What is the best season to visit Everest Base Camp via Gokyo Ri?
If you are planning for the Everest Base Camp via Gokyo and Cho La Pass Trek, the best season to visit is Spring and Autumn. Spring and Autumn season are undoubtedly the most popular and best season for trekking.
Spring Season (March, April and May) and Autumn Season (September, October and November) are best because the weather, climate, temperature and the panoramic views works for your favor during these seasons. The month like February and December is also one of the best times to go for Gokyo Lake with Everest Base Camp Trekking.
Generally, the months of Summer/Monsoon is not preferred as the weather is inconsistent and wet. And the months of Winter is not recommended as it gets very cold at night during the winter and the trails are slippery due to heavy snowfall.
How to prepare for Everest Base Camp via Gokyo Ri Trek?
If you are planning for the EBC via Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass Trek, it is crucial for you to build your physical strength and endurance as well as the mental resilience. On a short span of 15 Days, your body will gain up to 4500 elevations gain that is not very easy for a normal person. You need to focus more on your physical fitness and mental strength for the trek.
For the better physical endurance during the Everest Base Camp Trek with Gokyo Lake, you can start doing your workout session like cardiovascular workout for better breathing and leg workout. For the mental health, you can start practicing relaxation, meditation, yoga for better mind control. Since, we don’t know what will be unfolded, we always have to be prepared.
How difficult is Everest Base Camp with Gokyo and Cho La Pass Trekking?
Everest Base Camp via Cho La Pass Trek is a strenuous to challenging trek. From the flat, uphill and downhill landscapes to rugged narrow terrain of mountainous region, EBC Trek with Gokyo Lake and Cho La Pass is a complete package for thrill seekers. You need to walk average on 5 – 6 hours daily with the average elevation gain up to 400 m per day. You will be having your adrenaline burst while cross the Cho La Pass using crampons. Steady walk on the Glacier itself is more challenging.
As the trek is quite challenging, you have to be prepared physically and mentally. This trek will take you to high altitude like Gokyo Ri (5,360 m), Cho La Pass (5,420 m) and Kalapathhar (5,545 m) so the trek is quite difficult for the beginners.
If you have a previous trekking experience, it would be of a great help and we highly recommend you to have a firsthand experience of trekking before the EBC with Gokyo Ri Trek in Nepal. But even if you are a beginner to trekking, we suggest you to start working out 2 to 3 months before trekking. You should make sure to prior inform us about your trekking experience so that our team can prepare accordingly.
What other modes of Transportation are there to reach Lukla?
In order to reach Lukla, there are mainly three ways written below: -
Direct Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla: You can get a direct flight to Lukla from Kathmandu. The flight is around 35 min long and is only operated by special airlines during spring, winter and autumn (January, February, June, July, August, September and December).
Flight from Kathmandu to Ramechhap, Drive from Manthali to Lukla: This is one of the best alternatives for reaching Lukla. The flight to Lukla is unsure and can get cancelled due to weather conditions so, you can book a flight from Kathmandu to Manthali then either fly to Lukla or can get a 4 -5 hrs jeep ride to Lukla.
Helicopter Flight to Lukla: There are a few options that you can choose from with the helicopter ride. From Kathmandu to Lukla and vice versa on a sharing basis with five people at the price of US$ 500-700. There is also the option of a direct ride from the base camp or Gorak Shep to Kathmandu for a private heli ride.
Land Trip to Ramechhap, Flight from Manthali to Lukla: The weather at Lukla is very uncertain. Your flight can get delayed or cancelled at any time. As the alternate option, you can drive on a reserved Jeep or microbus to Manthali then take a flight to Lukla. Or you can just choose the alternate ways.
Land Trip to Lukla: You can go on a land trip to Lukla by starting the drive from Kathmandu to Salleri (Via Local Bus). You can stay overnight at Salleri and then catch a four- wheeler jeep from Salleri to Tham Dada that takes around 9 hours and start your trek to Phaiya for about 6 hours. Then directly reach to Pheriche the next day by trek.
What kind of accommodation is provided during Everest Base Camp Trekking with Gokyo Ri and Cho La Pass?
Everest Base Camp with Gokyo Ri and Cho La Pass Trek is a complete package of adventure and eye pleasure to all those that are nature lovers. As the Everest Region lies in the remote area. The facilities and amenities are less developed and can range to bare minimum as you ascend to higher altitude. At the higher altitude, there are fewer human settlements so there are few teahouses providing ample of facilities.
There is no star rated hotels but you can find lodges and teahouses that provides basic and standard rooms at Lukla, Phakding and Namche Bazaar basically lower altitude places. These places provide accommodation with twin room and attached bathrooms, whereas as you ascend to higher altitude, there will be twin room but you will have to use the shared bathroom. Moreover, some teahouses may charge you for the extra blanket so make sure to carry a sleeping bag. If you are travelling with Walk Mountain, we will provide you your own sleeping bag for the trek.
Meals during Trek at Everest Base Camp via Gokyo
As stated, Everest Region is one of the less developed regions of Nepal. So, during this two-week long trek, WalkMountain Pvt. Ltd. will provide you Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner during the trek to Gokyo Lake with Everest Base Camp. On a lower altitude, you can get variety of meal options but as you ascent the meal option will be limited. We recommend you to have food with high carbohydrates and protein to have more energy during the trek. Our team highly suggests you to have Nepalese traditional cuisine ‘Dal Bhat Tarkari’ as rice contains, high carbs, and lentils contains high protein.
Communication facility during EBC via Chola Pass and Gokyo Trek
There is very limited communication facility on the Everest Base Camp via Gokyo and Cho La Pass Trek. Majority of the teahouses and lodges has the Wi-Fi and Internet Connection at the trail. The availability might decrease as you ascend to higher altitude. But you can get the local sim card that will allow you to use basic internet service up to higher altitude as well.
Regarding the electricity, most of the teahouses are dependent upon the solar power battery. Hence, there is not electrical power at many teahouses. You may also not find the electrical port at your room, and some teahouse will charge you money for charging, hot water and many other purposes. So, we strongly recommend you to bring a durable battery power bank.
Water Related facility during EBC via Gokyo and Cho La Pass Trek
There is surely hot water facility during the trek for bathing. At lower altitude and main areas like Lukla, Phakding, Namche Bazaar, you can get attached bathroom with hot water facility but as you ascend, tea houses will charge you some amount varying from 5$ to 10$ for hot water bath.
Requirement of Travel Insurance for EBC via Gokyo Ri and Cho La Pass Trek in Nepal
Trekking in Nepal is fun. With the breath-taking scenarios to the most amazing memories, trekking in Nepal will be the most wonderful journey of your life. Trekking at high altitude is exciting but it does involve risk. We cannot foresee danger but we can apply various measures to control danger. Hence, travel insurance is mandatory. Variety of risk like stumbling, accidents, altitude sickness, might occur during the trek. There is not any reliable help post at such high altitude and the ones that are available can cost insane amount of money. So, to avoid any kind of mishaps you should get your travel insurance that ensures your safe evacuation and treatment in case of emergencies. So, we recommend you to do your travel insurance before coming to Nepal.
Altitude Sickness during EBC via Gokyo and Cho La Trek
While trekking, we ascent from the lower altitude to higher altitude. The starting elevation of this trek is 1310 m and the maximum elevation is up to 5555 m above the sea level. Our standard Everest Base Camp via Gokyo and Cho La Pass Trekking Itinerary, is customized by the group of experts considering the low risk of altitude sickness. However, while ascending towards such high altitude in short period of time our body needs to adjust to that height. That’s why acclimatization is necessary while trekking to EBC. Otherwise, you can get Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) if worsen you can result to High altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Altitude sickness is caused by ascending too rapidly, which doesn't allow the body enough time to adjust to reduced oxygen and changes in air pressure.
- You cannot totally avoid altitude sickness but following are some of the ways to minimize it.
- You should not rush. You must ascent slowly and steadily so that your body can slowly adjust to the high altitude.
- You should hike as high as you can during the acclimatization rest and return to the lower altitude for sleep. Acclimatization not only helps to prevent altitude sickness but also aids the body in recovering exhausted muscles and adjusting to the shifting oxygen levels.
- You shall intake sugar (chocolates that has nuts, Choco bar, energy bars); protein and drink enough warm water during your hike to avoid altitude sickness.
- If you still have mild symptoms of altitude sickness you can try medications like acetazolamide or nifedipine can prevent altitude sickness and treat it.
