Everest Base Camp with Island Peak Climbing – 15 Days

Our early morning Everest Base Camp Trek with Island Peak Expedition starts with a flight into Lukla, which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Furthermore, from Lukla,  we climb away for a few hours down the Dudh Kosi River to the village of Phakding 2,610m after meeting with guides and porters and a short break for tea. Phakding is only a short walk away after passing via the little settlement of Ghat (2550m).

We hike along the banks of the Dudh Koshi River, crossing suspension bridges along the way, after having breakfast in Phakding. Following that, we stroll through a lovely pine forest to the Sagarmatha National Park’s entrance for a quick permit check. Then we continue our trip on Namche routes, ascending steeply upwards while admiring sacred mani stones, colorful prayer flags, raging glacial rivers, and breathtaking mountains. As you approach Namche Bazaar, the lovely Sherpa village where we will spend the night in a guest lodge, the Everest Base Camp short walk comes to an end for today.

Today is a significant turning point in our journey. Today will be an acclimatization day, as per our itinerary. This implies we’ll take it easy today and allow our body to acclimate to the new high altitude. We won’t be gaining much more altitude today.

We will not spend the entire day in Namche Bazaar due to acclimatization. We can’t afford to waste this day when there’s so much to see and do. We’ll start the day with a short and scenic hike to Namche Bazar, which is a short distance away.

On day four of the Everest Base Camp with Island Peak climbing expedition, we shall begin our trek from Namche to Tengboche. We gradually descend to the Imja Khola, where we see a set of water-driven prayer wheels at the small river site of Pungi Tanga, with spectacular views of the Thamserku. After a short pause for lunch, we begin the long, steep climb to Tengboche Monastery (3,860m), one of the world’s most picturesque locations.

The hike between Tengboche and Dingboche is lovely. You can enjoy astounding views of the glacier rivers and snow-capped mountains. Pangboche village comes in between the trek renowned for Mt. Ama Dablam. 

After heading out of Tengboche village, you walk past the forest trail along with the small town, Deboche. The trek leads to Panboche village by crossing a suspension bridge on moving further. You can stop here for a moment to observe the beauty of Mt. Aba Dablam.

Continuing the trek, you walk along elevation with impressive peaks views. Soon after, you reach Shomare village, the last village, before reaching Dingboche. There comes a suspension bridge that directs to Dingboche. 

Overnight to Dingboche.

From Dingboche, it’s time to resume your hike. On the seventh day of your expedition, you will hike to Lobuche. Trekking to Lobuche allows you to walk on snowy paths for the first time on the trip.

The Himalayas surround us as we begin our walk.

The voyage is arduous at first. However, as we got closer to Dusa, the valley narrows. Then, past the campsite, we follow the first completed Everest Expedition. As we continue trekking, we’ll be able to see Mt Pumori till the trail descends and turns. The views from Pumori Mountain are stunning. The trail crosses a river in this section. Continue hiking until you reach the village of Lobuche.

After leaving Lobuche town, the trail becomes a gentle ascent with less steep slopes. It’s made up of two parts.

One leads to Gorakshep village, the trek’s highest point and most secluded settlement. The second trail leads to Gorakshep, which is located close to Everest Base Camp.

You travel alongside the Khumbu glacier after leaving Lobuche. You may be able to see Mt. Everest’s summit as you go. You must hike across Lobuche Pass to reach Gorakshep.

We’ll start our journey to Everest Base Camp from Gorakshep.

After you’ve arrived, take a moment to absorb the Himalayan splendor and express gratitude for being permitted to take part in this tour.

We’ll leave Gorak Shep today and travel to Kala Patthar. After spending some time on the lookout, we’ll return to Gorak Shep for breakfast. Now we will head towards the Chhukung.

The trek to Chhukung is more accessible and shorter than the days before.

With a few minor inclines, the circuit is primarily level. You’ll travel by stone-built homes along the route. Chukung is a small community at a high elevation. We make final preparations for peak climbing from here. For the night, you’ll stay in Chukung.

The next place for acclimatization is in Chhukung. As mentioned before, it is not for taking rest. Your body needs to get along with the new habitat and atmosphere. 

During your rest day at Chhukung, You can trek to Chhukung Ri, a rocky hill. It is a 3-4 hours hike located to the north of Chhukung. On clear weather, the fantastic view of Island peak, Lhotse and other peaks makes your day. 

After a tiring day, you can return to Chhukung and stroll around the village. Moreover, it’s time for preparing your trekking gear and kits for climbing. 

Overnight in Chhukung. 

The trail to Island Peak Base Camp is an ascending trek. The ride to base camp will be fantastic, with breathtaking vistas of the Himalayas and glaciers.

After breakfast, you’ll set out for a steep climb outside of Chhukung. The trail takes you past the glaciers of Lhotse and Imja. On the trip, the panoramic vistas of peaks are breathtaking. After a short climb, you’ll arrive at Island Peak Base Camp. This is where you attempt to reach the summit.

For the top, you’ll get up early. Once you reach the foot of the steep icefall below the top, the going gets tough. Scaling the wall to emerge on the ridge leading to the summit requires extreme caution and care. You will return to Base Camp after reaching the peak. Because the weather might be unpredictable, we’ve added extra time to our summit bid in case the weather isn’t clear. We are returning to Chhukung.

We descend to Tengboche settlement, which is located within the Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the famous Tengboche monastery, the region’s largest monastery. We will observe panoramic views of Himalayan peaks such as Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku from the monastery.

While returning, you will follow the same route as you ascend previously. You will return to Namche Bazar via Tengboche.

Again you will get a chance to see the river Dudh Koshi at Phunkithanka while trekking along the ridge; Several Buddha monuments can be seen along the road. We’ll see Buddhist Stupas and little Gompas. We’re traveling through the lush Rhododendron woods.

After breakfast, retrace our steps back to Phakding by the main route down to Dudh Koshi. We arrive at Lukla after scaling various Sherpa settlements and passing a suspension bridge above the Thado Koshi. We go up for around 45 minutes to complete the entire trek, confirm our airline tickets, and say our goodbyes to the native porters.

Transfer to Lukla air terminal in the morning for an exhilarating flight back to Kathmandu, where our trip to Everest Base Camp with Island Peak Climbing (15 days trekking) concludes.