Lobuche and Island Peak Climbing - 21 days

Expect to be greeted by rolling hills and snow-capped mountains as your flight glides into Kathmandu's airspace. If you arrive at night, you can see the whole valley studded with electric lights. Our guide will be waiting for you at the airport's terminal. Once you complete the immigration process, head to the exit and scan the crowd. Our man will be holding a signboard with Third Rock Adventures or your name written on it. After a quick greeting, he will whisk you off to the parking section and drive you to your hotel. Check-in, enjoy a welcome drink, and have a good rest.

Later in the evening, there will be a meet-up with your climbing guide, who will brief you about the journey. You can ask questions and clear any doubts if you have any during the meeting. Go through your packing list and check your personal gear and equipment for the final time. Withdraw or exchange local currency, and shop for snacks or gear. Have an early night, as you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

You will be driven to the airport to catch your flight to Lukla. Flights to Lukla depart early, so you will be taking one of the early morning flights. The flight is an experience in itself, with terrific views of the Himalayan peaks and mountain villages. The Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla sits on a tiny plateau above a rocky cliff, and the landing is an extreme experience. After the successful landing, you will disembark and meet the rest of the local crew—porters and assistant guides.

Sort out your luggage and have the heavier luggage carried by the porters. You will carry your small backpack and start your trek from Lukla.

Leave the busy main street behind and follow the trail. The steps go down and then up. Enjoy the scenery as you continue to walk towards Phakding. The village of Phakding lies in the heart of the Dudh Koshi River Valley, surrounded by a lush conifer forest and tall snow-covered mountains. The village is situated next to the Dudh Koshi, which is also known as the Milky River. You will cross Ametalbridge to finally get to the village. Once you reach Phakding, follow your guide to a lodge or a teahouse where a room has been booked for you.

After settling down, you can relax in your room or explore the village and walk to the riverside toclick pictures.

Overnight in Phakding.

Today's trek involves a long ascent. You will be gaining a lot more altitude today as you trek up to 3440 meters. Leaving Phakding, you will walk on a flat trail past the villages of Toktok and Bengkar. There are small cafes and restaurants situated beside the trail where trekkers can rest and grab something to eat while trekking to their day's destination. Stop to enjoy the view of Kongde Ri and Taboche, as these are the first peaks you will get a close-up view of from the trail. At Monjo, your permits will be checked. From here onwards, you will enter the Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO natural world heritage site. The army personnel at the checkpoint will also check your luggage. Drones without the required flying license are not allowed inside the park. If you wish to fly a drone, you should get a proper license from Kathmandu itself. You can get in touch with Third Rock Adventures to learn more about the process of procuring a license.

Along the route, you will find many Buddhist shrines, mani stones, and prayer wheels. At Jorsale, you will stop for lunch at a teahouse with picturesque views of the trail. Later, continue your trek and climb up a steep, ascending trail. You will share the trail with mule packs, porters carrying impossible loads, local villagers heading up or down, and other trekkers. The trail to Everest Base Camp is the busiest trekking trail in Nepal, and you will never feel lonely.

There are several switchbacks en route, and you will be crossing swaying metal bridges built over thundering glacial rivers and decorated with colorful prayer flags. After crossing the Hillary Bridge (the highest and longest bridge in Khumbu), you will get your first glimpse of Mount Everest. A stroll away from the viewpoint, lies Namche, the center of the Sherpa homeland.

Namche, the biggest town in the Khumbu Region, serves as an important commercial center for Sherpas who reside in this remote area and the Tibetans living in the hamlets bordering Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. You will find almost everything here: banks, ATM kiosks, shops selling trekking and mountaineering gear, utensils, groceries, restaurants, pubs, cafes, bakeries, etc. A few pharmacies are available to purchase medicines. Namche Bazaar is where trekkers and mountaineers prefer to rest for a few days, as almost everything is available here.

The bustling town is carved on the face of a mountain, like an amphitheater. Fountains and traditional gates mark the entryway to the town. Climb up a concrete staircase to reach the teahouse, where you will spend the night. You can enjoy stunning views of Thamserku, Kusum Kanguru, Khumbila (the guardian mountain of the Sherpas), and Kanteg a from the porch of your teahouse. Have a sumptuous dinner and enjoy a restful night.

Overnight in Namche Bazaar..

This day is set aside for acclimatization. You can spend this day hiking to spots close to Namche Bazaar. After breakfast, start your hike and head towards the outskirts of the town. Climb a winding staircase and reach the top of Namche. At the top is a grassy field with a statue of legendary Sherpa climber Tenzing Norgay, who first scaled Mount Everest with Edmund Hillary in 1953. There's also a museum and an art gallery (Sagarmatha Next) nearby, which you can visit later if you wish.

You will head further up the grassy hill to Shyangboche and then to Hotel Everest View, one of the most panoramic viewpoints in the Nepal Himalayas. The Hotel Everest View is also one of the highest-placed luxury hotels in the world. The hotel is surrounded by the snow-covered summits of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Kantga, Khumbila, Kusum Kanguru, etc. You will enjoy the mesmerizing sights of these giants from the hotel's deck.

After taking pictures and spending a blissful hour or so, you will head down to Namche. If you want to do some additional exploring you can make a detour to the villages of Khumjung and Kunde. Kunde has the first hospital ever built in Khumbu, while Khumjung has the first school. Both the school and hospital were built due to the efforts of Sir Edmund Hilary. Khumjung also has amonastery where the scalp, supposedly of a Yeti, the abominable snowman, is kept. After returning to Namche Bazaar, you can chill at a cafe or walk around the town.

Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

After breakfast, make your way out of Namche and join the EBC trail. This is one of the most picturesque sections of the trail and is filled with epic views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Mount Everest, and Nuptse. The path initially goes up and out of the town and joins a flat trail carved on the side of a ridge. Though there's a steep and exposed drop on the right side, the trail is well-maintained and easier to navigate.

You will reach a crossroad where the route splits after a few hours of trekking. The path going up leads to Gokyo, while the lower trail leads to Everest Base Camp. Continuing on the Everest Base Camp trail, you will take a steep descent to the riverside. After crossing the Dudh River, you will reach Phunki Tenga, which sits beside the river. Here, you can stop for lunch or take a tea break.

After a brief rest, you will continue your hike and take a steep path that weaves past a thick jungle. This part of the trail is filled with wildlife, so be cautious and alert. After climbing a steep stone staircase and walking past a grassy meadow, you will finally reach the monastic hamlet of Tengboche.

The beautiful Tengboche Gompa dominates the landscape of the settlement. The houses are clustered around the monastery. You will stay at a local teahouse close to the monastery.

A Buddhist monastery,Tengboche Gompa,is one of the oldest and most important Buddhist monasteries in the Khumbu Region. It is a learning center for Tibetan Buddhism, and many young monks from the surrounding villages receive education at this monastery. Visitors are allowed to witness the evening prayers. You can visit the monastery later in the evening to witness Buddhist rituals and prayers in the large assembly hall.

Overnight in Tengboche.

Tengboche offers captivating views of Ama Dablam, and you can wake up early in the morning to witness the breathtaking alpine dawn. After breakfast, continue your journey and head towards Dingboche.

Today's walk to Dingboche will be filled with exciting wildlife encounters and sightings of colorful Himalayan birds. The forested areas around Tengboche, Debuche, and Phortse are haunts of endangered Himalayan wildlife-Himalayan tahr, red panda, musk deer, and snow leopard-which you will be able to observe if you are lucky.

Walk down and up and cross Debuche, a tiny Sherpa hamlet with a few teahouses. If it's spring, the rhododendron trees lining the trail will be in full bloom. Head down to the Imja River and cross a suspension bridge built over it. The trail climbs up, and you will soon reach the village of Pangboche, one of the oldest and highest permanent settlements of the Sherpas. Ama Dablam appears really close to the trail. The hamlet of Somare is a good place to stop for lunch or tea break and you can take a break here. From Somare, you will walk on a flat path, later descend to the river, and again climb up. An arduous climb over a steep hill will finally bring you to Dingboche. Located above 4000 meters, Dingboche lies well above the tree line. The lush greenery disappears, and the landscape is filled with stubby grasses and craggy mountains. The village is dotted with stone cottages and potato fields bounded by low stone fences. Proceed to a local teahouse and take a much-needed rest.

Overnight in Dingboche.

An extra day at Dingboche will help your body adjust to the thin air. Your second acclimatization day in Dingboche will help you prepare your body to trek beyond 5000 meters.

After breakfast, you take a brisk hike to the south of the village and climb a hill known as Nagarjoon Hill, or Nangkhartshang. The ascent is steep and rocky, but no technical climbing is required. It's a tough and difficult ascent to the top, which lies at an elevation of 5616 meters. Most trekkers find it challenging to hike to the top, so turn back after reaching the midpoint, marked by a small chorten. The small stone stupa is festooned with prayer flags. From here, you can savor grandiose views of Pokalde, Lobuche, Taboche, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku.

Later, scramble down and walk back to the village. Enjoy the evening conversing with other trekkers, playing cards, or reading a book by the wood stove in the communal hall of the teahouse.

Overnight in Dingboche.

It’s time to depart from Dingboche and proceed towards Lobuche. As you gain altitude, it gets more difficult to breathe and walk. Go slowly and breathe evenly. If you feel breathless, stop and rest for a while before continuing. The trail is littered with boulders, loose stones, and grit, and you will have to cross glacial streams. The group will stop for refreshment at the village of Thukla. Leaving the village, you will climb a steep incline and reach the Thukla Pass. At the top of the pass are stone memorials dedicated to mountaineers and Sherpa guides who lost their lives on Mount Everest. It's a grim reminder of the risks attached to climbing an eight-thousander.

Among the many memorials dotting the pass are those dedicated to Scott Fischer and Rob Hall, who lost their lives in 1996 while trying to descend after summiting Mount Everest. Their ill-fated expedition has been documented by writer Jon Krakauer in his book's Into Thin Air and the Hollywood movie 'Everest'.

After crossing the pass, you will walk on a flat path carved into the side of a hill. A stream crossing and a gradual hike up a gentle slope will bring you to Lobuche. Take a good rest and prepare your body for the long hike to Everest Base Camp tomorrow.

Overnight in Lobuche.

The trail to Gorakshep follows a flat path strewn with debris and rocks. You will be walking along the Khumbu Glacier, which is filled with dirt and loose pebbles. Be careful, as some sections of the route can be slippery and dangerous. You will reach Gorak Shep after walking for about an hour. Gorak Shep, which has only a couple of teahouses, lies on a dried lake bed. On reaching Gorak Shep, walk to a teahouse, have your lunch, check into your room, leave your belongings, and continue your journey towards Everest Base Camp.

It's a grueling walk on a glacial moraine, and the thin air will make your hike more difficult. Walk at an even pace without rushing, and stop at intervals to breathe deeply and take in the views. The Khumbu Glacier looks awesome with its barren, moon-like landscape filled with craters and boulders. At this altitude, vegetation doesn't exist. All around you will be mountains rising to a height of 8000 and 7000 meters. It is indeed an incredible feeling to stand close to the tallest mountain on earth, Mount Everest.

For trekkers, the Everest Base Camp is a massive rock that has Everest Base Camp painted on it. From here, you can view the massive Lhotse Shar, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Changtse. Mount Everest is too gigantic to be seen from EBC. However, you can see the actual base camp of Mount Everest used by expedition groups, right below the Khumbu Icefall. During climbing season, the base camp turnsinto a tented village, with many color fultented camps covering the barren landscape. If you feel likeit, you can hike further to the actual base camp and explore the camp. Later, retrace your steps and return to Gorak Shep.

Overnight in Gorak Shep.

Wake up before dawn breaks and hike to Kala Patthar. Kala Patthar is a brown hill located right next to Gorak Shep. It is one of the most popular viewpoints to savor close-up views of Mount Everest. Climbing this hill at 5550 meters is not an easy task. Sip water and head up, slowly stopping at intervals to breathe in deeply. After reaching the viewpoint, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Himalayan giants: Mount Everest, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Changtse, Thamserku, Kantega, etc.

After enjoying the views and taking photographs, head back to Gorakshep, have your breakfast, and walk to Lobuche.

Overnight in Lobuche.

Lobuche East High Camp lies only a short trek from the teahouse. You can have a leisurely breakfast and hike to the high camp at a leisurely pace. On reaching the high camp, you will participate in pre-climb training where the Sherpa climbers will make you rappel up and down a hill using a rope. They will share tips on how to make knots and use your carabiner and jumars effectively. You will get helpful tips on how to use steel ladders to cross crevasses and what to do during emergencies in the mountains.

Later, have dinner and go to bed early.

Overnight in High Camp.

The summit push starts really early, at around 1 a.m.The summit experiences windier and cloudier conditions as the day progresses. So, the summit push should take place before the wind picks up and the weather changes.

After having warm drinks and something to eat, you will start your final climb to the summit. With head torches lighting up the way in the dark, you will climb a narrow and rocky passage with your guide. Fixed ropes will be used to ascend steep inclines as you approach the glacier and the high snow. On your way to the summit, you use the rope to navigate through the ice. Typically, it takes four to five hours to get to the summit from the high camp. The faster you get to the top, the fewer breaks you take along the way. Take in breathtaking views of the entire valley, Ama Dablam, Pumori, Makalu, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, and Mount Everest from the top of Lobuche East.

At the summit of Lobuche, you can take some time to enjoy your victory moment. Take selfies and snap some photos with your team before you begin your descent. While going down to the high camp, work your way down cautiously to the anchor stations erected along the route. You will need to rappel down using Figure 8 or ATC. Make your way carefully through the rocky section and out of the glacier to the Lobuche High Camp. At the camp, you can stop for rest and food. The support staff will greet you with a hot beverage, which will warm you up. Have a simple lunch before descending to Lobuche. From Lobucche, you will retrace your steps and head back to Dingboche via the Thugla Pass.

In the evening, you can celebrate the success of your first summit with the rest of the team.

Overnight in Dingboche.

An extra day is reserved for the summit in case you are not able to reach it on Day 13.

Today you have another grueling day of trekking. You will be heading to Island Peak Base Camp via Chukkung. The hike to Chukkung will takes you past a rock field with a glacial moraine. It's a gradual climb with amazing views of the Lhotse Shar.

Once you reach Chukkung, you can stop for a brief rest and later continue further to Island Peak Base Camp. The base camp lies to the south of the village. You will have to take a winding path past the Imja and Lhotse glaciers to reach the Island Peak Base Camp.

Take a well-deserved rest after reaching the camp. You will have to wake up really early for the summit push tomorrow, so retire early.

Overnight in a tented camp.

Prepare for the summit push at 1 a.m After a simple breakfast, check your gear, put your head torches on, and head outside. Start by following a rocky trail to High Camp. Continue climbing you reach Crampon Point. From this point on, you will have to climb wearing crampons as the trail is frozen.

Once you reach an elevation of 5700 meters, the guide will chain up the team with ropes for safety. Make sure that you maintain the rhythm set by the group. You will walk past a ridge and the icy Imja Glacier. At intervals, you can stop with the group to catch your breath and savor the sunrise view over the snow-white mountains. There could be crevasses on the route, and ladders may be set up to get past these crevasses. Before reaching the summit, you will climb up a gradual incline of about 45 degrees. In front of you, you can see the grand summits of Makalu, Ama Dablam, Barun Tse, and Lhotse.

Once you get close to the summit, you will have to climb up a vertical wall. This is the only technical section of the route. Using an ice axe and ropes, make your way up and take the final few steps on a ridge all the way to the summit of Island Peak. Celebrate your success and spend some time taking pictures and enjoying the glorious 360-degree views of some of the tallest mountains in the world. After spending a few minutes at the summit, head down and make your way to the base camp. The descent is as difficult as the ascent, and you should be extra cautious while descending. Most accidents occur during the descent, so you should be careful.

Once you reach the base camp, rest for a while and grab something to eat. After lunch, continue yourdescent to Chukkung. You can have a proper celebration with your team at the teahouse in Chukkung.

Overnight in Chukkung.

An extra day is reserved for any delays or emergencies during the summit push.

Leaving the village of Chukkung, you will retrace your steps to Namche Bazaar. It is a long hike filled with amazing views of the mountains. Relish the dramatic views of the frozen mountains and glaciers as you make your way past Dingboche, Somare, and Pangboche. You will cross and recross the Imja River several times. The steep up-and-down ascents and descents while crossing Phunki Tenga Debuche and Tengboche will test your knees. But once you arrive in Namche, you can say hello to the creature comforts that you had been missing the past few days. Have a relaxing hot shower and reward yourself by having your favorite food and drinks.

Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

This is the last leg of your adventure. Starting your hike early from Namche, you descend to Lukla. It's downhill all the way. Enjoy your walk past the verdant Dudh Koshi River Valley and picturesque Sherpa villages. Once you reach Lukla, you will check in at a local lodge. In the evening, there will be a celebratory party to mark the success of your expedition. Your guides and porters will join in. You can look forward to a joyous celebration filled with Sherpa songs and dances. After the party, you can hand the tips to the local crew and thank them for their valuable support.

Overnight in Lukla.

What a great adventure this has been. But now it's time to head back to Kathmandu. You will catch an early flight to the capital city. Say farewell to the mountains and greet Kathmandu once more. Enjoy the spine-chilling take-off on the runway as the flight takes off from Lukla’s Tenzing Hillary Airport. Savor the majestic sights of the snow-covered mountains before flying into Kathmandu.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

This day is reserved for emergencies and delays caused by bad weather, flight delays or cancellations, injuries, or natural calamities.

If your trip goes as planned, you can use this day to chill in Kathmandu. You are free to do anything you like (explore, shop, sightsee, or just relax at your hotel) on this day.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Bid your final goodbyes and head to the international airport. Our driver will drop you off at the Tribhuvan International Airport at least three hours before your flight departs. In case you wish to extend your holiday and explore more places in the Himalayas, you can reach out to us. We have an array of adventure-filled itineraries that you may find interesting. Bhutan, India, Tibet, or another holiday destination in Nepal, let us know, and we will chart an itinerary for you.