Pokalde (5,806 m) is the most approachable of the Khumbu's permitted climbing peaks, and the honest answer for anyone who wants a real summit without a night on a glacier.
It rises just north of the Kongma La, between the Imja and Khumbu valleys, and the climb is mostly a steep rock scramble on a boulder ridge with a short section of fixed rope and a snow slope near the top — no crevasses, no headwall, no two o'clock start.
It is also the peak that gets undersold. At 5,806 m it is higher than anything in the Alps or North America, the summit ridge is properly exposed, and the view from the top is arguably better than Island Peak's: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, Ama Dablam and the Khumbu glacier all at once, from a summit almost nobody else is standing on.
The Climb at a Glance
| Summit | 5,806 m |
| The climbing | Steep rock scramble, a short fixed section, a snow slope near the top |
| Duration | 16 days Kathmandu to Kathmandu |
| Base camp | 5,000 m — no high camp needed |
| Summit day | 5 to 7 hours round trip |
| Summit success rate | Above 90 percent — the highest of any peak we run |
| Permits | NMA climbing permit, Sagarmatha and Khumbu municipality fees |
| Price | From USD 2,350 per person |
We run it as a 16-day trip. It is the step below Island Peak, and the itinerary crosses the Kongma La afterwards so the return is new ground.
The Route
Lukla to Chhukung (2,840 m to 4,730 m)
The standard Khumbu approach — Phakding, Namche Bazaar with an acclimatisation day, Tengboche, Dingboche with a second acclimatisation day climbing Nangkartshang at 5,083 m, then Chhukung. Seven days of proper acclimatisation before base camp, which is why the success rate is what it is.
Base camp and the summit (5,000 m to 5,806 m)
Four to five hours from Chhukung to base camp at 5,000 m in the basin below the Kongma La — a tented camp on rocky ground. Summit day is a five to seven hour round trip starting around four or five in the morning, which is by a wide margin the shortest summit day of any climbing peak in the Khumbu.
The route is a boulder ridge with a short fixed section and a snow slope and crest near the top. There are several minor high points that look like the summit from below, which catches out parties climbing without a guide; the true summit carries prayer flags.
Over the Kongma La (5,535 m)
Rather than retracing to Chhukung, the itinerary crosses the Kongma La — the highest of the three Khumbu passes and the least walked, a long day over rough boulder fields and moraine with a stiff climb on both sides — to Lobuche, then walks out through the Khumbu valley via Pangboche and Namche.
Pokalde or Island Peak?
| Pokalde | Island Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Summit | 5,806 m | 6,189 m |
| The difficulty | A scramble and a short fixed section | A glacier, crevasses and 100 m of steep ice |
| Summit day | 5 to 7 hours | 10 to 14 hours |
| High camp | None — summit from base camp | Usually a high camp |
| Traffic | Almost none | Several hundred climbers a season |
| Success rate | Above 90% | Lower |
Roughly half the technical difficulty and 400 m less height. What Pokalde does not do is make the altitude easy — 5,806 m is still 5,806 m. Our beginner's guide puts both in context.
What It Costs
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 climber | USD 2,870 |
| 2 to 4 | USD 2,660 |
| 5 to 7 | USD 2,510 |
| 8 to 10 | USD 2,440 |
| 11 to 14 | USD 2,390 |
| 15 and over | USD 2,350 |
It is the cheapest climbing peak we run, largely because there is no high camp and the summit day needs less staff time than a glacier peak.
What Is Included
- Airport transfers, a climbing briefing and equipment check in Kathmandu.
- Kathmandu–Lukla return flights.
- Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast, and teahouses throughout the Khumbu approach and walk out.
- Tented base camp at 5,000 m with mess, kitchen and toilet tents, and a cook and kitchen crew.
- Three meals a day throughout the trip.
- NMA climbing permit for Pokalde, Sagarmatha National Park entry and the Khumbu municipality fee.
- A government-licensed climbing guide and climbing Sherpa support above base camp.
- Group climbing equipment — rope, anchors and fixing of the steep section.
- A training and skills day covering crampons, fixed-line ascent and abseiling.
- Porter transport of group equipment, NMA garbage deposit, summit certificate and all taxes.
What Is Not Included
- International flights and the Nepal entry visa fee.
- Travel insurance covering mountaineering to 5,806 m, with helicopter evacuation.
- Personal climbing equipment — harness, crampons, ice axe, ascender, descender, helmet and carabiners. Available to rent.
- Personal trekking equipment and clothing, including a sleeping bag.
- Porter services for your personal duffel.
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu.
- Snacks, bottled water, hot showers, Wi-Fi, charging and drinks.
- Laundry, phone calls, souvenirs and personal expenses.
- Tips for the guide, climbing Sherpas, porters and support staff.
- Extra accommodation or transport caused by a cancelled Lukla flight or weather.
You still need crampons despite the absence of a glacier — semi-automatic crampons on stiff trekking boots, for the snow crest and for the Kongma La early or late in the season. See the Lukla flight guide for the schedule risk.
