Everest Three Passes Trek

Also known as Three High Passes Trek (Kongma La, Cho La, Renjo La).

Everest Three Passes Trek is an advanced 17-20-day teahouse trek in the Everest (Khumbu) region of Nepal, reaching 5,644 m. It starts at Lukla and ends at Lukla.

Key facts

Region
Everest (Khumbu) (Solukhumbu)
Duration
17-20 days, 5-8 hours walking per day
Distance
160 km
Maximum altitude
5,644 m
Difficulty
Advanced — The hardest standard teahouse route in the Khumbu: three 5,300m+ passes (Kongma La 5,535m, Cho La 5,420m, Renjo La 5,360m), 10+ nights above 4,000m, glacier-moraine crossings, and long 7-9h pass days. Non-technical in good conditions but serious in snow/ice; requires excellent fitness and acclimatization discipline.
Trek type
Teahouse, loop route
Best season
Autumn (Oct-Nov) and Spring (Apr-May)
Guide
Not mandatory
Restricted area
No
Budget cost
NPR 170,000–230,000
Comfortable cost
NPR 230,000–320,000
Guided cost
NPR 250,000–400,000
Getting there
Kathmandu → Lukla (flight 30-40 min) off-season; peak season (approx. Oct 1-Nov 15, Apr 1-May 15) from Ramechhap: Kathmandu → Manthali (4-5h drive) → Lukla (15-20 min flight). Flight-free: shared jeep Kathmandu → Salleri/Thamdanda (12-14h) then 1-2 days walking to Lukla.
Altitude sickness
Very high — three pass days above 5,300m plus Kala Patthar (5,644m) and Chhukung Ri (optional 5,550m), with more than a week sleeping above 4,300m; HAPE/HACE risk real if the schedule is compressed.

Weather

Passes need settled weather: fresh snow can render Cho La (glacier crossing) and Kongma La dangerous or impassable, and all three are frequently closed Dec-Mar without alpine gear. Start pass days pre-dawn to beat wind and afternoon cloud. Autumn offers the most reliable pass conditions; early spring can still hold winter snow.

Permits

Itinerary

  1. Day 1: Kathmandu/Ramechhap to Phakding, 3 h, 2,610 m — Lukla landing; Dudh Koshi trail
  2. Day 2: Phakding to Namche Bazaar, 5-6 h, 3,440 m — Monjo park gate; Hillary Bridge
  3. Day 3: Namche Bazaar to Namche (acclimatization), 3-4 h, 3,440 m — Everest View Hotel / Khumjung acclimatization loop
  4. Day 4: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche, 5 h, 3,860 m — Tengboche Monastery; Ama Dablam views
  5. Day 5: Tengboche to Dingboche, 5-6 h, 4,410 m — Pangboche; Imja Valley
  6. Day 6: Dingboche to Dingboche (acclimatization), 3-4 h, 4,410 m — Nangkartshang ridge hike (~5,083m)
  7. Day 7: Dingboche to Chhukung, 3 h, 4,730 m — Imja Valley head; Island Peak and Lhotse south face; optional afternoon Chhukung Ri (5,550m)
  8. Day 8: Chhukung to Lobuche via Kongma La, 7-9 h, 4,940 m — Kongma La (5,535m) — highest and toughest of the three passes; frozen tarns below the pass; Khumbu Glacier moraine crossing at the end
  9. Day 9: Lobuche to Gorak Shep + Everest Base Camp, 6-8 h, 5,164 m — Everest Base Camp (5,364m); Khumbu Icefall
  10. Day 10: Gorak Shep to Dzongla via Kala Patthar, 6-7 h, 4,830 m — Kala Patthar sunrise (5,644m); traverse below Awi Peak to Dzongla with Cholatse views
  11. Day 11: Dzongla to Thagnak (Dragnag) via Cho La, 6-8 h, 4,700 m — Cho La (5,420m): rock scramble and glacier plateau crossing between Cholatse and Lobuche peaks
  12. Day 12: Thagnak to Gokyo, 2-3 h, 4,790 m — Crossing the rubble-covered Ngozumpa Glacier — Nepal's longest — to the third Gokyo lake
  13. Day 13: Gokyo to Gokyo (Gokyo Ri day), 4-5 h, 4,790 m — Gokyo Ri (5,357m) sunrise over four 8,000m peaks; optional 4th/5th lakes walk
  14. Day 14: Gokyo to Lungden via Renjo La, 7-8 h, 4,380 m — Renjo La (5,360m) — arguably the finest single view in Khumbu back over Gokyo lakes to Everest; descent into the quiet Bhote Koshi (Nangpa) valley
  15. Day 15: Lungden to Thame, 4-5 h, 3,820 m — Old Tibet trade route villages (Marulung); Thame monastery, home village of Tenzing Norgay and Kami Rita Sherpa
  16. Day 16: Thame to Namche Bazaar, 3-4 h, 3,440 m — Gentle Bhote Koshi valley trail closing the loop
  17. Day 17: Namche Bazaar to Lukla, 6-7 h, 2,860 m — Final descent
  18. Day 18: Lukla to Kathmandu/Ramechhap, 0 h, 1,400 m — Fly out

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