Gokyo Lake Trek – Explore the Gokyo Valley and Glacier Lakes

Gokyo Lake Trek means a hike to explore the series of the Lakes in the Gokyo Valley. Gokyo Valley has six beautiful lakes, the world’s sixth-highest peak Cho Oyu and the biggest glacier in the Himalaya Ngochumba Glacier. The Gokyo Ri offers the best mountain scenery in the Everest region including Mt. Everest 8848.86m, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Lothse.

Gokyo Lakes are the world’s highest freshwater lakes system and formulated as the Ramsar area (Wetland of international impotence). And those Lakes are scared for both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage and are located at the elevation of 4700 to 5000m above sea level. Even the Lonely planet states that “for your money, the Gokyo Valley is the most spectacular in the Khumbu region”

Gokyo Lake Trek is also called Gokyo Valley Trek and it’s a comparatively less crowded trek than classic Everest Base Camp Trek. Although the need to follow the same trekking trail to Namche Bazar and then turn left to Gokyo Valley. Namche Bazar is the base camp of the Everest region treks and this town is the modernization town in Upper Khumbu.

This amazing Trek stands inside the Sagarmatha National Park and this park is listed on UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hence, you can imagine how worth it is to make a journey to Gokyo Valley for a few days. Trekking is not only walking the Himalayas and enjoying the mountain panoramas. It is an opportunity to witness the daily lifestyle, culture, and tradition of the particular people who live in the Himalayas.

Day by Day itinerary of the Gokyo Lake Trek

This itinerary is based on my trekking experience at Gokyo Lake. However, It can be changed with the time and place you want to visit. Because there are a plethora of options to keep going on the journey to Everest Base Camp or Renjola Pass.

If your soul said let’s do more adventure then follow the path to Chola Pass to be in Everest Base Camp. And On the other side you can walk to Renjola Pass to reach Thame and back to Namche Bazar Even you can hike to the base camp of the world’s six highest peaks Mt. CHO OYU and the Nogochumna Glacier.

To fly at the world’s most dangerous Lukla airport itself is an adventurous beginning of the trek. And follow the route to the wonder Himalayan town, Namche Bazar. Crossing the chilling suspension bridges along the direction of Gokyo Valley.

Trekking permits

Gokyo Lake Trek is in the Sagarmatha National Park and it’s one of the UNESCO sites in Nepal. To enter the UNESCO site you need to have an entrance ticket which you can buy in Kathmandu and Manjo for this trek. In Kathmandu Nepal Tourism Board and National Park Office in Manjo.

Also, TIMS Card is mandatory for this excursion. TIMS card is a card regarding your trekking information management, this card you can issue, and you have to issue in Kathmandu. it’s also you can get on the Nepal tourism board. If you are trekking with a trekking company the company will organize TIMS and Trekking permits.

A photocopy of your valid passport and a passport-size photo requires for the permit and TIMS card. And Permit cost $30 and TIMS Card $20.

When to do this trek?

As usual, do trekking in Nepal spring and fall are the best seasons. Because during that season the clear weather, a good temperature, and the festive season in Nepal. Also, the blooming of the Rhododendron flowers along the trekking route during spring is something surplus from the trek.

Spring season – March, April, and May

Autumn season – September, October, and November

Accommodation

The Everest region is a well-developed trekking trail in Nepal. So that you can have the best accommodation during the trekking. It all depends on what kind of place you are looking to spend a night. A luxury hotel with an attached bathroom and an electric warm blanket to a normal guest house with a simple bedroom and share toilet is available.

In a nutshell,

Gokyo Lake Trek is a journey to the pristine water lakes and glacier gorge in the Everest region. To have an outstanding snowy mountain glimpse and observe the Sherpa culture, history, and tradition. This trek is a moderate type of trek and needs a good physical condition to accomplish the trek. More importantly, good travel insurance is necessary because you may need to evacuate in an emergency; and fly by helicopter if there is bad weather in Lukla.