Mount Everest

Where Sky Meets the Earth...

Want to experience the intense pleasure of being alive, aware and adventurous...set yourself to a trekking and mountaineering expedition to the world's mightiest peak Mt. Everest. Set against the brilliant blue sky, the view of Mount Everest's radiant snow peaks is jaw dropping. And how it feels like being so close to the sky is a thrill beyond imagination.

Fast Facts

Age of Everest	60 million years
Elevation	8,848 meters (29,028 feet)
Range	Khumbal Himal
Easiest Route	South Col (Nepal)
Nearest Access	Kathmandu
Normal Weather Conditions	5°C to 20°C
Medical / Emergency Facilities	Small Health Care Facilities available in most of the trail
Rescue Operations	Helicopter Flights from Kathmandu (Normally within 50 Minutes)
Communication Facilities	Telephones available at Ghandrung till Chhomrong
Season(s)	Spring: March - June Autumn: September - November
Guidebook(s)	Trekking in Nepal Himalaya - Lonely Planet

The Route
Mount Everest, or the 'Mother of the Universe' (called by the Nepalese) is known as Sagarmatha in Nepal. Towering egoistically heavenwards, it is 8850 meters above the sea level. The route can be sensational only if you ward off all your fears and get ready to see the deepest ditches and touch the highest peaks. So come, let's feel the energy of the mountains and experience how it looks when the sky meets the earth.

Arrive in Kathmandu
The trip begins in the ancient and colourful city of Kathmandu. During day time, we can explore the 17th century splendours of the Monkey Temple, the Durbar Square and the old Kings' Palaces, as well as the ancient city of Patan.

Fly to Lukla
Early next morning we fly to Lukla at 2860 metres, where we meet the yak drivers, and porters. We can trek to Monjo (2652m) and spend the night there.

Explore Sherpa Villages
We will continue our trek up to Namche Bazaar (3446m), the capital of the Sherpa Kingdom. Here we rest for a day to acclimate and enjoy the hospitality of the fascinating people, then proceed up to Deboche (3757m) for a night, and finally to Lobuche (4930m), where we have another acclimatization day.

Reach the Base Camp
Finally, we make the last trek to basecamp at 5300 metres. After resting, organizing, and training in the basecamp for a day, we will begin our climb.

Hiking at the Khumbu Icefall 
We start with a day hike through the awe inspiring Khumbu Icefall, followed by a trip to the plateau of the Western Cwm, for our first glimpse of Camp I, at 5800 metres.

Reach Western Cwm
From Camp I at 6000 metres, the route traverses the flattish bottom of the Western Cwm, to 6200 metres where Camp II is located. Camp III is on the head wall of the Lhotse face at about 7200 metres. Known as the 'Valley of Silence', the Western Cwm is a relatively flat gently rising valley, marked by huge lateral crevasses in the centre.

Ascend Lhotse Face
From Camp II, we will ascend the Lhotse face on fixed ropes up to a small edge 7,470 m (24,500 feet). Then we will climb another 500 meters to Camp III on the South Col at 7,920 m(26,000 feet). From camp III to Camp IV we will have to face two altitudinal challenges: the Geneva Spur and the Yellow Band.

The Geneva Spur is an anvil shaped, snow covered rib of a black rock named by a Swiss in 1952 Swiss expedition. The Yellow band is a section of sedimentary sandstone which requires 100 meters of rope for traversing it.

Reach the Death Zone
On South Col, we enter the death zone, where we will spend maximum 2 or 3 days before beginning our summit push. Within 10 to 12 hours, we'll reach 'The Balcony' at 8,400 m (927,700 feet). The Balcony provides spectacular views to the radiant peaks.

Follow Cornice Tracerse
At 8,750 m (28,700 feet), a small table-sized dome of is snow marks the South Summit. From South summit, we will follow the knife-edge southeast ridge along the 'Cornice Traverse' where snow clings to intermittent rock. This is the most exposed section of the climb as a misstep to the left would send one 2,400 m (8,000 ft) down the southwest face while to the immediate right is the 3,050 m (10,000 ft) Kangshung face. At the end of this traverse is an imposing 12 m (40 ft) rock wall called the 'Hillary Step' at 8,760 m (28,750 ft).

We have finally completed our trek to Mount Everest. Now it's time to descend.

Route Map
Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu (1,300 meters)

Day 2: Fly to Lukla (2860m). Walk to Phakding (2652m)

Day 3: In Kathmandu, visit temples, tour the city, shop

Day 4: Walk to Namche Bazaar (3446m)

Day 5: Rest and acclimatization in Namche

Day 6: Walk to Pangboche (3757m)

Day 7: Walk to Pheriche (4250m). Visit the Himalayan Rescue Association health clinic.

Day 8: Walk to Lobuche (4930m)

Day 9: Rest in Lobuche

Day 10: Walk to basecamp (5300m)

Day 11: Rest and training day in basecamp

Day 12: Climb partway to camp 1 at 5800 metres. Return to basecamp

Day 13: Climb to camp 1 at 5800 metres. Return to basecamp.

Day 14: Walk to camp 2 at 6200 metres, return to camp 1, sleep there

Day 15: Rest in camp 2

Day 16: Explore route to Camp 3 (7300m), return to camp 2

Day 17: Return to basecamp

Day 18: Explore route to camp 4 at 8000 metres, return to camp 2.

Day 19: Attempt summit. Return to camp 4.

Day 20: Return to camp 2 and then to the Base Camp

Day 21, 22: Attempt summit.

Day 23: Return to camp 2 and then to the Base Camp.

Day 24: Trek down to Pheriche. Camp.

Day 25: Trek down to Pangboche. Teahouse or camping.

Day 26: Trek to Namche, Teahouse or camping.

Day 27: Trek to Lukla. Teahouse or camping.

Day 28: Flight to Kathmandu. Hotel.

Day 29: Fly Home. Thanks for joining our mounatineering expedition!

Facts

• Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian mathematician and surveyor from Bengal, was the first to identify Everest as the world's highest peak in 1852, using trigonometric calculations based on measurements of "Peak XV".
• Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa from Britain were the first to climb Mount Everest successfully in 1953.
• In Nepal, the mountain is called Sagarmatha meaning 'Goddess of the Sky'. This name was invented in the early 1960s by Baburam Acharya when the Nepalese government realized that Mount Everest had no Nepalese name.
• Everest has been named after Sir George Everest in 1865, the British surveyor-general of India. The mountain was once known as Peak 15.

Quotes-Unquotes
"Everest for me, and I believe for the world, is the physical and symbolic manifestation of overcoming odds to achieve a dream"

Tom Whittaker

"The highest of the world's mountains, it seems, has to make but a single gesture of magnificence to be the lord of all, vast in unchallenged and isolated supremacy"

George Mallory

"Everest is a matter of universal of human endeavor, a cause from which there is no withdrawal, whatever loses it may demand"

G O Dyrenfurth

Tips

• Get your oxygen masks and protective clothes before starting.
• Get your medical check up done in advance.
• While trekking be with the group and do not go off the track.
• Do not experiment with the route.
• Get the prerequisite permission from the Nepal Mountaineering Association