Everest Three High Passes Trekking : A Bold Women’s Journey

On arrival at Kathmandu International Airport, you will be received by our team of ladies staff and guide. After checking the NST (Nepal Standard Time) which is 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of GMT, a short drive takes you in the hub of Kathmandu city around Thamel area to your hotels. After checking into your lovely rooms, get refreshed from the Jet Lag. The refreshments will energize you after which you can join the other members of the Everest Three High Passes Trekking team in the meeting room for a briefing. The briefing will be provided by our lady guide and staff or Group Leader. She will provide information about the treks, local lodge, and food. The wide range of information about trek makes your holiday meaningful and enjoyable. Overnight at Hotel.

The day begins with breakfast, followed by visits to two significant sites: Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa. The tour is escorted by a government certified female tour guide. 

Pashupatinath Temple, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, is a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located by the Bagmati River, it hosts Hindu cremation ceremonies and is especially important during Shivaratri, attracting numerous pilgrims.

After breakfast, we'll visit Boudhanath Stupa, one of Nepal's largest stupas, positioned east of Kathmandu. It's notable for its significant size and height, as well as its four pairs of eyes representing Mahayana Buddhist principles. Following a quick city tour, we'll return to the hotel to prepare for tomorrow's trek. The overnight stay will be at the hotel.

You will have your breakfast at Hotel, and after having early breakfast and refreshments, the Woman Adventures guide, and staff receives you for short drive to domestic airport. You then check in with respective airlines, get on board in a small aircraft of 15 to 18 seats. Twin Otter, Dornier or similar STOL aircraft can only fly to mountainous smaller

Airport and runways. The flight to Lukla’s amazing Tenzing-Hillary Airport is an enchanting experience, with its remarkable airstrip. During this short flight enjoy sweeping panorama of the Himalayan range of peaks with Mt. Everest towards North-East. 

Then the plane lands at Lukla’s short runways, reaching the parking space on landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport. After getting organized with the baggage, you'll have time to take a refreshing break. Then follow our lady expert guide heading through the market areas on the main streets of Lukla town.

Enjoy a pleasant walk downhill, passing farm villages and continuing through several charming settlements along the way. We then reached Phakding for the first overnight around the Khumbu area of Everest. 

The lodge offers lovely rooms and warm hospitality, providing a comfortable place to enjoy the night in Phakding, near the Dudh Koshi River. The flight to Lukla takes about 30 minutes and covers a distance of approximately 135 km (84 miles) while the walking distance from Lukla to Phakding covers an approximate distance of 8 km (5 miles).

After a hearty breakfast in the morning, follow our female guide and trekking staff for a pleasant walk to start the day. After short hour of good walk cross over a long bridge above Dudh Koshi River. Then a short climb to lovely Monjo village and then enter Sagarmatha National Park. Sagarmatha, a name for Everest in Nepal, the native Sherpa calls Chomolungma similar to Tibetan. In both languages it means great Mother as large as an ocean. From the park, we walk down to cross the same river once again. (Sagarmatha National Park is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites).

We then reach the settlement of Jorsalle before Namche Bazaar, possible lunch stops, and then walk on river bed amidst dense forest. We take a short climb to cross a high bridge, with a long undulating uphill walk of a few hours takes us to Namche Bazaar. A large settlement, a size of a moderate town with colorful and well built houses serving as lodge, and hotels. Enjoy a nice comfort in one of the best lodge rooms, with a grand view of Kwangde Himal range; with Thamersarkhu peaks. The total distance from Phakding to Namche Bazaar is approximately 12 km (7.5 miles), taking more than 5-6 hours due to the increase in altitude.

Namche Bazaar is a perfect place and ideal height for rest and acclimatization, before heading higher ground. Sleeping and resting low is best, taking short hike above Namche Bazaar heights for better acclimatization. It is best to sleep and rest at lower altitude. We also take a short hike above Namche Bazaar to aid in better acclimatization. In Namche, immerse yourself in exploring the lifestyle of Sherpa women, appreciating their dedication, resilience, and the unique cultural roles they uphold in the community. 

Possible short hiking around Namche Bazaar and viewpoints are as follows:

After breakfast climb uphill to near Park Headquarters, a top ridge with an interesting museum. Enjoy the grand vista of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse with beautiful Mt. Ama Dablam, Khangtiaga, Tharmasarku, and Kwangde Himal range of peaks. You then visit the museum which offers good information about the Sherpa culture and history as well as local flora/fauna and mountaineering expeditions history around Khumbu and Everest.

The other interesting hike is climb above Namche Bazaar to a small old airstrip at Syangboche. Then on slow gradual ups to Everest View Hotel, the first luxury hotels of Khumbu and Everest region. It is designated in the Guinness Book of World Record, as the highest hotels in the world at 3,962 m/ 13,000 feet. It is located in a serene surrounding amidst pines and rhododendrons small forest. Enjoy the glorious views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse with Ama Dablam while having refreshing hot drinks. We then return to Namche Bazaar for lunch. The rest of the day is free to leisurely explore the fascinating streets of Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar is also famous for its weekly Saturday Market, hence the name tagged as Namche Bazaar due to the colorful busy bazaar/ market held every Saturday.

After enjoying a pleasant stop for two overnights in Namche Bazaar, the walk leads on a pleasant gradual wide trail. Next, a steep short climb to start the morning walk to Tengboche. The walk follows along with superb views of towering snow peaks with downhill to Imjatse River at Phunki Tenga. It is a small settlement and a popular lunch stop for trekkers before heading to Tengboche and beyond.

After lunch we climb for two hours on average, heading uphill on winding up through dense woods. The trail is covered in tall rhododendrons, pines, oaks, and firs trees. We then reached an open wide area at Tengboche. It is a beautiful location surrounded by towering snow-clad peaks amidst a beautiful forest with a colorful majestic monastery. After checking into a nice room and having afternoon refreshments, enjoy a tour of the monastery enriched with ancient artifacts and colorful decorations of vivid religious arts and paintings inside the monastery interiors.

Tengboche Monastery is famous for a colorful religious festival called Mani Rimdu. This event is held for three days during late October or first week of November, as per Buddhist Lunar calendar. Interested people can contact Woman Adventures for the exact date for the trek to coincide with Mani Rimdu Festival.The walking distance from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche is approximately 10 km (6.5 miles), taking 5 to 6 hours due to the steep climb.

Please note: Sometimes the guide can lead you further down to Deboche for an overnight stop after the tour of the monastery, in another serene environment with good lodge accommodation.

From Tengboche or Deboche, enjoy a good breakfast before heading down to a river to cross a strong steel bridge. The tall tree lines drop for short alpine shrubs and bushes from the Tengboche. We continue the walk following on gradual ups which face the stunning views of Ama Dablam peak, then reaching Pangboche. Pangboche is the last permanent village en route to Everest base camp. The other places for overnights are temporary settlements to cater the trekkers, like Dingboche, Pheriche, Lobuche and Gorakshep.

After a short rest, continue walking past Pangboche village, with a short ascent to the small settlement of Somare. A popular lunch spot before Dingboche, offers grand views of Ama Dablam that towers above Somare settlement. After lunch, enjoy a pleasant afternoon walk with gradual ascents. However, be aware that it can get cold and windy around noon. The walk continues with short down to a stream and then climb for an hour to Dingboche. A beautiful place, located within scenic Imjatse Valley, facing tremendous views of Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam and Island Peak. On arrival, the guide will take you to one of the best lodges for two overnights stops. The walking distance from Tengboche or Deboche is approx. 12 km / 7.5 miles of average 5 hours treks with lunch stop.

Today, we will enjoy another leisure and rest day for better acclimatization, Dingboche offers a few good hiking spots, for grand mountain panorama. The best option is to climb to Nnagkartshang also called Nakarjung walk up to 5,510 m or 18,077 feet high. Climbing an additional 700 meters above the height of Dingboche will greatly aid in acclimatization. It is a 2-3 hours climb above from the lodge heading northeast, on reaching the top. The top offers fascinating views of surrounding Snow-Mountain range with views of Mt. Makalu in the east. 

After a scenic morning climb, with a grand vista of the surrounding peaks,we return back down to Dingboche for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a leisurely stroll around Dingboche and marvel at the beautiful scenery. You will also have the opportunity to explore the lives of local women, whose hard work and determination beautifully illustrate the essence of women’s empowerment in this mountainous region.

After a pleasant time in Dingboche, our walk heads east to the end of Imjatse Valley with a close look of Island Peak, one of the popular trekking peaks. As the trail follows on an easy path with few ups we then reach Chukung. Enjoy the dramatic scenery of towering peaks that surround the small settlement of Chukung.

At Chukung we stop for lunch and overnight halt, before crossing the first pass of the adventure. Interested people can climb up to Chukung-Ri 5,546 m/18,196 feet for the best views of the towering snow-capped peaks. You will have the rest of the day to relax and prepare for an early start for a long and challenging tough day.

Today, we rise early and, after having a good breakfast, carry a packed lunch for the long day trek. We will follow our expert lady guide heading above Imjatse Valley. After a few minutes walk, the route diverts heading into a gully between the high rocky walls of Nuptse Peak and Nakarjung ridge. The walk then leads on a rocky faint path. 

The climb begins with the steep trail to reach on top of Khongma-La, the highest and the main pass of the journey. This pass, nestled between Pokalde, Nuptse, and Mehara or Khongma peaks, is marked with prayer flags and piles of rocks.

 From the pass, we slowly descend to Khumbu glacier, the walk can be quite tricky on the glaciated path. After crossing the Khumbu glacier, a steep short climb takes us to a wide valley where the Lobuche settlement is situated. At Lobuche, we check into a nice room with views of Nuptse and Lobuche Peak. Lobuche is a nice spot, well hidden from the gusty cold wind.

We start early after having a good breakfast to reach the main goal and highlight of Everest Three High Passes. We will carry a packed lunch for the long day. The path starts with a gradual, and then a short climb towards rocky section. You can enjoy stunning views as you walk above the Khumbu Glacier on your way to Gorakshep. A nice small settlement with nice lodges, situated beneath Mt. Pumori and Kalapathar scenic hill.

In the early days, Gorakshep served as the original Everest Base Camp. However, as the glaciers receded over the years, the base camp was relocated further to its present site in the 1970s. The walk follows east, on the gradual winding path, after some hours of steady walks, we then reach Everest Base Camp, stand at the foot of number one Mount Everest. It is also the base camp of Mt. Lhotse, the world’s 4 th highest peaks. Enjoy the incredible stupendous scenery similar to Arctic like landscapes, covered in moraine of rocks, snow, ice and glaciers. In the mountaineering seasons of April and May, base camp is flooded with tents of various wide-world expeditions. After a wonderful day hike and achieving the goals of the adventures, return walk to Gorakshep for overnight halt. Celebrate the incredible achievement of reaching Everest Base Camp with your female friends, guide, and porter, sharing the joy of this unforgettable moment together.

We rise early morning and before breakfast, we take an exciting climb to the top of Kalapathar, a famous and popular viewpoint. A steep climb of a few hours takes us to reach the rocky high ridge, as well as the highest spot of the adventure. For every hard efforts, the adventure rewards you with a mind-blowing panorama of towering Snow Mountains that encircle the top of Kalapathar. The top offers a grand close views of Mt. Everest at a stone throw distance with Mt. Pumori in front. After a mesmerizing views, we descend to Gorakshep for breakfast, and then downhill past Lobuche to Dzongla. As the walk heads near above Thugla Ridge, our route diverts west on winding down to an isolated corner at Dzongla. It is a small settlement with few good huts for a lodge. We will stop here for lunch as well as for an overnight stop. You can enjoy the afternoon by having a good rest for the big climb the next morning to cross Cho-La Pass. Also, you can enjoy close-up views of Cholatse and Taboche peaks in the south direction.

We start the morning with an early breakfast and follow the lady expert guide on a pleasant winding path for a short while. Upon reaching the base of the Cho-La pass, we then head for the long strenuous climb, taking care on slipper icy sections. After a steep haul of more than an hour, we then reach on top of Cho-La Pass. The high ridge is festooned with Buddhist prayer flags and rock cairns. From the pass enjoy the views of Cholatse, and Lobuche East/ West peaks which include Nirekha peak and as far as Mt. Cho-Oyu. After a refreshing rest, we then descend to the bottom at Thagnak which is located on the eastern rim of Gokyo Valley beneath the moraine of rocky rubbles of Nepal's longest Ngozumpa Glacier. We spend overnight in the comfort of a nice simple lodge accommodation, after a long day of trekking.

From Thagnak, we take a short and pleasant hike to reach Gokyo and the third lakes, where all good lodges are located. The walk follows to a small place of Na, a yak herder’s shelter, then reaches the first and second lakes. We then end the morning treks reaching the third and main lakes of Gokyo Valley. On arrival, we take a short up to the lodge for lunch and an overnight halt. In the afternoon, you can relax and marvel at the stunning views of the surrounding peaks with Mt. Cho-Oyu towards the North.

Today is a free day in Gokyo after crossing two high passes, with an option for a good hike and climb to the Gokyo-Ri viewpoint. We rise early and start the hike before breakfast, walking past the shore of Gokyo third lake. Then, we take a steep haul for a few hours to reach on top of the scenic Gokyo-Ri. From the top, you can witness the spectacular panorama of the world’s four tallest peaks including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho-Oyu. You can also enjoy the grand scenery of the wide Gokyo Valley and its emerald- olored lakes. After a refreshing morning climb, we then return downhill to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. Enjoy the rest of the day relaxing in the harmony of beautiful scenery.

Last and final high pass to cross over Renjo-La, start the morning as early as possible for better views. The early start of the trek also helps to escape from the cold strong winds. The walk follows past the third lake and upon reaching the bottom of Renjo-La Pass, we take a rest. After a short rest, we then climb for a few hours to the top. On reaching Renjo-La Pass, you can enjoy the stunning views of Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu with a series of peaks that surround you. Also, enjoy the glorious morning panorama of beautiful mountain scenery. and then return downhill to Lungden. A small and nice settlement with few good and simple lodges for overnight stops. You can relax after an enjoyable and exciting day walk and achieving the goal of crossing all of Everest's three high passes.

From Lungden, the rest of the trek is much easier on downhill with a few small ups to reach Thame. The walk follows close to a spot where route to Tibet and Nepal borders separate where Tibetan traders with yak caravans sometimes cross over Nangpa-La to reach Namche Bazaar for trading goods. From here a long descent past a smaller farm and yak herder’s settlement to Marlung village. After a short break with possible lunch stop, our walk continues with a short climb across the river to reach Thame village. It is located west of Khumbu on the windswept valley with views of Kwangde range of peaks. It also serves as a route to Rolwaling via Tashi Labtsa-La Pass and towards Tibet border via high Nangpa-La Pass. At Thame, we check into a nice lodge, having time for a tour of an old monastery, located atop a high windblown hill. The monastery is more than 500 years old.

The morning after a pleasant overnight in Thame, a short walk takes us down to the bridge. After the bridge, the walk continues within a small river gorge, painted with religious art of saints and Gurus of Tibetan Buddhism. Next, we take a short climb and then walk on a pleasant winding path to Thamo village, from here entering back into green tree lines. Our walk then leads to Namche Bazaar for late lunch, followed by an afternoon downhill to Dudh Koshi River valley. We then walk past Jorsalle, and after crossing the bridge, take a short steep climb to the national park post. From here, we reach Monjo for an overnight halt before Lukla.

Today is the last day walk of the adventure, enjoy the pleasant walk towards Phakding for a short rest. From here, we take a few hours of good walks with last hour climb to Lukla.

We arrive by the afternoon, just in time for lunch and an overnight stop, with ample time to hang around and enjoy the last dinner celebration with fellow members and trekking staff. Celebrate the success of the Everest Three High Passes trek with your female friends, guide, and porter by sharing stories, laughter, and a warm meal. Toast to the incredible journey, teamwork, and the empowering spirit of women adventurers.

In the morning, you will be transferred to Lukla's Tenzing-Hillary Airport for a smooth, short flight back to Kathmandu. After a great adventure and wonderful experience on Everest Three High Passs Trekking, we then return to the hustle and bustle of city life of Kathmandu. Spend the rest of the day at leisure with fond memories of Everest Three High Passes Trekking. Also, you can join in for a short tour around places of great interest. A total distance covered 160 km/80 miles, round trip from Lukla to Lukla and it does not cover the rest day optional hikes.

Today is a free day in Kathmandu for individual activities with options for tours. Enjoy a free day in Kathmandu, perfect for relaxing, engaging in personal activities, or going on a shopping spree. You can shop for souvenirs from Nepal from handicrafts to jewelers etc. Interested people can opt for another exciting tour of Patan and Bhaktapur cities on request.

Last day in Kathmandu and Nepal, after an overwhelming adventure and experience around high hills of Khumbu with trek to Everest Three High Passes. As time for your international flight, our lady guide and staff will transfer you to the airport. Then bid farewell to Nepal, guide, and staff; as you enter the air terminal for homeward bound or to the next port of call.