Mountaineering

Khumbu Peaks - Chukkung Ri, Pokalde, Island Peak

20-day mountaineering itinerary, reaching about 6,189 metres

Track this adventure

Save it for later or mark it as completed to improve your dashboard recommendations.

Route overview

The Khumu Peaks trip is a minimum 21 days when you include days in Kathmandu and has 17 days on trek. We do recommend allowing extra time for potential flight delays getting into and out of the mountains. The gradual ascent up the Khumbu valley allows for excellent acclimatisation to initially climb Chukhung Ri for one of the great views of the south wall of Lhotse and then the Kongma La pass with it’s views over the Khumbu Glacier; we then move on to Pokalde with its panoramic view over the great divide in the Khumbu valley and all are lovely objectives on their own with breathtaking views. Island Peak is the final highlight of the trip, a classic 6000m peak which was climbed by Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing back in 1953 as their training peak for Everest. In fact the route you climb is exactly the same as what they did. Island Peak is technically more demanding than the other two but you will be well acclimatised and mountain fit by this time. During the trip, you will learn and use many skills in safe travel on mountains at high altitude including glacier travel, scrambling and moving on mixed snow and ice terrain. Good alpine skills are a requirement for this trip as the summit day on Island Peak does involve crossing a crevassed glacier using a climbing rope, negotiating some ladders across crevasses, using a jumar to ascend a fixed line and then a descender to come back down again (there is no top rope on the abseil) and negotiating a narrow exposed ridge to the summit.

Why travellers choose this trip

Khumbu Peaks, Chukkung Ri, Pokalde, Island Peak is a mountaineering itinerary running over 20 days with a high point around 6,189 metres and a moderate grading. Typical routing includes Kathmandu, Lukla, Namche Bazaar.

- 20-day sourced itinerary - High point around 6189 metres - Peak focus: Mount Everest, Lobuche East, Island Peak - Key locations: Kathmandu, Kathmandu, Lukla, Namche Bazaar

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1

Arrival

Arrival. Expect moderate difficulty, a high point near 1,400 metres.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: -
Moving time: Flexible

Day 2

Rest Day

Rest day in town. Possible drive to Ramechhap** – see ‘Lukla Flight’ details below.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: Flexible

Day 3

Flight to Lukla

Flight to Lukla, and walk downhill to Phakding or Jorsale along the edge of the Dudh Kosi River. Easy, busy path, surrounded by forest.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 1,060M
Moving time: 2.8h

Day 4

Namche Bazaar

This stage covers Namche Bazaar. Expect moderate difficulty, about 980 metres of ascent, about 0 metres of descent, a high point near 3,440 metres. Typical moving time is around 6 hours.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 980M
Moving time: 6h

Day 5

Acclimatisation day

Acclimatisation day is used as a rest and acclimatisation day. Base altitude or local high point is around 3,440 metres. Short local walks may be used if conditions and energy levels allow.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: Flexible

Day 6

Deboche

This stage covers Stage based from Kathmandu. Expect moderate difficulty, about 410 metres of ascent, about 0 metres of descent, a high point near 3,850 metres. Typical moving time is around 6 hours.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 410M
Moving time: 6h

Day 7

Dingboche

This stage covers Stage based from Kathmandu. Expect moderate difficulty, about 402 metres of ascent, about 0 metres of descent, a high point near 4,252 metres. Typical moving time is around 5 hours.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 402M
Moving time: 5h

Day 8

Rest and acclimatisation day

This is another rest and acclimatisation day. In the neighbouring village of Pheriche it is important to visit the Himalayan Rescue Association to listen to the daily lecture on high altitude health, and get a check from the medical staff if required.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: Flexible

Day 9

Chukhung

This stage covers Stage based from Kathmandu. Expect moderate difficulty, about 478 metres of ascent, about 0 metres of descent, a high point near 4,730 metres. Typical moving time is around 4 hours.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 478M
Moving time: 4h

Day 10

Chukhung Ri Peak

This stage covers Chukhung Ri Peak. Expect moderate difficulty, about 820 metres of ascent, about 0 metres of descent, a high point near 5,550 metres. Typical moving time is around 5 hours.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 820M
Moving time: 5h

Day 11

Pokalde Base Camp

Walk to Pokalde base camp, next to a small lake on this high plateau. Bring sleeping bag and mat and climbing gear for Pokalde.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: 5h

Day 12

Pokalde Summit

This stage covers Pokalde Summit. Expect moderate difficulty, about 406 metres of ascent, about 0 metres of descent, a high point near 5,806 metres. Typical moving time is around 3 hours.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 406M
Moving time: 3h

Day 13

Island Peak Base Camp

This stage covers Island Peak Base Camp. Expect moderate difficulty, about 0 metres of ascent, about 716 metres of descent, a high point near 5,090 metres. Typical moving time is around 5 hours.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: 5h

Day 14

Rest and training day

Rest and training day at Island Peak Base Camp

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: 9h

Day 15

Island Peak Summit

Summit day. Descend back to Chukkung.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 1,099M
Moving time: Flexible

Day 16

2nd Summit day

2nd summit day and descend to either Chukkung or Deboche

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: 5h

Day 17

Return to Namche Bazaar

Trek to Namche Bazaar optional via Khumjung.

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: 5h

Day 18

Lukla

Trek to Lukla

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: Flexible

Day 19

Flight day

Fly to Kathmandu / Ramechhap

Distance: Flexible
Climb: -
Moving time: Flexible

Day 20

Delay day

Flight delay day

Distance: Flexible
Climb: 0M
Moving time: Flexible

Day 21

Departure

International flight home

Distance: Flexible
Climb: -
Moving time: Flexible

Nearby mountains for the same itinerary

Explore this destination

Mountain collections

Mountains by Elevation 35

6000m+ Peaks

Peaks at or above 6000 metres.