Explore Everest – Cho La Cross – 18 Days - 18 Days

Tour Details
Trekking to Everest Base Camp crossing through the Cho La Pass at 5420m is an alternative to traditional trail to Everest Base Camp and is meant for those who have been seeking the thrill of adventure and prefer taking the tough route across the Cho La Cross (5420m/17783ft) as it enables crossing the high route high north-south mountain range.

In the Everest Region a high and breathless trail links Khumbu Valley and Gokyo Valley over the 5420m Cho La Pass, sneaking over a knife edge ridge between Cholatse and Kangchung (6063m).

It takes two days to cross this high pass in either direction and the only accommodation is at Dzongla and Thangnak, which lie six to seven hours apart on opposite sides of the pass.

In good weather conditions we can cross Cho La pass with no special equipment but it is suggested to trek well prepared with mountaineering gears.

Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival KATHMANDU (1300m/4265ft)
Day 2 Fly to LUKLA (2800m/9187ft); trek to PHAKDING (2610m/8563ft) 2-3 hours trek; 200m descent, 50m ascent
Day 3 Trek to NAMCHE (3420m/11221ft) 5-6 hours/1000m ascent, 100m descent
Day 4 Trek KHUMJUNG and return back to Namche for Acclimatize rest (3780m/12402ft)
Day 5 Trek DOLE (4090m/13419ft)
Day 6 Trek MACHHERMO (4410m/14469ft) 1-2 hours; 320m ascent
Day 7 Trek GOKYO (4750m/15585ft) 3-4 hours; 350m ascent
Day 8 Trek GOKYO RI (5360m/17586ft); back to GOKYO 4 hours return; 570m ascent, 570m descent
Day 09 Trek THANGNAK (4700m/15421ft)
Day 10 Trek LOBUCHE (4930m/16175ft) via CHO LA PASS
Day 11 Trek GORAK SHEP (5160m/16930ft)
Day 12 Trek EBC (5340m/17521ft.); back to GORAK SHEP
Day 13 Trek KALA PATTHAR (5545m/18193ft); return trek PHERICHE (4240m/13911ft)
Day 14 Trek back TENGBOCHE (3870m/12697ft)
Day 15 Trek back NAMCHE BAZAR
Day 16 Trek back LUKLA
Day 17 Fly back KATHMANDU
Day 18 Fly back HOME or extend your HOLIDAYS
Departure & Return Location
Kathmandu Tribhuwan Airport



Departure Time
3 Hours Before Flight Time

Price Includes
All airport/hotel pick up and drop in private car/van
3 Nights Hotel in Kathmandu including breakfast,
12 Nights stay in Tea House during trek.It means, sharing Bathroom.
An experienced English speaking Trekking Guide and a Porter during trek.
Salary, food, insurance and lodging cost for guide and porter ( 2 Trekkers-1 Porter )
During the Trek, we will have Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Tea/Coffee each time only.
Welcome and Farewell Meals and Breakfasts while in Kathmandu.
National Park Permit and TIMS for Everest.
Air fare from Kathmandu to Lukla and return flight to Kathmandu and domestic flight departure taxes.
Down Jacket and Sleeping Bag that needs to be returned to office after trek completion.
Serene Kitbag and T- shirt for you

Price Excludes

Nepal entry visa fee
International airfare and departure tax.
Bar bills, laundry and other expenses of personal nature.
Travel insurance including evacuation.
1 Lunch in Kathmandu
Tips for local staffs, guides and porters.
Desserts, Hot Water, Hot Shower, Mineral Water, Wi-Fi,
Complementaries
Trekking Stick/Pole
Nepali Sim Card
T-Shirt
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Itinerary
Start and end in Kathmandu! With the mountain hikes tour 18 Days -Explore Everest - Cho La Cross, you have a 18 day tour package taking you through Kathmandu, Nepal and 16 other destinations in Nepal. 18 Days -Explore Everest - Cho La Cross includes accommodation as well as flights, an expert guide, meals, transport and more.
Day 1Arrival KATHMANDU (1300m/4265ft)
Arrive at Kathmandu International Airport where you will be warmly welcomed by our representative and check in to the hotel. Meals: Welcome Dinner

Day 2Fly to LUKLA (2800m/9187ft); trek to PHAKDING (2610m/8563ft) 2-3 hours trek; 200m descent, 50m ascent
Early morning we take a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and trek to Phakding for 3 hours. Descending above farmlands we pass through Sherpa villages of Chheplung, Ghat and Sano and Thulo Gumela and shrines and monasteries of Drangdrak Gompa and Pema Choling Gompa with breathtaking views of sacred mountain Kumbila and sister summits Kusum Kanguru peaks.Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3Trek to NAMCHE (3420m/11221ft) 5-6 hours/1000m ascent, 100m descent
Heading for the Namche Bazar, we cross through the hamlet of Zamphute and Tok Tok to see dazzling Thamserku glistening in the sun that stays all the way with us in most of our trek. Passing through the scenic Sherpa villages of Benkar, Chumoa and Monjo, we reach Utche Choling Gompa on a bluff abutting the Dudhkoshi river and further we make our way between the bluff to the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO declared world heritage site. Completing halfway to Namche Bazar, we head for the second half of the march that would likely to take more time due to steep climb at the end. Crossing through the last village of Jorsale, a steep stepped path leads us to an amazing high bridge over the Dudhkoshi River gorge and just before this bridge; the Dudhkoshi is met by its tributary, the BhoteKoshi. Beginning the final steps uphill slowly we reach heights of Namche from where we can have first look at Mt. Everest, peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge and finally after about 1.5km/0.9mile) we reach Namche Bazaar. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4Trek KHUMJUNG and return back to Namche for Acclimatize rest (3780m/12402ft)
This day, we start the climb through the U shaped hillside above Namche from beside the Gompa. In the way we see several snowy peaks of Kwangde, Khumbila and Thamserku and Tagi Tau and Pharchamo, Tip of Ama Dablam and Taboche and we reach a sign posted intersection from where we move towards right hand for Khumjung. Walking past a large chorten and a long mani wall, we reach a viewpoint to Everest, Lhotse and Lhotse Shar (East) peak, besides Thamserku, Ama Dablam and Taboche and then path drops to Khumjung past the Hillary School. Khumjung is famous for its gompa that stands in a grove of cedar in the upper part of the village where there is an image of the Guru Padma sambhawa, who helped establish Buddhism in Tibet, flanked by his two consorts. Inside the gompa is preserved a skull that lamas believe is that of the yeti, but was disapproved by scientists in US. Evening rest in Namche. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5Trek DOLE (4090m/13419ft)
We trek from Khumjung to Dole which takes about five hours walk. Soon after leaving Khumjung the trail climbs to a large chorten on top of a ridge. Now we go to Mongla. Now we trek down to Phortse Tenga and then reach Dole. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6Trek MACHHERMO (4410m/14469ft) 1-2 hours; 320m ascent
It’s a short trek of only 1-2 hours to limit the rate of ascent. From Dole it’s a steep climb out of the forest to an increasingly barren hillside. We pass through many summer settlements which are used when yaks are taken to these pastures to graze in the summer months. Continuing past the village of Lhabarma the trail climbs gently past a large chorten to Luza and the trail continues to climb to reach a chorten and fluttering prayer flags on the outskirts of Machhermo tucked into a wide flat bottomed valley below the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa glacier. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7Trek GOKYO (4750m/15585ft) 3-4 hours; 350m ascent
Climbing steeply up a scrubby slope to a collection of chortens on the hilltop and passing through the good views of Kantega and Cho Oyu we soon reach a tiny settlement of Pangka village at the end of the Ngozumpa glacier. Wedged between the mountain wall and the crumbling mound of sand and gravel are the six sacred lakes which reflect the peaks in their calm mirrored surfaces. Immediately after crossing the bridge we reach the first lake and crossing through the barren landscapes pass through the second lake and finally we reach the village of Gokyo on the shores of the third lake known as Dudh Pokhari. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8Trek GOKYO RI (5360m/17586ft); back to GOKYO 4 hours return; 570m ascent, 570m descent
Gokyo Ri, the 5357m high hill on the north side of Dudh Pokhari is the highlight of the Gokyo trip. Starting up the mountain early in the morning, the path to the peak crosses the stream at the north end of the village and climbs for two hours to the top of the hill for the panoramic views of Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cholatse and Taboche, with the Ngozumpa glacier cutting across in front like a massive tear in the landscape. We notice that Everest truly towers over all the surrounding peaks. From Gokyo Ri we descend back to Gokyo for the night stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9Trek THANGNAK (4700m/15421ft)
Descending down steeply crossing the third lake, Dudh Pokhari alongside of surging stream that links the two lakes, we reach the second lake, Tajung Tsho. Now the trail brings us to the edge of Ngozumpa glacier that is among the longest in Nepal and covered with debris. At places beneath is exposed and large melt water ponds are formed. We reach a settlement of Thangnak crossing through the fabulous mountain views of Phari Lapche (6017m/19740 ft), more distant and higher peak of Kyajo Ri (6186m/20295ft) and great icy wall of Cho Oyu. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10Trek LOBUCHE (4930m/16175ft) via CHO LA PASS
After yesterday’s long demanding walk today looks like it will be a lot easier. Rounding the ridge when we move southward, the vast Chola lake sprawls below while Cholatse peak rises beyond it. The view is stunning; the lake stays with us over a long stretch as we walk down over it. We walk towards Ama Dablam but then, following the contour of the hill, we veer off towards the North and eventually descend into the valley (it’s really the end of the Khumbu glacier) and reach the settlement of Lobuche a bit later. We have now rejoined the main trail to Everest Base Camp so there is a little bit more traffic. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11Trek GORAK SHEP (5160m/16930ft)
The first stage of the trek from Lobuche to Gorek Shep is mostly easy walking (other than the fact that we are approaching 5160m of elevation). We start below the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and gradually ascend. Now the Changri Shar and Changri Nup Glaciers descend from the two sides of Changri Mountain down to Khumbu Glacier. At first there is a steep section of switchbacks up onto the glacier and then a series of rocky and occasionally icy ups and downs. We finally pass across and then a short descent brings us to Gorak Shep. It is extremely cold here (night temperatures almost always well below freezing) and often windy but the place is very scenic with snow capped mountains looming all around. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12Trek EBC (5340m/17521ft.); back to GORAK SHEP
Starting early from Gorak Shep we move towards EBC to be amidst of mountains, not to see them from afar as EBC is not a viewpoint. Walking by the shallow blue waters of Gorak Shep Lake, the Changtse peak in Tibet and the Lho La depression can be seen straight ahead. Crossing through several of the glaciers, icefalls, frozen pools of melt water, exposed icy walls and large boulders we finally reach EBC from where trekking ends and mountaineering begins. We descend back to Gorak Shep for the night stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13Trek KALA PATTHAR (5545m/18193ft); return trek PHERICHE (4240m/13911ft)
Finally, this is our date with Everest, the climax of the trek. We start after an early breakfast without hurry. Crossing through the wide sandy bed of the dried up lake and steep zigzags we ascend about 100m to have the great view of Lingtren, Khumbutse and Changtse. As the climb begins again, we get a grand view of Khumbu glacier and Nuptse massif and finally we climb to the rocky viewpoint of Kala Patthar. It’s a slow tough climb but every meter ascended is rewarded by a bit more of Everest and finally we find ourselves sitting on the Kala Patthar rocks in middle of unbelievable Himalayan Panorama. Now we return downhill which takes much less time. Retracing the way we came up we pass through Gorak Shep, Lobuche and from Dughla, instead of moving towards Dingboche we descend to Pheriche making our way along Khumbu Khola, for the night stay while being back. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14Trek back TENGBOCHE (3870m/12697ft)
From Pheriche the trail descends to Tsuro Wog after crossing the bridge across Khumbu Khola and great mountain views. From Tsuro Wog we again start the descending path retracing the way we came up proceeding through Orsho, Shomare and upper Pangboche and finally to a most beautiful place of Tengboche. The Tengboche monastery is Khumbu’s largest gompa. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15Trek back NAMCHE BAZAR
From Tengboche we move towards Phunki Tenga and now descend to Sanasa and Kyangjuma and then finally to Namche Bazar. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16Trek back LUKLA
Our final day’s trekking follows the Dudh Kosi down to Lukla retracing the way we came up.Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17Fly back KATHMANDU
Fly back from Lukla to Kathmandu and drop to the hotel. This is a leisure day which can be utilized buying gifts and souvenirs for your friends and family. In the evening you will be invited to join FAREWELL reviewing great photos and share experiences of the trip. Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

Day 18Fly back HOME or extend your HOLIDAYS
If you prefer to stay longer, you can consult us for short tours such as game drive at National parks, rafting, mountain biking, Tibet, India or Bhutan tours etc.