Except for a few countries, Nepal provides on-arrival visas to most. You’ll get an on-arrival visa at the immigration section on arrival at Kathmandu airport.

To obtain the on-arrival visa, you must fill out the visa form and pay the visa fee for the designated period.

Note: We don’t issue on-arrival visas nor pay you the visa fee.

Absolutely. Upon your arrival at Kathmandu airport, you’ll get an airport pickup. We’ll have our representative at the arrivals with your name card.

A private vehicle transfer from the airport to the hotel ensures your comfort.

The airport pickup is complimentary as a welcome gesture from us.

Yes. During the evening, our manager and trek leader will visit you at the hotel’s lobby to brief you about the trek. In the session, you’ll interact with your trek guide and learn about the trek, things to expect, and more.

Once the session finishes, you’ll spend some time with the trek guide to learn more about the person and style of guiding. Also, if you need assistance in buying trekking gear, feel free to ask your trek guide.

During the trek, you’ll get:

–  Airport pickup and drop
–  All ground transportation (drive to Ramechhap and back to Kathmandu)
–  A private vehicle for the Kathmandu sightseeing tour
–  Two-way flight tickets to Lukla

However, you must pay if you need a helicopter flight and private vehicle other than those mentioned.

The flight to Lukla from Kathmandu or Ramechhap airport depends on when you do this trek.

For example, in 2024, most flights were from Kathmandu to Lukla until September 20. However, from September 20 to December 1, 95% of flights are scheduled to operate from Manthali airport. It’s due to the trekking season.

The Spring season starts in March and ends in late May. Likewise, the autumn season starts from mid-September to late November. During this time, more than 300-400 trekkers fly to/from Lukla. And given the air traffic and Lukla’s unpredictable weather, the flights often get delayed and postponed for days.

Hence, the flights to Lukla operate from Manthali airport to efficiently manage the busy flight schedule.

You’ll get a private/shared vehicle drive from Kathmandu to Manthali airport. It’s usually midnight when you’ll leave Kathmandu to Ramechhap.

Our representative will pick you up on a private/shared vehicle (jeep) from the hotel. It’ll be a six-hour drive along the B.P. Highway.

With breakfast at the restaurant, you’ll take the flight to Lukla in the morning.

For a detailed guide, please check out our blog, Kathmandu to Ramechhap: A Trip to Manthali Airport.

With recent weather developments, flight delays in Lukla are becoming quite common in Autumn. The late summer rain until the end of September causes flight delays and cancelations. However, past mid-October till December, the weather remains excellent for the flights.

In Spring, the flights to Lukla operate on time. Except at the end of May, from late February to mid-May, the weather remains crisp for flight landing and takeoff at Lukla.

For now, please keep in mind that flight delays are common when you’re flying to Lukla.

Usually, in a worst-case scenario, flight cancelation during the season can go for 4 days straight. Recently, all the flights from 13-17th October 2024 to Lukla from Manthali airport have been canceled due to bad weather at Lukla and Manthali.

We recommend you plan Everest Three Passes Trek with at least two buffer days. With two buffer days, you can plan alternatives while waiting for the flight.

The appropriate solution would be to wait for the weather to improve and fly to Lukla. However, if you wish to fly to Lukla on a helicopter, you’ll have to pay, partially compensated by the flight ticket refund.

If your flight from Kathmandu to Lukla gets canceled, you can plan the Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour during the buffer days. Once you complete the tour and the weather clears, you’ll fly to Lukla.

Another option would be to take a jeep drive from Kathmandu/Manthali to Salleri and Thamdanda. And from Thamdanda, you’ll trek for two days to Phakding and start the trek.

All airlines to Lukla allow trekkers to bring 15 kg weighing luggage. However, for luggage weighing more than 15 kg, the airlines charge up to Rs. 150-200 per kg.

Thus, we suggest you bring a backpack weighing 15 kg or less.

Yes. You’ll need two permits for this trek: the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit. You’ll get these permits in Lukla or Monjo.

No. We’ll buy the permits for you once you pay us a complete Everest Three Passes Trek Cost. All you have to do is provide us with your valid ID and other required documents.

However, if you’re using a hiring guide service, you must buy the trek permits.

For complete information about the permits, check out our Everest Base Camp Trek Permits.

The Everest Base Camp Trek permit allows you to trek in the entire Everest region, except for climbing the peaks and mountains.

However, you can’t reuse the permit once you check out the trek permits from the trekker’s check-post in Monjo and Lukla.

Accommodations during the Everest Three High Pass Trek are in tea houses and lodges. You’ll be accommodated in a twin-sharing room overnight with/without an attached bathroom.

A twin-sharing room comes with two beds. Usually, the twin-sharing rooms are spacious, neat, and warm. And at every stopping place, from the twin sharing room’s window, you’ll get the spectacular mountain view.

Getting private rooms for accommodation can get challenging during the season. However, if available, you might get a private room for accommodation.

Note: You must pay USD 15 each day for a private room.

A sleeping bag is highly recommended for Everest Three Passes Trek.

If you’re planning to trek to three high passes in Autumn, you’ll need a sleeping bag. As the temperature drops significantly, the provided blankets won’t be adequate to keep you warm.

Morever, in March and April, for additional warmth, you’ll need a sleeping bag.

Note: We provide a warm sleeping bag in rent, USD 30 for the entire trek.

No. The tea houses in the Everest region are regular lodges with twin-sharing rooms with decent accommodation. You won’t get heated rooms at any tea houses during this trek.

However, if you want to, you’ll get heated blankets at places like Namche, Lukla, Dingboche, and Lobuche.

Note: The heated blanket costs USD 15 per night.

No. We’ll provide you with two nights’ accommodation in a three-star hotel in Kathmandu. The hotel will be open on your arrival and after you return from the trek.

However, we don’t provide additional accommodation in Kathmandu on other occasions. For example, other occasions can be flight cancelations, trip extensions, etc.

Yes. We only provide two nights of three-start accommodation in Kathmandu. However, for lunch and dinner, you’ve to pay.

Note: The hotel provides breakfast, which you don’t need to pay.

Absolutely. You’ll have the freedom to choose a meal from the menu. The tea houses provide extensive meal choices for each main course, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Note: You’ll get one meal at every course. However, you must pay for additional meals.

Yes. All the meals during the trek are hygienic and prepared by experienced chefs. Moreover, you’ll get fresh vegetables and other stuff at every tea house during the trek.

Yes. Whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian, the tea houses provide the meal from the menu.

Even if you’re non-vegetarian, we suggest you eat meat during the trek. The meat products often fail to remain fresh and can cause food poisoning.

Yes. The drinking water during the trek is safe to drink, and even the running water from the tap is safe to drink. However, you can use water purification tablets or filters to make the water safer.

If you prefer drinking hot water, you can buy and refill the boiled drinking water at the tea houses. You can buy a cup, a small pot, or a liter of boiled drinking water.

Altitude sickness can happen to anyone at any point on the trek. However, there are various ways to avoid altitude sickness. And we try our best to keep you free from altitude sickness.

You’ll have two rest days during the trek, one at Namche and another at Dingboche. The two rest days ensure adequate rest and proper acclimatization. Moreover, our guides will monitor your situation 24/7 during the trek.

Your trekking guide assesses the situation first if you get altitude sickness during the trek.

Based on the situation, we’ll perform:

–  Take a day’s rest and resume the trek ( basic symptoms)

–  Gradual descent to lower altitude (mild symptoms)

–  Rapid descent by helicopter rescue (severe symptoms like HACE and HAPE)

Note: You must bring a valid travel insurance policy with helicopter rescue coverage.

No. Our trek guides don’t carry oxygen supplements during the trek. Logistically and financially, carrying an oxygen cylinder on a trek is challenging. The tea houses we accommodate during the trek provide supplemental oxygen when needed.

Instead, we do our best to keep you safe and free from altitude sickness during the trek.

Absolutely. The acclimatization during the trek is to ensure adequate adaptation to the altitude.

On this 15-day trek, you’ll rest for a day at Namche and Dingboche. Namche is 3,440 meters, and Dingboche is 4,410 meters. These altitudes are perfect for a day of rest that ensures utmost acclimatization.

During acclimatization in Namche, you’ll visit Hotel Everest View. And in Dingboche, you’ll trek to Nangkartshang Peak. These viewpoints offer a panoramic glimpse of the world’s highest mountains and proper acclimatization.

There are few hospitals en route to the base camp and Gokyo. However, they are basic and provide minor high-altitude sickness and other associated treatments.

A hospital in Lukla is more sophisticated. However, others in the region are just basic clinics. There’s a clinic in Namche Bazaar. Moreover, there’s a basic hospital in Pheriche. Likewise, in Gokyo, there’s a clinic that provides basic treatment.

Hence, a helicopter evacuation is necessary if you get significant injuries during the trek.

No. Almost all the trekking routes of Everest Three High Pass Trek are safe to trek. The entire route is void of landslides, avalanches, and floods. However, the ascend of Kongma La and the final climb of Renjo La are a bit steep with active glaciers and rock falls.

With our experienced trekking guide, you’ll cross these sections safely.

If you have travel insurance with helicopter rescue coverage up to 5,600 meters, you’ll get a one-time helicopter rescue. The highest elevation profile on the Everest Three Passes Trek is 5,600 meters.

If you fail to purchase or provide us with proof of travel insurance, you may not get the helicopter on time. High-altitude rescue in the Everest region is expensive, and helicopter companies hesitate to rescue clients who don’t have travel insurance.

Yes. You’ll get a fluent English-speaking trekking guide for Everest Three Passes Trek.

We at NepTrek Adventures believe that a fluent English-speaking guide can make a significant difference in a client’s trek experience. Fluent communication is a must, whether for regular communication or explaining things on the trek.

Our trek guides are excellent storytellers with profound knowledge of the Everest region. During the trek, feel free to learn more about Sherpa history, Everest tales, Yeti stories, and more. You can also request your trek guide to teach you some Nepali phrases.

Of course! All guides employed at NepTrek Adventures are licensed and first aid responder certified.

Our licensed trekking guides have extensive experience in high-altitude guiding, including the Everest region.

We’ll send you the details and portfolio of the trekking guide once you confirm the trek with us.

Yes. You’ll get a trek porter for the trek.

We allocate one porter to two trekkers to carry a combined weight of 20-25 kg only. Thus, we advise you to bring the essential trek gear only. In this way, you can make the backpack lighter.

If the combined weight exceeds 25 kg, you must pay USD 10 per day for extra weight.

The number of trek guides depends on the group size.

Usually, we allocate one group leader and an assistant guide for a group of 6-10 pax. However, we allocate one senior trek guide with plenty of guiding experience for a group of six or lower.

Note: The trek porters will also assist the group if needed.

Yes. We buy insurance for our trek guides and porters. The insurance includes helicopter evacuation, medication, and hospitalization expenses incurred during the trek.

At the end of the trek, in Lukla, you must tip to your trek guide and porter. There’s no regulation for the amount of tip. However, everyone tip at least 10% of the trek cost to the guide and porter. Usually, USD 10 per day is a common practice among trekkers in the Everest region.

While trekking in a group, we allocate the guides and porters as per the group size. Thus, it will be challenging to provide you with a private guide and porter in a group. Moreover, hiring an individual guide and porter will be expensive as well.

Hence, if you want a guide and porter, we recommend you book a private trek with us.

Once you make the trek confirmation by paying the booking fee, we assume you’ll join the trek.

The first thing you’ll get is the confirmation letter. Second, you’ll get some attachments of the entire trek details, itinerary, physical fitness exercise plans, etc. Moreover, you’ve to purchase the trekking gear, travel insurance, etc.

If you’re bringing the gear and clothes, it’s great. However, kindly let us know if you want to rent items like a down jacket, sleeping bag, and trekking boot. We provide all these gears in rentals at the best price.

For a comprehensive idea of what you should pack for this trek, here’s a blog you can refer to. Our packing list for the Everest Base Camp Trek gives you a complete idea of what you should bring for the Everest Three High Passes Trek.

We usually provide you with a duffle bag for the trek. Since the porter carries most of your stuff in the duffle bag, you can trek with a light backpack.

An ordinary bag that fits a water bottle, some chocolates, and sunscreen will be enough for the daypack. Thus, we recommend you bring at least 30 30-liter trekking bags for the trek.

We can’t label this trek as challenging. Apart from the ascends and descends from the high passes, most of the sections are easy to moderate to trek.

Out of three high passes, crossing Kongma La is strenuous due to the glacier and high altitude. However, crossing Cho La and Renjo La is easy to moderately difficult.

Apart from the passes, if you can withstand the altitude and remain free from altitude sickness, a gradual walk throughout the trek sees you conquer Everest’s Three Passes.

A beginner trekker must agree to a condition if aiming to scale Everest Three High Passes Trek. The condition is that you must follow a strict fitness routine and trek preparations for a few months before joining the trek.

A beginner trekker with decent physical fitness can comfortably complete the adventurous three-pass trek in Everest. Guided by our experienced trek guide and assisted by a porter, you’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the Everest region.

Yes. Proper physical fitness is a must for this trek. Everest Three High Pass Trek is not difficult but demands proper physical fitness. Hence, you must improve your fitness for a few months before joining the trek.

You can plan various exercises for the trek. However, here are some of the most effective physical fitness exercises we recommend to our clients.

–  Jogging or running

–  Hiking (at least two full-day hikes before joining the trek)

–  Cardio exercises (swimming, cycling, treadmill running, etc)

We suggest you work on these fitness exercises at least two months before the trek starts.

No. We don’t encourage people with health issues to join the Everest Three High Pass Trek. Not only this, but we don’t promote any Everest region trekking for people with health issues.

The main reason for this is altitude and air pressure. At high altitudes, people with health issues often experience numerous issues like altitude sickness, low blood pressure, and more.

More to it, here’s a list of who can’t join this trek.

–  Heart issues and high-low blood pressure

–  Pregnant women

–  Kids below 7 years old

–  Senior citizen over 70 years

Thus, you should provide us with complete information regarding your health conditions before making the trek confirmation.

Yes. There are many Nepali brands where you can buy budget trekking gear and clothes. Many local brands in Kathmandu manufacture and sell budget trekking gear.

Also, worldwide brands like North Face, Marmot, La Sportiva, Columbia, and more sell premium trekking gear and clothes.

With your budget and preferences, you can visit the trekking gear stores in Thamel.

It’s up to you to join a group or trek individually or with your group.

If we have a group joining the trek, you can join it. However, we usually don’t get a group joining a trek.

If you prefer trekking individually, we’ll organize the trek for you. You’ll get all the benefits like a trek guide, porter, flight tickets, and everything included. However, the individual costs are a bit more expensive than joining the group.

Absolutely. We have guided many female trekkers over the years. Plus, all our individually guided female trekkers have conquered the numerous trekking in Nepal, including the three high passes in Everest.

We’ll send an experienced female trekking guide if you prefer to trek with a female guide. Plus, the tea houses and people you’ll meet on the trek are female-friendly.

You can’t extend the itinerary while trekking in a group. However, extending the trek itinerary is possible if you’re trekking solo with a guide.

For example, if you need more rest days for acclimatization, you can stop at places like Namche, Tengboche, and Dingboche.

Absolutely. We have wholesome holiday packages for you to soothe the fatigue from the trek.

The best recommendation for you is the Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour. This two-night and three-day holiday package is luxurious and relaxing amidst the temperate Chitwan National Park. You can go on a jeep safari to watch elephants, one-horned rhinos, leopards, and Bengal Tigers.

If you want a city tour, we have Katmandu Sightseeing Tour. It’s a two-day UNESCO World Heritage Site tour around Kathmandu.