Mera and Island Peak Climbing

A crucial step that will ease you up for the entire trip, you need to be sound enough for following all the guidelines. On the very first day of the journey, as you arrive at the hotel we will give you a quick overview of the trip and provide you with the necessary gear check. We will also help you with your packing and as the packing limits for a backpack and handbag are 10 kg and 5 kg respectively, we will guide you about the important things that are must carry. Keep the weight of the luggage as minimum as possible because it is difficult to climb up steep, uneven roads with a heavy luggage.

The flight to Lukla is undoubtedly one of the best flying destinations in the Himalayas. If you are lucky enough, you will be watching the first shimmering sight of the Everest and even Mera Peak and Island Peak which are something to cherish and ill raise your spirits high. A comfortable journey in the Twin Otter Flight, it will take you to the high altitude village of Lukla (2850 m) and prepare you for the further trek to the Mera Peak. After you land in Lukla, our staff will meet and greet you and soon we will start the journey towards the night stop, Poyan. The trail leaves out of Lukla in the southern direction and takes about 5 hours to reach Poyan.

Pangkongma is located at 2846 m and holds your breath as it is our next stop of the journey. Start the day early after breakfast and walk the trail that takes you steeply over a ridgeline above the Khare Khola. The trail from here runs on the other side of a ridge and contours along the hillside to finally enter the beautiful Pangkongma La Village (3167 m). Watch the locals farming and flaunting their authentic culture, this trading centre reflecting their hard working nature. The total walk of about 6 hours will reward you with the warm welcome from the locals of Pangkonmgma. There are numerous points of interest which include a monastery that you might visit for a change or you can spend your time socializing with the villagers, learning about their lifestyle and skills.

The trail to Nashing Digma at 2600 m runs past the monastery of Pangkongma and winds up in a zig-zag pattern through a dense forest to the Pangkongma La 3167 m. Consider it to be a great place to relax and rehydrate your body before starting again on the trail, you have enough to experience in the upcoming trekking sessions. The walk from here also opens up some amazing views of the Mera Peak and some adjacent high peaks. The steep descending trail ahead is packed with stunning views of valleys and ridges which looks quite compelling and contrasting to the high Himalayan landscape. We will have our lunch by the river before resuming on the walk to Nashing Dingma, our campsite for the night. The walk is on the opposite side of the valley and as you reach the beautiful campsite perched on the side of the hill, you can just about give your body a good rest.

Chalem Kharka is located at 3600 m and the trail is quite steep to walk on. As you start to make your way on the trail, you will get to admire the abundance of greenery of the surroundings and the pastures. The trail will take you to a beautiful pass called the Surka La where you can make a stop to have a warm and refreshing tea. From here, we will head directly towards Chalem Khaka. The campsite is open with some brilliant views of the surroundings and there are a few lodges nearby which make this place a perfect play for the stay of the trekkers. The 6 hours of relaxing walk finally end at the Chalem Kharka Campsite and after relishing your taste buds on a fulfilling dinner, get a goodnight sleeps.

It is a long day of a walk, so it is very important for us to start at the earliest possible hour. The long ascending trail takes you to a staggering elevation of 4500 m directly for lunch stop. As it is a steep climb, the trail has to be approached with a lot of caution and patience to let the body acclimatize well to the rising elevation. The intensity of the trail transforms from being easy to rocky terrain and from there a pile of steps that passes through many passes. Though it might look hectic, the sight of Kanchenjunga in the distance is quite refreshing for the travellers and cultivates in the zeal to reach the summit by overcoming all the hurdles. The final half of the walk runs on a well-paved path past numerous beautiful lakes before finally descending down to Chunbu Kharka. The 6 hours of the walk is rewarded with the supreme setting of the place on a valley floor at 4200 m and only a couple of people visit this place for taking the full experience.

We are in this enticing trekking journey for about a week and on this day, we will be trekking to Kothe. The trail leaves out of Chunbu Kharka and goes up a hill for about half an hour before an engrossing ascent all to the top of Hinku Valley. The picturesque panorama of the surrounding is extremely appealing. Furthermore, you will start walking downwards and enter a dense forest where you will stop for lunch. The trail runs all the way to the valley floor and the sound of the gushing river is indeed gripping. Continue the walk along the river before crossing it over a wooden bridge and we will finally arrive at Kothe. At an elevation of 3600 m, Kothe has a beautiful and authentic rural Nepalese setting.

One of the nicest trekking days, the journey to Tangnag at 4360 m is a one that you will truly enjoy and savour the views of the surroundings. The surreal beauty of the mountains in all direction as you move further in the trail will keep your spirits high. There is a threat of rockfall along the trail, so it is better to walk with caution as we keep trekking along the left flanks of the river. Let the beauty of the green pastures not deceive you as there is a dangerous rock slide that you need to watch out for and cross at a good pace. As you get to Tangnag, enjoy the beauty of the surrounding and retire for a relaxing sleep at the night as we will be setting-up here for providing a gorgeous experience.

Khare is located at a distance of 4 hours of walking from Tangnag, and the trail is blessed with the ravishing beauty of nature all around. The path cuts through the valley floor and the entirety of the majestic Black Mera Peak is heart-winning. Moreover, the whole trail is full of beautiful glaciers, lakes and certainly, it justifies as one of the most beautiful Himalayan Valleys. Enjoy the grandeur of the Black Mera sitting at an altitude of 5100 m and enjoy the lunch. We will next proceed for a tiring 4 hour hike to our final destination for the day, Khare.

The whole day today is dedicated to acclimatization to the high altitude and preparing for the further journey. Spend the time sorting all the climbing gears. Our team at Adventure Mission Nepal will also prepare a climbing scenario and guide you with the proper techniques of abseiling or using of Jumars and Crampons. It is important that you get comfortable with the equipment. We give the rest of the day to you and spend the time admiring the stupendous setting of the region.

However, if another day is required for acclimatization, we will extend our stay for another day. Further, we will spend the day training on a beautiful hill which will further introduce you to one of the fortunate sights of your life which is a glaciated valley situated at the north.

We are already in the Mera Climb section and our aim for the day is to travel to the Mera Base Camp. The base camp is at 5350 m and we will get through two other exciting points - the Mera La and the Mera Glacier. Though the climb will look like a piece of cake at the beginning as you move further in the trail, the steepness puts up a great challenge for the trekkers. Approach the path at a steady pace and make sure put every step forward with caution. Always keep the helmets and crampons on as rock falls is quite common in this region. As you reach the glacier, you can take some pride in yourself as the base camp is really close from here. Enjoy the walk across the glacier and admire the unreal sights of the surrounding. These are some scenes that you can never wash out from your mind and heart. It’s time to get to the Base Camp and have a relaxing night.

The Mera High Camp is just one step short of the summit and at an elevation of 5800 m, this is quite a trek you will encounter. Our trail today starts from the same glacier which we traversed the previous day and the path runs on easy graded snow slopes. Following on in the trail, we will get to an area of huge crevasses which has to be approached with caution. As we move up to the high camp, enjoy the Himalayan treasures- Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, and Nuptse. A total of maximum 3 hours will finally lead you to the camp behind a rocky section. The summit push is on the next day so have a good rest at night and get excited about an enthralling day.

The hike to the summit is extremely exciting as well as extremely hectic and strenuous. Hold it, as the time is nearing when your dream of conquering the peak will assume the shape of reality. Our aim is to leave for the peak by 2 am in the morning as it takes up around 6 hours and depends a lot on the weather conditions. Intermediate stops for rest is very important as that will help you move further with pace and persistence. The main or the central summit sits right above the wide glacier and is flanked by ridges on either side. Snowfields and crevasses make the most part of the trail further for the next couple of hours. Though Mera Peak has a total of 3 summits, our aim is conquering the highest one. The last 20 m to the summit is what drains out all the energy from the body and is very challenging as well. Jumaring is necessary on the short steep ice section to finally reach the summit. The views you get to witness from the summit are bewitching and post-card perfect. Spend some lone time with nature as you are hardly going to get back this moment ever. Now, while you start for the descending journey, abseil for a bit before starting on the long descent back to the high camp. It is necessary to give your body and mind a bit of relaxation before resuming the final trail back to Hinku Valley. The campsite is in Kongme Dingma in Hinku Valley at a much lower elevation of 4800 m, great sleep is a must for tonight.

The all new and fresh mountain setting is a treat to the eyes of every traveller who has been here. Start the day out of your camp and walk through the Hinku Valley to reach the base of a stunning mountain called the Chamlang. The trail from here runs along the right flank of the Hinku River till we get our campsite. You can choose to set up your camp at any place you like by the river.

A long walk of about 6 hours takes you to an elevation of 5500 m to the Amphu Lapcha Base Camp. Along the way, you will get some unique and fancied sights on the backside of the Ama Dablam Peak. It is a different one that most travellers do not get to witness. The trail traverses past glaciated lakes, glaciated moraine and ice pinnacles to finally converge to a ridge marking the very end of Hinku Valley. Besides all the beauty along the trail, once you reach this spot, the sight of the stunning lake enclosed by a mountain ridge is truly amazing. At a distance, you can even see the Amphu Lapcha Glacier. Take the path around the lake to reach the campsite. The wilderness of the region, fascinating scenery and the fact it is only miles from Mt. Everest is all total a super experience.

We will start the day very early at around 5 am in the morning. The first half of the walk is mostly on a rocky ridge till we get the first glimpses of the glacier. It has to be traversed so we will climb on to the Glacier and put on our Crampons to move further efficiently on a fixed line. The thrill and adventure are unmatched as we get to the top of the Amphu Lapcha Pass. From here we abseil and start descending steeply on the other side of the pass. Travellers require a good skill of mountain climbing to attempt this journey. This descent will take us to the Imja Valley and is quite risky and threatening. A short abseil over snow, rock, ice and scree with 250 m fixed ropes that will secure continuing steep descent till you get to a point from where you can walk down the slopes. The campsite is at the end of the Imja Glacier and around 3 hours from here. Though the hectic ride will take a huge toll on your body but the awe-inspiring sights of the Island Peak and Imja Valley will cheer you to the core. It is a long day of around 12 hours and probably the most hectic and strenuous of all the days.

It is important that we give our body a bit of recovery time after the long day we had the previous day. Our journey is short today of around 2 hours only to the Island Peak Base Camp. Enjoy the relaxing walk on gradual ascend till you reach the campsite. The grandeur of the Nuptse Peak wall is a compelling sight of the region.

Dedicate this day to acclimatizing and getting rest. If you think you need more training with your climbing gear you can choose to that, else just sit back and relax the extensive beauty of the Island Peak Base Camp.

The Island Peak High Camp sits at an altitude of 5500 m and is quite tiring to walk. Start the walk out of the base camp on a steep hillside engulfed by the superior beauty of the Imja Valley. As we move further into the trail, the steep trail eases out and you will find yourself enjoying the rocky terrain more than ever. The Island Peak can also be seen from here, a sight that you would love to see before you start the climb. After a couple of hours, you will get to the high camp. Give some rest and preparation to your body as the climb starts as early as 2 am in the morning.

The Island Peak climb is something that you will be really proud of. The final goal of this trail will motivate you to be an ardent trekker and reach your destiny. We will start the day at the earliest with the right preparation and patience. We start with the climb of the rock gully to finally emerge out on the right flanks of the gully. Follow the ridgeline to get to the snout of the glacier. The glacier we need to traverse further has numerous crevasses so we need to rope up to the glacier and further we might need some jumaring and climbing. Though the trail seems easy at first, the final 100m on snow and ice slope is beyond tolerance. Our guides will help you fix the ropes as the angle of elevation is as steep as 60 degrees and can be extremely life-threatening. It is of utmost importance that you have prior climbing and mountaineering experiences. As you get to the top of the summit, sink in the picturesque beauty of the views around you. On your way down, be careful with the abseiling and approach the descent with caution and patience. The long day of 14 hours finally ends as you reach Chhukung.

The sudden descent from such high altitude to 3860 m can be a bit difficult to adjust. As you reach Tengboche, enjoy the day relaxing and strolling around the region. There is a famous monastery in the close vicinity which you can visit in Tengboche.

Namche Bazaar is around 4 hours from Tengboche and the best place to celebrate the successful completion of this outstanding journey. You will be already overloaded with proud but the contact to sufficient oxygen will add to more happiness. This famous Sherpa Village has a number of bakeries and cafes where you can go and relax. Interact with the locals and make most of the day as our last few days in the untouched form of nature will be worth reminiscing.

On our last day, we take the final steps back to Lukla. As you walk on the trail crossing the Dudh Koshi River over numerous bridges, keep the memories of the daunting peaks alive in your heart and mind. The 7 hour hike to 2850 m, Lukla marks the very end of this outstanding trekking and climbing expedition. Find sometime for souvenir shopping if needed and then the trip comes to a closure

Catching an early Morning flight to Kathmandu, we will have time to rest for the day or if you prefer visit few places such as Thamel; which is particularly famous for international tourists. We will have a farewell dinner for the accomplishments we have made in the past 3 weeks.

A journey into the wilderness and raw magnificence of Nepal, brilliant sights of the high Himalayan Peaks, extravagant mountain vistas, thrilling climbs, and some authentic rural Nepalese setting, the “Mera Peak, and Island Peak Climb”, is a life-changing experience. We at Adventure Mission Nepal, promise to make this fabulous experience even more memorable with our exclusive services. Our hospitality, welcoming and friendly nature will appease the customers and you can be assured of our assistance at every step. Come see what Nepal has to offer for the enthusiastic travellers and trekkers, who do not fear an unforgiving trail or a challenging climb into some of the highest points of planet Earth. Avail the assistance from the trained professionals of Adventure Mission Nepal and get to know the best of nature.