The Everest Three High Passes Trek is the hardest teahouse route we run in the Khumbu: Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La, all above 5,300 metres, linked into one 20-day circuit that also takes in Base Camp, Kala Patthar and Gokyo. Here’s what the route actually involves and who it genuinely suits.
In this article
The three passes
Kongma La at 5,535 metres comes first, crossed from Chhukung to Lobuche over glacier moraine with no teahouses on the way, so your guide carries packed food and water for the day. After Base Camp and Kala Patthar, the route crosses Cho La at 5,420 metres, a pass that wants a 4 to 5 am start to cross before the afternoon wind and cloud, descending to Gokyo on the far side. Renjo La at 5,360 metres closes the loop, with what’s regarded as one of the best views of Everest from any trekking pass in the region, before the long descent through Lungden and Thame back toward Namche.
How it compares to the standard trek
Our standard Everest Base Camp Trek reaches a maximum of 5,555 metres at Kala Patthar; this route runs a full 20 days, reaches that same 5,555 metres at Kala Patthar, but adds three pass crossings above 5,300 metres, plus Gokyo Ri. We grade the standard trek Strenuous; this one is Very Strenuous. It genuinely wants prior high-altitude trekking experience, this is not the place to find out how your body handles 5,000 metres for the first time.
What’s included
Two nights of Kathmandu hotel accommodation with breakfast, full board on the trail, your Lukla flights, the Sagarmatha National Park and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality permits, a licensed guide, a porter shared between two trekkers, an oximeter for daily monitoring, and a T-shirt, cap and duffel bag are all built into the price, which runs from 2,380 USD solo, through 1,985 USD each for two or three people and 1,865 USD each for four to six, down to 1,745 USD per person for groups of seven or more. Micro-spikes and gaiters, needed on the passes in every season, are not included but can be rented for 15 USD, and the use of a sleeping bag, down jacket or walking poles carries a 10 USD cleaning charge each if you don’t bring your own.
Who this trek actually suits
Trekkers who’ve already done Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp, or an equivalent high-altitude route and want more. Good hill fitness is necessary but not sufficient: the passes themselves involve steep, loose rock and exposed terrain at altitude where fitness alone doesn’t substitute for experience. If you’re newer to high-altitude trekking, our guide to altitude sickness and the standard Base Camp trek are the honest starting point instead.
Season
Autumn and spring are the only seasons we run this particular route in, since the pass crossings depend on stable conditions that winter and monsoon don’t reliably offer. Our season-by-season guide to the Everest region covers the broader pattern, which applies here with even less margin for bad weather at the passes themselves.
Booking this trek
Given the altitude and terrain involved, we talk through your prior trekking experience honestly before confirming this route. See how booking works, or tell us about your trekking background and we’ll say plainly whether this is the right route for you.