Island Peak with EBC

Print Trip Details

Trip Overview


Title: Island Peak with Everest Base Camp Trek: A Himalayan Adventure

Introduction

Embark on an unforgettable journey to the Everest region of Nepal with the Island Peak with Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek. This adventure combines the classic Everest Base Camp trek with the exhilarating climb to the summit of Island Peak, offering a unique and thrilling experience in the heart of the Himalayas. Over the course of approximately 19-21 days, you'll witness breathtaking landscapes, immerse yourself in Sherpa culture, and challenge yourself with a rewarding mountaineering endeavor.

Everest Base Camp - The Gateway to Adventure

Your trek begins in Lukla, a small mountain town with a thrilling airstrip. From there, you'll follow the footsteps of legendary mountaineers as you trek to Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters/17,598 feet). The journey takes you through picturesque Sherpa villages, across suspension bridges, and amidst the majestic peaks of the Khumbu region. Reaching Everest Base Camp is a remarkable achievement, providing a close-up view of the world's highest mountain.

 Island Peak - Scaling New Heights

Leaving Everest Base Camp behind, you'll make your way to Island Peak Base Camp (4,970 meters/16,305 feet). Under the guidance of experienced climbing Sherpas, you'll receive training and prepare for the exhilarating ascent of  Imja Tse(6,189 meters/20,305 feet). The climb requires basic mountaineering skills, including the use of ice axe and crampons. Standing atop Island Peak offers an unparalleled panorama of the surrounding Himalayan giants, rewarding your efforts with a sense of triumph.

Enchanting Landscapes and Cultural Immersion

Throughout the trek, you'll be captivated by the awe-inspiring scenery of the Everest region. From the lush valleys and rhododendron forests to the rugged terrain and glacial landscapes, every step reveals nature's grandeur. Along the way, you'll encounter Sherpa villages, monasteries, and prayer flags, immersing yourself in the rich Sherpa culture. Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, and other settlements offer a glimpse into the lives of the resilient mountain communities.

Best Time to Go and Essential Considerations

The best seasons for the Island Peak with EBC Trek are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). During these times, the weather is generally stable, with clear skies and favorable trekking conditions. However, proper acclimatization, physical fitness, and adequate gear are essential for a safe and successful journey. Hiring a licensed guide and porters is highly recommended to ensure your well-being and provide local expertise.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Island Peak with Everest Base Camp Trek is a remarkable adventure that combines the iconic Everest Base Camp trek with the thrill of scaling Island Peak. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to witness the Himalayan beauty, experience Sherpa culture, and challenge yourself in the realm of mountaineering. Embark on this extraordinary journey and create lifelong memories in the heart of the world's highest mountains.

Trip Highlights


  • Breathtaking filght from Kathmandu to Lukla
  • Acquaintance of Sherpa culture and traditions
  • Exploring Tengboche Monastey
  • Exhilarating view of Mt. Everest from top of Kalapatthar
  • Summit of Island Peak
  • 360° mountain views from top of Island peak

Itinerary


Day 01: Fly to Tenzing Hillary Airport at Lukla (2800m) and Trek to Phakding (2610m)

Phakding Altitude: 2610 meters

Flight Hours: 35-40 minutes

Walking Hours: 3-4 hours

Overnight at Phakding

We will take off from Kathmandu and quickly view the Kathmandu valley through the plane. Then we will be heading to the Tenzing Hillary Airport at Lukla. The airport runaway might seem scary due to its narrow runaway; nevertheless, the views after take-off make up for it. This whole flight will cost you 35 to 40 minutes worth of time.

After landing, you will have to trek to Phakding on foot. Guides and porters will accompany you as you trek. You will have to cross the Dudh Koshi river through suspension bridges. The view of the river and landscapes through this part of the trek will be immaculate.

A total of 3 to 4 hours worth of walking will bring you to the wonderful place of Phakding. Local tea houses will accommodate you in the area. You will be spending your night of the first day in these tea houses.

Day 02: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3440m)

Namche altitude: 3440 meters

Walking Hours:4 to 5 hours

Overnight at Namche

The second day of the trek will start by departing from Phakding to Namche. Similar to the previous day’s travel, you will again have to cross suspension bridges along the banks of Dudh Koshi. There are five suspension bridges to be crossed this day and the last one being the world’s 123rd tallest bridge

After walking for about 3 hours, you will enter the Sagarmatha National Park area. The area houses various rare species of floras and faunas. A little bit up the hill from Sagarmatha National Park will bring you to the end point of your second day’s trek. You will reach Namche and be welcomed very hospitably. The environment of this region will be very quaint and peaceful. You will be able to interact with the local Sherpa people or buy souvenirs from Namche Bazaar. You will be accommodated within a lodge in the Bazaar and spend the night here.

This will mark the end of the second day.

Day 03: Rest and Acclimatization Day at Namche Bazaar (3440m)

Namche Altitude:3440 meters

Overnight at Namche

Traveling to high-altitude places like the Himalayas requires you to go slow and get familiar with the altitude. It is essential to avoid altitude sickness and other health hazards. On this day, you will get to explore the Sagarmatha National Park Headquarters. Through this point, you will catch a glimpse of many mountain ranges as well as Mount Everest. There is a museum you can visit as well.

After that, you will walk uphill to the hotel Everest View for a while. Then we will take a brisk walk down the twin villages of Khumjung and Khunde. After we are done with that, we will go back to Namche for lunch. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Namche bazaar, talking to locals, and observing their cultures. You can also go shopping or cafe hopping here. Such a flexible itinerary will not be available later in the trek.

The day will end as such, and once again, you will be lodging in the same place as the previous night. This overnight stay will be the last stay here at Namche before we return.

Day 04: Trek to Tengboche (3874m)

Tengboche’s altitude: 3874 meters

Walking hours: 5 hours

Overnight stay at Tengboche

After staying at Namche for two days, we will trek uphill to Tengboche. The trek will take about 5 hours. This walk will give you views of spectacular snow-capped mountain ranges of Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Thamserku, Kwangde, and Nuptse.

The trails of this trek at quite steep till Sanasa, and then the steeps decrease a little Phunki Thanka. From here, you will reach Tengboche within 2 hours. The road you will walk will have beautiful trails of rhododendrons along with pine and fir trees.

Upon arrival to Tengboche, you will notice the spiritual monastery of Tengboche. The area nearby to the monastery has a bakery too. This place houses a few tea houses as well as lodges. You will be accommodated in a teahouse near the Tengboche monastery. You will have to spend the night here, marking the end of the fourth day of the trek.

Day 05: Trek to Dingboche (4400m)

Dingboche altitude: 4400 meters

Walking hours: 6 hours

Overnight stay at Dingboche

The fifth day’s trek starts by slightly going downhill from Tengboche for about an hour till you cross a wooden bridge. Then the trail continues uphill towards a dusty forested village of Pangboche.

En route, you can see various Yak herds. Further ahead, you ought to cross a river and then climb uphill. A further ahead of Pangboche will be Somare at the altitude of 4000 meters, where you will stop for lunch. You can notice that you can no longer see vegetation above this landmark.

At a certain distance, there again is a viewpoint that shows the exotic views of Mount Ama Dablam. From this point on, you will have to travel around 30 to 40 minutes further to reach your destined village of Dingboche. You will again be accommodated in one of the lodges of the village to rest overnight. This wil mark the end of day five.

Day 06: Acclimatization Day at Dingboche (4400m)

Dingboche Altitude: 4400 meters

Nagarjun Altitude: 5100 meters

Overnight stay at Dingboche

This will be your second acclimatizing day of the whole trek. You will get a chance to hike Nagarjun Hill, which is straight up from Dingboche. You will get to observe various mountains from this peak. Mountains like Ama Dablam, Makalu, Lhotse, and Island Peak are a few of the mountains that can be seen from here.

The Nagarjun hike will also allow you to explore flora and fauna of the area. Glimpses of wild animals can also be seen during this hike. Before returning back to Dingboche, explore the Nagarjun area, take some pictures, observe the beautiful mountain range and take a breather.

Then you will descend back to Dingboche. You will have the rest of the day after the Nagarjun hike to yourself until dinner. You will again dine in the same place and sleep in the same lodge. This acclimatization wil mark the end of the fifth day of the trek.

Day 07: Trek to Lobuche (4940m)

Lobuche altitude: 4940 meters

Walking hours: 5 hours

Overnight stay at Lobuche

A step further from the Everest Base Camp, the 7th day of the trek will start with a gentle walk to Thukla. After a short tea break or lunch at the spot, After visiting the Thukla pass, you will start climbing the steepest trail so far. You will have to climb the Dughla pass. Dhugla pass has a park that is a memorial place for climbers across the globe who have lost their lives during their expedition to Everest.

The higher and further you walk from there, the more mesmerizing the view gets and the more tiring the journey gets. You will reach the Khumbu glacier on the road ahead. From there, you will get a glimpse of Kala Patthar as well.

From this point onwards, you will only take 30 more minutes to reach Lobuche. After reaching the destination, you will be dining and accommodated here. This will be the end of day 7 of the trek.

Day 08: Trek to Gorakshep (5180m) and Everest Base Camp (5364m)

Everest Base Camp Altitude: 5364 meters

Gorakshep Altitude: 5000 meters

Walking hours: 7 to 8 hours

Overnight Stay at Gorakshep

The trek from Lobuche to Gorakshep and Everest Base Camp will be the longest travel so far in the trek. You will first walk through a relatively easy trail along the road with many rocky boulders and slippery trails. You will reach Gorakshep for your lunch, then continue aiming for the Everest Base Camp.

It isn’t possible for us to be camping or staying overnight at the base camp, so you will be lodging in Gorakshep. It will have convenient lodging options and tea houses. It is among the final settlements in this region before the trail goes barren and lifeless.

So, before leaving for the Base Camp, you will drop your bags in the hotel room when we stop for lunch and then continue your trek. After around 2 hours of trekking from Gorakshep, you will pass through the Khumbu Glacier and reach the Everest Base Camp.

Upon arrival, you will see tons of tents and camps in the region. There will be various mountaineers who will be starting to climb Everest from the base camp. After exploring the base camp area and hiking a little, you will return back to Gorakshep. You will dine and sleep in the local teahouse where you dropped off your luggage.

This will end our Everest Base Camp trek and day 8 of the package.

Day 09: Trek to Kalapatthar (5400m) and Back to Dingboche

Dingboche’s Altitude: 4400 meters

Walking hours: 7 to 8 hours

Overnight stay at Dingboche

The 9th day of the trek will consist of sightseeing of the mountain range from Kala Patthar. You will be waking up early in the morning to catch a glimpse of the sunrise view from Kala Patthar. People often consider this viewpoint one of the Earth’s most beautiful observation points. The Kala Patthar viewpoint gives the best glimpses of Mount Everest, even better than that of the Everest Base Camp.

After you leave Gorakshep for the Kala Patthar hike, you will go downhill for a bit and then go back to climbing. It will take you about 2 hours to complete this hike. Once you reach the viewpoint, you will cherish the environment. The viewpoint will let you see the Himalayas of Mount Everest, Changtse, Nuptse, Lhotse, and others. The early morning sun rays hitting these mountains will be a sight you will reminisce about for a lifetime.

After the hike, we will descend back to Gorakshep, take our luggage, and move back to Dingboche through Periche. The hike will end with you being accommodated in lodges of Dingboche like you had been before. You will dine and sleep in Dingboche. This will mark the end of day 9 of the hike.

Day 10: Trek to Chukkung (4760m)

Chukkung altitude: 4760 meters

Walking hours : 3 to 4 hours

Overnight stay at Chukkung

You will leave for Chukkung with quite a steep trek from Dingboche. The trek will allow you to pass through the beautiful Himalayan settlement. It will take about 2 to 3 hours before you arrive in a settlement area of Chukkung.

Chukkung will greet you with mesmerizing views of mountains like Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and Imja Tse(or the Island peak). The Chukkung valley will give you views of the scenically mesmerizing Imja Khola. You will also explore the Imja Khola glacier along with the glaciers of Lhotse Shar.

The Chukkung village trek will be a short and sweet one. The village provides you with facilities for lodging through lodges and tea houses. You will be accommodated here for the day. The next day of the trip will be a bit more exhausting, so you will rest well for it this day.

You will dine here and sleep in one of the local lodges or tea houses. This will end our 10th day of the trek with the commencement of the Island Peak scaling journey the next day

Day 11: Trek to Island Base Camp (5100m)

Island Peak Base Camp Altitude: 5100 meters

Walking hours: 5 to 6 hours

Overnight stay at Tent (Island Peak Base Camp)

This will commence our journey to summit Island Peak. After breakfast in Chukking, we will leave the place and hike to reach the Island Peak Base Camp. The journey will involve us climbing uphill to the south and then towards the main valley in the east.

The travel will show us serene waterfalls and glacial streams on the trail. We will once again be able to catch the majestic views of the Imja Khola glacier region. En route, you will also pass the glacier moraine of Lhotse.

After our trek to base camp, we can observe the Island Peak (also known as Imsa Tse) in its glory. From the base camp, you will see a very proper southwestern view of the mountain. You will get an aggregate idea of what your journey will comprise of the next day.

The guides will be helping you settle tents in the base camp. You will be camping in tents for the night as there won’t be other means of lodging. This overnight stay at the Island Peak base camp will mark the end of day 11 of the trek.

Day 12: Summit Island Peak (6189m) and Trek down to Chukkung

Island peak Altitude: 6189 meters

Walking hours: 3 to 4 hours

Overnight stay at Chukkung

You will wake up early as 2 am to start this day’s trek. The weather in the morning is more appropriate for climbing, as the wind harsh winds during the day could be a hassle. The weather is also way clearer in the morning time than at any other time of the day.

A professional mountain guide will be assisting you in climbing the mountain. You will face steep, slippery slopes and glaciers during your climb. After 2 to 3 hours of climbing, you will summit Island Peak. From the peak, you will get an immensely beautiful scene. You can get views of mountains like Baruntse Ama Dablam, Makalu, Lhotse Nuptse, and many more from the summit. You will also likely get a 360-degree panoramic view of the aforementioned mountains from here.

The adrenalin rush you will have when you summit the peak wil be an experience of a lifetime.

After you are done with your summit, you will descend back to the Island Peak Base Camp. The guides will help you with the tents, and you will pack your luggage to go back to Chukkung.

You will again be accommodated into one of the local lodges or tea houses of Chukkung to dine and sleep. This will mark the end of our Island Peak trek before returning to the starting point.

Day 13: Trek Back to Tengboche (3860m)

Tengboche Altitude: 3860 meters

Walking hours: 3 to 4 hours

Overnight stay at Tengboche

After completing your Island Peak summit, you will walk down to Pangboche from Chukkung. Then you have to ascend through Debuche and then to Tengboche. The trek will have already taken you to these places in the earlier days, so you will likely be more familiar with it now.

You will observe the settlement of Pangboche village through the trails. It will take about 2 to 3 hours of trekking till you reach a settlement area. You will be staying overnight at a lodge after you reach Tengboche. This will mark the end of day 13.

Day 14: Trek Back to Namche Bazaar (3440m)

Namche Altitude: 3440 meters

Walking hours : 3 to 4 hours

Overnight stay at Namche

On the 14th day of the trek, you will leave Tengboche and march down towards the vibrant Sherpa town of Namche. Namche will not be as barren or empty as other settlement areas you trekked. You will have stayed two nights at Namche during the earlier part of the trek. Hence, you will be more familiar with it.

After arrival, you will have most of the day to yourself and can indulge in the local tour. You will have various options for refreshment and relaxation here. You can hop onto local cafes and pubs here. The Irish pub located here is the highest altitude pub in the world. Visiting the pub would be a lifelong experience. You will be accommodated in a lodge here again to stay the night. This will mark the end of day 14.

Day 15: Trek Back to Lukla (2880m)

Lukla Altitude: 2880 meters

Walking hours: 3 to 4 hours

Overnight stay at Lukla

Like Namche, you will trace your steps back to where you came from. We will now walk down towards Lukla. Upon arrival to Lukla, you will be hosted with a celebration for completing the trek, especially the exhausting yet joyous summit of Island Peak.

You will be staying overnight at a lodge. This will mark the second last day of the journey and almost the end of the package.

Day 16: Early Flight to Kathmandu

Kathmandu Altitude:

Flight hours: 30 to 40 minutes

On the last day, you will fly back to Kathmandu early in the morning. Once again, during your flight back, you will catch a glimpse of breathtaking views of mountains, rivers, forests, and many more. Upon landing in Kathmandu, you will be insured a ride back to your hotel in Kathmandu through a private vehicle.

This will officially mark the end of our 16-day-long trip.

Day 17: Departure

Our Representatives will drop you at the International Airport for Departure.

Price Includes


  • Friendship World Treks has a philosophy with trip inclusions: as much as possible expenses is included so that customers know the total cost of the adventure trip up front
  • All airport/hotel transfers
  • Guided sightseeing tour in Kathmandu with temple/monuments entrance fee
  • Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu flight and departure taxes
  • Three nights in 4-star hotel (Hotel Manaslu or similar category hotel) in Kathmandu
  • Teahouse/Lodge and tented accommodation during trekking and climbing session
  • Breakfast in Kathmandu and all meals in mountain
  • All ground transportation as per the itinerary program by private vehicles
  • All necessary staffs with experienced English speaking climbing and trekking leader (guide), cook, assistant climbing leader (4 trekkers: 1 assistant guide), Sherpa porters to carry luggage (2 trekkers:1 porter), other helpers as per requirement for the climbing section including their salary, insurance, equipment, flight, food and lodging
  • All necessary paper works; trekking permits and Island Peak climbing permit
  • Down jacket, four seasonal sleeping bag, Friendship World Trekking duffel bag, t-shirt, and trekking map
  • Group Mountaineering climbing and camping equipment for climbing part -very high quality North Face or Mountain
  • Hardware tents for camping and kitchen, dining, toilet tents, mattresses, kitchen equipments
  • Travel and rescue arrangements
  • Welcome and farewell dinner
  • Exclusive Medical Kit Bag
  • All government and local taxes

Price Excludes


  • Nepal Visa fee (bring accurate USD cash and two passport photographs)
  • International airfare to and from Kathmandu
  • Excess baggage charges (if you have more than 20 kg luggage, cargo charge is around $1.5 per kg)
  • Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu because of early arrival, late departure, early return from 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, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottled or boiled water, shower, heater, etc.)
  • Personal climbing equipments
  • Personal climbing guide if requested
  • Optional trips and sightseeing if extended
  • Tips for guides and porters
Print Trip Details