Mera Peak Climbing Expedition

Mera Peak Climbing Expedition

Reaching the summit of Mera Peak (6476m) is a truly memorable summit experience, combining a beautiful trek with a non-technical climb on Nepal’s highest trekking peak.You’ll trek into the beautiful Khumbu Valley, through traditional villages, remote trails and pristine alpine forests before starting the climb to the summit. Mera Peak isn’t considered a technical climb but is still demanding and takes effort to reach the top of Nepal’s highest trekking peak, climbing on gentle snow slopes. The views from the summit make it well worth the effort, with breathtaking panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Cho Oyu, five of the world’s 8000m peaks.  This is a fantastic climbing expedition suitable for any fit trekker or hillwalker wanting to join a Himalayan expedition.

Mera Peak, Nepal's highest trekking peak stands proudly at 6476m, located in the remote Khumbu (Everest) region of Nepal. The adventure begins from the small village of Lukla, the gateway to the Everest region and start point for treks and expeditions into the Everest region. From here the trail leads to the adjoining high mountain hills of Naulekh. On leaving the last settlement, we head east to a steep climb of around hree hours to the top ridge. From here, it's a steep descent to the hidden valley of Hinku towards the floor of the valley.A pleasant walk leads you through tranquil forests of oak, pine and rhododendron with grazing pastures and meadows before we reach High Camp at 5800m, at the foot of Mera Peak.From here, the climb on summit day is technically straight forward, on a long glacier. Reaching the summit, a beautiful panorama of Himalayan giants awaits and you’ll enjoy magnificent views of the top five 8000m peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Mt. Cho-Oyu.

Itinerary

• Day 01

  Arrive Kathmandu (1300m).

  On arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, you'll be welcomed by our local team who will accompany you to your hotel. After checking in,  you'll receive a short orientation about the hotel, Kathmandu and the plan for the next few days and for your trek and climb. After time to rest and relax, this evening we invite you to a complimentary welcome dinner and cultural show at one of the finest traditional Nepalese restaurants in Kathmandu. Rest and relax overnight at your hotel.

  Overnight: Kathmandu.

  Meals included: Dinner.

• Day 02

  Kathmandu - visit key cultural and spiritual sites.

  After your breakfast, your guide will meet you to begin your sightseeing tour of some of the key cultural and spiritual sites today, beginning with a visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square, a world UNESCO site, where you'll explore the ancient palace, the temple of the Kumari, hailed as the Living Goddess of Nepal, Hanuman Dhoka and Kasthamandap Temple. From Durbar Square your tour continues to the Buddhist site of Swoyambhunath Stupa, also known as the "Monkey Temple" because of its lively troops of resident monkeys. Mingle with the locals and pilgrims here and enjoy the views of the city below. Today you'll also visit Pashupatinath Temple, the holiest shrine for Hindus, situated on the banks of the holy Bagmati River, a popular pilgrimage and cremation site. Your last guided visit today is to Boudhnath Stupa, the centre of Tibetan pilgrimage in Nepal and one of the largest stupas in the world. The main stupa is surrounded by many small and colorful gompas, or monasteries as well as shops and cafes. Once back at your hotel, you will receive a briefing about the trek and climbing expedition and have a chance to meet your Sherpa guides and ask any last minute questions before tomorrow morning's departure. If there are any items you've forgotten, today is also a great day to get those as Kathmandu has many good trekking and climbing clothing and equipment stores and your guides will be able to help with advice and with any purchases. The rest of your evening is free to rest and relax.

  Overnight: Kathmandu.

  Meals included: Breakfast.

• Day 03

  Drive to Mulkot (1000m) 4-5 hrs

  This morning it's time to leave Kathmandu for the drive westward on the Prithvi Highway. It's around 4 to 5 hours and is a good road but can be busy, particularly around Kathmandu. The route passes through urban areas, small towns, and scenic countryside. Reaching Mulkot, rest and relax this evening before an early start tomorrow. Overnight at Kwality Resort or similar. 

  Overnight: Mulkot.

  Meals included: Dinner.

• Day 04

  Fly to Lukla (2840m)

  Early this morning we'll leave Mulkot for the short transfer drive of around 15 minutes to the airport in Ramechhap. It is always advisable to get an early morning flight to and from Lukla as weather conditions are usually clear early in the morning and in the afternoons it is often cloudy or windy.  It's a short and very scenic flight of around 20 minutes to the spectacular mountain airstrip of Lukla, the gateway town from where treks and expeditions to the Everest region begin. The flight itself is awe-inspiring, as you fly parallel to the Himalayan giants bordering Nepal and Tibet.  Your expedition team will be waiting for you, ready to begin your trek tomorrow. On arrival to Lukla, there's some time to explore the village while your Sherpa crew sort and load the equipment. Lukla lies at an altitude of 2840m and means “Place of Sheep.” The rest of your day is free to explore locally and to pick up any items eg snacks or toiletries you might want for your days on trek and the summit climb. Relax overnight at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Lukla.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

  
  

  
  

• Day 05

  Trek to Paiya (2730m) 4 hrs

  After breakfast at Lukla, we start the trek to ultimately reach and summit Mera Peak, over the next couple of weeks, starting with around a 4 hour trek today. The first part of the trail from Lukla goes down-hill for around one hour until we reach Surke. After crossing the bridge above the Surke Khola river, the path starts climbing upwards. After 45 minutes fairly steep climb up, we reach a small tea shop from where we'll have a good view (weather permitting) of Surke Village down in the valley. From the tea shop our path gradually becomes easier and it's around another half hour to reach Paakhe Pani where we'll stop for lunch. From here, there are good views back to Lukla village as well as of various snowy peaks, including Kongde Ridge. After lunch it's around one and a half hour's trek past a number of tea houses to reach Paiya, located in the corner of two ridges, where there are many teahouse lodges and good camp sites available. Rest and relax overnight at a local teahouse lodge. 

  Overnight: Paiya.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• Day 06

  Trek to Pangom (2850m) 05-06 hrs

  It's advisable to wear full trousers and a few layers of clothing as it's usually cold in the mornings and overnight.  Due to the high surrounding mountain ridges, the sun doesn't rise in Paiya until the late morning. After having an early breakfast, we leave Paiya around 7:30 am. We'll reach a junction where the trail divides and we follow it into dense forest for around an hour, away from the main trail, as the path climbs steeply at times to reach Kade at the top of the ridge. From here, weather permitting, we'll have good panoramic views of the surrounding snow capped peaks as well as towards Karikhola village to the south-east.  The trail now slopes down for around an hour and a half to reach Ngingsuwa Buk. There's a small open meadow on the banks of a stream and your cook and kitchen staff will be already preparing your lunch when you arrive. After lunch, we follow the trek route again for around two hours, passing some local Sherpa houses en route, to reach Pangom. Rest and relax overnight at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Pangom.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

  
  

• Day 07

  Trek to Ngingswa (2745m) 5 hrs

  After breakfast today we leave Pangom and follow the trek route out of the village, past some local homes and an old Mani (prayer) wall where you'll see the stones inscribed with Tibetan fonts. From here the trail enters into dense forest. The path is easy and gently climbs up but you may feel your breathing becomes a little more difficult as you walking at an elevation of around 3000m. We'll take it gradually as everyone adjusts. After around an hour and a half trekking and following the trail upwards, we reach Pangom La which is the highest point today. “La” in local Sherpa language means 'pass' so anytime you see somewhere with La in its name means it's a mountain pass. There is a good resting place here and a couple of tea shops where we'll stop for a cup of tea and rest at the top of the mountain ridge. From here we follow the path which goes down into the forest, with the dense forest gradually becoming less dense and the space opening out more as we descend before we start to see some local Sherpa villages. Looking to the east, we'll see a chain of three snow capped peaks in the near distance, which will be our focus in the days ahead. The three peaks are Mera Peak, the highest and most popular trekking peak in Nepal. Mera Peak has three peaks, Mera North, Mera Centre and Mera South. Mera Centre is the highest peak at 6476m and is the one which is usually climbed.  In a few days time you'll be on the summit of Mera Centre yourself, enjoyed the sense of achievement and the stunning panoramic views from the top! Today it's another hour or so trek with a steep down hill section before reaching Namaste Lodge in Sibuje, a small Sherpa Village. This location offers a very good view of Mera Peak as well as some of the local villages such as Cherem, Najingdingma, Gaikharka and Juke. Your Sherpa team will have already prepared lunch so we'll stop here for a good lunch and rest. After lunch, it's around 30 minutes trek on a straight path, then crossing a small stream the path starts to climb for around an hour to reach Ngingswa. Ngingswa is surrounded by forest and there is a tea shop here as well as good camping facilities. Rest and relax overnight at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Ngingswa.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

  
  

• Day 08

  Trek to Chhetrabuk (3150m) 7-8 hrs

  Today, the entire day we'll be walking through dense forest. After another early breakfast we start following the trail as it climbs up a slope and soon we'll start a very steep uphill section. This is the most strenuous walking so far as we follow the trail as it ascends up the ridge. The hard climb will be rewarded once we reach on the top of the ridge which is called 'Ramailo Danda' as we'll be able to enjoy good views of some beautiful villages to the south. There is a small seasonal tea shop here too where you can buy cold drinks, chocolates and other snacks. After having a good rest at the top, we again walk into the dense forest. The path is not as wide here and can be rough in places, with many ascents and descents, sometimes going steeply up and other times steeply down, so we'll take our time and be careful. After around one and a half hour trekking we reach the bank of a small stream where the kitchen staff will be preparing lunch for everyone. After lunch we start climbing up again, following the trail through the forest. The path leads up and down in dense bamboo forest. Two and half hours trek from our lunch place will take us to a crossing over a small river and from here it's just a short few minutes ascent up to the campsite and our overnight stay. There are two seasonal tea shops here too. Rest and relax overnight at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Chhetrabuk.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

  
  

• Day 09

  Trek to Kothe (3800m) 6 hrs

  Today's trek will be shorter and much easier than yesterday. After having breakfast early this morning, we follow the trail as it ascends into bamboo forest. For the first two hours, the path goes up, following turnings which makes the climb up easier. There's another beautiful viewpoint from the top, with nice views of the lowlands. After having a short rest, we continue straight and then follow the slope down for another one and a half hours trek to take us to a small seasonal settlement, with a few lodges at what is the meeting point for 3 routes: one leads to Kothe and Mera Peak, one leads to Lukla via the Chhetra La pass and one leads to the path that we have followed. We'll stop for lunch at the bank of a river near the lodges. After lunch, the path leads downwards to the banks of the Ingkhu River, which takes around an hour. From the river bank, we walk one more hour to reach Kothe. This is a fairly recently established seasonal settlement and is the biggest market place in the area, offering good rooms and campsites to spend the night. Rest and relax this evening at a local teahouse lodge. 

  Overnight: Kothe.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

  
  

• Day 10

  Trek to Thagnag (4360m) 4 hrs

  This is the easiest day on the whole trek. After breakfast, we start walking along the banks of the river which we'll follow until we reach our lunch stop for today. After around two and a half hours trek we leave the river bank and 2 and half hours and reach a meadow covered by high altitude junipers. In the afternoons here it can get windy but still beautiful. After having lunch, we follow the straight path for around one and a half hours  to reach Thangnak. Unlike Kothe, Thangnak is an old settlement, and somewhere that people from Lukla and nearby villages used to bring their yaks to graze here during the summer. Rest and relax this evening at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Thagnag.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• Day 11

  Rest and acclimatisation day

  Today is a full day to rest and acclimatise, with the option of exploring locally. The main purpose of the rest day is to allow time to safely acclimatise before we trek higher, as we will already be above 4000 meters from sea level. Even local people who are used to the altitude, will normally rest and acclimatise here if they've been staying at lower altitudes, such as in Kathmandu, for a few months. On trekking and climbing days your Sherpa guide will normally fix your breakfast time, which is usually quite early, to ensure there's plenty of time for the day's trek and to have the best conditions and times to trek each day. Today the group can choose your own breakfast time and enjoy a late breakfast if you want. As well as relaxing and enjoying the scenic surroundings and views, there's the option to trek up to the nearby glacial lake as part of your acclimatisation day, which is a good option and we recommend taking time to visit and explore. As well as the optional visit to the lake, today your Sherpa guide and team will also show you the necessary climbing techniques which will be needed for your summit ascent on Mera Peak. There are some good places nearby to practice climbing and you'll be taught basic climbing techniques, such as, using jumar, handling with safety ropes, abseiling, climbing up and down etc. The rest of your day and evening is free to rest and relax. Overnight at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Thagnag.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• Day 12

  Trek to Khare (5100m) 3 hrs

  Today we will be ascending 700 meters. After an early breakfast, we follow a straight path for the first quarter of an hour before we start climbing up on a rocky path for around 45 minutes. We'll take a short rest after we finish climbing up the steep path. If you missed the chance to visit the glacial lake during our rest day yesterday, there's another chance to do that today and we can take a detour off the main trail, taking around 15 minutes, for views of the lake. The path is relatively easy for another hour and we'll reach a place called Dik which is a large flat area where there are two seasonal tea shops where some trekkers like to stop for lunch or others prefer to continue on to Khare, our destination on today's short trek. From Dik the path climbs steeply up for around an hour to reach Khare. There are a few lodges here and most of them have well built campsites. It's important to maintain your walking pace today as pace as well as speed of ascent, plays a vital role in acclimatisation.  Walking slowly and steadily is better than walking too fast, in terms of allowing your body to adjust and acclimatise and reducing the risk of altitude sickness. So walk slowly today and follow the advice of your guide. It's also important to stay with the group. Strength and physical fitness does not play any role in whether someone is affected by altitude sickness and noone can predict who will get it or not but there are things we can do to mitigate the risk including adhering to our planned rest and acclimatisation days, walking slowly and steadily and not rushing ahead, staying hydrated, looking out for each other and making sure if you aren't feeling quite right or have any symptoms such as headaches, upset stomach or feeling disoriented, to let your guide know immediately and to then follow their advice as our guides are all highly trained, professional and experienced and all our trips are planned with your safety as well as enjoyment in mind. After a slow and steady trek to Khare and a short day, the rest of today is free to rest and relax.  Overnight at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Khare.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• Day 13

  Rest and acclimatisation day

  Today is another rest and acclimatisation day. Rest at Khare is mandatory because the next camp from here is at a higher altitude of 5780 meters which is more than 700 meters higher than Khare. Enjoy the local surroundings, walk up the mountain ridge with the group or your guide or simply  rest and relax.  Overnight at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Khare.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• Day 14

  Trek to Mera High Camp (5780m) 5 hrs

  After an early breakfast today we'll be provided with a packed lunch to carry. Much of today's trek will be quite steep uphill. If the path is covered by snow we may need crampons and ice-axe. Otherwise, most of today we'll be walking on a rocky path. Once we reach the starting point of Mera La pass (5500m), it's best to follow the Main Rope which will be fixed by your guide. From Mera La, most of our team of porters will continue on directly to Kongma Dingma with a smaller team of porters and support staff going on towards Mera High Camp. We'll stop to enjoy our packed lunch at Mera La pass where we'll be able to see Mera Base Camp just below Mera La. From here we continue going on the Main Rope to Mera High Camp. The path here is not very steep but the Fixed Rope is useful as there are crevasses. Some climbers climb Mera Peak directly from Base Camp but we normally do the summit ascent from High Camp. It's usually windy at High Camp from mid-afternoon onwards to make sure to stay warm and protected from the wind. Get a good rest tonight, ready for an early morning start on Summit Day tomorrow. Overnight at tented camp.

  Overnight: Mera High Camp.

  Meals included: Breakfast, packed lunch, dinner.

• Day 15

  Summit Day - climb Mera Peak (6460m) and return to Khare (5100m) 8 hrs

  Today is an early start and a long but exhilarating day! On Summit Day the team will prepare breakfast for 3am. At 4am we start climbing. Remember to wear your headlight. After time to fix harness and crampons, our guide will provide instructions before we start climbing on the Main Rope carrying an ice axe. After around 4 hours we reach the summit of Mera Peak!  It's a wonderful moment and take time to celebrate and enjoy the feeling and amazing views from the top of the highest trekking peak in Nepal. From here you can see some of the highest peaks in the world, just a short distance away. We'll have a half hour's rest on the summit to take in the views and celebrate your achievement before we start the descent. Your porters and support team will be waiting to welcome you back and provide lunch. After lunch it's time to pack up and start walking back towards Khare where we'll rest overnight. We'll walk using the Main Rope again until we reach the Mera La pass. Rest and relax overnight at a local teahouse lodge at Khare. 

  Overnight: Khare.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

  
  

• Day 16

  Trek back to Kothe (3800m) 6-7 hrs

  This morning after breakfast we retrace our steps on the trek of around 6 to 7 hours on the same trail route back to Kothe.  Rest and relax this evening at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Kothe.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• Day 17

  Trek to Chutanga (3430m) 6 hrs

  Today the trail begins with an ascent before descending down to reach Chutanga. Overnight at local teahouse lodge or tented camp.

  Rest and relax this evening at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Chutanga.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

  
  

• Day 18

  Trek to Lukla (2840m) 4 hrs

  Today the trail leads mostly downhill to Lukla and it's a nice easy and short day. There are some steep descents at certain points which can be a bit tough on the knees but the warmer climate as we descend is a good opportunity to shed our down jackets & woollen thermal wear and we can enjoy the scenic views. At Lukla, it’s a good place to rest and relax, get refreshed with a nice hot shower and perhaps enjoy a cold beer or hot coffee at one of the local cafes or bars. Rest and relax this evening at a local teahouse lodge.

  Overnight: Lukla.

  Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• Day 19

  Fly back to Ramechhap, drive to Kathmandu

  It's time to fly back to Ramechhap and travel back to Kathmandu and leave the Everest region behind for now. Flights are usually scheduled for the morning as the wind tends to increase in the afternoon which can cause flight delays or even cancellations if the weather conditions are bad. We'll make our way to the terminal for the security check ready for the very scenic short flight of around 25 minutes to Ramechhap. Enjoy the wonderful panoramic views of the snow capped Himalaya peaks en route. From Ramechhap we drive for around 5-6 hrs to reach Kathmandu. Rest and relax overnight at your hotel in Kathmandu or head out to enjoy some of Kathmandu's nightlife.

  Overnight: Kathmandu.

  Meals included: Breakfast.

  
  

• Day 20

  Full day at leisure - Kathmandu

  Today is a full day at leisure in Kathmandu, to explore locally, perhaps do some last minute shopping or relax at your hotel. If you'd like to include any other activities today such as a tour in the Kathmandu Valley, white water rafting, bungee, zip line or other activities or would like to extend your trip for a few days to include a few days wildlife safari or to visit neighbouring regions, please let us know or speak with one of our local team and we'll be happy to help. Overnight at your hotel in Kathmandu.

  Overnight: Kathmandu.

  Meals included: Breakfast.

  
  

• Day 21

  Depart Kathmandu

  After check out this morning, you'll be transferred to the airport in time for your departure flight home or onwards to your next destination. If you have a late departure flight, let us know if you require a late checkout from your hotel (subject to availability and there may be a small additional charge by the hotel).