Island peak climbing with Everest base camp

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At a Glance

    Island Peak climbing is a popular adventure activity in Nepal, specifically in the Everest region. Also known as Imja Tse, Island Peak stands at an elevation of 6183 meters (20,305 feet) and offers a thrilling climbing experience with stunning panoramic views of the Himalayas.

    Island peak climbing expedition seamlessly integrates with the iconic Everest Base Camp journey. The itinerary involves progressing from Everest Base Camp to Island Peak Base Camp, strategically allowing trekkers and climbers to acclimatize to the altitude.

    Originally named Imja Tse peak, Island Peak offers not only a thrilling climb but also unveils breathtaking vistas of the Himalayas in the Khumbu region. The panoramic scenery includes prominent peaks such as Mt. Everest (8848m), Mt. Nuptse (7,855m), Lhotse (8,516m), Lhotse Middle Peak (8,410m), and Lhotse Shar (8,383m), creating a majestic semi-circle to the north. Additional allure comes from views of Makalu (8475m) to the east, Baruntse (7720m), and Mt. Amadablam (6856m) to the south.

    Island Peak holds historical significance as it was first conquered in 1953 by a British team during their preparations for the Everest expedition, with Tenzing Norgay being a pivotal member of the first ascent team.

    This peak, an integral part of the south ridge of Lhotse Shar, forms a graceful semicircle of cliffs north of Nuptse, Lhotse, Middle Peak, and Lhotse Shar. Engaging the services of the experienced peak climbing guides at Himalayan Joy Adventure ensures a worry-free experience, particularly for those exploring Nepal and attempting peak climbing for the first time.

    Acclimatization:

    The climbing itinerary often includes a trek to Everest Base Camp before ascending Island Peak. This allows climbers to acclimatize to the high-altitude conditions gradually.

    Scenery:

    The climb provides breathtaking views of prominent peaks, including Mt. Everest (8848m), Mt. Nuptse (7,855m), Lhotse (8,516m), Lhotse Middle Peak (8,410m), and Lhotse Shar (8,383m), as well as Makalu (8475m), Baruntse (7720m), and Mt. Amadablam (6856m).

    Historical Significance:

    Island Peak gained historical importance as it was first ascended in 1953 by a British team as part of their preparations for climbing Mt. Everest. Tenzing Norgay, a legendary figure in mountaineering, was part of the first ascent team.

    Route:

    The typical route for Island Peak climbing includes starting and ending in Lukla. The trek passes through Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, Chukung Valley, and Imja Glacier before reaching the Island Peak Base Camp.

    Guides and Services:

    Engaging the services of experienced peak climbing guides and agencies, such as Himalayan Joy Adventure, is common. These guides ensure safety, provide necessary equipment, and offer guidance throughout the expedition.

    Return Journey:

    After a successful summit of Island Peak, climbers usually descend using the same route, retracing their steps through the picturesque landscapes of the Everest region.

    Island Peak climbing attracts adventure enthusiasts seeking a challenging yet rewarding experience in the heart of the Himalayas, combining the thrill of climbing with the awe-inspiring beauty of the surrounding mountainous terrain

    Itinerary

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    A Himalayan Joy Adventure representative will greet you at the Tribhuwan International Airport upon your arrival and provide transportation to your hotel. After checking into your room and refreshing, our HJA representative will describe the details regarding your trek. Then, you can visit the tourist hub in Thamel. There are many places to shop for trekking gear and souvenirs. In the evening, Himalayan Joy Adventure will host a welcome dinner at the typical Nepali restaurant with a Nepali cultural dance. After dinner, you will be dropped off at your hotel. Overnight in hotel.

    • Max. Altitude: 1300 m.
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Meals: Dinner

    After breakfast, our city guide will take you to various historical places and world heritage listed sites. These will include Pashupatinath (One of the greatest Hindu temples in Asia), Bouddhanath stupa (Buddhist stupa), Swayabhunath (Buddhist stupa, also known as the Monkey Temple) and Kathmandu Durbar Square (home of the living goddess Kumari)). After sightseeing, you will be dropped at your hotel with time to prepare for your trek and adventure. Overnight in Kathmandu.

    • Max. Altitude: 1300 m.
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

    In the morning your trekking guide will take you to the Kathamndu domestic flight terminal to catch your flight to The Tenzing Hilary airport in Lukla. This thirty-five minute flight is spectacular, including views of Gaushankar, Dorjelakpa, and beautiful farming terrains and forests.Lukla(2700m) is the gateway to Everest Base camp and other Everest region treks. After arriving in Lukla, you will begin your trek descending through Chaukharka and Chhoplung village. From Chhoplung, you will have a view of the holy mountain, Khumbila, which is never climbed. The trail continues itsdescent down to Thado Khola, passing by beautiful Mani walls and prayer wheels along the way. Soon, you will reach Phakding. Overnight in Phakding.

      After breakfast, you will begin trekking along the Dudhkoshi River, crossing over many suspension bridges. Soon you will reach the small village of Jorshale to eat lunch. Jorshale is the last village until you reach Namche Bazaar. It is also a Sagarmatha National Park check post, where you must stop for a permit check. The trail continues following the river until Dovan, where you will cross a high suspension bridge ascending to Top Danda. It is here that you will have your first view of Mount Everest, and majestic views of Thamserkhu and Kusum Ri. The trail continues to ascend to Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar has nice facilities including a bank/ATM service, bakeries and café, massage, trekking shops, health posts, and a weekly market.

      • Max. Altitude: 3440 m.
      • Accommodation: Guest House
      • Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

      You will have an acclimatization dayin Namche Bazaar, which means you will climb to a higher altitude and sleep at a lower altitude to prevent altitude sickness. After breakfast, you will climb to a view point near the army camp with a beautiful view of Everest, Lotse, Nupse, Aamadablam, Thamserkhu, Kusum Ri, Kongde and the Imja Valley. Then you will climb up to Shyangboche, which is home to the famous luxury Everest hotel. From here, you will continue to beautiful Sherpa settlement in the Khumjung valley and Khunde. Khumjung is home of the Hilary School and has a monastery where Yati’s head is kept. After your acclimatization hike, you will return to Namche. Overnight in Namche.

      • Max. Altitude: 3440 m.
      • Accommodation: Guest House / Hotel
      • Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

      In the morning, you will begin the steep climb out of Namche village and soon enjoy the flat, but still beautiful walk to Sanasa. Once you reach Sanasa, you can stop for a tea break and enjoy the fascinating views, birds (especially the Impayan pheasant), and other wild animals. After Sanasa, the trail divides in two sections, Gokyo Valley trail and EBC trail. You will take the EBC trail down to Phungitanga on the river bank, which has a few teahouse, prayer wheels and an army post. The trail soon has a steep ascent through the Rhododendron forest to Tengboche. Tengboche is home of the largest monastary in the region which stunning views of Aamadablam, Everest and other mountains in the background. Overnight in Tengboche.

      • Max. Altitude: 3860 m.
      • Accommodation: Guest House
      • Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

      From Tengboche the trail descends through a Rhododendron and birch forest to Dibuche, then crosses the Imja Khola and ascends up until you reach Pangpoche. Along the way, you will pass several Mani walls. There are two villages in Pangpoche, one old and one new. Old Pangboche has a monastery and upper trails offering fascinating views. From Pangboche, the trail gently ascends up to Samare. Here, you will have your lunch and great view of Aamabablam. From Samare to Dingboche, you will enjoy walking along the Imja Khola and majestic view of mountains. After one and half hours of walking, you will arrive in Dingboche. Dingboche is a tourist’s hub where mountaineers and trekkers spend about 2-3 days to acclimating to the altitude. There is a nice bakery here, a pool house, and a beautiful stone wall. Overnight in Dingboche.

      • Max. Altitude: 4410 m.
      • Accommodation: Guest House
      • Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

      During your acclimatization day, embark on a hike through Dingboche village to the summit of Nangkartshang peak (5,083 m). This peak provides breathtaking views of the Imja Valley, offering a panoramic perspective of Ama Dablam, Amphu Lapcha, Khangtega, Thamserku, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Island Peak. Following your ascent to Chhukung-Ri, descend to Dingboche and take the opportunity to rest. Spend the night in Dingboche.

      • Max. Altitude: 4410 m.
      • Accommodation: Guest House
      • Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

      After breakfast, you will begin a slight ascent. The trail gradually inclines providing views of mountains, peaks, yak herding and Pheruch Valley. The trail then merges in Thukla with a lower trail called, Pheruche.You will take a tea break in Thukla. After Thukla,there is a rapid increase in altitude so it is important to take your time while ascending. After a steep hour ascent, you will reach the memorial for those who have died climbing in the Khumbu/Everest region.After another twenty minute walk, the trail merges with Chola pass trail and continues to Labuche. You will check into your room and hike 200m up from Labuche to assist in acclimation.. Overnight in Labuche.

      • Max. Altitude: 4910 m.
      • Accommodation: Guest House
      • Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

      The trail continues to climb through meadows and rocky terrain to Gorakshep(5120m). It will take a couple of hours to get to Gorakshep then another two and a half hours to reach Everest Base Camp(5310m). The trail to Everest Base Camp has many twists and turns and there is some risk of falling stones. Everest Base Camp has incredible views of the Khumbu glacier, icefall and iceberg. Many mountaineers begin their Everest expeditions here. Although there is not much elevation gain on this portion of the trek, most people experience the high altitude at this point, therefore, it is important to arrive in Gorakshep at an early time. Overnight in gorakshep

        Today may be one of the highlights of your trek! Early morning, you will start ascending up the small hill of Kalapatthar(5545m). You will reach the top after 2 hours steep climbing, and at times there may be chilly winds. Throughout your ascent, there will be plenty of time to catch your breath and take photos of the beautiful views. Once you reach the top, you will have the best view of Everest (8848m) and an equally stunning view of Pomori (7100m), and many other mountains including Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changste and Nupse. After summiting Kalapatthar, you will descend down to Gorakshep and have breakfast. The trek continues from Labuche to Dingboche, which may seem quite easy after many days of steep uphill climbs. Despite this, it is important to walk slowly and carefully because there may be unstable rocks.After along day of trekking you will rest well in Dingboche . Overnight in Dingboche

          After breakfast your day will start heading towards Island Peak Base camp passing Chhukung village and enjoying the view of mountain surrounding. Your tent and lunch will be ready at the Base camp. Overnight in Tent.

          • Accommodation: Camping

          Today, you will make preparations for the next day or receive basic training from your climbing guide. Following this, you can enjoy a good rest or explore the surroundings of the base camp. Spend the night in a tent.

            In the early morning, your climbing guide will lead you to the summit. After successfully reaching the summit, you will return to the base camp. Spend the night in a tent.

            • Accommodation: Camping Tent

            After breakfast, you will descend to Dingboche following the same trail which you followed up. You have a great opportunity to explore what you had missed when you up. The trail slight descend down to Pangboche through village of Samare. Overnight in Pangboche.

              Near Pangboche, you will cross the suspension bridge over the Imja Khola then, gradually ascend to Tengboche. From Tengboche, the trail drops down to Phungi Tanga and the ascends up to Kyangjuma. The hiking from Kyangjuma to Namche is not challenging, and you will pass bybeautiful Buddhist Stupas along the way. Overnight in Namche.

                The hike to Lukla is quite long, but manageable. The trail drops rapidly to Dovan where it crosses over another suspension bridge over the Dudhkoshi River and reaches Jorshale. In Jorshale, you will need to check your Sagarmatha National Park Permit. You will trek through Muse, Banker, TokTok and Phakding. You will have lunch in Phakding then make the ascent to Chhopolung, finally arriving in Lukla. Overnight in Lukla

                  Early in the morning, you will fly back from Tenzing Hilary Airport inLukla to Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. You will be provided transportation back to your hotel room and will have free time to enjoy Kathmandu. In the evening Himalayan Joy will host as a farewell dinner at a typical Nepali restaurant, and provide you with transportation back to your hotel.

                    Himalayan Joy Adventure will drop at the Tribhuwan International Airport terminal with sufficient time to check in for your flight. We hope that you had an incredible time in Nepal and encourage you to share your experiences with us on Trip Advisor or email. We welcome all feedback and hope that you had an experience of a lifetime with us! Have a safe flight!

                      Island peak climbing with Everest base camp Route Map

                      Island peak climbing with Everest base camp map
                      Traveler Reviews
                      What Our Happy Clients Say
                      • Highly recommend Himalayan Joy.

                        Could not have been more happy about my trip in Nepal organised by Himalayan Joy and would highly recommend them for any treks in Nepal. Extremely professional, very accommodating and above all putting your safety first. In the 14 days trekking in the gokyo valley, EBC and Island Peak, not once we had an issue. Our guide was very knowledge and always happy to share and answer our questions. Him and his team were always in a high spirit and good mood which made the trip even more pleasant. We finish our trek with the Island Peak ascent and he had hired some highly qualified peak guide who had climber several times Everest. We felt in very good hands as they put out security (and comfort) first.
                        It was a seamless organisation in places where so many factors could alter your trip. Highly recommend using Himalayan Joy.

                        R
                        RC-FranceFrance,Jan 03, 2015
                        TripAdvisor
                      • Perfect climbing expedition

                        We hired Himalayan Joy for our Island Peak (6189m high) climb and our trek around Everest. I have done many trips but this one stands above others in three ways. The organization was flawless, safety was always paramount, and the expertise of all the people we came in contact with was evident.

                        From our first day in Nepal, we were taken in charge by the Himalayan Joy team and nothing went wrong. The drivers were where they were supposed to be for our city tours, the lodges were ready when we got there, the quality of all accommodations and meals were as expected.

                        Several times during our trip, we got overzealous and tried to pack in more than we should. Our guides were very accommodating unless they thought it was not safe in which case they did not let us go ahead. This is very important on a trip like the one we did because we don't know the region like they do.

                        The staff was truly extremely experienced. This was most evident on our island peak climb. Our two climbing guides have a combined 12 Everest summits under their belts. They adjusted the speed of the climb to our capabilities and gave us plenty of time to adjust and take pictures. This made for an unforgettable experience.

                        Himalayan Joy was founded by a former porter. He rose through the ranks to become an assistant guide, a guide, and now a company owner. This made our trip more rewarding because we supported a local business that in turn respects the staff it employes because the owner has been there.

                        All in all. Thank you Himalayan Joy for an amazing trek.

                        FrenchBaron
                        FrenchBaronUnited Kingdom,Sep 20, 2014
                        TripAdvisor
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