Are you looking for the Everest Three Passes Trek Itinerary? If yes, you are in the right place. My name is Raj, and I’m the team leader of NEST Adventure, a local travel company based in Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal. I will share my experience as a mountain guide in the Himalayas for over ten years. Here, you will get exact information on how to plan the Three Passes Trek Itinerary and other details.
If you have just come up with an idea for doing the Everest Three Passes Trek in Nepal, you should know precisely what itinerary you should follow. Before we jump into the sample itinerary, you may want to know why you have chosen the Three Pass Trek. The main reason is that overcrowding is a growing issue in the Himalayas. The Everest region attracts almost 60,000 tourists annually. If you are one of those who would like to visit the Everest region but follow a less busy trail that goes through 3 of the highest passes in the world, then this article is for you.
Why Everest Three Passes Trek?
The Three Pass Circuit trail in the Everest Region includes major destinations such as Everest Base Camp (5,364m), Gokyo Lake (4,790m), Gokyo Ri (5,357m), Kalapatthar (5,550m), Kongma La Pass (5,535m), Chola Pass (5,420m), and Renjo La Pass (5,360m). So you will see the same places as on the standard EBC trail, but with many additional bonuses!
- It is remote and off the beaten path. Only 5-10% of the 60,000 EBC trekkers follow the Three Pass Trek route. So you can enjoy the scenery without too many tourists!
- On this trail, expect to be surrounded by four of the highest mountains in the world, including Mt. Everest. Not to mention that the three high passes are all above 5,000m. Very few places on this earth have these combinations!
- The Three Passes Trek offers many more side trips than any other trail. You can spend more than 3 weeks and venture into different places.
- It is the only trail in the entire Khumbu Region that follows a circuit trail. Unlike the Everest Base Camp, the classical trail requires hiking down the same path you hike up. However, in the Three Passes Trek, every day is a new trail as you make a loop on this trek.
- It is part of the Great Himalayan Trail (GHT). The Three Pass Trek is a significant component of the Great Himalayan Trail.
Where does the trail start from?
At this point, some of the names of the places involved in these writings might sound strange to you. If you follow me on the map as I explain, you may have a better understanding. Here is the Map of the Three Passes Trek.
Read More: Everest Base Camp Trek Best Time
This trek starts from Lukla (you must fly from Kathmandu to Lukla), a small mountain village with a small local airport. Statistically speaking, Lukla airport and the flights are the most dangerous in the world. This is because of the weather, altitude, size, and location of the airstrip for landing. But don’t worry—this is the usual jump-off point for any Everest treks and climbs, and most have survived!
Read More: Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary
After two or three days of following the classical EBC trail from Lukla to Namche, the three-passes trek takes you to Thame or Dingboche, depending on the route you decide to take.
How many days will this take?
For a hiker with some basic trekking experience, this can be completed in about 3 weeks, or roughly 19 days without extra days. However, if you want to keep one extra day for any problems/flight delays, or acclimatization, you may want to give at least 20 days.
Which route should be taken?
Some options are available, but you should consider the gradual trail route. The Three Passes Trek is well known for being off the beaten path in the Everest region. The routes (from Namche to Thame, which is the clockwise route) take you to the first high pass in two to three days. This could be risky, given that the passes are above 5,000m. But it is the perfect route to skip the overcrowding.
Suppose you choose the first clockwise usual route. In that case, having one acclimatization day in Marlung is highly recommended to increase the chances of completing this trail without any sickness issues. However, you might find some travel bloggers’ experiences posted online that don’t include a rest day in Marlung, which I see as a risk.
Three Passes Trek Itinerary Clockwise
| Day | Route | Time | Distance | Max Elevation | Min Elevation | Elevation Gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 01 | Kathmandu – Lukla – Phakding | 3–4 hrs | 8.3 km / 5.2 mi | 2,847 m / 9,339 ft | 2,625 m / 8,610 ft | +125 m / +410 ft |
| Day 02 | Phakding – Namche Bazaar | 5–6 hrs | 10 km / 6.2 mi | 3,440 m / 11,286 ft | 2,625 m / 8,610 ft | +815 m / +2,676 ft |
| Day 03 | Namche Acclimatization (Everest View) | 4–5 hrs | 7 km / 4.3 mi | 3,880 m / 12,729 ft | 3,440 m / 11,286 ft | +440 m / +1,443 ft |
| Day 04 | Namche – Thame | 5–6 hrs | 15 km / 9.3 mi | 3,800 m / 12,467 ft | 3,440 m / 11,286 ft | +360 m / +1,181 ft |
| Day 05 | Thame – Lungden | 4–5 hrs | 11 km / 6.9 mi | 4,380 m / 14,370 ft | 3,800 m / 12,467 ft | +580 m / +1,903 ft |
| Day 06 | Lungden Acclimatization (Side Trip) | 3–4 hrs | 6 km / 3.7 mi | 4,600 m / 15,091 ft | 4,380 m / 14,370 ft | +220 m / +721 ft |
| Day 07 | Lungden – Renjo La – Gokyo | 8–9 hrs | 13 km / 8.1 mi | 5,360 m / 17,585 ft | 4,380 m / 14,370 ft | +980 m / +3,215 ft |
| Day 08 | Gokyo – Gokyo Ri – Gokyo | 4–5 hrs | 4 km / 2.5 mi | 5,357 m / 17,575 ft | 4,750 m / 15,584 ft | +607 m / +1,991 ft |
| Day 09 | Gokyo – Thangnak | 4–5 hrs | 6.7 km / 4.2 mi | 4,790 m / 15,715 ft | 4,750 m / 15,584 ft | +40 m / +131 ft |
| Day 10 | Thangnak – Cho La – Dzongla | 7–8 hrs | 9 km / 5.6 mi | 5,420 m / 17,782 ft | 4,790 m / 15,715 ft | +630 m / +2,067 ft |
| Day 11 | Dzongla – Lobuche | 3–4 hrs | 6.6 km / 4.1 mi | 4,940 m / 16,210 ft | 4,790 m / 15,715 ft | +150 m / +495 ft |
| Day 12 | Lobuche – Gorakshep – Everest Base Camp | 7–8 hrs | 13.5 km / 8.4 mi | 5,364 m / 17,598 ft | 4,940 m / 16,210 ft | +424 m / +1,388 ft |
| Day 13 | Gorakshep – Kala Patthar – Lobuche | 6–7 hrs | 7.5 km / 4.7 mi | 5,550 m / 18,208 ft | 4,940 m / 16,210 ft | −610 m / −1,998 ft |
| Day 14 | Lobuche – Kongma La – Chhukung | 8–9 hrs | 12 km / 7.5 mi | 5,535 m / 18,159 ft | 4,630 m / 15,190 ft | +588 m / +1,929 ft |
| Day 15 | Chhukung – Chhukung Ri – Dingboche | 5–6 hrs | 11 km / 6.8 mi | 5,554 m / 18,209 ft | 4,410 m / 14,468 ft | −1,140 m / −3,740 ft |
| Day 16 | Dingboche – Tengboche | 5–6 hrs | 11.4 km / 7.1 mi | 4,410 m / 14,468 ft | 3,870 m / 12,687 ft | −543 m / −1,781 ft |
| Day 17 | Tengboche – Phakding | 7–8 hrs | 21 km / 13.3 mi | 3,870 m / 12,687 ft | 2,625 m / 8,610 ft | −1,242 m / −4,077 ft |
| Day 18 | Phakding – Lukla | 3–4 hrs | 8.3 km / 5.2 mi | 2,847 m / 9,339 ft | 2,625 m / 8,610 ft | +222 m / +729 ft |
| Day 19 | Lukla – Kathmandu (Flight) | 35–45 min | 138 km / 86 mi (air) | 2,847 m / 9,339 ft | 1,400 m / 4,593 ft | −1,447 m / −4,746 ft |
Note: Based on the AllTrails GPS map, the total distance for the Three Pass Trek is about 111.9 miles (180km), averaging 6.2 miles (9.9km) per day. The elevation was measured using the 2026 map attached to this article.
Another option also refers to it, the counter-clockwise route. You follow the classical EBC trail to Dingboche, then take the path to the first pass, Kongma La. This route might be a good alternative for better acclimatization and to avoid altitude sickness, as you reach the high pass within 6-7 days. But you may need to deal with an influx of tourists in the first week. The Everest Region has the highest probability of experiencing mountain sickness. So we advise you to take as many side trips as possible to complete your trek safely.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoy reading my writings. Suppose you are indeed one of those who would like to explore Everest differently than a regular tourist. This Three Passes trek Itinerary is for you. I want you to learn everything before you embark on this trail. So you can enjoy the hike up to the limit. This part of the itinerary is just one fragment from what you should know. There are still many other things you should be aware of, such as the difficulty, the best time, the weather, and the season. I have so many different readings in my blogs about the Three Pass Trek. Please don’t forget to read my blogs here.
At the end of this article, if you are looking for a guided tour, we are happy to organize this trek with one of our most trusted guides, who has explored this route over 20 times. NEST Adventure has a well-established record of client satisfaction. Our team has earned 5/5 star ratings on TripAdvisor from our recent clients. So the chances are incredibly high that you will have the same experience with us. If you believe NEST could be the BEST partner to plan your trip, please do not hesitate to email one of our office representatives.
Email: nestadventure@gmail.com
Loved reading your article. It was really informative for me. I look forward to seeing more in the coming days.
I truly enjoyed going through your article. so many valuable insights packed into one piece. It was both engaging and enlightening, and I appreciate the clarity with which you explained everything. I’m definitely looking forward to more of your content in the near future.
Keep up the great work!