Everest Base Camp with Island Peak Climbing

Your Everest Base Camp and Island Peak Climbing adventure begins with your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. A representative from Top Trail Nepal will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

After checking in, you can rest after your international journey or explore the surrounding area. Later, you will meet our team for a briefing covering the trekking route, Island Peak climb, altitude, accommodation, permits, weather and equipment requirements.

This is also a good time to discuss any questions about the journey and make the final preparations before heading into the Everest region.

Today is set aside for the final preparation required for the trek and climb. Our team will complete the necessary trekking and climbing documentation while you review your personal equipment for Island Peak.

Your climbing guide will explain the route, acclimatization plan, summit strategy and safety procedures. Your trekking and climbing gear will also be checked so that any missing items can be purchased or rented in Kathmandu.

The rest of the day is free for final packing and preparation before the mountain journey begins.

An early morning mountain flight takes you toward Lukla, the gateway to the Everest region. Depending on the season and current flight operations, the flight may depart from Kathmandu or from Manthali Airport in Ramechhap.

After landing in Lukla, you meet the rest of the trekking crew and begin walking through the Dudh Koshi Valley. The trail passes small Sherpa settlements, mani stones, prayer wheels and suspension bridges while gradually descending toward Phakding.

The relatively short first trekking day gives you time to settle into the trail without gaining too much altitude immediately after the flight.

Flight Time: 30 to 40 min, subject to conditions

After breakfast, the trail continues along the Dudh Koshi River through villages such as Toktok and Benkar before reaching Monjo, the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park.

The route crosses several suspension bridges and continues through Jorsale before reaching the famous high bridge above the river. From here, a long and steady uphill climb begins toward Namche Bazaar.

On a clear day, sections of the climb can offer your first distant glimpse of Mount Everest. Eventually, you reach Namche Bazaar, the main trading center and trekking hub of the Khumbu region.

Today is dedicated to acclimatization. Rather than simply resting at the lodge, you hike to a higher elevation before returning to Namche to sleep.

The route climbs toward Syangboche and the Everest View Hotel at around 3,880 m, where clear weather provides impressive views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam and surrounding peaks.

Depending on the pace of the group, the hike can continue toward Khumjung and Khunde, traditional Sherpa villages located above Namche. After exploring the area, you return to Namche Bazaar for another night.

Leaving Namche, the trail follows a scenic mountainside path with excellent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku.

After a gradual section, the trail descends toward Phunki Tenga beside the Dudh Koshi River. From here, you begin a steady climb through rhododendron and pine forest toward Tengboche.

Tengboche is home to the famous Tengboche Monastery, one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in the Everest region. Surrounded by Himalayan peaks, the village has one of the most memorable settings on the trek.

The morning begins with a descent through rhododendron forest toward Deboche before crossing the Imja Khola and climbing toward Pangboche.

From Pangboche, the route continues through Shomare and gradually enters a more open alpine environment. Trees become scarce as the trail moves higher into the Imja Valley.

By afternoon, you reach Dingboche, a high-altitude Sherpa settlement surrounded by impressive peaks including Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Island Peak. Reaching 4,410 m marks an important stage of the journey as you prepare to move deeper into the high Himalaya.

Leaving Dingboche, you climb gradually across the open valley toward Thukla, with views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers becoming increasingly dramatic.

From Thukla, a steeper climb leads toward the Thukla Pass memorials, where stone monuments commemorate climbers and mountaineers who lost their lives in the Everest region.

Beyond the memorial area, the trail follows glacial terrain toward Lobuche. The landscape is now almost completely alpine, with rocky moraine, barren slopes and towering mountains surrounding the route.

Today you reach one of the major landmarks of the journey. From Lobuche, the trail follows the edge of the Khumbu Glacier toward Gorak Shep, the final settlement on the Everest Base Camp route.

After reaching Gorak Shep and taking a short break, you continue toward Everest Base Camp. The trail crosses rocky glacial terrain beside the Khumbu Glacier, with increasingly close views of the surrounding icefall and mountains.

At Everest Base Camp (5,364 m), you have time to experience the famous expedition area and the dramatic landscape beneath Everest. During the main climbing seasons, expedition camps may be visible across the glacier.

After spending some time at Base Camp, you retrace the trail to Gorak Shep for the night.

The day begins before sunrise with a climb toward Kala Patthar, one of the best-known viewpoints in the Everest region. Although the distance is relatively short, the high altitude makes the climb demanding.

From the viewpoint, clear conditions reveal a remarkable panorama of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Pumori and the Khumbu Glacier.

After descending to Gorak Shep for breakfast, you begin the long journey back through Lobuche and toward Dingboche. From the main trail, the route turns east into the Imja Valley and continues toward Chhukung.

Chhukung is the main staging settlement for the Island Peak section of the expedition.

After the demanding Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar section, today provides valuable recovery time while preparing specifically for the Island Peak climb.

Your climbing guide will check the technical equipment and demonstrate important techniques including crampon movement, ice axe handling, harness use, ascender operation and rope travel.

Depending on conditions and the group’s acclimatization, a short hike above Chhukung may also be included before returning to the lodge.

The remainder of the day is used to rest, organize equipment and prepare for the move to Base Camp.

Today you leave Chhukung and follow the trail deeper into the Imja Valley toward Island Peak Base Camp.

The route gradually climbs through increasingly rugged terrain, passing rocky slopes and glacial moraines with views toward Island Peak and the surrounding mountains.

After reaching Base Camp, the climbing team sets up the final preparations for the summit attempt. Equipment is checked once more, and your guide provides any additional instruction required for the conditions on the mountain.

After an early meal, you rest in preparation for the summit climb during the night.

This is the main climbing day of the expedition. The summit attempt normally begins very early, often during the night, so that the team can make the most of the available weather and climbing conditions.

From Base Camp, the route climbs through rocky high-altitude terrain before reaching the glacier and upper snow slopes. Crampons, harnesses, ropes, ascenders and other climbing equipment are used where required.

The upper section becomes steeper, and fixed ropes may be used depending on current snow, ice and route conditions. With suitable weather and a strong team, you reach the 6,189 m summit of Island Peak.

From the summit, the panorama includes Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Makalu and many of the surrounding Khumbu peaks.

After a short time on the summit, you carefully descend the same route and return to Base Camp.

A contingency day is included because high-altitude climbing depends heavily on weather, snow conditions, visibility and the physical condition of the team.

If the Island Peak summit is completed successfully on Day 13, this day can be used for recovery and the return toward Chhukung.

If poor conditions prevent the planned summit attempt, the day provides another opportunity to climb when the guide considers the mountain safe.

The exact schedule for this day therefore depends on the outcome of the previous day’s climb and the conditions on Island Peak.

After completing the Island Peak section, you begin the long descent through the Khumbu region.

From Chhukung, the route returns through Dingboche and Pangboche before continuing toward Tengboche. You then descend through forest toward Phunki Tenga and cross the Dudh Koshi before climbing back toward Namche Bazaar.

Although this is a long walking day, the decreasing altitude makes the journey progressively more comfortable after several nights high in the mountains.

Reaching Namche gives you a final evening to relax in the main Sherpa town before returning to Lukla.

Your final trekking day retraces the route through the Dudh Koshi Valley.

From Namche, you descend toward Jorsale and Monjo before continuing through familiar Sherpa settlements and suspension bridges toward Phakding.

The final section climbs back toward Lukla, where the trekking portion of the Everest Base Camp and Island Peak journey comes to an end.

After reaching your lodge, you can rest and spend the final evening with the trekking and climbing team.

After breakfast, you take the return mountain flight from Lukla. Depending on the season and current aviation arrangements, the flight may operate directly to Kathmandu or to Ramechhap.

If the flight lands at Ramechhap, you continue to Kathmandu by road. Once back in the city, you are transferred to your hotel.

The remainder of the day is free to rest, enjoy a hot shower, explore Kathmandu or do some final shopping after completing the expedition.

This day also creates a useful buffer between the mountain journey and your international departure.

Flight Time: 30 to 40 min, subject to conditions

Your Everest Base Camp and Island Peak Climbing adventure officially comes to an end today.

Depending on the departure time of your international flight, you may have some free time at your hotel before leaving for the airport.

A representative from Top Trail Nepal will transfer you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward journey.

After trekking through the Khumbu Valley, reaching Everest Base Camp at 5,364 m, climbing to Kala Patthar at 5,545 m and attempting the 6,189 m summit of Island Peak, you leave Nepal after completing a journey that combines two of the Everest region’s major trekking and climbing objectives.