The Everest Three Pass Trek consists of crossing three high altitude passes, namely, Renjo La Pass (5,465m), Cho La Pass (5,420m) and Khongma La Pass (5,535m). There are some long days (9 hours) and strenuous accents, so a high level of fitness is required. The trek combines crossing these passes with the other ‘must do’ areas of the Khumbu: Everest Base Camp, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche Monastery and the Gokyo Lakes. Flying in and out of Lukla, two routes are possible, clockwise and anti-clockwise. But both routes provide trekkers with the same terrain and same spectacular views.
This trek is definitely the definitive Everest region trek for the adventure seeking trekker!
Here is just a taste of what to expect from this trek:
From the top of the Renjo La Pass (5,464m) the views of Everest reportedly beat even the panoramic Everest views from Kalapatthar. There are also spectacular views of Gokyo Lake.
Cho La Pass (5,420m) is formed between the snowcapped summits of Lobuche (6,135m) and Cholatse (6,443m). The steep climb is challenging and icy in parts but from the summit there are spectacular views of Ama Dablam.
Kongma La Pass has been described more of a ‘precarious struggle among skittering stones’. The route takes you across a glacier and glacier-fed river and the climb up to the pass at 5,535m is the highest on this trip. Trekkers can regain their breath as they take in the views from the top of the pass where Lhotse and Makula make their presence felt and the view of the turquoise lakes below contrast the majesty of the mountains.
As mentioned, this trek takes in not just the three passes, but also a trip up Kalapatthar, which is the famous place to view Mount Everest (in fact it is often referred to as the Everest View Point), and a trek to Gorak Shep and Everest Base Camp. The names of which are very familiar to anyone who has an interest in the Everest region or knows something about the history of Mount Everest.
Two other highlights of this trek are Tengboche Monastery, the highest monastery in the Khumbu Region, and the Gokyo Lakes, the highest freshwater bodies in Nepal.
| Days | Itinerary | Altitude | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kathmandu to Lukla (Flight) to Phakding | 2651 m | 3 hr |
| Day 2 | Phakding to Namche Bazaar | 3438 m | 5 - 6 hr |
| Day 3 | Acclimatization day | 3700 m | 5 hr |
| Day 4 | Namche Bazaar to Tengboche | 3956 m | 5 hr |
| Day 5 | Tengboche to Dingboche | 4440 m | 4 - 5 hr |
| Day 6 | Acclimatization day | 4900 m | 5 hr |
| Day 7 | Dingboche to Lobuche via Khong Ma La Pass | 4940 m | 10 hr |
| Day 8 | Lobuche to Gorakshep (Day trip to EBC) | 5368 m | 7 - 8 hr |
| Day 9 | Gorakshep to Lobuche (Morning trip to Kalapatthar) | 5545 m | 6 - 7 hr |
| Day 10 | Lobuche to Dzongla | 4830 m | 3 hr |
| Day 11 | Dzongla to Gokyo via Chola Pass | 4800 m | 8 - 9 hr |
| Day 12 | Acclimatization day | 5367 m | 4 hr |
| Day 13 | Gokyo Valley to Marlung via Renjo La Pass | 4210 m | 7 - 8 hr |
| Day 14 | Marlung to Namche Bazaar | 3438 m | 5 - 6 hr |
| Day 15 | Namche Bazaar to Lukla | 2860 m | 7 - 8 hr |
| Day 16 | Lukla to Kathmandu (Flight) | 1380 m | 40 min |
