Island Peak, Lobuche and Nirekha Peak climbing with 3 Passes Trek  - 30 Days

After arriving at the international airport in Kathmandu, someone from Himalayan Glacier will greet us and take us to our hotel in the city. We can freshen up or take a rest. In the evening we attend a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier where we enjoy Nepalese cuisine. Overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, we visit Himalayan Glacier’s office. There will be a short meeting which is intended to make us familiar with the entire trip. We meet our climbing leaders and fellow climbers at the office. The climbing leader will check our equipment to make sure that they are ready for our adventure. This will also ensure that if any equipment is found faulty, we have the rest of the day to fix it or find equipment that works. We can spend the rest of the day at our leisure. Overnight in Kathmandu.

We fly to Lukla after breakfast. While on the plane, we can enjoy breathtaking views of lush hills and snowy mountains. The Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world. The airport is located at a hillside surrounded by high mountains. Upon our arrival at Lukla, we meet rest of our crew for the upcoming trek and climb. We start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla until we reach Phakding. To assist in acclimatization, we only have a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, we can take a side trip to a nearby monastery. Overnight in Phakding.

After breakfast, we walk through beautiful pine forests and then along Dudh Koshi River ending our nature-filled journey at Namche Bazaar. After walking for almost over an hour, we come across the radiant Mt. Thamserku (6,608m) on our right.  The lush pine, fir and juniper forests that we encounter throughout our journey are ours to admire. If the weather is clear, we may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. We continue walking until we reach Namche Bazaar which is the gateway to most treks and climbing expeditions in the Everest region. On that day we cross five suspension bridges, the last one also known as the Hillary Bridge being the highest. It is an uphill walk from Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Health experts recommend that we stay active and move around even during the rest day instead of being idle. There are a few options set aside for this day. We can either stroll around Namche Bazaar or hike up to the Everest View Hotel and enjoy an up-close view of the mighty Everest. While in the Namche village or upon returning from the hike to the Everest View Hotel, trekkers may also visit the local museum containing exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna as well as the history of the Everest region.

For trekkers who want to hike for a little longer, a hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours) may also be an option. While in the village we can visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti!). Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

It is an easy walk from Namche to Phunki. After reaching Phunki, we ascend towards Tengboche, a village that houses Tengboche monastery which is the largest monastery of the Everest region and the most significant for the locals. Situated amidst the Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of “outstanding universal value”), it is adorned with the panoramic 360-degree view of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. The monastery opens at 3pm and we make sure to arrive on time. And, if we are lucky, we might just be able to witness a religious ceremony. Overnight in Tengboche.

If we want, we can visit the Tengboche Monastery again this morning and enjoy the serene views of the mountains and the monastery itself. We begin our trek on an easy trail through birch, conifers and rhododendron forests. This picturesque trail then dips down to Debuche, crossing the Imja River before climbing up to Pangboche. We choose the upper Pangboche trail as it provides a more pristine view of the Himalayas. We also visit the Pangboche monastery. From here, the walk is fairly moderate as we enter the Imja Valley. The valley gradually unfolds as we approach the confluence of the Lobuche River. We descend into the river and begin the climb up to Dingboche. Overnight in Dingboche.

Dingboche is a summer settlement for the mountain dwellers of the area. From here, we can see Ama Dablam, the ridge of Nuptse-Lhotse, Tawache and Chalots. We begin today’s trek by walking through stone-walled fields, Imja Khola valley, before walking in glacier moraines. On our walk, we will be surrounded by Lhotse and Ama Dablam mountains. Later, beyond Bibre village we see Island Peak soaring above us. The trail ahead is intersected by icy streams. We reach Chhukung, a small settlement in about half an hour from Bibre. From here, directly across the valley is the fantastic Ama Dablam and the Amphu Labsa mountains. Overnight in Chhukung.

Today is another day set aside for acclimatization. Climbing Chhukung Ri should help our body adjust to the high altitude. Chhukung Ri is a peak located directly above the Chhukung village. The climb to the peak involves some easy scrambling near the summit. From the top, we can look directly across the valley for a fantastic view of Ama Dablam and Amphu Labsa peaks. We descend back to Chhukung village  to spend the night.

The trek to Island Peak Base Camp is on a fairly steep trail. First, we climb south then turn east to the main line of the valley. We then walk on a winding path below the southern flank of the moraine from the Lhotse Glacier. Next, we continue walking on a pleasant trail along a streamside. The route to the Amphu Lapcha lies to the southeast. A crisscross route through the Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines leads to a wide valley flanking the south-west side of Island Peak. Overnight at Island Peak Base Camp.

The pre-climb training commences after breakfast. The training will be on peak climbing techniques and the use of climbing gears such as the ice axe, boots and crampons, harness, ascender, etc. The training will also include using ropes to go up and down. Although it is not mandatory to have prior training to climb Island Peak, we strongly believe that some training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit as well as to fully enjoy the experience. Usually we will be climbing on rocky surfaces for up to about 5770m. After that, we climb on ice and use ropes when necessary. However, the use of the rope and the length depends upon the season and the crevasses. We can spend the rest of the day hiking to high camp and back or resting for the next day’s climb. Overnight at the base camp.

We wake up early today at around 12 to 1 am and have our breakfast before beginning our climb. It is important that we reach the summit before noon because in the afternoon the strong winds will hinder a successful summit. The trail moves up beyond the base camp for several hundred meters before striking off the steep hillside. Initially sandy, the path soon turns to grass before becoming boulder strewn. As we climb up the hill, we will see that the slope narrows and the trail enters a steep rock channel. We climb the rock gully through several short rock steps before emerging on the right side of the gully. We follow a ridgeline, which leads us to an exhilarating and exposed snout of a glacier. The guides will fix a rope when required. A steep snow slope leads us onto the summit ridge. Both fixed rope and man rope will be used during the climb for safety. We use fix rope after successfully climbing on rock. The length of the rope will usually be 350m. However, the length depends on the time of the season and the crevasses.

There are two newly formed crevasses which are approximately 3 and 4 meters long. We will be using ladders to cross them. After enjoying the summit views and taking pictures, we descend all the way to Island Peak Base Camp where some of our crew are waiting for us. We celebrate on our successful Island Peak climb.

Today’s walk will be a much easier as we descend to the lower altitudes on the same trail we used going up. We will be crossing our first pass the next day therefore today’s trek is a short one. At Chhukung we take a rest and prepare ourselves for the next day’s trek. Overnight in Chhukung.

We set out early in the morning to reach the highest part of the entire trip which is Kongma La pass. We can either take a trail over a hill which is to the northwest of Chhukung over the Nuptse Glacier moraines or we can walk back to Bibre and trek on the trail above the Niyang Khola. The top of the pass is marked by cairns and Buddhist prayer flags. The final descent from the pass is the most difficult part of today’s journey. After climbing the moraine on the far side, the trail turns north through Khumbu Glacier which takes us to Lobuche. Overnight at Lobuche.

Note: Trekking through Kongma La is optional. If we do not want to tackle the strenuous Kongma La pass today and want to go directly to Lobuche from Chhukung, we can do that too.

We walk along the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. Ahead on the trail is Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse, Nuptse and other mountains along with the tip of Mt. Everest. A small ascent takes us to Thangma Riju. From here we admire panoramic views of the Himalayan vista. We ascend on a steep trail up to the top of Changri Glacier.  As we reach Gorak Shep, we can once again enjoy views of the Himalayas. After resting for a short while, we continue to Everest Base Camp. We pass through rocky dunes, moraines and streams before reaching the base camp of the world’s tallest mountain. From here we admire Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori before trekking back to Gorak Shep. Alternatively, we can visit Kala Patthar today instead of the next day as many believe that the sunset view from Kala Patthar is more stunning than the sunrise view. Overnight in Gorak Shep.

We start our trek to Kala Patthar early in the morning in order to catch remarkable views of the first light of the sun shining on Mt. Everest. However, we need to be prepared for trekking in the dark and cold temperature (the temperature varies according to the season). Furthermore, there is always a chance for chilly winds which are quite common. As we continue our trek, familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse, Everest and Nuptse tower above us. After several hours of ascent, we will be on the top of Kala Patthar. The close-up view of Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks from Kalapathar is amazing. We enjoy the stunning Himalayan vista and descend to Lobuche where we stay the night.

Those participants who will visit Everest Base Camp today will have an early breakfast to start early as Everest base camp hike takes longer than the hike to Kala Patthar.

From Lobuche, we trek towards Lobuche base camp. After walking some distance on relatively flatter plane, the path to the Lobuche Base Camp gets steeper and rocky. We move forward along the Lobuche Glacier while enjoying great views of Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Pokalde, Thamserku, Kantega and other Himalayas. From the base camp, we continue on a rocky moraine path to reach the High Camp. After reaching there, we set up our camp, take lunch and rest. For the climb, we usually will be climbing on rocky surfaces for up to around 5770m. After that, we climb on ice and use ropes when necessary. However, the use of the rope and the length depends upon the season and the crevasses. Fixed rope is used most of the time whereas man rope is used when required.  The climbing leaders will decide what is the best choice. After reaching High Camp we could take a rest for the whole day or prepare ourselves for the next day summit.  Overnight in Lobuche East High Camp.

We wake up around 12:30 am and have our breakfast before beginning the climb. It is important we reach the summit before noon because in the afternoon there are strong winds.  We will most likely be walking on rocky surfaces up to around 5700m after which we climb on ice. We use both fixed rope and man rope as per our leader’s instruction. The climbing surface as well as the length of the rope and depends on the time of the season and the crevasses. Lobuche East offers more panoramic views of the mountains than any other trekking peak. From the summit, you get to enjoy magnificent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Pumori, and many more. We spend some time at the summit celebrating and taking pictures, then we get back to the High Camp again for an overnight stay.

Today we descend downwards after the successful summit of Lobuche. Today we walk through yak fields and see them grazing as we move ahead. We get to see many camphor trees in this route. On our journey to Dzongla, we can also see magnificent views of Awi Peak. We continue descending for around an hour before reaching Dzongla.  Overnight in Dzongla.

As we gain altitude , the Cho La Lake begins to appear. We also see Ama Dablam presiding over a range of mountains on the south and Cholatse soars on the west. Climbing the incline is not easy; it is steep and made worse by boulders over some of which we will have to scramble. The final climb to the Cho La can be a little tricky as the trail curves round a crevasse.  As with most Himalayan passes, the top of the Cho La is marked by prayer flags and cairns.  From here we turn right and walk on a slightly steep path for around two hours before reaching Nirekha Base Camp. From here we admire views of majestic peaks on all directions. Overnight at Nirekha Base Camp.

Today we take a much needed rest before the next day’s climb of Nirekha Peak. We rest the whole day which will prepare us for climbing Nirekha Peak. By now we will have already had ice climbing experience so pre-climb training is not required. However, if we want to, we can walk on the glacier and practice on our own.  Overnight at Nirekha Base Camp.

After a full day’s rest, we are now in the position to start our trek to the Nirekha high camp. We begin our trek on a flat snow-covered trail before ascending on a steep path towards high camp. The panoramic views of Makalu, Aba Dhablam, Kangchung, Baruntse, Cholatse, Lobuche East, Lhotse and Everest are amazing. We set up our camp and spend the night at Nirekha High Camp.

Today we embark on our ultimate adventure which is summiting the Nirekha Peak. The peak is a bit more technical than Island and Lobuche peaks. We are most likely to begin the trek early in the morning. However, if the weather is not suitable for the climb, we wait and begin the climbing when the weather is clear. As we reach the top of the Nirekha Peak, we are mesmerized by the excellent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Tawache, Cholatse, Pumori, Changri and others. After a safe and successful trip to the top, we safely make our way down to the base camp.

Our trek to Gokyo Lakes begins on a steep path. On the way, we see the majestic Himalayan peaks in all directions. Although long, the path leading down to Thangnak is not difficult. Our trail brings us to the edge of the Ngozumpa glacier, which is the longest glacier in Nepal. Reaching the other side of the glacier, we see the second Gokyo Lake among the series of six lakes. A short distance away is the third lake. On the edge of this lake stands the Gokyo Village where we spend the night.

We climb Gokyo Ri today and enjoy views of the incredible mountain vista. We can also tour the fourth Gokyo Lake today which is only 3km north of the Gokyo Village. Next, continue trekking to the 5th lake. The view from ‘Scoundrel’s Viewpoint’, located at the edge of the 5th lake, is astonishing. Cho-Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makulu mountains and the huge Ngozumba Glacier are ours to admire. We trek back to Gokyo and spend the night.

We start the day early in the morning. Our trail moves alongside Dudh Pokhari for a while. We walk for around two hours before descending towards the Renjo La pass. On the way we see the beautiful Himalayan and Rolwaling ranges. Views from the Renjo La pass are much like that from Gokyo Ri with the third Gokyo Lake and Gokyo Village beneath the gray smear of the Ngozumpa Glacier. We also get outstanding views of Mt. Everest from the top of the pass. Continuing on from the pass, our trail winds down a stone staircase and then moves over a loose scree to reach the south bank of Angladumba Tsho Lake. The presence of ice on the trail while descending down can make our descent a bit unsafe. Along the way we see Relama Tsho and Renjo Lake. We walk down a narrow valley clogged with giant boulders to Lumde. Overnight in Lumde.

After walking for almost an hour we reach Marlung which is located on the east bank of the Bhote Koshi River. The descent from Marulung to Thame follows a traditional route used for centuries by the Tibetan traders. We cross the Bhote Koshi River and descend to Taranga. The trail continues to descend and we cross two bridges before reaching Thame. Overlooking Thame is its famous Gompa situated on a hill to the west.  From here, we descend gradually on a trail that passes through a few small villages before reaching Namche Bazaar which is probably the biggest town in the Everest region. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

We begin our trek with a descent. As we continue our trek, we cross several bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi River and its tributaries.  Now the trail has become more level and natural. On our trek we enjoy walking on open plains, through rhododendron and pine forests and enjoy distant views of the snow-covered peaks. We walk through Sherpa villages noticing their impressive faith in Buddhism and the culture of prayer stones and prayer flags. After reaching Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. Our long trek to the mountain and its high passes ends today. Overnight in Lukla.

The flights to Kathmandu are usually scheduled for morning for safety purposes. After reaching the capital city, we have the rest of the day off to past the time as we please. We could take a rest in our hotel room or shop for souvenirs for our loved ones. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner to celebrate the successful completion of your journey to the mountains. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Our amazing journey in the Everest region full of mountains, lakes and high mountain passes comes to an end today. A company representative will pick us up from our hotel and drop us off at the airport 3 hours before our scheduled flight.