On the acclimatisation day in Dingboche, the best thing you can do for your body, and your camera, is climb Nangkartshang Peak. This rocky ridge rises straight behind the village to a viewpoint at about 5,083 metres, roughly 700 m above Dingboche. From the top you look across the Imja valley to Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain, the huge south face of Lhotse, Island Peak, and down onto Ama Dablam. It is a hard morning’s walk, but it is the single best preparation for the days ahead on the Everest Base Camp Trek.

Nangkartshang Peak at a glance

• Altitude: about 5,083 m (16,677 ft) at the usual trekkers’ summit; the ridge continues higher
• Start: Dingboche (about 4,410 m)
• Height gain: about 670–700 m
• Time: 4 to 5 hours return (2.5–3 up, 1.5–2 down)
• Distance: about 5 km return
• Difficulty: strenuous walk at altitude; a little easy scrambling near the top, no technical climbing
• Views: Makalu, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Island Peak, Taboche, Cholatse, Kangtega and Thamserku
• On our trek: Day 7 (acclimatisation day in Dingboche)

Why hike Nangkartshang?

The golden rule of altitude is “climb high, sleep low”. By walking up to around 5,000 m and returning to sleep at Dingboche, your body gets the signal to make more red blood cells without the risk of spending a night that high. The next time you reach 5,000 m, at Lobuche and Gorak Shep, you will feel the difference. It is also the first time on the trek that most people stand above 5,000 m, a big moment in itself.

The route

The trail starts behind the lodges at the northern edge of Dingboche and climbs straight up the grassy, then rocky, south-west ridge. After about an hour you reach a stupa covered in prayer flags, with a wonderful view over Dingboche, the Imja valley and Ama Dablam. Many trekkers turn back here if they are tired, and that is fine: you have already done good acclimatisation. Beyond the stupa the path steepens, winding up loose rock to a cairn and more prayer flags at about 5,083 m. Past this point the ridge becomes a knife-edge suitable only for climbers.

What you see from the top

• Makalu (8,485 m): the fifth-highest mountain in the world, far to the east, often only visible from up here
• Lhotse (8,516 m): its massive south face fills the head of the valley
• Island Peak (Imja Tse, 6,165 m): the popular trekking peak, rising from the Chhukung valley
• Ama Dablam (6,812 m): its steep north side, right across the valley
• Taboche and Cholatse: across the Pheriche valley to the west
• Chhukung: the village and glaciers of the upper Imja valley below

Tips for the hike

• Start straight after breakfast; cloud and wind usually build by late morning.
• Carry at least 1.5 litres of water, snacks, sun cream, sunglasses, a warm layer and a windproof jacket.
• Walk very slowly. Breathing is hard above 4,800 m, and that is normal.
• Turn back at the stupa if you have a headache, nausea or dizziness, and tell your guide.
• Use trekking poles on the loose descent.

Nangkartshang Peak on the 14-day Everest Base Camp Trek

You climb Nangkartshang on Day 7, the second acclimatisation day, spending the afternoon resting in Dingboche. The next day you continue past the Thukla Pass Memorial to Lobuche. If you prefer a gentler day, your guide can lead an easier walk towards Chhukung instead. See our day-by-day itinerary.