This superb trek takes us
away from the more frequented trails leading to Everest Base Camp, to over a pass
to the east. Entering this very sparsely inhabited Hunku Valley, we walk northwards
through a beautiful high alpine environment, from which Mera Peak (6476 m) the
highest trekking peak in Nepal towers over the valley. Traversing around to the
north, we find a softer side, and from here it is no technical climb. It can be
attempted if you have acclimatized well, with strong lungs and have the view of
four of the five highest mountains on earth standing proud over hundreds more,
many of which are still unnamed and unclimbed. Angel Treks and Expedition since
its operation in 2000 with its capable crews have enviable records in the numbers
of clients who have reached the summit. After the Mera summit, the trail will
follow crossing Mingbo La or Tashi Lapcha down to Everest classic route to Chukung
or Pangboche, via Tyangboche Monastery. Next day we trek to Namche and down to
Lukla. From here we fly back to Kathmandu the following day. Day
1 Arrive in Kathmandu. We will meet you outside the customs and immigration
area at the airport and escort you to the hotel. Your first experiences in Nepal
will be somewhat overwhelming as we drive through Nepal's bustling capital city
to the hotel. Kathmandu is a stimulating mix of medieval and modern. You can explore
the markets in the afternoon and we will meet for dinner for our first meal in
Nepal. Day 2 Explore Kathmandu. Kathmandu is one of
three former medieval city-states in the Valley, along with Bhaktapur and Patan.
Our half-day morning sightseeing tour will include key sights around the Kathmandu
Valley such as Bhaktapur, the Hindu shrines at Pashupatinath on the Bagmati River,
and the large Buddhist stupa at Bodhnath, center of the Tibetan Buddhist culture
in Kathmandu. In the afternoon, Kathmandu is yours to explore. By western standards,
the city is intimate. You can visit the many interesting sights, shrines, and
markets, or stroll in Kathmandu's fascinating Asan Tole bazaar. Don't miss Durbar
Square, Thamel, Swayambhunath (the "Monkey Temple," overlooking the
entire Valley; go at sunrise or sunset!) and the King's Palace. You could also
hire a driver to take you to the nearby ancient city of Patan. Day
3 Fly to Lukla, trek to Chutunga. We will have an early breakfast
and head off to the airport for our flight to Lukla. This flight will take about
40 minutes as we travel over ranges and river valleys towards the highest peaks
in the Himalaya. Lukla is a small Sherpa town that is the starting point for some
of the most famous climbs and treks in Nepal. We will spend the rest of the morning
relaxing and acclimatizing at 2,800 m (9184ft). After lunch, will start our trek
up to Chutunga, where we will camp for the night. Our walk will take us NE through
the fields and forests surrounding Lukla. We will make our way up through yak
grazing grounds to the small teahouse settlement of Chutunga (3,100m, 10,170ft).
Day 4 Acclimatization Day at Chutunga. Acclimatization
is an important component of high-altitude climbing. This will be the first of
3 scheduled rest days as we let our bodies get accustomed to the thinner, high
altitude air. After breakfast we will head up towards Zetra La, exploring the
rhododendron forests and meadows above Chutunga. Keep a lookout for the elusive
Impeyan, a brightly colored Himalayan pheasant that keeps to the forests for cover.
We will make our way back down for lunch and spend the rest of the day relaxing
and enjoying the views of the surrounding peaks and passes. Day 5
Cross Zetra La to Thule Karka. Today we cross Zetra La (Pass, 4,600m, 15,088ft).
We will slowly make our way up and stop for lunch just above the tree line, about
500 m below the pass. Above here the terrain is steep and rocky. From the pass
we will get great views of surrounding peaks, such as Kwangde to the east and
even Cho Oyu to the north. We will slowly make our way across the rocky flats
and passes, gradually descending to Thule Karka at 4,400 m (14,432ft, 'Thule Karka'
means big meadow in Nepali). Camping at high elevation will allow us to acclimatize
so our later ascent of Mera Peak will be easier. If you have time to explore the
craggy terrain around Thule Karka, you may spot a Himalayan mink hiding out in
the weathering rock debris. Day 6 Thule Karka to Tashing
Ongma. This will be on of our longest walking days, mostly downhill. We will traverse
several flats and spurs until we gain our first view of Mera Peak. From here we
will drop down into the isolated Hinku Valley. Aside from mountaineers, the Hinku
Valley is sparsely populated and very pristine. We will ascend a steep section
of trail until we enter the forest, where we will stop for lunch. Eventually we
will drop down into the humid, bamboo forests, before turning north up along the
west side of the Hinku River towards Mera Peak. We will slowly ascend to Tashing
Ongma (3,600m, 11,808ft), where we will camp. Day 7
Tashing Ongma to Tangnag. Today we will have amazing mountain views as we continue
north up the Hinku Valley. The trail gently climbs along the west bank of the
Hinku River. Spectacular mountains, such as Kusum Kangari to the west and Mera
Peak to the east, will be in view throughout the morning. We will make our way
up onto the meadows on the western side of the Hinku Valley as we climb above
the tree line. Here we will stop for lunch. Throughout the afternoon, we will
traverse meadows and hill slopes, dotted with grazing yaks, until we reach the
settlement of Tangnag (4,350m, 14,268ft). If it's been a snowy season, the sound
of avalanches will soon be familiar. We are approaching the heart of the high
Himalaya. Day 8 Acclimatization Day at Tangnag. This
will be a rest day to let our bodies recover from the past days of hiking. We
will relax and soak up the beautiful views of peaks and glaciers surrounding the
head of the Hinku Valley. Day 9 Tangnag to Khare. Today
we will climb above 5,000 m (16,400ft) 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 trails heads eastward out of Tangnag,
along 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 Acclimatization Day at
Khare. Our staff will maintain our base camp at Khare. In the morning we will
head up about 200 m to the foot of Mera glacier, where we practice rope work and
use of crampons and ice axe. We will return to Khare for lunch. We'll spend the
afternoon resting for the upcoming climb. Day 11 Khare
to Mera La. Today we will travel a short distance, slowly ascending up onto Mera
glacier. The climb is initially steep, but flattens out as we reach the crest
of the glacier. We will traverse a long flat on top of the glacier as we make
our 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 we 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. We will have lunch at Mera La
and spend the afternoon relaxing and staying warm. Day 12
Mera La to High Camp. We have a short, steep climb up to High camp, but we will
take it very slowly so that we allow for the altitude gain. At 5,800 m (19,025ft),
high camp is nestled behind a large rock outcrop. We will arrive here by lunch
and spend the afternoon relaxing and further acclimatizing. Bill O'Conner in the
book 'Trekking Peaks of Nepal" describes high camp as "one of the most
glorious viewpoints in Nepal, with a panarama that takes in Kanchenjunga, Chamlang,
Makalu and Baruntse sweeping round from the east, whilst due north Everest peers
over…the massive unclimbed South Face of Lhotse and Nuptse. Sitting on
that rock outcrop, listnening to the wind and looking out across untracked glaciers
remains a highlight of my Mera expedition." Day 13
Ascend Mera Peak, Return to Base Camp at Khare. We will depart high camp before
dawn. The climb up to the higher northern summit is straight forward, but will
take 6-7 hours. The reward is one of the world's most spectacular mountain views,
including Everest and Lhotse just to the north, Cho Oyu to the northwest, and
Kanchenjunga and Makalu to the east. We will then make our way down to Mera La
for lunch and to Khare to camp for the night. Day 14 Spare
Day. We allow a spare day in case of bad weather. Day 15
Khare to Tashing Ongma. Return along the same route. Day 16 Tashing
Ongma to Thule Karka. Return along the same route. Day 17
Thule Karka to Lukla Return along the same route Day 18
Lukla to Kathmandu. We will take an early morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu.
Day 19 Kathmandu. Free day in Kathmandu for shopping and
relaxing. Optional trip to Patan Durbar Square and Nepali cultural museum.
Day 20 Depart Kathmandu. We'll take you to the airport and assist
with baggage and check-in.
Country: Nepal --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Difficulty Level: 4 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum Altitude: 6500m -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Best
Season: Spring : Mar - Apr - May Autumn : Oct - Nov - Dec --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tariff 2006 - 2007 Price Per Person in EURO 02 - 04 € 1750 05
- 07 € 1450 08 - 10 € 1350
Equipments
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