Island Peak Climbing is one of the underrated peak climbing and trekking routes in the Khumbu region. It is less populated by tourists and is often favored by trekkers who love the off-beaten paths of the Khumbu region. On the Island Peak Climbing by the Himalaya Land Treks, you get to experience the Sherpa culture first hand and witness the panorama of the Himalayas in the Everest range.
Island Peak Climbing is 16 days of peak climbing trip and you arrive at Kathmandu to make the necessary permits. Then, you fly to Lukla and start your trek from there. The first stop is Phakding and then you head to Namche Bazaar, the most famous destination in the Khumbu region. You stay one whole day at Namche before proceeding to a higher altitude. You explore the bustling market area and visit the Sherpa Culture Museum to know more about this ethnic group.
After acclimatizing, you head to many Sherpa settlement areas like Tengboche and rest a whole day at Dingboche to acclimatize for the final time. There, you visit the monasteries and hike up to Nangkartshang Peak (5616 m) to relish the panoramic views of the Himalayas like the Mt. Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8516m), and Ama Dablam (6856m). Then, you head to Island Peak Base Camp via Chhukung. From the base camp, you head out at dawn to avoid extreme weather conditions at the peak. From the peak, you are rewarded with amazing views of the Mt. Everest (8848m), Pumo Ri (7165m), Nuptse (7861m), Ama Dablam (6856m) and many more.
The best time to climb this peak is March-May and September- December months as the weather is mostly stable during these months. Likewise, it is also necessary to know that the weather conditions are quite unstable for the rest of the year. The flights are often delayed and cancelled. It is also recommended to have prior climbing experience with sound technical climbing skills before you do Island Peak climbing.
At Himalaya Land Treks, you are guaranteed to have the best transportation and accommodation facilities at bargain prices. You are also provided with professional guides who are knowledgeable about every place you go to.
As per your scheduled flight, you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, located at Kathmandu. Our company’s representative and staffs are there to welcome you warmly and guide you to the hotel. You refresh and join them for welcome dinner. They will brief you about your trip during dinnertime.
On this day, you will indulge in a sightseeing tour around some of the illustrious UNESCO world heritage sites around Kathmandu. Starting off with an exploration around the Swayambhunath, you enjoy the beautiful views of the entire valley. Next, you descend to the culturally decorated streets of Kathmandu Durbar Square. Finally, the tour heads towards the Pashupatinath Temple, one of the biggest Hindu temples in the world. The tour ends with a short tour around Boudhanath Stupa.
After an early breakfast, you head to the domestic airport and catch the first flight to Lukla. There, you rest for a while and before you start your trek, you meet your local guide and porters. The trail goes along the banks of Dudh Koshi River. So, you can enjoy scenic views of the Dudh Koshi Valley and the mountain landscape. You reach Phakding for overnight stay. After an early breakfast, you head to the domestic airport and catch the first flight to Lukla. There, you rest for a while and before you start your trek, you meet your local guide and porters. The trail goes along the banks of Dudh Koshi River. So, you can enjoy scenic views of the Dudh Koshi Valley and the mountain landscape. You reach Phakding for overnight stay.
After breakfast, you head to Namche Bazaar, the most famous and populated area of Khumbu region. The trail today also goes along the banks of Dudh Koshi River and you need to cross many suspension bridges. In about 2 hours, you reach the entrance of the Sagarmatha National Park where you need to show your permits. Then, after crossing a few more suspension bridges, you reach Namche Bazaar.
Today, you explore the busy town of Khumbu region, Namche Bazaar. Since you are going to higher elevations, you need to acclimatize. You have breakfast in one of the teahouses and then are set to explore the market areas filled with shops and restaurants that even have the internet. Then, you have your lunch and head to Sherpa Culture Museum to learn more about Sherpa culture and their lifestyles. This short hike also provides you with amazing views of Everest Himalayas.
After having breakfast, you head to the trail leading to Tengboche. You steadily climb above the Dudh Koshi River and, at certain points, you make sharp descends as well. Along the route, you get to see the first glimpses of few mountains like the Mt. Everest (8848m), and Ama Dablam (6856m). You pass by a few small stupas and Mani walls along the way to Tengboche. After passing them, you reach Tengboche for overnight stay.
You have your breakfast and hit the trail that ascends to Dingboche. After a few hours, you reach Pangboche, another big Sherpa settlement area and have your lunch there. Then, you resume your trek through a trail filled with small stupas and monasteries. You start to notice the vegetation also getting thin as you climb to higher altitudes. After crossing a few more stupas, you reach Dingboche.
Since you are going to altitude more than 6,000m, you need to acclimatize for the last time. Dingboche is the perfect town to do so as it is the last big settlement area before your climb. You have breakfast in one of the teahouses and enjoy the amazing views of the Mt. Everest (8848m) and Ama Dablam (6856m). Then, you hike to Nangkartshang Peak (5616m) to enjoy panoramic views of Imja Valley and the mountain range.
You have your breakfast and gently ascend to Chhukung through the trail going northeast of the valley. En route, you can see more amazing views of the Mt. Everest and its neighboring peaks. You also get to see the summer huts used by herders to keep their livestock. You walk along with the barren landscapes and enjoy the Mountain View. Then you arrive at Chhukung where you can explore the village for the rest of the day.
You have your breakfast and head towards the Chhukung Valley. You walk along small streams and rocky terrain. En route, you get to see amazing views of the Mt. Everest (8848m) and Island Peak (6189m). After climbing a few meters, you start to see moraines and the Lhotse Glacier comes into view. After a few more meters of ascending, you come to a wide valley, which is the Island Peak Base Camp. Set your tents for overnight camp.
Since the midday weather can get very windy, you wake up at dawn to climb. You walk through a wide culvert of snow. The path is not difficult compared to other peaks but the rocky terrain makes it difficult to navigate. You then reach a ridgeline, which takes you to the glacier connected with Island Peak (6189m). From the summit, you can get amazing views of the Mt. Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8516m), Nuptse (7861m), Pumo Ri (7165m), and other neighboring peaks. After enjoying the view, you trek back to base camp.
Today, you descend back to lower altitude and walk along Khumbu Khola. After crossing Orsho and Somare, you head to upper Pangboche to visit the Gompa, considered as the oldest in Khumbu region. After exploring the Gompa, you head to Pangboche. From the village, you can enjoy scenic views of Ama Dablam (6856m) and Thamserku (6608m) among others.
Today, you descend to Namche Bazaar retracing the trail you used earlier on the trek. As you descend, you start to notice that the vegetation is getting thicker. The trail goes along the Imja Valley before you reach Tengboche. After passing Tengboche, you walk along the Dudh Koshi River and descend through pine forests to reach Sanasa. After having lunch there, you reach Namche Bazaar after passing a few chortens.
You have your breakfast and start to descend to Lukla. The trail gets a little rocky at some parts. You walk along the banks of Dudh Koshi River and enjoy the lush vegetation of the valley. After a few meters of descend, you start to cross many suspension bridges. After crossing Hillary Bridge, you head further south towards Lukla.
After breakfast, you catch an early flight to Kathmandu. At the domestic airport, our staffs will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel. After refreshing, you have free time, which you can utilize by exploring the gullies, shopping souvenirs or just relaxing at the hotel. You will participate in a farewell dinner hosted by the Himalaya Land Treks at the end of the trip.
Today is the last day and our staffs will make sure that you reach the airport on time. Please make sure that you have all your belongings with you before you depart. Thank you for choosing us!
With a challenging geographical structure and unpredictable climate, internal flight delays are quite frequent, especially so in the Himalayan regions of the country. The flights are even canceled if the weather conditions worsen. As such, we advise you to travel to Nepal during autumn and spring seasons. These seasons offer the most stable of climatic conditions and see far fewer flight delays and cancellations. We also recommend the travelers to include a few extra days in their travel itineraries as contingencies. You should also be careful to get travel insurance to cover the additional expenses due to these conditions.
We will easily organize this trip on the dates requested by you. Please contact us for your customized departure date