Here is my 17-day itinerary hiking to Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar and Gokyo Valley, returning via Renjola Pass, alone with no guide and no sherpas.
The first idea was to trek through Chola Pass but it was too snowy without special equipment and a bit dangerous to venture alone so I didn’t risk.
I advice you to plan your itinerary with a few days extra to be able to adapt your itinerary in case you are tired, you feel altitude sickness or the weather is bad and you have to overstay somewhere on the way.
You’ll notice that the stages of this trek are quite short, with few hours walking or elevation gain in one day. But this way, you respect the recommendations to avoid the altitude sickness. If you want to be faster and go higher, it’s up to you but it’s at your own risk.
The best views on this trek, according to my point of view are from Gokyo Ri and Renjola Pass, and the village that I prefered was Gokyo, it has a very pleasant location right by the lake.
COPY OF PAPER MAPS
DAY 1 : LUKLA (2860m) TO MONJO (2835m)
DAY 2 : MONJO (2835m) TO NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m)
DAY 3 : ACCLIMATIZATION IN NAMCHE BAZAAR / DAY WALK TO HOTEL EVEREST VIEW-KUMJUNG-KHUNDE AND BACK
DAY 4 : NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m) TO TENGBOCHE (3870m)
DAY 5 : TENGBOCHE (3870m) TO DINGBOCHE (4410m)
DAY 6 : ACCLIMATIZATION IN DINGBOCHE
DAY 7 : DINGBOCHE (4410m) TO LOBUCHE (4910m) VIA DUGHLA
DAY 8 : LOBUCHE (4910m) TO GORAK SHEP (5140m) AND EVEREST BASE CAMP BACK (5364m)
DAY 9 : GORAK SHEP (5140m) / TOP OF KALA PATTAR AND BACK (5550m)
DAY 10 : GORAK SHEP (5140m) TO PANGBOCHE (3930m)
Pangboche
DAY 11 : PANGBOCHE (3930m) TO LHABARMA (4330m)
DAY 12 : LHABARMA (4330m) TO GOKYO (4790m)
DAY 13 : GOKYO / TOP OF GOKYO RI AND BACK (5360m)
DAY 14 : GOKYO / TREK TO THE LAKES AND BACK
DAY 15 : GOKYO (4790m) TO MARULUNG (4210m) VIA RENJO-LA PASS (5360m)
DAY 16 : MARULUNG (4210m) TO NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m)
DAY 17 : NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m) TO LUKLA (2860m)
DAY 1 : LUKLA (2860m) TO MONJO (2835m)
Walking time: 4h
The arrival at Lukla airport, known as one of the most dangerous airport in the world, is a bit surprising as you start walking right outside of the tiny terminal building! Backpack on, let’s go!
The walking path is going around the scary runway to join the main street on the right and the end of the village. There, you’ll find the ticket office checking the TIM trekking permit, delivered in Katmandu.
The path then goes down in the forest and I pass by a few small villages. All of them have restaurants and accomodation. After 1h walking from Lukla, I cross the 1st suspended bridge. The next village is Nuning, where you can visit the monastery, see many Mani walls and prayer wheels.
I stop to eat in Phakding, a 2h walk from Lukla, in the terrace of one of the many restaurants to enjoy the sun.
The path then follows the river and arrives to many pretty and quiet villages like Tok Tok or Bengkar, better than Phakding to spend the night. I go on a bit further to Monjo (2800m).
DAY 2 : MONJO (2835m) TO NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m)
Walking time: 2h
Elevation gain: 585m
From Monjo, I follow some stairs going down in the forest and I join Jorsale very quickly. I cross another suspended bridge, follow the river and go up a little bit. I suddenly arrive to another suspended bridge, much higher this time! I give way to the yaks before taking a few pictures. From here, it’s another 1h45 to reach Namche Bazar. For the 1st time I can see the Everest, through the trees, from a small viewpoint. The weather is very clear today, I’m lucky!
Just before arriving in Namche, there’s a small hut where you have to pay a fee to enter the National park: 3390 NPR pp for foreigners.
DAY 3 : ACCLIMATIZATION IN NAMCHE BAZAAR / TREK TO EVEREST VIEW HOTEL-KUMJUNG-KHUNDE AND BACK
For my acclimatization day, useful to avoid altitude sickness, I decide to do a loop of 4 hours and sleep a 2nd night in Namche. I hike up to the viewpoint by the steps at the end of the main street of Namche. Once in Khumbu Lodge, take on the right and you’ll see a sign to go to the office of the national park, where the viewpoint is. The landscape and the view here are magnificent!
I then go back to the crossroad and go on to the left, and up in S zigzgags with stunning views over Namche, which houses look smaller and smaller! In 1h I arrive at the old runway of Syngboche and a bit further up at another viewpoint on Everest and Ama Dablam among other peaks. A few minutes away is the Everest view hotel, the highest hotel in the world (?) at 3880m high! You can actually go inside and sit at the terrace at the back of the building to enjoy the views!
Outside on the left, the path then goes down to Khumjung and its green houses. Beautiful views from this village! You can also spend the acclimatization night here, it’s quieter than Namche! Don’t miss the monastery where you can see a yeti’s skull!!! I then go to Khunde and back to Namche.
DAY 4 : NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m) TO TENGBOCHE (3870m)
Walking time: 4h
Elevation gain: 750m
I cross Namche and at the viewpoint, I turn on the left. Once at the mani stone, take right. The path follows the side of the mountain with stunning views. It’s an easy walk to Phunke Thenga where there’s another suspended bridge before going up in the forest to Tengboche (2h up).
Tengboche is not really a village but more a monastery surrounded by a few teahouses. The day I arrive, the monks are getting everything ready for the religious festival “Mani Rindu”.
I can enjoy some performance in the afternoon: the monks dancing and praying, interesting!
DAY 5 : TENGBOCHE (3870m) TO DINGBOCHE (4410m)
Walking time: 4h
Elevation gain: 600m
Early in the morning I decide to assist at the blessing ceremony of the festival Mani Rindu… at 4am… After 2 hours, they haven’t finished yet but I have to leave quietly to go on walking. I take a few minutes to hike up the small hill at the end of the village where the view over the monastery surrounded by the mountains is beautiful.
With Dini, a german girl I met on the way, we walk to our next destination: Dingboche. On the way we can see the damages of the earthquakes, which partially destroyed Deboche monastery. The path goes down to the river, which we cross. The view on Ama Dablam peak here is perfect! Then, the path goes up until Pangboche. We follow the river to Somare, a little village with a few teahouses. At the end of this village, the landscape becomes more desertic. We cross the river and arrive at Dingboche, a village with few trees, we are now higher in altitude.
DAY 6 : ACCLIMATIZATION IN DINGBOCHE
I wake up this morning and notice that the windows of the small room are frosted… And outside everything has been covered by the snow during the night!
It is still snowing this morning and the wind is very strong too. I was thinking of going hiking to Chhukhing, a nearby valley and back, but the weather is too bad. I decide to stay in Dingboche to rest instead.
DAY 7 : DINGBOCHE (4410m) TO LOBUCHE (4910m)
Walking time: about 4h
Elevation gain: 580m
From Dingboche, the path is going up the stupa on top of the village. The landscape is all white, it’s beautiful but the way is somehow hard to find with the snow covering the hiker footprints! I’m glad I find some people on the way to confirm I’m going the right way! Due to the earthquakes earlier this year, few people came to hike in Nepal this year (2015) unfortunately.
After 1 hour walking, I can see a few remote houses: Dusa. From here I have a wonderful view of the whole valley. I can also see Periche further down. Then suddenly, I’m inside a big cloud, and can barely see the way. It’s snowing too. I then arrive in Dugla, a small village of 3 teahouses. Then the path is going up to Thokla Pass. From the top of Thokla Pass, you can see a few tombs, some climbers and sherpas who failed to reach the Everest are buried here. The sky starts to clear up a bit and I can enjoy the views! From here, it’s an easy and flat hour walk to Lobuche.
DAY 8 : LOBUCHE (4910m) TO GORAK SHEP (5140m) / TREK TO EVEREST BASE CAMP (5364m) AND BACK
Walking time : 2h30 from Lobuche to Gorak Shep – 4h from Gorak Shep to the EBC back (2h+2h)
The path follows the valley to Lobuche Pass, where the panorama is stunning. From here we go along the glacier, which is right below the path. You can see the small teahouses of Gorak Shep in the distance. In the middle of the white mountains…
Lunch time in Gorak Shep! The weather is beautiful so I don’t know where to go this afternoon: Kala Pattar or Everest base camp!
The travel buddies I met earlier today on the way want to go to the EBC so I join them. The path is not difficult, flat at the beginning, then it goes up and down following the side of the mountain. We pass a small ridge before hiking in big rocks. The sky is clear and the views amazing! The glacier is covered by fresh snow, like the surroundings! It’s gorgeous! The EBC is empty, nobody is attempting to climb Everest these days, it’s still too dangerous after the recent earthquakes…
DAY 9 : GORAK SHEP (5140m) / TOP OF KALA PATTAR (5550m) AND BACK
See the details and pictures in this post.
DAY 10 : GORAK SHEP (5140m) TO PANGBOCHE (3930m)
Walking time: about 6h30
Even if I like adventure, I chose not to go through the Chola Pass. It’s a pity but locals advice me better not to go that way alone because it has snowed a lot the past few days and it may be very slippery with no special equipment. In the mountains and especially abroad, you have to be cautious and avoid accidents.
I leave Gorak Shep a bit sad because I liked this place very much, the feeling of remoteness make it a special place. Plus the countryside of pristine wilderness is superb here.
So I go the same way back to Lobuche, Thokla Pass, Dugla, and then down to Pheriche. Stunning views.. up to Pheriche Pass until the crossroads to Dingboche. The last leg to Pangboche is easy, a bit boring tho.
DAY 11 : PANGBOCHE (3930m) TO LHABARMA (4330m)
Walking time: about 5h30
Pangboche is divided in two: the lower part of the village with some houses, and the upper part, with the monastery and at the end, the way to reach Gokyo Valley through Phortse. I follow this way which is going on the side of the mountain.
After 2h30 walking, I arrive at the quiet village of Phortse. I cross the river in Phortse Thenga, hike through the forest and I decide to sleep in Lhabarma after passing Dhole’s slope.
DAY 12 : LHABARMA (4330m) TO GOKYO (4790m)
Walking time: about 5h
From Lhabarma, the path is almost flat and after walking 1h30 I reach Macchermo. The weather is beautiful, I enjoy the countryside very much! In Machhermo, I have to cross a river and then the path is flat again to Phangga.
From Phangga, it’s gently uphill following the river. I start feeling the altitude again. After crossing the river, I arrive in a rocky area and I see the 1st lake! Gokyo is also famous for its lakes, it has 6 around the village.
The 2nd one is bigger and the water is turquoise green! Beautiful! I’m not very far now, I can already see the 3rd lake and some houses.
Gokyo is a gorgeous place, right by the lake. I’m glad I have a few extra days, I’ll be able to stay the whole day tomorrow and enjoy the place!
DAY 13 : GOKYO / TOP OF GOKYO RI (5360m) AND BACK
Walking time: about 4h
Elevation gain: 570m
I leave Gokyo at 4am to arrive at the top of Gokyo Ri before sunrise. This time, I took my backpack with my warm sleeping bag inside. I was super cold on top of Kala Patthar a few days before and had to leave the summit very quickly. This time, I can wait and enjoy the view inside my sleeping bag!
I can barely breathe, because of the altitude and because I have a cold for a few days already. I walk for 2 hours and I’m the 1st to reach the top… wow… I have no words to describe such amazing landscape… incredibly beautiful!
You can see the first lights of sunrise behind all the huge peaks: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu… Below, Gokyo village and the lake… Amazing!
I wait until the sun rises, enjoying the view inside my sleeping bag, hard to go back down with such a view!
DAY 14 : GOKYO / TREK TO THE LAKES AND BACK
Walking time: about 5h return
Elevation gain: 200m
I take the path at the end of the village. 1 hour walking and I arrive at the 4th lake. It’s easy to get lost here as there’s many huge rocks around the lake. The path is not clearly marked neither. The 4th lake is turquoise green and beautiful. I’d like to be able to swim, the water is so clear!
The 5th lake is another hour/hour and a half walking. And the 6th… I will never find it.. I have no gps, just a paper map and nobody to ask. I’m alone hiking here. I must be very close but the path is difficult to follow, there’s huge rocks and I’m not actually sure I’m still the right way… According to my map, I shouldn’t be very far but I still can’t see any lake around… Before I get lost, I turn my way back from where I came. It’s more reasonable and I still enjoyed the hike very much anyway!
Gokyo
DAY 15 : GOKYO (4790m) TO MARULUNG (4210m) VIA RENJO-LA PASS (5360m)
Walking time: 7h30 total : 4h30 to Renjola Pass + 3h to Marulung
Elevation gain: 550m
I’m not sure I’ll be able to go through Renjo la Pass, it snowed a bit and I have no crampons. I leave early so if I cannot pass through or it’s too slippery, I’ll have time to go all the way around.
I leave Gokyo behind, I follow the path around the lake which is flat before arriving at the Renjola Pass wall. I can see hikers going up the vertical slope in front of me. As I go up too, I can guess I won’t be disappointed. “Bistari bistari”, “slowly slowly” as sherpas are used to say here. The path is going in S among rocks and snow. I have to be careful every step not to slipper…
It was worth the effort! The view is amazing here too! I can see Gokyo and its lake, the Everest and on the other side of the pass Angladumba lake and the surrounding snowy peaks. I stay here for a while.
The way down is a bit slippery due to the snow, even if some steps are built with the rocks. The path goes close to the lake and follows the valley. I can see Lunde already with its few houses. I go further down and sleep in Marulung, a tiny village of few basic teahouses.
DAY 16 : MARULUNG (4210m) TO NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m)
Walking time: about 5h
From Marulung, the path goes along the river. I take my time to visit Kyaro monastery, and after 3 hours walking, I arrive at Thames, a pleasant village. Nice view on Thamserku before reaching Thamo, Phurte and back to Namche!
DAY 17 : NAMCHE BAZAAR (3420m) TO LUKLA (2860m)
Walking time : about 7h30
From Namche to Lukla, I take the same way than coming, see Day 1 and 2!
