Lobuche East Peak (6,119m) Climbing – 20 Days

After you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will need to go through customs. You will be greeted by our representative, who will be anxiously waiting for you with a placard displaying your name in his hand. You will be transferred to a 4-star hotel in a private vehicle.

Once you are refreshed, you will receive a briefing on the trek and itinerary, followed by a gear check. You will also be introduced to your crew members and other trekkers joining you on the trip. Enjoy a welcome dinner in the evening, where you can taste an authentic Nepali dinner. Stay overnight in a hotel.

In the morning, you will finish packing and get ready to begin your adventure. If you need to do any last-minute shopping, you will have time, and our guides can help. After lunch in Kathmandu, we will start our drive to Ramechhap to begin our adventure’s first step. As the drive begins, we’ll leave the busy street of Kathmandu and make our way towards Bhaktapur.

We’ll drive through terraced farmlands, lush green valleys, and riverside villages, with occasional glimpses of snow peaks on clear days. As we pass Dhulikhel, the road descends to the Sunkoshi River that follows most of the way. Additionally, the drive is a mix of paved and winding mountain roads, and can be bumpy at times. As we arrive in Ramechhap, we will stay overnight at a Freedom resort or a similar standard resort near the airport, with all meals provided.

Early in the morning, depending on our flight time, we will head to the airport, complete the check-in, and fly to Lukla. We will follow one of the most scenic air routes in the world, offering panoramic views of glistening mountains, to Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla. Lukla allows access to the Everest Khumbu region.

We will assemble the crew and have breakfast before starting the Gokyo trek and Lobuche East Climbing. Leaving Phakding, the route descends through Sherpa villages, mani walls, chortens, and suspension bridges over the Dudh Koshi River. The pathway passes through pine and rhododendron forests, with views of Kusum Kanguru (6,367m) and other peaks. Upon reaching Phakding, we’ll check into a lodge and spend the night there.

Leaving Phakding, we will walk along the Dudhkoshi River and enter the dense pine forest. We will cross suspension bridges and walk through dispersed houses of Zapute, Benkar, and Chumoa to reach Monjo. Monjo provides access to Sagarmatha National Park. We need to go through the required national park formalities before we can enter the park.

The Sagarmatha National Park is rich in Himalayan flora and fauna, including mammals and birds. From the park, we will descend to Hillary Bridge at the base of the hill. After crossing the bridge, we will follow the path up to Namche Bazaar. The path offers views of Thamserku, Everest, Lhotse, and other mountains and peaks. Stay overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Namche Bazaar serves as the major trade centre for local and neighbouring Tibetan trade. Namche is also popular as the capital of Sherpa land. It is wise to take a rest at Namche on this day. To help with acclimatization to the changing altitude, we can arrange a day hike to the small villages of Khumjung and Khunde. Visit the local monastery and observe the local lifestyle. The National Park head office, the Museum, and the monasteries are interesting places near Namche.

We can also arrange for a short visit to the Everest View Hotel, which is one of the highest placed hotels in the world. The hotel offers a close-up look at Mount Everest. We can find most modern facilities, including a hospital and a post office, at Namche. Stay overnight in Namche.

Being properly acclimatized, we will continue our Lobuche Peak Climbing adventure. As we leave Namche, we will follow a scenic path with close-up views of the mountains at the background to reach the pretty village of Sanasa. We will enjoy the views of Mount Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Thamserku, and other peaks.

Following the steep path, we will cross the rhododendron forest to reach the Mongla viewpoint. After capturing the panoramic views of the mountains from the perspective, we will descend to Phortse Thanga. Stay overnight and have dinner at Phortse Thanga.

The trail escalates uphill from Phortse Thanga to Dole. Following the steep, narrow route upward, we will reach the top of the ridge. We will walk past Lhabarma (4,220 meters) and reach Luza (4,360 meters). As you climb higher, the vegetation slowly thins, and a vast view of mountain peaks is visible, including Kangtega, Thamserku, and Cho Oyu.

Passing through scrub, we will climb along the side of the valley to reach Machhermo (4,410 meters). This area is known as the native land of the mythical ape-man, the Yeti. Locals believe the Yeti was first seen in Machhermo in 1974. Few teahouses in Machhermo offer accommodation. Stay overnight in Machhermo.

This is another rest day. We start our acclimatization day with a gradual hike up to a nearby ridge above Machhermo. As we ascend, the valley opens up, showcasing the spectacular panorama of Himalayan peaks such as Cho Oyu (8,188 meters), the sixth-highest mountain in the world, along with Kangtega, Thamserku, and Taboche. The ridge provides a vantage point for photography with views of snow-covered ridges, glaciers, and the meandering Dudh Koshi River below.

After the visit to the ridge, we’ll descend to the village for lunch and a bit of rest. Afterward, we’ll visit the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) Aid Post, an important facility that serves trekkers and locals in the region. In the afternoon, the HRA staff often conduct briefings and educational sessions about altitude sickness, safety tips, and acclimatization techniques. You can spend the rest of the day relaxing at the lodge, enjoying warm Sherpa hospitality, or exploring the surroundings of Machhermo. Stay overnight in Machhermo. This is the last settlement that we will find before Gokyo.

Leaving Machhermo, we will walk through Dudh Koshi Valley to Gokyo village. The trail leads us to Pangka village (4480m), which offers spectacular views of Everest, Thamserku, Nuptse, and other peaks. We will walk through Nepal’s largest Ngozumpa Glacier rejoicing the pleasant views of Kantega Peak and Cho Oyu (8153m).

As we make our way through the moraine and rock, we will get the first view of the three Gokyo Lakes, including Longponga Lake, Taboche Tsho Lake, and Dudh Pokhari La. While exploring the Lakes, we’ll get to the day’s destination, Gokyo.

We’re gonna have breakfast early and prepare the packed lunch. Then we’ll start our day hike towards Fifth Lake and Ngozumba Lake, up to 5,100 meters elevation. It’s the way to go to Mt. Cho Oyu (8,201 meters) base camp. On the day, we’ll hike about 3 hours up and about 2 hours down, for a total of about 5 hours/6 hours.

Today’s hike will really help us get fit and acclimatize to an elevation of 5,000 meters. And we return to Gokyo Lake and enjoy a free afternoon/evening exploring the area. Stay another overnight at Gokyo Lake.

On the eleventh day, we’ll make a hike to Gokyo Ri early in the morning. Located at an altitude of 5,360 meters. Gokyo Ri is one of the best viewpoints in the Everest region. The ascent to Gokyo takes about 2 to 3 hours and is quite demanding. However, as we reach the top, the spectacular views of Everest and three other mountains over 8000 meters, including Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makalu, will welcome us and make our every effort worthwhile.

The sight of the Ngozumpa Glacier, Nepal’s largest glacier, is also awe-inspiring from the summit of Gokyo Ri. After the exploration, we’ll descend back to Gokyo, have lunch, and then continue our walk towards the day’s destination, Thangnak, also known as Dragnag. This part of the journey involves crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier through a landscape of ice ridges, moraines, and small glacial ponds. Stay overnight at Dragnag/ Thangnak.

On the twelfth day of the Lobuche Himalayan adventure, we’ll conquer one of the toughest parts of the journey, Cho La Pass (5,420 meters). Early morning before dawn, we’ll make our way towards the pass. Cho La is one of the famous three high passes in the Everest region. Climbing Cho La Pass is a challenging task that requires crossing a steep, narrow slope. The steep glaciated path adds to the difficulty. Heading east, we will reach Phedi and walk along the frozen lake to the top of the pass, marked by cairns and prayer flags.

We will enjoy close-up views of Ama Dablam Mountain to the south and Cholatse peak to the west, while also getting soaring views of Lobuche East and Baruntse. As we walk through crevasses, we will reach Dzongla village, which offers views of Cholatse, Lobuche, and other peaks. Stay overnight in Dzong La.

We will leave Dzongla in the late morning and follow the levelled path for a brief period before the trail begins to contour up through steep boulders. Walking along the Lobuche glacier, we will enjoy spectacular views of Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Pokalde, Thamserku, Kantega, and other peaks.

The journey continues through moraine to High Camp. Depending on the weather, we need to walk through ice sections and crevasses. So, we may need to use both a fixed rope and a man rope. It’s a relatively short trek, as you must spend as much time as you can in High Camp so that your summit push day will be easier for you. Stay overnight at Lobuche High Camp.

This is the day that all of us have been waiting for. We will wake up very early at around 3 a.m., and prepare for the climb of Lobuche. This is because we aim to reach the summit of Lobuche East before noon. After a light breakfast, we will follow the Southeast Ridge to the summit. We will proceed through snow and ice with the help of a fixed rope that our Sherpas will place earlier.

After taking a gradual climb to a plateau at around 6,000 meters, we will walk through the exposed ridge summit slopes from where we will reach the summit. Views from Lobuche East Summit include Khumbu Valley, Mount Everest, Lhotse Mountain, Nuptse Mountain, Ama Dablam Mountain, Cholatse Peak, Pumori Mountain, Cho Oyu Mountain, and many more. We will take pictures and then head to Lobuche, where we will rest and spend the night at a teahouse.

Today’s descent will be refreshing as you shift from high altitude to a greener section. Leaving Lobuche, we’ll retrace the route along the Khumbu Glacier, with views of Pumori, Lingtren, and Nuptse. Accompanied by the peaks, we’ll descend toward Thukla Pass (4,830 meters). From Thukla, the path continues down the Imja Khola valley, passing through juniper and rhododendron shrubs.

Continuing the descent, we’ll reach Pheriche for lunch. Continuing the trek after lunch, we follow the descending trail to the small Pangboche village. Pangboche has the largest Sherpa settlement in the region. We may also visit the ancient Pangboche Monastery located at the top of a nearby hill. Stay overnight in Pangboche.

This is going to be an easy day to trek. We will leave Pangboche after breakfast with a descent to the valley and walk along the river before continuing our walk through the subtropical forest to Tyangboche Hill. From Tyangboche, we will descend to the river valley and follow the river before climbing uphill towards Kyanjuma. A brief walk from Kyanjuma will take us to Namche, where we will spend the night.

Day seventeen marks the final walking day on the Lobuche East Peak Climbing. We’ll have our morning meal at Namche while enjoying views of the Khumbu region. After breakfast, we’ll leave Namche Bazaar. From Namche, we will descend to the rhododendron forest and walk along the Dudhkoshi River towards Phakding. At Pahkding, we’ll stop for lunch and take a moment to rest. After lunch, we will continue walking past the walled road of Ghat and reach Lukla. Stay overnight in Lukla.

We will catch an early morning flight from Lukla to Ramechhap. As soon as we get off the plane, we will start our drive to Kathmandu. We might take a break in the middle for Breakfast or Lunch, depending on time. Once you arrive in Kathmandu, check into your hotel and get ready to enjoy the celebration meal in the evening. Stay overnight in a hotel in Kathmandu.

In the morning, after breakfast, prepare for the guided city tours, which last about 3 hours, and enjoy exploring the city and heritage sites of the Kathmandu Valley. On the day, you’ll explore two prominent heritage sites of Kathmandu, including Pashupatinath Temple and Bouddhanath Stupa. Afternoon and evening will be free time on your own, you can go shopping for your loved ones, family members, friends, etc.

However, note that due to the climate, flight delays in Lukla are common. Also, we might lag behind schedule due to unforeseen circumstances. Under such conditions, we will catch a flight from Lukla to Ramechhap/Kathmandu on this day, and you will be transferred to the hotel. Spend the day as you like.

Day twenty marks your final day in Nepal. Let us know your flight time, and we will transfer you to the airport 3 hours before your scheduled flight. Our representative will bid you farewell. We hope you enjoyed the trip and remember us for your future adventure in Nepal. Safe journey. We hope to see you soon.