Everest Three Pass Circuit Trek

Our team meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfers you to our partner hotel in Kathmandu. Take the afternoon to rest after your international flight.

In the evening, we hold a brief gear check and welcome briefing at the hotel.

We spend today reviewing trekking permits, checking medical kits, and ensuring all personal equipment meets high-altitude requirements. Our lead guide conducts a thorough safety briefing.

Enjoy a welcome dinner with the team in Kathmandu as we finalise our departure plans for the mountains.

An early morning transfer takes us to the domestic terminal for the short, scenic flight to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla (2,840 m). After meeting our local porters, we set off down the Dudh Koshi river valley.

The trail descends gently past stone mani walls and small farming hamlets to our lodge in Phakding (2,610 m).

We cross suspension bridges draped in prayer flags and follow the Dudh Koshi upstream through pine forests into Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo. After registering at the checkpoint, we cross the Hillary Suspension Bridge and begin a steep, sustained climb.

Halfway up the ridge, the first clear views of Mount Everest appear before we reach the bustling trading hub of Namche Bazaar (3,440 m).

We spend today letting our red blood cell counts adapt to the thinner air. After breakfast, we hike up to the Everest View Hotel and the Sagarmatha National Park Museum.

The afternoon is free to explore the bakery, gear shops, and winding stone alleys of Namche.

Leaving the main Everest Base Camp thoroughfare behind, we turn northwest up the Bhote Koshi river valley. The trail contours high above the river through quiet pine forests and scattered juniper groves.

We arrive by afternoon in Thame (3,800 m), an ancient village that is home to several renowned mountaineers and an old cliffside monastery.

Today's route follows ancient trade tracks used for centuries by salt caravans crossing into Tibet over the Nangpa La. The landscape becomes increasingly arid and alpine as we climb past yak pastures.

We reach the remote settlement of Lungden (4,380 m) by early afternoon, where we rest and hydrate for tomorrow's pass.

We make a pre-dawn start to climb steadily toward the Renjo La Pass (5,360 m). The ascent is steep over loose scree and stone staircases, rewarding our efforts with a sweeping view across the Gokyo valley and Cho Oyu.

We descend carefully past the turquoise waters of Dudh Pokhari to reach the lakeside lodges of Gokyo (4,750 m).

Before breakfast, we climb the steep ridge of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for a panorama of Cho Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, and Makalu towering over the Ngozumpa Glacier.

After descending for breakfast, we pack our gear and cross the lateral moraine of the glacier to reach the quiet outpost of Thagnak (4,700 m).

We start early to navigate the boulder fields leading up to the Cho La Pass (5,420 m). The final approach crosses a small glacier where microspikes or crampons may be required depending on seasonal snow.

After a careful descent down icy rock slabs, we continue down the valley to the small settlement of Zongla (4,830 m).

A shorter walking day allows us to recover from the pass crossing. The trail contours around the base of Lobuche Peak, offering direct views of Cholatse and Taboche across the valley.

We join the main Everest trail at Lobuche (4,930 m) by lunchtime and spend the afternoon resting.

We follow the rocky lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier past memorial cairns to Gorak Shep (5,164 m), our highest overnight stop. After checking into our lodge, we continue across the glacier debris to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m).

We spend time among the prayer flags and expedition tents before returning to Gorak Shep for the night.

We leave the lodge in the dark for a cold, steady two-hour climb to the rocky summit of Kala Patthar (5,555 m). As the sun rises, the golden light strikes Nuptse, Pumori, and the west face of Everest.

We descend to Gorak Shep for breakfast, then retrace our steps down valley to Lobuche (4,930 m).

Our final pass crossing begins with a traverse across the Khumbu Glacier moraine towards the base of the Khongma La Pass (5,535 m), the highest of the three notches.

The climb is demanding over high alpine terrain before descending steeply past alpine lakes into the Imja Khola valley and Chukung (4,730 m).

We leave Chukung and descend the wide glacial valley through Bibre and Dingboche, surrounded by stone-walled barley fields and towering walls of Ama Dablam.

We reach Pangboche (3,985 m) by early afternoon, where we visit one of the oldest monasteries in the Khumbu region.

The trail drops down to cross the Imja Khola at Phunki Tenga, followed by a steady climb through pine and rhododendron forests back up to Tengboche.

We continue descending past Sanasa and contour along the cliffside trail back into Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) for a celebratory evening.

Our final day of trekking is a long descent down the steep stone staircase to the suspension bridges over the Dudh Koshi river.

We pass through Monjo and Phakding, arriving in Lukla (2,840 m) by afternoon to celebrate the completion of the circuit with our porters.

We take an early morning flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu, weather permitting. Upon arrival, we transfer you to your hotel for a free afternoon to rest or explore the city.

A buffer day in Kathmandu allows for any flight delays from Lukla or gives you time to explore UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Boudhanath Stupa or Patan Durbar Square at your own pace.

Our team transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your international departure flight home.