Three High Passes Trek via Sallery

Today, we will be walking across the historical streets of Kathmandu to witness some legendary mansions of the medieval period. There are countless such ancient temples and monasteries with 3 massive durbar square (palaces) masterpieces dominating the skyline of the three major cities- Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur- inside the Kathmandu valley.

On this day, we will be able to explore only four of these sites- Patan Durbar Square( 12th century palace built in a typical Newari style architecture with remarkable window carvings and stone sculptures), Swayambhunath (a Buddhist pilgrimage site with a massive 13th-century spherical stupa), Boudhanath Stupa (14th century spherical stupa with a massive mandala at the center- one of the largest unique structure stupas in the world), and Pashupatinath Temple (8th century Hindu pilgrimage site dedicated to Lord Shiva with over 500 shrines- each with a Shiva Lingam- dotted around the premises of the temple).

To reach the Everest region from Kathmandu, there are two options to choose from- either via flight (Lukla) or via the road (Salleri). By road, it takes around 9 hours to finally arrive at the Salleri along the winding hilly streets of Nepal. This medium of travel will cost you both time and money, but the reminiscing views of the mountains and traditional villages are worth every penny. Once you arrive at your destination, it must have started getting dark. So, stay at one of the lodges at Salleri for the night.

Salleri to Junbensi is a pleasant walk along the older Everest trails, which were explored by the legendary Edmund Hillary and his team long long ago. The path passes through the forests, bridges, ridges, and several waterbodies before entering into the hamlet of Junbensi. One noticeable aspect of these forests is that they appear quite denser than what is found in the high altitudes. Overall, this journey to Junbensi is amazingly exciting and wonderful.

The monasteries around Northern Nepal are inspired by the Himalayas. Therefore, exploring the mountains without visiting the monasteries can ruin the dream of getting authentic mountain experiences in the Himalayas. So, on this day, we will manage to stumble across the beauty of those monasteries. Plus, with the help of the local people, we will learn about its history and dogmas that will make our expedition a meaningful one. Junbensi Monastery, Bodhi Stupa are few of the many places that we will be going to on this day.

The walk to Nunthala from Junbensi is relatively long but an interesting walk. We walk up and down along the wavering switchbacks to finally arrive at the Nunthala. The lush farm fields, fencing the trail, create a welcoming atmosphere for a perfect walk. Upon reaching the Nunthala, we will find a lodge and rest our backpack there. After that, we will talk to the local people and learn about their culture. It is really an amazing experience.

While Nunthala to Buspa takes 6-7 hours, this journey can be more exhausting as the long hour walks of previous days might add more pressure on the knees. However, this is not the case for every trekker. Once you arrive at Buspa, take a short walk along the village. The indigenous inhabitants of this village are very much hospitable. You might be invited to join some family feast, or festivals (if on the right time).

The more we walk, the closer we arrive at the Everest. From Buspa, Chaurikharka is 7 hours away by foot. Seeing the map, it doesn’t feel like we have to travel a long way. However, the zigzag and rocky path slows you down to take a short step. Plus, as you climb higher, the altitude keeps on pushing. Upon arriving at Chaurikharka, escape into the rural communities to witness the country-kids and other people enjoy nature.

From Chaurikharka, Monjo is just a couple of Kilometers away, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to reach there. The trails from Monjo are the classic routes followed by the trekkers and porters, enrolling in the Everest. It is completely off-the-beaten-track, where barely can you see a person walking. It is because most of the trekkers prefer to catch a flight to Lukla rather than going along the long trail.

From Monjo, the Namche is not very far away. The trail climbs steadily from the Monjo until arriving at the entrance point of the Sagarmatha National Park. After checking in the permit, we will ascend gradually through the forest and cross the hamlet of Jorsale along the ascending road to Namche. Once we come out of the woods, the view of Namche dazzles in your eyes. It is the vibrant prayer flags of Namche that appears startling from the distance. A beautiful Kani Gate welcomes us to the ancient village of Namche.

During the high-altitude trekking, the acclimatization becomes absolutely necessary so as to avoid any complications related to the altitude on going further up the trail. For that purpose, Namche is a geographically perfect spot. In contrast to other regions around the Everest, Namche receives most of the sunlight. So, it is relatively warm. Plus, a number of side trips dissociate from Namche that makes it an ideal point for acclimatization.

Today, we will hike either to Khumjung and Khunde or to Thame. Either way, the views are awe-inspiring as Everest is what we could see from both of these vantage points. Many trekkers end their journey at Namche as the views, seen from the Namche, are equally captivating as seen from the closer distance. At the end of the day, we will return to Namche.

The walk to Pangboche is an interesting journey as, beyond Namche, the views start to get better and better. Proceed along a winding trail via the Phortse. Just before arriving at Phortse, there is a towering rock beyond which glitters a chain of mesmerizing peaks. It is a reminiscing glimpse of the Himalayas. From Phortse, the way to Pangboche is further half way up. The trail until Pangboche can be challenging as it is still a long way to go. By the time you reach there, check-in to your lodge and take rest.

Even to rise up to the base camp of the Ama Dablam is a challenge in itself because of the sloppy and slippery terrain. The wind is icy so make sure you have proper clothing on before kickstarting on a journey to the Base camp of the Ama Dablam.

As you cross the Imja Khola via a bridge, walk along the trail that takes a steep ascend over the ridge. Then, the path zigzags with several turns, and you will arrive at a point where a beautiful Chorten has been established. This whole area is adorned with the prayer flags. From this point, the views of Pumori peak appears astounding. Once we rise to the Ama Dablam Base Camp, we will descend towards Pangboche. The descending task is much easier than the ascending one.

Today’s trek is one of the most pleasant slogs. The track from Pangboche to Dingboche is fairly an easy one except that the last hillock to Dingboche poses a slight difficulty. The walk is pleasant and full of sceneries. The closer you approach Dingboche, the better the views become. Indeed, it feels so amazing to trek to Dingboche. Once you arrive at the last hillock, the trail then climbs steeply, for a while, until Dingboche.

After Dingboche, the ascend is pretty sharp, and the quick gain in altitude might make you sick. So, we will take another acclimatization day at Dingboche in order to avoid the altitude related issues while climbing further.

Early in the morning, we will kick-off on an altitude hike to the Nangkar Tshang hill-few kilometers away- to witness the surreal vistas of the Himalayas from the top. The trail passes through the Nangkar Tshang Gompa through the dense woods that opens up only when you reach on to the top. The views of Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse, and Lhotse Shar is highly admired from this viewpoint. After spending quality time on the top, we will descend back to the Dingboche.

After having breakfast, we will leave Dingboche towards Chhukung. On the way, there are pointed rocky boulders and pointed steps that adds the pressure on the leg. Walking until Chhukung can be a bit of a strenuous task as this is what altitude does- resists our flow. Upon arriving at Chhukung, we will take a rest and prepare for the next day hike to the Chhukung Ri.

As many people say, Chhukum Ri is a perfectly outstanding viewpoint as the views of the Cho Oyu, Pumori, Lhotse wall, Makalu and Baruntse appear just spectacular. But, to rise to the Chhukum Ri is not an easy ordeal. It is considered as one of the most challenging hikes in the Everest region of Nepal. The icy terrain and sloppy ascend may scare you on the way. In the end, all these ordeals are compensated by the beautiful views of the Himalayan panorama from the top of the Chhukung Ri.

At the end of the day, return to Chhukung for the overnight stay.

From Chhukung, the trail climbs westwards along the inclining track that leads us to the top of the Kongma La pass. The trail zigzags several times along a sloppy path and takes a break after few hours of walking. Climb slowly and calmly to better acclimatize with the changing environment. Once you rise to the top of the Kongma La Pass, enjoy the serenity of the Himalayas. The views of the Pumori Peak and glacier walls of the Nuptse appear astounding from the pinnacle of the Kongma La pass. The trail then descends to the Lobuche which is your next stop-over for the night.

It is better to leave Labuche before the crack of the dawn because the icy winds that blow over the ridge might resist our walk in the morning. Make sure you have a torchlight or a headlight with you. The path until Gorakshep is along the ridge that is narrow and difficult. Once we arrive at the Gorakshep, we will head on towards the base camp of the Everest to witness the legendary Everest at its first hand. From the base camp of the Everest, the vast snowscape of the Everest appears very much thrilling. After spending quality time on to the top, we will descend to the Gorakshep for the overnight stay.

The sunrise view from the top of the Kalapatthar is the most appealing glimpse of the overall Everest expedition. The moment spent on top of the Kalapatthar is beautiful and inspiring. So, we should head to the viewpoint of the Kalapatthar before the sun rises up above the horizon.

Once you rise to the vantage point of the Kalapatthar, everything around appears just incredible. The glittering peak of the Mt. Everest dominates the overall vistas. It is the panoramic sunrise glimpse of the mountains that rule the earth. This is the most peaceful moment of life. From Kalapatthar, descend back to the Gorakshep and then, to the Labuche. The trail after Labuche diverges rightward towards Dzongla via the Dughla.

The walk across the Cho La pass is a daunting experience because of the sloppy and slippery terrain. The glacier walls rising from the northern Everest is simply a gorgeous outlook of the Himalayas. Cross the Cho La Pass as slowly as possible because the icy trail may swipe your feet at any moment. Shoes with crampons are highly recommended. Down to the Cho La Pass, a beautiful village of Dragnag awaits. For the night, we will stay there.

From Dragnag, Gokyo is just a few kilometers ahead across the longest glacier of Nepal- Ngazumba glacier. The altitude keeps on pushing; therefore, even a single step feels like running in a marathon. Once we arrive at Gokyo, we will explore some of the lakes around the Gokyo region. These lakes around the Gokyo are pristine and appear turquoise in color. The locals believe it to be the abode of the Snakes- Nag Kunkansung.

Gokyo Ri is the Kalapatthar of the Gokyo region. The views of the great Himalayan peaks appear as intoxicating as seen from the vantage point Kalapatthar. Makalu and Everest are the dominating peaks that appear distinct in the herds of the mountains. However, from the Gokyo, the view of the Everest is slightly different from that of the Kalapatthar as Gokyo Ri lies a few kilometers west of the Kalapatthar.

It is a short hike over the Gokyo valley. Later in the day, return to Gorakshep for the overnight stay.

Today, we will venture towards the Lungden via the Renjo La Pass, which is one of the rewarding high passes of the Everest Region. The trail ascends for a while and then, descends along a zigzag trail. The ups and downs are frequent. On the way, the views of the Makalu appear just incredible. Once you arrive at the Renjo La Pass, the views of the Everest, Tengi Ragi Tau, Rolwaling, and Gyachung Kang appear distinct in the north-eastern skyline. It is just a few hours descend to Lungden.

Lungden to Namche is a perfect walk along the road to Thame- the birthplace of the Tenzing Norgay Sherpa- which is famous for its cultural enrichment. The people of Thame are very much hospitable and are abided by the laws of the mountains that prevent them from committing wrong deeds. Further ahead of Thame, the trail goes southwards along the ridge overlooking the beautiful mountains. Once we arrive at Namche, we will stroll around the marketplace for a while.

Namche to Lukla via Phakding is an interesting journey through the diverse forest of Sagarmatha National Park. We walk down the stone stairs and cross several suspension bridges lingering across the river of Dudhkoshi. Upon arriving at Lukla, we will check in to our hotel and take a short walk around the hamlets of Lukla.

The flight back to Kathmandu via Lukla is indeed an adventurous ride. The plane flies over the sharp-looking ridges and lush hills to finally land in the airport of Kathmandu. We will check-in to our hotel and freshen up.

Finally, the has come to return home. However, if you wanted to try other adventures as well during your visit to Nepal then, we may help you out.