Lobuche East and Island Peak Climb

Today, your trek and climb leader will brief you about your trekking and climbing program. We will do the trip briefing and gear check. And in case you have fallen short of any trek and climb equipment that you may need, this time can be used to arrange for it.

Wake up early in the morning and leave the hotel at approx 5 am to catch a flight to Lukla. Flight times are generally scheduled for early morning and the exact airport time will be announced a day earlier.
At Lukla, we are immediately overcome by the scale of the massive peaks that surround the village but this is only an indication of what is to come. After meeting the crew, we head up the Dudh Koshi Valley on a well-marked trail and then stay overnight in Phakding.

Overall elevation gain tonight from previous night: 1,250m/4,100ft

We will move along Dudhkoshi River which will take us through the pine forest. After crossing suspension bridges at several points and passing through small settlements of Zapute, Toktok, Benkar and Chumoa, we will reach Monjo. This is known as the gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park. At Monjo, our trek leader will deal with all necessary national park formalities and then we will enter Sagarmatha National Park. Lowering down from the park, we will arrive at the river. Crossing another suspension bridge, we will proceed towards the high Hillary Bridge located at the foot of the hill. Crossing this bridge, we will climb uphill to the Namche Bazaar. We can get a view of Thamserku Mountain. If the weather is clear, we can also have the first view of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Kusum Khangru mountains. We will stay overnight in a lodge in Namche Bazaar.

Namche Bazaar is regarded as a gateway to the high Himalayas. It is also the main trading centre and the capital of Sherpa land. Rest is recommended in Namche for acclimatization purposes. A short hike will be arranged to the ancient Sherpa village of Thame to observe the rich Sherpa culture or we can also visit nearby Khumjung, Khunde or Khongde villages. Shopping in the marketplace of Namche is another fine idea. National Park Head office, Museum and monasteries are other places of interest. The area is clustered with cafes, shops, bakeries and restaurants. The place supports facilities of the post office, hospital, and government health post. Internet access is also available at Namche so that you can contact your near ones. Overnight stay in a lodge in Namche Bazaar.

Today it’s a steep climb out of Namche Bazaar up to Kyangjuma Village. At Kyangjuma, we can contemplate terrific views of Thamserku, Kantega, and Ama Dablam. The tough part of today is surely going to be the ascent of the Mong La, a very appealing place hanging on the spur of Mt. Khumbila. A medieval historical Chorten stands at the centre of the settlement of Mong La. We spend some time at the top of Mong La looking with awe at the surrounding snow-capped mountains and valleys while enjoying lunch. The most eye-catching feature of the trail today is the wealth of plant and animal vegetation including wildflowers and Rhododendrons that we see on the way. We may even spot wild lives like pheasants, mountain goats, and the subtle musk deer. Continuing our hike through forests, some waterfalls and bridges, we reach Dole, a small village with few teahouses.

Overall elevation gain tonight from the previous night: 590m/1,936ft

Today it’s another short day starting with a climb out of the small Dole Valley before ascending more gradually up the Dudh Kosi valley, high above the river. The walking is easy, but we will still feel the effects of altitude on even the smallest hillock. The barren alpine scenery with only small clusters of scrub juniper is a stark contrast to the snowy white peaks and deep blue skies. After two hours, we will arrive at Luza (4360m), and after a further hour's walk, we reach our lodge at Machhermo (4465m) where you will spend the evening. After lunch, there is an option to take an excursion across rocky moraines to the base of Kyajo Ri (6168m) and Machhermo Peak (6073m). However, keep an eye open for the Yeti! It was here, in 1974 that three yaks were killed and a Sherpa girl injured when trying to fight off a hairy, ape-like intruder that could have been a hungry grizzly bear!

Overall elevation gain tonight from previous night: 430m/1,411ft

We are more or less nearing an altitude of 4500m, so we haul up at Machhermo for an extra day to acclimatize by getting our bodies used to the thin air as we climb up. There are plenty of outlets for exploration around the camp and just above the village, there is a gracious vista that encircles Cho Oyu at [8210m] and the mountains which flank the Ngozumpa Glacier.

After breakfast, we climb through a crest Chorten from where we enjoy master views of the valley below and Mt. Kangtega, Thamserku, and the northern part of Cho-Oyu at (8153m). Beyond the ridge, the valley opens out as the trail passes through a Chorten and reaches Phangka at (4480m) after a brief soft hike. Phangka is an area where an avalanche in 1995 killed 40 people. We descend to the river bank before beginning to climb up to the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier. It is a steep climb on the moraine. After crossing an iron bridge over a stream the trail levels out as it follows the valley past the first lake, known as Longpongo at 4690m, where we get a chance to see the Lama footprints on a stone. As we see the sights of the second lake, Taboche Tsho, we watch in awe the glimmering turquoise blue mass of water dazzling in the sunshine. Just ahead of the second lake, we reach the third lake, the two connected by a heaving stream. Gokyo village is neatly placed by the third lake and Cho-Oyu Mountains stand tall in the backdrops, setting off stunning scenery, an ideal spot for our video cams to go on overdrive in this awesome area. After lunch, we discover more of the third Lake, Dudh Pokhari.

Overall elevation gain tonight from previous night: 330m/1,083ft

Morning climb to Gokyo Ri. Gokyo Ri is a major viewpoint in the Gokyo region and the view from the top is mesmerizing. We retrace to Gokyo for breakfast and we soon leave this zone with lifetime memories never to be forgotten. After relishing a warm breakfast, we trek down to Thagnak for overnight scaling by the second of the Lakes; the route across the glacier is identified by cairns and is pretty well determined. We climb off the glacier by a small dwelling known as Thagnak and follow a low valley to our camp by a small kharka.

Overall elevation gain tonight from the previous night: -50m/-164ft

Cho La Pass is also another show-up of this trip. The pass is not itself difficult but it is steep and involves a glacier traverse on the eastern side. We need to be careful as the trail is vertical and the rocks glazed by ice add trouble to the trekkers making the trail slippery. While trekking through the side of a frozen lake we reach the top of the pass decorated with prayer flags. The pyramidal Ama Dablam presides over a range of mountains on the south even as Cholatse soar on the west and Lobuche East and Baruntse rise sharply to our right. We need to pass through some crevasses before we reach Dzongla, another beautiful place with a complete view of Mt. Cholatse, Mt. Ama Dablam, Lobuche peak and the Pheriche village far below.

Overall elevation gain tonight from the previous night: 70m/230ft

After breakfast, there will be a climbing clinic scheduled today. You will receive pre-climb training from your guide on this day. The skills required for the climb will be taught with the proper use of equipment and knowledge of the terrain.

The rest of the day is free to rest and recover.

Leaving Dzongla, we will move along a rocky moraine path towards Lobuche High Camp. From Dzongla, it is an uphill climb all the way to the Lobuche high camp. We will climb through the rocky terrain to Lobuche High Camp.

We will wake up quite early this day as we aim to reach the summit before 10 am. We head out to the summit during predawn at around 2 am. The exact time of departure from the high camp will be suggested as per your walking pace. From the high camp to the summit it's about 7-8 hrs of a climb and the descent to the high camp will take around 4 hrs.

The first few hours of a climb don't involve the use of crampons and the terrain mostly consists of snow and rock. Fixed ropes are usually placed along all the sections of the climb starting from the high camp. After almost 3 hrs, we get to the crampon point of Lobuche Peak, which is just at the base of a 60-degree vertical climb on a fixed rope. From here, the climb begins somewhat technical with climbing on mixed conditions of rock, ice and snow.

After another 3 hrs of mixed climbing on a fixed rope on an average 45-degree incline we get to the summit of Lobuche East (6119m/20,075ft).

The summit allows enticing views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Cholatse, Ama Dablam, Pumori and other mountains in the Everest region. After spending some quality time at the summit, we will lower down to Lobuche High Camp for lunch and then towards Lobuche for an overnight stay.

An early start is required to reach the Everest Base Camp. It takes several hours as the trail weaves its way through ice pinnacles and past the crevasses of the Khumbu Glacier. After a brief lunch and rest, we take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once-vast Gorak Shep Lake. Only upon reaching the Everest Base Camp do we really appreciate the Everest climbers who brave the risky route through the Khumbu icefall. Mountaineer's tents stand out in bright colours against the monotony of grey surroundings (especially in the spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains we can view from the base camp. On the return leg, we can take a higher route to get a grand view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the South Col. We to return to Gorakshep for a restful night.

Be prepared to tackle thin air at this high altitude. We start early at dawn to catch the dramatic views from Kalapatthar witnessing the first light of day shining on Mt. Everest. However, we need to get prepared for an early morning, dark and cold temperature (-10 to -14 C) departure beforehand. Plus, there is always the potential for chilly winds which are quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to expose itself emerging between the west shoulder crest and Nuptse. During the ascent to Kalapatthar, we can pause to catch our breath at several outstanding viewpoints to click pictures. After several hours of ascent, we reach Kalapatthar. From here, we scuttle to climb the rocky outcrop near the summit marked by cairns and prayer flags. As we reach the top, we sit on the Kalapatthar rocks and our eyes take in the unbelievable Himalayan views, wandering from one mighty massif to another. We take as many pictures as we possibly can with our camera so they can last a lifetime. After this, we make our way back to Dingboche with a slow descent.

Leaving Dingboche, we head towards Chukung today which will take about 2-3hrs trek only. The trek today is relatively easier and shorter. Arrive at Chukung for lunch and the rest of the day is to rest, recover and do final preparation for Island Peak.

From Chukung, we will reach Island Peak Base Camp. Climbing south from Chukung, we will head east and proceed through Lhotse glacier through Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines to the southwest side of Island Peak where we will set our camp. The site offers scenic views of surrounding mountains and moraine valleys.

We will wake up much early on this day, leaving Base Camp at around 3 am. We will take a moderate climb for the first part of the climb before reaching the steep hillside. The terrain frequently changes from sandy area to meadow to boulder. From the hill, we will follow the tapered path through a steep rock channel to emerge into the gully. Walking through a ridgeline, we conquer the challenges proposed by seracs and crevasses. We will proceed through the snout of the summit glacier with the help of ropes and move through 40- degree snow slopes to reach the summit. The challenge of the climb is rewarded with the gratifying views of Lhotse Mountain, Nuptse Mountain, Makalu, Baruntse and Amadablam Mountains. We will capture the memories in the camera and then prepare ourselves for a long descent to the Base Camp and trek to Chukung. We will celebrate the successful climb of our second objective.

Contingency day for any delays or weather factors.

We will follow the easy descending trail from Lobuche Base Camp. The path from Lobuche to Pheriche is scenic with a close-up view of Ama Dablam Mountain. From Pheriche, we will move further to Pangboche through the rhododendron and juniper forest.

Leaving Pangboche early in the morning, we will follow the return trail along Imja River that takes us through the forest of birch and spruce to Tengboche village. After a brief stop in Tengboche, we will follow the trail through a forest of blooming rhododendron to the bridge. We will cross the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River and move through the Dudh Koshi gorge and pine forest to Sansa village. The region is rich in Himalayan wildlife like mountain goats, Thars and local birds. We will pass through the chorten to the army camp at Namche Bazaar.

Our last day of trek following the Dudh Kosi River down to Lukla. It’s only a gradual walk along the Dudh Kosi river after our steep descent from Namche. We’ll have lunch on our way and we make the final climb up to the airstrip at Lukla. The rest of the day is free and you can relax under the warm sun & reflect on the emotional experiences we had while hiking through these massive mountains that have probably helped us re-discover ourselves in ways least expected. This is our final day in these fantastic mountains. Later we celebrate our successful completion of the trek & climb with our Sherpa guides and porters who we’ve got to know so well & are now good friends. It’s a pleasure to end this wonderful trip on a happy note. We then slumber into blissful sleep.

We get up early in the morning, enjoy our b/fast & get ready for the arrival of our aircraft for the flight back to Kathmandu. On our touchdown at the Kathmandu airport, you will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of your day is free to do your own things.

Enjoy a leisurely day. You are on your own. Participating in a day tour in Kathmandu is a pleasant plan. You can also go shopping in Thamel, a tourist hub where you can buy souvenir items like handicrafts and arts for your family.
Please do not hesitate to let us know if you would like to extend your stay. Kindly email us for more details on extensions.

Finally, the undeniable day of departure arrives. Thank you for joining us on this climb and it has been a pleasure getting to know you during this time.  We hope this venture has enriched your experience with happy memories. You will be assisted in your last-minute preparation. Our representative will take you to Tribhuvan International Airport three hours before your scheduled flight. Keep in touch and hope to hear from you soon.  Bon voyage for a safe and pleasant trip home.