Gokyo Lakes

The Gokyo Lakes are a chain of glacial turquoise lakes set between about 4,700 and 5,000 m in the Everest region — one of the highest freshwater lake systems in the world. Reached on foot, they offer the Khumbu's most colourful scenery and, from Gokyo Ri above, a panorama of four 8,000-metre peaks.

Overview

The lakes lie within Sagarmatha National Park beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, the longest glacier in Nepal. Six main lakes make up the system, with the third lake, Dudh Pokhari beside Gokyo village, the largest and most visited. Their vivid blue-green colour against the bare, rocky high valley is striking, and the lakes are considered sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists. The dawn climb of Gokyo Ri (about 5,357 m) reveals Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu in a single sweep — a four-peak panorama that many trekkers rate above the more famous view from Kala Patthar on the Base Camp trail.

How to get there and visit

The lakes are reached only on foot via the Gokyo Lakes trek. The route starts with the short, dramatic flight to Lukla, climbs to Namche Bazaar for the first acclimatisation stop, then branches northwest up the Dudh Koshi valley through Dole and Machhermo to Gokyo over roughly a week, with rest days en route. The whole journey out and back typically takes around twelve days from Kathmandu. The Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit are both required, and a licensed guide is now mandatory for the route. Accommodation is in family-run teahouses the whole way, comfortable lower down and increasingly simple and cold near Gokyo. Build in buffer days at each end for the notoriously weather-sensitive Lukla flight, which is often delayed or cancelled.

Things to do

• Climb Gokyo Ri at dawn — a steep two- to three-hour ascent for the finest panorama in the Khumbu.
• Walk the lake chain — explore the upper lakes beyond Gokyo village along the glacier's edge.
• See the Ngozumpa Glacier — Nepal's longest glacier sprawls just beside the lakes.
• Cross the Cho La — link Gokyo with the Everest Base Camp trail for a tougher loop.

For other great high-altitude lakes reached on foot, compare Tilicho Lake on the Annapurna Circuit and Gosaikunda in Langtang.

Altitude is the defining challenge of a Gokyo trek. You sleep at almost 4,800 m in Gokyo village and climb above 5,300 m on Gokyo Ri, so a slow, patient ascent with proper acclimatisation days is essential, and it is wise to read up on altitude sickness before you set off. Beyond Gokyo Ri, fit and well-acclimatised trekkers can extend their visit with a walk to the upper lakes, a viewpoint called Scoundrel's View over the glacier, or the demanding Cho La pass crossing that links the Gokyo valley with the Everest Base Camp trail for a longer combined loop. Whatever the itinerary, the combination of turquoise water, a vast glacier and a wall of giant peaks makes Gokyo one of the most rewarding destinations in the Khumbu.

Fast facts

Fact	Detail
Elevation	About 4,700 to 5,000 m
Size	Chain of six lakes; the third (main) lake about 0.4 sq km
Region	Khumbu, Sagarmatha National Park, Koshi Province
Best season	October to November and March to May

The Gokyo Lakes are the highest entry on any tour of the best lakes in Nepal. Plan them as the Gokyo Lakes trek and acclimatise carefully on the way up.