Mera
Peak 6476m Expedition  |
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Course
overview
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Course
dates & availability
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If
you have always dreamed of climbing in the
Himalayas, this expedition gives you the
opportunity to trek at altitude with spectacular
views. |
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Mera
Peak is famous in the region as a trekking
non technical ascent, yet because of its altitude
and expedition ascent style, it will provide
a challenge for experienced Alpine climbers. |
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The length of the expedition ensures that
your acclimatisation is developed slowly so
that you can enjoy the trek and the ascents. |
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The only requirement for this expedition is
that you have good stamina and fitness, as
all necessary climbing techniques can be taught
during the expedition. |
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Our
formula is to restrict the group sizes, so
that there are a maximum of 8 clients. The
small group sizes enable us to run specialist
ascents, where the group can bond well, and
each expedition member has great access to
the local guides. |
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Although
you require no previous mountaineering experience
for this expedition, you are advised to be
a competant trekker who is familiar with up
to six hour days with 1300m height gains.
As you will note from the itinerary, this
expedition is quite intensive in order to
ensure your acclimatisation. Upon booking
you will be sent an expedition dossier &
training training schedules. |
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The
expedition is led by local sherpas for leading
on climbs, and an Icicle leader for logistics.
The price includes internal flights to Lukla
from Katmandu, land transfers, all climbing
permits for the region, accommodation in tents,
and the services of a camp cook and assistants. |
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Dates: these
are listed in the column on the right, and
they show the live availability from our secure
online booking system. When you book online,
you receive immediate confirmation, your Alpine
Information Booklet, course specific kit list
and invoice. |
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Currently FCO Advice:
We always ahere to the travel advisory from the
UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office Advisory,
for all our expeditions. Click on the logo to
the right for further information on the region.
We support the FCO "Know Before You Go"
campaign (click
for details). These measures are to
protect you, as if we were to offer a trip to
this region during times of an advisory against
travel, it is highly likely that your insurance
would be invalid in case of any issues, and the
costs incurred could be huge. |
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Expedition
groups and experience
Our
formula is to restrict the group sizes, so that there
are a maximum of 12 clients. The small group sizes enable
us to run specialist ascents, where the group can bond
well, and each expedition member has great access to all
the Icicle staff, and local guides and porters. This is
more intimate than the mass group commercial style expeditions
run by some operators, where the individuals needs and
speeds cannot be catered for. Although
you require no previous mountaineering experience for
this expedition, you are advised to be a competant trekker
who is familiar with up to six hour days with 1300m height
gains. As you will note from the itinerary, this expedition
is quite intensive in order to ensure your acclimatisation.
Upon booking you will be sent an expedition dossier &
training training schedules. |
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Who
is the expedition aimed at?
The
ascent of Mera Peak takes you to the summit of the highest
trekking peak in Nepal. As the ascent is largely non technical,
the expedition will appeal to those with basic mountaineering
experience, who want to reach a summit in the Himalayas.
The photo above shows the summit view across the Khumbu,
and the horizon is dominated by the bulk of the Everest
group, which includes Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, and Mount
Everest itself. This
is a rewarding experience as it provides glorious views
of Nepal and a vista that takes in Kangchenjunga and Makalu
to the east and Everest appearing over the massive southern
aspect of Nuptse and Lhotse to the north. On the western
horizon you can see the Himalayan scale versions of the
Matterhorn, in the shapes of Kang Taiga and Ama Dablam,
and further away still is the 8000m peak of Cho Oyu. This
expedition is an ideal next step for those who have climbed
Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc or Elbrus, and who wish to develop
their skills and altitude records further. We developed
the itinerary of this expedition, to minimise the amount
of time that you need to take off work, whilst maximising
your experience of Nepal and taking in several famous
cols and the summit of Mera. |
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Expedition
summary
After flying
to Katmandu in Nepal, you fly onwards to the imfamous
landing strip of Lukla. Then the approach trek to the
peak takes you through the lush Himalayan forests and
foothills, before you climb over the famous Mera La
col. Base camp is soon reached, and several days are
allowed for the ascent, before descending the more direct
route back to Lukla over the Zatrwa La pass / col. From
Lukla you fly back to Katmandu, and from there back
home.
Your
acclimatisation
This is
a key concern of anyone visiting the Himalayas or any
high altitude peak for the first time, and we have done
everything possible to make the ascent as comfortable
as possible for you. Firstly our approach trek takes
a longer route than the standard (and rapid) ascent
to base camp over Zatrwa La pass / col from Lukla, that
is offered by the vast majority of operators. Our longer
trek both gives you access to a better wilderness experience
in terms of the local farming communities and landscape,
and this
trek route provides far better acclimatisation due to
the successive passes that are crossed, and the greater
length of time allowed to improve fitness and acclimatisation. |
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Fitness
and experience
Although
the mountain is classified as a trekking peak, for our
Mera Peak Expedition, you should have a high aerobic level
of fitness. We suggest that you equate this with being
able to run a half marathon, preferably a bit more! The
time does not matter, rather your aerobic stamina and
endurance. As well as this level of fitness, all clients
should have previous ice axe and crampon experience, to
a similar level as someone who had completed one of our Alpine
Intro 'Summits & Skills' courses. During the expedition, you will receive further
instruction at the snout of the Mera glacier. Once everyone
is up to speed in their ice skills, it is normal for groups
to be able to attempt the summit, and to return to base
camp in one long day. This makes the ascent Alpine style,
as successive camps are not required. If the snow / ice
conditions do not allow for this one day summit bid, we
can establish an intermediary camp at 5800m on the Mera
glacier. Obviously this makes the summit day much shorter,
and so raises the summiting chances of everyone. |
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Skills - A
good level of competence (stability) on crampons
is a bonus, and previous skills level to those provided
by an Introductory Alpine or Winter Skills course. Level of Fitness - Good
to High aerobic
fitness level. Upon
booking you will be sent an expedition dossier &
training training schedules. It can be viewed (and
printed) by clicking on the link to the right. |
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| Icicle
Mera Peak Expedition Itinerary |
| 1 |
Fly
to Kathmandu Airport. The flight is normally overnight,
sometimes via Dubai or one of the Gulf states. Depending
on your ticket, you will spend the night in a hotel
or on the plane. |
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The
flight arrives in Kathmandu, and you are met by
the local team. Transfer to hotel. Time for shopping
and sighseeing around the town. Expedition briefing
and kit checks. Night spent in the Kathmandu hotel. |
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Flight
to mountain runway of Lukla. Meet the main team
of local sherpas, cooks and porters. Start the main
trek to reach the village of Poyan at 2800m for
the night. Night spent in tents. |
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Trek
over the Poyan Khola pass far above Khare Khola,
to reach Pangkongma at 2846m. This region has been
affected by deforestation, so yak dung is used for
fires! Night spent in tents. |
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The
route ascends to Pangkongma La pass, which gives
you the first good views of Mera Peak. Descend into
the Hinku valley, cross river on wire bridge, ascend
to Nashing Dingma. Night
spent in tents. |
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Ascend
to reach Chalen Kharka at 3600m via the Surke
La pass. Even
at this height, there is still vegetation surrounded
by rhododendrons and fir trees. Night
spent in tents. |
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Climb
beyond 4000m for the first time today, over rough
ground. You will see Jannu and Kanchenjunga. Pass
Panch Pokari to reach the camp site for the night
at Chunbu Kharka. Night
spent in tents. |
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Today
is a rest day, staying at the Chunbu Kharka camp.
For those with energy, there are lots of local walks
and easy scrambles to keep you busy. Night
spent in tents. |
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Descend
into the Hinku valley again, passing the site of
the 1998 natural floods where a natural dam gave
way, and the valley was scoured beyond recognition. Night
spent in tents. |
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Cross
the river and ascend the slops towards the days
objective of Tangnag. You pass through the summer
grazing pastures for yaks. The town has several
great tea houses. Night
spent in tents. |
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Today
you emerge above the tree line for the rest of the
expedition, and ascend towards Dig Kharka at 4650m,
close to the Hinku Nup glacier, next to which you
camp. Night
spent in tents. |
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During
the day, you trek onto the glacier for an ice school,
to learn the use of crampons and axes, as these
will be essential to reach Mera La and for the ascent
of Mera Peak . Night
spent in tents. |
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The
trek ascends to Mera Peak base camp today, over
the Mera Ma pass at 5400m. You descend just over
the far side to reach the camp site for the night. Night
spent in tents. |
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Another
ice school on ther Mera glacier, to perfect your
ice skills, and to confirm your acclimatisation
for the next day. In
the afternoon you should get some rest for the next
days. Night spent in tents. |
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There
is a choice of a long day for a summit bid, or to
move up to a high camp on the glacier at 5800m.
You will cross several crevasses to reach the high
camp. Night
spent in tents. |
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Summit
day for Mera Peak. Set off early across the North
Face glacier to reach the summit ridge and snow
wall. We fix ropes on this section to reach the
summit. Descend to Mera La. Night
spent in tents. |
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Today
is a spare day to allow for any bad weather or an
additional summit bid. If
the day is not nneded, you start the trek back down
towards Lukla. Night spent in tents. |
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To
walk back to Lukla by the most direct route can
easily be done in four days (i.e. using Day 17)
if required, but can quite feasibly be done in three.
From base camp the route leads over the Zatrwa La
pass at 4,600m, before it looses altitude quickly
on steep paths into the Dudh Kosi valley, and on
to reach Lukla. This route is new territory for
you, so you have yet more reason to photograph all
the peaks surrounding Mera itself. Once you are
back in Lukla you can really relax, and visit all
the bars and tea shops in the town. |
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Fly
from Lukla back to Kathmandu. From the airport you
are transfered back to the hotel. Enjoy your final
afternoon in Kathmandu, and for a final celebratory
meal. Night
spent in Kathmandu hotel. |
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Breakfast
in the hotel, then time for shopping for souvenirs
before the return airport transfer to Kathmandu
airport, then the return international flight back
home. |
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| ITINERARY
NOTES: Where possible we follow the itineraries,
but as mountaineering is always weather and conditions
dependant, we are sometimes forced to alter the
plans. If this is the case, a suitable different
route will be attempted, and you will be informed
at the first suitable opportunity. Please use this
outline course itinerary as a guide to the style
of expedition, with good conditions, as it will
not necessarily be an exact blueprint for the exact
routes and schedule that you will follow on the
expedition. |
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| Course
Prices |
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Mera
Peak Expedition |
22
days in total |
£2599 |
+
2 days Kathmandu |
24 days in total
(2 nights hotel in Kathmandu for
sightseeing) |
£2799 |
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Secure
online booking system |
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Course Inclusions: 1) Local guides for daily
leading, 2) Icicle leaders if group has six or more clients,
3) Pre expedition Info Booklet, 4) Equipment discount
voucher for in UK, 5) All hotel and hut accommodation
in area on a full board basis, 6) Road transport in region
and airport transfers, 7) All costs for expedition leaders,
local guides and porters, 8) We provide all communal equipment
(you provide your own clothing, mountaineering boots,
and climbing equipment), 9) Peak permits for Mera Peak. |
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| Exclusions:
1) Travel to & from Kathmandu airport, 2) Travel insurance,
3) Bar / restaurant bills & tips, 4) Evening meals
on the first and last night in area (budget on £10
per night), 5) UK and foreign airport taxes, optional
trips, souvenirs and tips, 6) Your personal laundry, telephone
calls, and any purchases in mountain huts / hotels / restaurants,
7) Extras before course: personal activities insurance,
& excess baggage charges. |
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| Notes:
This trip requires a minimum number of 4 people. If there
are less than minimum numbers, the course can go ahead
if you request it, but the price will rise. In this situation,
should you choose not to continue your booking, you can
opt for a full refund or a transfer onto another course
or date. |
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Icicle
expedition kit bag for FREE
All those booking on
this trip are entitled to a free Icicle expedition
kit bag. This tough c.65 litre capacity kit bag
is designed for full expedition usage and is made
out of durable fabric, and features carry straps.
It normally retails at £50. Postage within
the UK is included in the prices. If you live overseas,
it's not a problem at all. We'll let you know the
price for postage. Want a second bag? Order another, click
here. |
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