Gokyo ri trek is one of the admired trekking to the home of tallest mountain on earth, Mount Everest. Gokyo ri trek also famous as Gokyo valley trek or Gokyo lake trek is a short and low altitude trek in Everest region. View of Mount Everest from the top of Gokyo ri treks is better than from Kalapatthar summit, during Everest base camp trek. Gokyo ri at an altitude of 5360 meters or 17581 feet is best view point for Mount Everest. Gokyo ri trek is a part of “Everest base camp trek via Gokyo lakes and cho la pass” as well as “Everest three high pass trekking”. But this Everest Gokyo trekking package follows short Gokyo lakes trek itinerary. 6 different Gokyo lakes in cascade pattern is the major attraction of Gokyo lakes trek.

What comes after famous Everest base camp? That is none other than Everest Gokyo lake trek. Valley of Gokyo is full of Rhododendron in spring and this jungle is conserved by Sagarmatha National park. Gokyo Lake at 15580 feet or 4750 meter altitude is the mirror of infinite mountain range. That is why Gokyo lakes of Nepal are world admired trekking destination in Nepal. Inhabited by mountaineer Sherpa, Rai and Tamang – Gokyo valley trek itinerary takes from Lukla to the top of Gokyo ri with cultural diversity & traditional composition of Temple, monastery and 1000s of prayer wheels. Mount Everest and Gokyo lakes trek in Nepal is overwhelming Everest trek.

Gokyo trek starts from Lukla, with a short flight to a small airport with short runway. Gokyo ri trekking follows same trail of “Gokyo lakes and Everest base camp over Chola pass itinerary” till Kyanjuma village. After following the narrow river valley along Gokyo River; Gokyo ri trek pass through the jungle and gets to no tree line zone at Luza village. Gokyo lakes start in sight after, Panga village and the village of Gokyo is by the 3rd lake. To the summit of Gokyo ri is a side trip from Gokyo village. Choyu base camp can be trekked as a side trip from the village of Gokyo, along the route of 4th, 5th and 6th Lake of Gokyo. Mesmerizing view from the top of Gokyo peak also famous as Gokyo ri, will be your a lifelong memorable mountain view.

Gokyo lake trek is the perfect trekking package for those who are looking for best view of Everest with short trekking days. It’s also a great path to take if you want to avoid the heavy tourist crowds of Everest base camp Gokyo ri trek.

This journey will take you to high altitudes of around 4500-5000 meter or  14760 – 16400 feet above the sea level within the Sagarmatha National Park.

The highlight of the trip will be the exceptional view of the Himalayan ranges – mountains over 8000 m altitude, such as Mount Everest (top of the world), Mount Makalu (5th highest), Lhotse(4th highest) , Cho Oyu (6th highest), and the largest glacier in Nepal Himalayas – the Ngozumpa glacier – along the Gokyo Ri trek. Gokyo ri has the widest mountain view of Everest region, as a whole.

Either autumn or spring both are regarded as the best time for trekking to Gokyo ri. However, Gokyo lake trekking is famous all around the year. Gokyo ri trek is famous as, one of the best view point for Everest and the thousands of mountains from Khumbu region. Thus, Gokyo ri trek is better if you trek in the best weather and clear sky.

Another famous time for Gokyo trek is in winter. Gokyo ri trek in winter is for a famous frozen lake trekking destination, as you can walk on top of the lake in winter trekking. Winter is freezing cold. Temperature of Gokyo village, drop below zero, during the night and the early morning, during Gokyo ri trekking. However the day temperature of Gokyo, during the day in sunlight will be in between 10 to 15 degree Celsius.

Picture – Frozen lake of Gokyo seen from Gokyo ri hikinh route. The lake is frozen enough to walk on top of its surface. In winter, from the year 2020, people play ice hockey on top of this lake, although this is a holy lake.

Monsoon trek to Everest is also a preferred activity as it does not rain, despite of clouded sky. But unlike to other trekking season, monsoon is cloudy almost all afternoon. But if you start early and stop early, you will see the window opening and the mountains. Sometimes, it might be clear for the entire day, but sometimes, the weather can be annoyingly cloudy throughout the week. Weather of Mountain is never predictable, but good thing about trekking to Gokyo ri in monsoon is that; the trail of Gokyo valley will not be wet but will be dry enough to enjoy the nature.

Gokyo ri trekking is a best trekking view point for Mount Everest. That is why this short and famous trekking of Everest region is often compared with Everest base camp itself. The accommodation, food, level of difficulty, altitude and scenery of Everest base camp is compared with Gokyo ri trekking.

Gokyo lakes are as famous as Everest base camp.

1. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/ Gokyo Ri trek Difficulty

In comparison of Everest Base camp trek, the Gokyo Lake Trek is an easier trek. Trek with less fitness level for altitude adjustment with insights f most of Everest, Gokyo ri trek is the best. You will have enough time to go slow, but still you should be relatively fit and healthy in order to make the most of the trek. Most of the trek means to cover all the highlights of Gokyo ri trekking. We recommend only those who are comfortable and prepared to walk 6-8 hours a day embark on this trek.

The highlight and toughest part of this trek will require you to climb to an altitude of 4000-5000m, about 500m less than the highest point of 5500m for Everest Base Camp, where you will be at one of the best vantage points to view Mount Everest, Gokyo Lake, Ngozumpa glacier and the many other 8000+ mountains in the area. The view is spectacular and not to be missed!

Gokyo lake Trekking can be done in a recommended 11 days in comparison to Everest Base Camp Trekking where a minimum of 12 days is recommended to acclimatize to the high altitudes.

2. SCENARY

Gokyo Lake is well known among trekkers as one of the few trails that feature glacial lakes! There are 6 lakes at Gokyo Valley, each with pristine clear water, and all of them interconnected to each other. They are vital the livelihood of the Sherpa people who live in the mountains, as well as the surrounding wildlife. The view of lakes and mountains provides a lush backdrop for trekking. Apart from the Gokyo lakes there are many other lakes in nearby glaciers of Everest region by Gokyo valley trek.

Apart from lakes, Gokyo Ri provides one of the best vantage points to see Mount Everest. It is a controversial topic on whether Kala Pattar or Gokyo has the best view! Although Kala Pattar is closer to Everest and provides a close-up of the mountain, Gokyo is in many ways more scenic because you are able to take in the surrounding Himalayan ranges, lakes, glaciers and the village in the distance below!

For this reason, many trekkers often will make Gokyo a stop in their EBC treks, adding a few more days to cross over Cho-La Pass to see the spectacular beauty of the glacial lakes in Gokyo Ri. Gokyo is also a well-trodden destination in the 3 Passes Trek.

Gokyo ri trekking has many options of side trip along the route and at Gokyo village. Gokyo village is the last point of trekking destination of Gokyo valley trek. At Machhermo or Dole, there are side trips that you can take a tour into the wilderness. At Gokyo village there are many things to do. You can trek to Choyu base camp, trek to fifth lake, take the tour of all six lakes, walk on the glacier of Nagzumba or hike up to the top of Gokyo ri for both sunrise and sunset.

Looking up those tremendous options while trekking to Gokyo ri, solo trip might worth.

In solo trekking to Gokyo ri, you will be able to customize the route for trekking. You are free to decide your trekking destination, in co-ordination with your private guide. In the solo trip to Gokyo valley, your guide will follow you instead of you following the group.

Private guide and attention you will get from your guide will be overwhelming. On route of Gokyo ri trekking, as a solo trekker, you can have you choice; rather than sticking with the itinerary.

Gokyo village is the last stop for Gokyo Ri trekking. Gokyo village is at 4850 meters above the sea level. However, the maximum height of Gokyo valley trek is to the summit of Gokyo ri at 5360 meters above the sea level.

Top of Gokyo ri at 5360 meters or 17581 feet above the sea level, is the highest altitude of Gokyo valley trekking package.

Gokyo valley trek is along the river Gokyo valley, thus the trekking uphill is not hard. The trail to Gokyo ri trek starts from Lukla (for fly in trekking itinerary) and follow the trail of Everest base camp trek till Kyangjuma. Namche is the best stop before starting trek towards the beautiful valley of Gokyo.

Dole and Machhermo are villages to stop before hiking all the way to Gokyo village itself. The altitude profile of Gokyo valley trek is better than Everest base camp trek. Most of the village is around 4000 meters, which is not hard to acclimatize.

December trek to Gokyo ri is trending. From the year of 2020, Nepal government and local authority of Everest region has started ice hockey on top of frozen Lake of Gokyo.

Temperature wise December is coldest month of winter in Nepal. But the weather will be clear and sky will be blue, however.

In winter, all 6 lakes of Gokyo will be frozen. On top of the frozen lakes, people play ice hockey. From the year 2020, villagers, government of Nepal and international hockey players has started playing hockey in the 3rd lake of Gokyo. This lake is by the side of the Gokyo village. Gokyo village is at the altitude of, 4850 meters or 15908 feet above the sea level.

Gokyo ri trek in December will not be crowded. Trekkers will have their private pleasure en roué to Gokyo ri trek. But for your information, the lakes of the Gokyo will be frozen and thus the reflection of mountains on the blue water will not be observed, as in the month of April and October.

Gokyo ri trekking is a short trekking in Everest region in comparison to other trekking package of Nepal.

Number of days for Gokyo ri trek, level of service along the route, includes and excludes details, mode of transportation are major parameter to determine the cost of Gokyo ri trek. As Gokyo ri trek does not go higher as in Everest base camp trekking route, standard to luxury service while trekking is deliverable.

Some people use helicopter to fly up to luckla instead of Helicopter and some use jeep to drive up to start the trek. This kind of modification in the regular package of Gokyo ri differ the cost.

IN general, trekking guide, transportation by flight to lukla and back to kathamndu, airport shuttle, food during the trek, accommodation, insurance of guide and porter, gear for high altitude and permit for the Gokyo ri trek are included in the given cost.

However, any kind of tour modification will be gently handled at Nepalgram.

Trekking to Gokyo ri is trek along the famous trekking route of Everest base camp. Everest base camp trek with chola pass take you to Gokyo valley, and this Gokyo section of Chola pass trekking is followed.

Trekking starts from Lukla, in general and use the same route all the way up to Gokyo ri and back down to Lukla, before flying out to Kathmandu. Gokyo ri trek itinerary has properly managed trail and out itinerary is acclimatized.

The given itinerary is a common man itinerary, but if you want to customize the Gokyo ri itinerary, please feel free to write to us.

Gokyo ri itinerary do not cover all the attraction as discussed here. But if you want to connect all the attractions like; cho yu base camp, all 6 lakes, Gokyo ri summit for sunset as well as surise, or trek with renjo la pass to get to Thame – everything can be managed under your interest and time frame.

April is the peak month of spring trekking season in Nepal. April is drier, less cloudy and less crowded in comparison to autumn. Both October and April are regarded as the best time to visit Nepal. However, many people trek in the October, so April might deceive the crazy crowd to Everest trek.

Blue sky and reflection of mountains on the lake of Gkyo is nice in the month of April. Unless you do want to watch sunrise from the top of Gokyo ri, hiking up to gkyo ri during the day time will surely give you good view of the infinite mountain range.

As April is a one of the high season, crowd of people might be annoying and interesting at the same time.

Trekking to Gokyo ri is for the best view of Everest from the top of Gokyo peak. Spending a night by the lake of Gokyo is not just interesting but also lifelong memorable. Image of towering mountains on the lake of Gokyo will be your ever lasting memory from this trip to Nepal.

Along the trekking towards the lakes of Gokyo, visiting Sagarmathan national park museum, visiting monastery of Khumjung, see yeti scalp, green roofs of Khumjung and Khunde village, visiting school and watching runway of Syangboche airport are some of the interesting part of Gokyo ri trek.

Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla might be thrilling but the view through the cockpit of small aero plane is outstanding. From the windows of small plane, you will be able to see the range of never ending mountain range.

If you trek in Monsoon, the wild flowers making natural garden along the route of Gokyo ri trekking trail is overwhelming. Whereas in the spring the jungle along the route of Gokyo ri trekking trail with abundant flower is mesmerizing. The diverse color of Rhododendrons in the forest and wild animals and birds seen in the jungle of Sagaramatha national park in route to Gokyo ri will put smile on your face, it is just wonderful short trekking to Everest.

1st Day- Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding (flight-30 minutes / Trek-3hours)

2nd Day- Lukla to Namche (trek duration – 8 hours)

3rd Day- Rest and acclimatization at Namche (hike duration 3 hours)

4th Day-Trek to Dole at altitude at 3200 meters

5th Day- Dole to Machhermo at height of 3440 meters

6th Day- Machhermo to Gokyo Lakes

7th Day- Day trip to 5th lake and trek to choyu base camp

8th Day- Climb gokyo ri and trek to Machermo

9th Day- Back to Namche

10th Day- Lukla

11th Day- Fly Back to Kathmandu

You might love to read a story by our guide on a trip to Gokyo Chola pass trekking. Story and some informative link are listed below. These links will definitely help you for your Nepal Travels.

• Story of EBC chola pass Gokyo ri trek by out guide
• Nepal visa information
• Everything you need to know for successful trekking
• Trekking equipment list
• Comparative analysis of Everest Annapurna & Manalsu Trek