Everest Base Camp via Cho-la Pass with Gokyo Valley Trek

Durations 17 Days

Max. Elevation 5550 m

Group Size 2 Min Pax

Transportation Local Transportation

Best Season Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November)

Starts at Kathmandu

end at Kathmandu

Accomodation Two-night stay at tourist standard hotels in Kathmandu with twin sharing room

Meals Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with a cup of tea / coffee

Trip Route Everest Region

Trip Difficulty Difficult

Everest Base Camp via Cho-la Pass with Gokyo Valley Trek Overview

The Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass trek is one of the most adventurous routes in the Khumbu region. It blends the stunning beauty of the Gokyo Valley trek, the turquoise lakes of Gokyo Lake trekking, and the thrill of the Cho-La Pass crossing, with the legendary Everest Base Camp experience. This journey is also known as the Gokyo Everest Circuit trek, as it creates a loop connecting the Gokyo side with the classic Everest route.

Trekkers get the best of everything—serene lakes, Sherpa villages, monasteries, glaciers, and some of the most breathtaking Himalayan panoramas. Climbing Gokyo Ri and Kala Patthar provides unmatched views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu, making Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass one of the most complete treks in Nepal.

Best Time for Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass Trek

The best seasons for the Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass trek are spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November).

Spring brings clear skies, longer days, and blooming rhododendrons, making the Gokyo Valley even more colorful.
Autumn offers stable weather, harvest season vibes, and crisp views of the Himalayas.

Both times are ideal for crossing high passes safely. Winter is harsh with snow blocking trails, while monsoon makes paths slippery and less safe for the Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass trek.

Route and Highlights of the Trek

The trek begins with a scenic flight to Lukla and continues through Phakding and Namche Bazaar, the heart of Sherpa culture. From there, the trail heads to the peaceful Gokyo Valley with its sparkling lakes. A climb to Gokyo Ri (5,357m) reveals panoramic views of Everest, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Makalu.

The adventurous part of the journey comes at the Cho-La Pass crossing (5,420m), where trekkers hike across glaciers and steep rocky trails. This pass connects the Gokyo side to the classic route of Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass. From Lobuche and Gorakshep, the trail leads to the famous Everest Base Camp (5,364m), standing at the foot of the world’s highest peak.

The final highlight is Kala Patthar (5,545m), a legendary viewpoint for sunrise over Mount Everest. Returning through Pheriche and Namche Bazaar completes the Gokyo Everest Circuit trek back to Lukla.

What to Expect on the Combined Trek

The Gokyo Lake trekking route starts with a flight to Lukla, then gradually climbs through Phakding, Namche Bazaar, and Dole into the stunning Gokyo Valley. From the top of Gokyo Ri (5,357m), you’ll see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. The challenging Cho-La Pass crossing follows, with glacier walks and rocky terrain, before descending toward Lobuche and joining the classic Everest Base Camp trail.

At EBC, you’ll stand at the foot of the world’s highest peak, with the mighty Khumbu Glacier beside you. A sunrise climb to Kala Patthar (5,545m) gives an unmatched close-up of Everest. The return journey goes through Pheriche and Namche, completing the loop back to Lukla.

Altitude Sickness Tips

High altitude can cause nausea, headache, or breathing difficulty.Since Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass crosses high altitudes multiple times, acclimatization is very important. If symptoms appear:

Stop and rest for 24–48 hours.
Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol or smoking.
Inform your guide immediately for proper care.

Accommodation and Food

Teahouses offer simple rooms with shared bathrooms, warm blankets, and hot showers (for a small fee). Meals are freshly cooked, with local Nepali dishes like dal bhat, plus Tibetan, Indian, Italian, and continental options.Teahouses along the Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass route offer simple but comfortable stays.

Travel Insurance

Since Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass involves high altitude and glacier crossings, proper travel insurance is essential. Trekking at high altitude is risky. Ensure your insurance covers:

High-altitude trekking
Emergency helicopter evacuation
Medical costs and trip cancellations
This provides safety and peace of mind during your journey.

Trekking Permits

For the Gokyo Everest Circuit trek, you need:

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit
TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card

Why Choose Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass Trek?

Unlike the standard EBC route, the Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass trek gives a complete Himalayan experience. You’ll explore the turquoise Gokyo Lake trekking trails, enjoy the thrill of the Cho-La Pass crossing, and reach both Gokyo Ri and Kala Patthar for the best viewpoints of Everest.

This is the ultimate High Passes trek in Everest, combining culture, adventure, and breathtaking scenery. If you want the most rewarding journey in Nepal, the Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass trek is the perfect choice.

Guide and Porter Support

Hiring a licensed guide and porter makes the trek safer and more enjoyable. Guides share cultural insights about Sherpa traditions, monasteries, and local life, while porters carry heavy loads so you can trek comfortably. Both add tremendous value to your Everest Base Camp via Cho-La Pass adventure.

Outline Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu Then Transfer To Hotel
Day 2: Fly to Lukla (2,840m) 30min and Trek to Phakding (2,610m) 4hrs
Day 3: Trek to Namche Bazar (3,440 m) ~| ( 5 hrs)
Day 4: Rest day at Namche Bazzar (3,440m)
Day 5: Trek to Porche (3,810m) ~ | ( 5 hrs)
Day 6: Trek to Machhermo (4,470 m) ( 5 hrs)
Day 7: Trek to Gokyo(4,790m ) ~~ | ( 5 hrs)
Day 8: Acclimatization day at Gokyo(4,790 m)
Day 9: Trek to Dragnag(4700 m) (3 hrs)
Day 10: Crossing Chola Pass (5368m) & Trek to Dzongla (4830 m) (5 hrs)
Day 11: Trek to Labuche(4910 m) (5 hrs)
Day 12: Trek to EBC(5364m) & back to Gorekshep (5140 m) ( 8 hrs)
Day 13: Trek to Pheriche(4240m) & Kalapathar( 5,550 m) (7 hrs)
Day 14: Trek to Namche(3, 440 m) ( 5 hrs)
Day 15: Trek to Lukla( 2, 840 m) ( 6 hrs)
Day 16: Fly back to Kathmandu ( 30 min )
Day 17: Last Final Day Departure back to home

Everest Base Camp via Cho-la Pass with Gokyo Valley Trek Highlights

Passes through diverse landscapes, including glacial moraines, dense forests, high- altitude settlements, and lush valleys
Breathtaking views of snow- capped peaks like Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Mount Everest during Gokyo Cho-La Pass Trek via Everest Base Camp
Opportunity to experience the unique culture of the Sherpa people and their warm hospitality
Visit Gokyo valley and its mesmerizing lakes
Crossing the Chola Pass offers stunning panoramic views of the Everest region
Witness colorful Buddhist monasteries and prayer flags along the trekking route
Experience Sherpa culture deeply influenced by Tibetan Buddhists traditions
Stunning views of Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth- highest mountain
Gokyo Ri, a viewpoint that offers panoramic vistas of the Everest region, including Mt. Everest itself
Climb to the summit of Kala Pattha, a renowned viewpoint

Important Notes

Fill your life with adventures, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show. Hurry up! Adventure is waiting for you and mountains are calling you.

This trip is fully customization. Importantly, this trip is available on both a fixed departure and a private group basis. Moreover, we can also customize the trip as per your needs, please contact us at Whatsapp (+977-9843770916) or email us at [email protected]. Let us know how we can help you, and we will do our best to give you the best customer service you’ll get anywhere else.

Furthermore, Nepal holiday treks and tours Pvt. Ltd. is a reputable and reliable company serving relentlessly in the field of tourism to fulfill the dreams of diverse adventure seekers around the globe into reality where they can feel most alive. So, we recommend you to reserve seat for yourself by booking with us right away for a wonderful and unforgettable trip experience

Everest Base Camp via Cho-la Pass with Gokyo Valley Trek Itinerary

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On your arrival to Kathmandu from Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), the representative from Nepal
Holiday Treks and Tours welcome you and then you shall be transferred to the categorized Hotel in
Kathmandu to which you are comfortable with.

We will head towards Lukla early in the morning by flight. We will see the scenic fight of the Himalayan
foothills and then we will start trekking in Everest region. And after reaching Lukla we will meet
corresponding trekking staff and we will do packing and arrangement over there. We will walk 3 hours to
Phakding along the Dudh koshi river then we will start to trek to Phakding. We will spend a night in Lukla
with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We will start to trek along the banks of dudh koshi river by crossing the majestic river through suspension
bridges. After reaching the Sagarmatha National Park, we will climb slowly and observe some views of
mountains. We will finally reach to Namche Bazar which is also known as home of many quality
restaurants, hotels, lodges, shops, and money exchange services. We will stay a night over there with
breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We will spend a day in Namche Bazar in order to alleviate our tired and lethargic muscle. We will make a
short distance to the way of museum which is celebrated for exibits of traditional culture of Sherpa people.
After that we will hike up to the Syangboche Airport which lies closer to the Everest View Hotel where we
can observe the views of the Himalayas with a astonishing sunrise and sunset over the panoroma of
khumbu peaks. Namche is a colorful village which includes interesting and exhilarating shops and vendors, fabulous food, and stunning views of mountains. We will stay a night over there with breakfast,
lunch and dinner.

As we climb steeply out of valley passing through the rhododendron forest, we will see juniper and large
conifers according to the altitude being increased which makes the trekking very much pristine in spring
time. We will observe Khumbi La and Twache throughout the day. We will spent a night over there with
breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We will ascend to the ridge to observe the perfect view down the valley to Kengtega as well as upward to
Cho Oyu and then we will climb down to a river and again climb upwards to the final moraine of the
Ngozumpz glacier. Eventually, we will reach to Machhermo by early noon. Then, we will stay a night over
there with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We will head from Machhermo to Gokyo which is one of our primary destination. We will spend 2 night for this base camp as we have a lot to do like sightseeing, hiking and trekking in Gokyo. Therefore, we will
stay a night with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Today we are having a acclimatization day and make up to the top of Gokyo RI (5357m). There are
stunning views of the Gokyo valley, the massive Ngozumpa Glacier and an incredible panoramic view of
the whole Khumbu mountains range like Mt. Cho Oyu, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, Cholaste,
Tabuche peak and Gychung Kang.

We have a short trail from Gokyo to Dragnag since the next destination for us is bit difficult concerning the health. But we still have continuous views of fine mountains and nature. So we take a slow and steady
walk on this day.

Today is going to be a tough day, since the pass is steep and involves a glacier traverse on the eastern
side. Our trail climbs through a narrow valley and a rocky trail, we climb up continuously from Phedi. As we gain height, the view gets increasingly captivating before us. We trek through the side of a frozen lake
while we come to the top of the Cho La pass (5368m) decorated with prayer flags. We get the sight of
famous mountains like Kyajo Ri, Tengkangpoche, Numbur, Kangchung etc. Ama Dablam presides over a
range of mountains on the south even as Cholatse soar on the west and Lobuche East and Baruntse rises
sharply to our right. After the Cho La pass, the trail descends steeply towards the Dzonglha (4,830 m)
passing through some crevasses and pine forests.

The trail is descends and ascends gently to Labuche. The whole trip provides us with excellent views of
Ama Dablam, the Nuptse-Lhotse, Everest, Pumori, Lobuche peak etc. Lobuche is a small village situated
nearby the stream and the sunset on Nuptse is a most for sight on this day.

Today we follow the rocky moraine path and we can enjoy incredible views of Pumori, Lingtren,
Khumbutse, Nuptse, Lobuche east as well as Khumbu glacier and ice fall. Down below the Khumbu
glacier we have a short downhill walk after the last rocky moraine dunes bring us to Gorakshep. And after
having lunch at Gorakshep we head towards Everest Base Camp leaving our bag pack in lodge. The trek
trail is on glacier and snowcapped rocks. We can see many small frozen lakes around the EBC. There are
several mountains including Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse, Nuptse,etc in our sight. The most impressive
view from Everest base camp is the Khumbu icefall. And making all this beautiful day we head back to
Gorakshep for our overnight stay.

We will have a easy walk and declination to pheriche. We will observe big Monastery, large field with camp sites and tea houses, logdes. We will stay and enjoy a night there with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
.

We will trek down to Phunkethanga which is a small places of tea houses. This track leads to the downhill
from the forested path and after that we will cross the bridge along the Dudh Koshi river and incline to
climb from Sanasa to Namchebacher. We will stay a night over there with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Waking up early in the morning we will trek back to Nepal. During our trek we will enjoy Fascinating
scenario of mountains and the Local Sherpa village. Then after that we will reach back to Lukla where we
will take some rest and relax and also get some time to celebrate our journey. This trek will be a strong
memories for a life time.

Now, finally we will flight back to Kathmandu and then we will reach Kathmandu.

On this day, you shall be transferred to the International Airport at least 3 hours before your flight for the
onward destination by a representative of Nepal Holiday Treks and Tours.

If the above Everest Base Camp via Cho-la Pass with Gokyo Valley Trek itinerary does not meet your needs, we can design individualized travel plans based on your preferences and specifications.

Plan My Trip

Everest Base Camp via Cho-la Pass with Gokyo Valley Trek Cost Includes

International airport pickups and drops then transfer to hotel by private vehicle
Three times three meals a day- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and 3 cups of tea/Coffee a day during the trek.
Accommodation in tea house during the trek Private room.
In a day time tea break with cookies every day.
Fresh fruits after dinner every night as dessert during the trek.
Two Night 3 Star Category hotel in Kathmandu B/B Plan.
Nepal Holiday Treks and Tours, (-20 degree sleeping bag) and a duffel bag for the trekking, but you need to refund to the office after the trip.
An experienced, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, English speaking well trained, government license holder Trekking Guide with all his salary, food, Drinks, accommodation, equipment, transport, and insurance.
Domestic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla to Kathmandu/ Ramechhap to lukla to ramechhap.
Pick and drop from Domestic airport to hotel and vice versa.
Kathmandu to Ramechhap to kathmandu by sharing jeep.
Includes the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, TIMS card, and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality access permit.
Arrangement of Emergency helicopter service (paid by your travel insurance company).
Medical Support Kit Box
You will be under observation with a pulse oximeter to have your oxygen levels and heart rate measured twice a day during the trek. This is to catch the signs of Altitude Mountain Sickness.
All taxes and company service charges

Everest Base Camp via Cho-la Pass with Gokyo Valley Trek Cost Excludes

International airfare and visa fees
Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
Personal expenses of bar and beverage bills, wifi, hot shower, bottle of water, extra porters,
laundry or any other things which are not mentioned by the company
Your trekking gears and extra nights in a certain destination
Your travel insurance which should include the emergency rescue
A strong, helpful porter with proper safety equipment and walking equipment, his salary, food, drinks, accommodation, and insurance (one porter for two people, he will carry a bag pack max 20-25 kg).
Tips for your guide and porters
Entrance fees during the sightseeing
Extra expenses due to any event such as strikes, weather conditions, or flight delays