Escalade du pic Mera

You are on the loose to spend the day as you prefer. Try out an excursion to explore the Kathmandu Valley (UNESCO world cultural heritage site) on your own; we’ll provide you with the necessary pieces of advice regarding the location of landmarks in this time-honoured valley and means to reach there. We can arrange a guided sightseeing day tour if you opt for a day trip in the company of a proficient English-speaking tour guide. We suggest you start your outing with a visit to the holy Pashupatinath Temple. Thereafter, you can take a look at the sacred Buddhist stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. At the end of the day, you can check out the spectacular Patan Durbar Square complex to witness its magnificent ancient architecture as well as the artistic wooden and stone carvings that beautifully adorns it.

Today, you’ll embark on a domestic flight destined for Lukla. This 30-minute-long scenic flight render aerial glimpses of the snow-clad mountains alongside the dramatic landscapes featuring ferocious rivers, forest-covered grounds, terraced hills and numerous human settlements. After landing at the Tenzing-Hillary airport in Lukla, we’ll move opposite to the famous Everest Trail. Moving through dense woods, we’ll cross a bridge to arrive at Surke (2,290m) then traverse Chutok La Pass (2,945m) before making it to Paiya. Aka Chutok (2,730m) this village extends a lovely Himalayan outlook embracing  Kongde Ri, Khatang, Tang Ragi Tu and other adjacent peaks.

As we resume our walk down the hill, we’ll go across a wooden bridge. From this point onwards till the time we overcome Kari La Pass (3,145m), it is slippery so be cautious while hiking in this segment of the route. The tapered mountain trail now advances through the woodland of rhododendron and bamboo and continues along the banks of Dudh Koshi River to Pangkoma (2,804m), a tiny yet serene village whose inhabitants involve in farming and trading to sustain their daily lives. Enjoy the sublime mountain scenery en route.

Leaving behind Pangkoma village, we’ll follow the rocky trail and climb to the other side of Panggom La Pass (3,174m). Accompanied by the mesmerizing outlooks of Mera Peak’s south face and Naulekh Peak; we’ll now move forward on the windy path past the greenwoods, long Mani wall, lush hills, ridges, hamlets, and teahouses to present ourselves in the village of Shibuche (2,854m) at long last.

Subsequent to a hearty breakfast, we’ll move uphill along a steep and narrow pathway i.e. typically found in the mountainous terrain of Nepal. Beyond the rhododendron and bamboo woodland, we’ll pass by the landslides to get as far as a freshwater stream gushing with pellucid waters. Progressing to the other side of a stream, we’ll forge to the further side of rhododendron woods and bamboo jungles. Here, we may come upon native wildlife including the rare Red Panda. We’ll then proceed a little further down a rock cave to arrive at Chhatra Khola (3,122m).

The narrow route now climbs alongside the Inkhu Khola and then unites with another path to Mera Peak via Zartwa La Pass (4,160m). Guided uphill by the trekking trail as straight as an arrow, we’ll reach Tashing Ongma (3,530m) which is a settlement harbouring seasonal tea shops. After some rest, we’ll run into the primary route to Mera Peak. Appreciating the wonderful views of Mera and the Hinku Valley, we’ll make an ascent to the north past Mosom Kharka (3,691m), Osila Kharka (4,060m) and Gondishung (4,180) in the direction of over next stopover at Kote (3,580m).

We’ll face a short trek this day.  Nevertheless, the initial steady abrupt climb followed by a descent and a steady advancement over a ridge to Tangnang (4,358m) may take a toll on us. On this segment of the rugged route, slow and steady movement is the key to putting in an appearance at the destination of this present day.

At the elevation of 4,358m asl, Tangnang is an expanding cluster of tea houses and an ideal place for acclimatization purposes. But not just its altitude, this village also offers a side-trip to Charpate Himal Glacier, which is great as well as essential for trekkers and climbers in order to adapt to the surroundings with lower oxygen density. We can observe the close view of Charpate Himal (6,770m) – a sacred mountain for the Sherpas community, close to the side of Mera north and other snow-capped mountains from here. Eventually, we’ll move back t at Tangnang.

Though it’s not the first time for some of you to reach above 5,000m asl; for most of us, it will be an unforgettable experience from both the good and bad sides. You’ll be exhausted on one side but on the other, your efforts will be recognized with spectacular views of Charpate Himal and incredible surroundings. We’ll now head out of Tangnag to the east along the lateral moraine of the Dig Glacier to Dig Kharka (4,659m). In our current situation, if our trek guide allows, we may climb up the moraine for vistas of the pristine Sabai Tso glacial lake (4,465m). We’ll ascend through some more moraines and then get as far as the snout of the Hinku Nup and Shar Glaciers. Thereafter, we’ll move up on a precipitous track to Khare (5,045m).

Starting the day with pleasant views encompassing beautiful North face of Mera Peak, we’ll gradually scramble up to negotiate Mera La Pass (5,415m). Subsequently, we’ll trek on a rock-strewn area as we proceed further beyond the Base Camp (5,350m) to emerge at High Camp (5,780m). Rest of the day, we’ll perform ice climbing training in the company of our experienced climbing guide and learn the uses of mountain gears such as ice axe, harness, ascender climbing boots and crampons as well as the efficient techniques to ascend a summit. Afterwards, we’ll admire the vistas around us utilizing the unused time of the daylight.

Today is the day; we have all been waiting for from the beginning of this odyssey. After a very early breakfast and some last moment checks, we’ll have on the crampons and rope for a successful yet safe summit attempt. Appropriately acclimatized and well-equipped with the right tools and knowledgeable guide, it takes us around 4-6 hours to set our feet on the summit of Mera Central. The top presents us with the breathtaking outlooks of Mt. Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,586m), Lhotse (8,516m), Makalu (8,463m), Cho-Oyu (8,210m), Nuptse (7,855m), Chamlang (7,319m), Baruntse (7,129m), Ama Dablam (6,812m) and Kangtega (6,779m). Expect K2, we can gaze at 5 out of 6 of world’s highest mountaintops.  Finally, we’ll turn back to Khare.

On the condition that we were not able to land up at the vertex on day twelve, this reserve day will render us another window of opportunity to conquer the peak and make our expedition count. Day thirteen may not be useful to us in the case of a triumph over the Mera Peak but it is better to have a contingency plan if something goes wrong because the Himalayan Region is indeed a dangerous place with deadly avalanches and unpredictable weather.

Succeeding our victory over the Mera Peak, we’ll go back over the same route that we used previously and carry on with the descent to Kote via Hinku Valley. We can catch glimpses of snow-covered massifs throughout the trek on this stretch of trail.

While navigating several ups and downs, we’ll come across the flourishing woodland on the western region of the Hinku Valley. Passing by the settlements of Gondishung (4,180m), Mosom Kharka (3,691m), Tashing Ongma (3,530m) and the rock enclosure in Tashing Dingma (4,010m), we’ll reach Thuli Kharka.  Witness all of the Mera Peaks (North, Central, and South) from this point of the journey.

We’ll come at the highest point of Zatrwa La Pass (4,610m) following nearly two hours of steep ascent. Traversing the high pass, we can take delight in the fascinating sight of Lukla valley together with Mt. Cho Oyu, Kongde Peak, Numbur Himal, Mt. Kusum Kanguru and neighbouring mountaintops. We’ll progressively move up to Chutanga (3,020m) then keep on with the trail to Lukla.

Today marks the end of our climbing escapade. We’ll board a flight from Lukla that will transfer us back to Kathmandu. We’ll be the spectators of soul-stirring Himalayan panoramas during 30 minutes of this picturesque flight. Here in the capital city, you can relax in your hotel room or just stroll freely in the vivid marketplaces to shop for some souvenirs.

It entirely depends upon you regarding the way to spend the day. Kathmandu Valley has much more to offer. Visit the remaining monuments and buildings as the ‘day tour’ does not take you to all of the ancient structures. Try out the food, species and unique flavours of Nepal. In addition, you may explore the classical villages of Khokana and Bungmati situated on the outskirts of the Valley.

We hope that you’ll be genuinely satisfied with our expertise and hospitality. If your wish is to familiarize yourself more with Nepal and its natural beauty, culture, and traditions then you can extend your stay. Otherwise, one of our representatives will drop you at the airport three hours before your scheduled flight provided that you seek to go back home. Farewell!