One of the highest trekking peaks in Nepal, situated in a remote and isolated area of the Khumbu Region. Trekking starts from of Lukla and leads to the adjoining high mountains of Naulekh. Involves a steep climb of 3 hours and a tough descent to the hidden valley of Hinku. Trail passes through a pleasant valley and the serene forest of pine and rhododendron with smooth pastures and meadows in between. The high camp lies at 5800m/19029ft at the foot of the Mera Peak.

The climb to the summit is technically straight forward on a long glacier. At the summit, we will have time to immerse ourselves with the surrounding beauty staring at a panoramic view of mountains, including the top five above 8000 meter ones, namely Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Cho-Oyu. After the great challenging summit trek, we retrace our journey to Lukla for the sweeping flight back to Kathmandu.

OUTLINE ITENERARY

TRIP DOSSIER

Day 01: KATHMANDU 1336m/4383ft
Arrival & transfer to hotel
Welcome to the Himalaya!
Our staff will receive you at Kathmandu’s International airport and transfer you to the hotel, where you’ll be briefed about Kathmandu, the hotel, trekking, climbing and camping, some do's and don'ts and other related information that you might require while in Nepal. Also notification about tomorrow’s sightseeing tour.

Day 02: KATHMANDU 1336m/4383ft
Half-day guided sightseeing tour
A half-day guided tour of Kathmandu city to places of cultural, religious and historical importance. Experience the sights and sounds of Kathmandu, a medieval city, with quite a history, where myths and legends blend seamlessly and modernism and traditionalism coexist in stark harmony offering a startling travel experience. The city has lots to offer to keen visitors.
Overnight in hotel.

Day 03: LUKLA 2860m/9383ft
30 minutes flight
After an early morning breakfast, embark on a memorable 30-minute mountain flight eastward to Lukla, flying parallel to Himalayan ranges with sweeping panoramic view of snow-capped peaks. Lukla has the most amazing Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) airstrip in Nepal and is quite a dramatic place. On arrival you will be received by your trekking guides and have plenty of time to roam around, while the Sherpa crew prepares baggage load for this outstanding adventure.

Day 04: CHUTANGA 3430m/11253ft
3-4 hrs trek
First day of the trek is an easy walk eastwards along a less frequented path than other trails from Lukla through a number of Sherpa hamlets until we reach a thick forest of silver fir, birch, pines and rhododendron trees on the hill side below Nau Lekh also known as Kalo Himal Ridge. Keep track of the lead Sherpa or the group as there are multiple paths leading away from the main trail. We come across many small streams with numerous suitable places for for camping in Chutanga, a summer pasture. Our first campsite will be pitched on the meadows and we’ll have ample time for a short walk around to enjoy the surrounding.

Day 05: CHUTANGA 3430m/11253ft
Rest & acclimatization
A day of rest and acclimatization before advancing to the higher region to cross the Zatrwa-la pass (4600m/15092ft). You can go on a short hike to stretch your muscles and walk up a small peak (4000m/13123ft) below the pass, which offers excellent views over the valley of Dudh Koshi including views of our route towards the Zatrwa-la.

Day 06: TULI KHARKA 4300m/14108ft
6-7 hrs trek
After a day’s rest at Chutanga, our adventure continues with a steep climb across the Kalo Himal ridge in the Nau Lekh range that separates the Khumbu Region from the Hinku Valley. A steep uphill climb from our camp brings us to a mound of stones in the ridge and a collection of Buddhist prayer flags at 4450m/14600ft. This small pass is called the Zatrwa Og, from where the trail traverses across a boulder slope, round a corner and climbs once again to the Zatrwa-La. During bad weather it can be quite difficult to find the path, so care should be taken, but not in fine weather when the view across the Dudh Koshi towards Karyolung and the Lumding Himal are very impressive along with the rolling foothills of the Hinku Valley. From here less than hour’s descent will bring us to a large boulder that marks our overnight campsite at Tuli Kharka.

Day 07: MOUSUM KHARKA 3430m/11253ft
3-4 hrs trek
Today’s trek will be a short downhill walk, the path descends with superb view of Peak 43 and Kusum Kanguru and then comes to a fine vantage point of the Hinku Valley with grand views of the south face of Mera Peak. Then entering the alpine forest once again, the trail drops steeply into the Hinku Valley, it’s a pleasant walk through the forest full of tall pine and rhododendron trees. We make our camp on the clearing known as Mosum Kharka next to the Hinku Drangka river.

Day 08: THAGNAG 4360m/14304ft
5 hrs trek
From Mousum Kharka, our route follows Hinku Drangka northwards, eventually leaving the forest, the valley widens and opens, coming to a pasture and asmall kharka (shepherd’s shack). Then our path leads to a small bridge that crosses over to Gondishung (4350m/14272ft), a summer settlement of Thagnag residents with its huts and stone wall enclosures. Gondishung has a fascinating 200 year old gompa (monastery) beneath a great rock overhang, that houses a Buddha and several Bodhisatvas, prayer flags and a number of crude mani walls. Trek continues for another hour beyond Lungsamba as the valley narrows between the flanks of Kusum Kangguru (6369m/20896ft) and the truncated summit of Mera Peak. We end the day's walk here at Thagnag, a settlement built by yak herders, which nowadays has several teahouses that caters to expedition members and staff. We will camp in this beautiful surrounding for two nights.

Day 09: THAGNAG 4360m/14304ft
Rest & acclimatization
A day of rest and acclimatization with an option for a local hike in the wonderful surrounding with stunning peaks, especially Peak 43 that rises to 6769m/22208ft. Just north from the camp lies a huge moraine behind which is dammed a beautiful glacial lake called Sabai Tsho, into which plummets the hanging Sabai Glacier. It is well worth spending time exploring the locality as it will help to acclmatise well.

Day 10: MERA BASE CAMP 5000m/16404ft
4-5 hrs trek
After a great time at Thagnag, we embark on a short day walk of 3-4 hours, taking it slowly for proper acclimatization, enjoying the surrounding scenery. Our route follows a relatively good trail up across the moraine which dams the Charpatti Tal and then reaches a highpoint lined with cairns overlooking the glacial lake after more than half hour’s climb. From here the path descends to a steep stream that descends from Dig Kharka, proceeding ahead for 45 minutes we reach the large pasture of Dig Kharka, where we cross the stream towards the walls of an old shelter. We will take a break here and perhaps lunch too then walk up a steep climb for few minutes, passing a large bivouac stone and then contouring around the hillside reaching the stream once again. We re-cross the stream hopping on large boulders. We follow the trail for more than an hour across the boulder strewn hillside and reach Kharka for our overnight stop.

Day 11: KHARKA
Rest & acclimatization
Another day of rest and acclimatization and local hike. There are some interesting hiking routes above the camp and it is possible to climb up to 5550m/18209ft on a high moraine ridge where spectacular views of the Mera La await you.

Day 12: HIGH CAMP 5800m/19029ft
6 hrs trek
From Kharka our trail ascends southwards zigzaging its way up to the top and after less than two hour’s walk we look across a boulder-strewn bowl to the lower tongue of the Mera Glacier. The route crosses the bowl and climbs to a large rock platform beside the glacier after another hour of careful walk. From here we must use crampons to safely climb the 3º0-35º ice wall for quarter of an hour to reach the plateau leading to Mera La. The trail is well marked (unless there has been snowfall recently) and weaves its way around and between the crevasses toward the Mera La and takes another hour to reach the pass. On reaching Mera La after 3-4 hours of morning walk, we continue our journey for another 3 hours to the overnight high camp beneath Mera Peak. The climb offers grand view of the northern peaks of Makalu, Everest and Nuptse. Later as we approach the High Camp we get a spectacular view of Cho Oyu and on reaching the High Camp, if the weather is favorable, panorama of Kanchenjunga comes into view far in the east.

Day 13: HIGH CAMP 5800m/19029ft
Rest & acclimatization
This is an important day for rest and acclimatization and to make final preparations for the climb.

Day 14: MERA PEAK 6654m/21831ft
Ascend the summit
D-day! We start early, before dawn, after an early morning tea and simple breakfast, and head for the summit of Mera Peak. We first climb to the foot of the dome of the southern summit then to reach the main summit, we descend on the opposite side of the south summit and continue along the southern rim, which is sometimes corniced until it is possible to climb up and through the slope of the main summit, after 3-4 hours of vigorous climb to the summit. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery and the uplifting feeling on the highest spot of this great adventure. After a great moment of a life time at the top, we retrace back on the 2-3 hours’ downhill path to our campsite set up by our trekking staffs on the Hongu side of the pass.

Day 15: HIGH CAMP
Reserve day
Today is a reserve day in case of delay and bad weather. This day can be used later on the way back to Lukla or before the final ascent of Mera Peak depending upon the situation.

Day 16: THAGNAG 4360m/14304ft
Return trek
We retrace our steps to Thagnag on our journey back via the previous route.

Day 17: MOUSUM KHARKA 3430m/11253ft
Return trek
We retrace our steps to Mousum Kharka on our journey back via the previous route.

Day 18: LUKLA 2860m/9383ft
Return trek
Retrace our journey via the previous route to Lukla. The last day of this great trek will be a pleasant one which you can complete at your own normal pace, leisurely and enjoying the scenery around. At Lukla, we’ll have a merry dinner party with the whole Sherpa crew, porters and trekking members who have taken part in this amazing trekking expedition.

Day 19: KATHMANDU 1336m/4383ft
Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu
After having spent many days and nights in the Himalayas, the flight back to Kathmandu will seem even better as you gaze down upon the mountains till you land. After landing at Kathmandu’s domestic airport our staff will transfer you to your hotel. Since tomorrow’s a one more day of leisure in Kathmandu please inform our staff if you would like to go for a guided tour of the city.
Overnight in hotel.

Day 20: KATHMANDU 1336m/4383ft
Leisure day in Kathmandu. Options: mountain flight and sightseeing tour
The whole day is free to explore Kathmandu, perhaps to continue where you left off the last time. Please inform our staff if you would like to go for a guided tour of the city or enjoy the early morning mountain flight to view the spectacular Himalayan ranges. Surely a lot remains to be explored and discovered in the enchanting city and from the sky!

If you have more time you can extend your trip to engage in white water rafting and do a jungle safari in the tropical forests of Chitwan National Park for few days.
Overnight in hotel.

Day 21: Transfer to Airport for the International departure.
Transfer to airport for International departure.
As per your international flight time, keep your confirmed air ticket and your passport handy. Our staff will take you to the airport for your final departure from this amazing Himalayan nation.
Farewell and see you again!