Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar to Pheriche
Gorak Shep altitude: 5125 m/16814 ft
Kala Patthar altitude: 5540 m/18176 ft
Trek Distance: 2.3 m/3.7 km
Trek Duration: 6 hours
Popular Everest Region Treks you might want to join: Everest Base Camp Trek, EBC with Helicopter Return, EBC– Cho La Pass – Gokyo Trek, Everest base camp trek with Island peak
The section from Gorakshep to Kala Patthar is a challenging part of the Everest region trek. There are various landscapes that you will need to traverse to arrive at the destination of Kala Patthar from Gorakshep. The stunning trail takes you through the rocky path behind the settlements of Gorak Shep.
Kala Patthar is a beautiful point in the Everest region. Located at an altitude of 5,540m/18,176 ft, this area requires trekkers to traverse through the rocky boulders and terrains. The mountain is widely known as Kala Patthar, which means “black rock” in the local language.
Kala Patthar remains in the Pumori mountain’s south ridge. This small peak has only a prominence of 10 m (33 ft) and is quite famous for hiking during the Everest Base Camp Trek. From the top of the Kala Patthar, you can observe the snow-clad mountains of the region, including Everest, Changtse, and Nuptse.
You can observe the Khumbu glaciers, icefalls, and other natural landmarks of the Sagarmatha National Park. The trail to the peak is generally made early in the morning before sunrise. This way you can observe the glorious Himalayan sunrise from the viewpoint of the area.
Moreover, you will also get the best pictures of Mt. Everest from this viewpoint. However, you must ensure that the weather remains clear before you make your journey. The trail of this trek is mostly uphill with steep terrains. You will gain incredible elevation during the walk, so you must ensure that you get acclimatized adequately in advance.
Furthermore, you will stay in the settlement of Gorak Shep the previous day. Hence, you can trek to the Kala Patthar with a light pack. The trek trail will pass through the village settlements just below Kala Patthar. The trail moves smoothly for a while, and then you will pass through an uphill terrain.
The navigation along the course will provide you with views of the Khumbu Glacier, and Ama Dablam. You will get a glimpse of Mount Everest as you move along the trail. By the time you reach the top of the Kala Patthar, you will get a complete view of Mount Everest. There are other snow-clad mountains and surrounding landscapes of the region.
There are various challenging landscapes as you move high along the trail. The trail can be pretty dangerous and challenging. Hence, you should be careful along the path, and there you should wear proper gear and equipment along the trail. In the latter part of the trail, as you reach close to the summit of Kala Patthar, you will get to observe the Buddhist prayer flags.
You can also observe weather reading devices at the top of the summit. You will pass through the spectacular last portion of the terrain. However, you should tread carefully and then not rush to the top. After overcoming many challenges, you will arrive at the summit of Kala Patthar.
The pictures of Mount Everest are the best from this viewpoint. You will get through the beautiful landscapes of the Sagarmatha National Park. The Khumbu Icefall linking to the Khumbu Glacier looks incredible from the top. There is also Nuptse and other mountains of the Everest Mahalangur Himalayan range. There are many glaciers on the opposite side of the peak.
After exploring the region and then observing the region’s beautiful landscapes, you will take the downhill trek to finally arrive at Gorakshep. It is pretty easy to trek downhill as you will reach the destination in a quick time. However, you should traverse downhill with caution as they will provide you with safety along the trail.
You will reach the Gorak Shep and then where you can have a proper lunch and then rest for some time before you continue your journey to Pheriche. The sunrise from Kala Patthar is quite stunning. However, the weather in the region is quite unpredictable in the high altitude region. Hence, you should prepare for weather changes in a span of a few hours and also check weather forecasts along the trail.
The trail then leads you to the beautiful settlement of Pheriche. The beautiful course is downhill from the area as you pass through various small village settlements. Buddhist heritages and landmarks like prayer flags, monasteries, chortens, and others. The beautiful views of the region’s snow-clad mountains while trekking is stunning. Finally, after trekking for a few hours, you will arrive at the settlement of Pheriche. There you can rest overnight at a teahouse.