Island Peak Climbing & Everest Base Camp Trek

We will pick you from your hotel and drive you to the airport in Kathmandu. A quick, 25-30-minute flight from Kathmandu will take you to Lukla (2,840m), the gateway to the Khumbu region and the starting point of this trek.

Travel through the Dudhkoshi River Valley, past various settlements such as Chheplung and Chaurikharka, before reaching Phakding. Enjoy great views of the Himalayas during the trek. It's a leisurely day with a gradual descend of approximately 200 meters.

Get ready for a steep climb today. Follow the path of the thundering Dudh Kosi, cross numerous suspension bridges along the way. Trek past Monjo and Jorsalle villages until you reach Namche Bazaar (3,440m), a village in the mountains that is also the centre of commerce in the Khumbu region.

Stay in Namche and allow your body to acclimatize to the altitude. You have the option to hike to the nearby areas. The trading and administrative centre of the Khumbu region, Namche is home to various government offices, banks, plenty of shops and eateries.

One of the most interesting optional hikes on our list is the one that takes you to Everest View Hotel, from where you can enjoy great views of Mount Everest and other mountains in the Himalayas.

Start your day with a quick ascend followed by a flat trail to reach Kyanjuma. Travel downhill from there to reach Phunki Tenga. Cross the Dudh Koshi River to reach Tengboche Monastery, the most important monastery in the region. Depending upon the weather and other factors, you might end your day in Debuche (4,410m) or stay in Namche.

Make a quick descend to Debuche (if you did not do it yesterday) before starting an uphill climb towards Pangboche. See Everest, Amadablam and Nuptse mountains along the way. Stop in Pangboche for tea before continuing to Somare for lunch. Travel through the Imja Valley and cross Lobuche Stream before ascending to Dingboche (4,410m).

The settlement of Dingboche is gorgeous, with fields and pastures flanked by stone walls. Explore the village or relax in your hotel and allow your body to acclimatize to the changing altitude. You can also participate in one of our optional hikes to Nangkartshang Peak or the Chhukung Valley.

A difficult day with steep climbing awaits you. The day starts will a gradual climb to Dughla, where we will stop for a quick lunch. It will be an early lunch today but we do not have another option before reaching Lobuche.

A steep climb from Dughla will take us to the memorial of famous mountaineers such as Scott Fischer and Babu Chiri Sherpa. Enter the Khumbu Glacier area and follow the route to Lobuche (4,910m), where you will be spending your night.

The first section of the trail will take you to Gorakshep via the Khumbu Glacier. Drop your bags and enjoy your lunch in Gorakshep before heading to Everest Base Camp (5,364m). The trail takes you through terrain strewn with rocks, moraines, streams and a glacier. Reach Everest Base Camp, located in the middle of the Khumbu Glacier. Return to Gorakshep for an overnight stay.

If you can muster some energy and if the weather gods permit, you can hike up to Kala Patthar late in the afternoon to enjoy sunset. Please note that it's not easy to cover Gorakshep, Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar on the same day, though.

In case you could not make it to Kala Patthar yesterday, today is your chance. Clamber up to this famous landmark located above Gorakshep and enjoy amazing views of the mountains shining in the color of the morning sun.

Spend some time there before descending to Gorakshep. Grab your breakfast and start your downhill journey to Chukhung, where you will stay tonight. Meet you climbing guide and prepare all the necessary gear in Chukhung.

Have breakfast in Chukhung before starting for Island Peak Base Camp. Do some pre-climb training and learn to use various climbing gear along with rules to follow. Climbing Island Peak is doable for those with adequate physical fitness, even if they do not have previous climbing experience.

Island Peak, also is known as Imja Tse, is the most popular peak among trekkers in Nepal. It was Eric Shipton's team that coined the name Island Peak, in 1951 AD. It does not require any climbing experience to climb the peak and, for this reason, it is extremely popular among the beginners.

Time for the most difficult yet most rewarding experience of your trek. Have your breakfast at around midnight and head for the summit. The climbing is done early in the morning as it gets windy during the afternoon. The trail starts with a gentle ascend. However, the higher you climb, the steeper it gets. Spend some time on the summit before start your descend to Chukhung for an overnight stay.

We have added this day on the itinerary to preempt weather-related delays.

Continue your journey to Dingboche and connect with the main trail heading to Everest Base Camp. Reach Pangboche in the evening.

Cross the Dudh Koshi River then make a steep climbing to Kyanjuma. From here, the route remains flat until we reach the headquarters of Everest National Park, near Namche Bazaar.

A long day on a downhill trail awaits you. The last day of this trek is full of steep descends along the Dudh Kosi until you reach Phakding for lunch. The trail from Phakding to Lukla is mostly a gentle, uphill climb.

We will transfer to the airport to catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu. Upon arriving in Kathmandu after a quick, 25-30 minute flight, we will transfer you to your hotel. In the evening, our guide will accompany you for a complimentary farewell dinner.