OVERVIEW: On the Nepal side there are basically 4 trekking routes around Everest – all of them absolutely world class treks! Generally speaking, all routes start in Namche Bazaar (3440 m / 11,300 ft), accessible by 1½ days walk from the airstrip in Lukla (2900 m / 9,500 ft) or by walking in from Jiri (1900 m / 6000 ft). Walking from Jiri takes about 9 days + a days drive to the trailhead, while flying in from Kathmandu to Lukla only takes about ½ hour – the choice is yours! It’s also possible to cross over the high passes to connect the different routes at the top, rather than having to return same way you came.
Crossing either of the high passes : Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La is not too difficult when the conditions are good. You do need to be in good shape, acclimatized, well hydrated and be used to walking on steep scree though. In case there is snow or ice on the trail, it’s a different story altogether. Still doable, but be properly prepared for the more severe trekking conditions. It is fantastic routes! Snow and ice is exceptional during the main seasons, but common from December to March. Check the post about snow / ice trekking tips for more info on how to prepare yourself. And there's more detailed route descriptions of the high passes below.
Here is a map I drew up of the different trekking routes in the Everest region. It is intended to give an overview only, not to be an exact trekking map. But for planning purposes, I actually think it is pretty useful. I’ve also plotted in some of the most talked about locations that you’ll probably spend a lot of time talking about when going there.
Everest Region map: Green lines = The 4 main routes. Green dotted lines = The 3 high passes. Yellow dots = Trekking peaks. Yellow stars = Climbing peaks. Red dots = Important villages.
| Everest Main Routes Descriptions: Route 1 : Nangpa Glacier The least traveled route of the 4. Ultimately, it leads to the Tibetan (Chinese) border point at Nangpa La, at 5716 m, 18753 ft. You'll be passing through Thame village on your way, and if it's May, try and catch the interesting Mani Rimdu Dance Festival there! Route 2 : Gokyo Trek There are some beautiful lakesup in the Gokyo area. Stunning turquoise waters, at least when they are not frozen in January/February. You can also walk up to the nearby Gokyo Ri, a 5357 meter / 17,575 feet ridge with excellent views of the entire area, Everest included (although farther away from E. than from KP, arguably better view!). Also don't miss upper Gokyo valley - going to the 4th, 5th and 6th lake (“Scoundrel's view”) and finally the lakes nearer to Cho Oyu base camp. It is a beautiful walk on a good trail can and it can be done as a day trip from a lodge at Gokyo 3rd lake. |
Route 3 : Everest Base Camp (EBC)
Let’s face it. Everyone here wants to get close to the BIG E, the mother of all mountains, the roof pillar of the world: Mt. Everest. Or Sagarmatha as it is called in Nepalese or Chomolungma / Qomolangma as it is called in Tibetan. For the best view of Everest many trekkers actually skip the base camp and head up to Kala Pattar (KP) in stead. There’s great views from KP and it is not a technical climb to get up there. But at 5550 m / 18,200 ft, it requires good lungs and warm clothes! You can also do both KP and EBC on the same trek, the two places are not that far apart, both being about half a days walk from Gorak Shep and back.
The main attraction of going into the base camp is perhaps to see the Khumbu Ice Fall up close – and perhaps hang out with expeditions getting ready for their summit attempts, most notably in April/May. Sometimes though, the summiters cordon off parts of the area since they are afraid that you carry diseases into their camps! Still, you can have a look…
In and out of Lukla, the Kala Pattar / Everest Base Camp trek typically takes about 2 weeks.
Route 4 : Island Peak / Imja Tsho
Stunning side valley going east-west, surrounded by peaks and glaciers. It's also the way to Island Peak from where you probably have the best view of Mt. Everest all together! But Island Peak is a bit tricky. First, you need a permit from Kathmandu. Second, some previous experience in alpinism / mountain climbing is strongly advised, although you can get training on location the day before. (You’ll be using crampons, ice axes and rope.) And third, you need a guide and some gear. Can be arranged locally sometimes, but you can’t count 100% on finding what you want / need.
Island Peak aside, you can also "just" walk up to the viewpoint on Chhukhung Ri for the jaw-dropping view of the Lhotse south-face. Lhotse in itself is the second biggest mountain in the region (and 4th in the world). But its impressive south face rises 3.2 km (1.98 mi) in only 2.25 km (1.4 mi) of horizontal distance, making it the steepest face of this size in the world. Legends have been born here, legends have ended here (Tomo Cesen, Jerzy Kukuczka).
Everest High Pass Routes Descriptions:
Route (1-2) : Renjo La High Pass
Stunning views on this high pass. Most easily done from east to west: Gokyo - Renjo La - Lungden. No technical skills required in good conditions, but the western side is steep and exposed, so can be snowy and icy when cold. If you can’t see the trail when descending to Lungden, keep as much to the left as possible, avoiding the big rocks and boulders. Can be done in a (long) day’s walk. Going from east to west, the altitudes across are : 4750 m – 5345 m – 4400 m (15,600 ft – 17,500 ft – 14,400 ft).
Route (2-3) : Cho La High Pass
Probably the toughest of the 3 high-passes in the Everest region mentioned here. You might need mountaineering experience and equipment if the conditions are any less than ideal. Going from the Lobuche side, you only have to ascend the steep rocky ledge to reach the glacier while going from the Gokyo side, there is a long scree ascend exposed to falling rocks. You don’t want to spend too much time there so again, the route is easiest from east to west. The altitudes across are (east to west, Dzongla - Cho La - Tarnak) : 4830 m - 5420 m - 4730 m (15,800 ft - 17,777 ft - 15,500 ft).
Route (3-4) : Kongma La High Pass
Some beautiful turquoise lakes up there. Going down towards Lobuche, keep right (up from Lobuche, keep left!). Relatively speaking, the Kongma La pass is not too difficult in good conditions. But mind you, you'll be spending the whole day between 15,000 and 18,000 feet, so make sure you are well acclimatized! Estimated trekking time : 8-9 hours at best. The south-east to north-west direction seems the easiest one: Chhukung - Kongma La - Lobuche. Roughly 10 km on the map, altitude 4730 m – 5535m – 4930 m (15,500 ft - 18,150 ft - 16,200 ft).
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If you have the time, by all means, just do all the Everest routes! I know I could easily spend a whole month or more exploring the Everest region, if I had the time. There's so many interesting little side trips and trails that run in parallel. You may have to make a tough choice though, depending on how much time you have. To help you plan your Everest trek and get as much out of the time you have as possible, here's some helpful resources you can get. Well worth a few bucks to get a map and perhaps a book stuffed with detailed side route descriptions :
Related posts, stuff you need:
Happy trekking!
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