Our representative will receive you at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) terminal during the first day of your Mera Peak itinerary. Our representative will also assist you with your luggage and hotel check-in.
Depending on the time of arrival, after getting enough rest you can also stroll around the bustling city to check out its vibrant ambiance. Or check out the nearby highlights if you have got enough time. Overnight stay at a star hotel in Kathmandu.
It’s an exhilarating day’s adventure today as you set out the exploration of the cultural and traditional capital city of this Himlayan country. Out of the 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 7 of them are inside this beautiful capital city. As visiting all of these historic and religious landmarks in a single day is not possible, you will explore 3-4 of these magnificent marvels in this day’s adventure.
After finishing your sightseeing exploration, you will visit our office located in Thamel for the Mera Peak Climb overview and briefing. If you haven’t completed your shopping for the trek and climb, you can use this day to buy and rent equipment or clothes from Thamel. You will be dropped back to your hotel for an overnight stay, rest well as tomorrow’s adventure starts early in the morning.
We take a morning flight to Lukla. If we are lucky enough to get a ticket for the first flight, we get to fly directly from Kathmandu to Lukla. If not, we drive to Rammechhap and proceed to Lukla by flight.
After reaching Lukla, we meet the rest of the crew, sort our luggage, and trek to Chatunga. The trail goes through up through forests and fields. Chatunga, with a couple of stone houses, lies surrounded by cliffs and mountains. We spend the night at a local teahouse.
Overnight at a teahouse in Chatunga.
From Chatunga, we head to our next destination Thuli Kharka via the Zatra La Pass. We walk past rhododendron forests and grazing pastures of yaks. It is a tough crossing, and we can feel the altitude. We climb the Kalo Himal ridge covered with stones and prayer flags. A couple of minutes later, we come to Zatrwa La Pass. The pass separates the Khumbu Valley and Hinku Valley. We stop for a while to take pictures and soak in the views.
Later we walk on a stony path to Thuli Kharka. Thuli Kharka, which means ‘big meadow,’ is surrounded by big boulders and stubby grass and shrubs. Used as a camp by yak herders, Thuli Kharka only has a couple of teahouses. On reaching Thuli Kharka, we head to a teahouse and take a well-deserved rest.
Overnight at a teahouse in Thuli Kharka.
We take the downhill trail to Kothe. En route, we enjoy outstanding views of the Hinku Valley, Kusum Kanguru, Peak 43, and the south face of Mera Peak. The trail goes through a beautiful forest of pine and rhododendron. If you are making this trip in spring, the rhododendrons will be in full bloom and the trail will look heavenly. At Kothe, you are in Hinku Valley. Make your way to a local teahouse and have a goodnight’s sleep.
Overnight at a teahouse in Kothe
Head on to the Upper Hinku valley. As we get higher, the treeline disappears. There are no major villages at this altitude, only kharkas or grazing meadows for yaks. On the way, we stop at Gondishung for tea and refreshments. Stunning views of Mera Peak, Charpati Himal, Kusum Kanguru, and Thamserku delight us.
We also visit Lungsumgba Gompa, a 200-year old Buddhist shrine. The local crew will pray for the well-being of the team and a successful ascent at the shrine. After an hour of walking, we reach Thaknak. From our teahouse, we savor a close-up view of Charpati Himal.
Overnight at a teahouse in Thaknak.
Today’s trek takes us to Khare. It is a short but difficult hike as we are steadily gaining altitude. We ascend the Dig Glacier and weave past the glacial lake of Charpati Tal. We slowly descend to Dig Kharka. From here, we get magnificent views of Kyeshar Glacier, Mera Peak, and Charpati Himal. Climb up the Hinku Nup and Shar glaciers before finally making your way to Khare.
Khare, also called the Mera Peak Base Camp, lies at the foot of Mera Peak. There are a couple of teahouses and climbing gear and equipment outlets. After checking in at a lodge, enjoy the incredible view of Mera Peak’s north face.
Overnight at a teahouse in Khare.
An acclimatization day before your climb lets you take part in pre-climb training conducted by our guides. You will get to try out your climbing skills before making it to the mountain. Ascend and descend on the rocky slope using harness and climbing equipment. Learn to make knots and the correct way to belay and rappel. If this is your first Himalayan peak, this training will be helpful for you as our experienced climbing guides will share some practical knowledge and really helpful tips that will help you do a safe climb.
There will be a final gear and equipment check, and you will pack for your summit push. There are gear and equipment rental outlets, and you rent out personal gear and equipment if you wish.
Please note that size 12 and above climbing boots are not available in Nepal. If you wear boots of that size, you need to bring them from home.
Overnight at a teahouse in Khare.
A steep and rocky path leads us to Mera La. We can enjoy splendid views of Mera Peak’s three summits – Mera South (6,065m), Mera North (6,476m), and Mera Central (6,461m) and. The summit we are trying to reach is Mera Central. A straightforward ascent up the Mera Glacier brings us to Mera Peak high camp, and It is an easy hike with a gradual incline. Up to this point, there is no technical climbing. The only issue is high altitude and cold, which makes taking each step a struggle.
At Mera High Camp, comforting hot drinks and soup will be waiting for us prepared by our local crew. Mount Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,586m), Lhotse (8,516m), Cho Oyu (8,188m), and Makalu (8,485m) – five of the 14 eight-thousanders are visible from the high camp. You can also enjoy amazing views of Chamlang (7,319m), Baruntse (7,129m), and Gaurishankar (7,134m).
Tonight we will be camping in tents – 1 tent per climber. Have an early night as we have a long day tomorrow.
Overnight at tented camp in Mera High Camp.
We get ready and hit the slopes at 2 AM. Our headlights are lighting the way we rope up and walk secured by man-rope. We cross the Mera glacier and climb gradually. The terrain is not that difficult to maneuver, but the cold air and low oxygen level slow us down. The last 40-50 meters to the summit is the hardest and the most challenging climb. On a steep incline, we use fixed rope and jumars to climb to the snowy dome of the Mera Peak summit.
By 9-10 AM, we reach the summit. We celebrate our conquest while enjoying the close-up views of Mount Everest (8,848m), Makalu (8,481m), Kanchenjunga (8,586m), Lhotse (8,516m), and Cho Oyu (8,201m). After capturing this historic moment in our cameras and leaving mementos (if you brought any) at the summit, we head down to High Camp. We only spend 5 to 10 minutes at the summit.
At the camp, the local crew will greet us with a hot brew (tea/coffee) or soup. We rest for a while and make a quick descent after lunch. We trek down to Khare and head to a teahouse. I the evening, we celebrate our achievement and later have a good night’s rest.
Overnight at a teahouse in Khare.
This is a reserved day for the summit if our summit bid on Day 9 gets canceled due to bad weather or member health problem or any other reason. If everything goes smoothly, this day can also be used for emergencies like flight delays or unforeseen events that may lead us to cancel a day during our trip. If everything rolls out as planned, this extra day can be used to go a little bit slow and explore some more places on the trail.
After climbing Mera Peak, you will retrace your steps back to Kothe from Khare. Leaving the high-altitude Himlayan region behind, you will retrace your step back across the moraines of the Hinku Nup and Share Glaciers leaving the Dig Kharka and Dig Glacier behind. As you follow the descending trail to the lower altitude, you will find this trek in your Mera Peak trek as an easy day’s walk.
Moving along the descending trails you will also pass the summer grazeland, Thangank, and re-enter the spiritual ambiance of the Lungsumgba Gumba. Then during the final stretch of this day’s adventure, you will follow the trekking trail alongside the Hinku River that leads you to the beautiful Kothe Village situated at its bank.
After breakfast, you will continue on your step-retracing route as you follow the scenic trail alongside the dense rhododendron and pine forests. This day’s trekking route in your Mera Peak expedition consists of more uphill segments than the descending trails.
Then moving further along the trail enjoy the magnificent views of the Mera peak, you will follow the ridges of the Hinku River and with the gradual ascent during the final part, you will finally arrive at Tuli Kharka. Enjoying the magnificence of the Himlayan ambiance you will rest for the night at a teahouse in this big pasture land.
Leaving Thuli Kharka, we once again cross the Zatrwa La pass (4,600m) pass. In about 2 hours we reach the pass. The view is incredible, and we can view part of the trail that we crossed. Hinku Valley, Numbur Himal, Kongde, Dudh Kunda, and Khumbila look amazing. We walk to Lukla taking a downward trail.
At Lukla, we enjoy a hot shower and a good meal. In the evening we have a small party to celebrate the success of our trip. Our local crew join us and make our last evening in the mountains memorable.
Overnight at a teahouse in Lukla.
Day 15 of your Mera Peak Climbing will officially mark the end of your Himayala expedition, with fond and treasured memories you spent in this magical region, you will board a flight back to Kathmandu from the gateway of Everest. Enjoying the aerial views of the stunning Himalayas, you will fly over lush green landscapes, high hills, and vibrant settlements as you touch down to the bustling capital.
From TIA, you will be transferred back to your respective hotel and after getting enough rest you can set out on some side exploration of Kathmandu. You can check out the nearby landmarks or just stroll around the city checking out the local restaurants. If you are tired you can save the distant exploration for tomorrow as you will get a free leisure day.
As you couldn’t complete the exploration of all of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the sightseeing exploration of Second Day in your Mera Peak Climbing expedition. You will use this day to check out the destinations you have missed and check out some other popular landmarks. Of course, you also want to buy souvenirs as a memory of this remarkable adventure, so check out some of the most popular marketplaces like Thamel, Asan, and Mangalabazar or popular cultural sites to find just the right piece.
In the evening Friendship World Trek will host a farewell dinner party to celebrate your successful climb and to honor our joint venture. Overnight stay at a star hotel in Kathmandu
The last day is the departure day. According to your flight schedules our representative will pick you up from your hotel and assist you with check-out procedures. It is recommended that you should at least reach the airport 3- 4 hours prior to your flight schedules, so make the arrangement accordingly.
We hope you had a great time, thank you for choosing us for your adventures. We hope to see you again. Have a safe journey.