Baruntse Expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley

A Life Himalaya trekking representative will be at TIA awaiting your arrival with a private vehicle and driver. After your TIA exit, you will be taken straight to your four-star accommodation in the capital, where essential refreshments await you.

Once you are well rested, you will be introduced to your guide, and you will also be briefed about our Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley, and what you may need.

A free day in Kathmandu has been allocated for some touring of the city. We will take you to Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, and Pashupatinath for some sight excursion.

Then, we will get on with the needed equipment examination and gather the required clothing and equipment for our Baruntse expedition 28 days trip.

Meanwhile, our staff will take care of the official paperwork and get the mountain permits.

Attention

We urge all our guests to get an early sleep, as we may need to drive around midnight to reach Ramechhap Airport, so we can arrive on time to board the early morning Lukla flight. From April of 2019, the Lukla flights are often redirected towards Ramechhap to prevent the high air traffic ordeal in TIA, particularly in autumn and spring.

Our Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley will begin with a shivering flight to Lukla. After getting our first glimpse of Mount Kongde Ri, our first light hike will begin towards Paiya.

Walking over the Handi Khola, the route will elevate towards the Surke Village for around two hours. The path will keep increasing for another two hours towards Pake and then over the 2945 m high frame of Chutok La.

We will then plunge down into the green community of Paiya, where Khatang, Kongde Ri, and Tengi Ragu Tau will be standing high to greet our way.

From Paiya, we will initiate our descent along the treacherous route towards a small, quaint bridge spanning over the Paiya Khola. The route ahead will then lead us upward over the 3081 m frame of Khari La Pass.

2344 m high green hill of Tham Danda and Khumbila, and Gyachunkang shining over it, is just pretty amazing to watch. The trail will then again take the steeper turn over Lenji Kharka high above Dudh Koshi.

The onward route will then move directly to Panggom, which offers the watchful scenery of the Jiri trail to Everest Base Camp.

After Panggom, our route will ascend over the overwhelming 3175 m height of the Panggom La Pass. Once over the pass, the route will be calm and gentle heading north.

The edgy Numbur and Mera Summits will play hide and seek with us on the rest of the trail. Soon, we will find ourselves crossing the Peseng Kharka Khola and then ascending towards Sibuje (2770 m).

We will be elevated more and more over the Peseng Kharka Ridge. Soon, we will come across to the kind currents of Ningsow Khola that will flow with us towards Ningsow.

After Ningsow, the path of our Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley will move up through the Buddhist path lined on the sides by the Mani Walls and small stupas.

The Hinku Khola will now keep accompanying us, and three astounding mountains of Karyolung, Mera, and Numbur will also keep constantly watching us.

Soon, our trail will be running over the 3120 m high slope of the Ramailo Danda. Standing here will offer us the most attractive and calming sights of Kusum Kanguru, Sanu, Salpa, Mera, and Mojang Peaks.

Next comes the Tama Khola, which we need to cross and then climb over to the new establishment of 4G Danda. The Pasang Lhamu trail will now begin to run parallel towards Makalu Barun National Park, thus ultimately guiding us to Chhatra Khola.

The trail after Chhatra Khola will take us north and keep climbing upward for around 1.5 hours. Then, we will be trekking along a leveled jungle trail for around 4 hours to reach Taktor.

From here, the route will navigate through Tashing Dingma, a green velvety pastureland. A long air-hung bridge expanding over Sanu Khola will direct us toward the gentle track rising towards Mosom Kharka, aka Kothe.

After registering for permits at Kothe, we will soon settle down in our comforting mountain home.

From here on, our route will run through the lofty alpine terrain. The path will elevate over the Drangka ridge and lead us straight to Gondishung.

Here, we will encounter the tranquility of the Lungsumgba Monastery, standing for over 200 years. A long one-hour uphill climbing will undertake after which we will finally be stepping at Thagnak, encircled by the massive icy features of Mera, Kusum Kanguru, Charpate, and Thamserku.

After Thagnag, the trail will unwaveringly climb for around half an hour, directing us toward the 4463 m tall Sabai Tsho glacial lake. Now, the slick glacial landscape of Hinku Nup Glacier will march us toward another glacier of Lhotse Shar.

Khare will be reached soon enough, positioned right below the snowy shade of the Mera Peak.

The first phase of our Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley will soon begin now. But first, we will spend an extra day in Khare to refine our mountaineering skills.

Our climbing guide will demonstrate the proper use of a harness, jumar, crampons, ice axe, and climbing boots. He will also show us the correct ascending technique over the fixed ropes.

Then, we will go to practically apply our skills over the 5300 m ridge nearby.

After breakfast, the rugged yet well-defined trail will keep elevating us towards the 5415 m tall Mera La Pass. A little 100 m down, we can see colorful tents of climbers aiming for Mera Peak, just as we are.

We will, however, continue along the precarious, rocky, and glacial route of the Mera and Naule glaciers to reach the High/Advanced Camp of Mera Peak.

From inside of our tent, we can see the pleasant snowy frames of Ama Dablam, Baruntse,,Cho Oyu, Nuptse, Pumori, Makalu, Kusum Kanguru, Lhotse, Chamlang, and Mother Everest.

One of the big days of our Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley is here. Rising early, we will all equip ourselves with our ice gear and set off at around 2 AM.

Our climbing route will guide us over firn and snow slopes along the moderately steep Mera glacier. Then, we will come across a glacial dome where we will have to make use of a fixed rope, ice axe, and crampons.

Finally, we will be over the Mera Central Summit watching the monstrous Himalayan mammoths of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and, in the distance, Kanchenjunga.

We will now gradually descend back towards the High camp in around three hours. Now packing our items, we will march down to Mera La Pass and venture right to Honku Valley.

Kongma Dingma will be shortly arrived, where we will rest in a lovely high-altitude meadow.

The remote secluded Honku Valley will slowly precede us along the meadowy landscape till we see Chamlang on the horizon. We will ascend its glacial slopes, watching Everest and Mount Lhotse. Soon enough, we will reach Seto Pokhari, occupying the space of this glacial terrain.

The highly awaited goal of our Baruntse Expedition 28 days adventure is coming very close now. The rugged path will ascend us past rocky structures.

We will continue gaining altitude over the barren terrain with snow dominating the scenery everywhere we look around. En route, we will traverse Peak 41 (6654 m) and then move on to the base camp beneath the massiveness of Baruntse.

The Baruntse expedition will be undertaken from the base camp of the peak. Staying for one or two days at the base camp, we will engage in the puja ceremony held by our Sherpa team.

Then, we will also undertake a training class under the guidance of our climbing Sherpa guide. From the Base Camp, then the rotation ascent will commence between the two high camps of Baruntse (Camp I and Camp II).

We also have a few contingency days set aside for the successive attempts, bad weather, and the health of the climbers. However, keep in mind that we must clear all the camps and be at the Baruntse Base Camp by the end of the 21st day.

We will follow the southeast ridge of the peak, which is considered a semi-technical ascent AD+. There will be snow slopes inclining to 45 to 50 degrees, but the most technical challenge will be presented when climbing upward towards Camp I and Camp II of the summit.

There will also be a solid frozen wall extending to 7000 m elevation, where fixed ropes must be used. We will attack the Baruntse Summit from Camp II and descend the same way.

The days of the Baruntse expedition will be followed as:

• Ascent from Base Camp to Camp I (6100 m), 5 to 6 hours

Camp I of the summit will be established after the West Col on the expansive icy solid plateau. It will be right on the way from where the Barun Glacier will begin beneath the southeast ridge of the summit.

From the Base Camp, we will follow the ascending snowy trail that will climb over the daunting 210 m long vertical wall of snow, ice, and rock inclined at 45 degrees.

The ridge section will be reached from where the steep, sharp upward ascent will be continued towards the West Col, ultimately arriving at the exposed section of the Barun Glacier.

• Ascent from Camp I to Camp II (6400 m), 4 to 5 hours

Camp II will be set up on another ridge between two false summits. The route will be comparatively simple, where the risk of falling rocks, avalanches, or hidden crevasses will be fairly low. However, for extra precaution, safety ropes will be used to ascend.

• Ascend to the Baruntse Summit and Trek Back to Base Camp, 10 to 12 hours

The real technical and long hardship will begin now as we start very early from Camp II towards the 7000 m over summit. Beyond Camp II, the fixed line ropes will be in place by our Sherpa Guides.

We will surmount the sharp, straight ascent over the ridge of 6600 m elevation. Once we are over this section, another fixed line of ropes and railings will be installed.

We will face three additional false summits before we are at the true summit of Baruntse. The tip of this peak is quite edgy and pointed, thus limiting the space for the climbers.

Proudly salute Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Lhotse, after which a daunting descent will take place through Camp II, I, and towards the Base Camp.

NB

Kindly understand that the itinerary that we have stated here is only a guideline. The days may not go as planned, and our lead guide has the exclusive right to adjust the climbing rotation as per the well-being of the climber, prevailing climate, and snow conditions. Delays may arise, and we cannot accept responsibility for such occurrences.

Since Life Himalaya Trekking believes in a zero-carbon footprint policy, we will make a team effort to collect all our garbage and clean the base camp.

Now, packing the bags, we will progress along the next phase of our Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley. Through the striking glacial setting, the path will run through the towering crevassed glaciers.

Ultimately, we will be at the south base camp of the Amphu Lapcha Pass, which is also called the High Camp of the Pass that separates the two wonderful valleys of Khumbu and Barun lying above the Panch Pokhari slope.

Setting forth from the High Camp, the route towards the high pass will cross the sharp rock and ice outcrops for around two hours. To move across the glacier, we will utilize once again the jumar and ropes.

Nearing the tip of the Amphu Lapcha pass, the trail will now turn gentle. The radiant red hues over Everest, Chamlang, Island, Cho Oyu, Mera, and Lhotse will be unforgettable.

Get ready to descend back along the fixed rope lines, rappelling 20 and 30 m. Another four long, grueling hours of descent will then occur, which will ultimately end at Chhukung Village.

The hardships of our Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Honku Valley are now over. The journey ahead will take us through the enchanting green forest trails of the Imja and Khumbu Valleys.

From Chhukung, we will descend through the alpine slopes to Dingboche, after which the forests of Orsho and Shomare will return, taking us to Pangboche.

The rhododendron jungle is back, thus peacefully guiding us down towards the Tengboche Village. We will take out some moment to see the 1919 monastery in the village.

Now meandering through Phungi Thenga, the white milky waves of Dudh Koshi will show our trail running through Tashinga, Sanasa, and Kyangjuma towards Namche Bazaar.

Today, our route will march us downward through Top Danda, Jorsalle, Monjo, Benkar, Phakding, Thadokoshi, Chheplung, and Chaurikharka, before moving upward briefly to reach Lukla.

It will be quite sad to depart from our loyal, brave companions who assisted us to summitting such a high-profile peak of Nepal.

If circumstances permit, we will endeavor to fly straight towards Kathmandu. If not, we will arrive in Ramechhap, where Life Himalaya Trekking’s van or bus will convey us back to Kathmandu.

Once again, the Life Himalaya Trekking representative will transport you back to TIA after a hot breakfast and farewell. We hope we are able to provide you with some excellent time and service, and you truly enjoyed your Baruntse expedition via Mera Peak and Hinku Valley adventure.