Everest Three Passes Trek

The Everest Three High Passes trek has a lot of exciting experiences and things to offer. We will start this trip from Kathmandu.

This is not necessarily a very difficult trek but given the long schedule and terrain, the trek would be challenging definitely and would require a certain level of physical fitness, mental strength, endurance and patience.

This trekking expedition would cover mostly the Everest region of Nepal. It would entail crossing three high mountain passes namely Renjo La (5,360m), Cho La (5,420m) and Kongma La (5,535m) which are some of the highest mountain passes in the world.

We would also hike to Kala Patthar, which is considered to the best viewpoint in the Everest region as well as the base camp of the Mount Everest.

We would also walk across notable Himalayan glaciers like Ngozumpa Glacier – the longest glacier in the Himalayas and the Khumbu Glacier – the world’s highest glacier.

Some of the best sunrise views can be seen from the Khumbhu region. We would also explore the Tengboche monastery- the largest monastery in the Khumbu region during our expedition.

We would first arrive in Kathmandu where we would spend half a day doing some sightseeing within the city. Kathmandu is home to a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

After exploring these, we would fly down to Lukla from where our Three High Passes trek would officially begin.

We will be following the Everest Base camp trail till Namche, post which we would be changing tracks, heading over to a less travelled track having the three high mountain passes, the Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar.

After completion of this, we would again come back to Namche.

From Namche, we would again hike down to Lukla, from where we would finally fly back to Kathmandu.

In addition to all this, we would also be experiencing and witnessing the lifestyle, culture and cuisine of the local inhabitants of this region.

With so many things here on offer in one single trekking expedition, this surely promises to be one challenging yet thrilling experience that you will surely remember forever.

Location & How to reach

The Three Passes Trek starts from Kathmandu. Kathmandu is easily accessible by air and road.

There are several common border regions from where Kathmandu is easily accessible from major Indian cities.

Lukla can be reached by air from Kathmandu. From Lukla, the trek to Namche takes around 11 hours.

The Everest Base Camp is situated at a height of 5,364 metres which is the base camp of the world’s highest mountain.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Day

Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will be greeted by one of our company representatives.

You will be taken to your hotel in Kathmandu in a private vehicle. Our representative will help you with all the formalities related to the check-in at the hotel.

Spend some time resting and, in the afternoon, get ready for a meeting that we would be conducting in our office.

In this meet, we would be briefing you all the details about the trip. We would also be introducing the tour guide who would be accompanying us for the entire expedition.

Post this meeting, we will be having a typical Nepali meal for dinner at one of the popular restaurants here which is known for its Nepali cuisine.

A cultural show comprising some cultural dance and music performances would also be part of the evening’s itinerary.

We would be heading over to our hotel now and would be staying here for the night.

Day 2: Kathmandu Valley sightseeing tour and trek preparation

The whole day today would be reserved for sightseeing and exploring in and around areas and attractions of Kathmandu.

After a hearty breakfast at our hotel, we would set forth for our sightseeing tour of all the popular UNESCO Heritage sites in this city.

The UNESCO World Heritage Sites that we would be covering would include Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and the Kathmandu Durbar Square.

A private driver and guide would be present during the entire duration.

You will be driven to these destinations in a private vehicle and the guide would be briefing you about all the trivia of these places.

After the tour, around the afternoon, we will sit for the final meeting (before the trek) to finalize on our trekking gear and clothing.

After the meeting, the guide would be escorting you to your hotel. We will spend the night here at the hotel.  

Day 3: Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding

This morning we would check out from our hotel early and leave for the domestic terminal of the Tribhuvan International Airport in a private vehicle.

We would take our flight to Lukla from here.

This flight journey to Lukla is of 30-35 minute duration and provides some scenic views of the landscape.

The Tenzing Hillary Airport at Lukla is considered to be one of the most dangerous airports in the world to land at and it will surely give you an immense amount of thrill.

You will be introduced to our private porter and other team members here who would be waiting for you on your arrival.

Start your day here with some breakfast. We will first head to the Pasang Lhamo Memorial Gate through the narrow streets of Lukla.

Colourful prayer flags, shops and the beautiful people here add life to this place. From the gate, we would descend to Cheplung, crossing the metal suspension bridge over the Thado Koshi River.

The Dudh Koshi and Kusum Kangru rivers can be seen from here.

After walking for some distance, we would reach the Ghat which has beautiful views. A complex with Mani walls, chortens and boulders painted with Tibetan mantras as well as brightly coloured prayer wheels is located at the vicinity.

From this complex, we would climb down to the village of Chhuthawa. From this village, winding through the forest, beside the Dudh Koshi River, we will continue walking towards the village of Phakding.

At Phakding, you will check into the lodge.

The afternoon at Phakding would be reserved for leisure, which can be best utilized by exploring the nearby monasteries and the settlement of Phakding.

We would be having dinner here at the lodge and would be staying here for the night.

Day 4: Trek to Namche

We would start our day with some breakfast at Namche and continue our journey further by crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi river.

About 100 meters above the river, following the west bank of the river and snaking through the forest of pine, we will hike north to the village of Toktok.

On the way, a small hydroelectric project can also be seen. The walk from Toktok to Benkar is downhill passing through a pine forest and a few small waterfalls.

From Benkar, we will head north towards another bridge, crossing it and following the east bank of the river continues through a forest of rhododendron and magnolia to Chumoa.

From Chumoa, a short hike will take us to the entrance of the Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo.

Our guide will take care of the necessary national park check-in formalities.

Meanwhile, you can enjoy glancing through the 3D map of the Khumbu Himalaya and various displays dedicated to the topic of responsible trekking at the information center in Monjo.

From Monjo, we would be descending to the suspension bridge from where the views of Kani and huge granite bluffs carved with Tibetan mantras can be seen.

After crossing the bridge and we would continue to Jorsale.  From here there would be some hiking on a gravel and boulder river bank trail to Larja Bridge through the forest.

Before reaching Larja Bridge, a confluence of Bhote Koshi and Dudh Koshi rivers at Larja Dobhan is visible.

A short hike will take us to the viewpoint, from where the first view of mighty Mt. Everest can be witnessed.

Leaving the viewpoint, a steep ascent on a zigzag trail through the forest of pine will take us to Mislung. From here we would walk towards Namche.

On reaching Namche, we will check into our lodge. The evening is spent at leisure.

If you have the energy to walk, we suggest taking a leisurely walk around Namche and enjoy bakeries and internet cafes. We would be having dinner and staying here for the night.

Day 5: Acclimatisation in Namche

Once we reach Namche, it is necessary to acclimatize with the external weather and high-altitude conditions.

As part of our acclimatization process, we would go for a full-day circuit through Shyangboche, Khunde, Khumjung and come back to Namche.

After breakfast in Namche, taking the trail above Namche Gompa, we take the steep and zigzagging path to the village of Zarok.

From here, we will continue to climb to the grass airstrip at Shyangboche, passing through the trail to Thame.

We will now continue further to Khunde. We will continue to the top of the ridge, enjoy carved boulders, chortens, juniper and rhododendron and drop down to Kani to witness the Boudhanath-style chorten built around the edge of Khunde.

Admiring the views of Khumbila, Ama Dablam and Thamserku, we will visit Khunde Tsamkhang ,a Buddhist temple above the village of Khunde.

Next, we will walk towards the Hillary Memorial Viewpoint which offers 360-degree views of Khunde, Namche, Ama Dablam and Pachermo peaks.

We will also walk up the ridge to see memorial chortens dedicated to Edmund Hillary, his wife and daughter.

After spending some time at Khunde, we would be walking through potato fields to reach Khumjung which the largest village in Khumbu, which sits below the peak of Khumbila.

At Khumjung, we will visit Hillary School which was established by Sir Edmund Hillary.

After exploring these attractions, we would walk back to Namche. We will stay here for the night

Day 6: Trek to Thame

After enjoying some good breakfast in Namche we would leave for Thame, an isolated village the sits among the field below the mountain wall of Kongde RI, west of Namche.

From here, we will continue on a trail that passes through the forest of pine and rhododendron around the ridge, to an ancient mud plastered stupa at Phurte and continue further around the ridge to a boulder that exhibits the painted image of Guru Rinpoche at Samshing.

Next, we would cross a stream at Tesho. From Tesho, continuing west we will climb to the ridge, through the forest of rhododendron and head towards Thamo.

We will walk past the Khari Gompa and enter that land dry and dusty land and continue west to Somde.

From Somde, after a steep climb, the trail drops down to the bridge across the Bhote Koshi River by a cliff wall exhibiting enormous murals of Green Tara, Rinpoche and Thangtong Gyalpo.

We would reach the village of Thame by afternoon, where we would be checking into a lodge.

A walk up to the sandy ridge to Thame Gompa is recommended here to enjoy the murals and the views over the valley.

After exploring the gompa, we would be returning to the lodge for dinner and stay here.

Day 7: Trek to Lumde

We would be leaving Thame after breakfast and descend over the bottom of the village.

From here, it’s a gentle path up the valley to Thambuteng, Kyaro Gompa and the bridge across the Langmuche River. 

Crossing the bridge, you will now hike to Tarang.

From Tarang, you will walk down to Marlung. Before reaching Marlung, we will cross one more bridge across the Bhote Koshi River to get to the east bank of the river.

From Marlung, about an hour of uphill walk on the east bank of the Bhote Koshi River will take you to Lumde where we will be checking into a lodge and spend rest of the day here.

Day 8: Trek to Gokyo via Renjo La

After enjoying the breakfast at Lumde, we will now head for the first, out of the three high passes, of this trek.

The trail branches off after Lumde: one continues to Nagpa La pass and the other turns right and goes up the eastern slope of the Thame Valley to Renjo La and Gokyo Valley.

Taking the well-beaten Renjo La-trail, you will steeply ascend, following a narrow valley congested with giant boulders to the sandy valley of the Renjo River.

From the bank of the lake, a steep ascent up the winding staircase of the huge stone slabs which is often covered with ice will take us to Renjo La (5,360m).

On clear days the view of Everest Himalayan Range, Makalu, Tengi Ragi Tau, Rolwaling and Gyachung Kang ranges can be clearly seen.

Next, we will continue walking towards Gokyo which has a village nestled beside Gokyo Tsho.

At Gokyo, we will be checking into a lodge. You can spend the rest of the day hiking up to the ridge to enjoy the view of the Ngozumba Glacier.

We will stay here for the night.

Day 9: Trek to Thaknak

After breakfast at Gokyo, you will continue by hiking up the glacial moraine, behind the village of Gokyo.

The views of the Gokyo village and the reflection of mountains on the surface of the Gokyo Tsho can be clearly witnessed.

 Leaving this view behind, we will now continue walking across the Ngozumpa Glacier.

A beautiful frozen lake is present here. Following the trail above the lake, you will have to climb up the slope of moraine; continue to the solid ground and walking past a thin stretch of flat continue to Thaknak.

We will be checking into our lodge at Thaknak and stay here for the night.

Day 10: Rek to Dzongla via Cho La Pass

The target today would be to cross the Cho La Pass before noon; therefore, we will start this day a bit earlier than usual.

Leaving Thaknak, we will gently hike up a small valley for about two hours on a barren terrain, to the top of the ridge.

From the ridge, across a small moraine, a saddle between the two peaks can be seen, which is the first view of the Cho La Pass.

Now, making your way through the tough landscape of rocks and boulders, we will have to hike up to the base of the cliff.

From the cliff, you will continue hiking on a gently zigzagging trail to Cho La Pass.

Conquering the toughest climb of this trek, we would finally reach Cho La Pass, which is marked by the number of fluttering prayer flags.

Enjoy the mind blogging view of Cholatse and Ama Dablam to the southeast and Ngozumba Glacier, Pharilapche and Kyajo RI to the west.

We would continue walking down to the flat valley floor and hiking further down the valley, over the crest to Dzongla.

Here we will be checking into the lodge for some good dinner and overnight rest.

Day 11: Rek to Gorak Shep

After our breakfast in Dzongla, we would trek downhill crossing a stream and continuing north, where the trail meets the main trail to the Everest Base Camp.

From the junction, a challenging hike will take us to Lobuche.

From Lobuche, we will continue further north. Making our way across the terminal moraine of the Changri glacier, we will walk up to Gorak Shep.

Gorak Shep renders a beautiful view of Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Changtse.

We will check into a lodge here and spend the rest of the day here.

Day 12: Trek to Everest Base Camp and return to Gorak Shep

This morning after breakfast at Gorak Shep we will start our walk to the Base Camp of the Mt. Everest. As you are near to the base camp the Khumbu Icefall comes into view. 

We would spend some time here and click some pictures before heading back to our accommodation at Gorak Shep.

Day 13: Hike to Kala Patthar 4 hours and trek to Lobuche

We would be targeting watching the sunrise over Mt. Everest from the summit of Kala Patthar.

It takes 2 hours to reach the summit of Kala Patthar from Gorak Shep.

The ascent to Kala Patthar is marked by a series of steep switchbacks, which level off to some extent as it goes across to the eastern side of the mountain.

However, from this point, the trail again becomes steep until you walk up to the summit ridge that provides 360-degree panoramas starting Pumori and Lobuche west to Nuptse, Lhotse and the mighty Mt. Everest.

Enjoy the beautiful and memorable view of the sunrise over these mountains and spend some time do not forget taking pictures and making memories.

Apart from the views of these Himalayan giants, you can also enjoy the view of the Everest Base Camp, Khumbu Glacier, Khumbu Ice Fall and the tiny Gorak Shep.

You will now retrace your path to Gorak Shep for breakfast.

From Gorakshep, we will hike down to Lobuche and stay there for the night.

Day 14: Trek to Chhukung via Kongma La Pass

After enjoying a full breakfast in the morning and carrying a packed lunch, taking a turn off to Kongma La Pass we will make a gentle ascent towards the Khumbu glacier moraine which is located towards the southeast of Lobuche.

A steep ascending icy boulder trail would take us to the last and the highest (Kongma La 5,535m) of the three high passes.

 The panorama of the Himalayan giants: Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Makalu, Baruntse, and Ama Dablam, can be witnessed from here. Spend some time enjoying the view and get ready for a long descend to Chhukung.

The trail from Kongma La vertically descends switching back and forth over loose scree to the beautiful lake below the pass, entering a wide basin, dotted with small frozen lakes.

 We will continue heading to Langbo. From Langbo, we will continue east, over the outflow of Nuptse Glacier to Chhukung; enjoying the great view of the Island Peak and Amphu Lapcha.

We would be staying at a lodge at Chhukung for the night.

Day 15: Trek to Tengboche

After breakfast, leaving Chhukung, we will continue walking through the regular Everest Three Passes trekking trail. Following the trail along the Imja Khola, we will now continue to Dingboche.

From Dingboche, we would continue hiking to Somare. From Somare, we would reach Tengboche.

Tengboche would greet us with a beautiful panorama of the peaks: Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku and the very beautiful Tengboche Monastery Complex.

At Tengboche, we will be checking into the lodge and go for a guided tour of the monastery complex and the Eco Center.

We will stay here for the night.

Day 16: Trek to Namche

You can join the monks for a morning prayer session at the Tengboche Monastery. We would be leaving Tengboche today.

From Phunki Tenga which comes on the way, you will ascend to Leushyasa.

From Leushyasa, a gradual ascend will take us to Sanasa.

From Sanasa, you can either follow the level trail along the ridge to Chhorkung or climb steeply up the ridge above Sanasa to Khumjung and continue to Namche.

At Namche, we will be checking into a lodge and the remaining time is reserved for leisure.

You can enjoy the bakeries and internet cafes or simply rest in the lodge.

Day 17: Trek to Lukla

Our journey to Lukla begins today. From Namche, you will continue hiking towards Monjo.

At Monjo, the team leader will take care of the necessary national park check out formality, after which, we will descend to Phakding, before hiking to Lukla.

At Lukla, we will be checked into the lodge and we would stay here for the night.

Day 18: Fly to Kathmandu

It would be our final day in this region and we would be flying back to Kathmandu today.  

A private vehicle will transfer you to your hotel in Kathmandu from the airport. The remaining time is spent at leisure.

You can either choose to rest at the hotel or enjoy free spa and one-hour free body massage to relax your tired muscles.

Around the evening, a farewell dinner would be hosted by us, in which, we will discuss our experiences from the trip and take feedback regarding the service provided by.

After dinner, our guide will escort you to your hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 19: Departure day

The Everest Three High Passes trek comes to an end today.

As per your flight schedule, you will be transferred to the Tribhuvan International Airport in a private vehicle to help you catch your outbound international flight back home.

You will surely take back a lot of memories and experiences with you after this trip.

Difficulty Level

The Everest 3 High Passes trek is not necessarily difficult but is surely a very challenging trek.

This trekking trail demands proper acclimatization to extreme weather conditions, an excellent stamina, strong physical and mental determination.

Also, the selection of right season aids in the successful completion of the trek.

Weather

During the day, the temperatures could reach as high as 25℃ but, some hours can dip down to very low temperatures.

The best season to visit plan this Everest Three High Passes trek is Autumn stretching between the months of October and November.

This is the best time to capture the best views in the best weather, visibility, terrain and temperature.

Spring, stretching from March to April would be the second-best season to plan the Everest Three High Passes trek in Nepal.

Winters are surely not the best times to plan this expedition as temperatures go down severely.

Snow trails block the way, most of the accommodation facilities at higher altitudes remain closed and water supplies freeze.

Cold winds and heavy snowfall make things even more difficult.

Summer (June-August) is not considered the best season to plan this trek as weather conditions do not remain very conducive.

Accommodation

Our 2 days stay at Kathmandu would be in a standard hotel and next 11 days would be in a guest house/teahouse/ lodge in Khumbu

The rooms will be provided on a twin-share basis, where you will be paired up with another member of the same gender.

Triple share can be arranged upon request; however, for single supplements, extra charges will be applicable.

In the Khumbu region, guest houses with the restaurant are known as tea houses.

The rooms are very basic with some basic furniture and amenities. Most of them only feature two beds, pillows and blankets, but are very comfortable.

The room amenities decrease with the increase in altitude, due to the remoteness of the locations. Where hot shower options are unavailable, a few buckets of hot water (for bathing purpose) can be arranged at extra cost.

Dining Hall and toilets/bathrooms/restrooms (squat or western type) are usually common.

Where hydroelectric power options are not available (especially at higher altitude), rooms are lit using solar power.

Meal

For meals, the team leaders will suggest you some of the best and popular eateries in the area, allowing you the flexibility to decide as per your taste and budget.

Since food is the major part of this trekking adventure; our guides will make sure that they are freshly prepared using fresh local ingredients and are in good portions if you want to include the same in the package.

Soft drinks and light snacks are generally not included in the package but can be purchased at your own expense.

Inclusions

• 3 nights accommodation in Standard hotel Kathmandu on twin sharing basis
• All accommodation in the trekking route in good tea houses with shared common bathroom on twin sharing basis
• All the internal transportation from the arrival in Kathmandu to Departure from Kathmandu
• Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu or ramachep-lukla-ramechap Flight Tickets (2 ways)
• One Trekking guide (English speaking)
• Purified drinking water (except gorekshep and lobuche )
• Licensed and well trained English speaking guide and his entire expenses
• A porter (One porter for each 2 members) and his entire expenses
• Insurance of Guide and Porter
• Purified drinking water during the trek
• Government licensed and well-trained English-speaking guide and his entire expenses
• Porters (One porter for every 2 members) and his entire expenses
• Insurance of Guide and Porter
• All required local and government taxes
• Down jackets and sleeping bags (if required)
• Adventure certificate (after completion the trek)
• First Aid Service (Basic)
• Trekking route map

Exclusions

• Nepal arrival visa
• Travel expenses to reach and return from Kathmandu
• Food throughout the trip
• Soft-drinks / Beverages / Alcohols / Snacks / Chocolates etc.
• Additional accommodation and food expenses if trek gets delayed due to weather, flight cancellation, health or any other reason
• Health Insurance, Personal Insurance and other travel insurance

ATM Points and Connectivity

There are no ATMs on the way. The last and the only ATM can be found at Namche but is known to be having problems at times.

Hence it is advisable to withdraw all the necessary cash in advance from Kathmandu which has several ATMs.

Mobile network connectivity is available till Namche but as one trek to higher altitudes, it is mostly not present.

The local network operator NCell provides good signal coverage till Namche and sim cards for the same can be purchased.

Permissions/Passes/Permit

The Everest Base Camp trekking is not possible without TIMS (Trekkers security Card)) card and Sagarmatha National Park permit.

We will make the arrangement of these permits once you provide a scanned color copy of your passport and color copy of two passport sized photographs.

Things to carry 

• Necessary and travel documents: passport, visa, travel insurance, air tickets, voucher, 3 passport sized photo (2 for visa application and 1 for trekking permit)
• Reading/writing materials
• Travel games, like chess, backgammon, scrabble
• Waterproof bags to protect electronics or papers
• Binoculars, camera
• Umbrella
• First-aid kit
• Protein bars, chocolates, dried fruits, candies and snack foods
• Swiss army knife
• Alarm clock and torch/flashlight/headlamp
• Lighter
• Insect repellent
• Earplugs and eye mask
• Stuff sack for dirty clothes/shoes
• Drybags in several sizes
• Trekking poles (optional)
• Thermos
• Small wash towel
• Refillable water bottle
• Bandana or broad-brimmed sunhat, sunglasses, scarf
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Underwear and Shorts
• Basic clothes
• Trekking/Hiking boots with spare laces
• Thermals
• A good jacket that will keep you warm with a hoodie
• Gloves
• Sleeping bag
• Thick and warm wool hiking socks
• Sunscreen lotion with maximum SPF