The Everest Three Passes Trek is a 16-day guided circuit through the Khumbu, crossing three passes above 5,300m and reaching Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes, priced from $1,499 to $1,899 per person. It crosses Kongma La, Cho La, and Renjo La, and visits both Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Ri.
Sixteen days across three passes and two valleys — Kongma La, Cho La, and Renjo La — linking Everest Base Camp with the turquoise Gokyo Lakes without retracing the same trail twice. No ropes, no ice axes on the standard route, just distance, altitude, and three genuine mountain passes.
This isn’t a first trek — read our guide to acclimatisation in Nepal trekking or see how it compares in our vs EBC guide. Every guide on this circuit has crossed all three passes multiple times, and we never compress an acclimatisation night in Namche or Dingboche.
Not ready for this circuit yet? Start with our Everest Base Camp Trek, or check our cost breakdown first. Ready to talk dates? Message us on WhatsApp and tell us your travel month.
| Trip Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Trip Name | Everest Three Passes Trek in Nepal |
| Duration | 15 Nights / 16 Days |
| Maximum Altitude | 5,644m — Kala Patthar |
| Major Highlights | Kongma La (5,535m), Cho La (5,420m), Renjo La (5,360m), Everest Base Camp (5,364m), Kala Patthar (5,644m), Gokyo Lakes, Gokyo Ri (5,357m) |
| Trek Difficulty | Challenging — High altitude with three technical passes |
| Trek Start / End Point | Lukla |
| Best Season | Spring (March–May) and Autumn (September–November) |
| Low Season | Winter — cold, clear, passes require more care |
| Not Recommended | Monsoon (June–August) |
|
Accommodation</ |
Lukla → Phakding → Namche Bazaar → Tengboche → Dingboche → Kongma La (5,535m) → Lobuche → Gorakshep → Everest Base Camp (5,364m) → Kala Patthar (5,644m) → Dzongla → Cho La (5,420m) → Gokyo → Gokyo Ri (5,357m) → Renjo La (5,360m) → Thame → Namche Bazaar → Lukla
The standard EBC Trek takes you to Base Camp and back on the same trail. The Everest Three Passes Trek does something fundamentally different — it circles the entire Khumbu massif, crossing three distinct high passes that connect valleys most trekkers never see.
The Khumbu from Kongma La looks nothing like the Khumbu from Renjo La. The Gokyo Valley — approached from Cho La on this circuit — is one of the finest high-altitude valley environments in Nepal. The five sacred turquoise lakes, Nepal’s longest glacier stretching below Gokyo Ri, and the near-complete absence of the crowds that fill the main EBC trail above Tengboche all combine to make the Gokyo section one of the most rewarding days of trekking anywhere in the Himalayas. The Three Passes circuit delivers a version of the Khumbu that the standard EBC route simply cannot provide.
This is also the most complete acclimatisation structure available on a standard Nepal trek — 15 nights progressively building altitude across three valleys before the final Renjo La crossing on the descent. Trekkers who complete this route return from the Khumbu having genuinely understood it, rather than simply passed through it.
For trekkers considering options in the Khumbu, read our Everest Three Passes Trek vs EBC comparison →
This trek is challenging, significantly more demanding than the standard EBC route. The three pass crossings require specific fitness preparation, good balance on rocky and occasionally snowy terrain, and willingness to move in cold pre-dawn conditions on the pass days. 8–10 weeks of specific uphill walking preparation is the minimum before this expedition. For the complete difficulty assessment read: Everest Three Passes Trek difficulty guide →
Peak Season (Spring: March–May | Autumn: September–November): During the busiest trekking periods, Lukla flights operate from Manthali Airport in Ramechhap rather than Kathmandu. You will normally need an early-morning 4–5-hour overland drive from Kathmandu to Ramechhap before taking the short flight to Lukla.
Off-Peak Season (Winter: December–February | Monsoon: June–August): Outside the seasonal Ramechhap arrangement, Lukla flights generally operate directly between Kathmandu and Lukla, subject to airline schedules and weather conditions.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) uses this seasonal arrangement during peak trekking periods, with scheduled fixed-wing flights to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla operating via Manthali Airport in Ramechhap instead of Kathmandu. This reduces congestion at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) during the busiest trekking periods. The arrangement applies to every airline operating scheduled fixed-wing Lukla services, including Tara Air, Summit Air, and Sita Air — we include the Ramechhap transfer in every package for this reason.
Prefer to skip a flight leg entirely? A helicopter upgrade is available on request — a shared helicopter runs roughly $650–700 per person one way, or a group of 4–5 can charter the full aircraft for about the same per-person cost with no weather delay risk. On the return leg, we can pre-book a pickup straight from Gorakshep, Dingboche, or Namche instead of walking all the way back to Lukla, cutting 2–3 descent days. See our full FAQ on Lukla flight alternatives for the complete breakdown.
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Altitude: 2,610m | Flight: 35 min | Trek: 3–4 hrs | Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Phakding
The flight into Lukla is short but earns its reputation — a cliff-edge runway, mountains close on both sides. From there the trail drops through pine forest and Sherpa settlements along the Dudh Koshi River to Phakding. Sixteen days and three passes start with the easiest walking day of the trip.
Altitude: 3,440m | Trek: 5–6 hrs | Ascent: +638m | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Namche Bazaar
The trail crosses the Dudh Koshi on a string of suspension bridges, enters Sagarmatha National Park at Jorsale, and climbs steeply into Namche — the Sherpa capital, and the town you’ll return to twice more before this circuit ends.
Altitude: 3,440m overnight / 3,880m hike | Hike: 3–4 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Namche Bazaar
A hike up to the Everest View Hotel ridge, then back down to Namche. Not optional — this is the first of four dedicated acclimatisation points on the circuit, and every one of them matters before the passes start.
Altitude: 3,820m | Trek: 5–6 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Debuche
The trail climbs through rhododendron forest to Tengboche, the most atmospheric monastery in the Khumbu — Ama Dablam on one side, Everest on the other. We drop through forest to Debuche for the night.
Altitude: 4,410m | Trek: 5–6 hrs | Ascent: +590m | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Dingboche
Past Pangboche the trees thin and the alpine terrain begins. Dingboche opens into a wide valley with Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Island Peak on the horizon — the staging point for the first pass.
Altitude: 5,000m hike / 4,410m overnight | Hike: 4–5 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Dingboche
We climb Nagarjun Hill to 5,000m for a panorama across Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Makalu, Baruntse and Chamlang, then sleep back down at 4,410m. This is the last full rest day before three consecutive demanding days begin.
High point: 5,535m | Overnight: 4,910m | Trek: 7–8 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Lobuche
The first and highest pass of the circuit. Kongma La summits at 5,535m with Makalu, Lhotse, and Nuptse on the full horizon, then a steep, rocky descent to Lobuche. This is the hardest single day on the trek — a conservative pace matters more here than anywhere else on the route.
Altitude: 5,160m overnight / 5,364m at Base Camp | Total: 6–7 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Gorakshep
The glacier moraine trail reaches Gorakshep. Daypacks stay behind for the walk to Everest Base Camp itself — a working expedition base at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall, not a viewpoint. We return to Gorakshep for the night.
High point: 5,644m | Overnight: 4,830m | Total: 7–8 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Dzongla
A 4:30am start for Kala Patthar — the highest point of the entire circuit, and the finest Everest sunrise view on the route. From there the team descends and continues west to Dzongla, the staging point for tomorrow’s second pass.
High point: 5,420m | Overnight: 4,750m | Trek: 7–8 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Gokyo
The second and most technical pass. Cho La involves a glacier approach and fixed ropes on the descent. From the pass, the trail drops into the Gokyo Valley — a landscape that looks nothing like the EBC side of the Khumbu, with five turquoise lakes and Cho Oyu rising above the village.
Altitude: 5,357m high point / 4,750m overnight | Hike: 3–4 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Gokyo
A climb up Gokyo Ri delivers four 8,000m peaks at once — Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu — plus a view down the full length of the Ngozumpa Glacier, Nepal’s longest.
Altitude: 4,980m | Trek: 4–5 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Lungden
The trail moves north through the upper Gokyo Valley, past the least-visited of the five lakes, to Lungden — the staging point for the circuit’s third and final pass.
High point: 5,360m | Overnight: 3,820m | Trek: 7–8 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Thame
The third and final pass. Renjo La gives the finest westward panorama of the entire circuit — Everest, Lhotse and Makalu behind you, the Nangpa La trade route to Tibet ahead. The descent to Thame drops over 1,500m in a single day. Three passes crossed — the circuit is complete.
Altitude: 3,440m | Trek: 3–4 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Namche Bazaar
A shorter day following the Bhote Koshi valley back to Namche — a different approach than the standard EBC route, and one of the more pleasant valley walks in the Khumbu.
Altitude: 2,860m | Trek: 5–6 hrs | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Lukla
The final trekking day crosses the Hillary Suspension Bridge and the lower Dudh Koshi valley back to Lukla — three passes, two valleys, and fourteen days of altitude behind you.
Flight: 35 min | Meals: Breakfast
The morning flight returns to Kathmandu. Three passes, two valleys, Everest Base Camp, Gokyo Lakes, Kala Patthar at dawn — sixteen days, done.
Important: Always build 2–3 buffer days in Kathmandu after this flight. Lukla departures are weather-dependent, and delays are common enough to plan around.
The Three Passes Trek is rated challenging, significantly more demanding than the standard EBC route. The three pass crossings above 5,300m require sustained uphill endurance, sure footing on rocky and occasionally snowy terrain, and tolerance for early pre-dawn starts on pass days. Prior experience on at least one high-altitude trek above 4,500m is strongly recommended before attempting this circuit. For the full difficulty breakdown read: Everest Three Passes Trek difficulty guide →
Yes — round-trip domestic flights Kathmandu to Lukla and return are included in Mountain Hike Nepal’s package price. The round-trip sharing transfer from your Kathmandu hotel to Ramechhap Airport is also included — midnight departure, arriving 5:00–5:30am for the first morning flight window. Mountain Hike Nepal coordinates all flight logistics, so you don’t organise the Ramechhap transfer independently. Always build 2–3 buffer days in Kathmandu after the trek return.
Two permits cover the full circuit — the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit. Both are included in Mountain Hike Nepal’s package price, with no independent purchase needed. Your guide handles all documentation at every checkpoint from Jorsale onward.
The Mountain Hike Nepal package starts from USD 1,499 for groups of 8–12 and USD 1,899 for solo trekkers — covering round-trip Lukla flights, Ramechhap transfer, all permits, all accommodation, all meals, and a licensed guide. The total all-inclusive budget, including international flights, Nepal visa, insurance, and gear rental, typically runs USD 3,500–5,500 per person from most origins. For the complete breakdown read: Everest Three Passes Trek cost guide →
October is the finest month — post-monsoon clarity and the most reliable conditions on all three passes. April is the best spring month — strong conditions before the pre-monsoon haze, with rhododendron forests in bloom on the lower approach. Avoid June, July, and August — the Cho La glacier and Kongma La can be dangerous in monsoon conditions. For the full season guide read: Best time for Everest Three Passes Trek →
Microspikes or light crampons are strongly recommended for the Cho La glacier section, and occasionally for Kongma La in early spring or late autumn. Conditions vary by season — the Cho La descent has fixed ropes but can carry ice in October and November. Always confirm current pass conditions with Mountain Hike Nepal at the time of booking, and rent microspikes in Kathmandu if advised. Trekking poles are non-negotiable for all three pass crossings regardless of season.
The EBC Trek is 12 days and reaches 5,644m at Kala Patthar, a linear out-and-back on the main Khumbu trail. The Three Passes Trek crosses three passes above 5,300m while visiting EBC, Gokyo Lakes, and Gokyo Ri in a full circuit that never repeats a major trail section. The Three Passes circuit is significantly more demanding but delivers a complete Khumbu experience the standard EBC route cannot provide. For the full comparison read: Everest Three Passes vs EBC Trek →
The highest pass is Kongma La at 5,535m, crossed on Day 7. The highest overall point of the circuit is Kala Patthar at 5,644m, reached before dawn for the Everest sunrise. Three of the circuit’s nights are spent above 4,800m — Gorakshep (5,160m), Dzongla (4,830m), and Lungden (4,980m) — making this the most sustained high-altitude overnight schedule of any standard Nepal trekking circuit.
Not recommended for complete beginners. The Three Passes Trek is best suited to trekkers who have completed at least one previous high-altitude trek above 4,500m. The three pass crossings, the technical Cho La glacier section, and consecutive nights above 2,800m all demand specific preparation and prior altitude experience that first-time Himalayan trekkers may not have. The standard Everest Base Camp Trek is the recommended first Khumbu experience before attempting the Three Passes circuit.
Yes — travel insurance is required before Mountain Hike Nepal confirms any booking. The policy must explicitly cover trekking above 5,600m and helicopter evacuation from the Khumbu region. Standard policies covering trekking to 4,000m or 5,000m are not sufficient. Confirm the altitude limit in writing with your insurer before departure — helicopter rescue from Cho La or Kongma La without adequate coverage costs USD 5,000–8,000.
Yes. We provide a complimentary roundtrip transfer to and from Tribhuvan International Airport for every Everest Three Passes Trek booking — pickup from the airport straight to your hotel in Thamel on arrival, and drop-off back to the airport on your departure day. This applies regardless of when you book relative to your arrival in Nepal.
Helicopter. We can arrange this a few different ways depending on group size and budget — for the inbound leg, we adjust your standard flight cost and top up the difference, with a shared helicopter running roughly $650–700 per person one way. Groups of 4–5 can charter a full helicopter to Lukla for about the same per-person cost, with no weather delay risk. For the return leg, we can pre-book a pickup from Gorakshep, Dingboche, or Namche, depending on how much of the circuit’s final descent you actually want to walk. Talk to us before you book and we’ll build the right option into your itinerary.
By road, on the B.P. Highway — the route runs east through Bhaktapur, Sanga, and Dhulikhel before reaching Manthali in Ramechhap district. Expect sharp bends and winding stretches for parts of the drive, which is why we use experienced drivers for this specific route, especially on the overnight run.
They still can, off-season — but during peak trekking months, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority reroutes scheduled Lukla flights through Manthali Airport in Ramechhap instead of Tribhuvan International Airport. It’s a congestion-management decision on CAAN’s part, not a change specific to any one airline or agency.
Yes — you can head to Manthali the day before your flight and stay there overnight rather than making the drive at midnight. It’s a valid option, though most of our clients still prefer the overnight transfer since it means one extra night in Kathmandu instead of a Ramechhap guesthouse.
Weather and airline scheduling decide this, not us — Lukla flights are affected by both. If it happens, we work with the airline to get you on the next available seat, and we’ll talk through a helicopter option with you if the delay runs long enough to threaten your itinerary.
Plan every aspect of this circuit with our detailed supporting guides:
