The Everest Three Pass Trek is one of the most popular treks in the Khumbu region, making a complete circuit high-level trek across 3 significant passes to link the valleys of Thame, Gokyo and Dingboche. From Namche Bazaar, we cross the course of the Bhote Khosi River towards Tibet before turning eastwards to cross the spectacular Renjo La (5340m). We then hike up-valley to reach Gokyo Valley, where we have a free day to trek up-valley to the ‘Fifth Lake’ and can climb to the top of Gokyo Ri. Next, crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier, we climb up and over the Cho La (5420m) before reaching Everest Basecamp and its dramatic viewpoint summit Kala Patar (5550m). Finally, our walkout takes us through Kongma La (5535m) and continues our descent via Dingboche and Pangboche before returning to Namche Bazar and Lukla, our starting point. This makes it an ideal holiday for experienced trekkers looking to visit Everest Basecamp but wish to avoid crowds and experience authentic Sherpa culture.
Overview
Brief Itinerary View in full
- Day 1Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to hotel
- Day 2Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding
- Day 3Trek to Namche Bazar
- Day 4Acclimatization day at Namche Bazar
- Day 5Trek to Thame
- Day 6Trek to Marulung
- Day 7Acclimatisation day at Marlung
- Day 8Trek to Gokyo via Renjo La pass
- Day 9Acclimatization to Gokyo Ri
- Day 10Trek to Dragnag
- Day 11Trek to Dzongla via Chola Pass
- Day 12Trek to Lobuche
- Day 13Trek to Gorakshep and hike to Everest Basecamp/Kalapathar
- Day 14Trek to Lobuche after an Everest Basecamp/Kalapathar
- Day 15Trek to Dingboche crossing Kongma La pass
- Day 16Trek to Namche Bazar via Tengboche Monastery
- Day 17Trek to Lukla
- Day 18Fly to Kathmandu
- Day 19Contingency day for unpredicted delays
- Day 20Final Departure
Itinerary Details
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Day 1 Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to hotel
Elevation: 1400m/4600ft
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: D
Imagine Nepal's Land-only package services begin with the evening meal. The hospitality continues as you are whisked away to your accommodation in Kathmandu and meet your fellow travellers at our welcoming dinner. Airport transfers are provided.
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Day 2 Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding
Elevation: 2610m/8562ft
Distance: 8.5 km /5.3 miles
Time Taken: 4 hours
Meals: BLD
After an early breakfast, we take a bus to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu Airport for the 40-minute flight to Lukla (elevation: 9,382 feet). Landing on the narrow, sloping runway in the heart of the mountains is a very spectacular way to arrive. Next, we start our trek with a downhill leg from Lukla to Phakding beside the river. This first stop's altitude is lower than Lukla's at 2610 meters, taking 3 hours.
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Day 3 Trek to Namche Bazar
Elevation: 3450m/11318ft
Distance: 10.5 km /6.5 miles
Time Taken: 5 hours
Meals: BLD
After a short walk by the river and through the pine forest, we cross a short climb to escape a narrow gorge section. We pass Monjo's Sagarmatha National Park entrance and continue up the wooded valley on a good trail. Crossing the river again, we make our last crossing on a high suspension bridge (one of the steepest parts of the trek) and begin an hour-and-a-half-long ascent to Namche. Arriving in Namche, we check into one of the town's many lodges—elevation 3400 meters.
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Day 4 Acclimatization day at Namche Bazar
Elevation: 3880m/12730 ft
Distance: 2 km/1.24 miles
Time Taken: 3 hours
Meals: BLD
Acclimatization is an integral part of the climb, as it will allow your body to adjust to the ever-increasing altitude. We spend one day acclimatizing at Namche Bazaar to gain this advantage before heading towards Phortse (3840m). After breakfast, we hike towards Everest Hotel, a close Viewpoint of upper Khumbu Valley, and the rest of the day is free for last-minute shopping or hanging out in the cafes and bars.
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Day 5 Trek to Thame
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
We first climb up to the Helipad above Namche, and here we pick up a trail which contours the bounding ridge of Namche and then follows the Bhote Khosi River through the villages of Phunte, Thamo, and Somde. The walk takes us through woods of oak, birch and juniper, and we pass several impressive mani walls built from tablets of stone intricately carved with prayers in Tibetan script. The lack of other trekkers in this quiet valley will be very noticeable today after the trek from Lukla. Finally, after approximately 3 or 4 hours of walking, we reach a suspension bridge slung high across the river, and on the other side, the trail climbs to Thame, the village where the trail Tashi Lapcha Pass to Rolwaling and Nangpa la pass of Tibet connects.
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Day 6 Trek to Marulung
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
Today we trek through northern Everest region to Marulung. The trail becomes quieter as we leave even the more adventurous Everest trekkers behind, and head north beside the Bhote Khosi River. After 3 hours, we pass through Thangmote village and continue on a wide trail that ascends gradually above the river. An additional hour of gentle ascent brings us to our lodge accommodation in Marulung. This is a relatively short day, but it is vital at this stage of our acclimatisation that we do not make too significant a jump in our overnight altitude.
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Day 7 Acclimatisation day at Marlung
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
Today, we will spend extra nights at Marulung to ensure we are sufficiently acclimatized to cross the Renjo La the following day. Today, we can hike up the valley of the Bhote Kosi as far as the simple teahouses at Arye (4400m) or even a little higher towards the glacier down from the Nangpa La. The views on this acclimatization walk are superb, and one of the excellent aspects of this itinerary is the opportunity to spend time in this beautiful unspoilt valley.
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Day 8 Trek to Gokyo via Renjo La pass
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
From Bhote Khosi, we begin our ascent up and away from the valley, following a trail past the lakes below the Renjo La until we reach its summit. We then enjoy the views across the ranges of Mount Everest. After a steep descent and snow-covered stretches, we continue towards Gokyo. Finally, after a long day's trek, we checked into a lodge below Gokyo Ri.
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Day 9 Acclimatization to Gokyo Ri
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
Our acclimatization hike to Gokyo Ri is an excellent opportunity to get up close and personal with the mighty Himalayan peaks of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu. We'll leave the lodge just after sunrise and follow a zig-zag path up the hillside, crossing an ablation valley. From the summit of Gokyo Ri (5360m), there are some of the panoramic views of Everest and other surrounding peaks in the Khumbu - some say it is a finer view than that from Kala Patar, a similar peak which is much closer to Everest and one that we climb later in the trek.
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Day 10 Trek to Dragnag
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
From Gokyo, we descend to the second lake and climb to the moraine's crest overlooking the Ngozumba Glacier. The route across is well-marked by cairns and takes around 45 minutes. Finally, we climb off the glacier at Dragnag (4700m), where we check into a simple lodge.
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Day 11 Trek to Dzongla via Chola Pass
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
Today will be an early start as we climb the Cho La pass (5420m). The trail follows a long winding route approaching the pass, combining steep climbs with easy scrambling over boulders and loose scree. From the pass, there are excellent views of Ama Dablam and other Himalayan peaks in the distant view. The descent from the pass involves crossing a small glacier which is relatively straightforward. As we descend to the grazing pastures below, the trail becomes more and more defined and walking beneath the impressive north face of Cho La Tse; we reach the several lodges of our overnight halt at Dzongla (4830m).
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Day 12 Trek to Lobuche
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
Leaving Dzongla and heading for Lobuche, the trail first drops down to Pheriche on the traditional Everest trail. After 20 minutes of walking, we join the main path below Lobuche, where we will have our lunch break before hiking up towards Lobuche.
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Day 13 Trek to Gorakshep and hike to Everest Basecamp/Kalapathar
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
The big day has arrived, and you are ready to begin your trek. First, we trek on the left of the famous Khumbu glacier to Gorakshep, taking 3 hours from Lobuche. On arriving at Gorakshep, we take lunch and relax before a further 3 hours trek to Everest Basecamp or 2 hours hike to a grassy hill Kalapathar. After an hour or so at Everest basecamp/Kalapathar, we will return to Gorakshep and enjoy a restful night before our next adventure. Depending upon the weather conditions in the evening and the next day morning, your guide will make a proper plan for you to trek to both Everest Basecamp and the Kalapathar.
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Day 14 Trek to Lobuche after an Everest Basecamp/Kalapathar
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
Today may be the highlight of your trip - a 2-hour ascent to Kala Patar, a great vantage point from which to see Everest and the Khumbu Valley below. After returning to Gorak Shep for refreshments, we retrace our steps to Lobuche, our overnight stop, before ascending to our last pass of Khongma La (5535m) the following day. We will have a free afternoon for rest.
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Day 15 Trek to Dingboche crossing Kongma La pass
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
Today, we cross the Khumbu Glacier, which moves very slowly, covered with rubble and moraine debris. The glacier is usually broken into several bodies of ice flowing down from the different peaks. From this point, it is possible to see the massive Lhotse-Nuptse wall stretching northwards towards Tibet, but it’s only in the final hour or two that you’ll get a good view of Everest itself. As well as Everest and Lhotse, the panorama includes Gauri Shankar, Makalu and Cho Oyu – 8000m giants. Though steep, the climb to Kongma La is straightforward enough and takes about three hours each way on a rough grassy hillside and then on a good path that zig zags its way to the top of a scree slope. Another short climb through yak pastures brings us down into the Imja Valley, where we reach our lodge in Dingboche.
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Day 16 Trek to Namche Bazar via Tengboche Monastery
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
We follow the regular trail from Dingboche and pass several yak herders and tea shops to Shomare. After that, we get down to the tree line in Tengboche, the religious focal point of the entire 'Sherpa land', where you can visit the largest monasteries in Khumbu founded in 1919 by Lama Gulu, a monk from Khumjung. After lunch at Tengboche, we descend to the Funge Tenga River and cross it on a suspension bridge before ascending steadily to Kyanjuma. From here, we continue to Namche Bazaar, our overnight stop.
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Day 17 Trek to Lukla
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: BLD
From Namche Bazar, the trail descends the valley and becomes more enclosed as we pass the villages of Phakding, Chopling, and Chaumrikharka. The last hour's steady ascent up to the airstrip at Lukla will surely be rewarded you with a sense of satisfaction at completing an exceptional trek. We will celebrate the end of fantastic trekking with the porter and guides tonight.
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Day 18 Fly to Kathmandu
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: B
The day starts with a scenic flight from Lukla to Kathmandu, then check in to our hotel. The rest of the day is free for sightseeing or shopping, followed by an evening celebration dinner at one of Kathmandu’s most popular restaurants.
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Day 19 Contingency day for unpredicted delays
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: B
Today is a crucial contingency day in case of delays to the flights to and from Lukla and any other unforeseen delays. However, if we have experienced no delays, this is an opportunity to explore the fascinating city of Kathmandu.
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Day 20 Final Departure
Elevation: N/A
Distance: N/A
Time Taken: N/A
Meals: B
At the end of your program, we will arrange for transportation to the airport, and your guide will go to see you off. Flight check-in times vary based on the airline but are typically three hours before flight time.
Dates and Prices
Inclusion
- Kathmandu Service includes arrival & departure transfers, domestic airport transfers, and three nights in a Kathmandu hotel with breakfast and a welcome dinner.
- The government fee includes all the trekking permit charges required for the trek.
- Trekking service includes all the necessary arrangements required during the trek: i.e. domestic flight/transfers, accommodation and three meals a day in local lodges, and a group leader.
- High Altitude Safety Equipment includes a group first aid kit, one oxygen set, a satellite phone (remote area) and a Portable Altitude Chamber (PAC) where necessary.
- Assistant guide in the ratio of one guide per 4 participants and porters in the proportion of one porter for 2 participants, including their daily wages, meals, accommodation, flight/transfers and insurance.
Exclusion
- The program price does not include your international airfare, trekking gear, visa fees, evacuation costs, insurance and other personal nature expenses. In addition, the clients are accountable for tipping guides and porters for their outstanding services.
Key information
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No of Days
20Trip Price
USD 2,499Trip Rank
Risk
Technical
Strenuous
At a Glance
