Mera Peak Challenge Expedition – 15 Days

This day, early morning, you will fly from Kathmandu to Lukla airport. The flight will last for 30 to 35 minutes. During a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla airport, you will get to see thrilling views of the Himalayas, rivers, and the hills from above the clouds. After arriving in Lukla, your trekking journey begins. You will be walking 5-6 hours today, depending on your walking pace. You will pass through lush green forests, including pine trees, and if you are trekking in the spring season, multi-colored rhododendrons can also be seen. You have to climb uphill, and it is an easy acclimatization day for starting a trek. You will be staying overnight in Chutanga in a local lodge or guest house. Local and fresh food such as Dal, Rice, and Tarkari may be served for dinner. If you want, you can try other foods as well, like tsampa porridge, potato curry, and Tibetan bread. Have a great dinner and a sound sleep.

The third day begins from Chutanga. After having a nice breakfast, you will head toward Thuli Kharka. You have to walk through steep terrain and need to climb upward. The trek route includes stone steps, rocky paths. You may witness different kinds of flora and fauna present in that area. Medicinal herbs, including Jatamasi, and animals such as mountain goats, tahr can be seen. If you are lucky enough, you may witness rare animals, for instance, a red fox, a red panda, and so on. The trekking duration of the day is 6 to 7 hours, or it might be less. When you get done with 3 to 4 hours of trek, you will get to Zatrwa La Pass, where you can see some of the world's highest mountain ranges, like Mount Everest, Langtang, Dudh Kunda, and Kanchenjunga. From Zatrwa La Pass, it will be 3 hours of walking to get to the Thuli Karka, our stop for the day. You can enjoy a sunset from Thuli Kharka over Dudh Kunda. Enjoy warm hospitality in local lodges and local food.

Day 4 begins at Thuli Kharka. For this day, the trek duration is 6 to 7 hours. Your trek will start early morning after having breakfast. You will pass through riversides, lush green forests, and pine forests, enjoying the sound of nature(birds singing, river flowing, waterfalls singing). Walking upon the route, you will realize that vegetation changes from green forest to the Himalayan forests. You can enjoy a spectacular view of Hinku Valley, Dudh Koshi River, colorful forests, and capture those incredible moments in your camera. Take your time to dive deep into nature; you will not feel tired at all after a long walk. After a whole day of walking, you reach Kothe. You can have a butter tea with a view and rest well. You will be served local food that is freshly prepared. You can also interact with the locals if you want to know more about their lifestyles, cultures, and traditions.

The early morning this day you will start your trek from Kothe. The trek duration will be short because you are moving to a higher altitude, so take your time and walk slowly, giving your body time to adjust to the higher elevation. Take several breaks, enjoying the views. You will be walking by the Inku Khola riverside, enjoying the flow of the river. You can enjoy different views of Mera Peak, Kusum Kanguru, and Glacier Lakes across the trails. You may witness locals grazing sheep and yaks. The trek of the day will last for 4 to 5 hours. After 4 to 5 hours of trek, you will reach Tangnag. After reaching Tangnag, you will get to see Buddhist monasteries, stupas. You can visit there if open. You will be staying overnight in Tangnag. Enjoy local food, rest well, and have a sound sleep.

Day 6 begins at Tangnag. Today, you will not be trekking. Since you will be trekking higher altitude the next day. You can practise climbing by hiking to Charpate Glacier so that your body can adjust to the higher elevation. You can also visit nearby local Gompas, interact with the locals, and gain knowledge about the cultures and traditions they follow. You will get to see Buddhist artistic monasteries, mani walls, and prayer flags. Enjoy the Hinku Valley view, lush green forests from the top of the hill. You can have garlic soup, which helps adjust your body to the higher elevation. In addition, you can practise climbing using crampons and ice axes if there are icy rocks nearby.

A journey from Tangnag to Khare will take a time of 3 to 4 hours. It's about a distance of 5 to 6 kilometers. Although the path is not too long, the path through the trek route is steep and is much rockier, so walking at a moderate pace is recommended. As you move to a higher altitude, you will get a north-facing view of Mera Peak and have a glimpse of glaciers named Dig Glacier and Sabai Tsho. The trek route starts to become more rocky and rugged. You will be walking across moraines and scree slopes. So be careful while walking. Across the trails, you may encounter different birds and animals such as Himalayan snowcock, yellow billed coughs, Lammergeier(bearded vultures ), Himalayan marmots, blue sheep, and so on. After reaching Khare, you can see 360 degreee breathtaking view of Mera Peak. At this point, you will get used to the higher elevation. Adjust your body according to the altitude and train your body to climb to the summit. This is the last stop before reaching the summit.

Day 8 begins at Khare. On this day, you can practise climbing using crampons, ropes, and ice axes with the guide and also practise short hikes nearby to acclimatize yourself, which increases the chances of reaching the summit and confidence to walk on the glaciers. Enjoy with your trekking friends, eat warm meals, and capture memories. Have a chilled day.

This day is gonna be the most exciting and a journey full of adventure. The trek duration for the day is 4 to 5 hours. Today, you will be walking on glaciers. It is not necessary to have technical climbing, but you have to step with your foot carefully while walking. You can use crampons on the icy path and use a rope to move upwards. You will be staying overnight at the Mera High Camp in a Camping tent. Once you reach High Camp, take a rest well, enjoy the sunset view, and its magical effects of the mountains such as Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, and other mountain peaks. Be prepared for the final summit day(next day), stay hydrated, and sleep well.

Day 10 starts from Mera Peak High Camp to the trekking destination. This day your trek starts from early morning, 2 to 3 am. You should use headlamps or lights, and be prepared for it. The path is challenging as you have to climb up through the steep and slippery trails using crampons and an ice axe. But once you reach the highest point of the trek(the summit), all of your hard work feels rewarding. You will witness the most beautiful scenes from the summit, which include 360-degree breathtaking views of mountain ranges such as Mt.Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Kanchenjunga. After having a great time at the peak, you will return to Khare and stay overnight there. Enjoy a warm meal and great hospitality. Have a sound sleep.

This day, early morning, after having breakfast, you will be heading back to the Kothe. You will go back to the same path once you have climbed up. You get a chance to see the same view from a different angle and a beautiful view of cliffs, terrain, rocks, and glaciers. You will pass through the Tangnag village, and on the way, you will pass across rivers, suspension bridges, waterfalls, and lush green forests. The trek will be completed within 6 to 7 hours. Your stay will be overnight at Khare for the day. You can enjoy the traditional Sherpa food items, experience their way of life, and gain knowledge cultural beliefs followed by them.

On this day, you will be trekking back to Thuli Kharkha from Kothe. On this day, you will be walking back to Thuli Kharkha from Kothe. You go through the full of green forests with rhododendrons, pine, oak trees, and beautiful Hinku Valley, which is out of this world. Make sure you keep your eyes all around so that you can spot the rare animals and birds that exist in this place. Here, you will not only see local people grazing their sheep and yaks but also can interact with the local people. The trek from Kothe to Thuli Kharkha will be completed within 6 to 7 hours.

Today, you are setting out to return to the lower region of Mera Peak. The paths will be filled with thick rhododendron, pine, and juniper trees all the way.. There will be dense rhododendron forests, juniper, and pine trees throughout the trails. You may not feel difficulty in walking as you will be heading downward to the lower elevation. You will be passing across the Zatrwa La Pass, from where you can get a beautiful view of the Dudh Koshi river, Lukla, and the last spot to view magnificent mountain peaks. This is the last day to stay in the Mera Peak region, so enjoy as much as you can.

On day 14, after having a warm breakfast, you will be flying from Lukla Airport to Kathmandu. For this day, your accommodation will be in Kathmandu. After a hectic travel routine for thirteen days, you may need a great rest. You can either rest and recall the moments you spent during the trek. I hope this surely brings a smile to your face. If you want to explore around Kathmandu city, obviously you can, and buy souvenirs from the city. This is your final day in Nepal. So, enjoy your great time.

On this day, you will be dropped off at Tribhuwan International Airport by our team members with a great farewell.