Gokyo Cho La Pass Trek in June

In June the numbers say the trek changes character. The Nepal Trekking Routes season guide says rain falls nearly every day from June to August, trails are muddy and slippery, landslides are possible and leeches are a problem, and Heaven Himalaya says the monsoon is generally avoided for rain, slippery trails and poor visibility.

For the pass, our tour notes are direct: Cho La can be snowed shut in winter and is risky during the monsoon. The order of events on day 11 is the same as any month, a steep climb on loose rock then a short glacier stretch and the descent to Dzongla at 4,800m, but rain makes the rock slippery and cloud takes away the view that makes the crossing legible.

The Gokyo side is the part of the route that shows the season most clearly. The research record at the fourth lake has its level starting to rise again in mid-June, with the monsoon on its way.

June is quiet. The park's own counts show how quiet the full monsoon is: 125 entries between mid-July and mid-August 2024 and 1,331 between mid-August and mid-September, against 8,902 from mid-September to mid-October. We have no count for June alone.

Quiet suits some people. Which lodges on the Gokyo side are open for your dates is the first question to settle before you commit to any day of the day table.

June flights leave from Kathmandu under our flight notice. HoneyGuide says the first part of June still has clear mornings, and that flying in the latter half of the month is difficult with cancellations highly likely.

With one spare day in the schedule, a June exit from Lukla on day 17 can use day 18 and still miss a long-haul flight on day 19. Build several days of slack at the end, not one.