Day 01 · Travel · 2,610 m
Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding
A dramatic mountain flight into Lukla, then an easy walk down the Dudh Koshi valley to Phakding.
- O₂ 73% of sea level
- Day 1 of 10
Khumbu · 27.74° N · 86.71° E
Island Peak Expedition
Nepal's most popular trekking peak - a glacier walk to a fixed-rope headwall, with sweeping views of Lhotse, Makalu and Ama Dablam from the summit ridge.
trekking-peakaltitudeclassic10 days6,189 mChallenging
Begin the ascentDay 02 · Trek · 3,440 m
Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Cross the Hillary suspension bridges and climb steeply into the Sherpa capital, Namche Bazaar.
- +830 m gained today
- O₂ 65% of sea level
- Day 2 of 10
Day 03 · Trek · 3,860 m
Namche to Tengboche
A rolling trail with wide Himalayan views, ending at Tengboche's famous monastery.
- +420 m gained today
- O₂ 62% of sea level
- Day 3 of 10
Day 04 · Trek · 4,410 m
Tengboche to Dingboche
Follow the Imja Khola valley up into drier, higher terrain, with Ama Dablam close overhead.
- +550 m gained today
- O₂ 58% of sea level
- Day 4 of 10
Day 05 · Trek · 4,730 m
Dingboche to Chhukung
A short, high acclimatization walk to Chhukung, the last village before Island Peak's approach.
- +320 m gained today
- O₂ 55% of sea level
- Day 5 of 10
Day 06 · Trek · 5,087 m
Chhukung to Island Peak Base Camp
Cross moraine below the Lhotse Nup Glacier to Base Camp, with a climbing-technique refresher on arrival.
- +357 m gained today
- O₂ 53% of sea level
- Day 6 of 10
Day 07 · High point · 6,189 m
Island peak Summit day
An early start across the glacier and up the fixed-rope headwall to the summit ridge, with Lhotse, Makalu and Ama Dablam all visible from the top. After the summit descend back to base camp and further down to dengboche village.
- +1,102 m gained today
- O₂ 45% of sea level
- Day 7 of 10
Day 08 · Trek · 3,445 m
Descend to Namche bazar
A long descent back down the valley to Namche bazar. Enjoy the last moments in sagarmatha national park, Khumbu valley.
- O₂ 65% of sea level
- Day 8 of 10
Day 09 · Trek · 2,610 m
Descend to lukla
Head back down to lukla and prepare for the flight back to Kathmandu.
- O₂ 73% of sea level
- Day 9 of 10
Day 10 · Travel · 1,400 m
Flight to Kathmandu
Early morning flight back to Kathmandu. Saying goodbye to the sherpa team who will be supporting for your next expedition in n Nepal.
- O₂ 84% of sea level
- Day 10 of 10
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors · CC BY-SA
Elevation
How the days climb.
Hover the profile to see each day - conservative ascent, acclimatization built in.
The ledger
The climb, in numbers.
Everything about this route, derived from the itinerary - from the metres you gain to the oxygen you'll be breathing at the top.
10Days on the trail
6,189 mHigh point
3,579 mTotal climb
ChallengingDifficulty
2–8Group size
Spring · AutumnBest season
45%Oxygen at the top
Day 7High-point day
Thinner air, day by day.
Oxygen falls with altitude. You start at 84% of sea level and finish at 45% at the high point - which is why every ascent profile here is conservative, with rest days built in.
- Best trekked Spring
- Best trekked Autumn
TrekAcclimatizationTravelHigh point
Expedition
What it takes to summit.
- Climbing grade
- Trekking peak - glacier walk with a fixed-rope headwall near the summit
- Permit cost
- $600
- Technical gear
- Required
The most accessible 6,000m summit in the Khumbu - strong trek fitness plus a day of basic ice-climbing training is normally enough.
Scenes
What a Khumbu day looks like.
Reviews
What travelers say.
Island Peak ExpeditionGreat intro to expedition climbing. Summit morning was brutal cold but the ridge walk with Ama Dablam in view made it unforgettable.
T
Tom Reid
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Island Peak Expedition, 10 days - shaped around you.
Permits, flights, crew and every cup of tea along the way, handled by Abishek Sherpa. Tell us your dates and we'll send a full quote within a day.