Compare Everest Base Camp Luxury Lodge Trek by Peregrine Treks and Tours vs Island Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek by Himalayan Glacier Adventure

Day 1: Arrive In Kathmandu

Meals: Dinner

We are happy to receive you at the airport on your first day and show you off to your hotel. At the day time, we have our time to collect all of your essential documents and manage for the permits and required tickets. You can walk around the market area and grab equipment necessary for your trek.

Later on, we will meet you for your welcome dinner; introduce you to our professional guide. The guide will be giving a summary of your entire trek.

Overnight at Hotel Radisson or similar 5-star hotel

Day 2: Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing And Trek Preparation Day

Meals: Breakfast

Today, we start a guided tour to several of the most historical and spiritual attractions of Kathmandu. Some of these landmarks including the historic Durbar Square, sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, (Swayambhunath) known as Monkey temple and Buddhist shrine (Buddha Nath) which is one of the largest and oldest sputa in the world are listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We will give a brief pre-trip group discussion followed by trek preparation during late afternoon at Peregrine Treks and Expedition Pvt. Ltd. at the evening time and Overnight in Hotel Radisson or similar five-star hotel.

Day 3: Fly To Lukla And Trek To Phakding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

We fly early morning to Lukla and have our breakfast. After a while, we prepare ourselves for the first trek of our trip and walk the trail that follows the route of Chaurikharkha village towards DudhkoshiGhat until Phakding (2,652m/8300ft). On our first day of the trek, we will encounter Mt. Khumbila, a sacred mountain which is not climbed by anyone yet – overnight in Yeti Mountain Home or Similar hotel.

Note: Government of Nepal has declared that most of the flights to Lukla will start from Ramechhap until next notice to avoid over traffic crowding in Kathmandu airport. The airport in Racechhap lies 130km far from Kathmandu, and it will take around 4-hours to reach there.

On the other hand, the helicopter can be charted for five persons on a sharing basis with the addition of USD 500 per person for a one-way flight. We will try to form up the group at the airport, but it can be guaranteed. However, flying to Lukla and drive to Ramechhap is always guaranteed unless any change in the program comes due to climate change.

Day 4 Trek To Namche Bazar (3440 M)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

We gear up after having early morning breakfast towards our second day’s trek destination, Namche Bazaar. This day’s trial consists of beautiful pine forest and riverbank of Dudh Koshi. We will cross a long suspension bridge, The Hillary Suspension Bridge. We might encounter some rare wild fauna such as Red Panda, Himalayan Bear, Himalayan Thar, and other few species as we enter Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We then walk on a steep trail leading us to Namche Bazaar, which is famous as Mini Thamel of Everest region. We pause our today’s trek and rest at Namche.

Overnight in Yeti Mountain Home or similar hotel

Day 5: Namche To Everest View Hotel And Overnight There

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today is an essential part of the trek before we climb to a higher altitude. We will stretch our legs for short hikes and explore the village. We can make this day flexible, by going on an early sunrise walk to Sagarmatha National Park to enjoy the sun rising over Mt. Everest, Lhotse, AmaDablam, Thamserku, and other surrounding mountain peaks. We can also organize day hike to Khumjung village, visit Edmund Hillary school and a monastery to encounter a yeti Scalp.

Overnight at Everest View Hotel or similar hotel

Day 6: Namche To Tengboche (3860)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

On this day we climb on uphill-trek route with some seriously steep ground, few river banks and forest trail to reach our destination. The focal point of this day’s target is Tengboche Monastery, which is the biggest ones of the Everest region. It usually opens at 3:00 PM, so we will try our best to reach on time but without pressurizing our precious leg. Apart from its monastery, Tengboche is rich in the majestic view of sacred mountains viz. Mt. AmaDablam, Mt. Thamserku and Mt. Khumbila. We rest our day at one of a teahouse here.

Day 7: Tengboche To Dingboche (4410 M)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

We will continue walking through lush alpine forest mixed with conifer and Rhododendron tree (national flower of Nepal). We descend to several Sherpa villages like Debuche and Pangboche. We will have a brief hike to one of the oldest monastery in the area named Pangboche monastery. We then will cross the Imja River and Lobuche River to reach Dingboche. You will be amazed to see a village at 4,360 m/14,300 ft. With beautiful barley, potato and buckwheat field complete with grazing animals dotted along those fields. We call our day off at Dingboche village.

 Day 8: Rest Day At Dingboche Or Climb Nagerjun Hill (5100 M)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

It is another opportunity to blend ourselves at a high altitude. We have plans to climb ridge located behind the village to get the rewarding views of Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Cho Oyu, Cholatse and Taboche peaks. We can also notice Lobuche West, Lobuche East, and Lhotse as the most dominant mountains on our northwest rising above the Khumbu Khola valley.

We slowly descend back to Dingboche to take the day rest and prepare for more significant trial tomorrow.

Day 9: Trek to Lobuche (4910)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today we will gently climb towards Pheriche valley after an energetic breakfast. We silhouette along the northwest side above Pheriche valley through alpine vegetation treating awe-inspiring views of Tawoche and Cholotse peak to our eyes. We then gradually climb for about two hours to reach Thukla for our local Nepalese lunch. After fueling up, we head to take the most challenging yet worth walking trail to reach the top of Thukla pass. Here we will see the memorial stupas, dedicated to brave climbers and trekkers from all over the world, ceased for the sake of Everest. We will pause for a while to pay tribute to their bravery.

After a few hours of ascending, we will finally reach Lobuche and spent overnight here.

Day 10: Trek To Gorekshep And Everest Base Camp (5364 M) And Return Back To Gorekshep (5181 M)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

On this day, we need to control our adrenaline rush because we will finally step on Everest Base Camp, most awaited day of our trip. We will walk for a few hours from Lobuche after breakfast to reach Gorakshep, which is comparatively an easy path. Here we will unload our backpack, change into day hike pack, and slowly ascend towards base Camp by fueling our energy with local yet delicious lunch. The main thing we need to focus is on our pace to insure not getting Acute Mountain Sickness due to speed walking.

On the way, we will come in contact with the top of the Khumbu Glacier and soon get a view of Khumbu Icefall. After walking for a few hours, we eventually will find ourselves in the lap of Mt. Everest at an altitude of 5,364m. We will provide a certain amount of time for you to blend in the scenic view and beauty of Everest Time and manage to walk back to Gorakshep before it gets dark.

Day 11: Climb Kalapathar (5545 M) And Return Back To Pheriche (4210 M)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kalapathar is well known for the sunrise as we encounter first sun rays falling on the head of Mt. Everest and other surrounding Mountain peaks. To capture this magical moment, we will have to walk super early in the morning on a reasonably steep trail at a comfortable pace. We will manage to have our lunch and hike down to Gorakshep after spending time enjoying the sunrise. There we will have lunch and slowly descend to Pheric village to spend the night.

Day 12: Return Back To Namche

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Leaving the mountains behind we walk down to Namche Bazaar. We will be crossing the same trials of rhododendron, juniper, pine forest, and cross bridge over the Dudh Koshi river. We can easily spot mountain goats, pheasants, and other wild animals on our wat back.

We will reach Namche Bazaar after a few hours of walk and spend our night there. You can honor this day with your fellow trekkers on the occasion of hitting Everest Base camp.

Overnight at Yeti Mountain Home or similar

Day 13 Trek Back To Lukla

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

We hike the same route crossing the Hillary Suspension bridge, several Sherpa villages and monasteries to reach Lukla. There we will have a mini celebration party for our accomplishment of Everest Base Camp trek and our last night on Everest region.

Overnight in the Yeti Mountain Home or similar Hotel.

Day 14 Flight Back To Kathmandu

Meals: Breakfast

We fly to Kathmandu hopping on an early morning flight taking off on a significant runway of Lukla airstrip. After reaching Kathmandu, you are free to do things on your own. We do guide if in case you might need them around Kathmandu valley for short day trips or souvenir shopping. At the end of this day, we will re-unite for your farewell dinner. We will have our ground open for your precious feedback session and experience sharing.

Overnight in the Hotel Radisson or similar five-star hotel

Day 15: Rest Day In Kathmandu For Shopping

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

It is a free day for shopping souvenir for your friends and families. You can do sightseeing in Bhaktapur or Patan – the ancient Royal Palace of Nepal. in this day.

Overnight in the Hotel Radisson or similar five-star hotel

Day 16: Farewell

Meals: Breakfast

Our staff will check on your tickets and flight time and drop you off to Tribhuwan International Airport to greet you farewell. We wish for your safe landing and soon return to Nepal for the next awesome trip.

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Yatri Suites and Spa)

Maximum Altitude: 1,350m/4,429ft

We complete our custom formalities at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. Afterwards, there is a Himalayan Glacier representative waiting for us at the gate who will take us to our hotel.  We can then spend the rest of the day taking rest. In the evening, we get to try Nepalese cuisine at a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 2: Kathmandu : trip preparation

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel (Yatri Suites and Spa)

Maximum Altitude: 1,3:50m/4,429ft

We visit Himalayan Glacier’s office sometime in the afternoon today. At the office, me meet our climbing guide and fellow climbers. Our guide or leader will check our set of equipment in order to make sure that they are in a perfect condition for the coming trip. In the short meeting, the Himalayan Glacier representatives will also help us understand what we can expect throughout the trip so as to make us familiar of our days up in the mountain. We can spend rest of the afternoon resting and/or in leisure. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 3: Fly to Lukla then trek to Phakding

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Flight:  40 min

Hiking: 3-4 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 2,800m/9,187ft

After breakfast, we will be taken to the domestic terminal of TIA for an early morning flight to Lukla. After a flying above the breathtaking green and white mountains, we reach Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating in a landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountains. Upon our arrival at Lukla, we meet our other crew members and after some packing and arrangements, we start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla until we reach Phakding. To assist in acclimatization, we only have a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, we can take a side trip to a nearby monastery. Overnight in Phakding.

Day 4: Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  5-6 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,438m/11,280ft

After breakfast we walk through beautiful pine forests and then along Dudh Koshi River ending our nature-filled journey at Namche Bazaar. After walking for almost over an hour, we come across the glistening Mt. Thamserku (6,608m) on our right and also experience the serenity of pine, fir and juniper forests throughout our journey. If the weather is clear, we may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. We continue walking until we reach the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Mt. Everest and main trading centre of this region. This day we cross five suspension bridges, the last one also known as the Hillary Bridge being the highest. It is an uphill walk from Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Day 5: Namche Bazaar: Acclimatization Day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Maximum Altitude: 3,438m/11,280ft

This is the day set aside for acclimatization. Health experts recommend that we stay active and move around even during the rest day instead of being idle. There are a few options set aside for this day. We can either stroll around Namche’s quaint villages or come in contact with the Sherpa people and their rich culture, or we can hike up to the Everest View Hotel and enjoy an up-close view of the mighty Everest. While in the Namche village or upon returning from the hike to the Everest View Hotel, trekkers may also visit the local museum containing exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna as well as the history of the Mount Everest region.

For trekkers who want to hike for a little longer, a hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours) may also be an option. While in the village we can visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti!). Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Day 6: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  5-6 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,870m/12,697ft

After breakfast, we trek towards Tengboche. It is an easy walk from Namche to Phunki. Upon reaching Phunki, we ascend towards Tengboche, a village that houses the very famous Tengboche monastery which is the largest monastery of the Everest region. Located amidst the Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of “outstanding universal value”), it is draped with the panoramic 360-degree view of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. The monastery opens at 3:00 pm so if we are lucky we might just be able to witness a religious ceremony. Overnight in Tengboche.

Day 7: Tengboche to Pheriche

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  4-5 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 4,288m/14,069ft

With the Himalayas as its backdrop, the monastery in Tengboche is in an excellent location. We visit the monastery in the morning and enjoy taking pictures of the monastery and the amazing landscape. We descend for about half an hour through a forest before crossing a river. Next, we trek uphill and notice that as we climb higher, the landscape becomes drier. We walk past a traditional Sherpa village of Pangboche before reaching Pheriche, a beautiful village located on a riverside. Here, we will also see a small helipad that is used for helicopter rescues during emergencies. We may even take a class with a mountain specialist in a medical clinic at Pheriche. Overnight in Pheriche.

Day 8: Pheriche to Lobuche

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  5-6 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 4,940m/16,208ft

After breakfast, we start with an easy walk towards Dugla. Next, we trek up the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier, and then pass through the boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara where we find an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10-time Everest summitter Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepalese mountain guide) who perished on a mission to climb Everest. The trail then continues to the Khumbu Glacier moraine and we find ourselves facing several great peaks – Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. Overnight in Lobuche.

Day 9: Lobuche to Gorak Shep, visit Everest Base Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking: 6-7 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 5,364m/17,599ft

We take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once vast Gorak Shep Lake. Continuing straight ahead, we come across the Indian army mountaineers’ memorials. The path from here can be misleading; hence it is important that we follow our lead Sherpa diligently. The walk is strenuous due to thin air in the high altitude. We pass through rocky dunes, moraine and streams before reaching the Everest Base Camp. Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp, we see tents of mountaineers that stand out in bright colors against the monotony of gray surroundings (especially in the spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains we can view from the base camp. We get back to Gorak Shep for a good night’s rest. Overnight in Gorak Shep.

Day 10: Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar and back to Lobuche

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  7-8 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 5,545m/18,193ft

We prepare for an early morning departure, amid pre-dawn darkness and cold temperatures (-10 to -14 C). Plus, there is always the potential for chilly winds which are quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself. But, it is upon reaching Kala Patthar that we get to see360 degree up-close and formidable views of Mt. Everest. We take pictures, enjoy the magnificent mountain panorama, and then return back to Lobuche for a good night’s rest. Overnight in Lobuche.

Day 11: Lobuche to Kongma La to Chhukung

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  6-7 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 4,730m/15,519ft

After breakfast, we trek via Khumbu Glacier to Kongma La Base Camp (5,000m/16,404ft). The ascent to Kongma La pass is the most difficult part of our trek today. In the Kongma La, we see cairn wrapped in prayer flags to mark the pass. Then we descend gradually to Imja Khola valley, followed by another descent to Chhukung, a small summer settlement. After reaching Chhukung we will also check our equipment in order to get ready for our ultimate climb. Overnight in Chhukung.

Note: If we do not want to undertake the Kongma La pass, we can follow another route via Dingboche to Chhukung instead.

Day 12: Chhukung to Island Peak base camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  3-4 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 5,200m/17,061ft

The trek to Island Peak Base Camp is on a fairly steep trail. First, we climb south then turn east to the main line of the valley. We then walk on a winding path below the southern flank of the moraine from the Lhotse Glacier. Next, we continue walking on a pleasant trail along a streamside. The route to the Amphu Labtsa lies to the southeast. A crisscross route through the Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines leads to a wide valley flanking the SW side of Island Peak. Overnight at Island Peak Base Camp.

Day 13: Pre-climb training on Island Peak Base Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Maximum Altitude: 5,200m/17,061ft

We begin our pre-climb training today after breakfast. Our guides will provide training on peak climbing techniques and the proper ways of using climbing gears such as the ice axe, climbing boots and crampons, harness, ascender, etc. The training will also include using ropes to go up and down. Although it is not mandatory to have prior training for Island Peak Climbing, we strongly believe that some training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit as well as to fully enjoy the experience. We can spend the rest of the day hiking to high camp and back or resting for the next day’s climb. Overnight at the base camp.

Day 14: Island Peak base camp to Island Peak summit ,back to base camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Climbing: 10-12

Maximum Altitude: 6,189m/20,306ft

We wake up early today at around 12 to 1 am and have our breakfast before beginning our climb. It is important we reach the summit before noon because in the afternoon the strong winds in the highlands might become a barrier for a successful summit. The trail moves up beyond the base camp for several hundred meters before striking off the steep hillside. Initially sandy, the path soon turns to grass before becoming boulder strewn. As we climb up the hill, we will see that the slope narrows and the trail enters a steep rock channel. We climb the rock gully. This is not difficult, but there are several short rock steps to climb before we emerge on the right side of the gully. The route then follows a ridgeline, which leads to an exhilarating and exposed traverse onto the snout of the summit glacier. The guides will fix a rope when required. A steep snow slope leads us onto the summit ridge. Both fixed rope and man rope will be used during the climb for safety. We use fixed rope after successfully climbing on rock. The length of the rope will usually be 350 m. However, the length depends on the time of the season and the crevasses.There are two newly formed crevasses which are approximately 3 and 4 meters long. We will be using ladders to cross them. After enjoying the summit views and taking pictures, we descend all the way to Island Peak Base Camp where some of our crew are waiting for us. We celebrate on our successful Island Peak climb.

Day 15: Island Peak Base Camp to Pangboche

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  5-6 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,985m/13,075ft

Today’s walk will be a much easier as we descend to the lower altitudes. Following the same route back through the wide valley of Khumbu Khola, we pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages, Orsho and Shomare. We can also take a different trail to visit the Gompa in Upper Pangboche, which is believed to be the oldest in the Khumbu region or take the regular trail to reach Pangboche. Pangboche is a scenic village surrounded by Everest to its north, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kangtaiga to the east, the Kongde range to the south and the Imja Tse river flowing through the wide fertile valley.

Day 16: Pangboche to Namche Bazaar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  4-5 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,438m/11,280ft

From Pangboche we retrace our steps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forest to Tengboche. If interested, we can also visit nuns at the Tengboche monastery. After lunch at Tengboche, we continue through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. After crossing the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, our trail follows the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests before reaching Sansa. We keep a lookout for wildlife such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants, etc., while passing through the forest. After passing a chorten, we reach the army camp at Namche Bazaar.  Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Day 17: Namche Bazaar to Lukla

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel/Tea House (Hotel/Teahouse)

Hiking:  6-7 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 2,800m/9,187ft

The trail descends steeply downward so we need to walk cautiously as our shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries, the trail becomes more level and natural. After our arrival in Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. Overnight in Lukla.

Day 18: Fly to Kathmandu

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Yatri Suites and Spa)

Flight:  40 min

Maximum Altitude: 1,350m/4,429ft

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenirs shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the climbers’ successful summit of the Island peak. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 19: Final Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organize your photos. A representative from Himalayan Glacier will take you to the airport, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you’ll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.