A Complete Guide: Gokyo Lake Trek

29th Jul, 2020

Gokyo Lake Trek is a surprising trekking adventure in the Everest region of Nepal. It offers trekkers a chance to explore the breathtaking Gokyo Valley, which is home to a series of pristine, glacial lakes surrounded by towering Himalayan peaks. This trek is an excellent alternative or addition to the classic Everest Base Camp Trek, offering a  natural beauty and culture as well as a quieter and less crowded trekking experience. 

Gokyo Lake Trek Information

Gokyo is the name of the place and lakes. There are five lakes located in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Gaupalika of Solukhumbu district in North- eastern Nepal. Gokyo Lake is also called Dhudh Pokhari and it is the main source of Dudh Kosi River. Gokyo Valley surface area is 196.2 ha (485 acres) and elevation is 16,400 ft. Beside the lake, there are many other beautiful attractions to see for Trekkers such as Mt. Cho-you and Ngozumpa glacier. Cho-Oyu (8,200 m height) is the 6th highest mountain in the world and Ngozumpa glacier is the biggest glacier in the world.

Therefore, Gokyo Lake Trek is a wonderful and adventure trip to the Everest Region of Nepal. It is a beautiful trekking trail but less crowded alternative trekking route and becoming a popular trekking trail in the region.
Beside the Mountain View and glacier, the major highlights of the treks are the amazing turquoise lake at an altitude around 5,000 m. The lake is holy to Hindus and Buddhist religion and many pilgrimage travelers trek there in the month of August on the occasion of Janai Purnima festival.

Gokyo Lake Trek Facts

-Cost: US$ 1000- 1400 (Depends on itinerary and package service)
-Duration: 10 -14 Days
-Difficulty: Moderate- Challenging
-Highest Elevation: Gokyo Ri – 5,360 m
-Accommodation: Lodge/ Guest House/ Tea House
-Walking hours: 4-7 hours per day

Gokyo Lake Trek Highlights

-The short and exciting scenic Mountain Flight to and from the Lukla Airport
-Sagarmatha National Park: worthy about nature and culture with unique flora and fauna also a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site
-Visit National Park and Sherpa museum in Namche Bazaar
-Explore many Local Sherpa Villages with their culture, traditions and lifestyle.
-The five Gokyo lakes in Gokyo Valley
-The peaceful Gokyo valley
-Gokyo Ri: stunning view points include Mt. Everest, Mt. Cho-you, Mt. Makalu and other snow Peak Mountain.
-Chance to explore the Ngozumpa (Biggest glacier in the world) glacier

How to get Gokyo Lakes and Itinerary of Gokyo Lake Trek

There are many options to get to Gokyo Lakes, but the main and easiest way is to take a direct flight to Lukla from Kathmandu and trekking there for about 6/8 days. If you have time and trekking experience, you can use Everest Camp Trek and get Gokyo Lakes via Cho-la Pass. Another way is Renjo-la pass-through Thame village to get to the Gokyo Lakes. The itinerary below is for a regular route to Gokyo lakes and back.

Itinerary of Gokyo Lake Trek

Day 01: Early flight to Lukla (2860 m) 30 minutes and trek to Phakding (2610 m) 3/4 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 02: Trek to Namche (3440 m) 6/7 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 03: Rest day at Namche (3440 m) explore around Namche. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 04: Trek to Dole (4038 m) 6/7 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 05: Trek to Machhermo (4470 m) 4/5 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 06: Trek to Gokyo (4750 m) 4 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 07: Rest day at Gokyo (4750 m) hike up to Gokyo Ri (5360 m) 4 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 08: Trek to Dole (4038 m) 5/6 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 09: Trek to Namche (3440 m) 6 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 10: Trek to Lukla (2860 m) 6/7 hrs walk. Overnight in Tea-house
Day 11: Fly back to Kathmandu (1350 m) and transfer to a hotel. Overnight in Hotel

Best Time for Gokyo Lake Trek

Time and seasons are important matters for all travelers. So, you have to choose the best time for Gokyo Lake Trekking. Autumn trekking season (September to November) and spring trekking season (March to May) are the best Trekking seasons in Nepal and most popular time of the year for Gokyo Lake Treks. The time is favorable weather is sunny and warm with wonderful surrounding mountains views, compared with other trekking seasons.
Winter and summer seasons are off- season and less popular time for trekking in Nepal but If you want and wish to avoid crowds and enjoy some alone time with nature and culture, you can do this trip during the winter (December/January and February) and summer also could be an option. But the temperature during winter could be cold for most trekkers and dally raining in summer. So, you can choose the best time for Gokyo Lake Trekking. Upper Mustang is the best trek in the summer season and Ghorepani Poon Hill is the best trek in winter season in Nepal.

At all,  The best time to embark on the Gokyo Lake Trek is during the spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) seasons. The weather will be stable, and the skies are clear,  so it's providing excellent visibility of the mountains.

Gokyo Lake Trek Difficulty

The Gokyo Lake Trek is a moderately difficult trek in the Everest Region of Nepal but does not require any technical climbing skills and trekking experience. This trek is difficult because of high altitude and the trek duration is long. Normally, trekkers have to walk at least 4 to 7 hours a basic day without the acclimatization days. So, this trek is challenging for beginner trekkers.
However, this Gokyo Lakes Trek 10 day’s itinerary is perfect for you if you trek in Nepal without physical stress. After summiting the Gokyo- Ri that will be an incredible experience, even for beginner trekkers. So, you may not think about the difficulty of the whole trek.
Gokyo Ri stands at an altitude of 5,360 m in the Gokyo Valley. After climbing Gokyo Ri, from the top of Gokyo Ri a chance to observe the unforgettable view of the picturesque mountains greets you in clear weather such as Everest, Lhotse, Cho- you, Makalu and many more snow- capped mountains like Cholatse and Taboche. If you have a long-time frame, you can use a difficult trekking trail through the famous Chola pass and Renjola Pass which are among the famous passes in the Everest region. There are definitely some factors that add to Gokyo Lake Trek difficulty. Those factors should help you for the trekking experience.

Food and accommodation of Gokyo Lake Trek

The lodges and tea- houses are comfortable and warm in the Gokyo Lake Trek but become more basic if you go higher. Normally, rooms are twin beds and a shared bathroom is out of room. The beds have enough warm mattresses, pillows and thin blankets. Almost all lodges have hot showers available which are from gas heat. Wi-Fi and mobile networks are also available in a few places above Namche. If you buy the all trekking package of Gokyo Lake Trek with Register Trekking Company, they provide all the service you require from Kathmandu to Kathmandu. Normally they charge $1000 to $1400 depending on your package and service.
Food is good at every lodge, and you can choose from food menu items, but we recommend you try local foods such as Tsampa Porridge, Dalbhat, and Fried Potatoes. They also offer a variety of western food such as macaroni, pasta, pizza, chips, meat steak, and lasagna. You have to take warm sleeping bag for sleeping and some lights snacks such as some bars and cookies during the Gokyo Lake Trek

Conculsion 

Gokyo Lake Trek is an unforgettable journey through some of Nepal's most spectacular landscapes. With the right preparation, you can experience the natural beauty, culture and wonderful adventure trek as well as offer staying safe and comfortable along the way.