Island Peak Climbing with Gokyo Ri and EBC

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu(1350/4428 ft.) and transfer to Hotel

Car

20 Minutes

Overnight

Kathmandu

Accommodation

Hotel

Breakfast

Breakfast

Welcome to the land of mountains. One of our representatives will be waiting for your arrival at Kathmandu International Airport to pick you up. You will be escorted to the hotel and helped with further check-in at the hotel. After taking a short break for refreshment, we will meet again and head for dinner. You will shortly be briefed about the journey and plans for the upcoming days.

Day 02: Flight to Lukla (2840/ 9372 ft) and Trek to Phakding (2610 m/8,612 ft.) [ 30 minutes flight and Trek about 3-4 hrs ]

Car

20 Minutes

Overnight

Phakding

Meal

3 Meals

Flight

20 Minutes

Walking

2-3 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

On the second day of the trip, we will take an early morning flight to Lukla. You will fly over the snowcapped mountains and land at one of the most electrifying high-altitude airports in the world. After resting for a while at Lukla and exploring the surroundings, we will begin our trek. We will slide down almost 500 meters to the Dudh Koshi River. The trek winds along the trail beside the River toward Phakding eventually. We will finally arrive at Phakding, passing several mani-walls and boulders engraved with Buddhist prayers. Overnight at Phakding.

Day 03: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3440 m/11,352 ft.)( 5/6 hours walk)

Overnight

Namche

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

The trek continues chasing the northern trail, moving up towards Monjo. We officially enter the Sagarmatha National Park from Monjo. Hence, we will have to issue the Sagarmatha National Park Permit Card here. We will then continue the trail along the steep uphill climb with the first glimpse of Everest. After a few hours of walking, we reach the beautiful Namche Bazaar. We will spend overnight at the lodge in Namche Bazaar.

Day 04: Rest day for acclimatization at Namche Bazaar (3440 m/11,352 ft.)

Overnight

Namche

Meal

3 meals

Walking

3 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will take a day to acclimatize ourselves to the increasing elevation. You can rest completely, or you can also go for a short hike to Khumjung. Khumjung is a beautiful settlement that is the old habitat of the Hospitable Sherpas. You can also choose to roam around the Namche valley, where you can visit the Internet Cafes, restaurants, ATMs, and colorful markets. Overnight at the lodge.

Day 05: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Dole (4200 m/13,860 ft) (Trek 5-6 hours)

Overnight

Dole

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

5-6 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

Our route will head towards Khumjung at the beginning. It is a picturesque village which has its gompa at the top end of the town. The trail for the day offers amazing views of the Thamserku, Kantega, and Ama Dablam peaks. We follow the northern trail that climbs further towards a large Chorten on the top of the ridge. We will trek along the steep downhill that will later pass through the Phortse Tenga. We will climb steeply through the rhododendron and birch forests for a couple of hours till we reach a beautiful settlement at Dole. Overnight.

Day 06: Trek from Dole to Machhermo (4,470 m/14,750 ft.) (Trek: 4-5 hours)

Overnight

Machhermo

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

5 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will start the trek climbing steadily along the side of the valley from Dole. The small and thorny bushes give us a way to the scrub juniper as the altitude keeps increasing. Our trail will pass through several settlements along the trail. On the journey, you can witness the beautiful settlements, which are used when yaks are taken to the pastures to graze, mostly in the summer seasons. You will get the mesmerizing view of Mt. Cho Oyu ahead of you while the view of Kantega and Thamserku Peak awaits as you go down the valley. We will walk for about four hours only to reach Machhermo. Overnight at a tea house lodge.

Day 08: Rest day and Excursion around Gokyo Ri (5,483m/18,094 ft)

Overnight

Gokyo

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

3 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

The Gokyo Valley offers several attractions to its visitors. Most of the Sherpa people run lodges in the area to provide the best service to the trekkers. The valley is situated near the Ngozumba Glacier, the biggest glacier in Nepal. We will make a side trip to Firth Lake. We will also explore the Gokyo-Ri, the ideal vantage point that offers a view of Mt. Everest and its neighboring mountains. After spending some time, we retraced our steps back to the valley. Overnight at the lodge.

Day 09: Trek to Cho La pass(5330 m/17589 ft.) then continue trek to Dzongla (4,830/15,939 ft. m) (7-8 hours walk)

Overnight

Dzongla

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

7-8 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will have a very long day of trekking on this day. The trek for the day requires some technical knowledge to complete the trek. As you will be crossing the pass, the trek might be challenging. As there will be some steep glacial sections on the east of the trek, the trek might become a much more demanding walk. The ice-covered rocks might make some tricky, slippery attributes in the trek. We will walk through the rocky ravine to the top of the pass that will be marked by the fluttering prayer flags and chortens on the way. You’ll get amazing views of Lobuche East and Baruntse from the trail. We will traverse across some of the crevasses till we reach the Dzongla Village for our overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 10: Trek to Gorakshep, excursion to Kalapatthar(5550 m/18,315 ft.) and trek back to Gorekshep (5,140 m/16,960 ft.) (6-7 hours walk)

Overnight

Gorekshep

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will be trekking for a maximum of seven hours in the day. We will first hike up to the Gorakshep and then follow the trail along the ridge over the Khumbu Glacier. We will then hike up to the highland seasonal hamlet of Gorakshep. Hiking a little up, we will reach the beautiful destination, Kalapatthar(5,545m) to explore the most beautiful view of Mt. Everest. Kala Patthar offers the most dramatic close-up view of Mt. Everest. We will return to Gorakshep for our overnight stay.

Day 11: Trek to Everest Base Camp (5357m/17,678 ft.) and return to Lobuche (4910 m/16,203 ft) ( 5-6 hours walk)

Overnight

Labuche

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

5-6 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

Looking at the weather conditions, we will set out for the biggest reward of the trek, which is the Everest Base Camp. Everest Base Camp offers the most mesmerizing experience that becomes a lifetime achievement for us. We will reach the glacier to the base camp, which nestles right below the beautiful Khumbu Icefall at the Everest base camp. We will explore the Everest Base Camp for a few hours and return to Lobuche, retracing our way back. We will spend the night at the lodge.

Day 12: Trek to Chhukung via Kongma-la pass ( 5,535m/18265) (6/7 hours walk)

Overnight

Chukung

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We move forward on the trek through one of the highest passes of the trip. We will start the trek walking as soon as we have our breakfast. The trail will then follow the Khumbu glacier towards the east. We will be stopping multiple times throughout the day at the tea shops and water sources. You can carry some water bottles and some snacks to take some light meals on the trek. The trails provide us with the best view of Mt. Kongma Tse(5,820m), Mt. Pokalde(5,806m), Mt. Lhotse(8,516m), Mt. Lhotse Shar(8,383m), and many other peaks. The trek continues till we reach Chhukung.

Day 13: Trek from Chhukung to Island Peak base camp (5,200m/17,060ft.) (3-4 hours walk)

Overnight

Base Camp

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

3-4 Hrs

Accommodation

Tent

We begin the trek from Chhukung, making our final stop at Island Base Camp. We will take a gradual, steep route that will take us to the Island Peak base camp. We will chase the uphill trail initially in the south direction, which then changes towards the east. The trails tread towards the moraine that stretches out from the Lhotse Glacier. You will trek along the easy streamside trail, enjoying the glaciers created by Imja and Lhotse.

Day 14: Acclimatization and Preparation for Climbing with the Training Course

Overnight

Base Camp

Meal

3 meals

Accommodation

Tent

It is an important day for us. We will take in the guidance of the guides who will be training us for the basic climbing skills that include an ice axe, climbing boots, crampons, harness, ascender, etc. We will also learn the use of ropes during high-altitude climbing, which will be very useful for our future days. You have to learn to make your climb easy and successful. This day can also be taken as the acclimatization with the increasing altitude.

Day 15: Island Peak Summit Day (6,189m/20305ft) and trek back to Chhukung (8-9 hours trek)

Overnight

Chukung

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

8-9 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will get up very early in the morning to make the Island Peak Summit. Climbing the summit requires a midnight start to avoid the Himalayan wind on the summit in the late afternoon. The trek stretches gradually uphill for several distances until we reach the steep section. The trails change from sandy trails to grassy which will lead us through the rock-strewn snowy section. The trails get narrower as we cross the rocky trails. You can enjoy every moment in the base camp, which is truly magical. The Island Base Camp offers a magical view of the world's highest peaks, including many other peaks. After spending some time at the base camp, we will retrace our steps back to the Chhukung village. The walk will be the longest in the whole trek.

Day 16:Trek from Chhukung to Namche(3440 m/11352 ft.) (5-6 hours walk)

Overnight

Namche

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will retrace the journey back to Namche Bazaar on this day. We will walk down the steep path that follows the river. We will cross a bridge, enjoying the route that is completely decorated with birch and rhododendron forests. You will continuously have the sight of the giant Himalaya,s including Mt. Everest, Kwangde, Tawache, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega, and Thamserkhu. Overnight at Namche.

Day 17: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2840/ 9372 ft.)(4-5 hours walk )

Overnight

Lukla

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

Finally, we reach the final trek of the trip. We will move following the Dudh Koshi River down towards Lukla. You will have some time where you can celebrate with the guides, sherpas, and porters on the way. Lukla offers a majestic view that can be the best combination to celebrate the successful completion of the most beautiful journey of your life. Overnight at Lukla.

19th Day: Leisure day at Kathmandu

Overnight

Kathmandu

Accommodation

Hotel

Breakfast

Breakfast

We will have a day scheduled in case we may not catch the flight back to Kathmandu from Lukla. As the weather conditions in Lukla are completely unpredictable, we make a day plan for unavoidable circumstances. If we arrive at Kathmandu, we can spend the day exploring the sights in the valley. Kathmandu is full of destinations like Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, and many other places. You can take the day completely exploring the beautiful side of the valley.

20th Day: Departure as per the schedule

Car

20 Minutes

Breakfast

Breakfast

After nearly three weeks, our trip finally comes to an end. We reach the last day with us. Our team will take you to the airport for your final departure. We hope to see you again for an adventurous journey like this. Also, if you have any other trips planned with us, we can commence as per your choice. Hoping to see you again. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!