Island Peak, also known as Imja Tse, a mountain in Sagarmatha National Park of the Himalayas of Eastern Nepal with a height of 6,189m (20305ft), is one of most popular adventurous trekking route in Nepal for climbing the Himalayas. Island Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek is an awesome and fantastic experience for trekking in Nepal for energetic and physically fit and strong climbers. The Peak was named as “Island Peak” by British expeditors in 1953 when they viewed from Dingboche as the peak appearing in the middle of Chhukung valley as an Island in the sea of ice and snow.
The Journey to Island peak begins from flight to the amazing airport in Khumbu Region, Lukla Airport. From there you are connecting with brave Sherpa who is part of your trekking in the Everest region. Your route passes through Sagarmatha National Park, which covers the Everest Region, full of a variety of flora and fauna, wildlife and endangered animals so others. Island peak climbing not only offers the unforgettable climb but also provides some awesome and spectacular views of the great Himalayas in the Everest Region. Mountaineers have an amazing and magical panoramic view of the Khumbu region and of giant mountains, Mt. Nuptse, Mt Lhotse, Lhotse middle peak and Lhotse Shar in the north making half a circle, Mt. Makalu in Eastside and Mt. Baruntse and Amadablam in the south.
During the trekking, you will also reach to the Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar for the up-close views of Mount Everest and other surrounding High peaks and summit. During Descending after summiting the Island Peak you will Pass through villages of Sherpa Community, several Tibetan Monasteries, many cultural and traditional sites of Sherpa village, Hillary School playing ‘Hide and Seek’ inside the clouds and The Yeti Scalp.
This Package also included the sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley with Island Peak Climbing. For more details and day to day schedule and plan please check out the Itinerary developed by our team of experts.
If you are looking for similar trips in the Everest region, we also offer Lobuche East Peak Climbing with EBC, Mera peak climbing, and many more.
After arriving in Kathmandu, a representative from Luxury Holidays Nepal will pick up from the airport and take to your hotel. In the afternoon, you may take a rest or visit Luxury Holidays Nepal’s office. At evening, we host a pre-trip meeting at your hotel in Kathmandu and introduce your tour and trekking guide. Please seek this opportunity to ask questions about your trip. This includes a final briefing and preparations for the trip. For the meeting, please make sure you bring your passport, three copies of passport-size photos, and a readable copy of your travel insurance policy. During this meeting, please clear the due balance, if any. Please inform us in advance if you will be arriving late and therefore are unable to attend the pre-trip meeting. Overnight in Kathmandu.
After breakfast, your sightseeing trip will start. You will have a private vehicle and a professional tour guide for your sightseeing tour. You will visit the following sites.
Swyambunath Stupa - The Monkey Temple (World Heritage Site):
You can watch over the valley from the top of a hillock on its western side. Swyambhu is also known as Samhengu and the Monkey temple because of the countless monkeys living in the premises.
Pashupatinath Temple (World Heritage Site):
Pashupatinath Temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples of Nepal. It is located on the banks of Bagmati River on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu. Pashupatinath is the most important temple dedicated to god Shiva.
Boudhanath Stupa:
Boudhanath Stupa is 2500 years old Buddhist stupa in the Valley built in the 5th century with four pairs of eyes of Lord Buddha in four cardinal directions keeping an eternal watch over the people and their doings. You will find Buddhist pilgrims from Tibet going round the stupa spinning the prayer wheels.
Patan Durbar Square (World Heritage Site):
Patan Durbar Square - located in central of city Lalitpur. It displays the Newari architecture that had reached its pinnacle during the reign of Malla kings who were great builders and patrons of the arts.
The rest of your time is free for further exploration and some shopping near to your hotel. Overnight in Kathmandu.
During the 30-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (9,186ft), you will enjoy one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating on a hillside surrounded by high mountainous peaks. At Lukla, a gateway destination from where your trek begins, you meet your other trekking crew members and begin packing and arranging with them. From Lukla, you start trekking. At one hour’s gradual descent, you will be at a Cheplung village from where you have a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila (18900 ft), a sacred mountain which has never been climbed. From Cheplung, you then gradually descend until you reach Phakding and spend the night. Overnight at Lukla.
Walking through a beautiful pine forest, you follow the trail north up the valley of Benkar. Then, you cross the Dudh Koshi River and go on passing Chumoa to Monjo, the entrance to Everest National Park. Then crossing a suspension bridge, you pass Jorsale village and walk alongside the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers. A steep ascent brings you to the prime heartland of Sherpa village - Namche Bazaar. At one hour’s distance to reaching Namche Bazaar, if the weather permits, you can view the sights of Mt. Everest and Mt. Lhotse. Overnight at Namche.
There are plenty of things to do around Namche Bazaar, and you can spend a day here acclimatizing. Namche Bazaar is the main center of the Khumbu region and has government offices, ATMs, Internet cafes, shops, restaurants, and a colorful market. Your guides can take to explore the real charm of Namche Bazaar. Hiking to Sagarmatha National Park rewards trekkers with a sunrise view and the views of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kongde and so on. If you are interested in a day hike, you trek to Khumjung village (12401 ft)-a beautiful village with a Sherpa settlement. In exploring Namche Bazar, you observe traditional Sherpa life, Khumjung Hillary School and enjoy the flora and fauna found at such altitude. Overnight at Namche.
This segment of the trek includes the famous descent to the Dudh-Koshi River and the equally famous ascent along the rhododendron forests to Tengboche. While descending to the Dudh Kish River, you enjoy the views of mountain tops like Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kongde and so on. Upon reaching Tengboche, you will visit the Tengboche Monastery-the largest monastery in the region and soak in the views of Everest, Ama Dablam and other peaks. Overnight at Tengboche.
You descent and trek through forests filled with a variety of lush trees – birch, conifers and rhododendrons. This journey again rewards with tremendous views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. The picturesque trail dips down to Devuche, crosses the Imja River and takes to Pangboche. The upper Pangboche trails reward you with a more pristine view of the Himalayas and the Pangboche Monastery. The trek moves ahead towards the Imja Valley, Lobuche River and ultimately begins climbing up to Dingboche. At Dingboche, you see a beautiful array of fields enclosed by stone walls to protect barley, buckwheat and potatoes from the cold winds and grazing animals. Overnight at Dingboche.
You start the day with a gradual climb to Duglha at the end of the terminal moraine of the Khumbu. From here, you climb up a steep trail to Chupki Lhara, where you find an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10-time Everest submitter Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepali mountain guide) who perished on a mission to climb Everest. Next, you continue to the Khumbu moraine and find ourselves facing several great peaks - Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. The trail then eases off as you follow the valley to Lobuche. Overnight at Lobuche.
You take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once vast Gorak Shep Lake. Continuing straight ahead, you come across the Indian army mountaineers' memorials. The path from here can be misleading; hence, it is important that you follow your lead Sherpa diligently. The walk is strenuous due to the thin air in the high altitude. You pass through rocky dunes, moraine and streams before reaching the Everest Base Camp. Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp, you see the tents of mountaineers that stand out in bright colors against the monotony of gray surroundings (especially in the spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains you can view from the base camp. You get back to Gorak Shep for a good night's rest. Overnight at Gorak Shep.
Prepare for an early morning departure, amid pre-dawn darkness and cold temperatures (-10 to -14 C). Plus, there is always the potential for chilly winds which are quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself. But, it is upon reaching Kala Patthar that you get to see 360 degrees up-close and formidable views of Mt. Everest. Take pictures, enjoy the magnificent mountain panorama, and then return back to Lobuche for a good night's rest. Overnight at Lobuche.
After breakfast, trek to Kongma La Base Camp (5,000m/16,404ft) via Khumbu Glacier. The ascent to Kongma La pass is the most difficult part of your trek. In the Kongma La, you see a cairn wrapped in prayer flags to mark the pass. Then, descend gradually to the Imja Khola valley, followed by another descent to Chhukung, a small summer settlement. After reaching Chhukung you will also check your equipment in order to get ready for your ultimate climb. Overnight at Chhukung.
Note: If you do not want to undertake the Kongma La pass, you can follow another route via Dingboche to Chhukung instead.
The trek trail to Island Peak Base Camp is on a fairly steep. First, climb south, then turn east to the main line of the valley. Then walk on a winding path below the southern flank of the moraine from the Lhotse Glacier. Next, continue walking on a pleasant trail along a streamside. The route to the Amphu Labtsa 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 the base camp.
Begin your pre-climb training after breakfast. Your guides will provide training on peak climbing techniques and the proper ways of using climbing gears such as the ice axe, climbing boots and crampons, harness, ascender, etc. The training will also include using ropes to go up and down. Although it is not mandatory to have prior training for Island Peak climbing, we strongly believe that some training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit as well as to fully enjoy the experience. Usually, you will be climbing on rock surface for up to around 5770m. After that, climb on ice and use ropes when necessary. However, the use of the rope and the length depends upon the season and the crevasses. You can spend the rest of the day hiking to high camp and back or resting for the next day’s climb. Overnight at the base camp.
Wake up early at around 12 to 1 am and have breakfast before beginning your climb. It is important you reach the summit before noon in the afternoon because 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 a boulder-strewn. As you climb up the hill, you will see that the slope narrows and the trail enters a steep rock channel. Climb the rock gully. This is not difficult, but there are several short rock steps to climb before you 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 you onto the summit ridge. Both fixed rope and man rope will be used during the climb for safety. You use a fixed 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. You will be using ladders to cross them. After enjoying the summit views, and taking pictures, descend all the way to Island Peak Base Camp where some of your crew is waiting for you. hen celebrate on your successful Island Peak climb. Overnight at the base camp.
The trek will be a much easier as descend to the lower altitudes. Following the same route back through the wide valley of Khumbu Khola, pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages Orsho and Shomare. You 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. Overnight at Pangboche.
From Pangboche you retrace your steps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forest to Tengboche. If interested, you can also visit nuns at the Tengboche monastery. After lunch at Tengboche, continue through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, your trail follows the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa. You keep a lookout for wildlife such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants, etc. while passing through the forest. After passing a Chorten, reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar. Overnight at Namche Bazaar.
The trail descends steeply downward so you need to walk cautiously as your shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries, the trail becomes more level and natural. After your arrival in Lukla, you stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. Overnight at Lukla.
Catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after your long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, you can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If you want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, you may do that. Your guides can help you with both souvenir shopping. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of your journey. Overnight in Kathmandu.
After a few days of fun and excitement, the day to bid farewell has arrived. Our representatives will escort you to the Tribhuwan International Airport as per your flight time.
After the wonderful opportunity to organize this tour for you we wish you a safe and happy journey ahead.
The Island Peak part is especially exhausting however the adaptation treks leading up to IP are well designed to help prepare you for the hard effort to the top. The support guides and porters were all first class with lots of experience. We enjoyed meeting up will all our fellow companions from all over the world.
Thank you Luxury Holidays Nepal for organizing this very well.
What an amazing adventure! My Dad and I did a 20 day trek in October 2016. Mingma was our guide and he was excellent. Every little detail was thought of and being that it was our first time trekking it was made easy with being looked after so well. Thank you very much to the whole Luxury Holidays Nepal team. It was a life changing adventure holiday we will never forget.
Visited March 2017
Published: Thursday, March 2, 2017We are greatly indebted to Luxury Holidays Nepal for helping us to fulfill our dream of Island Peak Climbing Expedition. We thought Island peak climbing was out of possibility when looking at the prices of the other companies. We are so grateful that Luxury Holidays Nepal made it possible. We arrived in Kathmandu on 10th October 2016 with six of my friends. After one day stays in Kathmandu in Gokarna Forest Resort we fly to Lukla. It was fantastic scenic Himalayan flight provided beautiful close up of view higher Mountain range. As soon as we arrived in Lukla airport our trekking began. At first, we trekked to Kalapathar. After enjoying the great view of Mt. Everest at Kalapathar we headed towards Chhukung. We stayed in Chukkung for 2 days for acclimatization and preparation for climbing. Our climbing guides taught us basic climbing techniques which helped us very much. Then we started to climb Island peak. Although our all team did not succeed the whole peak climbing but it was a great experience though. We enjoyed it very much. We do not have any comments on the management of Luxury Holidays Nepal. We highly appreciate the leading style and the management of Mr. Ram. All the climbing guides were highly experienced, caring and helpful. As a result of our satisfaction, we are planning Everest three high pass Trekking in 2017 April. Thank you very much to Luxury Holidays Nepal and all the best for your bright future in trekking and adventure operations in Nepal.
Published: Monday, October 31, 2016A very professional and friendly 3 weeks with Luxury Holidays Nepal. We crossed Renjo La and Cho La and climbed Gokyo Ri and Kala Patthar. Wonderful trekking and great acclimatization for Island Peak.
Visited April 2016
Published: Friday, April 8, 2016Trekking Grade:
The Island Peak Climbing trip is a challenging journey. It is moderately long trekking which goes into the country's most elevated mountain. So travelers require more energy and the trip is actually tiring which includes 5-8 hrs. (approx.) of walking per day in the rocky edges. It doesn't require previous experience, but you must be physically healthy and better if you do regular exercise. If you love walking at high altitude, then this trip is for you.
Accommodation:
Luxury Holidays Nepal will provide you 4-star hotels in Kathmandu, standard Lodge during trekking and tented camp during climbing. Lodge has the rooms with just the basics, normally with a bed, blanket and pillows. We will provide you and your group in the lodge which is locally available every day. If you want to upgrade accommodation in cities, then contact us for cost detail. Accommodation in Kathmandu(Timber House Nepal or similar category).
Transportation on Journey:
Luxury Holidays Nepal will offer you a private luxury vehicle for airport transferal, sightseeing tour and flight from Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu.
Luggage:
Throughout the trip of Mountain Trekking, your luggage are carried and moved by the porters. You should carry the water bottle, sunscreen, camera, spare jacket, etc. Your main luggage will be your trekking bag and you can carry a small lockable bag that will provide safety. You are provided with a free locker room in the hotel of Kathmandu. The weight allowance in domestic airlines of Nepal is up to 15kg and for more weight you have to pay US$1 per/kg depending on the area.
Group Leader during the journey:
Luxury Holidays Nepal will facilitate you with the trained travelling guide in your group. There will be a single porter for a couple of people.
Payment of the Due Balance:
The rest amount of your trip can be paid in our office after your arrival or via online payment before your arrival in Nepal (Online payment). If you choose to settle your holiday balance by credit card a handling charge of 4% on the outstanding balance is made. There is no handling charge for payment by bank transfer.
Vouchers:
If you have purchased a voucher for the tour, please inform us which tour date suits you as soon as you are certain. We need time to purchase your domestic air ticket and make other arrangements so please confirm your spot on a tour at least 2 months prior to the commencement of the tour. Your booking on a particular tour date is subject to the availability of spots. Also, please send us your redemption code and voucher number through this link (Voucher Redemption).
Visa:
You can get a visa at Kathmandu airport upon arrival. Please bring 2 photos for the visa. Expect to have some waiting time in the queue for obtaining your visa. You can also get your visa prior to coming on the tour by contacting your closest Nepali embassy.
Tourist Visa Fee Details |
|
Days |
Updated Tourist Visa Fees |
15 Days (Multiple Entry) |
USD 30 |
30 Days (Multiple Entry) |
USD 50 |
90 Days (Multiple Entry) |
USD 125 |
Visa Extension (Within Valid Visa Period) |
USD 3 per day |
Visa Extension (With Multiple Entry) |
Additional USD 25 |
Visa Extension (After Visa Expiration) |
Late fee USD 5 per day |
For more details please click here.
Booking your international flight:
If you don't have a regular travel agent then you can check for international flight options at one of these sites.
makemytrip.com, www.kayak.com, www.vayama.com
They usually have good offers. For more details: (See the international flights page)
When and where should you arrive?
Please book your international flight to arrive and depart from Kathmandu international airport. The tour starts with an orientation meeting at about 5 pm on the first night of the tour and ends on after the scheduled trip after breakfast.
You will be received outside the Kathmandu international airport terminal by representatives holding a "Luxury Holidays Nepal" sign card and he will escort you to the Hotel.
If you plan to arrive early or depart late, please make sure you make extra hotel arrangements by contacting at booking@luxuryholidaynepal.com
After you purchase your international air ticket, please contact us to give your flight details.
Currencies accepted in Nepal:
Some major currencies (USD, AUD, and EURO) are accepted for both visas and in general. There are plenty of ATMs in Kathmandu and credit cards are accepted in limited shops and many restaurants. Please note that only Nepali rupees are accepted on the trek.
Health Issues:
We advise you to visit your doctor at least 60 days earlier before beginning your journey to Island peak climbing. Altitude sickness (AMS) is the main health issue. You may feel mild altitude sickness like nausea, lethargy, and headache but they will get less in a couple of days or. To be protected from (AMS) you can take Diamox pills or you can consult the doctor and use medicine as referred and purchase them from Kathmandu. For your information, your traveling guide will also have pills for (AMS) and other basic medicine, but we suggest you carry your own medicine. We recommend you take pills for diarrhea, cold, fever and nausea.
Insurance/Evacuation:
We do not hope that there may arise any serious problem for you in your journey, but if you get caught by serious illness, then we will do our best to take you to the nearest hospital possible. But you will be responsible for all the expenses that take place in the evacuation process. So, it is good for you to have insurance which will cover your cost. Be insured (As you will reach up to 6200meter). (See the travel insurance page)
Trip Extensions/ Add on trips:
If you like our service and you want to extend your trip, then we can further organize your trip to India, Bhutan and Tibet. And other trekking and activities of Nepal like Annapurna trek, Langtang Trek, Manaslu Trek, Bunjee Jumping, Rafting, Peak Climbing, Tours, etc.
Tips:
A general rule of thumb for tipping is to USD 40 to USD 70 per Traveler, depending on the length of the trek. Porters do appreciate a personal tip, although it is not uncommon for the Guide and his Porters to pool the tips they have collected before splitting it amongst themselves, with the Guide is getting a little more for overseeing the welfare and safety of both the Travelers and Porters as a whole. That said, this is just a guide and you may tip however much you think is appropriate for the services rendered which made your trip a memorable one.
For more information about Nepal Trip click here.
Note:
1. Please note that often the Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu flight gets delayed by a few hours or may even be canceled for one, two, or more days due to unfavorable weather conditions. Such conditions may arise even in the best seasons. Hence, in such cases, you must be prepared for long waits either at Kathmandu or Lukla airports, as this can happen either at the start or end of the trek or even both! We will do our best to avoid such delays, and arrange the next flight for you. We also organize Helicopter rescue in such conditions, if it is available and upon request by our clients. The helicopter charges around USD 3500 and it can lift 4-5 persons per flight. Still, we suggest you to be prepared for possible delays/cancellations, and if possible to come with some extra days (1-2 days) at the end of the trip to accommodate such delays. If everything runs smoothly and you still have extra days then you may even engage yourself in optional activities that can be arranged by Luxury Holidays Nepal upon request. The optional activities may include visiting places/landmarks of your choice, adventure sports, shopping, etc.
In case the flight delay/cancellation happens at the start of the trip and it goes so long that it disturbs your onward travel schedule, you are free to choose an alternative trip such as a trek in the Annapurna, Langtang, or any other region. If you are not interested in the alternative trip and would rather wait for your original preferred trip, you are welcome to wait in Kathmandu for as many days as it takes to get a flight to Lukla. However, please note that there will be no refund if you lose time waiting at the airport and do not take an alternative tour or you only do a short trek later due to time limitation. If the cancellation happens before the trip, we will provide you accommodation and lunch in a guesthouse in Kathmandu. In case of the flight delay/cancellation after finishing the trek, you will be responsible for all your expenses. Please also note that you will not be entitled to any refund for the services (such as hotel, transportation, flight, etc.) included in the package that you would not use later.
2. During the trip; weather, local politics, transport or other factors, that are beyond our control can result in a change of itinerary. It is however very unlikely that the itinerary would be substantially altered. If alterations are necessary the leader will decide what is the best alternative taking into consideration the best interests of the whole group. Where a change does occur, we do everything we can to minimize its effect.
Island Peak climbing is one difficult expedition in the Everest region. However with proper and adequate gears, equipment, and professional guidance and assistance of Climbing guides and Sherpa Porters. Although extreme cold, unpredictable weather, heavy Snow falls, low air pressure, and low oxygen level, etc. make Island Peak climbing challenging but not an unsafe one.
Island peak is surrounded by the Himalayan ranges in Everest Region and it rises up in the mid and that is why this peak is called island peak. Island peak Climbing is recognized as the safe one but there are lots of challenges. Unpredictable bad weathers, heavy snowfalls, heavy clouds and fogs almost blocking the vision, extreme cold and chilly wind, low air pressure and oxygen level, etc. are the challenges Island Peak climbing.
The best time for Island Peak Climbing are the months of Autumn and springs. During these months, there is no or low snowfall and the weather is stable. Sky and vision are clear and clouds are very thin. So the months of September, October, November, March, April, and May are recognized as the best time for Island Peak Climbing.
For more questions, check out All FAQs.