Three Passes Trek – The Hidden Khumbu
Join us on this incredible trek through the enchanting Sherpa high country and visit Buddhist monasteries, the famous Everest Base Camp and lesser-visited valleys of the Khumbu Region. This trek gives you the opportunity to climb the famous peak of Kala Pattar [5554m], the Kongma La [5540m], the Cho La [5370m] and the Renjo La [5415m] – all providing simply incredible views of the Himalayan giants all around!
Your itinerary has been designed to ensure your wellbeing in the world’s highest trekking region and that all precautions are taken to get you safely to Everest Base Camp, across the three high passes as well as exploring the lesser-visited areas of this stunning Khumbu (Everest) region.
- Starts In: Kathmandu
- Ends In: Kathmandu
- Duration: 20 Days
- Difficulty Grade: Challenging
Highlights
- Journey through the high altitude Himalaya of the Khumbu
- Experience the Everest region without the crowds of the main trail
- Fly into Lukla and trek via Namche Bazaar
- Optional upgrade to helicopter transfers
Itinerary
Day 01: Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, Trek to Phakding [2656m]
Your guide will meet you early in the morning and escort you to the domestic airport for your spectacular flight and exciting landing on the steep mountain runway. This brings you to the start of your trek at the village of Lukla [2800m]. After your guide organises the trekking crew, you head up the Dudh Kosi Valley on a well-marked trail to your first night near the river at Phakding.
Time permitting, we explore the two traditional villages of Sano Gumela and Thulo Gumela. We can also have a special visit to the little monastery which is home to 12-15 monks of the Gelugpa sect and is a center of high Buddhist learning.
Walking time: Approx. 3-4 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Lunch, Dinner
Day 02: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar [3450m]
From Phakding, we cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up in order to protect and preserve this fragile mountain environment.
You then ascend steeply to Namche on steps, which will be the first big climb of the trek. Just take it easy and enjoy the views along the way as there is plenty of time to get to our destination. Along the way, if the weather is clear, you can catch your first glimpse of Mt Everest in the distance.
Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market — a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La. On any day of the week, this is a big, bustling trading town, packed with locals and trekkers alike!
Walking time: Approx. 6-7 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 03: Rest day in Namche Bazaar
Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu and has an abundance of lodges, tea shops, and souvenir shops as well as a magnificent outlook. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatizing to the new altitude before heading further up into the mountains.
There are a number of great acclimatization day hikes to choose from:
Visit Everest View Hotel (2-3 hours): A one-hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, and Everest. There are also good views from the National Park Centre and Museum just above the town. If you’re an early bird, a great place to go for sunrise and breakfast.
On your way back from the Everest View, do make sure to stop in at Sagarmatha Next. The mountain gallery and community movement promotes a deeper understanding of the Khumbu region and its people to inspire a positive impact. On your way back through Namche at the end of your trek you may like to get involved with the Carry Me Back initiative, a crowdsourced waste removal system.
Visit Khumjung and Khunde (3-4 hours): If you continue past Everest View Hotel, you descend into the village of Khumjung where you can visit the Khunde Hospital which was set up by Sir Edmund Hillary and one of the Hillary schools at Khumjung.
Day hike to Thame (6-7 hours): If you’re fast on the trail, can also be combined with Thame (below). Thame is a beautiful old village with snaking rock walls, yak paddocks, and gorgeous, traditional slate-roofed Sherpa houses. Thame Gompa, perched up to the north of the village, is one of the oldest in the Khumbu, so it’s well worthwhile to take the afternoon to climb to the Gompa and wander around this old, walled village. In Thame, we can also see the Advanced Mountaineering Training School and their hydropower station.
Rest for the day and explore Namche: Depending on energy levels, you can of course use this day to rest and just enjoy being in Namche.
Walking time: Approx. 1-5 hours (depending on which day hike you choose)
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 04: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche [3846m]
From Namche, the trail contours around the side of the valley, high above the Dudh Kosi. Now we get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu including Mt Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we descend steeply to a bridge over the river at Phunki Tenga.
The village is an excellent lunch spot, and here we can rest before making the steep climb to Tengboche. Although tiring, the hike up the zigzag path has numerous distractions, with rhododendron bushes, beautiful birds and superb mountain scenery.
Tengboche is famous for its legendary monastery, the largest in the Khumbu. You stay at a teahouse near the monastery with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam in full view (weather permitting).
Walking time: Approx. 4-5 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 05; Trek from Tengboche to Dingboche [4300m]
We descend steeply through Rhododendron forest, cross the Imja Khola and climb steadily to the village of Pangboche.
This is directly opposite Ama Dablam (6,856 m), and has exceptional views of the mountain, with the gompa, mani walls and scattered pine trees in the foreground. Old Pangboche’s gompa is the oldest monastery in the Khumbu, founded in 1667 and housing relics said to be the skull and hand of a yeti. A further two to three hours walking brings us to Dingboche.
Walking time: Approx. 5-6 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 06: Acclimatisation day in Dingboche
Today is a good chance to take your body a bit higher during the day and sleep back down at Dingboche in the evening. Some great hikes include exploring upper Dingboche, which has a more traditional feel than the lower part of town, taken up with the trekking lodges that we rely on up here. We can also head up onto the ridgeline to a peak called Dolma Ri, topped with prayer flags and said to be the home of eagles. For a smaller excursion there is the chance to visit an old Buddhist hermitage called Nangar Dzong. However, if you are tired, just take it easy and rest – listen to your body!
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 07: Trek from Dingboche to Chhukung [4730m]
Today we leave the main EBC trail and trek up along the Imja Khola into the upper Imja Valley to Chhukung, a seasonal herding village nestled under Ama Dablam, the immense 3000m south face of Lhotse, the Nuptse wall, Peak 38 and Island Peak, to name just a few of the incredible landscape features that make this such an awesome setting. It’s a short walk, but as we have gained altitude, in the afternoon we will just relax and take it easy in our simple tea house, marvelling at the impressive ice flutings and ridges which surround us up there. (approx 3 hours)
Walking time: Approx. 2-3 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 08: Climb Chhukung Ri [5530m]
Today we have the option to climb Chhukung Ri, a climbing peak with two summits, the higher at about 5530m. From the summit, the views are of course spectacular, particularly of Makalu, but also of the mind-blowing number of huge peaks surrounding us.If you find you would like to take it a bit easier, then another option is to hike up the rolling valley towards Island Peak Base Camp, a three hour journey up, two hours back. We may meet Island Peak climbers who wander into camp in the late afternoon, exhausted after the day’s climb.
Walking time: Approx. 6-7 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 09: Trek from Chhukung to Lobuche [4930m]
From Chhukung we have two options: We can descend to Dingboche and continue to Lobuche from there, or we can cross the high pass, the Kongma La [5540m]. If we take the first option, then we retrace our steps to Dingboche and enjoy a cuppa at our old tea house. We then follow a trail along the side of the wide valley, with the valley floor and Pheriche below us and the impressive peaks of Cholatse and Tawache above us on our left. We have a short climb up to Dughla and our lunch spot before making our way onto the terminus or ‘foot’ of the enormous Khumbu Glacier, climbing more steeply now. At the top of this climb there are many stone cairns, built as memorials to the many Sherpas and mountaineers who have died while climbing Mt Everest. Our path then climbs gently along the rocky paths on the glacier, to eventually reach the cluster of houses at Lobuche. (approx 6-7 hours)
If we take option two and climb the pass (your trekking crew will determine who has acclimatized well enough to attempt this high pass and may split the group so everyone gets to have an amazing day) then we head west out of Chhukung on a small, rocky trail and contour around the hillsides until we reach Pokalde Base Camp. The trail then gets steeper around some more hillsides and we will reach a second Pokalde Base Camp and a clear blue lake which sits just below the pass. We climb the last half hour or so on a wild looking trail cut impossibly into the cliff side. It is a solid trail, but looks pretty interesting! After reaching the pass, we make our way down into Lobuche, and focus our energy on re-hydrating with endless of cups of Nepali tea, soup and long chats about the trails so far.
Walking time: Approx. 8-9 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Trek from Lobuche to Gorak Shep [5184m]
To reach our next objective, Kala Pattar, the trail continues to follow the valley beside the Khumbu Glacier, and offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at our camping place for the night, Gorak Shep. Later in the afternoon, when the sunset colours begin to appear on Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Khumbu, Kala Pattar [5549m].
As the light begins to fade we stroll back to our camp at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for our trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.
Walking time: Approx. 4-5 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Trek from Gorak Shep to Lobuche via Everest Base Camp [approx 5300m]
This is it! You want to get and going early this morning as the walk to base camp and back to Gorak Shep requires about 5-6 hours, following the Khumbu glacier, sometimes on moraine and sometimes on the glacier itself. Base Camp does not have a set elevation as it will be in a slightly different place each year, but you will certainly know it when you get there! On reaching the base camp, please respect the space of any climbing expeditions based there, but enjoy this crowning moment, before returning down the long trail back down to Lobuche.
Today we will take a packed lunch, although in the peak season there is a bakery operating at Base Camp these days, so you can get a nice snack there if it is open! (approx 7-8 hours)
Walking time: Approx. 7-8 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: Trek from Lobuche to Dzongla [4830m]
Today we retrace our steps down to Lobuche and then we leave the main EBC trail again, taking an alternative, winding trail to Dzongla past the Cho La Lake. This is a lovely walk, contouring around the hillsides and enjoying the simply stunning panoramic mountain views. We enter the valley with Tawache Peak Base Camp and, crossing the river, have one more steep climb up into Dzongla, which is a small ‘kharka’ or pasture ground with two lodges. Here we are just a few hours below the Cho La pass and can relax and enjoy the amazing view up at the sheer wall of Cholatse Peak. (approx 5-6 hours)
Walking time: Approx. 6 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13: Trek from Dzongla to Dragnak [4700m] via the Cho La [5370m]
Today our trail goes up high to the Cho La at 5370m. It will take us about 3-4 hours to the pass from where, as you’d expect, you have sensational views! We start out from Dzongla by climbing up to a plateau like section and then, after crossing a mountain stream, often icy so be careful, we begin the real ascent to the pass. It’s a fun, but steep and rocky ascent, often with ice on the trail, so we need to take it seriously but have a great time in this incredible landscape, stopping to enjoy the surroundings as we go. Once up at the glaciated pass, we trek across the snow and ice to the summit and take in the incredible views of Ama Dablam, Kantega, Thamserku, Tawache, Cholatse and Baruntse to the east, and to Nangpai Gosain, Pasang Lhamo, Numbur and on the Gokyo side of the pass.
From the pass we descend steeply for 1 ½ hours and then the descent becomes more gradual, on a rocky hill trail, before it steepens again for our last descent into the welcome haven of Dragnak. (approx 5-6 hours)
Walking time: Approx. 8-9 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14: Trek from Dragnak to Gokyo [4700m]
From Dragnak, our trail heads out through the big Nzogomba Glacier with creaking glacial lakes below us and ridiculously stunning landscape all around us. We make our way across the glacier and trek past the second lake into the Gokyo Valley – so different form where we have come from, this is a green ablation valley dotted with gorgeous, turquoise glacial lakes. We now have a stunning walk into Gokyo, a seasonal grazing village built beside the third and largest lake and with our first views up to Cho Oyo (8201m). (approx 2-3 hours)
Walking time: Approx. 4 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Rest day in Gokyo, Climb Gokyo Ri [5400m]
Today can be used as a rest day, or we can get out and explore Gokyo. If we feel good, then head out up Gokyo Ri, 5400m. This peak offer yet more amazing views, in fact considered one of the best for the four highest mountains in the area; Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. It’s also a great vantage point for all-around spectacular views of the lakes, the glacial moraine and the Khumbu ice fall. It is fantastic in the morning, the middle of the day or for sunset, but don’t forget to bring a torch if you opt for a ‘sunset on Everest’ views, which is better than the sunrise. If the peak is not your thing for today, then there’s a super nice 3-4 hour round trip to the fifth lake for a good view of Mt Everest from an alternate perspective.
Walking time: Approx. 2 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16: Trek from Gokyo to Lungden via Renjo La [5415m]
Back on the trails again, we have another stunning but long day, so it’s good to get out early. Our trail heads out around the side of the lake, then switch backs up a ridge until we reach an often frozen stream. Here we begin the steep ascent to the Renjo La, finally reaching the famous pass after skirting a dramatic rock face before the top. The mornings climb will take us about 4 hours and we stop to enjoy our picnic lunch and yet more ridiculously stunning views.
After the pass we have a steep descent for an hour or so to a lake where the terrain levels out for a bit in yak kharkas. We pass the twin Renjo Lakes and then we have a last steep decent into the Thame Valley. We stay the night in the small hamlet of Lungden, again with spectacular views and located in one of the lesser visited areas of the Khumbu region, allowing us to experience more closely the traditional life of Sherpa families.
Walking time: Approx. 7-8 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17: Trek from Lungden to Thame [3805m]
Today our trail follows the Bhote Koshi river for about 3-4 hours down into Thame. Our walk will feel like a step back in time as we pass by many old, walled Sherpa villages, seasonal settlements of the Thame and Thamo villagers. We will probably also share the trail with Tibetan yak caravans, Khampas, trading en route to and from Namche and Tibet with the villagers. Thame is a beautiful old village with snaking rock walls, yak paddocks and the gorgeous, traditional slate-roofed Sherpa houses. Thame Gompa, perched up to the north of the village, is one of the oldest in the Khumbu, so it’s well worth while to take the afternoon to climb to the Gompa and wander around this old, walled village. In Thame we can also see the Advanced Mountaineering Training School and their hydro power station.
Walking time: Approx. 3-4 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 18 Trek to Khongde [4200m]
After breakfast we take a walk for 5/6 hours through the forest, we reach at Kongde which is the ideal place for a blissful experience: Enjoy the beautiful panoramic views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Cho-Oyu, Gyjungkhang, Pumori, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Tawache, Thamserku and Kusum Khangkaru and other more peaks during all the day walking.
Walking time: Approx. 5-6 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 19 Trek to Lukla [2800m]
This morning, we have a steep 4 hours walk down to Phakding with great views of Thamserku, Kusum Khangkaru and scenic views of Sherpa villages around Phakding, Lukla and Chourikharka. From Phakding we are back following the familiar trail we came up so many days ago. We are back in the lush Dudh Kosi river valley and follow the river back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal opportunity for a farewell party with your guide and porters, where you can sample some chang, try Sherpa dancing and look back on a memorable trekking experience. (approx 8 hours)
Walking time: Approx. 7-8 hours
Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 20: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu
After an early breakfast, you head to the airstrip with your guide for the return flight to Kathmandu. Flights out of Lukla usually depart early in the morning so you should arrive in Kathmandu with plenty of time for further sightseeing, shopping, getting a massage, or taking in the life of town from a street side cafe.
Upon arrival at the airport, you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Kathmandu to check in and then the rest of the day is free.
Accommodation: None
Meals included:
Breakfast
Gallery
Included In Price
- Tea house accommodation while on trek
- Meals as per the itinerary (all meals on trek, with filtered drinking water)
- Transportation as per the detailed itinerary (includes the return flights to and from Kathmandu for you and your guide, including transfers and airport taxes)
- Your trekking guide, sherpas, and porters, with all their transport, equipment, insurance, meals, and accommodation
- A first aid kit with basic supplies appropriate for the group size and trek route – if you require or are taking specific medications it is critical that you discuss this with us prior to your trip departure
Trekking permits and registration fees
Note: The local tea houses are basic but clean and they do not often have attached bathrooms or hot showers. The price is based on twin shares and does not include any extra charge that lodge owners may levy for single rooms, attached bathrooms, or hot showers (if these facilities are available) or for battery charging. We can’t know in advance what they may charge for such things in the different lodges along the way, so we prefer to leave this cost out, rather than pass along an estimated charge to you.
The meal inclusions on the trek are breakfast (one set breakfast and tea or coffee), lunch (one main meal and tea or coffee), and dinner (soup, main, and dessert with tea or coffee)
Not Included In Price
- Single supplement, please see single supplement charge
- International flights to and from Kathmandu; Nepal visa fees and international airport taxes; any excess baggage charges
- Comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation and emergency rescue/evacuation that covers all of the activities you will undertake during your trip should this be required for any reason (we require this as the minimum insurance cover)
- Services and activities not mentioned in the detailed itinerary above (eg additional nights, optional trips and sightseeing tours)
- Any gear or equipment that you may need to rent/buy – please ask us if you would like any advice about gear to bring/buy/rent
- Personal expenses (eg mineral water/soft drinks/bar bills, entrance/photography fees at monasteries, laundry, telephone calls, postage, donations, extra snacks, etc)
- Any extra charge that tea house owners may levy for single rooms, attached bathrooms, or hot showers (if these facilities are available) and charging of batteries
- Tips for your city guide, drivers, hotels, restaurants, etc (please ask if you would like guidance about appropriate tips)
- Costs incurred due to unforeseen events (eg caused by natural disasters, adverse road conditions/flight delays, labor strikes, fuel shortages, extreme exchange rate changes, etc)
