Overview
Whether you’re looking to bag your first 6,000m peak or simply wanting to make the trip to EBC a little more challenging, this has to be one of the best ways to spend three weeks.
We’ll meet you in Kathmandu and make sure you’re kitted out for the adventure ahead. After a flight to the mountain airport in Lukla (hold on tight) we’ll follow the trail to EBC for a couple of days and enjoy a couple of nights in Namche before things get serious! We’re going to be getting some proper acclimatisation in as we take on three high passes (Kongma La at 5,550m, Cho La at 5,420m and Renjo La at 5,360m). These are tough days with early starts, long ascents, tricky descents over icy trails and all at high altitude. And we’ve still got the main event to come! We’ll be in peak condition (pardon the pun) for our main objective – reaching the top of Imja Tse, standing proud at 6,165m above sea level. Carrying ice axes, donning crampons, using a jumar up the fixed rope and camping under the stars at Island Peak base camp.
This is an immensely challenging trip but incredibly rewarding. You’ll even visit Everest Base Camp and head up Kala Patthar to watch sunrise over Mount Everest!
What's Included?
- Airport Transfers & Local Transport
- Expert Local Guides & Porters
- 3 Nights in a Hotel in Kathmandu
- 17 Nights in Local Teahouses
- 1 Night Camping at Island Peak Base Camp
- Return Flights from Kathmandu to Lukla
- 21 Breakfasts, 18 Lunches & 18 Dinners
- Park Fees & Permits
- Sherpa Cooking Class & Massage in Namche
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Soft Drinks, Alcohol or Drinking Water
- Tips for Guides & Porters
- Personal Equipment & Clothing
- Souvenirs
Trip Highlights
- The Summit of Island Peak: It’s a slog at times, the headwall will take it out of even the fittest of people and you’ll be on the move for 10 hours or more. But the views of Everest, Lhotse and the other monsters that surround Island Peak will make it more than worthwhile.
- The Three Passes: Testing yourself with not one, not two but three high passes in a short period of time. All at altitude, all with early starts, all with long days and all of them with stunning views.
- Everest Base Camp: The base camp for climbers taking on the world’s highest mountain will feel like an after-thought but it’s still a highlight of any trip to the region.
- Fun & Rest in Namche: It’s not all hiking, climbing and early-starts. We’ll spend plenty of time acclimatising on the way, including by doing a Sherpa cooking class and getting a massage.
Daily Itinerary
Welcome to Nepal! Our team will be there to greet you as you step into the vibrant streets of Kathmandu. We'll take you to your guesthouse in Thamel, a lively neighborhood full of shops and restaurants. Once settled in, your guide will meet you to discuss the adventure ahead. If you're up for it, we'll enjoy a welcome dinner together and get to know each other before the trek begins. Meals Included: None
It’s an early start today as we head to the airport for our flight to Lukla. The short flight offers stunning views of the Himalayas. Upon arrival in Lukla, we’ll meet our porters, get organized, and then begin the trek with a gentle walk to Phakding. The trail takes us through charming villages and along the Dudh Koshi River, making it a perfect introduction to the region. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today’s trek takes us across the Dudh Koshi River multiple times via suspension bridges draped with prayer flags. We’ll pass through pine forests and small Sherpa villages, eventually entering Sagarmatha National Park. As we climb, the views become more dramatic, and you may catch your first glimpse of Everest. We end the day with a challenging ascent to Namche Bazaar, the hub of the Khumbu region. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Acclimatization is key, so today we’ll take a short hike up to the Everest View Hotel. The panoramic views from here are nothing short of spectacular. After enjoying the scenery, we’ll return to Namche Bazaar, where you’ll have the rest of the day to explore the town, relax in a café, or visit the Sherpa Culture Museum. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We’ve scheduled an additional day in Namche for further acclimatization and some cultural immersion. In the morning, we’ll join a Sherpa cooking class to learn about local cuisine and then enjoy the meal we’ve prepared. In the afternoon, you can unwind with a relaxing massage, which not only helps with recovery but also supports a sustainable tourism initiative by employing local therapists. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today we leave the main EBC trail and head towards the quieter village of Thame. The trail offers stunning views and takes us through small Sherpa settlements. Thame is home to one of the oldest monasteries in the region, and this peaceful village provides a unique cultural experience and further aids in acclimatization. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
As we trek from Thame to Lungden, the trail gradually ascends, offering solitude and spectacular views of the surrounding peaks. We’ll pass through yak pastures and remote Sherpa villages. Lungden is a crucial stop for acclimatization before we attempt the Renjo La Pass. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today’s trek is both challenging and rewarding as we cross the Renjo La Pass. The steep ascent is tough, but the views from the top are simply breathtaking, with Everest, Lhotse, and other peaks dominating the horizon. After crossing the pass, we’ll descend into the stunning Gokyo Valley, known for its turquoise lakes. We’ll end the day at the village of Gokyo. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We’ll spend the day in Gokyo to acclimatize and explore. A short trek to the Fourth Lake offers serene beauty and tranquility. The day is meant for rest and enjoying the magnificent surroundings, which will prepare us for the next stages of the trek. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We start the day with an early morning climb to Gokyo Ri for stunning panoramic views of the Everest region. After soaking in the views, we’ll descend and continue our trek to Thaknak, crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier. This day offers rugged terrain and breathtaking landscapes. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today involves crossing the challenging Cho La Pass, which is demanding but incredibly scenic. After the pass, we’ll descend to Lobuche, a small settlement near the Khumbu Glacier. This day is physically demanding but one of the most memorable of the trek. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
The day we’ve been waiting for! We start early, trekking from Lobuche to Gorak Shep, then continue to the iconic Everest Base Camp. The trail is tough, but reaching Base Camp is an unforgettable experience. After spending some time at Base Camp, we’ll return to Gorak Shep for the night. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We’ll start early today to hike up to Kala Patthar for one of the best viewpoints in the region. The climb is steep, but the reward is an unparalleled view of Everest and the surrounding peaks at sunrise. After descending, we’ll return to Lobuche for the night. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today’s trek takes us over the Kongma La Pass, the highest pass on this trek. The ascent is steep and challenging, but the views from the top make it worth the effort. After crossing the pass, we’ll descend to Chhukung, a small settlement in the Imja Valley. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
A shorter trek today as we make our way to Island Peak Base Camp. Once there, our climbing guide will provide instruction on using climbing equipment and teach some technical skills, which will boost your confidence and prepare you for the summit. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today is the highlight of the trek as we attempt to summit Island Peak. We start early in the morning, climbing the steep trail to the glacier before using ropes and crampons to reach the summit. The views from the top are breathtaking. After the summit, we’ll descend back to Chhukung. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This day is reserved as a contingency in case of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances that might delay the summit attempt. If not needed, it can be used to rest or explore the Chhukung Valley. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We begin our descent, retracing our steps through Pangboche and Tengboche, with stunning views of the Himalayas along the way. We’ll arrive in Namche Bazaar, where you can celebrate the successful completion of the most challenging parts of the trek. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
The final day of trekking takes us from Namche Bazaar to Lukla. The trail descends steeply at first, then follows the Dudh Koshi River, passing through forests and small villages. This is your last chance to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and reflect on your incredible adventure. We’ll celebrate our journey upon reaching Lukla. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
An early morning flight takes us back to Kathmandu, offering one last look at the Himalayas. Upon arrival, you’ll have time to relax or explore the city. In the evening, we’ll gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate the successful completion of our trek. Meals Included: Breakfast
This extra day is reserved as a contingency for any delays due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. If not needed, you can use the day to explore more of Kathmandu or take a short excursion. Meals Included: Breakfast
And that's a wrap! Feel free to head off any time. If you've got an early-start then we'll sort you out with a packed breakfast otherwise take your time and enjoy the hotel's hospitality before checking-out and heading off on your next adventure! Meals Included: Breakfast
Where We'll Stay
We’ve taken on the tough task of staying at some of the best hotels and guest houses around the world to hand pick those that we think you’ll love. They’ll always be locally-owned where possible. Below are some examples of where you’ll be staying on your trip, although please note, we don’t guarantee which hotels or guesthouses we use. On this trip, most of the time we’ll be staying in teahouses. These are often basic with twin rooms, shared facilities and communal dining. They’ll always be clean, provide great hospitality, have breathtaking views and be a welcome place to get some rest after long days on the trail! Where the trail diverges from the EBC trail, accommodation does become slightly more basic still. And, we’ll spend one night camping at Island Peak’s base camp. We’re only there for a few hours before our summit attempt but no flushing toilets or glamping here!
Like the sound of this trip, have a question or want to check something before you book? Maybe even have a great idea to customise this itinerary? Get in touch and start your adventure!
Interactive Route Map
Check out the interactive map of this trip below. You can simply zoom in and have a look at the route.
Or, if you’re wanting to get a feel for the route or to dive into the daily details then click on any of the steps and you’ll be redirected to our Polarsteps page.
What is Polarsteps?
We’ve loaded all of our itineraries onto Polarsteps. It’s an app that can help you plan, track and relive your travels. We’ve used it to display our trips in all their glory but anyone can easily create on-the-go mementos of their adventures.
Carbon Emissions
This trip emits approximately 336 kg of carbon per person. This includes emissions from transport, accommodation, food, activities, and the operations behind the scenes to run the trip.
What does this mean?
This is roughly the same as driving a typical petrol car about 1,050 miles.
It’s equivalent to the carbon emissions from heating an average UK home with a gas boiler for about 14 days during winter.
Our Approach
We recognize the significant carbon emissions from international travel, but we believe that the positive impact on the countries and communities we visit outweighs these challenges. We provide this estimate to help you make informed decisions about your carbon footprint and consider any offsets you may wish to support.
More Information
What's the fitness level required for this trip?
We grade all of our trips to try and make it easy to understand the fitness levels required. These are broad guidelines however so you’re welcome to chat to us about any specific concerns you might have.
You’ll find more information about these levels here and you can find the difficulty rating for this specific trip at the top of the page.
What if someone under the minimum age wants to travel?
It might not be an issue. Some destinations such as Rwanda have firm rules in place about how old people should be in order to visit the gorillas. In other destinations it’s more of a guideline.
Please do contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Can I customise this trip in any way?
- adding in extra days or cutting out a day here or there;
- squeezing in other destinations or removing them;
- starting or finishing the trip in a different place;
- staying in a hotel or guesthouse that we don’t list as an option.
What are your payment terms and is my booking financially protected?
Yes, absolutely. Here’s a link to where you can read more about how we are an ABTOT member and have an ATOL licence and what this means for your financial protection when booking a trip with us.
Deposits vary from destination to destination and from trip to trip. Generally speaking we require a deposit of 25%. This amount may be higher for certain trips where more services that usual need to be booked and paid for in advance (such as gorilla permits in Rwanda). Deposits are non-refundable.
Balance payments are required up to 70 days prior to travel.
If you need to cancel your booking, the following fees will apply based on the time before your scheduled departure:
- Immediate loss of deposit (25% of total cost) upon cancellation.
- 50% of the total cost if cancelled after the balance is paid and up to 45 days before departure.
- 75% of the total cost if cancelled 30 to 45 days before departure.
- 100% of the total cost if cancelled within 30 days of departure.
These fees compensate for expenses and bookings made on your behalf in anticipation of your trip.
Which airport do I need to fly into and out of for my trip to Nepal?
Your trip starts and ends in Kathmandu. You will need to book flights to arrive and depart from Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). This is around a 20-30 minute drive to the hotel you’ll be staying at.
How do I find out which hotels, meals and activities are included?
Unfortunately we can’t provide an exhaustive list of everything included in the ‘What’s Included’ section of this page as we include a whole bunch of stuff on our trips!
If it’s in the itinerary and we’ve not explicitly said that it’s an optional activity, then yes – it’s almost certainly included. If you’re not sure, please ask.
The meals that are included are all listed on the daily itinerary.
For the accommodation, we’ve got a shortlist of properties that we use. You can get a sense of the types of accommodation we use higher up the page in the ‘Where We’ll Stay’ section. We cannot guarantee any specific properties for your trip as it’s based on availability. If you are wanting to specifically request a property then please get in touch as we’re able to customise our trips.
How much should I tip in Nepal?
Tips are not included in any of our trips. They are entirely discretionary but in most cases are expected by the teams that will be looking after you. We know it can be daunting to work out exactly what to give so whilst this guideline hopefully helps, please remember that it’s a completely personal choice and you should feel free to tip more or less based on the quality of service that you receive.
Trekking Guide: $10-$20 USD per day
Porters: $5-10 USD per day
Drivers: $5-10 USD for short trips; $10-15 USD for full-day services.
Again, tipping is not compulsory and please only do so if the service you’ve received warrants it. It’s hugely appreciated and a way for the teams looking after you to supplement their income.
What should I know about the possible cold climate?
This trip spends time in locations where there might be significantly cold temperatures (below freezing) during the day with further temperature drops at night. You might be staying in poorly insulated accommodation in rural locations. It’s important that you are adequately equipped and that you remain sufficiently hydrated and nourished.
Our guides are trained to mitigate the risks associated with undertaking activity in cold weather but you should be aware of the risks and ensure you’re appropriately prepared.
What should I consider about trekking at altitude?
A lot of our trips spend considerable time above altitudes of over 2,500m. Some people may experience symptoms associated with Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). It’s really important to note a couple of things. Firstly, past experience at high altitudes is not necessarily an indicator of how you’ll fare in the future. Secondly, our itineraries have been curated and our guides have been trained to mitigate the risks associated with trekking at altitude. However, due to the nature of trekking at altitude it’s vital that you report any symptoms to your guide immediately. It’s also important that you have travel insurance covering you up to the maximum altitude at which you’ll be trekking.
Is travel insurance mandatory?
Yes, it is. We run adventurous trips and it’s mandatory that you have suitable travel insurance in place to cover overseas medical treatment as well as evacuation or repatriation.
We can’t recommend which provider you use but the main things we’d encourage you to look out for is that you’re fully covered for the activities you’re taking part in (i.e., covers you up to the altitude you’ll be trekking at) and that it covers cancellation in the event that illness or other circumstances prevent you from travelling.
What information will I receive after I book?
After you book, we’ll get to work confirming that the dates you’ve selected are completely available.
There are extremely rare circumstances that may mean we’re unable to confirm your booking. These circumstances are limited to events beyond our control or not being able to secure the services that you wanted to book.
In the extremely rare event that we’re unable to confirm your booking you will be offered an alternative itinerary or a full refund without any fees. Please do not book any non-changeable travel plans until you receive the confirmation from us. This will be within 72 hours.
A detailed Trip Dossier will then be sent to you after you make your booking. It’ll contain all the information you might need to help you pack and get prepared for your trip, including information on visas, vaccinations, packing and training.
We encourage you to refer to the UK Government’s official travel advisory service when planning your trips. You can find the FCDO advice here.
And when you travel, we work closely with local experts to put together the best itineraries. We’ve worked with them exhaustively to provide safe adventures at great value. They know their destination better than we ever could so you’ll be in good hands! You can read a bit more about why we will only ever have locally-led trips here.
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Whether you’d like more information about this itinerary or to customise it to exactly what you want to do, drop us a line and let us know your plans!