The Best Sunrise Ever?

Everest Base Camp The Lazy Way: Day 10-12 – Gokyo Ri

It’s difficult to describe quite how insanely beautiful the landscape around Gokyo is. Reflecting glacier lakes, some frozen so hard you can skate on them, stack up towards the base of Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world.

So I’ll just say that waking at 3.30am, eating last night’s cheese toastie in the freezing dark, and walking to an elevation of 5360m (17,585 feet) in temperatures of -15°C (5°F) plus windchill, was worth every single second.

Sunrise over Uluru got nothing on sunrise from Gokyo Ri. It had me cooing, just like Lijiang did: even the savage moraine looks beautiful in this light.

Sunrise from Gokyo Ri

Sunrise from Gokyo Ri-3

Sunrise from Gokyo Ri-6

And, yes, that’s Everest right there.


You can read Day 1 of our Everest Base Camp trek here. Or read the last Everest Base Camp post here and the next one here.

If you’re thinking of doing the Everest Base Camp trek, I recommend my Everest Base Camp FAQs.

18 Responses

  1. rebecca says:

    wow so pretty and such an adventure 🙂

  2. Fiona says:

    Hi Theodora and Z – we’ve been all enjoying your Everest adventures from our campervan, totally enthralling. I’m always amazed by the adaptation of the human body to altitude – well done you guys!
    (We’re now back in Shanghai if you’re passing through too)

    • Theodora says:

      Oh, brilliant that you’re back in Shanghai! At the moment, we’re all about northern China, but I’m sure Zac would love to see Bella… So far plans are Beijing then Harbin and hopefully base ourselves in either Harbin or Ji Lin.

  3. Jesse says:

    Beautiful pics! I just finished watching all 3 seasons of Everest: beyond the limit (not in one sitting, mind you). I’m pretty sure it’ll be something you and Zac will enjoy especially after being so up close and personal with Everest recently!

    • Theodora says:

      Thank you, Jesse! I haven’t come across that in the dodgy DVD stores here in Kathmandu, so I’ll have to look it up when we get to China.

  4. I’d never been fascinated by Everest until last year, when I had an overly polite and positive student from there. Your posts are making me rethink it!

    • Theodora says:

      I can’t speak highly enough of it, Cat. And you don’t need to get *that* high to get the Everest views.

  5. that is worth getting up for!!! gorgeous!

    • Theodora says:

      Why, I thank you! We got up at the wrong time, in fact, should have got up earlier, but I’m still SO glad we did it.

  6. WOWOWOW! Love it! And as a bonus, it coordinates so well with the colors of your blog. 🙂

  7. Aleah says:

    I’d always wanted to see Mt Everest up close and personal. So envious of you 😀 Wonderful pics! Liked in FB and tweeted 🙂

    • Theodora says:

      Thanks, Aleah! It’s an amazing feeling the first time you see it. One of many to visit Nepal….

  8. Incredible pics…definitely would rank as one of my top sunrises, that’s for sure!

  9. Hannah says:

    Great photos! I was in Nepal last October! I regret not going trekking coz I was only there for 6 days. just means I need to come back next time

    • Theodora says:

      Oooh, you really do. And do a good long one — minimum two weeks — that gets you into the zone. Glad you’re enjoying.