
Everest Three High Passes Trek
Ultimate experience of high altitude trekking
Trip Overview

Trip Description
Everest Three High Passes Trek – To Everest Base Camp & Beyond
The Everest Three High Passes Trek is an extraordinary journey through Nepal’s Khumbu region—an immersive loop that spans towering glaciers, remote mountain passes, Sherpa villages, and breathtaking high-altitude panoramas. Far beyond a conventional trek to Everest Base Camp, this route offers deeper cultural immersion and unparalleled Himalayan grandeur.
Why Choose the Everest Three High Passes Trek?
- Circular route through Khumbu: Unlike the standard EBC trek with its out-and-back style, this is a full loop that unlocks lesser-visited valleys, allowing for authentic trekking experiences in remote, pristine regions.
- Three major high passes-each with unique character:
Renjo La (5,360 m) – The most scenic, it offering panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and the turquoise Gokyo Lakes. It’s the least technical, yet still physically demanding due to altitude and steep ascent
Cho La (5,420 m) – The most technical of the trio, this pass requires glacier-crossing skills—crampons are recommended for navigating icy, uneven terrain.
Kongma La (5,535 m) – The highest and most challenging, featuring a long, steep climb across rocky, wind-swept terrain. It provides deep solitude and spectacular vistas of peaks like Lhotse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, and Island.
Everest Three High Passes Trek Highlights
- Scenic flight to Lukla: Kick off your adventure with a breathtaking aerial journey from Kathmandu, soaring over the Himalayas.
- Gokyo Valley & Lakes: Experience jewel-like, high-altitude lakes (4,650–5,000 m) surrounded by Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu.
- Kala Patthar: Rise above Gorakshep for an unrivaled, close-up view of Everest’s south face and neighboring giants Lhotse, Nuptse, and Pumori.
- Sherpa culture: Explore bustling Namche Bazaar, peaceful monasteries, and traditional stone villages like Thame, for a rich cultural immersion.
- Flora and fauna: Trek through alpine meadows and glacial valleys, with chances to spot Himalayan wildlife, including musk deer and even snow leopards.
- Bridges and waterfalls: Cross dramatic suspension bridges over deep gorge canyons and encounter roaring water falls.
Comparison: Everest Three Passes Trek vs Classic Everest Base Camp Trek
- Route Difficulty: The Everest Three High Passes Trek is considerably more challenging than the classic Everest Base Camp Trek, with a longer duration and a more strenuous route.
- Altitude Gain: The EBC reaches up to 5550m at Kala Patthar, the Everest Three High Passes Trek crosses three high-altitude passes, Kongma La (5,535 m), Cho La (5,420 m), and Renjo La (5,360 m), involving greater elevation and exposure.
- Technical Terrain: The Everest Three High Passes Trek involves steep ascents, glacier crossings, rocky trails, and occasional use of crampons or spikes, making it more demanding in terms of both skill and gear.
- Less Crowded: Unlike the EBC route, the Everest Three High Passes Trek trail is quieter and more remote, offering solitude, raw landscapes, and fewer teahouses.
- Fitness & Experience: EBC is ideal for fit beginners, while the Everest Three High Passes Trek is best suited for experienced trekkers seeking a more technical and immersive high-altitude adventure.
The Everest Three High Passes Trek is the ultimate Himalayan adventure—a demanding yet immensely rewarding journey through the Khumbu Valley’s most dramatic landscapes. It blends high-altitude challenge, remote culture, rare vistas, and glacial crossings into a transformative experience.
If you’re seeking more than the standard EBC trek, wanting to push your limits, explore hidden valleys, conquer three soaring passes, and immerse yourself in Sherpa traditions, this is your path. It’s your ticket to Himalayan distinction, and the unforgettable views you collect here will resonate long after you return home
Everest Three High Passes Trek Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 2: In Kathmandu
Day 3: Fly to Lukla & Trek to Phakding
Day 4: Trek to Namche Bazaar
Day 5: Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar
Day 6: Trek to Thame
Day 7: Trek to Marulung
Day 8: Trek to Gokyo (via Renjo La)
Day 9: Exploration day in Gokyo
Day 10: Trek to Thangnak
Day 11: Trek to Dzongla (via Cho La)
Day 12: Trek to Gorakshep-Excursion to Everest Base Camp
Day 13: Excursion to Kalapatthar-Trek to Lobuche
Day 14: Trek to Chhukung (via Kongma La)
Day 15: Trek to Khumjung
Day 16: Trek to Lukla
Day 17: Fly to Kathmandu
Day 18: Free day in Kathmandu
Day 19: Departure
Trip Itinerary
Arrival in Kathmandu
In Kathmandu
Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla & Begin trek to Phakding
Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar
In Namche Bazaar (acclimatization day)
Trek from Namche Bazaar to Thame
Trek from Thame to Marulung
Trek from Marulung to Gokyo (via Renjo La)
Exploration day In Gokyo
Trek from Gokyo to Thangnak
Trek from Thangnak to Dzongla (via Cho La Pass)
Trek from Dzongla to Gorakshep-Excursion to Everest Base Camp
Hike to Kalapatthar & Trek from Gorakshep to Lobuche
Trek from Lobuche to Chukung (via Kongma La)
Trek from Chhukung to Khumjung
Trek from Khumjung to Lukla
Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu
Rest day in Kathmandu
Departure
Included
- All transfers by private vehicle.
- 4 nights accommodation in 3-4* category hotels in Kathmandu.
- 14 nights’ accommodation in a tea house during the trek with an attached bathroom where possible.
- Only breakfast during the stay in Kathmandu.
- Three standard meals (breakfast/lunch/dinner) with some hot drinks during the trek.
- One welcome dinner with a cultural performance in Kathmandu.
- 1 full day guided city tour in Kathmandu.
- English-speaking licensed trekking guide along with a porter (1 porter for every two trekkers).
- Round trip airfare between Kathmandu/Manthali-Lukla.
- 1 hour sauna and steam along with 1 hour massage after the completion of the trek.
- First aid kit, duffel bag, and trekking map.
- Trekking staff accommodation, wages, meals, trekking gears, and insurance.
- All necessary paperwork and permits for the trek (TIMS/National Park Fee/Rural Municipal Fee).
- All government tax and service charges.
Not included
- Nepal Visa.
- International airfare.
- Meals other than listed (lunch and dinner in Kathmandu).
- Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, bar, beverages).
- Bottled/boiled water, battery recharge, Wi-Fi and hot showers during the trek.
- Tips and gratuities to Guide, Porter and driver.
- Travel medical insurance covering rescue and emergency evacuation.
- Personal trekking gears and equipment’s.
- Trip cancellation cost due to your health, weather condition, political situation, and any other unforeseen events.
- Any other expenses other than the listed above.