Loading search...
(Local agents) excellent. (Trip leader) A naturalist of great knowledge.
J.A. London
Tour Itinerary and Reports
Can I help you?
Mount Everest & the Gokyo Lakes of Nepal
Tour Code: NPL02A 22-day holiday (with a 15-day trek) to enjoy the breeding birds and spring flowers of the Everest National Park, plus birdwatching and sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley.
22 days
from
£5,495 (Inc flights)
£5,495 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£4,995
£4,995
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
Can I help you?
Summary
This is a holiday of superlatives. Nowhere in the world is the mountain scenery as magnificent as the Everest National Park and on this tour we go in search of the region’s sought-after pheasants, thrushes, bluetails, rosefinches, grosbeaks and other birdlife, as well as flora and smaller mammals, to a truly breathtaking backdrop of glaciers and peaks. Beginning in the heart of Sherpa country at Lukla, we’ll take time to acclimatise to the altitude and enjoy some sightseeing and birding before starting our 15-day walk through rhododendron forests, past remote monasteries, yak herders’ summer settlements, snowy peaks and river valleys. Flower-filled meadows, Himalayan specialities and stunning lakes all combine to make this an unforgettable wildlife holiday.
- Includes a 15-day trek at peak time for flora, breeding birds & mammals
- Look for Snow Pigeon, Himalayan Monal & the rare Musk Deer
- Stunning views of Mt Everest’s famous south-west face
- Breeding Red-breasted Rosefinch, Himalayan Rubythroat & Tibetan Snowcock
- Himalayan Tahr, Snow Partridge, & Blood Pheasant on high pastures
- Explore the bird-rich forests of Phulchowki, highest peak in the Kathmandu Valley
- Experience the heart of Sherpa country & its capital, Khumjung
- Led by expert local naturalist guides
Grading
Moderate. Trekking between 2,740 and 5,180 metres.Nowhere in the world is the mountain scenery as magnificent as in the Everest National Park. Nowhere else can the mere walker feel such a part of such great mountains. Our trek on this holiday aims at quality not quantity; it is one of superlatives. There may not be the variety of scenery and wildlife that the Kali Gandaki Valley offers but what there is is as spectacular as any in the great Himalayan chain. The brilliantly coloured Himalayan Monal, Nepal’s national bird, the very tame and very noisy Tibetan Snowcock, and that shaggy brown goat, the Himalayan Tahr, both match and complement this most grandiose of mountain scenery.
We have chosen this season to visit the park for two reasons. Firstly, this is the best time to see the flowering rhododendrons and other plants of the park, as well as the breeding birds and mammals which are so active in the spring. Secondly, the region is relatively free of the tourist crowds that flood the park each autumn in order to capitalise on the fine weather for optimum mountain views. These visitors are sadly unaware of nature’s superb spectacle available each spring, when the mountains are still happy to present themselves!
We fly from Kathmandu by Twin Otter to Lukla, a large village at 2,740 metres, in the heart of Sherpa country. For the first two days we walk very slowly up the Dudh Koshi Valley in order to adjust to the high altitude, and enjoy the common Himalayan birds and plants of field and forest. At Namche Bazaar, the large market town of the Solu Khumbu, the drama of this great mountain area begins to unfold. We have time to visit the park’s museum which holds a mine of local information. Whilst during an acclimatisation day here, we are able to climb high above Namche and explore the dwarf juniper and rhododendron forests. Here, and in the fields around the sprawling Sherpa capital Khumjung, we find our first high-altitude specialities: Snow Pigeons, Himalayan Monals and, if we are lucky, the rare Musk Deer.
A wonderful morning’s walk, dominated by our first real views of Everest and Lhotse, takes us to Thyangboche, a small cluster of stone houses perched upon a high spur. Surrounded by rhododendron forests and the highest mountains, many have claimed this to be the most beautiful place on Earth. The protection afforded to the local wildlife for so many years by the monks of Thyangboche monastery has made both birds and animals ridiculously tame. Thus, this is the ideal spot to photograph and get to know these beautiful mountain species — pheasants, thrushes, bluetails, rosefinches and grosbeaks — and another excuse for an acclimatisation day!
Our journey now takes us, via the delightful village of Upper Pangboche (whose old monastery houses the dried hand and scalp reputed to have belonged to a yeti!) into a high and wild valley. As we ascend, only yak herders’s summer settlements decorate the high pastures and stony river valleys, and massive snowy peaks loom all around us: Ama Dablam, Tamserku, Kangtaiga, Taweche, Everest and Lhotse. From here we walk slowly to our high point, the beautiful Gokyo Lakes. Even at 4,570 metres we find a variety of ducks on these lakes, and in the flower-filled meadows and rocky hillsides around them Red-breasted Rosefinches, Himalayan Rubythroats, Tibetan Snowcocks and many other upland breeding birds are to be found. Migrant birds, passing through the Himalaya on their way north to Siberian breeding grounds are also regularly found beside the lakes. We will spend two nights at Gokyo, in order to make the most of the interesting flora and fauna of the area, and to allow time for the ascent of Kala Pattar, a walkable 5,180-metre peak that offers splendid views onto the famous south-west face of Everest, as well as of Makalu, Lhotse, Cho-oyu and the enormous Ngozumpa Glacier.
As we return slowly via high yak pastures to Namche Bazaar, we will see plenty of Himalayan Tahr, and birds such as Snow Partridges, accentors, Mountain Finches and the startlingly beautiful Blood Pheasants and Himalayan Monals. From Namche we return to Lukla and take a return flight to Kathmandu. There we spend a day exploring the forests of Phulchowki, the highest peak of the Kathmandu Valley, and a day sightseeing around the city. A visit to the lowland grasslands, Sal forests and dense riverine jungle of Chitwan National Park is recommended as an ideal complement to this holiday, either before or after the trek, and can easily be arranged for you. Chitwan is very hot at this time of year but it is a good time to see some of the larger mammals, including Tiger, Gaur (wild bison), Sloth Bear and Indian Rhinoceros, and the exciting birdlife is augmented by the arrival of many summer visitors from southern India which breed in the park.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London
Day 2/3
Kathmandu
Day 4/18
Trekking
Day 19
Return to Kathmandu
Day 20/21
Kathmandu
Day 22
Fly London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation: Fully serviced camping on trek, and a comfortable hotel in Kathmandu, with private facilities.
- Food: Included in the price, except for lunches and dinners in Kathmandu. Allow ?45.
Reviews
-
-
Tika Ram Giri was first class & his knowledge of birds very impressive. He was extremely conscientious.
Mr & Mrs S. Surrey -
The holiday provided me with everything I had hoped for. The camping and choice of camp sites were excellent. I particularly enjoyed the six days when I was on my own with a group of 6 Sherpas as I felt I got to know the Sherpa people better during this interlude. The views from Gokyo are indeed spectacular.
J.N. Hertfordshire
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Thu 17th Apr – Thu 8th May
SPACES
£5,495
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£4,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£995
Fri 18th Apr – Fri 9th May
SPACES
£5,495
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£4,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£995
Array
(
[167] => stdClass Object
(
[id] => 167
[parent_id] => 165
[level] => 2
[path] => tour-focus/botanical-holidays
[title] => Botany
[alias] => botanical-holidays
[description] => Botanical Tours – See Wild Flowers with our Expert Botanical Guides
There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.
Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.
Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?
- All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
- All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
- We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?
- Travel with a group of like-minded people
- Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
- Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.
Our specialist recommends...
"I'd recommend 'Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps', 'Crete' and 'The French Pyrenees', which all offer some fascinating European botany, along with plenty of wider natural history and some stunning scenery. If you’re keen to travel a little further afield, I’d suggest joining us in South Africa for our 'Wild Flowers of the Cape & Namaqualand' tour”
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
Combined Walking and Wildlife Tours
Naturetrek started by, and still specialises in, organising bird-watching and wild flower treks to remote and mountainous regions of the world. Though our broad programme of holidays now includes many tours which involve little or no strenuous walking, we still offer an excellent choice of walking and trekking wildlife holidays, from the Himalaya to the Pyrenees and the Camino de Santiago to the Inca trail.
Walking Wildlife Holidays on Offer:
These tours involve walking all day on most of the days, and tend to be 8 days in the mountains of Europe (although not exclusively) and are either botany or general natural history in focus. Often in remote areas where there are very few other people, our expert naturalist guides will lead you through some of the most majestic scenery, whilst at the same time helping you discover the wonderful flora and fauna that inhabit the region. These tours are for those who enjoy spending a whole day on foot, being able to cope with some strenuous terrain on sometimes uneven ground, and their reward will be, apart from the memorable landscapes and wildlife encounters, a hearty dinner at the end of each day and a great sense of satisfaction at the end of the holiday! Some of our favourite destinations are:
- The Alps, which offer classic mountain vistas. Switzerland, in particular, with its beautiful alpine meadows, spruce forests and glaciers, is hard to beat for a superb holiday combining botany and walking
- The Pyrenees – we offer various itineraries with tours on both the French and Spanish sides. Wilder and less manicured than the Alps, this mountain range has a large number of different habitats and a wealth of natural history as a result
- The little visited Picos de Europa in northern Spain rewards those who visit with outstanding natural history – birds, plants and butterflies galore!
- Italy has a number of regions which are ideal for walking and afford plenty of wildlife – alpine flowers and butterflies in the Dolomites and unknown Sibillini Mountains, and Marsican Brown Bear in the Abruzzo National Park (in the Apennines)
- Zambia - walking between bush camps in Zambia’s South Luangwa National park, home to over 500 species of bird and 60 mammals, is a unique and unforgettable experience!
Looking for something even more adventurous?
Strenuous treks as the main feature of the tour – lasting up to 15 days – in some of world’s most spectacular and sparsely populated mountain ranges, we offer a selection of trips, including the Himalaya & Nepal’s Langtang Valley, where we go in search of breeding birds, alpine flowers, mammals and other wildlife. Here are a few more choices:
- We have two options in Ladakh searching for Snow Leopards - our original trip which involves camping for several nights and a new departure staying in a recently opened lodge, for those who prefer a roof over their head!
- Mount Everest & the Gokyo Lakes of Nepal to enjoy the world’s highest peaks & their unique natural history
- A holiday to Bhutan’s Bumthang Valley, an area with the most temples and historic sites in the this secretive country, in search of spring flowers, particularly rhododendrons
- Our Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu trip has the option to complete the infamous Inca Trail, which culminates after 5 days of trekking with the best view of Machu Picchu, looking down at the monumental Inca city from the Sun Gate.
Be it day walks or trekking, in mountains, hills or the savannah, we offer a wide variety of holidays where you can truly stretch your legs, breathe in the cleanest of air, and enjoy the natural history of our world on foot.
Our specialist recommends...
"Well, I’m a little biased as I am particularly fond of the Himalaya. However, if you want to find some spectacular mountain scenery and wildlife nearer to home, try ‘Wild Asturias – Realm of the Bear’ for mammals and birds, the Dolomites or Alpujarra for butterflies and Switzerland for alpine flowers!”
David Mills -Managing Director
David Mills -Managing Director
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Tour Reports
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
Related articles
Our dedicated British wildlife photography workshops are aimed at wildlife photographers of varying levels of experience and ability, including beginners with ambitions to learn and improve, keen amateurs looking to hone their skills, and accomplished photographers seeking exceptional photographic opportunities.
Chitwan National Park is one of the world’s most extraordinary nature destinations. Nestled beneath the Himalayas, in an area of remarkable fertility and dense human settlement, this reserve provides a haven for a spectacular abundance of wildlife, including some of Asia’s greatest concentrations of large mammals.
