Itinerary
- Day 1
Kathmandu
You'll arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport where someone from Himalayan Glacier meets you at the gate and gets you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to rest and get used to being at this altitude and in a new place. By evening, there's a welcome dinner with traditional Nepalese food.
- Start point
- Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) त्रिभुवन विमानस्थल, त्रिभुवन विमानस्थल, Kathmandu, Bagmati, Nepal (Main Entrance)
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner with Nepalese cuisine)
Included Activities
- Welcome dinner with Nepalese cuisine
- Day 2
Kathmandu
In the afternoon, head to Himalayan Glacier's office to meet your climbing guide and the other people on your trip. Your guide will go through all your gear and make sure it's ready for the trek and climb. The team explains what's coming up over the next week or so. After that, you have the rest of the day free to rest or do what you like.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Equipment check with climbing guide
- Pre-trip briefing and orientation
- Day 3
Kathmandu to Lukla to Phakding
After breakfast, you'll go to the domestic terminal at Tribhuwan for an early flight to Lukla. The flight itself is spectacular, going over green valleys and white peaks before landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport, which sits right on a hillside surrounded by high mountains. You'll meet the rest of your crew, sort through your equipment, and start trekking through Lukla down to Phakding. It's a short walk to help your body start adjusting to the altitude.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Domestic flight to Lukla
- Trek from Lukla to Phakding
Optional Activities
- Side trip to nearby monastery
Landmarks Tenzing-Hillary Airport - Day 4
Phakding to Namche Bazaar
After breakfast, trek through pine forests and alongside the Dudh Koshi River heading toward Namche Bazaar. Along the way you'll see Mt. Thamserku gleaming white, and if the weather cooperates, Mt. Everest shows up over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. The trail passes through forests of pine, fir, and juniper, and you'll cross five suspension bridges including the Hillary Bridge. The last part gets steep climbing up to Namche Bazaar, which is the main trading hub and gateway to Mt. Everest and Sagarmatha National Park.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar
- Crossing five suspension bridges including Hillary Bridge
Landmarks Mt. Thamserku Mt. Everest Dudh Koshi River Hillary Bridge Sagarmatha National Park Namche Bazaar - Day 5
Namche Bazaar
This is your acclimatization day. Rather than just sitting around, it's better to stay active and moving. You can wander around Namche's local villages and spend time with the Sherpa people, or hike up to Everest View Hotel for close-up looks at Mt. Everest. While you're in the area, check out the local museum which has information about the region's plants, animals, and Everest history. If you want something longer, there's a 5 to 6 hour trek to Khumjung village to see the Edmund Hillary School and the Khumjung Monastery, which is supposed to have the head of a Yeti.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Stroll around Namche's villages
- Visit local museum
- Hike to Everest View Hotel
- Hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours)
- Visit Edmund Hillary School
- Visit Khumjung Monastery
Landmarks Everest View Hotel Namche Museum Khumjung village Edmund Hillary School Khumjung Monastery - Day 6
Namche Bazaar to Tengboche
After breakfast, trek from Namche to Phunki with an easy walk, then start climbing toward Tengboche village. Tengboche has the largest monastery in the Everest region and sits inside Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From there you get 360-degree views of the Himalayas including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. The monastery opens at 3 pm, so there's a chance you'll catch a religious ceremony if timing works out.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche
Optional Activities
- Attend religious ceremony at Tengboche Monastery
Landmarks Tengboche Monastery Mt. Everest Nuptse Lhotse Ama Dablam Thamserku - Day 7
Tengboche to Pheriche
Start in the morning at Tengboche Monastery with the Himalayas as your backdrop, taking photos of the monastery and the landscape around it. After descending about half an hour through forest and crossing a river, trek uphill and watch the landscape get drier as you gain elevation. Pass through the traditional Sherpa village of Pangboche before arriving at Pheriche, a pretty riverside village. You'll notice a small helipad used for emergency helicopter rescues. There's also a medical clinic there if you want to take a class from a mountain specialist.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Tengboche Monastery
- Trek through Sherpa village of Pangboche to Pheriche
Optional Activities
- Class with mountain specialist at medical clinic
Landmarks Tengboche Monastery Pangboche Pheriche - Day 8
Pheriche to Lobuche
After breakfast, start with an easy walk to Dugla, then trek up the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. The path gets rocky as you climb Chupki Lhara where stones with prayer flags serve as memorials to Scott Fischer, an American mountaineer, and Babu Chiri Sherpa, a Nepalese guide who summited Everest 10 times. Both died on Everest climbs. From the moraine you see views of Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori, and Mahalangur Himal.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Pheriche to Lobuche
- Cross Khumbu Glacier moraine
Landmarks Khumbu Glacier Chupki Lhara Khumbutse Lingtren Pumori Mahalangur Himal - Day 9
Lobuche to Everest Base Camp and Gorak Shep
Take the trail to Everest Base Camp passing through what used to be Gorak Shep Lake. You'll see memorials for Indian army mountaineers along the way. Follow your lead Sherpa carefully because the path gets confusing from here on. The walk gets hard because of the thin air at this elevation. Pass through rocky areas, moraine, and streams before reaching Everest Base Camp, where colorful mountaineer tents stand out against the gray landscape, especially during spring season. From base camp see Nuptse, Khumbuste, and Pumori, then head back to Gorak Shep for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek to Everest Base Camp
- Return to Gorak Shep
Landmarks Gorak Shep Lake Everest Base Camp Nuptse Khumbuste Pumori Gorak Shep - Day 10
Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar and Lobuche
Get up very early before sunrise when it's cold, around -10 to -14°C/14 to 7°F, with potential for wind chill. Peaks like Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse appear to the east as Mt. Everest starts showing itself. When you reach Kala Patthar, you get a full 360-degree view of Mt. Everest right up close. Spend time taking pictures and looking at the mountain views, then trek back to Lobuche and rest for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to Kala Patthar
- 360-degree views of Mt. Everest from Kala Patthar
Landmarks Kala Patthar Mt. Everest Lingtren Khumbutse Changtse - Day 11
Lobuche to Chhukung
After breakfast, trek via Khumbu Glacier to Kongma La Base Camp at 5,000m/16,404ft. The hardest part of today is climbing up to Kongma La pass itself. At the pass you'll see a cairn wrapped in prayer flags marking the spot. From there, gradually descend to Imja Khola valley and then down again to Chhukung, a small summer settlement. When you arrive, check over your equipment to get ready for the big climb that's coming.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Lobuche to Kongma La Base Camp
- Cross Kongma La pass
- Trek to Chhukung
- Equipment check
Optional Activities
- Alternative route via Dingboche to Chhukung (for those not undertaking Kongma La pass)
Landmarks Khumbu Glacier Kongma La Base Camp Kongma La pass Imja Khola valley Chhukung Dingboche - Day 12
Chhukung to Island Peak Base Camp
The trail to Island Peak Base Camp is fairly steep. You'll climb south at first, then turn east toward the center of the valley. Walk on a winding path below the southern side of the moraine from Lhotse Glacier. Continue on a nice trail along a stream. The route heads southeast toward Amphu Labtsa, and a winding path through the Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines brings you to a wide valley on the southwest side of Island Peak, where you camp for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Chhukung to Island Peak Base Camp
Landmarks Lhotse Glacier Imja Glacier Island Peak Amphu Labtsa - Day 13
Island Peak Base Camp
After breakfast, your guides teach you climbing techniques and how to use gear like ice axes, climbing boots, crampons, harnesses, and ascenders. You'll also learn rope techniques for going up and down. Even if you haven't climbed before, this training helps build confidence, improves your skills, and increases your chances of reaching the summit. Later spend the day either hiking up to high camp and back or resting to prepare for tomorrow's big climb.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Pre-climb training on peak climbing techniques
- Climbing gear instruction (ice axe, crampons, harness, ascender, rope techniques)
Optional Activities
- Hiking to high camp and back
Landmarks Island Peak Base Camp - Day 14
Island Peak Summit Climb
Wake around 12 to 1 am, have breakfast, and start climbing. Getting to the summit before noon matters because strong afternoon winds in the highlands make things much harder. The path starts sandy then becomes grassy before turning into boulders. As you climb higher the slope narrows and you enter a steep rock channel with short rock steps. After that the trail follows a ridgeline onto the summit glacier. A steep snow slope leads to the summit ridge. Both fixed rope and man rope provide safety. After the rock section, fixed rope of about 350m depending on season and crevasses goes all the way to the summit. You'll cross two new crevasses about 3 to 4 meters long using ladders. After enjoying views and taking pictures, descend all the way back to Island Peak Base Camp where the crew waits. Celebrate your successful summit.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Island Peak summit climb
- Use of fixed ropes and climbing techniques
- Crossing crevasses via ladders
Landmarks Island Peak Island Peak Base Camp - Day 15
Island Peak Base Camp to Pangboche
Today the walking is much easier as you descend to lower altitudes. Following the same route back through the wide Khumbu Khola valley, pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages of Orsho and Shomare. There's an option to take a different trail to see the Gompa in Upper Pangboche, thought to be the oldest monastery in Khumbu, or take the regular trail to Pangboche. Pangboche is scenic with Everest to the north, Ama Dablam and Thamserku to the east, Kongde range to the south, and the Imja Tse river through the fertile valley.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Descent to lower altitudes
- Trek through Sherpa villages Orsho and Shomare to Pangboche
Optional Activities
- Visit Gompa in Upper Pangboche (believed to be oldest in Khumbu region)
Landmarks Khumbu Khola valley Orsho Shomare Upper Pangboche Gompa Pangboche Mt. Everest Ama Dablam Thamserku Kangtaiga Kongde range Imja Tse river - Day 16
Pangboche to Namche Bazaar
From Pangboche, head back down to the Imja Khola and up through forest to Tengboche. If interested, stop by and visit the nuns at Tengboche Monastery. Have lunch at Tengboche, then continue through hillsides covered in rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, follow the gorge descending quickly through pine forests before reaching Sansa. Watch for wildlife including mountain goats, snow leopards, and colorful pheasants while passing through. After a Buddhist monument called a chorten, reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at Tengboche), Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Pangboche to Tengboche to Namche Bazaar
- Cross Dudh Koshi River
- Descend through Dudh Koshi gorge and pine forests
Optional Activities
- Visit nuns at Tengboche Monastery
Landmarks Imja Khola Tengboche Monastery Dudh Koshi River Dudh Koshi gorge Sansa Namche Bazaar - Day 17
Namche Bazaar to Lukla
The trail drops steeply, so move carefully as your legs work on the rocky ground. After crossing suspension bridges over the fast moving Dudh Koshi River and its tributaries, the path levels out and becomes more natural. When you reach Lukla, stretch out your tired legs and think back on the last couple of weeks. Rest and get ready for your flight back tomorrow.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla
- Cross suspension bridges over Dudh Koshi River and tributaries
Landmarks Dudh Koshi River Lukla - Day 18
Lukla to Kathmandu
Catch an early morning flight back to Kathmandu after your weeks in the mountains. Once you reach Kathmandu, rest or do some shopping for souvenirs. Your guides can help with shopping or show you other parts of Kathmandu if you want to see more. That evening there's a farewell dinner to celebrate successfully summiting Island Peak.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner to celebrate successful Island Peak summit)
Included Activities
- Domestic flight to Kathmandu
- Farewell dinner
Optional Activities
- Souvenir shopping in Kathmandu
- Sightseeing in Kathmandu
- Day 19
Kathmandu Departure
Your Nepal adventure ends today. The main things left are trading contact information with your climbing partners and organizing your photos. A Himalayan Glacier representative will pick you up and take you to the airport about 3 hours before your flight departs. On the way home you'll have plenty of time to think about planning your next trip to Nepal.
- End point
- Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) त्रिभुवन विमानस्थल, त्रिभुवन विमानस्थल, Kathmandu, Bagmati, Nepal (Main Entrance)
- Meals
- Breakfast
