Three Pass Trek with Everest Base Camp
As the ultimate Everest experience, the Three Passes trek includes all the highlights-both from a mountain view and a cultural perspective-into a truly unforgettable journey. Additionally, this trek is one of the most challenging tea house treks in Nepal, as this is a challenging yet physically and spiritually satisfying journey that isn’t often discussed.
The Everest Region is one of Nepal’s top trekking destinations, and the Three Passes Trek, Nepal’s ultimate trekking adventure, crosses three passes over 5,000m, providing incredible scenery and photos. Additionally, this popular trekking trail is located in the Khumbu region of the eastern side of Nepal, with a magnificent natural setting and several trekking trails to explore.
About the Region
In the three passes trek, you are linked to all corners of the Everest region, high mountain landscape, lush meadows, and high passes alpine plateau. The three passes trek is 148 kilometers / 92 miles long, and it requires around three weeks of hiking for the round trip. However, solo independent travelers and small groups who trek in small groups have found the three-pass trek a more popular and desirable trek.
TIMS permits and Sagarmatha National Park permits are required for treks in the Everest region. For those arranging their own trek, you’ll need to pick up their TIMS permit in Kathmandu, and their Sagarmatha National Park permits in Monjo village (a checkpoint on the first day of their trek).
Most of your time during the trek will be spent in small tea houses along the three-pass route as a trekker. They offer quite basic services and facilities, but the hospitality of the locals is exceptionally impressive.
Preparation
It is important to be aware that this trek starts at the height of 2,860 meters or 9,380 feet and reaches a maximum elevation of 5,545 meters or 18,192 feet. This high elevation can cause some individuals altitude sickness or difficulty breathing. Therefore, people with lung or other similar problems should refrain from participating in such an adventure or take necessary precautions.
Additionally, this trek requires you to walk regularly in a cold climate for many days. Thus, these necessary items would be managed for you before starting the journey.
- Warm clothes, including jackets, sweaters, and thermal wears
- Well-fitting gloves, socks, and shoes or boots
- Trekking sticks
- Snow Glasses and flashlight
- Moisturizers and lip guard
- Water bottles and thermos
- Portable fire stoves
There is no requirement for all of these materials for the journey mentioned above, but they make the journey much easier. The three-pass trek is quite popular among frequent travelers; therefore, many hotels, trek shops, and homestays provide these materials if you decide to travel by yourself.
Three Pass Trek Itinerary
For foreigners, this trek starts from Lukla and ends in Lukla, so they need first to obtain a Nepali visa and arrive in Kathmandu. Then, once in Kathmandu or any other city in Nepal, they need to book flights to Solukhumbu’s Lukla Airport.
- Arrival day in Kathmandu Overnight Altitude 1300m
- Sightseeing around Kathmandu
- Kathmandu – Lukla -Manjo 12.4km from Lukla Hm up approx 923 Hm down approx 946 Gz approx 5-6h and Overnight Altitude Manjo 2652m.
- Manjo – Namche Bazaar 5.1km (Hm up approx 936 Hm down approx 344 Gz approx 3.5h and Overnight altitude 3450m
- Namche Bazaar – Khumjung -Khunde (Acclimatisation day)11.2km (Hmup approx 767 Hm down approx 767 Gz approx 5-6h and Overnight accommodation 3450m)/
- Namche bazaar – Thame 8.9km (Hm up approx 742 Hm down approx 3789 down Gz approx 4h and Overnight altitude thame 4200m
- Thame -Marulung 7.5km (Hm up approx 444 Hm down approx 106 Gz 4-5h
- Marlung – Lungden 2.1km Hm up approx 237 Gz 2h
- Lungden- Renjola Pass- Gokyo11.4km Hm up approx 1010 Hm down approx 610 Gz 9h Overnight altitude 4750m
- Gokyo – Gokyo Ri-Thagnak 7.4km Hm up approx 631m Hm down approx 699 Gz 7h and Overnight altitude 4700m
- Dzongla-Gorakshep 11kmHm up approx 541 Hm down approx 205 Gz 5-6h and Overnight altitude 5200m
- Gorakshep-Everest Base Camp-Lobuche 11km Hm up approx 171 Hm down approx 420 Gz 9h Overnight altitude 4930m
- Labuche -Kongma Pass – Dingboche 14km Hm up approx 650 Hm down approx 1234 Gz 8-9h Overnight altitude 4400
- Dingboche -Tengboche 10.7km Hm up approx 232 Hm down approx 710 Gz 6h and Overnight altitude 3870m
- Tengboche -Manju 15km Hm up approx1041 Hm down approx2072 Gz 6-7h Overnight altitude 2800m
- Manjo – Lukla 12.6km Hm up approx 991 Hm down approx 963 Gz5-6h
- Overnight altitude 2800m
- Lukla -Kathmandu fly
- Shopping day in Kathmandu and overnight altitude 1300m
- Departure
Cost includes:
- Arrival & Departure Transport By private Car/Van/Bus.
- Three meals a day during the Trekking (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
- Accommodation in Tea House during the Trekking.
- Three nights’ accommodation in Kathmandu with B/B.
- Trekking Guide and a proter (Sharing by two clients) with Insurance, food, and accommodations.
- Flight ticket for guide Kathmandu/Lukla/Kathmandu
- Flight ticket for Clients Kathmandu/Lukla/Kathmandu
- Sightseeing in Kathmandu valley with a car and tour guide
- First Aid kit.
- Trekking permit (Conservation fee).
- TIMS card (Trekking information management system) is like a permit.
- All needed government tax/vat.
- Note. In the Sagarmatha National Park of the Khumbu region (Everest trekking route), the TIMS card is no longer valid, instead, the local authority from Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, charges NRs. 2000/trekker as entrance fee.
Cost excludes
- International Airfare.
- Your travel insurance.
- Sightseeing entrance fees (25 USD)
- Nepal Visa fee (US$ 40 for 30 days and US$ 25 for 15 days you should get a visa open your arrival)
- Any kind of drinks, items of personal expenses like hot shower, battery charge, telephone, missing meal, WIFI Porters, etc.
- Tips for Guide and Porters
Note
Although it can be customized by request to accommodate your specific needs. The above itinerary is only a guideline; it might change due to fluctuating weather conditions, availability of lodging and campsites, unforeseen political, trail, and environmental, or any other factors beyond our control. In this happen, your Dimas Adventure guide/leader will choose the best way to the final decision on the best alternative after consulting with the group.
At last, if the itinerary will is not suitable for you please do let us know, and will make a tailor-made one. The itinerary will be very flexible from our side if clients want to change will be possible.
- Day 1
Welcome to Nepal
After your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu, one of our staff will be there to pick you up from the airport. Then from the airport, he will transfer you to the hotel to take a rest. Overnight stay at Hotel.
- Day 2
Sightseeing around Kathmandu
This is the second day of your trip to Nepal and it will begin with fascinating sightseeing tour around Kathmandu Valley. Sightseeing tour includes visit around World heritage site such as Pashupatinath Temple, Swoayambunath (Monkey Temple), Kathmandu durbar square, Patan Durbar square any many more. After finishing sightseeing there will be a meeting in the evening in our office about the trek. Trek leader will explain you about the trek and how to prepare about it. Overnight stay at hotel.
- Day 3
Kathmandu - Lukla -Manjo
Leaving the hotel early in the morning we will catch the flight Lukla from Kathmandu airport. The flight from Kathmandu up to Lukla is so amazing. After landing in Lukla you can see the amazing views of the Himalayan chain surrounding the Lukla village. We will meet the rest of the crew members in Lukla and March ahead towards Manjo. We stay at Manjo for the night.
- Day 4
Acclimatisation day
On the morning of the next day, we walk around Manjo and then to Everest View Hotel for an acclimatization hike. In the afternoon, we visit the Sherpa Museum, explore Namche Bazar’s local market, and spend the night there.
- Day 5
Namche Bazzar to Thame
The trail now separates from the popular Everest base camp route and leads northwest towards the gorgeous village of Thame, where you will be staying that night. While you are there, learn about some of the local traditions and their connection with this mountain.
- Day 6
Thame to Marlung
A seven km hike takes us from Thame to Marlung. Enjoy the lovely location and rhododendron forests along the way. Overnight at Marlung.
- Day 7
Marlung - Lungden
Today we will be returning to higher altitudes, climbing up to Lungden. Make sure you have your camera with you because as you go higher and higher, you will be able to see more and more of the snow-capped peaks in the region.
- Day 8
Lungden-Renjola Pass to Gokyo
As we approach the end of our climb to Renjo La, we will encounter the first of the Three Passes – Renjo La. The route is gentle at the outset but will soon become a strenuous ascent. We get to an altitude of 5,388 meters on this day. Thus, you can use the magnificent views you will get at the top to motivate you. After the pass, we will descend to Gokyo Lake Number Three and then trek to Gokyo Village for the night.
- Day 9
Gokyo- Gokyo Ri- Thagnak
Your first summit today is Gokyo Ri, from which you can enjoy a magnificent view of Cho Oyu. We start the climb early and then take the rest of the day to acclimatize. If you have more energy left, you might want to hike up some of the surrounding moraine ridges.
Gokyo is the starting point for the journey across the Ngozumpa Glacier. After reaching the second lake, we descend onto the glacier. The route across the glacier is marked with cairns, and the route is generally well defined. Finally, we climb off the glacier and descend into Tragnak Valley.
- Day 10
Thanak-Chola Paas to Dzongla
In order to cross the Cho La Pass and descend to Dzongla today, we must get up early. After climbing a ridge and crossing an old moraine, we begin the rocky scramble up to the pass. On the way down, we cross a small glacier that is fairly straightforward. We can also see more excellent views of Ama Dablam and Cholatse once we reach the river.
- Day 11
Dzongla- Gorakshep
As we approach Everest Base Camp, we follow the Khumbu Glacier, which offers spectacular vistas of the surrounding mountains, especially at the crossing of a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at Gorak Shep before continuing our trek to Base Camp.
- Day 12
Gorakshep- Everest Base Camp
On the day we finally reach the Everest Base camp. The majestic view of the tallest mountain in the world takes our breath away.
- Day 13
Everest Base Camp to Labuche
To reach the trekking peak of Kala Pattar – the iconic view of Everest – we have to get up early in the morning. Then, after snapping some pictures, we head back to Gorak Shep for a quick meal and descend to Lobuche.
- Day 14
Labuche -Kongma Pass to Dingboche
We hike for eight to nine hours on this day. Today, we leave the classic base camp route, reaching Kongma La, the third and final pass on the trip. At 5,535m, this pass is the highest among the three. We descend to the Chukhung Valley from here after a tiring climb to Dingboche.
- Day 15
Dingboche to Tengboche
Now that we have returned to the main Everest trail, we descend to Pangboche and climb to Tengboche. After Tengboche, we make a steep descent before climbing back up to Kyangjuma. There, we will spend the night in a lodge.
- Day 16
Tengboche- Manju
After traversing Namche Bazaar, descending Namche Hill, and crossing the Dudh Koshi, we will trek back to the village of Manjo, where we will spend the night during our return from the trek.
- Day 17
Manju to Lukla
On the final day of the three-pass trek, we follow the Dudh Koshi down to Lukla on our final day of hiking. This will be the perfect time for a farewell party with the Sherpa guides and porters, where you can reflect on a memorable hiking experience.
- Day 18
Lukla to Kathmandu fly
We fly back to Kathmandu on this day. At the end of the day we spend the night at a hotel.
- Day 19
Sightseeing and Shopping day in Kathmandu
Sightseeing around Kathmandu and Shopping day in Kathmandu. Enjoy the gorgeous capital city and collect gifts for your friends back home.
- Day 20
Back to Homeland
After the long and enjoyable Nepalese experience, you will finally return back to your home nation.