Mera and Island Peak Climbing - 24 days

Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, a representative from our agency will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. You can spend the rest of the day exploring the vibrant streets of Kathmandu or relaxing at your accommodation.

An early morning flight from Kathmandu takes you to Lukla, the starting point of the trek. After meeting the rest of the trekking crew, you will begin your trek to Chutok, also known as Paiya. The trail descends through lush forests, crossing several suspension bridges over the Dudh Koshi River, before reaching Chutok for an overnight stay.

Leaving Chutok, you will ascend through a mix of forested trails and open landscapes, passing small settlements and terraced fields. The route provides glimpses of Mt. Everest, Makalu, and other peaks. You will reach Panggom, a traditional Sherpa village, where you will spend the night.

Leave Panggom and make your way towards Ramailo Danda. It is an upward ascent through a pristine rhododendron forest to Pankongma La (3174m), a mountain pass. We cross the Dudh Koshi River Valley and walk into the Hingku Valley. En route, we savor breathtaking views of Numbur Himal, Kongde, and Manju Peak. We stop briefly at Ningsow for lunch. Afterward, trek up and down to Ramailo Danda. From here we get our first view of Mera Peak.

There are no human settlements or villages en route and the trail is wild and challenging. The park is home to Snow leopard, Red panda, Himalayan Tahr, musk deer, and many rare species of birds and plants. We stop at a quiet spot and have our packed lunch.  Climbing stone staircases and walking past rocky paths we finally arrive at Chhatra Khola, our stop for the night

Following the course of the Hinku River, the trail leads you to Kothe. You will walk alongside beautiful rhododendron forests and traverse several bridges along the way. Kothe is a small settlement surrounded by stunning natural beauty, with the Hinku Valley opening up before you.

After Kothe, we reach the Upper Hinku valley where the treeline disappears. There are no villages en route only ‘kharkas’ the summer camps of yak herders dot the landscape. Walk past Gondishung and Lungsumgba Gompa, a two-centuries-old Buddhist shrine. Lying underneath an enormous boulder, the local crew pay homage to deities burning incense.

En-route enjoy amazing views of Charpati Himal, Mera Peak, Kusum Kanguru, and Thamserku. After walking for about an hour we reach Thaknak, a summer camp of yak herders. Charpati Himal lies close to the teahouse and we can see the whole mountain.

Today’s walk involves an ascent to the Dig Glacier and the Charpati Tal, a mountain lake. With stunning views of the Kyeshar glacier, Mera Peak, and Charpati Himal we walk down to Dig Kharka. A tough crossing of the Hinku Nup and Shar glaciers brings us to Khare. Khare lies at the bottom of Mera Peak and is also known as Mera Peak Base Camp. We climb Mera Peak from here

Today you will spend your time acclimatizing and practicing your climbing moves at the pre-climb training camp. Our Sherpa climbing guides will teach you how to properly use climbing equipment like jumar, carabiner, belay device, ice axe, harness, etc. They will teach you the basic and safe techniques to scale an incline using a rope and harness.

This training is valuable and helpful if you are a novice climber. A final gear and equipment check will be followed by final packing for the summit push.  Please keep in mind climbing boots of size 12 and greater are not readily available in Nepal. If your shoe size is 12 or 12 plus you need to bring it with you from your home country.

Take the steep and rocky path to Mera La. The three summits of Mera Peak – Mera North(6476m), Mera Central(6461m), and Mera South(6065m) – gleam invitingly. We will be climbing the summit of Mera Central. Crossing the Mera glacier we reach Mera Peak high camp. It is an easy hike up a slope with no technical climbing involved.

On reaching Mera High Camp, the crew serves us hot drinks. Enjoy views of five of the fourteen highest peaks in the world- Mount Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8516m), Makalu(8485m), Cho Oyu(8188m), and Kanchenjunga (8586m). Chamlang (7319m), Gaurishanker (7134m), and Baruntse (7129m) also appear close. A single sleeping tent will be given to each climber. Food will be prepared by the local crew in a kitchen tent.

At 2 AM we prepare for the final summit push. After breakfast, we head out and rope up. A man-rope will secure our group. Hike up the glacier in a single file. No technical climbing is required in this section. The thin air and cold are the only factors that make the ascent difficult. Above 5000 meters we struggle to breathe properly and taking a step forward takes a lot of effort.

The last 40-50 meters to the summit is the most challenging portion. It is a steep incline and fixed rope and jumars are used to climb to the summit. By 9 or 10 AM we reach the summit. Amazing views of Mount Everest (8848m), Makalu (8481m), Kanchenjunga (8586m), Cho Oyu (8201m), Lhotse(8516m), and other peaks surround us.

After spending 5 or 10 minutes savoring the victory and taking pictures we head down via the same route. We reach Mera High Camp have some refreshment.  Later we hike down to make a quick descent to Mera – la. Then, we head east. Taking a downward trail we reach Kongma Dingma where we rest for the night.

An extra day to rewind, relax and recharge your energy for the crossing of Amphu Lapcha.

Leaving Kongma Dingma we walk past yak pastures and summer camps of yak herders. We proceed towards Seto Pokhari enjoying captivating views of Baruntse and Chamlang Himal.

Climbing up a snowy moraine we reach the beautiful Seto Pokhari, a glacial lake. Head to Amphu Lapcha Base Camp enjoying views of Mount Everest and lakes along the Hongu basin. A walk past the Hongu Pokhari above the Hongu valley brings us finally to the Amphu Lapcha Base Camp.

After leaving the base camp you make your way across a snowy trail to Amphu Lapcha Pass. You are in the dramatic Upper Hongu Valley which is one of the wildest areas in the Everest Region. Cold, Harsh, and challenging, no human settlements are found at this place.

After walking for about 4 to 5 hours you arrive at the pass. The pass looks stunning but daunting. Covered with ice shelves and serac cliffs, it is a steep incline and you use fixed rope, jumar, and ice axe to ascend the pass. This is one of the most difficult sections of your trip. The top is a narrow ridge filled with rocks. You get down using a fixed rope again. A walk through the Imja Glacier brings you to the Imja Tsho Lake in the Imja Valley. From here climb up a rocky moraine and head to Island peak Base Camp.

The crossing of the Amphu Lapcha pass is grueling and leaves you exhausted. Rest and get your energy back. There will be checking of gear and equipment before the summit push. Have an early night for the big day tomorrow

After breakfast, we carry your pack and head out at 1 AM. Our daypack consists of snacks, camera, packed lunch, water, and any memento we want to leave at the summit.

After ascending a rocky path you reach High Camp. Continue on a slope for about 3 hours to reach Crampon Point, the place where we put on our crampons as the trail becomes icy and snowy. We move ahead on a frozen trail in a group. From 5700m onwards the group will be secured by a man-rope.  Walking on a narrow ridge brings us to the base of Imja Glacier. The sunrise over the Makalu, Ama Dablam, Baruntse, and Chamlang look stunning. As the slope is at an angle of 45 to 50 degrees the ascent is not that technical. The guides fix the ropes at the glacier.

As we near the summit Lhotse appears very close. Lhotse hides the summit of Everest, so Mount Everest is not visible from Island Peak. The climb up a vertical wall using fixed rope before reaching the summit is the toughest part. We ascend the anchor points and cross crevasses using ladders.

Holding on to the fixed rope and we walk along the ridgeline to the summit. The views are amazing. We have done it! At the summit, we take pictures and return via the same route. The descent is long and exhausting. We need to be extra careful as most of the accidents at Island Peak happen during descents. On reaching Base Camp we take rest and celebrate our victory. Later in the day, we hike down to Chukkung.

After the hard couple of days over the two high hidden pass in between the massif peaks, our route from here leads to a pleasant walk on the downhill slope to Dingboche then Pangboche village. After two hours of easy walk brings us at Dingboche village. Dingboche is a beautiful patchwork of field enclosed by stone walls, protecting the crops of barley, buckwheat and potatoes from the cold winds and grazing animals. Dingboche has about more than ten teahouses and it is also the gateway to Chhukung and farther beyond for the most challenging traverses towards Makalu area and Hinko Valley. From Dingboche a gentle walk leads towards the Imjatse River with excellent views of Ama Dablam, Kangtenga and Tawoche peaks the trail leads to a small wooden bridge, from the bridge an easy walk to Pangboche village. Staying at over night here or option for heading to Tyangbuche.

Cross the Chukkung glacier and walk down to the Dudh Koshi River valley. Walk past Dingboche and descend to the Imja Khola(river). After crossing the river an upward trail brings you to the Sherpa village of Pangboche.

Leaving Pangboche you climb down a path filled with amazing alpine scenery and views of Ama Dablam. Cross the village of Debuche and arrive at the small settlement of Tengboche. Spend some time exploring the village and visit the magnificent Tengboche Monastery. This is the oldest and the most important monastery in the Khumbu Region. Later take the trail to Namche. After you arrive in Namche you can enjoy a hot shower and a good meal of your choice.

Crossing the metal bridges covered with prayer flags and pine forests you descend to Lukla. Walk past the village of Monjo and the gate of the Sagarmatha National Park. An easy descent via the village of Phakding brings you once again to Lukla. Celebrations follow and you spend a joyous evening with the local crew celebrating your achievement.

Bid goodbye to the mountains and fly to Kathmandu. Once you reach Kathmandu, check-in at your hotel and take a rest. Evening or late afternoon you can explore Thamel by yourself and shop for souvenirs.

It's time to bid farewell to the enchanting land of Nepal. You will be transferred to Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure flight. Depart with incredible memories and a sense of accomplishment from your Mera and Island Peak climbing expedition.