Island Peak Travel Insurance
Island Peak, also known as Imja Tse, is a popular trekking peak in the Khumbu region of Nepal. With an altitude of 6,189 meters (20,305 feet), it's a challenging but achievable peak that offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains, including Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makalu.
Trekking or Climbing?
Island Peak is classified by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) as a "Trekking peak". However, this is misleading as it requires more than trekking to climb! An ice axe, crampons and climbing harness will be required. However, certain agencies will accept those with no prior experience, provided they are in good physical condition, giving you the training required to train the tools.
What insurance do I need?
As Island Peak requires some climbing/mountaineering, Trekking insurance will not necessarily cover you. Mountaineering insurance which covers up to 6,189 meters should cover you. However, some insurers may cover Island Peak under "Trekking", which may be cheaper than Mountaineering. You will need to specifically check with the insurer that they will cover you.
Medical & Rescue Cover
Trekking at high altitudes can be dangerous, and it's essential to have insurance that covers medical and rescue expenses in case of an emergency. Make sure that your insurance policy covers you up to the your maximum altitude (the cover will not be valid for any altitude, if you go above the maximum limit), and that it includes helicopter evacuation if necessary.
Insurers
There are several insurance providers that offer trekking insurance for Nepal. Here is a list of some of the most popular options:
Click the button below to find out which insurers will you cover you:
Trekking Peaks:
In Nepal, there are 28 "Trekking Peaks" (which require a permit to climb) but this is misleading as all of them require climbing or mountaineering, with rope, crampons and ice axes required. However, the easiest ones, Island Peak and Lobuche East can be attempted with no prior experience with certain agencies.
| Peak name | Difficulty (French grade) | Max. altitude |
|---|
| Mera Peak | PD | 6,476 m (21,247 ft) |
| Island Peak (Imja Tse) | PD+ | 6,189 m (20,305 ft) |
| Lobuche Peak | PD+ | 6,119 m (20,070 ft) |
| Kyajo Ri | D | 6,186 m (20,295 ft) |
| Yala Peak | F+ | 5,700 m (18,700 ft) |
| Pisang Peak | PD | 6,091 m (19,978 ft) |
| Chulu West | PD- | 6,419 m (21,055 ft) |
| Tent Peak | F | 5,663 m (18,580 ft) |
Trekking agencies
Generally, there are two types of trekking agencies; locally ran and operated agencies and foreign agencies. Often the foreign agencies will actually use local agency, while somtimes providing an aditional international mountain guide.
The advantage of an international agency is that you can trust that all arrangements will be made and you will have a point of contact that speaks your native language. However, often you will end up having the exact same trekking experience as if you had gone directly with a local agency.