15-Day Island Peak Trekking in Nepal

Itinerary

15-Day Island Peak Trekking in Nepal: Itinerary

Day 01 Arrival Kathmandu
Upon your arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, a representative from Mountain Experience will pick up you and take you to your hotel. After checking in, we visit Mountain Experience office for your trip preparation and also to meet our crew. In the evening there will be a welcome dinner where we will be able to enjoy authentic Nepali cuisine. Overnight in Kathmandu. 1,350m/4,429ft

Day 02 Fly to Lukla trek to Phakding 2610m. Or Monjo 2835m.
After breakfast, we take an early morning flight to Lukla. After flying above the breathtaking green and white mountains, you reach Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating in a landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountains. Upon your arrival at Lukla, we meet the rest of our crew members. Next, you begin your trek through the prosperous village of Lukla to Phakding. To assist in acclimatization, we only have a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, our guide can take a side trip to a nearby monastery. Overnight in Phakding. Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 03 Phakding or Monjo to Namche Bazaar 3438m.
After breakfast we walk through beautiful pine forests and then along Dudh Koshi River ending our nature-filled journey at Namche Bazaar. After walking for almost over an hour, we come across the glistening Mt. Thamserku (6,608m) on our right and also experience the serenity of pine, fir and juniper forests throughout our journey. If the weather is clear, you may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. We continue walking until we reach the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Mt. Everest and main trading centre of this region. This day we cross five suspension bridges, the last one also known as the Hillary Bridge being the highest. It is an uphill walk from Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.hiking 5 – 6 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 04 Namche Bazaar Acclimation day
Today is set aside for acclimatization. Health experts recommend that instead of being idle you stay active and move around even during the rest day. We can either stroll around Namche’s quaint villages and get acquainted with the Sherpas and their rich culture, or we can hike up to the Everest View Hotel as well as Everest Next and enjoy an up-close view of the mighty Everest. While in the Namche village or upon returning from the hike to the Everest View Hotel, trekkers may also visit the local museum containing exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna as well as the history of the Mount Everest region.
For trekkers who want to hike for a little longer, a hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours) may also be an option. In the village we can visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti!). Overnight in Namche Bazaar. Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 05 Namche Bazaar to Tengboche 3870m.
After breakfast, you trek towards Tengboche. It is an easy walk from Namche to Phunki. Upon reaching Phunki, you ascend towards Tengboche, a famous monastery which is the largest monastery of the Everest region. Located amidst the Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of “outstanding universal value”), it is draped with the panoramic 360-degree view of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku and is also the biggest monastery in the Khumbu region. You visit the monastery the same day at around 3 p.m. to witness a religious ceremony. Overnight in Tengboche. Hiking 5 – 6 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 06 Tengboche to Dingboche 4410m.
With the Himalayas as its backdrop, the monastery in Tengboche is in a perfect location to enjoy the beautiful Himalayan landscape. We visit the monastery in the morning and take pictures of the amazing landscape. Then we begin your trek by walking through lush forests of birch, conifers and rhododendrons on an easy path. This picturesque trail then dips down to Debuche, crossing the Imja River before climbing up to Pangboche (We can either walk in the upper or lower Pangboche trails). We are most likely to choose the upper Pangboche trails as it provides more pristine view of the Himalayas. We also visit the Pangboche monastery. From here onwards, the walk is fairly moderate as we enter the Imja Valley. The valley gradually unfolds as we approach the confluence of the Lobuche River. You descend into the river and begin the climb up to Dingboche. On arrival at Dingboche, you are greeted by a beautiful array of fields enclosed by stone walls to protect barley, buckwheat and potatoes from the cold wind and grazing animals. Overnight in Dingboche. Hiking 5 – 6 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 07 Dingboche to Chhukung 4730m.
Dingboche is a summer settlement and here the great peaks of Ama Dablam, the ridge of Nuptse-Lhotse, Tawache and Chalotse surround us. We begin today’s trek to Chhukung by walking through stone-walled fields, Imja Khola valley before walking in glacier moraines. On our walk, we will be surrounded by Lhotse and Ama Dablam mountains. Later, beyond Bibre village we see Island Peak soaring above us. The trail ahead is intersected by icy streams. We reach Chhukung, a small settlement in about half an hour from Bibre. From here, directly across the valley is the fantastic Ama Dablam and the Amphu Labsa mountains. Overnight in Chhukung. Hikinf 3 – 4 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 08 Acclimatization climbs Chhukung Ri and trek back to Chhukung
Today is another day set aside for acclimatization. Climbing Chhukung Ri should help our body adjust to the high altitude. Chhukung Ri is a peak located directly above the Chhukung village. The climb to Chhukung Ri involves some easy scrambling near the summit. From the top, we can look directly across the valley for a fantastic view of Ama Dablam and Amphu Labsa peaks. We descend back to Chhukung to spend the night. Hiking 3 – 4 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 09 Chhukung to Island Peak Base Camp 5200m.
The trek to Island Peak Base Camp is on a fairly steep trail. First, we climb south then turn east to the main line of the valley. We then walk on a winding path below the southern flank of the moraine from the Lhotse Glacier. Next, we continue walking on a pleasant trail along a streamside. The route to the Amphu Lapcha lies to the southeast. A crisscross route through the Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines leads to a wide valley flanking the SW side of Island Peak. Overnight at Island Peak Base Camp. Hiking 3 – 4 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 10 Island Peak Base Camp to Island Peak Summit 6189 m., back to base camp
We wake up early today at around 12 to 1 am and have our breakfast before beginning our climb. It is important we reach the summit before noon because in the afternoon the strong winds in the highlands might become a barrier for a successful summit. The trail moves up beyond the base camp for several hundred meters before striking off the steep hillside. Initially sandy, the path soon turns to grass before becoming boulder strewn. As we climb up the hill, we will see that the slope narrows and the trail enter a steep rock channel. We climb the rock gully. This is not difficult, but there are several short rock steps to climb before we emerge on the right side of the gully. The route then follows a ridgeline, which leads to an exhilarating and exposed traverse onto the snout of the summit glacier. The guides will fix a rope when required. A steep snow slope leads us onto the summit ridge. Both fixed rope and man rope will be used during the climb for safety. We use fix rope after successfully climbing on rock. The length of the rope will usually be of 350m. However, the length depends on the time of the season and the crevasses
There are two newly formed crevasses which are approximately 3 and 4 meters long. We will be using ladders to cross them. After enjoying the summit views, and taking pictures, we descend all the way to Island Peak Base Camp where some of our crew is waiting for us. We celebrate on our successful Island Peak climb. Hiking 10 – 12 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 11 Isaland Peak Base Camp to Pangboch 3930m.
Today’s walk will be a much easier as we descend to the lower altitudes. Following the same route back through the wide valley of Khumbu Khola, we pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages Orsho and Shomare. We can also take a different trail to visit the Gompa in Upper Pangboche, which is believed to be the oldest in the Khumbu region or take the regular trail to reach Pangboche. Pangboche is a scenic village surrounded by Everest to its north, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kangtaiga to the east, the Kongde range to the south and the Imja Tse River flowing through the wide fertile valley. Hiking 5 – 6 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 12 Pangboche to Namche 3440 m.
From Pangboche we retrace our steps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forest to Tengboche. If interested, we can also visit nuns at the Tengboche monastery. After lunch at Tengboche, we continue through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, our trail follows the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa. We keep a lookout for wildlife such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants, etc., while passing through the forest. After passing a chorten, we reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar. Hiking 4 – 5 hrs Tea House (Meal Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

Day 13 Namche Bazaar to Lukla
Day 14 Kathmandu fly by helicopt

Day 15 Final departure
Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organize your photos. A representative from Mountain Experience will take you to the airport, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you’ll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.