
Hike further up to the fifth lakes from Gokyo Ri.
Exploring Ngozumpa Glacier.
Discovering different Khumbu icefalls while you trek.
Experience the warmth of Sherpa hospitality and cultures.
Explore wildlife such as Musk Deer, Red Panda, Snow leopard, and many more.
Once in a lifetime experience flight to Lukla.

Equipment Checklist

RECOMMENDED TREKKING GEARS

Trekking without any necessary gear can be very harmful and won’t be easy. No one wants to get hurt in a remote and distant area where there’s no proper health care. So to make your trekking safer and as well as trouble-free, we have enlisted some of the necessary gears that you need to acknowledge before heading for trekking is the highlands.

NECESSARY TREKKING GEARS

Here are some of the trekking gears which will be there to assist us while climbing any kind of mountain trails weather be steep or narrow. These trekking gears are extremely useful and are handy so make sure you have it in your checking list.

Trekking sticks
Quick-drying pants and shorts.
Rainwear (jacket and pants.
Duffle bags
Jackets and thermal suit to outcast cold
Plastic boots and crampons
Mountaineering ice axes
Climbing helmets (optional)

PERSONAL ITEMS

CLOTHING

It's very necessary to wear the outfit according to the situation and place. So here are some of the essential clothing gears required for trekking.

Warm, insulated jacket or vest
Fleece pants
Warm hat
Bandana (if necessary)
Boots or shoes suited to the terrain
Socks (synthetic or wool)
Extra clothing (beyond the minimum expectation)
Spare plastics or Ziplock bags to distinct clean clothes and dirty clothes.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

It’s very essential to take your own health and hygiene from the new weather condition. So here are some of the apparatus that might be needed while the trekking period.

Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Sanitation trowel (if no washroom)
Baby wipes
Sun hat
Toilet paper
Urinary products
Sanitizers and alcohol wipes

TECHNICAL MATERIALS

To capture moments, to withdraw money, and to trek in a very efficient manner here are some technical gears that should be packed.

Binoculars
Diaries and Journal to write experiences in words
Books/GPS navigators
Camera
Credit cards/ATM cards

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Gokyo Valley Trek