Island Peak Base Camp: What to Expect at 5,087 m

Last updated 9 October 2026.

Island Peak Base Camp is a tent camp on a rocky plateau at 5,087 m, beside the Imja glacier, and it is the last place you sleep before the summit push. On our Island Peak Climbing, 14 days itinerary you walk there from Chhukung on day 8, spend one night in a tent, and climb on day 9. It is a short stay, but it is the night most climbers remember.

Short answer: Island Peak Base Camp is at 5,087 m (16,690 ft). From Chhukung (4,730 m) it takes 4 to 5 hours and covers about 5 km. You sleep one night in a tent, leave at about 2 a.m. for the summit at 6,165 m, and are back in camp by early afternoon. The summit day takes 10 to 12 hours.

Island Peak Base Camp at a glance

Where does base camp sit on our Island Peak itineraries?

The 14-day trip goes Lukla, Phakding, Namche (with a rest day), Tengboche and Dingboche (with a rest day), then to Chhukung on day 7, base camp on day 8, summit on day 9, and back down to Dingboche on day 10. The Everest Base Camp and Island Peak Climbing, 18 days trip uses the same camp, but gives it more time. Day 11 is the walk in plus a skills session, day 12 is summit day and day 13 is a reserve day at base camp in case weather or snow stopped the first attempt.

The village before it is Chhukung, which I describe in my Chhukung guide. The one before that is Dingboche, where you rest for a day at 4,410 m.

What is the walk from Chhukung to base camp like?

The trail leaves Chhukung heading east and follows the lateral moraine of the Imja glacier. Nothing grows at this height. You walk through grey rock, glacial debris and turquoise meltwater pools, cross a few meltwater streams on rock bridges, and watch the Lhotse wall to the north while the pyramid of Island Peak grows ahead. It is a steady climb of four to five hours. The altitude gain is modest, about 350 m, but the air is thin and the pace is slow.

What is base camp itself like?

Basic, and I will not dress it up. Base camp is a rocky plateau sheltered from the wind by a moraine wall and facing straight up the mountain. There are tents on flat ground, a cooking tent, and water comes from the glacier stream. Your guide and the climbing team set up camp and bring hot drinks. On the 18-day trip, food at base camp is included on every tier. On the 14-day trip all technical gear is included, with one climbing Sherpa per climber on summit day.

The afternoon is for rest and the final briefing. Your climbing Sherpa goes through the route: the 1 a.m. wake-up, the glacier approach of about two hours, putting on crampons at the foot of the headwall, the fixed-rope climb to the ridge, the narrow summit ridge and the descent. On the 18-day trip the afternoon before also includes a skills session at camp, covering the jumar, the figure-of-eight descender, crampon technique and ice-axe arrest, in daylight. Dinner is early and most people are in their sleeping bags by seven.

How do you manage altitude at base camp?

You arrive acclimatised, not fresh. By this point you have rested at Namche and Dingboche, and slept at Chhukung, 4,730 m, which is the highest you have slept so far. Base camp is another 357 m above that. Poor sleep, a mild headache and little appetite are common at 5,087 m. Eat what you can, drink often, and tell your guide how you feel. If something is not right, say so early, because coming down from 5,500 m is much easier than coming down from 6,000 m. On summit day the climbing Sherpa decides whether and when we turn back, and that decision is final, whatever the reason.

This is a real climb. If you are weighing it up, read my guides on whether a beginner can climb Island Peak, the training plan and the risks, and compare Mera Peak and Island Peak.

What permits do you need for Island Peak?

You need the Sagarmatha National Park permit (NPR 3,000 for foreigners), the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee (NPR 3,000), a TIMS card, and the climbing royalty paid to the Nepal Mountaineering Association. We arrange them. The royalty is charged per climber, and my Island Peak cost guide sets out what is included. Buy travel insurance at home with helicopter rescue and evacuation cover that includes climbing to the summit height, 6,165 m.

When is the best time for Island Peak Base Camp?

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best windows, when the weather is stable and the skies are clear. Winter is much colder and we plan around it carefully. Ask me before choosing a date outside the two main seasons.

Questions people ask

How high is Island Peak Base Camp? Our itineraries give 5,087 m, which is 16,690 ft.

How long is the walk from Chhukung to Island Peak Base Camp? 4 to 5 hours and about 5 km, along the Imja glacier moraine.

Do you sleep in a tent or a lodge at base camp? In a tent. There are no lodges at base camp, so the camp crew set up the tents and the cooking tent.

What time do you start on summit day? The alarm is at about 1 a.m. and the group leaves at about 2 a.m., crossing the glacier in roughly two hours before the headwall.

How long is the summit day? 10 to 12 hours, about 7 km, with a climb of roughly 1,000 m from base camp to the 6,165 m summit.

Is there a reserve day at base camp? On the 18-day Everest Base Camp and Island Peak trip, yes: day 13. The 14-day trip builds its spare day in at Lukla.

Can you hire only a guide for Island Peak? No. We run it as a full package, with permits, camp, Sherpa and gear arranged by us.

Group size is 2 to 20, and you can also trek solo. The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 7 days notice to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu in USD or EUR, cash or by card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and any previous climbing or high-altitude experience. I will tell you which tier and which route I would choose, and send you the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.