EBC TREK WITH ISLAND PEAK CLIMBING

Welcome to Kathmandu, a city full of vibrant markets, bustling streets, colorful temples and grand pagodas. Our guide will meet you at the airport and take you to our hotel. The remainder of the day you will have an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the shopping areas closest to your hotel and catch up on shopping for equipment.  In the evening, our tour guide will give you a brief introduction and provide valuable information about the trek.

After an early morning start you will be picked up at the hotel by our guide who will take you to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu airport.  The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla takes around 35 minutes, time enough to take in the spectacular views of the Himalayas. After landing at Tenzing-Hilary airport you will meet your porter who will carry your luggage. You then begin your journey with a relatively easy trek passing a Kani (ceremonial gatehouse) before the tail descends then leads above Kyangma village with its large Gompa (monastery) and school. We then continue to Cheplung village where the trail passes through community forest within sight of the Dudh Koshi River. After crossing the suspension bridge you climb across the ridge to Ghat and then passes a school and complex of Mani walls, Chortens and prayer wheels. After a short walk from Ghat we reach Phakding. 

After breakfast, the trek crosses several suspension bridges over the Dudh Kosi River before passing through Tok-Tok, Bhenkar, and Monjo and then arriving at Sagarmatha National Park entrance gate where you will be required to buy a permit. After following the river bed for a few hours and after the last Hillary suspension bridge, there is a steep uphill trek to Namche Bazaar. Namche has a good selection of restaurants, a cyber café, pubs, post office, ATM, and banks. 

This idyllic town is an ideal place for acclimatization. Health specialists recommend we spend the day being active, rather than sitting idle. From Namche it is possible to take a short hike to Everest View Resort, Thame, visit Khunde or relax and explore Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar is the main center of the Everest (Khumbu) region and has government offices, ATMs, internet cafes, shops, restaurants, bakery, and a colorful market each Friday evening and Saturday. A short trek of only a hundred metres will help us to properly acclimatize. Our guides will also take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarters of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can observe an assortment of relics related to the first mountaineers to climb Everest, Sherpa culture and discover the varied plant and animal life of the Everest region.

The trek continues along the rapid flowing glacial waters of the Dudh Kosi with magnificent views of the mountains (Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Taboche peak, Amadablam. You eventually reach an altitude of 3,800 meters at Tengboche. At the Tengboche monastery are unbelievably ornate wall hangings, a 20-foot sculpture of various poses of the Buddha and musical instruments and robes of the Lamas. Our group will be taken to observe a prayer ceremony, either in the evening or in the morning, depending on how the trekking goes this day. 

The trek from Tengboche to Dingboche is only a short distance which we will most likely complete in the afternoon. The last hill into Dingboche, and at this high altitude, is challenging!. The trail then heads to the village of Somare (4020m) and then to Orsho, both of which have lodged. Later the trail divides, with the left trail heading up to Pheriche before crossing a suspension bridge and a steep climb to the village of Dingboche with many good guesthouses. 

Health specialists recommend we spend the day being active, rather than sitting idle. To this end we will trek for three to four hours to Nangkartshang Peak just above Dingboche with excellent views over the surrounding mountains, especially Ama Dablam (6812m). 

After breakfast, our trek starts with an easy walk towards Thukla before crossing the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and then passing through the boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara where we find clusters of stones with prayer flags placed by Sherpas as a memorial to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10-time Everest climber Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepalese Sherpa mountain guide) who perished on a mission to climb Mt. Everest. The path then continues to the Khumbu Glacier moraine and before us are many beautiful mountain peaks - Khumbutse, Lingtren, and Mahalangur Himal.

We commence our six to seven-hour trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp through the vast Gorak-Shep. Along the trail, we pass the Indian army mountaineers' memorials. At this point the path can be confusing, so following your guide is important. The thin air at this high altitude can be exhausting. We traverse rocky dunes, moraine, and streams before reaching the Mt. Everest Base Camp. From Everest Base Camp you will see some of the world’s highest peaks, in stark contrast to the gray surroundings - especially in the spring. Before us are Khumbutse, Nuptse, and Pumori. We will then head back to Gorak Shep.

At around 4 a.m. in the pre-dawn darkness and cold temperatures (-10 to -14 C) we begin our trek. It is common for there to be cold winds at this altitude. Towering peaks, such as Khumbutse, Lingtren, and Changtse loom before us to the east as Everest comes into view. Not until we reach Kala Patthar (5550m) do we get a 360 degree up-close and bird’s eye view of Mount Everest. After taking in the panoramic views and madly clicking cameras we will return back to Lobuche for a good night's rest

An early start sees us trekking for six to seven hours via the Khumbu Glacier to Kongma La Base Camp (5000m). This is the most difficult day of our trek. In the pass there are prayer flags that show the route. We then slowly descend to Imja Khola Valley and then down to the small village of Chhukung where we will go over our equipment before our ascent of Island Peak. Tonight we will stay at Chhukung.

We have a three to four hour steep ascent to Island Peak Base Camp, crossing the moraine below Lhotse Glacier and then follow a small river. We cross over the Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines until we come out at a wide valley in the south-west of Island Peak. Tonight we stay at Island Peak Base Camp.

This is the day you have been waiting for and we have to wake up around midnight to 1 am to complete 10 to 13 hours climbing. The goal is to reach the summit before lunchtime for there is a likelihood of strong winds in the afternoon. Initially we head up beyond Base Camp along a steep hillside and then come to a point where we cross boulders and the slope becomes narrower. The trail then crosses a rather steep gully and from here we follow the ridgeline to the base of the glacier that reaches all the way to the summit. A sharp incline on a snowy slope takes us to the summit. Your guides will very likely attach ropes at this point – fixed and person to person. The rope will stretch to about 350 meters depending on the depth of snow and if there are any crevices. In past climbs there have been several crevices where in order to cross them we have used ladders. Once at the summit we can sit back and soak up some of the most mind-boggling views you will ever see. This is truly an exhilarating moment and time to snap photos. We will then descend back to Island Peak Base Camp where we can celebrate on our successful climb of Island Peak. 

Today will be a much easier trek as we descend for five to six hours to less energy-sapping lower altitudes. We will follow the same trail down through the wide valley of the Khumbu Khola (river) and along the way pass several Sherpa villages, Orsho and Shomare. Depending on weather and time we may follow a different route and visit the Gompa at Upper Pangboche, supposedly the oldest in the Khumbu region, or head directly to the picturesque Pangboche Village, surrounded by enormous mountain peaks, such as Everest in the north, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Khangtega in the east, the Kongde Range in the south and looking down to the Imja Tse River below. 

From Pangboche we retrace our steps descending to the Imja Khola and then up through the rhododendron forest to Tengboche monasteries. For some, this will be an opportunity to see the nuns perform their religious ceremonies at the Tengboche Monastery. After lunch at Tengboche, we continue our trek across the hillside blanketed by colorful rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the (milky river) Dudh Koshi River our trail continues through the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa. Along the way we keep our eyes peeled for wildlife, such as (Himalaya Thar) mountain goats, snow leopards, and colorful pheasants while passing through the forest. After passing a Chorten we reach the Army camp at Namche Bazaar where we stay overnight.

This is our final day of trekking before returning to our starting point at Lukla. This is a time to reflect on the unforgettable memories of our trek as a group and our achieving our individual goals. A free afternoon allows you time to relax and enjoy a hot shower! 

After our 17 day trek, we take an early morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. After arriving at Kathmandu, you can take a rest or do some shopping. This is also a time to catch up on visiting places you missed on arrival in Kathmandu. Our guides will continue to assist you with b souvenir shopping or sightseeing. 

Your adventure comes to an end today – but your memories will last a lifetime! Our company representative will take you to the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you'll have plenty of time to plan your nearest next adventure and explore the most magnificent mountains of Nepal.