NEPAL
everest Base Camp
& Gokyo Lakes
20 days
ITINERARY
15 days
TREKKING
5,364m
ALTITUDE
Dates
2024 & 2025
Trek the remote Everest Trails of the Gokyo Valley
This Himalayan trek takes you through the Sherpa homelands and right to the foot of Mount Everest, over high passes and into the remote and stunning Gokyo Valley with its turquoise glacial lakes! A quieter and more adventurous route! Over 15 days of trekking you will see the mighty peaks of the Himalayas, experience the incredible Sherpa culture, and will finish with a chance to explore the bustling Kathmandu and enjoy a traditional Nepali celebration meal.
The Challenge
Experience the stunning gokyo valley
This trekking challenge will take you all the way to Everest Base Camp- at the very foot of the World’s highest peak, and back via the quieter and more adventurous Gokyo Valley. With 15 days of trekking through the Khumbu and Gokyo Valleys you’ll get to see the incredible Himalayas from all angles. You’ll also get to experience Sherpa culture and hospitality, as we’ll be staying in traditional tea houses for the entirety of the trek. Acclimatisation days built in, side trips and an optional sun rise trek to Kala Patthar all help make sure we have a world class adventure. The journey back from base camp, over the high passes and into the Gokyo Valley is perhaps the real hidden gem of this trek! There are stunning glacial lakes and a real remote feel. Then, after the trekking, it’s off to the bustling capital of Kathmandu. After 11 days of trekking the comfortable hotel accommodation and traditional Nepali celebration meal round off an incredible challenge!
- Pass through the highest villages in the world
- Experience sunrise over the Khumbu Glacier
- Trek through the stunning Khumbu Valley, home to the Sherpa people
- Enjoy the scenic and dramatic flight to Lukla
- Experience Sherpa hospitality and culture
- Visit the monastery at Tengboche
- Climb to Kala Patthar for a view of Everest’s summit
- Return via Gokyo Lakes - quiet and stunning area
- Explore the colourful capital of Kathmandu
- Reach Everest Base Camp at the foot of the dramatic Khumbu Icefall
The Experience
Life on the trek
On an Action Challenge trip you’ll be part of a team which takes on an adventure together – and that’s what makes the experience so special. Getting to know others, supporting each other when the going gets tough, laughing together, and sharing those special moments & the new friendships that will stay with you for many years. Led by a UK Mountain Leader and supported by a Medic overseeing the group’s wellbeing – you’ll be in safe hands, and our expert local logistics team & guides will ensure it all runs like clockwork. These are ‘fully inclusive’ trips – leaving you to focus on your challenge, and to enjoy it!
An Action Challenge trip is much more than a holiday! It brings like-minded people together in fantastic landscapes, provides the best support & great hospitality, and enables the group to take on a tough & unforgettable challenge which forges new friendships, broaden horizons, and leaves you wanting more of life’s adventures!
The blueprint for Action Challenge trip is based on delivering a high quality enjoyable experience – and doing it all safely. An experienced UK Mountain Leader ensures that all aspects of the challenge run to plan – and one of our UK Medics with an expedition med kit is on-hand to look after the group’s wellbeing – enabling everyone to have the best chance of successfully competing their challenge.
We go to great lengths to ensure that we only use the best local organisations to supply the all-important ground logistics and the on-challenge support, catering, and hospitality teams – with experienced guides leading the way on the trails with their deep local knowledge and authentic style.
Like minded people with a similar sense of adventure – but often from very different backgrounds, and with a wide range of experience, ages, levels of fitness, and personal ambitions. Our trips are perfect for individuals, couples, and small groups of friends to join – and then to take on a unique challenge as part of a larger group which shapes & bonds as the adventure unfolds!
Whether its’s the hotels, restaurants & transfers before & after the main challenge – or the challenge accommodation & meals whilst out on the trails – our all inclusive packages mean that you will get a top quality experience at a great value price! Flights are generally included, but there’s a ‘land only’ option if you’d prefer to book your own – and single supplement accommodation upgrades are available.
The group comes together – takes on a tough challenge together – and then celebrates its achievements in style on the final night of the trip in a local restaurant or hotel, with medals, awards, and a maybe a bit of a party! Many of our participants make new special friends on our trips – and quite a few come back together for another challenge in the following years!
A successful challenge starts with good preparation. The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll be, and the more you’ll enjoy it! Our ‘Challenge App’ will have all the info & details of what to expect on your challenge – and how to prepare for it – and we have optional training walks, training weekends , and a place on one of our UK Ultra Challenge events to get out on the tails and test your fitness, kit, & equipment.
Itinerary & Route
Please note that some details of the itinerary may change, you will be provided with a detailed itinerary once you are signed up to the challenge.
Depart on our flight to Kathmandu Airport. Once arrived in Kathmandu airport we transfer by coach to our comfortable Hotel. On arrival we have a briefing from our guides and a last check over our kit.
Early morning of Day 3 we head again to the airport, this time to take our short and scenic flight into Lukla, the gateway to the Khumbu Valley. This is the start of the 11 days trekking towards our ultimate goal- Everest Base Camp. We trek past small communities and villages, crossing high wire bridges over the raging river, surrounded by towering peaks. By day 4 we arrive in Namche Bazar, the Sherpa Capital, where we explore and acclimatise further on day 5. Already, far in the distance, Everest will be visible if conditions are clear.
Meals: All meals starting from dinner on day 2
Accom: Hotels and Teahouses
Leaving Namche we head further up the Khumbu Valley, Everest looming over us getting closer and larger by the day. We pass the legendary Tengbouche Monastery, the beautiful Ama Dablam and numerous small hamlets. We also have a further built in acclimatisation day, during which we venture down the secluded and quiet Chukung Valley towards Island Peak. We’re at high altitude on these days, so a slow and steady pace, plenty of rest and good food and hydration are vital. On the afternoon of day 9 we arrive into Lobuche at 4910m, the place from which we launch our attempt on Evest Base Camp.
Meals: BLD (all days) Accom: Teahouses
Meals: B,L,D Accom: Camping
Today is the day! With the buzz of expedition in the air, we leave Lobuche at dawn. The sun soon reaches the summits of the Himalayan peaks and slowly lights up the valley floor. We traverse the Khumbu Glacier, climbing towards Gorak Shep (‘Graveyard of Crows’), where a couple of simple mountain lodges are set amongst breathtaking mountain scenery. Together we continue at a slow but steady pace on our bid to reach Base Camp along the Khumbu Glacier at 5,364m. It’s a long and tiring day at altitude but team spirit drives us on to reach Everest Base Camp. We spend a little time taking photos and celebrating our achievement before making our way back down to Gorak Shep where we spend the night.
Day 11, for those who are in good health to do so, sees us take on the slow and steady climb to the summit of Kala Patthar. This is a tough trek which begins at 4am, but an achievement that is rewarded with spectacular views of the mighty Everest and the Khumbu Glacier below as the sun rises. We then re-join the rest of the group at Gorek Shep and all descend to Periche to complete a long but unforgettable day. If a trek to Kala Patthar is not possible due to inclement weather, we will descend directly to Periche
Meals: BLD (all days) Accom: Teahouses
We branch off from the main Khumbu valley and Everest Base Camp trail and head over high passes to the Gokyo Valley with its turquoise glacial lakes. The valley, and the high passes crossed to reach it, are far quieter and have a very remote feel. The trails on days 12 are tough, reaching as high as 5370m on the Cho La Pass, in often icy terrain. But the views are worth it, with peaks such as Ama Dablam, Baruntse and Cho Oyu all visable.
In Gokyo we enjoy a rest day, with the option of exploring the nearby glacial lakes for thosr that have the energy. From here, on days 14 to 17, we head back towards Namche and Lukla via the Rejo La Pass and the Thame Valley.
Meals: BLD (all days) Accom: Teahouses
The adventure isn’t over yet, as we again take the short flight back to Kathmandu, where we stay in our comfortable hotel. Any down time can be spent exploring this incredible bustling city, full of history, culture, great shopping and incredible foods. The evening of day 14 is set aside for out traditional Nepali celebration meal in the Thamel district of the old city. Dependant on flight times, the morning of day 15 you’ll be free to explore the city further before our evening flight back to the UK. Arrival into the UK is on the morning of day 16.
Meals: BLD day 14, B day 15 Accom: Hotel/flight
Costs & Fundraising
We’ve three payment & fundraising options for you to take on this challenge.
Self Funding
Sign up with a £295 online deposit & balance payment due 12 weeks before, with no fundraising target.
Fundraise for Charity
Sign up with a £295 online deposit & fundraise for a charity of your choice, with different target options.
Our Brochure
The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, and more – download for a full run down of the challenge details.