Compare Everest Base Camp Trek by G Adventures vs Island Peak Climbing by Nepal Trekking Routes

Day 1 Kathmandu

Arrive in Kathmandu at any time. Attend the group welcome meeting.

Day 2 Kathmandu/Phakding

Catch the mountain flight to Lukla, enjoying stunning views of the Himalayas. Meet the Sherpas and begin the trek to Phakding.

The mountain flight into Lukla is spectacular and the landing an exciting beginning to the trek – one end of the runway is 60m (197ft) higher than the other. The flight is on a small Dornier / Twin Otter flight and flight duration is generally around 25 – 30 minutes. Once in Lukla, head through pine and cedar woods along the Dudh Kosi to Phakding. Spend the next three nights trekking in the area and acclimatizing in preparation for heading to base camp. This is a challenging trip and involves difficult trekking at high altitudes but the whole experience is simply awe-inspiring!

In the Himalayas weather can cancel or delay the scheduled flight(s) to/from Lukla airport. To be sure that you make your trek, or return from it, it may be necessary to make this flight by a chartered helicopter. Helicopters can operate in some weather that aircraft cannot. Should a helicopter be needed, it will be at the expense of the travellers, and not something covered by G Adventures. Please keep approximately USD 500 (one way) accessible in case this situation presents itself. This suggested amount is in addition to the emergency fund suggested in the tour details.  Hopefully weather delays will not occur, or if they do it will be for a limited time. Should the delays stretch into days and neither helicopter nor flight are a viable option, a collective decision will be made by the group on how to proceed. This is especially true if the delays are prior to the trek, as the original trek may no longer be feasible. Your CEO will be there to help with this process.

Day 3 Phakding/Namche Bazaar

Hike to Namche Bazaar, gateway to Everest Base Camp and spend two nights acclimatizing for the trek. The group will hike mostly uphill today from Phakding and it will take around 6 hours to reach Namche Bazaar.

An acclimatisation day allows for an excursion to Thame and Khumjung, the green village.

Day 4 Namche Bazaar

During today's acclimatization day the group will hike up to Syangboche at 3860m. Weather permitting, you will be able to spend some time here and enjoy tea or coffee while viewing the mighty Himalayas and of course Everest Peak. Return back to Namche where the remainder of the day is yours to rest as you please. Total time spent hiking today will be around 3 hours.

Day 5 Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

Set out on a 5–6 hr trek through pine and rhododendron forests before arriving in Tengboche. Tengboche is a small village, and home to the famous Tengboche Monastery, the largest monastery in Khumbu region.

Day 6 Tengboche to Dingboche

Trek to Dingboche, crossing bridges and rivers with sweeping views of the Himalayan region. Walk through forests and alpine meadows and search for wildlife along the way. The group will spend 2 nights in Dingboche to acclimatize.

Day 7 Dingboche

Today is an acclimatization day. Opt to hike to Chhukung or Nagarzhang Peak.

An acclimatization day here can be used to hike up the Imja Khola to Chhukung or Nagarzhang Peak, a small summer settlement from where stunning views of Island Peak, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and the fluted ice walls flanking the Amphu Lapcha pass can be seen. These views are one of the highlights of the entire trek.

Day 8 Dingboche/Lobuche

Hike through alpine meadows and summer yak pastures towards the end of the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier to Lobuche, which has spectacular views of Nuptse. Today the group will walk for around 5 hours gradually following the trail uphill along a glacial river and through small settlements at Dughla and Thukla.

Day 9 Everest Base Camp (Gorak Shep).

Today includes a challenging climb past the Khumbu Glacier, arriving in Nuptse. From there the group will cross the Changri Glacier to Gorakshep, and then finally enjoy the highlight of reaching Everest Base Camp.

Day 10 Gorak Shep/Pheriche

Enjoy an early morning trek to Kala Pattar for stunning sunrise views of Everest and surrounding vistas. Later, trek to Pheriche along a mostly downhill route.

Day 11 Pheriche to Kenjuma

Today the group descends through Pangboche, the highest permanent settlement in the region, with its great gompa. The trek finishes in Kenjuma. After a long day on the trail, the evening will be spent resting and recouping

Day 12 Kenjuma to Monjo

Continue our trek, following a path that has both ascents and descents. The group will finish today’s downhill trek in the evening upon arrival to the small village of Monjo.

Day 13 Monjo/Lukla

The final day of our trek takes us back to Lukla, where we have a chance to relax after the rigorous adventure we just undertook.

Day 14 Lukla/Kathmandu

Catch the short flight back to Kathmandu, where the rest of the day is free for shopping, sightseeing, or relaxing in one of the many rooftop cafés.

Please note that certain departures for this trip will be subject to an itinerary change. During this time, the Kathmandu airport will be closed for maintenance and as a result, we will be flying to Ramechap and taking a private bus back to Kathmandu.

Day 15 Kathmandu

Depart at any time.

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu

Upon your arrival Nepal Trekking Routes Treks & Expedition representative are waiting to the Airport to pick up you with Display Board. When you will meet your offical representative he/she will take you to the hotel.

Day 2: Fly to Lukla & Trek to Phakding [2652m]

A spectacular flight and hair raising landing on a steep mountain runway brings us to the start of our trek at the village of Lukla [2850m]. After meeting the crew, we head up the Dudh Kosi Valley on a well-marked trail to our first camp near the river at Phakding.

Day 3: Trek to Namche [3450m]

We cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up in order to protect and preserve this fragile mountain environment. We then ascend quite steeply to Namche and along the way, if the weather is clear, catch a first glimpse of Mt Everest in the distance. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market – a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La. Camp is near the bazaar at Namche.

Day 4: Rest day in Namche

Meals: Dinner

Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu and has an abundance of lodges, tea shops and souvenir shops as well as a magnificent outlook. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatizing to the new altitude before heading off towards Tengboche. Options for acclimatization walks include a visit to Khunde hospital which was set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or a one hour walk up to the Everest view hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. There are also good views from the national park centre and museum just above the town

Day 5: Trek to Tengboche [3867m]

From Namche, the trail contours around the side of the valley, high above the Dudh Kosi. Now we get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu including mt Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we descend steeply to a bridge over the river at Phunki Tenga. The village is an excellent lunch spot, and here we can rest before making the steep climb to Tengboche. Although tiring, the hike up the zigzag path has numerous distractions, with rhododendron bushes, beautiful birds and superb mountain scenery. Tengboche is famous for its legendary monastery, the largest in the Khumbu. We camp near the monastery with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam framed in the doorway of the tent

Day 6: Trek to Pheriche (4200 m)

Trek to Pheriche via Pangboche.

Day 7: Rest day in Pheriche

A day to rest and acclimatize and a chance to wander up the valley to look at a lake, the Tshola Tsho and the perpendicular walls of Cholatse and Tawache. Alternatively, we can climb up onto the ridge overlooking Dingboche for the view up the Imja Valley and the incredible south face of Lhotse

Day 9: Trek to Lobuche (4910 M)

Trek to lobuche this is anothere hardest day for trek

Day 10: Trek to Gorekshep (5170 m) Kalapathar [5545m]

To reach our next objective, Kala Pattar, the trail follows the Khumbu Glacier, and offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at our camping place for the night, Gorak Shep. Later in the afternoon, when the sunset colors begin to appear on Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Everest region, Kala Pattar [5554m]. As the light begins to fade we stroll back to our camp at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for our trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.

Day 11: Trek to Dingboche [4350m] via Everest base camp hike (5370 m)

To reach Everest Base Camp, a very early start is required, as it takes several hours on a trail which weaves its way through ice pinnacles and past the crevasses of the Khumbu Glacier. On the return leg, we can take a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the South Col. We return to either Gorak Shep or Lobuche to camp for the night. We head back down today, through Duglha, to the summer village of Dingboche, where the houses are dotted about in the fields

Day 12: Trek to Island peak base camp via Chukhung [4750m]

Today, we have an easy walk for about 5 hours, climbing up gradually to the small settlement of Chukhung. Along the way we have great views of Island Peak and the challenge that awaits us. The trail crosses the river and follows the valley for approx. 3 hours, passing beneath the magnificent south face of Lhotse. Base camp is by the side of the Imja glacier, below steep grassy slopes which mark the start of the climb on Island Peak.

Day 13: Trek to high camp and Ascent of island (6173 m)

We ascend a little further to high camp. Crossing the gully above the camp the trail makes a climb for another hour to a narrow ridge, leading on to the glacier. Here it is time to rope-up and put on our crampons as the most interesting part of the climb begins with the glacier crossing. This is followed by the steep snow slope that leads onto the summit ridge. This ridge is wonderfully airy and on reaching the summit we have stunning close-up views of the south face of Lhotse looming over us whilst in the other direction, there are more dramatic mountain views. We descend along the same route, down to base camp.

Day 14: Trek back to Chhukung

After summit you trek back to Island Peak base camp and collect your thing continue to trek to Chhukung and overnight at Chhukung.

Day 15: Trek back to Namche

Today we follow the river and, after crossing it, climb back up through birch and rhododendron forest to Tengboche. Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega and Thamserku are just a few of the Himalayan giants to be seen. From Tengboche we descend to the bridge over the Dudh Kosi at Phunki Tenga, where there are water driven prayer wheels, before making our way back to Namche

Day 16: Trek back to Lukla

Today you will walk along the Dudhkoshi River via smal sherpa village and reach to the Lukla overnight at lukla

Day 17: Fly to Kathmandu

Fly to Kathmandu We pack up early and head for the airstrip for the flight back to Kathmandu

Day 18: Depart Kathmandu

Onward Departure Day from Nepal to your home country. Nepal Trekking Routes Treks & Expedition treks will provide you free transport to international airport (TIA)