
You don’t have to travel to expensive corners in the world to see nature at its most natural. Nepal is a cheaper option, the origin of true beauty is right here, in God’s own country. The pristine air, spectacular scenery & the less crowded spaces of the Himalayas are closer than you think. Our crystal clear green valley’s & magnificent mountains are dramatically realistic. Experience it all with ‘OUTFITTER NEPAL’…your Nepalese experts…we simply love what we do…
Gokyo valley trekking one of the most frequently organized trekking routes in the Everest Region. Backpackers just love to visit this area, as there are awesome views of the scenic mountains lying from north to south in the Everest region and the beautiful turquoise mountain lakes are the primary attraction of the Gokyo valley. You have two options to go to the Gokyo valley & its Lakes, either by bus or plane. If you want to hop a plane, you fly from Kathmandu to Hillary’s Lukla by the mountain airstrip, nearly 30 minutes and then you trek to up to the area. Another option is to go by road. In case you want to make it by road, you travel by bus from Kathmandu to Jiri and begin your trekking journey to the Everest route via Lukla, please view our detail itinerary of the Jiri Trek for Detailed information. The trip begins with a three hours walk from the airport as we reach the first stop at Phakding and we continue our hike to the north up to the Dudh Kosi valley and into the bustling Everest regional capital of Namche Bazaar.
The hike up to Gokyo valley goes right up to the Gokyo Ri, from where we can see the delightful eye-catching views that including Everest, Makalu & Ama-Dablam etc. on the same day we explore around Gokyo lakes: there are five lakes in Gokyo Region, if you have time and interested, you can make it to the fifth lake; this lake is of an exceptional beauty & is very rare; probably one of its kind in all of Asia. The scenic mountain landscapes that surround the lake are literally stunning.
For the more adventurous trekkers, there are options to pass over the Renjo la and visit thame and pass over the Chola and go to the Everest Base Camp and Kalapattar. For the bolder hiker looking for a more daring experience, you can do some technical climbing by summiting Island peak {Imja Tse in Tibetan}…it’s worth the go…
We have designed 15 Days itinerary for the Gokyo Valley- Gokyo Lake- Gokyo Ri Trekking however we are always happy to tailor the trek if the set itinerary is not suitable for you and we organizes departures to Gokyo Lake/valley every week from Kathmandu and private treks can be arranged at any time of the year accept the monsoons which is from June through August, as per your requirements. Please view our selected departure Dates on our website. If the set departure dates are not suitable for you then you may choose any date convenient for you. These types of departures are suitable for couples, families, charity and small groups of friends.
We take you into the wild across unknown paths never tread before. We also ensure that you interact with the local folks on these remote mountain trails to give you upfront knowledge of how people live up in these harsh regions throughout their lifetime.
Note: B = Breakfast, B.B = Bed & Breakfast, B.L.D = Full Board (Bed, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner).
The 15-days Gokyo Valley Trek is suitable for keen walkers who are able to walk for 4 - 6 hours in a day, with a light rucksack. Some of the days are quite long, and the walking feels more strenuous at altitude. Generally the trail is a good track, but occasionally it will be rough and rocky, especially on the final section up to Gokyo lake.
Travel insurance is Necessary for all Clients undertaking any tour and trekking with us. And it should provide adequate protection for the full duration of the tour to cover personal injury, death, medical expenses, helicopter rescue, air ambulance and adequate cover for baggage.
The Gokyo Valley Trek will be led by an experienced Local Guide of Outfitter Nepal. The Guide is a vital contributor to the enjoyment and well-being of the trekking members and he will be there to deal with any unexpected problems. To that end, we aim to provide a Guide who will make the trek successful and enjoyable throughout.
The Guide will be supported by a assistant sherpa when there are 8 or more member in the group , there will be a porter between 2 members and we departure the Gokyo Valley Trek minimum for 1 people and the maximum size of the group is 12.
If, in case there are only one member in the group then still we departure the trek to the Gokyo lake and there will be a guide to lead trek and guide will support to carry your luggage about 10 KG.
On the second day of the itinerary (before you departure for the city Tour- About 8:30 AM), we host a Pre-Trip Meeting at Outfitter Nepal Office, Thamel KTM. The primary purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for individual Trekkers to ask questions about the trek and to introduce them to other team members.
Please bring the following thing on the meeting-
Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control including unexpected weather and terrain conditions.
We organize this trek on a 'tailor-made' private basis for groups of friends, single travelers, families, clubs, charities or any other group. Please contact us to discuss the itinerary and your preferred dates. We will then send you a quote, with no obligation.
To book an Outfitter Nepal Trip, you need to complete the booking form which we will be able to send via e-mail, fax or can be found at our download Page. On completion, fax, e-mail scan copy or post the form to Outfitter Nepal office in Kathmandu with your nonrefundable 20% deposit.
Note: B = Breakfast, B.B = Bed & Breakfast, B.L.D = Full Board (Bed, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner).
The following start dates are your arrival dates in Kathmandu and end dates are return date from Kathmandu and the prices are based on per person basis in USD and excluding international flights.
If the above set departure dates are not suitable for you, you may choose your own departure date. These types of departures are best suited for solo travellers, couples, families, charity and small groups.
Moderate to fairly challenging – Gokyo valley is quite long trek that goes right into high mountain country so; it is physically quite tiring which involves approx 5-8 hours walking along rocky ridges. No previous experience is required, you should be moderately fit, used to some regular exercise and enjoy walking in the high altitude conditions.
The best seasons Gokyo valley Trek are autumn (from mid-September till November end) and spring (from the beginning of March until May end). Temperatures will drop considerably as you trek higher every day. The nights are chilly & cold (between -20 C to 5C) but the days are sunny and hot (between 10C to 30C). The mornings are usually clear, with clouds building up during the afternoon, & disappearing at night. Trekking during the monsoon and winter is also possible; please contact us for weather condition on those months.
Outfitter Nepal provides you 2-3 star Hotel Accommodation in KTM and Lodge/Teahouse during the Gokyo valley Trek and the rooms are basic, normally just a bed with a pillow and blankets. A few have electric lights and all have a spacious dining room-lounge. We will accommodate you and group in local lodge available each day. We send a porter ahead of us to book the required rooms for the group (rooms cannot be booked in advance in all places). Please remember that some of them are very basic and a sense of adventure is necessary. And there is 4-5 star luxury accommodation available in Kathmandu as well so, if you prefer to upgrade your accommodation in Kathmandu then please write us for the cost and the detail.
We will provide private vehicles for the airport transfers and sightseeing tour and flight from KTM-LUK-KTM.
There are electricity in some of the villages where you can re- charges your camera batteries and there is solar power in some villages and you can recharges your batteries in those places as well if they have enough power and we suggest you to have spare batteries as well and you will have pay some for recharging batteries.
Meals are included in our price and are taken in lodges, you will have breakfast and dinner at the lodge you stay and lunch at the lodge available along the trail. You can find a wide variety of Nepali and Western food as well as drinks (coffee, tea, milk, soft drinks, and beer) - the drinks are not included in the cost above.
We recommend you to bring water purification pills since you will have normal water for free and you have options of buying bottled water or boiled water as well.
During the Gokyo valley Trek- your main luggage will be carried by porters. You simply carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sun-screen, spare jacket, etc. - a small load that allows full enjoyment of the trek. A trek bag is ideal for your main luggage, plus a small lockable bag for travel clothes or anything that you do not need during trek which you can leave at hotel’s locker room/safe deposit box in Kathmandu for free of charge. Weight allowance at Nepal’s domestic airlines is 15 Kg; excess weight is chargeable at USD 1 or more per Kilo depending on sectors.
We provide Trained Trekking Guide (handles the logistics and guides you and your team on the trek) and a Sherpa when there are 8 or more members in the Group and porters to carry your luggage and there will be 1 porter for 2 members / a porter can carry 20-25Kg.
The Gokyo valley Trek is available on both fixed departure and private basis. If you are looking for a group to join this trip please check our fixed departures Dates link for availability, dates and price. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any date at your convenient timeframe for any number of people (minimum 1 & maximum 100 at a time). If you want to do something that is not included in our Gokyo valley Trek then we are ready to tailor a trip to suit your exact requirements.
Personal expenses depend largely on your habit and as all the meals are included. You only need money for table drinks (alcoholic/non alcoholic beverages), snacks while walking (some smaller shops are available along the trail in the areas), tips, souvenirs, hot shower (available in some places), if you do not drink alcohol and sopping then 12-15USD per day should be enough for the hot drinks, shower and snacks.
Tips are appreciated by your support team after the trip. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. As a suggestion, we advise you to allocate 10 - 15% of the total tour cost as tips. You can do this if you feel the services have been good.
While trekking in the remote parts of the Himalayas you may not have an access to telephone facility for some days. However, en route there may be few places where telephone facilities are available and there are internet facilities in some villages as well.
It's not necessary to spend a lot of money buying extra equipment and clothing before your trip. Majority of these gears can be bought at reasonable rates in Kathmandu.
Each morning after packing our bags and hot breakfast, we set off on the day’s walk. After walking for 3-4 hours we stop for lunch at around midday. The afternoon’s walk is generally shorter and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the village, doing a bit of washing or simply relaxing with a good book. On some days we will arrive at our destination by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free. After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and reliving the day’s adventures, before retiring for a well-earned sleep.
You need to pass on your International flight details to us for a “meeting and greeting” service at the airport. You just pass through the Customs and come out of the Terminal building where you will see someone standing with a placard with either ‘Outfitter Nepal’ or your name written on it. Our airport representative or tour officer will greet you and transfer you to the hotel.
The itinerary for the Gokyo valley Trek should be taken as a guideline only. Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary. You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into some of the most remote regions on earth, where many unforeseen events may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original program.
We ensure liability as per indicated itinerary and list of services. If the Gokyo valley Trek is cut short or completed earlier than the projected period upon client’s wish, we shall not be responsible or make refund against unutilized days or services. Clients need to pay extra for Hotels/services incurred in Kathmandu or elsewhere in such cases.
As vaccination requirements change frequently, we suggest you to consult your doctor at least 2 months prior to the beginning of your Gokyo valley Trek. We recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and polio. The main health consideration in high altitude is Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). You may experience some mild symptoms initially, such as a headache, lethargy, nausea and difficulty sleeping, but these should lessen within a few days. To avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), people take pills called ‘Diamox’. You can also use these pills after consulting with your doctor and purchase them in Kathmandu. Our itinerary will allow your body to acclimatize properly and to handle the low oxygen rate. For your service, out guide will have ‘Diamox’ and basic medicine as well- We do not take any medical liability since our staffs are not qualified to prescribe medicines. If you have ever suffered from altitude sickness, or have a heart or breathing complaint, we highly recommend you consult your doctor about your suitability for traveling to this area before booking. We suggest that you take some pain-killing pills with you and enough medicine for cold, diarrhea, nausea and fever. Some nasal ointment and throat-moistening pills will greatly be of help for those who are sensitive to chilly or freezing weather conditions. Please visit Acute Mountain sickness page and Health guide for more info about the sickness.
In case of a serious sickness or a casualty, which we believe will not happen; we will do everything to transfer you to the nearest hospital. Since you are entirely liable for all the expenses incurred in evacuation please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it or be prepared to pay on your own after getting back to Kathmandu. Ensure that you’ve insured yourself before doing the trip. Common sense dictates this. It’s good for you and please visit Nepal Travel insurance page for more info about it.
The Wonderful Environment of the Himalayas is also an extremely fragile one. Increasing population density and numbers of trekkers threaten the very beauty of Nepal. At Outfitter Nepal, we are extremely conscious about the environment and aim to minimize our impact as much as possible. As deforestation is one of the greatest environmental threats we face, we do not encourage camp fires and use kerosene for cooking as an alternative fuel to wood. We also discourage trekkers from using wood-fuelled hot showers in lodges along the way. Many lodges, however, now provide solar hot showers, a far more eco-friendly alternative.
Garbage disposal is another major problem and some of the busier trails can, at times, appear strewn with litter for miles. Our staff members are well motivated towards eco-friendly practices. We carry out all our garbage, apart from that which can be safely and easily burnt at the campsite. Our aim is to help protect and preserve this beautiful environment for future generations of trekkers to enjoy and we advise the same to you to keep the garbage on proper site and take return those with you to homes which are Non- biodegradable.
In addition to Gokyo valley Trek, we can organize extensions both within Nepal and other neighboring countries. You may want to try white water rafting, jungle safari, Lumbini Tour and Nepal Cultural Tour. You may as well want take a trip to Tibet and Bhutan, whichever appeals more to you.
You are required to make 20% payment in advance in order to book the Everest Base Camp Trek along with your passport copy and the flight Detail (Arrival Detail) and the remaining 80% balance is payable when you arrive in Nepal- and you have options of paying by bank transfer or credit card, so, do let us know which modes of payment is convenient for you then we will forward the detail.
These trip notes represent the most current information for this itinerary however there might be changed as the weather is always unpredictable for Everest Base Camp Trek so, Contact Us for the up to date and current information.
Trekking Destination: Gokyo-Ri & Gokyo Lake
Group Size: 1 - 12 Pax
Highest Access of the Trekking: 5365m.
Best Season: March/April/May/Sept/Oct/Nov
Transportation: Aero plane
Trip Grade: Fairly Strenuous
Mode of Trekking Tour: Tea House/Lodge
Trekking Hour: Approximately 5-6 hours
Total Days: 15 Days
Everest Base Camp (Elron) Myself and four other travelers: one other from Canada, one from the US and two others from the UK, all met up in Thamel and wound up on a trek lead by Raj Kumar. I consider myself fairly well traveled having worked, adventured and played on most continents; but I can honestly say that the time I spent in the Everest Region, and the memories I have from my trip with Raj in the Nepalese Himalayas are amongst those I hold most dear. I will not go into detail about the beauty of the Everest Region.










