The Hike to Everest Basecamp and Gokyo!

Nepal. One of the most beautiful countries in the world, with the kindest people and the highest mountains! An entire range of white peaks characterizes the landscapes, almost as if it are clouds above the horizon. Believe me, if you go to Nepal, you want to explore these fantastic sceneries! You can even hike up to Everest Basecamp, without being an experienced mountain climber.

When you go to Nepal, you have many options to make beautiful hikes throughout the Himalayas. Several routes will take you through different sceneries, such as jungle, various villages and, of course, insane mountain ranges. But when we visited Nepal, we did not hesitate for a second: we definitely wanted to hike all the way to Everest basecamp! And we haven’t regretted it for one bit; as it was one of the most beautiful and exciting experiences we ever had.

The Himalayas, Nepal

To start this trekking you have to fly to Lukla. An fantastic flight from Kathmandu to this little mountain village will treat you with endless views of rice fields and tiny villages beneath you, and a preview of the mountains on your side. After you land on the most dangerous airstrip of the world you can start your adventure! The trek takes you through beautiful mountain villages, across high bridges and, through forest and highland landscapes. As you get higher, more and more massive mountains will surround you. Make sure you always back off when a group of yaks crosses your path, before they will bump you of the road… Every night you can stay in one of the villages, where there are plenty of teahouses to accommodate you. You can enjoy a nice meal, rest a bit and meet fellow hikers.

The hikes in these areas are not necessarily strenuous, but the conditions are, because of the altitude. Don’t go to fast and rise to quickly; make sure you acclimatize! Just walk slow and enjoy the views …

Dingbonche Village (4410m)

When you make it to Everest Basecamp (5364 m.), make sure you also hike up to Kala Patthar. At the basecamp itself, you don’t get a good peek at this beast, but on the top of Kala Patthar (5643 m.) you do! Not only mount Everest, but all the beautiful mountains around it, such as Nuptse and Lotse, will give you an incredible and unforgettable view!

On top of Kala Patthar! Mount Everest (left) and Nuptse (right) in the back.

For a lot of people, Everest Basecamp is the main goal of their hike, and they walk down the same route. We took a little detour to another, maybe even more beautiful highlight. We had to cross over a high pass (Cho La Pass; 5420 m.), walk through snow and over a glacier, but made it to a little town called Gokyo. At the shore of the bluest lake we have ever seen, we again had the opportunity to hike up to a viewpoint. Being entirely out of breath while walking baby steps up the mountain, you eventually reach the top of Gokyo Ri (5357 m.). With Gokyo lakes and a backdrop of the highest peaks of the Himalayas (including Mount Everest), this again was an unforgettable view!

As said, this was one of the most incredible experiences we ever had, and we highly recommend you to explore the beautiful Himalaya’s around the highest mountain on the planet. You will be blown away.

On top of Gokyo Ri!