ISLAND PEAK &
EVEREST BASE CAMP
Max Altitude: 6,189m
Group Size: 7-14
Walking Per Day: 5-7 Hours
Summit day is 12 Hours
Land Only Package
Accommodation: Hotels, Teahouses
and Tents
Bespoke Expeditions Available
Strenuous
16 Trekking Days - 22 Days Total
£3,950
£300 deposit to secure your place
Final balance paid 8 weeks before departure
ABOUT THE ISLAND PEAK AND EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK
A trip that ticks so many boxes you'll lose count of the highlights. Island Peak is a popular trekking peak not far off the main Everest Base Camp trail that just breaks the 6000m mark at 6189m.
This two week trek provides you with the opportunity to journey up to Everest Base Camp and watch the sun set on Everest from the 5545m peak of Kala Patthar. Not only is this a fabulous trail but it provides excellent acclimatisation for an attempt on Island Peak (alternatively known as Imja Tse) on the return journey. This peak gained it's name by the British Everest expedition in 1953 as they felt it looked like an Island in the middle of a sea of ice. It's surrounded by giant infamous Himalayan peaks such as Lhotse, Makalu, Baruntse and Ama Dablam. Although regarded as a trekking peak, there is still the opportunity to get technical with the use of crampons, fixed lines and an ascent of a steep head-wall and summit ridge.
As part of joining this adventure with us, you do get a weekend of winter walking tuition in the Lake District to help you prepare for the journey ahead. This trip is best suited to those with good levels of hiking experience, and a good level of fitness. Ascending to High Altitude is no easy task, so being as fit as you can for such a trip is the way to be.
This trip really does have a bit of everything and plenty of kudos to go with it.
ISLAND PEAK & EVEREST BASE CAMP ITINERARY
Days 1 & 2 are spent leaving the UK and arriving in Kathmandu. Upon our arrival we are transported to our high spec hotel accommodation.
Day 3 is spent finalising details before driving to Ramechap (5 hours) in the afternoon in preparation for our flight to Lukla.
Day 4 will see us take an internal flight to the famous mountain airport of Lukla. We will then trek for a few hours to the village of Phakding (2,650m).
On Day 5 we gain much more height and head to the Sherpa capital of the Khumbu region, Namche Bazaar (3,440m). Day 6 is also spent at Namche acclimatising. Acclimatisation days usually include a trek of 3-4 hours too.
Day 7 and 8 are 5-6 hour trek days as we head for Dingboche (4,400m) via Tengboche (3,870m)
We spend Day 9 at and above Dingboche on another acclimatisation day, likely climbing to about 4,800m. From here you can see Island Peak too.
On Day 10 we trek over the Thukla Pass to Lobuche (4,970m)
Day 11 is an exciting day. We first trek to Gorak Shep (5,170m) and then after a bite to eat head to Everest Base Camp. After some time at EBC we then head back to Gorak Shep for the night. Energy levels pending you can climb Kala Pattar (5,545m) and see the sun set against Everest.
On the morning of Day 12 you can also head to the top off Kala Pattar. This viewpoint will give us a great view of Everest and the Khumbu Glacier. After this it's back down the valley to the village of Lobuche
On Day 13 we start to turn our sights to Island Peak and trek to Chhukung (4,730m) via Kongma La (5,535m).
Day 14 will be a day getting ourselves established a Island Peak Base Camp (5,200m) and is also an opportunity to refresh our technical skills such as using fixed lines and abseiling. Day 15 is a big day as it is our attempt at the summit of Island Peak (6,189m), Expect to be on your feet for about 12 hours on this day.
We have Day 16 built is as a contingency day to allow for a second attempt on the summit, or in case we are delayed due to bad weather.
Days 17, 18 & 19 are all about descent as we visit the villages of Pangboche, Namche Bazaar and finally Lukla to conclude the trek. At Lukla we will enjoy a celebratory meal with our trekking team.
All being well we will fly out of Lukla on Day 20 and then drive back to Kathmandu from Ramechaap. The afternoon can be spent in Kathmandu. We will enjoy a celebratory meal on this evening. Day 21 offers another chance to explore Kathmandu and we will go on a half day sight seeing tour also. time. We will aim to leave Nepal on Day 22 unless you are extending your trip.
INCLUSIONS
EXCLUSIONS
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Internal Transfers - Airport Transfers, and flight from Lukla Airport
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Accommodation throughout, including high spec hotel accommodation in Kathmandu
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All food except Lunch and Dinners in Kathmandu
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Trekking Permits
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Trekking Staff, including English speaking Nepali Guides
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Experienced LMG Trek Manager
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2 Day Lake District based Winter Training Weekend (Feb '23)
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Medical Kit and Portable Altitude Chamber
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Team t-shirt & Duffle Bag
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International Flights from your destination country
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Personal Trekking Insurance - To cover trekking to over 6,189m. This is mandatory to join us on a trip.
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Non-Emergency Helicopter Flights
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Tips for the trekking team (Roughly £100)
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Lunches and Dinners outside of the trekking phase
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Nepal Entry Visa £50
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Souvenirs
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Additional food and beverages
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Communications / Charging cost (Wifi / Sim Card)
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Personal trekking kit (Boots,rucksacks etc)
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Technical Kit Hire - Crampons, Axe, Mountaineering Boots
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Services and Accommodation not included in the planned itinerary.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why climb Island Peak?
Island Peak is nestled in the Khumbu valley and hosts some amazing views. As part of this expedition you get to see some of the greatest mountains in the world, visit Everest Base Camp and climb to over 6,000m!
How fit do I really need to be and what skills do I require?
The fitter you are the more you will enjoy it, and the more chance you'll have of getting to the top. Being able to complete 3-4 back to back days of big hill walks in the UK is a good gauge that you're ready. You'll find some advice, as well as a free downloadable 12 week training plan on our Fitness Training page.
Being able to walk proficiently with crampons and use a walking axe for safety will be a good skill to have before heading to the Himalaya. As part of this package you will be able to join us for a two day winter skills weekend here in the Lake District (Instruction only)
In order to reach the summit you will spend a day in crampons and you will ascend using 'fixed lines'. There is a steep headwall and a narrower summit ridge so a head for heights is required. Matt is also a qualified Personal Trainer so if you want some formal training just get in touch with us via LMG Personal Training
What about Altitude Sickness?
Having concerns about AMS is very natural and it unfortunately unpredictable. Even the experienced could struggle to get over 6,000m if they get ill. We have however designed our itinerary to help us best acclimatise. The fitter you are, the less exhausted you'll get, which in turn has an impact on bringing on symptoms of AMS. These points combined with walking slowly, drinking lots and eating well all give you the best possible chance.
What Technical Kit do I require?
Apart from the usual walking equipment you'll require crampons, a walking axe, double boots (Insulated for the altitude - Hired in Kathmandu if you don't want to purchase) a climbing harness and a quality sleeping bag rated to -15 / 20.
All of this kit can either be hired direct from us or when out in Nepal.
What about the Food and Accommodation?
The food in Nepal is fab. Expect a lot of rice, noodles and vegetables. If you have specific allergies or dietary requirements it may be worth researching what's on offer before committing. Eating well throughout is key to success on such an expedition. Our accommodation whilst on the trek will be teahouses, apart from 1 night (possibly 2 nights if the contingency day is used) will be spent in a tent.
Should you need to leave the expedition early, any additional accommodation costs will need to be covered by you (or depending on the circumstance, your insurance)
Do I require Travel Insurance?
Most certainly. Travelling, let alone adventure travel, can throw up all sorts of incidents or circumstances that need to be covered by insurance otherwise you could face a very hefty bill. As a minimum your insurance must cover the dates of the trip, the altitude you are trekking to and helicopter evacuation. Our recommendation for travel insurance is Campbell Irvine
Do your trips have a minimum required number of participants to run?
Our scheduled trips do. Our Island Peak and Everest Basecamp trip requires 7 people to ensure it is guaranteed to run. We will let you know when it is guaranteed to run and from this point you can book flights.
Do I need any vaccinations?
Possibly! Vaccinations can be costly too and should be taken into consideration when budgeting for your trip. The best thing to do is to approach your Travel Nurse for information.
What is a non-Emergency Helicopter Flight mentioned in the Exclusions?
This expedition relies on an internal plane flight to start the trek, and to return back to Kathmandu. Delays can occur, and in order to make progress onto the trek, or in order to get you back to your international flight, we can consider the use of a helicopter (if the weather permits). This cost is not covered by LMG Treks & Expeditions, and you could expect to pay anywhere between £300-£600 per flight depending on the group size.
Do you organise bespoke trips?
Of course, just get in touch with your group size and we'll offer you a quote.
Why should I trek with LMG Treks & Expeditions?
For over a decade we've provided fun, educational and safe adventures in the UK through Lakeland Mountain Guides. We've taken our experience and academic education and created a company that has the sole aim of providing amazing, personal adventures abroad. Yes, we're just a small company, but this has two big benefits for you. Firstly, we really appreciate each and every booking we get, and you are not one in a few thousand. Secondly. we're able to, and want to, put the time into helping you get mentally and physically prepared for your adventure.
We pride ourselves on being compliant to UK Package travel regulation laws, diligent with safety, and environmentally sensitive. What's more is we create our trips with the customer experience, safety and chances of success at the very fore of our minds. We will often add in extra days for acclimatisation or contingency to achieve these three major factors, even if it makes our trips a bit more expensive.
How do we justify the price of our trips?
There's no doubt about it, if you went online you'd likely find a cheaper alternative, but you can't be certain you're buying a like for like product. We get it, these trips aren't cheap, but there are numerous reasons why the price amounts to what it does. Please click here to read deeper into the reasons why.
Are you environmentally responsible?
As a company, although small, we will operate responsibly, giving back where we can. One of our best partnerships is that with Trees4Travel. We will plant 2 trees on the behalf of every booking we get, and we will plant enough trees to offset the travel of our trek manager too. Click here to see our Responsible Tourism Policy
We discourage the use of single use plastics on expedition where possible, and are continually thinking of ways to become even kinder to the planet we operate in.
Are there any hidden costs?
We appreciate that when a trip comes with a price tag of £3500+ and then a list of exclusions you want to be sure you won't get stung with extra costs. We've tried to be as transparent as possible, and depending on how much equipment you need / want to buy this trip will probably cost you between £4500-5000 all in. International flights are on average £850 - £1200 and your personal trekking insurance will be £150 - £250. Other major exclusions include the Nepal Entry Visa (£50) and tips for the trekking team.
More info can be found in our Resources section
