Mera Peak Climbing 17 Days

1. DAY1

   Arrive in Kathmandu

   Kathmandu 1,400 m Airport–hotel · ≈ 6 km · 30 min Dinner

   Arrive and transfer to a 3-star hotel. In the evening your climbing guide gives an overview of the route through the Hinku valley, the summit-day plan and the reserve day. Rest well after the journey.

   About Kathmandu

2. DAY2

   Permits and gear preparation

   Kathmandu 1,400 m Breakfast

   We finalise the Mera Peak climbing permit with the Nepal Mountaineering Association and check personal gear: insulated mountaineering boots, crampons, harness, helmet, ice axe and an expedition down jacket. Thamel shops hire everything you are missing. Summit morning at 6,000 m can be −20 °C or colder with wind, so warm mitts and boots matter most.

   About Kathmandu

3. DAY3

   Fly to Lukla, walk to Chutanga

   Chutanga 3,430 m ≈ 3–4 h · 6 km Kathmandu–Ramechhap in peak months · ≈ 130 km · 4–5 h Kathmandu–Lukla · 35 min (or Ramechhap–Lukla · 20 min) B, L, D

   Fly to Lukla, but instead of heading north to Everest, turn east and climb through rhododendron and pine forest to Chutanga, a clearing with a few lodges at about 3,430 m. The ascent from Lukla is steady, gaining about 570 m. Rest in the afternoon; the night here begins your acclimatisation for the Zatrwa La.

   About Lukla

4. DAY4

   Acclimatisation day at Chutanga

   Chutanga 3,430 m · high 3,900 m ≈ 3–4 h · 5 km B, L, D

   Gaining 1,200 m from Chutanga to the Zatrwa La in one day is a big step, so we spend a second night here. Hike up the trail towards the pass to around 3,900 m, with views back to Lukla and across to Kongde Ri and Numbur, then descend to Chutanga for lunch and rest. Your guide checks everyone's oxygen saturation in the evening.

5. DAY5

   Over the Zatrwa La to Thuli Kharka

   Thuli Kharka 4,300 m · high 4,610 m ≈ 6–7 h · 9 km B, L, D

   Climb steeply on rocky ground and stone steps, past cairns and prayer flags, to the Zatrwa La at 4,610 m. From the top, Mera Peak, Kangtega and Kusum Kanguru come into view, and the Hinku valley opens to the east. Descend gently to Thuli Kharka, a yak pasture with a few lodges at about 4,300 m. In snow, the descent can be slippery; microspikes help.

6. DAY6

   Thuli Kharka to Kothe

   Kothe 3,600 m · high 4,300 m ≈ 5–6 h · 11 km B, L, D

   Contour around ridges with the first full views of Mera's three summits, then descend steeply through rhododendron, juniper and pine forest into the Hinku valley. The trail is rough in places. Kothe, on the Hinku Khola at about 3,600 m, has several lodges and is a pleasant, wooded stop. The lower altitude helps recovery after the pass.

7. DAY7

   Kothe to Thangnak

   Thangnak 4,350 m ≈ 4–5 h · 9 km B, L, D

   Walk up the Hinku valley on the west bank of the river, with Mera Peak ahead. Stop at the small Lungsumgba gompa, a meditation site beneath a rock cliff. The valley widens into summer pastures with yak herders' huts before Thangnak (also spelled Tagnag) at about 4,350 m, a small settlement with lodges beneath Charpate Himal.

8. DAY8

   Thangnak to Khare

   Khare 5,045 m ≈ 3–4 h · 6 km B, L, D

   Follow the lateral moraine of the Dig Glacier past the glacial lake of Sabai Tsho, then climb to Khare at about 5,045 m, the last lodges below Mera. The north face of Mera Peak and the Mera Glacier rise directly above. A short day in distance but a big gain in height; rest in the afternoon.

9. DAY9

   Khare acclimatisation and training

   Khare 5,045 m · high 5,300 m ≈ 3–4 h · 4 km B, L, D

   Climb above Khare to around 5,300 m for acclimatisation, then return for lunch. In the afternoon your climbing guide runs a training session on fitting crampons, walking roped together on a glacier, self-arrest with an ice axe and using a jumar on a fixed rope. Gear is checked again and loads prepared for high camp.

10. DAY10

    Khare to Mera High Camp

    Mera High Camp (tents) 5,780 m ≈ 6–7 h · 6 km B, L, D

    Climb a steep, rocky trail to the edge of the glacier, put on crampons and walk up the Mera Glacier to the broad Mera La at 5,415 m. Continue up the glacier to high camp, pitched on a rock outcrop at about 5,780 m. The view from camp, across to Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Chamlang, is extraordinary at sunset. Early dinner and bed by 7 pm.

11. DAY11

    Summit Mera Peak, descend to Khare

    Khare 5,045 m · high 6,476 m ≈ 9–11 h · 12 km B, L, D

    Wake at about 1 am and leave by 2 am, roped together, climbing steady glacier slopes by headlamp. As dawn breaks, the shadows of the Himalaya stretch across the clouds. Below the summit, a short, steeper snow section of about 40–45° is usually protected by a fixed rope. From the top at 6,476 m you see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Kanchenjunga. Descend to high camp for tea, then all the way down to Khare.

12. DAY12

    Reserve day

    Khare 5,045 m B, L, D

    A spare day for weather, slow acclimatisation or a second summit attempt. If the summit went to plan, we use it to start descending to Kothe a day early and add a rest day lower down, or keep it in hand for Lukla flight delays.

13. DAY13

    Khare to Kothe

    Kothe 3,600 m · high 5,045 m ≈ 5–6 h · 15 km B, L, D

    Walk back down the Hinku valley via Thangnak and the Lungsumgba gompa to Kothe. Losing more than 1,400 m, the air feels rich, appetites return and sleep comes easily.

14. DAY14

    Kothe to Thuli Kharka

    Thuli Kharka 4,300 m ≈ 5–6 h · 11 km B, L, D

    Climb back out of the Hinku valley through the forest to the pastures of Thuli Kharka, a long uphill day but well within reach now that you are acclimatised. Last evening views of Mera from the ridge.

15. DAY15

    Zatrwa La back to Lukla

    Lukla 2,860 m · high 4,610 m ≈ 6–7 h · 12 km B, L, D

    Climb to the Zatrwa La at 4,610 m for a final look at the Hinku peaks, then descend steeply through Chutanga's forest to Lukla. Farewell dinner with your climbing guide and crew.

    About Lukla

16. DAY16

    Fly to Kathmandu

    Kathmandu 1,400 m · high 2,860 m Ramechhap–Kathmandu in peak months · ≈ 130 km · 4–5 h Lukla–Kathmandu · 35 min (or Lukla–Ramechhap · 20 min) Breakfast

    Morning flight to Kathmandu, or to Ramechhap with a road transfer, and back to your hotel. Your summit certificate is collected in Kathmandu. Afternoon free to rest or shop in Thamel.

    About Kathmandu

17. DAY17

    Departure from Kathmandu

    1,400 m Hotel–airport · ≈ 6 km · 30 min Breakfast

    Transfer to the airport about three hours before your international flight. If Lukla flights were delayed, this day acts as a buffer. For extra security, keep a second spare day or use it to visit Bhaktapur or Patan.

    About Kathmandu

Route map

Popular add-ons

• Climbing gear hire package in Kathmandu≈ US$ 120–180 per person
• Helicopter from Khare to Kathmandu after the summit≈ US$ 700–1,000 per seat shared

Good to know

• Price is per person for two or more climbers. The NMA royalty for peaks below 6,500 m, including Mera, was revised in September 2025 to about US$ 350 per climber in spring and US$ 175 in autumn; check current status before you travel.
• Grade PD (Alpine): a long glacier ascent at up to 30°, roped for crevasse safety, with a short 40–45° section near the summit. No prior climbing is needed, but strong endurance is essential.
• The Zatrwa La route gains height quickly; the extra night at Chutanga and the training day at Khare are there for safety. A longer approach via Paiya and Pangkongma is available for better acclimatisation.
• Permits for the Hinku side have included the Makalu-Barun National Park permit and the local municipality fee; rules change, so check current status before you travel.
• Your insurance must cover climbing to 6,500 m and helicopter evacuation. Summit temperatures can drop to −20 °C or lower, so insulated boots and expedition mitts are essential.