Highlights of Everest Gokyo Trek

Gokyo Lakes & Everest Views: Highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek

Everest region has always been the centerpiece of Nepalese tourism industry. If you are in search of the Himalayan getaway destination, then Everest is an ideal choice. No wonder, the place has countless places worthy to knit a legendary and memorable travel tale. Today’s blog is all about getting information about the Gokyo Lakes & Everest Views: Highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek. Nowhere in the Everest is as beautiful as the Gokyo area of Upper Khumbu. Therefore, today’s blog is special and includes lots of factors that can compel you to do the trek at least once in a lifetime.

What makes a trek memorable? Short challenges, beautiful landscapes, significant place, vantage points, villages, and diverse vegetation are the factors that make a trek memorable. If you are on the Everest Gokyo Trek journey, then all these factors collectively contribute to form a beautiful walking holiday. Let’s go deeper into finding out the various highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek.

Blue Turquoise Lake in Everest: Gokyo Lakes

Up in the Himalayas of Khumbu region in the vicinity of the world’s longest glacier the Ngozumpa glacier lie the beautiful 19 lakes. Among these lakes, 5 lakes are the most famous and easily accessible. Thus formed the famous and scenic Gokyo Valley Trek and it has been enchanting trekkers from across the globe for years.

On the shores of the 3^rd Gokyo Lake which is also called as Gokyo Cho, you can see the beautiful small village full of tea houses. The setting is spectacular as you get to capture the magnificent scenery of blue turquoise Lake shining and mirroring the snow – capped mountains surrounding it in its clear crisp water. Therefore, the journey to this region can be the voyage of a fairyland.

Everest View Trek: Short and Low Altitude Trek in Khumbu

The biggest challenge during the Everest Base Camp Trek is the risk of altitude sickness. Therefore, people pull away from this trek because of the reason but don’t worry. You can get the best view of the Everest without any risks of altitude sickness by doing the Everest View Trek. This is the best alternative and short trekking trip to do in the Khumbu region of Nepal. The blog is about the Gokyo Lakes & Everest Views: Highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek. Therefore, we are skipping this section but you should know that the acclimatization activity that takes place during this trek is similar to the itinerary of the Everest View Trek.

Gokyo Lakes & Everest Views: Highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek

As mentioned above, the trekking trail of the Everest Gokyo Trek is probably the most picturesque one. There are many factors that make this trail enticing and captivating. Therefore, we are now trying to briefly define the various highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal. You will be surely pulled in to embark on this spectacular trekking trail of the Everest region of Nepal.

Beautiful Lakes and Picturesque Viewpoints

You have already known about the beautiful blue turquoise 19 lakes of the Khumbu region. Besides these glacial fresh water lakes which are listed in the Ramsar Conservation List, there are amazing vantage points. These vantage points offer spectacular scenes of mountains, valleys, and cascading hills. Therefore, these places can be termed as the highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal. Famous vantage points on this journey are Gokyo Ri top, Everest Viewing Spot between 4^th Lake and 5^th Lake, Chola Pass top, Everest View Hotel, Mongla Danda, Kalapathar, and Everest Base Camp.

Khumbu Glacier and Ngozumpa Glacier

Two iconic glaciers are in this trekking trail. The world’s longest glacier coming out of the Choyou Mountain is the Ngozumpa glacier. Trekkers have to walk along this glacier before or after crossing the Chola Pass. It depends upon the type of the itinerary that you follow. You can do both clockwise and anti – clockwise trekking to cross the Chola Pass (5420 m). Similarly, trekkers also get experience to walk on the world’s largest glacier the Khumbu glacier. The significance of the Khumbu glacier is very high due to the presence of notorious Khumbu Ice Fall in this glacier which is the biggest threat in Everest Expedition.

Crossing the Chola Pass

The most challenging section on the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal is during the crossing of the Chola Pass (5420 m). The challenge and the thrill can be the number one highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek. The sights of the mountains like Choyou, Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Nuptse, Thamserku, Amadablam, etc. on almost 360 degree directions make the summit of pass splendid. Yes, trekking can be hard and you may have to fight with lots of perseverance and patience but the views can be rewarding. Therefore, Chola Pass is by far the best highlight after the thrill or reaching the Everest Base Camp.

Everest Base Camp

The significance of reaching the foothill of the world’s tallest mountain Mt. Everest can’t be topped by any activity. Therefore, it is the biggest highlight of this journey. You can reach the Mount Everest Base Camp after walking for about 1.5 hours to 2 hours from the last settlement village of Gorakshep in this trekking trail. The thrill of standing in the Khumbu glacier and contemplating about the life choices can be soul defining moment. Lots of people say that you feel energized once you step in the base camp. In addition, it gives you energy to achieve lots of things which you have considered impossible.

Authentic Sherpa Villages

The home of the Sherpa People is the Everest region. Majority of this community live in the Upper Khumbu area. These people are known across the globe as the mountaineering legends. Their mountain climbing prowess cannot be matched by many and they are real heroes of Everest expedition. Visiting these people’s villages can be the most memorable event. Know about these people in their own courtyard doing mundane daily chores. Villages like Namche Bazaar, Khumjung, Dole, Machhermo, Dingboche, Pangboche, etc.

Diverse Vegetation

The trail starts from Lukla. The area has rich temperate deciduous forests followed by the alpine vegetation style beyond Jorsalle. The world’s highest situated national park is also inside the trekking trail which is the Sagarmatha National Park which extends up to 8848.86 m from sea level. Interestingly, you will be able to experience the Tundra vegetation as well which is found only in the places above 4800 m to 5000 m from sea level. In one single trekking trip, you will be able to experience diverse vegetation which is definitely the highlight of the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal.

Is it safe to Trek to Everest Base Camp from Gokyo Valley?

The regular and safe way to cross the Chola Pass is the anti – clockwise direction or route. Most of the trekking trips in this section operate from Dzongla to Thangnak instead of Gokyo Lake to Dzongla. Lots of expert mountain guides prefer this way than the clockwise route. However, you can do the trek and reach the Everest Base Camp Trek route from Gokyo Valley. You need to make sure that you are properly guided and you must follow the instructions of your trekking guide.

Things to consider before the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal

There is no denying that the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal is the most scenic route. However, you need to consider various factors for the successful trekking journey. Most of the unsuccessful trekking trips are due to lack of proper planning. You need to follow the correct way of trekking and consider different factors especially during trekking trip inside the Everest region. Here are the factors which you should not avoid before or during the trek.

Lukla Flights

The trek starts from Lukla. Therefore, reaching Lukla is the first priority of any trekkers. Nowadays, you can reach Lukla by road as well but it is not reliable. The road from Salleri to Surke operates during the dry season only but the condition of road is very sketchy. Therefore, the best option to reach Lukla is by flight. Interestingly, the flight to one of the world’s most extreme airports can be tricky due to unpredictable weather conditions. There are times when you may have to spend an entire day waiting for the right weather window to fly. Therefore, you should always plan properly about the flight to Lukla. Make sure that you keep the option of using helicopter flight in case you don’t get flights which can be expensive.

Permits

You need two trekking permits to do the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal. The first one is the Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit. The cost of the rural municipality permit is NRs. 2000 to all foreigners. Another permit required for the trek is the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit. It costs NRs. 3000 to foreigners and NRs. 1500 to SAARC nationals. Earlier, you had to take the Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) permit but it is no longer in use. Therefore, these two permits are enough for the trek. Know that the permit is also the same for the Everest Base Camp Trek or the Everest Three High Passes Trek in Nepal.

Best Trekking Season

Choose the best trekking season for any kinds of hassle free trekking activities. The trail is challenging and operates in the high altitude places. Therefore, ideal trekking season is important to avoid any kinds of risks due to climatic conditions like snowfall, rainfall, and snowstorm. Months of spring season (March – May) and autumn season (September – November) are considered as the best trekking season to do the Everest Gokyo Trek in Nepal.

Reasonable Cost Trekking Package

Don’t overpay for the Everest Gokyo Trek journey. However, the cost of the trekking package depends upon the preferences of a trekker. You can do the luxury trekking in the Everest region. There are lots of luxury mountain lodges in this trekking route. Therefore, you can choose to do the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek too. As for the standard Everest Gokyo Lake Trek package, the budget starts from 1300 $ for standard all inclusive package.

Trekking Guide & Porter

The blogger strongly suggests you to hire a trekking guide and a porter for this epic yet challenging trekking trip. There are sections where only the expert guidance can safely navigate you through especially while crossing the Chola Pass. Moreover, having a guide ensures that you are traveling safely without any hiccups of logistic management. In the high altitude places, you must have a guide who can help you during emergencies and help you successfully complete the trekking trip.

Travel Insurance and Acclimatization Activities

Buy the travel insurance before the trek. Ensure that your travel insurance covers incidents above 5000 m altitude and has provision of helicopter rescue. High altitude trekking is always unpredictable and you can’t precisely say the outcome. Therefore, travel insurance is mandatory. Make sure to do all the acclimatization activities diligently. Acclimatization helps you to adjust to the demands of the high – altitude places increasing the success rate. Do not skip these acclimatization hikes.

Essential Packing List and Gear

Water proof apparels, personal toiletries, trekking poles, torch light, first aid box, dry fruits, chocolates, sturdy trekking boots, cap, mask, gloves, raincoat, down jacket, sleeping bag, etc. are essential packing things. Pack a pair of crampons too which can be handy in case you need to walk on the snowy surface.

Embarking to the Gokyo Lakes & Everest Views: Highlights of the Everest Gokyo Trek can be life changing and momentous. Knit the beautiful trekking tale in an abode of the world’s tallest mountain Mt. Everest. Find the best travel company and trek to these iconic places of Khumbu without any hassles.