Adventure Consultants Island Peak Expedition

ISLAND

ISLAND PEAK EXPEDITION NOTES

2026 EXPEDITION DETAILS

Dates: Trip 1: April 20 to May 13

Trip 2: October 14 to November 6

Duration: 24 days

Departure: ex Kathmandu, Nepal

Price: US$6,650 per person

Adventure Consultants offers this expedition throughout the year; during both the post-monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons. An ascent of Island Peak is an ideal entry into Himalayan climbing for a person who has a basic background in rope skills and mountaineering techniques. We provide the most affable and experienced Western guides working in conjunction with our excellent Sherpa friends, promising you an experience of a lifetime!

Island Peak or Imja Tse stands centrally at the head of the Imja Khola, a tributary of the mighty Khumbu. Due to glacial recession the climbing on Island Peak has become more technical in nature over time. This has resulted in the need for team members to have basic rope work and mountaineering skills. An ascent of Island Peak today involves the use of a ladder over the bergschrund and fixed ropes on steep snow slopes (45°) towards the summit and back.

This satisfying summit is the culmination of a long steady trek through breathtaking landscapes and fascinating villages. Throughout this trip you will be rewarded with exceptional views of the surrounding Himalayan giants of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Baruntse, Makalu and Ama Dablam.

EXPEDITION OUTLINE

This 24-day adventure starts and finishes in Kathmandu. A flight to Lukla delivers us to the Khumbu Valley, where the trek begins. After our second day on the trail, we arrive at Namche Bazaar, where we spend two nights acclimatising and exploring the local villages with time to become familiar with the local markets.

Continuing onwards, we explore this stunning valley and take time out to enjoy the Sherpa coffee shops! We then continue our trek towards Everest Base Camp and the scenic viewpoint of Kala Patar. We sleep in the high Sherpa villages of Phortse, Pheriche or Dingboche, Lobuche and Gorak Shep along the way. All this time we are preparing ourselves for the rigours of climbing at altitude.

After our ‘Everest Experience’ we trek to the Island Peak Base Camp via a high alpine pass, the Kongma La; where the views are nothing short of stunning. The climb of Island Peak begins with a glaciated approach that often includes a ladder crossing, and eventually a steep snow and ice headwall leads to a broad ridge to the summit. From here we enjoy spectacular views of the North Side of Ama Dablam, the sweeping flanks of Nuptse and the world’s fourth highest peak, Lhotse.

For mountaineers looking to experience the essence of a first Himalayan ascent, Island Peak stands as an excellent choice from which to develop the skills and confidence to move towards future Himalayan objectives. Our many years of Himalayan experience allows us to introduce you to the best food, accommodation, destinations and experiences that are available on this expedition.

NOTE: We travel in tandem with our Khumbu Trek creating a perfect opportunity for friends or family to share the adventure. While you are climbing the trekkers enjoy escorted tours of the trails and lookouts around the Island Peak region. At the completion of your ascent, you rejoin for the descent back down the valley and on to Kathmandu.

There is also the option to extend the trip by including a side trip to the Gokyo Valley.

PREREQUISITE SKILLS

You need to be fit and energetic to climb Island Peak, and have some previous experience climbing with ice axe and crampons. You will need to be familiar with rappelling, abseiling and general rope skills. Instruction in the use of fixed lines, ladder crossing and a refresher on abseiling will be

given prior to summit day. Your trip leaders are all experienced Western and Sherpa guides, providing the highest level of safety to ensure a safe passage on the journey.

TEAM SIZE

For the Island Peak climb, we will take a maximum of 12 people hence spaces are limited.

2026 EXPEDITION DATES

Trip 1(Pre-Monsoon): April 20 to May 13, 2026

Trip 2 (Post-Monsoon): October 14 to November 6, 2026

ITINERARY

Following is an ideal itinerary for our 2026 Island Peak Expeditions:

Day 1 Arrive Kathmandu, Nepal

Day 2 Gear check, optional sightseeing Kathmandu Valley

Day 3 Fly to Lukla (2,860m/9,383ft), trek to Phakding (2,610m/8,563ft), 3hrs

Day 4 Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,286ft), 5hrs

Day 5 Sightseeing in Namche Bazaar

Day 6 Short trek to Khumjung (3,780m/12,402ft) and climb Khunde Peak (4,200m/13,780ft), overnight Khumjung, 4–5hrs

Day 7 Trek to Phortse (3,950m/12,959ft), 6km/3.5mi, 4–5hrs

Day 8 Phortse to Pheriche (4,270m/14,009ft) or Dingboche (4,410m/14,469ft), 5–6hrs

Day 9 Rest day Pheriche or Dingboche

Day 10 Pheriche or Dingboche to Lobuche (4,940m/16,207ft), 4hrs

Day 11

Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5,160m/16,929ft, 3hrs), climb Kala Patar (5,554m/18,222ft, 3hrs)

Day 12 Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp (5,300m/17,400ft, 2hrs) then down to Lobuche, 5hrs

Day 13 Rest day Lobuche

Day 14 Lobuche to Kongma La Pass (5,535m/18,159ft), descend to Chhukung (4,730m/15,518ft), 9hrs

Day 15 Ropes training and rest day in Chhukung, optional ascent of Chhukung Ri (5,550m/18,209ft), 6 hrs

Day16 Chhukung to Island Peak Base Camp (4,970m/16,300ft), 3 hrs

Day 17 Summit bid on Island Peak (6,189m/20,305ft), 10–12hrs. Trekkers to explore Chhukung area.

Day 18 Rest Day/Contingency Day and/or move to Chhukung

Day 19 Chhukung to Pangboche (3,985m/13,074ft), 3–5 hours

Day 20 Pangboche to Namche Bazaar, 5–6 hrs

Day 21 Namche Bazaar to Lukla 7 hrs

Day 22 Spare day in case of weather delays

Day 23 Lukla to Kathmandu flight

Day 24 Trip ends. Depart from Kathmandu

GOKYO EXTENSION

Extend and enhance your Nepal experience by joining our Gokyo extension. Trek over the challenging Cho La Pass to visit the Gokyo Lakes region. This is a highly recommended extension for fit and experienced trekkers. The Gokyo Extension costs US$1,250 per person and adds 4 days to your itinerary, contact our office for additional details.

THE ADVANTAGES OF CLIMBING WITH ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS

Adventure Consultants is renowned for the quality of its service and strategy applied to their expeditions. Our reputation is attributed to meticulous planning and experienced logistics coordination. We have a philosophy of investing in every expedition to offer our trekkers the best possible experience.

We employ strong and specialised Expedition leaders and Sherpa staff, who are some of the most pre-eminent in the industry. We pride ourselves on operating with small teams, the best back-up and support available. This includes nutritious and ample quantities of food, comfortable Base Camp

facilities, reliable communications systems and the necessary medical back up.

Many of our expedition members come to us because they have seen us in action on a previous trip and decide to opt for our level of service and proven experience. Others return because they know we do our very best to make expeditions safe and successful.

FOOD

Food will be of the highest standard possible, given the remoteness of the situation. Please inform us if you have any special dietary requirements.

In the Khumbu Valley during the trek, we will be dining in lodges and when at Island Peak Base Camp, we will be eating in the Adventure Consultants mess tent. Our Base Camp equipment and ample, nutritious meals are always the envy of other groups on the mountain!

MEDICAL EXAMINATION & INSURANCE

Expedition members will be provided with a medical questionnaire and asked to visit their family physician to receive a full medical examination. This

information will be sighted only by the expedition leader and our Medical Advisor and treated with full confidentiality. Advice on immunisations will be provided at this time. We also require members to have rescue insurance and we will consult with individual team members as to your insurance needs and solutions for coverage.

VISAS

Expedition members will be required to obtain an entry visa into Nepal at the beginning of the expedition. This is easily procured at Kathmandu airport on arrival. Trekking and climbing permits are a separate matter dealt with by the expedition agent.

PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPHS

Expedition members will need to provide a digital passport photograph for climbing and trekking permits and a copy of their passport biodata page.

EQUIPMENT LIST & REFERENCE NOTES

Expedition members will be sent a list detailing all the necessary clothing and equipment to be individually provided, contained within a set of Expedition Reference Notes with all the details for the trip. These notes provide extensive information on everything from suggestions of what type of camera to bring to training advice for your expedition preparation.

COMMUNICATIONS

The expedition will be equipped with portable Thuraya satellite phone systems for the duration of the expedition in order to provide reliable email and voice communication globally for business, media or personal use. Limited satellite phone time can be purchased at the rate of US$3.00 per minute. Please contact our office for details.

THE EXPEDITION FEE

The cost of the expedition, ex Kathmandu, is US$6,650.

This is an inclusive cost and covers the following:

• Nepalese government peak royalty fees

• All trek organisational requirements

• All trekking permits

• Airport Transfers in Kathmandu

• Helicopter air transport within Nepal

• Accommodation in lodges or tents ex Kathmandu

• All group equipment for the trek and Island Peak climb (tents, ropes, kitchen, radios etc.) and emergency medical supplies

• All trek staff, including Western and Sherpa guides, porter support

• Transport of 20kg of personal equipment

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner ex Kathmandu

• Backup Medical services

• dZi Foundation support for their “Revitalize a Village” programme—likely to include support for a Nepalese child’s education for a year

The expedition fee does not include the following:

• Air travel to and from Nepal

• Hotel accommodation and meals in Kathmandu

• Nepalese airport entry visas

• Purchases of bottled water, gifts or alcohol

• Personal expenses whilst trekking such as laundry, showers, internet use

• Personal clothing and equipment

• Personal insurance/ trip cancellation insurance/ Medical Evacuation Insurance

• Excess baggage charges for the flights to/from Lukla

• Gratuities for guides and Sherpa staff.

PAYMENTS

All payments should be made by bank transfer to the following bank and account:

Bank of New Zealand

Offshore Branch

42 Willis Street

Spark Central

Wellington New Zealand

For the account of Adventure Consultants Limited.

Account Number: 1000-594771-0000

Account Type: US Dollars

Swift Address: BKNZNZ22

NOTE: All bank transfer charges are for the remitter’s account.

We can also accept your deposit and balance payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard and Amex) plus a 3% card charge.

DEPOSIT

A non-refundable deposit of US$1,000 is payable to secure a place on the expedition.

BALANCE

The balance is payable 90 days prior to the expedition start date.

CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

An expedition member may cancel their participation on the following basis:

• Cancellations outside of 90 days will result in the loss of the trip deposit.

• For cancellations made within 90 days of the trip commencement date, we reserve the right to retain 50% of the balance payment.

• For cancellations within 60 days of the departure date a cancellation fee of 100% of the full fee applies.

We strongly recommend you take out trip cancellation insurance via your travel agent if you wish to be covered against cancellation due to medical or personal reasons.

HOW TO JOIN THIS EXPEDITION

If you would like to join one of our Island Peak Expeditions, please complete our online booking form and forward your deposit payment at https:// adventureconsultants.com/expeditions/himalayanclimbs/island-peak#DepartureBookingBlock. Or contact us if you’d like further information and assistance in planning your trip.

CONTACT US

If you require more information, please contact us at:

Adventure Consultants Ltd

5/12 Frederick Street PO Box 739 Wanaka, 9343 New Zealand

Phone: +64 3 443 8711 Email: info@adventure.co.nz Website: www.adventureconsultants.com

Adventure Consultants is affiliated to the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association (NZMGA), New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) and a corporate member of the American Alpine Club (AAC). Adventure Consultants is a supporter of the dZi Foundation in Nepal for their ‘Revitalise a Village’ programmes.

Adventure Consultants perform to IFMGA/UIAGM standards and are world leaders in high altitude guiding.