Everest Three Passes Trek

Trip Duration 20 Nights/21 Days
Trip Code NAP-KCR - 213
Trip Grade Strenuous to Adventures
Trip Cost Prices on request
Best Time Sept – Nov / March - April

Overview

Everest three passes trek takes in some of the most exciting and picturesque scenery in the Himalaya. The landscape is varied and spectacular; the lodgings and tracks range from the time-worn paths of the Khumbu, to the isolated and less frequented Renjo-La Pass region. Sometimes strenuous trekking is continuously rewarded with dramatic Himalayan scenes, including four of the world's eight highest peaks; Cho Oyu (8,201m), Makalu (8,463m), Lhotse (8,516 m) and Everest (8,850m). Time spent admiring breathtaking mountain vistas are complemented by visits to Sherpa villages, homes and monasteries offering you an insight into the quiet but, culturally vibrant Sherpa way of life.

Highlights

  • Visit temple, Art/architecture/Pogadas and heritage sites in Kathmandu
  • Scenic Himalayan flight to and from Lukla
  • Buddhist Monasteries
  • Picturesque Sherpa settlements
  • Crossing Kongma-La (5535m), Cho-La (5420m) and Renjo-La Pass (5435m)
  • Excursion of Kalapatthar (5545m) and Everest Base camp (5368m), Gokyo-Ri (5345m)
  • Beautiful Gokyo Lake
  • View of Khumbu Glacier
  • Friendly Sherpa people and many more…

Trip Summary

Trip Grade Strenuous to Adventures
Trip Duration 20 Nights/21 Days
Trip code NAP-KCR - 213
Trip Start/Ends Lukla/Lukla, Kathmandu
Maximum Altitude Kongma-La (5535m), Cho-La pass (5420m) and Renjo-La Pass (5435),
Trip Cost Prices on request
Group Size Minimum 2 upto 16 persons in one group
Accessibillity Round trip from Lukla, trek start from and returns to Lukla and the flight takes about 35 minute
The Route Crossing through great Kongma-La (5535m), Cho-La pass (5420m) & Renjo-La Pass (5435), 5/7-hrs average walking per day, Moderate to strenuous trail.
Season Sept – Nov / March - April
Trip Facilities 3+ hotel in city on B/B and best available teahouse/lodge on mountain

Itinerary

Upon our arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, a representative from Nepal Adventure Point will pick us up from the airport and take us to our hotel. After checking in, we may take a rest. 

Today after breakfast we begin our tour to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu. We visit the historic Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous 'Monkey Temple' (Swoyambhunath) and Buddhist shrine (Bouddhanath), which is also one of the largest stupas in the world. After the tour, we get our equipment checked by our climbing leader, get introduced to fellow participants, and discuss our trip.

After breakfast, we will be taken to the domestic terminal of TIA for an early morning flight to Lukla. After flying above the breathtaking green and white mountains, we reach Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating in a landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountains. Upon our arrival at Lukla, we meet remaining members of our climbing team.  We begin our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla until we reach Phakding. To assist in acclimatization, we only have a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, our Leader/Guide can take a side trip to a nearby monastery.

After breakfast, we walk through beautiful pine forests and then along Dudh Koshi River ending our nature-filled journey at Namche Bazaar. After walking for almost over an hour, we come across the glistening Mt. Thamserku (6,608m) on our right and also experience the serenity of pine, fir and juniper forests throughout our journey. If the weather is clear, we may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. We continue walking until we reach the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Mt. Everest and main trading centre of this region. On this day we cross five suspension bridges, the last one also known as the Hillary Bridge due to it being the highest. It is an uphill walk from Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar.

This is the day set aside for acclimatization. Health experts recommend that we stay active and move around even during the rest day instead of being idle. There are a few options set aside for this day. We can either stroll around Namche’s quaint villages or come in contact with the Sherpa people and their rich culture, or we can hike up to the Everest View Hotel and enjoy an up-close view of the mighty Everest. While in the Namche village or upon returning from the hike to the Everest View Hotel, trekkers may also visit the local museum containing exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna as well as the history of the Mount Everest region.

For trekkers who want to hike for a little longer, a hike to Khumjung village (3/4hrs) may also be an option. While in the village we can visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti!).

Our trail heads west along the valley of the Bhote Koshi River. The views of the Himalayas including Kongde Ri (6187m), Khumbi Yul La (5765m), Kusum Kanguru (6,373m) are fantastic. The first village we pass through is Phorte where a nursery was established by Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust. We continue along the balcony path. After descending to the river we cross a bridge before making a steep climb to Thame, situated at an important juncture along the old primary trade route to and from Tibet via the NangpaLa pass.

After breakfast we visit Thame Gompa which is a 350-year-old monastery beautifully located in the cliffs above Thame. After spending some time here we continue our trek to Lumde. The trail climbs gently over the moraine and continue our ascent to Lumde. We follow the route used for centuries by the Himalayan traders who ferried salt and grains across the Nangpa-La pass into Tibet. 

Today we cross the first of the three passes, Renjo-La. It is a tough climb but the view from the top makes the climb worthwhile. As we trek further we see prayer flags that signal the pass. The view from the top of the pass is spectacular. We see Gokyo Lakes, Ngozummpa Glacier, Everest, Lhotse and other Himalayas. From here we descend to Gokyo. 

Early morning we climb upto Gokyo Ri. Climbing Gokyo Ri is obviously strenuous as it is steep and takes about 2/3 hours to reach the top. At Gokyo Ri we are surrounded by more than 10 mighty Himalayas. The sight of sunrays kissing Everest which towers over all the surrounding peaks is astounding. After breakfast, we climb out of the Gokyo village to a ridge then trek through the Ngazumpa Glacier to the mountain on the other side. Next, traverse along the edge of that mountain and then meander into Thaknak. It will be a short hike today with an afternoon of rest which will prepare us for long hiking days and elevation gain to come. 

Today is going to be one of the toughest days of the trip. The Cho La pass is not itself difficult, but it is steep and involves a glacier traverse on the eastern side. We need to be careful as the trail is vertical and the rocks glazed by ice may cause trouble by making the trail slippery.  The trail from Phedi climbs through a ravine and a rocky trail. While trekking through the side of a frozen lake, we reach at the top of the pass which is decorated with prayer flags. The pyramidal Ama Dablam presides over a range of mountains on the south even as Cholatse soars to the west and Lobuche East and Baruntse rises sharply to our right. We need to pass through some crevasses before we reach Dzongla, another beautiful place with a complete view of Mt. Cholatse, Mt. Ama Dablam, Lobuche Peak and the Pheriche Village far below. 

We climb down from Dzongla and walk through a grassy trail while enjoying the view of Lobuche Peak. The trail curves through the wide river bed before reaching Lobuche.  After lunch we take the trail to Everest Base. The trail from Lobuche progresses gradually upwards providing splendid views of Mt Pumori. In the afternoon you will reach Gorakshep which is surrounded by mountains. After lunch, we ready for our adventure to the targeted destination and we continues our hike towards the Everest Base Camp and to the Khumbu Ice-fall, the path from here can be misleading, follow the lead Sherpa, every year the trail changes due to the movements of the glacier, the walk is quite strenuous due to the high altitude and thin air, the walk passes through over rocky dunes and moraine and streams, till you reach the base camp. Everest Base Camp is lively with commotion during the high expedition season. It takes 2-3 hrs to get to base camp and after a grand time here retrace the journey back to Gorekshep for the overnight at lodge.

Early morning our journey continue steep climb to the Kalapatthar base camp top after 2 hour walk on our pace. After reaching the top, you will feel beaming as you achieve the moment that you been dreaming, since the beginning of the journey. Top of Kalapatthar is a small rocky peak on the southwest ridge of Mt. Pumori, the view from here is beyond imagination as the Everest looks amazing, the panoramic view from this spot is something to cherish, and you feel it’s worth the hard climb up to here and to feel at the top of the world, and can be seen to the south Khumbu glacier sweeps below you, and you can also see the Everest Base camp down below on the moraine of Khumbu glacier and lot of picturesque scenery. Re-track to Gorakshep and after the breakfast at Gorekshep we trek down to Dhugla then go straight up the hill from the bridge to reach an upper trail. Staying high above the valley floor, we pass the yak pasture at Dusa to a Chorten at the head of the Imja valley.

After breakfast, we trek via Khumbu Glacier to Kongma La Base Camp (5,000m/16,404ft). The ascent to Kongma La pass is the most difficult part of our trek today. In the Kongma La, we see cairn wrapped in prayer flags to mark the pass. Then we descend gradually to Imja Khola valley, followed by another descent to Chhukung, a small summer settlement. After reaching Chhukung we will also check our equipment in order to get ready for our ultimate climb.

Note: If we do not want to undertake the Kongma La pass, we can follow another route to Dingboche.

Today’s walk will be a much easier as we descend to the lower altitudes. Following the same route back through the wide valley of Khumbu Khola, we pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages Orsho and Shomare. We can also take a different trail to visit the Gompa in Upper Pangboche, which is believed to be the oldest in the Khumbu region or take the regular trail to reach Pangboche. Pangboche is a scenic village surrounded by Everest to its north, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kangtaiga to the east, the Kongde range to the south and the Imja Tse River flowing through the wide fertile valley.

From Pangboche we retrace our steps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forest to Tyangboche. If interested, we can also visit nuns at the Tyangboche monastery. After lunch at Tyangboche, we continue through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, our trail follows the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa. We keep a lookout for wildlife such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants, etc., while passing through the forest. After passing a chorten, e reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar.

The trail descends steeply downward so we need to walk cautiously as our shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries, the trail becomes more level and natural. After our arrival in Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks.

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenirs shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the climbers’ successful summit of the Island peak. 

The trail descends steeply downward so we need to walk cautiously as our shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries, the trail becomes more level and natural. After our arrival in Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks.

 

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenirs shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the climbers’ successful summit of the Island peak. 

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organize your photos. A representative from Nepal Adventure Point will take you to the airport, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you'll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.

Cost Included

  • Fee: Sagarmatha national park entrance permit and TIMS card 
  • Activities: Sightseeing, hiking and trekking trip as per itinerary. 
  • Accommodation: 4 nights hotel in Kathmandu on twin shering bedroo and 16 nights tent/lodges on twin or multi shared bedroom during trekking 
  • Food: Full board on Teahouse (breakfast, lunch and dinner) during the trekking and 4 breakfast in Kathmandu. 
  • Staffs: Leader/Guide and supporters and their daily wage, food, and accommodation
  • Transportation: All airport arrival/departure transfer and surface road-head transportation and Kathmandu to Lukla and return flight
  • Company & Government’s service charge: All applicable Government taxes & official service charges. And Crew’s, daily wages/salary, food, equipment, air and road-head transportation

Cost Excluded

  • Your international flight
  • Travel/medical insurance coverage personal accidents, medical and emergency Helicopter rescue
  • Personal travel and trekking equipments 
  • Lunch and dinner while in city
  • Items of a personal nature such as normal drinks, hot shower, dessert, laundry, internet and phone call.
  • Expenses occurred due to unavoidable Events i.e. road wrecks, flight delays etc
  • Tips/Gratuities for your trekking crews
  • Temple and Monastery entrance fees
  • Optional activities
  • And unforeseen expenses which are out of control by Nepal Adventure Point

Trip Notes

Please request our Trip Note advice and detailed itinerary.

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