Most Inspirational Moment
Reaching base camp.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Amazing! Absolutely faultless.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you are fit and have resilience. This isn't a trip for the faint hearted.
Reviews
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Reviews
Trip of a lifetime, but it's tough
We started this trip at the end of October. The organisation was superb. Our leader Silas was brilliant and very helpful. He was professional, was in control and incredibly knowledgeable. This is a long trip and it is tough. By choosing this trip over the standard Base Camp trek you are giving yourself three more days trekking at more than 5,000m so don’t be under any illusion that this will be any easier / the same as EBC trek. Climbing Gokyo Ri and Chola Pass are very hard. The scenery is absolutely incredible and the sense of achievement is unreal. This really is a trip of a lifetime and a huge tick off the bucket list.
Gokyo Lakes
What can I say, it really has been a trip of a life time!!!
Most Inspirational Moment
Two very different experiences stand out for me; the first being the day we crossed the Cho La Pass. An early start and steep climb led to fantastic views and sense of achievement at the pass. This was followed by a decent over the glacier and stunning walk into the next valley. The second was the opportunity to meet Mr Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving team member of the 1953 Everest expedition and listen to his memories, arranged by and translated by our guide. Another once in a life time experience provided by this trip.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our lead guide, Tsering Dorgee Sherpa, met us from the plane and and looked after us until departure. His experience and knowledge ensured the whole group gained as much as possible from the trip and stayed safe. He along with our other guides Uwa and Nima were always professional but still made the trek entertaining and had a great sense of humor. I really felt the group were lucky to have been guided by this team.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't under estimate the trek, its tough but worth it. If you are going in the cooler season then prepare for the cold on the earlier starts, it really will make a difference to your trip. The Tea house accommodation was, on the whole, a lot better than expected and the food was always good. I took plenty of snacks, didn't need them all but glad I did. If you do take snacks make sure its food you really enjoy, peanut M&Ms were a great idea for me. If you are undecided between this and the normal EBC trek I would go for this without a doubt. Gokyo is stunning and Cho La pass an adventure.
Hard but great trip
This was an amazing adventure. Don’t underestimate this, it is tough, but totally worth the effort.
Most Inspirational Moment
Climbing over the Chola Pass. I honestly didn't think I would make it! And walking up to Gokyo was just so beautiful. The colour of the water is out of this world.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dorjee was amazing. So knowledgeable. He really looked after us all, making sure we weren't suffering the affects of altitude sickness. He was a really nice guy and I have to thank him personally for getting me over the Chola Pass.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This trip is hard so don't underestimate it and you will have a great time
Suggestions
Keep breathing!
Hard but great trip
This was an amazing adventure. Don’t underestimate this, it is tough, but totally worth the effort.
Most Inspirational Moment
Climbing over the Chola Pass. I honestly didn't think I would make it! And walking up to Gokyo was just so beautiful. The colour of the water is out of this world.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dorjee was amazing. So knowledgeable. He really looked after us all, making sure we weren't suffering the affects of altitude sickness. He was a really nice guy and I have to thank him personally for getting me over the Chola Pass.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This trip is hard so don't underestimate it and you will have a great time
Suggestions
Keep breathing!
Gokyo lakes and Everest base camp
Having arrived in Katmandu via Delhi we were met by our tour guide Shailesh Tamang who for the next 19 days would be our go to advisor for all things Nepalese. The first night was spent in a Katmandu restaurant getting to know the rest of our group as well as sampling some of the local food. The next morning saw us all gathered for a pre dawn return to the airport in preparation for the flight to the mountain airstrip at Lukla in a small 16 seat aircraft. The views of the mountains and valleys during the flight gave us a sample of the sights we would experience during our trek. On arrival at Lukla and our baggage given over to the porters, who with seemingly superhuman strength carried 2 or 3 bags each, and we were off on our first day of trekking in Nepal. The first day of trekking was fairly short to ease us into what would progressively become tougher days of knee jolting foot pounding trekking. Our days took on a familiar routine of 7am breakfast, trek for a couple of hours then stop for refreshments at a teahouse then move on until lunch was taken at another teahouse and then onwards again until mid afternoon to our accomodation for the night. The teahouses are clean and very basic but do provide everything needed for this type of trip. Throughout the days of trekking there are a constant stream of porters, mules and yaks moving up and down the trail with supplies which adds to the whole experience of trekking in this mountain wilderness. The scenery is constantly changing as new valleys and mountains come into view at every turn of the trail, remember to look behind you as this view is as stunning as what lies ahead. During our trek we experienced weather that allowed walking in shirt sleeves as well as hand numbing bitter cold, so a good set of warm clothing is essential. There were a couple of extra early starts to climb Gokyo Ri and Kala Pattar to view sunrise over Everest which was well worth the extra effort. Our trek up and over Cho la pass was particularly tough as we had to walk through snow and when we started our descent more snow fell upon us, which for me just added to the whole experience. All in all this trip has left us with some amazing memories and a yearning to return one day.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were many moments during this trip that will leave a lasting memory. Ascending Gokyo Ri and Kala Pattar pre dawn for views of Everest, making it up and over Cho la pass despite the adverse weather conditions and reaching Everest base camp.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Shailesh Tamang was always available to answer any questions and give help where necessary. His years of experience of leading in the mountains was quite evident as he successfully got 12 trekkers of varying experience safely from start to finish achieving all the goals set out in the itinery.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Listen to the advice of your tour leader and guides, this is their back yard after all. Don't underestinate the effects of AMS or how cold it can feel at night. Make sure you prepare yourself physically for the rigours of this trip to ensure maximum enjoyment.
Everest & Gokyo Lakes Circuit
Had a great time. Was very hard trekking but the sense of achievement is worth it.
Saw lots of fantastic scenery and experienced lots of weather conditions.
Most Inspirational Moment
Making it to Everest Base Camp and the top of Kala Patthar.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Shailesh Tamang was a good leader and looked after all members of the group. He knows his country and imparts his knowledge well.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you are fit enough for this trip. Make sure you have micro-spikes or equivalent and know how to use them.
Suggestions
I believe the rating on this trip needs to be increased as some parts of the trek are hard work.
Amazing adventure
A great trip to take you on a journey through the Himalayas seeing some breath taking sights.
Most Inspirational Moment
The two highlights for me were summiting Gokyo Ri and crossing the cho la pass. Also I got engaged on an acclimatisation walk over looking macherno peak which was very beautiful.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader was brilliant could not have asked for better. He is very approachable and knowledgeable. He took great care of the group and his advise was priceless, he was very encouraging on the tough days and always had a smile on his face.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I would advise to take Diamox for altitude and also ciprofloxacin in case of stomach upset, better to have it and not need it. I took a small hot water bottle for the night time which was brilliant and the water is still nice and warm to wash your face with the following morning. Snacks are a good idea, you can buy them in the tea houses but they are expensive the further up you go. We had a solar charge which folds up when not us use has about 3 panels on it this was really good you can just attach it to your day pack through the day. Steri pen for the water as it gets to cost a lot if you buy mineral.
Suggestions
This trip seemed a good all round trip. If anyone is thinking of doing a trip I would defiantly advise this one. The classic base camp trek is fairly busy, so this was a nice alternative and you still do base camp. Base camp seems to be the thing to do however I must say I found Gokyo much more stunning and the views from the top of Gokyo RI breath taking.
Everest and Gokyo Lakes
A fantastic first experience of Nepal … and hopefully not my last
Most Inspirational Moment
The emotions that came out at Base Camp showed how much the trek meant to some people and I'm happy to have shared that experience with them.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Shailesh was very informative about what each day would involve ensuring that we were well prepared. He looked after the group well and was careful to check for any health/altitude issues which was reassuring.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Eat plenty apple pie!! :-)
Suggestions
Getting off the main Everest Trail for a few days was lovely, much quieter and a welcome escape into the beautiful goyko area. I would recommend this route.
Excellent trip of a life time
A trip of a life time! One I’ll never forget. I am very pleased that I went early in the year because it was as a lot quieter on the routes than I’ve heard it can be in September/ October. The weather was very cold though, but the mountains and scenery looked stunning in the snow.
A stunning part of the world.
Most Inspirational Moment
Reaching Everest Basecamp was very special, and a life long dream. However for me climbing to the summit of Kala Patther whilst the sun was coming up over Everest was even more special.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Tenzi and his team were incredible. They thought of our every need before we did. Nothing was too much trouble for them. They did everything with a smile and were very attentive to making sure we were all ok. Incredible people - thank you!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take lots of warm clothes if you are going early in the season. Also some gaiters. A number of good base layers is handy. A portable battery charger is really handy too. Favtor 50 sunscreen is a must!
Suggestions
An incredibly beautiful and challenging trip. I'd highly recommend it. I loved the longer trip with the additional Gokyo Ri and Kala Patther summits. Basecamp was great, but doing all 3 made it even more special.
Full Marks 10 out of 10
This trip was everything I expected, and wanted.
A journey up the relatively quiet Gokyo valley, then some very strenuous days, and then a relatively easy, but busy descent down the Khumbu.
Crossing Cho La was hard but one of the best days.
Our Leader,Silas, and guides Mingma and Pembar, were excellent.
Also a word for our 4 porters, they did an incredible job,always willing, happy and smiling.
My previous 2 trips to Nepal were in tents, but no more for me, the Tea houses make for a much more pleasant trip.
This trip is long enough and varied enough, and strenuous enough to satisfy most people,and give a broad and varied look at life in this amazing country.
Thanks
Most Inspirational Moment
Crossing Cho La
Advice for Potential Travellers
WI Fi is very common throughout most of the trip, much more common than mobile, although often unreliable. Take a solar powered battery bank,very useful. Most of us spent about £20/day out on the trails. Views on Diamox were mixed, some took it others not, we all managed to hit the high spots without any altitude problems.