Island Peak Climbing & Everest Base Camp-18 Days

You will begin after dawn to catch an early flight to Lukla. The flight is scenic and thrilling, as you traverse above towering peaks. After about 30 minutes, you will land at the narrow airstrip of the mountainous airport, renowned for its challenging descent. At Lukla you will first have breakfast in the presence of mighty mountains, and then begin the long-awaited trek! As you cross suspension bridges over gushing rivers below, the trail gets lined by lush and beautiful forests. You will walk for around four hours crossing suspension bridges and passing through Sherpa villages before stopping for the night in a lodge in Phakding. The beautiful trail and scenic mountains will contribute to your excitement on the first night as you prepare for the epic trek to the heart of Everest.

As you begin the trek from Phakding, you will be facing a long day of trek to Namche Bazaar, the destination for today. The actual trekking duration is about seven hours with ample amount of stopovers. The trail is scenic, and at this altitude you will even pass through lush rhododendron forests. The excitement will push you further today where you’ll cross high-altitude suspension bridges over Dudhkoshi River, including the famous Hillary Bridge. After crossing Monjo, your trail enters Sagarmatha National Park with breathtaking views of valleys and mountains. After a quick permits-check, you will begin today’s final stretch to Namche located at 3,440 metres. The climb is steep, but every inch of the ascent to Namche Bazaar is worth it. 

Upon reaching Namche, you will be filled with amazement to have reached this close to the gigantic mountains. You will immediately feel at home in this vibrant old town filled with markets, cafes, lodges, and shops bustling with tourists and locals alike. This is where you will rest for the day soaking in hot water and enjoy high-speed Internet connection. Nearby, you can explore monasteries and stupas if you feel energetic and not worn out by the day’s trek. And if the day is clear, you may even catch your first glimpse of some iconic peaks of Everest region.

Sleeping this close to the mountains has its own benefits — like having a breakfast with sumptuous views of the giant peaks. As your excitement builds up for the day, you will realise that it’s no more walking for the day. All you have to do is relax and enjoy the day in this mountain village with very short hikes for some acclimatisation. Today is also your chance to catch some breath and let your body adjust to the thinner air at this altitude. During the day you can hike up to Hotel Everest View, for jaw-dropping glimpses of Mt. Everest itself. And if time provides you can wander around the shops, check into a bakery or a cafe, and indulge in a treat. Just make sure you do not miss the golden sun setting against the peaks – bringing you a feeling of inspiration and awe! You will suddenly realise that you are in the heart of the Everest region – and your adventure is just getting started..

As you begin your ascent towards the famous Tengboche village, the anticipation keeps building further. While the air gets thinner and the winding trails might appear less inviting, you should keep your head up and look towards the sky to witness majestic towering peaks. You will see the beautiful Ama Dablam, Everest, Thamsherku, and other mountains — each one with a grandeur of its own.

Approaching closer to Tengboche, you will feel the air swirling with energy. And the views – your heart will be racing, eyes will be gazing, and the regal icy peaks will be looming right above you! This  once-in-a-lifetime moment will be more satisfying with views of pine and rhododendron forests gracefully stretching as far as the eyes can see! And at dusk when you step into Tengboche at 3,867 metres, you’ll feel the ancient walls, witness monks wearing maroon robes, and feel their deep-echoing chants. Colourful prayer flags will appear fluttering in the breeze as night falls in this isolated village with mighty mountains in its backyard.

The trail to Dingboche is a mix of difficult trekking and breathtaking vistas. Although not overly strenuous, each step appears heavier as the thin air becomes thinner. Sheer willpower will keep your spirits soaring but stopovers will help you catch a breath before you move on. The trek to Dingboche reveals more than rocks and barren trails; it reveals your inner resilience. Respite comes in the views of rhododendron and nival forests, in the shadow of white mountains looming over with their icy crests. This could easily become the hardest walk of your life, or the best one.

Arriving at the tranquil Dingboche you will see that it is nestled at the vicinity of several Himalayan peaks – Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse, and Thamsherku among others. The humbling majesty of these peaks cannot be felt immediately but only much later as the night grows darker and your muscles begin to gather rest. In the silence of the night you will understand the isolation of the Himalayas — and you will be left to wonder about the amazing people who call this region their home.

This is a day to capture the awe and wonder of the Himalayas from inside the heart of Khumbu region. As you begin the day in anticipation, it will be comforting to know that today is the day of acclimatisation with very short treks around but not a long trek ahead. You will acclimatise your body today to adapt to thinner air, preparing your body for the journey tomorrow.

You will begin with a light breakfast and mentally prepare for the push to Lobuche, your next stop en route to Everest Base Camp. Today you’ll be traversing easy slopes lined with prayer flags and scattered houses. As you trudge along in the breeze, you will see the majestic peaks looking down to you from the heavens. Newer mountains will become visible today as you rest and rejuvenate — preparing for tomorrow with expectations of more beautiful sceneries and stepping one step closer to your destination of Everest Base Camp.

Venturing towards Everest Base Camp, with each step you will feel like you’re getting closer to your destination. The rugged charm of Dingboche will be long gone once you arrive at Khumbu River Valley, and before mid-day, and you will find yourself trekking along Khumbu Glacier itself! Along the way you will have mesmerising panoramas of peaks like Ama Dablam and Pumori. And as you trek further with heavy steps along the barren rocky lands and icy glaciers, you will wonder why a trip to Base Camp has to be so trying. 

The breakfast of the morning would be a thing of the remote past, as you crave for more energy with every laboured breath. Too many stopovers will make you lag behind your group and too little will make you tired sooner. So, step by step you will have to trudge towards Lobuche. Some grand views of the eternal peaks will be there to solace you as you will hear helicopters flying over the landscape. Amid the tiredness and anticipation, you should pause to reflect on the determination of those who have ventured here before and conquered this land — for with each passing step you take, you will come closer to Lobuche with the promise of shelter and rest for the night.

Today is the day of a life-time experience as you reach Everest Base Camp. You begin immediately after breakfast, going through rugged and rocky trails. As you trek uphill along the Khumbu Glacier, you head towards Gorakshep, barely a hamlet near Everest Base Camp. Sometime late in the morning you will reach Gorakshep, and after a brief rest here, you will hike to Base Camp. This last leg is filled with excitement and too much anticipation because you will certainly be reaching the base of the planet’s tallest peak. This is THE iconic peak not just geographically, but in every sense of the world.

At the Base Camp, take some photos and videos, and capture every scene until your cameras die or the batteries run dry. You have been soaked in the shadow of the world’s tallest peak, and live the magical moment while you are here. Share the camp with hundreds of other nationalities who have come for the same dream — to make it to Everest!

And as you leave behind the overwhelming awe of the journey, you will forget the hardships of the way. You will be recharged for life. Gradually, you descend towards Gorakshep as the sun sets, taking in the breathtaking views of the surreal landscape — filled with wonder.

Kalapatthar is a peak lying close to Gorakshep. It’s the de facto vantage point in the area offering iconic views of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse. It is with this notion in mind that trekkers begin at dawn to catch the first rays falling on the mountain peaks. As you gain altitude through this steep climb, you will have surreal views of landscapes nearby, especially the gigantic glaciers. And after a really challenging climb, you’ll reach the top where you will be rewarded with views of breathtaking panoramas, and a rare sight of Mount Everest itself with a golden peak. It’s quite a magical scene in itself, and inspiring for your soul too!

Later as you descend to Gorakshep for breakfast, you’ll hurriedly move through your photo album to relive the moment you just experienced two hours earlier. With the regained feeling of beauty still stirring in your heart, you begin your next descent towards Dingboche. Views of majestic mountain peaks are still visible around you, while you move downhill towards serene valleys and terraced landscapes of Dingboche with a heart full of memories. As you descend further, you will begin to appreciate this untamed beauty at probably the most remote wilderness in Nepal.

Today, we’ll leave the main Everest trail and trek towards Island Peak, a popular trekking peak. After breakfast, we will embark on a trek that takes about seven hours. Outside the village, you will cross mani walls before entering high-altitude terrains. Views of icy and rocky landscapes are what comprise most of the day’s trek. As you follow a rocky path to Chhukung, you will come face-to-face with ever-gazing peaks. At places, you will take brief rests. Later in the day you will climb steeply to a moraine east of a glacial valley, crossing streams and following the upper trail to arrive at a wider glacial base. This is the Island Peak Base Camp, where we’ll set up camp for the night. Here, guides will help you practise with climbing gear before we prepare for the ascent to Island Peak.

We’ll start early and trek to Island Peak High Camp, which lies about 400 feet above Island Peak Base Camp. Starting near a moraine, we ascend a grassy slope lined with rocks before reaching the High Camp. From there, the path ascends along a steep hillside, narrowing as it enters a rocky channel. After climbing several short rock steps, we will come to a ridge near a glacier. Along the way you will engage in some equipment training. The ascent is tough due to winds getting stronger each hour, so we aim to reach the summit as early as possible. The guides will set ropes to make it easy to navigate crevasses. Once you reach the top, enjoy the hard-earned spectacular views, we’ll descend to Chhukung.

We have reserved a day today for the sake of emergencies. In case that your summit has to be postponed due to bad weather or delays because of health, physical weakness, or injury, it is customary to set aside a day of contingency. If things go as planned, you will shorten a day in our itinerary. The weather at this altitude cannot be predicted as at one moment it might snow and at the other it might rain. If there are no unexpected reasons, the trip will go smoothly as planned.

Leaving Chhukung  behind, you descend early with a newly discovered inspiration. Trekking down through the rugged paths, you begin to long for the comforts of Namche Bazaar, where you can once again take a hot shower, have a selection of food, and a good sleep. This anticipation will keep you on the trail filled with lush valleys and picturesque villages, not missing the scenes of Tengboche. Along the way you will even cross some suspension bridges high above gushing rivers.

As you keep trekking down, you will enter rhododendron forests and later in the day you will rejoice at the sight of Namche — civilization at last! A sense of relief overpowers you in the evening as you soak your feet in hot water — and you will begin to reflect on the arduous but once-in-a-lifetime journey you just undertook.

Today is the day you bid farewell to Namche. Lacing up your boots with a mixed feeling of joy and humility, you will take the first step towards ending your epic journey. The scenic descent towards Lukla is at times made more beautiful with the presence of the raging Dudhkoshi River. The trail winds down further with steep slopes through forests and valleys before reaching Phakding — where you’ll have one more lunch at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas.

Trekking on from Phakding, you will finally arrive at Lukla after a leisurely trek of some hours. Here at Lukla, you’ll see the settlements, the shops, the cafes, the little lanes and the narrow airstrip. The people moving here and there going about their own business will make for a happy sight as you eagerly look forward to your flight back to Kathmandu.

The flight from Lukla is a scenic one, with views of the peaks you just went to, and some more. A stream of memories will fill you as you land in Kathmandu. The bustling city will be quite a sight in itself as you drive in the traffic jam towards your hotel. In the afternoon you can take a soothing massage or simply wander the market hunting for souvenirs and those “hashish-rickshaw” t-shirts that everyone returning from Nepal buys. And in the evening, you will visit a diner, sharing stories and once again, being grateful for the soul-enriching journey you just took to Everest.

A day sightseeing tour is a good thing to have, after returning from an arduous journey in the difficult terrain of the mountains. There are plenty of places to go in this capital city full of heritage. Although it does not seem like it at first, mainly due to the chaotic traffic and the hullabaloo, there are gems of places hidden inside the valley. Take a vehicle of your choice and stay in the comfort of air-conditioning while you visit places of luxury and pampering. You can go to a premium spa to relieve the muscles and relax, have the much-deserved lunch at a five-star hotel, or simply indulge in shopping. You can also customize a day-trip with us.

After breakfast or depending upon your flight schedule we will transfer you to the airport. As your plane takes off from the runway in Kathmandu, your journey to Nepal comes to an end for this time — until you decide to visit again for some memorable and soul-searching trip in the Himalayas.