Lobuche peak climbing lies close to the Khumbu Glacier and has two main peaks, Lobuche Far East and Lobuche East. At 6,145 meters, Lobuche East is 26 meters higher. Although the Lobuche East climb is a bit more challenging than Island Peak climb, it is equally rewarding. From the peak you get amazing views of Everest alongside Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam and Pumori. The 19-day Lobuche East Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp Trek combines Lobuche East Peak climbing with the classic Everest Trek. The trip will also take you to some of the most popular places in the Everest region like Kala Pathar, which provides an excellent view of Everest along with other high mountains.
Trip Description
Nepal is synonymous with the Himalayas of the Everest Region. There are countless mountains where one can quench their thirst for wilderness adventure. Thousands of mountaineering records are made here in Nepal. People are queuing up for the expedition of lofty Himalayan peaks. However, everyone can’t do successfully ascent of gigantic mountains. So, what is an alternative to a high-mountain expedition? Peak climbing is the best way to fulfill the dream of mountaineering. NMA (Nepal Mountaineering Association) has identified mountains below 7000 meters in height as trekking peaks. However, some peaks below 7000-meter height also need expedition permits because of technicality and difficulty. Prepare yourself by climbing peaks before trying the lofty mountains. The best way to begin the mountaineering journey is by doing Lobuche Peak Climbing.
Itinerary
After arriving at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport you will be warm welcomed by Everest Alpine Trekking staff and taken to your hotel for a briefing of your journey to Lobuche peak Climbing, including the route taken and accommodation. We will clearly explain several do’s and don’ts with your safety a priority.
In the early morning, your guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the domestic terminal at Kathmandu airport before heading to Lukla, a 40-minute flight. During the flight, you will see some of the most spectacular views of the Himalayas. After arrival at Tenzing-Hilary airport, you will be met by your porter who will carry your luggage. Then your trekking begins. Today you trek is around 3 hours and is relatively easy going The trail passes a Kani (ceremonial gatehouse) before a steep descent before leveling off and passing through Kyangma village which has a large gompa (monastery) and school. After leaving Kyangma village we reach Cheplung village and then descends through a community forest within sight of the Dudh Koshi River. After crossing a suspension bridge there is a short climb across the ridge to Ghat. After leaving Ghat the trail passes a school and a complex of mani walls, Chortens and prayer wheels. We then climb to the hamlet of Chhuthawa and then a short walk to Phakding. Overnight stay at a mountain lodge. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
In the morning our trek passes over a bridge spanning the Dudh Kosi River, passing several delightful villages of Toktok, Bhenkar, and Monjo before arriving at the entrance gate to Sagarmatha National Park, and then trek along the river bed for a few hours and cross our last bridge before a steep uphill trek to Namche Bazaar. Namche has many good restaurants, pubs, a cyber café, post office, and banks. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
This is the scheduled 'acclimatization' day for this trek. Health experts always recommend us to stay active and moving during the rest day and suggest we remain active and avoid being idle. We can choose to spend the day taking a day hike to Thame or visiting Khunde or relaxing and exploring Namche Bazaar itself. Namche Bazaar is the main center of the Everest (Khumbu) region and has government offices, ATMs, Internet cafes, shops, restaurants, a bakery, and a colorful market each Friday evening and Saturday. If we trek a few hundred vertical feet during the day, it will help us to properly acclimatize. Our guides will take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarter of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can observe an assortment of things related to the first Everest ascenders, Sherpa culture and learn about the various plant and animal life of the Everest region. We also take an interesting side trip up to Khumjung. We climb up to the famous airstrip at Syangboche. Just above the airstrip is the Everest View Hotel, a Japanese scheme to build a deluxe hotel with great views of the highest mountains on Earth. The Khumjung valley is surrounded by the snowy peaks of Kongde and Thamserku and the sacred peak Khumbila, hosts a well-known monastery that houses a yeti scalp. We also visit Hillary School which is at the same site. After having lunch and spending some time in Khumjung, we walk back down to Namche Bazaar. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
After breakfast in Namche, we commence our trek to Tengboche with dazzling views of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and a close-up view of Thamserku. Our trek to Tengboche has a few ups and downs with spectacular views of Himalaya. On the trek, we may be lucky to spot some native wildlife, such as pheasant, musk deer, and maybe a herd of Himalayan Thar. The trail gradually descends to Kayangjuma before reaching Sansa, which is a major junction to Gokyo valley and Everest Base Camp. The track then follows through pine forests and passes prayer flags festooned on the bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. We then reach Phunki Thenga, a small settlement with a couple of teahouses and a small army post in the midst of alpine woods. After having a relaxed lunch at Phunki Thenga we then have a little tough steep climb through pine forests before arriving at Tengboche. Tengboche where there are some glorious in-your-face of Ama-Dablam, Nuptse, and Everest. Tengboche boasts of having the biggest Buddhist monastery in the Khumbu region. A visit to the monastery at around 3 p.m to see a ceremony performed by the monks. Breakfast, lunch & dinner Included.
A clear morning is the best time to see the exquisite monastery in Tengboche. This is a perfect time to unleash the camera! We then continue our trek taking the upper trail taking advantage of the views to witness the view of this ancient monastery before passing through several Chortens and Mani walls and several small villages. While enjoying our lunch break we can take in the fantastic close-up views of Ama-Dablam. The afternoon takes us north to Pheriche, or alternatively, we can take the trail heading east beneath the towering north face of Ama Dablam. From this point, the trek is fairly easy-going before we enter the Imja Valley. The valley gradually opens up as we approach the confluence of the Lobuche River. We then descend into the river and begin the last and steepest climb of the day up to Dingboche On arrival in Dingboche, we see a spectacular array of fields enclosed by stone walls to protect the barley, buckwheat, and potatoes from the cold winds and grazing animals. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
It is sensible to spend another day acclimatizing before heading to higher altitudes. One way of doing this is to hike up to Chukkung Valley (4730m) and on to Island Peak (Imja Tes). Above Dingboche is Nagkartshang Gompa (a strenuous trek takes around 2 to 3 hours), or alternatively head to Pheriche for an afternoon lecture on altitude sickness. The trail to Chhukung leaves Dingboche heading to Bibr (4570m) and is surrounded by fabulous mountain Peaks: Taboche, Nuptse, Lhotse, the enormous flute-shaped pass of Amphu Laptsa Pass, Ama Dablam. Chukkung has several lodges and is the most popular spot for those climbing Island Peak. If trekkers feel better acclimatized they can head up a grassy slope towards the peak of Chukkung Ri (5550m) for a magnificent view of Makalu. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Any easy trek after breakfast takes us to Dugla before traversing the steep moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. After crossing the glazier we then pass through the boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara passing an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10-time Everest summiteer Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepalese mountain guide) who perished on a mission to climb Everest. The trail then continues to the Khumbu Glacier moraine where before us are some of the great Himalayan peaks - Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. Overnight stay in Lobuche. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
The trail to Gorak Shep passes through the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier passing the pyramid signpost. Soon after we get views of the crest of the north ridge of Everest along with Mt. Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse &Nuptse. A short climb takes us to Thangma Riju from where we have a jaw-dropping 360-degree vista of snow-covered mountains. A steep climb leads us to the top crossing the Changri Glacier and our first glimpse of Kala Patthar, a grey-green mound beneath Mt. Pumori. As we reach Gorak Shep, we are once again surrounded by snow-capped mountains in every direction including the highest mountain in the world - Mount Everest. After a brief lunch break and time to relax we head along the trail to Everest Base Camp through the Gorak Shep Lake. After reaching Everest Base Camp we will appreciate those Everest climbers whose accent follows the hazardous route through the Khumbu Icefall. From Base Camp, we can see the magnificent peaks of Nuptse, Khumbuste, and Pumori. Everest is not within view from Base Camp. We then head back to Gorak Shep for a well-deserved night's rest. Most trekkers agree that the sunset view from Kala Patthar is better than the view at sunrise. The setting sun strikes the snow-capped mountains with mesmerizing beauty. Some trekkers may choose to continue with our guides and Sherpas and arrange a hike to Kala Patthar to witness the awesome sunset view rather than waiting until tomorrow. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Today is special and is the highlight of our journey. An early morning start allows us to catch the dramatic views from Kala Patthar seeing the new day and the light shining on Mount Everest. We need to be prepared for the dark and cold temperatures (-10 to -14 C) before departing on our trek. It is not uncommon to experience some very chilling winds. In the east are many peaks, such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse with Everest gradually exposing itself reveal itself between the west shoulder crest and Nuptse. During the ascent to Kala Patthar, we can pause to catch our breath at several outstanding viewpoints to snap pictures. After several hours of climbing, we reach Kala Patthar before scrambling over a rocky outcrop close to the summit and its cairns and prayer flags. After reaching the summit we can sit on the Kala Patthar rocks absorbing the spectacular views of the Himalayas. From one rock massif to another we are rewarded with numerous opportunities to use our cameras and photo opportunities that will remind you of these enormous mountains. We then head back to Gorak Shep where we have breakfast before a gradual descent to Lobuche for a well deserved night's rest. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
After breakfast, we make our way from Lobuche to Lobuche High Camp. The climb takes about 4 hours. The High camp is located at an altitude of 5,600m/18,368 ft. From Base Camp, we follow a path across a rocky moraine before reaching High Camp. Once we reach High Camp we prepare our camp for the overnight stay, have lunch and relax. If you walk around, rather than sit around, this will help you to acclimatize to this high altitude. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
Today is the day we have been anxiously awaiting. We start our day in the early hours in order to reach the summit. Lobuche East offers more panoramic views of the mountains than other peaks - such as Island Peak. Arriving at Lobuche summit you can take in spectacular, panoramic and exhilarating views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Pumori, and other nearby peaks. Our time at the summit is spent taking photos and taking a short rest before descending back to Thukla. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
It might happen that we may not reach the summit as we planned due to bad or unfavorable weather conditions. Our main target is to successfully lead you to the summit of Lobuche Peak. Thus, we will spare a reserve day in case of bad weather or other unwanted situations. However, if everything goes smoothly, we can use this day to trek back on leisure
After crossing the bridge, adorned with prayer flags, over the Dudh Koshi River the trail then traverses the Dudh Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests. The path eventually reaches Sansa which is the major trail junction in the region. We can then appreciate the ravening splendor of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Nuptse with every footstep. After a break for lunch, the trail hugs the mountainside before reaching Namche Bazaar and Kyangjuma, winding our way around several bends. We should keep a watchful eye for wild-life, such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants and other animals while passing through the forest. Once we pass a Chorten (Buddhist shrine), we reach the army camp at of Namche Bazaar. From here we can look back and absorb the beauty of Lhotse, the tip of Everest and Tengboche. After reaching our lodge we can take a nice hot shower and enjoy a relaxing night’s rest at Namche Bazaar. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
The trail begins with a steep descent requiring we are careful with each step over this rocky landscape. We cross several suspension bridges over the rapid flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries. The trail then levels off and gets easier. The fresh mountain air fills your lungs and prepares you for what lies ahead.. Despite following the same route down we see things from another perspective. We pass through open plains, rhododendron and pine forests, and in the distance glimpse snow-covered peaks. As we walk through Sherpa villages we witness their devotion to their Buddhist faith and culture, prayer stones and prayer flags while we stroll through the villages. On arrival in Lukla, we stretch our aching legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. As we conclude our trek, filled with unforgettable memories, beaming with joy, with everyone back safe and sound and smiles on their face! Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.
After our 17 day trek, we take an early morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. After arriving at Kathmandu, you can take a rest or do some shopping. This is also a time to catch up on visiting places you missed on arrival in Kathmandu. Our guides will continue to assist you with b souvenir shopping or sightseeing.
Your adventure comes to an end today – but your memories will last a lifetime! Our company representative will take you to the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you'll have plenty of time to plan your nearest next adventure and explore the most magnificent mountains of Nepal.
Cost Includes
- Airport picks up and transports by private Car/Jeep.
- Two night’s standard twin sharing Hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast.
- Three meals a day (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek.
- Fresh fruit every evening after dinner.
- Trekking Lodge (Tea House) during the trek and tent camp accommodation during climbing session.
- All necessary paperwork including Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit & Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fees.
- Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu (Ramechhap -Lukla- Ramechhap) flight with private airport transfer and domestic airport tax.
- A highly experienced, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, English speaking well trained, Government license holder guide with all his salary, food, drinks, accommodation, transport and insurance.
- Climbing permit of Lobuche Peak.
- Strong, helpful Sherpa porters with proper safety equipment and walking equipment, his salary, food, accommodation, and insurance (one porter for two people).
- Comprehensive medical supplies (first aid kit will be available).
- Arrangement of emergency helicopter service (paid by your Travel Insurance Company).
- Use of sleeping bag, down jacket, duffel bag and walking poles (if you don’t have your own, to be returned after trip completed).
- Everest Alpine Trekking, T-shirt
- Government taxes and official expenses.
- Trip achievement certificate after successful trip completion.
- Oxygen meter to check your pulse and oxygen saturation and heart rate twice daily (Very useful to check Altitude Mountain Sickness(AMS) symptoms) which will ensure your health during the trek.
- Assistant guide for groups of 8 or more people.
Cost Excludes
- Meals whilst you are in Kathmandu - lunch, and dinner.
- Nepal entry visa fee.
- Personal travel and medical insurance.
- International airfare.
- Your personal expenses.
- All the alcoholic and nonalcoholic, soup, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cocoa, mineral water, extra food, cold and hot drinks on trek ( i.e. those you choose to purchase along the way and during evenings in the tea houses)
- All desserts & sweet things like chocolate, cake, pie, pudding.
- Hot shower and battery charging at the tea houses.
- Tips for the guide, porter, and driver (tipping is expected)
- Kathmandu sightseeing monument entrance fees.
- Excess baggage of more than 10 kg for Lukla flight.
FAQS
Lobuche Peak is considered a challenging climb. It requires a good level of physical fitness, previous trekking experience, and basic mountaineering skills. Some technical climbing skills, such as using crampons and ice axes, are necessary.
Yes, previous climbing experience is recommended for Lobuche Peak climbing. Basic mountaineering skills such as using crampons, ice axes, and ropes are essential. It is advisable to climb with an experienced guide or join a reputable trekking agency that provides skilled guides.
You will need a climbing permit issued by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) and a Sagarmatha National Park permit. These permits can be obtained through a registered trekking agency or the NMA office in Kathmandu.
The best time to climb Lobuche Peak is during the spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) seasons. These months offer stable weather conditions, clear views, and favorable climbing conditions. However, it is important to check the weather forecast before starting the climb.
The typical duration for Lobuche Peak climbing is around 12-20 days. This includes acclimatization days, trekking to and from Lukla, and the summit push.
During the trek, you will stay in teahouses or lodges available in the villages along the route. However, at higher altitudes, you will need to set up tents for camping. Teahouses provide basic facilities such as beds, meals, and toilets, while camping requires carrying your own camping equipment.
Climbing Lobuche Peak requires proper acclimatization and preparation. It is advised to climb with an experienced guide or join a reputable trekking agency that provides experienced guides and necessary equipment. Safety measures, such as regular health check-ups, proper acclimatization, and emergency evacuation plans, should be in place.
Some essential climbing equipment required for Lobuche Peak climbing includes crampons, ice axes, harness, helmet, ropes, and proper clothing suitable for high altitude conditions. It is recommended to rent or buy these items in Kathmandu before starting the trek.
While it is possible to climb Lobuche Peak solo, it is highly recommended to climb with an experienced guide or join a reputable trekking agency. Climbing with a guide ensures safety, proper guidance, and assistance in case of any emergencies.
Yes, you can rent climbing equipment in Kathmandu. There are several shops and rental agencies that provide climbing gear on a daily or weekly basis. However, it is important to check the condition and quality of the equipment before renting.