EBC-Island Peak - Ama Dablam Expedition - 33 days

Arrive in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Meet your trekking guide at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Spend the day exploring the vibrant streets of Kathmandu and preparing for the trek. Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

Today, we will spend the day sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley with our guide. We will visit Pashupatinath, which is regarded as the holiest Hindu temple in Nepal and where pilgrims worship Lord Shiva (situated on the banks of the holy Bagmati River), Bouddhanath, a Buddhist temple known as ‘Little Tibet’ and then on to Swayambhunath known as the Monkey Temple. From Swayambhunath we drive to Kathmandu’s famous Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, and located in front of the old royal palace. Upon arriving back at your hotel you may have time to do some last-minute shopping around Thamel – the tourist hub of Kathmandu.

After an adventurous 45 minute flight above the breathtaking White Mountains, we reach the Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla in Solukhumbu. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating in a dramatic landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountains peaks. Upon arrival at Lukla, you will be introduced to our porter. Note: We will hire guide from Kathmandu only. After some packing and arrangements at Lukla, we start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla. We walk in an easy trail through Chaurikharka village and then descend towards Dudh Koshi until we reach Phakding. Phakding is located 8,700 feet above sea level. 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. 

On this day, we will have our breakfast at Phakding and then gear up for the trek to Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar was once a small village but since grown in size to accommodate the influx of trekkers, and now is the unofficial capital of the Sherpas. It was once an important trading centre on the route from Tibet to Nepal but has now been largely given over to catering for the needs of trekkers.

Our trail takes us first over the Dudh Koshi River via a long suspension bridge, and then through a beautiful pine forest to Monjo, about two hours away. Soon thereafter, we will approach the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park for a brief permit check and then descend to Dudh Koshi River (spotting Mani stones along the way!) en route to Jorsale. Lunch will be served here, and then it’s uphill to Namche. Our path along the riverbank is flanked by two crossings, one of which is the Hillary Suspension Bridge. It’s a tough climb up the hill to our resting place, but you’ll be rewarded in Namche Bazaar with your first glimpse of Everest in its majesty. For acclimatization, we suggest you to spend 2 nights in or around Namche.

On the following day, we will take a well-deserved rest to acclimatize, which gives the opportunity to explore some of the less developed and more traditional villages in the area. There’s an optional 2 hour hike to Everest View Point, an uphill walk that will help speed acclimatization. You can also check out the Sherpa museum for an overview of the Sherpa culture and history of mountaineering. On Saturdays, the Local Market is open for trading and an intimate look at the locals’ marketplace. It is part of the larger Namche Bazaar, a shopping hub filled with all manner of trekking and mountaineering clothing and equipment. Easier options for passing the acclimatization day can be found by visiting the twin Sherpa villages of Khumjung and Khunde, which are about a 2 hour walk above Namche. While in Khunde, visit the hospital, which was established and funded by Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Trust. Khumjung monastery is interesting as being the store place of one of the alleged Yeti scalps that are to be found in the region. Having Tea/Coffee in Everest view hotel and enjoy with gorgeous view of Mt. Everest and Amadablam is other attractions having one day free in Namche Bazaar.

The trek continues along the rapid flowing glacial waters of the Dudh Kosi with magnificent views of the mountains (Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Taboche peak, Amadablam. You eventually reach an altitude of 3,800 meters at Tengboche. At the Tengboche monastery are unbelievably ornate wall hangings, a 20-foot sculpture of various poses of the Buddha and musical instruments and robes of the Lamas. Our group will be taken to observe a prayer ceremony, either in the evening or in the morning, depending on how the trekking goes this day.

After breakfast, we start our trek down to Dingboche village through the rhododendron forest and crossing the bridge over the raging Imja Khola. We’ll pass the valley wall and then traverse the plains to Pangboche village, the biggest settlement of Sherpas in the region. Enjoy a great opportunity to observe a typical Sherpa village and have lunch with the locals. The intrepid can brave a brief hike to the Pangboche monastery, one of the oldest in the area. Our afternoon trek will be a difficult one, as the landscape gives way to dry; deserted mountains and we hike towards Dingboche. Dingboche is also the gateway to Chukung Village and Island peak.

Health specialists recommend we spend the day being active, rather than sitting idle. To this end we will trek for three to four hours to Nangkartshang Peak just above Dingboche with excellent views over the surrounding mountains, especially Ama Dablam (6812m).

After the breakfast, we start our walk. Trek will gradually becomes challenging from here due to higher altitude. We’ll pass Dungla, but not before a tough, steep walk to the top of a high hill. Here are the memorial stupas dedicated to the climbers and trekkers who lost their lives to Everest over the years. The next part of our adventure brings over craggy mountain terrain to Lobuche, a small settlement with amazing views of Mt. Lobuche, Mt. Pumari and the Nuptse. Prepare to snuggle up for a cold night, as we are now almost three miles above sea level and the evenings can be downright chilly.

After having breakfast early in the morning, we continue our trek to Gorakshep Village. The subsequent, straight trail to Everest Base Camp is harder, involving rocky dunes and moraine, formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris. On the way to our destination, we’ll approach the famed Khumbu Glacier and icefall, located on the slopes of Everest. During spring season, the entire climbers attempting to scale the mountain’s summit gather in Everest Base Camp with colorful tents can be seen as if we are in snowy tents park. Break out your cameras for unbelievable views of breathtaking beauty. After exploring base camp and its surroundings glacier, we return back to Gorakshep before sunset.

We’ll wake before dawn today to trek towards Kalapatthar (which means “black rock”) for a fiery, glorious sunrise over Mt. Everest. After climbing for couple hours, we arrive in the famous view point, the top of Kala Patthar. The day’s first light will illuminate your spectacular view of Nuptse Nup, Changtse and Lhotse we have the best view of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Pumori and Ama Dablam along with the entire mountain views of Khumbu Himalayan range. This may be, of the whole journey, our most opportune moment to snap amazing pictures of Everest and its neighboring peaks. Afterwards, we get back to Gorakshep for breakfast and descend down in the direction of Dingbuche.

The walk is pleasant as we leave Dingboche through stone walled fields and alpine landscape. We take the trial from Dingboche through Imja Khola valley to land raven by glacier moraines amidst towering formidable mountains. We walk leisurely as our schedule for today is only 2 to 3 hours. While walking through the valley, Lhotse towers on our left and Ama Dablam on our right. After walking about 3 km, we reach at yak herdsman’s place called Bibre. Straight ahead, beyond a terminal moraine wall, soars the Island peak (Imja Tse), a most popular trekking peak. The pyramidal Imja Tse looks awesome with its step rock and-icy south face. The trail ahead is intersected by icy streams. We reach Chukung in about half an hour from Bibre. There are glaciers and massive snowy mountains all around the place. We might choose to hike to the rocky knoll of Chukung Ri which offers stunning views of Lhotse, Island Peak, Ama Dablam, Makalu and several others including Barun Tse. Overnight at Chukung.

On The following day, we trek towards our destination for the trek, Island Peak. Leaving Chukung, we have steep ascend towards the south and then turn east to enter 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 which lead us to the big rock. At this point, the route to the Amphu Lapcha Pass stretches on the southeast direction; however, we head the trail on the north. A crisscross route through the Imja and Lhotse glacier moraines leads to a wide valley flanking the South-West side of Island Peak. After this we finally reach the valley where we set our camp for the day. The base camp presents the magnificent view of the southwestern face of Island peak. The night is spent in a tented camp at the base camp.

Today your guides will instruct you on various climbing techniques and use of an ice ax, climbing boot crampons, harnesses, ascenders, and other equipment. Your guide will show you how to use the ropes during the ascent and descent. This training is not too technical but is necessary to ensure your safety and wellbeing. After some basic training, you will feel more confident and capable of getting to the summit. In order to help you further acclimatize to this altitude, we may trek to High Camp. The rest of the day we can rest and prepare for tomorrow’s climb. We will stay overnight at the base camp.

We wake up very early today 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 enter a steep rock channel. This is where our guide will fix crampons on your climbing boots and re-check the entire climbing group and personal equipment once again for better safety. If required, you may learn last minute climbing technique with our climbing Sherpa at this stage. 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. We need to rope up for the glacier as it contains several crevasses. The guides will fix a rope wherever necessary. 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 fix rope after successfully climbing on rock. The length of the rope will usually be of 350 meter. However, the length depends on the time of the season and the crevasses. There are two newly formed crevasses. 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 then same day back to chhukung  where we will stay  overnight.

Today will be a much easier trek as we descend for five to six hours to less energy-sapping lower altitudes. We will follow the same trail down through the wide valley of the Khumbu Khola (river) and along the way pass several Sherpa villages, Orsho and Shomare. Depending on weather and time we may follow a different route and visit the Gompa at Upper Pangboche, supposedly the oldest in the Khumbu region, or head directly to the picturesque Pangboche Village, surrounded by enormous mountain peaks, such as Everest in the north, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Khangtega in the east, the Kongde Range in the south and looking down to the Imja Tse River below. 

We trek back down the trail to the bridge at Pangboche and cross the Dudh Kosi before climbing up the far side of the river and following the trail and ridgeline up to the base camp (three and a half hours from Pangboche). Base camp is located in an idyllic spot from which the majority of the route is visible. At an altitude of about 4600m (15,000ft), it provides a comfortable escape from the rigors of the climb. Our porters deposit their loads and leave us here for the next three weeks, with only our Sirdar, Sherpas and culinary staff remaining. Overnight at tented camp.

We do not provide a day-to-day itinerary for the climbing period, as this will be determined by the expedition leader and members. Guides will take a flexible approach based on what fits with climbers’ and their own experience. Typically, the team will spend a few days at the base camp organizing food, practicing rope skills, and acclimatizing before moving above the base camp. It is normal to ‘tag,’ or spend at least one night in Camp 1 (5700m), as part of any acclimatization schedule before returning to the base camp, resting, and preparing for a summit push. Ama Dablam climb via the southwest ridge After leaving the base camp old grassy moraine ridges are followed roughly eastwards to a broad saddle 5150m from where we can see the Mingbo La. From the saddle, we ascend easily northwards until the ground steepens at the start of a large boulder field. We may place an advanced base camp at 5400m below the boulder field. The route continues north around the base of the boulder field, and then follows cairns upward to the toe of the southwest ridge. At the end of the boulder field, slabs are crossed and then a short gully ascended, allowing access to the ridge proper in a very exposed position. Easy scrambling on the east side of the ridge leads quickly to Camp 1. There are four or five tent platforms. From Camp 1 we contour around the snowy bowl (possible alternative site for Camp 1) until we are below two rock fingers. The east side of the ridge is followed, climbing easy mixed ground until a short pitch of “severe” standard leads to the ridge proper. The ridge is narrow in places, with difficult turns on the east side, until the second tension traverse leads to two pitches of “very severe” standard. The route continues on the crest of the ridge for a short distance until we are forced via an awkward step onto the west side of the ridge. The crest of the ridge is regained and easily navigable roads followed to the start of a traverse on the east face, which leads to the Yellow Tower. This 15-meter pitch, just below Camp 2, is one of the hardest pitches on the climb at HVS (5.8) standard. A short section of ridge now leads to Camp 2 (5900m). Camp 2 has very limited tent space (three or four tent platforms) and is extremely exposed. It is sometimes only used to store equipment dump, with expeditions choosing to go from Camp 1 to Camp 3 in a single push. From Camp 2, the climb skirts a red rock bluff on the east and, after a step-down, follows the snow ridge directly to a tricky traverse east. This leads to a gully between the Grey Tower and the lower rock buttress. We climb the gully until a very exposed traverse line is reached on the west side of the ridge. A short snow slope is ascended, allowing us to reach the start of the Mushroom Ridge. Following this typically involves negotiating some steep snow sections, until Camp 3 (6300m) is reached. The route climbs the snow and ice slope directly above Camp 3 and to the right-hand side of Dablam. We continue to skirt Dablam on the right, then moving west to gain a small snowfield below the Bergschrund. The Bergschrund is crossed and then the climb heads directly to the ice crest above. This is followed by a magnificent climb to the summit. (High-Quality Camping Tents will be Provided in each camp) Overnight at tented camp. 

Today we are leaving Amadablam Base Camp trek to Pongbuche. More warm than ABC because of less altitude. cheers.

We descend 5 hours to Namche Bazaar (3441m). If we are lucky, we’ll arrive at a market time in Namche. Regardless, there is always fabulous food to be found, including delicious espresso, yak steaks, and chocolate cake with frosting! This market is where lowland porters bearing supplies meet the highland Sherpa and Tibetan people who have journeyed over high passes from many miles away to trade food and supplies for their houses and villages. Enjoy and celebrate your expedition. 

We descend on a steep trail so it is important that we 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. After reaching Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. Overnight in Lukla.

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 and Amadablam expedition.

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 Nature  Trail trek & exped 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. NAMASTE .