Island peak climbing

We complete our custom formalities at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. Afterward, there is an Alpine Treks Nepal representative waiting for us at the gate who will take us to our hotel. We can then spend the rest of the day resting. In the evening, we get to try Nepalese cuisine at a welcome dinner hosted by Alpine Treks Nepal. Overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, we will be taken to the domestic terminal of TIA for an early morning flight to Lukla. After flying above the breathtaking green and white mountains, we reach Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world, culminating in a landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountains. Upon our arrival at Lukla, we meet our other crew members, and after some packing and arrangements, we start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla until we reach Phakding. To assist in acclimatization, we only have a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, we can take a side trip to a nearby monastery. Overnight in Phakding.

The second day of the Everest Base Camp via Island peak climbing takes you from the various Sherpa villages of Phakding to Namche Bazaar. Along the trail, you will pass the Toktok village, Benkar village, Monjo village, and the main hub of Sagarmatha National Park. Besides, Jorsale village is the last teahouse it is better to have lunch at Jorsale. After lunch, the trail goes through the Dudhkoshi River for around 45 minutes to reach the Hillary Suspension bridge. When you cross the Hillary suspension bridge, the trail goes ascent to Namche Bazaar and it takes approximately 2 hours. Namche Bazaar is a massive Himalayan city where you can get most of the amenities around the Namche Bazaar. It lies at 3440m above sea level and is where you can spend a beautiful time with thrilling views of the mountains.

This is the day set aside for acclimatization. Health experts recommend that we stay active and move around even on our 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. While in the Namche village or upon returning from the hike to the Everest View Hotel, trekkers may also visit the local museum containing exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna as well as 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. While in the village, we can visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti!). Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

With the Himalayas as its backdrop, the monastery in Tengboche is in an excellent location. We visit the monastery in the morning and enjoy taking pictures of the monastery and the amazing landscape. We descend for about half an hour through a forest before crossing a river. Next, we trek uphill and notice that as we climb higher, the landscape becomes drier. We 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 in Pheriche.

With the Himalayas as its backdrop, the monastery in Tengboche is in an excellent location. We visit the monastery in the morning and enjoy taking pictures of the monastery and the amazing landscape. We descend for about half an hour through a forest before crossing a river. Next, we trek uphill and notice that as we climb higher, the landscape becomes drier. We 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 in Pheriche.

After breakfast, we start with an easy walk towards Dugla. Next, we trek up the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier, and then pass through the boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara where we find an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10-time Everest submitter Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepalese mountain guide) who perished on a mission to climb Everest. The trail then continues to the Khumbu Glacier moraine and we find ourselves facing several great peaks – Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. Overnight in Lobuche.

We 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, it is important that we follow our lead Sherpa diligently. The walk is strenuous due to the thin air at the high altitude. We pass through rocky dunes, moraine, and streams before reaching the Everest Base Camp. Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp, we see tents of mountaineers that stand out in bright colors against the monotony of gray surroundings (especially in the spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste, and Pumori are the mountains we can view from the base camp. We get back to Gorak Shep for a good night’s rest. Overnight in Gorak Shep.

We 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 quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself. But, it is upon reaching Kala Patthar that we get to 360-degree up-close and formidable views of Mt. Everest. We take pictures, enjoy the magnificent mountain panorama, and then return to Lobuche for a good night’s rest. Overnight in Lobuche.

After breakfast, we trek via Khumbu Glacier to Kongma La Base Camp (5,000m). The ascent to Kongma La pass is the most difficult part of our trek today. In the Kongma La, we see cairn wrapped in prayer flags to mark the pass. Then we descend gradually to Imja Khola valley, followed by another descent to Chhukung, a small summer settlement. After reaching Chhukung we will also check our equipment in order to get ready for our ultimate climb. Overnight in Chhukung.

The trek to Island Peak Base Camp is on a fairly steep trail. First, we climb south, then turn east to the main line of the valley. We then walk on a winding path below the southern flank of the moraine from the Lhotse Glacier. Next, we 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 at Island Peak Base Camp.

We begin our pre-climb training today after breakfast. Our guides will provide training on peak climbing techniques and the proper ways of using climbing gears such as the ice ax climbing boots and crampons, harness, ascender, etc. 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 strongly believe that some training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit as well as to fully enjoy the experience. We can spend the rest of the day hiking to high camp and back or resting for the next day’s climb. Overnight at the base camp.

We wake up early today at around 1 1 /30am 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 to 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 a fixed rope after successfully climbing up the 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 our successful Island Peak climb.

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. We can also take a different trail 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 Kangtae to the east, the Kongde range to the south, and the Imja Tse river flowing through the wide fertile valley.

From Pangboche, we retrace our steps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forest to Tengboche. If interested, we can also visit the 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 Namche Bazaar.

The trail descends steeply downward 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 trail becomes more level and natural. After our arrival in Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. Overnight in Lukla.

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, 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 souvenir shopping and sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the climbers’ successful summit of the Island Peak. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organize your photos. A representative from Alpine Treks Nepal will take you to the airport, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home, you’ll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.