Island Peak Climbing

Your first impression of arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport is an experience in itself. But don’t be worried by the apparent confusion as your airport representative will be waiting to welcome you with your name written on a placard. Depending on traffic, you will be at your hotel within 20 minutes or so.

You have time to relax and enjoy the ambience and comfort of the hotel until your evening Group Meeting. This is when we collect your  details and discuss how the trip will run for the coming days. After the meeting, we go for our first group dinner. Your tour leader will take you to a traditional Nepali restaurant in Thamel.

A free day in Kathmandu to relieve you from jetlag on long flights, our morning sightseeing tour starts after breakfast in the hotel, where you will be engrossed with tour around world heritage sites around Kathmandu visiting Old Durbar (palace) Square, and ancient stupa of Swayambhunath, after a tour head back to hotel with preparation for Island Peak Climb and Everest Base Camp Trekking.
(other options on a tour of Hindu Holy Temple of Pashupatinath dedicated to Lord Shiva and Bouddhanath large Buddhist Stupa the area is also known as Little Tibet)

Mornings, flight to Lukla with views of mountain range including Mt. Everest, after 30 mins of great flight reaching at Lukla with its unique airstrip a gateway Sherpa town to Everest base camp and other adventure destination.
From Lukla walk to Phakding village for overnight stop leading past Sherpa farm villages, a nice and pleasant walk with few short ups overlooking beautiful views along the walk to Phakding village located by Dudh Koshi a glacial River.

After breakfast, we commence our trek to Namche Bazaar (3440 m.). The trail goes along the right bank of Dudh Koshi. Thamserku is standing majestically skyward on the opposite bank. We then reach Bengkar. The trail now climbs from the riverbed on the left bank into the mountain, through a forest to Chumoa. We continue along the trail with many ups and downs; cross a stream, and pass by the tiny village Monjo. We then come to Sagarmatha National Park Service where a park entrance fee is to be deposited. We follow a short walk along the riverbed of this valley where the major river meets each other. Crossing over the Hillary bridge, the trek begins steep ascent to Namche Bazar. On the way, we would have excellent views of Everest (8848m) and Lhotse (8516m.). Surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, Namche Bazar (3440m) is a central hub of the area for food, trekking gears, and other necessary goods

Namche Bazaar is at 3,440m, this level is considered the threshold of altitude sickness. Today will be spent resting and allowing our bodies to become acclimatized to the lofty altitude. Go high and sleep low is the best way to acclimatize,best acclimatization hike for the day we recommend is to Everest view hotel, a perfect place for proper speed acclimatization before heading higher area, morning hike to Everest View Hotel which is about 2 hrs uphill walk, great spot for magnificent view of Mt Everest, Lhotse, Amadablam and adjoining peaks of the Khumbu Himalayan panorama.
Check out the Sherpa museum for an overview of the Sherpa culture and history of mountaineering. On Saturdays, the Hatt Bazaar is open for trading and an intimate look at the locals’ marketplace. It is part of the larger Namche Bazaar, a shopping hub filled with all manner of trekking and mountaineering clothing and equipment

From Namche on a gradual scenic path with downhill to Imjatse river at Phungi-Tenga for lunch, and then uphill through rhododendron, pines, firs tree forest with views of snowcapped peaks. On reaching Thyangboche visit famous Buddhist monastery with a magnificent panorama of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Kangtenga, Thamserku, Kwande and majestic Amadablam. The afternoon with time for the tour of the monastery, which was burnt by accidental fire in 1991 at present back into normal form, where you witness young monks and elderly priest and Lama on evening prayer.

Morning downhill walk for few hours over Imjatse River, after crossing a bridge walk on an open country where tree lines fade for short juniper and dwarf rhododendron bushes, uphill for a while to reach at Pangboche village at 3,900 meters.
The last permanent village before Pheriche and beyond, from here a slow climb to Somara for lunch and continue to walk with the short climb and then downhill to Pheriche valley and its settlement with a nice number of lodges for an overnight stop.

Another rest day for proper acclimatization, a short hike to Nagarjuna hills for best views of Mt. Makalu and other adjoining. within Imjatse valley offers incredible views of Island Peak, Lhotse Shar, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Amadablam, after a nice day back to Pheriche for rest and overnight stop.

After a great rest at Pheriche morning walk leads to a wide open valley and then climb for an hour, and then on gentle trail to Thugla for lunch where Khumbu glacier melts into a raging river, here trail from Pheriche joins after a break a steep climb for an hour to Thukla pass, with stone memorials of unfortunate climbers who died climbing Mt. Everest, Lhotse and other high mountains. From here a nice pleasant walk brings to Lobuche for the overnight stop.

Today reach the highlight of this adventure at Everest Base Camp, walk for few hours with the short steep climb in between over glacier and moraine, reaching Gorakshep, beneath Mt. Pumori and Kalapathar. The walk continues towards Everest Base Camp, at base camp enjoy the view of notorious Khumbu Ice Fall and glaciers, after a grand time with the experience of a lifetime adventure at base camp retrace the journey back to Goarkshep for the overnight halt.

Early morning steep climb to Kalapathar for a fantastic panorama of surrounding giant peaks including Mt. Everest at close distance, this will be the highest point on trekking at 5,545 m / 18,192 ft. After a fantastic time with super views downhill to Gorakshep and continue trek to reach Imjatse valley towards Dingboche for the overnight stop.

After an overnight in Dingboche within scenic and beautiful Imjastse valley a short walk of few hours where morning walk leads further east of the valley facing tremendous views of snow-clad peaks where trail is gradual with few short and ups crossing several icy streams with last short climb to Chhukung for overnight stop with grand views of Island Peak and other giant mountains.

From Chhukung walk on Imjatse valley to Parisya Gyab at Island Peak Base Camp, which leads to a steep climb over moraine of rocks and Lhotse glacier, follows a glacial streams to the snout of Imjatse glacier and then crossing a dry lake between Lhotse and Imjatse glaciers to reach at base camp around a small place at Pareshaya Gyab, afternoon free for practice climb and short hike.

From base camp, climb leads further to set up High Camp to make the climb to the summit more approachable, normally climbers make it from base camp to the summit but it is always safe and best to add more camp, morning on leaving base camp to high camp of Island Peak leading over moraines and then scrambling up on open gully leading in between two well defined ridges and to high camp below a small hanging glacier at 5, 280m afternoon with last and final preparations for the big climb next day.

A Grand day of this awesome adventure! After full preparations start before dawn climb across the broad open gully, following snow-covered glacier, avoiding serac and crevasses climbing northwards over snow-covered scree in the margin between a glacier of the top ridge. Climb leads to cross a gully with some stone and ice-fall danger, a steep snow, and ice ramp leads upwards for nearly 100m to the summit, on reaching top fulfilling adventure of a lifetime experience with success with unmatched views of Mt. Everest 8,848 m, Lhotse 8,501 m, Mt. Amadablam 6,856 m, Mt. Makalu 8, 463 m, Chamlang, and Baruntse peaks, after an exciting and tough climb descend on the same route to base camp for rest after a vigorous ascend.
After a refreshing break continues to walk back to Chhukung for last overnight at Imjatse valley in the comfort of the nice and cosy lodge.

The return journey is much easier losing heights every hour, walking downhill with few short ups to Pangboche and then to the bridge with two 2 hours climb to Thyangboche for the overnight stop.

After a great time descend to Imjatse River, with a steep climb for an hour to Sanasa, from here on the gradual path with short ups and downs to Namche Bazaar, a break here and then walk back to Dudh Koshi river valley and to Monjo for the overnight stop.

Morning walk reaching at Phakding from here retrace the journey back to Lukla with the last climb, on reaching Lukla celebrate last night dinner with fellow trekkers and staff.

From Lukla taking an early morning flight back to Kathmandu with views of mountains, at Kathmandu domestic airport our staff transfers you back to respective hotels with rest of the day free at leisure.

Your last day in amazing Nepal in the land of Himalayan wonders, after wonderful experience and fond memories of Island Peak Climb and Everest Base Camp trekking, our staff transfer you to the airport as per your time for an international flight for your final departure towards homeward bound.

The Island Peak Climbing is one of the easy to moderate climbing peak. However, don't misunderstand by the word easy because climbing the lofty snowy mountain is never easy. If you are physically fit and is climbing with the best gears and best guides in the best season, climbing the mountain is not an arduous task. Among many trekking peaks permitted to climb in Nepal, Island Peak is the easiest one.

Yes, you can climb the Island peak even without the previous mountaineering experiences. The Sherpa team will provide the brief training about handling the equipment, ropes and mountain ethics. It is enough for you to climb. However, you need to prepare yourself physically by following the strict fitness exercises at least one month prior to the climbing

Yes, most of the agencies offer the itinerary of Island Peak Climbing that includes Everest Base Camp as well. It helps in proper acclimatization as well. Choose to go the base camp of Mt. Everest before heading to climb the mountain.

No, you can't see Mt. Everest from the top of Island Peak. The Lhotse blocks the view of Everest but you can see Mt. Makalu from the top. Mt. Makalu is also the top ten mountain of the world.

Trekking to the base camp of Island Peak includes lodging and food at lodges or teahouses. However, for 1 night before the summit of the Island Peak, you will have to sleep in the tent and eat the food prepared in the tent by the Sherpa guides and porters.

Island Peak climbing window is open in both spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) seasons. These two seasons are the best time to climb the peak.

Yes, our Sherpa guides will provide you the basic training at the base camp of Island Peak. You have to follow the guidelines and heed their instructions.