Everest Two Passes Trek

When you step out of the airport terminal in Kathmandu, look for our team holding the Nepal High Trek sign. We’ll grab your luggage, load up the car, and drive straight into the city to your hotel in Thamel. After you drop your bags and take a shower, we’ll grab a tea and run through the trek plan. We’ll check over your gear to make sure you have everything for the cold, sort out your permits, and clear up any questions on your mind. You’ll have time to walk around Thamel, grab last-minute snacks or socks, or just rest after your long flight. In the evening, we’ll take you out for a proper local welcome dinner. Overnight in hotel

It’s an early alarm today. We head to the airport for the short flight to Lukla, which is an experience all on its own as you fly right past the white peaks. After landing on that famous slanted runway, we’ll meet up with our porters, get breakfast, and finally put our boots on the ground. The trail starts with a nice downhill stretch following the Dudh Koshi river. We cross a couple of suspension bridges, walk past prayer stones, and ease into the rhythm of the trail through small hamlets like Ghat. It’s an easy 3 to 4 hour walk today to help your body ease into things before the bigger climbs start. Overnight in teahouse.

We get moving right after breakfast, crisscrossing the river over high swaying suspension bridges—including the iconic Hillary bridge hanging way above the water. At Monjo, we stop briefly so the team can check us into the national park. After stopping for lunch in Jorsalle, the real work starts. The trail turns up and doesn't stop climbing for a few hours. We take it real slow, sip water, and catch our breath in the pine shade. If the weather plays nice, we get our first peak at Everest through the trees. By late afternoon, we round the corner into Namche Bazaar, the mountain town tucked right into the hill. Overnight in teahouse

Don't be tempted to sit in bed all day—moving around today actually helps your body adjust to the thin air much faster. After breakfast, we walk up the steep ridge above town toward the Everest View Hotel. The climb makes you huff and puff, but the view of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam from the top makes every step worth it. On the way down, we can loop through Khumjung village, drop into the monastery, and check out the local school. We’ll head back down to Namche for lunch. You’ll have the whole afternoon to chill out, hit a bakery for coffee, or just watch local life in the market. Overnight in teahouse.

Today we leave the main, noisy Base Camp highway behind and branch off west toward Thame. You’ll notice right away how much quieter it gets. The trail meanders through pine woods, past small farm plots, and along the river bank. This used to be an old trade route for yak caravans coming over from Tibet, so the villages around here have deep roots. We take a nice easy pace as the trees start getting thinner. Once we get into Thame and drop our bags at the lodge, we’ll walk up to the old monastery perched on the cliff side above town. It’s quiet, peaceful, and gives you a real look at local life. Overnight in teahouse.

We head further up the Bhote Koshi valley today, heading higher into the alpine zone. Trees completely vanish here, replaced by low shrubs, dry grass, and wide rocky river beds. It feels properly wild and remote—you won't see nearly as many hikers out here. We’ll pass stone yak pastures and quiet summer shelters used by herders. Because we are breaking above 4,000 meters, we keep the pace super slow and steady to keep altitude sickness away. Lungden sits right below our first big pass. The lodge here is simple and small, perfect for getting a good meal, drinking tons of hot water, and turning in early for tomorrow's big push. Overnight in teahouse

We turn on our headlamps way before the sun comes up. Today is a long, tough push, but it’s easily one of the best days on the mountain. The trail up to Renjo La is steep and rocky, so we just focus on placing our feet carefully and keeping a slow rhythm. When you finally top out on the pass at 5,360 meters, the view will knock your socks off. You get Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu lined up right in front of you, with the bright blue Gokyo lakes sitting far below. After taking photos and high-fiving, we start the careful downhill trek toward Gokyo village, resting right on the lake shore. Overnight in teahouse.

After yesterday's massive effort, we stay put in Gokyo for the day. For sunrise, we make the climb up Gokyo Ri. It takes about two or three hours of steady grinding up the dirt path, but the view from the peak is insane. You get a direct look over the Ngozumpa Glacier—the biggest ice mass in Nepal—plus those four massive 8,000-meter peaks up close. Once we scramble back down, we’ll get a hot breakfast at the lodge. You can spend the rest of your day sitting by the edge of the lake, reading, talking with other trekkers, or taking a long afternoon nap to prep for the next pass. Overnight in teahouse.

This is a much shorter day on the trail, which gives your legs a break. Right after breakfast, we walk out of Gokyo and head straight across the Ngozumpa Glacier. There isn't a fixed paved path here—we cross over loose rock, dirt mounds, ice patches, and around small gray pools. You can hear the ice groaning underneath the rocks as it slowly shifts. Our team guides you through the safest route across the debris. Once we pop off the glacier on the other side, it's a short, easy walk into Thagnak. This tiny spot is basically just a few lodges tucked under the mountain, where we rest up for Cho La tomorrow. Overnight in teahouse.

Another early alarm today. We head up a narrow boulder valley, slowly climbing toward the base of Cho La. The last section up to the saddle gets steep and can be pretty icy, so we take our time and watch every step. Crossing the flat glacier at the top of the pass is an amazing feeling. At 5,420 meters, you’re standing right beneath huge rock spires like Ama Dablam and Cholatse. After enjoying the high point, we start the long descent. The top part is steep over loose scree, but then it turns into a nice, gentle valley path that leads us into the quiet village of Dzongla for the night. Overnight in teahouse.

Compared to crossing Cho La, today feels almost easy. We leave Dzongla and follow a high contour trail along the side of the mountain, looking across at the blue waters of Cholatse lake down below. The peak of Ama Dablam keeps us company the whole morning. The path eventually meets up with the main Everest Base Camp trail coming up from Dughla. From there, we join the main route and walk a gentle incline alongside the Khumbu glacier moraine up to Lobuche. We get into the lodge early in the afternoon, leaving plenty of time to rest, order hot drinks, and get mentally ready for Base Camp tomorrow. Overnight in teahouse

Big day today. We leave Lobuche early, picking our way over the rocky moraine trails alongside the Khumbu Glacier until we reach Gorak Shep. We grab a quick lunch, drop our big packs at the lodge, and keep moving right toward Everest Base Camp. The trail runs along the side of the glacier, weaving up and down over loose gravel. Finally walking up to the famous Base Camp rock at 5,364 meters is a feeling you won't forget. You’re standing right at the edge of the Khumbu Icefall, watching tents set up on the ice. After taking tons of photos, we walk back to Gorak Shep for dinner and sleep. Overnight in teahouse

We pull on our down jackets before sunrise and start the steep scramble up Kala Patthar. It’s a tough, cold climb up the dark hill, but standing at the top (5,555m) gives you the ultimate view of Everest. Watching the first sunlight hit the peak of Everest and Nuptse is something special. Once we scramble back down to Gorak Shep for breakfast, we sling our packs on and start heading down the valley. Dropping down in altitude feels amazing—your lungs suddenly feel like they have endless oxygen. We pass back through Lobuche and Dughla, crossing the climber memorial, before stopping for the night in Pheriche. Overnight in teahouse

With all that thick air lower down, walking feels way easier today. We trek through Pangboche village, cross the river, and walk back up to Tengboche Monastery to take one last look back up the valley at Ama Dablam. From Tengboche, we drop down through the forest, cross the river bridge, and make the last short climb back up to Namche Bazaar. Coming back into Namche feels like hitting a big city after two weeks in the high mountains. You can finally get a warm shower, grab a burger or a fresh coffee, and celebrate the fact that both high passes are officially behind you. Overnight in teahouse

It’s our last day putting miles in on foot. We drop down the steep hill out of Namche, crossing those high suspension bridges over the Dudh Koshi river one last time. We cruise through Monjo, Phakding, and Ghat, with strong legs and plenty of oxygen in our blood. The final hour into Lukla is a bit of an uphill push, but finishing the loop feels incredible. Tonight, we throw a little party at the lodge with our porters and guides. It’s a great evening to buy a round of drinks, tip the local team, and laugh over all the crazy moments from the trail. Overnight in teahouse

We head over to the Lukla airstrip early to catch our morning flight back to Kathmandu. As the plane takes off, you can look out the window for one last glance at the white peaks up high. Once we touch down in Kathmandu, our driver meets us at the airport and brings you right back to your hotel in Thamel. The rest of the day is totally yours. Get a massage, wash all your dirty trekking clothes, sit by a cafe, or wander the shops buying gifts and souvenirs. In the evening, we can catch up for drinks and hear all about your favorite parts of the trip. Overnight in hotel.

Today is the end of the line for our journey together. Our Nepal High Trek staff will take you to the airport and bid you farewell with promise to meet again for another adventure in Nepal. Safe travels home!