Climb Mera & Island Peaks

Your personal budget obviously depends on your spending habits and what is included in your trip cost. If accommodation is included, but meals are not, we would suggest that you bring around 30 USD per day per person for meals. Having a hot shower or charging your device sometimes costs extra. There are also sometimes small crafts/souvenirs to buy along the trekking route which you may want to bring extra money for. Also, consider whether you would be staying in Kathmandu or Pokhara before or after your trek.

The ideal time for climbing Island Peak is around April to May and October through November. The winter and the monsoon months will likely have fewer crowds but wet weather and snow and cold may make the climb more challenging. Some tours do not ever offer climbing in these months. Your guide will have enough knowledge about the weather and geography to advise the exact right time while you are on tour as well.

A properly packed backpack (not including your day pack) should ideally not weigh more than 13 kg. It is also important to note that if you are taking a flight to the start of your trek, many smaller aircraft have weight restrictions. For example, if you are flying from Kathmandu to Lukla, you are only allowed 10kg of checked luggage, and 5 kg of hand baggage. Thus, in case of a small flight, you should ideally pack a 10 kg backpack for checked luggage, and then add 5 kg in your hand baggage. You can then re-shuffel the weigt once you start your trek at the trailhead.  

The decision to hire a porter is up to you and usually based on your fitness level and/or budget. One porter can be shared between two people and can carry up to 25 kg. Many trekkers hire a porter to have a more comfortable trek.

On most popular treks you can expect plenty of places where you can refill your water bottle, meaning you don’t need to carry a huge water supply with you. Bring an extra bottle of water if you are concerned. If you already have a porter, you can ask him/her to carry water as long as it is within the weight limit. Another option is to carry water purification tablets or LifeStraw, both of which can be found in Kathmandu.