The Everest region of Nepal offers amazing trekking destinations for trekkers. Among these are the Everest Base Camp Trek (EBC) and the Gokyo Lake Trek. Both trekking destinations are renowned for their stunning mountain scenery of the surrounding Himalayas and cultural experiences in Sherpa communities.
The decision on taking Gokyo Lake or Everest Base Camp Trek depends on your personal preferences on the amount of difficulty you are willing to take during the journey. The Everest Base Camp is known for reaching on world-class iconic destination while the Gokyo Lake Trek is known for its turquoise and crystal clear glacial lakes.
The Everest base camp trek covers approximately 106 km and is a classic twelve-day trek that passes through the bustling Khumbu Valley to reach the foot of Mount Everest. Trekkers can experience cultural and historical along the way when they pass the Sherpa villages and Monastery, Namche Bazaar and Tengboche Monastery is one of them.
An Everest Base Camp trek is suitable for those trekkers looking for the most rewarding adventure of reaching Everest Base Camp while experiencing Sherpa culture.
On the other hand, the Trekking to Gokyo Lakes is a longer and potentially more demanding circuit that takes 15-16 days to complete. The trek goes through two valleys and gives you solitude and pure natural beauty because you will see fewer people. You will cross the high Cho La Pass, and view the serene and gorgeous Gokyo Lakes, and the Ngozumpa Glacier. It is an adventure trek par excellence that offers peace and tranquility.
Overview of Gokyo Lakes Trek
The Everest area of Nepal is home to the Gokyo Lakes Trek. The Gokyo Valley in Sagarmatha National Park is traversed throughout the hike. This trek is known for its turquoise glacial lakes, quiet alpine surroundings, and traditional Sherpa villages.
Caption: Beautiful Gokyo Lake
The primary attractions of this trek are six magnificent crystal clear lakes, the expansive Gokyo Ri vista, and Nepal’s largest glacier, Ngozumpa. After reaching Gokyo Lake, trekkers can witness the amazing views of Everest, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Makalu views, all in the stunning backdrop of Sherpa communities known for a rich cultural experience.
The 12- to 14-day Gokyo Lakes Trek consists of a variety of high-altitude hikes that range from easy to difficult. Trekkers have to walk five to six hours daily in order to get the best view of the Lake and mountain. Additionally, it is preferable to join a trekking group and complete the Gokyo Lakes Trek in the spring or fall when the weather is stable and clear.
Overview of Everest Base Camp Trek
In order to link with the traditional trip, the majority of Everest Base Camp trip itineraries involve a flight to the town of Lukla. The classic trek is made over a remarkable distance of 130 km which will take trekkers deep into the more rural Khumbu region.
Caption: Everest base camp
Some of the highlights of the Everest Base Camp Trek include climbing up to Kala Patthar for an unforgettable vantage of Everest, the spiritual surrounding of Tengboche Monastery, and witnessing some of the Himalaya’s highest peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu, while at Everest Base Camp. If you are into landscape photography this trek certainly has opportunities to photograph incredible Himalayas.
It will take 12 to 14 days to complete the EBC trek. It is considered to be moderate to high altitude treks. The ideal time to trek EBC is during the springtime and autumn antipodal months when the weather is relatively stable and usually offers mostly blue skies.
Key Comparision Factors
A. Scenery & Highlights
The Gokyo Lakes offer beautiful alpine lakes and open views from Gokyo Ri (5,357m) with far less traffic, striking a more peaceful connection with nature. EBC provides close views of Everest at the Kalapattar (5,643m) viewpoint but has a more commercialized feel and traffic.
B. Difficulty & Altitude
The Gokyo Lakes trek includes steeper elevation gain and is slightly more remote than EBC. The trek involves crossing the Cho La Pass (5,420m), which is more difficult than the EBC route, involving higher foot traffic and better-established teahouses, which takes away some of the logistics of trekking at high altitudes.
C. Crowds & Trekking Experience
Gokyo Lakes offers a more secluded off-the-beaten path natural experience with much fewer trekkers, perfect for those wanting solitude. EBC is far more trafficked and popular, however, EBC has experienced better infrastructure and a modest number of amenities each season.
D. Cultural & Spiritual Experience
In general, the Gokyo Lakes route has fewer villages and focuses less on the cultural and spiritual aspects, it’s more on the trekking experience immersed in nature and landscape. EBC has much richer cultural and spiritual elements, including monasteries like Tengboche and various layers of Sherpa culture and the history of mountain climbers to Everest.
E. Side Trips and Extensions
You can also do the Everest Base Camp trek combined with the Gokyo Lakes trek via Cho La Pass for scenic vistas and diversity in landscapes. You can also add Island Peak climbing to your Everest adventure adding a great mountaineering experience. Other trek extensions include the Three Passes trek or the Ama Dablam Base Camp trek, adding variety in adventure and experiences in the Himalayas.
Who Should Choose Gokyo Lakes?
Gokyo Lakes Trek is best for travelers who want peace and an escape into raw wilderness. The Gokyo Lakes Trek has fewer holiday guests and is more of a relaxing journey through small remote villages and stunning landscapes of a pristine wilderness landscape.
Furthermore, this trek is a good option to avoid the busy Everest Base Camp trekking route for some time in nature. The view of the glaciers and glacial lakes along your journey is a unique experience while immersed in the Everest region.
If you are an adventurous adventurer and fairly comfortable at high passes, you should trek to the Gokyo Lakes. This trek does take a fair amount of stamina and technical skill set thus making it more of a suitable trek for experienced trekkers that want a physical challenge in the Himalayas.
Who Should Choose Everest Base Camp?
Everest Base Camp is a good choice for beginner trekkers because of its moderate difficulty and well-maintained routes, making it achievable for trekkers who are physically fit. This trek is safe and rewarding to experience the Himalayas because of the lodges, services, and amenities available along the way.
If you are looking for spectacular views of classic Everest views with stunning landmarks, the EBC trek is a great choice. It includes impressive views of the world’s tallest peaks such as Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam.
Trekkers looking for more creature comforts and social interactions on the way should go for the Everest base camp trek as it passes through busy places such as Namche Bazar where trekkers can visit shops and restaurants and interact with others while trekking in the area.
Along the way, Trekking tea houses are well established along the trail to offer trekkers lodging and dining as well as create a social atmosphere for those who want to share their journey with others. This is a combination of traveling in comfort and adventure, thus making EBC a popular choice worldwide.
Can you Combine Both?
Yes, Gokyo Lakes Trek and Everest Base Camp Trek can be joined together to create a memorable experience. The combined trek begins with a flight to Lukla and then makes its way to Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri with its magnificent panoramic Himalayan view.
The trek then will cross the Ngozumpa Glacier after the challenging walk to Cho La which will then sequentially lead towards Everest Base Camp Trek for some unbelievable views of Everest vistas.
This combined journey is best suited for trekkers who have the strength for long hard day hikes and are tolerant of the challenges mountain climbing presents including altitude sickness. This tour is rich in diversity with spectacular scenery infused with Sherpa cultures and religious locations such as monasteries along the way.
Nevertheless, this outstanding journey will provide trekkers with memories that could not be made solely from photographs of the diversified landscapes and glaciers that made the Himalayan trek so demanding and at the same time so rewarding.
Conclusion
In the end, whether to choose the Gokyo Lakes Trek or the Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek depends upon the matter of your individual needs and desires. If your preference is to travel on a quieter trail with a beautiful mixture of turquoise lakes and mountain views then Gokyo Lakes Trek would be a great option. The Gokyo Lakes trek offers a unique circuit through the Khumbu and Gokyo valleys.
However, if your end goal is to reach the foot of the world’s highest mountain while learning Sherpa culture, and the history of the Everest expeditions, then the EBC trek may be for you. Although the EBC Trek is busier, you will see iconic views of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse. Both treks will offer an unforgettable Himalayan experience, and the best decision would depend on what you truly value in your adventure.
