Lhakpa Ri Expedition is one of the best peak climbing in nepal owing to easy accessibility as well as its proximity to world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest. Hence, Lhakpa Ri is also famous as Everest’s easier cousin. Relatively rapid accessibility, easier boarding to the Base Camp, favourable directions and lower gradient give Lhakpa Ri an advantage over other 7000m! Besides summiting Lhakpa Ri, you will also enjoy the magnificent company of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and others. The mountain is also featured in Lucy Walker’s famous experimental documentary, ‘Blind sight: Himalayas – The Summit of Happiness’. This documentary features the fascinating adventure of six blind Tibetan teenagers who embark on an adventure to climb Lhakpa Ri under the guidance of blind educator and adventurer Sabriye Tenberken, and the famous blind climber Erik Weihenmayer.
Our journey begins from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Then we drive to the Everest Base Camp (North) via beautiful Tibetan towns and villages. From the Base Camp, we set out for our Lhakpa Ri Climbing adventure. We then climb along the east Rongbuk glacier sheared in three stages to the Everest Advanced Base Camp North, with intermediate camps in between. Our initial trek along the flat glacial terrain soon leads to the steep north ridge. Whenever necessary, our position will be secured with fixed ropes. After summiting Lhakpa Ri, we descent to Rongbuk and drive to Kathmandu for final departure.
TRIP ITINERARY
Show Short Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Upon our arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, we will be greeted by a representative from Tibet Holiday Tours who will take us to our hotel. In the evening there will be a welcome dinner in a traditional Nepali Restaurant where we will be able to enjoy authentic Nepali cuisine with a brief cultural program. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Maximum Altitude
1,350m/4,429ft
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Norbulinka)
Meals
Dinner
Day 02: Rest day and Pre-climb training in Kathmandu
We spend the day in Kathmandu getting ready for our journey. We also train a little and prepare ourselves for our ultimate goal-summiting Lhakpa Ri. Our guides will provide training on peak climbing techniques and the proper ways of using climbing gears such as the ice axe, climbing boots and crampons, harness, ascender, etc. The training will also include using ropes to go up and down. We strongly believe that the training experience will boost your confidence and climbing skills to increase the chances of scaling the summit as well as to fully enjoy the experience. We can spend the rest of the afternoon in our hotel room. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Maximum Altitude
1,350m/4,429ft
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Norbulinka)
Meals
Breakfast
Day 03: Kathmandu to Nyalam
After breakfast, we start our journey along the Friendship Highway for the Tibetan border. Along the way, we pass through some really splendid sights- cascading waterfalls, rivers and hill-side villages. At the border, we have our lunch and pass through the Nepalese side of customs and immigration. Upon crossing the Friendship Bridge, we will be at Tibet! Then, we take a 30-minute drive from Kodari to Zhangmu where we must pass another immigration checkpoint. From Zhangmu to Nyalam, we drive on a steep winding road. Overnight in Nyalam.
- Travel Distance: 153 km
- Driving: 5-6 hrs
Maximum Altitude
3,800m/12,468ft
Accommodation
Hotel
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 04: Acclimatization in Nyalam
Although this day is set aside for acclimatization, health experts recommend that we stay active and move around even during the rest day instead of being idle. We have two options today where we can either spend the day exploring the town, visiting local shops and getting acquainted to the local lifestyle or we can even hike up to nearby hills. Overnight in Nyalam.
Maximum Altitude
3,800m/12,468ft
Accommodation
Hotel
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 05: Nyalam to Lotingri
In the morning, we stroll around Nyalam which would help us to acclimatize with the high altitude. We depart for Lotingri after lunch. On the way, we will visit Milarapha Cave and Chamda Hot Spring for a little fun-filled afternoon. On our journey we encounter two spectacular passes: Thong La pass (5050m) and Lalung La pass (5082m). Along with the two passes, we also get to enjoy fabulous views of the high mountains including, Mt. Everest (8848m) and Shishapangma (8,013m). We spend the night in Lotingri.
- Travel Distance: 150 km
- Driving: 3 hrs
Maximum Altitude
4,348m/14,266ft
Accommodation
Hotel
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 06: Acclimatization in Lotingri
Today is yet another day set aside for acclimatization. Today we hike up on hills close by to Lotingri. After the completion of our short hikes, we spend remainder of the day resting and/or getting to know the rich culture of the Tibetans.
Maximum Altitude
4,348m/14,266ft
Accommodation
Hotel
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 07: Drive to Everest Base Camp (North face)
Today, we head for the Everest Base Camp, which is also the ultimate highlight of the whole trip. Reaching the base of the world’s highest mountain is an achievement in its own right. We may capture this accomplishment with our camera while keeping ourselves busy with short treks which will help us in acclimatizing to the high altitude. At the base camp, we also enjoy the amazing Himalayan vista with the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest, soaring above us. Overnight at Everest Base Camp.
Maximum Altitude
5,250m/17,225ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 08-10: Acclimatization and Exploration at Everest Base Camp
Spending two full days at Everest Base Camp would not only be a memorable experience in itself, but will also help greatly in acclimatization. We can climb and explore beautiful hills nearby and enjoy the company of high Himalayan peaks. Overnight at Everest Base Camp.
Maximum Altitude
5,250m/17,225ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11
Everest Base Camp to Japanese Camp
From Everest Base Camp, we initially trek alongside the Rongbuk Glacier, an impressive frozen ocean of ice waves. Then, after a short run over gravel terrain, we walk along the lateral moraine of the Rongbuk glacier and skirt the Glacier from its east side. After an hour or so, we take the left path that leads steeply to the Japanese Camp. This camp is situated under a huge yellow rock. At this site, we enjoy the view of the Pumori Himalaya. Overnight at Japanese Camp.
- Hiking: 3-4 hrs
Maximum Altitude
5,460m/17,914ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Japanese Camp to Interim Camp
The Interim Camp lies on the end of a nearby glacier. Along this trek, we enjoy the company of huge ice pinnacles. As we move ahead towards a dusty valley, we are welcomed with magnificent views of the East Rongbuk Glacier and high mountains like Pumori (7,161m/ 23,494ft) and Nuptse (7,861m/25,791ft). Although we might feel the high altitude, technically the route is quite easy. Overnight at Interim Camp.
- Hiking: 4-5 hrs
Maximum Altitude
5,800m/19,030ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Trek to Changtse Base Camp
Changtse is located adjacent to the north of Everest, hence the name Changtse which in Tibetan means north peak. Today, we leave the Japanese Base Camp and trek towards Changtse Base Camp which provides perhaps the best panoramic view of Mount Everest. The short trek will also help us with acclimatization.
- Hiking: 3-4 hrs
Maximum Altitude
5,950m/19,522ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Trek to Everest Advance Base camp
As we continue to follow the east side of the Rongbuk Glacier, we get closer to the Everest and the Lhakpa Ri (7045m/23114 ft). Walking along the moraine rubble, we arrive at our destination, the Advanced Base Camp of Everest (ABC) which is situated near the Changtse Glacier. From here, the Everest Top appears so close that one might feel tempted to summit the mountain. In fact, the top of Everest is a little more than 2400 meters away from this camp. The Everest Advance Base Camp is also the closest non-climbers can get to the top of Mt. Everest. Overnight at Everest Advanced Base Camp.
- Hiking: 3-4 hrs
Maximum Altitude
6,340m/20,802ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 15-16: Rest and Acclimatization in Advance Base Camp
It is important that we get properly acclimatized before moving higher up. Therefore, we spend another three days acclimatizing to the high altitude, take part in extensive training, and organize supplies. We enjoy panoramic views of the Himalayas with its glorious glaciers and peaks around the Everest Advanced Base Camp with short treks around the area for proper acclimatization. Furthermore, we may take plenty of pictures in the area to capture the unrivalled beauty of the Himalayan peaks including the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest. Overnight at Everest Advanced Base Camp.
Maximum Altitude
6,340m/20,802ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 17: Move to Halfway camp
Today we leave advanced base camp after acclimatizing for three days and walk to halfway camp which is en route to Lhakpa Ri summit. In doing so, we will be less tired while actually summiting the Lhakpa Ri. It also gives us more time in case of unforeseen weather events and acclimatization. Overnight at Halfway Camp.
Maximum Altitude
6,500m/21,327ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 18: Summit Day on Lhakpa Ri and move back to Advance Base Camp
Today we begin earlier than most days as it is the day we summit Lhakpa Ri which is the ultimate goal of our entire trip. Today will be the test of all the preparations that we have been doing so far. The snow slope leads to the north ridge, on the other side of the Kharta Glacier. If the weather permits, we enjoy magnificent views of the 8,000ers including Everest, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kangchenjunga, and many more. After successfully summiting the Lhakpa Ri, we descent down to Advance Base Camp.
Maximum Altitude
7,045m/23,115ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 19: Contingency Day
This is set aside should things don’t work out as planned due to weather or any other unforeseen circumstances.
Maximum Altitude
6,340m/20,802ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 20: Move back to Everest Base Camp (North face)
We retrace our steps back to the Everest Base Camp (North face).
Maximum Altitude
5,250m/17,225ft
Accommodation
Hotel/Tea House
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 21: Everest Base Camp (North face) to Zhangmu
On the way to Zhangmu, we cross the Lalung La Pass (5,124m), Shung La Pass (5,200m) and Nyalam Pass (3,800m) which offers enchanting views of the surrounding Himalayan peaks. We then drive gradually down from the dry Tibetan Plateau towards the verdant and fertile vegetation of Zhangmu on the Nepalese side of the border. Overnight in Zhangmu.
Maximum Altitude
2,300m/7,546ft
Accommodation
Hotel (Zhangmu Hotel)
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 22: Zhangmu to Kathmandu
A few kilometers drive from Zhangmu to Friendship Bridge over the Bhote Koshi River brings us to Immigration Control in Kodari where we are expected to complete some custom formalities. We then depart with our Tibetan guide and walk across the river where a Nepalese staff will be waiting for us. After around 4 hours of driving through deep valleys, we reach Kathmandu.
- Travel Distance: 153 km
- Driving: 4-5 hrs
Maximum Altitude
1,350m/4,429ft
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Norbulinka)
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 23: Final Departure
Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organiza your photos. A representative from Tibet Holiday Tours will take you to the airport, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you’ll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.
COST INCLUDES
- All airport and hotel transfers
- Twin share accommodation at a 2-star hotel in Kathmandu
- Welcome/farewell dinner in Kathmandu
- All transportation in a private vehicle by van or Hiace or bus as per the itinerary
- Twin share accommodation in Nyalam, Tingri and Zhangmu
- Breakfast in Kathmandu and all meals in Tibet
- Tented twin share accommodation from Everest Base Camp (north face)/Chinese Base Camp and back
- Experienced and qualified mountaineering climbing leader and a cook from Nepal
- Liaison officer and local Tibetan staff
- Comfortable tables and chairs and dining tent, foam mattresses, Kitchen, Toilet, Store, Hot Shower Tent
- Himalayan Glacier Trekking duffel bag, t-shirt, and trekking map
- Yak transport of all equipments from the road to and from advanced base camp
- Expedition Cargo from Kathmandu to and from Border
- All necessary permit fees for Lhakpa Ri and Tibet
- Garbage deposit fee
- Use of group equipments: rope, ice, rock and snow anchor protection: base camp and altitude tents; cookers, fuel, high altitude food, walkie talkie, satellite telephone, base camp medical kit , high altitude medical kit , solar panel etc
- Medical oxygen for emergencies: mask and regulator
- International Air Cargo clearance
- Company services and all required government taxes/royalties
COST EXCLUDES
- Medical and personal high risk insurance
- Nepal entry & re entry visa fee
- Personal climbing gears.
- Cost of emergency evacuation
- Tips and KTM to Lhasa one way air fare
- 3 nights 4 days Lhasa city tour with private transport
- All the monasteries entrance fees
- International Flights & Departure taxes