Everest High Passes Trek

Scenery During the Trek

Be it any trek in the Everest region, you are guaranteed views. The views you get throughout the trek are amazing. The views of the broad Gokyo Valley, Ngozumpa glacier, and the turquoise waters of Gokyo Lake are incredible. We also visited Tengboche monastery, the biggest and arguably the most prominent monastery in the Khumbu region. We also cross beautiful Everest 3 passes in Kongma La Pass, Cho La Pass, and Renjo La Pass. However, we get splendid views of Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and Lhotse, among other mountains.

What to Expect on the Everest High Pass Trek

The Everest High Passes Trek, a thrilling odyssey in Nepal, leads you to the three highest passes in the country. This trek is not just an adventure but a pulse-quickening thrill ride amidst the awe-inspiring Khumbu moraines. Let’s explore the Everest High Pass Trek and the excitement it holds.

1. The EBC High Passes trek goes further than the simple EBC trek and offers the adventure of a lifetime as you climb the peaks of three high passes.
2. You will stroll through astonishing Sherpa villages, meet new people, and learn about their culture.
3. During your Everest High Pass trek, you will explore places with different terrains and vegetation. From sub-tropical barren lands to hilly rhododendron forests to rocky peaks and valleys to snowy mountains, everything is in store in this trek.
4. Throughout the trek, you can witness majestic and breathtaking views of the different terrains. You will also see amazing views of mountains like Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho-Oyu, etc.
5. After departing from Gokyo Ri, you must cross the Renjo-La pass (5360 m) to reach High Camp. Like Gokyo Ri, the Renjo-La Pass offers even more stunning views of the Himalayan Mountains.

Trek Route

The Everest High Pass Trek route is fascinating and beautiful. It takes you to the depths of the Khumbu region, and it is one of the most beautiful routes not only in the area but also in Nepal.  The route takes you to the majestic high passes of the Khumbu region, where you will sense the thrill and adventure of the Himalayan trekking.

The tour first starts with the majestic mountain flights to Lukla. After landing in Lukla, we’ll walk from Lukla to Phakding (2,650m) to adjust to the higher altitude. We’ll trek from Phakding to Namche via Sagarmatha National Park the next day. Once in Namche (3,440m), we’ll take a day to acclimate and have the option to visit Khumjung, the Hillary School, and Syanboche Airport. At Namche Bazaar, you’ll find everything you need, from gear for the trek to various food and drinks.

From Namche, our route takes us towards Thame, then to Lungden. We’ll cross the Renjo La Pass (5,360m) and enter the Gokyo Lakes region. A pause in Gokyo Village allows us to acclimate, during which we’ll hike to Gokyo Ri (5,350m) for awe-inspiring views of Everest, Chalotse, and Taboche mountains. The Gokyo region is home to some of the most stunning oligotrophic lakes, which we’ll have the opportunity to visit and admire, leaving you amazed at the beauty of nature.

Now, it’s time to leave the amazing Gokyo behind us and continue to Thangnak, which leads us to Dzongla. This route allows you to explore the exhilarating Cho La Pass (5,420m), the second-highest pass in the Everest region. Reach the top of Cho La Pass and witness majestic mountain peaks like Mount Lingtren, Pumori, Nuptse, and Lhotse, feeling the rush of adventure and the thrill of conquering the past. Now it’s time to move from Cho La Pass and reach Lobuche, which means you are back on the EBC trek route and then head towards exploring Everest Base Camp.

After spending some time in the base camp, you will return to Gorakhstep and continue to the third pass in Kongma La Pass. You will now retrace your steps and return to the route you came from via Chukkung and Tengboche. Next, you will reach Namche and then drop by Monjo. From there, you will Phakding, Lukla, and then board a flight to Kathmandu, concluding your amazing Everest Three Pass Trek.

Best Time for the Trek

Spring season (March to May)

Spring is one of the best seasons to undertake any trek or expedition in Nepal. As it falls in the pre-monsoon time of the year, the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. The daytime is excellent, with only a much-needed evening chill for a sense of adventure.

Autumn season (September to November)

The autumn season is probably the busiest time in the Himalayas. This time of the year also coincides with the festive season in Nepal, and you will also get a taste of Nepalese festivals. During the post-monsoon time of the year, you get unobstructed views of the mountains, and the colors around the trail are vibrant, too.

Renjo La Pass

Renjo La is the most accessible pass among the three on the Three Passes Trek in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. It connects the Gokyo Lakes area to a lesser-visited western valley. At 17,560 ft / 5,360 m, it is the lowest of the three passes and does not require crossing a glacier. Among the three passes, Renjo La Pass is considered the easiest. However, it doesn’t mean that it is not challenging. Renjo La Pass has a lower altitude than the three passes, so you don’t have to climb higher than the other two.

Cho La Pass

Cho La Pass is another viral pass you will explore during your Everest Three Pass Trek. The second pass you visit in your treks connects Everest Base Camp with Gokyo Valley Trek. The terrains around the Cho La Pass are covered with ice and glaciers, so you must be wary of the slippery path and rugged terrain.

Regarded as the hidden jewel of the Khumbu region, Cho La Pass has become a significant attraction due to its terrific adventure and stunning mountain views. The trekkers visiting the Khumbu region and trekking through the Gokyo Valley are more familiar with the Cho La Pass.

Khongma La Pass

Among the three passes, Kong La Ma is the most difficult compared to the other two. It lies in the easternmost part of Nepal, and despite being quite challenging to scale, keep in mind that it is not impossible. In some cases, the trekkers trek the  Everest Three Passes counterclockwise, which means Kong La Ma Pass is visited first, but there are instances where it is the last pass on the line for the trekkers.

The highest pass makes Kong La Ma the most challenging trek. At over 5,550 m, the Kong-La Ma is even higher than the Everest Base Camp, and the trails to reach it are more demanding than you have to pass through glacial terrains and quick ascents. Often, due to its reputation of being the most challenging pass, the trekkers skip this pass, but we highly recommend that you keep this trek a try.

Imja Khola

Imja Khola is another major attraction of the Everest Three Pass trek. It is a small river in eastern Nepal that flows into the Dudh Kosi River. Snow melting from the Khumbu glacier mixes with the Lobuche River, which flows as the Imja Khola in the southern area. The majestic white river of Imja flows towards the Terai region and mixes with the Dudh Koshi River.

On their way to the Everest trek, trekkers will get their first glimpse of Imja Khola. The Imja Khola lies between two Sherpa villages, Tengboche and Dingboche. Trekkers will pass through the suspension bridge over Imja Khola as they move past Tengboche. Dingboche, also known as the ‘Summer Valley’ of the Khumbu, has a long wall that protects the village’s crops from the cold winds in the Imja Valley.

Food and Accommodation

You will get the customary Nepali dish (dal, bhat) everywhere. Besides that, there will be options for other Nepalese dishes such as dumplings, roti tarkari (bread and curry), momo (dumplings), and Thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup) at every stop you make. There will also be options for Western dishes such as pasta, pizza, omelets, oatmeal, macaroni, etc. However, you will be taking a packed lunch on your summit day.

The accommodation during the trek will be rather basic, and we will stay in teahouses. The rooms will be shared between 2-4 people, and the bathrooms will also be shared. The teahouses will be reasonably clean and offer decent food choices. The lack of amenities is made up for by the hospitality of the Sherpa people, though. Once you reach Lobuche base camp, you will stay in tented camps.

Permit Required For Everest High Passes Trek

You will need two types of permits for this trek. You will require a Sagarmatha National Park and a local area to perform this task. You can get a license for the local area near Namche Bazaar in the Khumbu region. You can get the Sagarmatha National Park permit either from the Tourism Board in Kathmandu or at the entry point of the National Park.

Travel Insurance

It would be best to be insured before taking any trekking expedition tour in Nepal. However, Naata Travel & Adventures doesn’t provide insurance, and you would have to take insurance before your trip commences. Please note that you must take insurance with all coverages, including high-altitude evacuation, thefts, loss, and trip cancellation, which is required for expeditions and trekking.

Transportation Facilities

During your Everest Three-Pass Trek, you will board two modes of transportation, and they are:

Flight

The primary mode of transportation you will board is flight. You will board the flight either from Kathmandu or Ramechhap to Lukla. Lukla is among the most dangerous airports in the world. The runway of the Lukla airport is relatively small, and since the geographical location is also in a remote area.

Jeep

Another common way of transportation that you will use during your Everest Three Pass Trek is the Jeep. The shared jeep is the best travel method since the terrain is much more challenging in the rugged Khumbu region. They are more expensive, but if you don’t have an issue with finances, you can also hire private jeeps, which are a bit more expensive.

A Typical Day in Trek

The typical day in Everest High Passes Trek begins around 6 AM. From 6: 30 to 7, you will have a delicious breakfast at the teahouse where you are staying. After breakfast, your trek begins at 7 AM, and you will continue at about noon for about five hours. From 12 PM to 1 PM, you will generally stop at some location for lunch.

From 1 PM to 4 PM, after lunch, you will continue trekking to the day’s destination. Sometimes, there might be some changes in your trek so that you might reach your teahouse around 5 PM. From 5 PM to 8 PM, stroll the local areas and villages, explore monasteries, and get familiar with the local people. At 8 PM, enjoy dinner in the teahouse where you are staying. Finally, starting at 9 PM, it is wise to go to bed. Going to bed early will give you plenty of rest from the hard day trek and will prepare you for the next day.

Guide/Porter

You will be provided with a licensed trekking guide for the trip who will be well-versed trekking in the Everest region. Depending upon the group size, you will also be provided with an assistant guide if the number exceeds seven. As for the porters, every porter there to assist you will only carry 20 kg.

Equipment and Gear

The equipment required for the Everest three-pass trek is as follows,

Clothing

• Head: Sun Hat, Head Lamp, Glacier Sunglasses, Head Scarf.
• Hand: Light Liner gloves, Fleece gloves, and Expedition Mittens.
• Lower Body: Lightweight pants, waterproof shell pants, Fleece or woolen trousers, Hiking Shorts
• Feet: Lightweight socks, woolen socks, Cotton socks, Gaiters

Miscellaneous:

Sleeping bag, Inflatable sleeping mat, water bottle, small travel bag, duffel bag, small padlocks, Pee Bottle, Pee funnel for women, Swiss knife, Toiletry bag

Medical:

First-aid kit, water purification tablets, anti-mosquito cream, anti-altitude sickness pills such as Diamox or Acetazolamide, Earplugs, Anti-Diarrhea pills, Blister repair kits, Antibiotics for a chest infection, and sunscreen.