Climbing Island Peak 2024/2025

“My partner and I had the most amazing experience with this local travel specialist. We completed the three high passes + EBC trail, with my partner even going on to summit Island Peak (successfully!). Our guide Kanchha Tamang made sure we had the best experience - a well planned itinerary to ensure we acclimatised properly, looking out for any signs of AMS, looking after us when we both got sick with viruses on the trail. We had flexibility to change our itinerary a bit to maximise our chance of the best views as we were walking quicker than expected. Kanchha always made sure we had fun, made great memories, learned lots about the culture and history of the regions we were in, and supported us so well through what can be a pretty challenging few weeks on the trail. We miss him already! Special shout-out to our amazing porter Jiban, without whom the trek would not have been possible and for whom we are so grateful. And another special mention to Rajendra who managed our trip and who goes truly above and beyond for his clients. When we mentioned to Kanchha we were interested in exploring Pokhara after our trek had finished, he called Rajendra who then arranged everything for us (flights, accomodation, recommendations for activities, booked us in for paragliding). When we got stranded in Lukla for a few days due to grounded planes, it is due to the tireless efforts of Kanchha & Rajendra that we were able to get out of the mountains on a helicopter and continue our holiday.”

“Everything was well organized both with the mangager Chris before the trip and the guide Appa during the tour. I had a private tour with a guide and a porter. It was a great help so I did not have to carry all my heavy climbing equipment and cold weather clothes. I normally carry everything myself but this just gives me more time to enjoy the beautiful landscape. I think that the porter was also an extra safety if something happened on the way - but fortunately everything went well. The tour was perfect for acclimatization starting in the lower "jungle", so I never felt really bad with headache/altitude sickness. Yes it is still hard to breathe and don't expect to sleep perfect every night! Please do not think that this is an easy trip. You spend a lot of time above 5000meters in the cold and very little oxygen. Some days in tents and some days in small teahouses. I/we did not have to carry a tent. From Mera high camp and until after Island peak tents were available at the camp sites. Also food was available at all the camping sites (all food was included in the price but water and other drinks not). Expect to eat a lot of noodles, rice and eggs. Water cost up to around 3USD and soda maybe 4-5USD for 1/2 liter bottle. But prices are lower closer to the start and end. I also used water purification tablets that are sold everywhere in Kathmandu for parts of the trip. The tour through the jungle is a lot of walking up and down every day. Mera Peak summit is a long walk - on summit day expect to walk in deep snow and sometimes almost to the knees because the surface is not always strong enough. So one step up and you sink half a step down again. There are a lot of crevasses that you have to jump over - you are tied together with the guide with a rope for safety. The view from Mera Peak is really good. You see Himalaya and Mt Everest in the distance. Only a handfull of people on the summit this day. There was nobody besides me, the guide and the porter for the next few days until Island Peak basecamp. Most days it's clear in the morning and clouds arrive around midday - so don't plan to walk all day if you want to enjoy the view (I went in April/May) The last day on the way to Amphu Lapcha pass we got a lot of snow but luckily it was 90% clear again in the morning. It is very steep up to the pass. There are steel wires some places that you can attach your safety line to. There are some passages where you have to climb a little bit. The view from the pass is really good. Going down you start abseiling and after this, most places you have wires you can attach to because you are walking on a very small path (not a path but just a little peace of the rock big enough for a foot) and it is very steep down to the side. I had a rest day in basecamp. I definitely don't recommend arriving late here and go for the summit the same night because both are two very long and hard days. At Island peak there are many other people. The summit day is long and hard. The first part is just walking but you end up looking at an almost vertical icewall you have to climb before you reach the ridgeline going to the summit. It is very very steep and takes a long time. The last few minutes on the ridge to the summit are amazing as you are one a very thin ridge steep down to both sides (there is a fixed rope for safety). Very beautiful with views to Lhotse and Ama Dablam. The summit is very small so only a few people can stand on the summit. Many do but also many do not make it to the summit. I guess most are not acclimatized well enough but also because this is not easy. Normally you go straight back to Lukla but I had added three days (plus the 2 spare days) to the itinerary to go to Everest basecamp/Kala Patthar via Kongma La Pass. Yes it is hard to stay at this altitude for so long but it was definitely worth it. Luckily I had a few clear days and after seeing Everest clearly from Kala Patthar the clouds came. And the next days I almost did not see any snow covered mountain top because of clouds. It's easy to go back. While we were going back the guide arranged to reschedule the flights without any problem since I did not use my spare days. So I had a few days extra in Kathmandu to see some temples and do some shopping. I met again with Chris, I gave him back the included duffelbag for the porter and a down sleepingbag that I had used. It was both good quality. So everything went well and good organized and I could change things before and during the trip to fit what I wanted. The guide was very experienced and knew the mountains very well and made sure that I was safe all the time.”

“We did the 18 day EBC + Island Peak climb with Nepal Guide Treks, Sonam as our guide, and it was amazing! Our previous mountain history was just a couple fourteeners in Colorado, so this was a big step up, but we felt very prepared and taken care of. Prakash is great about quickly returning emails/answering questions (which trust me, we had plenty of!) We had exercised A LOT prior to the trip, so early on I think we were easy clients for Sonam. But when it came to the actual Island Peak climbing day we needed help with some of the actual mountaineering stuff, and he was awesome! And even earlier on in the trip, he was great about giving us lots of cool info along the trek, pointing out and naming mountains, etc. This trip was beyond amazing, and Nepal Guide Treks took care of everything so it all went seamless and smooth. If youre thinking about this trip; to just do EBC, just be in good shape to truly enjoy it. If you want to climb Island Peak and havent done and prior technical mountains (or maybe just some in Colorado or something like us), either try to get SOME mountaineering experience with ropes/down climbing before you go out, or just be prepared to learn out there but know you may have a few hiccups that your guide will be helping you through too! Anyways.. highly recommend this trip with this group!!”