Why Gokyo Lakes Trek is the best Everest Region Trek?

With multiple turquoise freshwater lakes, awe-striking mountain scenery, panoramic landscapes, and lesser crowds, Gokyo Lakes Trek offers a wholesome Everest region trek experience. Often, trekker rate the trek to Gokyo Valley as more beautiful than Everest Base Camp. From Gokyo Ri, the point in the region, you’ll get a glimpse of the North face of Everest, Cho Oyu, 6th highest, and Lhotse, 4th highest mountain.

Gokyo Valley has everything a trekker wishes for. The tea houses till the lake offer amenities on par with those in the Everest Base Camp Trek route. The Gokyo Lakes Trek route is sublime, through pasture lands surrounded by elegant mountains. Hamoking the shore of the lake with a sip of coffee offers a once-in-a-lifetime moment, an everlasting experience. And trekkers can enjoy peaceful hiking with lesser crowds. Sounds great.

In this blog, we’ll highlight why it’s an ideal trek for you. We’ll cover topics like the lake system, the 8,000-meter mountain, the viewpoints, the trek itinerary, the best time, and more.

Gokyo Lakes System- Six major freshwater lakes over 4,700 meters

There are few glacial lakes in Nepal over an altitude of 4,500 meters. Tsho Rolpa Lake and Imja Tsho are Nepal’s two beautiful glacial lakes.

However, the freshwater lakes system like Gokyo Lakes, between 4,700-5,000 meters, is even more elegant. Not just one, not just two, there are six different lakes in the region, with Gokyo Cho being more popular. Thonak Cho is the largest member lake of this system.

The beautiful Gokyo Valley sits on the eastern shore of Gokyo Cho, locally called Dudh Pokhari.

Member lakes

Thonak Cho is the largest and deepest among six lakes, spanning over 160.8 acres and 62.4 meters. Spanning over 106 acres, Dudh Pokhari is the second-largest Gokyo Lake. Furthermore, Gyazumpa Cho spans over 72 acres, Tanjung Cho with 41.9 acres, Ngojumba Cho with 35.6 acres, and Longbanga Cho are other member lakes in the system.

While on Gokyo Lakes Trek, you’ll only see two lakes, Gokyo Cho and Thonak Cho. And, to get a picturesque glimpse of these lakes, trekkers usually hike to the Gokyo Ri viewpoint.

Few trekkers often stay one or two additional days in the valley to explore other lakes. However, it takes work to hike up to other member lakes.

Religious Significance of Gokyo Lakes

Being a freshwater lake system, these lakes are significant Hindu and Buddhist pilgrim sites.

Hinduism regards freshwater lakes with Snake God Vishnu. Also, Hindus consider every lake on Gokyo to be home to Lord Shiva, the ultimate Hindu god. Thus, Hindu festivals like Janai Purnima and Naag Panchami see pilgrims trekking to the lakes. 

Also, the western corner of Thonak Cho houses a Shiva temple. Holy bath at the lakes becomes an everyday activity during these festivals.

Buddhism has contributed immensely to the protection of wildlife around the valley. Hence, almost every organism inside and around Gokyo Valley never gets harmed.

Also, locals celebrate popular Buddhist festivals like Buddha Purnima and Lhosar.

Picturesque landscape

Gokyo Lakes Trek in the Everest region is undoubtedly the most picturesque trek. The vistas of mountains and landscapes on this trek are more beautiful than on Everest Base Camp Trek.

While on Everest Base Camp Trek, you’ll see Everest’s South face. However, on Gokyo Lake Trek, you’ll see the North face of Mt. Everest. Also, you’ll see Everest much better from Gokyo Ri than from Kala Patthar.

Besides Everest, you’ll see Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain, 8,188 meters, while on Gokyo Valley Trek. From Kala Patthar, you won’t see Cho Oyu. However, the fourth-highest mountain, Lhotse, remains visible from Gokyo Ri and Kala Patthar.

Comparatively, you’ll see three of four world’s highest mountains on the Gokyo Lakes Trek whilst only two from Everest Base Camp Trek.

Lesser trekker than on Everest Base Camp Trek

As most trekker plan Everest Base Camp Trek, comparatively, less trekker plan Gokyo Lake Trek. Most trekkers who visit Gokyo plan either Everest Base Camp Trek via Gokyo Lakes or Everest Three High Passes Trek. Very few trekkers plan their trek to Gokyo Valley only.

It’s an arduous trek with Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes combined. It includes crossing Cho La Pass, over 5,420 meters which most trekkers fear. Also, Everest Three High Passes Trek is among the most arduous trekking in the region. Hence, seasoned trekkers are the only ones to plan to cross all three high Himalayan passes.

Due to this, fewer trekkers visit Gokyo. And if you’re looking for a peaceful trek even at an established trekking destination in Nepal, the less crowded Gokyo Lakes Trek trail can be ideal. Even if you’re only trekking to Gokyo Valley, you’ll get a wholesome Everest experience, filled with the peaceful trek, scenic landscapes, turquoise freshwater lakes, elegant faces of Everest and Cho Oyu, and a heart full of memory.

Gokyo Lakes System- High altitude Ramsar Site (Wet Land)

Gokyo Lakes system is a Ramsar Site, also known as a wetland system. It’s among the ten wetland sites in Nepal and listed 1692 on the world’s list.

If you love trekking and want to study the ecology of the high-altitude lake systems, Gokyo Lake Trek is an absolute. You’ll also learn about their social, economic, religious, and tourism scope alongside their hydrological values.

The member lakes of Gokyo are fed by the seepage of water from glaciers around, Ngozumpa being the primary feeder. However, glacier outbursts, possibly shortly in the Gokyo Valley, have put Gokyo Lakes at significant risk due to global warming.

In Gokyo, you can study the lake system, glaciers, analyze the impact of global warming, and also trek to beautiful locations. Gokyo Trek can be a multipurpose trek.