Amazing 16-day Gokyo Lake and Everest Base Camp Trek. Our head guide Ram was exceptional, as were the other guides, and porters (Sherpas). The views you get, the experience, the whole thing was great!
Our trip was delayed several years due to Covid, but we finally were able to go in 2022. Our group size was larger than normal (around 30 people), as many other trekkers were in the same boat as us, and thus 2022 group sizes seem higher than normal.
Several things to note: Weather in early October in recent years has been unseasonably wet. While historically October has 2-3 days of rain, 2022 had much more rain at the beginning of October. I would suggest going in mid-October earliest. If you go earlier, rain gear is a must, and be aware rain/clouds tend to block views of the mountains...
Secondly, I would describe the trek as "difficult". We were a group mid-30s, weekend-warrior type sports people (never had been on a trek before though), and found certain trekking days challenging, although not impossible. Cardio not being our strong-suit played a factor (if you are a long distance runner / biker, then you will be good). If you are athletic/active, you will be able to complete the trek, but it will be hard (especially on the days that are mostly uphill). There were 3-4 people in their 50s, and they all completed the trek (albeit more laboriously, but anyone can do it).
Finally the altitude. Man that can really affect breathing the last 2-3 days nearing Base Camp (highest altitude). As an asthmatic, just lying in bed I was huffing away, deep breathing. Even without asthma, it will affect everyone to some degree, it's an interesting experience...
All-in-all, we were all glad to have done the trek. The views were amazing, and there is a real sense of accomplishment in getting to Base Camp. It is something we will all remember our whole lives.
I would suggest if you aren't a runner, or aren't experienced in treks with elevation, you do some training before hand. Nothing crazy, but maybe do some running for 1-2 months before going to get your cardio up. If you have a mountain close by, practice trekking up 800-1000 meters with a pack on.
The trek was absolutely beautiful! Just crazy, amazing views unlike anything you'll see anywhere else in the world. Our guide, Ram, was really excellent. He's very nice, knowlegable, and does a great job of checking in and making sure everyone is having a good time. The porters and the guides were great, they worked their butts off and were all really friendly. The trek itself is very physically demanding, especially the 13-hour day up Chola pass. So be prepared for some long days. Accomodation at the tea houses was cozy, but far from glamarous. The beds are comfy, the food was pretty good considering how remote it is. We did end up spending a little more on food than we had budgeted for. You do have to get used to the going to the bathroom in a hole in the ground and smellling burning yak dung in the higher parts of the trek. All things considered though, the accomodation is pretty good and it is super fun staying up in the mountains.
The tour company themselves could make things a little easier on the trekkers. There was very little communication from Luxury Holidays Nepal leading up to the trek. We didn't end up getting our duffel bags for the trek until about 10 hours before we were supposed to leave, at 2am. So that made it hard to pack, get last minute stuff, and get a good rest before leaving. The pre-trek briefing kind of left everyone more confused than before. On the way out, we ended up missing our flight up to Lukla where the trek starts because of bad weather, so we had to stay at a hotel in town. Our group ended up paying out of pocket for that stay, even though it was included in the voucher. So be prepared for the possibility of being stuck in the airport alllllll day and maybe missing your flight. We also got separated from our duffle bags for a night, so make sure you have one night's worth of stuff in your daypack. The only other thing was that going up Chola pass, a very steep, busy, and icy stretch of mountain, we didn't have microspikes. A few of our group members took nasty falls on the ice. Nobody ended up getting seriously hurt, but it definitely felt much more dangerous and than it needed to be. Make sure you ask about microspikes BEFORE the trek starts.
Overall, management left a little to be desired, but that didn't diminish from the wonderful staff on the ground and an awesome trip full of amazing views and great memories. It's definitely a worthwhile trip and you'll be glad you did it!
We done the Everest Base Camp Trek last month, and I could not speak highly enough of either Ram or our Sherpas. Every challenge we came across Ram and the team glided us through with a smile on their face. The Guys are very very knowledge and incredibly fun to be around, and even the rough parts were a joy. The trek itself speaks for itself - a once in a lifetime trip. However, I do feel the communication skills of Luxury Travel could have been a little better and a bit more information before and after the trek could have been provided. But big thanks to Ram and the team for making the trip so memorable.