During the peak seasons for the Gokyo - EBC - Island Peak Climbing (March to May and September to November), all the Lukla flights will be operated from the Manthali Airport due to congestion at Tribhuvan Airport.
The trip is the perfect sync of trekking and climbing. The name Island Peak comes from a mountaineer, Eric Shipton. He named it so because the peak resembles an island in a sea of ice. Reaching the top of the summit can be seen as a personal challenge and sometimes even a stepping stone to one’s climbing journey.
Further, this 22-day journey will take you to hike up viewpoints such as Gokyo Ri and Kala Pathar. And the views from these viewpoints are well worth the struggle. You will see the panoramic vistas of the surrounding peaks, such as Everest, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and many more.
This trek sounds exciting, right? Well, now it's time to dive into the details of this journey.
When you arrive at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you’ll be greeted by one of our staff. He’ll then transfer you to the hotel in Kathmandu. The following day will be for preparation. You’ll check all the necessary trekking equipment and leave behind your other luggage. The journey initiates with a flight to Lukla. Upon landing, you’ll hike to Phakding for an overnight stay.
After Phakding, the next stop is Namche Bazar. You’ll stay here an extra night for acclimatization and walk up to Everest View Hotel. Now, you’ll pass through the small Sherpa settlements like Dole and Manchhermo to reach Gokyo Lakes. Subsequently, you’ll ascend to Gokyo Ri. Commencing the trek, you’ll make your way to Thangna and cross the Thorong La pass. After crossing the high pass, you’ll descend to Dzongla.
Further, you’ll pass by Lobuche and reach the Everest Base Camp. You’ll descend to Gorekshep to stay for the night. To get a close-up view of Mt. Everest, you’ll hike up to Kala Pathar. Thereupon, you’ll come down to Dinboche. Thereupon, you’ll reach the Island base Camp and summit Peak. After the summit, you will descend to the base camp for an overnight stay. Taking a day for contingency, you’ll backtrack to Namche Bazar and then to Lukla.
Bidding farewell to the Himalayas, you’ll end the journey by flying back to Kathmandu. The next day is for relaxation in the bustling city. You can also explore and buy souvenirs for your friends and family before flying back home.
We want you to experience the most out of your journey. Hence, here are the recommended times to embark on this trek.
Spring and autumn are the perfect time to explore the beauty of the Himalayas. The temperature during these times is mild, with clear blue skies and beautiful landscapes. These two seasons are the peak seasons in Nepal. Hence, you'll get to see the Himalayas in all their glory.
Embarking in winter and monsoon is not recommended for the climb. The heavy snowfall and slippery trails will make the climb risky. Also, the mountains hide behind heavy clouds during these times, making the hike unworthy.
Are you overwhelmed by all the information on this journey? And wondering if you could complete it successfully.
Well, to start it off, the journey is considered a challenging one and is not for the faint of heart. The trek involves long days of walking on rocky and uneven terrain, with several steep ascents and descents. You'll need to be in good physical shape to endure the demanding hikes and maintain a steady pace throughout the journey. The climb to Island Peak is where the real challenge lies. You'll need basic mountaineering skills, such as using crampons, ice axes, and ascending steep snow and ice slopes.
But don't let the challenge scare you away! With the help of our guide, proper training, and preparation, you can successfully conquer this climb and reach the summit of Island Peak.
If you want to embrace this challenge, reach out to us for the best experience in the Himalayas. We are here to make your holidays worthwhile.
If this adventure didn’t suit your preference, you can always look for an alternative adventure.
The EBC Trek with Island Peak Climb is a great alternative to this trek. The 19-day journey offers a unique and unforgettable experience that skips the visit to the Gokyo Lake and takes you to the Everest Base Camp and then climbs the Island Peak.
We hope that the above option has provided you with inspiration for the type of adventure package that appeals to you. If you have any particular preferences or needs, we are more than happy to personalize your trekking experience to suit you. Our team is committed to fulfilling all of your requirements, so don't hesitate to share your preferences with us, and we will take care of everything else.
An airport representative will greet and welcome you to Nepal upon your arrival. There are no planned activities due for the day, so we directly check into the hotel.
This day is reserved for the final preparations for the trek and climbing. You will be focusing on checking your gear and packing the necessary equipment. You may leave all unnecessary belongings at the hotel and re-pack only the necessary items for the trip.
Today, we have an early morning transfer to the airport for the Lukla flight. The flight to Lukla is a lifetime experience in itself. The airfield is at a high elevation. The difference between the two ends of the runway is about a bare 60 meters only—Trek to Phakding with an arresting, green landscape with the view of Kusum Kangraru.
We follow the course of the Dudh Koshi River, ascending through the Himalayan Pine and Cedar forests to the famous village of Namche Bazaar. The village of Namche is a historic trading post where Nepalese and Tibetan traders exchange salt, dried meat, and textiles.
Besides being a splendid destination to shop for traditional crafts, Namche remains the central trading post in the Khumbu that attracts Himalayan and lowland merchants. You will spend two days at Namche for acclimatization, visit local markets and spend time with your team. We capture our first glimpses of Everest and neighboring peaks on the hike.
This day is especially sectioned for acclimatization. We hike up to the Syangboche Airport (3700m), supposed to be the highest airport in the world, then continue climbing to the Everest View Hotel. We catch some great panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, Amadablam, Tawache, etc. We visit the Sherpa Culture Museum and Everest Photo Gallery on the way back.
The trails are accessible in the beginning up to Kyangjuma & climb steeply later out of the valley through rhododendron forests, which give way to fragrant stands of juniper and large conifers as the elevation increases.
This trek is lovely in spring when the rhododendrons are blooming. The trails pass many Kharkas; summer settlements are used when the local Sherpas bring yaks to feed in high pasturelands. The route also goes through the communes of (3950m) and Gayle (3960m) to Dole, where a few hotels exist. You can find the views of Khumbila and Tawache (6542m) are incredible throughout the day!!
The trail goes further to Lambara and Luza (4220, 4360m.), respectively. The course is usually vertical in many places as it ascends through Juniper brushes. We spot Kharkas at flatlands and water. The trails continue to climb along the side of the valley, high above the river, crossing sandy spurs to Machhermo at (4410m).
We climb a ridge for an excellent view both down the valley to Kantega and up towards Cho-Oyu (8201m). Beyond the ridge, the valley widens as the trail passes through Pangka at (4390m) then descends to the riverbank before the beginning of Ngozumpa Glacier moraine. The climbing towards the moraine is a steep one switching back along to the stream of the moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier.
We have an early wake-up today and climb up to the Gokyo-Ri, for a panoramic view of the Mahalangur Himalayan range.
It takes us approximately about 2 hrs climb to the top of the Peak that bestows us with the panoramic views of Cho-Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cholatse, and Tawache. We also see the great-looking Ngozumpa glacier, the largest glacier in Nepal.
Today, we continue our trekking journey from the Ngozumpa glacier to reach Thagnak. The trail leading us to the foot of Cho-La pass is a brief one as we will be walking briefly for about 2-3 hours.
Today is a long trek, and we start before sunrise at 4-5 am to reach the pass by 9–10 am; otherwise, weather conditions will significantly affect our journey. We cross over at an altitude of 5300 meters. We could be exposed to strong winds if crossing too late.
A few problems may arise on this day due to the altitude and snow. Crossing the pass often causes terrible problems if it is covered by snow. However, the magnificent views reward you as you reach the top, and then we descend to the Dzongla at noon.
Today, our course is brief and more straightforward compared to the course of the trek earlier, which was complex and challenging.
After a short climb through meadows, look down at the Khumbu glacier. Straight ahead is Kalapattar – the best vantage point to view the entire south face and the surrounding peaks. After a couple of hours, we reach Gorekshep and continue our journey to the Everest base camp.
There is not much of an elevation gain, but there are a lot of ups and downs, and, combined with altitude, this can be an exhausting trek – but the journey is worth it. After approximately 3 hrs of hiking, you will arrive at the base camp and enjoy a magnificent view of the Khumbu glacier and icefall, where the Everest expeditions begin.
The day starts with a hike up to Kalapattar (5545m), an excellent standpoint to observe the Mount. Everest and innumerable spectacular mountains views. Then, we later trek back to Gorekshep for hot breakfast and descend to Dingboche (4410m). Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
From Dingboche, we make a leisurely start following the Imja Valley with great views of Ama Dablam dominating the skyline and following the moraines that flow from Lhotse (8501meters) towards the sand flats at Pareshaya Grab. We reach there in the mid-afternoon. We stay at tented camps for the next two days, and our professional cook will serve you dinner.
Pre-Climb Training: After lunch, our guides will provide training on peak climbing techniques and using climbing gears such as ice axe, climbing boot, crampons, harness, ascender et. cetera, and how to go up and down using ropes. However, please note that it is not compulsory to have a training experience for Island Peak Climbing, but a brief training does increase the chances of scaling the summit and thoroughly enjoying the experience.
Island Peak Ascent (6,189m) begins our climb early in the morning; generally, around 1 am. In the beginning, we climb the rock gully.
This is not tough, but there are several short rock steps to climb before we emerge on the right side of the gully. The route then follows a ridgeline, which leads to a compelling and uncovered traverse onto the snout of the summit glacier.
We need to rope up for the glacier as it contains several crevasses. The guides will fix a rope wherever necessary. A steep snow slope leads us onto the summit ridge. After enjoying the summit views and taking pictures, we descend to Dingboche overnight. Overnight guesthouse/tent, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
There is no assurance that we can get favorable weather on our planned day for the summit (day 16), so this day is used as a contingency if we cannot summit the Island Peak on this day.
If the weather gets exceptionally adverse, we wisely have to postpone the program of summiting the Peak. Sometimes some trekkers in the group may get problems in acclimatizing well enough to make the ascent; we can use the extra day in that condition. If the trip goes smoothly, we stick to our original plan.
As we leave the mountains behind us, our descent takes us through Orsho, Somare, Pangboche, Tengboche, Pungki Thanka, and complete steep to Kyangjuma more accessible trail Namche.
The trek continues along the Dudh Kosi River to the small mountain airstrip at Lukla, where you will catch your return flight to Kathmandu.
Today, we return to Kathmandu on a brief half-hour amazing scenic flight from Lukla.
Today is set aside for relaxation in the bustling city. You can choose to either spend the day resting or exploring, as per your personal preference.
Our tour finally ends today as approximately 3 hours before the scheduled flight, a representative from the Nepal Hiking Team will take you to the airport for your respective flight.
Start Dates refer to your arrival date in Nepal. End Dates correspond to your return date from Nepal.
The Gokyo - EBC - Island Peak Climbing set departure dates are tailored for the group joining option. If the 22 days Gokyo - EBC - Island Peak Climbing departure dates don’t fit your schedule, we can include alternative dates that better suit your needs.
Read our genuine feedback from past travelers with Nepal Hiking Team sourced from TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook, and Trustpilot.
My husband and I completed the EBC trek with Island Peak, followed by a helicopter ride back to Lukla.
Nepal Hiking Team has been amazing in every aspect, from communication before the trip to our time in Nepal. Every detail exceeded our expectations.
We would like to take this opportunity to specially compliment and express our heartfelt gratitude to our guide, Netra. Beyond providing explanations about the trail, he ensured our well-being at every step. On the third day at Namche Bazaar, we fell sick, and Netra supported us in every possible way, ensuring we had proper nutrition and hydration to recover. He even carried our day packs to help us sustain our pace to the next location. Coming from a lifetime at sea level, acclimatization was another challenge for us. Netra offered essential support to manage our symptoms, especially headaches, and constantly checked in on us.
What touched us most was during the Island Peak hike. As a trekking guide, he could have handed us over to the mountain guide at that point and stayed back. Instead, he chose to accompany us to the base camp to ensure our well-being, health, and comfort. This meant sleeping in a smaller tent, more exposed to the cold weather and strong winds. The Island Peak hike was extremely challenging. By then, on the ninth day of trekking, we were physically drained. Carrying heavy mountaineering equipment uphill was an additional struggle. Netra volunteered to carry our equipment up to the crampon point, roughly 4.5 hours uphill, beyond which he couldn’t proceed without proper mountaineering gear. This act was especially touching and played a crucial role in our successful ascent of Island Peak.
On our return to Kathmandu, bad weather at Lukla grounded most flights, causing a two-day backlog for helicopter rides. Netra tried everything possible to get us onto a helicopter, even if it meant sacrificing his own seat. He had to make a two-day walking and land transfer back to Kathmandu instead.
Every action Netra took touched our hearts. To us, Netra is like a big brother. He said, “I’m not only your guide; I am your friend and guardian.” He put our well-being above everything else and constantly gave us positive encouragement and empowerment whenever we had self-doubt. He reminded us that we were like family and that we would always help one another.
Our porter, Dakman, was equally fantastic. Seeing that we were exhausted and unwell, he quickly carried our duffel bags to the tea houses and then returned to help with our day bags so that we could keep going.
In every way, we are beyond pleased with Nepal Hiking Team and will absolutely choose them again for future treks in Nepal. When we return, we will undoubtedly request Netra to be part of our journey again.