Island Peak & Everest Base Camp Mar 2021

Island Peak or Imja Tse (6,189m) is the most frequently climbed trekking peak in Nepal. It stands centrally at the head of the Imja Khola, a tributary of the mighty Khumbu river, and was named Island Peak by members of an early British Mount Everest expedition because it appears as an ‘island’ in a sea of ice when viewed from Dingboche.

The southwest summit of Island Peak was first climbed in 1953 as part of a training exercise by the British expedition that became the first to summit Mount Everest. The standard climbing route has an alpine grading of PD+ (Peu Difficile), which is the same grade as the normal route on Mont Blanc.

Due to glacial recession, the climbing on Island Peak has become more technical over time, and team members require basic rope work and mountaineering skills. A ladder is placed over a bergschrund, and we use fixed ropes on steep snow slopes (45°) towards the summit.

For mountaineers looking to experience a first Himalayan ascent, Island Peak is a fantastic objective and an opportunity to develop the skills and confidence for any future Himalayan objectives. You’ll benefit from personal advice from expedition leader and Everest summiteer Ricky Munday, and technical guidance from our expert local guides, some of whom have multiple Everest and other 8,000m summits.

Date:

8th March - 26th March- this trip is limited to six clients.

Group Size:

2 - 6 (group size 2 or 3 with local Sherpa guides only)

Cost:

From £3,100 per person - based on our open expedition, but also applicable for private groups of 2 or more

Journey to Island Peak:

We’ll acclimatise on the classic trek to Everest Base Camp. We reach basecamp after a long, steady trek through breath-taking landscapes and fascinating villages, with exceptional views of Himalayan giants, such as Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu and Ama Dablam.

On our second day on the trail, we reach Namche Bazaar, where we spend two nights acclimatising, with time to explore local villages and visit local markets. As our trek continues, we explore this stunning valley and continue our trek towards Everest Base Camp and the scenic viewpoint of Kala Patthar (5,545m), where we’ll be rewarded with an unbeatable 360-degree panorama of spectacular 8,000m peaks, including mighty Everest herself.

We sleep in the high Sherpa villages of Debuche, Dingboche, Lobuche and Gorak Shep along the way. This essential acclimatisation prepares us for the rigours of climbing at altitude. After visiting Everest Base Camp, we trek to Island Peak Base Camp via a high alpine pass, the Kongma La.

Itinerary:

Day 1	Arrive in Kathmandu, transfer to four-star hotel
Day 2	Drive Kathmandu to Manthali* (4.5h), fly to Lukla (2,800m) and trek to Phakding (2,660m)
Day 3	Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,440m), the Sherpa capital and heart of the Khumbu
Day 4	Acclimatisation day in Namche Bazaar, visiting the Everest, Ama Dablam and Pumori viewpoints
Day 5	Trek Namche to Debuche (3,730m) with superb views of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse en route
Day 6	Trek Debuche to Pangboche (a great viewpoint for Ama Dablam), and on to Dingboche (4,365m)
Day 7	Acclimatisation day with an optional ascent to 5,080m, overnight Dingboche
Day 8	Trek Dingboche to Lobuche (4,930m) alongside the Khumbu Glacier
Day 9	Trek Lobuche to GorakShep. We'll trek up to historical Everest Base Camp (5,345m), and return to GorakShep
Day 10	We'll make an early ascent of Kala Patthar (5,554m) to catch a classic sunrise view of Everest, and descend to Dingboche
Day 11	Trek Dingboche to Chukung (4,730m)
Day 12	Chukung to Island Peak Base Camp (5,087m)
Day 13	Summit Island peak & return to Dingboche
Day 14	Trek out to Namche
Day 15	Trek out to Lukla
Day 16	Fly Lukla to Mathali, drive to Kathmandu and overnight in hotel with a celebratory meal
Day 17	Spare day in case of bad weather
Day 18	Depart Kathmandu, return home

*Please note that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has restricted flights from Kathmandu to Lukla for trek operators – all flights to Lukla now depart from & arrive to Ramechhap airport in Manthali, which is around 4 hours by road from Kathmandu.

How to book:

The booking process is as follows:

1. Choose your ticket type and complete the event booking form below & pay your deposit online, or by bank transfer, or pay your full balance - you'll then receive an email acknowledging receipt of your payment/booking
2. Once you've booked and/or paid your deposit you'll receive a second email requiring you to complete our online Client Information & Medical Declaration Form (see below). This must be completed before we can confirm your booking

If you have a balance to pay, you can choose to pay by either bank transfer or direct debit. Once you've submitted your Client Information & Medical Declaration Form, we'll send you an invoice by email and this will include both our bank details and a secure link to set up an electronic mandate to authorise direct debit.

Client Booking & Medical Declaration Form

You'll also need to read and agree to both our Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions and our Participation Agreement (see below) - you will be asked to confirm this during Step 1 above.

Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions Participation Agreement