Everest Three Pass Trek Difficulty
The Everest Region is one of the most desired destinations in the world. This is Nepal’s biggest attraction and top trekking destination. There are numerous famous places in the Everest region, and one’s trek can be planned accordingly. The Everest Three Pass Trek is second to climbing Everest in terms, and therefore, this Three Pass trek’s difficulty is regarded as one of the most difficult treks.
The three passes in the Everest region cross three paths over 5000m each. This region lies on the border of China and Nepal. Although you can find Everest base camp in either country, this difficult Three Pass Trek of the Everest region requires you to trek in Nepal. It is impossible to do this trek like Everest Base Camp Trek from both sides.
This three-pass trek is difficult, but it is one of the best high-pass trees for experienced trekkers. It is a challenging and daring trek in the Himalayas of Nepal. The three passes include the Renjo La pass, Cho La pass, and Kongma La pass. This exotic trek offers you a lifetime experience and panoramic views of the major places in the Everest region. This trek comes with thrills and will mesmerize you throughout the journey.
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Major Highlights of Everest Region Three Passes Trek
- Panoramic view at various points and jaw-dropping view of mountains
- Covering the entire Everest region by foot
- Completing a challenging route
- Less crowded trek trail of the Everest region
- Crossing the three passes over 5000m- Renjo La, Cho La, Kongma La
- Visit monasteries and bond with sherpa people
- Experience rural lifestyle
- Live like a sherpa for 3 weeks
Everest Three Pass Trek Difficulty
Everest Three Pass trek difficulty depends on the person. This trek takes you through the whole Khumbu region in 3 weeks. You will cross the terrains and steep climbs along majestic mountains. The routes are very terrifying and have a lot of chances of losing your way. There are snowy places which are very loose and very difficult to walk.
The most difficult part of everest three pass trek this that there is a lot of uphills which is very challenging compared to other uphill climbs. You might also have to climb rocks and areas affected by landslides. There are a few glaciers on the trekking route and these glaciers are very tough to cross because of its slippery nature. You will have to walk on ice which is thinning. If you cross this glacier after 10 pm there is a chance of breaking the ice.
Why is Everest Three Pass Trek Difficult
Everest region three pass trek difficulty level is considered to be a moderately difficult trekking route. This ultimate trek takes at least 3 weeks to complete. The days might go up if things do not go as planned and the Himalayas are very unpredictable. Various regions add up to make this trek difficult. The major reasons are as follows:
Physical and Mental Exhaustion
Walking for 3 weeks is very tiring for the body. You will have to walk about 6 hours on average every day for this difficult three pass trek. There is no other option, you cannot give up in the middle as there are no other facilities available. To complete this Everest region three pass trek, you will have to be prepared mentally and physically.
You will have to prepare your body to not be tired easily. You have to train beforehand with smaller hikes or treks to know yourself better before taking this trek.
Being mentally strong is also very important for this trek. You will be walking in a place with no facilities. Good food and warm clothes are a luxury here. You will have to prepare and motivate yourself to be able to adapt to the rural lifestyle. Be prepared for the worst but do not mentally exhaust yourself. If one is not mentally prepared, the three pass Everest region trek’s difficulty will increase.
Altitude Sickness
One of the Everest three pass trek difficulty is altitude. You will be climbing over 5000 meters to complete this difficult three pass trek. The most common health issue that arises, inspire of being physically fit, is altitude sickness. This sickness is hard to understand and we cannot predict who might be sick and who might be normal. It all depends on your body. If you go up without acclimatization, the risks of altitude sickness increases. This will increase your tree pass trek’s difficulty. Make sure you have the necessary equipment and medications before you start the three pass Everest region treks.
Steep Climbs and Long hikes
For almost three weeks or sometimes more, you will have to walk for 6 hours on average every day. The route consists of areas affected by landslides, steep trails, and terrifying terrains. There are very tough climbs and the glaciers increase the difficulty of Everest region three pass trek. Crossing the glaciers is risky. You will have to walk on ice and if you do it later in the day, the warm sum might cause the ice to break.
Weather
Weather in the Everest region is very unpredictable. You should, therefore, prepare yourself for anything to happen at any time. The weather is very cold. Difficult weather will increase everest three pass trek difficulty. There is no heating system in place. You will have to wear thick layers to protect yourself through the notorious cold during the night.
Your trip may also not go as planned because of the notorious weather.
Unavailability of many facilities
You are walking in a rural setting with no luxury at all. The only places you can visit for food are small teahouses when you reach villages. The best food you’ll get is rice or bread. As you go higher, the availability of food decreases and the cost increases. There are no ATMs in the Everest region and electricity is also available in a few places only. All these factors add to an increase in the everest three pass trek difficulty.
When is the Best Time for Everest Region Three Pass Trek?
The best time to trek the three passes in the Everest region is during the two famous trekking seasons in Nepal. The two best times for this trek during the Pre-monsoon season which starts late February and lasts till May and the post-monsoon season which starts early September and lasts till December.
Although there are people who walk this route at other timings too and the timing of your trek depends on the purpose of your trip. Hike to three passes of the Everest region during these two times of the year will let you witness the mountains like no other time.
The above listed time is favorable and mostly advised as this trek is a challenging one. Therefore these timing will avoid you encountering harsh climatic conditions and make your trek relatively easier. Because of many tourists visiting this region for various treks during this time, the risk of you being lost decreases. The services will also be in the best quality to accommodate incoming tourists. The weather will not be as cold as any other time of the year, which makes the trek easier than other times.
It is advised that you pre-book places before your trek to avoid difficulties once you reach there. There are a lot of tourists visiting this area and you might not get places to spend the night. Last-minute booking also comes with surged prices, especially during the seasons.
Itinerary for Everest Region Three Pass Trek
Pick up from Tribhuwan International Airport and Drive to Hotel – Day 1
Max Elevation: 1300m
Distance traveled: 6-10 km
The time required: 30 minutes
Major difficulty: Traffic
Once you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, we will pick you up via out vehicle and drop you off at your hotel. The distance to your hotel depends on where you are staying. You might face traffic in the city during the day in Kathmandu. After checking in, our team will meet you to brief about the three pass trek’s difficulties and prepare you mentally and physically.
Fly to Lukla from Kathmandu and trek to Phakding – Day 2
Max Elevation: 2650 m
Distance traveled walking: 6 km
Distance traveled on flight: 130 km
The time required for flight: 45 mins
Walking time: 3-4 hours
Major difficulty: Flight landing period
Today is the first day of your trek. You will have to walk for about 4 hours after you reach Lukla. The flight to Lukla from Kathmandu Airport is 45 minutes. The route of your trek is relatively an easy one on your difficult three pass trek in the Everest region. You will walk through several suspension bridges and many small sherry settlements and reach Phakding, another sherpa village.
Phagding to Namche Bazar – Day 3
Max elevation: 3440 m
Distance Travelled Walking: 10 km
Walking time: 6 hours
Major difficulty: Continuous walking
We will leave phagding to walk for another 4-5 hours to reach Namche Bazaar. You will walk through the bank of a river called Dudh Koshi and cross numerous suspension bridges. After Monjo, the trail gradually descends. As you walk through the pine forests along the mountains, a lot of sherpas and yaks you will reach Namche Bazaar. The most difficult part of this trek is going uphill and walking on the ridges with yaks. Overall, this is not considered a difficult day.
Acclimatization Day at Namche Bazaar – Day 4
Max elevation: 3440 m
Distance traveled walking: depends on your activity
Walking time: depends on your activity
Major Difficulty: depends on your activity
The third day of your trek is a day off from hiking. You will have reached an altitude of 1234 when you reach Namche Bazaar. You will need this day to acclimatize yourself to this weather. You can spend the day preparing for the trip. There are a lot of shops and restaurants in this village. You can rent gears if needed or buy food and other materials for the trek. There is also a Museum 2 hours away from Namche Bazaar. This hike will offer you exotic views of the mountains.
This is a resting day and therefore is not a difficult day on the hike.
Namche to Thame Village- Day 4
Max Elevation: 3788 m
Distance traveled walking: 9.7 km
Walking time: 5-6 hours
Major Difficulty: Straight uphill route
For the fourth day of the trek, you will walk for about 5 hours to reach Thame village. This trekking route is long the Bhote Koshi river and pine forests. Overnight in Thame.
Thame to Lungdeng – Day 5
Max Elevation: 4380 m
Distance traveled walking: 8 km
Walking time: 5 hours
Major Difficulty: continuous walking and colder weather
Today’s trek will prepare your body for the further trek as it is a fairly challenging trek. The views from this place are pretty good and you might get to see panoramic views of the majestic mountains if the weather allows.
Overnight in Lundeng
Lungdeng to Gokyo via Renjo La Pass – Day 6
Max Elevation: 5345 m
Distance traveled walking: approx 10 km
Walking time: 7 hours
Major Difficulty: Steep and snowy trail
We will talk through the first pass of the three pass trek today. This Renjo La Pass is at an altitude of 5345 meters. You have to stop every few steps to catch your breath as you are walking in a place with less oxygen concentration. In addition to this, the second half of today’s trek is one of the most difficult paths.
Acclimatization in Gokyo – Day 7
Max Elevation: 4750
Major Difficulty: cold weather
Gokyo is a village just for trekkers and tourists. There are not many actual settlements like other villages. There are a few tea houses that offer a little variety of food. This seventh day of the trek will be the second acclimatization day.
Gokyo to Thagnak – Day 8
Max Elevation: 4530 m
Distance traveled walking: 4 km
Walking time: 5 hours
Major Difficulty: Continuous walking in high altitude
This trek might be quite challenging as you’re walking in a very high altitude and yet have no time to catch a breath. There is little or no village settlement on the way, which means no food, water or shelter available. It is quite monotonous and scary but the exotic views will keep rewarding you.
Thangnak to Cho la Pass to Dzongla – Day 9
Max Elevation: 5420 m
Distance traveled walking: apx10 km
Walking time: 7 hours
Major Difficulty: Possibility of rockfall
You have a mixture of uphill and downhill for today’s trek. The area has a lot of snow which makes the road slippery. In addition to that, the slippery snow might cause rock falls. You will be exhausted physically and therefore you need to be mentally strong.
Dzongla to Lobuche – Day 10
Max Elevation: 4940 m
Distance traveled walking: 7 km
Walking time: 6 hours
Major Difficulty: Continuous walking in cold temperature
Although these treks are not that challenging physically, the exhaustion will increase its difficulty. Your body will be sore and you will start to give up. Doing this will make your trip unpleasant. Make sure to enjoy every part of the trek.
Lobuche to Kongma La pass to Chukung – Day 11
Max Elevation: 5171 m
Distance traveled walking: apx 8
Walking time: 7 hours
Major Difficulty: Slippery and high altitude
Today we will cross the third pass. Kongma La pass is at an altitude of 5171 meters. The trail seems to never end but you will have to keep pushing yourself. The path is slippery and very difficult.
Walk to Chukung and overnight there.
Chukkung to Tengboche – Day 12
Max Elevation: 4500 m
Distance traveled walking: 6 km
Walking time: 6 hours
Major Difficulty: Continuous walking
You will start descending after completing the difficult and rewarding three pass trek. The passes down are not that difficult as you will be descending to a lower altitude. Make sure to hydrate yourself.
Tengboche to Namche Bazar – Day 13
Max Elevation: 3860 m
Distance traveled walking: 9.5 km
Walking time: 7 hours
Major Difficulty: Continuous walking
Once you reach Namche Bazaar on the 13th day of the hike, you can enjoy good accommodation, food and relax. You will feel rewarded and contempt.
Namche Bazaar to Lukla – day 14
Max Elevation: 3860 m
Distance traveled walking: 13 km
Walking time: 8 hours
Major difficulty: Continuous walking
The descent from Namche Bazaar to Lukla is an easy path and therefore it is not likely to witness any difficulty.
Fly back to Kathmandu – day 15
Max Elevation: 2860
Distance traveled: 138 km
The time required: 45 minutes
We will transfer you from the airport to your hotel. This will be the end of your journey with us.
Necessary items to make your tree pass trek smooth
- Bag Pack
- Trousers
- Socks
- Sun hat
- Warm Gloves
- Full sleeved t-shirts
- Sunblock
- Warm fleece jackets
- Warm down jackets
- Waterproof jacket, trousers and bag cover
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm
- One liter bottle
- Flash Light
- Battery
- Trekking shoes and boots
- Sos medications
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