Vern’s willingness to share his vast experience is amazing. His ability to make all of us feel like real mountaineers is truly a gift I am thankful to have received.
Day 1
Arrive KTM (hotel and airport transfer). Please arrive by 2 pm to attend welcome dinner. You will likely need to depart one 0 two days earlier to arrive in Kathmandu on this day.
Day 2
We’ll begin our exploration of Kathmandu this morning. While modern by Nepalese standards, Kathmandu is a sacred city to Hindus and Buddhists. Our tour is an important introduction to understanding the cultures that lay ahead. Kathmandu is prominently featured in Buddhist scriptures and Hindu texts such as the Ramayana. Our tour includes three World Heritage Sights — 3,000-year-old Swayambhu (monkey temple), the Hindu temple and cremation site Pashupati, and the great Stupa of Boudhanath. Following our tour, we will complete a thorough gear check.
Day 3
Early morning flight to Lukla (9,350 ft/2850m. Acclimatization day in Lukla as we tour the town and surrounding area. We’ll visit the monastery and local hospital and take advantage of what will be the last vestige of restaurants and shopping. Overnight in Lukla.
Day 4
Helicopter to Khote ( 11,800 ft/3600 m).
Day 5 – 6
Acclimatization hikes and skills review in Khote. Overnight Khote.
Day 7
Trek to Thangnak (14,300 ft/4360 m). After about a 5 hour trek from Khote, we reach Thangnak, a pretty village with big Himalayan views. We will stop along the way to visit the small cave monastery.
Day 8
Acclimatization in Thangnak. Today we will take an acclimatization hike above the village to view the glacial lake.
Day 9
Trek to Khare (16,240 ft/4900 m). Khare is the highest village in the valley. Here we will stay at our well-appointed guest house to acclimate for 2 days and finish any skills review.
Day 10
Khare – Skills review and day hike.
Day 11
Climb to Mera Peak Base Camp (17,500 ft/5335 m). After several days of acclimatization and skills review in Khare, we will climb an old lateral moraine above Khare. After about 3 hours, we will arrive at Base Camp, where we will spend one night.
Day 12
Climb to Mera Peak High Camp (19,029 ft/5,800 m). Climbing just above Base Camp, we reach the Mera glacier and change into our mountaineering gear. For the next 4 hours, we ascend beyond the Mera La and climb gentle slopes to our high camp.
Day 13 – 14
Weather days for summit bid.
Day 15
Return to Khare.
Day 16
After a relaxed breakfast in Khare, we pack up and trek back down valley to Khote. (Early departure via heli for extra cost may be possible this morning from Khare).
Day 17
Khote to Thuli Kharka (13,900 ft/4200 m). On one of the more demanding and beautiful days of the trip, we will descend down valley from Khote for several hours, and then start to climb for several more hours through lush forest to above the tree line. After a short traverse, we will reach Thuli Kharka, where we will stay for the night at our rustic teahouse.
Day 18
Return to Lukla: We continue climbing for several hours this morning to cross the high pass at Zatrwa La (15,220 ft/4640 m) before starting our descent to Lukla. We’ll have a shower and celebrate in Lukla tonight.
Day 19
Early morning flight to KTM (weather permitting). We’ll spend much of the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the amenities of our hotel.
Day 20
Free time to explore the city including the temples and sites of Durbar Square and the neighborhood of Thamel. We’ll assist climbers with their final shopping needs and have a farewell dinner. (Evening departure possible)
Day 21
Fly to home country.
Vern and Carol were exceptional guides. Vern Tejas’ decades of experience provided valuable insights and best practices for acclimatization, climbing skills, and self-care. Practice sessions using ascenders and goat-tail device for rappelling with gloves and mitts helped build confidence in critical skills necessary for the climb. – 2017 Climber
