Everest Three Pass Trek – A Story of Surprises and Mountains

I never knew a trek could feel like a long, beautiful story, one chapter after another, with every turn adding something new. The Everest Three Pass Trek wasn’t just a trail I walked; it was an adventure that opened my eyes to things I had never thought about before.

It started the way many treks do: a flight to Lukla, the kind of landing that makes your heart skip a beat. I had heard stories about this trek, about the three high passes Kongma La, Cho La, and Renjo La but hearing and living are two very different things. I was just a regular guy with a backpack, some snacks, and a thirst for something more than the usual.

The first few days were a warm-up. Forests, stone-paved paths, swinging bridges that shook under my feet. I met locals carrying heavy loads with ease, and yaks that walked like they owned the place. It was peaceful, and I thought, “Okay, I can do this.” But then came the passes, and that’s when the real story began.

Kongma La – The Wild One

Kongma La was the first. There’s no teahouse on the way, and hardly anyone around. It felt like walking on the edge of silence. No signboards, just cairns, piles of stones guiding the way. I lost the trail once and had to backtrack. I realized how raw and real this place was. The climb was hard. Every step at that altitude felt like lifting a mountain with my legs. But when I stood on top and looked down at the Khumbu Glacier, I forgot the pain. It was quiet, cold, and unreal. I just stood there, breathing heavily, smiling like an idiot.

Cho La – The Icy Giant

Cho La was next. I’d read it’s the most dangerous one, and I believe it now. There’s a glacier on top, all blue and slippery. I slipped a couple of times even with microspikes. It was like walking on glass. But you know what caught me off guard? The colors. Not just white and grey, but shades of blue I didn’t know existed. And the sun hit the ice in a way that made it look like the ground was glowing. I met a porter there who told me the pass gets closed quickly when snow comes. “She’s tricky,” he said, meaning the mountain. He was right.

Renjo La – The Surprise Ending

The last pass, Renjo La, gave me the best surprise of all. When I reached the top, tired and hungry, I turned around and saw the Everest range like never before. All the big ones Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and even Cho Oyu, lined up like they were posing for a group photo. I had seen pictures before, sure, but seeing it for real made me feel like I was part of something bigger. A long way from home, on a cold mountain pass, I felt more alive than ever.

What amazed me most about this trek wasn’t just the views, though they were incredible. It was learning how each pass had its own mood. Kongma La was wild and silent. Cho La was sharp and cold. Renjo La was calm and generous. They weren’t just paths between valleys, they were characters in the story.

By the time I reached Namche Bazaar again, my body was tired, but my mind was buzzing. I had crossed three passes, seen Everest from angles most never do, and learned that the trail teaches you more than any book ever could. You learn patience. You learn respect, for the mountain, for the people, for your own limits.