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Everest Trek + Gokyo Lakes & Cho La

October 2005 Proposed Trek Itinerary

#	Day	Date	Hrs	Alt m	Overnight	Description
1	Fri	30				Depart UK (night departure)
2	Sat	01		1400	Kathmandu	Arrive Kathmandu
3	Sun	02		1400	Kathmandu	Day in Kathmandu
4	Mon	03	5	2815	Monjo	Fly Kathmandu – Lukla (8am flight), Trek to Monjo
5	Tue	04	2	3450	Namche	Trek to Namche Bazaar
6	Wed	05	3*	3450	Namche	Acclimatisation day in Namche. Day trek to Khumjung.
7	Thu	06	6*	3450	Namche	Acclimatisation day in Namche. Day trek to Thame (3800m).
8	Fri	07	4	3770	Deboche	Namche Bazaar - Deboche
9	Sat	08	1	4000	Pangboche	Deboche - Pangboche. Optional side trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp.
10	Sun	09	3	4350	Dingboche	Pangboche – Dingboche. Optional side trek to Ama Dablam Lakes or Chukhung.
11	Mon	10	2	4600	Thuklha	Dingboche - Thuklha
12	Tue	11	3	4940	Lobuche	Thuklha - Lobuche
13	Wed	12	5	5170	Gorak Shep	Trek from Lobuche up Kala Pattar (5545m peak offering close up views of Everest) & return to Gorak Shep
14	Thu	13	5	4850	Dzonglha	Trek from Gorak Shep to Everest base camp & return to Dzonglha.
15	Fri	14	6	4750	Gokyo	Dzonglha - Gokyo crossing Cho La Pass 5420m
16	Sat	15	3*	4750	Gokyo	Rest day in Gokyo (climb Gokyo Ri, 5340m, peak offering spectacular views of Everest & Cho Oyu)
17	Sun	16	5*	4750	Gokyo	Rest day in Gokyo – (trek to 6th Lake & Cho Oyu base camp)
18	Mon	17	5	4040	Dole	Downhill trek from Gokyo to Dole.
19	Tue	18	5	2640	Phakding	Continue downhill trek from Dole to Namche
20	Wed	19	5	2850	Lukla	Final descent to Lukla
21	Thu	20		1400	Kathmandu	Fly Lukla – Kathmandu
22	Fri	21		1400	Kathmandu	Day in Kathmandu
23	Sat	22				Depart Kathmandu
24	Sun	23				Arrive UK

* = optional walks on rest days
Hrs are approx walking hours (excluding food stops & sight seeing) assuming good fitness
Alt is the sleeping altitude

Rationale for chosen itinerary

3 nights at Namche is the recommended minimum for an acclimatisation strategy when flying in via Lukla.
Ascending the Khumbu Valley first means there is greater chance of making the primary goal (Everest) if slowed down by the effects of altitude or other illness.
The medical and communication facilities up the Khumbu valley are well developed in case of medical emergencies making the ascent & acclimatisation safer.
More trekkers & guides in the Khumbu valley with information about trail conditions further up.
Gokyo will seem like a paradise after the crowded Khumbu!

Alternative routes & contingency

Avoid Cho La pass if weather or health is poor & backtrack via Phortse to reach Gokyo (adds 1 day which will have to be deducted from Gokyo rest days).
There are contingency (rest) days built into this itinerary which can be used elsewhere en route in case of slower acclimatisation. Plus the descent from Gokyo to Lukla can be done in 2 days if required.
The 2 days in Kathmandu at the end builds in contingency in case of delayed return flight due to bad weather or other disruption.

The reality

Having done the trek, I can safely say that it would be a long, tough day to walk from Gorak Shep up to base camp and then return to Dzonglha on the same day. The altitude and rough terrain really take it out of you up here and we stopped short at Lobuche instead. See this itinerary for actual route trekked.
Trekking from Dzonglha over the Cho La pass and descending all the way to Gokyo on the same day is also very tough and probably beyond most people. We stopped at Thangnak instead.