Island Peak Ascent via Khumbu

Our representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport upon your arrival and escorts you to your hotel in Kathmandu. We use this afternoon to complete administrative checks and settle in.

We spend today conducting our official trip briefing, checking climbing gear, and allowing time for rest or final purchases in Thamel. Our lead guide reviews the ascent profile and safety procedures with our team.

We take an early morning flight from Kathmandu to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla at 2,860 m. From the airstrip, we begin our gentle descent along the Dudh Koshi river past Cheplung to reach Phakding.

We cross several suspension bridges over the Dudh Koshi, enter Sagarmatha National Park at Jorsale, and tackle the sustained uphill climb through pine forests to reach Namche Bazaar at 3,440 m.

We spend the day hiking up to the Everest View Hotel at 3,880 m to encourage red blood cell production, returning to Namche in the afternoon to visit the Sherpa Culture Museum.

Our trail contours above the gorge before dropping to the Dudh Koshi river at Phunki Tenga. From there, we climb steadily through rhododendron forests to reach Tengboche at 3,860 m and its prominent monastery.

We descend past Debuche, cross the Imja River, and walk through Pangboche amongst ancient mani stones. The valley widens as we approach the summer settlement of Dingboche at 4,410 m.

We ascend the steep slopes of Nagarjun Hill to an altitude of 5,100 m, gaining crucial high-altitude experience before descending back to Dingboche to rest for the night.

We leave Dingboche and follow the wide Imja Valley beneath the massive walls of Lhotse. Continuing along lateral moraines, we establish our camp at Pareshaya Gyab, the Island Peak Base Camp at 5,240 m.

We move our gear to High Camp if conditions permit, or conduct a pre-climbing training session at Base Camp where our guides instruct on crampon use, ascender handling on fixed ropes, and glacier travel.

We start before dawn, climbing rock gullies and navigating snow slopes, crevasses, and the final exposed ridge to reach the 6,189 m summit. After taking in the views, we descend carefully back to Base Camp.

We pack up our camp and retrace our steps down the Imja Valley, descending through Chhukung and Dingboche to reach the lower altitude and thicker air of Pangboche.

We descend through Tengboche, cross the suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi, and make the final climb back into the bustling trading hub of Namche Bazaar.

Our final day of trekking follows the familiar trail down through Jorsale and Phakding, completing the long descent back to the airstrip at Lukla for our final night in the mountains.

We board our morning flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu, where our transport transfers you to your hotel for a final evening and departure preparations.