Chinese trekker dies returning from Nepal's Gokyo Lakes

The body of 36-year-old Chinese trekker Chen Qian was recovered from a ravine near Phortse Thanga in Nepal's Everest region. She went missing on 3 October while returning toward Namche Bazaar from the Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes trek. This is a standard trekking corridor: the incident was on the descent below 4,000 m, not an 8,000 m climbing accident.

According to the Nepal Army, she apparently took a shortcut trail and fell from a cliff. On 6 October a patrol spotted a red jacket on a steep slope; on 7 October soldiers and local Sherpa climbers recovered the body. A phone was found with her; the backpack remained wedged in a narrow gorge below. On 8 October the body was flown by helicopter to Kathmandu for further procedures.

The Gokyo Lakes plus Everest Base Camp circuit is one of Nepal's most popular walking treks — hut-to-hut hiking, not a summit push on an eight-thousander. Our programme is Everest Base Camp + Gokyo Lakes: a longer, more scenic alternative to the classic EBC trail, with the same valley descent toward Namche.