Everest Three Pass Trek

The 2nd day of the Everest Three Pass Trek features a 7.4 km trail with an estimated duration of 6 hours. The net elevation gain of the day is over 800 meters, leading us to 3440 meters above sea level from 2610 meters. Following the Dudh Koshi River, the initial part of the trail is relatively plain, passing by Zamphuti and Toktok village. Crossing the Dudh Koshi River multiple times over many suspension bridges, the trail reaches Monjo village.

There, our permits will be checked before we are allowed to enter the Sagarmatha National Park. Trekking through the lush park, we will soon reach Jorsale village, where our lunch will be served. After the meal, we have to climb the final section of today’s trek, a 600-meter ascent up the Namche Hill.

Day 3 is the first acclimatization day on the Everest Three Pass Trek itinerary. To make sure that we acclimate properly, we will go on an acclimatization trek to the Everest View Hotel, reaching 3880 meters above sea level. This is the most popular acclimatization hike destination as it offers a panoramic view of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and more. It will take us about 3 hours to complete this hike round-trip.

Following the hike, we will visit the Khumjung village where a school has been established in the name of Sir Edmund Hillary. We will also visit the Khumjung Monastery there. After getting back to Namche, we can spend the rest of the hours visiting the visitor center and other local attractions.

After a restful day at Namche Bazaar, today’s Everest Three Pass Trek itinerary has us cover almost 7 km of distance with an estimated trek duration of 6 hours. Starting the day at 3440 meters, our final elevation is going to be 3750 meters, gaining 310 meters of elevation. The initial portion of the trek diverges from the main Everest trek itinerary, heading west towards the Bhote Koshi Valley.

Soon after, we will follow the Bhote Koshi River and arrive at the village of Phurte. There, you can visit a small mud-covered stupa while we rest for a bit. Continuing the trek, we will head towards the village of Thamo, where you can visit the Thamo Gompa as well. Leaving Thamo, we will descend sharply towards the Khumbu Hydroelectric Plant. From there, it won’t take us long to reach Thame.

On the 5th day of the Everest Three Pass Trek, we will be on the trails for over 6 hours and gain 750 meters of elevation. This trek is 8.2 km long with a final elevation of 4500 meters, starting from 3750 meters above sea level. Leaving the village of Thame, we will go deeper into the Bhote Koshi Valley and follow a river through rocky trails and open lands.

Soon after, we will arrive at a village named Taranga, which is the last large village on the route. After a short rest there, we will get to Lungden village, traversing a rugged and rocky trail with a few small streams en route. From Lungden, we have to head towards Marlung village, reaching 4200 meters above sea level. After lunch at Marlung, we will reach Lungden in about 1.5 hours.

The optional visit of the day to Cho Relmo Lake starts after we reach Lungden; it is a short walk, and the scene is worth the extra effort. Alternatively, you can also visit the Nakpa Valley.

The next day on the Everest Three Pass Trek itinerary, we have to trek for about 8 hours, making it the longest trekking day of the journey. The trek distance is just 9 km with a net elevation loss of 250 meters. However, we will be reaching 5446 meters as we cross the Renjo La Pass en route, gaining over 940 meters of elevation. Departing from Lungden, we head towards the first mountain pass of the three.

The ascent to the pass is steep and demanding, but with the help of the guide and porters, you will be able to make it to the top. The view from the summit includes Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Cho Oyu, and a couple more. Descending from this pass leads us into the Gokyo Valley. As we lose elevation rapidly, glimpses of Gokyo Lakes come into view. After passing the descent, we will reach Gokyo village and check into our rooms.

Day 7 of the Everest Three Pass Trek is yet another acclimatization day with an acclimatization hike to Gokyo Ri. The hike is very short, stretching just 1.5 km with an estimated duration of 1.5 hours round-trip. The elevation gain is 610 meters, reaching 5400 meters above sea level. From the top, you will get to witness a stunning scene of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, and a couple of Gokyo Lakes.

We also have an optional hike after we are done with Gokyo Ri. This hike spans around 3 km and reaches 5000 meters above sea level. The estimated duration is 1.5 hours, with a close-up view of the Ngozumpa glacier. Alternatively, you can also hike to the Scoundrel’s Viewpoint, which is just 5 minutes from the Gokyo village.

On the 8th day of the Everest Three Pass Trek, we will trek for about 5 hours with a very minimal net elevation change. The trail is just 3.7 km, making it the shortest of the journey. Leaving the stunning Gokyo village, we will cross the Ngozumpa Glacier, east of Gokyo, and descend over a rocky trail. Soon after, the trail undulated heavily as we trekked alongside the longest glacier in Nepal.

We will follow the eastern ridge of the moraine after passing the huge body of Ngozumpa. This trail leads us into a narrow valley, towered by the giant peaks in the north. After crossing many streams, we will finally arrive at Thangnak village, reaching 4700 meters above sea level.

The following day on the Everest Three Pass Trek, we will trek about 16 km with a net elevation gain of 155 meters. The estimated time duration of the trek is 6 to 7 hours, starting with a trail leading us to the second pass of the trek. The climb to the Cho La Pass features glacial moraine and giant boulders. As we keep gaining elevation, the trail turns more rugged and steep. After about 2 hours, we will reach the summit of the pass, reaching 5420 meters above sea level.

After enjoying the views of Island Peak, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Cholatse, Lhotse, Thamserku, and distant scenes of Everest, we have to descend from the pass. This downhill section is steep and challenging and takes about 1.5 hours to complete. Soon, we will finish crossing the pass and head to Dzongla village.

Day 10 of the Everest Three Pass Trek features minimal net elevation change with a total trek distance of 8.3 km, which takes about 4 hours. Leaving Dzongla village, we will descend a little, following the shores of Chola Lake. This initial part of the trek is very doable, passing over rocky terrain with dramatic scenes of the Himalayas. After passing the lake, we will enter the Imja Khola Valley, which joins us to the standard Everest itinerary. En route, there are memorial statues dedicated to those who could not make it out alive of Everest.

Passing this memorial site, we will ascend gradually to Lobuche village. The trail is very easy to follow, going alongside the western side of the Imja Khola Valley. En route, you get to see the Khumbu Glacier and the Pumori peak in the distance. Arriving at Lukla, we will reach 4190 meters above sea level.

Today’s trekking distance is about 15 km with an estimated trek duration of 6 to 7 hours. The net elevation gain is 275 meters, but we will reach much higher elevations throughout the day. Leaving Lobuche, we will head north to get to Gorak Shep. The distance is just 4.5 km and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. The path is rocky, uneven, and often accompanied by other trekking groups.

Leaving our heavy bags at Gorak Shep, we will head to the Everest Base Camp, which takes an additional 3 hours of trekking. After reaching the base camp, we will enjoy a close-up view of the mountains nearby and spend some time admiring the scene. Eventually, we have to descend back to Gorak Shep and spend the night there.

On the 12th day of the Everest Three Pass Trek, we will hike to the amazing Kala Patthar viewpoint. This hike is only 3 km long round-trip, with an elevation gain of 370 meters. The path to Kala Patthar is steep and rocky, but not that difficult. This viewpoint is popular for offering the best view of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse peaks. Along with them, you also get to see Pumori, Changtse, and Ama Dablam.

From Kala Patthar, we will descend to Gorak Shep and have a filling breakfast. Descending further down to Lobuche, we have to cover 4.5 km of distance, which takes us about 2 hours. The trail is gradually descending, leading us all the way to 4910 meters above sea level.

The next day on the Everest Three Pass Trek is yet another descending day, as we lose a net elevation of 200 meters. However, we will gain quite some altitude climbing up to the Kongma La Pass. The trek distance of the day is 10.5 km with an estimated trek duration of 7 to 8 hours. We will start the trek with a gradual ascent from Lobuche, heading east. Soon, we will begin climbing the Kongma La Pass and reach 5535 meters above sea level.

A grand scene of Everest, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Nuptse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Baruntse, and Thamserku awaits us at the top. Descending from the pass, we will traverse the Niyang Khola Valley and reach Chhukung.

To get to Tengboche from Chhukung, we have to trek a total distance of 12.9 km and lose 875 meters of altitude. This descent will take us about 5 hours to complete. Leaving Chhukung, we have to traverse the Imja Khola Valley and descend to Dingboche village. From there, we will pass Tusra Kharka and Orsho Kharka to reach Shomare village. Following that, we will head towards Pangboche village, visit the Pangboche monastery, and continue downhill till we reach Tengboche.

Today’s trek loses us about 415 meters of elevation, going from 3855 meters to 3440 meters above sea level. The total trek distance is about 6 km, with an estimated trek duration of 5 hours. The trek begins with a steep descent leading all the way down to a suspension bridge, crossing the Dudh Koshi River. There are some ascents in between, but they are very minor. From there, we will ascend gently till we reach our destination of the day.

The total trek distance of the day is around 15 km, which took us 2 days to cover at the beginning of the trek. Trekking for 6 to 7 hours, we will have a net descent of 590 meters, reaching 2850 meters above sea level from 3440 meters. Starting off, we have to get on a steep descent heading towards the Dudh Koshi River and eventually cross the Hillary Suspension bridge. Passing by Benkar, Monjo, and Phakding, we will reach the final leg of the trek. This marks the end of trekking days on the Everest Three Pass Trek.

The next day on the journey, we will fly back to Kathmandu or Manthali from Lukla. This is how the Everest Three Pass Trek will conclude. The flight will be scenic, offering a wide, overhead view of the entire Khumbu region and the peaks in the north.