Island Peak Climbing – 20 days

After breakfast, they transferred us to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu Airport for an early morning flight to Lukla (2,800m). Lukla is a gateway destination from where our trek starts. After an adventurous 40-minute flight above breathtaking green and white mountains, we reach the Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world, culminating in a dramatic landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountain peaks.

Here, 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 you want additional activities, we can take a side trip to a nearby monastery.

Walking through a beautiful pine forest, the track leads us along the Dudh Koshi River through many suspension bridges, including the famous Hillary Suspension Bridge. First, we catch the wonderful prospect of the glistening Mt. Thamserku (6618 m). Through the Benkar, Chumoa, and Monjo settlement, we come to the check post and entrance to Sagarmatha National Park.

We pass through the last village of Jorsale before reaching Namche Bazaar. The trail climbs through forests and bridges until we reach the confluence of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers. After a final steep ascent of about two hours, we get the first sight of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. We stop at Chautara to admire the view. We still need to hike about 1.5 hours to reach Namche Bazaar, a gateway to Mt. Everest and the main trading center of this region.

This is the scheduled ‘acclimatization’ day for this trek. We can spend the day hiking, relaxing, and exploring a hundred vertical feet; it will help us properly acclimate. Our guides will take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarters of the Sagarmatha National Park. We can observe various things related to the first Everest ascenders and Sherpa culture and learn about the Everest region’s various plant and animal life.

We also take an interesting side trip up to Khumjung. We climb up to the famous airstrip at Syangboche. Just above the airstrip is the Everest View Hotel, a Japanese scheme to build a deluxe hotel with great views of the world’s highest mountains. The snowy peaks of Kongde and Thamserku surround the Khumjung Valley and Namche Bazaar.

Namche Bazaar is the main center of the Everest (Khumbu) region. It has government offices, ATMs, Internet cafes, shops, restaurants, a bakery, and a colorful market each Friday evening and Saturday. If we trek a few, the sacred peak, Khumbila, hosts a well-known monastery that houses a yeti scalp. We also visited Hillary School, which is on the same site. After having lunch and spending time in Khumjung, we walk back down to Namche Bazza.

After breakfast, we trek uphill. The trail unfolds before us with stunning vistas of the Himalayan peaks while the Dudh Koshi River accompanies our journey. At this juncture, the steep rises about 50m in altitude to reach a ridge around it. The river bed becomes closer and more comprehensive. We reach the village of Phorte and then the small town of Samde along the stretch halfway up a slight slope leading to the bridge over the Bhote Koshi. From here, Thame is not far.

Thame welcomes us with its ancient monasteries and fluttering prayer flags, offering a serene ambiance amidst the mountains. The trek from Namche to Thame allows us to further acclimatize and soak in the beauty of our surroundings. Along the way, encounters with yak caravans enrich our cultural experience.

Today, after breakfast, we head for the next camp towards Lungden. The journey takes us through the alpine terrain from Thame, characterized by sparse vegetation and tranquil surroundings. As we trek, we savor the peacefulness and solitude of this less-traveled valley. Passing by the village of Tangmote, we continue alongside the Bhote Koshi River, with the village of Yellajung visible on the opposite side.

Our path leads us past Marlung before ascending a small hill. Crossing a water stream, we finally arrive at Lungdeng, our resting place for the night. Here, we’ll stay in a lodge, enjoying the comfort of shelter and nourishment our hosts provide. With the day’s journey behind us, we anticipate a night of rest and reflection before continuing our trek toward our ultimate destination.

After breakfast at Lungdeng, we begin our trek towards Gokyo via Renjo Pass, standing at an impressive altitude of 5360 meters. As we ascend, the panoramic views unfold before us, showcasing the majestic peaks of Everest, Lhotse, Cholatse, and Taboche, gleaming in the sunlight. The challenging ascent to Renjo La rewards us with unparalleled vistas of the surrounding Himalayan landscape, making every step worthwhile.

After enjoying the stunning scenery, we kept moving towards Gokyo, about 4800 meters above sea level. Our path was beautiful, and every step brought us closer to where we wanted to be. Finally, when we reached Gokyo, we found a cozy lodge to spend the night in. We were thankful for its warmth and comfort after such an adventurous day.

Today’s adventure begins with an early morning ascent of Gokyo Ri, offering us breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks. After soaking in the sunrise spectacle, we return to Gokyo village and continue our trek towards Thaknak. Leaving the town behind, we climb to a ridge before navigating through the Ngozumpa Glacier.

Walking along the mountain’s edge, we’ll slowly go down until we reach Thaknak. Along the way, we’ll see amazing views of big Himalayan mountains like Cho Oyu and Gokyo Ri. The trail will be pretty, with rough ground and big snowy mountains around us. With every step towards Thaknak, we’ll get closer to another great adventure in the middle of the Himalayas.

On Day 10, we embark on a challenging trek towards Dzongla, beginning with the ascent to Cho La Pass. The trail demands caution, as its steepness and icy rocks make it slippery for trekkers. Traversing through a ravine and rocky terrain, we steadily climb from Phedi. As we progress, we find ourselves alongside a frozen lake, gradually ascending towards the adorned pass, marked by colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind.

We carefully navigate through cracks in the ice as we continue until we reach Dzongla, another beautiful spot in the Himalayas. From here, we’ll see expansive views of massive peaks like Cholatse, Ama Dablam, Lobuche, and even the village of Pheriche far below. Even though it’s tough going, the fantastic views make every step of the journey worth it, making our Himalayan adventure even more special.

Beyond Duglha, we trek up the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. We find our way through the boulder-strewn slope as we ascend Chupki Lhara, an eerie ridgetop with dramatic mountain views. At the top of the ridge, we will find an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (an American mountaineer).

As we walk along, the path leads us down to the Khumbu Glacier moraine, where we’re faced with incredible peaks: Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori, and Mahalangur Himal. Even though we’re close to Everest, we still can’t see it. Nuptse stands tall on our right side as we cross the Khumbu Glacier. Along the way, we walk beside a gentle stream, but we can’t see the glacier itself because a giant wall of dirt and rocks is on its side.

The trail to Gorak Shep goes through the Khumbu Glacier’s lateral moraine. We pass through the pyramid signpost. Ahead of the trail, we see the crest of the north ridge of Everest along with Mt. Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse, Nuptse, etc.

A slight ascent would take us to Thangma Riju. As we reach Gorak Shep, snow-capped mountains surround us, with Mount Everest, the top of the world, looming all around us. After a brief lunch and rest, we take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once-vast Gorak Shep Lake and return to Gorak Shep.

In the early morning light, we will ascend to the pinnacle of Kala Patthar (5554m), one of the most magnificent viewpoints in the Khumbu region. From there, breathtaking Everest, Nuptse, and Lhotse vistas will greet us. After soaking in the awe-inspiring scenery, we will return to our lodge for breakfast.

Then, we will continue our journey downhill towards Lubuche. The trail will take us through rugged terrain, offering glimpses of Himalayan beauty at every turn. As we reach Lubuche, we will reflect on the incredible climbing experiences of our trek so far, eagerly anticipating the adventures.

After breakfast, we trekked to Chukung via Khumbu Glacier and Kongma base camp and continued ascending to Kongma. The ascend is a problematic part of our trek today. After gaining the Kongma La, we see a cairn wrapped in prayer flags-marks of the past. Then, we descend a gradual walk up the ImjaKhola valley to Chhukung, a small summer settlement.

Today, the path from Chhukung leads fairly steeply, climbing south, then turning east to the main line of the valley, and then winds along or below the southern flank of the moraine from the Lhotse Glacier. We continued with a short, pleasant walk along the streamside. The route to the AmphuLapcha lies to the southeast.

After lunch, our guides will provide training on peak climbing techniques and using climbing gears such as ice axes, climbing boots, crampons, harnesses, ascenders, etc., and how to go up and down using ropes. Although having prior training experience for Island Peak is not mandatory, we believe that some training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit of Island Peak and fully enjoying the experience.

Day 16 will be our most formidable challenge yet as we prepare for the summit push of Island Peak, standing at an impressive 6189 meters. Our day begins in the early morning hours, typically around 1 AM, to ensure ample time to complete the climb. Initially, we ascend the rock gully, navigating through several short rock steps before emerging on the right side of the gully.

After that, the path goes along a narrow ridge, which can be exciting and scary because it’s high up and open. We must be careful as we cross onto the glacier’s tip because there are cracks in the ice. Then, we’ll climb a steep, snowy slope to reach Island Peak. When we finally reach the summit of Island Peak, we will be amazed by the stunning views and take many photos to remember the moment. After that, we’ll return the same way we came, all the way to Chukung.

Today’s trek is mostly downhill. We cross a wooden suspension bridge over the Khumbu Khola and follow the Imja Khola to the village of Pangboche. Then, we continue following the river and climb through the birch and rhododendron forest to Tenboche. We can enjoy the best views of Kwangde, Everest, and Amadablam. We can meditate at the famous monastery in Tenboch.

We will trek down through the hillside blanketed by rhododendrons and juniper trees. If it’s spring, pink and red rhododendron flowers will ablaze our surroundings. Depending on our hunger and condition, after crossing the prayer flag, the festooned bridge over the DudhKoshi River trail will follow the DudhKoshi gorge, descending rapidly through the pine forests. The path eventually reaches Sansa, the region’s major trail junction.

We stop at Kyangjuma (3570 m) for a relaxed lunch. Following lunch, the trail to Namche Bazaar clings to the steep wooded slope beyond Kyangjuma, winding through several bends. After passing a Chorten, we reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar. We want to take a long last look (and picture!) back to Lhotse, the tip of Everest and Tengboche from here. On reaching our lodge, we take a nice hot shower and have a very relaxed sleep in our room in Namche Bazaar.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we slowly cross the suspension bridges over the fast-flowing DudhKoshi and its tributaries. The trail becomes more level and natural. By today, we have started to get warmed up by the light breeze. As we pass this charming mountain air, any remaining sore throats and colds will be gone today. Although we travel the same route, we have completely different views.

We snap a mixture of open plains, rhododendrons, pine forests, and snow-covered peaks in the distance. We walk through the Sherpa villages, noticing impressive faith in Buddhism and the culture of prayer stones and prayer flags. On arrival in Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. We experience the culmination of a fantastic trek on a happy note, with everyone back safe and sound with smiles.

After our long mountain journey, we fly back to Kathmandu. The early morning flight drops us off. You can rest and relax throughout the day in your hotel. Also, it is the perfect time to explore the beauty of the Kathmandu Valley. Visit places you haven’t had time to explore during your sightseeing tour. Create more memories, immersing yourself in the beauty of Nepal’s cultural heritage site.

The final day of your trek to Nepal ends in 21 days. After you have breakfast, our climbing guide will pick you up and take you to Tribhuvan International Airport. It’s time to say goodbye to Nepal, but we’ll carry the memories of our incredible adventure in the Himalayas.