diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 17cea8c58125e..3ae297b16d94c 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ os:
   - linux
   - osx
 go:
-  # 1.8 & 1.9 are now best-effort; we recommend 1.10; k8s apimachinery relies on 1.10
-  # - 1.8
-  # - 1.9
+  # 1.10 is now best-effort; we recommend 1.11; 1.12 is in the wild but not the k8s recommended version
   - "1.10"
+  - "1.11"
+  - "1.12"
 
 go_import_path: k8s.io/kops
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a814574bfd3ec..e01c69975c08d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ GCS_URL=$(GCS_LOCATION:gs://%=https://storage.googleapis.com/%)
 LATEST_FILE?=latest-ci.txt
 GOPATH_1ST:=$(shell go env | grep GOPATH | cut -f 2 -d \")
 UNIQUE:=$(shell date +%s)
-GOVERSION=1.10.8
+GOVERSION=1.11.5
 BUILD=$(GOPATH_1ST)/src/k8s.io/kops/.build
 LOCAL=$(BUILD)/local
 BINDATA_TARGETS=upup/models/bindata.go
diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index b0d8add7cf0c1..56e19a9e5737c 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:deps.bzl", "go_rules_dependencies", "go_register_to
 go_rules_dependencies()
 
 go_register_toolchains(
-    go_version = "1.10.8",
+    go_version = "1.11.5",
 )
 
 load("@bazel_gazelle//:deps.bzl", "gazelle_dependencies")
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index 6d9d0b79b03f0..561586c1ae23f 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 FROM alpine:3.8
 
-ARG GO_VERSION=1.10.8
+ARG GO_VERSION=1.11.5
 
 # KOPS_GITISH: Modify to build at an explicit tag/gitish
 ARG KOPS_GITISH=release
diff --git a/images/dns-controller-builder/Dockerfile b/images/dns-controller-builder/Dockerfile
index 28bae46db1468..5141c2e967723 100644
--- a/images/dns-controller-builder/Dockerfile
+++ b/images/dns-controller-builder/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install --yes --reinstall lsb-base \
   && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Install golang
-RUN curl -L https://storage.googleapis.com/golang/go1.10.3.linux-amd64.tar.gz | tar zx -C /usr/local
+RUN curl -L https://storage.googleapis.com/golang/go1.11.5.linux-amd64.tar.gz | tar zx -C /usr/local
 ENV PATH $PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
 
 COPY onbuild.sh /onbuild.sh
diff --git a/images/protokube-builder/Dockerfile b/images/protokube-builder/Dockerfile
index 28bae46db1468..5141c2e967723 100644
--- a/images/protokube-builder/Dockerfile
+++ b/images/protokube-builder/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install --yes --reinstall lsb-base \
   && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Install golang
-RUN curl -L https://storage.googleapis.com/golang/go1.10.3.linux-amd64.tar.gz | tar zx -C /usr/local
+RUN curl -L https://storage.googleapis.com/golang/go1.11.5.linux-amd64.tar.gz | tar zx -C /usr/local
 ENV PATH $PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
 
 COPY onbuild.sh /onbuild.sh