5. Trip in a Nutshell
Preparation:
3 months
Duration:
13 days
Distance:
120KM
Max Height:
5,645M
Cost (as of Apr 2019):
$1800
o Flights: $360 SGN KTM + $358 KTM LUK
o Visa: $40
o Insurance: $99
o Accommodation: $5/day
o Food & Drink: $20-$30/day
o Guide: $25/day (tip $5/day)
o Porter: $18/day (tip $4/day)
o Gears (shoes, trekking poles, warm
clothes …): $250
6.
7. How (Itinerary)
Day 00: Arrival at airport and transfer to Thamel- Kathmandu.
Overnight at a hostel.
Day 01: Morning drive to Airport and 30 minutes flight to Lukla
(2804m). Trek to Phakding (2,610m) - 3 hrs. Overnight at a
guesthouse.
Day 02: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,441m) - 6 hrs (easy in the
morning, hard after lunch). Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 03: Acclimatization day.
Today we hike up the Syangboche Airport, and
around Everest View Hotel. From this point, we can see
rewarding views of the Himalayas with a stunning sunrise or sunset
over the panorama of the Khumbu peaks. Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 04: Trek to Dole (4100 m) - 6 hrs (hard, going up hill a lot).
Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 05: Trek to Machherma (4,470m) - 3 hrs. Overnight at a
guesthouse.
Day 06: Trek to Gokyo (4,790m) - 6 hrs. Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 07: Acclimatization day.
This day early in the morning (5AM) we have a steep
climb up to the top of Gokyo Ri (5483m). There are stunning
views of the supper Gokyo valley, the massive Ngozumpa Glacier and an
incredible panoramic view of the whole Khumbu Himalayas, such as
giants as Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu (8481m), Cho-Oyu (8153m)
and Gychung Kang (7922m) can be seen.
Afternoon trek to Thangna (foot of the Cho-La pass, 4700m). Overnight at
a guesthouse.
Day 08: Cross Cho-La pass (5330m) - 5 hrs, and trek to Labuche (4910m)
- 4 hrs. Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 09: Today early in the morning we will leave Labuche
and hike up to Ghorakshep (5,160m) and Everest Base
Camp (5,362m) then back to Ghorakshep - 5 hrs. Overnight at a
guesthouse.
Day 10: Early in the morning leaving Ghorakshep, we will hike up to
Kalapathar (5,545m) for close up view of Mt. Everest (8,848m) and then
trek back to Pheriche (4,200m) - 6 hrs. Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 11: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,441m) - 6 hrs. Overnight at a
guesthouse.
Day 12: Trek to Lukla (2,804m) - 6 hrs. Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 13: Morning flight back to Kathmandu from Lukla.
9. • Choose clockwise route: Gokyo Lakes then Everest Base Camp
• Pay attention to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) symptoms
• Insurance is must-have
• Add 2-3 days buffer for the unexpected
• Bring more back-up cash
• Bring less clothes
• Weather condition is crazy in mountains!
• Helicopter service (self-purchase vs insurance)
Lessons Learned