Arun Valley And Gokyo Lake Trek

You will have a scenic flight to Kathmandu from your country as you will be able to see the panoramic view of the Himalayan Range. Upon your arrival at Kathmandu, a representative from Himalayan trekkers will greet and assist you to your hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, a tour guide will take you to the historical and cultural places of Kathmandu. The Kathmandu city presents a fabulous mix of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, and western influence in the valley. 

There will be a half-day guided tour to the famous and biggest Hindu shrine of Pashupatinath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Boudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Swayambhunath. The rest of the time, you can consult with your guide and can do the last moment shopping required for the upcoming trek.

So you start the trek as you will be heading to the domestic airport after breakfast for your flight to Tumlingtar in eastern Nepal, the starting point of your trek through the Arun Valley. The beautiful sight of terraced fields hills traditional villages, and the daunting Himalayan range, with its 8000-meter peaks peeking over in the distance, all seem to welcome you. 

You will reach your destination with a bump and a steep descent to a large grassy field, and, you will reach the point of your adventure.

With the snowy mountains rising in the hazy distance you will come across Chamlang to the left and Makalu to the far-right as you set out with your crew from your campsite at Tumlingtar. You tread through the small road that leads to the lone village and a series of small, lively villages and colorful tea-houses. You will find a company as many locals tend to share the same trail, along with trains of mules carrying cardamom, which is the biggest cash crop in the area.

You will cross a small stream of sparkling water on a wooden bridge as you start climbing through a lush tropical forest of cardamom. then, you will pass through thatched huts to a Chautara, (a kind of a local rest-spot which can also be used as a spectacular viewpoint) high above the obscure valley and the Arun River. 

Trailing around the hillsides and climbing up, you will come across Marduwa, a small hamlet where you will take a break for tea refreshments while looking out for the brilliant blue Kingfishers searching for fish in the river.

Today you will cross the river on a flexing bamboo bridge and trek through several pictorial whitewashed villages with a thatched roof and ochre bases. You will pass through Lankuwa village and start on a steep uphill climb to Dhobani. Along the way, you may find traditional fishermen with their long bamboo nets trying to catch fish. You will walk your way through a thick tropical forest of cardamom and other green trees as you will climb the “waterfall steps” and eventually reach Lower Phedi where the paper is also prepared. Your journey continues for another hour and reaches Sapla Phedi where you will halt for the night.

If the adrenalin rush is too high then you can cover this trek within three hours through a steep patch to Jau Bari and camp on the grassy campsite of the Sherpa Lodge. However, if you feel that it is too taxing then you can give a break and give this 1500 meter ascent a skip.

Starting the journey on a beautiful morning, you will start with a steep climb on some stone steps, while you pass the many dwellings of upper Salpa Phedi with the view of the incredible valley below. The road to reach Jua Bari can take hours of climbing but once there you can visit the village where they grow the best barley in the region and where there is a Sherpa gompa just below a lovely Sherpa-run campsite. 

You will keep on marching through the terraced fields and then through the increasingly thick rhododendron forests, pass the turnoff of Salpa Lake just past the small “Guranse La”, to Guranse or Chayaksila where you put your camp around the back of the houses enjoying the spectacular sunset and sunrise.

The Sapla Bhanjyang (3,360 metres) with its single Chorten is the border of Solu Khumbu and the Sherpa region. It’s just a small uphill climb over an hour to the Chorten-topped and windy pass where you will get a glimpse of the snow-capped Karylung peak. You will continue walking down through the forest, followed by a small stream and several Mani walls, to the Lidung Khola, where you will cross the north bank and continue on to the Whaka, with its few local tea houses. 

Another hour and you will reach the picturesque Sherpa village of Sanam where you will camp for the night. Sanam, “the land of the sky” is a lovely village with traditional Sherpa houses and terraced fields.

You will bid your goodbye to the beautiful Sanam and contour along the high trail with broad views reaching Duire (Tiu), a group of simple lodges where you will arrive at the rustic gompa at Nimtsola. This is where the Sherpa influence ends and the land of the Rai begins. 

You will make your way through the larger contour for another hour along the hillside, finally reaching the many buffalo huts and terrace fields. This is the large village of Gudel. You will get a sight of the sprawling village of Bung and the Naulekh Mountains as well as the Mera Peak in the adjoining distance.

In order to get the best of this mesmerizing village, you will stay an extra day to explore Gudel, the most interesting village in the Aruna Salpa Valley. You can also enjoy a hike around and explore more on this day.

Another day of trekking through the ups and downs of the Himalayan region. You will climb down the steep stone slabs, past rice paddies and cardamom plants to a river far below you. You will cross a long wooden bridge and begin the equally steep ascent to the bung. Following the stream on a rock trail; you will ascend a switch-backing trail after crossing the Hungu Khola. 

Bung begins just after crossing the river. It is situated along the slope of the hill and the upper reaches are 400 m above the lowest houses. The meaning of Bung stands for “beautiful flower” in Rai and it is a befitting name for the village of Rai Inhabitants, renowned for its Tongba or millet beer. You will keep climbing up, and after a while, the path evens out a bit and you will trek with great views and cooler temperatures until you reach a grassy plateau where you will take a break to fill your tummy. At the end of the trail, you will camp at Kiraunle-Chambaling Gompa, which has been recently built, to re-energize ourselves.

On your way up the trail, you will move up straight from your campsite to the ancient, moss-covered Chorten and Mani walls on the ridge as you will pass through ancient rhododendron forest towards an intersection by the small group of tea houses. You will be heading towards the Surkie La pass at 3070 meters and from where; you will get better views of Karyolung, Khatanga, and Numbur. 

A steep descent down a rocky trail through a bamboo forest leads you to the destination of the day-Nanjing Dingma. This is a small village having few small tea-houses and shops with green pastures all around.

After a good night’s sleep, you will wake up fresh in the morning and after having your breakfast, you will leave Najing Dingma and descend through green woods for an hour to Gai Kharka, another small village consisting of only a few thatched huts. You will continue descending further through the steep way until you come across a rickety bridge high above the Inkhu Khola. From here, you will continue a steep ascent of two to three hours to the next village, but as you gain altitude you are treated to a mind-blowing view up and down the Inkhu valley, eventually spotting Mera peak looming in front of you.

You will reach Shubuche which is a large village located at an altitude of 2,660 meters. The village is spread out over the hillside and is marked by Tibetan prayer flags and a small gompa at the upper reaches. Pangum La (or Satu La pass at 3175 meters) is another hour of the climb away. You can see the trail of Trakshindo La and the incredible scenic Sherpa village of Pangma from Jiri. 

You will reach your beautiful campsite in Pungmo in another half an hour from where you will experience the fantastic sunset over the wide-open valley, across the Dudh Kosi while the Karyolung stands tall majestically in front of you.

After experiencing a beautiful stay in Pangum, you will be heading out of the town past the long rows of old Mani walls. As you reach there, you will look out at the hilltop villages of Bupsa and Khari-Khola in the distance as you deviate on a smaller wooden trail towards the small settlement of Karte, two and a half hours away and then the Khari La. 

Here you will your first look at the sacred Sherpa peak, Kangaru Yul Lha (Khumbila), and the Gyachen Kang, while you have the Kusum Kangaru just around the corner. A quick descent on a rocky trail to the main Jiri trail, and then another half an hour walk, you reach the enchanting village of Puiyan. 

However, you do not stop here but continue another hour of hiking along a wide trail with broad views and over a small ridge and viola; you will reach Phakepani where you will rest for the night.

You will continue through the long village of Puiyan. You will get closer to the upper Khumbu region where you continue to walk along hillsides just below a small pass called Chutok La. You will reach another small village of Surkhe from where you have a glimpse of the Nupla peak and across up the valley you see Lukla. You will come across a suspension bridge, which leads you below Lukla to Chaunrikharka. You will stroll along an old walled trail while passing many traditional Sherpa houses as well as Mani walls and fields of barley, potatoes, and vegetables. You will keep walking past these Mani walls until you reach Chhiplung. 

The view now looks more and more stunning as you will continue to head north towards the crystal clear lakes of Gokyo. You will get a picture of Karyolung peak covered in snow while walking all the way through Dudh Koshi River. You can see the three sister peaks of Kusum Kangaru to the east, from the small hamlet of Thado Koshi while crossing a small, rickety bridge. Walking along the cobbled trails, you will reach Ghat and the best–maintained cluster of Mani stones and prayer flags in the Khumbu. After a hard day's trial, you will rest in Phakding.

After a good night’s sleep in Phakding, you will wake up in the morning and pass-through by the small tea-houses. You will come across a long suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi. You will follow the bridge and trek above the river, climbing a bit to reach the first lodge of Benker on the left. You will continue over the small bridge through the rest of the Benkar. A second suspension bridge, another climb will take you to Chuoma. Another small bridge on the trail, another climb on uneven stone steps and finally you will reach the stunningly situated Sherpa village of Monjo.

Now you reached the gateway to Sagarmatha National Park just past the Monjo and Mani walls. You will climb down and cross another suspension bridge as you reach Jorsale village. One more bridge, as you continue to travel along the sandy riverside. The steep hour and a half climb to Namche are broken half-way up the hill by your first view of Everest, Lhotse & Nuptse. After walking for some time you will stay at Namche Bazaar.

Let’s take a break from all the tiresome activity. Today let’s take a short hike up the hill to get some unforgettable views of the Everest. If you are a museum-loving person then the Sherpa Cultural Center museum can be a place to be. 

You can also visit the Namche Gompa, perched on the hillside, or visit the re-constructed Sherpa house or the National Park Headquarters museum as per your preference. A chat with the locals can also make your trip fun-filled and enriching.

The morning is bright and beautiful and you will make your way towards the steep hill in the back of the Namche and head out towards the lively old Sherpa villages of Khunde and Khumjung. As you move on, you will pass through the old airstrip at Syanboche en route where the view of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse becomes all the more breath-taking. Here you will find a yak-breeding center. 

The Himalayan Tahr en route can be also seen from here, as there is a large herd living in the vicinity. Here you will visit the local gompas of both the villages as well as the Khumjung gompa which houses a yeti scalp. These adjoining villages are some of the oldest villages in the Khumbu region and date back to 600 years. Here you will get a glimpse of the local Sherpa architecture with their winding stone walls, yak paddocks and wood, and slate houses. 

These two villages are also situated below the Khumbila, the sacred Sherpa peak which houses a famous rock mural of Guru Rimpoche, while the views of Ama Dablam from Khumjung from here are simply mesmerizing.

Today you will contour around the hillside to Mong La which is situated at 4000 meters. This place offers a wonderful spot overlooking both the Gokyo and the Kala Pattar valleys. You can also see the scenic view of the Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Malan Palan, Taboche and the newly named Kamzang Peak. In front of you, you have Phortse, one of the oldest villages in the Everest region, suspended at the intersection of the Khumbu and the Gokyo valleys. To your south down the valley, you have the misty layers of the hills and valleys, as well as Monjo and the bridge to Jorsale.

You will take a break and have lunch at Mong La. Then continue with your journey and descend steeply through the pine forest to Phortse Tenga by the river and continue ascending again. The landscape is a treat to the eyes, as you will pass through frozen waterfalls up to the cathedral-like stone staircases, through rhododendron and Himalayan Birch forests and across small rivers, and finally passing through tiny Sherpa settlements. You will keep on hiking for another hour until you have your first view of the 8000 meter Cho Oyu from Dole.

Another beautiful day in the lap of the Himalayas as you will start to continue the hike towards the Gokyo valley. You will trail high above the valley floor, while Cho Oyu continues to loom in front of you for the latter part of the walk from the borders of Nepal and Tibet. You will come across some small Sherpa herding huts on your way and after a few more hours of trekking, you will reach the charming Yak-herding settlement of Luza. 

For the Khunde and Khumjung inhabitants, this is one of the many seasonal settlements, the next one being Machermo which will be arriving in about 45 minutes, after having climbed steeply out of Dole, to a set of prayer flags which marks an end to the settlement. then, you will continue climbing up and down once again and finally reach Machermo, where you will camp out for an overnight stay.

You will start early today as you have to walk to 4,800 meters and it is going to be more difficult than usual at this altitude. The lakes are on the verge of freezing and one can often hear the symphony of expanding and retracting ice. 

As you enter the grassy ablation valley by the side of the Ngozumpa Glacier you will get the first glimpse of Gokyo. Gokyo is a seasonal village and grazing area by the side of the third and biggest lake. You will stay tonight at Gokyo. It is a pleasure to admire the lakeside views and watch the shaggy yaks leisurely walking around.

After your breakfast, you will set out towards the Gokyo RI (5,360 m). On the way, you will cross small glacier streams jumping over the stone bridge. It takes about two hours of switch-backing to reach the prayer flag festoon peak. As you go up, take your time as all along the way you get great views of the valley down past the Gokyo Lake. 

From the top, it is a treat to the eyes to see the panoramic view of Gokyo lakes, the glacial moraine surrounded by the giant Himalayan peaks; Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu, and many others. Towards the west lies the pass: The Renjo La pass (4,515 m), the gateway to the Thame Valley and Nagpa La, which the Tibetans cross with their yaks on their way to Namche.

In the afternoon you can take a walk around Gokyo Lake. There is a beach at the other end and just a walk of 1 to 1 ½ hour past that are the Buddhist and Hindu shrines. One should not miss the quick hike up to the Moraine ridge, which gives a glorious view of the sunset colors on Cho Oyu which turns pinker down the valley towards Cholatse, Taboche, and Thamserku.

If you think that you need a day’s rest from all the trekking, then you can stroll around Gokyo, mingle with the locals and get to know them. But again, if your thirst for adventure is unquenchable, then you can hike up to the Gokyo valley, past two or three more glacial lakes, towards Cho Oyu. 

One can choose from the number of routes that snake up this gorgeous valley, one emerging on the ridge overlooking the creaking glacier while the other one passing the uncannily deserted fourth lake, with its white stony beach. One can also get a clear view of Everest from Scoundrel’s Point(4,995 m), just before the fifth lake, which will make the hike more fruitful.

This is a wonderful day of hiking on high mountain trails which go around the ridges on the west of the river. You have to trek along the lakes and the stone steps to cross the river. After this, you will reach the hamlet of Na, following which have a gradual climb contouring on a high trail along the western side of Cholatse and Taboche peaks. 

As you look back, you can see an unobstructed Cho Oyu and the glacial valley and Ama Dablam ahead. You will reach Phortse early in the afternoon and stop at the colorful Phortse gompa at the top of the village. Phortse is one of the oldest villages in Khumbu and looks like a maze of small walled lanes and traditional houses. The village is located on a promontory protruding from Taboche, which towers majestically above it. You can always see many Daphne, musk deer, and blood pheasants that live in the woods bordering the village.

The walk along the yak trails down to the bridge over Dudh Koshi, through the rhododendrons, and past the ancient moss-covered Mani walls to Debouche feels wonderful. You will stop at Debouche at the ani gompa or nunnery. After this begins the steep climb which will take you to the spectacularly set Tengboche Gompa. The Gompa is backed by the massive wall of Kangtega. 

After reaching the gompa, there is a steep descent to Phunki Tenga. then, you will cross the bridge across the river, a last steep climb, and trek through the scrub, pine forest, and rhododendron which takes us to Kyangjuma. Another 1 ½ half hour of the trek and you will reach Namche Bazar.

You will wake up early as today will be a long trek back to Lukla. The long hilly trail which you barely managed to climb at the beginning of your journey seems amazingly easy and short now. Jorsale which you reach just before the bridge to Monjo is the home of Phuru Diki. Monjo will be visible from the national park gate after one last steep climb. The way back to Lukla is the same trail, yet it looks so different. You’ll have lunch in Phakding and then walk to Lukla for an overnight stay.

Today you will take an early flight from Lukla to Kathmandu as it lies in the Himalayan region, can't be sure about the bad weather. Upon arrival at Kathmandu, you can go to the spa and massage center to get rid of the pain and tired of trekking.

Today is the free day as you can visit some of the Heritage sites of Kathmandu or you can stroll at Thamel and can do last minutes shopping, a souvenir for friends, families, and relatives. In the evening you will be enjoying the farewell dinner with cultural program. Overnight.

Although, it is a sad moment for us to say goodbye however a representative from Himalayan trekkers will drop you at the airport before 3 hours of your flight and takes the feedback of the trip. Hope to see you again in the next holidays!!