Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes trek
| country: | Nepal |
| location: | Everest region, Everest Base Camp |
| trip type: | High altitude, strenuous trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 19 Dec 2010: 2 Jan, 20 Feb, 6 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr, 17 Apr, 24 Apr, 25 Sep, 2 Oct, 16 Oct, 23 Oct, 30 Oct, 6 Nov, 18 Dec 2011: 1 Jan, 19 Feb, 5 Mar, 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 2 Apr, 9 Apr, 16 Apr, 23 Apr |
| price: | From £1070 (20 days) excluding flights. Domestic flights £180. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The Gokyo and Khumbu Valleys are arguably the most dramatic and interesting of the Everest region. This trek explores friendly Sherpa villages, visits monasteries, seeks wildlife and unveils dramatic mountain scenery. We have two days in Kathmandu to experience one of Asia's most fascinating cities before flying to Lukla, the starting point of our trek. We follow the Dudh Kosi Valley to Namche Bazaar and then trek into Gokyo Valley. The trail ascends gradually and we enjoy a series of short trekking days to ensure proper acclimatisation, walking beside the moraines of Ngozumpa Glacier and turquoise lakes to reach our lodge in Gokyo. From here we can climb Gokyo Ri (5360m) to a view of all of the region's 8000-metre peaks including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu - a breathtaking panorama. From Gokyo we trek via Phortse and Dingboche to rejoin the main trail to Everest, which we follow to Gorak Shep. It is from here we make the round trip on a rugged trail to visit Everest Base Camp. However to get a better view of the mountain and a 360 degree panorama of many other Himalayan peaks, the short but steep climb to Kala Patar is the highlight for many on this trek. Here the climbing route up the mountain can be seen, showing the immense scale and difficulty involved for any climbing team attempting to climb Everest. Our return route heads back to Lukla via the beautiful Thyangboche Monastery.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | (Sat) Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2: | Explore Bodhnath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple. Afternoon free to explore Kathmandu. |
| Day 3-4: | Fly to Lukla and commence trek. Continue to Namche Bazaar. |
| Day 5: | Acclimatisation day. Optional hike to Thami. |
| Day 6-8: | Proceed up Gokyo Valley and enjoy views of the massive Cho Oyu. |
| Day 9-10: | Pass the terminal moraines of Ngozumpa Glacier and the first three Gokyo Lakes to Gokyo. Climb Gokyo Ri (5181m). Trek to Machhermo. |
| Day 11-12: | Retrace steps down valley to main Everest trail and then climb to Dingboche. |
| Day 13: | Walk through stark alpine scenery, then steep final ascent to Lobuje. |
| Day 14: | Walk to overnight stay at Gorek Shep. Afternoon visit to Everest Base Camp. |
| Day 15: | Ascend Kala Patar (5545m) for views across Khumbu Glacier to Everest. Descend to Pheriche. |
| Day 16-19: | Commence return trek to Lukla. Fly back to Kathmandu. |
| Day 20: | Trip ends in Kathmandu this morning (Thu). |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We are involved in assisting a number of projects that have a positive contribution to the welfare of communities, wildlife or environment around the globe. We are a member of the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG) – a body formed to protect porters from mistreatment by unprofessional trekking operators or private trekkers. In addition, we are raising funds from this trek to help support the porter shelter in Machhermo in the Gokyo Valley.
Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities. We provide additional porters to remove rubbish on this trek. All tins, bottles and plastics are carried back and disposed of thoughtfully. Not only can participants enjoy the magnificent scenery of the stunning Everest range, they can also rest assured the trip is operated to the highest environmental standards. When you travel with us, you support our Community Trust, which provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects. As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group. In 2009, we aim to neutralise all major emissions created by most of our trips, so they can be offered as the best green alternative available. We have conducted detailed analysis to assess the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the ground component of our adventure holidays. This means that the greenhouse gases emitted by transport and accommodation during most of our trips will be balanced and reinvested in projects that offer Gold Standard (or similar) Carbon Credits, and are aimed at ‘neutralising’ your contribution to greenhouse gases. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |