The Gokyo Lakes trek leaves the main Everest Base Camp trail for a valley of glacier lakes and the Gokyo Ri viewpoint at 5,357 m. Itineraries usually run 10 to 14 days. Agencies list US$1,200 to US$1,400 for a standard guided package and up to about US$2,500 for fuller service. Permits and the guide question are the same as for Everest Base Camp.
Everest (Khumbu), Solukhumbu · Permits: Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry fee (trek card)
Key facts
- Days
- Usually 10 to 14 days (himalayanhero.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- Highest point
- Gokyo Ri, 5,357 m (en.wikipedia.org, checked 2026-10-23)
- Best seasons
- As for the Everest region: March to mid-May and September to mid-November (en.wikivoyage.org, checked 2026-10-23)
- Difficulty
- Strenuous (our scale)
Permits
| Permit | Fee and conditions |
|---|---|
| Sagarmatha National Park entry permit | NPR 3,000 per person per entry for foreigners; NPR 1,500 for SAARC nationals; NPR 100 for Nepali citizens. (snp.gov.np, checked 2026-10-30) |
| Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry fee (trek card) | NPR 3,000 per person for foreigners; NPR 2,000 for SAARC and Chinese nationals; children under 10 free. Set for the fiscal year that began on 16 July 2024. (en.himalpress.com, checked 2026-10-30) The municipality's own website did not load when we checked; this fee comes from press reports. |
Guide rule
Unclear Everest region (Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality)
Contested. The Nepal Tourism Board's 2023 guidelines list Everest trails, but the local municipality said solo trekkers are allowed with its own trek card, and in November 2025 The Kathmandu Post still described the guide rule as applying in all trekking areas except Everest. Many agencies now write that guides are enforced everywhere. We found no official notice settling it. (kathmandupost.com, checked 2026-10-23)(kathmandupost.com, checked 2026-10-23)(thehimalayantimes.com, checked 2026-10-23)(kathmandupost.com, checked 2026-10-30)
What it costs
Ranges published by agencies and guides, per person, in US dollars. They are not quotes. Check what each price includes.
- Standard guided package
- US$1,200 to US$1,400 for 10 to 14 days, with flights, permits, guide, lodges and meals (himalayanhero.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- Fuller service
- US$1,500 to US$2,500 per person, depending on season, route and service level (mosaicadventure.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- Lukla flight
- About US$227 one way (December 2025 example) (mosaicadventure.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- Guide and porter
- Guide US$35 to US$40 a day; porter about US$25 a day, before tips (mosaicadventure.com, checked 2026-10-23)
Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri: cost and permit calculator
Per person, from the fees and day rates on this site. Permit fees are official where the issuer publishes them; guide, porter and flight prices are what agencies publish. Change any number.
Sources: permit fees on permits and rules; day rates, flights and package prices in each trek guide's cost section.
Altitude: the real difficulty
No technical climbing is needed on this trek. What makes it hard is the thin air. Go up slowly, keep the rest days in the itinerary, drink water, and tell your guide about headaches, nausea or breathlessness at rest. If symptoms get worse, the treatment is to go down. A good agency will plan acclimatisation days and never push you higher when you are unwell.
Is a guide required here?
Gokyo is in the Everest region, where the guide rule is disputed between the Nepal Tourism Board and the local municipality. See our rules page for both sides and their sources.
How to book this trek safely
- Find the agency in our directory of TAAN General Members and open its TAAN profile link to confirm the name and registration number match what the agency sent you.
- Ask for the agency's Department of Tourism trekking licence number as well. TAAN membership and the government licence are two different records.
- Get the itinerary, the price and what it includes (permits, flights or transport, guide, porter, lodges, meals) in writing before paying anything.
- Buy travel insurance that covers trekking up to at least 5,357 m and helicopter rescue. Read the altitude limit and the evacuation clause yourself.
- Pay the deposit to the company's own account or by card, not to a personal account or wallet, and keep the receipt.
Travel insurance for Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri
Check three things in the policy wording before you buy:
- Trekking is covered up to at least 5,357 m, the highest point of Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri.
- Helicopter rescue or evacuation from the mountains is covered, and what you must do first (most insurers want a call to their emergency line before a helicopter is sent).
- Any conditions about using a licensed guide or staying on official trails.
We do not link to any insurer yet. When we do, we will show each policy's altitude limit and rescue terms next to the link.
Questions
- How many days is the Gokyo Lakes trek?
- Usually 10 to 14 days from Kathmandu, including the Lukla flights.
- How high is Gokyo Ri?
- 5,357 m. Most trekkers climb it early in the morning from Gokyo village for the view of Everest and the lakes.
- How much does it cost?
- Agencies list US$1,200 to US$1,400 for a standard guided package and up to about US$2,500 for fuller service in 2026.
Get quotes for Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri
Tell us your dates and group once. Only agencies we have checked against TAAN's member directory will see it, and only to send you a quote. Free, and no account.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Gokyo Ri. Checked 2026-10-23.
- Himalayan Hero (agency): Gokyo Lake trek cost and itinerary guide, 2026. Checked 2026-10-23.
- Mosaic Adventure (agency): Everest Gokyo Ri trek cost, 2026. Checked 2026-10-23.
- Wikivoyage: Everest Base Camp Trek. Checked 2026-10-23.
Permit and rule sources are listed on the permits and rules page. Spotted something out of date? Send a correction.