Annapurna Treks & Expeditions offers the Baruntse Expedition as one of the most preferred 7,000 metres peaks in the Everest Region. Baruntse Expedition offers beautiful climbing in the Himalayas due to its geographical position, standing isolated amidst the largest Himalayan masses. While approaching Baruntse, the climbing members require to pass through any one of the four major passes such as Mingbo La Pass, Amphu Laptsa Pass, Sherpani col or the Mera La. However, 99% of climbers choose the Mera La and climb the Mera Peak as a Baruntse acclimatizing Peak. Baruntse expedition is also undertaken as an Everest Preparatory Climbing or Everest Acclimatizing Climb. Climbing Baruntse qualifies one for Everest or any other 8000 peak expeditions. Baruntse expedition or any other 7000 metres peak expedition without oxygen prepares one for oxygenless climbing on 8000 metres or taller mountains.

Mount Baruntse Climbing Offer for 2022 and 2023

Introduction
Mount Baruntse is a beautiful seven-thousand-metre mountain in the Everest/Makalu region. This mountain was first summited on the 30th of May 1954 by a New Zealander group led by Edmund Hillary, from its Southridge and the second successful summit, from its east ridge, on the 27th of April 1980 by a Spanish mountaineering group led by Juan José Díaz Ibañez. Unfortunately, in 2010, Chhewang Ngima Sherpa, a 19-time Everest Summiteer, died on the Baruntse mountain in a cornice accident at 7000 metres.

The standard camps above Baruntse base camp are a deposit camp between base camp and Camp 1, Camp 1 at the West-Col at an altitude of 6135 metres, the Camp 2 or the last camp at an altitude of 6600 meters under a rocky ridge, from where the summit attempt is usually made.

The standard trekking route to Baruntse base camp is via its southwest, enabling one to enjoy a beautiful trekking and an acclimatizing climb on Mera Peak, one of the best sightseeing peaks in its easy access climbing route and views it offers. However, Mera is the highest among the permitted trekking peaks. The exit route is via the famously known Amphu Laptsa pass to Chhukung valley and then a comfortable and beautiful trek to Lukla via the Sherpa villages of Dingboche, Pangboche, Tengboche, Khumjung, Namche and several other villages, enjoying the magnificent panoramas of Khumbu Valley.

The itinerary commences from Lukla Airport and walks up to Mera Peak and then to Baruntse Base Camp, which benefits the group for an excellent acclimatizing exercise before reaching Baruntse Base Camp.

Trip Highlights

Trip Profile

Short Itinerary

DAY 01: Arrive to Kathmandu

DAY 02: Kathmandu

DAY 03: A Fly to Lukla 2,866m. A 40 minutes flight

DAY 04: Trek to Chutenga 3,200m. A 5 hours trek.

DAY 05: Trek to Chhatrawa 4,300m. and to Thuli Kharka. A 6-7 hours trek.

DAY 06: Trek to Kothey 3,580m. A 6 hours trek.

DAY 07: Trek to Tagnak 4,350m. A 6 hours trek.

DAY 08: Tagnak. A rest/acclimatising day.

DAY 09: Trek to Khare 5,045m. A 4 hours trek.

DAY 10: An acclimatising day

DAY 11: Trek to Mera La 5,415m. and to Mera Base Camp 5,350m. A 2 hours trek

DAY 12: Climb to Mera High Camp 5,780m. A 3 hours climb.

DAY 13: Summit Mera and Trek to Chhamlang BC. An 8-9 hours climb and trek.

DAY 14: Trek to Baruntse BC 5,350m. A 3 ½ hour trek

DAY 15 to 23: Baruntse 7,129m. Mount Baruntse climbing period.

DAY 24: Trek to Amphu Lapcha basecamp 5,480m. A 5 hours trek.

DAY 25: Cross Amphu Laptsa 5,848m. & trek to Chhukung. A 10 hours trek.

DAY 26: Rest at Chhukung

DAY 27: Trek to Tengboche. A 5 hours trek

DAY 28: Trek to Namche via Khumjung. A 5 hours trek

DAY 29: Trek to Lukla. A 7 hours trek

DAY 30: Fly to Kathmandu. A 35 minutes flight.

DAY 31: Rest and briefing at department of tourism

DAY 32: Departure

Detail Itinerary

DAY 01: Arrive to Kathmandu

Our personnel will be waiting at the Kathmandu international airport (TIA) to receive you with a traditional welcome. After checking into the hotel and refreshments, your circuit guide will update you about the necessary formalities for your proposed trek. Then, depending on arrival time, you will have the choice of either nearby visiting shrines or resting back in your room.

There will be a welcome dinner and introduction with your guide and climbing Sherpa guides in the evening. The welcome dinner will be the next day if you arrive late evening.

DAY 02: Kathmandu

A whole free day to do last-minute shopping and repacking the bags to basecamp properly. The mountaineering team leader will need to go to the department of the ministry of tourism to sign the document related to the mountaineering permit and responsibilities. This evening you will need to hand over your bags to basecamp for cargo to Lukla and then by porter to Baruntse basecamp.

DAY 03: A Fly to Lukla 2,866m. A 40 minutes flight

Early in the morning, at 07:30, we drive to Tribhuvan International Airport to board a flight to Lukla. It is an exhilarating mountain flight of 45 minutes. We can enjoy exceptional views of the Himalayas and most of the villages and valleys during the journey. Upon arrival at Lukla, we meet the porters and Sherpa staff. After lunch, we visit the village of Lukla, including its monastery. Overnight in Lukla.

DAY 04: Trek to Chutenga 3,200m. A 5 hours trek.

After breakfast, we begin a leisurely trek to Tukdingma and then to Chhutenga, the base to Chhatrawa La Pass, a high pass of 4,600 metres just above the Lukla. The trail is a pleasant walk through a sparsely mixed forest and small grazing meadows. After about 3-hours of walking, we stop at Tukdingma for rest and lunch amidst the rhododendron forest. After lunch, we take the last zigzag up through the woods to reach Chhutenga.

DAY 05: Trek to Chhatrawa 4,300m. and to Thuli Kharka. A 6-7 hours trek.

We climb steeply up through the forest and the mountain ridge, seeing the Chhutenga and Lukla far below. As we reach higher, the sceneries widen, and we see the mountains that border the Thamel and Rolwaling valleys. Finally, we cross the often snowy/icy part and traverse and reach the grassy saddle. Again, the views are more expansive, and you could even see the Cho-Oyu, bordering Nepal and Tibet. After a photographing rest, we descend through a long traverse, enjoying the views of the southeastern valleys and mountains. The reach to the camp requires a long zigzag descent to Thuli Kharka, also known as Chhetrabuk.

DAY 06: Trek to Kothey 3,580m. A 6 hours trek.

The trail descends and crosses a path on the side of the cliff, and follows the valley trail. We then climb through a staircase and cross a hill shoulder, enjoying Hinku Valley's views dominated by Mera Peak. We descend through a pleasant forest of rhododendron, pine and bamboo to a beautiful vantage point overlooking the Hinku Valley and across to the impressive south face of Mera Peak. Finally, the trail drops steeply down into the Hinku Valley. The forests of the Hinku Valley are a delight to walk through, with dense stands of tall Himalayan pine and rhododendron. Stay overnight in a Lodge.

DAY 07: Trek to Tagnak 4,350m. A 6 hours trek.

After breakfast, we initiate our trek with a series of fine panoramas as we head up the Hinku valley. There are stunning views of Peak-43 and Charpate Himal and the south face of Mera Peak. Today, the trail mostly follows the left bank of the Hinku river and walks through several Yak pasturelands till Tragnag. The walking continues through pleasant pasture and open view to Duk Gonpa, located in a cave. Tragnag sits in a broad U-shaped valley and is dwarfed by the mountains. It is a simple settlement with few lodges. For centuries it has been an ideal spot for yak and sheepherders. It is believed that there used to be permanent settlement here in ancient times. The Duk Gonpa, just before Tagnag, in a small cave in which there are several statues of Buddhist deities, is believed abandoned here due to its massive size to move down to their village while migrating.

DAY 08: Tagnak. A rest/acclimatising day.

A rest day is essential for acclimatization. Then, one can use the day for a walk to the beautiful moraine-dammed lake behind Sabai Glacier or climb up onto a spur of Kusum Kanguru mountain ridge to an altitude of nearly 5,000 metres. The views toward Mera Peak are its sheer western blackface.

DAY 09: Trek to Khare 5,045m. A 4 hours trek.

After breakfast, we start the trek to Khare. The trail, offering pleasant views, wanders through the broad basin of Dig-Kharka. Today we gain altitude rapidly. Today we enjoy views of some small lakes and beautiful mountain views, including the sheer black face of Mera Peak and the western face of Mera Peak high camp.

For lunch, we arrive at Khare, the main base for climbing Mera Peak, and it is also the n entry gate to access Mount Baruntse, the Amphu Lapcha, Mingbo La and Sherpa col. At Khare, there are several campsites, but most of them are not very comfortable. From Khare, one can enjoy a panorama of the huge north face of Mera and the peaks of the Hinku Shar Glacier. From just above our lodge, we can see Mera La. 

DAY 10: An acclimatising day

We take another rest day for further acclimatization and to do some exploring. The valley to the north leads temptingly to Hinku Nup Glacier and has excellent views of Kangthega and other stunning peaks.

DAY 11: Trek to Mera La 5,415m. and to Mera Base Camp 5,350m. A 2 hours trek

After breakfast, we begin the trek to Mera La. It is a 2-hour walk across rocks and scree and onto the first snow and ice base, the glacier's tongue flowing down from Mera La. We change into plastic boots and crampons before climbing up onto the glaciated terrain, which leads to Mera La. For the most part, this section is a blue ice slope on which rope is required to help the porters. Finally, we descend to the eastern flank, where the tented camp sets as the Mera basecamp. A beautiful place with great scenarios.

While the camp staff prepare the camp and super for the evening, the climbing members are recommended to continue up to Mera High Camp and down to basecamp for better acclimatization.

DAY 12: Climb to Mera High Camp 5,780m. A 3 hours climb.

From Mera La, those in good physical condition can climb directly to the summit. But it is more practical to make a high camp to decrease the distance to the summit, get acclimatized, and enjoy the summit without a headache. In addition, the high camp route is truly panoramic, over a flat ridge beneath a wide swath of giant summits.

If we are lucky, we can set up the high camp under an overhanging black rock, which provides ideal shelter from the cold wind and possibly hazardous snowfall. From Mera La or Mera Base Camp, we only take a well-equipped crew to the high camp. Some porters will accompany us up to the high camp, but they return to the base camp before sundown.

DAY 13: Summit Mera and Trek to Chhamlang BC. An 8-9 hours climb and trek.

The trip begins around 4 a.m. We approach the summit through a false summit, attempting the central summit from its northeast face. The view from the summit is one of the best in the entire Himalayas. No less than five of the world's fourteen 8,000-metre peaks can be seen. Descend to basecamp for lunch. And trek to Kongma Dingma.

Mera Peak, of 6,654 metres NMA official height, is the highest of Nepal's trekking peaks. It rises to the south of Everest and dominates the watershed between the heavily wooded valleys of the Hinku and Hongu Tragnag rivers. The first ascent of Mera was made in May 1953, and the climbing route taken then has become the standard one. There are many routes to Mera Peak, and none of them is easy; some traverse difficult passes and the arduous climb. The end, however, is worth all the effort, for the peak is one of the finest viewpoints in Nepal.

The panoramic view takes in Chamlang, Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Baruntse in the east and the peaks of Cho-Oyu, Amadablam and Kangthega to the west. To the north, one can glimpse Everest over the crumpled bands of sedimentary rock that make up the massive south face of Lhotse and the Nuptse/Lhotse ridge. Weather conditions permitting, it is possible to reach the summit from the base camp and return the same day. It is also possible for skilled skiers to "ski" to the summit ridge, enjoy the breath-taking views and return the same day. After the summit, we return to base camp and trek down two hours to Chamlang, a lovely place. Mount Chamlang is a summit at 7,319 metres, and a Japanese team achieved the first successful summit on the 31st of May, 1962.

DAY 14: Trek to Baruntse BC 5,350m. A 3 ½ hour trek

Arrive at Baruntse base camp for lunch. We get greeted by our kitchen crew and climbing Sherpa guides, who usually arrive earlier to set the base camp and prepare a hot lunch. Our camp will be ready before our arrival or after lunch, so check in to the tent assigned for you. After lunch, we will briefly meet about the rest of the program, collect our duffel bags and take them into our tents for unpacking and further organization.

DAY 15 to 23: Baruntse 7,129m. Mount Baruntse climbing period.

We take a rest day at BC, manage all the climbing equipment, and then start climbing up to Hunku Drangka valley to climb the Baruntse peak through its south ridge. We climb up to the West Col at an altitude of 6,135 metres and place our Camp one. We have enough days for acclimatization, resting and also reaching the summit. The only last camp is set at an altitude of 6.600 meters under a rocky ridge, from where we attempt the summit of Mount Baruntse. On the last day, we clean our basecamp site and trek down to the Humku Nup lake at an elevation of 5350 metres.

DAY 24: Trek to Amphu Lapcha basecamp 5,480m. A 5 hours trek.

After walking downhill and uphill for two and a half hours, stop for lunch. Then, a further one and half hours walk to reach a spot where two different trails separate Amphu Lapcha and Mingbola. Follow trails towards Amphu for 3 hours to come to the campsite. Amphu Lapcha basecamp is located near five large glacial lakes that sprawl out before us. They are known as Panch Pokhari (five lakes). Amphu Labtsa pass is situated immediately at the head of the valley to our right and is the low point on the ridge between the Honku and the Imja valleys. For this day or so, we are in Honku. A new vista of peaks spans out before us, including Ama Dablam to the distant west and many unnamed peaks. Amphu Lapcha Basecamp is close to the rocks that lead up to the pass. The camp gets set where conditions allow.

DAY 25: Cross Amphu Laptsa 5,848m. & trek to Chhukung. A 10 hours trek.

A last early start is required for our pass crossing. Ferrying across all our loads together with all party members (crew, porters and members) takes time. The approach to the pass from the Honku is deceptive. Facing east and southward, there is much more sun and little snow, just a collection of rocks that gradually lead up to the gap we travel through. On the north-facing side, we find steep slopes of snow that we must take care to descend by fixed ropes to the snow basins below and subsequent moraine and alpine valleys beyond them. There are fine views of Ama Dablam, Imjatse Peak (Island Peak) and the South Face of Lhotse. A further 2-hours walk takes us to a campsite well below the snow line at the West end of the Imja Tsho Lake. We further give a final push to arrive at Chhukung village, which is another two hours walk down.

DAY 26: Rest at Chhukung

Today is a rest day (well, sort of). But, before we can relax, we may want to climb the nearby hill: Chukung Ri 5,540 metres. It is a hill above Chhukung village and below the unbelievably sheer Nuptse and Lhotse wall. Some say the view from Chukung-Ri is better than that of Everest from Kala Patar. The Nuptse and Lhotse wall, the red granite Makalu, and the southern wall of Baruntse fluted with ice next to 7,000 metres Ama Dablam. Many feel that Chhukung-Ri peak has the most beautiful views in the world. This trip can be made tomorrow, before starting the trek.

DAY 27: Trek to Tengboche. A 5 hours trek

The trail steadily descends to Pangboche, an ancient village with a monastery. On the way to Tengboche, we visit the Pangboche village and its monastery, one of the oldest, 400 years, in the region. Continuing, we arrive at Dibuche, a convent surrounded by a primaeval forest. Then it is on to Tengboche for an overnight camp.

From the meadow at Tengboche, there are fine views of Nuptse-Lhotse, the tip of Everest and the giant Mt. Amadablam. Tengboche is one of the religious centres of the Khumbu Valley. Unfortunately, the monastery burned down in 1989, but it was rebuilt to its original shape thanks to generous contributions from the local community, trekkers and the Himalayan Trust. Every year in October/November, according to the Buddhist lunar calendar, one of the region's most spectacular festivals is celebrated, the Mani Rimdu.

DAY 28: Trek to Namche via Khumjung. A 5 hours trek

The trek continues directly down to Pungi Tenga, which lies at the confluence of the Dudh Koshi River and the river that flows from Gokyo. After two hours of gentle climbing, we arrive at Senasa, the trail junction to Khumjung, Gokyo, Namche and Tengboche. Thirty minutes further on brings you to Khumjung, one of the main villages of the Khumbu Valley. We will stop here for lunch and see around.

After lunch, we make a beautiful trek through the airstrip at Syangboche and arrive at Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar, surrounded by beautiful mountains from all directions, is the commercial centre of the Khumbu region. If you arrive on Friday, you can view the weekly bazaar the next day, when local people converge together from the surrounding area. In the Khumbu Valley, it is forbidden to kill any animals, so people from lower valleys come on Saturdays to sell meat and everyday supplies and the local people and hotel/lodge operator from around buy.

DAY 29: Trek to Lukla. A 7 hours trek

From Namche, the trail directly drops to the Dudh Koshi River. We are getting back again to "European" altitudes as we descend towards the entrance to Everest National Park at Jorsalle.

From Jorsalle, the trail mostly follows the river. We pass through several small Sherpa villages and arrive at Lukla. In Lukla, we spent our last night in the Khumbu Valley. This evening is the occasion to enjoy a farewell party with your Sherpa friends who have accompanied you. They depart separately on a one-long-day trek and Jeep ride to Kathmandu.

DAY 30: Fly to Kathmandu. A 35 minutes flight.

Early morning, after breakfast, we walk to the airport for check-in formalities and fly back to Kathmandu. Finally, arrive at Kathmandu airport, where a vehicle will be waiting for our arrival and get transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to rest and relax or if you wish, you could stroll around the high street of Kathmandu or spend time doing things of your choice, or you can also go shopping for your friends & family as a souvenir from Nepal.

DAY 31: Rest and briefing at department of tourism

The team leader must visit the department of the ministry of tourism to submit the climbing reports and sign the related document. Other members are free to do their last day activities. The evening gets celebrated with a farewell dinner in one of the best restaurants in Kathmandu.

DAY 32: Departure

Have breakfast and have some relaxing free time for yourself. Our office representative and vehicle will arrive at your hotel to escort you to the airport at the indicated time. Drive to Kathmandu international airport (TIA); see off formalities, you will go through the immigration and departure.

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