The Gokyo trek substitutes the Everest base camp trek (EBC) trek as Gokyo RI elevates at the same altitude as the EBC does. The Gokyo RI is elevated at an altitude of 5,357 meters high peak. The Gokyo village and Gokyo lakes rejuvenate the trekkers with experimental vibrancy and enthusiasm as they keep heading forward for the trek. The bumpy trails, sheer roads, and high passes make the trek a little tough but make the journey adventuresome. The geographic structure and the unspoiled natural beauty of Gokyo offer an astonishing experience to the trek. One can catch a mesmerizing sight of Cho Oyo, Lhotse, and Makalu in a single view. The most suitable time for such a trek is during spring and autumn which probably include the months of March, May, September, and November.
The Gokyo trek is of 15 days, an accustomed routine for trekking at higher altitudes in Nepal. The trek is reasonably difficult as it includes long walks, which can take approximately 5 to 6 hours a day. The hardships during the trek include confronting wet and rugged trails, encountering active leeches, acclimatizing issues due to temperature changes, and so on. However, the hardships and difficulties during the trek eventually turn out as a reward as trekkers come across learning a new culture and encircling themselves around the stunningly unique natural beauty of the Solukhumbu district. The trek would surely unfurl the desire of trekkers for travelling more in the mountain regions.
As you might know, Gokyo is already quite famous for its geographical features as many tourists destine for the Gokyo trek. The Gokyo trek is well renowned for its specialty in ice skating at higher altitudes and being a part of the Ramsar site, which refers to the convention of wetlands and holds international importance. In addition to that, Gokyo also holds religious importance as the Gokyo lakes are considered sacred and are worshipped by locals as well as other foreign devotees during special occasions. It is believed the god of snakes resides in the lake.
The Gokyo village in the Himalayan region is inhabited by Sherpas. Sherpas are the original inhabitants of the mountainous area in Nepal. They are well renowned for their lavish culture and their adaptation as well as climbing skills in such regions and how they are great at mountaineering and even help tourists by guiding them. Gokyo is home to these people who seasonally shift to lower altitudes to avoid extremely cold weather during weather. They are one of the important pillars that help trekkers travel despite the challenging weather and the higher altitude issues.
In short, the Gokyo trek is a perfect replacement for the EBC trek as both stand tall at higher altitudes. Besides the difficulties in hiking and the uncertainties, The trek is beneficial for trekkers to indulge in the rich culture of Sherpas and taste different cuisines and explore the localities around the Himalayas. The Gokyo lakes hold different legends and folklore. Wandering around with the locals can be a great chance to learn about myths and understand their beliefs. The trek is a great way to escape the daily hurdles in our lives and live a moment creating limitless memories.
The meals we get offered during this trek are breakfast, lunch, and obviously dinner.
Breakfast is an important meal of the day. It is basically the food we need to revitalize ourselves early in the morning. Breakfast is provided by tea houses normally at 7 or 8 am. The breakfast simply includes toast, eggs, potatoes, tea, or maybe coffee and anything you can imagine is available in this region.
Lunch is the major food in Nepalese households. It helps us keep going for the whole day. Trekkers normally take lunch at noon. The most popular lunch is undoubtedly Nepalese traditional food that has rice, lentils, vegetable curry, pickle, and preferably non-veg food too. The dumplings or the momos are very famous.
Dinner is the most relaxing time of the day for all the trekkers. Everybody gets to gather and share their experiences of what they did throughout the day. It is not uncommon for trekkers to grab a beer of 1 or 2 during dinner time. The rice wine is easily available at this time.
The first day of the trip starts with trekkers arriving at Kathmandu international airport. All of the trekkers are to be gathered and head for the hotels they’ve reserved or the reservation can be made once they have arrived at the airport. Further time can be spent relaxing or rambling around the city.
Starts with sightseeing and roaming around the Kathmandu streets, visiting temples, durbars, and museums, and walking the dramatic alleys around the town. It offers a chance to observe the art and craft and taste the local cuisines. The guide is introduced to the group and preparations are made for trekking. Preparing trekking gear, and buying or packing essential items are done on this day along with the guides. The trekkers are requested to clear doubts regarding the trip (if they have any).
The trekking begins with a 5-hour drive to Ramechhap Manthali airport which is 144 km away from Kathmandu. The drive allows the passengers to spot the small villages and the locals around. The drive is an exciting journey. If lucky, one can encounter wildlife in national parks or conservation areas in Nepal. After reaching Ramechhap, the journey for the day ends here as we stay a night for dinner and lodging.
After a short flight of around 20 minutes, we enter Lukla. The trekkers are introduced to the staff and the porters. Then the trekkers are guided to head for the Phakding. The trek duration is about 4 hours. Early evening is spent hiking around the villages and the Phakding monastery. The night is spent well with Sherpa music and cuisine.
On our way to Namche from Phakding, we come across many suspense bridges and also the Sagarmatha national park which is an amazing experience during the trek. Namche is popular among the trekkers. It takes a straight 6 to 7 hours of walk to reach Namche bazaar from the national park and we are required to tan ake entry permit.
Namche bazaar begins showing us a glimpse of Mt. Everest as we arrive there. After the trekkers are done lunching, they are set free to explore the Namche bazaar. Namche is quite famous for its culture and hospitality. The bazaar is warmly filled with hotels, guest houses, and also tea houses, which are very famous. The town is unexpectedly lavish and advanced which includes internet access, money exchange services, entertainment with music, and so on.
Our trekking is further continued to Dole. We reach the Dole after straight up 5 to 6 hours of walking. The trekking trails can be seen passing through the natural beauty of the Himalayas that include the forests and also people carrying on with their daily lives. Trekking is all about exploring and enjoying the scenery. Ultimately the night is spent in the dole with dinner.
The trek starts beginning tougher as the altitude starts getting higher. Even the population of villages gets lower in numbers from here. Machhermo is a small village that lies in the Dudh Koshi river valley. It is a small stop with few tea houses and just mountains. However, we spend overnight at Maccherma.
After breakfast in Machhermo, we trek forward to reach Gokyo. On the way, an exotic view of Mt Cho Oyu stands ahead of us. We also approach the Ngozumpa glacier and finally reach Gokyo village.
Early in the morning start hiking to Gokyo RI to encounter magnificent Mountain View and dramatic sunrise with Gokyo Lake and glacier. The Gokyo Ri lies at 5,357 meters above sea level. Today you have free time to explore the lake on your shelf or if your health situation is great then you can visit the fifth lake which is a 5/6 hrs day trip. We spend overnight at Gokyo RI.
After having breakfast, we start descending back to Dole village. In front of us are 4 of the tallest peaks in the world, which are Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyo. Again a night is spent in Dole at a tea house.
On the 12th day, the journey begins backtracking the trails to Namche. The trek starts getting easier as we keep moving down to the lower altitude. The walk is relatively long and we stay overnight at Namche.
The 13th day signifies almost the end of the trek. We are bound to leave Namche early morning. As we get back to Lukla, the difficulties start dissipating completely as the temperature starts getting warmer. A little celebration will be held with music, food, and drinks at Lukla village embarking on the end of the trek.
Just like at the beginning of the trip, we return to Ramechhap Manthali airport from Lukla by flight. Then we head back to Kathmandu with a 5-hour drive and rest the day. In the evening you will invite for a Farwell dinner to celebrate together in a Nepali typical cultural restaurant.
With the appearance of day 15, it is officially confirmed that the trip is over and we wish everyone a bright future with the hope that this trip became a life-changing moment in their lives and that it has made a difference.
• International airport picks up & drops by private car.
• 3-night Hotel Simal in Thamel including breakfast
• Explore Heritage sites and tourist cities in Kathmandu valley.
• During the trek breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 3-time tea coffee
• Seasonal fresh fruits after dinner
• First Aid medicine for all members
• Clean and comfortable tea house during the trek.
• English-speaking tour/trekking Guide.
• 1 porter carries 2 clients' baggage during the trek.
• Food, Accommodation, salary, insurance, and first aid for all staff.
• (TIMS)- (Everest) Sagarmatha National Park permits.
• Duffel bag, sleeping bag, and trekking poles by Nepal Unique Treks.
• Flight from Ramechhap – Lukla – Ramechhap airfares.
• Any kind of government taxes
• Lunch and dinner whilst in Kathmandu.
• Your travel insurance - but we can arrange a Helicopter for rescue and transfer to Hospital
• Telephone, beer, wine, coca cola, and laundry.
• Personal trekking Gear
• Tour sight was seen entrance fee USD$25
• Bar bill, desert, salad any extra food during our trekking
• Tips for trekking staff and driver-- expected. Appreciated
• We serve you during the trek which is mentioned in our Itinerary
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