Duration
21 Days
Location
Nepal, Asia
Duration
21 Days
Location
Nepal, Asia
Duration
21 Days
Location
Nepal, Asia
Duration
21 Days
Location
Nepal, Asia
From Lukla, we follow the Everest Base Camp trek route up to the Namche Bazaar. From there we trek up the beautiful Gokyo Valley to the valley's namesake village where we will hike to the top of Gokyo Ri (5340 m / 17,519 ft). A sunrise or sunset climb to the summit of Gokyo Ri will reward with remarkable views of the alpenglow on the 360-degree panorama of the Himalayan peaks of Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse, and Everest – four of the world’s sixth-highest mountains.
After crossing Tsho La pass (5420m / 17,782 ft), we descend to Lobuche village and prepare for our climb of Lobuche (6119m / 20,075 ft). From Lobuche, we drop down the Khumbu Valley to the village of Dingboche on our way to Island Peak base camp. The summit of Island Peak (6189m / 20,305) offers incredible 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks.
- Itinerary
- Dates and Costs
- Gear List
- Why Madison Mountaineering?
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu. We will pick you up at the airport and take you to the Yak & Yeti hotel. This is historically the ‘climbers hotel’ where many expeditions have stayed over the years. In the evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner with the team.
Day 2: City tour of Kathmandu. We visit the Boudhanath (one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu), the Pashupatinath, and the Swayambhunath (also known as the Monkey Temple). After the tour, we have a team dinner and prepare for an early morning flight to Lukla.
Day 3: We fly by fixed-wing aircraft to the village of Lukla and begin our trek! As we trek, we will pass through several Sherpa villages and enter the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. After crossing the river by suspension bridge, we arrive in the village of Phakding.
Day 4: We continue trekking along the Dudh Kosi River through the village of Monjo, then up the hill to Namche Bazaar. We will spend 2 nights in our comfortable lodge acclimatizing and enjoying the sights and cafes in Namche.
Day 5: We go for an acclimatization hike and return to our lodge to rest and spend another day exploring Namche.
Day 6: After breakfast, we head out of Namche and trek to Dhole. The trail winds up and over Khumjung, and from there, we descend to the turn off for the Gokyo Valley.
Day 7: We get an early start and trek to Machermo.
Day 8: We trek to Gokyo.
Day 9: We hike up Gokyo Ri after breakfast for magnificent views of Everest and other surrounding peaks, returning to our lodge for the evening meal.
Day 10: We trek to Dzonglha.
Day 11: We trek to Lobuche, organize gear for Lobuche climb.
Day 12: We climb to Lobuche high camp.
Day 13: Lobuche Summit Day! After our summit bid, descend the valley to Dingboche, where we rest and prepare for our trek to Chukung the following day.
Day 14: Arriving Chukung, we organize our gear and prepare to leave the lodge setting for our camp at Island Peak base camp.
Day 15: Island Peak base camp. After breakfast at the lodge, we trek to our base camp, review some technical climbing skills, and then have an early dinner to prepare for our “alpine start.”
Day 16: Island Peak Summit Day! We awake around midnight and set out in the pre-dawn hours climbing up the ridgeline, then onto the glacier. Once on the glacier, we climb “roped-up” and ascend to the prominent ridgeline where we utilize fixed ropes to negotiate the final slopes to the summit. We descend to our base camp and continue onward to Chukung, where we are greeted with a hearty and well-deserved meal.
Day 18: Trek to Pangboche.
Day 18: From Pangboche, we trek to Namche, where we reintroduce ourselves to the comforts of the lodge and village.
Day 19. Trek to Lukla and spend our final night in the mountains.
Day 20: Fly Lukla to Kathmandu check into the Hotel Yak & Yeti
Day 21: Depart Kathmandu for home
Gokyo Ri Trek with climbs of Lobuche and Island Peak
- October 20 - November 9, 2024
Deposit: USD 2,200
Costs Include:
- Accommodations at the Yak & Yeti hotel for two nights before and two nights after the trek
- Airport pick up upon arrival
- Welcome dinner in Kathmandu
- All in-country flights to Lukla
- All lodging while trekking
- All meals while trekking
- Permits and Park entrance fees
- American guide, Sherpa guide, Nepali staff to carry loads, etc.
Costs Do Not Include:
- Personal items (see Equipment list)
- Wire transfer fees, if applicable
- Meals in Kathmandu
- Any bottled beverages while trekking
- Option to upgrade to a single room
- Trip cancelation insurance or the required medical evacuation insurance
- Cost for helicopter transport
- Any costs as the result of an early departure from the program
Cancellation/Refund Policy
- There are no refunds for the deposit or balance payments for this expedition. This includes but is not limited to, expeditions that conclude without reaching or making progress towards expedition objective(s) (for example, the summit) due to route conditions, weather, insufficient manpower, or any other factor outside the control of Madison Mountaineering.
- Expedition leader has the final say on the expedition conclusion and will make all best efforts towards reaching expedition objective(s) within our margin of safety.
- Participants that choose to leave an active expedition for any reason are not entitled to any refunds
- Madison Mountaineering, LLC highly recommends trip cancellation insurance for all expeditions
- Due to the nature and heavy costs of government and operator permits, Madison Mountaineering must adhere to a stringent refund policy
- Deposit due with registration materials
- All balances are due 120 days prior to departure date unless otherwise specified
- Participants whose balances are not received by the 120-day deadline as stated above, risk forfeiture of their funds and their place on the expedition
Note: Madison Mountaineering, LLC reserves the right to waive any fees. As we offer personalized service, we will attempt to accommodate changes and cancellations when necessary, waiving certain fees when feasible. Deposits paid by participants acknowledge the above cancellation terms.
Base Layers
- Synthetic Short Underwear (1-2 pair): non-cotton style underwear
- Lightweight Long Underwear (1-2 pair): long sleeve shirt and long pants
- Heavyweight Long Underwear (1 pair)
- Short Sleeve Synthetic Shirt (1-2)
Mid Layers
- Soft Shell Jacket: to be worn over other layers
- Soft Shell Pants: very breathable and water repellant
- Lightweight Nylon Pants
Windproof/Rain Layers
- Hard Shell Jacket with hood: waterproof and breathable shell jacket
- Hard Shell Pants: waterproof and breathable shell pants
Insulation Layers
- Heavyweight Insulated Down Jacket with hood
- Insulated Pants
Headwear
- Warm Hat: synthetic or wool hat (ski hat)
- Balaclava: to protect your neck and face in high winds
- Baseball Cap or other sun hat: to shade your face/neck from the sun on a hot day
- Bandana or Buff: to protect your neck/face from the sun
Eyewear
- Glacier Glasses: full protection with side covers or wrap around
- Ski Goggles: to be worn in the event of high winds – (2nd pair optional)
Gloves
- Lightweight Synthetic Base Layer Gloves: for wearing on warm days
- Soft Shell Gloves: to wear for moderate cold/wind
- Shell Glove with Insulated Liner: to wear for severe cold/strong wind
Footwear
- Liner Socks (3 pairs)
- Wool or Synthetic Socks (3 pairs)
- Mountaineering Boots
- Hiking Boots/Shoes: comfortable boots or shoes for the trek to base camp
- Gaiters (optional)
- Booties (optional)
Sleeping Equipment
- Sleeping Bag: rated to at least -20°F
- Self-inflating Sleeping Pad: full length is preferred
- Closed-cell Foam Pad: to be used in conjunction with the inflating pad for warmth and comfort when sleeping
- Earplugs
Mountaineering Gear
- Trekking/Climbing Backpack: approximately 35L
- Compression Stuff Sacks: for reducing the volume of the sleeping bag, down parka, etc. in your pack/duffle
- Trash Compactor Bags: to line backpack and stuff sacks as well as for separating gear
- Backpack Rain Cover (optional)
- Trekking Poles with Snow Baskets: adjustable
- Ice Axe: general mountaineering tool (65cm)
- Crampons: general mountaineering crampons
- Climbing Helmet: must be able to fit over your warm hat
- Ascender: 1 right or left-hand ascender
- “Y” Rig for ascender and safety carabiner
- Accessory Cord: 30 feet (9m) of 6mm accessory cord
- Alpine Climbing Harness: mountaineering harness, with adjustable leg loops. Not a rock-climbing “sport” harness
- Carabineers: 3 regular and 3 locking
- Carabineer for progression lanyard (locking)
- Belay/Rappel Device
- Headlamp: with 2 extra sets of new batteries
Travel Items
- Large Duffel Bags with Locks (2): for transporting gear on the mountain, no hard sides or wheels
- Travel Clothes: for days in cities and towns
- Lightweight journal, sketchbook, pencils, pen
- U.S. cash: for currency exchange to purchase SIM cards or merchandise in cities and towns
Additional Food Items
- Snack Food: bring a few days supply of your favorite climbing snack food such as bars, gels, nuts, beef jerky, etc. variety of salty and sweet is good
Other Equipment
- Cup: plastic 16 oz. minimum cup or mug
- Bowl: large plastic bowl for eating dinner or breakfast
- Spoon: plastic spoon (Lexan)
- Water Bottles (2): wide mouth bottles with 1-liter capacity
- Water Bottle Parkas (2): fully insulated with zip opening
- Water Treatment
- Thermos (optional): 1 liter
- Hand and Toe Warmers
- Sunscreen: SPF 50 or better
- Lip Screen (2 sticks): SPF 30 or better
- Toiletry Bag: include toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, baby wipes and hand sanitizer (2 small bottles)
- Pee Bottle: 1-liter minimum bottle for convenience at night in the tent
- Female Urination Device (FUD)
- Knife or Multi-tool (optional)
- Small Personal First-aid Kit: include athletic tape, band-aids, Ibuprofen, blister care, etc.
- Medications and Prescriptions: bring personal medications, antibiotics (Azithromycin, etc.), altitude medicine such as Diamox, etc.
- Handkerchiefs/Bandanas (optional)
Optional Electronics
- Country-appropriate power plug adapters and power transformers
- Adventure Sports Watch: such as Garmin fēnix 6
- GPS/Personal Satellite Communicator: such as Garmin inReach Mini
- Personal Power System: such as Goal Zero Nomad 28 Plus Solar Panel and Sherpa 100AC Power Bank
- Digital Entertainment: movies, tv shows, music, books loaded on to smartphone, iPad, Kindle
- Camera: bring extra batteries, charger, and memory cards
Madison Mountaineering is recognized for well thought out strategy in leading high altitude climbing expeditions, as well as high-quality service throughout. We have two decades of experience in the planning and coordination of mountaineering expeditions, our reputation is excellent. We strive to make each expedition the best possible experience for our climbers and focus on our 3 primary goals of success in reaching the summit, returning safely, and having fun! Safety is always our number one priority.
Our guides are some of the best and most experienced in the industry, having a strong grasp of technical climbing, expedition, and high altitude experience, along with strong interpersonal skills. Our teams are small and equipped with the best support available to ensure the highest chance of success. We are renowned for our comfortable base camps, high-quality food, first-rate communications, and medical support services, all of which are overseen by a professional member of our team.
Most of our climbers have either climbed with us before, been referred by a friend who has climbed with us, or met one of our teams while attempting another peak and decided to join us for their next expedition. We work hard to facilitate safe, successful, and enjoyable expeditions for all of our climbers. Our track record and past climber testimonials prove we are highly competent experts in our field and love what we do!
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