ASCENT TO THE BALCONY OF THE EVEREST

Day 1. Flight departure to Kathmandu
Boarding the flight to Kathmandu. Night on Board

Day 2. Arrival in Kathmandu
Arrival in the capital of Nepal. Arrival, reception and transfer to our hotel.
Hotel accommodation, Kathmandu.

Day 3. Kathmandu – Lukla flight (2,840 m). Trek to Chutanga (3,530 m)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

In the morning transfer to Kathmandu airport to take the flight to Lukla (45 min). In this town, the entrance to the Everest valley, we will start our trekking through forests, rivers and waterfalls, and crossing villages until we reach Chutanga, a common place of pasture in summer for the livestock of the Lukla herders.

Distance: 4.6 km, Vertical drop: + 800 / 120m, Hours: 3-4 h
Accommodation in tents, Chutanga.

Day 4. Chutanga Trek (3,530 m) – Zatrwa La Pass (4,610 m) – Thuli Karkha (4,320 m)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

The day will start with a constant ascent that will take us to the top of the Kalo Himal ridge, a range of mountains that separate the hydrographic basins from the Khumbu and Hinku valleys. This climb will take us to a first hill with Buddhist prayer flags, called Zatrwa Og (4,450 m). From here a slight upward diagonal begins that leaves us at the highest point of the day, the Zatrwa La pass (4,610 m). The views from this place towards the Dudh Kosi valley and towards the mountains of Karyolung and Lumding Himal are really beautiful. In front of us, the descent to the Hinku valley begins, which will leave us in Thuli Kharkha in just over an hour.

Distance: 5.7 km, Height difference: + 1180 / -470 m, Hours: 6 h
Tent accommodation, Thuli Kharkha.

Day 5. Trek Thuli Kharka (4.320m) – Kothe (3.570 m)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Progressive descent towards the bottom of the Hinku river valley through beautiful rhododendron and blue Himalayan pine forests. Overnight at Khote, also known as Tashing Ongma.

Distance: 7.3 km, Vertical drop: + 600 / -1240 m, Hours: 5 h
Tent accommodation, Kothe.

Day 6. Trek Kothe (3.570  m) – Thangnak (4.360 m)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

On this day we will go up the Hinku river in the shadow of the western slope of the Mera. Along the way we will pass by Gondishung (4,180 m), a small seasonal shepherd settlement, located on the west flank of the Hinku Drangka. A little above Gondishung we will pass next to the small Lungsumgba monastery, about 200 years old, built in a small shelter under a large rock. A short short walk will take us to Tangnak, the end point of today’s march. In the village there are some small shops and basic lodges.

Distance: 9 km, Height difference: + 750 / -40 m, Hours: 4h30
Tent accommodation, Thangnak.

Day 7. Acclimatization at Thangnak
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

This day we will visit Sabal Tsho Lake and then an acclimatization walk to the cairn (5,271m) on the Kusum Kangguru side (6,367m). Return to Thangnak

Tent accommodation, Thangnak.

Day 8. Trek Thangnak (4.360 m) – Khare (5.045 m) 
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Leaving Thangnak we will follow the lateral moraine of the Dig glacier until we reach Dig Kharka (4,660 m), from where we will have spectacular views of the Kyashar and the Charpate Himal. From this point the ascent is verticalized through morrenic deposits until reaching Khare. Here we will contemplate the panoramic view towards the wild and abrupt north face of Mera Peak. After lunch in Khara, we will have time to rest or walk around the Khare.

Distance: 5.8 km, Vertical drop: + 695 / -20 m, Hours: 4-5h
Tent accommodation, Khare.

Day 9. Khare (5.045 m) – Mera Peak Base Camp (5.350 m)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Short day where we will go up to Base Camp. Arrival and time to rest, eat, hydrate properly and prepare the material for access to the glacier the next day.

Distance: 3 km, Height difference: +320 m, Hours: 3 h
Tent accommodation, Mera peak.

Day 10. Base Camp (5.350 m) – Mera Peak High Camp (5.780 m)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

We will climb the Mera La to continue progressing through rocky terrain before accessing the glacier. We will overcome the lower part of the glacier that has a slight inclination, bypassing some crevasses to reach a rocky outcrop that hides the location of the high field. From here we have unbeatable views towards Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, BaruntseCho Oyu, Chamlang and in the distance the Kanchenjunga.

Distance: 3 km, Height difference: +450 m, Hours: 4 h
Accommodation in tents, Campo Alto Mera Peak.

Day 11.Ascent to Mera Peak (6,461 – 6,476 m) – Khare (5.045 m)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

We will get up very early for breakfast before leaving around 3 AM towards the summit. The first part is a progressive ascent on a maintained slope, where the only difficulty will be due to the lack of oxygen at this high altitude. We will make some detours to avoid a crevasse until we reach the slope that gives access to the summit cone. At this point, according to the conditions of the season, a short section of fixed rope will be installed, to assist in the ascent and descent. After this last section we will reach the Central Summit of the Mera (6,461 m). Incredible 360º panoramic view covering a total of 5 peaks over 8000 meters, dozens of peaks over 7000 meters. From West to East: Kantgtega (6783m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), Gyachung Kang (7,952m), Pumori (7,161m), Ama Dablam (6,856m), Nuptse (7,861m), Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8,516m), Shartse (7,454m), Baruntse (7,152m), Kanchungtse (7,678m), Makalu (8,485m), Chamlang (7,312m), Tutse (6,758m) and Kangchengjunga (8,586m). Descent by the same direct route to Khare.

Distance: 8.9 km, Difference in altitude: + 680 / -1430 m, Hours: 8-9 h
Tent accommodation, Khare.

Return to Lukla by the same route of ascent:
Day 12: Khare – Kothe
Day 13: Kothe – Thuli Karkha
Day 14: Thuli Karkha – Chutanga
Day 15: Chutanga – Lukla
Day 16: Fligh Lukla – Kathmandú
Day 17: Fligh Kathmandú – Madrid

At the agreed time, transfer to the airport to board the flight back home. Arrival in Spain.

** Note: in the case of needing an extra day for the attempt to the top of the Mera, days 14-15 can be joined into one.