Today is a long, yet satisfying day. On a dim track, you begin walking uphill. You pass the Khumbu Glacier after around 15 minutes. You reach a crest from which you can see your final objective, the Kongma La, though the view is limited. After some boulder-hopping, you'll find an obvious trail leading up to the pass. If you look behind you, you may see the Pyramid - the Italian Research Centre, which stands at a height of little over 5,000 meters. Lobuche can be seen from a higher vantage point. On the way up, you can see Cholatse 6,440m, Pokalde 5,794m, Nuptse 7,864m, Lhotse 8,501m, Makalu, and Ama Dablam 6,814m. You travel under a massive rock wall for the last half hour or so up to the pass, and you have a fantastic close-up view of Pokalde on your right. Prayer flags line the route, and the panoramic views of snow-capped peaks are breathtaking.
The descent is steep at first, but it eases off as you reach the main lake, which takes around 20 minutes from the pass. On the way down, you get great views of Makalu and Ama Dablam. As you progress, you'll be able to glimpse Island Peak and the Chukhung Valley below.