15 days. This amazing Everest Gokyo Lakes adventure is completed in 15 days. In 15 days, you’ll first trek to Everest Base Camp, then cross Cho La Pass, and trek to Gokyo Lakes. From Gokyo, you’ll trek to Namche, Lukla, and fly back to Kathmandu. In between, you’ll stop for a day each at Namche and Dingboche for acclimatization.

Having said this, for some adventurers, it might take longer. For instance, some trekkers often require multiple acclimatization days for better adaptation to the elevation. Additionally, staying for one more day at Gokyo Lakes can be an amazing experience.

Hence, depending on one’s preferences, this trek can be completed in 15 to 18 days.

On average, you’ll trek 10-12 kilometers each day for 5-7 hours. Notably, the waking distances at lower elevations are more than at higher elevations.

The longer walking days on this trek are:

–  Phakding to Namche
– Namche to Debuche
– Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar and to Dzongla
– Dzongla to Thangnak
– Namche to Lukla (second last day)

Other than these, the trekking distance is 8-10 kilometers on average.

Everest region treks are popular for a few landmarks:

– Everest Base Camp,
– High mountain passes and,
– Gokyo Lakes

All the treks in the Everest region focus on these landmarks. And most treks are just single-landmark adventures.

However, if you embark on the 15-day Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek, you’ll trek to all these landmarks in a single go. First, you’ll trek to the base camp, then cross Cho La Pass, and trek to Gokyo Lakes.

Trekking to all three popular landmarks in the region provides a complete Everest experience. You’ll get a picturesque glimpse of four 8,000-meter peaks, three amazing turquoise Gokyo Lakes, and step on 5,420 meters Cho La Pass.

Trekkers who complete this adventure often regard this 15-day Everest Gokyo Lakes Trek as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Most novice trekkers with ideal physical fitness embark on the Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek with Cho La Pass. And most complete the trek as well.

Despite an extreme elevation trek with a longer itinerary, this trek is moderately difficult. Which means that very few sections along the trek are demanding. However, with proper acclimatization, pacing, and led by experienced trek guides, trekkers can overcome the demanding sections.

If you’re a novice trekker eyeing embarking on this trek, we suggest you build proper physical fitness. It’s true that trekkers with proper physical fitness are the only ones to complete this trek successfully.

The 15-day Everest Base Camp Cho La Pass Gokyo Trek is moderately difficult. The lower elevations of this trek are easier, whereas the higher elevations are moderate to demanding due to the lack of oxygen and rugged terrain.

There are no significant technical sections on the route, which makes it an adventure doable for novice trekkers too. Despite being at 5,420 meters, crossing Cho La Pass isn’t demanding. The only aspect that makes this trek demanding at times is the extremely high altitude, where oxygen concentration gets very thin. And with this, trekkers struggle to keep the pace, tire frequently, and even get altitude sickness.

However, with adequate physical fitness, proper acclimatization, and guided by an experienced trek guide, this trek is doable for most.

Annapurna Circuit Trek and Everest Gokyo Lakes Trek are in different regions of Nepal, both offering unique Himalayan experiences.

The nature of both these treks is a bit similar. Annapurna Circuit Trek has Thorong La, whereas Everest Gokyo Lakes has Cho La. Gokyo, in the Everest region, Tilicho Lake, the highest glacial lake, is in the Annapurna Circuit.

The difference between these two adventures is ethnicity, culture, landscapes, mountains, and trek difficulty. Annapurna Circuit Trek is comparatively less demanding than the Everest Base Camp Gokyo Lakes Trek. Nevertheless, embarking on either of these two amazing adventures is worth every penny.

Regarding personal safety, the Everest region is very safe for international trekkers. Solo trekkers, be it male or female, or in groups, everyone can trek freely without any concerns of theft, fights, or misunderstandings.

However, this trek poses a significant risk for trekking and elevation. It’s a high-altitude trek where the oxygen level remains very low. And at such places, the risk of getting altitude sickness is high. However, with adequate acclimatization and a trek plan, this can be mitigated.

Another risk of trekking the Everest Base Camp Trek with Gokyo Lakes via Cho La Pass is injuries. The rugged terrain of Cho La Pass can be tricky while ascending to its top and descending for an hour. With loose rocks, icy patches, and snow (in early Spring), trekkers must trek here with an experienced trek guide. Otherwise, there’s a great risk of missing the trail, stepping on slippery stone, and so forth.

Hence, for your safety, we highly recommend that you trek with an experienced trek guide or book this trek with an agency like us.

A private trek to Everest and Gokyo Lakes can be an amazing adventure. Especially, if you’re someone who wants to trek in utmost peace, not joining the group, or want to trek with family or friends, a private trek is the best.

A private trek gives you personal space throughout the trek. Moreover, you can customize the trek how you like, trekking at your own pace and preferences.

At NepTrek Adventures, we specialize in private treks. Almost all of our treks are private rather than fixed-departure or group joining. This provides you with a flexible trek date, itinerary customization, and personal experience.

You can book this 15-day trek through our official webpage, via email, or by contacting us through WhatsApp.

Please send us an inquiry once you confirm your preferred time and availability for the trek.

Once we get your inquiry, we’ll guide you through the trek booking process. Moreover, we’ll share all the necessary trek details, including itinerary and cost details, before confirming your spot for this trek.

For a detailed guide, we suggest you read How to Book The Trek with us.

To book this trek, you must pay 40-50% of the total trek cost. Please note that the advance confirmation amount should be paid per person. The remaining amount can be paid in Kathmandu after arrival or by making a bank transfer a day or two before the trek.

Note: You may be required to pay the service charge (from the bank side) while making the bank transfer. Hence, the service charge won’t add to the total trek cost.

For a detailed guide, please visit our How To Pay for a Trip Page.

Unfortunate events often lead to trip cancelation and we understand that. At NepTrek Adventures, our trip cancellation and refund policies are fair and transparent. The refund amount depends on how close to the departure date you cancel the trip. The following points highlight how our cancellation and refund policy works.

–  If you cancel the trek before a month of trek, you’ll get a 50% refund of your advance payment.
–  If you cancel the trek before a week of the trek, you’ll get 25% of your advance payment on refund.
–  If you cancel the trek before the day of the trek, you won’t get a refund. Moreover, you must pay 50% of the total trek cost as compensation.
–  If you cancel the trek for personal reasons after a few days of starting it, you won’t get a refund.
–  If you get altitude sickness and return to Kathmandu, you won’t get any refund.

For details, please visit our Trip Cancellation Policy Page.

The trek cost generally covers accommodation, meals, hotels, guides, porters, permits, and transportation. Everything the cost covers will be provided in the trek details.

However, additional expenses may include personal spending during the trip, purchase of travel insurance, any helicopter flights, drinks, snacks, hot showers, WiFi, electricity recharge, etc.

Our transactions are transparent with no hidden costs. Hence, we only provide the services that are mentioned under “Cost Includes”.

We recommend that you confirm this trek at least two months in advance. We also accept the last minute bookings. However, during the peak seasons (Spring and Autumn), the availability of guides, Lukla flights, and accommodations often decreases. Thus, to book the trek guides, flights, and tea houses along the trek, early confirmations are highly recommended.

Absolutely. Nepal allows an on-arrival visa for travellers from most countries. Those who are not eligible to get an on-arrival visa must apply for a visa before flying to Nepal.

The immigration department at Kathmandu airport issues a Nepali tourist visa. To obtain this, travellers must fill out the visa form and pay the visa fee in USD. The visa fee depends on how long you want to stay in Nepal. Usually, travellers can opt for 15, 30, or 90 days.

If you want to learn about Visa on Arrival, please visit the official website of the Department of Immigration, Nepal.

Yes. We’ll provide an airport pickup upon your arrival in Kathmandu. Our representative will be at the airport’s arrivals to welcome you. Shortly after, you’ll get a private vehicle transfer to the hotel you’ll be staying in.

We ensure that your arrival in Nepal goes seamlessly and hassle-free. The airport pickup is complimentary from us.

Yes. You’ll get a short trek briefing session at the hotel’s lobby. Our manager and possibly the trek guide will be at the hotel for the trek briefing session.

This session mainly reiterates the trip details, including itinerary, accommodations, flights, weather, trek safety, etc. Also, this is when you ask any trek-related questions.

NepTrek Adventures looks after you from your arrival till the departure. We take care of all logistics, from airport pickup, hotel transfer, trek briefings, and on-ground support. While we take care of everything, you can focus all your energy on the trek.

Lukla is the gateway to Mt. Everest and the Everest region adventures. Hence, to get here, all trekkers take the flight or helicopter from Kathmandu or Manthali. With the recent construction of roads, few trekkers reach Lukla by jeep, taking multiple days of off-road driving.

Flights to Lukla are affordable, reliable, and safe. Because of this, almost all trekkers to the Everest region tend to fly on regular airliners. However, some trekkers prefer flying in a helicopter due to flexibility, comfort, and during poor weather conditions.

Either way, our recommendation for you is to take a regular 30-minute flight to Lukla. And possibly helicopter during poor weather. You’ll regret taking a jeep drive for multiple days.

The Kathmandu to Lukla flight is 30-35 minutes. Despite its short duration, it’s among the most spectacular mountain flights in Nepal. From the window of the plane, on a clear weather day, you’ll get the view of Mt. Everest and several of the highest mountains in the region.

In recent years, all flights to Lukla run from Manthali airport throughout most of the trekking season. Hence, you need to travel to Manthali on a jeep overnight to take the flight the next morning.

The flight time from Manthali to Lukla is 25 minutes.

Kathmandu airport is the major airport in Nepal and the only international airport in the country. All the domestic and international flights operate via this airport all day long.

Flights to Lukla get busier during trekking season than most domestic routes. Moreover, flights to Lukla post-afternoon aren’t ideal due to strong headwind and foggy weather conditions. Thus, all the flights to Lukla operate until 1-2 pm, on fair weather days.

With busy air traffic at Kathmandu airport, most flights to Lukla get delayed. And this causes a severe problem in completing scheduled flights on a given day. Moreover, the trekkers often get stranded at Kathmandu airport due to subsequent flight delays.

Thus, to ensure the uninterrupted flights to Lukla, the Civil Aviation of Nepal decided to move all the flights to Lukla to Manthali airport. Manthali Airport is dedicated to Lukla flights only. Plus, the flight time to/from Lukla is 20-25 minutes instead of 35-40 minutes.

Considering all these circumstances, from Autumn 2022, all the flights to Lukla were moved to Manthali airport during the peak trekking season. However, for the rest of the year and the off-season, the flights to Lukla operate from Kathmandu.

The flights to Lukla heavily rely on the weather conditions. Even on a clear weather day, the weather changes abruptly, prompting flight delays and cancellations.

Since most trekkers plan the Everest Base Camp Trek with Gokyo Lakes via Cho La Pass in the best weather days of Spring and Autumn, the chance of flight delays is fairly less. However, the weather could change and delay the flights.

In such cases, trekkers are left with two choices: take a helicopter to Lukla or wait until the weather clears.

Based on our past experience, most trekkers opt for the second option as helicopter flights can be expensive for many. Hence, we request everyone to plan this trek with at least 1-2 buffer days to deal with the flight delays and cancellations.

Should you prefer flying on a helicopter, we organize a helicopter flight on a private and group sharing basis.

Yes. Helicopter flights are popular in the Everest region. Trekkers often opt for a helicopter flight from Kathmandu to Lukla instead of the regular twin-otter flights.

Lukla airport often experiences weather changes. And in such cases, the regular planes delay their flights until the weather clears. However, for a helicopter, the landing at Lukla is possible in poor weather conditions. Thus, trekkers with a fixed trek schedule opt for a helicopter due to its flexibility, comfort, and availability.

Please note that the Everest Gokyo Lakes Trek cost doesn’t include the helicopter flights.

Yes. All the transportation mentioned in “Cost Includes” will be provided during the trek.

The major transportation services we use on the Everest Base Camp Gokyo Lakes Trek via Cho La Pass are:

– Airport pickup on arrivals
– Kathmandu to Manthali and Manthali to Kathmandu on a jeep
– Manthali to Lukla and Lukla to Manthali flight

Any transportation incurred during the trek, like a helicopter flight to Lukla in poor weather conditions, isn’t included in the trek cost. However, the flight ticket price will be refunded if you decide to take a helicopter.

Also, some trekkers plan to take a jeep from Kathmandu to Surkhe, near Lukla. In this instance, the jeep fare will be managed from the flight ticket refund.

Yes. Now, trekkers can reach Surkhe, near Lukla, by road instead of by flight. However, the flight to Lukla is still the best option as it’s just 25030 minutes. The road trip to Surkhe takes at least 24 hours from Kathmandu.

Despite being connected by road, it’s still in early phases, with construction just completed. However, it’s a complete off-road with muddy trails. In early Autumn, with rainfall, the road to Surkhe becomes dangerous to drive.

In a few years, maybe the road standards and safety will improve. However, for now, flights to Lukla are best and highly recommended.

The flights to Lukla are reliable and safe. They depart on schedule and follow the strict flight safety guidelines.

The major issue with flying to Lukla is the weather conditions. Due to the short runway and no go-around, Lukla airport remains closed in poor weather conditions. And, on such instances, flights get delayed and even canceled for a day or two until it improves.

On reliability, there’s no question. However, the flight entirely depends on the weather on a given day.

Yes. Buffer day(s) are highly recommended if you’re trekking to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes by flying to Lukla.

Lukla flights are prone to delays and cancellations due to changing weather at Lukla airport. Considering this, if the flight gets delayed or canceled, you’ll be left with few options.

The options are a helicopter flight, an off-road jeep drive, or to wait. For many, waiting for a clear weather day is ideal. And, to wait for clear weather, trekkers need a few buffer days.

We highly recommend that our clients plan this trek with at least two buffer days.

Your accommodations during this 15-day adventure will be at the mountain lodges and tea houses. The rooms at some lodges are amazing, with heated blankets and beds. However, at most lodges, you’ll get a twin bedroom with an attached bathroom (at lower elevations mostly).

The tea house provides a warm bed, blankets, a pillow, and a neat room. The attached bathrooms are clean and come with toilet paper rolls.

At higher elevations, such as Gokyo, Lobuche and Gorak Shep, the tea houses don’t have attached bathrooms. However, they provide shared toilets that are clean and well-maintained.

Western toilet seats are common in every tea house. However, at higher elevations, tea houses have squat toilets.

Yes. Almost all tea houses along the trek provide hot showers for trekkers. In places like Lukla, Namche, and Gokyo, tea houses offer solar-heated showers, while the rest use gas geysers with proper ventilation.

Please note that hot water showers typically cost USD 5-6. In most cases, payment for each use is made to the tea houses either before or after the shower. As this is considered an additional service, the trek cost generally does not include hot water showers. Additionally, unused services cannot usually be reimbursed or exchanged for other services during the trek.

There have been cases of trekkers dying during a hot shower due to poor ventilation. Thus, we suggest you double-check the ventilation with the guide and your tea house before taking any hot showers. Also, we strongly discourage you from taking a hot shower at high elevations, as it often prompts the Khumbu cough and cold.

Yes. Most tea houses at lower elevations provide attached toilets. Till Dingboche, the tea houses provide attached toilets.  And, on the Gokyo side, lodges at Gokyo, Thangnak, and Dole provide attached toilets but are very limited.

Note: We only provide rooms with attached bathrooms until Debuche on the Everest side. And, on the Dingboche and Gokyo sides, we offer you twin rooms with shared toilets. However, upon add-ons and availability, we can book rooms with attached toilets for you.

A few tea houses in Gokyo, Namche, Dingboche, and Lukla offer electricity-heated beds and blankets that come with an attached toilet. Please note that the standard trek cost doesn’t include these benefits.

Yes. The network providers in Nepal have recently installed the network towers at higher elevations in the Everest region, enabling trekkers to access the mobile network. The mobile internet, however, could be slow and weather-impacted.

Charging your mobile and electronic devices is available at the tea houses for a certain amount. Please note that the trek cost doesn’t include this service.

Except at Lukla and Namche, all the places in the Everest region are solar powered. Hence, the availability of charging mobile devices depends on the daylight and the number of trekkers at the tea house.

For mobile recharge, we recommend that you bring a power bank. With a power bank, you can charge your devices anytime you want and pay for it once for the power bank rather than charging individual devices every time.

Tea houses in the Everest region serve the best meals, even at higher elevations. The variety of meal options surprises you.

You’ll get three main courses each day for 15 days. However, additional meals and drinks at the tea houses will be at personal expense.

Breakfast includes a standard set breakfast with double eggs, toast, potatoes, and coffee. However, you can have cereals, toast, chapati, and pancakes. Lunch and dinner meal choices are amazingly good. You can eat pizza, spaghetti, burgers, potatoes, dumplings, rice, noodles, and spring rolls. Tea houses also serve many meat dishes, but we suggest you not eat meat during the trek for health and digestive reasons.

Desserts and snacks are amazing side dishes during evenings and acclimatization days.

Yes. Vegetarian meals are the most popular ones served at the tea houses. Thus, for vegetarian trekkers, there won’t be any issue in getting the best meals at the tea houses. Actually, not eating meat during the trek is best to avoid digestive and food-related issues, as it’s difficult to digest meat at higher elevations.

Whether it’s lunch and dinner, tea houses provide amazing vegetarian meal choices. Nepali Dal Bhat is an amazing vegetarian meal that most trekkers love eating on the trek. It’s a complete meal with carbs and protein.

Absolutely. Every tea house provides safe drinking water for trekkers to refill. However, for extra safety, we recommend that you use water purification tablets.

Boiled drinking water is safer and more affordable than buying bottled mineral water. If you can afford it, we suggest purchasing bottled mineral water and refilling your water bottle with it.

Some trekkers even drink the water directly from the running tap. However, the mountain water often contains minerals that, for trekkers, cause stomach aches and other issues.

Physical fitness is something you must not take lightly if you’re considering embarking on this adventure. Even seasoned adventurers with poor fitness find this trek demanding at times. And, with proper physical fitness, even novice trekkers complete this trek without experiencing significant fatigue.

A good level of physical fitness is a must for this trek. To build a good level of physical fitness, you must train for at least two months before the trek. The training includes hiking, cycling, and running to build cardio strength. Moreover, climbing stairs in the gym or in home helps you build strength in your legs, much needed for the trek.

Apart from physical strength, you’ll also need mental preparedness for this trek. The sudden weather changes, freezing morning, rugged landscapes, being away from comfort for weeks, etc., often tests your patience at times. Thus, you must be well prepared to accept these trek elements long before embarking on it.

Prior trekking experience is a bonus but not necessarily needed, unless you’re a solo trekker without a guide and porter.

Everest Base Camp Cho La Pass Gokyo Trek is an ideal trek for novice trekkers who are eyeing to explore the best of the Everest region. And for seasoned trekkers, it’s among the best trekking out there.

The trekking route to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek is straightforward and moderately difficult. The extreme elevation and the lack of oxygen are what make this trek demanding at higher elevations. However, with adequate physical fitness and an experienced guide, this trek is highly achievable.

Regarding the children and elderly individuals, we have a policy.

We only take kids over 8 years and elderly individuals under 65 years of age on every trek in the Everest region. The reason is simple: the trek is remote, involves high mountain passes and extreme elevation, and long walking distances for 15 days.

Often, people take kids aged 3-4 years to the Everest Base Camp and other places in the region. However, for the safety and smooth trek operation, we firmly practice our stated policy.

Here’s a list of who can’t embark on this trek:

– People with existing health issues
– Chronic illness, including heart and lung problems
– Pregnant women

Before you decide to embark on this trek, we kindly request that you read our blog on Why Everyone Shouldn’t Trek. If you’re not in that blog, you can proceed to book this trek with us.

Yes. It’s an extreme elevation trek that comes with the risk of altitude sickness and injuries if the trek isn’t planned and done appropriately.

Despite a moderately difficult trek, trekkers often ignore the risk of altitude sickness. But that’s not the way this trek should be approached. The elevation poses a significant risk of altitude sickness to those who skip acclimatization and physical fitness.

Crossing Cho La Pass can get tricky in a snowstorm if the trek isn’t planned properly. Usually, this happens with solo trekkers who trek alone without a guide or assistance.

The slippery rocks at Cho La Pass and Khumbu Glacier often cause trekkers to slip, causing minor bruises to severe fractures.

Thus, a proper trek plan must be practiced throughout the trek to be safe. At NepTrek Adventures, our experienced team of guides and support staff plans the trek where you’ll be safe and confident.

Physical preparation for the Everest Gokyo Lake Trek is a must, and you should train for at least two months prior to the trek.

Here are our recommended exercises to build your physical fitness for this trek.

– Trademill running
– Cycling
– Walking
– Stair climbing in the gym

All these exercises build cardio strength. And better cardio is a must, which enables efficient breathing throughout the trek.

Apart from cardio, you’ll also need to build endurance and strength in your legs. Since the trek is 15 days long and involves 150 km of distance, your legs must be strong to avoid trek fatigue.

Absolutely. The Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek is safe for female adventurers. Here, safety relates to theft, robbery, and harassment. No one experiences these issues while trekking in the Everest region and in Nepal as a whole. As a country, we’re very welcoming and treat every traveler as our guest.

However, the risk of altitude sickness and injuries is there if trekked alone without a proper trek plan or assisted by a guide.

At NepTrek Adventures, we have some amazing female trek leaders with 100% trek success. Our female trek leaders are first aid certified and have led multiple clients to Everest over the years.

If you’re a female trekker want to embark on this 15-day adventure, we can organize this trek for you with one of our female guides. You’ll complete this trek on a high note, creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Safety is at the heart of NepTrek Adventures. So, Yes! You’ll be safe and confident throughout the trek with our amazing team of guides and support staff.

Our guides are highly experienced in guiding adventurers in the Everest region. On this trek, we’ll send you with a guide who’s completed it on multiple occasions. Moreover, our guides are first aid certified, sufficient to handle minor injuries and altitude-related issues.

Our guides are trained to assess altitude sickness and treat you as per the situation. Moreover, they’ll decide whether to ascend, descend, or call a helicopter for a rapid descent. In all cases, the decisions will be made with safety on top.

All the tea houses we stay at on the trek provide reliable communication services, which come in handy during emergencies. Our experienced team coordinates and responds quickly during emergencies at any point on the trek.

Most likely, no! Our expert-designed trek itinerary, strategic acclimatization, and trek led by an experienced guide ensure that you’ll stay free of altitude sickness. Our trek crew makes sure that you rehydrate, acclimate, and are comfortable throughout the journey.

Said this, sometimes, the risk of altitude sickness depends on how your body reacts to the elevation. For some, even with adequate acclimatization and trek preparation, altitude sickness affects during the trek. And some trekkers complete the trek without a single headache.

The point here is our team does everything to keep you safe from altitude sickness. With safety on top, you’ll be on constant watch throughout this journey. And even if you get, we’ll follow every safety protocol to keep you safe and sound.

Our trekking guides are experienced professionals who can assess altitude-related sickness. If you experience the altitude sickness symptoms, we:

– Slow down or pause the trekking immediately.
– Prioritize hydration and health monitoring.
– Descend to lower elevations or stay at the same elevation (during nights)
– Take you to the nearest health post for a doctor’s assessment.
– Coordinate with your travel insurance for helicopter evacuation if required (as per the doctor’s suggestion).

One thing you must understand is that we won’t push you or take you to higher elevations if you get altitude sickness.

Yes. Travel insurance is a must for this trek because of the nature and risks the trek poses. It’s an extreme elevation trek with a high mountain pass, prone to altitude sickness and injuries.

A comprehensive travel insurance with helicopter search and rescue up to 6,000 meters is a must on this trek. The highest elevation you’ll reach on this trek is at Kala Patthar at 5,645 meters. Here, the risk of getting altitude sickness is high.

Having travel insurance gives you a sense of relief and puts you in a safe spot. If you find yourself in unforeseeable situations and health emergencies, a helicopter rescue is a must. The rescue fees in the Everest region are very expensive. And without insurance, if you need a helicopter rescue, you’ll end up paying $7000-8000. However, a comprehensive travel insurance with a $120 premium can get you a helicopter and a safe return to Kathmandu or to the hospital.

Apart from search and rescue, your travel insurance covers various elements, such as loss, theft, and damage of personal belongings, delayed international flights, unexpected expenses, etc.

Should there be any emergencies, our trek guides coordinate with the local authorities, rescue services, and helicopter evacuation, if necessary. With the installation of network towers, the cellular network is available at every place on the trek. Thus, our guides will be on constant communication with us and also with related authorities.

Moreover, the coordination of emergency helicopter rescue will be made if necessary.

Yes. Your trek guide carries a comprehensive first aid box, including altitude sickness medicines and medications for minor injuries.

Our guides are wilderness first aid responders. Thus, for minor injuries, they’ll treat you efficiently. However, in major injuries, you’ll be airlifted.

We suggest you bring a personalized first aid box with prescribed medicines, if any. This serves the individual’s needs, 24/7 during the trek.

Trek leaders at NepTrek Adventures are unique from most guides you’ll see on the route.

First, our trek leaders are Wilderness First Aid trained and certified. This puts our guides above most trek guides on the route. The expertise of our local guides ensures your total safety and confidence throughout the trek.

Second, our guides are excellent English speakers. As communication is a key part of adventure, their fluent conversation provides comprehensive information about the Sherpa people, their culture, mountains, and mountain stories. Isn’t that cool?

Moreover, our trek guides are young and energetic, passionate about adventure. They bring the vibe and youth energy to the group, keeping the motivation high.

To discover more about our amazing guides, you need to trek with them.

Absolutely. All our trek leaders are licensed. Not only are they licensed, but they are also well-experienced in leading groups in the Everest and other trekking regions in Nepal.

For safe trek practice, we don’t employ unlicensed trek guides.

Trek leaders at NepTrek Adventures are well-experienced with years of high-altitude guiding experience. Be it with groups or solo trekkers, they’ve led multiple treks in the Everest region, including the Everest Gokyo Lakes Trek via Cho La.

Your guide for this trek will be an experienced one who’s been in the Everest region for multiple times. Their expertise and insights helps you in conquering Everest Base Camp, Gokyo Lakes, and Cho La, confidently and safely.

Our trek guides are amazing at speaking English. Their fluent communication makes your trek engaging and interactive.

The Everest region and Nepal overall are a paradise for trekkers. However, due to a language barrier, most trekkers miss out on a lot of information. And to bridge that, our guides help you. Their local expertise about the region, mountains, people, landscapes, and tales of Everest keeps you engaged throughout the trek.

Every day on the trek, you’ll have a trek briefing and discussion session to understand the situation and the progress each trekker is making.

Absolutely. Trekkers in a group of two or more get a trek porter to assist them with heavy backpacks. Solo trekkers need to pay a USD 400 add-on for a trek porter, unless specified while booking the trek with us.

Trek porters are a great asset when it comes to guided trekking. Their immense support makes your trek successful.

With them carrying heavy backpacks, you’ll be able to trek comfortably with a lighter backpack.

We usually allocate one trek porter to two trekkers.

Aporter carries a combined weight of 20-25 kg for two trekkers. This is a safe porter practice, and we strongly adhere to it. However, for any weight over this, it is subject to add-ons, unless specified.

We provide you with a waterproof duffel bag to put the trek gears and clothes which porter carries. This bag, however, must be returned once the trek is completed.

The number of guides and porters depends on the group size.

We assign one trek leader to a group of five trekkers. However, in a group of more than five, we assign one assistant guide. Hence, allocation of guides truly depends on the number of trekkers in a group.

Regarding the porter, we provide a trek porter for at least two trekkers in a group. The ratio of porters to trekkers is 1:2. Hence, the number of porters is the total number of trekkers divided by two.

Sometimes, our trek porters can act as assistants to guide larger groups.

Yes. Our guides are Wilderness First Aid responder-certified. This ensures our client’s utmost safety and comfort throughout the trek.

Our guides are trained to treat minor injuries and stabilize major injuries until the rescue comes in.

Apart from first aid, our guides are trained to assess altitude sickness and act quickly so that safety is prioritized.

Tipping is voluntary and is not mandatory. However, trek guides and porters appreciate it as a gesture of gratitude for their excellent service. Tipping can be collective for a group, and the amount depends on how satisfied you feel with their services.

If you’re trekking in a group with trek porters provided, you’ll need a 30-40 litre light daypack. However, if you’re trekking without a trek porter, you’ll need a 60-70 litre decent backpack with no wear and tear.

Trekking for 15 days requires an adequate amount of gear and clothing. And to hold everything, a decent backpack is a must. And if you run into wear and tear along the way, it becomes an issue.

A decent backpack comes with extra spaces, breathable back support, and a soft shoulder strap. On longer walking days, these elements make your walk comfortable and less tiring.

Instead of packing thick jackets, we suggest you bring more thin layers. Layering is how you stay light, warm, and comfortable throughout the trek.

The most essential clothing for this 15-day Everest Gokyo Lakes Trek is:

– Moisture-wicking base layers
– Warm fleece or insulated jacket
– Down jacket for cold evenings and high altitudes
– Waterproof jacket and trekking pants
– Thermal underwear
– Warm hat, gloves, and neck gaiter
– Trekking socks and comfortable trekking pants

For a comprehensive guide to clothing and backpacking, we’ve created a blog for you. Check out our blog on Everest Base Camp Trek Packing List for smart backpacking tips and insights.

Yes. A premium trekking boot is a must for this trek. Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes via Cho La Pass involves crossing glaciers for hours. Moreover, the rugged high-altitude terrain strains the knees and ankles, unless you have a premium trekking boot.

A waterproof trekking boot with ankle support keeps your feet safe and comfy on long walking days. Moreover, a broken-in trekking boot provides flexible bends and avoids blisters. Please make sure that your boots have a good grip to walk reliably on icy patches and stones while crossing the glaciers.

Yes. A warm sleeping bag is a must for this trek. Particularly, during the peak trekking season, tea houses only provide one blanket to each trekker. And at higher elevations, it won’t keep you warm during nights.

A decent sleeping bag with -20˚C rating is a must for this trek. Especially if you’re considering this trek in March/April and November, a sleeping bag is highly recommended.

If you don’t have one, you can rent it in Kathmandu or at Namche. They provide a thoroughly washed and neat warm sleeping bag at an affordable fee.

If you’re planning to rent the trekking gear instead of buying, the trekking gear shops in Kathmandu rent amazing gear at affordable rates.

If you’re unsure what to rent, here’s our suggestion:

–  Trekking boot
– Down Jacket
– Duffle bag
– Trekking poles
– Sleeping bag

Clothing is personal. Hence, we don’t recommend renting the clothing due to hygiene and fit.

Our guide takes you to our partner stores to rent these items. Please note that with the rent fee, you must pay a security deposit for the gear, which will be refunded after you return the gear without damaging it.

Yes. We’ll email you a comprehensive packing list for the Everest Base Camp Gokyo Lakes Trek. Please note that we’ll provide a packing list only after you book the trek.

In the meantime, you can check our blog on the packing list for the Everest Trek. This blog has everything you need to know about backpacking at different times of the year.

The best time to trek to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes via Cho La Pass is Spring and Autumn.

Spring brings amazing weather conditions with no rain and utmost visibility. Moreover, it snows in early Spring, making the landscape a winter wonderland, and the mountains are snow-filled. At lower elevations, rhododendron blossoms, and the pine forest gets lush again. The cheerful weather makes your trek amazing, with spectacular mountain sights each day.

Early Autumn in Gokyo gives you a pleasant sight of yaks grazing by the Gokyo Lakes. The greenery around Gokyo mesmerizes you, and the snow-filled, majestic mountain panorama leaves you in awe. Viewing turquoise Gokyo Lakes, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Cho Oyu from Gokyo Ri becomes surreal.

The winter months get cold and dry. Still manageable, but freezing cold makes it challenging. In Summer, it rains heavily at lower elevations with few landslides. Moreover, flights to Lukla get closed on rainy Summer days. So, it’s not an ideal time to plan this trek.

Our suggestion: April and November for spectacular mountain viewing and an unmatched Everest experience.

The weather and temperature in the Everest region are different throughout the year.

Summer is usually warm, even at the higher elevations. Late Spring and early Autumns are warmer at lower elevations. However, the higher elevations remain cold throughout the year.

Late Autumn and early Spring at higher elevations like the base camp and Gokyo Lakes get freezing cold with temperatures dropping below 0˚C during daytime and -15˚C during nighttime.

Winter in Everest gets freezing with temperatures below -10 to -20˚C. This is when most tea houses remain closed because of the cold and negligible trekkers.

For a detailed weather guide, please check our Everest region blogs on weather and temperature on different months.

March, April, May, September, October, November

Yes. The weather in the Everest region significantly impacts the trek itinerary. This usually occurs when the flights to Lukla get delayed or canceled.

To begin this 15-day trek, you need to fly to Lukla. From Lukla, the trek starts.

The flights to Lukla get delayed and canceled if the weather gets poor. And in such cases, trekkers are left with no choice but to wait until the weather clears or fly on a helicopter.

For some, flying on a helicopter seems plausible. However, for budget trekkers, flying on a helicopter won’t be possible.

So, trekkers are advised to include at least two buffer days in their travel plan.

Also, on a heavy, snowy day, we don’t make you cross Cho La Pass for safety reasons. And if it snows when you’re crossing Cho La Pass, you’ll stop at Dzongla until the snow settles.

In such cases, you’ll must pay add-ons for extra days or shorten the itinerary.

In short, Yes.

Early spring is usually snowy. Trekking to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes doesn’t require microspikes on your boots. However, if the snowfall is heavy and the trail is covered in snow, you’ll need microspikes.

Cho La Pass remains icy and snowy for most of the year. So, to cross this pass, you’ll need microspikes. As the glacial section of Cho La is full of icy patches, for a safe walk, microspikes are a must.

We suggest you buy microspikes in Kathmandu or at Namche before ascending higher up.