Three Peak Climbing in Everest -25 days

You are welcomed and met by us at Kathmandu Airport with warm reception upon arrival at Kathmandu airport. We are waiting you at Kathmandu airport with your name. Then we drive to Hotel. Free day is at leisure and short tour, trek and climb briefing in the evening. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with your fellow group members before heading out to dinner.

This morning a group meeting with gear check will be held and at this time any necessary items will be hired or purchased. A group sightseeing tour has been arranged, taking to the key attractions in and around Kathmandu. If time does not permit, the tour can be taken after the expedition when there is a full day at leisure in Kathmandu. The hotel is centrally located and a short walk from shops, cafes and other features of interest.

Take a short and memorable flight to Lukla. Marvelous views of the Eastern Himalaya can be seen on the flight. Our crew and porters assemble, loads are sorted and after a cup of tea, we are soon on our way trekking to Phakding. It is a short downhill trek to Phakding for 3/4 hours where we will spend our first night.

Today is another relatively long day as we enter the Sagarmartha National Park. There seems to be a never ending trail of yaks and people; local traders, commuters and trekkers, all making their way up to or down from Namche Bazaar. The climb is of 600m from the river junction of the Dudh Kosi and Bhote Kosi is wide and winding and good preparation for our many climbs ahead in the program. To our right as we ascend, we can see the beautiful jagged peaks of Thamserku (6808m) with Kangtega (6780m) behind. Eventually we round a corner in the trail and enter the bowl where the town is situated, completely enveloped by rugged slopes and mountains. Our accommodation in Namche is in a lodge for convenience and practicality, one that is exclusive for trekkers and set at the top of this busy market town.

A day in Namche is an important part of our acclimatization process and can be used to explore the area. It is our first opportunity to see Mt Everest, as well as many other peaks of the region. The Panda Ears of Kangtega, next to Thamserku, can be seen more clearly, as well as Ama Dablam (6860m), Tawache and Cholatse, and further away, Lhotse and Nuptse shrouding Mt Everest. As we trek higher over the coming weeks we will see these peaks and many more from differing perspectives.

Trek to Thyangboche is one of the most pleasant walk, it is about 5/6 hours trekking. The trail meanders easily around the ridges. Everest can be clearly seen on the horizon ahead before we descend through splendid rhododendron forest for lunch. After lunch we cross the Dudh Kosi and begin the ascent to the top of a long ridge which leads to the summit of Kantega. Our trail takes us through pine and rhododendron forest. The views of the Everest massif, as well as all the other major peaks of the area are astounding and, if we are lucky, we will see the glowing color of the sunset, and perhaps even the moonlight on the mountains around us.

Trek to Dingboche takes 5/6 hour slow trek. Dingboche is a valley with a pretty Sherpa village of stone-walled fields, traditional homes and trekkers lodges.

Trek to Chhukung is of 3/4 hours short trekking passes many yaks - most are cross Dzopyaks which are domesticated. There is very little vegetation at this altitude except grass juniper and barberry bushes. In the upper part of the Khumbu, people graze yaks mainly for porter age of cheese, milk, wool and meat.

The previous few days and these next days are taken very slowly as it is usually between 4500m and 5000m that people begin to experience the effects of altitude. To rush at this stage of the trip would induce altitude sickness, so we take things very slowly! We will often pass expeditions heading to and from Everest Base Camp.

It is a very steep but short walk to base camp.

We trek up towards the pass, a well defined gap between Pokhalde Peak and Chukhung. We set camp in the moraine near the pass, ready for an early start the next day.

After an early breakfast at 5am, we start our climb of Pokhalde up the south east flank. From the camp to the summit is a climb of approximately 600m, initially up grassy slopes and moraine ridges, before the scramble up the summit pyramid. It will be necessary to rope up for the last 50m along an exposed rock ridge to the summit. We are well-rewarded with the views of Pumori, Ama Dablam and Nuptse from the summit which are magnificent. We descend to a camp below the pass on the Chukhung side.

A steep, winding traverse through the rocky moraine on a well-defined path brings us to Chukhung (4730m). The views to the south of Kang Leyamu, beside the Imja Khola, are excellent. Before us to the north we can see the imposing rock faces between Lhotse (8516m) and Nuptse (7855m). Descending the moraine by a winding path, we reach our campsite for the night.

Moving up again, we climb our second and relatively easy objective, Chhukung Ri. A short walk and easy scramble leads us to the top of this hill. Again, we enjoy the great views of the countless peaks of Khumbu. One does not need to climb high nor at a particularly technical or challenging level, to gain good vantage points to view the mountains. Chukhung Ri affords stunning views of Lhotse, Nuptse and Imja Tse.

After two climbs and two weeks of trekking we are ready for our final climb. Island Peak is a glaciated peak with defined ridges and will require some basic alpine skills which we have practiced in our approach. People trekking above Chukhung are usually heading for Island Peak or Imja Tse, as the Sherpa people know it. Trekking beneath the massive North West face of Ama Dablam, we arrive at Island Peak base camp set in a grassy flat east of the mountain. The lower Khumbu Valley below us opens out with the twin peaks of Tawatse and Cholatse dominating the skyline.

After leaving base camp, we trek gradually up grassy slopes until we reach the start of the moraine. The path is relatively well-defined, and leads us to high camp at 5800m which is somewhat like an eagle nest, taking into account our setting.

Island Peak (6189m) is the culmination of our climbing and is a significantly more demanding climb than the previous two peaks. Everything leads up to this! An alpine start sees us climbing steeply up the lower flanks of the southeast face. The track is well used, as this is a popular peak. At times there is a bit of rock scrambling and the rocky spur takes us to a snow ramp that leads to the upper snowfields. The peaks of Makalu and Lhotse come into view as we climb higher. It is necessary to fix ropes up a short but steep ice face that leads on to the summit ridge. The summit ridge is a classic alpine ridge and quite exposed. We will fix ropes and traverse our way to the summit. Although Island Peak appears dwarfed by the surrounding seven and eight thousand meter peaks, it provides a magnificent vantage point to all the peaks south of the stupendous Lhotse face. After some exhilarating moments on the summit we descend by the same route to our base.

Today has been set aside as a contingency day

Our return journey to Lukla takes 4 days at a moderate pace. We are fit and acclimatized with the added benefit of much of the trek being downhill. We can now enjoy the bustling trail and many sights, with great photographic opportunities along the way. We descend the valley from Base camp, trekking adjacent to a large glacial lake to our left and passing under the rocky trekking peak of Pokhalde to our right. There can often be a wind blowing, so it is good to have your jacket handy. There are yak pastures and several huts which are used seasonally by the local people, but little else until we reach the settlement of Chukhung.

Following the trail downhill, we walk back to the village of Pangboche. We will have time to visit the ancient gompa (oldest in the Khumbu region) which stands 120m above the village.

Today we trek beneath Ama Dablam -- one of the most elegant and sacred mountains in Nepal and attempted by many climbing parties. Big descends to the floor of the valley and to the rushing cold waters of the Dudh Khosi. Crossing over, we then wind up and around, seemingly forever, until we reach the horseshoe valley where Namche is set. We return to civilization and no doubt there will be earnest celebration of a challenging but satisfying expedition, the like of which has been enjoyed by very few people.

Retracing our steps along the valley, we pass through a variety of settlements and forests before an undulating climb to Lukla. We savour our final mountain sunset of the trek as we complete this exhilarating journey. Our last evening of the trek is a good time to have a small party for all the team, especially the porters who will return to their villages from here.

All going well, we will fly out of this small mountain airstrip on a very spectacular flight back to Kathmandu. On arrival, we will be met and transferred to Hotel where there is no fixed program for the rest of the day. You can relax or shop, explore as you please.

If the half day sightseeing tour has not been taken, it may be planned for today. We will visit Pashupatinath temple and Boudhanath stupa. The area has an amazing range of fascinating highlights, whatever your interest. Excellent bookshops, extensive markets, and novelty and handicraft shops contrast with fantastic centers of cultural and spiritual significance - Kathmandu has more World Heritage sites than any other city in the world.

After breakfast trip concludes with a transfer to Kathmandu airport to catch your onward flight.