Everest Three Passes Trek
The great Khumbu circuit
- 22 days
- Strenuous
- From $7,300
- Duration
- 22 days
- Walking grade
- Strenuous
- Highest point
- 5,545 m
- Best months
- Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov
- Starts and ends
- Kathmandu
For accomplished trekkers who want the whole Khumbu, one pass at a time.
- Renjo La, Cho La and Kongma La, all above 5,300 m
- Gokyo, Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar in one circuit
- Two guides with every pair of guests on the passes
- Each pass follows nights above 4,300 metres
Three passes above 5,300 metres join the Khumbu’s three great valleys into one circuit: Renjo La, Cho La and Kongma La. Along the way you see Gokyo, Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar.
The route begins on the quiet trail west to Thame, crosses into the Gokyo valley, traverses the Ngozumpa Glacier, and comes over the Cho La into the Everest valley. After Base Camp and Kala Patthar you cross the highest pass, the Kongma La, into the Imja valley and walk back down to Namche. Three weeks, with ten nights above 4,000 metres.
This is the most demanding journey we offer. We ask for previous trekking at altitude, time each pass to follow nights above 4,300 metres, and send two guides with every pair of guests on the passes. Pass days are long, often eight hours or more, over rock and scree, sometimes on snow and ice.
Below Namche and at Deboche you stay in the Khumbu’s best lodges. For most of the circuit the lodges are simple teahouses, and we book their best rooms early. The ascent is planned with acclimatisation days at Namche and Lungden before the first pass, and each pass follows at least one night above 4,300 metres.
Everest Three Passes Trek: the route
18 places · starts and ends in Kathmandu
Your journey at a glance
Choose a day
Highest night 5,164 m at Gorak Shep · highest point 5,545 m
Way upWay backPositions are approximate; peaks are shown for orientation.
Everest Three Passes Trek, day by day
-
Days 1–2 Kathmandu Luxury hotel Arrival 1,400 m
Your host meets you at arrivals and drives you to your heritage hotel in Kathmandu. The next morning is yours with a guide: Boudhanath stupa before the crowds, then a full equipment check with your lead guide, including what you will need for snow on the passes. In the evening you eat with a Kathmandu family, an easy first taste of Nepal.
- Getting there
- Arrival
- Sleeping altitude
- 1,400 m
- Where you stay
- Heritage luxury hotel in Kathmandu (Dwarika's or similar)
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 3 Lukla · Phakding Premium lodge 3–4 h · 8 km 2,610 m
An early start for the thirty-five-minute flight to Lukla (in the busiest months it leaves from Ramechhap, four to five hours' drive from Kathmandu, and we confirm which a few days ahead), the plane tracking along the Himalaya before landing on the short, sloping runway at 2,860 metres. After tea you meet your porters and walk gently downhill, past prayer wheels and mani stones, to the Dudh Koshi river. Phakding is lower than Lukla, which helps your first night. You arrive in the early afternoon to a heated room.
- Walking
- About 3–4 h, 8 km
- Getting there
- Flight 35 min
- Sleeping altitude
- 2,610 m (+1,210 m)
- Where you stay
- Premium Khumbu lodge with heated rooms and en-suite bathroom (Yeti Mountain Home or similar)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Days 4–5 Namche Bazaar Premium lodge 5–6 h · 11 km 3,440 m
The first day follows the river north, crossing it several times on high suspension bridges, and enters Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo. Then comes the long climb to Namche Bazaar, with a first glimpse of Everest on the way up if the sky is clear. Take it slowly. The second day is for acclimatisation: a short climb to the terrace above the village, then a quiet afternoon in the Sherpa capital.
- Walking
- About 5–6 h, 11 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 3,440 m (+830 m)
- Where you stay
- Premium Khumbu lodge with heated rooms and en-suite bathroom (Yeti Mountain Home or similar)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 6 Thame Best teahouse 4 h · 9 km 3,820 m
You leave the main trail and head west along the Bhote Koshi valley, a quieter route used by Sherpa traders for centuries. The path passes small villages and long mani walls to Thame, the home village of many famous Everest climbers. Its monastery sits on the cliff above the village, and if the timing works you can visit it in the afternoon.
- Walking
- About 4 h, 9 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 3,820 m (+380 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Days 7–8 Lungden Best teahouse 4–5 h · 9 km 4,380 m
A steady climb up the open valley past summer pastures and yak herders' huts to Lungden, a few lodges in a wide, bare valley below the Renjo La. The second day is for acclimatisation, with a walk up the slopes above the lodges and an early night. Your guide checks your oxygen levels carefully here before the first pass.
- Walking
- About 4–5 h, 9 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 4,380 m (+560 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Days 9–10 Renjo La · Gokyo Best teahouse 7–8 h · 11 km 4,790 m
The first pass. You leave before dawn and climb steadily over rock and, often, snow to the Renjo La at 5,360 metres. From the top, Everest rises above the Gokyo lakes in a view that takes in four of the world's six highest peaks. A long, steep descent brings you to Gokyo by the third lake. The next morning you climb Gokyo Ri for sunrise, then rest.
- Walking
- About 7–8 h, 11 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 4,790 m (+410 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 11 Thagnak Best teahouse 2–3 h · 3 km 4,700 m
A deliberately short day. From Gokyo you cross the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest in Nepal, on a rough trail over rubble and ice that shifts from season to season, so your guide picks the line. Thagnak is a small settlement on the far side, at the foot of the Cho La. You arrive by lunchtime and spend the afternoon resting.
- Walking
- About 2–3 h, 3 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 4,700 m (−90 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 12 Cho La · Dzongla Best teahouse 7–8 h · 10 km 4,830 m
The second pass and the most technical. A pre-dawn start up a steep rocky gully, then across a small glacier near the top of the Cho La at 5,420 metres, where crampons or microspikes are often needed. The views back to the Gokyo side and ahead to Ama Dablam are superb. A long, rocky descent brings you to Dzongla, a few simple lodges below Cholatse.
- Walking
- About 7–8 h, 10 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 4,830 m (+130 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 13 Lobuche Best teahouse 3 h · 6 km 4,940 m
A short, easy day after the pass. The trail contours around the hillside above the Chola lake, with Lobuche and Cholatse close above, and joins the main Base Camp trail just before Lobuche. You arrive in late morning and have the afternoon to rest and drink plenty before the day to Base Camp.
- Walking
- About 3 h, 6 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 4,940 m (+110 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 14 Gorak Shep · Base Camp Best teahouse 7–8 h · 13 km 5,164 m
The trail follows the edge of the Khumbu Glacier over rocky moraine to Gorak Shep, the last lodges before Everest. After an early lunch you continue along the glacier to Everest Base Camp at 5,364 metres, among the ice towers of the Khumbu Icefall. You walk back to Gorak Shep for the night, the highest of the journey.
- Walking
- About 7–8 h, 13 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 5,164 m (+224 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 15 Kala Patthar · Lobuche Best teahouse 5–6 h · 9 km 4,940 m
A pre-dawn climb up Kala Patthar to 5,545 metres. First light catches Pumori and Nuptse while Everest stands dark against the brightening sky. After breakfast you walk back down the valley to Lobuche, a short and familiar stretch, and rest for the afternoon ahead of the last pass.
- Walking
- About 5–6 h, 9 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 4,940 m (−224 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 16 Kongma La · Chhukung Best teahouse 8–9 h · 10 km 4,730 m
The third pass and the highest. An early start across the Khumbu Glacier, a hard scramble up the far side, then a steep climb to the Kongma La at 5,535 metres, with small frozen lakes on top and Makalu to the east. The descent into the Imja valley is long and steep. Chhukung is a small village below Island Peak, and you will sleep well tonight.
- Walking
- About 8–9 h, 10 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 4,730 m (−210 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 17 Deboche Premium lodge 5 h · 13 km 3,820 m
A long, easy descent down the Imja valley, past Dingboche's stone-walled fields and the old monastery village of Pangboche, back below the treeline. The air feels thick and warm again. Deboche sits in the forest just below Tengboche, and after two weeks of simple teahouses the heated rooms and hot water feel like real luxury.
- Walking
- About 5 h, 13 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 3,820 m (−910 m)
- Where you stay
- Premium Khumbu lodge with heated rooms and en-suite bathroom (Yeti Mountain Home or similar)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 18 Namche Bazaar Premium lodge 4 h · 10 km 3,440 m
A short final climb to Tengboche monastery in the morning, then down to the river and along the balcony trail around the hillside to Namche, with Everest and Ama Dablam behind you. You arrive by early afternoon, with time for a long hot shower, a proper meal and a walk through the market.
- Walking
- About 4 h, 10 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 3,440 m (−380 m)
- Where you stay
- Premium Khumbu lodge with heated rooms and en-suite bathroom (Yeti Mountain Home or similar)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 19 Lukla Premium lodge 6–7 h · 18 km 2,860 m
The last walking day is long but mostly downhill, with a final climb back up to Lukla in the afternoon. You cross the bridges for the last time and pass the villages of Monjo and Phakding again. In the evening there is a farewell dinner with your guides and porters, the traditional moment to thank the team who looked after you in the mountains.
- Walking
- About 6–7 h, 18 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 2,860 m (−580 m)
- Where you stay
- Premium Khumbu lodge with heated rooms and en-suite bathroom (Yeti Mountain Home or similar)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Days 20–21 Kathmandu Luxury hotel Flight 35 min 1,400 m
Morning flights from Lukla are the most reliable, so you are usually back at your hotel in Kathmandu by mid-morning. The next day is held in reserve. If cloud has delayed the Lukla flight, it absorbs the delay and nothing is missed; if not, it is a free day for Patan or Bhaktapur, a massage and a long lunch after three weeks in the mountains, or simply rest, with a guide if you would like one.
- Getting there
- Flight 35 min
- Sleeping altitude
- 1,400 m (−1,460 m)
- Where you stay
- Heritage luxury hotel in Kathmandu (Dwarika's or similar)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 22 Departure Departure
A last breakfast in Kathmandu and a private transfer to the airport, timed around your flight. If you are flying late, your guide can fill the hours with a last walk in the city.
- Getting there
- Departure
- Meals
- Breakfast
Walking times are typical at an unhurried pace and include rests; your guide adjusts each day to the group and the weather.
Is this journey for you?
- Walking
- Long days of six to ten hours with high passes above 5,000 metres.
- Fitness
- Strong fitness and previous trekking at altitude.
- Altitude
- You sleep as high as 5,164 m, with acclimatisation built into the route. We send a health questionnaire and talk it through before you book.
- Terrain
- Rocky moraine and steep, loose gullies on three passes above 5,300 metres, a crossing of the Ngozumpa Glacier, and snow or ice on the Cho La.
The practical details
Where you stay
Named lodges or similar, confirmed in your proposal.
- 4 nights
Luxury hotel
Heritage luxury hotel in Kathmandu (Dwarika's or similar)
Kathmandu
- 6 nights
Premium lodge
Premium Khumbu lodge with heated rooms and en-suite bathroom (Yeti Mountain Home or similar)
Phakding · Namche Bazaar · Deboche · Lukla
- 11 nights
Best teahouse
Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
Thame · Lungden · Gokyo · Thagnak · Dzongla · Lobuche · Gorak Shep · Chhukung
Best time for the Everest Three Passes Trek
- JanJanuary: Not recommended. Cold and clear; snow can close high passes.
- FebFebruary: Not recommended. Cold and clear; snow can close high passes.
- MarMarch: Best. Spring begins: clear mornings, rhododendrons in bloom lower down.
- AprApril: Best. Peak spring season: warm days, flowers, busier trails.
- MayMay: Good. Warmer and hazier, with afternoon cloud as the monsoon nears.
- JunJune: Not recommended. Monsoon: rain most afternoons, leeches low down, mountains often hidden.
- JulJuly: Not recommended. Monsoon: heavy rain and frequent flight cancellations.
- AugAugust: Not recommended. Monsoon: heavy rain and frequent flight cancellations.
- SepSeptember: Good. Monsoon clears late in the month; lush valleys, some cloud.
- OctOctober: Best. Peak autumn season: clear views, festivals, busier trails.
- NovNovember: Best. Clear, stable and cooler; quieter after mid-month.
- DecDecember: Possible. Cold, clear and quiet; short days at altitude.
Seasons for this journey: Spring, Autumn. Choose a month for what to expect.
Comparing prices for the Everest Three Passes Trek?
Cheaper treks are usually group departures. Ask any operator:
- Is the guide yours alone?
- Yes. Only your own party travels together, never a group departure.
- How many guides and porters?
- A senior guide and a porter for every two guests.
- Are altitude checks written down?
- Twice a day above 3,000 m, with bottled oxygen on every high route.
- What if someone needs evacuating?
- A standing helicopter agreement, and insurance confirmed before you travel.
Included
- Himkora Host, plus a senior guide and a porter for every two guests
- All hotels and lodges as described
- All meals, including dinners in the cities
- Lukla flights
- Permits: Sagarmatha National Park and Khumbu fees
- Porters, private vehicles and every transfer
- Down jacket, sleeping bag and a Himkora duffel on loan
- Treated drinking water every day on the trail
- Twice-daily oxygen and pulse checks, and a full first-aid kit
- Guided sightseeing in Kathmandu as described
- The Himkora Care Standard, in full
Not included
6 items
- International flights
- Nepal visa (US$50 on arrival for 30 days)
- Travel insurance with evacuation cover (required)
- Gratuities and drinks
- Wi-Fi, charging and hot showers where lodges charge for them
- Extra nights or helicopters caused by weather delays (often covered by insurance)
Before you go
Permits we arrange for you
- Sagarmatha National Park entry and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee
We need a scan of your passport photo page and one passport photo about six weeks before travel. Permit fees are included in your price.
Visa and insurance
- Most nationalities get a Nepal tourist visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport, or online in advance. Check the Department of Immigration before you travel.
- Travel insurance is required. It must cover trekking to at least 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation; we check your policy before departure.
How we manage altitude
- Above 3,000 m, sleeping altitude rises by about 500 m a night (never more than 700 m, and then next to a rest day), with acclimatisation days built in.
- Your guide checks blood oxygen and pulse twice a day and carries bottled oxygen and a full medical kit.
- Guides always have the authority to descend, and we hold a standing helicopter-evacuation agreement in Kathmandu.
Getting ready
- Walking grade: Strenuous. We send a training plan with your proposal.
- Talk to your doctor or a travel clinic about altitude medication and vaccinations at least six weeks before you travel.
- We send a health questionnaire before booking and talk it through with you.
Mountain flights
- Lukla flights depend on clear weather. In busy months they may leave from Ramechhap, four to five hours' drive from Kathmandu; we arrange the transfer.
- Your itinerary ends with a spare day in Kathmandu, held in case weather delays the Lukla flight. If delays run on, we can arrange a helicopter (at cost).
- Domestic baggage is usually limited to about 15 kg including your cabin bag; extra can stay at your Kathmandu hotel.
Weather
- Days are usually bright and mild in season; nights drop below freezing above about 4,000 m.
- Afternoon cloud is normal; mornings bring the clearest views.
We provide
- A Himkora duffel for your porter to carry (up to 12 kg per guest)
- Down jacket and sleeping bag rated to −20°C, on loan
- Water purification, first-aid and the Care Standard kit
You bring
- Broken-in walking boots and four pairs of trekking socks
- Layers: base layers, fleece, waterproof shell jacket and trousers
- Warm hat, sun hat, gloves, sunglasses (category 3 or 4) and sunscreen
- Daypack (25–30 litres), refillable bottles, headtorch
- Personal medicines, and a copy of your insurance policy
A full packing list comes with your proposal.
Money
- Your journey is paid in advance, so you only need cash for drinks, souvenirs and tips.
- Nepali rupees are best on the trail; there are ATMs in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lukla and Namche.
Connectivity and tipping
- Most lodges have Wi-Fi, often slow and sometimes paid; mobile data works in many villages. Your guide carries a satellite messenger.
- Gratuities are not included and are always your choice. We send guidance for guides, porters and drivers with your pre-departure notes.
Similar journeys
All journeys
Everest Luxury Lodge Trek
Everest, hosted: the Khumbu's best lodges every night, Tengboche at dawn, and the option of a private helicopter up to the foot of the mountain.
Everest Base Camp Trek
The full walk to Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar, with the best lodges low down, the best rooms higher up, and two acclimatisation days.
Gokyo Lakes Trek
Turquoise lakes, the Ngozumpa Glacier and a wide Everest view from Gokyo Ri, away from the main Base Camp trail.
Questions guests ask
More answers on our questions page, or write to hello@himkora.com.
How much does the Everest Three Passes Trek cost?
From $7,300 per person, for two travelling privately, $6,800 per person for four and $11,300 if you travel alone. The price includes guiding, porters, accommodation, meals and permits as listed. Your proposal gives one clear price for your dates.
How many days is the Everest Three Passes Trek?
22 days as we have planned it, from your arrival in Nepal to your departure. Because it is private, we can add rest days or extra nights, or shorten it if you have less time.
How difficult is the Everest Three Passes Trek?
We grade it strenuous. Long days of six to ten hours with high passes above 5,000 metres. Strong fitness and previous trekking at altitude.
How high does the Everest Three Passes Trek go?
The highest point is 5,545 m, and the highest night is at 5,164 m. The itinerary includes acclimatisation days, and your guide checks your oxygen levels every morning and evening.
When is the best time for the Everest Three Passes Trek?
The best months are March, April, October and November. See the month-by-month guide above for the rest of the year.
Which permits do I need for the Everest Three Passes Trek?
You will need: Sagarmatha National Park entry and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee. We arrange all of them for you and include the fees in your price.
Is every journey private?
Yes. You travel only with the people you choose, on your dates. Your guide, porters and vehicles are yours alone, and the route can be adjusted before or during the journey.
What is included in the price?
Your Himkora Host and senior guide, porters, every hotel and lodge named in the itinerary, meals as listed, domestic flights, permits, park fees and private transfers. International flights, your Nepal visa, travel insurance, drinks and gratuities are not included.
How do deposits and payment work?
A 30% deposit confirms your journey, and the balance is due 90 days before travel. Your proposal sets out the full price and the cancellation terms before you pay anything. Our full booking terms are on the Booking terms page.
How fit do I need to be?
Each journey has a walking grade, explained on its page. Before you book, we send a short health questionnaire and talk through your walking history. If a route isn't right, we will say so and suggest one that is.
How do you manage altitude?
Above 3,000 metres our itineraries raise sleeping altitude by about 500 metres a night, never more than 700 metres and then only next to a rest day, with acclimatisation days built in. Guides check blood oxygen and pulse twice a day, carry bottled oxygen on high routes, and always have the authority to turn back.
Do I need special travel insurance?
Yes. Your policy must cover trekking to the highest altitude on your route (up to 6,000 metres on our high journeys), emergency medical treatment, helicopter rescue and repatriation. We check it before you travel.
What if flights to Lukla are delayed?
Mountain flights depend on the weather, and in busy months they may leave from Ramechhap rather than Kathmandu. Every Everest itinerary keeps a spare day in Kathmandu after the Lukla flight, so a weather delay doesn't cost you any of the trek. If delays run on longer, a helicopter can be arranged at cost.
Short on time, or a few days spare?
Add to this journey
Kathmandu Valley in Three Days
Patan, Bhaktapur, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath with a local historian, two nights in a heritage hotel and dinner at a family table.
Chitwan Safari in Three Days
A short flight to Chitwan, two nights at a safari lodge, jeep and canoe safaris for rhino, deer and birds, and a Tharu village evening.
Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Tour
A private helicopter from Pokhara up the Modi Khola gorge to Annapurna Base Camp, with time on the ground inside the Sanctuary. Back for a late breakfast.