Ama Dablam Expedition

Upon arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will be welcomed by Summit Force’s representative and transferred to your hotel. Today is simply an arrival day and there will be no organized activities. So, you will have some free time to explore around the local attractions. Stay overnight in a hotel

Today we will organize guided sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley, where you will visit UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites including the sacred Hindu temple, Buddhist shrines, and local bazaars in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. In the meantime, we will prepare all necessary permits for the climb and trek, we want to make sure you are well-equipped with the necessary trekking/ climbing gear and clothing. Also, we want to make sure whether your travel insurance covers up to above 6000 meters, as you will be scaling the Ama Dablam. Stay overnight in a hotel

Today you wake up early at around 1:30 A.M get read and start your drive from Kathmandu to Manthali airport in Ramechap district at around 2 A.M by private transport to catch a flight to Lukla. It takes around 3.5 hrs to reach Manthali airport. Because of growing traffic congestion at Kathmandu Airport and Lukla also has become the busiest domestic flight sector in Nepal, we avoid the traffic congestion at Kathmandu Airport, and take you directly to Manthali airport for easy flight access to Lukla.
Start a 15-minute flight journey to Lukla experiencing picturesque mountain views and scenery. After landing at Lukla airport, we will take a rapid climb to Phakding (2,661m) by following the path along the bank of the Dudhkoshi River. In the late afternoon, we will visit nearby attractions of Phakding.

On the second day of the trek, after early breakfast at Phakding, we leave for our next destination, Namche Bazaar. The first section of the trekking route is in comfortable condition. At least two and a half hours walk are a bit difficult as we ascend all the way uphill until we reach Namche bazaar. We will have a spectacular journey to Namche Bazaar crossing four suspension bridges on the way. Afterward, we pass through narrow trails along with a wide stone trail beside the suspension bridge. At the moment you will enjoy the view of Mt. Kongde (6168 m), Mt. Thamserku (6608 m), and Kusum Kangaru (6367 m) until you arrive at Monjo, the last village before entering Sagarmatha National Park. After showing National Park permit the trail leads further up and down and reaches Jorsalle. Here we stop for lunch. Then, we continue our walk for two and a half hours and cross Hillary Bridge. We enjoy our walk viewing Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, and Nuptse from Tope Danda, and finally, we reach Namche bazaar. It's the vibrant alpine Sherpa village at the centre of Khumbu. Namche is the largest of all Sherpa settlements in the Everest region. This is the ideal place where we make our overnight stay and acclimatize. The rich village of Namche spreads in a horseshoe fashion around the valley. In Namche, you may like to spend time looking through the shops in search of a bargain.

In the early morning, you hike up to the Sagarmatha National Park Headquarters to watch the breathtaking panoramic views of Ama Dablam, Mount Everest, Lhotse, Thamserku, and other majestic peaks if clear weather permits on this day. You feel as if you are deep in the mountains here. After that, you will visit the Everest Documentary Visitor Centre and the Sherpa Culture Museum. The Sherpa Culture Museum was built in indigenous Sherpa architectural styles. It has shown all of the ancient and lost Sherpa artifacts in their original, authentic form, reflecting the Sherpa way of life in the past. The museum's first floor features a family prayer chapel as well as a family living area. In the traditional Sherpa family home, the cow stable, yak dung, wood, and hay store are all located below. We must visit this place in Namche Bazaar. You may see a variety of things at the Tourist Visitor Centre connected to the history of Everest Sherpa climbers. You can also see an afternoon slide show that gives you information about Sherpa culture and daily life in the Everest region.
Then, we will visit Everest View Hotel, the only luxury hotel located at an altitude of 3,800 m. You may also have wonderful views of Everest and other beautiful mountains from the hotel. You will arrive at Namche Bazaar after a few hours of trekking to spend the night at a lodge.

Starting at Namche Bazaar, we will follow the Dudh Koshi River till we arrive at Phunke Tenga. From Phunke Tenga, we will follow the path of Imja Khola to Tengboche. We will have a chance to see the national bird, the Danfe, as we hike through a forest of pine, fir, black juniper, and rhododendron trees today. When we reach Tengboche, we will visit the historic Tengboche Monastery, which the Sherpas of the Khumbu regard as the most revered. From Tengboche, you can see the stunning backdrop of Ama Dablam (6,812m), Taboche (6367m), Mt. Everest (8848m) and other Himalayan peaks of Khumbu.

After having breakfast, we will start our trek towards Pangboche, which is situated at an elevation of 3,985m in the Imja Khole valley, about 3 kilometres northeast of Tengboche. It is a beautiful village that serves as a base camp for climbing the nearby Mount Ama Dablam and trekking. The village is enriched with a Buddhist monastery, famous for its purported yeti scalp. To reach Pangboche, we will trek via Tengboche. Once we reach Pangboche, we will use it as a base to hike to Ama Dablam Base Camp. From there, we will have a fantastic view of Ama Dablam, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and other Himalayan peaks. However, if the hike seems too challenging, you can stroll around and explore the village. This trek is an excellent opportunity to explore the nature and culture of the region while keeping yourself moving forward.

After breakfast, we will commence our trek to Amadablam Base Camp. The trail is narrower, rocky than EBC main route but it is fairly easy. We tread along the rocky and dirt trail. Along with taking in the breathtaking vistas of the Himalayan peaks, the trip offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in the customs, culture, and way of life of the Sherpas. After 3 hours of moderate walk, you reach Amadablam Base Camp which is a large and spacious grassland at the foot of Mt. Ama Dablam. Our porters keep their loads at the base camp and leave us for the next three weeks, with only our Sirdar, Sherpas, and kitchen staff staying there to accompany us for the expedition.

Before embarking on the challenging climb to the summit of Ama Dablam, both the climbers and Sherpa will conduct a Puja ceremony. This ceremony is considered a significant "right of passage" and is performed to establish a connection with the divine Sagamartha (Mount Everest) and seek blessings for a safe and successful expedition. To prepare for the ceremony, the team constructs a large cairn using long strands of prayer flags. During the ceremony, they offer special foods and drinks and seek blessings for their climbing gear, which is believed to bring good luck and success to every member during the climb and summit. This celebration of prayers is a traditional way to seek blessings from the divine and ensure a safe and successful climb. Our guides offer instruction on proper climbing gear usage and Ama Dablam climbing techniques. The training includes using ropes for climbing both up and down, boosting our confidence level and climbing skills, thus increasing our chance of a successful summit of Mt. Ama Dablam. Overnight at Ama Dablam Base Camp.

We are going to start climbing to Camp 1 in the late morning. The route climbs to an altitude of approximately 5,600 meters with a 1,100-meter incline. You may use standard trekking boots and easily make it up to both Camp One and Camp Two, depending on the amount of snowfall. From Base Camp (4,600 m), each day's climb lasts for four to eight hours. The elevation gain from Base Camp to Camp I is just over 1,000 meters, which we can manage in about four to eight hours. Once we reach Camp I, we will prepare for the technical part of our climb. It takes two to five hours to climb a bit over 300-meter distance between Camp I and Camp II.
We will traverse granite blocks throughout this section of the ascent to reach the Yellow Tower, which offers moderate 4.11- and 5-grade climbing. We will be facing some challenging exposed ridges which will pump us up with the necessary adrenaline to conquer the Yellow Tower. Our climb will begin at the bottom and end at the top, with a 5.8-grade climb throughout. Upon reaching the top, we will arrive at Camp II. The attempt from Camp II to Camp III will take us three to six hours and will be considered the most difficult part of our climb. It starts with an exposed ridge traverse leading to the Grey Tower, which is a short multi-pitch climb that can be a bit tricky. This is a fascinating and demanding section of the climb. Through the continuous hike, we will reach Mushroom Ridge and a narrow ridge and thereafter we will cross 6,277 meters above sea level to reach Camp III. The ascent from Camp III to the summit takes around four to five days. Once we reach the summit, it will take us another four to six hours. We will have to do mixed climbing for the most part, but it will be a great experience and will make all the hard work we've done so far worth it. From the top, we'll be able to enjoy the vast landscape that stretches out below us.

Leaving Ama Dablam Base Camp behind, we make a decent towards Deboche. We walk along a forest track enjoying wonderful views. Again, you may see pheasant or small herds of thar (wild goat). On the way, you see a large chorten (a monument to the Buddha) and some very attractive mani walls (prayer walls). The path continues quite easily and rounding a corner. You now turn off the main trail and make your way slowly downward. As you move ahead, you come to view some villages and small fields. We reach Deboche in the late afternoon, From the lodge, we enjoy great views of the mountains and surroundings.

Today we will be hiking along the Imja Khola River from Debuche to Namche Bazaar. As we descend, we will be able to see the magnificent vistas of Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Everest. Next, we will cross a suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River and continue our hike. We are going to have lunch in a tiny town called Phungi Thenga. After lunch, we will descend the long zigzags up to Tengboche Monastery, which is located at an altitude of 3867m. After visiting the monastery and the neighborhood, we will descend to Namche Bazaar.

Today is the final day of our trek. We will cautiously and gently descend the route after breakfast because it is a steep slope and our legs are exhausted from our previous long hike. With vibrant rhododendron and pine woods, wide plains, and mesmerizing vistas of the snow-capped mountains that seem to hover over the walking trail, nature's splendor will be on full show. The rich vegetation and the Sherpa settlements, whose Buddhist culture is expressed in prayer flags, prayer stones, and gompas, combine to provide a fantastic trekking experience. We will have some time to relax and think back on the experiences we had throughout the challenging yet worthwhile hiking trip in this Sherpa settlement. After reaching Lukla, we'll spend the evening at a cozy lodge, giving our adventure of the day some thought.

Normally we take the morning flight to Kathmandu. There are situations when bad weather and other uncontrollable factors cause flight timings to be delayed and such a situation is beyond our control. Anyway, we will fly back to Kathmandu and your guide will transfer you to the same hotel where you had stayed before. Maybe you have some free time in Kathmandu after a long drive. So, you may go shopping at Thamel or rest at your hotel.

Today you will have the entire day to relax In Kathmandu, You may have a fantastic day in Kathmandu following your successful ascent of Mt. Ama Dablam. Trekking Experts will plan a goodbye dinner at a traditional Nepalese restaurant in the evening.

Your visit to Nepal is coming to an end today. Upon the departure of your flight, you will be collected from the hotel and taken to the Tribhuvan International Airport. Bid a kind farewell to our Himalayan country as you board your aircraft, carrying with you the memories of snow-capped peaks, breathtaking landscapes, and the kind smiles of everyone you have met along the route. You will always have a particular place in your heart for Nepal, and you should always keep the allure and beauty of this Himalayan nation with you until we cross paths again.