Mera Peak & Island Peak via Amphu Lapsa Pass
Overview
The expedition begins with a flight to Lukla, followed by a rarely traveled approach east of the Dudh Kosi, the legendary “River of Milk.” Moving through pristine forests, traditional Sherpa villages, and open alpine landscapes, the route gradually leads into the remote Hinku Valley. This gentle progression allows excellent acclimatization while revealing ever-expanding views of Kusum Kanguru, Kangtega, and the surrounding Himalayan giants.
At the heart of the journey stands Mera Peak, the highest trekking peak in Nepal. Its ascent is non-technical yet takes place in a true alpine environment, involving glacier travel and snow slopes. From the summit, climbers are rewarded with one of the finest panoramas in the Himalayas, including five 8,000-meter peaks—Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Kangchenjunga—an unmatched reward for the effort.
The adventure continues with the crossing of the Amphu Lapsa Pass, a dramatic glacial col rarely attempted by standard trekking groups. This high-mountain crossing offers a genuine expedition atmosphere, with seracs, ice formations, and a secured descent into the Imja Valley. It is a defining moment of the journey, linking two legendary Himalayan regions through a wild and spectacular route.
To conclude the traverse, the ascent of Island Peak adds a more technical and exhilarating finale. Rising above the Imja Valley, Island Peak introduces classic Himalayan climbing elements such as crevasse crossings, fixed ropes, and a steep summit ridge. From the top, the views of Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, and Ama Dablam are simply breathtaking.
Whether aiming for the summits or experiencing the journey as a high-altitude traverse, this expedition is designed for adventurous trekkers seeking a rare combination of remoteness, progression, and iconic Himalayan landscapes.
Itinerary
Expand AllUpon arrival in Kathmandu, our local team will warmly welcome you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Take some time to relax and acclimatize. Later, you’ll attend a trek briefing to go over the itinerary, safety, and equipment, followed by leisure time to explore the city at your own pace. If you arrive in the morning, you can use the day to rest or begin exploring the vibrant streets of Kathmandu, its rich culture, and local cuisine.
- Transfer: Private vehicle to hotel
- Final altitude: approx. 1,350 m
- Meals: Dinner
After breakfast, enjoy a half-day guided tour of Kathmandu’s most iconic sites. Visit the sacred Pashupatinath Temple, the revered Shiva temple often called the “Monkey Temple,” and Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as the Monkey Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You may also explore Boudhanath Stupa, the largest stupa in Nepal and a center of Tibetan Buddhist culture.
Following sightseeing, take time to prepare your trekking gear for the Mera Peak expedition, ensuring all equipment is ready for the adventure ahead. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at your hotel.
- Activities: Sightseeing tour, equipment check
- Final altitude: approx. 1,350 m
- Meals: Breakfast,
- Accommodation: Hotel
Arrival in Lukla after a flight from Kathmandu. We begin the trek by descending toward Paiya, a village nestled at 2,760 meters.
- Flight time: approx. 25 minutes
- Trekking time: approx. 5 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +690 m / -710
- Altitude: approx. 2,760 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
We walk through hills and rhododendron forests, crossing several villages. Arrival in Pangom is marked by the discovery of a beautiful monastery in the heart of the village.
- Walking time: approx. 8 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +960 m / -820 m
- Altitude: approx. 2,845 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
A day offering magnificent panoramas. After climbing to the Nankung La Pass (3,110 m) with views of Mera Peak, we descend quickly toward Sibuje, then continue through rhododendron forests to Ramailo Danda.
- Walking time: approx. 5 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +790 m / -460 m
- Altitude: approx. 3,200 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
After a steep climb with open views at 3,280 m, we continue briefly before descending to lunch near a stream. The trail, steep in places, leads us to Chetra Khola after crossing a river on a wide tree trunk.
- Walking time: approx. 6 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +410 m / -600 m
- Altitude: approx. 3,100 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
We climb steep slopes to reach 3,700 m. The trail undulates before joining the Zatswa La route. Kote is a charming village at the confluence of the Mera valleys, with a few lodges and shops.
- Walking time: approx. 5 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +750 m / -250 m
- Altitude: approx. 3,600 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
- Walking time: approx. 5 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +750 m / -100 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
- Walking time: approx. 4 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +750 m / -750 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
We continue ascending along the moraine of the Dig Glacier to Khare. We settle at 4,900 meters near the glacier leading to Mera La, a harsh environment but well suited for acclimatization.
- Walking time: approx. 5 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +650 m / -150 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: tented camp
Acclimatization and practice of the mountaineering technique on a glacier in the direction of Mera-la. This is an opportunity to check everyone's equipment and become familiar with it (crampons, ice axe, helmet, harness, and jumar handle).
- 5 hrs of walking
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: night in a lodge
We climb the moraine to pass the Mera–la at 5,415 meters. The mountainous circus is strikingly beautiful. We pass a shoulder then a scree from where we see the Mera Peak, then the Kangeta appears. The passage of the pass does not present any difficulty and the views of Kusum Kanguru and peak 43 are superb. We reach the base camp of Mera La located on the side of the Hunku Khola valley at the foot of Naulekh From the base camp of Mera Peak, we go up to the pass on the side of a glacier tongue then on snow slopes. Behind us: Everest and Nuptse are revealed then Makalu and Kangchenjunga appear in a pass between two peaks. The fifth 8,000 of the day finally appears: the Cho Oyu. We arrive at Mera peak High Camp, located near the rocky outcrop at the foot of the Mera glacier.
- 6-7 hours of walking
- final altitude:5,800m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: night in a tent
The hardest and most beautiful day of the trip. We start early, ascending the north face on moderate slopes (30°), steepening to 40–45° near the summit. Fixed ropes may be used on the final section. From the summit, we admire four 8,000-meter peaks: Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and Kangchenjunga, as well as Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Baruntse, and Lhotse’s south face. Descent back to base camp.
- Walking time: approx. 11 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +700 m / -1,200 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: tented camp
A journey through mineral landscapes with a pleasant alpine pasture section. We pass Kongme Dingma, then head toward Anda Tal (Egg Lake), following the Hunku Khola beneath Chamlang’s massive ice faces. A gentle ascent leads to Seto Pokhari (White Lake), near Chamlang Base Camp (7,319 m). Cold night expected.
- Walking time: approx. 5 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +505 m / -830 m
- Altitude: approx. 5,025 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: tented camp
After waking to the calls of snow partridges, we head toward the foot of Amphu Lapsa Pass, a glacial pass used by expeditions heading to Makalu or Baruntse. A high-mountain atmosphere with rugged moraine terrain and scattered lakes.
- Walking time: approx. 5 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +400 m / -65 m
- Altitude: approx. 5,360 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: tented camp
We ascend between seracs on the south face glacier to reach the pass, offering exceptional views of the Khumbu peaks and the Imja Glacier valley below. A secured descent (rappel or fixed rope) leads to the glacier basin, then along the lateral moraine down to Chukhung, on the classic Everest high-pass trekking route.
- Walking time: approx. 9 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +450 m / -1,100 m
- Altitude: approx. 4,740 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
Day 1: Ascent to Island Peak Base Camp via the Imja Valley between the Lhotse and Imja glaciers. Equipment check for climbers. Non-climbers return to Chukhung.
Day 2: Island Peak ascent. Early start (around 3:00 a.m.), glacier crossing, fixed ropes on a steep snow and ice ramp (~100 m), then a final 45° slope to the south ridge and summit. Spectacular 360° views of Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Baruntse, and more. Return to Chukhung.
- Alternative: ascent of Chukhung Ri (5,545 m) for non-climbers.
- Meals: breakfasts – lunches – dinners
- Accommodation: tent (climbers) or simple lodge
Crossing Kongma La (5,535 m) with stunning views of Ama Dablam. A mineral descent to the Khumbu Glacier, crossing it by a cairn-marked route to reach Lobuche.
- Walking time: approx. 6 hrs
- Elevation gain/loss: +1,000 m / -800 m
- Altitude: approx. 4,930 m
- Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
- Accommodation: lodge
Over three days, we descend to Lukla via Shomare and Namche Bazaar. Bustling valleys contrast sharply with the remote regions crossed earlier. Highlights include Pangboche, Tengboche Monastery, Namche, and Ghap.
- Walking time: approx. 5 hrs/day
- Elevation gain/loss: +1,200 m / -3,450 m
- Meals: breakfasts – lunches – dinners
- Accommodation: lodges
Return flight to Kathmandu. Free time depending on arrival schedule.
- Meals: breakfast – lunch not included – dinner not included
- Accommodation: hotel
Free time depending on the departure time of your flight and our representative will drop you at the airport, ending your journey in Nepal. We hope to be of service to you again.Thank you and safe travels.
- Meals: breakfast
Note:
If you have a private group and prefer a personalized experience, we can organize a custom trip tailored to your requirements and group size, running it any day you choose.
Plan a Private TripIncluded & Excluded
Included Points
Excluded Points
Trip Information
Mera Peak and Island via Amphu Lapcha Pass Details
Your guide, from your arrival in Kathmandu until your departure, is responsible for the success of your trip and oversees your team. Do not hesitate to ask him questions, respect his position as the team leader, and above all follow his advice! Often your guide is the only English-speaking member of the team. In the mountains and, especially when during high-altitude travels, your guide is responsible for the safety of the group. The instructions he gives and the remarks he makes to all participants must be carefully followed. The interest and safety of the trekking group must be preserved, even when it may be to the detriment of an individual member of the group.
Your Nepalese Team may include several members, each with specific responsibilities:
- The Guide Leader (Sirdar) is responsible for and is the leader of the whole team and is treated with respect by all. Often he has earned his position by starting as a porter and rising through the ranks.
- Climbing Sherpa: Responsible for fixing ropes, guiding you to the summit, and assisting with technical climbing while carrying essential gear.
- The Cook is responsible for all meals and is on a trek that doesn’t use lodges for meals. (camping trek )
- The kitchen boy is an assistant to the cook. ( camping trek )
- The Assistant Guide is actively helping clients under the leader’s direction and setting up camp.
- The porter carries loads for the trekking group, essential in Nepal’s mountainous terrain with limited roads. Regulations ensure a maximum weight limit and a minimum wage for their work. Porters are provided with proper gear based on the trekking route and are insured for alpine treks.
Each trekker is allowed a maximum weight limit: 15 kg for lodge (tea house) accommodations, 22 kg for tent camping, and 27 kg for expeditions or summit ascents. Porters receive a premium wage for carrying loads over 30 kg. Additionally, the Nepal Alpinist Club ensures that guides and porters have insurance. They are also provided with specific equipment for high-altitude pass crossings, though many porters prefer not to wear certain gear due to a lack of habit.
Accommodations in Kathmandu during Mera Peak and island Peak via Amphu lapcha pass
In Kathmandu, you will be accommodated in a hotel. We use different hotels depending on availability. The two preferred hotels are:
- Hotel Himalayan Suite: Located in the heart of Thamel, this hotel is ideal for walking the bustling streets of Kathmandu. The spacious rooms all have a bathroom, air conditioning, and Wi-Fi. A fully equipped and active dining room is available for all meals, and the breakfast buffet offers a wide choice of foods. The hotel offers currency exchange, laundry services, and luggage storage
- Sampada Garden: Located just 20 minutes on foot from Thamel and Durbar Square, this hotel is convenient for exploring Kathmandu. The rooms have all the necessary comforts for your stay: air conditioning, a bathroom, and Wi-Fi. Breakfasts are served as a generous buffet. The hotel provides currency exchange, laundry services, and luggage storage.
Accommodation during the Mera Peak & Island Peak Via Amphu Lapcha pass climbing
During the trek until we reach the base camp, we will stay in a Lodge or Tea house, and at Base camp, we will stay in a Tent
During the trek to Mera peak & Island Peak,
You will stay in the Lodge. Lodges in Nepal are very random in terms of comfort. Lodges can look like a refuge or sometimes a homestay. They are mostly family homes with double, triple, or dormitory rooms. Toilets and showers are always separate.
Mera Peak & Island Peak Via Base Camp
At base camp, we stay in tents. Since we'll be here for several days, we aim to make it as comfortable as possible to help everyone recover after returning from higher camps and the summit. Each 2-person has a 1 tent with a comfortable mattress. There's a heated mess tent where we gather to eat and relax, with tables and chairs set up inside. We also have a shower tent and a toilet tent, where solid waste is collected in barrels for proper disposal
Mera Peak & Island Peak High Altitude Camp
During the ascent, at the high camps, we have a high-altitude tent for 2 people, or even 3 people at the last camps.
Meal in Kathmandu, Trekking, and chulu Far East climbing
Upon arrival in Kathmandu, a welcome dinner is provided on the first evening. Similarly, upon return from the expedition, a farewell meal is provided. In the cities, many small (or large) restaurants allow us to discover the typical local cuisine.
During the Trekking in the lodge meal
Evening Meals and Breakfast are prepared by the lodge cooks and are taken in the lodge dining room or under the mess tent. Depending on the profile of the stages (length of the day's walk and/or presence of water), midday Lunch will be served hot in the Lodge.
Mera Peak & Island Peak Base Camp Meal
All meals are prepared by the kitchen team using local ingredients including rice, pasta, lentils, potatoes, vegetables, eggs, a little meat, etc. They are served to you in a Dining tent. Non-alcoholic hot drinks such as tea or coffee are offered to you at will. We recommend that you stay constantly hydrated.
Mera Peak & Island Peak Via High Altitude Camp Meal
At high altitudes, eating can be challenging, and freeze-dried food is often necessary. It may taste fine at lower elevations but can become unappealing in high camps. We provide freeze-dried meals and consider your preferences based on availability. You can also bring your favorite foods. Each tent in higher camps has a stove to melt snow for water, prepare meals, and make hot drinks. Gas cartridges will be supplied.
Here is a typical one-day menu for the trekking and Base camp, for example:
- Breakfast: eggs, toast or chapati, or Tibetan bread or pancakes, butter/jam, tea or coffee
- Lunch: a main course, tea or coffee
- Dinner: soup, main course, fruit (fresh or canned), tea or coffee. During the trek, tea or coffee is served with meals. Two cups per person are included. Apart from these included menus, other drinks and foodstuffs will be at your expense.
- Water: We provide water purification tablets. and recommended to bring refilling bottles with purified water. Avoid buying mineral water due to its environmental impact.
Mera Peak & Island Peak Via Amphu Lapcha Pass Altitude Difficulty Level
This program requires mountaineering equipment like crampons, harnesses, ice axes, and ropes. The route may include small challenges, such as steeper glacier sections or continuous effort. It is designed for beginners with some mountaineering experience who have completed similar or slightly easier routes
Preparation for the Mera Peak & Island Peak Via Amphu Lapcha pass climbing
Preparing for the trek requires several months of preparation with 4 to 6-hour walks every weekend for stamina and participating in a sport that requires short periods of high exertion.
Medical check-up before going on Mera Peak and Island Peak climbing
Being in good health is essential to enjoying your Alpinist Club trip fully. If your last medical visit was more than four years ago, please get another general physical exam and tell your doctor the nature of your trip (climate, altitude, difficulty, etc.). The altitude also has the effect of reviving dental problems or other chronic pain, so getting a dental checkup is also prudent. If you are undertaking a high-altitude expedition, we advise you to consult a mountain medicine specialist.
Acute Mountain Sickness In Mera Peak & Island Peak Via Amphu Lapcha Pass
This trip takes place at high altitudes, so some people may experience altitude-related discomfort like headaches, loss of appetite, and swelling of limbs. Most of these symptoms usually go away within a few days, but sometimes they can develop into a serious illness: pulmonary or cerebral edema. There are no preventive drugs for AMS. Diamox diuretic is often effective for symptomatic relief, but you should first check with your doctor to verify that it is not contraindicated for you. Think about it before you go.
Transfers/ Transport During Trip
All transfers are provided in private vehicles.
Group size for the Mera Peak and Island Peak Via Amphu Lapcha pass
The group is composed of 1 to 10 participants maximum. The number of participants is voluntarily limited to allow a better immersion, to not embarrass our hosts, to develop spaces of freedom and to allow a great flexibility of operation. However, the maximum number can be exceeded in the case where the last person who registers wishes to travel with another or several other people. The services will not be modified, and the conditions of the trip will be identical as a result.
Camping Equipment for Mera Peak and Island Peak Climbing
All logistical equipment is provided, including individual tents at the base camp with mattresses, mess tent, shower tents and toilet tents, as well as all collective and individual cooking equipment. At altitude, tents, stoves with gas cartridges, ropes and anchors.
Personal Equipment for Mera Peak & Island peak Climbing
Personal equipment is not provided, but a complete list will be shared later. We will refine the list with you during the preparation days and up until departure based on your questions.
High-altitude sleeping bags, full suits, and quality down jackets are costly items you may not use often. We offer these specific items for rent during the expedition. You must return the equipment clean and in good condition, with a deposit required.
Security And Communication for Safety
We have at least one Iridium satellite phone for logistics, weather updates, and security. Participants may use it under certain conditions—please contact us for private use. All camps are connected by radio, with access for the expedition leader, participants, and high-altitude Sherpas. A hyperbaric chamber will be available at base camp, and a lighter, essential pharmacy will be stocked at higher camps.
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