Everest Region Trekking, Everest Region Culture and Religion, Best Seasons for Everest Region Trek, Gokyo Valley Trek

Everest Region Trekking, where most travelers and adventurers dream to set foot and catch glimpse of the world's highest peaks. One of the most popular areas for trekking as well for all types of adventure, where the highest mountains on this earth are located.

Namely Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, and Mt. Cho-Oyu with an array of below 8, 000 m peaks from above 7, 000 m. Include many lesser mountains below 6, 000 m, which makes the Everest region one of the most renowned trekking areas. Besides the tallest peaks around, the landscapes are equally fascinating from green hills covered with tall tree lines and varied vegetation.

Various species of trees from pine, hemlock, fir, juniper, birch, and rhododendron, on higher altitude scrub and alpine plant communities. Where vegetation gets sparse with bare rock and snow within remorseless fields of ice and glaciers.

Everest Region Trekking, located North-East of the capital Kathmandu within the Solu-Khumbu region of Nepal, the higher normally referred to as the Khumbu area. The high Khumbu, where most trekkers and adventurers prefer to visit various adventurous destinations. As the Everest region around Khumbu offers great trekking, the most popular is the trek to Everest Base Camp and Kalapathar hill. Similarly, Gokyo valley and the lakes are other beautiful places to visit where one can enjoy a climb to Gokyo-Ri for a stunning mountain panorama.

The Everest region provides excellent trekking areas from short walks of a few days to a week or more of two weeks. The trekking trails are well established and maintained with many strong suspension bridges to cross over several glacial rivers and streams. Apart from beautiful scenery, trekkers can enjoy the warm friendly hospitality of the Sherpa people, and the highlanders of Everest.

Where walk takes you to nice lovely villages adorned with Buddhist religious monuments known as Stupa and prayer walls along the trails.  One of the most well-organized villages of Nepal is the high Khumbu of the Everest region. Where travelers can find all types of comfort from the budget simple lodge to standard and deluxe, the luxury place to stay overnights. Serving a wide range comprehensive food menu to trekkers delights as well with fresh home-baked bakeries items.

Around Khumbu, one can find many good nice places for lunch and overnights halts, with room-facing views of snow-capped mountains. All adventure around Everest Region Trekking involves a scenic short flight from Kathmandu to reach Lukla, a popular Sherpa town. Where Tenzing & Hillary Airport is located with a small airstrip and runway, suitable for smaller aircraft like Dornier, Twin Otter, or similar.

The Lukla airport is named Tenzing & Hillary, a tribute to late legendary mountaineers who first conquered Mt. Everest on May 29th, 1953. Where treks follow on a gradual path towards Dudh Kosi River valley and gorge, heading through several lovely villages of Ghat, Phakding, and Monjo. Heading towards the famous Namche Bazaar the capital of Khumbu and the main hub for all villagers and trekkers.

Namche Bazaar offers a wide range of facilities from lovely hotels, lodges, and resorts with banks, to many well-stocked stores, and shops. As well good restaurants, bakeries to bars and pubs, quite a fancy large village, nearly a size of a town. Namche Bazaar also holds a busy interesting market once a week on Saturday, a great and ideal spot for a rest day. Most trekkers stop for a few days to get acclimatized before heading to higher elevations, where one can take a short hike around to viewpoints.

From Namche Bazaar where the most exciting adventure begins to its various exotic mountain destinations.

One of the most popular treks is Everest Base Camp, from Namche after spending time on acclimatization day. A high altitude walks for 4-5 days to reach Mt. Everest base camp which is above 5, 364 m high. Where you will stand close to Khumbu Ice-fall and glaciers, surrounded by giant towering peaks.

During the high season of a mountaineering expedition, the base camp will be flooded with various camps of different nationalities for the Mt. Everest summit. Everest Base Camp Trekking includes a climb of high Kalapathar rocky hill which stands at 5,643 m / 18,514 feet (The new height of Kalapathar has been changed from 5, 545 m, after various much research by expert geologists).

The top of Kalapathar offers a breathtaking panorama of the surrounding high mountain range with Mt. Everest at the closest distance. The return journey to Lukla taking the same route or visiting Khumjung and Khunde villages located on a scenic glacial valley just above Namche Bazaar.

A wonderful scenic walk uphill to Gokyo Valley reach you at an altitude of 4, 800 m. A 3 days walk from Namche Bazaar where the route diverts from the main Everest base camp and Tengboche trail. Climb past Mong Hill to Dole, Machhermo to reach beautiful Gokyo Valley and its emerald-colored glacial lakes.

A place with many good lodges, with grand views of surrounding peaks with world 6th high Mt. Cho-Oyu. Climb to Gokyo-Ri at 5, 357 m high offers a panorama of the world's highest peaks. Includes a view of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Mt. Makalu with Mt. Cho-Oyu includes a range of lesser mountains. From Gokyo, one can extend the trek to Everest base camp taking a high route crossing Cho-La pass to reach Everest base camp. Another alternative can cross the high Renjo-La pass to reach Thame village and then back to Lukla via Namche Bazaar.    

People with limited time duration can enjoy a pleasant scenic trek to Tengboche Monastery taking nearly five hours. The walk takes you downs and uphill to magnificent Tengboche through a nice forest with ever-present views of Mt. Everest.

Tengboche is located on a small plateau surrounded by an array of peaks with Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Amadablam, Thamserku, Kantega, and Kwangde. The place amidst the lovely forest, visit its interesting monastery once a year a great festival held called Mani-Rimdu. Which falls at the end of October or the beginning of November as per Buddhist Lunar Calendar. 

An adventurous trek crossing three major high passes of Khumbu and Everest region, traverse from one end of scenic valley to another. The passes include Kongma-La, Cho-La, and Renjo-La visiting Everest base camp and Gokyo Lake.

Everest region trekking offers various grades of adventures from moderate, and adventurous to challenging. Challenging treks lead to hidden corners away from the main village into remote areas enclosed within high peaks and glaciers, like crossing Mera-La at 5, 400 m high and climbing to Amphu Labtsa Pass at 5, 600 m high. Camping is involved in this type of high-altitude adventure till it joins the main trails where good lodges are located.

The main high seasons are spring and autumn/fall times, from March to May and September to November for major high-altitude trekking and crossing passes. For short moderate trekking can visit in winter months of December to February, but much cold morning and night time. As well as short sun-light hours, days are fine and clear for scenic walks and views.

Springtime is lovely when days are much longer with sun-light, the season for wildflowers in bloom, with rhododendrons flowers in April and May, although another flora is mostly colorful this time of spring. Morning and night can be much colder altitude-wise with clear starry nights.

Autumn/fall is another best time for trekking from September to November when days are crystal clear for walks and views. Many cold temperatures in the early morning and night- time. Can expect snow sometimes on a higher elevation on route trekking around the late autumn season.

Like all trekking adventure around Nepal Himalayas where visitors needs to obtain trekking permits to enter, like in the Everest region where the village community will issue the entry permits and tickets on paying a certain amount of US$ 20 per person and requires Sagarmatha National Park entry permits also which cost The US $ 30 equivalent to Nepalese Rupees.

While you fly to Lukla or walk from Jiri must reach Monjo village where the Sagarmatha National Park entrance and exit gate are located. Sagarmatha is a name for Mt. Everest in Nepal, while local Sherpa calls Chomolungma of Tibetan origin language.

The park with an area of 1,148 sq. km. The park includes the world's highest peak Mt. Sagarmatha (Everest), and several other well-known peaks such as Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyo, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Thermasarkhu, Kwangde, Khangtiaga, and Gyachung Kang. The park was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.

The high Khumbu valley of the Everest region is populated 90 % by the Sherpa people the Highlanders of Everest and Khumbu. Follows Tibetan Buddhism with a similar culture to its predecessor dependent on farms and raising and breeding livestock like Yaks and other domestic cattle. But with the influx of tourism arrival in and around the Everest region, the local present economy is dependent upon trekkers and mountaineers.

Around the Everest region, one can notice prayer flags and Mani walls religious symbols, and monuments in all villages with impressive monasteries of Tengboche, Pangboche, and Thame. Where visitors are greeted with warm traditional hospitality by the Sherpa of Everest, the menfolk are renowned as famous mountaineers and guides.