Mera Peak to Island Peak, the 6000 meters duo

We leave Kathmandu in the morning for a flight to Lukla (35 min) where we meet our team. We follow a path that begins with a gentle slope. We cross a shoulder to a sheepfold then a big climb awaits us before a ”Nepalese dish” in a forest of rhododendrons. We descend slightly and cross a torrent before ascending to the hamlet of Thukdingma. There is only one last zigzag climb in the middle of a forest to reach the village of Chutanga.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 2 hours
Elevation gain: + 750 m / – 50 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 3,500 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: overnight in lodge or tent

From Chutanga we climb in a lace through a wooded slope towards the austere gorge which dominates the village. Through the trees, we can see below Chutanga and even the tall houses of Lukla and in the distance the mountains which border the valley of Thame. We join the Kharkateng lodge and continue on an excellent path but often snowy or even frozen in autumn (sticks recommended). We go up the slope under a rocky bar to reach a grassy shoulder. The view of the Himalayas now widens to Cho Oyu, this 8,153 m summit located on the Tibetan border straddling the valleys of Thame and Gokyo lakes. From the pass, the “descent” towards the Hinku Khola valley requires crossing a new pass, the Zatrwa La, which can be seen at the bottom of the valley. Behind,

Number of hours of walking: approximately 5 hours
Elevation gain: + 1,150 m / – 450 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 4,210 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in lodge

We descend towards the valley to get a cliffside path that gives access to a valley. We cross it and cross a ridge. The path continues by crossing a new valley until you reach a scree corridor in which you go up on a beautiful staircase. We cross a shoulder which gives access to a balcony path from which we discover the Hinku Khola valley dominated by the Mera peak. We descend into a forest of young rhododendrons and then reach the site of Thulo Dunga. The descent continues on the cliffside to Taktor. A ”Nepalese dish” then leads us to Tashing Dingma followed by a severe ascent on the side of a cliff on a steep staircase to pass a shoulder before descending on the other side to dominate the Hinku khola from the edge of the moraine. The atmosphere is very austere. The path now remains very close to the river, which we finally leave while going up into a pine forest. We arrive at Khote.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 4 hours
Elevation gain: + 500 m / – 1,160 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 3,550 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in lodge

From the village of Khote we continue along the river with the south face of the Mera peak in line of sight. We pass the confluence of the Hinku khola with the Sanu khola and discover mountains that complete the panorama to the left of the Kyashar. A slow ascent on the stony moraine then we go up through the blocks along the river to Saure. The climb continues pleasantly through alpine pastures to Duk gompa, located in a cave. Then we move away from the river to climb the moraine to a sheepfold to finish on the stony flat of the morainic basin of Thangnag. The village is behind a large heap of pebbles facing the impressive heights of moraines that descend from the Mera peak glacier complex. The views of the peaks are splendid:

Number of hours of walking: approximately 4 hours
Elevation gain: + 710 m / – 20 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 4,240 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in lodge

Day of acclimatization to altitude with the optional ascent of a panoramic grassy ridge above the village towards Thangnag Ri up to 4,900 m or even a little more. Beautiful plunging view of all the glacial valleys that have been hollowed out at the foot of the mountains, from Gonghla to Mera peak. A beautiful setting conditions. Return to the village in the early afternoon.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 3 hours
Elevation gain: + 700 m / – 700 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 4,240 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in lodge

We leave the village by crossing the stony moraine to find the start of the Mera La trail which is at the foot of a grassy moraine. The summit of Kyashar has a vertical rock face which ends in a sharp point while at the back we contemplate the row of a glacial ridge of the Himalayan Charpote of Kusum Kangguru and Gonghla. We progress on the flat and follow a sandy stretch then we go up again to reach a flat. We set foot on a grassy moraine before discovering the first houses of Khare under the Peak 41.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 3 hours
Elevation gain: + 600 m / – 20 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 4,850 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in lodge

We climb the moraine to cross the Mera La at 5,415 m. The mountainous circus is strikingly beautiful. We pass a shoulder then a scree from where we see the Mera Peak, then the Kangtega. Passing the pass is easy and the views of Kusum Kanguru and peak 41 are superb. We join the Mera La base camp located on the side of the Hunku Khola valley at the foot of the Naulekh.

In the early afternoon, a little practice of the mountaineering technique on the icy slopes of the southern slope of Mera La. This is an opportunity to check everyone’s equipment and become familiar with (crampons, ice ax , helmet, harness and Jumar handle).

Number of hours of walking: approximately 3 hours
Elevation gain: + 555 m / – 65 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 5,350 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: overnight in tents

From the Mera Peak base camp we go up to the glacial flank neck then on snow slopes. Behind us: Everest and Nuptse unfold, then Makalu and Kangchenjunga appear in a pass between two peaks. The fifth 8,000 of the day finally appears: the Cho Oyu. We arrive at Mera Peak High Camp, located near the rocky outcrop at the foot of the Mera glacier.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 3 hours
Elevation gain: + 410 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 5,760 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: overnight in tent

The hardest and most beautiful day of the trip! We start very early the ascent of the summit (north slope) first by a regular slope at 30 ° then at the end which can reach 40 °. Sometimes it is necessary to equip with a fixed rope. From the summit we admire the most prestigious Himalayan peaks including four 8,000 m: Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Kangchenjunga. But also Ama Dablam, Nutpse, Baruntse and the south face of Lhotse. The descent is long (but beautiful, facing this legendary landscape) to find the Mera La base camp.

Number of hours of walking: around 10 h
Elevation gain: + 700 m / – 1,110 m
Altitude at the end of the day: around 5,350 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: overnight in tents

Today we are moving from mineral to mineral but with a very nice portion of alpine pastures where it is good to find the greenery. We pass Kongme Dingma before heading towards Egg Lake (Anda tal in Nepali). Then the path goes almost in a level curve to find the bed of the Hunku Khola dominated by the gigantic icy faces of the Chamlang. Then a quiet climb interspersed with a few short climbs leads us to the outskirts of Lake Seto Pokhari (the white lake in Nepali) at the bottom of which is Chamlang base camp, a summit at 7,319 m climbed for the first time May 31, 1962, by a Japanese team. Cold night to predict.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 5 hours
Elevation gain: + 505 m / – 830 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 5,025 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: overnight in tents

After a thunderous awakening with the cackling of the ptarmigan, we head towards the foot of the Amphu Lapsa, a glacial pass which is borrowed during the expeditions that come or go to the Makalu or the Baruntse. We evolve in a high mountain environment, rugged and morainic and cross many lakes embedded in the rock garden.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 5 hours
Elevation gain: + 400 m / – 65 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 5,360 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: overnight in tent

We go up to cross the Amphu Lapsa pass, swaying between the seracs of the glacier on the south face. From the pass of the pass, exceptional peripheral view of the high mountains of Khumbu with the moraine valley of the Imja glacier at the bottom. After contemplation, a bit of seriousness by following on a stony track on the north face to join the start of a rocky and icy corridor that the management team will secure (abseiling or windmill) for about fifty meters before being able to access to the glacier supply basin. Then, following the broad line of the lateral moraine, we reach the hamlet of Chukhung located on the “classic” trek of the high passes of Everest, in constant descent.

Number of hours of walking: around 9 h
Elevation gain: + 450 m / – 1,100 m
Altitude at the end of the day: around 4,740 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in lodge

1st day : We go up to the base camp of Island Peak. After Chukhung, the climb is initially quite steep, before reaching the glacial valley located between the Lhotse and Imja glaciers. We thus reach the edge of the Imja glacier, near which is the Imja Tse Base Camp (Island Peak). For those who want to try the ascent (ascent permit not included in the price of the trip) we check the equipment and its use (crampons, ice ax, rope, jumar). Those who do not attempt the ascent descend to Chukhung.

2nd day: Ascent of Island Peak. The name of Island Peak was given in 1952 by the expedition of Eric Shipton, because since the surroundings of Dingboche this summit resembles an ”island” in the middle of a ”Sea of ​​Ice”. But the first expedition that climbed it was that of Charles Evans, Alf Gregory and Tenzing Norgay, in preparation for the ascent of Everest. Shortly after our early departure (around 3:00 a.m.) to reach the summit, we reach the glacier and then progress on the crevasses of the glacier, we reach the most delicate passage, that is to say a snow and ice ramp , which we cross using a fixed rope of almost 100 meters. We arrive on the final slope (45 °) which is either climbed directly or bypassed (depending on the snow cover). We thus reach the southern ridge of Island Peak, which we climb gently to the summit, without any significant difficulty other than the altitude. A superb stop with a view of Ama Dablam leads us to the top of Island Peak (one of the most accessible peaks) from where we have a superb view of the Lhotse and the eternal Ama Dablam. The view is absolutely spectacular from the summit, 360 °, and especially in the North over the whole of Lhotse (8,501 m), Lhotse Middle Peak (8,410 m) and Lhotse Shar (8,383 m), as well as on the Nuptse (7,879 m). To the east, we see Cho Polu (6,734 m) which dominates the Lhotse Shar glacier, behind the granite mass of Makalu (8,475 m). In the South, it is the Baruntse (7,720 m) and the Amphu peaks, then the Ama Dablam (6,856 m) behind, and at the West of many more distant peaks. Return to Chukhung.

For people who do not wish to climb the Island Peak, they can do the ascent of the summit of Chukhung Ri which dominates the village and rises to 5,545 m. The ascent takes place entirely on a trail and throughout the ascent there are enlarged views of the Khumbu mountains which border the Imja valley, and well beyond… Count 4 hours return with + 815 m / – 815 m.

Number of hours of walking : 2 days (4 hours and 9 hours)

Elevation: + 1,470 m / – 1,470 m
Altitude at the end of the day: around 5,020 m
Meals: breakfasts – lunches – dinners
Accommodation: overnight in tent for climbers (or single lodge for others)

If the weather conditions are good, rather than going straight down into the valley, it is not possible to leave Khumbu without considering a detour to Gorakshep and the Kala Pattar from which we can admire effortlessly (we are now well acclimatized at altitude…) the mineral circus which is at the foot of Everest. But first it is a question of crossing a pass more than 5,500 m up from lake plateau to lake plateau under the ”look” of Ama Dablam, the most beautiful mountain in the World …? On the west side, the descent is much more mineral to reach the left bank of the Khumbu glacier while the sun is disappearing and the glacial mountains are tinged with orange, red and red. Nice atmosphere but… it remains to cross the glacier, fortunately covered with pebbles:

NB: It should be noted that the program for day 17 can be used as a reserve day in the event of bad weather on one or other of the summits.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 6 hours
Elevation gain: + 1,000 m / – 800 m
Altitude at the end of the day: approximately 4,930 m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in lodge

In three days, we reach the Lukla altiport, stopping at Shomare and Namche Bazar. These very touristy valleys contrast greatly with the isolated areas in which we were able to evolve. Colorful lodges, drinking places and shops of all kinds follow one another along the road. We start to hear the “Give me a pen” or “photo, photo”… Note that we will have the opportunity to pass in interesting places like Pangboche, Tengboche (monastery and breathtaking view of the mountains of Khumbu, Ama Dablam , Everest, Lhotse, etc.), Namche and Ghap.

Number of hours of walking: approximately 5 hours
Elevation gain: + 1,200 m / – 3,450 m
Maximum altitude: approximately 4,000 m
Meals: breakfasts – lunches – dinners
Accommodation: nights in lodge

Return flight to Kathmandu. Depending on the time of arrival, free time in the Nepalese capital.

Mode of transfer / transport: by private vehicle
Altitude at the end of the day: around 1,300 m
Meals: breakfast – free lunch (not included) – free dinner (not included)
Accommodation: night at the hotel

Safety day which can be used during trekking or free day in Kathmandu.

Altitude at the end of the day: around 1,300 m
Meals: breakfast – free lunch (not included) – free dinner (not included)
Accommodation: night at the hotel

Mode of transfer/transport: by private vehicle
Meals: breakfast – free lunch (not included)

—– END OF PROGRAM —–

For unforeseeable reasons during your trip such as climatic hazards, poor health of the participants or others (road conditions, traffic blockage), your guide may have to adapt the program, if necessary for the smooth running of your trip. He remains the sole judge and guarantor of your safety. Walking times are given for information only and may vary from one participant to another.