Mera Peak Climb

Summit the highest trekking peak in Nepal with the help of our expert Sherpa guides and carefully planned itinerary

Test yourself against Mera Peak, the highest trekking peak in Nepal at 21,246ft (6,476m). Though tough, the ascent is a non-technical climb, which anyone with ice axe and crampon experience can attempt. With the help of our expert guides and porters, built-in acclimitisation and contingency days, and plenty of willpower, you can reach the summit of this beautiful Himalayan peak. The reward is a view over five of the six highest mountains in the world: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu.

Why trek with Exodus?

• One of the highest staff-to-trekker ratios on the trek with one staff member to every three trekkers
• More than 30 years’ experience running treks in Nepal
• Carefully planned ascent rates and itineraries with built-in acclimatisation and contingency days
• We beat the Everest crowds by rising early, avoiding foot traffic on the trails and getting into the next teahouse early for hot showers
• Established protocol for Lukla flight delays
• Exodus annually commissions independent air-safety audits on domestic carriers in Nepal and only use those approved as part of the audit
• Experienced English-speaking local tour leaders who are qualified in first aid and trained to spot and deal with altitude sickness
• All staff (tour leaders, guides and porters) are fully insured and paid a fair wage
• Staff carry oxygen, a first-aid kit, and self-assessment acute mountain sickness cards, used to monitor every trekker at altitude
• Speak to Exodus office staff who have done the trek themselves

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony though practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 7 (Tough). Please read our Activity Level Guidelines before booking this adventure.

Trip difficulty: This is not a beginner’s trek. It requires stamina, you should be physically fit and exercise regularly. You must have experience of trekking at altitude, using an ice axe and crampons and we recommend you have experience of walking roped-up and using jumar and abseil devices. The trek visits remote mountain regions and many of the trails are rocky. There are some very steep ascents, descents, some narrow trails, and the occasional bridge crossing. We do not recommend this for anyone who suffers from a fear of heights or vertigo. You must always follow the tour leader’s advice and decisions.

Altitude: Altitude maximum: 21,246ft (6,476m); average: 12,008ft (3,660m). The altitude can have a significant impact on your physical state – please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes.

Route: Mera Peak has three summits: Mera North, Mera Central and Mera South. Like most tour operators, we climb the safest, Mera Central. Most of the climb is the equivalent of Alpine Grade F (Facile/Easy); however, the final 100ft-130ft (30m-40m) is Alpine Grade PD (Peux Difficile/Slightly Difficult).

• Summit attempt: You are roped up from High Camp due to crevasses. For the last 165ft (50m), which is very steep, our guides fix a rope and you need to use a jumar (also known as an ascender). On descent, you must abseil a short distance from the summit.

Equipment: We leave for the summit in the night, and it can be very cold on summit day with temperatures down to -30C (-22F). There can also be high winds and snow. You must be fully equipped for the cold conditions and have all the gear we list as essential in the Mera Peak Kit List. There are compulsory equipment checks and practice sessions for climbing equipment. Anyone who does not participate in all of these sessions may not be allowed to attempt the climb – this is at the tour leader’s discretion.

Hiking times: Times stated within the itinerary are approximates only. Timings exclude lunch stops and vary depending on the group’s pace.

Just the trek, skip the summit: There is no issue for those that would like to join this trip for just the trek element without taking on the summit day. The trek is a fantastic circular route in the Everest region and still offers plenty with the quieter trails and stunning scenery even if you don’t summit Mera Peak. We still recommend you have experience with altitude trekking and if you would like to go up to “Crampon Point” (day 12), winter skills will also be necessary (ice axe, crampon use and being in a rope team). You will have the option to stay in the last tea house at Khare while the group continue up to Mera Peak over days 13 and 14. You would then be reunited with the group on their return to Khare for the return trek to Lukla.

Internal flight delays: Adverse weather conditions at Lukla airport occasionally mean flights to/from Kathmandu cannot operate. We include an additional day at the end of the itinerary to allow for this. However, persistent bad weather could delay the start of your trek or your return to Kathmandu.

• If there is a lengthy delay at the start of your trip, we aim to provide a shortened trek; if adverse weather conditions continue, and the main objective of the trek is impossible, an alternative trek to another region of Nepal will be offered. If fixed-wing planes are unable to fly, but helicopters to Lukla are available, you may choose to travel by helicopter; in this event, the price per person is approximately US$500-US$600 per person, of which Exodus covers half. We also have a contingency day on trek to assist where weather delays may occur.
• If there is a significant delay at the end of your trek, we attempt to get you on the first available fixed-wing flights to Kathmandu. If helicopters can fly, we will consider paying for these on a case-by-case basis to enable you to meet your international flight. In the case of persistent adverse weather, Exodus will rebook international flights for those who have booked their flights through us; please be aware, travellers who did not book their flights through us are responsible for re-booking their onward travel and for any associated costs.

Nepal flight safety: The mountainous Nepalese terrain is subject to changeable weather, which makes flying conditions complex and challenging; unfortunately, there are significantly more incidents here than in other countries, including fatalities. The EU highlighted the poor safety record in Nepal in 2013 by including all Nepalese-registered airlines on the EU banned list, which prevents them from flying in EU airspace. While no Nepalese-registered airlines currently fly within the EU, the EU instigated this ban to highlight the risk of flying in Nepal to EU citizens. These airlines are unlikely to be members of any internationally recognised safety audit systems and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of Western nations.

Flying within Nepal is therefore a known risk, and we strongly encourage you to consider this carefully before booking. We suggest you refer to the following sources:

• The current travel advice for Nepal issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
• The Air Safety Network entry for Nepal

In response to concerns over this safety record, Exodus arranges for independent air-safety auditors to visit Nepal annually to assess the suitability of the available carriers. We then restrict our use to only those approved as part of this audit. In emergency situations, we will need to use helicopters, so we also have a list of approved helicopter carriers. Should concerns arise regarding the safety of an airline on our approved list, we will remove the carrier from the list immediately, and it would only be reinstated once our air-safety auditors are confident the airline meets acceptable safety standards.

We appreciate you may have concerns about flying within Nepal, so we ask that you please consider all the information above when deciding to book this trip.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Nepal

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Some travellers may also need proof of a polio vaccination. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

There is little to no risk of malaria in Nepal; therefore, antimalarial tablets are not usually advised although may be considered for certain high-risk groups. You may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Additionally, dengue fever and chikungunya are known risks in Nepal. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Most of our trips to Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for further advice on AMS.

When trekking at altitude, and particularly in cold weather, there is a higher chance of developing a cough (sometimes referred to here as the Khumbu cough) or cold symptoms. These symptoms could be a result of inhaling cold mountain air or dust (in the Everest region). You can mitigate against picking up coughs and colds by washing your hands with soap and water at available opportunities and using hand sanitiser. Also wear a buff over your neck and mouth when walking at altitude, particularly in colder weather, which will help limit cold, dry air entering your airways and keep your neck and chest warm.

Visa

Nepal

You can obtain your visa in advance or on arrival. The Immigration Department of Nepal has suspended visas on arrival for certain nationalities – please check if this applies to you with your nearest embassy or consulate.

Visa in advance

Apply for this through your local consulate or embassy. Further details on this option can be found here:

• For UK passport holders: https://uk.nepalembassy.gov.np/visa/
• For US passport holders: https://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/tourist-visa/

When applying for your visa in advance, the Nepalese government has an online application system (see links above for more info), but it is currently only accepting payments through Nepalese payment channels. Once the online form is completed, the applicant is required to print out the form and either send it, together with the passport, to the embassy, or attend in person.

Visa on arrival

1. When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, there will be three lines. If you have already secured your visa, go straight to the Immigration line. If not:
   Fill in a tourist visa form at the electronic kiosks. After inserting your passport, the machine will automatically fill out an application form, take an electronic photograph of you and print a paper slip. If the machine won’t read your passport, complete the details manually using the touchscreen. We recommend taking a passport photo with you just in case.
   Top tip: This process can be completed through the online immigration portal (click ‘Visa On-Arrival’) within 14-days prior to arrival in Kathmandu, helping you to avoid lengthy queues at the kiosks when you come through immigration – ensure you print and bring the confirmation with you. If you have completed your visa on arrival form in advance, go directly to the visa fees counters with your printed confirmation and skip the kiosk queues.
2. Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (in cash, if possible). Make sure to keep the receipt. Card payments are not always possible, so paying in cash is easiest, most currencies are accepted but US dollars are preferred.
3. Go to the relevant immigration desk and present your tourist visa form, payment receipt and passport to obtain your 15-, 30- or 90-day visa stamp. Please check you have been given the correct visa duration.

Food & Drink

Breakfast is included throughout and all meals are provided while camping.

In the teahouses, breakfast is a choice of bread (a slice of toast, chapatti or Tibetan bread), a choice of egg (boiled, fried or omelette), and a choice between either muesli or porridge each day. Hot tea/coffee is also served. On some days, either a trekkers breakfast (egg, hash brown, baked beans and toast) or a pancake with jam/honey is served – these options are not available in all teahouses and so we have only included them in locations where they can be guaranteed.

Lunch is taken at a teahouse en route – sometimes one of your guides will go ahead with the group’s order to make it more expedient. Dinner is in the same teahouse that you sleep at (this is customary in Nepal as teahouses base their room rate on it).

Although many lodges have almost identical menus, they are reasonably extensive and offer a varied selection, ranging from traditional Nepalese dhal bhat to pizza and apple pie. Dhal bhat is the staple diet in Nepal and comes in many different forms but generally comprises some curried lentil dhal and meat or vegetables, some rice, and a pickle/chutney. Another popular snack is momos, a type of Nepalese dumpling filled with meat or vegetables.

Although meat is available in the teahouses, we advise against eating it on trek. The meat has often been carried in the heat from lower altitudes for several days before reaching the lodges and can cause stomach upsets or illness. Germs can also be spread by handling dirty money – we recommend using hand gel.

Restricted diets: If you have a gluten-free diet, we strongly recommend you bring some extra food and snacks with you to supplement the food on trek as there will be little variety available for you, particularly for breakfast. Even many of the soups are powdered and contain gluten. Gluten-free breakfast options are limited to vegetable fried rice and a choice of egg; on specific days, a trekkers breakfast (without the toast/with an extra egg) will be served. Breakfast options for vegans are limited to a choice of muesli/porridge with water each day, and, on specific days only, a trekkers breakfast (without the egg) or vegetable fried rice. If you are lactose intolerant, the same will apply although you also have a choice of egg each day.

Drinking water: Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least 0.7gal to 1gal (three to four litres) per person per day. We strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water on trek as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Nepal.

The teahouses sell boiled water for approximately 150-300 Nepalese rupees (US$1.15-US$2.30) per litre (the price increases the higher you trek), which should not require treating. This is also perfect for a bedtime refill as it can double as a hot-water bottle.

Alternatively, all teahouses provide free cold water. This should not be drunk untreated, so we recommend you bring a reusable bottle/water bladder/CamelBak (ideally two and wide mouth) and use an effective form of water treatment. There are a wide range of products available including Steripens or purification tablets, which are the quickest and easiest options to use on trek – we recommend talking to an outdoor retailer for the latest advice as technologies are improving all the time. Make sure to check the product’s performance in cold/freezing conditions and consider battery life (lithium batteries are best in cold conditions).

Exodus has partnered with Water-to-Go, a filtration system that eliminates more than 99.99 percent of all microbiological contaminants from any non-saltwater source – visit Water-to-Go for more information. Exodus customers can claim 15 percent off their first order and, better still, 15 percent of the purchase value will be donated to the Exodus Travels Foundation. These bottles filter the water as you drink, though the spout may not be the most efficient while moving on trek. Please note, if the water freezes it will clog up the filter. In this event, defrost before use by sitting the filter in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.

Weather

The main trekking season in Nepal is from October to mid-May when daytime temperatures at most altitudes are generally comfortable for hiking, the sky is clear much of the time, and rain and snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures vary from 15C to 35C (59F to 95F) in the Kathmandu Valley to around 10C (50F) at 11,800ft (3,600m) and progressively lower the higher we go. Different seasons offer different advantages for trekking.

Mid-September to November. This is the main trekking season in Nepal. Day temperatures in Kathmandu are normally above 20C (68F). Skies are usually clear and, below Khare, days on trek are usually sunny and mild with clear mountain views. Higher up, there can be snow and, above Khare, it will be cold as you are on a glacier. Nights are colder with temperatures dropping as low as -30C (-22F) at the highest altitudes.

March to May. Temperatures are warmer in general but haze often builds in the afternoons. It is very hot in the lowlands and temperatures rise to 35C (95F) in Kathmandu. Flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people chose to trek in spring. There can be rain or snow on trek.

There will be snow above Khare at the Mera La pass and High Camp. Summit day is a very early start and will be very cold. There may also be high winds on Mera La and on summit day. You need to be equipped for temperatures as low as -30C (-22F) plus windchill on summit day. You must heed the advice of your guides on summit day about keeping moving and keeping warm. There can also be snow and ice on the Zatrwa La.

The weather is never wholly predictable in any mountain area and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions described above.