Everest & Gokyo Lakes Circuit

Begin your adventure at the Royal Singi Hotel in Kathmandu, the start point for many of our Himalayan treks over the years. Around 6pm, bid namaste to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead during a full trek briefing. Your tour leader then ensures a big Nepalese welcome by arranging a group dinner. Want to explore Kathmandu further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative. Stay: Royal Singi Hotel (or similar) (D).

We have a very early start this morning to drive (approximately four hours) out to Manthali Airport (RHP) where all Lukla flights now operate from. We depart our hotel at approximately 3am to ensure arriving in Manthali for in time for the first morning flights to Lukla. The hotel will provide a packed breakfast for the journey. We fly to the mountain airstrip of Lukla (9,190ft/2,800m), and set off on the first short leg of our trek, heading north up the valley of the Dudh Kosi (Milk River). We descend from the small plateau into the forested valley. The trail offers tantalising views before reaching the settlement of Phakding, where we spend our first night. Stay: Teahouse (altitude: 8,701ft/2,652m) (B).

Heading out of Phakding, we follow the Dudh Kosi north. Today's walk takes us through magnificent forests with glimpses of the mountains ahead. We cross the river several times by bridge as we pass through the villages of Benkar, Monzo and Jorsale. A final bridge brings us to the foot of the steep climb to Namche. Halfway up the ascent, we may get our first glimpse (cloud permitting) of the Everest summit behind the great ridge of Nuptse-Lhotse.

A last 985ft (300m) climb brings us to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital and the main town in the area. Namche is a prosperous Sherpa town and an important trading centre. It has a weekly market on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, but the town always bustles with trekkers, coffee shops, bakeries and stores selling all kinds of trekking and climbing gear and Tibetan souvenirs. Stay: Teahouse (altitude: 11,285ft/3,440m) (B).

We climb steeply out of Namche past the airstrip at Shyangboche to the Everest View Hotel, the highpoint of our day at 12,730ft (3,880m). Built by the Japanese, this spectacularly situated hotel with wonderful views of Everest and Ama Dablam is an ideal place for a tea break. Enroute to the Everest View Hotel, you will have the option to stop off at the Sagarmatha Next experience centre and learn about the work this local organisation is doing to tackle waste pollution on the mountain trails and how you can help. Descending through forest, we come to Khumjung, where we have lunch close to the Sir Edmund Hillary School.

After, we walk up to Kunde and visit the Edmund Hillary Hospital. The twin villages of Kunde and Khumjung are below Khumbila, the rocky peak sacred to all Sherpas. For much of the walk, we have great views of Ama Dablam and other Himalaya giants. We walk back down through Khumjumg to the monastery. Sadly, it was damaged in the earthquake but is now being repaired. Inside is a small box and, after paying the entry fee (which goes towards the repairs), we will be shown the only yeti skull in the world. Descending to the main trail, we spend the night at Kyanjuma. Stay: Teahouse (altitude: 11,810ft/3,600m) (B).

At Kyanjuma we turn off the main trail and begin climbing to the Mong La, marked by a chorten on the top of a ridge at 3,972m. This ridge descends from Khumbila, the abode of the patron god of all Sherpas. From the ridge, the trail descends in a series of steep switchbacks towards the Dudh Kosi. At Phortse Tenga (3,600m) there are a few tea houses to choose from for our lunch stop. After lunch the trail starts to climb steeply out of the valley and we enter the rhododendron forests, which give way to juniper and conifers higher up the valley. We pass through kharkas, summer settlements used by the Sherpas to graze their yaks, before coming to Dole, where we have magnificent views of Kangtaiga and Tramserku. Total ascent: 2,887ft (880m) ; total descent: 2,119ft (464m) Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 13,255ft/4040m) (B).

A short walk today. From Dole the trail is steep in places as it passes through Lhabarma and Luza along the side of the valley, high above the river through scrub junipers until we cross the sandy spurs to Machhermo (4,410m). It was here in 1974 that a yeti was reported to have attacked a sherpa and killed three yaks! We should get to Machhermo by lunchtime and in the afternoon there is time for an acclimatisation walk up onto the ridge behind the lodge for amazing views of Tramserku. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 14,469ft/4,410m) (B).

We begin today by climbing a ridge for an excellent view down the valley to Kangtaiga and Tramserku and up the valley towards Cho Oyu (8,201m). The valley now widens as the trail passes through Pangkha then descends to the riverbank before beginning the steep climb on a narrow trail onto the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpo Glacier. We pass the first of the lakes at Gokyo, called Longpongo. We then follow the almost level trail past the second lake and on to the third lake and the walled meadows and lodges of Gokyo at 4,750m.

Gokyo is a small settlement of lodges on the shores of a blue lake. Look out for Brahmany Ducks swimming in the lake. We have lunch in Gokyo and in the afternoon we can walk up the hill behind the lodge for incredible views of the Ngozumpo Glacier. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 15,584ft/4,750m) (B).

An early start this morning for the steep ascent of Gokyo Ri (17,585ft/5,360m), a small peak above Gokyo village. As we climb, the views become even more fantastic and from the top we can see four of the eight highest peaks in the Nepalese Himalaya: Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu. Stretching out for miles below us is the longest glacier in Nepal - the Ngozumpo Glacier, which tumbles down from the slopes of Cho Oyu. One of the best all-round views in Nepal, the climb is well worth the effort. We return to Gokyo for lunch and the afternoon is free to relax or explore the lakeshore. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 15,584ft/4,750m) (B).

There is time this morning to explore the area around Gokyo. The energetic can walk to the fourth lake or explore the trail to the Renzo La from where you can see Everest. After an early lunch we set off for Thangnak. The trail starts by climbing to the crest of the moraine overlooking the Ngozumpo Glacier. The route across the glacier is well marked with cairns but we need to take care as the path is narrow and there is ice underfoot in parts. The trail climbs up and down and takes us to the eastern side of the Gokyo Valley. We stay tonight at Thangnak at the foot of the Cho La Pass. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 13,123ft/4,700m) (B).

An early start for the very long day across the Cho La (5,420m), you will need to carry your micro-spikes with you today. We climb up the valley from Thangnak for about two hours to a col. Ahead we can see the Cho La in the distance. We descend to a large boulder field, which we cross on a well-defined path to the base of the steep part of the ascent. A new trail has been created up the Cho La to avoid the risk of rock fall and there are some metal chains in place to use as handrails. The last couple of hours are very steep and rocky and involve some scrambling as we zig-zag up to the top.

The upper part of the route can be covered in snow and ice, particularly after November and in spring. Finally, we reach the glaciated top, from where there are excellent views including an unusual aspect of Ama Dablam. We will need microspikes for the descent (and sometimes on the ascent) and we need to take care on the descent as it's steep and involves the crossing of a glacier (usually snow-covered) which is fairly straightforward.

After a scramble down onto the glacier, we follow a trail across the snow and down a rocky gully to the pastures below. The trail becomes more defined as we approach Dzongla, where we stay tonight. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 15,846ft/4,830m) (B).

An easier day ahead as leaving Dzongla we begin with a continuation of our descent. A short ascent brings us to the foot of Awi Peak, which we contour round on a wonderful high trail with great views of Chalotse and Tawoche across the valley. We finally descend to join the main trail again just below Lobuje. We spend the night at Lobuje (4,930m). The sunset on Nuptse from the ridge across from the lodge is not to be missed. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 16,175ft/4,930m) (B).

We are now surrounded by giant Himalayan peaks; Everest, Nuptse, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Pumori tower above us. Today is long and hard as we visit Everest Base Camp (5,364m). The trail from Lobuje climbs steadily by the side of the Khumbu Glacier, with some steep ups and downs on a rocky trail. It will take us about 3 hours to reach Gorak Shep (5,180m), a collection of lodges situated at the foot of Kala Pattar.

After a short break and an early lunch, we fill our water bottles and make sure we have plenty of snacks (there are no lodges from here to Base Camp) and set off for Base Camp. The trail heads along the crest of the moraine at first with plenty of undulations, some of them quite steep. We then drop steeply down onto the Khumbu Glacier itself, where we get magnificent close-up views of the great Khumbu Icefall as it tumbles down from Everest. In the spring season we will see expedition teams as they prepare for an ascent. We retrace our steps to Gorak Shep for the night. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 16,995ft/5,180m) (B).

Another long day as we ascend the small peak of Kala Pattar ('black rock') at 18,192ft (5,545m). We set off very early before breakfast for the steep two-hour climb to the summit, but the effort is well worth it, as we appreciate the most magnificent view of the Khumbu glacier and above all a close-up sight of the world's highest mountain which the Nepalese call Sagarmatha - Head of the Waters and the Sherpas Chomolungma - Mother of the World.

We return to Gorak Shep for a well-deserved breakfast and then head back down to Lobuje for lunch. Descending on the main trail we pass through Chukpo Lhari, where there are many memorials to those who have died on Everest. From here we drop down steeply to Dugla, a small collection of tea houses. The trail then descends to the riverbed and we have an easy walk down the valley to Pheriche. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 13,921ft/4,243m) (B).

We descend the Pheriche Valley with spectacular views of Ama Dablam. We join the main Imja Khola Valley, which we follow down to Pangboche with superb views looking back to the great ridge of Lhotse-Nuptse. Pangboche, at 13,075ft (3,985m) is the highest permanent settlement on the approach to Everest. Dropping down to the rushing Imja Khola we then walk through rhododendron forests to Thyangboche. From here we have a fantastic panorama of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam.

We have lunch here and can visit the famous monastery. After lunch the trail descends to the river at Phungki Tenga and then we have a long climb up to our lodge for the night at Kyanjuma, where there are wonderful views across the valley to Ama Dablam. Stay: Teahouse (sleeping altitude: 11,811ft/3,600m) (B).

This morning our walk to Namche Bazaar takes us along a beautiful undulating trail high above the Dudh Kosi. We have time in Namche and after lunch we descend through Namche Bazaar and pick up our outward trail again to Monzo, where we stay tonight. Stay: Teahouse (altitude: 9,350ft/2,850m) (B).

We retrace our steps southwards with a final climb to the airstrip at Lukla. Stay: Teahouse (altitude: 9,185ft/2,800m) (B).

We fly back to Manthali airport on one of the first flights of the day (approximately 7-7:30am) to allow for the five to six hour bus transfer back to Kathmandu arriving in the city for mid-late afternoon. Stay: Royal Singi Hotel (B).

Today is free for sightseeing in Kathmandu (it is also a spare day to allow for any delays in the flights to or from Lukla). You may wish to visit the monkey temple at Swayambunath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world at Boudhanath, or the most important Hindu temple in the valley at Pashupatinath. We offer a full range of sightseeing tours, which can be booked and paid for locally; please ask your leader for details. Or you can simply hire a taxi from outside the hotel. The Thamel area is full of shops and restaurants and coffee shops for those who want a more relaxing day. Stay: Royal Singi Hotel (or similar) (B).

The trip comes to an end after breakfast. However, if you'd like a little more time to explore Kathmandu or the surrounding region, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay (B).