Island Peak Climbing

The Island Peak Climbing trek starts with a scenic 30-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. The flight offers stunning views of the distant Himalayas and terraced hills. The Lukla Tenzing Hillary Airport is considered the world’s most dangerous airstrip and is situated at an altitude of 2843 meters from sea level. After landing at the airport, many trekkers take breakfast here due to the early morning flight schedule.

The trek to Island Peak starts from Lukla by leaving the passing Lame Memorial Gate at the end of the village. Near the gate is the police checkpoint, and after a few minutes of walking, we’ll reach the Passang Lemur Rural Municipality permit counter, where it charges 2000 (NRS) per person as an entrance fee.

The route to Island Peak follows the same trail as the Everest Base Camp trekking trail to Dingboche. About three to four hours of hiking with a few ups and downs along the Dudh Koshi River will reach Fakting, where almost all trekkers and mountaineers spend a night to avoid altitude sickness.

The trail from Phakding follows the Dudh Koshi river all the way towards Namche Bazaar. The magnificent waterfall and shade of the pine forest will create a more exciting hike. After a few hours, we’ll reach Jorsalle, which is the Sagarmatha National Park entrance. It costs Rs 3000 for a ticket.

Continuing the height, we’ll encounter the confluence of the rivers Bodhi Khosi and Dudh Kosi. Crossing the hanging bridge will lead to two hours of ascent through the pine forest to Tengboche. It is the most popular tourist hub of the Khumbu region and lies below the Sangbochen hill facing towards the Kongdi River.  

Trekkers acclimatize their bodies by hiking up to Sangbeauchen hilltop, where the popular Everest View Hotel is located. In the afternoon, you can stroll within the bazaar, where you can have refreshing coffee and cafe, taste a variety of menus and even find life screening shows at different restaurants.

In addition to that, there is a weekly famous Khumbu market organized on Friday and Saturday where commodities are cheaper than those that are available at normal shops.

After the acclimatization day, the trekking leads to Tengboche village as the trail widens up for mountain views. You will witness many more stunning mountains such as Kusum Kangaroo, Circu, Amadablam, Lhotse, and many more neighbouring mountains, including Mount Everest.

The trail mostly goes side by side from the open slope and slowly enters the thin forest, which leads towards a gentle slope down to Phunki at the bank of the Dudh Koshi river. Most of the trekkers take lunch here, where it facilitates fine restaurants and lodges.

After crossing the hanging bridge, we’ll reach the army check post, and the final ascent to Tengboche starts. The majestic view of Mount Gonthaga will energize the trekkers to the top.

On day six, we will have an acclimatization day in Chhukung to prepare ourselves for the climb ahead. Chhukung is a small village that lies in the valley beneath Island Peak. This day is important to help you acclimate to the high altitude and give you time to rest before the climb.

You can take a short hike around the valley to explore the area and enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding peaks. Alternatively, you can take a rest day and relax in the village, enjoying the hospitality of the locals and the comfort of your lodge.

We will now ascend to Pheriche, our next destination. After breakfast, we will begin our trekking journey and walk the challenging trail to Pheriche. 

We will cross many small ethnic villages on our way and stop for a cup of tea. Again, our trekking trail consists of endless panoramic views of the Everest Region. 

We have now ascended over 4200 meters altitude. So, we will take this day to acclimatize to the climate, altitude, and environment. We will also take a short hike to Ngakajang Peak to keep our bodies warm.

We’ll resume our journey the following morning after breakfast. Walking through the snow-capped ridges of Cholatse and Tabuchi, we will climb steeply on the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. 

During the trek, we will find memorials of Sherpa climbers who lost their lives mounting the beautiful peaks. Then, after a few hours of strolling through the valley, we’ll reach our destination for the day, Lobuche, where we’ll stay for the night.

Finally, after all your tribulations and dedication for eight days straight, you’ll come across your dream destination, the Everest Base Camp, on the ninth day. However, foremost, you must cross the Khumbu Glacier, reaching Gorakshep. After this, the trip gets more challenging; you’ll be walking through rocky landscapes and icefalls. 

Nevertheless, it will be worth it once you see the spectacular views of the mountain range from the Everest Base Camp. Afterward, we’ll descend to Gorakshep to spend the fantastic and relaxing cold night.

We will start our trek with an early morning climb, after which we will reach Kala Patthar, which means black rock in Nepali. When you get there, you’ll see the stunning scenery of the mountain habitat everywhere you look. 

Behind you will be the view of the stunning Khumbu Glacier, while overhead will be the incredible views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Changtse, and Mt. Lhotse. Again, we’ll be staying for the night after descending our way around to Dingboche. 

The trek from Dingboche to Chukung is typically a half-day trek and takes about 4-5 hours to complete. The trail starts in Dingboche, which is a small village located at an altitude of 4,410 meters and ascends to Chukung, which is located at an altitude of 4,730 meters.

As you approach Chukung, you will be able to see the stunning views of Ama Dablam, Island Peak, and other mountains. Chukung is a small village with a few guesthouses and teahouses, where you can rest, enjoy a hot meal, and acclimate to the high altitude before continuing your trek.

As we approach Island Peak Base Camp, you will be able to see the stunning views of the surrounding mountains, including Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Makalu. Island Peak Base Camp is a small settlement with a few tents and teahouses where trekkers can rest and acclimate to the high altitude before attempting to summit Island Peak.

Today we will finally get to our ultimate destination, summiting Island Peak. Along the way, you will be rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding peaks and valleys, including Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Makalu. The summit of Island Peak offers an incredible 360-degree panorama of the Himalayas and is a truly unforgettable experience.
After reaching the summit, you will then retrace your steps back down to Island Peak Base Camp and then back to Chukung. The descent is typically less strenuous but still requires caution and attention to footing, especially on the snow and ice slopes.

Today, we will cross several streams, pass through beautiful rhododendron forests, and see yaks and other livestock that are used by the local people for transportation and farming. As you approach Pangboche, you will be able to see the stunning views of the surrounding mountains, including Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Makalu. 

Pangboche is a small village with a few guesthouses and teahouses, where you can rest, enjoy a hot meal, and acclimate to the lower altitude before continuing your trek.

On our return trail, we will descend to Namche Bazaar from Pangboche. This journey will have you well adventured and experienced. We will be able to see stunning views of the surrounding mountains, including Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam on our trail. Once we reach Namche Bazaar, you can rest for the day and buy souvenirs in the market.

On our return, the trek is downhill to Hillary suspension bridge, from where we will pass through the dense pine forest. Following, the trail then descends to Phakding.

Subsequently, after passing through the dense forest again, experiencing more of the park’s flora and fauna and crossing several villages. Finally, we’ll glorify our successful and amusing Everest Base Camp trek. This day marks your victorious trek along with your trekking team members. 

We’ll celebrate our successful and fun trek to the Everest Base Camp. After you descend to Lukla, coming across Dudh Koshi River, you’ll observe your victorious trek along with your trekking team members. 

Finally, you’ll return to Kathmandu on the nineteenth day of your trek. After around 40 minutes of the flight back to Kathmandu, you’ll arrive at your comfy hotel, where you can rest for the day.
You can also take your time to explore the city on the last day. We’ll have a goodbye dinner at night with the whole trekking team.

Lastly, you’ll be returning home after a long yet excellent trek. Following your scheduled flight, we’ll drive you to the Tribhuwan International Airport. In case you have any other plans to stay longer, we’ll gladly spend more time travelling and guiding you through our country if you love our assistance. And if you’re leaving all we hope is that you had a wonderful time here.