The Everest Three Passes Trek map is one of the most searched queries on the internet and is a top trekking adventure in the Khumbu region. This trekking route sums up a perfect thrilling and challenging adventure in the Himalayas for trekking enthusiasts who are looking for a bit of challenge and an extensive adventure at the foothills of the highest snow-capped peak in the world, Mt. Everest (8,849 meters).
If you are curious about the route of the Everest Three Passes Trek map and the adventure it packs, you have come to the right place. This iconic Himalayan adventure takes you on a route of the most popular base camp adventure in the world, Everest Base Camp Trek. But going beyond the regular packages, in this extensive quest of the Himalayas, you will also explore the three of the highest Himalayan passes in the country.
Everest Three Passes Trek Map- General Trek Itinerary Outline
This is the most general and classical trekking outline of the Everest Three Passes Trek, the itinerary may differ depending on the highlight exploration and length. However, the most this is the most general Everest Three Passes trek map that many trekking agencies follow.
Day 01: Fly from Kathmandu (1,400 meters/ 4,593 feet) to Lukla (2,850 meters/ 9,350 feet) and trekking to Phakding (2,650 meters/ 8,562 feet)
Day 02: Trekking from Phadking to Namche Bazaar (3,440 meters/ 11,285 feet)
Day 03: Acclimatization and exploration day at Namche Bazaar
Day 04: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3,860 meters/ 12,664 feet) trekking
Day 05: Trekking from Tengboche to Dingboche (4,390 meters/ 14,402 feet)
Day 06: Dingboche to Chhukung (4,730 meters/ 15,518 feet)
Day 07: Chukkung to Lobuche (4,925 meters/ 16,158 feet) trekking via Kongma La Pass (5,535 meters/ 18,159 feet)
Day 08: Lobuche to Gorakshep (5,180 meters/ 16,994 feet), to Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters/ 17,598 feet), and back to Gorakshep
Day 09: Early morning hike to Kalapatthar (5,555 meters/ 18,208 feet) and trek to Dzongla (4,855 meters/ 15,930 feet)
Day 10: Dzongla to Dragnak (4,700 meters/ 15,419 feet) via Cho La Pass (5,420 meters/ 17,783 feet)
Day 11: Dragnak to Gokyo Lake (4,750 meters/ 15,583 feet) and visit to the fifth lake
Day 12: Trekking from Gokyo to Lungden (4,370 meters/ 14,337 feet) via Renjo La Pass (5,446 meters/ 17,867 feet)
Day 13: Lungden to Thame Village (3,750 meters/ 12,303 feet)
Day 14: Trekking down from Thame to Namche (3,440 meters/ 11,285 feet)
Day 15: Namche to Lukla (2,850 meters/ 9,350 feet)
Day 16: Fly back to Kathmandu (1,400 meters/ 4,593 feet) from Lukla
Everest Three Pass Trek Altitude Chart
Daily Activity in your Everest Three Pass Trek
While following the classical Everest Three Pass trek map, you will start your adventure from Lukla after a short scenic 45-minute flight from Kathmandu. After landing in Lukla, you will move toward the Phakding. Then from Phakding, you will make your way toward the Sherpa capital Namche Bazaar (3,445 meters) on Day 2, as you gain altitude above 2,500 meters when you reach Namche, the next day will be acclimatization day for you to properly adapt to the rising altitude.
On Day 4, you will continue your adventure from Namche heading toward Tengboche, the spiritual epicenter of the Khumbu region. From here, you will follow the spiritual trail across the monasteries, chorten, praying flags, and mani walls toward Dingboche, the summer valley on Day 5. Proceeding further on your trekking trail, Day 6 is another scenic trek day as head toward Chhukung passing the trekking across the Imja Valley trails. If you want, you can also climb the trekking peak Chhukung Ri (5,550 meters) during this day’s adventure.
You will overcome the first of the popular three passes in this expedition on Day 7, following the classical Everest Three Passes Trek map, you will head toward Lobuche from Chukkung passing over the Kongmala Pass (5,535 meters). Day 8 is a big day in your adventure, making your way to Gorakhsep from Lobuche, you will also conquer the Everest Base Camp (5,360 meters) on this day and return to Gorakshep for a night stay.
As any adventure in the Khumbu region is incomplete without the hike to Kalapatthar for the epic sunrise and panoramic views of the Himalayas, you will do an early morning hike to Kalapatthar on Day 9. After enjoying the views from this vantage point of the Everest region, you will trek toward Dzongla. Day 10 will be another exciting day’s adventure as you overcome the second Himalayan pass of this adventure Chola Pass (5,420 meters) heading toward Dragnak.
Moving toward the pristine glacial lake, Gokyo Lake on Day 11, you will overcome the final Himalayan pass of this adventure Renjola Pass (5,446 meters) on Day 12. Concluding this iconic Himalayan expedition on Day 13, you will begin your return trek, during the first part you will trek down to Thame Village from Lungden. On Day 14 and 15 you will gradually climb down to Namche and head toward Lukla, the starting point of this adventure. Day 16 will be the final day of your Himalayan exploration and you will return to the capital with a short Lukla to Kathmandu flight.
Everest Three Passes Trek Difficulty
Although the Everest Three Passes Trek map follows several routes heading toward the base camp or during the return trip, the difficulty level in every trekking route is pretty much consistent. The Everest Base Camp Trek, the highest base camp adventure in the world has been graded as a ‘moderately difficult’ Himalayan expedition. You don’t need any kind of previous high-altitude trekking experience or technical skills to do the regular EBC trek.
However, when overcoming three high Himalayan passes is part of your adventure then it is totally a different story. When following the Everest Three Passes Trek map, the adventure becomes slightly more ‘challenging’, overcoming the three of the highest Himalayan passes, all over 5,400 meters certainly is not an easy task. Although the Everest Base Camp Trek can be done with a few weeks of preparation without any prior experience, for the Everest Three Passes Trek, you need to have at least some trekking experience.
During the overcoming passes part, you will also occasionally need to use mountaineering tools like crampons, rope, ice axe, etc while overcoming the steep segments of the passes. So, it is safe to assume that some level of technical skills is also necessary to make this epic Himalayan expedition successful. Designed especially for hardcore adrenaline junkies, this is the most thrilling trekking adventure in the world that comes close to the mountain expedition.
What Are the Major Difficulty Factors?
If you are interested in this epic Himalayan quest, then you may want to understand the overall dynamics of the Everest Three Passes Trek map and what kind of difficulties you have to overcome during your adventure.
High Altitude
As we discussed earlier, the Everest Three Passes Trek is not for the light-hearted, it is one of the most iconic and thrilling adventures that suits perfectly for trekking enthusiasts who are looking for a bit of challenge during their Himalayan exploration. This exhilarating Himalayan adventure is only recommended for trekkers who have previous trekking experiences.
For an average human, it is hard to acclimatize properly to an altitude above 2,500 meters, and when the symptoms of altitude sickness start to kick in it can take several forms from mild headaches to life-threatening brain swelling conditions. Including the Everest Base camp, the highest base camp adventure in the world, you will need to overcome the summit of this Himalayan passes that are above 5,400 meters, which is pretty much equivalent to the 5,000-meter class mountain.
Son, unless you have previous experience in high altitude adventure and haven’t prepared your body to acclimatize properly in such a high alpine environment, altitude sickness is the major concern for this adventure.
Trekking Distance
If you have checked out the Everest Three Passes Trek map, then you might have realized that this is the one of the longest trekking adventures in the Himalayas. During your Everest Three Passes Trek, you will cover an approximate distance of 166 km (103 miles) and it will take about 16 to 21 days for you to complete this expedition (the number of days depends on the side exploration and acclimatization period).
Thus, in general, you will be trekking for about 6- 7 hours on average during each day of your expedition. In the normal trekking route, the slow-paced long hours of trekking are actually enjoyable, however, in the Himalayan trekking adventures which take place at higher altitudes, the trekking becomes more difficult with the increase in altitude. So pulling long hours of trek during every day of trek can be really tiring and draining. Plus, the steep climbing part of the Himalayan passes further elevates the trekking difficulty, this trekking adventure is almost impossible without the proper training and the right trekking gear for the demanding route.
Weather
You might have heard about the Himalayan region in Nepal being the coldest region in the country, but you will realize the information isn’t far-fetched when you enter the alpine environment of the region. Although the day temperature during the peak seasons are moderate and a tad bit warmer even at an altitude above 4,000 meters, during the nights and early morning you will still have to deal with the freezing cold.
The high Himalayan altitude is also known to be unpredictable, even in the peak seasons when the climate is more stable and calm, it doesn’t take much time for the clear blue sky to be filled with rain and snow cloud. Furthermore, the high winds that are strong and pretty cold are common on the top of the high Himalayan passes, these troublesome chilly power winds start hitting the summit point of the passes by afternoon. So, if you are signing up for this adventure you better prepare for any kind of weather conditions thrown your way.
Remoteness
While following your Everest Three Passes Trek map, you will enter some of the most remote corners of the Khumbu region. Depending on the trekking package you choose, you can go for either a whole camping adventure or teahouse trekking, but regardless of your preference, you will still have to spend a few nights at camping sites as there aren’t any teahouses in the area.
Not only this adventure will take you to explore the completely isolated wilderness of the Himalayas, but you will also be disconnected from modern-day technologies as well as amenities. So, if you are uncomfortable leaving your comfort zone and luxury, this is going to be a really difficult adventure for you. There are no proper bathroom facilities available at the isolated part of the trek neither a luxurious extended eatery menu nor proper modes of telecommunication services. So, prepare yourself for an epic journey back to laps of nature leaving behind the modern-day marvels.
Khumbu Cough
If you have done any Himalayan trekking adventure before, you might have heard about the Khumbu Cough, at least once. This is a dreadful condition that the mostly unprepared trekkers suffer from after they enter the alpine environment of the Khumbu region. The extreme cold, dry air, and low humidity are known as the major causes behind this dry coughing condition.
Usually, the climbers who haven’t prepared enough or rush with the acclimatization procedure. Not staying hydrated, not getting enough rest, missing out on a balanced diet, and failing to pack right for the alpine condition of the region are some of the root causes of these conditions. What makes Khumbu Cough really troublesome is that it is quite hard to shake off, trekkers who catch these dry coughing conditions usually have to suffer from it for weeks, and depending on their immunity it can even last months.
Best Season for Everest Three Pass Trek
For the best experience of the Everest Three Pass Trek, you should do this Himalayan expedition during the peak seasons like autumn (September- November) and spring (March-May). These peak seasons are known to have pleasant and stable weather conditions, the views are also extraordinary during the peak seasons under the clear blue skies.
Even while choosing among the peak seasons, you can determine the ideal period for your Himalayan adventure depending on the specialty you want to explore. For instance, if you are a nature level, you should definitely go for the blooming spring season when the whole Himalayan region is brimming with life. The landscape is green and lush, wildflowers cover the entire lower trekking trail and it is also a wonderful period to explore the endangered birdlife and wildlife of the region. The temperature of the Everest region during the springtime hovers around 15°C to 22°C during the daytime and you can expect the temperature to drop up to -5 °C at night and early morning.
As for the autumn season, it is popular for just the right temperature and best suited for outdoor adventures. The morning and evening chilly breeze makes the autumn the best time for trekking adventures, the fresh lush landscapes washed by the monsoon rain, dry trekking trails, stable weather conditions, and the most magnificent views of the Himalayan vistas are perks of doing this trek in the autumn season.
Moreover, the autumn season is also known as the festive season that celebrates some of the major festivals in the country like Dashain, Tihar, Chhath, etc, so you will also have to explore the cultural prospects of this beautiful Himalayan country. The temperature of the Everest region during the autumn season is around 14°C to 18°C during the day and can drop to -10°C at nighttime.
You may also like:
- 10 Days Everest Base Camp Trek
- Everest Two Passes Trek
- Everest Panorama Trek
- Everest Base Camp – Cho-La Pass – Gokyo Trek
Is This Trek Right for Me?
Although the Everest Three Passes Trek is slightly more demanding than the regular Everest Base Camp Trek, it doesn’t mean that it is strenuous like a mountain expedition. Yes, the involvement of the high Himalayan passes above 5,000 meters makes this Himalayan adventure slightly more challenging but with the right amount of preparation, a basic level of fitness, and good health condition, you can easily complete this trekking adventure.
In case you have any kind of medical conditions you should consult your doctor and trekking guide about the expedition. If you want a more comfortable experience you can also switch to a personalised trekking package where the itineraries are decided as per your needs. You can decide the number of rest days and trekking pace, and even highlight exploration as you see fit. The overall success rate of the Everest Three Passes Trek is above 95%, so with adequate preparation and determination, you will be able to easily complete this beautiful Himalayan expedition.
