We did this same hike with the local guide company Alpine Ramble Treks, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I highly recommend doing this trek and also Alpine Ramble if you are looking for the best local tour operator or guide.
Wow; you were there already in -88! I did my first trek to Kala Patthar back in 1995, from Jiri. Was amazing to be back 25 years later. Besides much better housing and the occasional wifi connection surprisingly little had changed. Still, my trek was during the peak of Covid, so I met only a handful of tourists during the entire two weeks; a truly unique experience...
@@shekarnov31 Do you mean contact to the trekking agency? I travelled with Discovery World Trekking. My contact was Paul, its CEO. During Covid a contract with a trekking company was compulsory to be allowed a visa to enter Nepal. Today I am pretty sure you can arrange a trek fully on your own. Still, if you need help, Paul is your guy. Just contact info@discoveryworldtrekking.com and I'm sure you will be in very good hands!
We were there again 2 years ago during Ramadan. It was really desolate; probably less than 100 visitors to the entire park. An amazing experience to have a theme park almost to ourselves, although quite surreal!
Nikolas, great video. I found it both focused to learn from but also very enjoyable to watch. If one wanted to follow your trek, but had 1 extra day to work in. For example to make the trek less physically challenging. How would you have folded that extra day in or modified your trek? I recall you mentioned that in hindsight, 2-3 extra days would have been more enjoyable and less difficult. Any general or specific guidance you can offer here would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!
Thanks Ashish, I'm glad you liked the video! If I had more days I would add them on the way back from EBC. Going from Dzongla to Gokyo in one day was very tough and should probably have been done in two, with a rest in Thagnak. Similarly, Gokyo to Namche was very challenging; yes you go mostly downhills, but it's a very long hike and it probably would have been best to stay a night in Dole. Best of luck on your journey!!!
Wow, sounds amazing. I did the Jiri - Kala Patthar trek 28(!) years ago. It was an amazing experience; beautiful nature, and much less tourism before you get to Lukla. In terms of layers, I would just point to the obvious; functional T-shirts and long johns, fleece sweater, trekking pants, thick gore-tex jacket, beanie and gloves (all this you see in my video). The temperature varies alot during the trek so you may have to change clothes several times per day. Also remember that the coldest moments were always at night. Even though you're indoors temperatures can easily drop several degrees below freezing. I hope you have an amazing trek!!!
I did this trek this May, 2023 but to the opposite direction. From Namche Bazaar to Gokyo lakes, Gokyo Ri Summit, then Cho La Pass. Kala Patar Summit, Everest Base Camp. After EBC your actual program is complete. From there go down on classic EBC route back to Lukla.
Thanks! The weather was mixed. We had 2 cold days (~15C) followed by 3 warm days (20-25C), so you should definitely bring shorts. Most restaurants were open!
Thank you for this amazing video and informations and can i ask two question please. What time in the morning you were waking up and starting Journey and which hours are the best for walk. And what was the highest price of you payed for otel per night?
Thanks, I'm glad you liked the video! I slept poorly, so I often woke very early. But we typically started trekking around 8 in the morning; a bit later during acclimatizing days, and already at 5 to cross Cho La pass. Since I was trekking during Covid (Nov-20) no private treks were allowed, you had to travel with a guide, and the guide took care of all bookings, permits, food and flights. But if you go private accomodation and food is generally very very cheap! Prices go up with higher altitudes, particularly for beverages that have to be carried there, like Coke or beer...
Hi Nik, I am going to trek Himalaya in India next month. I learnt a lot of experience from you in this video. Thank you again. Hope you still have a good healthy to trek other mountains 😊
Amazing vlog! Is it possible to get from Kala Patthar to the actual Everest Base Camp (where the 5364m rock is) I was wondering why you skipped that landmark and went straight to Lobuche?
Thanks, yes you can, but the truth is my guide got lost. We were the only people visiting Gorakshep and EBC that day and because of lockdowns there was no path. Very frustrating, but we were very near… ;)
Amazing...the surrounding is very hostile with no visible path.. Nature is beautiful but also rustic. 12 days in 30 min ....fabulous..You seem to look older by 3 yrs in 12 days
Nicely done. Simple yet beautiful. Planning for March next year. Your descend from Gokyo to Namche in a day seems tiring and challenging. Wondering how you managed that stretch. Is that doable for average trekkers? I also wish to compete the circuit in 12-13 days.
Gokyo to Namche was doable, but I'll admit it was really tough and a lot longer than I had thought. Took nearly 9h, which is a lot even though you are mostly going downhills. I was completely exhausted once we got to Namche. Still, I asked my guide as a joke if he wanted to continue to Lukla; he just casually said no problem! ;)
hey, great video. i'm wondering how many layers you wore as you said it was cold in november. i'm planning to go end december and understand it'll be absolutely freezing
I wore 3-5 layers and never really had any problems with cold while trekking. The main challenge was at night in the guest houses where temperatures could drop well below 0 C. As you don’t move around much and there is no sun it felt much colder…
@@pearlll_ I used the sleeping bag from the trekking company. Not sure what rating, but it was thick, plus you got thick blankets from the guest houses. The problem was anytime you were out of the sleeping bag. We did not have much wind during our trek.
I used light trekking shoes. Some prefer boots, but I prefer the lightweight to any added ankle protection. Most important is to use the shoes alot before you go trekking, to avoid chafing.
Thank you Niklas! This is a great report, very well done. I have a few questions as I'm prepping for a similar trip next year. My parents have a lot of concerns, I have a few. 1. Did you check ur oxygen saturation regularly and did u feel affected by the height in a negative way at all? 2. How heavy was ur backpack and did you carry it alone the entire time? 3. Is there wifi to send out a message here and there? 4. Did the tea houses have showers? 5. Looking back, what's a piece of advice you would give? Thank you!!
Thanks Carmen! Yes, I checked my oxygen levels every night. My trough was just below 70 in Gorakshep; apparently that was a fairly good level considering the altitude was 5,200m. Fortunately I did not experience any symptoms of altitude sickness. My backpack weighed around 13kg (+water); I carried it myself, but if you have a guide you can easily get a porter at an affordable price. There was Everest wifi available on most places, but since I was there in extreme low season there were some places where the wifi was turned off, and either way they usually turned it off as soon as the sun had set (solar power) in order to save batteries. Yes, most tea houses offered hot showers, but they were not particularly nice and as it was very cold on higher altitudes so I chose not to shower throughout my trek. My advice, take your time. I rushed through the trek in 12 days, but I would probably have felt better and enjoyed it more if I had added another 2-3 days to my trek. Also pack very lightly! There are several RU-vid videos with advice on what to bring and what to leave behind. Best of luck with your trek!!!
@@NiklasEkman73 thank you for the detailed response. It comes a long way. I appreciate it! And again, kudos to you! :) very much enjoyed watching the report
Thanks, my trek was from 10-21 November 2020. You can see the exact trekking details at the very end of the video. October-November is the best time of year weather wise; hardly any clouds, hardly any snow and still not too cold.
Great video! I will do the same route in November this year. I am from a tropical country, and a bit concerned about the cold weather in November, can you tell me what kind of weather shall i expect during the trial? Thank you
Weather in the daytime is fine, as long as you have decent clothing. The main challenge was nighttime. Freezing cold, no heat (at least not when I was there since it was extreme low season) and nowhere to go. So make sure to bring something warm for the night. Best of luck with your trek!
Niklas - tak for en fin rapportering ! :) I got inspired to do the same and will leave for a trip next month. September wan't be as clear but I hope lesser crowds will equal that out.
I took the direct route back, via Machermo and Dhole. If you do the three pass trek you can also pass Renjo La via Thame on the way back. But that would take a lot longer.
Hej Niklas ! Planning to go this autumn November or December. A bit concerned that December might be a bit cold but my travel partner might not be able to do it Nov. I found your video really really great!!! Hälsar en Svensk/ Mats
Tack Mats! October-November is usually the most popular time to travel because of the weather. December gets colder with more risk of snow and it may slightly greater risk of clouds, but this also usually means alot fewer tourists. I think a trek in December could still be great, I have seen video's from several other trekkers that visited in December and they looked fantastic. Just make sure you bring extra clothing! Lycka till!!!
it is a dangerous trek ? Because I would like to go to EBC and then go to Cho La Pass and Gokyo but it seems that there is anybody here and I don't know if there are exposed ridges without strings. Also, I don't know if the glacier could be dangerous because of the crevasses. It will be my first experience trek and I have 1 year to get prepared for this.
No, I wouldn't say it's dangerous. You need to be aware of the risks related to altitude sickness, at times you will walk very close to steep ledges and if you are extremely unlucky you could get hit by falling rocks in some places, but people of all ages go trekking in the Himalayas and in general I would say that the risks are very low! The trek was almost empty when I went due to Covid, but normally there will be lots of people everywhere and rescue helicopters can help in case of severe altitude sickness or in the unlikely event of an accident.
What a great video. Stunning footage but also really informative. Its also the first video that has made me think its worth having a stuff daypack for short day excursions (i think yours was part of your bag but nonethless). Great video, thank you.
You can very well go without a guide, particularly if you go during high season. I had no choice as a guide was required even to get a visa to enter the country in November 2020 shortly after the first Covid restrictions were lifted.
@@NiklasEkman73 hi mate, it was such a great video. I wonder if I can go along your pathway without a guide. is it a safe one ? im going to EBC, Gokyo via chola pass on March 2023. do you think is it possible to get lost there ?? TIA
@@davidtriyadi Hi David! Yes, it should be no problem to go without a guide. I was there in extreme low season due to Covid, but normally there are people everywhere and it is mostly quite clear which path to follow. The Chola Pass used to be a tricky one, but they added markers along the way in 2020, which make it a lot easier.
That is a mystery to me too. On higher altitudes the temperature was sub-zero more or less around the clock. I honestly don't know what they did to prevent the pipes from cracking.
Did you go early November or late November? How was your solar battery? Some trekkers said their solar battery didn’t work well. It didn’t recharge much from the sun.
I used a 20W solar panel. I had clear blue skys almost every day so the solar panel worked very well and was sufficient for most of my needs. Better so going up (sun in my back) then on my way back. Still, the solar panels weighed nearly 1kg and all guesthouses offered charging, albeit for a high price (around Rs300 for a cell phone, Rs 800 for a big power bank). If I went again I would probably leave the solar panels behind to ease on the weight.
Agreed! Donkeys and oxes carry most of the construction material up to Namche, then Yaks take over for all destinations above Namche. Porters also carry alot of food and supplies. For the heaviest materials they sometimes use helicopters. When I was trekking there were no other tourists but plenty of helicopters, so I suspect they were mainly carrying supplies.
Really enjoyed your video, well done, brings back many great memories. I have made trips in 2017 and 2019. October 8 2022 start my 3rd trek via Gokyo, at the young age of 64. I hope your efforts inspire others not to put off this trip any longer . "Dream big and dare to fail" as they say!!! Thanks again 🙏
Thanks Dave, I am so glad to hear that! And dito! Gives me hope that I may have the chance to go again in another few years time... Best of luck on your Gokyo trek!
The climb to Namche is a tough one, but the views are truly amazing and it's well worth the hike. I hope you get to live your dream, to see Everest at sunset! Best of luck!!!
Hej Niklas . Mycket trevlig video även denna på eran fina NIMBUS 31 NOVA. Har ni kvar båten? Har ni en D4 300 ? Om ni är ska sälja båten så är vi väldigt intresserade att köpa den. Hör gärna av dig till mig isåfall. Har idag en NIMBUS 26 DC Epoca Rossa med en KAD300 men örter något större och mer praktiskt. Trevlig sommar. Mvh Axel med familj:)
Tack Axel! Uppskattar frågan och kan varmt rekommendera båtmodellen, men vi har tyvärr inga planer på att sälja. 31 Nova är tyvärr väldigt ovanlig, men det brukar finnas en hel del 30 Nova till salu; den saknar L soffan i aktern, men i övrigt är den i stort sätt identisk. Lycka till och hoppas ni får en trevlig sommar!
@@NiklasEkman73 Hej Niklas. Ja dem är super fina. Hoppas på fler båt video från er. Ja 30 är mer vanlig. Men 31 verkar optimal med L soffan. Tack detsamma. :) Mvh Axel
Hi Shahil! Unfortunately, I don't have a complete list of what to pack, but I strongly recommend traveling as light as possible. Check out The Trail Hunter; he has a lot of good instruction videos on how to prepare for an Everest Base Camp trek. ru-vid.com/group/PLg1tiUHN1j5nJVkV2NiU0XY8tHEcCOE07
Agreed! I actually did the same trek back in 1995 (except I never went to Gokyo back then). A lot was the same, but all the basic huts were replaced with brick buildings and the bridges were much stronger. Still, it was still just as cold and the trek was equally challenging as last time...
