Gokyo Lakes Valley Trek

Trip Overview

Trip Facts

Country: Nepal
Trip grade: Moderate
Destination: Gokyo Valley
Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Hotel, Teahouse
Meals: Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners
Maximum altitude: 5357m
Group size: 1+
Best Season: Mar-May / Sep-Nov

One of the beautiful trekking adventures in the Everest region, Gokyo Lakes Valley Trek takes you to the Gokyo Valley. The valley is the hub of beautiful glacial lakes – Gokyo Lakes – that stand in the spectacular surroundings of the mountains. You can enjoy the magnificence of the mountains and nature throughout the trek and eventually reach the Gokyo valley to explore more wonders.

The adventure takes you on the trail to the Everest Base Camp up to Namche Bazar and then takes you through a different route. However, you can also trek to the Everest Base Camp via Gokyo valley crossing Cho La. But this adventure returns from Gokyo valley after exploring its magnificence.

What you see during Gokyo Lakes Valley Trek

When you are on this trekking adventure, you will experience peaceful nature, beautiful Sherpa culture, and Himalayan magnificence. In addition, you will also exploit the beauty of the glacial lakes at Gokyo valley.

The entire trekking adventure gives you a beautiful experience to cherish. But the experience of exploring Gokyo valley, lakes, and Gokyo Ri is something unmatchable to any other adventures. It is simply enchanting to be in the surroundings of those beautiful lakes in the Gokyo valley. You will also enjoy the striking views of the mountains from the Gokyo Ri. It also offers you a view of the emerald green lakes below with a vast glacier and mountains.

This trek offers a short yet magnificent exploration of one of the most spectacular areas in the Everest region. The adventure begins with an adventure flight to the Lukla airport where the trek begins. It is an incredible experience of walking through the river valley up the mountains with increasing elevation every day as you head towards the Gokyo valley.

Reasons this trip becomes an Experience

Nepal Climbing Adventure always strives to offer an adventure traveling experience that you can cherish. While the Gokyo Lakes Valley Trek is beautiful in its all essence, your experience of trekking there becomes even more beautiful with us.

By the time we take you to the base camp and bring you back, we take one step ahead to offer you a beautiful experience. We keep your safety and happiness as our top priority and you will experience the same during the trip.

Trekking with us to Gokyo Valley is traveling in safe hands.

Highlights of Gokyo Lakes Valley Trek

Trekking through the remote mountains
Beautiful and serene Gokyo Lakes
Mountain and Glacier view
Gokyo Ri Hike and beautiful sunrise

Detail Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1400m)

Normally, your arrival in Kathmandu is the day one of this trip. We will come to pick you up at the airport as per your flight time and transfer you to the hotel. There are no activities today apart from a trip briefing meeting. The information about the meeting time will be available upon your arrival at the hotel.

You have time to relax and go for any last-minute preparation for the trip. Welcome to Kathmandu!

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 02: Sightseeing Tour in Kathmandu

We have a full day in Kathmandu to explore the heritage sites in the valley. If we have not met for the meeting yesterday, we will meet today after breakfast. If we have met yesterday, we will continue on a full-day sightseeing tour.

Your entire afternoon will be busy going around different ancient and medieval heritage monuments in the Kathmandu valley. We will take you to Swoyambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath, and Pashupatinath to explore the ancient and medieval magnificence of the valley.

The tour will show you a lot about the culture, spiritual practice, history, and lifestyle of people in the valley. You will have an awesome cultural tour day today. Our city tour guide will make it easier for you to understand what you are looking at to make your experience even better.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 03: Kathmandu – Phakding (2,680m)

We will start our trekking adventure towards Gokyo Lakes today. Early in the morning, we will take a flight to Lukla. The adventurous flight of about forty minutes takes us to Lukla to enter the Everest trekking region. Once we land in Lukla airstrip, we will get ready to start the walk of the day.

We start the trek to Phakding as our overnight destination today. It is about 4 hours of an easy trek on a gentle and gradual downhill trail to Phakding on the bank of a river called Dudh Koshi. It will be an amazingly peaceful day on the trail to Everest base camp.

Accommodation: Teahouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 04: Phakding – Namche Bazar (3,440m)

We continue the walk on the Everest base camp trail after breakfast. Our destination for the day is the beautiful mountain town of Namche Bazar. The trail takes us through a winding trail up the mountains. As we continue the walk towards the destination, we cross several suspension bridges on the trail. After checking into the Sagarmatha national park at Monjo, we continue the walk to Namche for the day.

Once we reach Namche Bazar, a prosperous mountain trading town in the Everest region, we will check into a guest house and relax. A nicely settled town in the terraced slope, Namche Bazar brings you the spectacular views of mountains like Thamserku (6,6232m) and Kongde Ri (6,187m) to its west.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 05: Acclimatization Day

We are already above 3000 meters above sea level so we need to take an extra day at Namche to acclimatize. On this extra day at Namche Bazar, we will go for a hike and explore the surroundings.

We will have the latter half of the day to rest and relax once we are back from the hike.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 06: Namche - Dole (4038m)

The trek today continues towards Gokyo Lakes and the destination for the day is the beautiful settlement of Dole. The trek ascends up a ridge and then descends down from the Khumbila peak. We descend down towards Sanasa and ascend up to Mongla. Along the way, the panoramic views of the Himalayas can be viewed. The trail descends further through Phortse Tenga and climbs steeply to Dole through the Rhododendron forest. We spend overnight at the local lodge.

Accommodation: Teahouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 07: Dole - Machhermo (4,470m)

Our trek continues through the peaceful trail with fewer trekkers. The trek takes us to Machhermo to stay overnight today. We climb up steadily along the side of the valley. The trail passes through settlements with views of Mt. Cho Oyu, and views of Kantega and Thamserku as we descend down the valley. By lunchtime, we arrive at Machhermo. We stay overnight at the local lodge.

Accommodation: Teahouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: Machhermo - Gokyo (4750m)

We follow the trail to Pangka and descend following one of the rivers flowing down from the west side of Ngozumpa Glacier. The path climbs past the first of the holy lakes and leads to the second lake. Crossing the second lake heads to Lobuche. Gokyo is located at the eastern shore of the third lake, Dudh Pokhari. We stay overnight in a lodge.

Accommodation: Teahouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 09: Explore Gokyo

Today we explore the Gokyo valley and its lakes. We visit the first mountain lake 'Longpunga Tso', the second 'Taujung Tso' and the third ' Gokyo Tso'. We explore the Cho-Oyu base camp where photography of mountains is highly encouraged. We can also take a trip to the Fourth and the Fifth Lake. We stay overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation: Teahouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 10: Gokyo - Gokyo Ri (5357m) - Machhermo

Early in the morning today, we ascend a steep up the hillside to Gokyo Ri. From Gokyo Ri the summits of Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu can be viewed at their finest. After lunch, the trip to Machhermo village is a short walk. We spend overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation: Teahouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 11: Macchermo - Namche Bazaar

The trail descends through Dole and continues to descend through the Rhododendron forest to Photse Tenga. The path ascends through Mongla Danda and again descends to Kyanjoma. The walk leads to Namche Bazaar where we spend overnight at the lodge.

Day 12: Namche – Lukla (2,860m)

It’s the last day of trekking when we trek to Lukla today. The lower we walk, the farther we are leaving the iconic Gokyo valley behind physically but we are carrying a beautiful memory of being there. We cross suspension bridges and walk past Phakding and advance towards Lukla. Once we reach Lukla to bring our trekking part to an end, we duly thank our supporting team members. If it were not for their amazing effort, our journey would be very difficult. We celebrate the joy of making it to the base of the highest peak in the world.

Accommodation: Teahouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 13: Lukla – Kathmandu 1,400m

We take a morning flight from the Lukla airstrip leaving the mighty mountains behind us. Another exciting flight with adventure takes us back to the city civilization. Once in Kathmandu, we spend leisurely time back in the chaos of the city after so many days of serene mountain air and incredible adventure.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 14: Departure Day

The trip has come to an end today. We have to bid farewell for this time hoping to meet again for another adventure soon. We will drive you to the airport for your departure flight as scheduled.

Meal: Breakfast

Cost Details

What is included?

All airport and hotel transfers
Welcome and farewell dinner
Accommodation and meals during the whole of the trek.
All necessary paper works and permits
Government and local taxes
An experienced English speaking trekking guide, assistant trek guide(4 trekkers, 1 assistant guide), porters(2 trekkers, 1 porter) including their salary, insurance, food, lodging and all equipment.
A comprehensive medical kit

What is not included?

Nepal Visa fee(bring small denomination cash USD and two passport photographs)
International airfare
Excess baggage charges
Extra night accommodation apart from the schedule due to any reasons
Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu and in case of early return than the scheduled itinerary
Flight to Lukla and back
Travel and rescue insurance
Personal expenses
Tips for travel guides or porters

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions - Trekking in Nepal

Are you a licensed trekking agency?

Yes, we are a licensed company to operate adventure tours in Nepal. We have been organizing tours, Treks, and Expeditions for our valued clients for over two decades. Our long journey and experience in the field have made us pioneer in the industry.

Do the guides speak English and have first aid training?

All of our guides are experienced experts in their job and speak fluent English. Most of them are born in the areas they guide trekkers to and have several years of experience as trekking guides in the mountains. It's mandatory that they are trained in first aid and also carry a first aid kit with them during the trek.

How big are the groups?

We always do our best to team up a small group of likeminded people to give them a memorable and insightful adventure travel experience, coupled with an invaluable opportunity to interact with each other in the true spirit that comes with adventure. Our trek groups generally comprise of maximum 12 members. We need a minimum of 2 participants to run our fixed departure dates. For private trips, no minimum or maximum numbers apply.

Are permits included in the price of the trek?

Yes. All of the necessary permits for your trek are included in the price and will be arranged for you prior to your trek. For certain restricted regions (like Manaslu and Makalu), you'll need to have a full day in Kathmandu prior to your trek as your trek operator will need your passport for the permit registration.

Do you arrange private treks?

Yes, we do. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any of the trips at a timeframe that best suits you for any number of people (minimum 1 & maximum 100 at a time). The costs for private trips are generally fixed on the basis of group size, trek area, duration, and trek style, and is negotiable. We also arrange TREKS FOR A SINGLE WOMAN. If by any chance, none of our fixed group departure dates work for you and you do not have anyone to accompany you, you can still be able to make your preferred trip with us. There is absolutely nothing to worry about if you want to go solo. We assign local guides, porters, etc who you can trust your life with.

Do you provide any equipment while trekking?

On all our Camping treks, we provide all the tents, sometimes dome tents, sometimes sturdy A-frames and normally people share one tent between two; a foam mattress each; all the cutlery and utensils, cooking pots, stoves; candles/kerosene lantern, tables, and stools, kitchen tent, dining tent and toilet tent; all the main meals while trekking but not snacks. On Tea house treks there isn’t really a necessity to provide any equipment.

But you are provided a duffel bag if you don’t have one and a down jacket if you haven’t flown in with your own. This is loaned to you and must be returned when the trek is done.

How difficult are the treks?

Classifying the difficulty of a trek is like walking a thin red-line, as it depends on your fitness and experience hiking in the mountains. In the Himalaya, a trek's difficulty depends on the steepness of the trail, the general altitude, and the duration of the trek. Generally, the higher you go the more difficult the trek becomes. For most treks in the lower foothills (Ghorepani, Poonhill, Ghandruk, and Pikey Peak), it's fairly moderate trekking, although some days will be more challenging than others. For higher-altitude treks (i.e. Everest Base Camp, Gokyo, Annapurna Circuit, and Nar Phu), the treks become more challenging as you get going over 5,000m passes with longer days. If you’re an avid walker and enjoy hiking, then there’s no better adventure than trekking.

How long do we walk each day?

Much of our trekking ventures are classified into THREE different categories according to the level of difficulty. Soft Adventure treks are only about a week to 10 days in duration. They generally don't go above 4000 meters and each day, you can expect to be walking for around 4 – 5 hours. While moderate to fairly challenging treks are longer treks that go right into high mountain country. Physically quite tiring, these involve approx 6-8 hours trekking along rocky ridges of high Himalayan peaks. Arduous treks are longer treks that go far beyond the normal haunts of trekkers and tourists. Physically challenging, these may involve 7-9 hours trekking and likely to include unfavorable weather conditions and activities that are not only physically challenging but also tax the mind. These trips are not for greenhorns.

What is exactly 'teahouse' trekking?

Teahouse trekking refers to staying at a small local lodge or mountain hut each night of your trek. The lodges are basic but pretty cozy; enough to shelter you from the bitter mountain winds. They consist of 5-10 rooms with a common area used for eating and hanging out. Most treks in Nepal are teahouse treks where the lodges are run by members of the local community. Bunking out at these teahouses in some of the harshest territories on earth will give you a true sense of what life is in the wild.

What do we mean by FOT trek?

On FOT or a ‘Fully Organized Trek’, all meals and sleeping arrangements will be fully organized by the support crew. FOTs are also known as CAMPING TREKS. On camping treks, you will be sleeping in tents. A trekking crew consists of one sirdar, one cook, and kitchen crew, Sherpa assistants, and porters depending on the size of the group. Under the leadership of the Sirdar (local trek leader), the crew consists of several Sherpa assistants who will ensure you don't take the wrong path, a cook and kitchen crew to keep you well-fed with delicious and nutritious meals, and the porters to transport all the gear from camp to camp.

Our main aim is to make the trek as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. The ratio of both Sherpa guides and kitchen crew to group members is generally 1:4 and the ratio of porters to group members is around 3:1 at the beginning of the trek, but this decreases as food is eaten and loads become smaller. For bathroom facilities, we carry a toilet tent. Your camping staff dig a deep hole in the ground for excrement and cover the hole with soil after nature’s call is done. Camping treks are more expensive than teahouse treks. These treks are generally operated in remote restricted alpine zones that go above the tree-lines. Camping treks can also be used as options for teahouse treks throughout the Himalaya to enjoy the true spirit of adventure!

What is security like during trekking?

Security for our clients is always a foremost priority for us. All our guides and other support crew are carefully chosen for your trips. Our guides hold licenses issued by the Nepal Government. They are very honest and reliable. But we would also advise you to take care of your own personal belongings. If you are on ‘camping treks’ please do not leave your bags unattended at any time for your own safety. Take your main bag inside the tent once you reach the campsite. At night, all bags and belongings are kept in the middle of the tent. Your guide assigns a Sherpa on a rotation basis to guard the campsite throughout the night. If you are on a ‘Tea house or GAP trek’ arrangement, you will be sleeping in local teahouses. You need to take sensible precautions yourself at all times. Never leave your baggage unattended and keep your lodge room locked when you go out.

What happens if I fall ill during the trek?

If by chance you fall ill during your trek, the first course of action depends on what's wrong with you. If it's altitude sickness, moving to lower altitudes and taking altitude medication will solve most cases; if it's quite severe, your guide will arrange for emergency evacuation by helicopter (be sure that emergency helicopter rescue is covered in your travel insurance). If you have a stomach sickness, bug, or any other types of food or water-related illnesses, your guide will have medication on hand for the most common illnesses.

What type of food is served during a trek?

On CAMPING TREKs we provide three delicious, plentiful and nutritious meals daily with a tasty mix of local and western dishes. Your day starts with a king-size breakfast consisting of a choice of porridge, muesli, and cereals followed by omelet, fried, or scrambled eggs with ‘chapattis’ [rounded bread made from wheat] or multigrain-bread. Also included are seasonal fresh fruits. Lunch is generally a selection of organic salad, cooked vegetable dishes, pasta, and traditional bread. Dinner is a truly hearty 3-course meal - soup, followed by a variety of vegetables, meat, and rice and pasta dishes and completed with a simple dessert [which may include a finger-licking crusty apple pie].

Ironically, some of the best apple pies in the country are found on these mountains and not in Thamel, Asia’s hub for backpackers; as many tourists would assume. Tea and coffee are also provided at all meals. We use as much fresh organic produce as possible available at some of the villages we hike through and special diets are regularly catered for. The trek leaders maintain very tight controls on health and hygiene in the kitchen with respect to general cleanliness and food preparation and also within the group with respect to personal hygiene.

All foods are well cooked and vegetables are treated by potassium permanganate or iodine. We only serve Boiled water for drinking. Antiseptic soaps and potassium or iodine treated water are provided for washing. Special dietary requirements can always be catered for. On Tea House treks we provide standard breakfast, lunch, and three-course dinner, tea or coffee is also included with each meal. Your guide will help with menu selection and ensure that you get the best value meals possible. Although the food is usually plentiful and delicious, you should be aware that the menu is not normally extensive. Most teahouses offer a variety of rice and soupy noodle dishes, as well as soup and seasonal vegetables. A variety of cereals, bread, and egg dishes are generally available for breakfast. There will also be plenty of snacks available such as biscuits, chocolate, and soft drinks and in some areas, you will find fresh fruit in season. You can buy packaged water (bottled mineral water) from local lodges and shop en route or you can also ask your guide to fill your water bottle with boiled water and treat it with water purification pills. Although it's held that gluttony is a sin, nevertheless, we ensure our trekking guests are well fed in as much as they can digest to cope with the arduous trails and the tough elevations.

Do I need to carry my own gear?

You'll carry your daily essentials (sunblock, water, hat, light jacket, and camera) but your porter will carry the bulk of your gear, such as extra clothing and overnight basics. Porters are especially helpful for longer treks where you'll be carrying more gear. For shorter treks (2-3 days), you may opt just to have a guide if you're comfortable carrying your own gear, but hiring a porter is a great way to support the local economy and is quite affordable. It's also the safest thing to do when you’re hiking on the biggest and most rugged mountains on planet earth.

How much could porters carry?

Porters typically carry up to 30 kgs max. (To ensure they're not overloaded). For fragile items, such as cameras, it's still best to carry these items yourself. If you have more than 15 kg., please carry the extra weight in your day pack. In the commercial trade, when transporting goods and supplies up into the high mountains, some porters carry up to 100 kgs and get paid less than a fair wage provided by some so-called responsible trekking companies. However, doing things like this weighs on the conscience and we totally avoid such unfair situations.

We know the risk that comes with neglecting our porters and follow all mandatory guidelines as stipulated by the IPPG international porters association.

What is the overnight accommodation like?

In cities like Kathmandu or Lhasa, accommodation will be in hotels of your preference. We have a pool of hotels that ranges from luxury deluxe to budget hotels. While on a trek accommodation will depend on the trek style. If you are taking a camping trip then you will be sleeping in tents. Whilst we endeavor to stay in the best possible accommodation along the way, you should be aware that most teahouses, particularly in the smaller villages, are pretty basic but cozy enough to protect you from the harsh elements. The bedrooms are usually very small, the shared bathroom facilities are often outside and meals are served in a communal dining hall. Although simple, the teahouses do provide shelter and warmth and are normally run by friendly local families. Tea house treks are less expensive than Camping treks and are largely suitable for small groups. Usually, during busy seasons if private rooms in smaller villages are fully occupied you might have to bunk out in a dormitory. But then this is what adventure is all about.

Can we change the itinerary?

Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your senior guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary. You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into some of the most remote regions in the world, where many unforeseen circumstances may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original itinerary.

Is tipping included and if not, how much should I budget?

Tips are always appreciated by your support team after the trip. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. Guiding on some of the riskiest trails on earth is a tough job and your crew always makes sure they lead from the front. Some trekkers give 10% of the total tour cost as tips. The hat is passed around and the whole group contributes. Most trekkers happily provide tips with big hearts. The choice is yours if you feel they’ve been worth it.