Nature · Gokyo
Look down on the Ngozumpa glacier
Climb the moraine ridge just east of Gokyo village and look down onto the Ngozumpa glacier, about 36 km long, its surface buried in rubble and dotted with grey-green ponds. Listen for falling ice and see how the glacier is changing.
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The Ngozumpa glacier flows about 36 km south from the slopes of Cho Oyu and is often described as the longest glacier in Nepal. Most visitors barely notice it, because its surface is covered in rock and gravel rather than white ice. From Gokyo, a short climb up the lateral moraine ridge behind the lodges brings you to its edge, and suddenly the scale becomes clear.
Below you stretches a broad, chaotic valley of grey rubble, steep ice cliffs where the debris has slumped away, and meltwater ponds of milky green. Now and then a rumble echoes as rock or ice collapses into a pond. Scientists have studied these ponds for years as the glacier thins; some are merging into larger lakes, a pattern seen across the Himalaya as temperatures rise.
Stay on the crest and do not descend the moraine slope, which is loose and unstable. Late afternoon is a good time, when the light picks out the texture of the ice. If you cross towards the Cho La, your route crosses this glacier on a path that changes each season; follow your guide closely, as the line is never quite the same.
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Questions
How long is the Ngozumpa glacier?
About 36 km, flowing south from Cho Oyu along the Gokyo valley. It is often described as the longest glacier in Nepal. Most of its lower surface is covered in rock debris, so it looks like a valley of rubble with ice cliffs and meltwater ponds rather than a white glacier.
Is it safe to walk on the Ngozumpa glacier?
Only on the established crossing used on the route between Gokyo and Dragnag towards the Cho La, and with a guide. The surface is unstable, with loose rock, hidden ice and steep pond edges. Do not explore the glacier alone. Viewing it from the moraine crest above Gokyo is safe and rewarding.
Why are there lakes on the Ngozumpa glacier?
As the debris-covered glacier thins, meltwater collects in hollows on its surface, forming ponds. Some grow and merge over time, a process scientists monitor because large glacial lakes can pose flood risks downstream. The Gokyo lakes themselves lie beside the glacier, dammed by its lateral moraine.
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