Gokyo Renjo-La Pass Trekking - 15 Days

Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek difficulty

The Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek is challenging and recommended to experienced trekkers. On this trek, you will travel at a high altitude and go above 5,300 meters from sea level.

The trek requires 6 hours of daily walking on mountainous terrain that constantly ascends and descends. Likewise, you will travel across varying elevations, enjoying different climatic conditions and vegetation.

Overall, the Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek demands strong fitness and an understanding of the remoteness of the Himalayas. You have to be physically and mentally ready to go on this trek.

You will also cross a mountain pass on this trek. Crossing a pass requires immense effort because you will also walk 9 hours on this day. You will trek via lush forests, uneven cliff sides, steep slopes, rocky tracks, and glacier moraines.

With the rugged terrain, trekkers also have to adjust to a simple mountain lifestyle during the trek duration. Limited modern services and comforts are inevitable as the Everest region is only connected via airways.

Altitude sickness

As we have mentioned, the Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek is a high-altitude trek. You will go above 5,000 meters on this trek. From Lukla (2,860 meters), the trail gradually ascends everyday until you reach the highest point at 5,357 meters (Tserko Ri).

Likewise, while crossing the Renjo La Pass, you will reach 5,340 meters as well. As the elevation rises, the air gets thin, and oxygen depletes. Most trekkers are not used to this kind of environment.

Therefore, they may see symptoms of altitude sickness. Acclimatization is important to avoid altitude sickness and enjoy the trek to the fullest. Our Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek itinerary has ample rest days to get used to the altitude.

Likewise, you also have to maintain your pace and drink plenty of water daily to avoid altitude sickness.

Gokyo Renjo La Pass Trek Permit

The Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek route is inside the Everest region. So, you will need the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entrance permit.

• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entrance permit cost: Nrs 2,000 per person
• Sagarmatha National Park entry permit cost: Nrs 3,000 per person

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is important for treks like Gokyo Renjo La Pass because of the trek's location, the remoteness of the region, and the lack of health facilities.

Not only that, but if something urgent occurs or you need to fly back to Kathmandu in the middle of the trek, helicopter evacuation is the quickest way.

Without travel insurance covering the evacuation charges, it can get quite hectic to arrange a rescue. So, we request all trekkers buy travel insurance for the Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek, covering helicopter evacuation and medical bills.

*Note: At the moment, foreigners cannot purchase travel insurance in Nepal for trekking, so they are requested to buy in their country. There are many travel insurance providers out there. Make sure your insurance covers evacuation from the Himalayas up to 5,000 meters for the Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek.

Best time to embark on Gokyo Renjo La Pass trekking

The best time to do the Gokyo Renjo La Pass trekking is March to May (spring) and late September to November (autumn). These are the top trekking seasons for a safe and satisfying journey.

You will enjoy 18°C to 5°C temperature during the daytime, but nights and mornings are on the colder side. There are no clouds, so the mountain views are clear.

The weather stays stable, so you do not have to worry about rainfall or snowfall. In addition to good weather, these seasons also have the perk of wildflowers and the biggest Nepali festivals.

From June to August (summer/monsoon) and winter (December to February), the weather fluctuates a lot. There can be delays in Lukla flights with potential cancellations.

You can do the Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek in these months, but have a couple of contingency days in your itinerary and be prepared for varying climates. Mountain views may be obstructed on some days, but you will witness stunning vistas on most days.

Accommodation

The accommodation during the Gokyo Renjo La Pass trek is the basic lodge. It is standard accommodation for trekkers on this trek route. Single and shared rooms are available. Our package includes a twin shared room and costs a few extra bucks for a single room.

Western-style toilets are available in most places, but you may have to use squat toilets in some lodges. Make sure to pack soap, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper. Likewise, you can charge your device in the lodges and get WiFi in villages at lower elevations.

Lodges provide hot water in a bucket for showers. Depending on the elevation, these services cost USD 1 to USD 7 per use. Make sure to budget enough money for these personal expenses. Our package does not cover them.

Meals

Only breakfast is available in Kathmandu. It is included in your hotel room service. If you eat breakfast in some other place, you have to cover the cost by yourself. Likewise, you can have lunch and dinner in Kathmandu as per your budget.

During trekking, you will get breakfast, lunch, and dinner (three meals a day). You will have the meals in the lodge. The food variety is fantastic till Namche Bazaar. After this village, the options get a bit limited, but you will still have various dishes to choose from.

Carbohydrate-rich meals are necessary for the duration of the trek. It will provide you ample energy to walk long hours. Our top trekking foods are dal bhat, thukpa, porridge, fried rice, Tibetan bread, soups, pancakes, eggs, oats, muscle, pies, momo, noodles, etc.

Tea and coffee are common beverages. You will get a variety of options in them. There is also no issue of drinking water. You will get boiled water to drink and can use water purification tablets for more safety.