Ascent of Mera Peak, 6,461 metres

We fly to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Please arrive by 13:00 local time. A team representative meets participants at the airport. Once the group has assembled, we drive to Thamel, Kathmandu’s tourist district, and check in at the hotel. The city streets bring together Buddhist stupas, Hindu temples, markets, workshops and mountaineering-equipment shops. We meet for a group briefing: we get to know the team and review the route, altitude schedule, baggage arrangements and safety rules. We discuss preparations for heading into the mountains and leave time to rest after the flight.

Today we stay in Kathmandu. If you wish, you can explore the city and its sights; excursions and admission tickets are paid for separately. We devote part of the day to final expedition preparations. We check our personal and technical equipment: whether crampons fit mountaineering boots, and whether warm clothing, gloves, sunglasses, headlamps, sleeping bags and harnesses are ready. Any missing equipment can be purchased or rented. We complete the necessary permit arrangements and pack our baggage for the flight to Lukla.

We go to Kathmandu airport and fly to Lukla. The flight takes about 30–35 minutes: we cross the foothills and approach the main Himalayan ranges. We land at Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary Airport. From Lukla, most travellers head to Namche Bazaar, Everest Base Camp, the Gokyo Lakes, Island Peak or Ama Dablam. We head south, towards the remote Hinku Valley. We first descend through forested slopes, passing small villages and agricultural terraces. Then the trail climbs again. Paiya lies lower than Lukla, but on the way there we will have to gain and lose elevation several times. The trek takes about 4–5 hours. We reach the village by evening.

From Paiya, we continue along the southern route towards the Hinku Valley. The trail passes through forests, small mountain settlements and terraced fields. Sustained climbs alternate with descents to streams and rivers, followed by another climb. In spring, the area is green and the rhododendrons are in bloom. These are still Nepal’s humid foothills; the high-altitude section of the route lies ahead. Because of the constant elevation changes, this is a long trek. We walk at an easy pace so as not to overexert ourselves at the beginning of the program. By evening, we climb to Pangom, a small village away from the main tourist routes.

After breakfast, we leave Pangom and head east. We gradually gain altitude, crossing forested ridges, small settlements and agricultural terraces. Along the way, we pass mani stones, Buddhist symbols and small shrines. The villages become fewer, the lodges simpler, and there are noticeably fewer people on the trail as we move farther from the main tourist routes. In good weather, we will see the snow-covered massif of Mera Peak for the first time today. The summit is still several days away, but our mountain is already visible above the valley and becoming a landmark. At the end of the trek, we reach the forested ridge of Ramailo Danda.

We trek from Ramailo Danda to Chhatra Khola through dense forest. The trail sometimes follows the river, then climbs above it and descends back into the gorge. Underfoot are streams, roots, stone steps and wet ground. After rain, it can be muddy and slippery, so we walk carefully. Trekking poles will be useful on steep, wet sections. Permanent settlements become fewer and farther between. We enter a remote part of the Hinku Valley, where it can take many hours to get from one small lodge to the next. By evening, we reach Chhatra Khola.

We climb through the valley via an old fir forest. Thick moss hangs from the branches, and rhododendrons grow between the trees. In places, almost no light reaches the ground. Farther on, the forest alternates with rocky slopes and open sections above the river. Himalayan martens, red pandas, musk deer and Himalayan pheasants live here. Encounters are rare; seeing any of them is a matter of luck. After several hours, we reach Kote, one of the main settlements in the Hinku Valley. The lodges here are noticeably more comfortable than at the previous stops.

From Kote, we climb up the Hinku Valley towards Thaknak. We gain altitude gradually, but the thin air is already beginning to make itself felt. The forest becomes lower and sparser, then gives way to shrubs, alpine meadows and open slopes. In good weather, Kyashar, 6,769 metres, remains in view almost all day. The mountain rises above the valley and helps us find our way to Thaknak. Along the way, we turn off the main trail to a small Buddhist gompa beside a rocky massif. Closer to the settlement, scree and moraines appear, and traces of glaciers become increasingly visible. By evening, we reach Thaknak.

After breakfast, we head out to one of the hills above Thaknak for acclimatization. We climb gradually, spend some time at the high point and return down. We spend the night in Thaknak: we climb higher and sleep lower to prepare for further altitude gain and the trek to Khare. In good weather, Mera Peak, Kyashar and Kusum Kanguru are visible from the high point. During the outing, the guide monitors the group’s pace and how each participant is coping with the altitude. After returning, we rest and prepare for the next trek.

We leave Thaknak for Khare, the last permanent settlement before the mountaineering section of the route. On the way, we approach Sabai Tsho, a glacial lake at the foot of Kyashar. The lake is surrounded by moraine ridges and rocky scree. There are no more trees; we continue through a high-altitude valley, over moraines and rocky ground. We gain about 600 metres during the day. Because of the thin air, we move more slowly, and the trek takes time. Khare lies directly beneath the Mera Peak glaciers. Here we finish the trekking approach and begin preparing for the ascent.

We stay another day in Khare for acclimatization and technical training. After breakfast, we climb towards the glacier. We review how to adjust and use crampons, travel on snow and ice, use an ice axe and perform a self-arrest. We practise travelling roped together, ascending a fixed rope with a Jumar ascender and descending with a descender. We check that personal equipment is compatible. The exact exercises we do will depend on the condition of the slope, the weather and the group’s level of preparation. After training, we return to Khare. In the second half of the day, we rest, pack our high-altitude packs and check our equipment once more before setting out for high camp.

We leave Khare for high camp. We first climb rocky slopes and moraine, then reach the glacier. We put on crampons, rope up and continue over snow and ice. We gain about 900 metres during the day. At this altitude, we move slowly: even simple actions take more effort. The glacier, rocks and snowy slopes of Mera Peak surround us. If visibility is good, a panorama of the Himalayas opens up. At camp, we rest and prepare our clothing and equipment for the nighttime departure. The guide conducts a final briefing and checks the crampons, harnesses, carabiners, ascenders, ice axes and headlamps once again. We have an early dinner and turn in. There will be little time to sleep: we set out for the summit deep at night.

We get up in the middle of the night. We have breakfast, put on our equipment and begin the climb by headlamp. We travel in crampons, roped together: the route follows a snow-covered glacier, mostly over broad snowy slopes. We keep a slow, steady pace. Above 6,000 metres, we do not speed up and conserve our energy for the descent. At dawn, if the weather is clear, the panorama of the Eastern Himalayas opens up behind us. From the upper section of the route, we can see Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Kangchenjunga. The ascent from high camp to the summit takes about five hours. We stop briefly at the summit and begin descending. It is about two hours to high camp. There, we rest, have lunch, pack our things and descend to Khare—about another three hours to the lodge. It is a long day. The physical exertion is compounded by the altitude, cold and lack of sleep, and on the descent we still need to watch every step carefully.

From Khare, we descend along the familiar route via moraines and alpine meadows to Thaknak. From there, we follow the Hinku River to Kote. We lose about 1,300 metres of elevation during the day. It gradually becomes warmer and the air denser. First shrubs appear, then we return to the forest. After several days among rock, snow and ice, we are back in a green valley.

We leave Kote towards Zatrawa La Pass. The climb is long and steep and will take effort. We walk through yew, fir and rhododendron forest. In places, we climb stone steps and cross wet ground. Gradually, the forest ends and we emerge onto open alpine slopes with views of the surrounding ranges. By evening, we reach Thuli Kharka, below Zatrawa La Pass. This is our last night before returning to Lukla.

From Thuli Kharka, we climb to Zatrawa La Pass. Ahead lies one of the longest treks on the return route. Trail conditions depend on the weather: in April, snow and icy sections may remain on the pass. From the pass, the Lukla area is visible again. We begin a long descent, quickly lose elevation and return to the forest. We gradually approach populated areas and reach Lukla. Here we complete the hiking loop and finish the mountain section of the program. We rest in the evening.

We go to Lukla airport and fly directly to Kathmandu. The flight takes about 30–35 minutes and is subject to weather conditions. On arrival, we transfer to the hotel and rest after the mountain section of the journey. In the evening, we can gather as a group for a final dinner or continue resting.

This day is held in reserve in case of bad weather or delays during the mountain section of the route. If everything goes according to plan, we spend a free day in Kathmandu. You can rest, walk around the city, visit Boudhanath Stupa, the Pashupatinath Temple Complex or the old city of Bhaktapur, and buy souvenirs and equipment.

We leave the hotel in time for our international flight. A transfer will take participants to Kathmandu airport for their flight home. The program ends here.