Mera Peak Climbing – 16 days

Once you arrive in Kathmandu, a team member of Extollo Adventures will pick you up from the Tribhuvan International Airport and drive you to your hotel. Check-in and catch up on your sleep if you have had a long flight. You can explore a bit of Thamel, the tourist hub of Kathmandu, if you are not too tired.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Today you will prepare for your upcoming trek. There will be a trip briefing at our office or the hotel you will be staying in. You will meet your climbing guide, who will brief you about your expedition. He will inform you about the route you will take and the routine you will follow while trekking. Finally, there will be a gear and equipment check.

If you don't have your personal climbing gear and you plan to rent them, we recommend you do it from Khare. Khare has a gear and equipment rental outlet where you can hire climbing gear and equipment. It will be cost-efficient and easier for you than renting it from Kathmandu.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Your day starts early. After breakfast, you will be driven to the domestic airport from where you take a flight to Lukla. Right after take-off, you will be presented with amazing views of the Himalayan mountains.

The landing at the narrow runway of the Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla is an unforgettable experience. The airport is built above a cliff surrounded by high mountains. After getting off the plane, you meet the assistant guides and porters. The heavier baggage will be carried by the porters.

Your trek starts from Lukla. Leave the bustling town and head towards Paiya via Surkye. Compared to the trail to Phakding, this route has less traffic, and you can enjoy walking in solitude. Cross a bridge and walk on a path covered with lush greenery. You climb up and down narrow stone stairs. After many ascents and descents, you finally reach Paiya, your first stop in the mountains.

Overnight in Paiya.

Leaving Paiya, you walk past terraced fields, rustic farms, and lush forests. En route, you cross the Paiya Khola and climb up to Khari La, a mountain pass. After crossing the pass, you trek through a thick forest of bamboo and rhododendron. You reach the Sherpa village of Pangom after a long walk. Head to a local teahouse and rest your aching legs.

Overnight in Pangom.

Today's trek takes you past a wild and pristine forest. You ascend Pankongma La (3174m), a mountain pass, and cross over from the Dudh Koshi River Valley to the Hinku Valley while savoring astounding views of the Numbur Himal. You can enjoy the first view of Mera Peak from the trail. You stop for lunch at a village en route and later trek all the way to Ramaillo Danda. It's a steep and tiring climb, but the views are amazing.

Overnight in Ramaillo Danda.

The trail takes you past a thick forest. Enter the Makalu Barun National Park, an ecological treasure house of rare Himalayan flora and fauna. The park extends to the Tibetan border and is home to the endangered Red Panda, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Tahrs, musk deer, etc.

Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world, Baruntse, Chamlang, and Mera Peak lie within the park's territory. Following the Pasang Lhamu trail (named after the first Nepalese female Everest summiter), you head to Chhatra Khola, where you stop for the night.

Overnight in Chhatra Khola.

You make an early start and head north. Trek alongside the Majhang Khola for some time and cross it to reach the bank of Hinku Khola. Walking on the side of the river Hinku, you follow an up and down trail till you get to a bridge. You cross this and walk on the other side. After hiking for a while, you reach Kothe. Follow your guide to a local teahouse and enjoy a hot meal and good rest.

Overnight in Kothe.

You make your way to the beautiful Upper Hinku Valley today. Savoring fantastic views of Kusum Kanguru and Mera Peak, you walk high above the treeline. The landscape looks barren as stubbly short grasses cover the hills.

Walking past kharkas or seasonal camps of nomadic yak herders, you see how the local yak herders shelter themselves from the elements. Because of the harsh conditions, there are no permanent human settlements at this altitude. Only a handful of spartan tea houses operated by some enterprising locals for trekkers stand in this isolated wilderness.

Stop at Gondishung for refreshment and Lungsumgba Gompa, a Buddhist shrine that is said to be more than a century old. At the gompa, prayers are offered by the Sherpas for protection and good weather. Later continue your trek and reach Thaknak after a short hike.

Overnight in Thaknak.

Today's hike is a bit challenging. You traverse past the Dig Glacier and walk close to the Charpati Tal, a mountain lake. Make your way down the glacier and walk up to Dig Kharka. Jaw-dropping views of Mera Peak, Charpati Himal, Kyeshar Peak, and glaciers keep you motivated.

Take a steep climb over Dig Kharka and reach the dramatic Hinku Nup and Shar glaciers. After a while, you reach Khare or the Mera Peak Base Camp. There are a couple of very basic teahouses at Khare. Some teahouses have outlets for renting climbing gear and equipment. If you want to hire climbing gear, you can do so. Your guide will help you out.

Overnight in Khare.

You get a clear view of the north face of Mera Peak from Khare. After waking up, you have your breakfast and head to a hilly slope for the pre-climb training,

Your climbing guide will instruct you on how to use ropes and harnesses. He will walk you through the correct techniques of abseiling and the use of jumars, ice axe, etc. Using a harness, you will be made to ascend and rappel down the slope.

For novice climbers, this pre-climb training will be pretty helpful. After the training, there is a final gear and equipment check. You go to bed early because you will begin your ascent of Mera Peak tomorrow. Before you retire, you pack for your climb.

Overnight in Khare.

After leaving Khare, you walk on a rocky trail to Mera La. From the track, you can savor grand views of the three Mera summits – Mera Central(6461m), Mera North(6476m), and Mera South(6065m).

Commercial expedition groups choose Mera Central as it is the most doable among the three summits. You too will be heading up the central summit. A tiring ascent up the Mera glacier brings you to high camp. At this point, no technical climbing is needed. While the trail is not that difficult, the cold and the high elevation makes things difficult. Above 5000 meters, each step is a struggle.

On reaching Mera High Camp, the Sherpas will serve you a hot beverage and warm soup. Mera High Camp offers astounding views of the five highest mountains in the world- Mount Everest, Lhotse, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. Gaurishankar, Baruntse, and Chamlang also appear close. Tonight you will be sleeping in a single tent.

Overnight at Mera High Camp (tented camp).

Climbing starts at 1 AM, and you prepare yourself for the summit push. Before hitting the slopes, you rope up (the team will be secured by 'man-rope'). Walking roped up in a line, you head up at a rhythmic pace. Your guide will lead you across the Mera glacier. It is an easy ascent up a gradual incline.

The terrain is easy, with no technical maneuvers needed. But due to the decrease in oxygen levels, taking each step will seem difficult. The most challenging section is the last 40-50 meters to the summit. There is a steep incline, and you will have to use fixed rope and jumars to climb the snowy hump of the summit.

You reach the summit of Mera Peak by 9 or 10 AM. Savor your victory and take pictures. Mount Everest(8848m), Makalu(8481m), Lhotse(8516m), Kanchenjunga(8586m), and Cho Oyu(8201m) appear close enough from the summit. Afterwards descend to High Camp and warm yourself with a steaming cup of tea, coffee, or soup. Later head down to high camp and walk to Khare.

Overnight at a teahouse in Khare.

An extra day reserved for summit push in case of bad weather or any other problem on Day 12.

From Khare, you board a helicopter and return to Lukla. Enjoy aerial views of the glacier, villages, and towering peaks. In Lukla you change your flight and continue your journey to Kathmandu via a fixed wing/regular plane.

Savor the panoramic views of the snow-covered mountains till you reach Kathmandu valley. The city looks beautiful from high above. Enjoy the bird's eye view of Kathmandu before finally landing at the domestic airport.

At the airport, our driver will meet you and drive you to your hotel.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Spend this day at leisure. You can chill out at your hotel or book a sightseeing tour. This day can also be used as a reserve day for any unforeseen event (flight delay, bad weather, sickness, injury, etc.) that may derail your plans.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Our representative will drive you to the airport at least three hours before your flight departs. If you want to visit more places in Nepal, please let us know. Our consultant will help you choose the right trip for you.