The Everest Three Passes trek is the complete Khumbu — a big anticlockwise loop that strings together the region's three high crossings, Kongma La (5,535 m), Cho La (5,420 m) and Renjo La (5,360 m), and folds in Everest Base Camp, the Kala Patthar viewpoint, and the turquoise Gokyo Lakes along the way. It is the hardest of the standard teahouse treks here, and the most rewarding: instead of walking up to one viewpoint and back, you traverse the whole high country. Here's the guide, with a route table.
Quick facts
- Duration: 18-21 days from Lukla
- Highest points: Kongma La 5,535 m; Kala Patthar 5,545 m
- Difficulty: Strenuous — high passes, glacier on Cho La, long days
- Start/end: Fly Lukla, loop anticlockwise, return to Lukla
- Permits: Sagarmatha National Park + Khumbu municipality fee — see the permits guide
- Season: October-November & March-April
Why do the Three Passes
The standard Everest Base Camp trek is an out-and-back: you share one trail up and the same trail down. The Three Passes loop instead links the region's separate valleys — the Khumbu (Base Camp), the Gokyo valley, and the Bhote Koshi (Thame) — so you see far more of the Khumbu and walk a fraction of any section twice. You still get Base Camp and Kala Patthar; you also get Gokyo Ri, arguably a better Everest viewpoint, and the empty, spectacular Renjo La. For experienced trekkers it's the definitive Everest itinerary.
The route, day by day
| Day | Route | Altitude | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fly Lukla → Phakding | 2,610 m | Easy start |
| 2 | Phakding → Namche Bazaar | 3,440 m | Big climb |
| 3 | Namche — acclimatisation day | 3,440 m | Hike high, sleep low |
| 4 | Namche → Tengboche | 3,860 m | Famous monastery |
| 5 | Tengboche → Dingboche | 4,410 m | Into the high valley |
| 6 | Dingboche — acclimatisation day | 4,410 m | Nangkartshang hike |
| 7 | Dingboche → Chhukung | 4,730 m | Pass prep |
| 8 | Chhukung → Kongma La → Lobuche | 5,535 m / 4,940 m | First pass |
| 9 | Lobuche → Gorak Shep → EBC → Gorak Shep | 5,364 m | Base Camp day |
| 10 | Kala Patthar → Dzongla | 5,545 m / 4,830 m | Sunrise viewpoint |
| 11 | Dzongla → Cho La → Thagnak | 5,420 m / 4,700 m | Glacier pass |
| 12 | Thagnak → Gokyo | 4,790 m | Lakeside |
| 13 | Gokyo Ri + lakes | 5,357 m | Best Everest view |
| 14 | Gokyo → Lungden | 4,380 m | Toward last pass |
| 15 | Lungden → Renjo La → Thame | 5,360 m / 3,820 m | Quietest pass |
| 16 | Thame → Namche | 3,440 m | Descending |
| 17 | Namche → Lukla | 2,860 m | Loop closed |
Add buffer days for weather — Lukla flights are notoriously delayed.
Day-by-day notes
Days 1-7 — Acclimatising on the main trail. You follow the classic EBC route up through Namche and Tengboche to Dingboche, taking the standard rest days. This shared, gradual ascent is what makes the rest of the loop survivable.
Day 8 — Kongma La. The first and highest pass, a tough day from Chhukung over a boulder-strewn col to Lobuche. From here you join the Base Camp trail.
Days 9-10 — Base Camp and Kala Patthar. Walk to Everest Base Camp, then climb Kala Patthar at dawn for the iconic close-up of Everest's summit pyramid before turning west.
Day 11 — Cho La. A glacier crossing links the Khumbu to the Gokyo valley — the most technical day, with early ice underfoot. Go with a guide.
Days 12-13 — Gokyo. Drop to the string of glacial lakes and climb Gokyo Ri, which many rate above Kala Patthar for the panorama of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu.
Days 14-17 — Renjo La and out. The third pass is the quietest and one of the loveliest, descending the Bhote Koshi to the old village of Thame and back to Namche and Lukla.
Permits, cost and altitude
- Permits: Sagarmatha National Park entry + Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee, bought at Monjo/Lukla — no TIMS for Everest.
- Cost: roughly USD 1,500-2,500 including the Lukla flights, more with guide and porter; everything is cash and pricey at altitude.
- Altitude is the real risk. Three crossings above 5,300 m leave no room to rush — keep the acclimatisation days, hydrate, know the symptoms of acute mountain sickness, and discuss Diamox with a doctor. The packing list covers the cold-weather gear you'll need.
Best time
Autumn (October-November) and spring (March-April) only — the passes need stable weather and manageable snow. Winter buries them; the monsoon hides everything in cloud. Deciding which big trek to commit to? Compare EBC vs the Annapurna Circuit, explore the Everest region, and see every route on the Nepal trekking hub.
The Three Passes is a serious undertaking — three weeks, three big cols, real altitude. Do it after a Base Camp or Annapurna trek, build in the rest days, and it gives you the whole Khumbu rather than a single view.
