Island Peak Climbing

Island Peak is a popular trekking peak in Nepal, located in the Khumbu region of the Himalayas. It stands at an elevation of 6,189 meters (20,305 feet) and is a popular choice for those who want to combine a trekking adventure with a climb to a Himalayan peak.

Climbing Island Peak requires technical skills, physical fitness, and experience in high-altitude mountaineering. It typically takes around 15-18 days to complete the climb, including acclimatization days and trekking to the base camp.

Trip begins after flying to Lukla village and follows the classical Everest Base Camp trekking route up to Gorak Shep. From there, the trail turns east towards the Khumbu Glacier, Kongma la and follows the Imja Valley to reach Island Peak Base Camp.

The climb to the summit involves traversing a glacier, climbing steep snow and ice slopes, and navigating a ridge to reach the summit. The climb is challenging, but the panoramic views of the surrounding peaks, including Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makalu, make it an unforgettable experience.

To climb Island Peak, Gokyo Treks agency will arrange for you a licensed guide and obtain the necessary permits from the Nepal Mountaineering Association. It is also important to have the proper equipment, including ice axes, crampons, and a climbing harness.

In general, Island Peak climbing in Nepal is a rewarding and challenging adventure that requires proper preparation, training, and experience. Likewise, climbing the island peak is possible at any time (except winter months) throughout the year.

The Island Peak Climbing itinerary details.

Our island peak climbing crossing over kong mala pass has 16 days itinerary route map is scheduled for a world explorer who wishes to hike to the high passes mountain but is restricted time-wise let us know your own travel route. However, if the climbing itinerary is not fit you then send us an inquiry for a tailor-made itinerary.

Take an early flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (2,860m/9,381 feet), seat at north side to get better view. Upon arrival at the Lukla bazaar, meet our entire crew, have breakfast, and begin Lukla to Phakding hike with the hiking crew. Lukla trail to Phakding is a lower Solu Khumbu landscapes go simply up in ascending order.

Hike further with a gentle climb up the mountainside on the left shore of the Dudh Koshi. A little summit, Nupla is just next to you on the opposite bank of the River. Passing several Sherpa villages, we reach Bengkar village.

The Everest trail ascends through the Koshi riverbank into the mountain, through a forest to Chumoa. We continue with many ups and downs; cross a stream, and pass by the tiny Monjo hamlet. We walk the Sagarmatha National Park and check the post office where everyone should pay park entrance fees.

We follow a short walk along the river banks of this valley where the major river put together each other. Crossing over the Hillary Bridge, you will have the first excellent view of Mount Everest (8848m) and Lhotse (8516m.). Namche Bazaar is a midpoint for selling trekking gear, food, and other necessary commodities.

Namche Bazaar view

We start with a steep one-hour climb to the Sengboche airstrip (3790m), from where we will slowly ascent towards Khunde passing numerous chorten (stone Buddhist monuments) and hill station. We go to a hill station to have an excellent view of Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Nuptse, Lhotse, Tawche, Kwangde, and several other mountains within 360 deg angles.

We walk further to Khumjung village which is the largest village in Khumbu, at the foothill of the sacred peak of Khumbila. Visit Khumjung monastery and Kunde Hospital if you have a couple of hours time to look after the Sherpa community.

The Everest classical trail goes ahead leaving a steep cliff that drops down to the Dudh Kosi river. Get an amazing panorama of Ama Dablam (6812m), Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse (7855m), and Tawoche (6501m) from your hiking path.

We walk to Tengboche hill passing Trashinga, Phunki Tenga, and the colorful Rohodondrons forest. Monastery Tengboche (Om Mane Padme Hun) grants a good view of sunrise and sunset at Mount Everest and the Ama Dablam skyline.

We trek leaving Tengboche at the backdrop, we go down passing with rhododendron forest and enter Deboche village. Cross the Imja river suspension bridge, head towards Minlinggo, and inter Imjatse Valley beneath the mighty peaks of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and Lhotse.

It is our turn to head towards Lobuche from Dingboche which is situated at a distance of five and half hours normal walk. The rocky moraine hiking trail starts right after crossing the bridge at Dughla guest house.

Moreover, the journey provides the best view of big mountains like Mount Tawache, Ama Dablam, Pokalde, Kongma-Tse.. etc.

Leaving Lobuche, the magical view of mount Pumori and Cholatse, Lobuche, and Amadablam is simply eye-catching. Hike further the rocky mountain icebergs, we reach the sandy ground Gorakshep.

Lunch at Gorak Shep lodge and climb Kala Patthar hill which is located at an altitude of 5550 meters above the sea. Kalapatthar is a mountain of Blackstone. We ascend about 365 meters above Gorak Shep guest house to the Kala Patthar summit takes 3 hours roughly.

The mountain view from Kala Patthar is just perfect to watch the Khumbu icefall, Everest summit, Pumori, Everest base camp, and more in a row.

Check your gears before departure crevasse trail across the Khumbu glacier. Khumbu glacier safari is not an easy-to-reach kongma la. The risky kongma la is 5,535 meters and tenders the best panorama of the Khumbu mountain range. The view from Kongmala and the view from the Island’s peak summit offer similarities.

If you are a photographer and trying to find the best possible hill station to capture photo shoots? we recommend the kong mala pass trek route. But the route is a tough and the longest day tour to reach Chhukung Lodge.

Today is acclimatization day. However, planning the best hike? Chhukung Ri is an idle place. Chhukung Ri is a peak located directly above the Chhukung Lodge. The climb to Chhukung Ri involves some easy scrambling near the summit.

As you are on the summit, you will have a fantastic view of the Ama Dablam and Amphu Labtsa peaks.

Recheck all climbing gears in Chhukung before heading to island peak trekking. Island peak is situated above the Imja Tse (Imja Lake) and hike to Island Peak Base Camp is on a fairly steep trail. Walk over the Lhotse glacier and also link to the Amphulapcha Pass mountain trail.

The Amphu Lapcha pass trek route is located to the southeast of Imja Tsho /Imja glacial lake. As you are in the Island peak base camp guide will instruct you about basic climbing information for the next morning climbing. Stay overnight in Tent Camp.

A tough day that we need to wake up very early morning. Have breakfast at around 1:30 and begin to climb. Have in mind that we need to get summit before noon because in the afternoon it’s windy.

The trail moves up beyond the base camp for several hundred meters before striking off the steep hillside. As you are climbing higher the landscape’s slope narrower.

The Trek route follows a ridgeline, that leads to an exhilarating and exposed traverse onto the nose of the summit glacier. In addition, the Sherpa climbing guide will fix a rope if it’s required. A steep snow slope leads us onto the summit ridge.

Both fixed rope and climber’s rope will be used during the climb for safety. You can use a fixed rope after successfully climbing on a rock. The length of the rope will usually be 350 meters. However, the length of the rope is depended upon the season and crevasses.

There are two newly formed crevasses that are approximately 3 and 4 meters long. Gokyo Treks and the expedition’s expert guide will help you to cross to reach the summit. After enjoying the top views, descend down to Island Peak Base Camp.

Clean the base camp and walk further to the Chhukung guest house. In the evening, celebrate our successful Island Peak climbing journey with a climbing party.

Finally, the trek descends from Tyangboche to Namche Bazaar passing several villages. Sanasa and Lagusasa are the most famous ones. You will catch the way descends from Gokyo valley. The trailhead is furthermore twenty minutes to find Amadablam lodge for lunch.

After Lunch at Sanasa, we hike up to Khumjung village where one can visit traditional villages landscapes. You might also visit Hillary Hospital located in Khunde. And in the meantime, we follow the Khumjung Monastery to find another path to reach Namche in the late afternoon.

We trek to Lukla with the same trail as we use on ascend. It is the last day of our trekking. Upon arrival at Lukla airport, Buddha lodges we take a rest.

We board our early flight from Lukla to Kathmandu airport. Upon arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan international airport, we arrange a return transfer back to your hotel. In the afternoon, go shopping or request us to discover Kathmandu as a guided trip at an additional cost.

Kathmandu valley sightseeing with a private tour guide. Trip ends.

How much does the Island peak climbing package price?

Climbing the island peak package price US$ 1890 is a standard climbing price on a double occupancy basis. Climbing prices are depending upon the climber’s size and the service you choose.

In the last couple of years, many international climbers are demanding to go on Island peak climbing 1 night 2 days package after Chukung village. Gokyo Treks agency is aware of those concerns and if a guest requests such service, we can arrange climbing permits, guide, food, and climbing gears to attempt the summit successfully.

For the deluxe and luxury trekking & climbing plan, we add a 3-5 star category hotel deluxe air-conditioned room in Kathmandu with breakfast. Likewise, Tourist standard guest house accommodation with an attached toilet/bathroom is possible en route. AND WE ARE OPEN TO CUSTOMIZING YOUR TOUR AND PACKAGE PRICE AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

As checking island peak facts, the climbing tour is possible to complete within 10 days, if you wish to go express to the island peak and descend to Lukla. However, we can organize a private Island Peak Climb combined with each trek starting at any date that works for you. Please contact us for more information.

Question: Is pick-up service available on my arrival in Kathmandu, Nepal?

Answer: Yes sure. Provide us with your international flight details. Our representative will come to meet and greet you. We pick you up from TIA airport Kathmandu to your hotel in Thamel.

Question: Do I need the experience to climb the island peak?.

Answer: Yes, the basic experience of trekking is required to attempt this climbing adventure.

Question: What kind of accommodation can I expect en route?

Answer: We provide you with available tourist standard accommodation during the trekking days. The rooms are clean cozy beds with nice mattresses and blankets. But the sting and dirt of the blanket often and are available only for Nepali guides and porters. To sleep healthy, we recommend you take your own four seasons sleeping bags. If you have one with you otherwise, you may rent four season sleeping bag from Thamel gear house while you are in Kathmandu.

Question: What kind of food can I expect in Island peak climbing?

Answer: All the guesthouses along the trek routes have attached restaurants. They cook a delicious range of mostly vegetarian such as Pasta, tuna bakes, noodles, potatoes, eggs, rice, lentils, bread, soups, and fresh vegetables.

Question: What opportunities will I have for a shower en route?.

Answer: As you hike guest house trekking, all the lodges have a shower which you can get on pay. During the climbing period at Island Peak base camp for 1 night and 2 days, showers are not available.

Question: How do I get drinking water on Peak Climbing days?

Answer: Tourists can buy mineral water en route but we advise against buying mineral water in plastic bottles in the Himalayas, as currently there are no provisions for disposing of those plastic waste. We recommend you bring Aqua tablets to purify the normal water as the normal water is available at the stream and local taps almost everywhere. While you climb the island peak, you can get boiled water on camp, so you can fill it on your own bottle and take it along with you.

Question: Can I charge my digital camera or other batteries on my trip?

Answer: Yes! the climbers can charge the battery on pay. We recommend you bring an extra pair in case. Remember to bring your adapters! And we recommend you take extra batteries along with you.

Question: Are there any communication facilities?

Answer: Everest Link is an internet service provider founded in 2014 that provides high-speed internet and Wi-Fi in the Everest Region. It is the only internet provider at the island peak climbing trail, making it the world’s tallest internet service.

If you wish to stay connected with better WIFI to your family, friends, or business, we suggest you buy Everest Link Internet. It’s better than other NETWORK connections and you can buy an Everest link card easily in the shops, hotels, or any small lodges in the Everest zone.

Question: Can I use credit cards to pay additional expenses while on imja valley trekking?

Answer: Normally not. You need to have cash Nepali rupees because credit cards won’t work in the mountain. But if you are wishing to stay in a luxury hotel along the routes, then you can pay the difference amount to the hotel directly via your credit card. In this way, credit card works.

Question: When should I book my trip and what are the payment terms?

Answer: Because our trips book up months in advance, we recommend booking early to avoid any mistakes. We will, of course, make every effort to accommodate last-minute bookings.

And regarding the deposit, we prefer a 20% advance deposit (not refundable) of the total price of the trip in order to confirm your reservation before you arrive in Nepal. And the rest of the payment can be made after your arrival in Kathmandu.

Question: Who will carry my luggage on Express Island Peak Climbing?

Answer: We provide porters to transfer your luggage. As we are a responsible trekking tour operator agency, every porter carries a maximum of 24 kilos of your backpack which means 2 guests (12 kg luggage of each guest): 1 porter basis.

Question: How much distance do I walk each day?

Answer: When walking/trekking in the mountains, the distance you cover each day can vary greatly due to gradient, terrain, and altitude. As such it is very hard to give specific distances on each day, however, you need to walk roughly about 5 hours each day.

Question: Where can I organize my personal climbing gear?.

Answer: If you have those climbing gear at your home bring them along with you. If you don’t have them, you can rent them in Chhukung village. In Chuhkung’s guest house, you can get all those gear on rent.

Question: How much additional money do I need per day?

Answer: You can allocate US$ 08 – 10 for a lunch/dinner in Kathmandu and it depends on your spending habits. The cost of about US$ 7 to 10 each day is enough to buy bottles of water, chocolates, tea coffee, and some drinks while you are trekking.