Gokyo is a small settlement high in Nepal’s Khumbu region, set beside a chain of turquoise glacial lakes beneath the Himalaya. Its significance is closely tied to trans-Himalayan trade routes and to Sherpa culture, which has adapted over generations to life at extreme altitude. Today, Gokyo also forms part of the trekking landscape that connects people to the Everest region without following its busiest paths.

The surrounding landscape is stark and expansive. The Gokyo Lakes sit among moraines and glaciers fed by Ngozumpa Glacier, the largest in Nepal, while peaks like Cho Oyu rise nearby. Climbing Gokyo Ri offers wide views across ice, rock, and high summits, revealing a scale that feels both open and austere.

Gokyo’s atmosphere is quiet and self-contained. Life here follows daylight, weather, and the steady movement of trekkers passing through rather than any fixed schedule.