Nepal Ancient Passes Trek Tour

Your Guides

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The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.

Pranoy Rai

Pranoy Rai was born in Nepal, studied in Darjeeling, India, and has always been a travel enthusiast. Since 1999, he has led numerous treks and tours to Nepal, Tibet and India, and has enormous experience in the field. Pranoy successfully completed his basic mountaineering course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute of Darjeeling with grade 'A' certificate and is trained in wilderness medicine. In addition to being fluent in English, Nepali, and Hindi, he speaks basic Tibetan and Chinese. Pranoy is very keen on birds, plants, and flowers, and he looks forward to sharing his knowledge with you on the trek.

Binoy Rai

Raised in the Himalayas and schooled in Darjeeling, Binoy Rai has always been passionate about trekking and mountaineering. In addition to being a top guide on MT Sobek's Everest Base Camp and Everest Lodge to Lodge adventures, he has undertaken an Advance Mountaineering Course from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling and is well-versed in Wilderness First Aid. Binoy has climbed many peaks in the Nepal and Sikkim Himalaya, and enjoys studying the region's flora and fauna. Above all, he is eager to share the wonders of his home country with you.

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Welcome to Kathmandu! Meet your MT Sobek guide and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may opt to stretch your legs and explore the area around the hotel, which is situated in the heart of the city. Come evening, receive a briefing on the trek and a festive welcome dinner with the group.
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                    [Headline] => Tour the Kathmandu Valley
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Kick off your Nepal adventure with a tour of Bhaktapur, a medieval city-state in Kathmandu Valley. Incredibly preserved, Bhaktapur was tragically devastated by the 2015 earthquake. The city is still in recovery mode, but some simple meandering reveals the remaining stunning medieval squares lined with towering temples, and narrow cobbled streets dotted with brick buildings, hidden squares, and hawking artisans. In the afternoon, enjoy some free time to relax, wander, or pack for your upcoming trek. This evening, enjoy an Everest summit talk given by a Nepalese female Seven Summiteer.
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                    [Headline] => Fly to the Khumbu
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This morning, depart Kathmandu on a small plane bound for Lukla (9,382\'), a popular stop for Everest-bound visitors. This short but spectacular flight offers unparalleled views over the mighty Himalaya. From here, lace up your boots and begin your trek, making our way about 3.5 miles through pine and cedar woods to Phakding village (8,563\'). Phakding sees many travelers and thus is full of many guesthouses and warm Nepalese hospitality - which you experience tonight. While you may feel eager to walk more today, stop here to help your body acclimatize.
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                    [Headline] => Hike to Monjo
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Today enjoy an easy, acclimatizing walk to Monjo (9,428\'). En route, cross several picturesque suspension bridges, and pass mani walls (boulders inscribed with Buddhist prayers), small villages, terraced hillsides, and likely quite a few working yaks. With Khumbila (18,800\'), sacred peak of the Sherpas, looming above, arrive in Monjo, nestled in mountainous blue pine and rhododendron forest. Overnight and acclimatize at Everest Summit Lodge - Monjo, where the lodge chef prepares a welcome dinner.
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Get your cameras ready! Today you enter Sagarmatha National Park en route to Namche Bazaar (11,286\'). More rocky terrain, suspension bridges, and yak crossings make for a strenuous day. But all becomes worth it when you pause on the steep ascent for the rewarding, spectacular first glimpse of Mount Everest! Arriving in Namche Bazaar - the gateway to Everest and the high Himalaya - early allows you to spend a relaxing afternoon strolling around the bustling village. Colorful prayer flags adorn this amphitheater of shops, Internet cafes, eateries, and lodgings.
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                    [Headline] => Trek to Tashinga via the Hillary School
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Above Namche Bazaar, the trail to Tashinga follows the classic approach to Everest. A steep uphill hike takes you to beautiful Khumjung village, where you\'ll have a chance to visit the first Hillary school. Founded in 1961 by legendary mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, the institution - with just over 300 students - is the only high school in the Khumbu region. After visiting the school, descend down to Tashinga (11,350\').
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                    [Headline] => Follow the Flags to Phortse
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From Tashinga, follow sacred stones and colorful prayer flags to Phortse (12,959\'), a traditional Sherpa village off the main trail. A terraced knoll dotted with stone buildings, this hamlet is seldom visited - leaving a pristine, genuine experience for those who veer off the beaten path to explore it.
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                    [Headline] => Ascend to Dole
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A gradual uphill hike, with only the occasional section of steep steps, takes you up and along the shady side of a valley through mossy rhododendron forest. The wooded trail emerges above the tree line and into the village of Dole (13,248\'), home to musk deer, a variety of Himalayan birds, and a cluster of trekking lodges.
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Today you trek only about 2.5 miles but gain about 1,200 vertical feet - so it feels like a very significant 2.5 miles! Exiting Dole there is a slight descent (tricky if snow-covered), but it quickly shifts to a steep climb up a hillside covered in tundra grasses and scrub junipers. Continuing up through the valley, mountain views abound, including of Cho Oyu (26,906\'), the world\'s sixth-highest peak. The slope eases as you approach Luza, then it\'s an easy walk into Machermo (14,665\') - where in the 1975 a villager and her yaks were allegedly attacked by a yeti!
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                    [Headline] => Behold Gokyo Valley, Nepal\'s Land of Sacred Lakes
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Today\'s views are incredible! Head up into the desolate, high-mountain tundra and breathtaking Gokyo Valley and Gokyo Lake (15,419\'). Wedged between soaring peaks and awesome glaciers, six main (and 19 total) emerald-green lakes comprise the world\'s highest freshwater lake system. They are sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus, and traditional beliefs that wildlife should remain unharmed have long protected the region\'s fauna. Soak in the beauty of three Gokyo lakes before pushing to the village of Gokyo, your home for two nights as you explore this magical area.
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                    [Headline] => Summit Gokyo Ri
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Today\'s hike is optional. But if you\'re game to climb Gokyo Ri, the Himalayan views - and the feeling of accomplishment - from atop are truly unforgettable! Rise early, cross a stream, and start climbing. Respect the altitude and take it slow, resting often if only to appreciate the spectacular surroundings: endless sky above, mighty mountains around, the enormous Ngozumpa Glacier and holy Gokyo Lakes below. After a few hours, summit Gokyo Ri (17,575\') and revel in the awesome beauty of some of the world\'s highest mountains: Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse, and, of course, Everest.
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                    [Headline] => Cross Renjo La Pass into Thame Valley
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Today you\'ll feel your proximity to Tibet as you cross Renjo La Pass (17,585\'), an adventurous and challenging route that affords more unforgettable mountain and lake views. Descend into the little-known Thame Valley, a former "salt route" along which traders would journey from Tibet to Namche Bazaar. Thame, the largest village in the valley, is also known for being home to Tenzing Norgay, the first Sherpa to climb Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953. Today\'s hike ends in Lungden (14,370\'), a tiny village comprising little more than several lodges.
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Your weary feet and wobbly legs appreciate today, as all they have to do is climb aboard a scenic helicopter flight bound for Kathmandu. Spend two leisurely days exploring this magical city, including the sacred Pashupatinath Temple. Straddling the Bagmati River, Kathmandu\'s oldest Hindu temple is an architectural marvel. It is also the most important temple dedicated to the god Shiva. Elderly and ailing Hindu worshippers arrive from near and far to find shelter in their final weeks, as it is believed that those who die here are reborn as human, regardless of any accumulated bad karma. There may also be time to visit Kathmandu\'s Durbar Square and shop in the local bazaar.
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Continuing your time in Kathmandu, explore Boudhanath Stupa, Nepal\'s largest temple and one of its holiest sites. Boudhanath is Kathmandu\'s center of Tibetan culture and rich in Buddhist symbolism: five statues representing the five elements (earth, fire, air, water, and ether), nine levels representing Mount Meru (the mythical peak at the center of the Buddhist cosmos), and 13 rings from its base to its apex (representing the steps to enlightenment). Lunch is on your own. In the afternoon, visit the King\'s Palace and Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple - try to catch the sunset here!), before joining the group for a farewell dinner.
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This morning we bid a fond farewell to our new friends and this magical country, then transfer to the airport for our homebound flights.
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    [ActivityHighlight] => On this trip, you will be hiking five to eight hours a day, up and down mountain trails that are steep and rocky, and mostly at elevations above 10,000 feet. Previous experience is recommended, and you should be in good physical condition.
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Accommodations

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Scenic and comfortable mountain accommodations in Nepalese inns and lodges, plus two nights at Kathmandu\'s comfortable Yak & Yeti Hotel.

Yak and Yeti Hotel

Luxury Hotel

A five-star oasis in the heart of Kathmandu, the Yak & Yeti is the perfect blend of contemporary international standards and time-honored Nepali tradition. Guests will find refuge among antique fountains, gilded temples, and emerald gardens while enjoying a state-of-the-art gymnasium, spa features, shopping arcades, atrium, tennis courts, and swimming pools.

Everest Summit Lodge-Monjo

Comfortable Hotel

Rest in comfort at the Everest Summit Lodge in picturesque Monjo. The setting is spectacular, overlooking the village and the narrow Dudh Kosi valley, and with the dreamlike backdrop of magnificent Thamserku rising high up behind the lodge. Hot tea and warm staff help every guest feel welcome.

Tashinga Lodge-Tashinga

Comfortable Hotel

Situated amidst pine forests overlooking the Dudh Kosi valley, the Tashinga Lodge offers breathtaking views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Tawoche, and Khumbila. Comfortable rooms and local hospitality make for a wonderful stay at one of the most beautiful locations along your trek.

Hotel Namche

Comfortable Hotel

Travelers boast about the location (not uphill!) and the kind staff of this simple but comfortable lodging in the heart of Namche Bazaar. Guests can enjoy the restaurant, bar, and outdoor patio. Most rooms have electric blankets, private bathrooms, and hot showers — welcome comforts in the chilly Khumbu region.

Fitzroy Inn-Gokyo

Rustic Lodging

The spectacular views over stunning Gokyo Lake are only one of the welcoming Fitzroy Inn's notable characteristics. Others include its comfortable beds, en suite bathrooms with hot showers, warm and tidy dining room serving up generous portions, and genuine Sherpa hospitality.

Himalayan Eco Lodge-Gokyo

Rustic Lodging

The Himalayan Eco Lodge's lakefront accommodation offers stellar views of Gokyo Lake and its surrounding snowcapped peaks. Cozy rooms come with en suite bathrooms, in-room sockets for device charging, and a warm and friendly dining room and bar. The lodge takes pride in using renewable solar and hydropower energy, and yak-dung instead of wood in its stoves.

Lungden View Lodge-Lungden

Rustic Lodging

There is little to the village of Lungden other than a sprinkling of accommodations. The Lungden View Lodge's basic rooms offer warmth and relaxation to trekkers both preparing to climb the challenging Renjo-La Pass, and to those resting their legs and lungs after crossing it.

Namgyal Lodge-Machermo

Rustic Lodging

Set in a lovely courtyard appointed with prayer flags, this better-than-basic lodge exudes warmth from its stone walls, ample blankets, and affable staff. Varied, tasty meals are served in the bright, cozy dining room, and guests can enjoy hot water for sponge baths morning and evening.

Yeti Inn-Dole

Rustic Lodging

On the northern side of the stream that bisects the village of Dole, the vast Yeti Inn offers large gardens and a genuine trekking-lodge feel in a lovely pastoral setting. It's a place of comfort and camaraderie, and many trekkers hang out here to acclimatize en route from Phortse to Machermo.

Yeti Mountain Home-Phakding

Comfortable Hotel

Situated on the banks of the Dudh Kosi river and surrounded by organic gardens, YMH is a peaceful haven for weary legs. The comfortable rooms feel very lodge-like, with wood-paneled walls and natural wooden furniture. Shared spaces include a sunroom with lovely views, a vast dining room with a cozy fireplace, and a small in-house library.

Riverside Lodge

Rustic Lodging

The Riverside Lodge is nestled in a small hamlet surrounded by juniper and rhododendron trees. Listen to the babbling river while relaxing by the fire in the dining area or in your comfortable room. Shared bathrooms and showers.

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