Mera Peak Climbing – 18 Days

You will begin after dawn to catch an early flight to Lukla. The flight is scenic and thrilling, as you traverse above towering peaks. After about 30 minutes, you will land at the narrow airstrip of the mountainous Tenzing-Hillary Airport, renowned for its challenging descent. At Lukla, you will have your first refreshment before heading on the trail lined by beautiful forests. If you happen to be here in late summer to early autumn, you’ll see captivating greenery all around. You will walk for around five hours passing through villages and forests before arriving for the night in Paiya. The beautiful trail and scenic views will contribute to your excitement on the first night as you prepare for the trek ahead.

It’s a challenging trek today, but with pleasant surroundings it will be worth every step. Starting from Paiya after breakfast, you will navigate through tropical forests, thin woods, and uneven trails with steep slopes. Downhill and uphill climbs are today’s major activities, with a stopover for lunch at a scenic village. Views of secluded Sherpa hamlets dotted among terraced farms and forests will definitely help you ease the tiredness of the day. As you gradually traverse uphill, you will arrive at a place called Pangom with prayer flags fluttering near a prominent monastery. Some elders might even recount to you of a paper-making workshop established here by Edmund Hillary himself, which sadly, has no existence today. Stay overnight in a teahouse.

After breakfast in Pangom, you will begin the trek by crossing the Pangom-La Pass (3,176m). Once out of Pangom, you will move along a steady path and head north to arrive at a river called  Peseng Kharka Khola. Cross it, and head towards the village of Ningsow for lunch. Staying quiet for some time, it is time to move on — first hiking through dense bamboo & rhododendron forests, and then crossing mani stones. We might have stayed at Ningsow, but pushing ahead to Ramailo Danda is better because of the view it offers. Aptly named “Ramailo Danda” or “Joyful Hill”, it provides incredibly beautiful views.

Today, you will be entering the beautiful Makalu-Barun National Park. You begin the challenging trek through dense forests, sometimes entirely of bamboo thickets. Around mid-day you will have officially entered the Makalu-Barun National Park, the ecological treasure-house and home to rare flora & fauna. The endangered red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan thar, spiny babbler, pale-blue flycatcher, and musk deer, are some of the more popular inhabitants of this region. Though sightings are infrequent, trekkers usually report glancing at some natives of these forests along the trail. Makalu-Barun is also home to Mt. Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world — with other prominent peaks Baruntse, Chamlang, and Mera, lying within the park’s territory. The path within the park ascends along the winding river called Chhetra Khola, where you will be joining the popular Pasang Lhamu Trail — named after the first Nepali woman to summit Mt. Everest. At Chhetra Khola you will stay for the night in a teahouse.

Start early and head north. You will trek close to the riverbank at first, then later cross it to reach Hinku River bank. In this easy section of the trek, you will follow the undulating trail along the Hinku river. The Hinku River Valley is home to lush bamboo forests, moss-covered trees, and high-altitude hilly terrain. You will see the landscape transform as you enter the rocky trails at upper regions. After a brief lunch at a seasonal teahouse, you will trek on until you come to an imposing wooden signboard that reads, “Welcome to Makalu-Barun National Park”, a sign that announces your encounter with civilization, and that rest is close at hand. You have arrived at the village of Khote — with impressive views of Mera Peak and of course hot food.

Begin after breakfast in Kothe, and trek north through the Upper Hinku Valley. Magnificent views of Kusum Kanguru and Mera Peak will inspire you for the trek ahead. The walk is mostly along a glacial river, which is characterized by slight easy inclines. Keep on waking through the trail that gives in to meadows with sparse vegetation. Along the way you will even come across a  kharka, a seasonal yak-herder camp. During stoppage for tea at Gondishung, an activity of interest might be visiting the 200-year-old Lungsumgba Gompa, a Buddhist shrine protected by a large rock. Here, it’s customary for mountaineers to pray for favorable weather before continuing an hour-long trek to Thaknak. Thagnag is a summer camp with newly-built teahouses where you can enjoy views of mountains and have a restful night stay.

You are greeted by a challenging trek first thing in the morning. Once you walk past the glacier called Dig, you will come to a pond (or a lake) called Charpati. A mountain lake, Charpati is a beautiful respite as you make your way up. Stunning views of Charpati Peak, Mera Peak, and Kyashar Peak will lure you in your uphill walk. Trek past Dig Kharka and begin a steep ascent through the glaciers of Hinku-Nup and Shar in order to arrive at Khare, your stop for the night. Here basic tea-houses are found. They provide food, shelter, and even rent you climbing gear if needed. Have a hearty lunch here, and relax for the rest of the day.

Staying overnight this close to mountains has its own benefits — like having a breakfast with sumptuous views of the giant peaks. As your excitement builds up for the day, you will realize that it’s no more walking for the day. All you can have to do is relax and enjoy the day in this hamlet in the mountains, with very short hikes for some acclimatization. Today is also your chance to catch some breath and let your body adjust to the thinner air at this altitude. During the day you can practice using some gears. The guides will teach you the proper use of axes, ropes, and crampons. Jaw-dropping views of nearby peaks will brighten your day. And if you feel like it, you can wander around the shops or take a short hike to nearby locations searching for inspiration before making the big climb.

Early in the morning after tea, you will begin the short trek to Mera Peak Base Camp located at 5,350 m. Out of Khare, you will ascend steeply via a rocky path to Mera-La pass. From top of this pass, you will see summits of all three peaks — Mera North, Mera Central, and Mera South. From the pass, you will navigate through snow slopes and crevasses, eventually leading to High Camp. At High Camp the views get even better — with stunning views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Nuptse. Before camping for the night, the cook or the guide will prepare hot drinks. Rehydrate, rest, and recover, in order to increase the chances of summiting Mera Peak.

The big day begins well past midnight. At around 2 AM, you begin gearing up and roping up. First you will head to the Mera Glacier and navigate a gradual slope to approach the summit. You will see that the terrain becomes steeper, requiring fixed ropes and jumars. The final 40 to 50 meters to the top is particularly challenging, requiring the aid of jumars. You will be busy focusing on climbing but do not miss the sunrise. Due to the decrease in oxygen levels and cold air, taking each step will seem difficult.  and by 9 or 10 AM, you’ll have reached the summit. Rest here for a bit with a sense of glory and pride — for you have just conquered the highest trekking peak in Nepal. You will be greeted by stunning views of Baruntse, Chamlang, Cho-Oyu, Everest, Kanchanjangha, Lhotse, Makalu, and Nuptse — a sight not even rivaled from the top of Kalapatthar! Take photos as much as you can, and descend to High Camp for a warm drink. After a brief stop there, continue trekking down to Khare for an overnight stay in a teahouse.

We have reserved a day today for the sake of emergencies. In case that your summit has to be postponed due to bad weather or delays because of health, physical weakness, or injury, it is customary to set aside a day of contingency. If things go as planned, you will shorten a day in your itinerary. The weather at this altitude cannot be predicted as at one moment it might snow and at the other it might rain. If there are no unexpected reasons, the trip will go smoothly as planned.

With hearts filled with the glorious feeling that comes after a successful summit, you will begin your descent to Khote. First you will follow the Hinku River basin enjoying scenic views of moraines, the Dig Glacier, and lush forests. The scenic trek, which takes about 6 hours, will also take you past kharka and pastures. The trek is long and tiring today but views of stunning landscapes will make it worthwhile. As you arrive in Khote around evening, you will relax at the thought of food and rest.

With each passing day we will be trekking down to lower elevations. The new shorter route to Lukla is mostly an uphill climb that takes around six hours. Descending along the Hinku River Valley, you will pass an ancient monastery, streams & forests, and rhododendron thickets. Through green hills and valleys, you will catch occasional glimpses of Mera Peak. Walking along the river bank, you will stop for lunch. And later in the day you will make a final ascent to Thule Kharka, a hamlet where you can enjoy views of Ama Dablam, Everest, and Nuptse — and sleep for the night in a teahouse.

Today is the final day of the trek in this program. It’s a 7-hour trek with stunning mountain views and vibrant scenery. Start with an early breakfast before heading towards Zatrwa-La Pass at an altitude of 4,610 meters. From the pass, you can have a great view of the surroundings and relax for a bit. Descend on the other side on a trail that leads through a dense forest towards the village of Chutanga. After a brief stopover here, you will continue downhill passing several villages and rivers, to reach Lukla. Here, you can spend the rest of the evening in a cafe enjoying hot coffee or in your lodge soaking in a hot shower — bringing an end to this epic trek.

The flight from Lukla is a scenic one, with views of the peaks you just went to, and some more. A stream of memories will fill you as you land in Kathmandu. The bustling city will be quite a sight in itself as you drive in the traffic jam towards your hotel. In the afternoon you can take a soothing massage or simply wander the market hunting for souvenirs and those “hashish-rickshaw” t-shirts that everyone returning from Nepal buys. And in the evening, you will visit a diner, sharing stories and once again, being grateful for the soul-enriching journey you just took to Makalu-Barun.

A day sightseeing tour is a good thing to have, after returning from an arduous journey in the difficult terrain of the mountains. There are plenty of places to go in this capital city full of heritage. Although it does not seem like it at first, mainly due to the chaotic traffic and the hullabaloo, there are gems of places hidden inside the valley. Take a vehicle of your choice and stay in the comfort of air-conditioning while you visit places of luxury and pampering. You can go to a premium spa to relieve the muscles and relax, have the much-deserved lunch at a five-star hotel, or simply indulge in shopping. You can also customize a day-trip with us.

After breakfast or depending upon your flight schedule we will transfer you to the airport. As your plane takes off from the runway in Kathmandu, your journey to Nepal comes to an end for this time — until you decide to visit again for some memorable and soul-searching trip in the Himalayas.