We will see the most significant historical, cultural, and religious sites in the Kathmandu Valley during our full day of sightseeing, which begins after breakfast today. The tour guide leads us on an exploration of the revered Hindu Pashupatinath Temple, one of the biggest temples in the world devoted to Lord Shiva, the well-known Buddhist shrine Buddhanath, which towers over the skyline and is the oldest and tallest stupa in the world, and the ancient religious complex known as Swyambhunath “Monkey Temple,” which is perched atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley. After the tour, there will be a trip briefing, a guide introduction, and a final inspection of the climbing equipment for the journey to make sure everyone is prepared for the thrilling adventure that lies ahead.

One of the most amazing flights over the white Nepali Himalayas and other natural surroundings follows a spectacular early-morning flight to Lukla, a mountain airfield and the starting point. One of the world’s most beautiful flight paths, it lands on a hillside encircled by towering mountains. Our journey to Mera starts when we land in Lukla, following a brief 40-minute flight. When we arrive, the other Mera peak teams will be waiting for us. We will then begin our trailhead journey, heading eastward and higher over the magnificent Dudh Khosi before heading up the popular trail to Everest Base. The walk continues through rural areas, tiny villages and woodlands until we reach a thick forest of Silver fir, birch meadows and forests of pine and rhododendron. There are several small streams and rest areas scattered across the Chutang region, which is a summer pasture. We spend the remainder of the day exploring the surrounding communities after resting and acclimating to Chutang.

After an exhausting hike via the Kalo Himal Ridge in the Nau Lekh range, we arrive in the Hinku valley from the Khumbu valley today with a feeling of pristine solitude. En route is a long, steep climb indicated by an ancient collection of Buddhist chortens. We continue on our journey till we reach Zatrwa La pass (4610m), where prayer flags are used to welcome us in the traditional Buddhist style. On a clear day, as we celebrate our first pass, the views towards Karyolung and the Lumding Himal across the Dudh Kosi are quite breathtaking. Furthermore, we get our first glimpse of the surroundings as we glance across the undulating hills of the Hinku River Valley. From here, it takes us less than an hour to reach Thuli Karkha, where we rested nicely for one night.

On that glorious day, the rhododendron, which is Nepal’s national flower, is visible throughout the lovely hills. The trip is brief and primarily downward. Trekking across slopes above Hinku Valley, the route provides breathtaking views of the south face of Mera Peak. From Kothe, a pleasant stroll winds through gorgeous forests of Himalayan pine, rhododendron, and bamboo all the way up to the Hinku River. Once we arrive to our location for the day, we will take some time to explore and rest.

We are moving into the high Himalayan peaks today as we go further up the Ridge of Hinku. Here is when we first discover and appreciate our destination’s river stream vista, surrounded by other towering mountains like Mera Peak. Outstanding views of Kusum Kanguru (6,367m) and Kyashar (6,769m). The first portion of the walk climbs gently and progressively up the valley along a stony route that borders the river. Afterwards, climb up to the above-river yak pastures (kharka). A summer herders’ community and a historic monastery are worth visiting on the west bank of the Hinku Drangka, where we cross through the Gondishung. We walk for a long way to reach Thagnang, which is a summer grazing region with a few modest lodges and shops.

Our ascent starts eastward, heading towards Khare. We take our time to adjust and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings as we ascend. You travel across the expansive meadow of Dig Khraka after climbing the challenging lateral moraine of Dig Glacier for 2.5 hours, where you are rewarded with even more stunning views of the surrounding peaks. From there, it’s a strenuous climb via moraines to the termini of the Hinku Nup and Shar Glaciers. We cross the stream and follow the track across the boulder-strewn hillside in a little over an hour. Following a strenuous climb, we arrive in Khare, where we spend the night in lodges and enjoy a breathtaking view of Mera Peak.

We have today off to acclimatise, investigate, and practise the fundamentals of ice climbing with the assistance of our experienced climbing guide, before moving further. Following breakfast, we walk up a challenging hill to the base of the Mera Glacier and then continue to the Mera La pass. Here, we’ll take advantage of the opportunity to plan a session on the glacier and practise the skills necessary for glacier travel. First, we go over correct crampon, rope, and ice axe technique. Following that, we’ll instruct you on how to ascent peaks and utilise climbing equipment such as an ascender, an ice axe, climbing boots, crampons, and a harness. There will also be instructions on how to ascend and descend using the ropes. This helps us prepare for the peak of Mera. While it is not necessary to have any prior experience or expertise in order to travel to Mera Peak Base Camp, we firmly believe that possessing them will boost your confidence and improve your climbing ability, increasing the likelihood that you will reach the summit and have a very enjoyable excursion. Later in the day, we spend the night in Khare again.

It will take three hours to rise to Mera La over a glacier along a trail paved with boulders, so it will be exhilarating and feel like the first day of mountaineering. We get ready by putting on our harness, crampons, ice axes, and climbing boots as soon as we reach the glacier’s nose. As we ascend the glacier, we’ll be able to put our newly gained crampon and ice axe skills to use. Before making the climb to Mera’s high camp the next day, the night is spent camping here. The first mountaineering experience is amazing, as are the views from the pass. After climbing to the 5,410-meter Mera La, we retrace our steps along the ridge and descend to the rear of the Mera base camp, where we will spend the night.

Today, we depart from base camp and ascend a rocky, steep trail to high camp, which is 5,800 metres above sea level. It’s a great place to start the final ascents to the summit. The trail heads left (south) and climbs gently sloping snow slopes after crossing the Mera La. After a short while, a zone filled with crevasses is reached. These are often not too difficult to follow, but it’s always amazing to peer into their terrifying, dark depths. The snow slopes become open and slightly steeper as they eventually emerge from the crevasses, leading straight to the top camp. Upon reaching the High Camp, we are rewarded with breathtaking sweeping views of Makalu, Everest, and the wall of Nuptse and Lhotse in front of us. The evening sun casts a breathtakingly wonderful glow over these majestic mountains. We can also make out most of the top route. We have a decent night’s sleep later so that we can prepare for tomorrow’s summit bid.

With steaming mugs of tea in hand, we set out early in the morning to climb Mera Peak. The going on our ascent of the Mera glacier is easy; we go gently and steadily.As we slowly but surely climb higher into the progressively thinner air, the route stays straightforward. An attempt will be made from the high camp to reach the summit early in the morning; the journey should take four to six hours. The majestic peaks were bathed in a magnificent red glow from the early morning sun. We may tie into a fixed rope at the base of the final steep summit cone, depending on the conditions. We are only a few metres away from the top. The actual top, the objective for which we have all worked so hard, is rapidly approaching. The slope steepens behind the ridge, revealing the top once more. The 360-degree panorama offers one of the most spectacular and stunning views of Makalu (8481m), Baruntse (7129m), Haling (7319m), and NauLekh (6360m). Even though we’re deep in this magnificent alpine landscape, we’ve retreated far enough that the lesser peaks don’t obscure the vistas. After taking our time to absorb everything, we will descend back to Khare for almost two hours, spending the night at the lodge. Although the day has been lengthy, it has been worthwhile.

We have added an extra day as a backup or contingency day in case of weather-related or acclimatization-related problems. This additional day offers a great deal of freedom and can be used to make another attempt at the summit. In the event of any further delays, such as the flight from Lukla, this day acts as a backup. If all goes as planned and you manage to ascend on the summit day, this day is spent getting ready for the walk the next day. If it is not required as a backup plan, this day in Kathmandu will be spent as a free day.Set Aside Day

Following a successful adventure to Mera peak, we journey today over the remote valley of the top yak pastures. Along the trip, we will be treated to a breathtaking vista of the Himalayan valley. It almost shocks us to realise that the two magnificent mountains we are heading straight for are none other than Everest and Lhotse. Once we arrive at Seto Pokhari, we will take the day off.

Trekking in the isolated, high-altitude Himalayas will get you to the base camp of Amphu Labsta. We rarely encounter other hikers on this route, even in the height of the tourist season. Not far from White Lake, the first of several lakes that occupy the upper Honku Basin, we begin our difficult ascent. Explore the untamed terrain of the Honku Valley. With Chamlang (7321m) on the right and hanging glaciers on its northwest and south-west flanks, the Honku Valley is a pristine alpine environment.

Early in the morning, we start our trek over the difficult ice and rock parts to reach the north base camp of Amphu Labsta from the south base camp. This allows us to cross the pass when the snow is still solid and not melted by the sun. There will probably be climbing ropes deployed wherever it is required. Amphu Labsta’s last ascent winds among shovels of snow. On the other side comes a strenuous drop down fixed lines to the moraine.

Today’s itinerary is a descent along the moraine to Chukkung, the starting point of the Island Peak walk. From the solitude of the remote Hinku Valley, we are now exposed to the civilization of the Khumbu Region. The river Dudh Koshi is joined by the Imja Khola just above Pangboche Village. There is a famous monastery at Pangboche that is said to be the oldest in the Khumbu region. Upon reaching Pangboche after several exhausting days of intense hiking and trekking, one feels a rush. We believe that the lodges in this bustling village deserve their warm welcome.

We use the day off to get ready for the climb with the assistance of a Sherpa climbing guide, even though it is necessary to allow for adequate acclimatisation. There will be instruction in peak climbing techniques as well as how to utilise climbing gear properly, such as harnesses, crampon-equipped boots, and climbing ropes. To climb over Island Peak, no prior climbing experience is required. Climbers’ confidence will surely grow as a result of these training opportunities, and their chances of reaching the summit will also be increased by honing their climbing techniques. On the other hand, those going on their first excursion can find the training to be quite helpful.

It will be another fairly straightforward day as we go from Chukung up an open valley with stunning scenery and views of the mountains. We make our way progressively up to base camp via the glacial moraine of the ImjaTsho glacier lake. Stay overnight at a campground.

We begin our ascent early today, following a steep trail that is illuminated by a torch and winds through a rocky gorge to the glacier pass at the summit. When required, our guide will fasten a rope into glacier crevasses using crampons and ice axes. We move in the guide’s direction. The route is mostly clear and winds up snow canyons and rock bands before coming to a little plateau where we may pause to take in the early morning light. We’ll witness a breathtaking dawn from the edge of the glacier. A short steep snow slope leads to the top, where you can traverse an exciting ridge. Standing atop the peak is an unforgettable experience. Before heading back to Base Camp, we will have time to celebrate our successful summit ascent, enjoy the magnificent mountain vistas, and take as many pictures as we wish. We make the long drive down to Chhukung where we stay the night.

The programme included this backup day in case the prior day’s attempt to summit Island Peak was failed for any reason, including bad weather or difficulties acclimating. If the trip goes well and without incident, the day will be shortened in accordance with the revised schedule.

After enjoying a leisurely breakfast in Chukung, we will go through Dingboche and arrive at Tengboche. After our strenuous endeavour yesterday, we take it easy today. We’ll stay one more night near the monastery, where we may take in breathtaking views of Ama Dabram and surrounding areas. Along with taking in the local cuisine and company, you may also visit the Tengboche monster.

We return to Namche by retracing our steps from Tengboche. We initially descend to cross the Dudh Kosi River, and then we ascend to Namche village. Spend the remainder of the day exploring the neighbourhoods, businesses, and interacting with locals to learn about their customs, culture, and way of life. Savour the assortment of delectable cuisine and retire for the day.

It will be a long but worthwhile day as we make our way back down the Dudh Koshi valley. This will be our final day of hiking. Looking this way will give you an entirely different view of the landscape. Eventually we reach the huge town of Lukla, from where we will fly the next day back to Kathmandu. Lukla has an airport. There are a lot of stores, lodging options, and resorts. Spend the day touring the area, then spend the night at the hotel.

If all goes as planned, the flight to Kathmandu is usually scheduled to take off in the morning. This is our last chance to say goodbye to the mountains and have a close-up look at the magnificent, snow-capped Himalayas in the distance during the picturesque morning flight back to Kathmandu. When you arrive in Kathmandu, your guide will take you to your accommodation. Before the group’s last evening of celebration with a special dinner, you have the remainder of the day to do as you want. You can unwind, rejuvenate, or perhaps venture out and see more of the city.

You wish Kathmandu and Nepal farewell till your next visit. You will think back on the amazing experiences you had and hopefully start planning for your next trip to the amazing country of Nepal as you return home.