Everest Three High Pass Trek - 19 days

Once you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, the team representatives will be there to greet you. We will drop you off at your hotel and give you time to relax and refresh. After that, we will do a small pre-trip meeting where we will give you a brief overview and schedule plans for your upcoming days. You will meet your trip guide during the pre-trip meeting, so you can ask any questions you have regarding your trek.

After an early morning breakfast, we will head off to explore this bustling city of Kathmandu. Kathmandu is a city that is rich in it’s cultures and traditions. On this day, we will explore various cultural heritages and other places that will not only give you an understanding of the city’s culture and people but also its history. We will take you to explore places like Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Pashupatinath and more. Later in the evening, when the sightseeing is done, you will have plenty of time to prepare for your trek. You can do any last minute shopping before your trek starts.

We're going to start the Everest Three Passes Trek today. We'll take an early morning flight to Lukla, a highland village where the majority of the Everest Trek starts. Make sure to get a window seat for this brief trip so you can see some of Nepal's most breathtaking mountain views. 

We will meet up with the remaining members of our trekking group in Lukla, including the porters who will be responsible for transporting our equipment over the high-altitude mountain passes we will shortly be crossing. From this point on, our first day of trekking in Nepal will be entirely on foot and should take us around three hours.

After we land in Lukla, we will head towards the little village of Phakding, which will require us to climb beside the glacial Dudh Koshi River, traverse perilous suspension bridges, and share winding mountain routes with passing Sherpas and their yak herds.

We will leave the hotel in the morning and begin our journey to Namche, which is going to be a long day. We will follow the Dudh Koshi River up to the valley, passing several stunning suspension bridges and waterfalls as we walk through the ancient Sherpa villages of Manjo (the Sagarmatha National Park entry point) and Jhorsalle (the lunch camp). After lunch at Jhorsalle village, we will continue walking up to Namche, which will take two hours as we pass through pine forests.

We need to make sure our bodies are appropriately acclimated to the high-altitude air of the Himalayas since we will shortly be traveling across the three high passes of the Khumbu. We'll spend the day at Namche Bazaar to allow ourselves plenty of time; luckily, there's a lot to see and do. Most people agree that Namche is the most significant town in the Khumbu region. 

It has functioned as a major commerce hub historically and more recently as a hub for trekkers and tourists. To understand more about the culture of the Sherpas, you may visit the nearby museum. We can also go on an acclimatization climb to the breathtaking Hotel Everest View, which offers breathtaking views of Thamserku, Taboche, Cholatse, and Everest itself.

Our Everest Three Passes Trek is about to resume now that we've begun to acclimate to the rarefied environment of the Himalayas. We have around five hours of trekking planned today, starting with a moderate climb through quiet, towering pine trees. After a quick descent and crossing of a suspension bridge, we'll climb a series of switchbacks to get an amazing glimpse of the huge summits of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. Spectacular mountain vistas will be the order of the day. Tengboche is not far away from here.

You'll start to notice that the magnificent Himalayan peaks of Nepal appear to get bigger as we get closer to Everest Base Camp. As we follow the banks of the Dudh Koshi and go under the imposing ice tops of mountains like Nuptse, Lhotse, Thamserku, and Ama Dablam, this feeling will only get stronger. 

We'll pass through the towns of Deboche and Pangboche before arriving in Dingboche. Within the former is a very good example of a Buddhist mani wall; the mantra om mani padme hum has been carefully engraved on each stone that makes up this lengthy structure. From here, we'll ascend steadily higher and traverse the entirety of the Khumbu before reaching Dingboche.

Though the journey is easier and shorter than it has been in recent days, the mountain landscape is still breathtaking. The stars of today's show will be Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam, three snow-capped mountains that can be seen peeking out from behind nearly every hill on our rocky riverbank route. After around three hours of hiking, we will arrive at the village of Chhukung.

Today will be another day of acclimatization to get our bodies ready for the impending battle. You are not, however, required to stay seated. A daybreak climb to the viewpoint to witness dawn break across the Himalayas is an unforgettable experience if you were unable to visit Chhukung Ri yesterday.

This morning, we'll get an early start to reach Kongma La, the first of our three high passes on the Everest journey. Our route crosses the longer portion of Nuptse's glacier, meandering over rocky terrain and ascending the valley of Niyang Khola to a set of ice lakes. 

From here, it will be a difficult and steady climb up to the outstanding Kongma La. At 5,535 meters above sea level, this is the highest point of the Everest Three Passes Trek that has been reached thus far. Our route now heads toward the well-known Khumbu Glacier on Mount Everest, and before we get to Lobuche, we have a difficult section of walking downhill.

Another significant step forward in our Everest Three Passes Trek has been reached this morning. We've purposefully included a visit to Everest Base Camp in our schedule, and today we'll travel from Lobuche to this renowned climbing destination. On the approach to Gorak Shep, our route follows the rocky moraine of the Khumbu glacier. 

Here, we'll pause to remove some gear and have a hot lunch before continuing for another two or three hours to reach Everest Base Camp. Our target is getting closer with every step as we travel through breathtaking mountain views from high vantage points along the Khumbu glacier's pinnacle.

When we get to Everest Base Camp, you'll immediately become enmeshed in the festive vibe that permeates this must-see Himalayan destination. We will return to Gorak Shep via trek after socializing with other trekkers and climbers and capturing a ton of once-in-a-lifetime photos.

With Everest Base Camp behind us, one can assume that we have already experienced the most breathtaking vistas the Himalayas have to offer. However, you'll be rewarded with the greatest alpine view you've yet to witness when we climb Kala Patthar's peak early today. 

You will have front-row seats to the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle as the sun rises over the greatest peaks in the Himalayas. We'll head back to Gorak Shep later this morning to pick up our bags and have a late breakfast. After that, it should only take us four or five hours of hiking to get to the town of Dzongla.

Following a hearty breakfast, we will depart for the second of the three high passes on our climb. As we turn to ascend the stony field of the glacial moraine, we will first go through a sequence of streams and mild terrain before turning towards the towering Cholatse mountain. 

By the time we reach the high-altitude pass of Cho La, we will have ascended to 5,420 meters. Following the capture of several breathtaking images with prayer flags amidst angular mountain peaks and azure lakes, we will start the extensive descent from the other side of Cho La.

Two days will pass until we see the sun rise over Kala Patthar, so we'll get out early the next morning for another early-dawn walk that could just rival the first. Gokyo Ri is a stunning alpine viewpoint that is one of the highest locations on our Everest Three Passes Trek, rising to an incredible 5,357 meters above sea level. We'll get to the lookout in time to see the mountains of Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, and Nupste bathed in a breathtaking golden light as dawn breaks.

We will go for Renjo La, the final of the three crossings on our Everest trip, after eating breakfast in Gokyo. It should take us three or four hours to reach the pass as we approach the lake's northern coast and rise via a series of switchbacks. 

Situated at 5,345 meters above sea level, Renjo La offers breathtaking views of the far-off village of Gokyo, the massive Ngozumpa Glacier route, and the peaks of Everest, Lhotse, and Taboche staring down at the sky. From here, it's a short climb to Lumde, and soon we'll be in the settlement of Marulung

We are starting our lengthy descent from the highest points of the Khumbu today. We will begin by hiking the Bhote Koshi Riverbank, which is an old salt trade route that was once utilized to exchange supplies and products from Tibet. We should reach the village of Thame after three hours of hiking. 

In addition, Apa Sherpa, who for a long time held the record for the most Everest summit ascents, was born and raised in Thame. After lunch, we'll continue on and spend a few more hours descending into the Khumbu highlands as we make our last approach to Namche Bazaar.

Today marks the final phase of our journey as we get ready to say goodbye to the Khumbu and wrap up our Everest Three Passes Trek. Our goal is Lukla, where our adventure started. 

We'll begin with a steep descent, following the Dudh Koshi river beneath the leafy pine trees and crossing a few suspension bridges to cross the glacial waters of the river as it flows quickly. 

Even though we had already hiked this portion of the way between Namche Bazaar and Lukla, going backward on the same route reveals unexpected vistas from completely different perspectives.

It's finally time to head back to Kathmandu after spending more than two weeks hiking in Nepal. Before you are taken to your accommodation, we will take pleasure in one more breathtaking flight between Lukla and the capital city, providing you with a final view of the magnificent Himalayas.

We are here after our trek across the Himalayas! Lastly, two to three hours before our planned departure flight for home, our representative will send you off at the airport.