Accommodation During Island Peak Climbing
Lodge to Lodge Accommodation:
For the majority of the trek, you will experience comfortable lodge-to-lodge accommodation. The specifics include:
Lukla, Namche, and Phakding: 5 nights in twin-sharing rooms with private attached bathrooms, ensuring comfort and privacy.
Tengboche, Dingboche, and Chhukung: 7 nights in twin-sharing rooms, situated in key locations along the trekking route to maximize rest and acclimatization.
Island Peak Base Camp:
Base Camp Stay: 1 night in a camp or tent at the Island Peak Base Camp, providing a true mountaineering experience as you prepare for the peak ascent.
Additional Stays in Kathmandu:
Kathmandu Hotels: At least two nights are required in Kathmandu (one before the trek begins and one after completion). Note that hotel costs in Kathmandu are not included in the package to offer flexibility in choosing accommodations that fit various preferences and budgets.
Food on the Trek
Nutrition is key on high-altitude treks and climbs, and our meal plan is designed to meet the caloric and nutritional demands of such strenuous activities.
Meal Inclusions:
14 Breakfasts, 14 Lunches, and 13 Dinners: Each meal is planned to provide the energy needed for the day's activities.
Popular Menu Items:
Breakfast Options: Local Tsampa porridge, eggs in various styles, oatmeal, corn flakes, French toast with jam, butter, cheese, honey, Tibetan bread or chapati, pancakes, muesli, assorted fruits, vegetables, and hot beverages including a variety of teas, coffees, and hot chocolates.
Lunch and Dinner Selections: Staples like Dhal, Bhat & Tarkari, Tibetan bread, vegetable curry, assortments of soups, Sherpa stew, steaks, sandwiches, momo (Nepalese dumplings), pasta dishes including macaroni and spaghetti, noodles, thukpa, salads, pizza (various toppings), and snacks like papad and prawns. Desserts typically include rice pudding and apple pie.
Dietary Recommendations:
High Altitude Diet: At higher altitudes, it's recommended to consume fresh vegetables and ample fluids such as green tea, lemon tea, hot lemon, ginger tea, and particularly garlic soup, which are essential for maintaining good health in thin air conditions.
Avoidance: Consumption of non-vegetarian items is generally not recommended due to the difficulty in ensuring meat freshness. Similarly, it is advisable to avoid dairy products, alcoholic beverages, caffeinated drinks, and hot chocolates to prevent altitude sickness.
Note: All personal bills for additional orders outside the standard meals (alcoholic, hot, and cold drinks) at tea houses/lodges or cafes are not included in the package and should be settled individually.
Island Peak Expedition - Recommended Equipment List
To ensure a comfortable and safe trek, it's important to pack the right gear. Although personal preferences vary, here is a comprehensive list to guide you:
Clothing:
- Head: Sun hat or scarf, winter hat or insulating hat, wide-brimmed hat
- Face: Sunscreen, sunglasses with UV protection, face/body wipes
- Hands: Lightweight gloves, heavyweight winter gloves
Body:
- Hiking shirts, long-sleeved shirts
- Hooded rain jacket, fleece jacket
- Lightweight cotton pants, T-shirts (preferably lightweight wool)
- Polypropylene underwear
- Expedition grade down jacket (rentable in Kathmandu)
- Sweater, waterproof jacket and pants
- Thick thermal Merino bottoms (e.g., Icebreaker 200, Odlo Revolution Thick)
- Polar fleece or similar mid-layer trousers
- Waterproof Gore-Tex Over Trousers or Bibs: Choose fully side-zipped, breathable, and waterproof over trousers or bibs made from Gore-Tex for optimal protection against the elements.
- Goose-down trousers or bibs, or a down suit
- Liner gloves for tying knots, mittens
Footwear:
- Hiking boots, thick wool socks (plus an extra pair of thick light socks)
- Gore-Tex hiking boots with ankle support
Essentials:
- Backpack or daypack (size dependent on porter usage)
- Thermal bottle, water purification tablets
- Trekking poles, sleeping bag (suitable for -15°C)
Toiletries:
- Medium size drying towel
- Toothbrush, toothpaste
- Deodorant, biodegradable bar soap
- Nail clippers, small mirror
Personal Accessories:
- Money, watch, cell phone, camera
Additional Items:
- First aid kit
- Extra passport photos and photocopies
- Notebook and pen
- Binoculars
Note: You can purchase or rent gear in Kathmandu. Ensure to verify the sizes if buying or renting. Porters will carry your main luggage with a weight limit of 9 kg per trekker. Your backpack should include essential documents and expensive items. Use waterproof stuff sacks to keep your belongings dry.
Acclimatization Strategy on Island Peak Climbing Expedition
Understanding Altitude Sickness: Altitude sickness is a common challenge faced by trekkers and climbers. While it requires immediate attention and can be serious, it is also largely preventable. Our itinerary is carefully designed to allow for a gradual ascent, providing ample time for your body to adjust to the increasing elevations, which is key in preventing altitude sickness.
Acclimatization in Namche Bazaar: Namche Bazaar serves as a crucial acclimatization hub during the Island Peak expedition. This well-known Sherpa town offers a perfect setting for trekkers to adapt to the altitude. During your rest day here, you will have the opportunity to engage in light activities which aid acclimatization. You can explore the local area, enjoy the local cuisine, relax, read, listen to music, or simply take leisurely strolls around the town, immersing yourself in its vibrant culture.
Handling Severe Altitude Sickness: In cases where a trekker is severely affected by altitude sickness, the immediate remedy is to descend to a lower altitude. Our trek leaders are trained to handle such situations with the utmost urgency and have the authority to make critical decisions on whether to continue the ascent or initiate an immediate descent, based on the condition of the affected individual and the overall team's health.
By implementing these acclimatization strategies, we aim to ensure a safe and enjoyable climbing experience for all participants, minimizing the risks associated with high altitude trekking.
Trekking Options: Group and Private Treks
Group Discounts and Arrangements:
We offer both group and private trekking options. If you're booking as a group, you can avail yourself of group discounts—the larger your group, the bigger the discount. However, discounts do not apply to groups assembled by us. We accommodate any group size and provide an assistant trek leader for groups with 14 or more members.
A Typical Day on the Island Peak Trek and Climb
Daily Activities: Your days on the Island Peak trek are filled with breathtaking scenery, photography opportunities, and local cultural exploration. Our experienced, friendly, and qualified guides and porters will be with you every step of the way.
Morning: Each day starts with an early breakfast, followed by packing up and setting off for the day’s destination between 7 and 8 am, depending on the distance. You will typically trek for 3 to 5 hours before stopping for lunch.
Midday: Lunch is served around noon, usually at a scenic midway point en route to the next destination.
Evening: Dinner is served from around 6 to 7 pm. Post-dinner, your trek leader will brief you on the following day's plan. Evenings can be spent reading, playing games like cards, monopoly, or chess, watching mountaineering videos, or learning Nepali phrases from our crew.
Climbing Itinerary Variability:
The climbing segment of the itinerary is subject to change based on climber performance, weather conditions, and route safety. Climbing Island Peak involves crossing challenging ice and steep snow sections. Our experienced climbing guides will ensure new ropes are fixed as needed to secure a safe route for your ascent.
Communication During the Island Peak Climb
Connectivity at Lodges:
During the Island Peak Climbing Trek, internet services are available at lodges for a small service charge, allowing you to stay in touch with family and friends. However, as we reach higher altitudes, the availability of mobile signals may decrease, and we primarily use phones for essential communications and safety purposes.
Communication with Trek Teams:
Our trek guides communicate with all trek teams at least once a day to ensure the smooth progress of the trek. In case of any needs or emergencies, you can also contact our head office directly. For better connectivity, you have the option to purchase a local SIM card in Kathmandu, although signal strength might be weak at higher elevations.
Additional Personal Expenses During the Trek/Climb
Coverage of Costs:
While this package covers most of the essentials such as on-trek meals and accommodations outside of Kathmandu, it does not include all costs. Accommodations and meals in Kathmandu are to be arranged by our clients, who can choose from a variety of hotels to fit all budgets and tastes.
Incidental Expenses:
Clients are advised to bring personal spending money for other expenses, including visa fees, travel insurance, snacks, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages), tips for trekking staff, and souvenirs. We recommend bringing cash (preferably in Dollars) which can be easily exchanged for Nepalese Rupees, as trekking regions typically only accept the local currency.
Travel Insurance for Island Peak Climbing
Importance of Travel Insurance:
Due to the challenging nature of Island Peak Climbing, which includes high-altitude trekking and potential risks such as altitude sickness and sudden climate changes, comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory for all participants. This insurance must cover not only medical issues but also emergency repatriation, including helicopter rescue and evacuation expenses at high altitudes up to 6,000 meters.
Insurance Policy Requirements:
Before commencing the trek, all trekkers must submit a copy of their detailed travel insurance policy certificate to Recreation Holidays. It is vital that this policy includes coverage for helicopter rescue and high-altitude evacuation.
Selecting the Right Insurance:
We recommend contacting insurance companies directly to ensure their policies include heli-rescue and high-altitude evacuation coverage up to 6,000 meters. It is crucial to confirm this verbally and not solely rely on website information.
Additional Recommended Coverages:
Given the elevation of Island Peak (6,189 meters or 20,305 feet), we advise securing a policy that extends to at least this altitude, preferably including mountain air ambulance services. Other recommended coverages include:
Medical expenses
Trip cancellation due to pandemics, political unrest, community violence, natural calamities
Delays or cancellations of flights
Policy Submission:
Please send your detailed insurance policy certificate within a week of booking your climb. In case of emergencies, we will use this information for rapid rescue operations and medical treatment facilitation.
Further Information:
For comprehensive guidelines on choosing the right travel insurance and understanding the necessary coverages for high-altitude trekking, please refer to our detailed article in the travel insurance section on our website.
Tipping Guidelines
Tipping is entirely at the traveler's discretion and should reflect the quality of service received, the length of the trek, and the cost of the trek or climb. In Nepali culture, tipping is viewed as an acknowledgment of good service. We recommend pooling tips collectively at the end of the trek.
Booking and Payment Process
Agency Credentials:
Recreation Holidays is authorized and registered by the government of Nepal, and holds licenses and bonds as a trekking and touring operator. We are members of the Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN) and the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), ensuring you can book your trip with confidence.
Advance Payment:
A 20% advance payment is required to confirm your booking, which can be made via bank transfer, Western Union, or online. The remaining trip cost is payable upon arrival in Nepal and can be settled in cash, by bank transfer, Western Union, or by credit card.
Pre-Trip Documentation:
After booking, please send us necessary documents such as a copy of your passport, passport size photos, travel insurance policy, and flight details within a week. This is crucial especially for securing domestic flights to Lukla, as slots are limited and quickly filled during trekking seasons.
Trip Extension Options
Should you wish to extend your stay in Nepal post-trek, we offer a variety of activities including a Kathmandu valley tour, Nagarkot view trip, Chitwan jungle safari, paragliding, rafting, and canoeing.
Feedback and Farewell
Upon completion of your Island Peak Climbing, we invite you to a farewell dinner in Kathmandu, where you will receive a trek/climbing achievement certificate and have the opportunity to provide feedback on your experience. "Your feedback is immensely valuable in guiding us to improve our services."
Adding Safety Margin Days
We advise adding extra days to your itinerary to accommodate potential delays in flights between Kathmandu and Lukla, which are common. Allowing at least two additional days provides a cushion to manage any unexpected changes without affecting your international travel plans. In case of significant delays, helicopter arrangements can be made for an additional cost ranging from USD 500-1000 per person.
Note on Itinerary Flexibility: The provided itinerary serves as a general guideline and may require modifications due to factors beyond our control such as adverse weather conditions, trail accessibility, lodging availability, or unforeseen governmental restrictions. While itinerary changes are unlikely, they are not the responsibility of the agency.
Your guide will make any necessary adjustments in consultation with the group, prioritizing the safety and interests of all members.
