Mera Peak Climbing Start from Phaplu and End in Lukla
- 18
days
Mera Peak Climbing Start from Phaplu and ending Lukla, is the right trip for you if you are looking for your first Himalayan peak to ascend. Higher than most European and North American mountains, the ascent to Mera Peak is less technical and easier than ascents up most peaks of similar elevation. It is one of the few mountains in Nepal that offers the best views of some of the world's tallest mountains.
Mera Peak is considered Nepal's highest trekking peak. The summit of Mera Peak was first conquered by Colonel Jimmy Roberts and Sen Tenzing in 1953. Mera Peak has three summits: north, central, and south. Most expeditions head to the Mera Central (6,461 m), and our team will be doing the same.
The ascent to Mera Peak offers you a thrilling experience, complete with awesome views of some of the grandest mountains in the world. From Mera Peak's summit, you will be able to enjoy glorious views of five of the world's tallest mountains: Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Kanchenjunga, and Makalu. Not as technical as other Himalayan peaks, getting to the summit of Mera Peak requires easy climbing on the Mera glacier’s gradual slope. The base of the mountain is reached by trekking on a secluded trail and a steady ascent over several days.
Your adventure starts in Kathmandu, from where you head to Phaplu via a breathtaking mountain flight. From Phaplu, you take a jeep ride to Tham Danda, the trailhead of your trek. Over the next couple of days, you will walk past pristine pine and rhododendron forests, alpine pastures, and the summer huts of yak herders. En route, you enter the Makalu Barun National Park, home to a fascinating array of rare Himalayan wildlife and vegetation.
The trek and acclimatization days give your body ample time to get used to thinner air and reduced oxygen levels. It takes multiple days of trekking to reach the base of Mera Peak. The trail traverses the spectacular Hinku Valley and climbs to the dramatic glacial moraine and windswept valleys at the higher reaches.
The ascent of Mera Peak begins in Khare. After spending a night camping at Mera High Camp, you will make your summit push early in the morning and return to Khare the same day. The return walk will take you to the Dudh Koshi River Valley and the popular Everest Trail. A tough crossing over the mountain pass of Zatarwa La will finally bring you to the bustling Sherpa village of Lukla, where your epic Himalayan journey will finally end. From there, you will catch a flight and return to Kathmandu.
While one can scale Mera Peak with basic mountaineering skills, one needs to be physically and mentally fit to climb this six-thousand-meter peak. The freezing cold, low oxygen levels, and crevasses on the mountain make the climb difficult. Advance planning and regular physical training before your trip will ensure the success of your claim. An experienced Sherpa guide with several ascents up Mount Everest and other mountains will guide up the peak.
The trip's price depends on the type of services chosen by our clients and the group size. The cost of each trip we organize is different because we see travelers as individuals having their own particular needs and preferences.
Get ready for an incredible journey tailored to your interests and preferences, whether you're looking for a budget-friendly adventure or a luxurious getaway. Leave the planning to us as we take care of all the details, ensuring your dream trip becomes a reality. You can relax and focus on creating unforgettable memories that will stay with you forever.
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Kathmandu (1,400 m/4,593 ft) - Transfer to Hotel and trip preparation |
| Day 2 | Fly to Phaplu and Drive to Tham Danda (2,326 m/7,254 ft) - 30 minutes flight and 7 to 8 hours drive |
| Day 3 | Trek to Panggom (2,846 m/9,337ft) - 6 to 7 hours trek |
| Day 4 | Trek to Ramailo Danda (3,276 m/10,748 ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek |
| Day 5 | Trek to Chhatra Khola (2,800 m/9,186 ft) - 6 to 7 hours trek |
| Day 6 | Trek to Kothe (3,691 m/12,109 ft) - 6 to 7 hours trek |
| Day 7 | Trek to Thaknak (4,358 m/14,297 ft) - 3 to 4 hours trek |
| Day 8 | Trek to Khare (5,045 m/16,486 ft) - 3 to 4 hours trek |
| Day 9 | at Khare - Acclimatization Day and Pre-Climb Training |
| Day 10 | Trek to Mera High Camp (5,780 m/18,958 ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek |
| Day 11 | Summit Mera Peak (6,461 m/21,193 ft) and descend to Khare (5,045 m/16,547 ft) - 11 to 12 hours of trekking and climbing |
| Day 12 | Contingency Day for the Summit |
| Day 13 | Trek to Kothe (3,600 m/11,808 ft) - 4 to 5 hours trek |
| Day 14 | Trek to Thuli Kharka (4,300 m/14,107 ft) - 6 to 7 hours trek |
| Day 15 | Trek to Lukla (2,840 m/9,318 ft) via Zatrwa La Pass (4,600 m/15,092 ft) - 6 to 7 hours trek |
| Day 16 | Fly to Kathmandu (1,400 m/4,593 ft) - 35 minutes flight |
| Day 17 | Contingency Day or Reserve Day in Kathmandu for weather or other issues |
| Day 18 | Final Departure |
Tribhuvan International Airport
Kathmandu is well connected with most of the international hubs by flight. After landing at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, you can complete the immigration process and head to the airport's terminal. There you will be given a warm welcome by Third Rock Adventures' guide. He will transfer you to your hotel by private vehicle and help you check-in. Enjoy a welcome drink, freshen up, and rest for a while.
In the evening, you will meet your climbing guide, who will brief you about the route and important things you will have to keep in mind while trekking. You can check your gear and equipment list with your guide and rent or buy any gear that you may need during your climb in Kathmandu or in Khare (yes there's a rental outlet for mountaineering gears and equipment in Khare). However, the choice of gears may be limited in Khare.
Try to retire early, as you have to catch an early flight tomorrow.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
You will be driven early in the morning to the domestic airport. Check-in and board a flight bound for Phaplu, one of the remotest airports in Nepal. In about half an hour you will reach the mountain town of Phapluvia a tiny aircraft. Mera Peak Climbing starts from Phaplu and ends in Lukla On reaching the Phaplu airport, you will again board a Jeep and drive towards Thame Danda.
The Jeep follows a rough off-road lined with beautiful forests of pine and fir. While the ride on the dirt track is bumpy and rough, you are rewarded with beautiful views of the verdant hills and mountains. The route climbs up to the Khari Khola and winds up to the village of Bupsa. From Bupsa, the road ascends a circuitous road and finally stops at the jeep stand of Tham Danda. Along the way, you will cross quaint villages, fast-flowing glacial rivers, and gorgeous waterfalls. After arriving at the jeep stand you will walk up to the main village of Tham Danda and head to a teahouse. Enjoy a warm meal, and have a good night's rest.
Overnight in Tham Danda.
Today you begin your trek from Tham Danda and proceed towards Panggom. It's a long and tiring hike past an up-and-down trail. The trail is beautiful, filled with heart-warming natural views of the mountains and hills. There are steep ascents on uneven steps that could prove hard on your knees. Walk slowly and steadily. After reaching the village of Panggom, head to a teahouse run by a local family and enjoy a warm meal and rest. There's a monastery close to the village, which you can explore if you are not too tired.
Overnight in Panggom.
Today's destination is Ramailo Danda, which, when translated, means 'Merry Hill". You will start your trek after breakfast and proceed from Panggom in the direction of Ramailo Danda. The trail goes past several Buddhist shrines and mani walls. The route ascends to Pankongma La (3,174 m), a mountain pass, over a magnificent rhododendron forest. You will hike into the Hingku Valley after crossing the Dudh Koshi River Valley. On the way, you can enjoy breathtaking vistas of Kongde and Numbur Himal. You will make a quick lunch stop at Ningsow. After that, take a steep up-and-down hike to Ramailo Danda. From Ramailo Danda, you can catch your first glimpse of Mera Peak.
You will stay overnight at a teahouse. Compared to teahouses on the Everest route, the amenities at teahouses along this route are basic and sparse. But you will get to observe the authentic rural lifestyle of mountain communities that live way beyond the popular and commercial trekking trails.
Overnight in Ramailo Danda.
Today's hike is going to be long and tiring, so you start your trek early, right after breakfast. The trail to Chhatra Khola is difficult and rugged, with no villages or human habitations in sight. The scenery along this route is gorgeous and filled with rhododendron trees. During spring red and pink rhododendron flowers brighten the rugged path. You will be walking close to Makalu Barun National Park, which is a sanctuary for several endangered animals, birds, and Himalayan vegetation.
Makalu Barun National Park is home to rare red pandas, Himalayan black bears, snow leopards, Himalayan tahr, musk deer, about four hundred species of birds, and numerous flower and medicinal plant species. Its borders extend right up to the Nepal-Tibet border.
Since there are no teahouses or villages en route, you will stop at a grassy spot to have your packed lunch. After walking through uneven pathways and climbing stone steps, you will eventually reach Chhatra Khola, your stop for the night.
Overnight in Chhatra Khola.
Kothe Village
Continuing your journey, you will leave Chhatra Khola and follow the northward track to Kothe. En route, you will stop by the village of Takto for refreshment. The trail takes you past a dense thicket of bamboo that heads towards the Hinku Khola. Savor your walk through the picturesque and scenic route.
Soon you will enter the Makalu Barun National Park. The park's boundaries extend all the way to the border between Nepal and Tibet. Very few hikers visit the Hinku Valley, so it's possible that yours could be the only group on the trail. Follow your guide and cross a bridge. Later, take a slow ascent and eventually arrive in Kothe.
Kothe is one of the few stops on the trek where you will be able to enjoy a hot shower and wi-fi. Both of these modern luxuries come at an added price, though.
Overnight in Kothe.
Compared to other days, today's trek is quick and easy. So you can have a leisurely breakfast and start your hike later than on other days. Make your way out of the settlement and walk past the beautiful scenery.
The route follows a gentle incline along the river with picturesque views. The treeline disappears as you approach the Upper Hinku Valley after Kothe. Along the way, the scenery is dotted with yak herders summer camps, or "kharkas," rather than villages. You will pass through the small village of Gondishung, where you can stop for lunch. On the way, you will stop at Lungsumgba Gompa, a Buddhist shrine dating back two centuries. Pray to the Buddhist deities for good weather and the success of your climb. The local guide and porters will light incense and make an offering at the shrine. Later, continue your trek and proceed towards your destination.
From the trail, you get stunning vistas of Thamserku, Kusum Kanguru, Mera Peak, and Kyashar or Charpati Himal. Walk slowly and steadily, pausing at intervals to take in the view before finally arriving at Thaknak. Thaknak is a yak herders' summer camp with a few teahouses located close to the majestic Kyashar or Charpati Himal. From the teahouse, you can see the entire mountain, from the base to the summit. Rising to a height of 6,967 meters, the mountain was previously known as Peak 43. It was first climbed in 2003.
Overnight in Thaknak.
View from Khare Village.
Today's hike is filled with mesmerizing views of glaciers, snow-blanketed mountains, and mountain lakes. The trail today takes you up to the mountain lake known as Charpati Tal and the Dig Glacier. You will head down to Dig Kharka, which offers breathtaking views of the Kyashar or Charpati Himal, Mera Peak, and Kyashar Glacier.
To reach Khare, you will first have to take a strenuous ascent over the Hinku Nup and Shar glaciers. Khare, often referred to as Mera Peak Base Camp, is located at the base of Mera Peak. From here, you will begin your ascent to Mera Peak. On reaching Khare, you will make your way to a teahouse and take a rest.
Overnight in Khare.
Let your body adapt to the high altitude by taking a rest day at Khare. It's not actually a rest day, as you will have to take part in pre-climb training. After breakfast, you will make your way to a rocky cliff located close to the village. Under the watchful eye of the climbing guide, you can practice your belaying and climbing skills using a rope.
If you are an amateur climber, you will get a lot of helpful tips from our experienced Sherpa climbing guides, who have several 8,000 and 7,000-meter ascents up their sleeves. They will teach you how to make knots on the rope and use the climbing equipment.
You will learn how to use climbing equipment such as a harness, ice axe, carabiner, jumar, and belay device from our Sherpa climbing guides. They will instruct you in the fundamental and secure methods of climbing an incline with a rope and harness.
After spending the day at the pre-climb training camp honing your climbing techniques, you will finally return to the teahouse.
The last packing for the summit push will be done after a final equipment and gear inspection. Khare has a mountaineering gear and equipment rental out from where you can rent stuff you may need. Please be aware that climbing boots of sizes 12 and larger are hard to find in Nepal. So you must bring your shoes from your home country if your shoe size is 12 or greater.
Have an early night as your ascent to Mera Peak starts tomorrow.
Overnight in Khare.
Mera High Camp (5,780 m/18,958 ft)
Today you will make your ascent to Mera La, following a rocky and steep trail. The three peaks of Mera Peak, which are named Mera North (6,476 m), Mera Central (6,461 m), and Mera South (6,065 m), can be seen rising from the trail. The summit you will ascend is that of Mera Central.
You will have to walk through the Mera Glacier to get to Mera Peak High Camp. There is no technical climbing involved; it is just a simple hike up a slope. However, the cold and low amount of oxygen makes walking difficult. As you reach the High camp, you will be offered hot drinks by the local crew. The high camp lies sheltered from the strong winds by a massive rock. The Mera High Camp at 5,780 m is going to be the highest elevation you will sleep at during your 18-day adventure.
From the Mera Peak High Camp, you can enjoy breathtaking views of Mount Everest (8,848 meters), Lhotse (8,516 meters), Makalu (8,485 meters), Kanchenjunga (8.586 meters), and Cho Oyu (8.188 meters), five of the world's fourteen highest peaks. Glorious views of Baruntse (7,129 m), Chamlang (7,319m), and Gaurishanker (7,134 m) can also be savored from the camp. For each climber, there will be one tent provided. The local staff will have a cooking tent where they will prepare food. Enjoy numerous cups of hot ginger tea and soup. Keep yourself hydrated to reduce the effects of altitude sickness.
Overnight at a tented camp.
Mera Peak Summit
Today is the D-day. You get up at around 1 AM to get ready for the last summit. After breakfast, you will start your summit push. You will gear up and wear your harness, crampons, and headlamp. Once outside, your guide will rope you up. For safety, your group will be secured by a manrope. Move in unison as you ascend the glacier. In this segment, technical climbing is not required. However, watch out for crevasses. If there's a big crevasse, ladders will be used to cross it.
As the sun rises, you can see Chamlang and Makalu towering majestically. The route takes you on a long and steep walk on hard snow and ice. The only things that make the ascent challenging are the thin air and the extreme cold. At 5000 meters above sea level, it gets difficult to breathe and move, and moving forward requires a lot of work.
The hardest part of the ascent is the final 40–50 meters. The ascent to the summit involves using jumars and a fixed rope due to the steep wall of ice. The summit is reached around 9 or 10 a.m. Stunning vistas of Cho Oyu (8,201 m), Lhotse (8,516 m), Makalu (8,481m), Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), Mount Everest (8,848 m), and other peaks surround you. It is indeed an enthralling sight.
You will take the same route down after savoring your success and capturing the glorious moments on camera. When you arrive at Mera High Camp, you can rest for a while and have some warm food. Afterward, you will follow your guide and climb down to Khare.
At Khare, you can celebrate the success of your Mera summit with your guides and the rest of the team (if you have the energy!).
Overnight in Khare.
An extra day for the summit push in case the team is not able to reach the summit on Day 11.
Overnight at the tented camp.
Pack your bags and start your descent to Kothe. It is a slow and easy downhill. At Kothe, the air is rich in oxygen, and you can breathe easily. It's comforting to not struggle to breathe finally. The view of the mountains is obscured by the thick undergrowth of trees and shrubs as you walk past a lush forest. Follow the path downhill until you get to Kothe. Kothe, a quaint Sherpa village, lies in the Hinku Valley. You will spend the night at a teahouse in Kothe.
Overnight in Kothe.
Today’s trek begins with a steep uphill climb. Steadily make your way west across the Hinku Valley, pasta rocky path. The trail passes along Himalayan streams and dense vegetation. Take an up-and-down trail until you arrive at Thuli Kharka, where you spend the night. Thuli Kharka is actually a yak herders' camp. The yak herders set up camp at this spot during the summer when their cattle come to graze in the high alpine pastures.
Overnight in Thuli Kharka.
Lukla Village
Leaving Thuli Kharka, you will make your way down to lower ground to the busy Sherpa settlement of Lukla. On the way, you ascend the Zatrwa La, a precipitous mountain pass. The crossing involves a steep descent to the top of the pass, from where you can see a portion of the trail you walked a couple of days ago. The entire view of the valley and mountains is amazing.
Do bear in mind that the path to the pass can get icy and slippery during bad weather. So remember to have your crampons or microspikes with you while crossing this pass. The trail is steep and has a sheer drop, which gets hazardous when it snows. After crossing Zatrwa La, the trail gets easy.
Lukla is reached after a hike down a beautiful rhododendron forest. After reaching Lukla, you can enjoy a hot shower and a sumptuous meal. Known as the Gateway to Everest, Lukla’s Tenzing Hillary Airport is the only airport in the Khumbu Region. The settlement has several lodges, teahouses, cafes, and restaurants where trekkers can relax and have a good time before or after the trek.
This is going to be your last night in the mountains, and you can enjoy it with the local crew who helped you through the difficult terrain. Celebrate the success of your trip and tip your local crew generously before calling it a day.
Overnight in Lukla.
Bidding goodbye to the local crew and the mountains, you will finally fly to Kathmandu. Enjoy the grand view of the mountains and the Kathmandu Valley during your flight. Our driver will pick you up from the airport and drive you to your hotel. On reaching the hotel, you can spend the day as you wish–rest at the hotel or explore the city. Thamel, a tourist hub, is a great place to stroll around and shop for souvenirs.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
This day has been reserved for unforeseen emergencies and delays due to bad weather, flight cancellations, injuries, illness, etc. If the trip goes smoothly, then you can spend this extra day in Kathmandu at your leisure. You can use this day to explore the city, relax at your hotel, or do souvenir shopping.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
Your trip (Mera Peak Climbing Start from Phaplu and End in Lukla) has finally ended. It's time to say goodbye to Nepal. Our driver will drop you off at the international airport at least three hours before your flight's scheduled departure. Please do let us know if you wish to extend your vacation and explore more Himalayan regions in Nepal.
Third Rock Adventures also operates multi-country tours to India, Bhutan, and Tibet. If you are interested, our travel consultant will help you plan another exciting trekking adventure.
