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19-Day Trek To The Island Peak From Kathmandu
  • Tour Category

    Private Tour

  • Tour Types

    Mountaineering, Trekking, Glacier

  • Duration

    19 Days

  • Activity Level

    Medium

  • Language

    English

Description

Sign up for this fantastic trekking experience in the snowy Island Peak of Nepal from Kathmandu. Catch a glimpse of Mount Everest and visit Sherpa villages as you hike on towards Imja Tse. Marvel at the impeccable views of the Himalayan range at 6,189 m. Also, explore the highlights of Khumjung village, including Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery.

Highlights
  • Visit the famous Tengboche monastery in Phunki village
  • Trek to the famous Island Peak or "Imja Tse" via Everest Base Camp
  • Gaze at the Khumbu Glacier located in Pheriche 
  • Have a close-up and panoramic view of Mount Everest at Kala Patthar
  • Spot the native wildlife such as snow leopards and mountain goats
  • Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu expand_more
    • Complete custom formalities at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu and be assisted by our representative to the hotel.

    • Spend the rest of the day taking rest.

    • Try Nepalese cuisine at a welcome dinner hosted by us in the evening.

    Overnight stay in Kathmandu. 

    Included meals: Dinner

  • Day 2: Trip preparations expand_more
    • Meet our climbing guide and fellow climbers in the afternoon.

    • Our guide or leader will check your set of equipment to make sure that they are in perfect condition for the coming trip. In the short meeting, you will be briefed to understand what can we expect throughout the trip to make us familiar with days up in the mountain.

    • Spend the rest of the afternoon resting or in leisure.

    Overnight in Kathmandu.

    Included meals: Breakfast

  • Day 3: Lukla - Phakding expand_more
    • Depart to the domestic terminal after breakfast of Tribhuvan International Airport for an early morning flight to Lukla.

    • Fly above the breathtaking green and white mountains, and we reach Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes globally, culminating in a landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountains.

    • Meet other crew members and, after some packing and arrangements, Start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla until we reach Phakding. It is a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, we can take a side trip to a nearby monastery.

    Overnight in Phakding.

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 4: Phakding - Namche Bazaar expand_more
    • Walk through beautiful pine forests after breakfast and end our nature-filled journey at Namche Bazaar. After walking for almost an hour, we come across the glistening Mt. Thamserku (6,608 m) on our right and experience the serenity of pine, fir and juniper forests throughout our journey. If the weather is clear, we may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge.

    • Continue walking until we reach the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Mt. Everest, and this region's main trading centre. We cross five suspension bridges on this day, the last one also known as the Hillary Bridge, being the highest. It is an uphill walk from Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar.

    Overnight stay in Namche Bazaar. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 5: Namche Bazaar expand_more
    • Set aside this day for acclimatization. Health experts recommend staying active and moving around even during the rest day instead of being idle. There are a few options set aside for this day. We can either stroll around Namche’s quaint villages or come in contact with the Sherpa people and their rich culture, or we can hike up to the Everest View Hotel and enjoy an up-close view of the mighty Everest.

    • Visit the local museum upon returning from the hike, which contains exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna and the history of the Mount Everest region.

    • For trekkers who want to hike for a little longer, a hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours) may also be an option.

    • Visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery while in the village. (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti).

    Overnight stay in Namche Bazaar.

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 6: Namche Bazaar - Tengboche expand_more
    • Trek towards Tengboche after breakfast. It is an easy walk from Namche to Phunki.

    • Reach Phunki and ascend towards Tengboche, a village that houses the very famous Tengboche monastery, the Everest region's largest monastery. Located amidst the Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of "outstanding universal value"), it is draped with the panoramic 360-degree view of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. The monastery opens at 3:00 pm, so if we are lucky, we might be able to witness a religious ceremony.

    Overnight stay in Tengboche.

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 7: Tengboche - Pheriche expand_more
    • Visit the monastery with the Himalayas as the backdrop in the morning and enjoy taking pictures of the monastery and the unique landscape.

    • Descend for about half an hour through a forest before crossing a river.

    • Trek uphill and notice that as we climb higher, the landscape becomes drier.

    • Walk past a traditional Sherpa village of Pangboche before reaching Pheriche, a beautiful village located on a riverside. Here, we will also see a small helipad that is used for helicopter rescues during emergencies. We may even take a class with a mountain specialist in a medical clinic at Pheriche.

    Overnight stay in Pheriche.

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 8: Pheriche - Lobuche expand_more
    • Start with an easy walk towards Dugla after breakfast.

    • Trek up the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier

    • Then, pass through the boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara. We find many stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10-time Everest submitter Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepalese mountain guide). They perished on a mission to climb Everest.

    • Continue to the Khumbu Glacier moraine, and we find ourselves facing several great peaks - Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal.

    Overnight stay in Lobuche. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 9: Lobuche - Gorak Shep expand_more
    • Take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once vast Gorak Shep Lake. Continuing straight ahead, we come across the Indian army mountaineers' memorials. The path from here can be misleading; hence we must follow our lead, Sherpa, diligently. The walk is strenuous due to thin air at a high altitude.

    • Pass through rocky dunes, moraine and streams before reaching the Everest Base Camp.

    • Reach the Everest Base Camp, and we see tents of mountaineers that stand out in bright colours against the monotony of grey surroundings (especially in the spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains we can view from the base camp.

    • Get back to Gorak Shep for a good night's rest.

    Overnight stay in Gorak Shep. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 10: Gorak Shep - Kala Patthar - Lobuche expand_more
    • Prepare for an early morning departure amid pre-dawn darkness and cold temperatures (-10 to -14 C). Plus, there is always the potential for chilly winds, which are pretty standard. Even as Everest begins to reveal itself, familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse tower to the east. But, upon reaching Kala Patthar, we get to see 360 degree up-close and formidable views of Mt. Everest.

    • Take pictures, enjoy the magnificent mountain panorama, and then return to Lobuche for a good night's rest.

    Overnight stay in Lobuche. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 11: Lobuche - Kongma La - Chhukung expand_more
    • Trek via Khumbu Glacier to Kongma La Base Camp (5,000 m/16,404 ft) after breakfast. The ascent to the Kongma La pass is the most challenging part of our trek today. In the Kongma La, we see cairn wrapped in prayer flags to mark the access.

    • Descend gradually to Imja Khola valley, followed by another descent to Chhukung, a small summer settlement.

    • Reach Chhukung, and we will also check our equipment to get ready for our ultimate climb. Note: If we do not want to undertake the Kongma La pass, we can follow another route via Dingboche to Chhukung instead. 

    Overnight in Chhukung.

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 12: Chhukung - Island Peak base camp expand_more
    • Be ready for the trek to Island Peak Base Camp on a fairly steep trail. 

    • Climb south, then turn east to the main line of the valley.

    • Walk on a winding path below the southern flank of the moraine from the Lhotse Glacier.

    • Continue walking on a pleasant trail along a streamside. The route to the Amphu Labtsa lies to the southeast. A crisscross route through the Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines leads to a wide valley flanking the SW side of Island Peak.

    Overnight stay at Island Peak Base Camp.

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 13: Pre-climb training on Island Peak Base Camp expand_more
    • Begin our pre-climb training today after breakfast. Our guides will train peak climbing techniques and the proper use of climbing gears such as the ice axe, climbing boots and crampons, harness, and ascender. The training will also include using ropes to go up and down. Although it is not mandatory to have prior training for Island Peak Climbing, we firmly believe that some training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit and thoroughly enjoying the experience.

    • Spend the rest of the day either hiking to high camp and back or resting for the next day’s climb.

    Overnight stay at the base camp. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 14: Island Peak base camp - Island Peak summit expand_more
    • Wake up early today at around 12 to 1 am and have our breakfast before beginning our climb. We must reach the summit before noon because, in the afternoon, the strong winds in the highlands might become a barrier to a successful discussion. The trail moves up beyond the base camp for several hundred meters before striking off the steep hillside. Initially sandy, the path soon turns to grass before becoming boulder strewn. As we climb up the hill, we see that the slope narrows and the trail enters a steep rock channel.

    • Climb the rock gully. This is not difficult, but there are several short rock steps to climb before we emerge on the right side of the valley. The route then follows a ridgeline, which leads to an exhilarating and exposed traverse onto the snout of the summit glacier. The guides will fix a rope when required. A steep snow slope leads us onto the summit ridge. Both fixed rope and man rope will be used during the climb for safety. We use fixed rope after successfully climbing on rock. The length of the string will usually be 350 m. However, the size depends on the time of the season and the crevasses. There are two newly formed crevasses which are approximately 3 and 4 meters long. We will be using ladders to cross them. 

    • Enjoy the summit views and taking pictures, and we descend to Island Peak Base Camp, where some of our crew are waiting for us.

    • Celebrate our successful Island Peak climb.  

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 15: Island Peak Base Camp - Pangboche expand_more
    • Continue hiking. Today’s walk will be much easier as we descend to the lower altitudes. Following the same route back through the wide valley of Khumbu Khola, we pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages, Orsho and Shomare.

    • Take a different trail (optionally) to visit the Gompa in Upper Pangboche, which is believed to be the oldest in the Khumbu region or take the regular trail to reach Pangboche. Pangboche is a scenic village surrounded by Everest to its north, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kangtaiga to the east, the Kongde range to the south and the Imja Tse River flowing through the wide fertile valley. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 16: Pangboche - Namche Bazaar expand_more
    • Retrace our steps down to the Imja Khola from Pangboche and up through the forest to Tengboche. If interested, we can also visit nuns at the Tengboche Monastery.

    • Have lunch at Tengboche, and then continue through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees.

    • Cross the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, and our trail follows the Dudh Koshi Gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa.

    • Look out for wildlife such as mountain goats, snow leopards, and colourful pheasants passing through the forest.

    • Reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar after passing a Chorten. 

    Overnight stay in Namche Bazaar.

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 17: Namche Bazaar - Lukla expand_more
    • Descend steeply on the trail, so we need to walk cautiously as our shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries, the course becomes more level and natural.

    • Arrive in Lukla, stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks.

    Overnight stay in Lukla. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 18: Fly to Kathmandu expand_more
    • Catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey.

    • Reach Kathmandu, and we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenirs shopping or sightseeing.

    • Enjoy a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the climbers successful summit of the Island Peak.

    Overnight stay in Kathmandu. 

    Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 19: Final Departure expand_more
    • End your adventure in Nepal today.

    • Be assisted and transferred to the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight.

    There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organize your photos. On your way home, you'll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the beautiful country of Nepal.
    Included meals: Breakfast

What's Included
  • Airport pick-ups and drop-offs in a private vehicle

  • 3-star hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast

  • Tea house accommodation during the trek

  • Tented accommodation during the climb

  • All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) during the trek and climb

  • Welcome and farewell dinners

  • All ground transportation on a comfortable private vehicle as per the itinerary

  • Domestic flights (Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu)

  • English speaking, trained and experienced Nepali trekking guide(leader), climbing guide (leader) and assistant guides

  • Porter service (2 trekkers: 1 porter)

  • Staff costs include their salary, insurance, equipment, domestic airfare, food and accommodation

  • Down jacket (to be returned after trip completion)

  • Himalayan Glacier’s trekking bag/duffel bag, t-shirt and trekking map are yours to take

  • All necessary paperwork; trekking permits and Island Peak climbing permit

  • Good quality tents and kitchen utensils for camping

  • Group mountaineering (climbing) equipment

  • Medical kit (carried by your guide)

  • All government and local taxes

What's Excluded
  • Nepalese visa fee (bring accurate USD cash and two passport photographs)

  • International airfare to and from Kathmandu

  • Excess baggage charges (if you have more than 15 kg luggage, the cargo charge is around $1.5 per kg)

  • Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu because of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountain (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary

  • Altitude chamber (PAC) or oxygen

  • Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu (and also in the case of early return from mountain than the scheduled itinerary)

  • Travel and rescue insurance

  • Personal expenses (phone calls, internet,  laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower)

  • Personal climbing equipment

  • Personal climbing guide if requested

  • Optional trips and sightseeing if extended

  • Tips for guides and porters

  • Services not listed in the ‘What Is Included’ section

Know before you go
  • Island Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek

  • We will be accommodated in Yatri Suites & Spa or Hotel Moonlight or similar in Kathmandu (3 nights), standard teahouses during trekking (12 nights) and tents when climbing (3 nights). Most teahouse accommodation will only have shared toilet facilities. For tent accommodation, foam mattress will be made available. In climbing section, toilet facilities will be provided with necessary natural preservation. All accommodation is on a twin-shared basis. However, a single room will be provided on request and by paying a single supplement of USD 465.

  • Also, understand that there are several places that do not allow single room accommodation. On paying a single supplement, you will get a single room in Kathmandu but sometimes it is feasible only up to Namche Bazaar. Above Namche Bazaar, single accommodation is not always feasible.

  • During our trip, we can enjoy Nepali, Tibetan, Indian as well as the more common continental cuisines. Breakfast (only) will be provided during your stay in Kathmandu whereas all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) will be available during the trek and climb. While trekking, breakfast will be taken in the same place we stay the night. Similar arrangements can also be made for dinner. Lunch will be taken en route to the next destination. During the climbing session, hygienic freshly cooked food will be provided. 

  • There will also be welcome and farewell dinners in Kathmandu.

  • If the guaranteed departure dates are not favourable for you, kindly let us know and we can arrange the trip on any date that is suitable for you. 

Cancellation Policy

For cancellations upto 2 days before the tour -

Refund of 80% of the tour price.
Price Details
The group size and price
1 To 2USD 4230 Per Group

This is a private tour

Starting From

Fromss

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USD 4230 / group