Everest Three Passes
Everest Three High Passes Trek is the ultimate trek for thrill-seekers and adventurers in the Everest region. In this trek, you will not only reach the Everest Base Camp but also pass through the three highest passes in the Khumbu region – Kongma La Pass (5,535/18,159ft), Cho La Pass (5420m/17,782ft), and Renjo La Pass (5,340m/17,520ft).
The Everest 3 High Passes Trek is one of the most adventurous treks in the world that takes you deep into the Everest region. You get to see what lies around Everest, how the geography elevates to give rise to the world's highest mountain.
The trekking is intense and provides a more detailed picture of the harsh terrain, cold climate, and constant human struggle in high altitudes.
Needless to say that Everest does not rise alone. In fact, several high mountains lie around the Everest vicinity - including Lhotse (8,516m), Ama Dablam (6,812m), Makalu (8,516m).
Everest Three High Passes Trek takes place in the Sagarmatha National Park region. Sagarmatha National Park covers an area of 1148 sq. Km.
This national park is home to 118 bird species, rare mammals like musk deer, snow leopard, red panda, and Himalayan black bear. The vegetation of this region is dwarf-sized, and plants stop growing at altitudes above 5,750m.
Your 17 days Everest High Pass Trek begins with a breathtaking 45-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (2,840m).
After the flight, you will be trekking to Phakding (2,610m), where we will be spending the night. The following morning, after crossing several suspension bridges over the fast-flowing white rivers, we will reach Namche Bazaar (3,440m).
Namche Bazaar is a perfect place for us to acclimate and is full of shops, restaurants, and internet cafes. We will also visit nearby monasteries, the chief among them is Khumjung Monastery. If you want to see the traditional Sherpa settlement, you can trek for an hour. While acclimatizing at Namche Bazaar, you also get a chance to get the first glances of Mt. Everest by hiking up to Everest View Hotel.
After a rest day at Namche, we continue our Three High Passes Trek by heading to Thame (3,750m). This is where our path separates from classic Everest Base Camp Trek, which continues to Tengboche. We follow the Bhote Koshi River to reach Thame. There is a small hydroelectric plant that comes before Thame.
We wake up at Thame and brace for another day of trek towards Lungden (4,500m). The paths are quite challenging, and you need to trek for about six hours to reach Lungden, where we will spend our night.
The next day will be exciting as well. We will leave Lungden behind and head for the Gokyo Lakes region. Somewhere in between Lungden and Gokyo lies Renjo La Pass (54,35m), the first among the three major passes we will cross. From Renjo La Pass, you can see amazing views of the Gokyo Lake system and many Himalayan Peaks - including Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8516m), Makalu (8,481m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), and Ama Dablam (6,812m). We will stay at Gokyo for the night and spend the following day acclimatizing.
As we acclimatize in Gokyo, we will go to Gokyo Ri (5,483m) from where you can see four among the six highest mountains in the world - Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8,516m), Makalu (8,485m), and Cho Oyu (8,188m). The scenes from the Gokyo Ri are probably the best in the Everest Region, and the sights are mind-blowing.
Next, we will continue our journey from Gokyo to Thagnak (4,700m), crossing Ngozumpa Glacier on the way. From the trails, in addition to awesome Himalayan terrains, you will also get a chance to see yak pastures, or if you are lucky yaks grazing on them.
The next day's destination is Dzongla (4,855m), and on the way lies Cho La Pass (5,420m). You will be walking through the Chola Pass, and it is the second major pass in this trek. This pass connects the Gokyo region and Everest region and serves as an Everest Viewpoint.
By crossing Cho La Pass, you have entered the Everest Region, and we will be heading towards Everest Base Camp, but we have to stop in two places - Lobuche (4,910m) and Gorak Shep (5,185m).
As we move forward from Dzongla to Lobuche, you will get to see the memorial statues of travelers who succumbed to the harsh conditions in this region.
The eleventh day of the trek is going to be extraordinary; you will wake up at Lobuche (4,930m) and head to Gorak Shep (5,185m).
You will have to walk for about eight hours to reach Gorak Shep, where you will leave your belongings and climb to Everest Base Camp (5,364m). It is a huge achievement. Despite the harsh terrain, high altitude, and challenging climate, you succeeded in reaching the Everest Base Camp. We do appreciate your effort and determination.
After spending time on EBC, we will descend to Gorak Shep and spend the night there. The following morning we will wake up at Gorak Shep and trek to Kala Patthar (5,555m), from where we can catch the heavenly sight of dawn breaking on Mt. Everest. We will soak in the incredible scenery and get back to Gorak Shep and descend to Lobuche to spend the night.
The following morning we will wake up at Lobuche and head to Chhukung (4,730m), and in between lies Kongma La Pass (5,535m) - the last of our three major passes. It is also the highest pass among the three passes and is challenging but remember that the more challenging a trek is - the more rewards you will be reaping. We will be spending the night at Chhukung for that day.
On our fourteenth day, we leave Chhukung behind and head to Tengboche (3,855m) and pass Dingboche and Pangboche on the way. From the trails, you get to see cultivated lands, surrounded by stones, so that the crops are safe from cold winds and wild animals. The path allows you to see some of the spectacular scenes of Amadablam (6856m), Everest (8848 m), Nuptse (7861m), and Lhotse (8501m). We will not forget to visit the famous Tengboche monastery as well.
Our trek is coming to an end, and the next day's trek will take us back to Namche Bazaar. The way is uneven and passes through dense forest, and if you are lucky, you will get a chance to see Himalayan pheasants, musk deer, mountain goats, or even snow leopards. We will be spending our night at Namche Bazaar.
On the last day of Everest Three High Passes Trek trails, we will be heading from Namche to Lukla. We return down to Dudh Koshi Valley, cross Hillary Suspension Bridge, and trek for about seven hours to reach Lukla. We will be staying in Lukla for the night. Your Everest Three High Passes Trek in the Everest region is almost over, and you are just a night away from returning to Kathmandu.
