Trip Info
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Makalu
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Modrate
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33 Days
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Hotel/Trekking guest houses/Tent
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2 - 15 People
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March-May/Sep-Nov
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7,129m
Overview
The Baruntse expedition, renowned for its technical challenges and avalanche-prone sections, is a formidable endeavor that offers climbers magnificent views of the Everest and Makalu regions, the world’s largest Khumbu Glacier, and countless snow-capped mountains. Due to its inherent difficulties, including steep sections with elevations of up to 50 degrees and numerous ridges, the expedition is recommended only for experienced climbers accompanied by skilled Sherpa guides.
Mount Baruntse, standing at an impressive height of 7,129 meters, provides an adventurous ascent for climbers aiming to summit a 7,000-meter peak in the remote regions of Nepal. It is strategically located south of a crescent of mountains including Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse on one side, and Makalu on the other, at the far northern end of the wild Hinku Valley. The journey from the base camp to the West Col, with its vast glacial plateau, offers an exhilarating ascent amidst the mighty Himalayan peaks, directly facing the renowned Lhotse south face and near the Makalu west pillar.
Our Baruntse expedition traverses the pristine wilderness of the Hinku Valley and Mera La en route to the Baruntse Base Camp. The climbing route, though technically less demanding than some of its neighboring peaks, involves a straightforward ascent with snow and ice slopes angled at 45 degrees. Despite its lower altitude compared to adjacent mountains, Baruntse provides a genuine climbing challenge and is favored for its remoteness and relatively short climb to the summit. This expedition offers a unique blend of adventure and breathtaking scenery, making it a preferred choice among climbers seeking to conquer one of the majestic seven-thousanders in the Himalayas.
Welcome to Himalayan country of Nepal. Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan intl. airport our representative welcomes you and assists to transfer in your hotel in Kathmandu. After time to get refreshed, evening you'll meet and transfer for welcome dinner.
After breakfast, we will meet to check your clothing and trekking equipment (sleeping bag, down jacket and trekking boots). This evening will be spent in Kathmandu.
We drive to airport early in the morning to take our flight to Lukla. The scenic 35 minutes flight to Lukla caters the panorama of the peaks of Langtang, Rolwaling and Annapurna Himalayan Ranges. Landing at Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla . Instantly, after making the final arrangement for the Bruntse Climbing , we kick off. A good trail leads through pasture to the edge of a diminishing forest of rhododendron and pine which clothes the steep hillsides above Lukla. We make steady progress on a good trail, crossing ridges and streams up to ‘kharka’ used for grazing yaks where we’ll stop for overnight tented camp.
We drive to airport early in the morning to take our flight to Lukla. The scenic 35 minutes flight to Lukla caters the panorama of the peaks of Langtang, Rolwaling and Annapurna Himalayan Ranges. Landing at Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla . Instantly, after making the final arrangement for the Mera Peak Climbing , we kick off. A good trail leads through pasture to the edge of a diminishing forest of rhododendron and pine which clothes the steep hillsides above Lukla. We make steady progress on a good trail, crossing ridges and streams up to ‘kharka’ used for grazing yaks where we’ll stop for overnight tented camp.
Today, after a breakfast we continue our journey descending to Hinku valley of Gothey. This is a good place to camp and there are several teahouses around and you can visit and go and watch the local lifestyle in the remaining time and we’ll camp near by the teashops and overnight.
The following day is another short day as you trek in the shadow of Mera Himal along the ridge of the Hinku Khola. The west bank of the Hinku Drangka northwards, we will take lunch at Gondishung, a summer herders’ settlement. Beyond Gondishung we pass a 200 year-old Gompa built beneath a massive boulder. At the Gompa we burn some juniper at the shrine, an offering that just might ensure a successful ascent of Mera Peak. Thagnag is a summer grazing area with the simplest of lodges and shops starting to develop and we overnight in Thagnag.
Today we are heading up from Tagnag towards the Mera Base Camp at Khare. We follow the lateral moraine of Dig Glacier to Dig Kharka, which offers spectacular views of Charpate Himal. The trail climbs through moraines and to the snout of the Hinku Nup and Shar Glaciers and then climbs more steeply to your camping spot at Khare after 3-4 hrs walk.
Acclimatization is very necessary at a higher altitude to avoid mental and physical sickness. As we are above 5000m altitude, we will spend a rest day at Khare for acclimatization and exploration. Proper acclimatization is a must for successful Baruntse Peak Climbing. Our crew member will check climbing gears before heading further to the higher camps. There is a nearby hill which can provide us with a good hike of a few hundred meters. Beside that, we will have a short mountaineering training on this day. Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
This is an exciting day. After breakfast, we will leave Khare and follow an impressive trail that goes over a rocky platform above the western ridge of Mera Glacier and follow it to the pass. We will reach the Mera La Pass. From the top of the pass, we will have mesmerizing views of high snow-capped mountains in the Khumbu region. Our trail descends gently to reach our campsite just below the pass. Meals: All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today we will follow the trail that heads higher into the yak pasture grounds of the remote valley. Our trail leads directly into the epicentre of the world's towering mountains with stunning views of high alpine valleys and surrounding mountains. After some time of trekking, we will reach our campsite near Seto Pokhari. Seto Pokhari literally means 'White Lake' in Nepali language and is the first of the series of lakes in Upper Hongu Basin.Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today we will cross the wide and grassy valley scattered with small boulders. The valley is more barren and rugged the more we climb higher. Then we will pass several passes on our left and trek to the Baruntse Base Camp. The trek includes serene wilderness, unique landscape and unbelievable cultural exposure. Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Camp 1 (6100m): To reach camp 1 (6100m) located on the West Col on the edge of Upper Barun glacier, we cross Hunku glacier to a steep gully leading directly toward. The 150m steep and 50deg climb to the West Col from the glacier there will be fixed ropes to provide a beeline to camp-1 for safe carrying of the loads required for the climb. Camp 2 (6400m): Camp 2 (6400m) is located on the edge of the Upper Barun glacier at the start of Southeast Ridge. From camp 1at West Col we begin a long glacier ascent on low angled glacial slope; we may use a fixed rope to protect against open or hidden crevasses. Summit Day (7129m): From camp-2 we climb-up a short steep of 75 degrees ice wall to a small Col at 6500m. Next section to 6700m is 45deg snow shoulder after which we reach a sharp summit ridge of Baruntse, which we follow to the wide summit cone leading to Mitru summit at 7129m.The view from the summit is just incredible, truly stunning views of Lhotse, Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, and the Khumbu Himal
This is basically a short trek. We will take our time for cleaning and drying equipment. We will have a hot bath for healing and relaxing after an effortful climb up. Most importantly, we will collect all the garbage we produced to manage the disposal. Then, we will start to retrace our steps back on the same trail that descends gradually through Honku Valley. We will continue until we reach Seto Pokhari. Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today we will trek through the high altitude route. This is one of the remotest parts of the Himalayas. We will descend through the remote alpine valley. After trekking down for some time we will start to follow a rising trail that ascends gradually towards campsite just below Mera La Pass. Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Now we will be climbing on a steep trail towards Mera La Pass. We will enjoy the majestic view of the high alpine valley with surrounding Himalayas. After having spent some quality time at the top of the pass we shall descend pass through Khare to reach Thangnak. Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today’s trek will be the most downhill trekking. After having breakfast we will move towards Kothe by retracing our own footsteps. We will be trekking back into a subtropical forest from a high alpine region. We will continue moving until we approach Kothe for our night stay. Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today’s trek is an initial gradual ascend on the trail that goes along the dense forest. We will be traversing through the western section of the Hinku Valley towards Tuli Kharka. We will have astonishing views of Mera North, Mera Central, and southern face of Mera Peak from Tuli Kharka. Meals: All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Our last day walk of this adventurous trip will lead us to the high ridge of Kalo Himal. We will cross Zatrawala Pass by ascending a moderately steep trail. When we reach the top of the pass, we will descend down the hill and cross Chutanga all the way to Lukla. This trekking trail offers us plenty of wonderful scenes of dazzling silver mountains at the backdrop.
Lukla –Manthali- Kathmandu Today, we fly back to Manthali after our long mountain journey. We fly early morning flight to Manthali as possible as ,drive to Kathmandu. We can rest and relax throughout the day at hotel. If we get interested to take some gifts home from Nepal for friends and relatives, we can visit to some nearby shops or venture out at Thamel for typical Nepalese goods. This short excursion either can be assisted by trekking guides or we can do it ourselves too. If we want to explore any other areas in Kathmandu, we have managed time for this today as well! At the evening we will be at a fantastic celebration dinner together for successfully completing our trek to Everest Base Camp hosted by Virgin Nepal Trek and Expedition! Overnight at Kathmandu.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- TIMS card(Trekker’s information Management System)
- Arrival and Departure services at Paro Airport to Hotel.
- Kathmandu on BB – Twin Sharing Room
- Expedition Cargo: KTM-Manthali-Lukla-KTM
- Stool Shipment Transfer, Garbage Deposit Fees
- 1 Government Liaison officer and 1 Base Camp Manager
- Wages, equipment allowance, insurance, high camps load ferry bonus and summit bonus etc of Climbing Sherpas
- Walkie-talkie set to each client with radio base station & accessories Satellite phone for the emergency purpose
- All necessary Cooking gears and shelter
- Equipment allowance, Insurance and insurance of Liaison officer
Cost Excludes
- Personal insurance Medical/Emergency rescue cost (If require)
- Any other expenses which are not mentioned in the Price Includes section.
- Nepal entry visa fee, you can get a Nepal visa upon arrival at the Airport.
- Departure Tax/Personal equipment
- Alcoholic,( Hot and cold drinks, hot shower, Mineral/ hot water, Desserts-during trek)
- Any other expenses which are not mentioned in the Price Includes section.
Travel Gear
Shoes
Almost all climbers use Italian OneSport shoes today. The One Sport company has been aquired by Millet – boots still looks the same but the brand tag is different.
Get them oversized (1-2 sizes). This is not your average weekend climbing trip and you need something where your toes have space to move freely, or you’ll get frostbite by rush delivery.
HotTronics make great heating pads and wires that can be used in your boots on your summit attempt. Michael Strynoe rebuilt the battery packs to give more power at a lower weight using AA Lithium batteries.
Crampons
Camp makes the ultralight titanium crampons. They are light, but considered not durable. We took our chances with them and they never broke on us.
Bring spares and carry one spare at the summit attempt. Secure them to the boots with steel wire if they keep falling of. There are however many brands of crampons around. Choose your favorites, remember only that ice climbing crampons differ from glacier crampons.
Clothes
You will need multi-layer clothing for climbing between BC and C3. The temperature changes dramatically when the clouds obscure the sun.
One or two layers of lightweight Gore-Tex over fleece will work well, since the layers will be easy to shed or add. Carry a lightweight down jacket at all times. Use a cap to protect your head in the sun. Wear water-resistant gloves in the icefall and a good pair of down mittens higher up. Carry a spare mitten on your summit attempt.
Use a heavy down suit for the summit. We wear it already from C2 on the summit attempt in order to save weight. If you choose to do that, move early in the morning or you’ll boil.
We have used down suites from both Mountain Hardware and North Face and they all worked equally well. Check that the hood will work together with the oxygen mask, covering your face properly. If possible, bring a spare down suit for cold nights in BC. Bring plenty of lightweight socks to change.
Face mask
Use a heat-exchanging, wired face mask for protection against Khumbu- cough. Use the mask already from Gorak Shep. You’ll get used to it and be protected right from the start. You should find the mask in stores for cross-country skiing. If you don’t, check the gear link list on this web site. The Finnish manufacturer is listed there.
Harness
North Face makes a great no-nonsense harness. Remove the stuff that you don’t need. Tie about half a meter of line with a carabiner for the fixed ropes. Forget screw carabiners, you want them big and simple at Everest. Make a knot halfway up the rope and hook up a jumar with another carabiner. Secure the jumar in the front to your backpack straps or at chest level when not in use, this being the easiest way to get hold of it. Use a repelling device or just a carabiner if you know the technique.
**Terms and Conditions**
- Booking and Payment:**
– A deposit is required to confirm your booking.
– Full payment must be made before the expedition departure date.
– Payment methods and cancellation policies will be specified by the expedition company.
- **Expedition Itinerary:**
– The expedition itinerary, including daily schedules and accommodation details, will be provided.
– Itineraries may be subject to change due to weather conditions, unforeseen circumstances, or the expedition guide’s discretion.
- **Permits and Documentation:**
– Climbers are responsible for obtaining all necessary permits, including climbing permits and national park entry permits.
– Copies of valid identification (passport) and passport-sized photographs may be required for permit applications.
- **Health and Fitness:**
– Climbers should be in excellent health and physically fit to undertake high-altitude climbing.
– Any pre-existing medical conditions or medications should be disclosed to the expedition company.
- **Insurance:**
– Travel insurance covering emergency evacuation, medical expenses, and trip cancellation is mandatory.
– Proof of insurance coverage required before the expedition.
- **Responsibilities:**
– Climbers must follow the instructions and decisions of the expedition leader and Sherpa guides for safety and itinerary adherence.
– Respect local customs, culture, and environment during the expedition.
- **Equipment and Gear:**
– Climbers are responsible for bringing appropriate climbing gear and clothing suitable for high-altitude conditions.
– Rental options for equipment available through the expedition company.
- **Liability:**
– The expedition company and its guides are not liable for any loss, injury, or damage to personal belongings during the expedition.
– Climbers participate at their own risk and are advised to exercise caution at all times.
- **Force Majeure:**
– The expedition company is not liable for delays or changes to the itinerary due to natural disasters, political unrest, strikes, or other force majeure events.
- **Cancellation and Refund Policy:**
– Cancellation fees apply based on the timing of cancellation relative to the expedition departure date. Arrangements may be cancelled at any time but the cancellation should be communicated to us in writing. Since cancellation incurs administrative costs, we will retain any deposit paid and in addition will apply cancellation charges as follows.
Period before departure within which written cancellation is received, and sum of cancellation charge shown as a percentage of the package price:
- More than 60 days: Deposit Only
- 31 – 60 days: 50%
- 15 – 30 days: 75%
– Refund policies for unused services or changes to the itinerary will be outlined in the terms and conditions.