- Overview
- Detail Itinerary
- Map
- Gallery
- Altitiude Sickness
- Equipments
- Departure Date
- Detail Price
Home › Peak Climbing › Mera Peak Climbing
The Mera peak trek (6476m) is famed for being the biggest trekking peak in Nepal, though there is little technical difficulty required to climb. Mera Peak rises to the South of Everest and dominates the beautiful and remote valleys of Hinku and Hongu. The ascent of Mera Peak is made from the Mera La pass (5415m) on the Northern Face, which connects the unpopulated valley of Hongu to the Hinku valley. The late Jimmy Roberts and Sen Tensing were the first climbers to do the Mera Peak Trek, following this very route on 20th May 1953. The Mera Peak Trek begins in Lukla (after a short flight from Kathmandu). From Lukla six days of trekking will see you through fascinating Sherpa Villages to Mera Base Camp (5099m) situated at the base of an immense glacier leading to the Mera La Pass.
Mera Peak ClimbingAs the ascent of Mera Peak continues two more High Base Camps are set up at 5385m (a little below Mera La) and a higher one at 5800m, from where the summit ascent can be attempted. Mera Peak has two distinct summits, the main one being the Northern Summit (6476m), which is reached by skirting the Central Summit (6461m) and following a classic snow ridge to the top. Even though the Mera Peak climb is technically straightforward, there are some crevasses to manoeuvre around, and the route can be long and demanding after a fresh snowfall. The climb from Mera La to the Summit is gradual with an outstanding mountain panorama of the Eastern Nepal Himalayas always in sight. The peaks visible include Mt. Everest (8848m), Cho-Oyu (8201m), Lhotse (8516m), Makalu (8463m), Kangchenjunga (8586m), Nuptse (7855m) and Chamlang (7319m) amongst many others.
Short Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in kathmandu airport. Drop to Hotel and Tour briefing |
Detail Itinerary for Mera Peak Climbing
Day 01: Arrival in kathmandu airport. Drop to Hotel and Tour briefing
Day 02: Sightseeing around Kathmandu valley. Your sightseeing trip will start at 9AM in the morning after your breakfast. We will provide a private vehicle and professional tour guide. Places we visit are Pasupatinath temple, Buddhanath, Monkey temple, Bhaktpur durbar square and Kathmandu durbar square. The afternoon includes a final briefing and preparations for the trek.
Day 03: Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla (2800m.). Trek from Lukla to Chutanga (3050m.), and you camp. This morning we take the short but spectacular flight to Lukla where we meet our crew. We then begin walking for 3 to 4 hours due east from Lukla, passing through a number of tiny hamlets before entering thick forest on the hillside below the Kalo Himal Ridge. Be careful to stay with the group on this section as there are many trails leading away from the main path. There are many streams with numerous places for the first camp, all of which are loosely referred to as Chutanga.
Day 04: Trek from Chutanga to Zatrawala Pass (4610m.) to Zatrabok (4704m.) and you camp here. You trek steep ascent path to cross Zatrawala Pass. From here you can enjoy the spectacular views of Numbur Himal, Kongdi Ri, Karyolang peak and many other mountains and peaks. Now, you walk along the leveled trail for almost one and a half hours and then the trail turns downhill and you trek through this descent path all the way to Zatrabok. This is campsite surrounded by hills.
Day 05: Trek from Zatrabok to Kothe (m.) and you camp here. To reach Kothe you trek steep descent path all the way. En route, you pass forests of juniper, rhododendron and other local vegetation. The views you can enjoy are of Mera peak, Nauleku peak and many other mountains and peaks.
Day 06: Trek from Kothe to Tangnang (4356m.) (Sabal Tsho-Lake) following Hinku Valley (4600m.). You trek along the bank of river and find bush on both sides. The path is gradual ascent and you can enjoy the views of Kusum Kanguru peak and many more.
Day 07: Rest day at Thangnang. This is an acclimatization day at Tangnag. This will be a rest day to let your bodies recover from the past days of hiking. You will relax and soak up the beautiful views of peaks and glaciers surrounding the head of the Hinku Valley.
Day 08: Trek from Tangnang to Dig Kharka (4659m.) and you camp here. We now walk towards the mountain as the trail swings to the east. We gain height gradually until we find ourselves at Dig Kharka (4,650m), close to the foot of the Hinku Nup Glacier. This is a pleasant, grassy camp in an impressive situation.
Day 09: Trek from Dig Kharka to Khare (5045m.) and you camp. Today, we will climb above (5,000 m.) for the first time. Our hike up to Khare (5,100m, 16,728ft) is short, but we will take it slowly, with frequent stops to soak up the incredible surroundings. The trail heads eastward out of Tangnag along with the lateral moraine of the Dig Glacier. We will pause to climb up the moraine for a view of the pristine Sabai Tso glacial lake. A drop in lake level, caused by a recent rupture of the natural dam the held the lake, is clearly visible. We will arrive at Khare in the early afternoon and have lunch. From Khare, the beautiful north face of Mera Peak is in plain view and Mera glacier spills steeply down into the valley.
Day 10: Rest day at Khare. This is an acclimatization day as you can prepare yourself for the Mera Peak climb.
Day 11: Trek from Khare to Mera La (Pass) (5350m.) and you camp. Today you will travel a short distance, slowly ascending up onto Mera glacier. The climb is initially steep, but flattens out as you reach the crest of the glacier. You will traverse a long flat on top of the glacier as you make your way to the pass, called Mera La (5,400m, 17,710ft). From here, the views are stunning. Crevasse fields gently stretch out in front of the pass and you are literally enclosed by a ring of jagged peaks and blue-green glaciers. The remaining route up to the summit of Mera Peak is clearly visible.
Day 12: Trek from Mera La (Pass) to Mera Peak High Camp. This day you trek gradual ascent path all the way. This area is quite covered by ice glacier. The views make you speechless as you can enjoy the Everest, Makalu, Baruntse, Kusum Kanguru and many other mountains and peaks in panorama. Moreover, you feel chill by the magnificent views of Mera Glacier.
Day 13: Climb High Camp (5780m.). Today, you make the climb to the high camp. This is located at about 5,800 metres on the Northern slopes of the upper mountain. It provides an early start but we must get our equipment ready so an excellent launch pad for the final climb to the summit. There is no need to make that the Sherpas can help with carrying this and the camp stores to the high camp. Having gained the Mera La, the route turns left (south) and follows easy angled snow slopes. After a short distance an area of crevasses is reached. Under normal conditions these can be walked around very easily, although looking into their deep, dark depths is always impressive. The crevasses soon give way to slightly steeper but open snow slopes that lead without difficulty to the high camp. This camp is in an excellent setting with wonderful views of Everest, Makalu and the Nuptse, Lhotse wall directly ahead. The setting sun casts an unbelievably magic light on these awesome mountains.
Day 14: Climb Mera Peak and return to Khare and you camp at Khare. The climb to the summit of Mera starts gradually and much will depend on snow and general weather conditions. The central summit will soon appear above the head of a wide glacier flanked by two ridges. We climb the centre of this over open snowfields and avoiding crevasses. The route then swings south-east, skirting below and to the east of the left-hand ridge before turning back rightwards towards the main summit ridge of Mera. Mera actually has three summits; the highest is our objective. We reach this by following a classic snow-ridge to just below the final wall that guards the top. This short steep snow slope is easily climbed but there is a big effort required to climb this last 50 m. Your reward, however, is a feeling of ecstatic jubilation as you survey the magnificent panorama from the top. After taking pictures and enjoying the view, we descend by the same route back to our campsite below the Mera La.
Day 15: Trek from Khare to Kothe which takes about eight hours. This day you walk along the gradual descent path passing through Tangnang. This is a small village and you find yak settlement here. To reach Kothe you follow the same kind of path. On the way you pass forests covered with fir, rhododendron and local vegetation.
Day 16: Trek from Kothe to Zatrabok which takes about six hours. The trail goes steep up all the way to Zatrabok. On the way you pass forests and green hills.
Day 17: Trek from Zatrabok to Chutanga which takes approximately five hours.
Till Zatrawala Pass the trail is ascent and then you trek descent path to reach Chutanga. En route, you walk through rocky path.
Day 18: Trek from Chutanga to Lukla and it takes about four hours. You trek through forests of fir, rhododendron, oak, juniper and local vegetation. The trail you walk along moves downhill all the way to Lukla. You can enjoy the views of Numbur Himal, Kongdi Ri, Karyolang peak and many other mountains and peaks.
Day 19: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu and it takes about 35 minutes.Free day in kathmandu.
Day 20: Final departure to Airport by Office car.
Mera Peak Climbing
Mera Peak Climbing
Altitude Sickness
Many people are concerned about altitude sickness. This problem, often known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), is a particularly important medical consideration while trekking in Nepal and Tibet. AMS rarely occurs lower than 2800 meters (9520ft) and only minor symptoms occur below 3000 meters (9,800ft). AMS occurs when the body does not adapt well to the lack of oxygen present at higher altitudes. At 5490 meters (18,000ft), there is just half the oxygen available as there is at sea level, while there is only a third available at the summit of Mount Everest. The itineraries of the treks of Itreknepal are designed to reduce the risk of altitude sickness as much as possible, although individual susceptibility to altitude sickness seems to be genetically determined. What happens to the body during altitude illness? The body tries to adapt to having less available oxygen by increasing the rate and depth of breathing, as well as the heart rate. Fluids accumulate in between the cells in the brain, the lungs or both, creating mild to severe symptoms. Mild symptoms include headache, loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, insomnia and dizziness. These symptoms are usually resolved by spending one or two extra nights at the same altitude. If symptoms worsen, descent to lower altitudes is warranted. If you are resting at the same altitude and your symptoms worsen, then it is also necessary to descend. More serious symptoms of AMS include increased tiredness, severe headaches, vomiting, loss of coordination, shortness of breath and coughing fits. These extremely dangerous symptoms are called high altitude cerebral edema (or HACE). They can lead to unconsciousness and death within 12 hours. Increasing shortness of breath, cough and tiredness may also be signs of high altitude pulmonary edema or HAPE. This condition can rapidly prove to be fatal if ignored. Respiratory depression (the slowing down of breathing) can be caused by various substances, and may be a problem at altitude. The following substances can do this, and should never be used by someone who has symptoms of altitude illness:
1. Alcohol
2. Sleeping pills (acetazolamide is the sleeping tablet of choice at altitude)
3. Narcotic pain medications in more than modest doses
To prevent AMS and respiratory depression, drink at least three liters of liquid a day and avoid getting cold. Altitude sickness can to a certain extent be prevented by acetazolamide (Diamox SR), 750mg per day. Some experts suggest a two-day trial of acetazolamide before the trip. Please seek the advice of your personal physician. Please note that taking Diamox SR does not mean that you can ignore advice about proper acclimatization.
To recap, serious symptoms of altitude sickness include:
1. A severe, enduring headache, which is not cured by ordinary painkillers
2. Nausea and repeated vomiting
3. Irritating dizziness or actual difficulty with balance and direction
4. Visual disturbances with flickering vision and problems judging distance
5. Pressure in the chest, rapid breathing and pulse rate,
crackles in breathing and shortness of breath
6. Swelling beneath the skin (edema), typically around the eyes
7. Swollen ankles and hands
8. Confusion
9. Convulsions
In the presence of these symptoms, medical attention must be sought immediately in conjunction with descent to the lowest possible height. We have guides trained at the High Altitude Medical Training Center. Our staff is very experienced in dealing with the effects of higher altitudes. As they are natives of Nepal, they easily acclimatize and therefore can care for their clients. They are equipped with necessary medical supplies and will assist with basic first aid treatment. We design our tours to ensure clients are ready for high altitude, and arrange alternative itineraries for those at risk. For more information, please contact your doctor or hospital.
Clothing
1. Down- or fibre-filled jacket for cold seasons (winter treks)
2. Pile jacket or jumper (sweater)
3. Hiking shorts (for men) or skirt
4. Waterproof jacket, poncho or umbrella
5. Hiking pants
6. T-shirts or blouses
7. Underwear
8. Sun hat
9. Swimwear (optional)
10. Footwear
11. Trekking or running shoes
12. Camp shoes or thongs
13. Socks (polypropylene)
Other equipment
1. Backpack or daypack
2. Sleeping bag (optional)
3. Maps, compass & guidebook (optional)
4. Water bottle
5. Torch (flashlight) and batteries
Miscellaneous items
1. Toiletries
2. Towel
3. Laundry soap
4. Toilet paper & cigarette lighter
5. Pre-moistened towelettes
6. Sunscreen (SPF 15+)
7. Small knife
8. Sewing kit
9. Iodine, water purification tablets or filter
10. Medical & first-aid kit *
11. Duffel bag (if you have a porter)
12. For treks with longer stay above 4000m
13. Clothing
14. Insulated pants
15. Nylon windbreaker
16. Nylon wind pants
17. Long underwear
18. Woolen hat (or balaclava)
19. Gloves
20. Gaiters
21. Footwear
22. Mountain trekking boots
23. Socks (wool) to wear with boots
24. Socks (light cotton) to wear under wool socks
25. Down booties (optional)
Miscellaneous items
1. Goggles or sunglasses
2. Sunscreen for lips
3. Optional equipment
4. Photographic Gear
5. Camera & lenses
6. Lens cleaning equipment
7. Film (about 20 rolls)
8. Navigation Aids
9. GPS unit
10. Altimeter
11. Thermometer
Miscellaneous items
1. Binoculars
2. Books/magazines
3. Small duffel bag or suitcase (to leave behind in Kathmandu)
4. Padlock
5. Stuff sacks & plastic bags
Departure Date for Mera Peak Climbing
View Our Price List
Per person cost: US$ 1175
Group Size: Minimum 2, maximum 14 in one departure
Per person cost: US$ 1175
Group Size: Minimum 2, maximum 14 in one departure
What does our package tour price include?
1. Airport transportation
2. Airport/Hotel/Airport pick up & drop by private car/van/bus.
3. Standard accommodation in four/five star hotel in Kathmandu breakfast included. (3 nights)
4. Standard accommodation in two/three star hotel in Pokhara breakfast included. (3 nights)
5. Kathmandu and Pokhara city Tours by professional tour guide and private car/van/bus.
6. All your standard Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) during the trek.
7. All hot drinks such as tea, coffee during the trek.
8. Tea Houses/Lodges, Guesthouses accommodation during the trek.
9. A local government license holder Trekking Guide during the trek.
10. The required number of trekking staff and Porters to carry your luggage during the trek.
11. Food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipment, medicine for all trekking staff.
12. Necessary trekking permits and sight-seeing fee.
13. All the domestic flight as mentioned in itinerary.
14. Surface transfer from and to Kathmandu.
15. All our government taxes.
16. Official expanse.
17. Trekking Map of Everest
What does our package tour price include?
1. Lunch and dinner whilst in Kathmandu
2. Your travel insurance (compulsory).
3. International airfare and airport departure tax.
4. Nepal entry visa fee (US$ 30 per person) you obtain a visa easily upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport Kathmandu for 60 days from date of issue. You require 2 passport size photos.
5. Items of a personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, laundry.
6. Personal trekking Equipments.
7. Tips for trekking staff and driver. (Tipping is expected.)
8. Any others expenses which are not mentioned on Price Includes section.
