EBC Kalapatthar Chola Pass Trekking

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EBC Kalapatthar Chola Pass Trekking

Trip Facts

  • Duration: 19 Days
  • Challenge level : Hard
  • Max Altitude:5554
  • Group size :2 - 16 People
  • Best TimeSpring / Autumn
  • Destination :Nepal

About EBC Kalapatthar Chola Pass Trekking

Adventure Hub Nepal is here to give you a lifetime opportunity and an ultimate challenge to the ambitious trekkers. This moderate to challenging graded trek takes to you to the foot of Mount Everest traversing across the high Cho La pass at an elevation of (5420 m). Also included is the opportunity to trek to the summit of both Gokyo Ri (5340m) and Kala Pattar (5554m) for magnificent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu and Cho Oyu . A visit to Everest Base Camp will give you the chance to have a closer look at the spectacular Khumbu icefall.
Beginners or inexperienced climbers can take this trek, but this trek requires one to be moderately fit. Considering the snow condition over Cho La Pass the trek may not be suitable during winter ( December , January & February) and monsoon season (July and August ).

Trip Highlights

  • Best view of Mt. Everest
  • Summit to both Gokyo Ri (5340m) and Kala Pattar (5554m)
  • High Cho La pass at an elevation of (5420 m)
  • Chance to have a closer look at the spectacular Khumbu Icefall
  • Magnificent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu and Cho Oyu and visit to Everest Base Camp

Itinerary

This itinerary is intended as a guide only. Local conditions and weather may necessitate variations to the program and can affect the availability of views and panoramas described.
Be aware that all time stated are approximate and may vary with individual and group fitness, weather, Trekking route, river level and road conditions.

When you arrive in Kathmandu on a clear day it is in itself an exciting and memorable experience. The panoramic view of snow-capped mountain peaks sprawling down below is a wonderful sight. At the airport the Adventure Hub Nepal support team will meet you and take you to your hotel to relax from jetlag.

Kathmandu valley has lots world heritage,historical and cultural sites in the heart of Nepal and is a popular destination for tourists. The city presents a wonderful mixture of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence in the valley. Patan and Bhaktapur, its two major neighboring cities bear immense historical, cultural and religious significance. There will be a half day guided tour to the famous and biggest Hindu shrine of PASHUPATINATH, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal BOUDHANATH, the 15th century palace of 55 windows and SWAYAMBHUNATH.  After you have done all your sightseeing we will drop you to your hotel for a quick shower and meet for our pre-departure meeting about the upcoming trek.

We fly from Kathmandu to Lukla [2800m], a small airstrip high above the Dudh Kosi valley. After meeting our trekking crew and sorting out our gear, we begin the trek by descending to Chaunrikharka and then heading up the Dudh Koshi valley to Phakding, where we by the river in the lodge.

From Phakding, we cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up in order to protect and preserve this fragile mountain environment. We then ascend up to Namche and along the way, if the weather is clear, catch a first glimpse of Mt Everest in the distance. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market - a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La. We camp near the bazaar at Namche for the night.

Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. It has an abundance of lodges, tea shops and souvenir shops. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatising to the new altitude before heading off towards Gokyo. Options for acclimatization walks include a visit to Khunde Hospital, which was set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or a one hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above Namche.From there you can watch the sunset over Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. There are also good views from the National Park Centre and museum just above the village.

We are now approaching 4500m, so we will stay at Machermo for an extra day. Today is a spectacular day in terms of scenery as we follow the main trail north out of Namche. A short climb to a crest reveals a wonderful view towards Everest and Lhotse. We follow this main trail for awhile longer, passing many traders selling Tibetan handicrafts, to a crossroads high above the Dudh Kosi. The trail to Everest drops down the hill but we turn off here and climb to cross the Mon La before reaching Phortse Tenga. From Phortse Tenga, the trail climbs steeply to Dole, through rhododendron and birch forest festooned with hanging mosses and lichens stay overnight night here.

From Dole we climb steadily along the side of the valley, where the rhododendron forests give way to scrub juniper as the altitude increases. The trail passes many summer settlements (yersa), which are used when yaks are taken to these pastures to graze in the summer months. Ahead of us are excellent views of Cho Oyu, while at the rear are the peaks of Kantega and Thamserku. Today’s trek is a short one and we will arrive at Machermo in time for a quick lunch break and after that will continuing our trek to Machermo.

Today we are around 4500m, so we will stay at Machermo for an extra day to acclimatise. There are plenty of possibilities for exploration around the camp and just above the village there is an excellent view encompassing Cho Oyu (8210m) and the mountains which flank the Ngozumpa Glacier.

We are well rested now so we head for the lakes at Gokyo. We follow a very scenic path to Pangka and then descend slightly, following one of the rivers which flow down the west side of the Ngozumpa Glacier. We climb a steep rocky incline into the valley by the side of the glacier, passing the first of the holy lakes. We soon arrive at the second of the lakes, crossing the path which heads across the glacier to Cho La - our route to Lobuche and Everest, later in the trek. The third lake is known as Dudh Pokhari and on its eastern shore is the settlement of Gokyo. Walking by the side of the lake, the scenery is breathtaking with the summits of Cho Oyu and Gyachung Kang reflected in its emerald green waters. We will have another days rest at Gokyo Lake.

Gokyo Ri looms above the village on the northern edge of the lake and we leave camp just after first light, following a steep path up the hillside. As we climb, the summits of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu slowly come into sight and the view from the summit of Gokyo Ri itself, is one of the finest to be had in the Everest region - some say it is even better than that from Kala Pattar. For those who still have some energy, there are more good views to be had by dropping back down to the main path and following it north to the fourth and fifth of the Gokyo lakes, the latter being about three hours from Gokyo.

We are getting fitter and better with high altitudes now and have been acclimatised, we leave Gokyo to cross the Ngozumpa Glacier. We descend to the second lake and drop down onto the glacier. The route across the glacier is marked by cairns and is generally quite well defined. We climb off the glacier by a small dwelling known as Tragnag and follow a shallow valley to our camp by a small kharka.

An early start is necessary today, as we have to cross Cho La and make the long descent to Lobuche. Continuing up the valley, we cross a ridge and an old lateral moraine, before beginning the rocky scramble to the pass. From the pass there are excellent views, across to the Rolwaling Valley in the west and Ama Dablam to the south east. The descent from the pass involves the crossing of a small glacier [often snow covered] which is fairly straightforward. There are more excellent views of Ama Dablam and the forbidding north face of Cholatse as we descend to the pastures below. The way to Lobuche contours the grassy slopes above a lake, the Tshola Tsho, to join up with the main Everest trail from Pheriche and Thyangboche. The trail flattens out and follows the valley on the west side of the Khumbu Glacier to Lobuche.

To reach our next objective, Kala Pattar, the trail continues to follow the valley beside the Khumbu Glacier, and offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at our camping place for the night, Gorak Shep. Later in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set over the  Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Khumbu, Kala Pattar (5549m). As the light begins to fade we stroll back to our camp at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for our trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.

For the trek to Everest Base Camp, a very early start is required. It takes several hours on a trail across the Khumbu Glacier which weaves its way along translucent ice pinnacles and past seemingly bottomless crevasses. At Base Camp, there will hopefully be an expedition 'in residence' and there are great views up into the Khumbu Icefall where there is often some climbing activity. On the return leg, we can take a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the south Col. We then return to Gorak Shep.

It is downhill most of the way today, past Lobuche to Duglha and Pheriche. The Himalayan Rescue Association has trekkers’ aid post here which is interesting to visit. After lunch we cross the Khumbu Khola on a wooden suspension bridge and follow the Imja Khola to the village of Pangboche.

We continue to follow the river and, after crossing it, climb up through birch and rhododendron forest to Thyangboche and its famous monastery. There are magnificent views from here and Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega and Thamserku are just a few of the Himalayan giants which can be seen. From Thyangboche we descend to the bridge over the Dudh Kosi at Phunki Tenga, where there are water driven prayer wheels, before making our way back to Namche.

Our final day of  trekking follows the Dudh Kosi back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal opportunity for a farewell party with the sherpa guides and porters, where we can sample some chang, try Sherpa dancing and look back on a memorable trekking experience.

After breakfast we will take an early morning flight back to Kathmandu. You will have the whole afternoon to yourself where you can do shopping or explore Thamel the tourist hub, or just relax in your hotel.

Adventure Hub Nepal support crew will take you to the airport for your flight back home. If you prefer to stay longer, you can go for a short tour such as drive to National parks, whitewater rafting, Tibet tours, mountain biking and much more.

What's included

Included

  • Everest region trekking permit and TIMS card which is (traveller security)
  • Food and Accommodation while out on the trek
  • Airport pick up and drop off
  • Satellite phone
  • Comprehensive wilderness first aid kit
  • Fully-licensed, English-speaking trekking guide
  • Porter for carrying your bags
  • Domestic flight ticket from Kathmandu to Lukla and return
  • 3 nights hotel in Kathmandu two nights before the trek and one night after trek (we can organize extra nights if people require)
  • Local and national government taxes
  • 1 free Adventure Hub Nepal T-shirt
  • Kalapatthar and Everest region trekking map
  • Sightseeing in Kathmandu valley
  • Culture tour guide and transportation
  • All the entry fee while you are doing culture tour in the Kathmandu valley
  • Tea or coffee three times a day with your meal

What's Excluded

Excluded

  • Nepalese visa (this costs US 65$ for 30 days and you need two passport photos) this can be issued on arrival in Kathmandu international airport
  • International airfare to Nepal
  • If you don’t have your own sleeping bag, then you can rentl in Kathmandu and if you need down jacket rent you can get this in Kathmandu as well just let us know.
  • All the meals not included in itinerary
  • We suggest a tip for the guide and porter after the trek - Plan on a at least 5% to 8% of your trip cost (more will be appreciated).
  • We don't include mineral water on our trek for drinking on the trek but you can buy it at several places for $2-4 a bottle per litre as you go up it gets more expensive, A better solution is to buy water tablets in Kathmandu and treat the water (Adventure Hub Nepal guides can help you with fill your water bottle while you on trek and every morning before you start trek you can fill boil water in lodge you stay
  • These things are not included on the trek ; Wi-Fi, charging batteries and hot showers. (if you want hot shower included then trip cost will go up) Wi-Fi is available in some tea houses for $3 to $5 an hour. Hot showers are also available in a few lodges for around $4- and charging costs about $1.50 an hour.
  • It may end up that there will be unforeseen costs due to flight cancellation, weather conditions etc. You are responsible for extra hotel nights ($50/night) and meals in Kathmandu for any extra days in Nepal due to flight delays.
  • Extra snacks while trekking
  • Extra beverages for on the trip i.e.) alcohol and soft drinks.
  • Travel insurance which you will need comprehensive cover so to include the helicopter rescue as well
  • Any optional tours or activities during free time
  • We recommend industry standard tips for porter and guide

About Adventure Hub Nepal

Adventure Hub  Nepal has been operating adventure holidays trips since 2007. Today we can help you discover whole Nepal and we can offer high-quality, excellent –value, small group adventure to your interested area of Nepal, Extend your holiday by booking some pre or post tour accommodation- ask Adventure Hub Nepal.

Other Information

This itinerary is intended as a guide only. Local conditions and weather may necessitate variations to the program and can affect the availability of views and panoramas described. Be aware that all times stated are approximate and may vary with individual and group fitness, weather and track conditions.

Travelling with responsibility

We care about the place and people that we meet on our journeys, and we try to ensure that we give something back, as well as taking away so many incredible memories, for more information on our commitment to people of Nepal and responsible tourism please visit.http://www.sharmilafoundation.org

Price from US$ 2390
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  • Group discount available
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Need Help?

+ 61 434 491 216 info@adventurehubnepal.com
Sunday to Friday 9:00 AM - 8:30 PM

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