Island Peak Climbing

On arrival in Kathmandu received by Pristine Nepal staff and guide for a short drive to your hotel at Thamel the hub of Kathmandu city where many hotels, restaurants, trekking gear shops, stores, bars, cafes, souvenir shops, art gallery, travel agencies are located. Our guide or group leader will brief with information regarding Upper Mustang trekking, hotels, culture with do’s and don’ts.

The morning after breakfast our tour guide will receive you for a sightseeing tour around interesting part of Kathmandu, as Kathmandu city a blend of modernization and old lively cultures where you can witness medieval period villages and way of life of the locals as it was for past hundreds of years. Kathmandu valley steeped with ancient history-old traditions full of world heritage sites of Buddhism and Hinduism temples/monasteries.

After an interesting tour afternoon free at leisure preparation for Island Peak Climbing and Trekking.

Morning transfer to domestic airport for a sweeping scenic flight of 30 minutes to Lukla, Lukla airport named Tenzing – Hillary Airport. This is one of the world’s most unique airstrips with ups and downs short runway, after a time for refreshment in Lukla, where your bigger baggage will be carried by our porters or loaded on Jopkyo (mix breed of normal cow and yaks).

From Lukla, our first-day walk begins on the gradual path with much downhill and short climb passing traditional Sherpa farm villages with views of snowcapped peaks. After a pleasant walk reaching the overnight stop at Phakding located by the glacier-fed Dudh Kosi (river)

After a pleasant overnight with the sound of the river, morning walk leads following Dudh Kosi, crossing few bridges to reach Sagarmatha National Park in Monjo village. From walk leads to thelast village of Jorsalle before Namche Bazaar walking on the river bed and forested area.

After crossing the last high bridge few hours climb with marvelous views of peaks with Everest then reaching famous Namche Bazaar, here with two nights in this large prosperous trading town / village as well the main centre of Khumbu with facilities of ATMs, Cybercafes, stores, shops, restaurants, banks and fresh bakery with a busy colorful Saturday market.

Namche a perfect spot for rest and acclimatization day, this morning a leisure short hike up to park museum with full information from mountaineering, flora/fauna of the area with Sherpa culture and Buddhist religions, this scenic spot offers grand views of mountains Mt. Everest and stunning Amadablam. For energetic and interested can take few hours hike uphill to Everest View Hotel for best views of Mt. Everest and other mountains.

From Namche Bazaar, walk is fairly easy for first half with short descend to Shanasa and with more down-hill reaching Phungitenga, a small place with couple of teahouses and Nepal Army barrack serving as park wardens located in the midst of alpine woods of mostly silver fir blue pines, rhododendron and some few magnolia and birch trees.

From here 2 hours of the strenuous climb on the winding trail in the shade of lovely forest till Tyangboche Monastery is reached for an overnight stop. This beautiful spot offers views of the majestic beautiful peak Ama Dablam with Everest above Nuptse and Mt. Lhotse towards the northeast.

Morning with eye-catching views of mountains, our journey starts with a short descent through beautiful birch-rhododendron and pines forest and then crossing a bridge over Imja Khola. From here tree lines stops for short bushes of juniper and dwarf rhododendron bushes (Azalea), after the bridge, a slow climb brings you at Pangboche, this is the last permanent village, further up are temporary settlements to cater the needs of travelers with fine cozy lodges.

The walk leads slowly into exposed areas of windswept landscapes with grand close views of Mt. Amadablam with gradual up and crossing the last small bridge reaches you at Pheriche Valley and to its groups of nice lodges for overnight stops. Pheriche located on scenic valley a summer grazing areas for yaks, at present with many good lodges with a great panorama of mountains with views of Taboche and North Face of Amadablam and other series of peaks.

Rest day at Pheriche for proper acclimatization at this high altitude on this day take a slow walk uphill to Nagarjuna hill above Pheriche and Imjatse Valley near Dingboche for best views of surrounding peaks including Island Peak, Mt. Makalu towards east.

After Pheriche, climb uphill for an hour then a nice good walk to Thugla ( Dugla) on the midway of Pheriche-Dingboche and Lobuche, with views of Taboche, Cholatse, Lobuche, Pumori, Amadablam. Thugla a popular lunch spot for people heading up the hill to Everest base camp, after a lunch break an hour climb to a ridge called as Thug-la pass with many stone memorials of unfortunate climbers died on Everest-Lhotse-Pumori expeditions.

From this lovely spot, an hour more of pleasant walk brings you at Lobuche on route Everest base camp.

Walk this morning is gradual with few short steep up but can be tough due to high altitude gain with awesome views of Mt. Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Mt. Everest. After few hours of strenuous and scenic walk reaching at Gorakshep as the trek leads over moraine and glaciers to Gorakshep with few lodges, located beneath Kalapathar Hill and Pumori peak on route Everest base camp.

Gorakshep was the original base camp in early 1950’s to 1970’s, here with overnight stop after reaching our main highlight of this adventure at Everest base camp. From Gorakshep few hours of walk leads to base camp over rocks, boulders, moraine and glacier on reaching world highest Everest base camp, enjoy the surrounding views enclosed within Everest hidden behind high peaks of Lho-La-Nuptse with close views of notorious Khumbu Ice-Falls. In mountaineering high season April to June, this place will be flooded with hundreds of colorful tents, climbers, and staff. After reaching our goal and highlight head back to Gorakshep for last overnight stop in high Khumbu.

Early morning a steep climb to the top of Kalapathar for the fantastic panorama of surrounding giant peaks including Mt. Everest at close distance, this will be the highest point on trekking at 5,545 m / 18,192 ft. After a fantastic time with super views downhill to Gorakshep and continue trek to reach Imjatse Valley towards Dingboche an overnight before heading Island peak.

The morning walk starts with a gentle walk to follow Imja Khola heading towards Chhukung. Chhukung is beautiful place to stop before going to Island peak. This is only 3 to 4 hours from Dingnoche so you will be there before lunch time & you may have free afternoon. Save your energy for climbing.

From Chukung walk on Imjatse Valley to Parsya Gyab at Island Peak Base Camp, leading with steep climb over moraine of Lhotse glacier then following a glacial streams to the snout of Imja glacier and then cross a dry lake between Lhotse and Imja glaciers to reach at base camp at Pareshaya Gyab, afternoon free or take a short walks and practice climb.

From base camp, climb leads further to set up High Camp to make the climb to the summit more approachable, normally climbers make it from base camp to the summit but it is always safe and best to add more camp, morning on leaving base camp to high camp of Island Peak leading over moraines and then scrambling up on open gully leading in between two well defined ridges and to high camp below a small hanging glacier at 5, 280m, afternoon with last and final preparations for the big climb next day.

A Big Day of this awesome adventure! After full preparations start before dawn climb across the broad open gully, following snow-covered glacier, avoiding crevasses climbing northwards over the snow-covered screen in the margin between glaciers of the top ridge.

Climb leads to cross a gully with some stone and icefall danger, a steep snow and ice ramp leads upwards for nearly 100 meters (300ft) to the summit, on reaching top fulfilling adventure of a lifetime experience with success with unmatched views of Mt. Everest 8,848 m, Lhotse 8,501 m, Mt. Amadablam 6,856 m, Mt. Makalu 8, 463 m, Chamlang and Baruntse peaks. After an exciting and tough climb descends on the same route towards base camp.

After the climb of Island / Imjatse peak, return journey to Lukla as the morning walk leads with few uphill over dry moraine, then reaching at Chukung with striking views of snowcapped mountains, after short rest continues to walk to our overnight stop at Dingboche in the comfort of a nice cozy lodge with great views.

Leaving Dingboche with close views of Amadablam, morning starts with downhill back into tree lines, walk leads past Pangboche and from the bridge an hour climb brings you back in Tyangboche Monastery halt in this pleasant environment then downhill to Phungitenga. After crossing the bridge on Imja khola brings you a steep climb to Shanasa for an hour. From Shanasa, trail is easy and beautiful to Namche for an joyful overnight.

From Namche continue downhill walk to Dudh Kosi River, from here with a short ups and downs to reach at Sagarmatha National Park to Monjo village for overnight stop in the nice village.

After an exciting and fabulous trek and Island Peak Climbing with a visit to Everest base camp, last day walk of this adventure leads on the same trail with the last climb to Lukla an overnight stop, with last night dinner celebration with fellow staff-guides and members. Mostly, all the porters stay at Lukla so this is time to say goodbye to your porters.

From Lukla an early morning flight to Kathmandu, at Kathmandu domestic airport our guide and staff transfer you back to your hotel with rest of the day free for individual activities.

After a memorable adventure experience on Island Peak Climbing with fabulous views of world highest mountains, our staff transfers you to the airport for your final departure homeward bound.