Island Peak was the name given to the mountain in 1952 by Eric Shipton’s party who thought it to be reminiscent of an island in a sea of ice. It is also known by its Nepali name of Imja Tse. Climbing Island Peak trip fulfills the dream of every amateur and serious climbers, who have been seeking the thrill of adventure and wish to take adventure climbing trips beyond simply trekking in Everest. The mountain is an extension of Lhotse Shar and is located between the Lhotse and Imja glaciers, standing at 6189m.
Every adventure lovers throughout the world are aware of the trekking in the Everest Region for which many travelers visit every year to fulfill their dreams. Comparatively very few of the travelers visit for Peak climbing a slightly more challenging adventure. The region offers numerous opportunities to conquer the various peaks which are open to the climbers. Island Peak is considered as one of the easy climbing peaks making it an ideal peak to begin the Himalayan adventure of climbing. People with good physical fitness and knowledge of ice climbing are welcome to join this adventure activity.
Island Peak is considered the most famous trekking peaks in Nepal. The trails to the Island Peak climbing run through the Khumbu region where you can experience an ultimate trekking adventure of the Himalayas with the perfect amalgamation of ice climbing. Spring Season (March to May) and autumn season (October to December) are considered to be the best season for this climb.
The typical itinerary for the Island Peak Climb begins with the flight to Lukla. The trekking starts as soon as one reaches Lukla and trek towards Phakding. We trek slowly up the Dudh Kosi valley we branch off to Chukkung and then onto Island Peak Base Camp and prepare for the ascent The area lies under the Sagarmatha National Park which has been inscribed as the country’s first national park to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. A special permit is required to climb the Island Peak.
Expedition Himalaya provides all the enthusiast climbers and opportunities to fulfill their bucket list. The team of expert guides and porter will arrange all the aspects of the trip to make it hassle-free for the trekkers. Accommodation at the local lodges will be arranged and for the few days of climbing, tented accommodation will be arranged for the climbers. All the meals during the trek as well as climbing will be provided. The itinerary is prepared in a way that it allows proper acclimatization to the trekkers as well as have enough time to admire the nature and beauty of the country.
We ensure you a guaranteed departure on your chosen date. However, at times due to adverse weather conditions, the flight might be delayed or canceled for a day affecting the schedule. We always recommend you to add one night (three nights to the most) in Kathmandu after your trek if possible.
Upon your arrival at the airport, one of the official representatives from Expedition Himalaya shall welcome you at the Tribhuvan International Airport and escort you to the hotel as well as assist you in the check-in procedure.
Overnight at the hotel in Kathmandu
We spend the day preparing for our exciting trek. Our representatives will take care of all the permits required for this trek. During your free time, you can stroll around Thamel and Basantapur.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight at the hotel in Kathmandu
Relishing the stunning panoramic view of the Himalayas throughout the flight, we land at Lukla which is the starting point of the trek. Upon reaching Lukla, your guide will introduce you with the porter who will be carrying your bag packs and accompanying you throughout the trek. We start our trek passing through small Himalayan villages and pass through several Buddhist monasteries to reach Cheplung village. Cheplung village hosts the mesmerizing view of sacred Mt. Khumbila (5761m). From Cheplung, we trek for a couple of hours to reach Phakding.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at the local lodge in Phakding
We start our morning early and after breakfast we shall trek along free-flowing Dudh Koshi River. We then enter Sagarmatha National Park after registering our permits at the check post. Throughout the day, we will be trekking through lush Himalayan forests of pine, rhododendron, and juniper. We shall cross a couple of suspension bridges to reach the small village of Chhamuwa and Monjo. After trekking for few more hours we finally reach Namche Bazaar, which is situated at the heart of Khumbu region. It is a beautiful village inhabited by the famous Sherpa people also regarded as the unsung heroes of Everest.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at the lodge in Namche Bazaar
Today is our first acclimatization day, we shall be hiking in and around Namche and help our body get adapted to the high altitude. During the trek, we will take a tour of the Sherpa town and learn about their culture and lifestyle. We can also take side trips to museum, stupa and monastery. If it is a Saturday, we might even get to witness a weekly market where villagers come to sell the local products. We will also visit Hotel Everest View (3962m), as the name explains offers a splendid view of Everest along with the other Himalayas.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at the lodge in Namche Bazaar
Passing small village of Kyangjuma, we trek along beautiful Dudh Koshi River on our way to Tengboche. On the way if the weather is clear, we will get to sight the first views of mountains such as Ama Dablam, Lhotse Shar, Taboche, Kangtenga, and Thamserku. We will then cross a wooden bridge over the Dudh Koshi River at Phunke Tenga which leads us on the trail to Tengboche alongside Imja River. After approximately 6 hours of trek, we reach Tengboche where we will explore the ancient Tengboche Monastery. Tengboche Monastery, also known as Dawa Choling Gompa,
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at the lodge in Tengboche
We start our day by trekking through lush Himalayan forests of pine and rhododendron and eventually cross a suspension bridge over Imja River before we enter Pangboche village. We take a short tour of Pangboche Monastery before trekking along rocky trails to reach the small village of Somare. Leaving Somare, we then trek for a couple of hours, alongside Imja Khola, to reach Dingboche. Dingboche hosts a splendid vista of Everest (8848m), Ama Dablam (6856m), Lhotse (8414m), Island Peak (6189m), Lobuche (6119m), Taboche (6367m), and the other Himalayas.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at the lodge in Dingboche
Today, we take a break from the long trek to acclimatize ourselves to the high altitude. We can use this day to hike up to Nangkartshang Monastery, situated on the base of Nangkar Tshang Peak (5616m). Nangkartshang Monastery hosts an outstanding panorama of Ama Dablam (6856m), Everest (8848m), and Lhotse (8414m).
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at the lodge in Dingboche
Leaving Dingboche, we climb rough rocky ridges and trek alongside Khumbu Khola. On our way, we come across few small monasteries and Chortens before we reach the small Sherpa village of Thukla. We then climb steep moraines of Khumbu Glacier to finally reach Lobuche. We further continue to trek to Chhukung via Kongma La pass. We will head towards Kongma La walking along the Khumbu Glacier. Today is going to be a tough and tiring day. We will witness an amazing view of the peaks upon reaching Kongma La. From here we will descend to Imja Khola valley. We continue to descend until we reach Chhukung. Chhukung is a small settlement where we will be staying overnight.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at Chhukung
We will be heading to Island Peak base camp. The trail for today is reasonable and easier compared to the previous day’s trails. It will take not more than 4 hours to reach the base camp. We will have to climb the southern part and then to the east to reach the mainline of the valley. From here the paths are windy along the Lothse Glacier but the trail gets easier as we continue to walk along the streamside. We will walk on the crisscross route through the Imja and Lhotse glacier to reach the Island base camp. This is a wide valley situated on the south-west side of the Island Peak. We will stay overnight at the base camp.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at Base Camp
Today is set aside for practicing the peak climbing. We will be provided some kind of training by our guides to climb peak before actual climbing. We will be trained regarding the climbing techniques and they will also make us acquainted with the climbing gears such as ice axe, climbing boots, harness, ascender, crampons, etc. They will also teach us how to use the rope to go up and down. This sort of training will help us to be confident and reduce the risk of being injured which in turn helps to fully enjoy the climbing experience. During the day we can explore the base camp and high camp area. We will stay overnight at the base camp.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at Base Camp
Today is the day. We will actually climb the peak. This day is going to be full of thrill and adventure. We will have to start very early as the climbing should be wrapped before noon. Afternoons are very windy and may hinder the climbing. We will take the trails that move up beyond the base camp for few hundred meters. From here we will have to climb the steep hill. The path is sandy in the beginning and it becomes grassy before becoming boulder strewn. Moving further the narrow trail we will enter the steep rock channel. We will have to climb the rock gully through the rock steps. We will cross towards the right side of the gully to follow the trail that goes through the ridgeline. Walking through the ridge we will reach the exposed traverse on to the muzzle of the summit glacier. Our guide will fix the rope to go to the other side to climb to the steep slope which leads us to the summit ridge. We will use the fixed rope and man rope for the purpose of 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. Ladders will be used to cross the crevasses. Upon reaching the top we can spend the time taking pictures and watching the view. Spending some time there we will descend towards the base camp following the same route where the other crew members will join us. The evening can be spent enjoying celebrating the success with the guides and other crew members. We will stay overnight at the Island Peak base camp.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at Base Camp
We will descend to Pangboche. It will be easier as we will walk down to the lower altitude retracing the same route. On our way back we will pass the beautiful Sherpa villages, the forests, and Gompas. We will reach Pangboche in almost 5 hours. Pangboche is a beautiful village from where one can get the amazing view of Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtaiga and the Kondge range. Imja River flows through the fertile valley. We will stay overnight at Pangboche.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at Pangboche
Today we will walk down to Tengboche passing through Imja Khola. We will continue to walk through the dense rhododendron and juniper forest .after crossing the suspension bridge over the Dudhkoshi river, we will take the trail that follows the gorges of Dudhkoshi River that’s descend through the pine forest before reaching Sansa. We might witness much different Himalayan fauna on our way to the destination like pheasant, mountain goats, and musk deer. After walking for sometimes we will reach Namche Bazar. We will stay overnight at Namche Bazar.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at Namchebazar
Today is the final day of our trek. Trekking along beautiful Dudh Koshi River, we cross a suspension bridge and enter Jorsalle. We then trek past several monasteries and Mani walls for a couple of hours to reach Phakding. From Phakding, we trek for another couple of hours through small villages crossing small streams to reach Lukla.
Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Overnight at the lodge in Lukla
Today, we fly back to the capital via morning flight. We relish the scenic beauty of the Himalayas throughout the flight. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel. You can either rest or go for souvenir shopping in the nearby market.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight at the hotel in Kathmandu
We bid you farewell and drop you at Tribhuvan International Airport to connect you with your flight.
Meals: Breakfast
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