Gokyo Lakes is a famous trek of 11 to 13 days in the Everest region, with good lodges, a flight to Lukla and Everest views from Gokyo Ri at 5,357 m. Panch Pokhari is an obscure trek of 8 to 10 days north-east of Kathmandu to five small sacred lakes at about 4,100 m, reached by road, with little lodging. Choose Gokyo for big mountains and comfort; choose Panch Pokhari for solitude close to Kathmandu.
Gokyo Lakes and Panch Pokhari at a glance
- Height. Gokyo Lakes: Gokyo about 4,790 m; Gokyo Ri 5,357 m. Panch Pokhari: about 4,100 m.
- Days. Gokyo Lakes: 11 to 13. Panch Pokhari: 8 to 10.
- Access. Gokyo Lakes: flight to Lukla. Panch Pokhari: 5 to 7 hours by road.
- Lodging. Gokyo Lakes: good lodges. Panch Pokhari: basic; camping higher up.
- Views. Gokyo Lakes: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu. Panch Pokhari: Jugal Himal and Dorje Lakpa; distant Rolwaling and Everest ranges.
- Trekkers. Gokyo Lakes: many. Panch Pokhari: very few.
Two very different lake treks
The Gokyo lakes are large, glacial and set among some of the highest mountains on Earth. Panch Pokhari's lakes are small ponds on a high grassy shelf, important for their holiness more than their size. Comparing them is really comparing a world-famous trek with a local pilgrimage route.
What Gokyo offers
A chain of turquoise lakes, the longest glacier in Nepal, Sherpa villages, good food and one of the best viewpoints in the Himalaya. See the Gokyo Lakes guides.
What Panch Pokhari offers
Quiet. The trail climbs from Tamang and Hyolmo villages through thick forest and along ridges where you may meet only herders. The lakes, a small temple and a sunrise over the Jugal range are the reward. See Panch Pokhari.
Difficulty
Gokyo is higher and needs careful acclimatisation. Panch Pokhari is lower but logistically harder, because you must be self-sufficient above the last villages.
Cost
Gokyo has the Lukla flight and more days. Panch Pokhari has a camping crew. In the end they cost about the same, for very different experiences.
Season
October to November and March to May for both. Panch Pokhari's festival is at the August full moon.
Reliability
Panch Pokhari, starting by road, is not exposed to flight delays. For a fixed holiday of ten days, that certainty has value.
Permits
Gokyo needs the Sagarmatha National Park and Khumbu local permits. Panch Pokhari lies within Langtang National Park and needs its permit.
Wildlife and forest
The lower Panch Pokhari trail runs through oak, rhododendron and fir forest that is home to pheasants, tahr and red panda. Gokyo's valley is above the tree line for most of its length, with tahr, musk deer and the colourful danphe lower down.
Who goes
Gokyo attracts trekkers from all over the world. Panch Pokhari is visited mainly by Nepali pilgrims and a small number of foreign trekkers looking for unfrequented routes.
A typical day
In the Gokyo valley you walk three to five hours a day, deliberately short for acclimatisation, and spend afternoons resting in a warm lodge. On the Panch Pokhari route the days are five to seven hours, with camp life at each end: tea in the tent at dawn, packed lunch on a ridge, and dinner cooked on site.
Culture
The Gokyo trail passes Namche and small Sherpa settlements such as Dole and Machhermo, which are mostly seasonal herding places turned lodge villages. The lower Panch Pokhari trail passes through working Tamang and Hyolmo farming villages, with terraced fields and small monasteries, little changed by tourism.
Which should you do first?
Gokyo, in most cases. It shows you the high Himalaya at its grandest, with every support. Panch Pokhari is for a later visit, when quiet matters more to you than famous peaks.
Choose Gokyo Lakes if
- You want to see Everest.
- You want lodges and a well-marked trail.
- You have close to two weeks.
- You want a high viewpoint above 5,000 m.
Choose Panch Pokhari if
- You want a camping trek away from crowds.
- You want to avoid flights.
- You prefer to stay near 4,000 m.
- You have already trekked the main regions.
Plan it
Ask us for either trek. Panch Pokhari needs a crew arranged in advance.
Common questions
Which is harder?
Gokyo for altitude; Panch Pokhari for logistics.
Which is closer to Kathmandu?
Panch Pokhari.
Can you see Everest from Panch Pokhari?
Only as part of a distant skyline on very clear days.
How many lakes are there at Gokyo?
Six main lakes, of which trekkers usually see three to five.
Heights, days, fees and rules are approximate and can change, so confirm the current details with us before you book.
