Everest Three Pass Trek

Everest Three Pass Trek Can you picture crossing three high passes, not one, not two, but three high-altitude passes? You are off to a journey like no other. You will be seeing three of the best passes and views that will take your breath away: Kongma La (5,535 m), Cho La (5,420 m), and Renjo La (5,340 m). Witness the famous sights of the Mount Everest Base Camp, Kala Pathar, Gokyo Ri, and Gokyo Lakes. The Everest Three Pass trek is a challenging trek, but you will get an amazing view of the incredible Himalayas above 8000 m. Our trek of Everest Three Pass starts at Lukla airport, then we will take the trail along the river Dudh Koshi until we reach Namche Bazaar. You should expect incredible viewpoints of the Khumbu Mountains such as Ama Dablam, Thamserku and even Everest. Then we will head towards Tengboche and finally Dingboche and we will acclimatize there. From there, we hike slowly to Chhukung. The way will take you for crossing yak pastures and frozen lakes, seeing frozen waterfalls and we will cross the Kongma La, the first of our passes.

After that we will continue on our way to Lobuche. After we leave Lobuche, we have our big day. Trekking to Gorak Shep and then Everest Base Camp (EBC) and Mount Everest!! Then we will start to make our way back down staying in Gorak Shep. The next morning early, we will continue on our trek to Kala Pathar for sunrise over Mt. Everest and the nearby peaks. Below is a very brief overview of each of the three passes of the Three Passes trek:

1. Kongma La (5,535 m / 18,159 ft) The Kongma La is the highest trekking pass; it shouldn't be the only physically demanding but ultimately rewarding hiking opportunity for adventure tourists. The Kongma La is a steep, rocky pass between the Lobuche and Chhukung valleys. It requires considerable physical stamina, technical know-how, and knowledge and skill when aspects of travel in the winter or spring, when the climb will be more difficult with snow. The ascent of the Kongma La is a combination of rock trail, loose scree, and snow routes, but it is all worth it once you make it to the top, where it is perfect mountain scenery.

2. Cho La (5,420 meters / 17,782 feet). The second of the Three Passes trek, Cho La, is also possibly the most challenging trek physically, as it involves steep slopes, rock faces, and ice plateaus. It is not far from Gokyo and Dzongla, and Cho La serves as a crucial connector between the region of the Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Valley. The route to Cho La is dangerous, especially in spring or winter when the trail can be covered with snow and therefore even more risky to walk on.

3. Renjo La (5,340m / 17,520ft) The last of the Three Passes trek, Renjo La, lies between Thame and Gokyo. The shortest of the three, but perilous in itself by virtue of how high it is and the awful weather. The walk to Renjo La provides stunning panorama shots of Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, and Cho Oyu, and the chance to capture the Gokyo Lakes, which mirror the snow-topped peaks surrounding them. The path to the pass is half rock-studded and steep, but also the least crowded of the three passes, so a less crowded, more personal trekking experience. We depart after Dzongla and make our ascent to the next pass the Cho La pass. Another descent from Thagnak, on to Gokyo, where we will spend the night, you will also make the climb to Gokyo Ri, your last destination after passing the last three passes the Ranjo La pass; you will finally enjoy the views of Makalu, Mt. Everest, Gyachung Kang, and Rolwaling Range along the process of returning to Namche Bazaar, to make your way back from Kathmandu through Lukla after the trek. Conclusion It is a long trek for the Three Passes trek (aka Three Passes of Everest trek), but for adventure photographers it’s heaven! With high passes at high elevations, a high altitude lake, local villages, and tons of landscapes, the Everest region is a treasure house for photographic opportunities to take the best pictures of your life. So pack your kit bag, gear up with your camera, and go get some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world! Hit us up today at Happy Mountain Nepal on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.