The Gokyo Lakes Trek is an exciting journey across Nepal's high alpine landscape. The Gokyo Lakes walk is one of the most well-known hikes in Nepal, and it can be found in the Khumbu region. If you want to see the Everest region of Nepal but prefer to avoid crowds, this is the route for you. The highest point of the Gokyo Valley hike is the Renjo la Pass, which is 5,340 meters above sea level, one of the high trekking passes of Nepal. The trailhead at Lukla is also a destination for hikers. In the meantime, you can take a breathtaking flight to and from Lukla and Kathmandu. Amazing aerial panoramas of towering mountain ranges await you on this journey. During the Gokyo Lakes journey in Nepal, you can witness some of the world's most impressive mountain ranges, including Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Amadablam. The world's tallest freshwater lake system is also located here.
Gokyo lakes trek in Nepal is of moderate difficulty. Because of that, one who is physically and mentally fit can complete the trek easily. Besides that beginners with basic hiking experience can also go for the trek, however, some preparation and knowledge/research about the trek is necessary. The only difficult part of the Gokyo Lakes trek in Nepal is the Renjo la Pass. But no climbing skills and gears are required to cross the pass. Kathmandu sightseeing is the first day before your trek to Gokyo Lakes. During the sightseeing of Kathmandu valley, you can explore some of the UNESCO world heritage sites. Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and Kathmandu Durbar Square are the four heritage sites that you will be exploring. You can also choose some other heritage sites that you are willing to visit during the day. Besides that, this day can also be used as a trek preparation day.
Your Gokyo Lakes trek starts after a scenic flight to Lukla Airport. During the flight, you can have marvelous views of the mountain ranges and the valleys. You can also witness Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and many other mountain ranges during the 30-minute flight. Upon reaching Lukla you will meet the rest of the team and start walking. Monjo is the stop point on the first day of the trek which lies at an elevation of 2,835 meters above sea level. Besides that, you can also choose to stay overnight at Phakding village. During your trek to Namche Bazaar, you will pass through some of the rural villages and vintage gompas, and monasteries. The sherpa capital is the main highlight of the trek and you can also meet with other hikers or have a hike to nearby places during the acclimatization day. Dole lies at an elevation of 4,200 meters above sea level and is a stunning place that you can explore.
On the sixth day of the trek you will reach Gokyo Lakes and you can also take a hike to Gokyo Ri the next day. The best view of Gokyo 5 and Everest can be seen from Gokyo Ri. Renjo la Pass is the highest point of the Gokyo Lakes trek that lies at an elevation of 5,340 meters above sea level. After crossing this pass you can reach Lunde and then to Namche Bazaar. From there you will take the same route to reach Lukla and fly back to Kathmandu.
Gokyo Lakes - Stunning oligotrophic lake
Gokyo Lakes are the highest-altitude lakes that lie in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Altogether there are 19 lakes in the Gokyo Valley, but among them, six of the lakes are the major lakes. Among all the lakes, Thonak Lake is the largest. Similarly, The minimum elevation of Gokyo Lake is 4,700 meters above sea level and the highest elevation is 5,000 meters above sea level. Gokyo Lakes lie in the northeastern part of Nepal in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal.
Marvelous views of the Gokyo lakes as well as the mountain ranges can be seen from the top of the Gokyo Ri which lies at an elevation of 5,360 meters above sea level. Besides that, astonishing views of Everest can also be seen from the top of Gokyo Ri. Besides Gokyo village which lies at an elevation of 4,790 meters above sea level besides Goko lake, 3 is also the main highlight of the area.
Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmatha National Park is the most popular national park of Nepal that lies in Province 1 of Nepal. Established on July 19, 1976, it covers an area of 1,148 square kilometers. Meanwhile, this national park was included in the UNESCO world heritage site in 1979. Besides being the home to rare species of flora and fauna, Sagarmatha National Park also holds some of the deep valleys, glaciers, and lakes as well as the 8 mountain ranges above 7,000 meters.
The warm hospitality of the sherpas is also a major thing to experience inside the Sagarmatha national park. Besides that, you can also learn the tradition and culture of the local Sherpas. Some of the most popular areas around the Sagarmatha National Park include the Namche Bazaar, Dingboche, Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar, Gokyo Lakes, Gokyo Ri, and many more.
Renjo La Pass
Renjo la pass is the highest point of the Gokyo Lakes trek besides that it is also one of the major high trekking passes of Nepal. It lies at an elevation of 5,340 meters above sea level. Besides that, it is also one of the most challenging passes of the Everest region that lies north of Namche Bazaar. Besides that, you can also witness the marvelous views of the high mountain ranges and the deep valleys from the top of the pass.
You can reach Lunde village after crossing the Renjo La Pass from Gokyo Lakes. The alpine glacial views and snowy trails are the exciting part of this pass. Renjo La Pass is one of three major passes in the Everest region. But the scenarios, landscape, and sherpa culture are worth any difficulties during the trek. The trekking route to Renjo La Pass is less crowded than other trekking routes in the Everest Region. So it is a must place to try if you are willing to trek in the less crowded trekking route of the Everest region.
Best Time for Gokyo Lakes Trek
Gokyo Valley is one of the least crowded hiking trails in the Everest region of Nepal. Meanwhile, it is an ideal choice for adventure seekers who are willing to try the least crowded area of the same region. Due to the heavy rainfall in the Monsoon season of the year, it is better not to trek Gokyo Valley during this season of the year. Besides that, due to high snowfall, the winter season of the year is also not favorable for trekking.
March, April, and May are the best time for trekking in the Gokyo Lakes trek in Nepal. Meanwhile, during this season you can also witness the beautiful rhododendron flower blooming in the lower parts of the trek. Similarly, another best time for the Gokyo Valley trek is during September, October, and November. Due to high visibility, you can witness astonishing views of the mountain ranges during these months of the year.
Permits and Entry Fees
Before 2018 the trekkers traveling to Gokyo Valley need to pay for the TIMS card. But after 2018 the local government of the Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality will replace the TIMS card. Instead of a TIMS card, you will need to get a Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit. Meanwhile, you can get this pass only in Monjo or Namche. Similarly, the cost of a Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit is Nrs 2,000 per person.
Another pass you will need during the Gokyo Lakes trek is the Sagarmatha National Park Permit. Almost all the trekking trails of the Gokyo valley lie inside the Sagarmatha National Park of Nepal. Because of that it is mandatory to get a Sagarmatha National Park Permit. You can get this pass from Kathmandu or Monjo. The cost of this permit is Nrs 3,000 per person (subject to change).
Difficulty Level
Gokyo Valley is a moderate to difficult level of trek that lies in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Almost all the treks in the Khumbu region are quite difficult as it lies at a high elevation. The trail to Gokyo Lake is not so difficult, but the trail to reach the Renjo la pass is one of the difficult parts of the trek. The altitude of the Renjo La Pass is 5,340 meters above sea level. Because of that, there are high chances of getting altitude sickness. Because of that, you will need to slowly gain altitude and acclimatize to avoid altitude sickness. But no technical climbing skills are required to cross the pass.
Daily 6-8 hours of walking is required to complete the trek in time. This trekking trail gets comparatively fewer travelers than the Everest base camp trek. But the trail is easily navigable as there are various sign boards throughout the trekking trails. Meanwhile, you will need to walk steep uphill as well as downhill on the rough trails of the Himalayas. Because of that, the hikers must be physically fit, and regular exercise a few weeks before the trek is a must.
10 KM