Nepal's trekking peaks are where crampons, harness and fixed ropes stop being theory. Island Peak at 6,189M, Lobuche East at 6,119M and Mera Peak at 6,476M are the three we run, and between them they are the standard ladder from a high trek to a real climb. None of them needs previous mountaineering experience. All of them will tell you honestly whether the next step up is for you.
5 trips available
From $780 per person
3–18 days
18 Days
18Days
6,189m
StrenuousThe Island Peak Climb with EBC Trek is a perfect mix of trekking adventure and Himalayan mountaineering. It combines the legendary trek to Everest Base Camp (5,364m) with a non-technical climb of Island Peak (6,189m).
16 Days
16Days6,189mStrenuousIsland Peak Climbing is a thrilling Himalayan adventure that will take you to 6,189 meters in Nepal’s Everest region. Island Peak is also known as Imja Tse, where “Imja” refers to the valley and “Tse” means peak.
3 Days
3Days6,189mStrenuousIsland Peak climbing from Chhukung has been in high demand because of its aesthetic value, adventurous thrill, and accessibility for different kinds of trekkers. If you are looking to go on an efficient and direct trekking journey any time soon, the three-day Island Peak climbing from Chhukung is the one for you.
3 Days
3Days6,119mStrenuousLobuche East Peak Climbing from Lobuche is a great choice for trekkers who want to experience the magic of peak climbing in Nepal without going too far or too high. Located at 6,119 meters, this peak offers the perfect blend of challenge and beauty.
17 Days
17Days6,476mStrenuousMera Peak Climbing is a popular Himalayan adventure that takes you to the highest trekking peak in Nepal, standing at 6,476 meters above sea level. It lies in the remote Hinku Valley, just south of Everest.
Almost nobody goes from a trek to an 8,000M peak. The useful progression in Nepal has three rungs, and we run all of them.
Get high on foot first. The Everest Base Camp Trek tops out at Kala Patthar, 5,545M, from USD 1,260. It tells you honestly how your body behaves above 5,000M, and that answer is worth more than any training plan.
Learn the hardware on a trekking peak. Island Peak Climbing at 6,189M and Lobuche East Peak Climbing from Lobuche at 6,119M, from USD 780, are where crampons, harness, jumar and fixed ropes stop being theory. The Island Peak itinerary builds in a pre-climb training session at base camp.
Add altitude and duration. Mera Peak Climbing at 6,476M, from USD 2,050, is the highest and the longest of the three. It is less technical than Island Peak and harder, which surprises people.
Or do both at once. Island Peak Climb with EBC Trek puts the high trek and the climb in one trip.
We do not run 8,000M expeditions, and the honest advice for anyone arriving here without 8,000M experience is that Cho Oyu is the end of a progression rather than the start of one.
Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world at 8,188M, on the Nepal and Tibet border. It has a reputation as the most approachable of the fourteen 8,000M peaks, and that reputation does real damage, because approachable at 8,188M is not the same as easy. A climb takes about two months. The difficulty is not technical ground, it is altitude, weather and duration: two months of cold and wind, avalanche risk on some ground, and a body that has to stay strong the whole time. Every failure at that height traces back to how fast someone went up.
The permits depend on the side. From Tibet: a Chinese Mountaineering Association permit, a Tibet Entry Permit, and often an Aliens' Travel Permit, all arranged through an operator. From Nepal: a climbing permit from the Nepal Mountaineering Association. Neither side issues to an individual.
If Cho Oyu is the goal, the three peaks above are the work that comes first, and the altitude question is the one to settle before any of it.
Not mountaineering experience. What it asks is:
Make an enquiry and we will tell you which of the three fits what you have actually done.
No. Island Peak, Lobuche East and Mera Peak are all classed as trekking peaks and are led with fixed ropes on the technical sections. What they need is hill fitness, a head for exposure and a willingness to learn the hardware. The Island Peak itinerary builds in a training session at base camp where you use crampons, harness and jumar before the summit day.
Island Peak at 6,189M is the usual first, because the technical ground is short and the training session is built into the itinerary. Lobuche East at 6,119M is a close second. Mera Peak at 6,476M is the highest and the longest, so it is better as a second climb than a first, despite being less technical.
The Nepal Mountaineering Association issues permits for the trekking peaks, which is the class Island Peak, Lobuche East and Mera Peak all sit in. Above that, an 8,000M peak needs an expedition permit from the Department of Tourism, a far longer season and a different kind of trip altogether.
No. We do not run 8,000M expeditions. Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world at 8,188M on the Nepal and Tibet border, it takes around two months, and it is the end of a progression rather than the start of one. What we can do is the ladder that gets you there: a high trek, then a trekking peak, then a second one with more altitude and duration.
It depends on the side. From Tibet you need a Chinese Mountaineering Association permit, a Tibet Entry Permit and often an Aliens' Travel Permit, all arranged through an operator. From the Nepal side you need a climbing permit from the Nepal Mountaineering Association. Neither side issues to an individual walking in.
