Welcome at the airport and transfer to your hotel. An introduction to your trekking program then the rest of the day at your leisure to enjoy the sights, sounds, and culture of Kathmandu.

Free day for final trekking preparation and sightseeing in Kathmandu valley.

A magical scenic flight takes us to Lukla in the morning, and from there we begin our trek with a hike to the day’s first destination, Surke, then and across a river to Chutok La. From there it’s an easy hike to the Paiya, where we rest for the night.

Our first full day on the trail begins by descending through a patchwork landscape of crops and fields to the Paiya Khola River, then making our way up the far side to the pass of Kari La and on to Pangkoma.

An uneven and undulating path takes us through thick rhododendron and bamboo forests and a range of hills, with ever-present Mani walls highlighting our passage toward the day’s destination of Ramailo Danda.

The sense of adventure starts to mount as we make our way along precipitous trails through the mountains and heavily wooded forests, taking in the picturesque scenery as we gradually make our way up to our rest stop for the night, Chhatra Khola.

Our slow ascent through the mountains continues as we journey on through the heavily forested region, the refreshing scent of the pine trees adding an invigorating feel to the air as we pass through the Hinku Valley and make our way to the village of Kothe

We break through the tree line today and make our way out into a wide valley hemmed in on either side by an array of tall peaks, with Mera coming ever closer as we make our way through to Tangnang. There is plenty of time left over in the day to wander about and take in the surrounding scenery.

A day of rest in Tangnang to allow our bodies to fully acclimate to the altitude. Numerous opportunities exist to stretch our legs, including a hike to Sabai Tsho, a lake that collapsed after a large section of the feeder glacier collapsed into it, sending a wall of water tumbling into the valley below that claimed many lives.

We climb ever higher today, making our way by Dig Tsho glacier into an open valley with views towards Kusum Kanguru, Kyashar,  and Mera, a final steep section taking us up to the sparse settlement of Khare, which will serve as the base camp for our climb.

We make our way to the glacier and arc round to the north, clambering up steadily towards Mera La, the ridge that sweeps across to Mera glacier and our high camp for the night. The views are glorious, yet a mere portent of the amazing panoramas that will unfold before us on the morrow.

Our day begins in the early hours of the morning for our ascent bid, starting up the glacier towards a ridge, our crampons biting into the snow and ice as we make our way up the steep slope. Gradually we make our way onto the summit ridge and begin the traverse towards our goal, the last stretch accomplished on fixed ropes laid by our guide. Finally, we’re there, standing atop Mera, with glorious views all around to the legendary giants of the region – Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and even distant Kanchenjunga. After taking time to celebrate the achievement and take appropriate pictures of the scene we turn and make our way back down the mountain towards Khare.

As with all climbs in the Himalayas, the weather can play havoc with even the best-laid plans, so prudence suggests we always set aside a spare day for our clients to try and ensure a successful outcome.

Still exhilarated from the previous day our path down toward Khare seems almost effortless

We continue our path back to civilization with a tougher day of hiking, the trail to Thule Kharka taking us on a steep climb before we reach our destination

Our final day of the trekking day us over the pass of Zatrwa La and the long descent via Chutanga to Lukla, where we thankfully pull up for the night and bask in the glow of our success.

After breakfast, we take a flight to Kathmandu where you’ll have enough time to savor the city’s treasures one last time before getting together for a farewell dinner with friends before departure.

Farwell and drop-off at the airport, or the opportunity to join another of our programs