Everest Three pass

Arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport. Our Staff member meets you and transfers you to the hotel.
Overnight at Hotel.

Morning wake-up and breakfast in hotel.
Our guide will meet you in your hotel and brief you about the upcoming Three pass trekking. He will guide you through all the formalities and necessary paper-works required for the three pass trekking.
After that, we do a Sightseeing in Kathmandu valley of famous UNESCO world heritage sites like Boudhanath, one of the largest Stupas in the world; Swayambhunath, a famous monkey temple and Pashupatinath, a sacred Hindu temple complex. Apart from Sightseeing, we also get TIMS card and permits for our three pass trekking on this day. In the evening, we do initial preparation for the trekking.
Overnight at Hotel.

To start our three pass trek, we depart from Kathmandu via airplane for Lukla (2840 m). The flight takes about 35 minutes to reach Lukla airport from Kathmandu. The Lukla flight is one of the most dramatic short distance flights in the world. The Lukla Airport is located on a hill and consists of a single runway that drops off towards its end to the deep gaping valley below. Surrounded by tall mountains and jaded hills, the airstrip at Lukla is quite fascinating and the flight is a thrilling adventure in itself. Upon arrival at Lukla, the changes are immediately felt. The mountainous landscape becomes quite prominent and the air carries a crisp freshness to it, which only Himalayan atmosphere carries. From Lukla, the trekking trail slowly moves towards the Cheplung Village. View of the sacred Mount Khumbila from the village at Cheplung is gorgeous. From there, a gradual walk downwards leads to the village of Phakding. The terrain is amazing and tall hills surround the trail like giant mounds of emeralds. From Phakding, the sight of the Kusum Kangraru Mountain can be seen. The village of Phakding lies in the Dudh Koshi River valley north of Lukla and contains many guesthouses and lodges for the service of tourists and trekkers.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

Note: The weather in Lukla is very unpredictable. Sometimes due to bad weather the flight may be delayed or cancelled. If the flight is cancelled, you will have to return back to the hotel in Kathmandu. The transportation back to the hotel and accommodation on this night is not included. If the weather is clear next day, you will get either 3rd or 4th flight to Lukla. If still the weather is not clear, there will be an option for helicopter flight also. The cost for helicopter flight is not fixed. It will be quoted by the airlines on the same day. You will have to pay additional approx. 150 – 250 USD for the helicopter flight from KTM to Lukla. Although this problem is rare, it is our duty to let you know in advance.

After breakfast at Phakding, the trail further opens out to reach the celebrated mountain town of Namche Bazaar. On the route to Namche, several smaller villages are crossed, like Jorsale and Monjo. Monjo lies north of Phakding and is the entry point of the Sagarmatha National Park. The trail ventures through the national park and finally arrives at Namche. Walking along the trekking route through the Sagarmatha National Park presents many virtues, like its alpine woods, small rivers and brooks and deciduous forests. Thick acreages of Pine and Cedar cover the lands and provide a pleasant atmosphere to trek through. Namche Bazaar, because of its strategic location, is the commercial hub of the Khumbu region. It is located on a mountain side and views of the Thamserku Peak and the Kongdi RI Himal from here are amazing.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

Today we spend our whole day at Namche Bazaar to get acclimatized with the high elevated environment, which is very essential because we ascend much higher during our three pass trek. We explore the beautiful huge secluded bowl-shaped Namche Bazaar. The marvelous sight of Khumbu Mountains like Ama Dablam (6856 m), Thamserku (6608 m) as well as immense vistas of Everest will take away the breath. Additionally, we walk to Thami (3810 m) situated above Bhote Khola (River) Valley. We also visit the Sagarmatha National park to view the protected floras and faunas.
Overnight at Teahouse.

We climb the ridge above Namche and descend to the Dudh Koshi River before climbing again to Tengboche Monastery, the most important monastery in the region. Devoche, a charming village, is slightly further (20 minutes). Depending upon the weather and other factors, we can end our day in Debuche (4410 m) or stay in Namche.

Today we walk slowly through the pleasant village of Pangboche and on to Dingboche. We make a quick descend to Debuche before starting an uphill climb towards Pangboche. We can observe Mt. Everest, Amadablam and Nuptse mountains along the way. We stop in Pangboche for tea before continuing to Somare for lunch. We then cross the Imja Valley and Lobuche Stream before ascending to Dingboche (4410 m).
Overnight at Guesthouse.

The walk is pleasant when we leave Dingboche, through fields surrounded by stone walls and alpine landscape. The views are breathtaking as we hike to the valley of Imja. On the way through the valley Lhotse rise on the left and Ama Dablam on the right. After approx. 3 km we reach the Bibre Yak Square at 4570 m. Straight ahead, behind an end moraine wall, is the island summit (Imja Tse, 6189 m), a very popular trekking summit. The pyramid-shaped Imja Tse looks fantastic with its step rock and the icy south wall. The path ahead is cut by icy streams. We finally reach Chhukung from Bibre. After lunch, we can take the opportunity to hike to the rocky hill of Chhukung Ri at 5546 m, which offers breathtaking views of Lhotse, Island Peak, Ama Dablam, Makalu and some others, including Baruntse.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

A planned second day of rest for better acclimatization in Chhukung is strongly recommended before heading to the three pass. However, we won’t remain inactive. The view from Chhukung and further up the valley to the moraine towards Island Peak (6189 m) is gorgeous. We take this opportunity to climb along the Lhotse Glacier on the inflated water of Lake Imja to the Island Peak base camp (4970 m). The large south face of Lhotse rises to the north, while Amphu Lapcha a (5845 m) and the huge, corrugated ice walls that flank it dominate the horizon to the south. In the southwest, the east face of Ama Dablam offers an unusual view of this picturesque summit.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

We start at the first light from Chhukung, as we have to conquer the highest pass of the trip today. We have plenty of water and a few snacks and a packed lunch with us since there are no lodges on the way. We enjoy the remoteness of the area and the absolute nature. We can choose to drive along one of the possible paths – either over the hill northwest of Chhukung over the moraine of the Nuptse Glacier or we hike back down to Bibre and follow a high path over Niyang Khola. Shortly after a walk, we have great views of the Island Peak Valley and the rugged crest of Amphu Lapcha. We climb along the east side of the Niyang Khola Valley, turn west and hike through the sloppy stony process. We enter a wide pool with small frozen lakes. The path climbs over loose rubble and reaches Kongma La after about five hours we leave Chhukung. When we got to the top, we saw Cairn, wrapped in prayer flags, mark of the passport.
Behind us is the landscape of icy lakes, in front of which the Khumbu Glacier is located. The last descent is the most difficult stage of the trek today. After climbing the moraine on the other side, the path turns north through the Khumbu Glacier and leads us to Lobuche.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

The trail follows a windy and rocky path with the crest of the north ridge to Everest along with the mountain. Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse, Nuptse etc. The path leads along the Khumbu glacier to Gorakshep. Check in at the hotel, lunch and afternoon to visit the world’s highest base camp, Everest Base Camp. The base camp offers fantastic views of the Khumbu icefall and the colorful Everest expedition campsite during the expedition season.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

The route climbs 2 – 3 hours. Early in the morning we head to Kala Patthar (5,550 m) to see the sunlight of the first day from the top of the world (Mt. Everest). This is the milestone of the hike to inspect the panoramic view with the fantastic sunrise over the Himalayas: Mt. Everest, Mt. Pumori, Mt. Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Nupte, Mt. Ama Dablam and many more. After reaching Kala Patthar, hike to Gorakshep and return to Lobuche. After lunch, the road to Dzongla branches off from the main road some distance from Lobuche. After crossing a stream, we come through a fork and later turn southwest to the broad, gravelly river bed of the stream. From the grassy ridge to the southeast, from where we can see the heights of Ama Dablam and Kangtega-Thamserku as Tawache looms ahead of us. The village of Pheriche is also visible in the valley floor. As the ridge turns north, the huge Cho La lake spreads out below the mountain. Cholatse. The lake stays with us for a long distance until we descend to a broad pool. The path climbs a spur and descends steeply to another broad pool. After an hour’s walk across the basin and shortly after crossing a shaky bridge, we reach Dzongla.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

In the early morning, we are greeted by the fascinating sight of Cholatse that rises above us. Today will be one of the most difficult days of our three pass trip. The trail begins by crossing a spur that stretches west from Dzongla. The path leads down to a basin over which a murmuring brook covered with ice meanders in places. In about an hour we reach the top of the pool and prepare for the triumph on ChoLa. With increasing height, the view back becomes more and more captivating; The Cho La Lake begins to appear and the Ama Dablam in its pyramid-shaped incarnation dominates a series of mountains in the south, while Cholatse rises in the west. Climbing the slope is not easy; It is steep, but is aggravated by boulders, some of which we have to climb over. The last ascent to ChoLa can be a bit difficult as the path winds around the Bergschrund.
Once at the top, we see prayer flags that are stretched over stone piles and flutter in the strong wind. The landscape with majestic peaks in all directions is breathtaking. The way to Thangnak is long, but easy to see from the pass as it is only decent but can be dangerous if the rocks are covered with ice. Caution is advised. We reach Thangnak, a somewhat larger hamlet with a small village. When we leave the settlement we are greeted by a wonderful view of the mountains. After a short hike, the path leads us to the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. On the other side of the glacier we see the second of
the six Gokyo lakes. The third Gokyo Lake is a short distance away. On the edge of this lake is the Gokyo village, where we finally bring our tired body to rest.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

The prospects in the Gokyo region are enormous. For the best view, climb the Gokyo Ri (5350 m), the small peak above the lake. The summit of 5350 m is sometimes called Kala Pathar (not to be confused with the Kala Pathar over Gorakshep, although the view is similar). Its a two-hour climb to the summit that offers panoramic views of Cho Oyu, Gyanchung, King, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cholatse, Tawache and many more. Those with more time and energy can take a trip down the valley to another lake, which is marked on the map with the name Ngazumpa, or even to a fifth lake. There are several small peaks in this region that offer viewpoints for the surrounding peaks and views of Nangpa La, the old trade route to Tibet.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

We have to start at dawn today as we have to follow our path after the conquest from Renjo La (5345 m) to Marlung (4210 m) because for todays overnight there is no alternative to Marlung. The path gently climbs up the flank of Gokyo Ri and then zigzags a finger of gray debris up the northwestern corner of the lake. We drive down early from Gokyo Valley. We leave the main path and turn at Dudh Pokhari to Renjo La, one of the three passes. After about 3 hours we reach Renjo La, where a dazzling view awaits you. Everest, Lhotse, Cholatse and Taboche, glow in the sun. The views of Renjo La are similar to those of Gokyo Ri with the
third Gokyo Lake and the Gokyo Village under the gray smear of the Ngozumpa Glacier. From the pass, the path leads down a stone staircase and then over loose scree to the south bank of a small lake, Angladumba Tsho. The presence of ice on the trail on the descent can make our descent somewhatdangerous. On the way we see Relama Tsho and Renjo Lake. However, we walk through a narrow valley clogged with huge boulders to Lumde, where there is a support lodge that can often be closed. We walk almost an hour from Lumden (4350 m) to Marlung on the east bank of Bhote Koshi.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

The descent from Marulung to Thame follows a traditional route that has been used by Tibetan traders for centuries. From the Marulung we cross the Bhote Kosi and descend to Taranga. The path then leads through the Langmuche Khola valley. This stream flows from Dig Tsho, the glacial lake that overflowed in 1985 and caused devastating flooding along the Dudh Kosi Valley to Thame. Thame has a large village with some lodges and breathtaking mountains like Thamserku, Katenga, Kusum Kangguru etc. With a view of Thame, the famous Gompa lies on a hill in the west. The gompa was founded 325 years ago and shows three large pictures of Chenresig (Avalokiteswara), Guru Rimpoche and Buddha Sakyamuni. The colorful Mani Rimdu Festival with colorful mask dances takes place in this gompa in May.

After crossing a bridge, we descend and finally reach Samde. The place offers a breathtaking view. The path goes steeply down to the village of Thamo, where the Khari Goma monastery is located, a nunnery where some nuns and monks live. After passing a checkpoint, we come to the worlds tallest hydropower plant, which was built with Austrian help. The project provides electricity to most of the upper Khumbu. We reach the small village of Phurte, where the Laudo monastery is located, which is operated by the Kopan monastery in Bouddhanath in Kathmandu and is popular with the Westerners as a Buddhist study and meditation center. We finally reach Namche again through some gompas, colorful prayer flags, mani walls and chortens.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

After breakfast, we follow the main path down to Dhudh Koshi and head towards Namche and Khumbu Himalaya until we reach the Joralle checkpoint at the exit of the national park. The trail follows the steam of the Dudh Koshi River and leads back to Phakding. Passing various Sherpa villages we cross a suspension bridge over Thado Kosh and ascend about 45 minutes to reach Lukla, where we end our day. We spend the evening in a relaxed way reflecting our wonderful three pass trek and cherishing our accomplishment.
Overnight at Guesthouse.

We have now come to the end of our three pass trek. Today we fly back to Kathmandu and transfer to the hotel. We have reserved this day for you to gain back your
strength and buy some gifts for your loved ones back home. On this day, you can walk around the city and do little shopping or just relax at your hotel.
Overnight at Hotel.

After breakfast, a staff member will pick you up from the hotel and transfers you to the airport for the final departure. We hope, you had a great time with us and a wonderful three pass trekking experience. We wish you a pleasant and safe flight back home and hope to see you soon again.