Rolwaling Trek

Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. Welcome dinner and Rolwaling Trek & Climb 2027 briefing with your AltiPro guide. Gear check and preparation for the expedition ahead.

Full day in Kathmandu for Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit (GCAP), Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit (SNPEP), and TIMS Card processing. Comprehensive camping and technical equipment briefing. Crampon and harness fitting for those unfamiliar with gear.

Drive from Kathmandu via the historic Newari town of Dolakha to Gonggar (1,820 m) at the Rolwaling trailhead. Approximately 7–8 hours by private jeep through the Tamakoshi valley. The drive through the mid-hills is already dramatic — the gorge of the Tamakoshi River and the transition into the remote eastern hills.

Steep climb from Gonggar through rhododendron and pine forest to Simigaon (2,000 m), the first Sherpa village in the Rolwaling. First views of the Rolwaling Himal above the valley walls. 4–5 hrs.

Continue up the narrowing valley through Dongang to Beding (3,690 m) — the largest settlement in the Rolwaling, an ancient community of stone houses with a centuries-old gompa and a direct view up to the twin summits of Gaurishankar (7,134 m) rising above the valley wall. 5–6 hrs.

Rest and acclimatisation day at Beding. Short hike above the village to approximately 4,000 m for altitude stimulus. Visit Beding Gompa and the upper pastures. Camping gear sorted and packed for the Na Gaon section. Final lodge accommodation before the camping begins.

Trek from Beding along the Rolwaling River valley floor through increasingly open high alpine terrain to Na Gaon (4,185 m) — the final inhabited settlement in the Rolwaling Valley. Camp established. The western skyline from Na Gaon is dominated by Gaurishankar. 3–4 hrs.

Rest and acclimatisation day at Na Gaon. Optional day hike toward the Yalung Glacier and lower Ramdung slopes (to approximately 4,800 m) for altitude stimulus. Crampon and rope technique training on safe terrain for those who need it before the glacier sections.

Optional summit of Ramdung Go (5,930 m / 19,456 ft) — a full-day high-altitude climb via the Ramdung and Yalung Glaciers. Full panorama of the Rolwaling Himal, Tsho Rolpa, Trakarding Glacier, Rolwaling Kang (6,664 m), Takargo (6,671 m), and the Gaurishankar massif from the summit. AltiPro provides ropes, crampons, and full guide support. 10–12 hrs round trip.

Trek from Na Gaon through glacial moraines to the shores of Tsho Rolpa (4,580 m) — one of Nepal's largest glacial lakes. Camp on the southern shore with Rolwaling Kang and Takargo reflected in the deep turquoise water. The raw glacial landscape begins here. 3–4 hrs.

Enter the raw glacial zone above Tsho Rolpa. Rocky moraine and blue ice underfoot, with Rolwaling Kang and Takargo towering above. Camp on the lateral moraine of the Trakarding Glacier — a hard, ice-edged campsite in a high-altitude amphitheatre. The scale of the glacier environment becomes fully apparent here. 4–5 hrs.

The most technically challenging day of the approach. Cross the Trakarding Glacier and tackle the 160 m rock face below the Drolambau with fixed ropes placed by the AltiPro guide team. Full glacier navigation begins on the Drolambau. Camp in the extraordinary high-altitude amphitheatre of the Drolambau, surrounded by the walls of the Rolwaling Himal. 6–7 hrs.

Short approach from the Drolambau camp to the high camp directly below Tashi Lapcha Pass (5,500 m). Rest and final preparation for tomorrow's pre-dawn crossing. AltiPro guide team assesses pass conditions and weather window. Early dinner and early sleep — departure is before dawn. 3–4 hrs.

Pre-dawn departure from Tashi Lapcha Phedi. Mixed snow and rock terrain to the col at 5,755 m / 18,881 ft — the highest and most dramatic point of the Rolwaling Trek. From the pass: Gaurishankar, Everest, Lhotse, and Cho Oyu all in one panorama. Descend to camp on the Khumbu side. One of the great high-mountain crossings in Nepal. 8–10 hrs.

Descend glacial terrain on the Khumbu side through Thyangbo and Ngole to the ancient Sherpa village of Thame (3,800 m) — birthplace of Tenzing Norgay and a historic centre of Sherpa mountaineering culture. The return to lodges and civilization after the wilderness feels extraordinary. 6–7 hrs.

Descend from Thame on the classic Everest Base Camp corridor trail to Namche Bazaar (3,440 m). Namche's teahouses, bakeries, and mountain views feel luxurious after the Rolwaling camping. Time to resupply and recover. 4–5 hrs.

Long final trekking day from Namche down the Khumbu valley through Phakding and on to Lukla (2,840 m). Farewell to the Khumbu. Final evening celebration dinner in Lukla. 5–6 hrs.

Morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Transfer to hotel. Farewell dinner in Kathmandu. Rolwaling Trek & Climb completion certificate presented. AltiPro team celebration for completing one of Nepal's most demanding wilderness traverses.

Buffer days built into the itinerary for Lukla flight weather delays (common at Lukla airport), weather holds on Tashi Lapcha Pass, or a Ramdung Go summit reattempt if Day 9 conditions were not suitable. AltiPro monitors flight schedules and weather throughout and advises on use of buffer days.

Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for final departure. AltiPro team sees you off. Safe travels from one of Nepal's most extraordinary Himalayan wilderness traverses.