Thangna to Gokyo
Starting Elevation: 4,700m/15,420ftThangna)
Ending Elevation: 4,790m/15,700ft(Gokyo)
Distance: 4km
Trekking Time: 5-6hrs
After a lovely evening in Gokyo, you’ll trek towards Gokyo and the lakes. The trek will start by ascending upwards on the wall of the valley. You’ll enjoy a fantastic mountain vista along the uphill section. After the uphill section, the glacier and terminal moraine wall will come along. You’ll walk on the terminal moraine to cross the glacier for an hour. It will be a walk to reach from the western side of the glacier to the eastern side.
If it is snowfall time, you will have a white panorama of the region. It is tough to stop watching the view while moving through this part. The route ahead has crevasses; you should take your steps carefully. And in this way, you’ll walk on the Ngozumpa Glacier. It is the longest glacier in the Himalayas, below Mt Cho Oyu- the sixth-tallest peak in the world.
Continuing on the glacier trail, you’ll reach Nha and Machermo village. These two small Sherpa hamlets are eye-pleasing to watch. You can stop here for some rest and interaction. After the villages, you will reach the shore of Tanjung Pokhari, one of the Gokyo lakes. Then you will get to the point where two routes confluence. One goes to Tengboche and Namche Bazaar and another to Gokyo valley.
You’ll choose the one going to Gokyo. The trek will happen on a snow trail; you will love walking on the road with many sceneries to watch. Mt Cho Oyu will steal the show. After walking for some more, you’ll see Dudh Pokhari and the village by the lake coming. It is great to watch the lake and the village from some distance. So you will pause here for some picturesque watch.
Following the scenic pause, you’ll approach the lake and finish the day’s trek. You’ll feel more and more excited to see the lake coming. Dudh Pokhari, also known as Gokyo Cho, is the main lake of the Gokyo Lake system. It sits right below the mountain. And the water of the lake is bluish as it is a glacier-fueled freshwater lake.
Right after arriving at Gokyo, you’ll go to the shore of the lakes to enjoy the cold blow of wind, the blue water, and the mountains in the vicinity.
A day full of hard walking on a glacier will turn fruitful here at the banks of Dudh Pokhara. You’ll spend some golden hours by the lake and a night in one of the lodges by the lake.
Trekking route of this trek: Gokyo Lake Trekking, Everest Gokyo Lake with Renjo La Pass Trek, EBC – Cho La Pass – Gokyo Trek