Everest & Gokyo Lakes Circuit

• 3 nights standard hotels and 15 nights teahouses
• 15 days point-to-point walking with full porterage
• Group normally 4 to 16, plus tour leader and local staff. Min. age  18 yrs
• Altitude maximum 5545m, average 4100m
• Travel by private minibus and 2 domestic flights
• Staff carry oxygen and a first aid kit on trek
• 13 April 2023 led by Valerie Parkinson, Wanderlust World Guide Awards Winner 2021

Breakfast is included throughout the trip. In the teahouses breakfast will comprise of a choice of bread (a slice of toast, chapatti or Tibetan bread), a choice of egg (boiled, fried or omelette), and a choice between either muesli or porridge each day. Hot tea/coffee will also be served. On specific days, there will not be a choice for breakfast and either a trekkers breakfast (egg, hash brown, baked beans and toast) or a pancake with jam/honey will be served - these options are not available in all teahouses and so we have only included them in locations where they can be guaranteed. Lunch will be taken at a teahouse en route - sometimes one of your guides will go ahead with the group's order to make it more expedient. Dinner will be in the same teahouse that you sleep at (this is custom in Nepal as teahouses base their room rate on it). Although most lodges have almost identical menus, they are reasonably extensive and offer a varied selection, ranging from traditional Nepalese dhal bhat to pizza and apple pie. Dhal bhat is the staple diet in Nepal and comes in many different forms but generally comprises some curried lentil dhal and meat or vegetables, some rice, and a pickle/chutney. Another popular snack is momos; a type of Nepalese dumpling, fried or steamed, filled with meat or vegetables. Although meat is available in the teahouses, we advise against eating it on trek. The meat has often been carried in the heat from lower altitudes for several days before reaching the lodges and can cause stomach upsets or illness. Germs can also be spread by handling dirty money - we recommend using hand sanitiser. If you have a gluten free diet, then we strongly recommend you bring some extra food and snacks with you to supplement the food on trek as there will be little variety available for you, particularly for breakfast. Even many of the soups are powdered and contain gluten. Gluten free breakfast options will be limited to vegetable fried rice and a choice of egg, and on specific days only, a trekkers breakfast (without the toast / with an extra egg) will be served. Breakfast options for vegans will be limited to a choice of muesli/porridge with water each day, and on specific days only, a trekkers breakfast (without the egg), or vegetable fried rice will be served. If you are lactose intolerant as opposed to vegan then the same will apply although you will also have a choice of egg each day. If you buy imported food and drink whilst on trek you will spend more than the suggested amount. Drinking Water Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least 3-4 litres per person per day. We strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water on trek as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Nepal. The teahouses sell boiled water for approx. Rs150-300 per litre (the price increases the higher you trek) which should not require treating. This is also perfect for a bedtime refill as it can double up as a hot water bottle. Alternatively, all teahouses will provide cold water free of charge, if requested. Although this should not be drunk untreated, we recommend that you bring a reusable bottle with you and use an effective form of water treatment. There are a wide range of products available these days which are more effective than the traditional purification tablets - we recommend talking to an outdoor retailer for the latest advice as technologies are improving all the time: make sure to check the product’s performance in cold/freezing conditions and consider battery life (lithium batteries are best in cold conditions). Handheld UV filters such as a ‘SteriPEN’ are very effective, can treat 1 litre of water in a couple of minutes and the water is ready immediately – look for lightweight lithium battery models and remember that you will need to bring a wide-mouthed bottle (e.g. Nalgene) for use with these devices. There are also an array of water filter and purifier bottles on the market but be wary of their weight, bottles with a small capacity and the products performance in freezing conditions. Exodus has partnered with Water-to-Go, a filtration system that eliminates over 99.99% of all microbiological contaminants from any non-salt water source – please visit Water-to-Go for more information. Exodus customers can claim 15% off your first order, and better still, 15% of the purchase value will be donated to the Exodus Travels Foundation. Please note that if the water freezes it will clog up the filter – in this event, defrost before use by sitting the filter in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.

The main trekking season in Nepal is from mid-September to mid-May. We do not operate treks in Nepal outside of these months as it is the rainy season. During the trekking season conditions at most altitudes are generally comfortable for walking and rain or snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures will vary from 15ºC to 35ºC in the Kathmandu Valley to around 10ºC at 3,600m and progressively lower the higher we go.

Within the trekking season there are three further distinct seasons in the weather, each offering different advantages for trekking.

Post Monsoon/autumn: Mid-September to November. This is the most popular trekking season in Nepal. Day temperatures in Kathmandu are generally above 20ºC. On trek temperatures will be lower although skies are usually clear and days should be sunny and mild with clear mountain views. However, at higher altitudes the days can be cold and windy. Nights will be colder with temperatures dropping as low as to minus 10ºC or lower in late November at the higher altitudes.

Winter: December to end February. Despite the colder conditions this is an ideal time to trek in Nepal. Skies are usually very clear especially in December and the mountain views are at their best. Nights will be very cold with temperatures down to minus 20ºC but days are often pleasant and sunny. In Kathmandu maximum daytime temperatures are 19ºC.

Pre-monsoon/spring: March to May. Both day and night temperatures will be warmer in general but haze will often build up in the afternoons. It is very hot in the lowlands and temperatures rise to 30ºC in Kathmandu. Flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people chose to trek in spring.

Snow can be expected on any departure, usually at the higher altitudes. There will always be snow/ice on the top of the Cho La as it is a glacier.

Please remember that in any mountain area the weather is never wholly predictable and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions described above.

This trek is graded Challenging/Tough (Activity Level 6) with 15 days point-to-point walking and full porterage throughout - you need only carry your daypack. Please read a description of our Activity Levels, found on our website.

Most of the walking is at relatively high altitude. The maximum altitude reached is 5,545m with the average being 4,100m - please refer to the 'altitude warning' within the Trip Notes. The itinerary is designed with built-in acclimatisation days to maximise the chance of successfully crossing the Cho La pass, reaching Base Camp and climbing Gokyo Ri and Kala Pattar. The reward is panoramic views spanning pristine glacial lakes, expansive glaciers and the highest mountains in the world.

Anyone attempting this trek should be confident in their physical fitness and ideally have some previous experience of trekking at altitude. You may find our Walking & Trekking Fitness Training Guide a useful reference.

This circuit is tougher than a classic Everest Base Camp trek as it involves a long and demanding crossing of the Cho La (5,420m). This entails a very steep ascent and descent on rocky trails which can be icy; there is always ice and snow at the top as we cross a glacier.

Besides the pass, most of the walking is on well-established trails but there may be snow and ice at the highest points of the trek on any departure. Although daytime temperatures can be very pleasant, the nights will be cold; at Gokyo and around the Base Camp area it can be well below freezing; especially on the winter departures. In very bad conditions or when there has been very heavy snowfall the Cho La may be impassable, in which case a lower route will be taken. The trail also crosses a few modern suspension bridges, all of which have mesh sides but anyone with a strong fear of heights or vertigo may find them difficult.

This trip includes one or more domestic flights – please refer to the ‘Transport’ section of the Trip Notes for information about the safety of flying in Nepal.

Walking hours stated within the itinerary are given as approximates only. Timings exclude lunch stops and will vary depending on the pace of your group.

To help you better prepare for your Nepal holiday, please also see our Nepal Destination Guide.

Why Trek with Exodus?

• Over 30 years’ experience of organising treks in Nepal.

• 'Ask an expert' - talk to Exodus office staff who have done the treks themselves.

• Experienced English-speaking local leaders who are qualified in first aid and trained in recognising and dealing with altitude sickness.

• One of the highest staff to client ratios on trek - 1 staff member: 4 clients.

• All staff (leaders, guides and porters) are fully insured and paid a fair wage.

• Carefully planned ascent rates and itineraries with built-in acclimatisation and contingency days.

• Staff carry oxygen and first aid kit.

• Self-assessment AMS cards used to monitor every client at altitude.

• Established protocol for Lukla flight delays: see below.

Nepal Flight Safety

Many of our treks in Nepal use domestic flights to reach the trekking areas.  The mountainous Nepalese terrain is subject to changeable weather, which makes flying conditions complex and challenging, and unfortunately there are significantly more incidents here than in other countries, including fatalities.  The EU highlighted the poor safety record in Nepal in 2013 by including all Nepalese-registered airlines on the EU banned list, which prevents them from flying in EU airspace. While no Nepalese-registered airlines currently fly within the EU, the EU instigated this ban to highlight the risk of flying in Nepal to EU citizens.  These airlines are unlikely to be members of any internationally recognised safety audit systems and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of Western nations.

Flying within Nepal is therefore a known risk, and we strongly encourage you to consider this carefully before booking. We suggest you refer to the following sources:

The current travel advice for Nepal issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

The Air Safety Network entry for Nepal

In response to concerns over this safety record, Exodus arranges for independent air-safety auditors to visit Nepal annually to assess the suitability of the available carriers. We then restrict our use to only those approved as part of this audit. In emergency situations, we will need to use helicopters, so we also have a list of approved helicopter carriers.  Should concerns arise regarding the safety of an airline on our approved list, we will remove the carrier from the list immediately, and it would only be reinstated once our air-safety auditors are confident that the airline meets acceptable safety standards.

We appreciate that you may have concerns about flying within Nepal, so we ask that you please consider all the information above when deciding to book this holiday.

Internal Flight Delays

Please note that adverse weather conditions at Lukla airport occasionally mean that flights to/from Kathmandu cannot operate. We include an additional day at the end of the itinerary to allow for this, but on occasion, persistent bad weather may delay the start of your trek or your return to Kathmandu.

Should there be a lengthy delay at the start of a trip we will aim to provide a shortened Everest trek, but if adverse weather conditions continue and the main objective of the trek becomes impossible to reach, an alternative trek to another region of Nepal will be offered. When fixed-wing planes are unable to fly, but helicopters to Lukla are available, clients may choose to travel by helicopter; in this event, the price per person will be approximately US$500-600 per person, of which Exodus will cover half.

Should there be a significant delay at the end of your trek, we will endeavour to get you on the first fixed-wing flights to Kathmandu available. Should helicopters be able to fly, we will consider paying for these on a case by case basis to enable clients to meet their international flights. In the case of persistent adverse weather, Exodus will re-book international flights for Flight Inclusive clients, but please be aware that clients booking on a Land Only basis will be responsible for re-booking their onward travel and for any associated costs.

Seasonal Airport Change, October - November

During Nepal’s autumn high season from 1st October until 30th November, all flights to and from Lukla will no longer operate in/out of Kathmandu (KTM), these flights have been transferred to operate in/out of Manthali Airport (RHP). Manthali Airport is in the Tamakoshi River Valley in Manthali and is located 132 kms east of Kathmandu. The journey from Kathmandu to Manthali is a 4-hour bus drive in the early morning and the return leg from Manthali to Kathmandu is usually 5/6hrs due to heavier traffic later in the day. The flight time from Manthali to/from Lukla is about 20 mins.

If you are travelling during October – November, it will be necessary to depart your hotel in Kathmandu at approximately 3am by bus to ensure arriving in Manthali for 7-7:30am in time for the morning flights to Lukla (between 08:30-9am). Your hotel in Kathmandu will provide you with a packed breakfast for the journey.