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Three High Passes Trek

Highlights:
Trip duration : 17 nights and 18 days.
Trip start/end: At Lukla.
Trip grade: Difficulty due to high altitude.
Tripd style: Lodge Trek.
The best season: September to December and March to June.
The highest elevation: Chhukung Ri 5,550 meters.
Viewpoints: Nagar Tshang, Chhulung Ri, Kala Pathar and Gokyo Ri.
Sherpa villlages: Namche, Khunjung, Khunde, Phortse and Pangboche.
Ethnic group: Majority of Sherpas community.
Culture: Buddisum.
Himalayan scenery: Thamserku, Kusum Kangaru, Kwangde, Tabuche, Ama Dablam,Kangtenga, Mt. Cho Oyu, Gyachungkang, Mt. Makalu, Island Peak, Peak 14, Peak 38, Nuptse, Lhotse, Everest, Pumari and Khubutse.
The Lakes: Chola Tsho, Imja Tsho and 1st of 6th Gokyo Lakes.
Renjo La Views from Renjo La 5,345 meters Pass.
Gokyo Lake Gokyo Ri 5,360 meters.
Mt. Everest Views of Everest, Lhotse & Nuptse.
Gokyo Lake Gokyo Lake
Mt. Cho Oyu Mt. Cho Oyu 8,201 meters on the background.
Cho La glacier Cho La glacier
Sunset on Mt. Ama Dablam. Ama Dablam from Dzongla.
Views from Kala Pattar Kala Patthar 5,545 meters.
Everest Base Camp Everest Base Camp 5364 meters.
Chhukung Ri Chhukung Ri 5,550 meters.
Everest and Ama Dablam Views from Tengboche
Lukla Lukla Airport
Renjo La
Gokyo Lake
Mt. Everest
Gokyo Lake
Mt. Cho Oyu
Cho La glacier
Sunset on Mt. Ama Dablam.
Views from Kala Pattar
Everest Base Camp
Chhukung Ri
Everest and Ama Dablam
Lukla

The Three High Passes Trek is an altitude-thrilling journey in Nepal’s Everest region. It is the best circuit journey through the less-traveled, remote Valleys and high passes of Everest. This route takes all the highlights of Everest’s cultural sites, incredible viewpoints, glaciers, and iconic mountains.

We begin our adventure with a spectacular 30-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Airstrip. From Lukla, we will head to Namche Bazaar, often referred to as the Sherpa capital. We will travel counter-clockwise around the Three High Passes Trek.

For proper acclimatization, we will sleep two nights at Dingboche and Chhukung Village before tackling the first high pass, Khongma La, which stands at 5,535 meters. Our route will take us from Chhukung Valley to Lobuche, crossing Khongma La and traversing the Khumbu glaciers. This will be a long day of walking through the less-trodden high pass, offering stunning views of mountains in every direction.

From Lobuche, we hike northward along the Khumbu glacier ridge to reach Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters). We will ascend Kala Patthar (5,545 meters). This dramatic viewpoint offers snapshots of Sunrise and Sunset over Mount Everest (Sagarmatha).

Leaving the EBC trail, we go through a scenic trail to reach Dzongla Valley. We cross a second high pass – Cho La (5,330 meters) the next day. The summit of Cho La is a mix of rock and snow, with steep slopes descending from another side, and so on. It is more challenging than Kala Patthar. The quickest way to get to Gokyo Lake (4,850 meters) is through the EBC trek.

After the Cho La pass, it takes a couple of hours to cross the Ngozumba glacier and reach Gokyo Lake from Thangnak. We spend two nights in the scenic Gokyo Valley, where we explore the 5th Lake (5,030 meters) and ascend to Gokyo Ri (5,357 meters) to snap the best shot of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Makalu above 8000m. Aerial views of Gokyo Lakes, Ngozumba glacier, and gigantic peaks in all directions are unforgettable from Gokyo Ri.

We cross the less trodden third high pass – Renjo La (5,360 meters) from Gokyo to reach Thame village through Bote Kosi valley. It offers spectacular views of Mt. Everest, Gokyo Lake, and the route to Nangpa La (5,700 meters) – an ancient trade route to Tibet from the Everest region.

To complete the Three High Passes Trek, we retraced our steps and continued to Lukla, where we would catch a flight to Ramechhap or Kathmandu the following day.

Day to day itinerary:

We take good care of guests from arrival to departure at Kathmandu Airport. Upon arrival, please check the cardboard for High Camp Trekking. Our company representative will help you get to the hotel in Thamel (tourist center). We give a briefing about trek preparation and things to do in Kathmandu.

All include:- Airport pickup, bed, and breakfast.
We go to the hotel domestic terminal after breakfast. It's a scenic flight to Lukla, where you can see middle hills and panoramic views of snow crown peaks from the left window of an airplane. We take you to the hotel for tea or coffee drinks and introduce you to porters who carry your luggage for the trip. Leaving Lukla, we walk downhill through Rhododendron trees to reach the Chaurikharka village. We also see the Kusum Khang Peak from Thade Kosi and Dudh Kosi River. The trail is lined with Mani Mantra carvings on boulders, Stupas, and prayer flags before you reach Phakding. We do a side trip to the Pema Chholing monastery in the afternoon.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
Leaving Phakding, we follow Dudh Kosi valley northward to reach Manju village, where Sagarmatha National Park hiking passes checks of each trekker. From here, we go downhill through the Rhododendron trees and cross the suspension bridge to reach Jhorsale village, where we have a lunch break. We prepare plenty of water for the uphill walk to Namche. We go to Larja Dovan and uphill walk to twin high bridges over the Dudh Kosi River. From here, we go through Rhododendron and pine forests to Top Danda, the Everest viewpoint, before reaching Namche. We see Thamserku, Kusum Khang, and the first glimpse of Mt. Everest en route. Namche is the Sherpa capital and the leading trade center in the Khumbu region. A weekly local market of fresh foodstuffs is brought from lower villages on Friday and Saturday.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We hike daily to Everest View Hotel, Khumjung, and Khunde villages. We drink a cup of tea on the terrace of Everest View Hotel, which has views of Everest and Ama Dablam. Then, we visit Khumjung School and the monastery. The monastery has a Yeti skull. From here, we go to Khunde village and descend to Namche. In the afternoon, we rest or shop in Namche.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
Today, we are heading to Phortse village via Mong La. The path to Kyangjungma is easy to take through Tenzin Norgay Memorial Stupa, which has fabulous views of Khumbu Valley, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. There is an uphill walk to Mong La from Kyanjungma. We could see Yaks, Naks, Chauri, and wild mountain goats (Himalayan Thar) en route. We take a cup of tea at Mong, which has stunning views of Mt. Ama Dablam. Then, we catch a steep downhill to Phortse Thanga through Rhododendrons and pine forest. After crossing the bridge, there comes uphill to reach Phortse village. It is a less crowded village where we can see Pheasants (the national birds of Nepal), musk deer, and Himalayan Thar (wild goats).

All include:- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner with tea/coffee and accommodation at the lodge.
We go to Pangboche through a high scenic trail. En route, we can see the best views of Ama Dablam and Everest, Lhotse, Thamserku, Khangtenga, and Kowande Peak. We might also see musk deer and Himalayan Thar. The oldest monastery is at Pangboche in the Khumbu valley.

Then, we ascend along the valley opposite Ama Dablam to reach Somare. Then, we walk above tree lines through the wide trail to reach Dingboche.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
In the morning, we hike to Nangkarsang Hill for safe acclimatization. When we climb the ridge to Nangkarshang, we have an amazing view of mountains (including Makalu) in all directions. We come back to Dingboche for lunch. In the afternoon, we have free time. Dingboche is the highest place where barley grows in the Khumbu region. In July and August, open lodges are not allowed.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We leave Dingboche on a gentle uphill trail through Imja Khola's left side to Chhukung. It is a lodge cluster for serving trekkers and climbers. Chhukung is a scenic valley that lies on the southern slopes of Lhotse and Nuptse by the Lho and Nup glaciers, the western slopes of Island Peak, Cho Polu, and Baruntse by the Imja glacier, and the northern slopes of Ama Dablam by its glacier.

We tour Imja Lake and the glacier viewpoint in the afternoon.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
Chhukung Ri is a small rocky viewpoint rising north of the valley. From the top, we have a fantastic view of the 8-mile-long Nuptse—Lhotse walls, Island Peak, Makalu, and Ama Dablam and its glaciers. The round trip takes about 3-4 hours. We rest in the afternoon.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We cross the first high pass - Khongma La 5535m from Chhukung to Lobuche in a day. Leaving Chhukung, the trail goes uphill through a grassy hill before we reach Khongma Lake. We see an impressive 8-mile-long wall of Nuptse-Lhotse, Makalu on the east, and the north face of Ama Dablam when we ascend to the summit of the Khongma La. From the top, we see a long panorama of the mountain from Cho Oyu to PumaRi bordering Tibet, the Khumbu glacier, and the lodges of Lobuche are directly on the bottom of the other side. Descending through a steep slope and bolder to bolder walking is tricky before we reach a grassy hillside. Then, we make the crossing of the Khumbu glacier to reach Lobuche. The Khumbu glacier is covered with rubble and moraine debris, and there are usually zig-zags trailing across the area.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We ascend through a rocky trail northward to reach Gorakshep. We drop the luggage in the room and have lunch here. Then, we head up to Everest Base Camp through a rocky trail along the side of the Khumbu glacier. Even though we see gigantic peaks around, Khumbu Icefalls is the main attraction at the Base of Everest. We retrace our steps to Gorakshep, which is the highest elevation we sleep at during the trek.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We ascend to Kala Pattar's viewpoint in the morning. The Kala Pattar has 360-degree views, including Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumo Ri, Ama Dablam, Khangtenga, Lobuche Peak, Everest Base Camp, Khumbu Glacier, and Icefalls. We even see close-up views of South Col to the top of Everest 8848m from Kala Pattar, a great place to see an unforgettable sunset over the tallest Peak in the world. We return to Gorakshep, pack the luggage, and are ready to retrace the back steps to Lobuche. Then, we head to Dzongla through the scenic trail. Be aware of Sunset over Ama Dablam from Dzongla!

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We cross the second high pass - Cho La (5330m) from Dzongla to Thangnak in a day. We get up early at 04:30 AM to make the Cho La crossing before it gets windy, or the weather turns nasty midday. Leaving Dzongla, we walk on the grazing pastures for an hour. Approaching the Cho La glacier, the trail is very steep, and the terrain is made of loose rock and large boulders, which involve some tricky scrambling. We can see pyramidal Ama Dablam in the south, towering Cholatse in the west, and nearby Lobuche west peak en route. Finally, we walk on the glaciated field, often covered with snow and ice, approaching the summit of Cho La. We descend by a new trail with some metal chains; however, it’s a scramble to descend on the loose rock in a few sections. After finishing the large boulder field, we walk through grazing pastures towards Thangnak. Himalayan Thar, Yak, and Snowcock often come across en route.

Our guides have crossed the Cho La several times in the past years, so we have a high success rate with the Cho La Pass Trek. We do the Cho La pass trip for all seasons. Proper gear and footwear are highly recommended.

All include-: breakfast, lunch, and dinner and accommodation at the lodge.
Leaving Thangnak, we walk Through Yak grazing pastures and ascent to the crest of the moraine overlooking the Ngozumba glacier. The route that crosses the glacier is not well-defined on the map. We follow Cairn's marked zig-zag trail and climb up and downhill, taking us to the west side of the glacier. Ngozumba is mixed with rock and ice, dirty glaciers that require good footwork. We stay tonight at Gokyo Lakeside and sleep in the Lake View room.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We start ascending to Gokyo Ri early in the morning. When we climb towards the Gokyo Ri, the views become even more fantastic, and we can see four of the above 8,000-meter peaks from the top. Actually, Ri means viewpoint. Gokyo Ri is a classic viewpoint for seeing Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Makalu, and it overlooks the Lakes and the widest Ngozumba glacier. The round trip takes around 3 hours.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We cross the less trodden third high Pass - Renjo La 5345m from Gokyo to Lungden in a day. Leaving Gokyo, we walk along the Lakeside trail before we branch off steep uphill toward Renjo La. We see breathtaking views across Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Makalu while ascending to the summit of Renjo La. It is a more scenic high pass among the three. We descend through a newly upgraded trail of stone stairs to approach Angladumba Tsho (lake) on another side. From here, we descend continuously through grassy slopes to reach the lodge at Lungden. We see Nangpa Valley (an ancient trade route to Tibet) and Kongde Peak en route.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We walk on the ancient trade route of Khumbu, and Tibet returns to Namche. This trail is more interesting because we pass through picturesque villages on the lap of the mountains. The trail is lined with carved mani mantras on stone walls, Stupas, monasteries, and Pine and Rhododendron forests. En route, we see a mountain range of Kongde on the right and upfront—Thamserku and Kusum Khang.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We continue to retrace back steps downhill Dudh Khosi Valley and pass Phakding village to reach Lukla. We have a party to say thank you and goodbye to the trek crew at Lukla.

All include:- breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and accommodation at the lodge.
We fly back to Kathmandu in the morning. We go shopping in Thamel on a free afternoon.

All include:- Airport pick up, breakfast, and accommodation in Kathmandu.
We do a tour of the World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu.

All include:- B & B at the Hotel.
The company representative arranges a transfer to the airport on the flight back home.

All Include:- Breakfast and Airport transfer.
The Trek itinerary can be changed for an exciting side trip and additional acclimatization day if needed while on the trek.

Do you have any questions about the Three High Passes Trek? Would you like to see how it can be customized to your needs? Please DM us.

Cost & Dates:

The following costs and dates are per person for online booking. If the 3 High Passes Trek departure dates do not match your needs, please DM us, and we will be happy to customize your trip for the date that works best for you.

If you are in a group (2 to 15 people), we offer a discount on the package.

Fixed departure dates:
Trip Date Trip Name Price Space Left Status -
19 Sep 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
26 Sep 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
6 Oct 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
13 Oct 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
20 Oct 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
28 Oct 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
5 Nov 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Closed
12 Nov 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
19 Nov 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
26 Nov 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
6 Dec 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
13 Dec 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
20 Dec 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
27 Dec 2025 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
21 Sep 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
28 Sep 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
5 Oct 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
12 Oct 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
19 Oct 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
26 Oct 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
2 Nov 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
9 Nov 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
16 Nov 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
23 Nov 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
30 Nov 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
7 Dec 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
14 Dec 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
21 Dec 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
28 Dec 2026 Three High Passes Trek $1,850 per person 15 Open
Cost includes:
  • International & domestic Airport pick up and departure.
  • Two nights accommodation (standard twin bedroom with breakfast) at Hotel in Kathmandu.
  • Sagarmatha (Everest/Khumbu) National Park hiking passes.
  • Everest-Khumbu Trek Card fees.
  • Round trip Lukla flight tickets for clients and guide.
  • Meals for clients: 18 Breakfasts, 17 Luches and 17 Dinners with tea/coffee etc. Meals can be selected from menu and will have enough daily.
  • Normal room with twin beds and sharing bathroom at lodge.
  • Trekking staffs: an experienced guide and porters.
  • Salary and meals for guide and porters.
  • Inusrance of guide and porters.
  • Travel and rescue arrangement if needed.
Cost does not include:
  • Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu.
  • Personal trekking equipment of clients.
  • Mineral water, boiled water, coke, Fanta, sprite, fresh or can juice, biscuit, sprite, beer, and whiskey etc.
  • Personal Insurance of clients (medical and emergency evacuation covered).
  • Private bathroom during the trekking days. If the clients want private bathroom, there have to pay differences between common and private bathroom.
  • Sightseeing in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan.
  • International flight tickets and Nepal tourist visa.

More info for extra cost:

Please read carefully the cost, including and not including the above. All meals are included with tea and coffee while on the trek. We do not provide drinking water, which can be purchased at the lodge for $1 to $3 per liter. You can opt for water-purifying tablets as a more affordable solution. Wi-Fi, battery charges, and hot showers are omitted. Wi-Fi is $6 per card. The battery charge costs $1 to $4 per hour per device (a power bank can provide a cheaper solution). The gas shower is $3 to $7 per head.

If the Lukla flight is canceled due to weather conditions, you are responsible for any additional hotel nights and meals in Kathmandu and Lukla for the extra days. You do not require extra payment to reschedule the Lukla flight due to the weather cancellation. But, there can be less priority for flight-canceled passengers on the following day. In the event of unexpected circumstances, such as flight cancellations due to weather conditions, we offer you an alternative trip.

We ensure the trekking staff are provided with warm enough equipment. We do our best for your safety. However, we suggest you buy comprehensive travel insurance covering flight cancellation, medical treatment, and Helicopter rescue emergency evacuation. Please purchase a policy covering trekking activities up to 5,550 meters for your trekking days.

Inquiry

    Trekking equipment list:
    • Comfortable hiking boot. Three pairs of socks. Sandals.
    • A down jacket, fleece jacket, three T-shirts, two trekking trousers, two drip-dry T-shirts, one long underwear, a woolen/fleece hat, glove, water/windproof jacket and trouser, Sunglass, lip balm, Sun screem (50+), Sun hat, a light scarf, soap/shampoo and trekking towel etc.
    • Sleeping bag (-20 degree centigrade) with hood.
    • Water purifier tablets, 2L water bottle, hiking poles, medical kit and tourch light with spare batteries etc.
    • A few interesting books and a pack of cards.
    • Snow gaiters and micro-spikes for the winter trip.
    • Plastic bag for waste and toiltet papers.
    • Plastic bag for waste and toiltet papers.
    • A padlock.
    • A day bag (35 liters).
    • A ruksak or duffel bag (65 to 75 liters).

    Note: We have down jackets and sleeping bag rental facilities for our clients. The rental fee is $1.5 per sleeping bag and down jacket per day.

    The following are the reasons for a trip booking with us.
    • We are registered with the Department of Nepal Tourism and have the authority to operate trek and climb in the Himalayas of Nepal. We are the taxpayers of the Nepal Government. We are a Trekking Agency of the Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) member. We are a healthy and up-to-date local trekking agency based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
    • You can book the trip with a minimal advance and pay the rest of the trip amount upon arrival in Kathmandu/Nepal.
    • Payment Method:

      Please read the terms and conditions of High Camp Trekking to book a package trip. Once you agree with the terms and conditions, payment is an unavoidable part of the agreement. The following are different methods of trip booking advance payments for your convince.

      1) American Dollar Account:

      Name of the Bank:- Everest Bank Limited, Thamel Branch.
      Name of Account Holder:- High Camp Trekking Pvt. Ltd.
      Account No:- 03500105200138.
      Swift Code No:- EVBLNPKA.

      Note:- Please pay any amount charged to you by your bank for transferring the booking advance in money to us.

      2) If you would like to transfer the deposit by Western Union, MoneyGram, or IME, you can use the name of our company owner/manager, Norsang Lama.
    • Once you have booked the trip with us, trip departure is guaranteed. If you want to postpone the trip departure date, you do not need to pay an extra fee. We never let you down after we received payment for the trip running. We do hard work for every single dollar.
    • We organize private and group joining basis trips. Our package is at all-inclusive prices (no hidden cost). We customize a trip itinerary based on your interest, holiday length, and activities as you need. Let us know your holiday length.
    • Our experienced, trained, and professional guide takes good care of the clients. Our guide always remembers your questions about plants, people, animals, and the mountains. You can feel the difference between having a great trekking guide through our agency.
    • We respond to every email/inquiry in less than 24 hours. You can also call us anytime at +977-9841876395 (our 24-hour support team).

    Note: The names of other agencies are more similar to ours. Please remember that we are known as “High Camp Trekking.” 

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    Gokyo Lake 13 DAYS | $1450 PER PERSON
    Gokyo Lake & Renjo La Trek
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