This is the 4th part of my epic 19-day trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) and Gokyo Lake, perched on the Himalayan mountains in Nepal.

Highlights

Scroll down to see photos from my trip, a trail map, itinerary & more travel tips.

Scroll down to see photos from my trip, a trail map, itinerary & more travel tips.

Dingboche to Dughla

Trek path: Dingboche (4,410 meters) > Dughla (4,620 meters).

Desert-like landscape with a view of snow-capped mountains from Dingboche to Dughla

A porter carries a basket-full of goods to Dughla village (4,620 meters).

River bridge crossing on the trail from Dingboche to Dughla.

Dingboche to Dughla trail

Everest Memorial (Dughla to Lobuche)

Trek path: Everest Memorial ‘Chukpi Lhara’ (4.825 meters) > Lobuche (4,940 meters).

Yak porters. Looking up the steep hill from Dughla to the Everest Memorial site.

At Everest Memorial, you’ll find cairns (human-made stack of rocks), prayer flags, and memorial monuments everywhere, honoring climbers and sherpas who have died attempting to climb Mt. Everest.

Everest Memorial – EBC Trek, in Sagarmatha Everest region, Nepal

Lobuche

Lobuche village (4,940 m).

A glacial moraine pool, near Lobuche (4,940 m).

Lobuche to Gorak Shep

Trek path: Lobuche (4,940 meters) > Gorak Shep (5,164 meters).

Lobuche to Gorak Shep trail

The difficult trail over loose rocks from Lobuche to Gorak Shep.

Yak train carrying goods from Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5,164 m).

Final stretch to Everest Base Camp

Trek path: Gorak Shep (5,284 meters) > Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters).

Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp – EBC Trek, in Sagarmatha Everest region, Nepal

Glacial moraine view on the way to Everest Base Camp.

Everest Base Camp – travel goals achieved!

Khumbu Glacier/Ice Fall and Mt Nuptse (7,861 m) view from Everest Base Camp.

Enjoying a view of the Khumbu Glacier/IceFall and Mt Nuptse (7,861 m).

View of Mount Everest (8,848 m) and Nuptse (7,861 m). The actual summit of Everest is not visible from the base camp.

Gorak Shep

Gorak Shep (5,164 m), the last/highest teahouse settlement before reaching Everest Base Camp.

EBC Trek Map

Array

EBC Trek Itinerary

See full itinerary & highlights: EBC-Gokyo Circuit Trek (19 days)

Day 7: Dingboche to Lobuche

Distance hiked: 7.7 km

Starting elevation: 4,410 meters

Ending elevation: 4,940 meters

Elevation change: 530 meters (647 meters up, 81 meters down)

Hike duration: 7 hours (incl. lunch/rest breaks & photo stops)

Time
0915 Start trek from Dingboche (4,410 meters)
0945 Dingboche hilltop, on the way to Dughla (4,400 meters)
1100 OTW to Dughla (4,507 meters)
1215 Dughla (4,620 meters). Stop for Lunch. Steep uphill zigsag trail to the Everest Memorial site.
1343 OTW to Everest Memorial (4,720 meters)
1425 Everest Memorial ‘Chukpi Lhara’ (4,825 meters)
1620 Lobuche (4,940 meters)

Day 8: Lobuche Acclimatization Day

Spent an acclimatization day in Lobuche, to be extra safe and avoid altitude sickness. I was already feeling the physical toll from the trek and thinning oxygen levels. If you’re feeling okay, you can totally skip this and push forward to Gorak Shep.

Day 9: Lobuche to Gorak Shep

Distance hiked: 4.3 km

Starting elevation: 4,932 meters

Ending elevation: 5,164  meters

Elevation change: 232 meters (299 meters up, 54 meters down)

Hike duration: 3 hours (incl. lunch/rest breaks & photo stops)

Time
0745 Start trek from Lobuche (4,932 meters)
0850 OTW to Gorak Shep (5,073 meters)
0935 OTW to Gorak Shep (5,153 meters)
1045 Gorak Shep (5,164 meters). Lunch break.

Distance hiked: 4.4 km

Starting elevation: 5,164 meters

Highest elevation: 5,364 meters

Elevation change: 200 meters (215 meters up, 65 meters down)

Hike duration: 4 hours (incl. lunch/rest breaks & photo stops)

Time
1315 OTW to EBC from Gorak Shep (5,284 meters)
1440 Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters)
1730 Back to Gorak Shep. Sleep at Snowland Highest Inn.

I wasn’t able to make it to Kala Pathar. I planned to do it the next day (for sunrise) but wasn’t able to wake up early enough. I decided to skip it and reserve my energy for the hard trek to Gokyo Lake via Cho La Pass.

Make sure to train at home, before our trip, so your body can better adjust to the physical demands of the trek.

EBC-Gokyo trek series

Before you go