Island Peak Climb

Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal. Upon completing the visa formalities and collecting your luggage at the airport, kindly proceed to the exit of the arrival hall. Your trip leader will await you just outside the arrival hall and escort you to hotel in Kathmandu. After you’ve refreshed, your trek leader will brief you about your trip in the lobby of your hotel in the evening. Overnight at Hotel Moonlight in Kathmandu

In Kathmandu, today, the day to check your equipment and then your trek and climb guide will inform you about your trekking program for the next day. If you are short of any trek and climbing equipment that you need, use this time to arrange it and stay at Hotel Moonlight in Kathmandu.

You will be transferred to Tribhuvan Airport, domestic terminal, early in the morning for the Kathmandu to Lukla flight. It takes 30 minutes of pleasant flight you get to Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla. Aerial views of many snow-clad peaks and mountains will greet you. Lukla is the gateway to the Everest Khumbu region.

After reaching Lukla, you will be introduced to other crew members. Once the porters prepare the necessary luggage, you begin your trek to Island Peak. You will pursue the stone pathway downhill. After a few hours, you meet the flat trail.

The trail has a spiritual ambiance. Mani rocks decorate the path, and you can enjoy the striking view of Lukla village. You will finally reach Phakding. After refreshment, you will have a short walk to a nearby village. Time permitting, you will visit a local monastery. Return to the lodge in Phakding for dinner

After breakfast, you continue your journey along the Dudhkoshi River. The trail stretches through a pine forest. After crossing thrilling suspension bridges at several points and passing through small settlements of Zapute, Toktok, Benkar, and Chumoa, you will reach Monjo, which is known as the gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park.

From National park you crossing another suspension bridge, you will proceed towards the high Hillary Bridge located at the foot of the hill. Crossing this bridge, you climb uphill to the Namche Bazaar. You can get a view of Thamserku Mountain. If the weather is clear, you can also have a first view of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and the Kusum Khangru mountains.

Namche Bazaar is known as a gateway to the high Himalayas. It is also the main trading center and the capital of Sherpa land. Thus, you will take a day of rest in Namche for acclimatization purposes. You take a short hike to the ancient Sherpa village of Thame to witness the rich Sherpa culture. You can also visit the nearby villages of Khumjung, Khunde, or Khongde. Where, you also shopping in Namche’s marketplace is another fine idea.

From Namche Bazaar, you walk along the glacial water of the Dudh Koshi River. You will be greeted with views of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Thamserku, and Ama Dablam. Your journey continues through the colorful forest of blooming rhododendrons to Sanasa. The region is rich in wildlife like musk deer and different colorful local birds. Where, in Sanasa lies the junction point.

One path leads to the Gokyo Valley, while the other leads to Everest Base Camp. But, from here you will take a sharp climb to the Tengboche monastery, the largest Gompa in the Khumbu region. The journey rewards you with close-up views of many surrounding mountains. Where, you will visit the monastery and walk through a birch and rhododendron forest to Debuche, where you stay overnight.

After breakfast, you will descend to the Imja River. The trail takes you uphill to Pangboche (3860m) through the lush forest. then, you will visit the Pangboche Monastery. The village is decorated with Chorten and Mani walls. The trail allows you access to Imja Valley. You will climb steeply to Pheriche and continue further to Lobuche River. The final, steepest climb of the day will take you to Dingboche. Agriculture is the chief occupation of locals in Dingboche. You can see fields enclosed by stonewalls in Dingboche. Buckwheat, potatoes, and barley are the major crops.

You take your final rest day in Dingboche. Dingboche is a summer settlement for locals. You can get panoramic views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and several other big and small peaks from the ridge on the north behind the village. You can also see the Imja River, which flows directly east of the village. You can visit one of the world’s highest billiard parlors. You can also find an internet café in Dingboche. So, rest and save your energy for climbing on future days.

From Dingboche, your route begin a moderate walk to Dugla. After crossing by some of the teahouses of Dugla, you plod higher onto the pretty risky moraine of the Khumbu glacier, passing a chain of stone monuments built in memory of Sherpas who have died on mountaineering expeditions to Mt. Everest. From here, the trail descends and goes by the valley’s west side to Lobuche. From this point on, the sunset on Nuptse is an amazing sight. Overnight at teahouse/lodge in Lobuche.

To reach Everest Base Camp, you must get an early start to trek. The trail weaves its way through ice pinnacles and past the crevasses of the Khumbu Glacier, taking several hours. After a brief lunch and rest, you will take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once-vast Gorak Shep Lake. Only upon reaching the Everest Base Camp do you really appreciate the Everest climbers who brave the risky route through the Khumbu icefall.

Mountaineer’s tents stand out in bright colors against the monotony of gray surroundings (especially in the spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste, and Pumori are the mountains you can view from the base camp. On the return leg, you can take a higher route to get a grand view of the Khumbu Icefall and the route to the South Col.. You will return to Gorakshep for a restful night.

Early in morning, be prepared to tackle thin air at high altitude. You start early at dawn to catch the dramatic views from Kalapatthar, witnessing the first light of day shining on Mt. Everest. However, you need to prepare for an early morning, dark, and cold temperature (-10 to -14 C) departure beforehand. Plus, there is always the potential for chilly winds, which are quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse tower to the east even as Everest exposes itself, emerging between the west shoulder crest and Nuptse.

During the ascent to Kalapatthar, you can pause to catch your breath at several outstanding viewpoints and click pictures. After several hours of ascent, you reach Kalapatthar. From here, you scuttle to climb the rocky outcrop near the summit marked by cairns and prayer flags. As you reach the top, you sit on the Kalapatthar rocks, and your eyes take in the unbelievable Himalayan views, wandering from one mighty massif to another. You take as many pictures as you possibly can with your camera so they can last a lifetime. After this, you will make our way back to Dingboche with a slow descent.

Today, you walk through fields with stone walls in the Imja Khola valley and then continue through glacier moraines. During your walk, you will see the Lhotse and Ama Dablam mountains. After passing Bibre village, you will also see Island Peak above you. The trail will cross icy streams. You will reach Chhukung, a small settlement about half an hour from Bibre. You can see the amazing Ama Dablam and the Amphu Labsa mountains directly across the valley. Where, you will spend the night in.

In the morning, where, will be a climbing course at the nearby hill, where your guides will teach you the required climbing skills and the basic safety instructions. The course will consist of ascending on the fixed rope using Jumar and descending on the fixed rope using an ATC guide or Figure 8. Proper usage of the safety cord and Terrain instructions will be given, too. In the afternoon, it’s free time to rest and you get organized before moving up for Island Peak Base Camp

Today, you head south toward the main valley in the east. Crossing streams at a few points, the trail gets rough with boulders and glaciated rivers. You cross Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines and arrive at the valley, which serves as the Base Camp for Island Peak. Where you will enjoy the striking view of the southwestern face of Island Peak. Stay overnight in the Island Peak Base Camp.

Since the heavy wind blows during the afternoon at the summit, our target be to reach the summit before noon. Hence, you wake up much earlier on this day. You will proceed through the snout of the summit glacier with the help of ropes and move through 40-degree snow slopes to reach the summit.

The challenge of the climb is rewarded with the gratifying views of Lhotse Mountain, Nuptse Mountain, Makalu, Baruntse, and Amadablam Mountains. From here you capture the memories on camera and prepare ourselves for a long descent to the Base Camp. Where you will celebrate the successful climb and stay overnight at Base Camp.

After the summit of Island Peak, today involves a short and easy walk from Chhukung (4,730m) down to Dingboche 4,410 meters. The trail follows the wide Imja Valley, gradually descending with views of Ama Dablam and the surrounding peaks.

It’s a relaxed day, taking about 2 to 3 hours, giving your body a chance to rest and recover after the climb. This day also serves well as a contingency buffer, in case summit attempts are delayed due to weather or other factors. If everything has gone according to plan, it’s a pleasant and comfortable day in Dingboche.

Leaving the Base Camp, you will follow the easy trail to the lower altitudes. You will retrace the route through the wide valley of the Khumbu River and walk past the pretty tiny Sherpa settlements of Orsho and Shomare to Pangboche. Pangboche is popular for its oldest monastery in the Khumbu region. From Pengboche village, you can enjoy views of Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtaiga, Kongde ridges, and the Imja Tse River. Overnight at teahouse/lodge.

Leaving from Pangboche in the morning, you will follow the return trail along the Imja River that takes you through the birch and spruce forest to Tengboche village. After a brief stop in Tengboche, you will follow the trail through a forest of blooming rhododendrons to the bridge. You cross the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River and move to Sansa village through the Dudh Koshi gorge and pine forest. The region is rich in Himalayan wildlife like mountain goats, Thars, and local birds. You will pass through the chorten to the army camp at Namche Bazaar.

Today, your last day of the trek follows the Dudh Kosi River down to Lukla. It’s only a gradual walk along the Dudhkhosi River after our steep descent from Namche. You will have lunch on your way and make the final climb up to the airstrip at Lukla. The rest of the day is free, and you can relax under the warm sun & reflect on the emotional experiences you had while hiking through these massive mountains that have probably helped you re-discover ourselves in ways your least expected. This is your final day in these fantastic mountains, enjoying within team in Lukla.

After breakfast, you’ll head to Lukla airport for your flight. Depending on seasonal flight operations and weather conditions, you’ll either fly directly to Kathmandu or to Ramechhap. If flying to Ramechhap, a vehicle will be waiting for the drive back to Kathmandu, which takes about 4-5 hours. After arriving at Kathmandu, check in to your hotel, and the rest of the day is free to relax, enjoy a hot shower, or explore more of Kathmandu at your own pace.

Enjoy a leisurely day. You are on your own. Participating in a day tour in Kathmandu is a pleasant plan. You can also go shopping in Thamel, a tourist hub where you can buy souvenir items like handicrafts and art for your family. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you would like to extend your stay. Kindly contact us from Email or WhatApp for more details on extensions.

The day of departure has finally arriving. Thank you for joining us on this journey. You will receive assistance with your last-minute preparations. Our representative will take you to Tribhuvan International Airport three hours before your scheduled flight. We hope you enjoyed your Nepal stay and will return for another adventure. Bon voyage for a safe and pleasant trip home.