Gokyo – Chola Pass – Everest Base Camp Trekking

Additional Information

Lukla flight 

Lukla airport is one of the most exciting airport in the world where in peak seasons, the airport becomes very busy with many flights from Kathmandu. Sometime due to unexpected weather the flight can be delay and cancellation of the flight is common here. If there will be uncertainty Lukla flight, also can have helicopter charter from Kathmandu which will be little expensive than regular aero plane flight. Even sometimes weather will change suddenly, so we suggest to have one more night in Kathmandu after finishing Gokyo, Cho La Pass, Everest Base Camp Trekking. 

Trekking Difficulty 

Is it difficult to trek to Gokyo, Chola Pass, and Everest Base Camp?  You do not need to be a good Football player or Olympic athlete to success it. Sometime, we have many experience of young people failing to reach Gokyo, Everest Base Camp and older people succeeding. So, anyone who is mentally and physically fit can easily completer the journey to destination. Walking slowly, drink plenty of water, enjoying nature, avoiding cold, eating a balanced died and mentally daring to reach Gokyo Lake with EBC with happy mood are the hallmarks of your successful journey to destination. Though, this trekking trail is more challenging having steep hills with zigzagged path, sometime with ice but there will be no need any technical equipment or skill. 

High Altitude Sickness 

If the trekkers have symptoms of headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, rapid pulse with sleeping problem, he/she is suffered by high altitude sickness.  The other factors such as changing weather, cold, sun, wind, low oxygen and bad foods are the key component of high altitude sickness. So trekkers need to warm while trekking Gokyo Lake, EBC with proper clothes and equipment. It can affect people of any age, sex and physical conditions. So, we suggest our clients, do not drink alcohol and smoke, drink plenty of water while hiking to EBC, train your body and strength up before trekking, eat energy food, and mentally be happy during your journey. The most common medicine for preventing high altitude sickness is Diamox or Acetazolamide. Even our guide takes Diamox on the route which is easily purchased in Kathmandu and Namche Bazaar. Ascending down is the solution to avoid high altitude as the altitude sickness affects people from the elevation of 2600 meters above sea level. For normal high altitude sickness our guide helps to control by providing medicine and good food and he takes to medication center where available. If the trekkers feel bad, we send private helicopter for rescue, which is covered by your personal travel insurance. So, individual insurance is necessary while trekking to Gokyo Lake, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp. 

Best Time to Go 

If you are looking trek to Gokyo, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp, must know the best time to visit such as weather and circumstances with other factors that affects in your trip. The best time to visit Everest Base Camp is March – May and Sep – Nov due to clear sky and pleasant temperature.  Spring and autumn is considered as the best season to trek Everest Base Camp. In spring, the days are warmer and longer whereas the autumn has short days. October and April is the peak touristic months having more crowd but the weather is fantastic and amazing.
Pre-monsoon is called spring season that covers the month of March, April and May whereas the lower region of Everest, rhododendron and flower blooms with warm temperature. In higher route, there will be more chance of problematic snowfall with sunny weather. 
Post-monsoon is called autumn season that covers the month of September, October and November whereas the Himalaya is full of blue sky, pleasant atmosphere, moderate temperature with less chance of problematic snowfall. As for the climate, it is neither warmer at day or not freezing cold at night. The Tea houses, cafes are full of tourist and visitors in autumn season. 

Accommodation 

During the trekking trail to Gokyo Lake, Chola pass and Everest Base Camp, trekkers sleep and eat in Tea houses. Tea houses provide tea and food which is the best possible accommodation available on the route. Tea houses offer very basic accommodation facilities having bed and blanket inside the room and some places attached bathroom too. The tea houses looks very basic and normal but it is neat and clean. For luxury trekkers, even there are best lodges in lower part such as in Lukla, Monjo, Phakding and Namche Bazaar with cost per night 100$ above. In our program, we provide simple/normal lodge for trekkers and according of their choice and interest also can provide luxury lodge where available. Though, tea houses provide us the blanket but it is not enough to reduce cold. That is why, we suggest to bring sleeping bag own self to make warm and safety night.

 
Food and water 

Food and water is very important things during the trekking to Gokyo Lake, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp. Tea houses provide breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Tea/coffee. Trekkers can choose the food from Menu list what they like to eat such as Nepali food (Dal Bhat), soups, snakcs, momos, fried Rice, continental and American breakfast, porridge, Bread with Jam and honey, Eggs, noodles, spaghetti, spring roll, fried potatoes, and steak. We recommend to have vegetarian food during trek due to porter and yaks carry meat from lower region which is not refrigerated that may cause stomach problem. Therefore, we would highly recommend to avoid meat dishes on the route with exception of tinned fish and preserved items. So, no need to carry food except chocolates, such as Diary milk, Snickers, Mars and so on. 

Do not drink water from river or water fall; local people can easily drink the running water that is not fit for foreigners as they do not have habit before. So, we recommend to drink bottle water or boiled water for good health that keeps our body safe. Even, trekkers keep purification tablet inside water, kills 99.9% of bacteria, virus and protozoa. Because of the altitude, it is recommend to drink 2-3 liters per day. 

Hire a Guide 

A person having license from Nepal government, who guides visitor, interprets the cultural and nature, leads the right track to the Himalaya having responsible work recognized by the appropriate authority is known as trekking guide. Guide not only led the way rather he is the ambassador of country explaining People, history, geography, religion and make successful attempt for visitors. 

Trekking guide is also knows as Trek Leader who makes easy access in Himalayan region to book Tea houses, order food for visitors, manage porters, and lead the right trail to destination. During trekking, Guide is a good friend, makes entertainment with fun and laughter too. So, Trekking guides has very important role who not only make enjoyable trip but also educate the visitors through interpretation and contribute sustainability of local environment. The trekking agency should choose appropriate guide by providing suitable training time and again though they are government license holder. Guides expected to work to a high level of customer service keeping good reputation of the company and clients. 

That is why our Guide has good communication skill, immediately solve the problem, decision making with self-motivation having physically strong and fit. Either the visitor go to Everest region trek, Annapurna region trek, Upper Mustang trek or other trekking trail, our guide makes successful effort to complete the trip. 

Hire a Porter 

Trekking porters are those people who carry the gear of trekkers from one place to other, lives in village especially from Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung and Rai, community. They are very innocent, kind, pleasant and smiling having broken English will be together from beginning to the end of the trip. During Everest Base Camp, Treking, Guide will fly with the visitors from Kathmandu and he manages the porters who are waiting out of airport for at Lukla airport. During Everest region trek, porters is not living with you rather they stay at porter house, comes early morning to receive the luggage at Visitor's Tea house and in the evening same, they depart to own porter house after completing their effort. Porters are the backbone of the trekking without them it will be incomplete. A trekking porter carries 25 kg to 30 kg of gears who are very fit from mountain altitude. Porters are the transport of the visitors so must be good relationship with Guide and trekkers. During the end of the trek at Lukla, we suggest for visitor to have TIP to porters for their support and cooperation. 

Telephone and Internet 

The internet, telephone and mobile phone is available all the way to Everest Base Camp. There are multiple option for Internet such as Everest Link, with mobile network such as NTC and NCELL. Sometimes internet becomes poor during the time of bad weather or snow. Everest Link internet works all the way to EBC can purchase Wi-Fi cards too but comparatively NCELL and NTC are cheaper that works during trekking trail as well as Kathmandu too. But for trekking route, Everest Link is better due to its speed and capacity. Even the guest houses have WI-FI during the lower region such as Lukla, Phakding and Namche which is not free, may charge to you.  But in Gokyo Lake, Chola Pass region both telephone such as NTC and NCELL does not work but the Tea houses have phone for emergency contact to Kathmandu office, out guide can use phone from local tea house. 
Due to the exciting geography and sometime bad weather conditions the mobile network has not access in all parts of the trial but the network such as NCELL and NTC works most of the places. The both NTC and NCELL Sim Cards can purchase at Tribhuvan Interantional Airport, Kathmandu or in the street of touristic town Thamel. 

Toilet and Shower 

Wherever travel in the Himalaya, must know the circumstances of toilet and shower before depart to the destination. During the trekking to Gokyo, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp, in higher route, toilet should be shared by all trekkers due to common Tea houses only with normal beds in the room. But in Lower part such as Lukla, Phakding and Namche Bazaar, there are attached bath room with toilet and shower inside. Bucket Shower is possible in high altitude such as in Gokyo Lake, Chola Pass, Lobuche and Gorakshep due to no running water. But during the time of bad weather for example if heavy snow at that time it is hard to get shower above 4500 meters. We suggest to bring toilet paper during the trail due to very cold water for your safety and protection. 

Trek Insurance 

Trek insurance is very important component during the trek to Everest Base Camp. We suggest trekkers to make plan to be covered up to 5500 meters. Due to unexpected event or emergency evacuation, if the trekkers feel uncomfortable to walk in Himalaya, Helicopter rescue is necessary along with administration in hospital. So, need insurance for your safety and protection. There are so many insurance companies, you may find in internet and make strong insurance for your security. There may occur so many causes such as altitude sickness, accidents, physical illness, flight cancellation, that is why need to make insurance before you fly to Nepal for Everest Base Camp Trek. 

Trek Permit 

Trek permit is required for Gokyo Lake, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp Trek such as Everest National Park Permit, which is also known as Sagarmatha National Park Permit. This permit can purchased in Nepal Tourism Board of Kathmandu or in Everest National Park entrance gate of Monjo. The cost of Everest National Park Permit is 30$ per person. 
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entrance permit is also mandatory that cost 20$ per person. This permit can obtained at Monjo village of Everest region which was imposed from 1st October 2018 replacing an existing TIMS Card. There is no need Trekker's Information Management System (TIMS) Card right now.

Trek Equipment List 

While trekking to Gokyo Lake, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp, need to sufficient trekking gears for your protection and safety. Trekking gears not only make protection for your body, it makes successful trip to Gokyo, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp. The trekking gears also have benefit to remove high altitude sickness and make easy access to destination. The following gears are mandatory towards  Gokyo, Chola Pass and Everest Base Camp Trek. 

• Sleeping Bag (-20) 
•  Trekking poles 
• Waterproof hiking boot
• Waterproof warm Gloves
• Sport shoes 
• Waterproof hiking Pant
• Fleece pant
• Comfortable underwear 
• Warm and thin socks
• Duffel Bag, 90L
• Hand carry bag 
• Water bottle 
• Hiking Shorts 
• Down Jacket
• Warm Cap & Sun Cap 
• Sun Glass
• Sun Cream
• Lip care 
• Headlamp with extra batteries
• Neck Gaiter  
• Lightweight thermal tops
• Waterproof jacket with hood, waterproof and breathable
• Rain coat 
• Travel Towel 
• Camera
• Personal first Aid Kit (Though our guide also have First Aid Kit)