Island Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek

Kathmandu: Exploration and trip preparation day

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is the repository of exclusive natural, cultural and historical sites. After breakfast, we set for sightseeing of wonderful sites in Kathmandu that includes Kathmandu Durbar Square (a historical structure offering architectural wonders), the Pashupatinath temple (a Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord-Shiva), Swayambhunath (2,000 years old monkey temple) and Boudhanath (largest Buddhist shrine dedicated to Lord Buddha).

If time permits, you can tour to world heritage site “Patan Durbar Square” with other architectural masterpieces like Mahaboudha Temple, Krishna Temple, Golden Temple and Kumbeshwor Temple.
Overnight in Kathmandu
Meals: Breakfast

After early morning breakfast, our airport representative will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to Tribhuvan International Airport for short trans-Himalayan flight to Lukla.
Upon arrival at Lukla, you will introduce you to your porter and other crew members. Once everything is ready, we begin to trek towards Phakding leaving the stunning village of Lukla behind. After 4 hours several uphill, downhill and flat trail walk, we reach the settlement of Phakding. We get freshen up and make short exploration of the Phakding village.

Activity & Duration

40 minute flight and 3/4 hours trek

Highest Altitude

2800m (Phakding)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, we set for Namche Bazaar walking through the suspension bridge over Dudh Koshi River. We walk through the forested route of rhododendron and magnolia and cross the three suspension bridge over the river, we hike up to Monjo- the gateway of Sagarmatha National Park. Further, we descend from Monjo to Larja Dobhan, the confluence of Bhote Koshi and the Dudh Koshi River. Crossing the suspension bridge allows the finest view of Mt. Everest. A short uphill hike takes you to Namche Bazaar.

Activity & Duration

5/6 hours trek

Highest Altitude

3440m (Namche Bazaar)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This day is set aside for acclimatization in high altitude. Mountain experts recommend us to stay active so we set for exploration today instead of being idle. There are few option of exploration today. We can either walk around the Namche’s ancient village or walk up to Everest view hotel to enjoy the superb view of Everest.

En route to Everest view hotel, we explore the local culture and tradition that displays the history of Everest region and diverse floral and faunal species of the region. For trekker preferring to hike a bit longer can hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours). Here, you can explore Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery, a monastery that houses the head of the Yeti.

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, we join the EBC trail route that leads us to Tengboche. The trail follows the easy route to Phunki and from Phunki, we start climbing towards Tengboche. It is picturesque village famous for housing Tengboche Monastery, the largest monastery in the Khumbu region. Nestled in Sagarmatha National Park, it offers the 360 degree view of gigantic Himalayan range including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhtse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku.

Activity & Duration

5-6 hours trek

Highest Altitude

3870m (Tengboche)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, we continue along the riverside through lush forest and cross the river before making a climb to Pangboche, a famous Sherpa settlement. We then gradual climb to the north of the valley with surreal view of Mt. Everest, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Lhotse and more peaks. Once, we reach the top of the ridge, we drop down to the picturesque village of Pheriche.

Activity & Duration

4-5 hours trek

Highest Altitude

4200m (Pheriche)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, we walk through the easy trail towards Dugla. Next, we make steep terminal moraine climb of the Khumbu Glacier and walk across the boulder-strewn slope as we climb up to Chupki Lhara. At Chupki Lhara, we get to explore an array of stones festooned with colorful prayer flags established in the memory Scott Fischer (American Mountaineer) and 10 times Everest summiteer Babu Chiri Sherpa who died on mountain expedition.  Walking through the Khumbu Glacier moraine and we find ourselves surrounded by Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal range.

Activity & Duration

5-6 hours trek

Highest Altitude

4930m (Lobuche)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today, we walk through the vast Gorak Shep Lake and continue to Everest Base Camp. Continuing through the Indian army mountaineers’ memorials, we walk through the rocky dunes, moraine and streams to reach EBC. The route to Everest Base Camp might be misleading hence we suggest you to follow the Sherpa guide diligently. The walk today is quite strenuous due to thin air in high altitude.

Upon arrival at EBC, you will see many mountaineer’s tent that stands out bright colors against the monotony of gray surroundings (especially in spring). You will be surrounded by the gigantic mountains like Everest, Nuptse, Khumbutse and Pumori. After exploration, we hike back to Gorak Shep for good night rest.

Activity & Duration

6-7 hours trek

Highest Altitude

5364m (Gorak Shep)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today, we start early in the morning amid of pre-dawn darkness and cold temperatures (-10 degree to -14 degree). Moreover, there is high risk of chilly winds. Upon arrival at Kalapatthar, you get 360 degree view of mighty Mt. Everest. Here, we spend sometimes taking picture and enjoying magnificent panorama of Himalayan range. After exploration, we trek back to Lobuche and rest overnight.

Activity & Duration

7-8 hours trek

Highest Altitude

4940m (Lobuche)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, we trek through the Khumbu Glacier and reach Kongma La Base Camp (5,000m/16,404ft). Today, we cross Kongma La Pass, the most difficult part of the trek and drop off to Imja Khola valley followed by another descend to Chukkung. It is small summer settlement of Khumbu region.

Note: If you don’t like to cross Kongma La Pass, we can follow another route via Dingboche to Chukkung instead.

Activity & Duration

6-7 hours trek

Highest Altitude

5535m (Chukkung)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, we follow our climbing team towards the south part and turn east to the main side of the valley. Further, continuing through the huge rock and crossing Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines, we reach the base camp of Island Peak.
Here we get the climbing gears checked for next day expedition.
Overnight in Island Peak Base Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activity & Duration

3-4 hours trek

Highest Altitude

5200m (Island Peak Base Camp)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Before starting the climb, it is wise to take pre-climbing training to boost up your confidence and climbing skills. Today, we spend whole day for pre-climbing training that includes the learning of using climbing gears such as the ice axe, climbing boots and crampons, harness, ascender etc. But it is not mandatory to have pre-climbing training in Island peak.

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today, we start very early in the morning probably 12 to 1 am. We have proper breakfast after starting a climb to Island Peak. It is very important to summit the Island peak before the noon because the strong wind hits the summit in the afternoon.

We begin to climb several hundred meters before the steep section. The trail at the first phase is sandy and soon it turns into the grassy land and further turns into the boulder strewn route. Further climbing up the hill, we reach the narrow slope and enter into the steep rock channel. Further, we climb through the rock gully which is difficult but the short rock steps makes it quite strenuous. We reach the right side of gully which joins us to the ridgeline and finally takes up to the snout of the summit glacier. The climbing leader will fix the rope when required. We climb through the narrow snow slope to reach the top of Island peak.

The climbing leader fix both fixed rope and man rope for your safety. The length of rope will be approx. 350m long but the length depends on the crevasses formed on the approaches. There are two new crevasses which is 3 to 4 meter long where we use ladder to cross it.

After summiting the peak, we spend sometimes admiring the views and taking pictures. You feel like conquering the world. We descend back to Island Peak Base Camp to join our rest crew who have been waiting for us.

Activity & Duration

10-12 hours

Highest Altitude

6189m (Island Peak)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today, we descend to Pangboche which is fairly easy trail. We retrace our steps through the Khumbu Khola and pass the small village of Orshoo and Shomare. We can either follow the upper Pangboche route which takes us to visit Gompa, one of oldest Gompa in Khumbu region or follow the regular Pangboche route.

Pangboche is picturesque village which serves the great view of mighty Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kangtaiga to the east, Kongde range to the south and Imja Tse Khola flowing through the wide valley.

Activity & Duration

5-6 hours trek

Highest Altitude

3985m (Pangboche)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Following the Imja Khola River, we enter the forested route that leads us to Tengboche. We spend sometimes visiting the nuns at the Tengboche monastery. We further follow the hillside trail flourished with rhododendron and juniper trees and cross the suspension bridge over Dudh Koshi River to join the route that descends to Sansa. En route- we keep a lookout for highland wildlife that includes mountain goats, snow leopard, colorful pheasants and more. From Sansa, we walk across the chorten and army camp to reach Namche Bazaar.

Activity & Duration

4-5 hours trek

Highest Altitude

3440m (Namche Bazaar)

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today is the last of our EBC trek and Island Peak expedition. We retrace our steps to Lukla following the same route we used to ascend. In afternoon, we walk around the village, relax and enjoy the hot shower. Today, we bid farewell to our local crew, so you enjoy few drinks to celebrate the successful completion of the expedition.

Activity & Duration

6-7 hours trek

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Enjoying the last view of Snowy Mountain we recently visited, we take 35 minutes of trans-Himalayan flight to Kathmandu. Our airport representative will be waiting you outside the domestic airport terminal hall and transfer you to the hotel. You spend sometimes in hotel to get relaxed and refreshed.

You can spend your spare day visiting the unexplored sites and catch last minute shopping in Thamel. In evening, Alpine Kailash will invite you to join the farewell dinner in typical Nepali restaurant to celebrate the successful completion of the trek.

Meals

Breakfast & Dinner

Your expedition in Nepal comes to end today. Our airport staff will escort you to the airport for final departure.