Climbing the Island-Peak

Although the official meeting of the group already takes place in Kathmandu, in fact many participants get to know each other before departure and fly to Nepal together. If necessary, we will help you find good tickets. On average, a flight to Nepal and back costs $500-600. Most flights involve a transfer, often quite long. If you are flying from Ukraine, then first of all consider flights from FlyDubai and AirArabia (with a transfer in the Emirates) and Turkish Airlines (with a transfer in Istanbul). If the layover lasts more than 4 hours, then it makes sense to take a compact mat or sleeping bag in your hand luggage to take a nap at the airport (right on the floor). At first, this doesn't seem like a good idea, but when you see how soundly your neighbors are sleeping in the waiting room, you'll likely change your mind.

You didn't forget to set the alarm, did you? It's time to fly on. The flight from the Emirates to Kathmandu takes approximately 5 hours. Upon arrival, right at the airport you will need to purchase a Nepalese visa for 1 month. In addition, it makes sense to exchange 20-30 dollars for rupees (the exchange rate at the airport is not the best). If you are interested in mobile Internet, then immediately buy a starter package (about $10) from the local operator Ncell at the airport. After this, you can safely go to the hotel. A taxi costs 7-8 dollars. The drive is approximately 40 minutes. We book hotels for climbing participants centrally. We will send you all the necessary contacts and detailed instructions by email.

Once you get to the hotel, find an instructor. He will accommodate you, help you exchange the main amount of currency for rupees (on average $500 per person), and tell you about your future plans. First, you will need to pay for tickets to Lukla ($340, we book them in advance) and pay the rest of the tour cost. Secondly, you can show the instructor your equipment and clothing again. Perhaps he will advise you to buy something extra or, on the contrary, to leave the excess at a hotel in Kathmandu. In addition, the instructor has scales and you can check the weight of luggage for the flight to Lukla (in total no more than 15 kg). Most likely, time will be running out and you won’t have time to make any global walks or purchases that evening. Tomorrow we have to get up very early, and therefore even the first joint dinner and introduction of the group will take place according to a slightly shortened program. We remind you that alcohol is prohibited in the group until you return to Kathmandu after the climb.

We usually try to book tickets for the first flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, which departs around 6 am. To catch it you need to get up at 4. We quickly get ready and without breakfast we go to the Domestic airport (domestic airport) on a chartered minibus. After we go through weighing (10 kg of luggage + 5 kg of hand luggage!) and security control, we can relax a little and drink coffee in the waiting room.

Flying to Lukla is always a lottery. Due to the changeable weather, punctuality or guarantees are out of the question. We will just sit in the waiting room and pray that our flight will take place.

The flight takes about 30 minutes. The tiny plane is noticeably moving in the wind, but the pilots are calm (they can be clearly seen) and we should also remain calm. Have you read that Lukla is the most dangerous airport in the world? Yes, there is a chance you won’t make it... But from the plane window you can already see Everest and the mountains around are simply magical!

Our porters will meet us at Lukla airport (altitude 2800 m) and help us carry our luggage to the nearest lodge. There we will finally have breakfast, change clothes and put the luggage intended for the porters into trunks. Exiting Lukla we will mark our passes and finally the hike will begin.

An overnight stay is planned in the village of Pakding (2652 m). It’s only a three-hour walk along a simple “main” trail. The places are by no means wild - just fields and villages. And there are still a lot of tourists here. But don't worry, by the time we get to the top of Island Peak there will be a lot less people around :)

We will most likely arrive in Pakding for lunch. Let's check into the shelter, have lunch, rest for 20 minutes and go out on the evening radial to the Buddhist monastery Pema Choling. It is located in a pine forest high above the village. Gaining a couple of hundred meters of altitude is the best way to spend an evening in the Himalayas. And if at the end a beautiful temple awaits you (it was recently restored after the 2015 earthquake), then the walk becomes doubly pleasant.

Travel time - 4 hours, descent - 200 m.

We continue to walk through endless villages, compete in agility with caravans of mules, and cross the river several times on suspension bridges. At Monjo village we again mark the passes and pass through the main gate of Sagarmatha National Park (another name for Everest). Shortly after this we stop for lunch in the village of Jorsalle.

After lunch, several events await us at once. First, we will cross the beautiful Hillary Bridge. Secondly, we will finally break a sweat on the long climb to Namche Bazar (about 600 meters of elevation gain). Thirdly, if there are no clouds, then from the middle of the climb we will see Everest.

We will spend the next two nights in the large village of Namche Bazar (altitude 3440 m). There are many shops here where you can buy missing clothes and equipment. And here many of us will feel the effects of altitude for the first time - sleep disturbance, mild shortness of breath. Nothing serious, just the first signs.

Travel time - 6 hours, elevation gain - 1000 m, descent - 200 m.

After breakfast we go lightly to the radial camp. It will last the whole day, and in the evening we will return to Namche, to the same lodge. We have a very beautiful and relatively easy walk ahead of us, but in the first 300 meters of altitude we will have to sweat and puff quite a bit. But then a beautiful traverse begins with gorgeous views of Everest, Amadablam and Thamserku. We pass near Everest View Hotel and go down to Kumjung village for lunch.

After lunch we will visit a local monastery, where for a couple of dollars you can see the famous Bigfoot scalp. Then we’ll see how we feel and the weather. If they don’t object, then we will climb the next hill, approximately to the 4000 mark.

We return to Namche and along the way we see: Hillary’s school, the longest wall of prayer stones in Nepal, a yak manger, the Syangboche airstrip, where cargo helicopters deliver luggage for expeditions to Everest. In Namche Bazaar, I advise you to take a shower (the next one will not be soon) and buy some tasty things (cookies, chocolate, canned food, etc.). In addition, you can leave things here for storage that you are unlikely to need on the “cold” section of the route (for example, shorts)

Travel time - 8 hours, elevation gain - 600 m, descent - 600 m.

It's hard to believe, but we will be descending during the first half of the day. At first it will be a gentle and open traverse (again gorgeous views of Amadablam), then a more inclined path in a coniferous forest. Finally, after the long bridge at Phunki Tenga, the long climb to Tengboche begins. We have to climb more than 500 meters (2-3 hours walking), it will be very difficult to do this on a full stomach, so we will most likely postpone lunch until we arrive in Tengboche.

After lunch we check into our rooms and go to the evening radial. First, let's take a look at the legendary Tengboche Monastery. Many climbers come here for blessings before climbing Everest. We, of course, have more modest plans, but if you ask, they will tie a ritual scarf for you too. Then, for acclimatization purposes, we will climb a hill decorated with prayer flags. It will be nice if we reach 4000m altitude again. Magic sunset with a view of the monastery, descent, dinner, relaxation.

Travel time - 6 hours, elevation gain - 800 m, descent - 400 m.

The first hour of the journey will pass through a shady and cool rhodendron forest (the last forest on the route). Then we will cross to the other side of the river and instead of the forest there will be endless grassy slopes along which we will very quickly get to our accommodation for the night, to the village of Pangboche. We quickly have a snack, order sandwiches to go (for lunch), fill thermoses and go out to the large radial. In order to acclimatize, we need to climb to Amadablam base camp (4500 m), walk there a little and return back to Pangboche in the evening.

The ascent will take approximately 3 hours, rest and snack at the base camp will take at least an hour, and the descent to Pangboche will take an hour and a half. Amadablam Base Camp is usually not too crowded. There are a dozen tents there, Sherpas are preparing clients for the climb, yaks are grazing peacefully. By the way, on the way to base camp we will see the peak of Pumori for the first time.

Travel time: 5-8 hours, elevation gain - 800 m, descent - 100 m.

The day begins with a simple, flat section and at first the walk is easy, but after the next bridge the trail goes up and then it becomes clear that the jokes are over - there is a noticeable lack of oxygen, even despite the fact that yesterday we were already at such a height. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that today we have backpacks with us. We overcome ourselves and crawl to the village of Dingboche (4360 m). There we have lunch and once again prepare for the evening acclimatization trip. Directly above the village rises a pretty hill, the height of which is just over 5000 meters. We try to get as high as possible without getting overtired. We are already at those altitudes where any weakness in the body can lead to illness and evacuation. Therefore, we take care of ourselves, walk slowly, drink only warm things, and do not breathe cold things. We will most likely return to Dingboche at dusk - it will be dark and cold. Be sure to take a flashlight, a puff coat, and gloves for all radial outings.

Travel time - 5 hours, elevation gain - 600 m, descent - 100 m.

Relatively flat day. Before lunch we walk along a wide and flat plateau - enjoying the scenery and taking a lot of photographs against the backdrop of the Cholatse peaks. Then we cross a river and a wide landslide and stop for lunch at a place called Tokla. Immediately after lunch we will climb 300 meters, so we don’t overeat. We climb the moraine ridge of the Khumbu glacier, where a memorial to the fallen climbers is located on the pass. Beyond the pass there is again a flat path going past the tent base camp of Mount Lobuche. Quite often it is at this stage that snow appears on the trail.

Today we will spend the night in the village of Lobuche (4940 m). We worked well during the day, so the evening radial will be very short (40 minutes). We climb the moraine ridge, see the peak of Kala Pathar for the first time, contemplate the “lower reaches” of the Khumbu glacier and quickly return to the shelter - the valley is covered in clouds and it becomes cold. Get ready - a miner will most likely visit you at night.

Travel time - 5 hours, elevation gain - 800 m, descent - 200 m.

The first couple of transitions we walk along a gentle path. But it’s no longer easy here - there’s too little oxygen. Then the area “deteriorates”, endless piles of stones begin, and the trail crosses one of the “tributaries” of the Khumbu glacier. If you raise your head, you can go crazy with the beauty of the surrounding landscapes (Nuptse, Pumori). But most of all, there is simply not enough strength for this. In this economical mode, we crawl to the village of Gorak Shep (5170 m) and check into the lodge. After a very light lunch, we prepare for the evening ascent to Mount Kala Pathar. Be sure to take down jackets and spare mittens with you - a cold wind usually blows at the top and if you don’t wrap yourself up, you won’t be able to sit there for more than 5 minutes.

The ascent will take from 2 to 3 hours. Traditionally, the path to the top will be simple at first, but at the end you will have to overcome small piles of stones. Again, nothing special, but the lack of oxygen will make the last meters especially long. The peak of Kalapathar is a small inclined slab. We usually sit there for at least an hour to have time to take photos in all possible combinations (with Everest, with flags, with each other). Yes, from the top we will finally see Everest more or less normally. Both before and after this, he will very effectively hide behind his neighbors. Sooner or later we will freeze despite all our clothes and then we will go down to Gorak Shep for dinner.

Travel time - 8 hours, altitude gain - 800 m.

We'll wake up at 5 am. We check out of the rooms, put our things in the dining room, drink tea and at 6:00 without breakfast we set out on the radial route to Everest Base Camp (5316 m). For the first 3 hours of the radial, until the sun comes out from behind Everest, it will be very cold (let's assume it will be -10). We walk along the moraine ridge for a long time, and then descend straight onto the glacier. There, on piles of ice and rubble, the Everest Base Camp stretches for several kilometers - hundreds of tents at the foot of the great mountain. In April-May, life is in full swing here, caravans of yaks come with provisions and fuel for expeditions, Sherpas prepare sites for new tents, climbers return from assault camps. Outsiders are not allowed into the camp itself, but you can watch from the outside as much as you like. That's what we'll do. In addition, it will be possible to get closer to the snow-white seracs from which the “path” to the top of Everest begins.

By 10:30 we return to Gorak Shep, have breakfast, change clothes (it’s already warmer) and rest a little. At noon we begin our descent. It’s much easier to go down, we run quickly, but fatigue is off the charts and our health is still far from ideal. In about an hour and a half we will descend to Lobuche, then another hour to storm the moraine wall (a memorial to the fallen climbers) and around 15:00 we will be in Tokle (4700), where we will have lunch and rest a little more before the last push. We cross the scree, climb to the plateau and follow the already familiar path to Dingboche (4410 m) to have a delicious dinner there. The road will take another hour and a half to two, so we will most likely enter the village with flashlights.

Travel time - 12 hours, elevation gain - 200 m, descent - 900 m.

In the morning we say goodbye to the half of the group that is not going to Island Peak. They continue their descent under the guidance of a Nepalese guide and will be in Namche Bazar by evening. It is quite possible that you will still envy them :)

And we turn to the East. After 2 hours of walking along the flat Imja Khola valley we will find ourselves in Chukunga (4700 m). By the way, along the way the Himalayas will show us a new perspective of Mount Lhotse. In Chukunga, Nepalese high-altitude guides will be waiting for us, who will assist the instructor during the ascent to Island Peak. They will also help us choose the appropriate equipment at the local rental office. Here you can take high-altitude boots (plastic), helmets, ice axes, crampons, a harness, jumar, carabiners and figure eight.

After lunch, on a nearby hill, we will arrange a training session. We will practice climbing with the help of a jumar, fastening on the railings and rappelling down. And in the evening, at the stove, we will sharpen the ice picks.

Travel time - 2 hours, elevation gain - 300 m, descent - 20 m.

Loaded with rental equipment, we leave Chukung. The first 3 km we walk along the stone chaos at the foot of the southern Lhotse glacier, then we get out to the shore of the huge lake Imja Tsho and along it we go to the base camp of Island Peak (5100 m). We don’t stay there for long, but after drinking tea we begin to climb. Moving almost head-on, we climb 300 meters (2 hours) and settle down in the tents of the Island Peak assault camp (5450 m). We have a hearty lunch and go to bed no later than 16:00. We set alarms for 23:00.

Travel time - 4 hours, altitude gain - 700 m

We wake up at 23:00 and dress very warmly. While we are busy with clothes, the Sherpas will boil water and we can fill thermoses, drink tea, and brew a bag of oatmeal. At 00:30 we set out on the route. For the first 3-4 hours we will be moving along rocks, quite steep in places, so it makes sense to start in regular trekking boots and take plastics with you. No later than 5 am we go out onto the glacier, where we change into plastic shoes, put on crampons and harnesses, hide our poles and take out ice axes. We walk along the glacier in a team. There is a real labyrinth of cracks, we move slowly and carefully. You may need to crawl over the abyss along a rickety ladder. Yes, just like in the movie Everest. After about an hour and a half we approach a sheer wall. In fact, the slope here is about 70 degrees steep, but it looks like it's vertical... and we're going to climb it. We put all unnecessary things under the wall - half of our clothes, backpacks, trekking poles, ice axes. We strap ourselves into the suspended railings and spend the next hour and a half desperately juggling. During this time, we have to gain 150 vertical meters, safely change our seat belts several times, get stuck in traffic jams many times, and finally get to the ridge. The width of the ridge is only 50 centimeters and we have to walk along this blade about 100 meters to the top. Naturally, we walk along the railings. We will reach the top between 8 and 9 am.

The descent to the assault camp will take at least 5 hours. Please note that the descent is no easier than the ascent. Fatigue will be prohibitive, and rappelling, cracks on the glacier and difficult descent along the rocks require maximum concentration. By 14:00 we will be in the camp, and will take a long break to dry our shoes and resuscitate feet broken by plastics. We continuously boil the tea and pour it into ourselves. Then we collect our things and go down to Chukung. We check into the lodge, hand over rental equipment, tip the high-altitude guides and immediately go to bed.

Travel time - 17 hours, altitude gain - 700 m

This is a spare day in case bad weather prevents us from summiting Island Peak on our first attempt. Please note that in this case we will have to pay extra for equipment rental and for an additional working day for high-altitude guides.

Travel time - 4 hours, altitude gain - 700 m

We leave Pangboche, go down to the river, and go up through the forest to the Tengboche monastery. A short break and again a grand descent to the very bottom of the valley. Below, near the bridge, we will have lunch and crawl up again. After a long climb we reach the traverse leading to Namche. At dusk we arrive in the capital of the Sherpas, check into the lodge and immediately line up for a hot shower.

Travel time - 5 hours, elevation gain - 400 m, descent - 900

Quite a simple, but at the same time very long day. Compared to the day of the assault on Island Peak, this is of course nonsense, but you will still be quite tired in the evening. The route is already familiar, we each walk at our own pace. We periodically gather and recount at control points (checkpoints, etc.). Lunch in Phakding. At sunset, after another “descent up” we finally enter Lukla. In the evening, at dinner, we say goodbye to our porters and give them a tip. We are preparing for tomorrow's flight - we are repacking and weighing our luggage. The norms are the same: 10 kg of luggage + 5 kg of hand luggage.

Travel time - 8 hours, climb - 300 m, descent - 700

We get up very early, have breakfast and run to the airport (less than a kilometer away). If the weather is favorable, we will be at Kathmandu airport before noon. A minibus will meet us there and immediately, without stopping at the hotel, we will be taken on a sightseeing tour. If you have already been to Kathmandu and seen the temples that we are going to visit, then we will help you create an alternative program. We will start with the Hindu temple complex of Pashupatinath (in common parlance “crematorium”), then we will look at the huge Buddhist stupa Boudhanath. There we will make a couple of circles, go to the monastery and have lunch in one of the restaurants overlooking the stupa. We go to the other end of the city to the Swayambhu Monkey Temple. It is located on a hill with a gorgeous panorama of Kathmandu. The last point of the excursion program is the Royal Durbar Square. There we will see the house of the goddess Kumari, the old royal palace and ruined pagodas. In the evening we return to the hotel and prepare for the festive dinner.

At 5 am we leave Kathmandu by chartered minibus. By lunchtime we arrive at the Chitwan Nature Reserve. We check into a decent hotel with a beautiful garden. After eating we go for a short walk to the river to look at the crocodiles. Then we go on a safari - we ride elephants into the jungle, looking for rhinoceroses there. After dinner we go to the cultural center to watch the dances of the Tharu tribe.

We have breakfast and go to the next attraction. We will have a canoe trip along the river. We sail in the fog among exotic birds and sleepy crocodiles. Then we disembark and wander through the jungle on foot for another hour. The local guide will show us the tracks of wild animals (including tigers) and lead us to the people in a very confusing way. More precisely, it will lead us to the Elephant Breeding Center (elephant nursery), where you can look at the little elephants. We return to the hotel and go to the river to watch the elephants bathe. After lunch we head back to Kathmandu (7-8 hours on the road).

It is better to take return tickets for evening flights. Then you will have the whole day to search for souvenirs and shop in Kathmandu. People usually bring woolen hats, tea and spices, bronze jewelry, kukri knives, paintings and mandalas, and tourist equipment from Nepal. In the evening we meet for dinner, after which we leave for the airport. Once again we take sleeping bags in our hand luggage for a comfortable sleep in the Emirates.

Second flight. We return home and begin to prepare for the next hike :)