6 Sep 2022 Prakash Devkota
If you want a precise mathematical answer to “where is Island Peak located?”, it is at 27.9242° N, 86.9373° E coordinates. The mountain Imja Tse or the Island peak, is located at the Khumjung of northern Nepal. The mountain extends to the Lhotse Tsar mountain’s south end ridge. It is also a part of the Sagarmatha national park.
Island peak’s location is very close to the peak of the world, Everest. The peak is often seen while trekking around the Everest region. Imja Tse looks like an island covered with snow from the Dingboche region. Hence, it is popularly known as an Island peak by tourists. The mountain is also a popular expedition destination for tourists worldwide.
Island peak stands at a height of 6,160 meters and is a relatively easy climb. The expedition to Island peak allows you to experience the Everest region as you trek to the base camp. Sagarmatha National park, Namche Bazaar, Dingboche, and Tengboche are some places you pass by during this expedition. The Everest Base Camp is also very close to the Island Peak base Camp.
For further ideas, let us go through the route required to reach the Island peak.
Route to reach and get back from Island Peak.
The route to reach Island Peak commences from Lukla. It would be best to reach Lukla by flight to start your hike for the Island Peak expedition. From Lukla, you will have to aim towards Phakding, which includes crossing suspension bridges over Dudh Koshi.
Further in the route, you will move towards Namche Bazaar. It will include passing more suspension bridges over Dudh Koshi. Along the road, you will also cross the 123rd tallest bridge in the world.
The road towards Namche will also take you inside the Sagarmatha National Park area, which houses rare faunas and floras. You will reach Namche after a short walk and observe the nearby region of the Sagarmatha National Park area. The Namche area is a Buddhist settlement area and a hub for tourists.
After Namche, the road will take you to Tengboche, with an uphill trek. The road is very steep till you reach Sanasa but decreases a bit upon reaching Phunki Thanka. You will reach Tengboche from here after around two hours. The Tengboche monastery will mark the entry to your destination.
You will head towards another hamlet called Dingboche moving forward. It will include passing through high-altitude yak herds. The settlement area almost vanishes as you move past Tengboche and Dingboche.
Next, you will head for Chukkung, where you can find the glaciers of Imja Khola. The river originates from the destined mountain itself.
The next stop on the road will be the Island Peak base camp which also goes by the name Pareshaya Gyab. This destination will be the first half of your route to the Island Peak expedition.
After you finish your climb and return to the base camp, you will follow the same route. You will retrace your steps downhill towards Chukkung-Dingboche-Tengboche and return to Namche. From Namche, you can return to Lukla via Phakding, ending your expedition and trek.
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Permits that are needed to reach Island Peak.
The Island peak lies in the protected region of Khumbu and is also a part of the Sagarmatha national park conversation area. So you will need two permits for your expedition. They include the Pasang Lhamu rural area permit and Sagarmatha National park permit.
The former permit imposition helps raise the people’s economic standards near the Khumbu region. It also, in turn, benefits the tourism industry. The Sagarmatha National park permit helps ensure the protection of endangered wildlife housed in the national park.
Climbing the Island Peak
The expedition towards Island Peak begins from the base camp or Pareshaya Gyab. The Camp is located at a height of 5087 meters and is accessible from Chukkung. You can also begin the ascent by ascending to High Camp, which is located at 5600 meters.
A simple hike gets you to high Camp from base camp with a small ascent. You will ascend through a wide-open gully and up some rocky steps that require moderate strength. You will travel across a glacier and then arrive at a steep snow and ice slope from the top of the gully. The summit ridge is 100 meters away from here, requiring a difficult ascent to get there. Along the headwall leading to the summit ridges, there lies a sizable crevasse you need to avoid. Mountaineering through such crevasse openings requires extreme caution because they are a deadly threat.
The hardest part of the expedition will be the scramble up to the summit while taking care to avoid the crevasse. Except for the crevasse, most of the climb will be a piece of cake, as it is a relatively less steep peak. You will also have access to guides if you want while climbing the peak. The guides make climbing more simple and less risky. They help you fix your climbing gears and guide you on a safe climb.
Views you get from the Island Peak expedition.
The best thrill of the mountaineering expedition is the view from the summit. The summit of Island Peak offers a breathtaking 360-degree panorama view of the tallest peaks in the world. From the top, you can see enormous peaks that form a semi-circle to the north. Lhotse Shar (8,383m), Nuptse (7,879m), Lhotse (8,501m), and Lhotse Middle Peak are among its peaks (8,410m). Baruntse and Ama Dablam are visible in the south, and Makalu (8475m) is visible in the east.
The difficulty of the Island Peak expedition
Island peak ascent falls under one of Nepal’s more manageable mountain climbing challenges. The hike leading up to the climb is also short and enjoyable. However, the actual mountain climbing will probably be a little tricky. As mentioned above, the ridge near the summit is complex and a strenuous climb. Other than that, the overall expedition is a smooth sail.
The Island peak climbing is also often considered an alternative to the Everest summit. The climb is much easier and allows you to experience the Everest region. Any person with a basic fitness level can complete this expedition.
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Prakash Devkota
Managing Director and Team Leader
Mr. Prakash Chandra Devkota is an established name in the Tourism Sector in Nepal. He is a focused individual gifted with a brilliant mind. He is also hugely dedicated to social work. Born in the Gorkha district, a beautiful hilly region of Nepal, he first entered the tourism industry as a guide in 1997. He has gained extensive experience in almost all the trekking and climbing routes like Mera, Island, Lobuche and, Ama Dablam, etc.
He registered Nepal Guides Treks & Expedition in 2009 AD. Due to his passion for adventure and efforts to provide quality personalized service to his clients, he has established himself as a successful tourism entrepreneur. He has dedicated most of his time working diligently to elevate the tourism industry and collected more than 15 years of experience in organizing trekking and expeditions in Nepal, Bhutan, and India. He believes in the power of the tourism industry and the employment opportunities that can be created through it. He constantly looks for innovative ways to run the company.
Mr. Devkota has always been an avid practitioner of eco-friendly tourism and has always promoted environmental conservation throughout his career. He motivates his staff to embrace eco-friendly tourism through responsible tourism practices. He believes promoting eco-tourism will preserve natural resources and positively impact the environment.
