Khumbu region is home to the most famous peak of the Island Peak, which was conquered by a Swiss team of mountaineers in 1956 as part of a training practice for Everest. The Island Peak trek itinerary route can be combined with the Mera Peak Trek or the Everest Base Camp Trek. A team of Eric Shipton named it Island Peak in 1951, since it looks like an island floating in a sea of ice when seen from Dingboche peak.
Along with Mera Peak, Pokalde, and Lobuje East, it is one of the highest peaks in the region. Island Peak, at 6.190m high, is a great mountain for your first challenge in the Himalayas; it is located in a branch of the Khumbu Valley, near the town of Chhukung, and it is surrounded by immense summits of more than 7000 m.
A trek on the Island Peak trek itinerary route can be your introduction to the Himalayas; it will be an unforgettable experience. Island Peak offers glacier crossings, moderate snow and ice climbing. The views from the summit are truly spectacular, despite being eclipsed to the north by the massive Lhotse Face. Those with good health and previous experience in high altitude trekking can take on this overwhelming trek, besides ascending the peak of Mera as well as exploring the Island can be a chance to take the adventure and exploration to a new level.
The best time to plan Island Peak trek itinerary route is during pre-monsoon (March to June) and post-monsoon (September to November). Because of the better climate that is guaranteed after the monsoon season, it tends to be a bit more crowded. A climber can start at a base camp at 5087m, called Pareshaya Gyab, and start the climb to the top at 2 or 3 in the morning. A popular option is to ascend to the advanced base camp at 5600m to reduce the time and effort required on the day of the peak, but the lack of water and difficulty sleeping at such altitude may force you to start from the base camp.
In general, the trek from the base camp to the advanced is basically a mountain trekking, but for the advanced one, there are some parts that require climbing, cracks, and steep slopes, which are usually scaled with fixed ropes previously installed by the guides, to the top where the steep slope presents the greatest difficulty. At the top, even though Mount Everest is just 10 kilometers away to the north, the view is obscured by the huge mass of Lhotse, which rises 2300 m above the peak of Island Peak.
Island Peak Trek begins
Fly to Lukla airport, and then walk for three hours to Phakding (2610m), passing through the Sherpa villages of Chheplung, Ghat, Sano, and Thulo, and the sacred monasteries of Drangdrak Gompa and Pema Choling Gompa. On the following day of your Island Peak trek itinerary, head to Namche Bazar (3450 m), where you will discover the picturesque Sherpa villages of Benkar, Chumoa, and Monjo, where you will have to complete the paperwork and obtain permits to enter the Sagarmatha National Park (Everest), designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site, after crossing through the last village from Jorsale.
After passing the BhoteKoshi River tributary, you will reach the heights of Namche, from where you can get the first glimpse of Mount Everest, and finally after 1.5 km we reach Namche Bazar. In Island Peak trek itinerary route, you should not miss a visit to Tengboche monastery. the structure was built in 1923, destroyed by an earthquake in 1934, then by fire in 1989, and rebuilt with the help of volunteers and charity organizations. It has a stunning view of the Himalayan mountains: Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku.
The next stop will be Dingboche (4360m), a six-hour walk uphill that brings you to the traditional Sherpa town of Chhukung (4730m), where we will prepare for the challenge, the climb to Island Peak’s base camp. The trail from Chhukung to base camp consists of a fairly steep road that climbs south and then turns east to lead to the Lhotse glacier and along riverbeds which lead to the Big-Rock, following the route to Amphu Lapcha to the south through Imja and Lhotse glacial moraines that lead to a wide valley that flanks the southwest side of the Island Peak trek itinerary route, and its base camp.
You will see the slope and the entrance to the steep rock channel as you climb the hill. You will need a rope for the glacial, since it contains several cracks of low difficulty. The following day, however, it can be a challenging part of your Island Peak trek itinerary route. Guides usually fix ropes to a snow slope leading to Island Peak, about 100m of snow, and an ice slope (40-45 degrees). When you reach the summit, you’ll see magnificent views of Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Makalu, Mera, and more. A climber usually celebrates at the summit, takes pictures, and then descends to Chhukung to rest from their adventure.”
Island Peak Trek Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Lukla (2,800m/9,184ft) then trek to Phakding (2,652m/8,700ft): 40 min flight, 3-4 hours trek
Day 2: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,283ft): 5-6 hours
Day 3: Namche Bazaar (3,440 m/11,283 ft): Acclimatization Day
Day 4: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3,870m/12,694ft) 5- 6 hours
Day 5: Tengboche to Dingboche (4,360 m/14,300 ft): 5 to 6 hours
Day 6: Dingboche to Chhukung (4,730m/15,518ft): 3-4 hours
Day 7: Acclimatization: Climb Chhukung Ri (5,546m) and trek back to Chhukung: 3 – 4 hours
Day 8: Chhukung to Island Peak Base camp (5,200m/17,060ft): 3-4 hours
Day 9: Pre-Climb training on Island Peak Base Camp
Day 10: Island Peak Base Camp to Island Peak Summit (6,189m/20,305ft), back to base camp: 10-12 hours
Day 11: Island Peak Base Camp to Pangboche (3,985m/13,074ft) 5-6 hours
Day 12: Pangboche to Namche Bazaar: 4-5 hours
Day 13: Namche Bazaar to Lukla: 6-7 hours
Day 14: Fly to Kathmandu
