Everest Circuit 3 High Passes Trek - 20 days

Arrival day! On this day, you arrive in the city of Kathmandu. Once your flight lands at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be greeted by the official representative of Tour Fun Nepal. He will then escort you to the hotel and assist you through the check-in procedure. 
Later in the afternoon, you will have a short briefing regarding the Everest Circuit 3 High Passes Trek with the trekking guide. In this briefing, the guide will provide you all the essential information regarding transportation, accommodation, route, and major attractions. 
Since you'll be heading off to Ramechhap early the next morning, you must pack all the necessary gear and equipment by the evening. If you missed out on something, you can consult with the trekking guide and visit the trekking gear shop at Thamel to buy or rent it. 
Overnight at the hotel.

As of late 2019, all the flights to Lukla have been canceled from Kathmandu and redirected from/to Manthali Airport at Ramechhap instead. Due to this change, we must wake up before dawn to catch our ride from Kathmandu to Ramechhap. 
It takes about four to five hours to reach Ramechhap from Kathmandu. The drive is relatively pleasant compared to other regions of Nepal. We can enjoy the marvelous view of hills, terraced farms, rivers, and mountains.  
Upon arriving at Manthali, we will catch our flight to the world's most extreme airport at Lukla. Although brief, the 20-minutes flight from Manthali to Tenzing Hillary Airport marks as one of the major highlights of the Everest Three Passes Trek. 
Once the flight lands at Lukla airport, we commence the adventure with a gradual walk towards the small settlement of Cheplung. Here, we get to relish the first distant sight of Mt. Khumbila. We will continue the walk with a gradual descent on the right bank of Dudh Koshi River towards Phakding. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

After having a hearty breakfast, we cross the suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River and walk along with the shades of rhododendron and pine trees. Before arriving at the entrance gate of Sagarmatha National Park at Jorsalle, we walk past several small settlements, including Bengkar, Chumoa, and Monjo. 
We continue the walk on a decent trail and cross the famous Hillary bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. As we cross the suspension bridge, the trail leads to a gradual uphill towards the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar. 
Tucked under the mountains, an arch-shaped town of Namche Bazaar is a significant commercial hub of the entire Khumbu region. The bazaar is filled with fancy restaurants, internet cafes, local markets, and teahouses. From Namche, we can marvel at the breathtaking view of Kongde Ri and Thamserku. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

A much-needed leisure day at Namche Bazaar for acclimatization before setting off to the higher altitudes. On this day, we'll take a short hike to the Tenzing Norgay Memorial and explore the Sherpa Cultural Museum to keep our feet moving. This viewpoint offers a panoramic view of Thamserku, Ama Dablam, Mt. Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse. 
Depending on the condition, we can also visit the Everest View Hotel — the highest elevation luxury hotel in the world and explore Khumjung village. We will also visit the century-old monastery of Khumjung and see the monks performing Buddhist prayers. After the excursion, we will return to Namche Bazaar for the overnight stay. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

We begin the day with a pleasant walk on a beautiful trail towards Phunki Tenga. Upon arriving at this small village, the pleasant trail swiftly transforms into a challenging uphill towards the village of Tengboche. This village is the home of Khumbu's largest monastery. 
After spending about an hour at the monastery, we continue the walk under the shades of blooming rhododendron trees towards the monastic village of Deboche. The rhododendron forest gets much thicker as we make our way towards Pangboche. Once we reach Pangboche, we visit Khumbu's oldest Buddhist monastery and obverse the monks chanting the evening prayers. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

On this day, we take on a challenge to hike to Ama Dablam Base Camp. The trail is moderately strenuous with steep uphills towards the base camp. From Pangboche, we descend towards the Imja River. With the beautiful view of the river gorge, we cross the river and climb towards the base camp. After walking for about two to three hours, we will reach the Ama Dablam Base Camp. 
It is located on a picturesque grassland surrounded by giant massifs. From here, the entire Ama Dablam seems to loom above the clouds. During the climbing season, the colorful tents and crowd of climbers tend to fill up the base camp. 
After the excursion, return to Pangboche for the overnight stay. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

After breakfast, we will depart from Pangboche village and set off towards the stone-walled settlement of Dingboche. Although the trek is relatively brief, it is no short of challenges as we will continuously gain altitude as we walk. 
We cross over the confluence of Khumbu Glacier and Imja River and walk through the barren landscape. As the tree line disappears, the snowy summit of Ama Dablam and Lhotse dominates the backdrop. After climbing on a steep trail, the village of Dingboche emerges deep in the valley. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

On this day, we take a day off at Dingboche to acclimatize to the thin air of the higher elevation. Instead of staying back at the teahouse, we take on the challenge to hike to a nearby Nagarjun Hill. 
The hike to Nagarjun does not involve any technical climb. At the altitude of 5,100 meters, the summit of this hill offers a breathtaking panorama of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtega, Lobuche West, Lobuche East, and Taboche Peak. 
After the hike, we retrace the route back to Dingboche and spend the entire afternoon relaxing at the teahouse. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

As we leave Dingboche, we make a gentle ascent northeast of the village and head towards Chukung. Instead of following the trail to the classic Everest Base Camp, we take the alternative route, generally trapped by those who venture to scale the summit of Island Peak. 
The entire trail is surrounded by enormous peaks, gliding glaciers, and icy moraines. The village of Chukung is located right below the Island Peak Base Camp, with a handful of local tea houses scattered around. Upon reaching Chukung, we'll spend the rest of the evening taking a much-needed rest. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

A massive day! On this day, we will cross over Kongma La Pass, the first and the highest of Everest Three Passes Trek. We wake up early in the morning and set toward the west of Chukung village. 
Compared to the classic Everest Base Camp route, the trail to Kongma La is much remote and isolated. We walk along the valley and cross the Imja River before making a steep ascent alongside the yak pasture. Along the way, we come across a magnificent frozen lake and occasional waterfalls. 
We take on the well-defined route towards the mountainside, where the first sight of Kongma La Pass comes to view. We walk through the loose rocks and scree towards the summit of the pass at the elevation of 5,535 meters. From the top, we can relish the beautiful panorama of Mount Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Pumori, Makalu, and Gauri Shanker. 
From the summit, the trail descends steeply through loose rocks and boulders towards the Khumbu glacier. We must stay cautious while walking over the icy terrain as there might be crevasses along the way. After a long and strenuous day, we reach Lobuche for the overnight stay. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

On this day, we march to the Everest Base Camp, the foothills of the world's highest massif. Although the trail is relatively gentle, the increasing altitude makes the walk challenging. With gradual ups and downs over a glacial path, we reach Gorak Shep. 
We continue the walk on a rocky trail alongside Khumbu Glacier. Now, the terrain is utterly void of greenery; instead, it is surrounded by dirt, pebbles, rocks, and frozen icicles. Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp, we get to relish the adjacent view of Khumbu Icefall, Nuptse, Pumori, and Khumbutse. 
After enjoying the marvelous sight and capturing the moments in the camera, we retrace the route back to Gorak Shep. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

Before sunrise, we hit the trail and set off towards the viewpoint of Kala Patthar, which lies at an elevation of 5,545 meters. The route to Kala Patthar is mostly uphill, and as we'll be ascending in the dark, it is advised to carry a headlamp or a torch on the hike. 
From the summit of this vantage point, we get to enjoy the breathtaking panorama of Mount Everest, Pumori, Nuptse, and Changtse. If we reach the summit on time, we'll catch the most epic sunrise leaping above the mountains. 
After our time at the summit, we descend to Gorak Shep and continue our walk to Lobuche. After crossing Lobuche, we take an alternative route from the standard EBC Trek and head towards Dzongla. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

Another momentous day of the Everest Circuit 3 High Passes Trek, as we'll cross over Cho La Pass, the second pass of the trek. We'll wake up early at dawn and leave Dzongla village. We walk along the trail decorated by a grandiose view of Cholatse. 
After crossing a narrow stream, we climb a challenging path along the rocks and boulders. We then hike across the magnificent Cho La Glacier. It is advised to carry spikes or crampons to walk across the glacier as there may be a few icy slopes on the way.  
Once we cross the glacial path, we make a steep ascent to the summit of Cho La Pass. We get to relish the fantastic view of glaciers and mountains from the top. After that, we descend through a steep and challenging trail towards Thaknak. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

After breakfast, we begin the adventure with gradual ups and downs through a wide rocky field. Subsequently, we descend from a moraine towards Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in the Himalayas. We cross the glacier marveling at the close-up spectacles of Cho Oyu. Since there are crevasses on the glacial path, we must stay cautious with every step while crossing the glacier. 
After passing through the glacial path, we will get the first sight of the third Gokyo Lake, also known as Gokyo Tsho. The Gokyo Valley is located at the bank of this mesmerizing lake. Upon reaching the valley, we rest at the shore of the Gokyo Lake and gaze at the turquoise blue lake. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

On this day, we hike to Gokyo Ri, one of the most significant vantage points in the Everest region. Although the trail does not involve any technical climb, the route is quite challenging with steep uphill. 
At the elevation of 5,360, the summit of Gokyo Ri offers a marvelous view of Gokyo Lakes, Gokyo Valley, Ngozumpa Glacier, and surrounding mountains, including Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, and Makalu. After enjoying the 360-degree panorama of the Himalayas, we descend back to the valley. Once we reach the valley, we will stroll around the lake for the rest of the evening. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

Another important day of the Everest Circuit 3 High Passes Trek as we cross Renjo La Pass, the final of the three high passes. Compared to the other two high passes of Everest, the route to Renjo La is relatively comfortable and less strenuous. We start the trek early and walk to the northern shore of Gokyo Lake. The trail is steep uphill on rocky terrain with no sign of vegetation. 
The bundle of colorful prayer flags marks the top of Renjo La Pass at the elevation of 5,360 meters. From the summit, we get to relish the stunning vista of Rolwaling Range, Mount Everest, Makalu, Gyachung Kang, and other surrounding peaks. After a while, we make a gradual descent from the pass and head towards Lumde. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

After breakfast, we depart from Lumle village and hit the trail to Namche Bazaar. En route to Namche, we walk on the path next to yak pastures and occasional Sherpa village. After about three hours of trekking, we will arrive at a small settlement of Thame. 
From Thame, the route is reasonably comfortable with gradual descent until we arrive at the colorful town of Namche Bazaar. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

Once we head out of Namche Bazaar, we retrace the route back to Lukla. We follow the trail alongside Dudh Koshi River and walk past the same villages where we started this adventure. The path is comfortable and relatively pleasant, with occasional ups and downs. 
After about 7 hours of walking from Namche Bazaar, we will reach Lukla. Upon entering the village, we will enjoy hot beverages and delicious local meals. In the evening, we celebrate the success of the Everest Circuit 3 High Passes Trek along with our crew members. 
Overnight at a local teahouse.

Early in the morning, we will bid the mountains goodbye and catch a flight to Ramechhap. Once we land at the Manthali Airport, we'll take our ride and drive to Kathmandu to conclude the Everest Circuit 3 High Passes Trek. 
Upon arrival at the bustle of the city, we'll drive to the hotel and relax for the rest of the afternoon. We can also wander around Thamel and buy a few souvenirs for friends and family. Later in the evening, our representative will pick you from the hotel and take you for the farewell dinner. 
Overnight at the hotel.

Your final day in Nepal! On this day, Tour Fun Nepal's representative will escort you to the international airport as per your flight schedule for the final departure.