This is the Khumbu taken in full: Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar on the eastern side, the turquoise Gokyo Lakes on the western, and three high passes joining them in one continuous circuit. It suits fit walkers who want the region’s great viewpoints without retracing a single trail, and who are comfortable with long days at altitude. Rest days at Namche Bazaar and Dingboche, and shorter days before the passes, give the route a considered rhythm, while Sherpa villages, Tengboche Monastery and Thame add cultural depth. On the trail, simple teahouses carry you from valley to valley, with shared bathrooms and few facilities at height
Highlights
- Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La are crossed in turn on a single circuit of the Khumbu, each on its own day.
- Everest Base Camp is reached on Day 10, then Kala Patthar early the next morning, both from the teahouse at Gorak Shep.
- Two nights at Gokyo include the climb of Gokyo Ri, with the Ngozumpa Glacier below and Everest, Lhotse and Cho Oyu beyond.
- A night at Tengboche, the spiritual heart of the Khumbu, set among Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Everest.
- Namche Bazaar’s Sherpa Museum, markets and bakeries, plus a steep acclimatisation hike towards Nangkartsang Peak above Dingboche.