Island Peak is the most popular trekking peak in Nepal also known locally by Imja Tse Peak. From Dingboche, it looks like an island in a sea of ice. The summit is spectacular and attractive with a highly glaciated west face rising from the Lhotse Glacier. The ridge rising to the south from this point leads to the summit of Island Peak. Besides that, Island Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek is a popular training peak for Mount Everest Climbers.
The extension of this ridge descending south-west is the part of the normal route leads to the South Summit. From the summit of this interesting Peak, all the giant mountains of Everest region; which includes Nuptse (7,879m), Lhotse (8,501m), Lhotse Middle Peak and Lhotse Shar can be vividly seen.
Journey to Island Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek starts from Lukla; you then follow the trail through Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, Gorak Shep, Kalapathar, Everest Base Camp; and finally Island Peak Base Camp. Routes to Imja Tse Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek passes through amazing viewpoints such as Kalapathar and EBC; from where you can close panoramic views of Mount Everest along with Makalu, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, etc.
Enjoy the rich vegetation, wildlife, rhododendron, and oaks forest of Sagarmatha National Park (a World Heritage Site). Feel the touch of cool fresh air coming from the glacier lakes and forests. Religious prayer flags along the suspension bridges, stone-carved chants, religious prayer wheels, stupas, etc make this trip divine and spiritual.
As you fly into Kathmandu, you'll have beautiful views over the valley, the snow capped mountain peaks in Himalaya, and of the terraced fields below. As per your arrival time, our representative will be at the airport to receive you and transfer you to your booked hotel. Overnight in Hotel
After breakfast, you will be introduced with the trek leader/guide at the hotel. This pre-trip meeting is for briefings on the trek/climb and other necessary details. Please bring along your passport and three passport sized photos and a copy of your travel insurance policy. You can use your free time to rest or explore around for some last minute shopping. Overnight in Hotel
We take a stunning early morning flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, Gateway to the Everest region, perched above the Dudh Kosi or River of Milk so named because of the pale milky appearance of the glacier melt-water. We are now in the region of the legendary Sherpas and you will notice the difference in the faces of the people you meet here and those from the Kathmandu valley.
After lunch we trek north down towards Phakding along a meandering trail which is lined with mani stone walls, made with hundreds of stone tablets and giant carved boulders, brilliantly decorated with brightly colored paints. The Buddhists believe these to be sacred and so as a sign of respect to the local culture we pass them in a clockwise direction. Overnight in tea house. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3440 m.) which takes about five and half hours. We head onwards and upwards as the trail starts to rise through a forest of rhododendron, magnolia and giant fir-trees. Our target this evening is Namche Bazaar, a delightful mountain village and the Sherpa capital, but first we must ascend Namche Hill; walking at a gentle but steady pace we finally arrive at the town that is itself an important meeting and trading point for the local people. Overnight in teahouse. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Today is a rest and acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar. Namche is a colourful village with many wonderful and interesting shops and vendors, fabulous food, and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. An early hike above town, before the clouds move in, reward climbers with a spectacular Himalayan sunrise and views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse (the 4th highest peak in the world), and the beautiful Ama Dablam. On the way down, we can vis¬it the Sherpa Museum that hous¬es an exhibit on traditional Sherpa lifestyle and a fabulous photography display by a local Nepalese naturalist. One room highlights the Sherpa traditions and in another, Sherpa high altitude climbers are presented.
It is important to note that acclimatization is extremely important and that by using these acclimatization days correctly we greatly improve our chances of reaching our goal of Kalapatar, which lies at an altitude of 5545m. Overnight in tea house. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
After having breakfast, you begin to climb through the ups and downs route, passing the Mani wall. Continuing the trek, you pass the small settlement of Sanasa from where the trail drops towards Phunki Tenga (3250 m.). The steep trail begins through pine forests and around Mani stones as it follows the side of a hill to the saddle on which the monastery of Tenboche situated at 3867 m. The excellent views of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kwangde will accompany you. Overnight in teahouse. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Today we walk downhill across the mixed forest of rhododendron and oaks then an uphill walk towards the village of Pangboche. Finally, walking a few more distances we reach Pheriche. It is a beautiful village that resides at an elevation of 4,371m above the Tsola river. Overnight in tea house. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
We continue up the wide valley beneath the impressive peaks of Cholatse and Tawache on the left. We then turn right and take a steep climb towards the foot of the Khumbu Glacier. The tea house at Duglha is a good spot to have lunch. The trail zigzags up through the boulders of the glacier's terminal moraine. At the top of this climb there are many stone cairns, built as memorials to the many Sherpas who have died while climbing Mt Everest. The path then climbs gently along the glacier, to eventually reach Lobuche. Overnight in tea house. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
At Thangma Riju one can experience the 360 degree panaromic view snowcapped mountains. Actually Mount Everest is not seen from here however Mount Nuptse, Mount Nuptse and Mount Pumori can be viewed very well. Below Mount Pumori a grey grassy land of Kalopaththar can be seen after climbing up the steep through terrain of Changri glacier.Overnight in tea house. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
We start early today so as to witness the glimpse of the Mount Everest when the dusk turns to bright morning with light of the day. On the way Peak s Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse are viewed. It is recommended that during the ascent to Kalapththar which takes hours one pauses and catch breath while snapping the photos at times. We descent back to Lobuche where we stay overnight. Overnight in tea house. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner/p>
Through the beautiful Khumbu Glacier, we move on to Kongma La early in the morning. The trail to Kongma La pass is a strenuous one, the top is marked with Buddhist prayer flags. Descending to Imja River, we further head towards Chhukung where we check our equipment and prepare for the peak climbing. Overnight in tea house. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
The steep trail ascents along the south and takes a twist at the Lhotse glacier. An easing walk alongside the riverbed continues till a big rock. The zigzag route then passes Imja to Lhotse Glacier and opens up in a wide valley. South east of the Island Peak lies the base camp where we set tent and stay overnight. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
A short briefing along with training on climbing is dissipated at the base camp. Techniques on peak climbing and efficient use of climbing gear including ice axe, climbing boots harness et cetera is given with demonstrations. The rest of the day is spent resting in the camp. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
We wake up early today at around 12 to 1 am and have our breakfast before beginning our climb. It is important we reach the summit before noon because in the afternoon the strong winds in the highlands might become a barrier for a successful summit. 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 will see that the slope narrows and the trail enters a steep rock channel. We 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 gully. 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 rope will usually be 350 m. However, the length 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. After enjoying the summit views and taking pictures, we descend all the way to Island Peak Base Camp where some of our crew are waiting for us. We celebrate on our successful Island Peak climb.
Descending down the trail, the pleasant walk is consoling to the lungs. Passing the villages of Orsho and Shomare, we move towards the Monastery in upper Pangboche which is the oldest in the region. A scenic view of mountain ranges above and the valley below with Imja Tse River can be seen from here. Overnight in teahouse. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
From Pangboche we retrace our steps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forest to Tengboche. If interested, we can also visit nuns at the Tengboche monastery. After lunch at Tengboche, we continue through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, our trail follows the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa. We keep a lookout for wildlife such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants, etc., while passing through the forest. After passing a chorten, we reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar. Overnight in teahouse. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Take the downhill trail to Lukla. We will follow the descending trail and walk through rocks and boulders to the suspension bridge over Dudh Koshi River. On reaching Lukla, you head to a local teahouse where you will stay overnight. In the evening, you celebrate the completion of your trip with your trekking crew.
There will be singing, dancing, and endless local brew rounds with the porters, guide, and assistant guides. This is an excellent time to thank the local crew for helping you realize your EBC dream. Offer them tips before retiring for the night and bidding goodbye to most of them. Overnight in teahouse. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
You successfully conclude the trek and proceed for flight to Kathmandu. We will enjoy our last view of the high mountains while flying back to the Kathmandu from Lukla. The snow-capped mountains will be worth to watch. After 25 minutes of flight, our representative will be waiting for you at domestic airport to take you back to the hotel. You can spend the rest of the day at your leisure; feel free to relax or explore the local markets. Overnight in Hotel
As per your flight time you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home or any other destinations. The airport check-in is 3 hours prior to the departure time and the hotel checkout time is 12 PM.
Or inform us if you want to stay longer for short tours such as Jungle Safari at National Parks, Mountain Biking, Rafting, a Tibet tour, a Tour to Bhutan or India Tour. We will be happy to assist you.
You can obtain the Nepalese visa from Nepalese consulate in your country easily or upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. For that, you require a valid passport with 2 copies of passport size photos. Similarly, A visa for Nepal can be obtained at Nepal India border entry point at Birgunj, Nepalgunj, Kakadvitta, Bhairahawa, Gaddachowki and Kodari on the Nepal China border. A15/30/90 day multiple entries Nepalese visa can be obtained by paying USD 30/50/125 or equivalent foreign currency respectively. For more information, please visit http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np/page/tourist-visa
We will be at the airport to welcome you upon your arrival to Nepal. We will be carrying the Raj BalaTreks & Expedition placard with your name underneath. From airport you will escorted to your hotel and we help you to check-in.
As vaccination requirements change frequently, we suggest you to consult your doctor at least 2 months prior to the beginning of your trip. We recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and polio.
The main health consideration during Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Climbing is Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). You may experience some mild symptoms initially, such as headache, lethargy, nausea and difficulty sleeping, but these should lessen within a few days. To avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), people take pills called ‘Diamox’. You can also use these pills after consulting with your doctor and purchase them in Kathmandu. Our itinerary will allow your body to acclimatize properly and handle the low oxygen rate.
If you have ever suffered from altitude sickness, or have a heart or breathing complaint, we highly recommend you to consult your doctor about your suitability for trekking in high altitude areas before booking. We suggest that you take some pain-killing pills with you and enough medicine for cold, diarrhea, nausea and fever. Some nasal ointment and throat-moistening pills will greatly help for those who are sensitive to chilly or freezing weather conditions.
Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Climbing is a moderate to fairly challenging trek that does not require any technical expertise of mountaineering. Though for climbing Island Peak one requires to have an experience of trekking in high altitude. Island peak climb is basically recommended for beginners willing to step into the world of mountaineering. Island peak is a difficult climb at an extreme altitude with a steep ascent and thin air to breathe. The foot of the headwall is the hardest part of the climb. Nevertheless, the climbing route is safe with fixed lines all the way to the summit.
Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Climbing is a tea house trek with tented camp accommodation during the climb of Island Peak. A Nepalese tea house is a lodge or guest house located in one of the trekking regions in the Nepal Himalayas. At the end of the day’s trekking you pitch up and have a room and food provided. Teahouse trekking in Nepal is an incredible experience.
There are plenty of basic, clean and friendly lodges along the trail. You often have to share rooms but you can also stay in single rooms where possible. Rooms are basic, normally just a bed with a pillow and blankets. A few have electric blanket, hot bags (luxury lodges) and all have a spacious dining room-lounge.
We will accommodate you and your group in a comfortable local lodge each day. The Guide coordinates with the local lodge owners and a porter is sent ahead to book the required rooms for the group (rooms cannot always be booked in advance).
On trek, we have breakfast and dinner in the tea-houses/lodges we spend the night and lunch on our way to the next destination. Nepalese, Tibetan, the more common continental and Indian cuisines are common choices in the menu.
To get an idea about your meals on the go, breakfast comprises a hot beverage, toasts, pancakes, eggs, etc. while lunch will include rice items, noodles, potato varieties, pizza, pasta, burger, meat items, and so on. The starters in dinnertime are soup varieties while the main course includes more or less similar items as that of lunch menu, including a dessert item and a hot beverage.
We provide a comfortable experience on our teahouse lodge-style treks. Our team works hard to support you so that you can relax and enjoy trekking in Nepal. The lodges provide your meals in a communal dining room. There is a range in standard and service in teahouse lodges depending on location. i.e. lodges at higher altitude and places with fewer trekkers tend to have more basic facilities.
The day starts with getting up in your room shared with another trekker in our group. Before heading for breakfast you pack your overnight gear into your duffel bag. You would have given your breakfast orders to the guide to pass onto the kitchen last night. At the designated time the group will assemble in the dining room to eat breakfast. The menu has a range of items to choose from such as porridge, cereals, chapattis, and a choice of egg dishes. There is also the choice of tea or coffee plus other hot drinks like the popular ginger, lemon honey drink.
While the group is having breakfast the porters arrange their loads and set off in the cool of the morning. After breakfast, between 7am and 8am, we start trekking. The pace of the trek is moderate as there is plenty of time in the itinerary to reach the lodge for tonight. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, take photos and explore the local villages. Lunch will be around midday at a teahouse lodge by the side of the trail.
After lunch, we continue the trek and on most days we arrive at the lodge by mid-afternoon. For dinner, you get a two-course dinner (soup and main meal). The menus are quite standard with a range of dishes such as dal bhat, momos and the famous Sherpa stew. Dal bhat is a Nepalese dish of rice and lentils with vegetable curry. It is also possible to order spaghetti and pasta; pizzas; vegetable burgers and chips and fried rice.
After the meal, the leaders will discuss the plan for the next day. Afterwards, people might stay in the dining room chatting about the day’s events or playing cards. After a tiring day, most people head to their rooms quite early for the night. Tomorrow is likely to be very similar to today!
We cater for a variety of dietary requirements. There are always meals that are suitable for vegetarians. During booking, we find out if you have any dietary needs and agree upon meal plans before departure. If you have any questions about the food provided please get in touch with us to discuss further.
Our 19 days Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Climbing cost is all inclusive of your accommodation, meals, permits and other official expenses.(See price includes and excludes section for more detail). Besides, other expenses depend on your spending habits. A USD 10-15 is sufficient to buy bottled water, snacks, chocolate bars, hot and cold drinks, and showers during the EBC Trek besides your included meals and accommodation.
You can exchange money at a Bank or the money exchange counter in cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara. Many Tourist class Hotels have money exchange facilities. For Trekking, there are Banks and exchange counters at major Tourist hubs like Namche and Lukla. These days, there are availability of ATMs everywhere in Kathmandu and some in Lukla and Namche.
Tips are appreciated by your support team after the completion of your trekking in Nepal. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. As a suggestion, we advise that you can allocate 5- 10 % of the total tour cost as tips. It is recommended that you talk to the members and hand it over individually as per the hierarchy on the last day of the trek.
Communication during Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Climbing is not challenging but there are certain things to be considered. For using internet, Wifi service is available in lower altitudes. You have to pay extra charge for this service about $5 (per stay) up to Namche though you can’t be really sure about signal strength. Beyond Namche, teahouses normally don’t have WiFi facility. A better option is to use Everest Link network which works throughout the region. It has better connectivity and faster speed. You can buy the data package at approximately $10 (1GB) and $5 (512 MB) valid for 30 days. You can also use local service provider (both for internet and mobile network) but they don’t work properly in some places as you go higher. If it is crucial for you to keep in contact with your family or others, we can provide you a mobile satellite phone (rental charge on request).
The starting and ending point of this Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Climbing is Lukla, which is connected by a 30 mins’ flight from Kathmandu. We will arrange flight and airport pick up and drop transfers as per the itinerary.
During Everest trekking, your main luggage will be carried by porter. Please keep your luggage as light as possible around 12 to 15 kgs for flight safety and porter welfare as per IPPG standard. You simply carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sun-screen, spare jacket etc. You can leave your valuable items at your hotel in Kathmandu while trekking. Many hotels have a locker system and provide a deposit slip for the valuables kept under the hotel's safekeeping.
You will need walking boots, sleeping bag (4 seasons/ -20C rated), waterproof jacket and trousers, fleece jacket, warm hat and gloves, sunglasses, water bottle, sun-screen and day pack. Comprehensive list of equipment will be provided once you book your trip. It's not necessary to spend a lot of money buying extra equipment and clothing before your trip. Majority of these gears can be bought or hired at reasonable rates in Kathmandu.
The main trekking season in Nepal is from October to mid-May when daytime temperatures at most altitudes are generally comfortable for walking, the sky is clear much of the time and rain and snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures will vary from 15ºC to 35ºC in the Kathmandu Valley to around 10ºC at 3,600m and progressively lower the higher we go.
Different seasons offer different advantages for trekking.
Post Monsoon/autumn: Mid-September to November. This is the main trekking season in Nepal. Day temperatures in Kathmandu are approximately above 20ºC. Skies are usually clear and days on trek are sunny and mild with clear mountain views. At the highest altitudes although the days can be nice and sunny the temperatures can drop to 10ºC and much lower. Nights will be colder with temperatures dropping as low as minus 10ºC and lower at the highest altitudes.
Pre-monsoon/spring: March to May. Both day and night temperatures will be warmer in general but haze will often build up in the afternoons. It is very hot in the lowlands and temperatures rise to 35ºC in Kathmandu. Flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people chose to trek in spring.
Snow can be expected on any departure, usually at the higher altitudes. Summit day will be a very early start (usually about 2am) and will be extremely cold. Although mostly it is calm and clear on summit day the mountain does occasionally get high winds. You need to be equipped for temperatures as low as minus 25ºC plus wind chill on summit day.
Please remember that in any mountain area the weather is never wholly predictable and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions described above.
We supply a medical bag with standard medicines prescribed by trekking doctors and a user’s manual. Since our staffs/guides are not qualified for suggesting medications to western clients, we would request you to use the medicines upon your own risk. It is safer and more reliable if you have your own medicine kit and not depend on what we have.
Your safety and security are our top priority, and we always make sure that nothing untoward happen to you. However, if anything serious like sickness or a casualty occurs, we will do everything to transfer you to the nearest hospital. As you are responsible for all the expenses incurred in evacuation, please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it.
Before joining this Everest Trekking, we recommend you to take a travel insurance which should cover cancellation, medical expenses, helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation. Our staff will collect your insurance details before you leave for the trek.
All our guides are certified and trained trekking leaders. Our guides are certified by the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM), Nepal. They have years of experience working in this line of work and know the different trekking trails of Nepal, mountain ranges, culture, and mountain sickness.
Your booking of this Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Climbing will be confirmed by email once we receive your deposit of 20% of the total trip and the signed copy of booking form and contract. The balance is due no later than two months prior to departure. If you book a tour less than 2 months prior to departure, you must send the full payment within 7 days of confirmation by us.
If you cancel your booking, the following scale of charges will apply: