Island Peak Climbing is one of the most popular adventures in Nepal. It's designed for energetic and strong climbers who want an exciting experience. Island Peak, also known as Imja Tse, is 6189 meters high. It got its name from English mountaineer Eric Shipton in 1951. The peak stands alone surrounded by glaciers from tall mountains over 7,000 m and 8,000 m.
Famous climbers like Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary have climbed Island Peak, making it a challenging choice. The peak rises from the Lhotse glacier in the south, and reaching the summit gives you a good view of Mount Everest.
Climbing Island Peak is physically tough but not too technically challenging. It's great for those who want to gain experience in mountain expeditions. Standing on the summit of Island Peak gives you a sense of accomplishment and amazing views of Everest and Lhotse, as well as Ama Dablam and Makalu.
Our journey starts with a thrilling flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. We then trek from Lukla through Phakding to the Dudh Koshi valley, passing Namche, Tengboche, and Dingboche. We go down to Chhukung and up to the Island Peak Base Camp to prepare for the climb.
Climbing the peak requires a lot of practice and using equipment like ladders, jumars, ropes, and moving through snowy terrain. In our 17-day plan, the 10th day is for practicing climbing techniques, and the next day is when we try to reach the summit.
Island Peak Climbing is a somewhat tough adventure, especially good for people who like trekking and want to try mountain climbing.
The trip can take 14 to 19 days, depending on the paths you pick. Only one or two days are specifically for climbing. Each day, you'll trek for about 4 to 6 hours through hilly and tough areas. Dealing with things like glaciers, rivers, rough ground, and mountain passes makes it more complicated. On the day you reach the top, you'll climb for 12 to 13 hours, covering around 10 miles. So, having experience with high-altitude trekking is important. You don't need climbing skills, but the team will teach you what you need to know before climbing.
The highest point you'll reach during the Island Peak Climb is the summit at 6189 meters above sea level. Spending many nights above 3,000 meters increases the risk of Altitude Sickness symptoms. To prevent this, it's important to acclimatize, stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and if a doctor suggests, use altitude sickness medication like Diamox. If symptoms get severe, your guide will make the right choices.
Bad weather can also make the journey harder. So, it's crucial to pick the best time for a successful trip.
Picking the right time for your trip is crucial for a successful and memorable experience. Island Peak Climbing is doable all year, but we suggest doing it in either spring or fall when the trek is most enjoyable.
In spring, the trekking path shows beautiful views of mountains, green forests, lively meadows, and blooming rhododendrons. The weather is sunny, warm, and nice, giving a clear view of the Himalayas under a blue sky. Daytime temperatures are between 15 to 17 degrees Celsius, and at night, it can drop to about -10 degrees Celsius above 4,000 meters.
Autumn is also a good time because it has dry and steady weather. After the monsoon season, autumn gives clear views of valleys and the Himalayas. It's a bit colder than spring but still comfortable, with temperatures between 0 to 15 degrees Celsius. Towards the end of November, it can get as low as -15 degrees Celsius at night.
Summer/monsoon isn't good for Island Peak Climbing due to muddy and dangerous paths from heavy rain. The trek during summer isn't ideal because of unpredictable weather. Avalanches and landslides are potential dangers that can sometimes be risky.
The months of December, January, and February are winter and considered off-season for Island Peak Climbing. But, with the right preparation, gear, and help from a qualified guide, it's possible, especially in December. December is a great month if you like trekking in a quiet and peaceful setting.
When you arrive at Kathmandu's airport, our staff from Holiday Planner will meet you and take you to your hotel. After checking in, you can take a short break before discussing the upcoming Island Peak Climbing adventure. Once that's done, you might want to explore Thamel, which is the biggest area in Kathmandu for shopping and tourism. Thamel's streets have lots of stores for trekking and climbing gear, as well as places to eat, drink, and shop for crafts. You'll also see small temples, stupas, and monuments in different parts of Thamel.
After enjoying breakfast, we'll begin a full-day guided tour of Kathmandu, starting with Boudhanath Stupa. This site, one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley, holds the relics of Lord Buddha. The stupa has a unique dome shape, decorated with a golden pinnacle and large Buddha eyes in every direction, all set on a giant Mandala. Boudhanath represents Tibetan Buddhism and is often called "Little Tibet." This significant stupa attracts many local and international visitors, including pilgrims.
Following that, we'll visit Pashupatinath Temple, one of the world's four most revered Hindu sites. Situated along the sacred Bagmati River, the temple complex is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Although non-Hindus cannot enter the main temple, there are more than a hundred other temples and monuments to explore. You can also witness the open-air cremation ceremony, interact with the lively Jogi babas, and enjoy the presence of playful monkeys in the area.
After the tour, there will be a briefing about the upcoming journey, an introduction to the climbing guide, and a final check of the climbing gear. This ensures everyone is well-prepared for the exciting adventure ahead.
After an early breakfast, we'll go to the airport for a quick 35-minute flight to Lukla. While flying, you can see the beautiful Himalayan mountains, like Cho Oyu and Everest.
When we arrive in Lukla, we'll start our trek to Island Peak. Our goal for today is Phakding village, and it's a relatively short 3-hour walk. This path gives us great views of the nearby countryside and Himalayan peaks, like Kusum Kanguru. After we reach Phakding, you can spend the rest of the day checking out the village and talking to the local people.
After breakfast, we'll walk over the Dudh-Koshi River to start our hike. In a few hours, we'll get to the village of Monjo with a bit of uphill and downhill walking. Then, we'll go to Jorsalle village after finishing some paperwork at the Sagarmatha National Park office gate. After about 4 more hours of walking and having lunch, we'll arrive at the famous Namche Bazaar. The way from Jorsalle to Namche has some nice mountain views, including Kwande Peak, Kusum Kanguru, and Mount Everest. You can also see mountains like Nuptse, Lhotse, and Taweche Peak from certain spots along the way.
You have a day off to relax and adjust to the higher altitude before continuing your journey. There are various activities and side trips you can do on this day. One popular option is a hike to Syangboche and the Everest View Hotel, which is the tallest hotel in the world with Himalayan views all around. Another favorite side trip is visiting the nearby Khumjung Village and Kunde Village, where you can see the Yeti Skull, Hillary Hospital, and School. If you're feeling energetic and interested, you can even combine these two excursions into one.
After a day of taking it easy, we keep walking on our journey. Our next stop is Tengboche, a nice village up high at 3,867 meters. From here, you can see amazing views all around of the Himalayan mountains, like Mount Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. The most interesting thing in the village is the Tengboche Monastery, the biggest and most famous monastery in this part of the Everest area.
The journey begins with an easy walk downhill through a thick forest with birch, conifer, and rhododendron trees. As we descend, we'll enjoy lovely views of various Himalayan peaks, such as Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Makalu. Many people consider this part of the trek to Everest the best day because of these fantastic views.
Our trail leads us through Debuche and across the Imja River before we reach the Pangboche village. Moving into the upper Pangboche Valley, we'll see Tabuche Peak and the Pangboche Monastery, adding to the already impressive views of the Himalayas. Continuing towards the Imja Valley, we climb up to Dingboche village, where we'll spend the night.
On this day, you won't be trekking. Instead, you'll have a break in Dingboche. It's a day to rest, relax, and allow your body to adjust to the altitude. You can explore Dingboche or just take it easy before continuing your journey.
After leaving Dingboche, we walk to the end of the valley and then climb a short distance to reach Thugla (Dugla). Here, the trail from the Pheriche valley and Dingboche comes together toward Everest Base Camp.
At Thugla, you'll see beautiful views of Taboche, Cholatse, Lobuche, Pumori, and Amadablam. After taking a break for lunch and some rest, we continue climbing up to the terminal debris of the Khumbu Glacier. On the way, you'll see many memorials dedicated to climbers who unfortunately lost their lives on the mountains of Khumbu. From here, we continue walking to Lobuche for an overnight stop.
Today, we head to Everest Base Camp, one of the main goal of our trip. We'll walk for a few hours, facing some short steep climbs amidst the glacier and moraine. Finally, we'll reach Gorakshep, located below the towering peaks of Pumori and the rocky hill of Kalapathar.
Our journey then takes us to Everest Base Camp. Here, you can enjoy views of the massive Khumbu Ice Fall and glaciers. After an exciting time and an unforgettable experience, we'll go back to Gorakshep for the overnight stay.
Early in the morning, we'll go up to the top of Kalapathar, which is over 5,545 meters high, the highest point in our trek. From there, you'll see amazing views of mountains, including Mt. Everest up close. After a great time at the top, we'll come back down to Gorakshep for breakfast and then keep walking to Thugla. From Thugla, we'll go down to the Imjatse valley and enjoy a nice walk towards Dingboche. You'll spend the night in a comfortable and cozy lodge.
Today's walk is short, taking only about two hours to go from Dingboche to Chhukung. The journey offers charming hilly landscapes with meadows enclosed by stone walls. As we enter the Imja Valley, you'll get stunning views of Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Continuing, we'll reach Bibre, a camp for yak herders, with beautiful scenery of the rocky terrain and the snow-covered south face of the pyramidal Imja Tse. Crossing cold streams along the way, we eventually reach Chhukung after a 30-minute hike from Bibre.
Today, we're making progress toward our destination. After walking for 5 hours from Chhukung, we'll reach the Base Camp (5150m) of Island Peak. We'll take it easy for the rest of the day to get used to the higher altitude.
The excitement builds as we climb to establish a high or advanced camp above 5,400 meters. This makes the climb more accessible and shorter. In the morning, we leave the base camp and ascend toward the high camp above the moraine, passing through an open gully between two well-defined ridges. The high camp is located below a small hanging glacier at an elevation above 5,400 meters.
Once at the high camp, we spend the afternoon making final preparations for the significant climb scheduled for the next early morning.
We start the climb very early, before sunrise, aiming to reach the top of Island Peak at an altitude of over 6,160 meters (20,328 feet). The climb follows a broad open gully, crossing a snow-covered glacier while avoiding large ice formations and deep cracks. We move northwards over snow-covered rocky slopes between glaciers, facing a high ridge.
Continuing the climb, we cross a rocky area with some stones and potential icefall dangers. A steep slope of snow and ice takes us above 100 meters high (300 feet) to reach the main summit. This challenging climb leads to the top, marking the final and most significant part of our adventure.
At the summit, take in the views and celebrate the success of a lifetime experience. Achieve your dreams while facing a stunning panorama of towering peaks, including Mt. Everest (8,848 m), Lhotse (8,501 m), Mt. Amadablam (6,856 m), Mt. Makalu (8,463 m), Chamlang, and Baruntse peaks. After the successful climb, descend safely on the same route back to the base camp.
On this day, all team members and staff gather at the base camp to clean up the area, disposing of garbage properly, which will be handed over to designated SPPC personnel (Sagarmatha Pollution Project Control). Later, trek to Chhukung for an overnight stay.
With great joy after successfully summiting Island Peak, we follow the same path back to Tengboche. Upon reaching the village today, we celebrate our achievement in climbing Island Peak.
After getting organized, we head back towards the Imjatse valley, enjoying nice views as we walk towards Dingboche. Then, we go to Tengboche for a lunch break.
From Tengboche, we walk downhill with some short uphill parts to get to Namche Bazaar. On the way, take in views of Everest, Amadablam, and other nearby peaks. Finally, we reach Namche for an overnight stop after a pleasant walk with a few ups and downs.
On the last day of our adventure, we start the morning with a long walk downhill to the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park in Monjo village. After crossing a bridge, we reach Phakding.
The journey from Phakding to Lukla includes some ups and downs, with the final uphill stretch taking about an hour to reach Lukla. This is our last night stop in the Khumbu and Everest region.
Now, we say goodbye to the Sagarmatha Region and head to the Bagmati Region. After having breakfast at the lodge in Lukla, we take a quick 40-minute flight to Kathmandu. Once we land, we'll take you to your hotel for a break. You can enjoy a relaxing spa day to ease the tiredness from the trek. Later in the evening, we treat you to a free dinner.
After you have breakfast or three hours before your flight, we'll drive you to the airport to catch your plane back home or to your next destination. We'll say our goodbyes there.
Island Peak is situated in the northeastern part of Nepal, within the Khumbu region, just beyond the ridge from Mt. Everest and Lhotse. It is located within the boundaries of Sagarmatha National Park.
Its height is 6,189 meters above sea level.
The optimal periods for climbing Island Peak are during Spring (March-May) and Autumn (September-November). These seasons offer favorable weather conditions, stunning Himalayan views, and lower risks of unexpected challenges.
Island Peak presents a moderate to fairly demanding climb, but it's not technically challenging. Climbers don't need previous climbing experience, but good physical and mental health is essential. We recommend participating in outdoor activities such as hiking, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc., before embarking on the trek.
1. Crampons: These are spikes attached to shoes or boots that provide traction on icy or snowy
surfaces.
2. Ice axe: This is a tool used for climbing and self-arresting in case of a fall.
3. Rope: Climbing and rappelling on high Peaks requires special ropes that are strong and
durable.
4. Harness: A harness is used to secure the climber to the rope.
5. Carabiners: These are metal loops used to attach the rope to the harness.
6. Helmet: A helmet is worn to protect the head from falling rocks or ice.
7. Goggles: Goggles are worn to protect the eyes from the glare of the sun on the snow.
8. Sunscreen: Wearing sunscreen is important to protect the skin from the UV rays at high
altitudes.
9. Thermos: A thermos is used to carry hot beverages like tea or soup to keep the climber
warm.
10. First Aid Kit: A first aid kit is essential to treat any injuries that may occur during the
expedition.
11. Stove: A portable stove is used for cooking food during the expedition.
12. Sleeping bag: A sleeping bag is used to sleep in at night. It should be rated for cold weather
and must be very warm.
13. Tent: A tent is used as shelter during the expedition. It should be sturdy and able to
withstand high winds.
14. Maps: Detailed maps are essential for planning the expedition and for navigation during the
climb.
15. Satellite phone: A satellite phone is used to communicate with base camp in case of an
emergency.
16. Battery charger: A battery charger is used to recharge batteries for the GPS and satellite
phone.
17. Camera: A camera can be used to take pictures or videos during the expedition.
Holiday Planners provide 3-star standard hotel stays in Kathmandu with shared rooms. However, there are different options available, including 3 to 5-star hotels, basic lodges, and hostels. If you want, you can choose a single room for an extra cost.
While trekking and climbing Island Peak, you'll stay in simple teahouses with basic facilities. Rooms will include a bed, mattress, blanket, and pillow, at the least, shared with another person. In higher areas, bathrooms and toilets might be shared.
In places without trekking lodges or teahouses, we offer accommodation in tent camps.
Himalayan Trekkers will make sure you have all your meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—except in Kathmandu, where you can choose from different places to eat.
As you go beyond Namche Bazaar, your food choices become a bit limited. In Nepal, people often eat dishes like noodles, dumplings, flatbreads, potatoes, fried bread, mushroom soup, butter tea, and a common meal called Dal-Bhat-Tarkari (lentils, steamed rice, and seasonal vegetables).
When we use tents for accommodation, our cooks in the tents will cook meals for you.
When you're trekking for more than 4 to 5 hours each day in high places, drinking water is really important. Dehydration is common, so you need to drink more fluids. Even though you can buy bottled water, it can cost a lot in higher places. So, it's a good idea to bring a filtering flask or purification pills, along with a reusable water bottle. You can fill it up at natural springs and taps you find along the way. In tea shops, you can get boiled water, but sometimes it costs extra per liter or pot.
If this trip is not suitable for you. We can make Tailor Made Trip for you.
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