Tough but rewarding holiday resulting in successful ascent of Mera Peak - many thanks to Bikash,... Nick Ball, 2019 See more reviews
I had an excellent trip and was aware issues could affect the summit attempt and so made sure I... Karen Reed, 2019 See more reviews
Exodus take a circuitous, rollercoaster variant to the south before joining the main route to... Laurence Brown, 2018 See more reviews
From the autumn 2016 season the Exodus Mera Peak trek/climb changed from a camping based... Garry Ward, 2017 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Kathmandu to Kathmandu Day 1 Start Kathmandu. Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to our hotel. Those on land only arrangements will join us at the hotel in the afternoon. Hotel Royal Singi (or similar) Day 2 Free in Kathmandu. There will be a full trek briefing this morning. You will be required to bring all your climbing gear to the briefing and there will be a full gear check. In case you need to hire or buy equipment locally there will be time to do this today. The rest of the day is free for sightseeing in Kathmandu. The iconic sights in and around Kathmandu are the monkey temple at Swayambhunath, one of the largest Buddhist Stupas in the world at Boudhanath, and the most important Hindu temple in the valley at Pashupatinath. Sightseeing tours can be booked locally. Please see the Optional Excursions section. Hotel Royal Singi (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Drive to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport; short but spectacular flight to Lukla (2800m); trek to Piuyan. We will need to depart the hotel at around 2-3am to drive to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport to catch our flight to Lukla. At this time of day when there is usually light traffic, the drive should take about 4 hours. Roads in Nepal are not of the same standard as in the west, there may be potholed areas and the last section is unsurfaced. We take the spectacular flight to the small airstrip at Lukla, (2,800m) the gateway to the Khumbu region and the start point for the popular trail towards Everest. It is a busy little village with many lodges, equipment and supply shops as well as the airport. We start our trek heading south from Lukla with a steep descent to Surkye. From here we have a steep climb up to the Chutok La from where we contour into a side valley to Piuyan (2,800m). Teahouse (sleeping altitude 2,800m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Leave the main trail and climb through lush farmland to Pangkongma. This morning we leave the main trade route which goes south to Phaphlu. Instead, we climb, steeply at first, eastwards on a quieter trail which winds steadily upwards, over the Khari La (3,048m) and through lush terraced farmland towards the small trading centre of Pangkongma (2,900m). Looking back, we get good views of Numbur and Karyolung Mountains. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 2,900m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Cross the Pangkongma La. Descend to the Hinku Khola and ascend the valley to Nashing Dingma. We climb steeply through a lush forest of bamboo and rhododendron with views looking back to Numbur and Kongde peaks, to the Pangkongma La (3,170m). From the top we can see Naulekh and five minutes below the pass we catch our first views of Mera's impressive South Face. It’s a long, steep descent to the bottom of the valley, with views south over the hills of the lower Himalaya. We have lunch in a small lodge just above the river and after lunch we cross the Hinku River using a suspension bridge and have a 2-hour climb up the east side of the valley to Nashing Dingma (2,963m). Teahouse (sleeping altitude 2,963m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 A steep climb to the Surkye La; on to Chholem. We continue the roller coaster of ups and downs which characterise this first part of the trek. The trail becomes steeper as we climb to the Surkye La (3,060m), a pass that gives us a taste of the altitude yet to come. We'll need a cup of tea to catch our breath in one of the teahouses just over the pass, before continuing our climb up to the summer grazing land of Chholem Kharka (3,600m). We should arrive for a late lunch and in the afternoon the energetic can walk up onto the ridges surrounding Chholem. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 3,600m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Cross the Pangkongma La and Sukye La into the Hinku Valley. This morning we leave the treeline behind and approach wilder country, where the Sherpa's only herd their animals in the summer months. It’s a shortish but quite hard day today with steep climbs and several ridges to cross. We ascend on stone steps all the way to the first col at 4,300m and then further up to a second col at 4,470m. On a clear day, we get a stunning view of Kanchenjunga and its pointed neighbour Jannu far away to the east in India. From the second col we descend to the beautiful holy lakes at Panch Pokhari. Khola Kharka is a short way past the lakes. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 4,270m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Follow the Hinku Valley to Kote. There are no lodges en route today, so we have a long morning and late lunch so take some snacks and plenty of water. From Khola Kharka we have a short steep climb up stone steps for 30minutes to some prayer flags. Just around the corner, we get great views across to Numbur, Pike Peak and the Lamjura Pass. The route contours around the hillside and then descends very steeply all the way down to the Mojang Khola. We cross the river and descend even further to the Hinku Khola. An undulating trail brings us to a bridge across the roaring Hinku Khola and into Kote village. We have a late lunch at the lodge and there is time in the afternoon to wash or explore the village. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 3,600m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 Ascend the Hinku Valley to Tangnag. A wonderful walk today following the Hinku Kola. The trail follows the river on a rocky trail upstream crossing several landslide areas. Just after leaving Kote we can see the three peaks of Mera. As we ascend the valley Kyashar peak appears ahead followed by Kusum Kanguru and East Peak. We stop for a cup of tea at Saure and reach Tangnag for a late lunch. We stay in Tangnag, for the next two nights (4,300m). We are now in a deep valley created by the towering walls of Kyashar Peak, Kusum Kanguru and East Peak. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 4,300m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 10 Acclimatisation day at Tangnag. We spend the day acclimatising to the altitude. There will be a walk this morning to the top of a ridge south of Tangnag. We walk to approximately 5,000m and should have great views of Kusum Kanguru, Kyeshar and East peaks and the Mera La. We return to camp for lunch and rest in the afternoon. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 4,300m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 11 Half day walk to the last lodges at Khare, our Base Camp. A short day with approximately three to four hours of ascent past Dig Kharka to Khare, the Mera Peak Base Camp at 4,900m. The trail climbs steeply out of Tangnag to some prayer flags overlooking the glacier tumbling down from Kyeshar peak. The trail gets easier as we climb up the valley past Dig Kharka and then there is a last steeper climb to the lodges at Khare. We have lunch in Khare and a free afternoon. From Khare we get great views of Mera, Charpati Himal, Kyeshar Peak and other Himalayan giants. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 4,900m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 12 Acclimatisation, ice axe and crampon practice. We have an acclimatisation day at Khare and there will be the chance to walk up on to the glacier towards the Mera La, where we will practice our ice axe, crampon and rope technique and use of jumar. There will be a full gear check at Khare and it is possible to hire gear here. Please note that equipment checks, and all practice sessions are compulsory before the climb. There will be a group summit briefing in Khare as in High Camp we have no dining tent and briefings are done on a tent by tent basis. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 4,900m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 13 Trek to ‘crampon point’ We spend the morning in Khare with a final chance to pack and a full summit briefing. After lunch at the lodge we have a short but steep and hard walk up to our camp, which is below the Mera La at what is called ‘crampon point, (normally where we need to start using crampons). The trail climbs steeply out of Khare on a rocky trail with great views looking ahead to the peaks of Mera and back down to Khare. Continuing up the trail gets steeper and there can sometimes be snow here especially in spring season. It takes 2-2.5hrs to reach the camp, which is below the Mera La. Camping (sleeping altitude 5,300m) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 14 Trek to High Camp (5800m). Today we ascend the Mera glacier up to a rocky outcrop to establish High Camp at 5,800m. From camp we scramble up onto the glacier. Once on the glacier, the gradient eases off and we follow it up to the Mera La, a very cold and windy spot. From here the trail is not so steep, and it continues up the glacier to high camp, at 5,800m, a small busy camp site. From camp it is possible to see five out of the six highest mountains on earth, stretching from Kanchenjunga in the east through Makalu, Lhotse and Everest to Cho Oyu in the west. This afternoon there will be a final gear check and we will prepare our clothes ready for tomorrow. After sunset (look out for the last orange glow on the summit of Makalu) we retire to the warmth of our sleeping bags to rest before the summit attempt tomorrow. Please note that High Camp is extremely cold and high and camping space is very limited. There is no dining or toilet tent. Our guides will bring food and drinks to your tents and briefings will be done by the guides on a tent to tent basis. Camping (sleeping altitude 5,800m) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 15 Climb Mera Central Peak (6461m). An extremely long day with a very early (and usually extremely cold) start at around 2 am or earlier. We will set off roped up in teams. You will need to carry your ice axe and wear crampons as we ascend the wide, open glacier, avoiding the few crevasses. The terrain here is not very steep, but the going is very slow due to the altitude and it can be very cold and windy. As dawn approaches the trail starts to ascend steeply to the east of the left-hand ridge before swinging right on easier ground to approach the summit. As we approach the summit we will rest at a col whilst the Sherpa's fix a safety rope to the bottom of the last part of the summit climb. The last 50m to the summit is the steepest part of the climb. We will need the jumar for this last section - it is steep and makes the climb more challenging. Please note crevasses here change from year to year. Once at the top the views from the sun rising over Kanchenjunga in the east, past Makalu to the plumed Everest Himal in the centre and Cho Oyu further west, make every step well worthwhile. Descending this steep section will involve abseiling from the summit and we will use the fixed rope back to the col. From here the descent is usually quicker although we will still be roped up. We descend back down to High Camp where we have some hot soup and drinks. We then descend all the way to our Base Camp at Khare, usually arriving very late afternoon. After a long but rewarding day, returning to a lower altitude (4,900m) means that we should all sleep soundly. Summit day can be extremely cold and sometimes windy. You must be able to get ready quickly and move as fast as you can to keep warm. Should a situation develop on summit day where members of your roped group are not suitable to continue then all people roped together may be expected to descend, this decision will be made by the guide. Your leader and climbing guides will set certain turnaround times for safety and these must be adhered to. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 4,900m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 16 An easier walk as we retrace our steps through Tangnag to Kote. A long but beautiful walk as we retrace our steps down the valley past Tangnag, where we have lunch and further down the valley to Kote. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 3,600m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 17 A steep climb out of the valley towards the Zatrwa La to Chetrabu. A hard day today as we begin our ascent of the Zatrwa La, the pass that brings us back to Lula. Leaving Kote a small rocky trail takes us down the Hinku Valley for a couple of hours. There are some very steep rocky steps both up and down. We finally leave the Hinku Kola and begin a very steep climb through the forest. We have an early lunch at Toktar, a small cluster of teahouses in the forest. Through the trees, we can just spot the summit of Mera Peak now far away. After lunch we continue climbing up through forest. The rhododendron trees give way to smaller bushes and the mountains begin to appear across the valley. Looking back on a clear day we can see all three summits of Mera, Peak 41 and Naulekh. The higher we climb the better the views and we can trace much of the route we have trekked the past couple of weeks. Finally, we reach a few prayer flags and from here the trail eases as we approach the lodge at Chetrabu. We enjoy views of Mera's vertical west face. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 4,225m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 18 Return to Lukla over the Zatrwa La. A long day today as we return to Lukla. We need to carry crampons or microspikes today for the descent of the pass. From the lodge it’s a steep climb to the top of the first (and highest) part of the Zatrwa La at 4,640m. There is a small tea shop near the summit. From the top we get fantastic views of many of the peaks of Khumbu. There is a short steep descent which can be icy and then the trail contours precariously around the hillside for an hour or so to the second Zatrwa La at 4,540m. From here we have a very steep descent to Kharka Tseng. This section of the trail can be snow or ice covered, and we may need crampons, ice axes, and ropes for this section. After a snack lunch we continue our descent on a rocky trail to Chutenga, then it's a further couple of hours or so back to Lukla. Teahouse (sleeping altitude 2,800m) Meals included: Breakfast Day 19 Fly to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport and transfer to Kathmandu. We fly back to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport and transfer to our hotel in Kathmandu. At this time of day there can be heavy traffic, especially coming into Kathmandu itself, and the drive is likely to take 5 hours or more. Head straight for a hot shower or a beer, depending on priorities! Hotel Royal Singi (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Day 20 Free in Kathmandu for individual sightseeing. A free day in Kathmandu for sightseeing or shopping. Hotel Royal Singi (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Day 21 End Kathmandu. The trip ends after breakfast. Those travelling on the group flight will be transferred to the airport after breakfast. Meals included: Breakfast
Nepal Most nationalities require a visa for Nepal, which can be obtained in advance or on entry. All Nepal tourist visas are multiple entry. We recommend that you apply in advance as queues on arrival can be very long – applications can be made directly through the Nepal Embassy (by post or in person) or through our recommended visa agency, Travcour. The current cost for a visa in advance is GB£20 for a 15-day visa and GB£35 for a 30-day visa for UK passport holders (plus processing and postage fees if applying through Travcour). The current cost for a visa on arrival is US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, or US$125 for 90 days for UK passport holders. The fee can be paid for in any major currency at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. On arrival in the immigration hall there are 3 queues (if you have obtained a visa in advance go straight to (3) - immigration): (Step 1) Fill in a 'Tourist Visa' form: either online before travel (recommended) via the Department of Immigration website - print the submission receipt with barcode (valid for 15 days) and bring it with you, or use the electronic kiosk machines on arrival at the airport. If using the kiosks, after inserting your passport the machine will automatically fill out an application form, take an electronic photograph of you and print a paper slip. If the machine won’t read your passport you can complete the details manually using the touch screen. We recommend taking 1 passport photo with you just in case. (Step 2) Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (we advise to take some cash) – make sure to keep the receipt. (Step 3) Lastly, go to the relevant immigration desk and present your tourist visa form, payment receipt and passport to obtain your 15, 30 or 90-day visa stamp. Please check you have been given the correct visa duration. Non-UK nationals should check requirements with their nearest embassy (a few nationalities are not permitted visas on arrival).
Nepal There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. There is low to no risk of malaria throughout Nepal and antimalarial tablets are not usually advised although may be considered for certain higher risk groups; you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. The risk is highest in the low lying southern ‘terai’ districts bordering India. A yellow fever certificate is only required if travelling from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or for travellers having transited for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of transmission. Dengue fever is a known risk in Nepal. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. As of August 2019, there has been a recent outbreak of Dengue fever in southeast Nepal and we therefore recommend you take extra precautions to avoid mosquito bites (such as wearing full length trousers, long sleeves and applying insect repellent during the day as well as at dawn and dusk). Most of our trips to Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for further advice on AMS.
Hotels, Lodges & Camping This tour spends four nights in a comfortable hotel in Kathmandu, fourteen nights on trek in lodges (teahouses) and two nights camping. In Kathmandu we usually stay at the Hotel Royal Singi, located within walking distance of the Thamel district. All rooms have en suite facilities and there is a restaurant, a bar and an outdoor courtyard. There is complimentary Wi-Fi in the hotel lobby and Wi-Fi codes are available from reception for the rooms. There is an Exodus desk in the hotel reception area and an Exodus representative will usually be available daily in the mornings and evenings. On the trek we will stay in teahouses for the most part. Some days there may be no teahouse at lunchtimes – on these days we carry a packed lunch. The teahouses are basic but adequate; please be realistic about what to expect in the mountains. We ask that you read our Nepal Destination Guide for further details about the lodge facilities. The hub of the teahouse is the dining room, usually decorated with colourful traditional rugs, sometimes with a stove or heater (some lodges charge a fee to put the heater on). Most teahouses sell snacks and other essentials such as tissues, soap and toilet paper. Almost all lodges have electricity but it is not wholly reliable and lighting may not be bright enough to read by – a torch is essential. Electrical charging facilities are generally available only in the dining room (charged at approx. Rs150-350 per hour per device). Many of the lodges use solar power so sometimes there is not enough electricity for charging. Many lodges have Wi-Fi these days – in some areas it works well but in others it is slow and temperamental. We book twin-share bedrooms throughout this trek. Beds with foam mattresses, bedsheets and a pillow are provided. Bedrooms are generally unheated and can get cold at night so you will need to bring or hire a sleeping bag. Most lodges have only one or two basic toilets and sometimes these are located outside the main lodge building. Toilets are usually Asian ’squat’ style; although many lodges have now installed ‘western style’ seated ones. Toilet paper is not provided so you should bring your own or buy it locally (please dispose of it in the bin provided – do not put it in the bowl). If there is not a flush handle, there should be a container of water to pour down – if it is empty (or frozen) please either refill it or ask the lodge to do it for you. Some lodges now have hot 'showers' (charged at approx. Rs250-500 per shower). Sometimes a hot shower is simply a bucket of hot water and not a shower head. Standards of cleanliness vary especially in the peak trekking season and in winter when the water freezes at night. Please report any problems to your leader or the lodge and be vigilant in your personal hygiene regime – use soap or hand sanitizer gel before and after toilet breaks, snacks, meal times and handling money. As a general rule, the higher altitude you go to, the more basic the lodges and the more expensive food and services become. For the Mera Peak summit climb, we spend two nights camping. Camp staff will erect and dismantle the tents, cook and do all camp chores for you. We provide two-person tents, cooking and kitchen gear and support staff. Please note that at the camps there is limited space. There are no dining tents and toilet tents. Food and drinks will be served by your guides to the tent and briefings will be done on a tent by tent basis. The conditions are basic due to the nature of the mountain. Extra Accommodation If you require any additional accommodation in Kathmandu either before or after the tour, we can book this for you (subject to availability), please enquire with your Sales Consultant. Single Accommodation If you prefer your own room, we offer a single supplement for the four nights in Kathmandu only (subject to availability). While in the tea-houses, single rooms cannot be guaranteed but if a single room is available that night, you can pay locally on a day by day basis. Single tents are not available for the two nights camping due to safety considerations.
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Reviewed November 2019 Nick Ball Trip: Mera Peak Climb Tough but rewarding Mera Peak climb Tough but rewarding holiday resulting in successful ascent of Mera Peak - many thanks to Bikash, Kaji and Ngima! The first week of the holiday trekking around the Hinku valley is good acclimatisation preparation although if you are not used to steep uneven ground (think lots of large rocks and boulders) it is hard work with long days - climbs and descents are of the region 700m a day. Some extra sessions were also added to further help acclimatisation and practice climbing using the jumar and abseiling, plus walking on the glacier in crampons. These were useful as I hadn't used crampons for nearly 4 years. I thought the itinerary was well planned and felt well prepared once ascending from Khare to Mera La, the High Camp and the summit. The teahouses on the route are basic but good - many have internet, coffee and bakeries (especially on the main route up from Kote to Tangnag to Khare) but be prepared for many meals of Dhal Baat, veg fried rice, macaroni, tuna pizza or similar. Suggest bringing a water filter unit or you can spend a lot on boiled water every day. At Khare I hired the climbing equipment and full down jacket and trousers for the summit and was glad I'd hired all the warmest gear available as there were very strong winds on Mera Peak on the day of the summit ascent so some of the group had to turn back. The middle section of the ascent in particular is very testing and seems to endlessly go up a steep slope up for several hours with what seems like slipping back 1 step for every 2 steps taken. However once the sun comes up and you start to see the outlines of the mountains you get a massive boost and it starts to feel a bit easier. The views of the mountains get more and more spectacular the higher you go, but there are also amazing views and scenery in the forests in Hinku Valley and on the last few days going back to Lukla via the Zatrwa La on a huge stone staircase. It was warm and sunny on the return (Oct-19) so crampons or Yaktrax weren't needed here. Returned to Kathmandu for a free day to try and relax and recover during Diwali celebrations. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing Mera Peak for the first time, and during the summit ascent when the sun comes up and you start to see the outlines of the mountains was a massive boost. The scenery is amazing throughout. What did you think of your group leader? Bikash was excellent - very knowledgeable and approachable. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The teahouses on the route are basic but good - many have internet, coffee and bakeries (especially on the main route up from Kote to Tangnag to Khare) but be prepared for many meals of Dhal Baat, veg fried rice, macaroni, tuna pizza or similar. Suggest bringing a water filter unit or you can spend a lot on boiled water every day. If you use walking poles these can be bought cheaply in the many hiking shops around Thamel in Kathmandu. They also managed to re-sole my hiking boots after they started falling apart before the trip! Bring lots of spare money as you can spend a lot of equipment even before getting to Lukla and there is a limit to how much you can take out of ATMs per day.
Reviewed April 2019 Karen Reed Trip: Mera Peak Climb Mera I had an excellent trip and was aware issues could affect the summit attempt and so made sure I enjoyed the journey. There was an unusual amount of snow and we were the first to go over the first pass, but the challenging walk to the start of the peak meant I was well acclimatised and practiced at walking in snow. Compared to other companies we had extra rest days and easy days which I feel helped me. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Walking up the highest mountain I've ever been up with even bigger mountains looming up even higher behind me! What did you think of your group leader? Jangbu was excellent. He's extremely experienced having summited Everest several times, but he's also easy going and approachable. Another group commented that they were getting more information from his daily briefing to us than from their own leader. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Respect altitude. Do as advised, take it slowly, eat plenty, drink plenty and rest when possible. Also kitbag weight matters. The bags are carried by porters and another group had such heavy bags they had to wait up to 2 hours in cold, damp, clammy clothes while their porters struggled to carry their bags over a difficult pass. Is there anything else you would like to add? It's a tough trek. You don't need to be super fit but day after day of walking takes it toll. Experience of long days of walking in snow can be gained from winter walking in Scotland, and I attended a mountaineering week at Glenmore Lodge, Cairngorms to get the mountaineering skills required.
Reviewed October 2018 Laurence Brown Trip: Mera Peak Climb Mera Peak. Tough, but a great itinerary Exodus take a circuitous, rollercoaster variant to the south before joining the main route to Mera Peak at Khote. This avoids the murderously steep Thakwa la on the second day out of Lukla. Our guide, Ngima Sherpa was excellent on what was to be his 20th summit success. He introduced us to local off menu food (Sherpa pancakes are mouthwatering) and hot millet beer. The scenery and high campsites were stunning. Be prepared to be delayed getting in or out of Lukla - the site is very weather dependent. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. The acclimatisation program is carefully planned and the tea houses are mostly very comfortable. Only the base and high camp tents prevent this from being an excellent trek. Make sure you take plenty of down and the best sleeping bag you can get! I wasn’t cold - my bag is rated to -25. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? “Don’t stop. You’ll get frostbite.” (Ngima around 5 am on summit day.) What did you think of your group leader? One of the best I’ve met. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you’re fit enough. The summit day is hard....as is the walk in. Is there anything else you would like to add? Steripen works!
Reviewed January 2017 Garry Ward Trip: Mera Peak Climb Fantastic but you've go tto work for it From the autumn 2016 season the Exodus Mera Peak trek/climb changed from a camping based itinerary of previous years to lodge or tea house based accommodation. I/we departed in October 2016. Before commencing the trek I’d convinced myself that the trek in to Mera would be broadly similar to the Everest Base Camp trek, I was very wrong. There is no gentle start and long days requiring sustained effort are the theme pretty much throughout. The route taken for the first few days is very quiet and had a feel of "going around the houses" for me. That quieter route also makes for much more basic lodges than those found on EBC for example but they were all adequate. The longer approach route does however allow for excellent acclimatisation, a major key to success. All the approach routes converge in Kote and it is then a straight shot up the now rocky Hinku valley. I didn’t find the approach trek in to be very scenic and that wasn’t helped by day after day of cloud cover. I wonder if a November departure would be worthwhile for clearer skies. Khare, which I thought of as base camp village, was a surprsingly busy place with climbers from all over the world either preparing for or returning from Mera. Stories of six groups having been beaten back by high winds the previous day brought about a realisation that nature could quite easily scupper our plans. Having left Khare and reached the snow line, those of us that brought our own mountain boots and crampons were reunited with them by virtue of some porters that had gone ahead of us. I was now using mountain boots and crampons on snow for the first time, I found I tired far quicker than I cared to admit at the time. After a short but steep climb things level out and then it was a relatively short walk to Mera La camp for the night. The sunset and night time stars were very nice. We were now in tents for the first time. I wish I hadn't binned off my Thermarest mattress as a weight saving effort for the Lukla flight. Foam mattresses were provided but I could still feel the cold coming up from the ground. The next day was a short one from Mera La to High Camp. It however is one of those sections where the destination never seems to get any closer despite feeling you're working like a steam train at full speed. The amusement of high camp's precarious position soon passes as you try to concentrate on getting some sleep for the upcoming 0030 wake up call. I got no real sleep. We then started our torch lit climb through the night in deeply sub zero temperatures. It was hard going, really hard going, there was little talking amongst us. It was just heads down and endure it. The group were imposing more rest stops on the guides than they wanted but I don't think there were any negative consequences when all said and done. My fingers were numb with cold. The sun slowly rose and Mera central summit could now be seen ahead. We left our rucksacks at the foot of the summit and using our Jumars went up the surprisingly short roped section fixed by our guides, it was easy and I was on the summit in a minute. It had taken around 7 hours from leaving High Camp with no sleep (for me) since Mera La the previous day. It was bitterly cold on the summit and very windy, there wasn't any open celebration. There now followed an extremely long walk all the way back down to Khare village with only a short pitstop at High Camp along the way. It was exhausting. Availability of water was a problem too since much if not all of our water was still frozen despite the now blazing morning sun. I was gasping for a drink. Ngima our leader had some warm water in a flask and I will definitely take a small flask when I find myself back on a high mountain again. What now remained was the trek "home" to Lukla. The third day of decent involved far more steep climbing than we were in the mood for but we gt where we were going. Conditions on the Zatrwa pass weren’t as bad as they could be. During our trek trail crampons or shoe grips weren't necessary. There were only a couple sections of ice a few paces long. The decent from the pass is long and steep, thankfully the national park authority have been building a stone staircase which makes things a little easier but you still have to watch your step. There is the potential for an overnight stay a few hours short of Lukla but depending on progress it can be skipped and we pressed on for Lukla and some comfort... relatively speaking What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The team work, the mutual support, we gave each other to help achieve the objective, summit Mera Peak. Reaching the summit of Mera Peak and looking across to five or the six highest mountains on earth. It was a major personal achievement and psycholgically opened so many doors in my mind. What did you think of your group leader? Ngima was outstanding and a credit to the company. Clearly very experienced and knowledgable. I believe he said this was his 16th or 17th summit of Mera Peak since he began working as a mountain guide so we knew we were in very good and capable hands. The same goes for our assistant guides too, Mingma and Ngima. They were such good people to guide you all the way to the summit of Mera Peak and back. Very pleasant at all times. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Nearly all of our group got a stomach upset along the way which sapped our energy for a couple days at a time. Ngima has a very well stocked medical kit and was able to give us all some ciprofloxacin and imodium but he began to run low on it as the days went on and the next person got ill. It might be handy to have your own for convenience. Take a small flask to put warm water in when you leave high camp for the summit. The water in our bottles froze solid during the 7 hour climb through the night to the summit. Hydration bladders are a non starter even with insulated tubes. Summit day is a very long and exhausting day. You will need lots of fluids. Nepalese "coconut crunchie" biscuits are a cheaper sugery snack alternative to Mars bars and Snickers etc when you are are at the tea house and much more likely not to be out of date. When hiring climbing equipment in Khare, remember that it is a four day hire period. The cost soon multiplies. The boots available for rental were old school plastic Scarpa boots, don't know the model but those that used them didn't have any major complaints that I heard. Is there anything else you would like to add? Those of us that took our own mountain boots and crampons were able to pack them seperately with Ngima our leader while we were still at the hotel in Kathmandu and our boots would be give back to us at the crampon point on Mera. They therefore did not count towards our personal luggage limit for the Lukla flight. That immediately saved me getting on for 4kg and solved my weight woes in an instant. If I'd known we could have done that before departure I would not have left one or two items at home.
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