Mera peak trek and climbing

Your adventure in the Himalayas begins with a scenic flight to Lukla, which offers some of the best views of Nepal’s tallest peaks. When we land in this little mountain town, we’ll meet up with the rest of our trekking crew and set out for the wilderness. Our trail today begins below Lukla’s airstrip and leads along forested slopes and steep stone staircases, affording us excellent views of the Dudh Koshi river canyon. We’ll reach Paiya after only about four or five hours of trekking, and we’ll overnight in one of the village’s best teahouses or guesthouses.

After lingering over breakfast in Paiya—don’t forget to try the Tibetan bread and hot tea—we’ll take a little bridge over the Paiya Khola and pass through lush woodlands of bamboo and rhododendron. The high point of today’s trek is the mountain pass of Khari La, which stands at an impressive 3,145 meters in elevation. But we’ll be following the climber’s maxim on this Mera Peak climbing itinerary: climb high, sleep low. This means that after reaching the mountain pass, we’ll descend through the forest, crossing several streams before reaching Pangum, where we’ll spend the night at a slightly lower elevation. This is the best way to ensure that our bodies are acclimatized to the altitudes of the Himalayas before we reach Mera Peak itself.

Our next day on the trail begins with a climb to the mountain pass of Pangum La, which sits at about 3,173 meters in elevation. From here, you’ll get a good look at Mera Peak, amongst some of the Everest region’s most impressive mountains. Then it’s on and down into the Inkhu Valley, where rhododendron forests lead to the little community of Sibuje, or Bhusme. Views of the Himalayan mountains get better and better as we descend steeply from Bhusme, ultimately crossing a few hanging bridges to arrive at Ningsow after about five or six hours of hiking.

As we climb further into the wilds of eastern Nepal, we’ll discover beautiful woodlands of rhododendron and bamboo. In fact, our trail today leads directly into the Makalu Barun National Park, where we may be able to spot rare wildlife like the Himalayan tahr or even the secretive red panda. Of course, your eyes may be glued to the spectacular sight of Karyolung and Khatang, two of the region’s most impressive snow-covered peaks. Our destination today is Chhatra Khola, sometimes known as Bamboo Camp. We’ll get settled into a basic lodge here and enjoy the fruits of our labor: serenity and natural beauty in the heart of the Himalayas.

We’ll set out after breakfast this morning, trekking alongside the waters of the Majang Khola as we draw ever closer to the heights of Mera Peak. We’ll trek directly towards the southwest face of this striking mountain, passing through pristine forests of pine and rhododendron. Our destination today is Kothe, or Gotay, and we’ll arrive after about five or six hours. There are a few lodges here, and we’ve made arrangements to secure the best of them for tonight’s accommodations. If time allows, you can also visit a nearby cave associated with Milarepa, one of the most prominent figures of Tibetan Buddhism.

As we continue to explore little-traveled regions of eastern Nepal on our quest to climb Mera Peak, we’ll find ourselves crossing broad summer yak pastures and earning splendid views of mountains like Kusum Kanguru and Mera Peak itself. We’ll also see traditional herding settlements, sprawling alpine meadows, and the rocky glacial moraines of towering Himalayan peaks. Today’s hike will even bring us to a bona fide cultural landmark: the 200-year-old Buddhist monastery known as Lungsumgba Gompa. After approximately four hours on the trail, we’ll arrive at Thagnak: a summer grazing community where we’ll enjoy basic, comfortable lodge accommodations.

It’s almost time to begin our efforts to climb Mera Peak—but first, we’ll need to ascend above 5,000 meters in elevation to reach the real alpine territory where this mountain can be found. Our trek today begins by tracing the rock-strewn moraine of the Dig Glacier and climbing beyond it to reach open pasturelands, where we’ll earn striking views of the surrounding Himalayan mountains. The north face of Mera Peak will feature heavily in your photographs and memories today, and you’ll have plenty of time to anticipate your attempt on the mountain as we trek for a total of about five hours before reaching Khare. We’ll be spending the next two nights here to acclimatize and train for our ascent of Mera Peak.

Climbing Mera Peak involves ascending to serious altitudes, and it’s important that we spend enough time in the mountains to acclimatize to the rarefied atmosphere at this elevation. We’ll spend the day here in Khare, practicing with the equipment we’ll soon be using to climb Mera Peak. The nearby glacier offers the perfect training grounds, where your guides will reacquaint you with the basic use of gear like ice axes, crampons, and fixed ropes. This kind of physical activity is the best way to make sure you’re ready for the adventure ahead. And with Khare’s splendid Himalayan scenery, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful place to prepare for your expedition to Mera Peak.

We’ll be making major strides on our quest to reach the summit of Mera Peak today, ascending to Mera High Camp at 5,780 meters in elevation. While this route involves only about four or five hours of trekking, we’ll be climbing steeply through a challenging, rocky landscape and navigating the occasional snowfall to earn fantastic views of Nuptse, Lhotse, Baruntse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu. There are no settlements on this part of the trail, and we’ll set up our tents beneath an overhang of rock, enjoying the rare opportunity to camp in the spectacular wilds of Nepal’s Himalayan mountains.

Please note: We’re scheduled to gain some pretty significant elevation today, and it may prove necessary to spend another night here in Khare to acclimatize. It’s always a good idea to have flexible plans when you’re trekking in Nepal—and if we do need to spend another night here, we can enjoy an acclimatization hike to an especially scenic glacially-fed lake known locally as Sabai Tso.

Are you ready for the highlight of your trek in Nepal? It’s time to climb Mera Peak at last, and we’ll start out before the sun has cast its first rays over the peaks of the Himalayas. Following the illumination of our headlamps, we’ll set out from Mera High Camp and begin our climb to the summit. Our ascent will require the use of some ropes and other climbing gear, and it should take about five or six hours. At the top of Mera Peak, we’ll discover awe-inspiring views of Nepal’s most beautiful mountains: Everest, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Makalu, and many more. After savoring this incredible sight, we’ll make our slow and steady way back down the mountain to Khare.

Traveling to Nepal and trekking in the Himalayas is best embraced with the spirit of adventure, and that means keeping your plans flexible. Weather conditions may impact flight schedules, and acclimatization delays may affect our planned trekking schedule. We’ve built this extra day into our Mera Peak climbing itinerary to account for these contingencies. With any luck, you won’t need it, but it’s best to plan ahead.

We should wisely postpone scaling the peak if the weather gets unfavorable. Sometimes, you or your group members may have some problems acclimatizing. This day may be used in this case. If the trip goes smoothly, we do not need this extra day.

Overnight stay at Guesthouse/Tented, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Now that we’ve successfully climbed Mera Peak, it’s time to begin our return journey through the Himalayas of eastern Nepal and the Khumbu. Descending is always quicker than ascending, but there’s still plenty to see along the way. Trekking in the opposite direction reveals new vistas and new insights into familiar landscapes, lending fresh perspectives to ground we’ve already covered. And as we trek through this region of striking beauty, we’ll pass through Thagnak and make it all the way back to Kothe in a single go. We’ll stop here for the night, treating ourselves to any available local delicacies now that we’ve made it back from the highest mountains.

With the heights of Mera Peak behind us, our trek will take on something of a more leisurely pace—but we’ve still got some ground to cover. We’ll be on our feet for about five or six hours today, crossing minor tributaries of the Inkhu Khola river and actually gaining elevation as we hike through quiet rhododendron forests. Our destination today is the village of Thuli Kharka, which sits at 4,200 meters and offers an unforgettable look at larger-than-life mountains, including Mera Peak. We’ll spend the night in a comfortable guesthouse here after enjoying dinner with a view.

On our last day of hiking in the Himalayas, we’ll be making for Lukla after about two weeks in the mountains. Our route today crosses the Zatra La mountain pass: one final climb in the Himalayas to finish our trek in Nepal. From the saddle of this pass, we’ll be rewarded with a great look into the Khumbu proper and many of its most recognizable mountains, including Kongde Ri, Numbur, and Cho Oyu. From here, we’ll descend for about three hours, moving carefully to secure our footing on this steep terrain. When we arrive in Lukla, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the cafes and shops in town before spending the night at your hotel.

Flights from Lukla depart early in the morning to take advantage of clear weather conditions, and ours is no exception. We’ll set out for Kathmandu first thing in the morning, enjoying one last look at the Khumbu’s spectacular, snow-covered mountains from the windows of our plane. When we arrive in Kathmandu, you’ll have the rest of the day to explore the city at your leisure. You’ll enjoy a guided tour of the city’s cultural highlights tomorrow, but don’t hesitate to ask us for any recommendations today—there’s enough to see in Nepal’s capital city to last a lifetime. Your overnight accommodations will be at your hotel in the Thamel district, where your adventure in Nepal started two weeks ago.

The Kathmandu Valley is one of the world’s oldest cradles of civilization, and you won’t want to miss the chance to explore its historic temples, monasteries, and communities for yourself. On a guided tour of Kathmandu, we’ll concentrate on the city’s must-see cultural highlights. The twin Buddhist stupas of Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are actually sacred to both Buddhist and Hindu cultures, and the sprawling Hindu temple complex of Pashupatinath is a photographer’s delight. And no trip to Nepal’s capital city would be complete without visiting the palaces at Kathmandu Durbar Square or the many local restaurants serving up unforgettable local cuisine. After your day tour of Kathmandu, you’ll have the evening at your leisure before spending one last night in your hotel.

In the morning, your crew from Iconic Himalaya Adventure will transport you back to the Tribhuvan International Airport in time for your outgoing flight. We hope that you’ve enjoyed this unforgettable opportunity to climb Mera Peak, and we’re honored that you’ve chosen us to be your guides in the Himalayas of Nepal. When you’re ready for another adventure, we’ll be ready to welcome you back to Nepal with open arms.