Everest Base Camp & Island Peak

Altitude 6,189m/20,305ft » Duration 24 Days » Grade 2B

Combine the classic trek to base camp with an ascent of a 6,000m Himalayan Peak

Introduction

For those who prefer a more moderate introduction to Himalayan climbing than our Mera and Island Peak or Khumbu Climber expeditions, this new itinerary involves a steady trek to Everest Base Camp at c5,600m, prior to crossing the Kongma La (5,535m) and an attempt on Island Peak (6,189m). Island Peak is steeper than Mera Peak, but is a realistic objective for those with some previous winter climbing experience. In the spring season, you will also meet our Everest climbing team in base camp.

As with our tried and tested Everest Base Camp Trek, we ensure our gradual acclimatisation by taking eleven days to trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp. Having walked up Kala Patar (5,600m) and to Everest Base Camp, we then cross the Kongma La to access the Imja Valley, which leads to Island Peak. At the base of the mountain we refresh our rope skills before climbing the normal route to the summit from a high camp. The feeling of climbing on a Himalayan peak, as the sun rises over the Himalayas and nearby Ama Dablam, is beyond superlatives!

Jagged Globe in Nepal

Our aim is to provide you with a safe, enjoyable and successful expedition in Nepal. This remarkable Himalayan country is the centrepiece of our worldwide activities and we provide all of our climbers and trekkers with a smooth and efficient service to maximise both your enjoyment and your chances of a successful trip, whether it be to Everest Base Camp or a climb to the summit. The benefits of joining Jagged Globe on our Everest Base Camp and Island Peak expedition are:

A well-planned itinerary and acclimatisation schedule designed to give all team members the opportunity to reach base camp itself (not just Gorak Shep).
Climb Island Peak with the UK's longest established mountaineering company.
In the spring, we will visit Jagged Globe's Everest climbing team and get a sense of what an Everest expedition is like.
All of our trips stay in lodges when in the valleys and camp at Island Peak base camp and high camp.
Our expedition leaders are experienced mountaineers, rather than 'trek' leaders extending their experience above the snowline. The expedition leader is supported by a Nepalese Sirdar, plus Sherpas and porters.
Our expeditions are outfitted by Kit Spencer, a former British Gurkha officer based in Kathmandu who fully understands Western needs.
We take special care of our porters who are probably the best equipped and clothed in Nepal, with items specially purchased in the UK.
We use a great hotel in Kathmandu which people really appreciate, particularly after the trek. The Summit Hotel is a welcome oasis, situated ten minutes away from the noise and bustle of downtown Kathmandu.

Additional benefits include:

A fully staffed office here in the UK, which includes people with recent, first hand knowledge of the region and its mountains. As a company, we have been organising trips to Nepal since 1988.
You have the opportunity of joining a Pre-trip training weekend, to brief you on the trip, meet other members, have a day out 'on the hill' and to purchase equipment from a leading retailer at a 15% discount.
You can take advantage of our comprehensive Equipment Hire Service to ensure you are well equipped for the trip without having to make expensive purchases.

We are here to make your trek a great and memorable experience, so why not join us for your Himalayan adventure!

Expedition Itinerary

Day 1:	Fly London to Kathmandu Our flight to Nepal departs London Heathrow in the evening.
Day 2:	Arrive Kathmandu In Kathmandu, we will stay at the Summit Hotel; positioned well away from the noise and bustle of the city centre, it has extensive gardens, a swimming pool and an atmosphere of quiet, restful charm. It is a Dutch owned, British managed establishment with a friendly and helpful Nepalese staff. Team members will be accommodated on a twin share basis in large en-suite rooms. Single rooms are available if you prefer, for which a supplement is payable.
Day 3:	Fly Kathmandu to Lukla We will make an early morning start for the Twin Otter flight to Lukla (2,840m/9,317ft), the gateway to the Khumbu. This is an exciting flight, which should give a glimpse of Everest in the distance. In Lukla, we will meet our trek staff and porters and set off straightaway for our first night's stop at Monjo. Situated on the banks of the Dudh Kosi, which drains the whole of the Khumbu Region, this small hamlet is on the main trade route through the area and there are a number of clean, well-built lodges where we can spend the night.
Day 4:	Trek to Namche Bazaar We will continue up the banks of the Dudh Kosi, crossing it twice by small suspension bridges before reaching the village of Monjo where we will enter the Khumbu National Park. We will then cross the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Bhote Kosi on a high suspension bridge and climb steeply for about two hours up 'Namche Hill' to reach Namche Bazaar (3,400m/11,155ft). This is a prosperous trading town and the capital of the Khumbu Region. Many Tibetans cross the nearby border to trade their wares and the local market is a fascinating spectacle. This is a good place to buy genuine Tibetan artefacts. Just across the valley to the east stand the peaks of Thamserku and Kangtega, both very impressive mountains.
Day 5:	At leisure in Namche Bazaar We will spend a day in Namche Bazaar resting and allowing our bodies to become acclimatised to the altitude of 3,450m (11,300ft). In the morning, there is the option of walking up to the Everest View Hotel (3,900m/12792ft), returning to Namche for lunch.
Day 6:	Trek to Deboche From Namche, the well-worn Everest trail contours around the side of the valley high above the Dudh Kosi. As we follow the path, we will get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we will cross the Dudh Kosi River and make a steep climb to Thyangboche, home of an impressive and recently rebuilt monastery. We have plenty of time to look around Thyangboche (and have a cake at the bakery!), but at the height of the season it is a busy place, so we will drop down to the river and the village of Deboche (3,700m/12,135ft) a little further along the trail, where we will stay in a relaxing lodge.
Day 7:	Trek to Dingboche Shaded by rhododendron trees, the trail crosses an airy suspension bridge just beyond Deboche. An hour's walking from here will bring us to Pangboche, an excellent viewpoint for Ama Dablam ('Mother's Charm Box') and home for the Sherpas who work on this imposing mountain each post-monsoon season. Contouring up the valley side, we will re-cross the river and turn up the Imja Valley to reach the picturesque farming village of Dingboche (4,410m/14,465ft).
Day 8:	Acclimatisation Dingboche is a good location for acclimatisation, prior to our ascent up the upper section of the Khumbu Valley. While in Dingboche, we can attend a seminar about high altitude acclimatisation at the hospital in nearby Pheriche, run by the Himalayan Rescue Association. The walk over to Pheriche and back will also serve as good acclimatisation training and so make the walk doubly worthwhile.
Day 9:	Trek to Dugla We will retrace our steps back to Pheriche before continuing along the trail up the broad valley bottom towards Dugla. Ahead of us is the trekking peak of Lobuje East (6,119m/20,075ft), which is one of the objectives on our Khumbu Climber itinerary, and to our left is the formidable north face of Taweche, the scene of many cutting-edge Himalayan ascents of the 1980s and 1990s. After three hours we reach the small collection of lodges at Dugla (4,620m/15,153ft). In the afternoon we might choose to walk up to the Sherpa memorials, from where there are outstanding views of Ama Dablam, Cholatse and Taweche. This is a fairly short day, and in the past our teams have trekked all the way to Lobuje today, but from our experience, it is better to take two days over it.
Day 10:	Trek to Lobuje The trail from Dugla starts steeply to climb up beside the glacier moraine. After a few hours the track eventually leads to a small cluster of tea houses pleasantly situated at Lobuje (4,940m/16,207ft). We will spend the afternoon relaxing and continuing the process of slow acclimatisation.
Day 11:	Trek to Gorak Shep About three hours beyond Lobuje we reach Gorak Shep (5,220m/17,126ft), the site of the 1953 expedition's base camp. We stay here for two nights, whilst we visit base camp and climb Kala Pattar. The views from Kala Pattar are often clearer in the morning, though the position of the sun means that photos are often better taken in the evening. By having two nights at Gorak Shep, we can decide when we would like to climb Kala Pattar and on which day we would prefer to trek into base camp.
Day 12:	Trek into Base Camp (c5,350m) Contouring along the valley side, the trail leads on to the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and becomes quite vague, weaving between mounds of rubble. After about 3 hours we will eventually reach base camp near the foot of the Khumbu Icefall. For those visiting base camp in the spring, it is a chance to meet teams making an ascent of the mountain. Here we hope to meet up with members of the Jagged Globe Everest South Col team, and catch up on their news of the climb so far. Base Camp is actually spread over quite a wide area and we will spend some time wandering through it and getting a sense of what it must be like to be camped here for two whole months, whilst attempting the mountain. To go any further than base camp, you will need to be on an Everest or Lhotse permit! Our Everest team cooks will serve us lunch before we make the return trek to Gorak Shep.
Day 13:	Climb Kala Pattar and descend to Lobuje In the morning we will make an ascent of Kala Pattar (5,545m/18,188ft), if we have not already climbed it the previous evening. The climb takes between 2 and 3 hours and can be hard work, but the effort is rewarded by the classic view of Everest and the Khumbu Icefall, as well as Lhotse, Nuptse, and Pumori immediately above. For most trekking teams, this is as far as they go up the Everest trail. After lunch back in the lodge at Gorak Shep, we will descend the valley to Lobuje.
Day 14:	Cross Kongma La (5,535m) to Chukkung Much underrated, the Kongma La is a challenging pass and more interesting way to approach the Imja Valley than via Dugla and Dingboche. The path is steep at first but eventually reaches the top of the pass, from where we descend past some glacial lakes, and Pokalde - one of the peaks climbed in the Khumbu Climber itinerary. The views from the Kongma La are really spectacular, especially towards Makalu in the east, Ama Dablam's North Ridge and Nuptse. Chukkung is a small settlement with just a couple of lodges, where we spend the night.
Day 15:	Trek to Island Peak base camp From Chukkung, we follow the glacial moraine and an open sandy valley to our base camp by a stream near the snout of the Imja Glacier. Altitude: 16,400ft/5,000m. Alternatively, we may make base camp a little further on in a site nestled between the glacier's moraine and the lower slopes of the mountain.
Day 16:	Move to Island Peak high camp (5,600m) We will now move to Island Peak high camp (5,600m) from where we will climb the mountain. The path leads up beyond base camp for several hundred metres before striking off left up the steep hillside. Initially sandy, the path soon turns to grass before becoming boulder strewn. As we climb the hill, you will see that the slope narrows and the path enters a steep rock gully. We will camp just below the gully on the left.
Day 17:	Island Peak Ascent (6,189m/20,305ft) Our first task, early in the morning, will be to climb the rock gully. This is not difficult (grade 1 scrambling) but there are several short rock steps to climb before we emerge on the right side of the gully. The route then follows a ridge line, which leads to an exhilarating and exposed traverse onto the snout of the summit glacier. We will need to rope up for the glacier as it contains several crevasses but it leads without difficulty, to a 350ft/100m snow and ice slope (40-45°) on which the guides will fix a rope. From the top of this slope, 3 rope lengths along a sharp summit ridge lead to the top. After enjoying the summit views we will descend all the way to our base camp.
Day 18:	Spare summit day From our experience of organising well over fifty expeditions to Island Peak since 1993, we include a spare day for climbing Island Peak, in case of bad weather. To come all this way and miss out on the summit for the sake of one extra day, would be very frustrating!
Day 19:	Trek to Pangboche (4,000m) Following a gradually improving path, we lead down the Imja Valley and past the first of many welcoming tea-houses at Chukhung. We stop at Dingboche for lunch, a charming Sherpa village close to where the Imja Valley joins the main Everest trail, before continuing to Pangboche, which is nestled below Ama Dablam.
Day 20:	Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,400m) In the morning, we re-cross the river before climbing to the famous monastery at Thyangboche (3,860m). It now has a brand new monastery, the largest in the area, as the old one was destroyed by fire a few years ago. Built in the traditional style, with its gleaming copper roofs, it is as grand as ever. A steep descent from Pangboche of around 1500ft/500m leads through bird filled rhododendron bushes and fir trees to the Dudh Kosi River. Crossing this on yet another suspension bridge, we climb up the opposite side of the valley to reach the contouring path leading back to Namche Bazaar. Namche is the perfect place to enjoy some well deserved celebrations!
Day 21:	Trek to Lukla (2,840m) A steep descent for 2,000ft/600m leads to the suspension bridge crossing the Dudh Kosi river. We cross the river twice more before traversing steadily up the hill-side, past numerous shops and tea-houses to Lukla.
Day 22:	Fly Lukla to Kathmandu We will be met at the airport and taken to the Summit Hotel.
Day 23:	At leisure in Kathmandu Time for some last minute shopping and sightseeing, or just relaxing by the swimming pool before our journey home. Our flight departs Kathmandu in the late evening.
Day 24:	Arrive London We arrive back at London Heathrow mid-morning.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is adventure travel in a remote mountain region, we cannot guarantee it! Weather conditions, availability of porters and the health of team members can all contribute to changes. The guides and their Sherpa assistants will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if necessary.

Team Composition

Jagged Globe Expedition Leaders are supported by a local Sherpa team who have climbed Island Peak many times before.

There are a maximum of 12 places available on each expedition.

Experience Required

To join this expedition, participants need to have completed climbs of Scottish Grade II or Alpine PD. Overall this trip is less sustained and physically tough than either Mera and Island Peak or Khumbu Climber. However, the technical difficulty is a grade up from Mera Peak.

You are welcome to contact members of the Jagged Globe office staff, who have recent experience of trekking to Everest Base Camp and of climbing Island Peak, if you would like to discuss the trip and your suitability for it, in more detail.

Porter Protection

Any trek or expedition to Nepal relies on the hard work of local porters. It is their carrying of our supplies and baggage that makes a journey into the mountains possible. Jagged Globe is therefore careful to ensure that they are well treated, not exploited and have good protection from the elements. We work closely with our Nepal based partner, Kit Spencer to provide shelter, clothing and footwear that match the severity of the environment. Porters who become sick are treated with the same care and attention as team members, and we have used helicopters, at our expense, to rescue porters from hazardous situations.

Jagged Globe supports the work of the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG), and provides help and advice to those organisations to improve the working conditions of the porters on whom we depend. All trekkers are asked to provide feedback on porters' working conditions in post-trip questionnaires.

Pre-Expedition Meeting

Prior to all our expeditions and treks, we host a Pre-Trip Weekend in North Wales. The primary purpose of the weekend is to provide an opportunity for individuals to ask questions about the forthcoming trek and to introduce them to other team members. The weekend covers topics as diverse as personal equipment and acclimatisation and usually involves a hike. To find out more about our Pre-Trip Weekends [click here].

Here is some recent feedback from our weekends:
"The weekend was fantastic. It was great to meet the other team members and to go on a practice climb with everyone."
"Excellent weekend. I learned a lot about kit/my concerns and it was great team building."
"Excellent, informative, reassuring and fun. Great weather!"

Equipment

Find out about our comprehensive Equipment Hire Service.

To join the Everest Base Camp and Island Peak expedition you need the following specialist equipment:

Ice Axe.
Crampons.
Harness.
2 x Tape slings.
2 x Screwgate Karabiners.
Descender / Abseil Device.
Prussic Loops.
Plastic/Leather Mountaineering Boots.
4 Season Sleeping Bag.

A complete climbing equipment and clothing list is included in the expedition dossier, which is sent to you on booking along with details of our Equipment Hire Service.

What the price includes

Economy class return airfares from the UK (unless Land Only).
UK airline taxes.
All internal flights and hotel/airport transfers.
Accommodation at our base in Kathmandu, the relaxing Summit Hotel.
All road transport by private vehicles.
Accommodation in lodges/tea houses and all meals during the trek.
All porterage costs.
All costs for a Jagged Globe accredited leader and Sherpa staff.
Jagged Globe kitbag.

What the price does not include

Visa fees.
Overseas airports taxes not paid in advance through the international airline ticket.
Bar bills and laundry.
Travel insurance.
Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu.
Optional trips and sightseeing tours.
Tips.

Insurance

Special travel insurance is available from us which provides a wide range of cover. Our 'Expedition only' premium for this expedition is detailed in the Prices & Booking section. A full explanation of the Jagged Globe Insurance Scheme is available on the website and in our brochure.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the expedition or your suitability for it, please contact us by telephone:

+44 (0) 845 345 8848

Alternatively, you can contact us by email via the Contact Page on the website.

Booking

If you would like to book a place on this expedition, you can do so on our secure on-line booking facility, on our website. The £300 deposit for this expedition will secure you a place on your chosen departure. You will receive an automatic email confirmation, followed by a written confirmation of booking, climbing questionnaire and Expedition Dossier. Alternatively, you can book over the telephone or by sending in a booking form by post.

Expeditions to the Mountains of Asia