A Himalayan Paradise Trek representative will be waiting to greet you upon arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport. Afterwards, you will be dropped off at your hotel. Later in the evening, you will enjoy a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Paradise which will introduce us to Nepalese cuisine. Overnight in hotel
Gokyo Trek Itinerary
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Day 01 Arrive in Kathmandu
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Day 02 Kathmandu: Sightseeing and trek preparation
After breakfast, we set out for sightseeing tours to three world UNESCO heritage sites. Pashupatinath Temple, on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River, is considered the holiest of all Hindu Temples. Boudhanath Stupa boasts the biggest Buddhist Stupa architecture in the world. Patan Durbar Square is the oldest city in the Kathmandu valley, traditionally called Lalitpur – the city of fine arts. There are three famous temples in the square: the Krishna temple, the Kumbheswore temple, the Golden temple. Overnight in hotel.
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Day 03 Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding, 3 - 4 hrs.
An early morning flight will take us to Lukla from where all treks to the Everest region begin. The flight itself is exciting since we will be flying alongside the majestic Himalayas in a domestic airplane. Upon landing we meet our trekking staff and begin our short trek to Phakding. It is a short distance as we need to acclimatize. The first hour is a gradual descent, to Cheplung, the first of many Sherpa villages, from where we have a glimpse of the sacred Mt. Khumbila, 5761m, which has never been climbed. From Cheplung, the trail ascends along the Dudh Koshi River to Ghat or Lhawa, 2530m, and continues to climb to Phakding. Overnight in lodge -
Day 04 Phakding to Namche Bazaar, 5-6 hrs.
Today the trail winds back and over the Dudh Koshi River on suspension bridges and up and down hills and through rhododendron and pine forests we pass Buddhist monasteries, mani stones and chortens. We get a splendid view of Mt. Thamserku from Benkar village, 2800m. When we reach Monjo, the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park, our trekking permits are checked. We pass through Jorsale village, where there is a dizzying high suspension bridge over the river and from here the trail climbs steeply though the pine forest to Namche Bazaar, the commercial hub of the Khumbu. From Namche you will get stunning views of Everest, Lhotse, Amadablam, Thamserku, Kongde, Tawache and many others high mountains. Overnight in lodge -
Day 05 Acclimatization
To avoid getting Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) it is very important to allow our bodies to acclimatize to the high altitude. Experts believe that staying active during rest days, aids acclimatization, so we are going to spend the day enjoying small hikes in and around Namche Bazaar. We hike up 400 meters higher to Everest View Hotel to see the incredible panoramic view of the mountains. On the way back, we also tour the Khumjung Monastery which houses the scalp bone of the mysterious yeti, and the Edmund Hillary School. Our guide can also take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarters of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can learn many things related to the first Everest ascenders, Sherpa culture and learn about the wildlife in the Everest region. Overnight in lodge -
Day 06 Namche Bazaar to Dole, 6-7 hrs.
Our trek begins with a brief climb out of Namche to reach the trail that continues to follow the Dudh Koshi up the valley through dense pine rhododendron forests, towards Mt. Everest. Today there will be many viewpoints where you can pause to admire Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse and Thamserku. There is an invigorating climb to the Mong La pass, 4200m, high on the ridge above the river . From here we can see Tawache, Cholatse, Kangtekha and Thamserku. Next is a steep drop down to the river where the Gokyo trail branches off the main trail to Everest. We choose the less traveled trail and make another steep ascent which passes through Phortse Tenga to reach the tiny windswept settlement of Dole. Overnight in lodge
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Day 07 Dole to Machhermo, 3-4 hrs.
We could actually reach Gokyo today, but the sudden increase in altitude is not a good idea, so we will trek only as far as Machhermo. The trail from Dole to Machhermo features a continuous view of snowy peaks like Taboche, 6367m, Cholatse, 6335m, Cho Oyu, 8188m, Everest, 8848m, and many more. We pass through the seasonal village of Luza with yak pastures and stone huts for the shepherds and climb until we are walking high above the Dudh Koshi River. We pass more small villages and finally reach Machhermo, where there are several trekkers’ lodges. After lunch we could hike ahead to the ridge, from where there are magnificent views of Cho Oyu with the Ngozumpa Glacier in the foreground. Overnight in lodge -
Day 08 Machhermo to Gokyo, 3-4 hrs
We ascend to the ridge we climbed to yesterday, over the Dudh Koshi valley. Beyond the ridge the trail drops down to a chorten and reaches Phangga where there is a single teahouse in the midst of yak pastures. We descend to the river bank before climbing a steep trail up to the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier. The trail becomes fairly flat on a trerrain of rocks and sand left by the creeping glacier. We pass by three of the six lakes; Longpongo, Taboche Tsho and Dudh Pokhari, before reaching Gokyo. On the trail next to the first lake, we see what is believed to be the footprints of a Lama (Buddhist priest). We explore the third and largest of the lakes, Dudh Pokhari or Gokyo Tsho. The village of Gokyo sits at the head of this lake in the most majestic settings…. overlooking stunning turquoise blue waters with sharp peaks rising in the background. We can even see the trail up to Gokyo Ri, where we will climb tomorrow. Overnight in lodge -
Day 09 Excursion day in Gokyo: Climb Gokyo Ri, 5357m, and hike to fifth lake, 3-4hrs.
We hope for clear weather to climb Gokyo Ri today. The climb is exhausting at this altitude. The higher we get the more breathtaking the views are. We reach the top of Gokyo Ri in a couple hours. Prayer flags are strung between the boulders. Standing at 5360m, we admire the spectacular panorama of Himalayas, the massive Ngozumpa Glacier and the tranquil Gokyo Lakes below. We can see Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhtse and Everest, all over 8000 meters, as well as the smaller peaks of Nupste, Cholatse, Taboche and countless more.
We also hike to the fourth and the fifth Gokyo lakes. The 4th lake is only 3km north of Gokyo and the 5th a little further on. We climb to Scoundrel's Viewpoint for more spectacular views of Cho-Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makulu. Overnight in lodge
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Day 10 Gokyo to Dole, 6-7 hrs.
Today we start the return trek, leaving the magnificent Gokyo Valley. We descend on the trail above the Dudh Koshi River and passing the three Gokyo lakes. On the way down we also enjoy views of the Cholatse and Taboche peaks. We pass Machhermo, Luza and Lhafarma villages on the way. As we approach Dole we see great views of Thamserku, Cho Oyu, and Kangtega mountains. Overnight in Lodge -
Day 11 Dole to Namche Bazaar 6-7 hrs.
We descend on a steep trail to Phortse Thanga admiring rhododendrons, wildflowers and waterfalls. We have more time and energy to notice the mountain goats, musk deer and pheasants. From Mong, we can admire a good view of Khumbila peak. We join the bustling main trail to Namche and as we trek we enjoy views of Taboche, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kangtega. After reaching the hill top 1km outside of Namche, we pause to take in the view of Lhotse, the tip of Everest and Tengboche for one last time. Overnight in lodge -
Day 12 Namche Bazaar to Lukla, 7-8 hrs.
We descend the rocky trail crossing the suspension bridges several times. The air is warmer and we are breathing so easily as we reach Lukla. Our trek in the mountain ends here. We celebrate our last night of the trek tonight. Overnight in lodge -
Day 13 Fly to Kathmandu
We fly back to Kathmandu on the earliest possible flight. When we reach Kathmandu we have the rest of the day off to do what we like. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner to enjoy with our trek leader and a few Himalayan Paradise staff to mark the end of our trip in Nepal. Overnight in hotel -
Day 14 Free day in Kathmandu
Today is your free day in Kathmandu. You can spend entire by relaxing in one of many cafes of Thamel and tasting different delicacies, or you can also explore nearby areas on your own and do shopping. Overnight in a hotel.
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Day 15 Final departure
A himalayan Paradise representative will pick us up from hotel and drop off at the Tribhuwan International Airport three hours before our scheduled flight
