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High Passes to Lobuche East

Nepal
Available Departures: Oct, Nov

18 days from

US$4,480

without flights
View Dates & Prices
Mountaineer
Guided Group
CHALLENGING CHALLENGING

An exciting trekking and mountaineering adventure with unbeatable views of Everest

Trip Code: LOB
Holiday Grades

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

High Passes to Lobuche East

Highlights

  • Trek across the Renjo La (5340m) and the Cho La (5420m) with views of Everest

  • Make the challenging ascent of Lobuche East’s south-east ridge

  • A perfect choice for someone seeking their first Himalayan summit

  • Led by an IFMGA qualified Nepalese Guide and a team of climbing Sherpas

  • FREE sleeping bag, down jacket and climbing gear hire is available for this holiday

At a Glance
  • Group Size 4 to 12
  • 14 days trekking
  • Max Alttitude - 6000 metres
  • Join In Kathmandu
Accommodation & Meals
  • All meals included
  • 10 nights Lodge
  • 3 nights Luxury Lodge
  • 1 nights Camping
  • 3 nights Hotel
Overview

We are delighted to be once again offering the opportunity to climb Lobuche East (6119m), one of the most popular and accessible Khumbu peaks. For this new trek and climb holiday we have chosen to approach the mountain by way of the challenging route across the Renjo La (5340m) and the Cho La (5420m). Beyond Namche Bazaar, this is a relatively quiet route which provides us with the best of the regions’s trekking, as well as great views of Everest from the passes. Additionally, this approach promotes really good acclimatisation ahead of the climb. 

We tackle Lobuche East from a high camp at 5400 metres, spectacularly located on a level part of the mountain’s south-east ridge overlooking the Khumbu Valley. From high camp, the climb will follow fixed lines throughout across relatively steep ground, a mix of both rock and snow, on a dramatic and exposed ridge which offers sensational views of the full range of Khumbu peaks, including Everest and Ama Dablam, as well as the slightly more distant but equally imposing Makalu.

Is this holiday for you?

This is a challenging trekking and climbing holiday made tougher by the altitude. The trekking route provides generally straightforward walking conditions, with slightly more difficult conditions on the passes; the Cho La is glaciated and usually snow covered. There will be some long days and long ascents. Climbing at altitudes of over 5000 metres is always strenuous. For the ascent of Lobuche Eas …

This is a challenging trekking and climbing holiday made tougher by the altitude. The trekking route provides generally straightforward walking conditions, with slightly more difficult conditions on the passes; the Cho La is glaciated and usually snow covered. There will be some long days and long ascents. Climbing at altitudes of over 5000 metres is always strenuous. For the ascent of Lobuche East, you should have experience of using crampons and of roped climbing in exposed situations. Fixed lines will be in place where necessary above high camp and the guide will go over the simple skills required to ascend and descend these lines safely when at high camp. If you have doubts about your capability in respect of Lobuche East, please give our office a ring. Lobuche has an approximate Alpine Grade of PD with 45 degree rock and snow slopes and exposed ridge climbing.

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Itinerary

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Your holiday starts at the hotel in Kathmandu. Transfers from Kathmandu Airport are provided. Depending on your arrival time, you may have the opportunity to explore the immediate vicinity of the hotel and get acclimatised to this bustling city. Alternatively, you may prefer to recover from your journey by relaxing at the hotel. Your guide will take dinner with you and will provide an informal briefing about the days ahead.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

D
Hide Details

After an early breakfast, we take a bus to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu Airport (or transfer to Ramechhap) where we check in for the short flight to Lukla (2840m). Landing on the narrow, sloping runway in the heart of the mountains is a very spectacular way to reach the Khumbu. Here, we meet our crew and set off on the first stage of our trek. Today's walk is very pleasant, leading down to the river, then northwards through a number of villages to our lodge in Phakding (2610m).

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

270 M

Descent

500 M

Time

3 hrs trekking

Distance

8 KM
Hide Details

During today’s pleasant walk through a steep-sided and wooded valley, we pass the entrance to the Khumbu National Park where details of our permits are recorded. Continuing up the valley, we cross the river several times including a final crossing on a spectacular high suspension bridge, before making the hour and half’s ascent to Namche Bazaar (3440m) on a wide switch-back trail. This is the sting in the tail of today’s otherwise quite steady walk. During this final stretch to Namche, we gain our first views of Everest. On arrival in the Sherpa capital, we check into one of the town’s many lodges and have some time to look around. There are German bakeries, Italian coffee, British pubs, pool halls, and hot tubs here.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1100 M

Descent

310 M

Time

6 hrs trekking

Distance

11 KM
Hide Details

Namche Bazaar is tucked away between 2 ridges amongst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. An ancient market place where goods from as far away as Tibet used to be traded, Namche today boasts an abundance of lodges, cafes, bars and souvenir shops. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day before heading off towards Thame. Options for acclimatisation walks include the one-hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above the village for the spectacular view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest itself.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

500 M

Descent

500 M

Time

4 hrs trekking

Distance

9 KM
Hide Details

Hiking up to the gompa above the town, we pick up a trail which follows the Bhote Khosi through the villages of Phunte, Thamo, Thomde and Somde. The walk takes us through woods of oak, birch and juniper and we pass several impressive mani walls built from tablets of stone intricately carved with prayers in Tibetan script. We will notice that there are fewer trekker in this quiet valley. Crossing a suspension bridge slung high across the river, we make the final ascent to Thame (3820m) at the junction of routes from the Rolwaling (via the Tesi Lapcha) and from Tibet (via the Nangpa La). There are tremendous views of Teng Kangpoche and the north side of Kwangde Ri. Overnight in a lodge at Thame.

Accommodation

Luxury Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

510 M

Descent

230 M

Time

3 - 4 hrs trekking

Distance

9 KM
Hide Details

A steady pace is required for the steep trail up to Thame Monastery. Most people agree that viewing the interior of the traditionally decorated gompa is well worth the effort of the climb. After spending some time here, there is the option to extend our acclimatisation walk up onto Sumdur Ridge (4800m) where we have magnificent views of Teng Kangpoche, Kongde and Everest. We return to spend a second night at our cosy lodge in Thame.

Accommodation

Luxury Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1000 M

Descent

1000 M

Time

4 - 5 hrs trekking

Distance

9 KM
Hide Details

The trail becomes even quieter today as we leave even the more adventurous Everest trekkers behind and head north beside the Bhote Khosi which means ‘River from Tibet’. Following a wide and straightforward trail that ascends gradually above the river, we pass through several villages including Marulung, en-route to our lodge accommodation in Lungdhen (4350m).

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

640 M

Descent

125 M

Time

5 hrs trekking

Distance

9 KM
Hide Details

Today, we make an early start for the trek up and away from the Bhote Khosi towards the Renjo La. The final approach to the pass is on a well-made trail, with stone steps leading almost all the way to the top. We reach the summit prayer flags (5340m) and take time to enjoy the views across the ranges to Mount Everest - simply breathtaking. Then, after an initially steep descent, which may be snow covered, the trail becomes well managed once more with stone steps which descend towards the lakes of Gokyo. The third lake is known as Dudh Pokhari and on its eastern shore is the summer settlement of Gokyo (4790m). We check in at a lodge below Gokyo Ri after a long day.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

1050 M

Descent

650 M

Time

8 hrs trekking

Distance

12 KM
Hide Details

We leave the lodge just after first light, crossing the ablation valley and following an obvious zig zag path up the hillside beyond. As we climb, the summits of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu slowly come into view and from the summit of Gokyo Ri (5360m) there is a particularly fine view of Everest and back down to the Gokyo lakes. We return to the lodge for breakfast or brunch before setting off on the next leg of our journey. Descending to the second lake, we then climb to the crest of the moraine overlooking the Ngozumba Glacier. The route across the glacier is well-marked by cairns and takes around 45 minutes. We climb off the glacier at the place known as Dragnag (4700m) where we check in at a simple lodge.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

700 M

Descent

820 M

Time

5 - 6 hrs trekking

Distance

8 KM
Hide Details

An early start again for the crossing of the Cho La (5368m). Approaching the pass, we cross a large boulder field and the route is steep in places involving some easy scrambling. The upper part of the route can be snow-covered and from the pass, there are excellent views including a completely different aspect of Ama Dablam, now seen from the north west. The descent from the pass involves crossing a remnant glacier (often snow-covered) which is fairly straightforward. We descend to the grazing pastures below, the trail becoming more and more defined as we approach our overnight lodge at Dzongla (4830m).

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

880 M

Descent

720 M

Time

6 - 7 hrs trekking

Distance

10 KM
Hide Details

Dropping down to the river we cross on a simple bridge and climb a spur, grassy at first and then becoming an easy scramble up to a bowl containing a mountain tarn. We continue to climb above the tarn to reach a broad rocky ridge and the site of high camp at 5400 metres overlooking the main Khumbu Valley. This is a magnificent location, at the foot of the south-east ridge of Lobuche East. In the afternoon, we will prepare our gear for the climb and the guide will provide a session of training to refresh the skills you will require to be safe during the fixed line climbing on Lobuche East. Overnight in tents at high camp.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

600 M

Descent

30 M

Time

3 - 4 hrs trekking

Distance

4 KM
Hide Details

We make a very early start for the ascent of Lobuche East (6119m) via the south-east ridge. The route is equipped with fixed lines where these are needed and you will be roped up from high camp and clipped in to the fixed line throughout much of the ascent. Depending on the prevailing conditions, there will usually be a mix of rock and snow and the ridge is relatively steep and exposed in places. There are several 'summits' on the upper part of the ridge and the snow conditions will to some extent determine our final high point. It is usual to be able to reach a subsidiary summit at 6000 metres - the true summit being just a short distance away and involving technical climbing. After the climb we will return to high camp by late morning, where the cook team will be waiting with a hot meal. In the afternoon we will make our way down quite directly to the Khumbu Valley and then continue more easily to our lodge at Pheriche.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

750 M

Descent

1780 M

Time

10 hrs climbing/trekking

Distance

11 KM
Hide Details

This is a spare day which we might need if we have been delayed on the trek in to the mountain, or if weather conditions are unhelpful on the scheduled summit day.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D
Hide Details

Today we trek through greener pastures beside the Imja Khola, firstly mostly downhill to Pangboche and then, after crossing a bridge slung spectacularly over a narrowing of the river, we encounter a forest of rhododendron, birch and pine, the first trees we have seen for over a week. We hike up through the trees to the top of the ridge and one of Nepal’s finest monasteries at Thyangboche. Here, we will take a tour of the main gompa and its visitor centre. Leaving Thyangboche we descend a steep path to the village of Phunki where there is a bridge crossing the Dudh Kosi. Climbing once again, we reach Kangjuma (3620m) and our lodge for the night.

Accommodation

Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

550 M

Descent

1300 M

Time

6 - 7 hrs trekking

Distance

15 KM
Hide Details

The trail contours around the hillside to Namche Bazaar and we can have a café stop here before continuing our walk downhill, steeply at first and beside the Dudh Kosi, to Monjo. After lunch, we hike back through Phakding and make the final climb up to the airstrip at Lukla (2840m) where we check in at our lodge. In the evening we will no doubt have a party to celebrate the end of a great holiday and to say goodbye to our trek crew.

Accommodation

Luxury Lodge

Meals

B L D

Ascent

850 M

Descent

1630 M

Time

8 hrs trekking

Distance

22 KM
Hide Details

After saying goodbye to our Sherpa crew, we board the flight back to Kathmandu (or to Ramechhap from where we transfer by road). The rest of the day is free for sightseeing or shopping amongst the streets and bazaars of the Nepalese capital. This evening we will have a celebratory meal and reflect on our Everest adventure.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B L D
Hide Details

This is an important contingency day in case of delays to the flights from Lukla. If we have experienced no delays this is another opportunity for independent exploration amongst the colourful streets and temples of Kathmandu.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B L D
Hide Details

Your holiday ends after breakfast. Transfers to Kathmandu Airport are provided. To extend your holiday in Nepal, why not pre-book a day's sightseeing tour in the Kathmandu Valley, or a multi-day excursion to the wildlife reserve at Chitwan. Contact our office for details.

Meals

B
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The Route
Point Point
Peaks Peaks
Direction Direction
Pass Pass

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

  • Kathmandu Airport transfers,

  • Internal flights and all land transport involved in the itinerary,

  • Accommodation as described,

  • All meals,

  • Breakfasts and final evening dinner when in Kathmandu,

  • An IFMGA qualified mountain guide and support climbing Sherpas,

  • Guide to client ratio of 1:3 on summit day,

  • Porters and trek support staff,

  • FREE sleeping bag down jacket and climbing gear hire is available for this holiday on request

  • Travel Insurance

  • Nepalese Visa

  • Tips for porters and other trek staff

  • Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc

The group will meet at the hotel in Kathmandu.

Transfers are provided from/to Kathmandu Airport for all clients arriving on Day 1 of the Land Only itinerary and departing on the last day of the Land Only itinerary.

Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation.

All meals are included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 18.

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps. If you are on a trekking or cycling holiday, water is supplied to fill up your individual bottles. This will be boiled, filtered or provided in large jerry cans or 5 litre bottles. Additionally you should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

Typical meals provided in the lodges and tea houses will include some Nepali dishes but also international cuisine. Breakfast will usually be porridge, eggs, bread and a hot drink, lunch will be a simple meal with a hot drink taken at a tea house or prepared by our trek crew on the trail. Occasionally clients will be asked to carry a packed lunch if there is no suitable place to prepare lunch along the way. Dinner will be 3 courses consisting of soup, main meal and a simple pudding. At some of the tea houses it may be possible to order additional dishes and/or snacks and if you think you may want to do this, you should budget accordingly. Boiled drinking water will be provided at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many of the lodges and tea-houses sell snacks, chocolate bars, soft drinks and beer. The food served while at the high camp on Lobuche East will be simple and nourishing dishes prepared by our highly trained trek cooks. The emphasis is on providing a high-carbohydrate and largely vegetarian diet, which we have found to be easily digestible at high altitude. In Kathmandu we take our meals in local restaurants.

Whilst we can cater for vegetarians, albeit sometimes with a more limited choice, we cannot always provide special diets.  Due to the nature of some of the trips that we operate and the countries in which we operate them, it can be very hard (and sometimes impossible) to cater for a wide range of dietary choices and you may have to supplement your diet with food/snacks from home.  If you have specific dietary requirements please do speak to our sales team and they will be able to advise you whether or not we will be able to offer your specific choice.  Please note that we are unable to provide separate menus and cannot accept liability for any problems arising from special dietary requirements or intolerances.

In Kathmandu we use a range of excellent hotels including the new and very comfortable 4 star Aloft Hotel. Located in the heart of the city, this hotel offers a range of first-class facilities including fast and free WiFi and a spa and fitness centre. Whilst on trek there are 10 nights in standard lodges, 3 nights in upgraded (Mountain Lodges of Nepal) lodges and 1 night in tents at high camp on Lobuche. Accommodation is generally arranged on a twin sharing basis and if you are travelling by yourself you will usually be paired up with someone of the same sex. Please note that at one or two of the higher lodges we may be forced to use multi-bedded rooms. Nepalese trekking lodges are simple, friendly and atmospheric. They generally have heated dining areas which are often attractively decorated. Bedrooms are, however, basic and unheated with wooden beds and foam mattress. You will need a sleeping bag. The lodges have shared washing and toilet facilities. Some lodges have solar powered showers (charged at $4 - $5 per shower) and battery charging facilities (also charged at a rate per hour). Staying at the lodges is a great way to meet fellow hikers and the locals. The single supplement payment includes the 3 nights in Kathmandu and the 3 nights in upgraded lodges (2 nights in Thame and 1 night in Thame). Single room occupancy for the other lodge nights cannot be be pre-booked. Single tent occupancy can also be pre-booked for the single night at high camp.

Access to the high and remote areas of the Himalaya where our treks start is often only possible using internal flights. The changeable nature of mountain weather makes flying conditions complex. In addition, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of western nations and all airlines in Nepal appear on the UK Air Safety List (ASL), and are banned from operating commercial air services to, from, and within the United Kingdom. Flying in Nepal is an acknowledged risk, and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice provides further details which you can read on their website. KE is mindful of its duty of care to clients travelling with us in Nepal and we are stakeholders in an annual independent air audit of Nepal airlines undertaken by UK tour operators, most recently undertaken in February 2024. KE uses 5 airlines in Nepal which have been approved by this audit. These airlines are: Buddha Air, Summit Airlines, Shree, Tara and Yeti. We continue to cooperate with other tour operators to monitor aviation safety in Nepal and will ensure we remain a stakeholder in any further air safety audits. While we have taken appropriate action to try to minimise the risks of flying in Nepal, you should be aware that flying in mountainous terrain is not without any risk.

Please note that poor weather can cause delays on internal flights. If at the start of your holiday internal flights are cancelled for the day, you will spend an extra night near the airport (this may be at a hotel other than the group hotel). On the majority of trips there is enough flexibility in the trekking itinerary to make up 1 or possibly 2 lost days, but an alternative trek will be provided if delays to internal flights mean the original itinerary (or a shortened version of it) is no longer feasible.

For trips that end with an internal flight out of the mountains with no alternative road access, we have included 2 nights in Kathmandu as a contingency against delay. In the extremely unlikely event that a delay to your internal flight causes you to miss your homeward international flight, KE will re-book international flights for Flight Inclusive clients, but please be aware that clients booking on a Land Only basis will be responsible for re-booking their onward travel and for any associated costs. We advise you to take out suitable travel insurance and to keep your receipts, as you may subsequently be able to make a claim.

The group will be accompanied by an IFMGA qualified Nepalese mountain guide who will be assisted by an experienced team of climbing Sherpas.

Approximately £250 (or equivalent in US dollars, Euros etc) changed into local currency, should be allowed for miscellaneous expenses including porter and trek crew tips, drinks, snacks etc. It is not necessary to obtain local currency prior to departure. Sterling, US Dollars and Euros are equally acceptable for exchange in Nepal. Please note: Scottish and Northern Ireland bank notes are not accepted in Nepal. We recommend that you carry your travel money in the form of cash, since you will exchange the majority of this on the day of your arrival in Kathmandu. If you prefer not to carry all of your spending money in cash, it is possible to withdraw money from ATMs in Kathmandu using your debit or credit card. During the trek it is possible to buy snacks, chocolate, soft drinks and beer on most days. Please be aware that since everything has to be carried up from the nearest road, these items become more expensive as you gain altitude.

Tipping is the accepted way of saying thank you for good service. Normally the porters and any other trek staff are given their tips at the end of the trek and this is best done as a group. Your Nepali tour leader will advise the group on an appropriate level of tipping. Most groups will hand out the tips with a bit of ceremony (or sometimes a party) on the last evening, to mark the end of the holiday. As a guide, we recommend that each group member contributes around £100 (in rupees) to these tips. At the end of their trek many people also like to donate various items of equipment to the porters and trek staff who work so hard to make the trip a success. Boots, gloves, hats, scarves and even socks are always warmly received by the porters, whilst technical clothing and equipment such as head-torches and trekking poles are highly prized by the Sherpa team. Your tour leader will make arrangements for a fair distribution (possibly by raffle) amongst the trek crew. Please note that you will have the opportunity to tip your tour leader separately (and additionally) during dinner on the final evening of the holiday.

Our holidays are normally designed with minimal 'down time' at the start of the trip, but having a day or two at the beginning will have the additional benefit of allowing you time to get over the stress of a long journey or travelling across time zones, leaving you refreshed and ready for your holiday. We can easily arrange for you to have additional nights and airport transfers.

Your main item of luggage should be a sturdy kit bag, duffle bag or similar which will be carried during the trek by porters and should weigh no more than 15kg. If you are picking up a sleeping bag and down jacket from KE in Kathmandu, you need to factor in the weight of these items (around 3kg) and allow space in your bag for them. Your personal mountaineering equipment (boots, axe, crampons etc) will be carried separately. On arrival at Lukla you will hand these items of equipment to your trek leader who will pack them in communal bags until you reach basecamp. You should also take on your holiday a daypack of approximately 40 litres capacity.

For all STOL flights in Nepal, the normal allowance for hold baggage AND hand baggage combined is 15kg. But, for our climbing holidays we have arranged an allowance of 15kg hold baggage PLUS 5kg cabin baggage. You may also wish to consider wearing your heavy mountaineering boots and any heavier clothing on these flights. Please be aware that you will have to pay any charges for excess personal baggage above this allowance at check-in, and that excess baggage may have to be flown separately. It is possible to leave items not required on trek at the hotel in Kathmandu. For your international flights, please check the baggage allowance with your airline.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

Visa Nepal

All nationalities require a visa. The visa process is partly automated and the fee is $30 for 15 days, $50 for 30 days, $125 for 90 days. The visa is FREE for children under 10 years. The visa allows multiple re-entry. Payment must be made in cash and USD, GBP or Euros are accepted.

Part of this on-arrival visa process involves filling in a ‘Tourist Visa Application Form’ and you can simplify the procedure at Kathmandu Airport by filling this form in online (within 15 days of travelling) at this link. This generates a receipt which you present (hard copy or saved on your phone) on arrival. This should allow you to go straight to the cashier to pay for your visa and has the potential to save you time in the visa queue.

Whilst these are not now needed for the visa process, we recommend that you travel with at least 2 spare passport photographs.


TREKKING PERMITS – WHAT DO WE NEED FROM YOU ?

For treks in the Everest region – EBL, EVL, EHW, ELL - we need your passport details and we need you to take with you to Nepal 2 passport photographs. You will hand these over to your local leader on Day 1.

For treks in the Annapurna region – ASL, ACL, UAT, ANL and for the Gosainkund and Langtang Trek - GLT – we need your passport details and we need to send through to Nepal ahead of your departure a scan of a passport-style photograph of yourself. Please send this to us once your holiday is guaranteed.

For these Conservation Area treks and other treks requiring Special Permits – KAN, DLG, NAP – we need to send through to Nepal ahead of your departure a scan of a passport-style photograph of yourself and a scan of the information pages of your passport. Please send these to us once your holiday is guaranteed. On arrival in Kathmandu you will still be required to provide your passport (with your visa) for presentation at the Nepal Tourism Board. Your passport will be returned to you by your tour leader at dinner.

For those trips requiring Climbing Permits – MER, IPC, CTL, YAR - we need to send to Nepal ahead of your departure, a scan of a passport-style photograph of yourself and a scan of the information pages of your passport. Please send these to us once your holiday is guaranteed. On arrival in Kathmandu, for YAR and for CTL, you will still be required to provide your passport (with your visa) for presentation at the Nepal Tourism Board. Your passport will be returned to you by your tour leader at dinner.

Vaccinations

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumps-rubella, along with hepatitis A and typhoid.

Malarial prophylaxis is not usually required for trips in the mountains, however if you are visiting rural and remote low lying areas then they might be necessary.

On holidays to more remote areas you should also have a dentist check up. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro.

The unit of currency in Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee.

It makes a lot of sense to spend some time before coming on a trekking or climbing trip getting some additional exercise. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience. This is a demanding trek and you need to be aerobically fit and also comfortable with walking up to 8 hours on some days, and possibly for 10 hours or more on the summit day. The best preparation for this trip is regular hiking in mountain or hill country. If this is not possible, we suggest that you adopt a weekly exercise regime and gradually increase your work rate as you get nearer to departure. Running, cycling and swimming are also good for developing better stamina. Whatever your preparation, before departure, we suggest that you try to fit in a number of long walks in hilly country. For this trip it is also essential that you gain some experience walking on moderately angled snow slopes wearing crampons. No technical mountaineering experience is required and clients will be instructed in the basic techniques of glacier walking and fixed line climbing prior to the ascent.

October and November are ideal for trekking in Nepal, being generally neither too hot in the foothills nor too cold in the higher elevations. These post-monsoon months also tend to offer the clearest skies and the most settled weather. Daytime temperatures are likely to range from approximately 25ºC in Kathmandu to approximately 14ºC at 3000 metres and approximately 3ºC at 5000m. The ‘real feel’ temperature in the middle of the day will be much warmer than this. At night in the rarefied air the temperatures plummet. You can expect to experience overnight temperatures below freezing once above approximately 4200 metres and at the high camp on Lobuche the night time temperatures may drop as low as –10º or -15ºC. Extended periods of rain or snow are very unlikely outside of the monsoon period but short lived storms can and do occur. It is very important that you are equipped and prepared for potentially very low temperatures.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates direct from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

  • Trekking and Climbing in Nepal. Steve Razzetti.

  • Kathmandu and the Kingdom of Nepal. Prakash Raj.

  • Adventure Treks Nepal. Bill O’Connor.

Gokyo 1:50,000 Nepa Maps

These days the best trekking maps are published in Nepal. Nepa are one of the oldest established publishing houses in Kathmandu. This map covers the whole route from Lukla at a reasonable scale. Relief shading and spot heights give visual representation of the terrain and contours are drawn at 40m. intervals. Villages, monasteries, passes and peaks are indicated and latitude/longitude markings are shown. Note: All clients will be given a free trekking map in Kathmandu before the start of their trek.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

Please note that a paper copy of your travel insurance is required if you are travelling to Huaraz and the Huayhuash region.

The following checklist should help you with your packing. Use your own experience and judgement to determine what to bring with you but please ensure you have all of the mandatory items. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. Please make sure you have read the section on baggage allowance in the trip notes.

You must bring the following items:

  • Hiking boots

  • Mountaineering boots - see ‘Mountaineering Equipment’

  • Snow gaiters

  • Good quality and fully waterproof (Gore-Tex or similar) overtrousers

  • Good quality and fully waterproof (Gore-Tex or similar) mountain jacket with hood

  • Fleece jacket

  • Duvet jacket (down or man-made fibre)*

  • Down trousers/pants (optional)

  • Sunhat

  • Warm hat and thermal balaclava

  • Good quality wrap-around sunglasses or glacier glasses

  • Ski goggles (optional)

  • Thin gloves

  • Warm and insulating gloves or mittens

  • Daypack minimum 40 litres

  • Headtorch and spare batteries

  • Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.)

  • Water bottles 1 Litre (x2) (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic)

  • Water purification tablets

  • Dry bags(s) for daypack/kit bag contents (to ensure they keep dry)

  • Sleeping bag comfort rated down to minus 20 C*

  • Sleeping bag liner

  • Basic First Aid Kit including: A broad spectrum antibiotic, antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, plasters (band-aids) and blister treatment, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite).

Mountaineering Equipment:

  • Mountaineering double boots - see below

  • Ice axe *

  • Crampons (that fit your boots!)*

  • Mountaineering or climbing harness*

  • 2 x Karabiners (screwgate)**

  • Ascender or Jumar (provided)

  • Descender (rappelling device) **

  • Prussik loop **

  • Climbing helmet*

Packing checklist:

  • Trekking trousers

  • Baselayer shirts

  • Baselayer leggings

  • T-shirts or similar

  • Washbag and toiletries

  • Antibacterial handwash

  • Toilet paper (you can also buy this in the lodges)

  • Small trek towel

  • Small padlock (to lock your kit bag)

  • Travel clothes

  • Trekking poles (recommended)

  • Scarf or buff

  • Trainers for camp use

  • Pee bottle

  • Swimwear (for the hotel pool in Kathmandu)

  • Insect repellant – (DEET)

  • Camera

  • Penknife (remember to pack all sharp objects in hold baggage)

  • Basic repair kit (gaffer tape, sewing thread and needle etc)

Notes

*FREE sleeping bag, down jacket and climbing gear hire is included in your KE holiday booking on request.

Equipment hire: Please make all requests at least 4 weeks prior to the trip departure date. Items marked ** are provided with hire of a harness and not available for individual hire. All equipment is issued in Kathmandu. Please remember to allow room in your kit bag for these items during travel to the start of your trek. During the trek your mountaineering equipment including double-boots will be carried separately in communal equipment bags.

Crampon hire: We provide Grivel G12 Crampons which are classic 12 point crampons designed for general mountaineering. They are fully adjustable and essentially, one size fits all. However if you have boots bigger than size 11 (46) you will need to purchase and take with you Grivel extender bars. Or take your own crampons.

Cultural sensitivity: The Nepalese are still traditional and conservative in the way they dress. Therefore to avoid embarrassment on both sides we recommend that you respect this and do not wear revealing clothing or sleeveless tops while visiting Nepal. Shorts are acceptable, but they should reach to just above the knee and be modest and for women it is preferable to wear trousers or a long skirt.

Camping mattress: For the 2 nights camping on Mera Peak, foam type camping mattresses are provided. You may wish to bring your own Thermarest-type mattress for extra comfort, but this is optional.

Mountaineering Boots: Climbing at altitudes of up to 6500 metres, the temperatures can be very cold (as low as minus 30 degrees centigrade). Standard mountaineering boots are not suitable for these cold, high altitude conditions. Specialist double boots with insulated inners are the best to keep your feet warm at altitude in these extremely low temperatures. Examples of suitable boots are Scarpa Phantom 6000, Boreal G1 Lite, Mammut Nordwand, and La Sportiva G2 Evo. These boots are also designed to take step-in crampons, quickly and efficiently. This combination of double mountaineering boots and step-in crampons is by far the most sensible option when considering a mountaineering peak up to 6500 metres. You must make sure that you are suitably equipped for these extremely low temperatures.

Gear Advisor

  • PHD specialise in cold weather equipment, from the world’s lightest right up to the most protective for Everest or the Poles. It’s a large range. So to help you choose what you need to keep you warm, PHD have listed the gear that is appropriate for this expedition. Click on this link: http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/gearadviser/destination.php?destinations_id=12

  • Needle Sports is the English Lake District's foremost specialist climbing shop supplying mountaineering, rock, ice, alpine and expedition equipment worldwide. Internationally recognised as among the very best of the UK's top technical climbing gear retailers. They have a good range of equipment appropriate for this trip and offer knowledgeable advice both on their website and in store.

Extensions

CHTL - Hero
Chitwan Jungle Extension

The jungles of southern Nepal are an interesting counterpoint to trekking in the foothills or the high Himalaya. Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge provides a relaxing and comforta...

3 days from

US$1,545 per person

Extension Details

Chitwan Jungle Extension

3 Days

The jungles of southern Nepal are an interesting counterpoint to trekking in the foothills or the high Himalaya. Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge provides a relaxing and comfortable base for a wildlife safari and cultural village experience. During two days of wildlife viewing in the Chitwan National Park 'buffer zone' - the interface area between visitors and the animals that live at Chitwan – you will be accompanied by expert guides on safaris by jeep by boat and on foot. 



Extension Code: CHTL
Sharing Price from
US$1,545
Single Traveller Price from
US$2,155
Single Room Supplement from
US$440
Deposit Per Person from
US$200

Extension Itinerary

KE extension package services begin with a transfer to Kathmandu airport for the flight to Bharatpur. You are met by a Tiger Tops representative and transfer to the lodge. After a welcome briefing, you head off for the first of your jungle activities which may be by jeep, on foot or by boat. We can enjoy an excellent meal from the Tharu kitchen before retiring.

Meals

L D
Hide Details

After an early wake-up call you will go out with your guide to catch the birds and animals at the watering hole. After breakfast at the lodge you will go out on safari again. As with yesterday your safaris can be by jeep, on foot or by boat. After a full day of wildlife viewing, you spend your final night at Tharu Lodge.

Meals

B L D
Hide Details

You have another opportunity this morning to observe the animals at the watering hole, then after breakfast at the lodge, you transfer to the airport for the flight to Kathmandu where KE extension package services end.

Meals

B
Hide Details
Whats Included
  • Return flights - Kathmandu / Bharatpur / Kathmandu
  • Kathmandu Airport transfers
  • Transfers to the lodge on arrival at Bharatpur Airport
  • 2 nights full board accommodation at Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge
  • Jungle activities including jeep rides / boat rides / nature walks and birdwatching
  • Airport departure tax
  • National park buffer zone fee
What's Not Included
  • Any additional hotel nights required in Kathmandu before or after the extension
  • Expenses of a personal nature - drinks and souvenirs etc.
KTMV_extension001
Kathmandu Tour - Nagarkot and Bhaktapur

The Kathmandu Valley contains the cities of Patan, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu itself, all of which were once independent kingdoms. An exploration of the valley’s histori...

1 days from

US$175 per person

Extension Details

Kathmandu Tour - Nagarkot and Bhaktapur

1 Day

The Kathmandu Valley contains the cities of Patan, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu itself, all of which were once independent kingdoms. An exploration of the valley’s historic and cultural sights is an excellent way to begin or end your adventure in Nepal. Highlights of this tour includes a very early drive up to Nagarkot on the Kathmandu Valley rim, the perfect place to watch a Himalayan sunrise. This is followed by a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bhaktapur, renowned for its temples and traditional buildings. 

 

Extension Code: KTMV
Sharing Price from
US$175
Single Traveller Price from
US$270
Deposit Per Person from
US$125

Extension Itinerary

We have a long morning of sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley, beginning with a very early start (at around 0430). We drive for approximately 1 hour through the quiet streets to Nargakot on the valley rim to watch the sunrise light up the Himalayas. Dropping back down to the valley, you will then have a guided tour of medieval Bhaktapur before returning to your hotel towards midday.

Hide Details
Whats Included
  • Experienced tour guide
  • Vehicle transport and driver
  • Entrance fees
What's Not Included
  • Packed breakfast to be provided. Other meals and drinks are not included
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DATES & PRICES

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2025

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  • High Passes to Lobuche East
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: LOB /01/25/
  • This trip begins on Mon 20 Oct and ends on Thu 6 Nov
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$625
  • Single Supplement Price: US$545
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$130
  • Download Trip Notes

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