Nirekha Peak Climbing  - 20 Days

After arriving at the international airport in Kathmandu, someone from Himalayan Glacier will greet us and take us to our hotel in the city. We can freshen up or take a rest. In the evening we attend a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier where we enjoy Nepalese cuisine. Overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, we visit Himalayan Glacier’s office. There will be a short meeting which is intended to make us familiar with the entire trip. We meet our climbing leaders and fellow climbers at the office. The climbing leader will check our equipment to make sure that they are ready for our adventure. This will also ensure that if any equipment is found to be faulty, we have the rest of the day to fix it or find equipment that works. We can spend the rest of the day at our leisure. Overnight in Kathmandu.

We fly to Lukla after breakfast. While on the plane, we can enjoy breathtaking views of lush hills and snowy mountains. The Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world. The airport is located at a hillside surrounded by high mountains. Upon our arrival at Lukla, we meet rest of our crew for the upcoming trek and climb. We start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla until we reach Phakding. To assist in acclimatization, we only have a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, we can take a side trip to a nearby monastery. Overnight in Phakding.

After breakfast, we walk through beautiful pine forests and then along Dudh Koshi River ending our nature-filled journey at Namche Bazaar. After walking for almost over an hour, we come across the radiant Mt. Thamserku (6,608m) on our right.  The lush pine, fir and juniper forests that we encounter throughout our journey are ours to admire. If the weather is clear, we may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. We continue walking until we reach Namche Bazaar which is the gateway to most treks and climbing expeditions in the Everest region. On that day we cross five suspension bridges, the last one also known as the Hillary Bridge being the highest. It is an uphill walk from Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Health experts recommend that we stay active and move around even during the rest day instead of being idle. There are a few options set aside for this day. We can either stroll around Namche Bazaar or hike up to the Everest View Hotel and enjoy an up-close view of the mighty Everest. While in the Namche village or upon returning from the hike to the Everest View Hotel, trekkers may also visit the local museum containing exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna as well as the history of the Everest region.

For trekkers who want to hike for a little longer, a hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours) may also be an option. While in the village we can visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti!). Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

It is an easy walk from Namche to Phunki. After reaching Phunki, we ascend towards Tengboche, a village that houses Tengboche monastery which is the largest monastery of the Everest region and the most significant for the locals. Situated amidst the Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of “outstanding universal value”), it is adorned with the panoramic 360-degree view of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. The monastery opens at 3pm and we make sure to arrive on time. And, if we are lucky, we might just be able to witness a religious ceremony. Overnight in Tengboche.

If we want, we can visit the Tengboche Monastery again this morning and enjoy the serene views of the mountains and the monastery itself. We begin our trek on an easy trail through birch, conifers and rhododendron forests. This picturesque trail then dips down to Debuche, crossing the Imja River before climbing up to Pangboche. We choose the upper Pangboche trail as it provides a more pristine view of the Himalayas. We also visit the Pangboche monastery. From here, the walk is fairly moderate as we enter the Imja Valley. The valley gradually unfolds as we approach the confluence of the Lobuche River. We descend into the river and begin the climb up to Dingboche. Overnight in Dingboche.

We start the day with a gradual climb to Duglha at the end of the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. From here, we climb up a steep trail to Chupki Lhara, where we find an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10-time Everest submitter Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepali mountain guide) who perished on a mission to climb Everest.  Next, we continue to the Khumbu Glacier moraine and find ourselves facing several great peaks – Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. The trail then eases off as we follow the valley to Lobuche. Overnight in Lobuche.

We take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once vast Gorak Shep Lake. Continuing straight ahead, we come across the Indian army mountaineers’ memorials. The path from here can be misleading; hence, it is important that we follow our lead Sherpa diligently. The walk is strenuous due to thin air in the high altitude. We pass through rocky dunes, moraine and streams before reaching the Everest Base Camp. Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp, we see tents of mountaineers that stand out in bright colors against the monotony of gray surroundings (especially in the spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains we can view from the base camp. We come back to Gorak Shep for a good night’s rest. Overnight in Gorak Shep.

We start our trek to Kala Patthar early in the morning in order to catch remarkable views of the first light of the sun shining on Mt. Everest. However, we need to be prepared for trekking in the dark and cold temperature (the temperature varies according to the season). Furthermore, there is always a chance for chilly winds which are quite common. As we continue our trek, familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse, Everest and Nuptse tower above us. After several hours of ascent, we will be on the top of Kala Patthar. The close-up view of Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks from Kalapathar is amazing. We enjoy the stunning Himalayan vista and descend to Dzongla where we stay the night.

Those participants who visit Everest Base Camp today will have an early breakfast to start early as Everest base camp hike takes longer than the hike to Kala Patthar.

As we gain altitude , the Cho La Lake begins to appear. We also see Ama Dablam presiding over a range of mountains on the south and Cholatse soars on the west. Climbing the incline is not easy; it is steep and made worse by boulders over some of which we will have to scramble. The final climb to the Cho La can be a little tricky as the trail curves round a crevasse.  As with most Himalayan passes, the top of the Cho La is marked by prayer flags and cairns.  From here we turn right and walk on a slightly steep path for around two hours before reaching Nirekha Base Camp. From here we admire views of majestic peaks on all directions. Overnight at Nirekha Base Camp.

We begin our pre-climb training after breakfast. Our guides will provide training on peak climbing techniques and the best ways of using climbing gears such as the ice axe, climbing boots and crampons, harness, ascender, etc. The training will also include knot making and using ropes to move up and down. We can spend the remainder of the day resting for the next day’s climb. Overnight at the Nirekha base camp.

After a full day’s rest, today we embark on our ultimate adventure which is summiting the Nirekha Peak. We get up at midnight for breakfast and begin trekking from 1:00 am. We begin our trek on a flat snow-covered trail before ascending on a steep path towards high camp. The peak is very technical and from high camp with a gradual ascent of about 20 degrees followed by a very steep ascent on a narrow ridge. Both main rope and fixed ropes will be used. We also come across a few crevasses before reaching the summit. From the summit, we get excellent views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Tawache, Cholatse, Pumori, Changri and others. After a safe and successful trip to the top, we safely make our way down to the Base camp.

This is a separate day reserved for any contingency. If we are not able to summit the Nirekha Peak on the day as planned due to bad weather or any unforeseen event, this day can be used.

From Nirekha Base Camp we descend down to its base camp and head towards the Gokyo village. On the way, we see the majestic Himalayan peaks in all directions. Although long, the path leading down to Thangnak is not difficult. Our trail brings us to the edge of the Ngozumpa glacier, which is the longest glacier in Nepal. Reaching the other side of the glacier, we see the second Gokyo Lake among the series of six lakes. A short distance away is the third lake. On the edge of this lake stands the Gokyo Village where we spend the night.

From Gokyo, we descend on a main trail next to the Ngozumba Glacier. We pass through two more lakes before reaching Phangaa which was hit by a big avalanche in 1995 killing forty people. From here, we descend further and pass a chorten. We continue our walk and reach Machermo. Overnight in Machermo.

We begin our trek to Namche Bazaar after breakfast. We pass through several villages like Luza, Dhole and others. Our trail is nearby the Dudh Koshi Nadi. After passing Mong we descend down on stone steps and are in company of the beautiful Mani Walls. We continue our walk and pass Kyangjuma village before reaching Namche Bazaar where we spend the night.

The trail descends steeply downward so we need to walk cautiously as our shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries, the trail becomes more level and natural. After our arrival in Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of days. Overnight in Lukla.

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenir shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of our journey. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organize your photos. A representative from Himalayan Glacier will take you to the airport, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you’ll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.