In short: the Mera Peak climb suits fit trekkers with some altitude experience who want a first 6,000 m summit and a quiet approach through the Hinku valley. It runs 14 days from Kathmandu, tops out at 6,476 m and is graded technically challenging. Prices start from USD 3,115 per person on Budget, USD 4,445 on Standard and USD 6,960 on Luxury, with permits, all technical gear, emergency oxygen and the USD 500 garbage fee included.
The 14-day Mera Peak climb
At 6,476 metres (21,247ft), the summit of Mera Peak is a world stripped to its essentials: ice, wind, sky and silence. You climb from midnight through steep snow and narrow ridges, your crampons biting into frozen slopes while the headlamp picks out the rope ahead. Then the horizon opens. Five of the world's fourteen 8,000-metre peaks come out of the pre-dawn blue: Everest and Lhotse to the north, Makalu to the east, Cho Oyu to the northwest and Kangchenjunga on the far horizon.
The sun hits the ridge and the snow turns gold. You are standing on Nepal's highest trekking peak.
It is fourteen days from Kathmandu to the summit and back. You fly into Lukla, then turn south into the remote Hinku valley, a quiet corridor of rhododendron forest, glacial moraines and high pastures where yaks graze beneath walls of rock and ice. You walk through villages where Sherpa families dry cheese on stone rooftops. You sleep in teahouses warmed by wood-burning stoves, eat dal bhat cooked by the families who run them, and cross high passes draped in prayer flags.
Highlights
- Summit Nepal's highest trekking peak at 6,476m (21,247ft), with five of the world's fourteen 8,000-metre giants in view: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Kangchenjunga.
- Approach through the remote Hinku and Honku valleys, the quieter route that bypasses the main Everest crowds and gives you fresh trail every day, far from the crowded main Everest route.
- No prior climbing experience is needed. Your licensed climbing guide teaches you everything you need on a full training day at Khare base camp before the summit push: crampon technique, fixed-rope ascent, ice-axe arrest and harness work, one-to-one.
- A full acclimatisation day at Khare (5,045m) before high camp, so you are not rushed.
- Three tiers from USD 3,115 to USD 6,960. Same summit, same climbing team, same gear, three comfort levels.
- Small groups of 1 to 20 people. Your expedition is always private, never merged with strangers.
- Best climbing months: March to May and October to November, with autumn offering the clearest summit views.
The route in three phases
The approach trek begins with the flight to Lukla (2,860m / 9,383ft), then heads south on foot through Paiya, Pangkoma and Ramailo Danda. This is not the well-worn trail to Namche Bazaar. It drops through dense rhododendron forest, then climbs gradually through high alpine terrain towards Chetrakhola and Kothe (3,600m / 11,811ft).
From Kothe the valley narrows, the vegetation thins and the moraines begin. You trek through Thaknak (4,350m / 14,272ft) to Khare (5,045m / 16,552ft), which serves as Mera Peak Base Camp. You spend a full day here on acclimatisation and training. By the time you leave Khare for High Camp (5,780m / 18,963ft), you will know what to expect on summit day.
Summit day begins around midnight. You climb by headlamp through steep snow slopes and narrow ice ridges, roped to your climbing guide, and the round trip takes 10 to 12 hours. You then descend through Khare and Kothe and back to Lukla for the flight to Kathmandu. You return not as a trekker but as a mountaineer.
Why I built this trek the way I did
I am Shreejan, the founder of The Everest Holiday. Mera Peak is the trek I send experienced trekkers to when they want their first real 6,000-metre summit. If you have done Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Base Camp and you are ready for the next step, this is it. If you have not done either, please tell me and I will recommend a different package first. The Mera summit reward is huge, but only if your body has been to altitude before.
The route matters. Ours starts south of Lukla and walks into the Hinku Valley from Paiya, so you gain height slowly and reach Khare after several nights between 2,850 and 3,600 metres. You climb the summit from a position of strength, not from a position of catching up.
The training day at Khare is non-negotiable in our package. You spend a full day on the glacier with your climbing guide before summit night: crampons, ice axe, rope work, descent technique. The first time you try these should not be at 2am at 6,000 metres in the dark. We teach you in daylight, on terrain that lets you make mistakes safely. By summit night the technique is in your body, not in your head.
Getting there and the Lukla flight
Please arrive in Kathmandu by 4 PM the day before your expedition begins. That gives you time for a final gear check, a climbing briefing with your guide and a good night's rest before the early morning flight to Lukla.
After you book, we schedule a video call to walk you through what to pack for both trekking and climbing, what summit day is really like, how to prepare and what fitness you need. No question is too small.
Our itinerary does not include your Kathmandu hotel. Tell us your preferences and budget on the call and we will arrange it, from a USD 10 guesthouse in Thamel to a five-star hotel. Your package begins the moment you leave Kathmandu for the mountains.
You fly from Kathmandu to Lukla (2,860m / 9,383ft), about 40 minutes, a short ride between mountain peaks that ends on a runway carved into a hillside. The flight depends on weather, and fog, cloud or wind can delay it, sometimes for a full day. That is normal in the Himalayas, but plan for it: keep two buffer days before your international flight home and make sure your Nepal visa covers them.
In the busy seasons, roughly 15 March to 15 May and 25 September to 30 November, flights may leave from Manthali (Ramechhap) instead of Kathmandu, with a pickup between midnight and 2 am, depending on your flight time, and a 4 to 5 hour drive. See the Manthali airport guide.
All ground transport is included in every package. Luxury clients fly by helicopter between Kathmandu and Lukla both ways, skipping the weather-dependent fixed-wing flights. Standard and Budget fly by fixed-wing aircraft; Standard has a shared tourist vehicle to and from the airport and Budget uses local or shared transport.
Climbing gear and team
All technical gear is ours and included on every tier: ropes, double mountaineering boots, crampons, harness, ice axe, jumar, descender, helmet and all other technical equipment for the summit push. You do not need to buy or bring any climbing-specific gear. High Camp is a mountaineering tent on every tier.
Our team includes our climbing Sherpa and our expedition-qualified guides, all with deep Mera Peak experience and dozens of summits. They grew up in these mountains and know the routes intimately. I pick the climbing team for your group myself and brief them personally before you go. Many of our guides hold a Bachelor's degree in Mountaineering. We name your guide, and their qualifications, once you have booked.
Difficulty, safety and packing
Difficulty: technically challenging
Mera Peak is classified as a trekking peak, but that refers to the permit category, not the difficulty. This is a genuine mountaineering expedition. The approach involves 5 to 7 hours of walking a day over mountain trails, through forest, across moraines and river crossings, and up steep valley sides. The terrain is rougher and less developed than the classic Everest trail, and the teahouses are simpler.
The climb adds crampon and ice-axe work on steep snow, roped travel on glaciated terrain and an exposed summit ridge at 6,476m. There is no technical rock climbing. The challenge is altitude, endurance, cold and a midnight summit push of 10 to 12 hours. You leave High Camp (5,780m) around midnight, roped to your climbing guide throughout.
You need excellent cardiovascular fitness. We recommend at least three months of targeted training, and our eight-week Mera Peak training plan sets out week by week what that looks like: running, hiking with a loaded pack, stair climbing and core strength. Previous trekking experience is strongly recommended. Previous climbing experience is helpful but not essential.
Safety and altitude
Altitude and cold are the real risks. The route climbs gradually from Lukla through Paiya (2,730 m), Kothe (3,600 m) and Thaknak (4,350 m) to Khare (5,045 m), where you take a full day to adjust and to train. Then comes Mera High Camp (5,780 m) and the midnight push to 6,476 m, back to Khare.
Your guide goes with you to base camp, and a climbing Sherpa climbs with you to the summit. You never climb alone. We carry a pulse oximeter, first aid, altitude medication and emergency oxygen. The climbing guide's decision on summit night is final. Altitude sickness is a real concern at this elevation.
Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover up to 6,500 m (the summit is 6,476 m), with mountaineering and climbing included, is mandatory. Buy it at home, not in Nepal. We require confirmation before departure. See can a beginner climb Mera Peak and Khare, the gateway to Mera Peak.
Packing basics
You bring your own trekking clothing and warm layers (available to buy or rent in Kathmandu), gloves and liner gloves, a warm hat, goggles and sunglasses, a head torch with spare batteries, and boots for the trek. We lend you a sleeping bag and a down jacket free on every tier, and Standard and Luxury also get a duffel bag.
We send the full list when you book. Bring Nepali rupees for personal spending on the trail, and budget for tips for your guide and porters.
Best time to climb Mera Peak
| Season | Months | What it is like | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | March to May | The main climbing season; warmer, stable snow on the summit slope, and the busy Base Camp window | Best overall |
| Autumn | October to November | Clear and cold, the second climbing season, and the NMA royalty is lower than spring | Great, second season |
| Winter | December to February | Very cold with high wind on the summit; only for experienced, well-equipped teams | Only with care |
| Monsoon | June to mid-September | Snow, cloud and avalanche risk on the approach | Avoid |
Month by month: when to go
| Month | On the climb | NMA royalty per climber | Our view |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very cold, with high wind on the summit. Only for experienced, well-equipped teams. | USD 175 | Only with care |
| February | Very cold, with high wind on the summit. | USD 175 | Only with care |
| March | The spring climbing season begins, with warmer days. Lukla rain 45.3 mm. | USD 350 | Yes |
| April | The main climbing season, warmer with stable snow on the summit slope. Lukla rain 58.7 mm. | USD 350 | Best |
| May | Still the main season, but rain is building at Lukla (127.6 mm). | USD 350 | Best, early May |
| June | Monsoon. Snow, cloud and avalanche risk on the approach. Lukla rain 324.8 mm. | USD 175 | Avoid |
| July | Monsoon. Lukla rain 529.8 mm. | USD 175 | Avoid |
| August | Monsoon, the wettest month. Lukla rain 641.8 mm. | USD 175 | Avoid |
| September | The monsoon is clearing, but Lukla still gets 419.0 mm and the approach is wet. | USD 175 | Avoid until late September |
| October | Clear and cold. The second climbing season, and the royalty is lower than in spring. Lukla rain 102.9 mm. | USD 175 | Best |
| November | Clear and cold, with almost no rain at Lukla (6.2 mm). Colder nights on the glacier. | USD 175 | Yes |
| December | Dry and cold. Winter climbing is for experienced, well-equipped teams. | USD 175 | Only with care |
The royalty is the Nepal Mountaineering Association's published rate (USD 350 spring, USD 175 for autumn, winter and summer), and we pay it for you. Lukla rain is the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology record, 1991 to 2020. The climbing notes are our own, from the Hinku valley. See Nepal peak climbing permit fees 2026: NMA rates and Mera Peak cost, permits and gear.
What the Mera Peak climb costs
| Duration | 14 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu |
|---|---|
| Summit | Mera Peak, 6,476 m, Nepal's highest trekking peak |
| Region | The Hinku valley, Makalu-Barun National Park, south of Lukla and away from the Base Camp crowds |
| Fly in and out | Lukla, 2,860 m |
| Summit day | 10 to 12 hours round trip from Mera High Camp (5,780 m), roped to your climbing guide |
| Royalty | NMA royalty USD 350 in spring and USD 175 in autumn, winter and summer, included in your price |
| From price | USD 3,115 Budget, USD 4,445 Standard, USD 6,960 Luxury (2 to 4 people; solo USD 4,000, USD 5,045, USD 7,840) |
Permits
We arrange the NMA climbing permit, all park fees and your TIMS card, and include them in your climb price. Permits need 48 hours in government working days.
| Permit | Cost per climber |
|---|---|
| NMA climbing permit (Mera Peak, one of the climbing peaks NMA manages) | US$350 in spring, US$175 in autumn, winter and summer |
| Makalu-Barun National Park entry | about USD 20 (official fee NPR 3,000; NPR 1,500 for SAARC) |
| Local rural-municipality fee | about USD 20 (official fee NPR 3,000, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality) |
| TIMS card | about USD 13 (official fee NPR 2,000; NPR 1,000 for SAARC) |
Dollar amounts are approximate, at the 17 October 2026 Nepal Rastra Bank rate; the official fee is set in rupees.
What the price covers, and what it does not
The USD 500 garbage fee for the climb is included in your price on every tier, as are the permits above, emergency oxygen and all technical gear. Meals on the climbing days above base camp are included on every tier.
Not in the price: your international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 50 for 30 days on arrival), climbing insurance bought at home, your Kathmandu hotel, tips for your team (the climbing Sherpa deserves a proper one), and on Budget your meals on the trek. Kathmandu hotel nights are not included in any trek tier, so tell us your budget at the online briefing and we will book them for you.
A 10% deposit (about USD 312 on Budget, 10% of 3,115; USD 400 if you are on your own) confirms your dates. You pay it by card through Himalayan Bank's secure gateway, and we cover the card fee on the deposit. You pay the balance when you arrive in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card (card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge).
If your plans change we move your trip to any date within a year, free, with 72 hours' notice. The deposit itself is not refunded if you cancel. If we cannot run the trip ourselves, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank and card charges and any money already spent for you on permits and flights.
Budget, Standard or Luxury: what actually changes
Same summit, same climbing guides, same gear. Only the comfort changes.
| Budget | Standard | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | USD 3,115 | USD 4,445 | USD 6,960 |
| Meals | Not included on the trek; you choose, about NPR 2,000 a meal at current prices. Meals on the climbing days above base camp are included | 3 meals, plus tea, fruit and 2L water daily | All meals, plus tea, coffee, fruit, nuts and soft drinks carried by your porter |
| Rooms | Shared teahouse | Private twin with bathroom | Private deluxe with ensuite bathroom |
| Porter | None. You carry your own bag | 1 porter for every 2 trekkers | 1 dedicated porter for every trekker (you carry nothing) |
| Guide | 1 guide up to 8 trekkers (assistant from 9) | 1 guide per 6; assistant at 7+ | 1 guide per 2 trekkers, plus an assistant guide for every 2 more |
| Climbing guide | Included: licensed, with a mountaineering degree | Included: licensed, with a mountaineering degree | Included: licensed, with a mountaineering degree |
| Climbing gear | All provided by TEH | All provided by TEH | All provided by TEH (premium quality) |
| Duffel bag | Not included | Included | Included |
| Transport | Local or shared vehicle and the flight to Lukla | Shared tourist vehicle and the flight to Lukla | Private vehicle and a round-trip helicopter, Kathmandu to Lukla both ways |
| SIM data | SIM only | Limited data | Unlimited data |
| Best for | Ambitious climbers on a budget | First-time summiteers who want comfort | Premium climbing experience |
If you are going alone, Luxury still gives you your own dedicated porter. On Standard there is no porter, because porters are shared one between two trekkers, so your guide carries up to 10 kg of your bag instead. Budget never has a porter. You can add a porter of your own on any tier for USD 25 per day, plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge on top.
Himalayas for every budget: same climbing guides, same gear, same summit, three comfort levels.
Climbing solo or as a group
You do not need a climbing partner. Many of our Mera Peak clients book alone, looking for their first summit above 6,000 metres. Your guide is with you to base camp and a climbing Sherpa climbs with you from there to the summit. If you want company, tell us and we will list your dates as a fixed departure so others can join. Nepal's mandatory guide rule is already covered by our package.
Every expedition we run is otherwise private, with your group only. We never add strangers without your permission.
Bring your own group (friends, family, a club, a university society, your workplace, or a cause you are raising money for) and any of the three comfort levels can run privately on your own dates. Private or group, the price per person is the same. The more of you there are, the less each person pays:
| Group size | Budget (per person) | Standard (per person) | Luxury (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | US$4,000 | US$5,045 | US$7,840 |
| 2-4 people | US$3,115 | US$4,445 | US$6,960 |
| 5-8 people | US$2,650 | US$3,970 | US$6,760 |
| 9-12 people | US$2,630 | US$3,935 | US$6,700 |
| 13-20 people | US$2,540 | US$3,890 | US$6,680 |
The organiser travels free. Get fourteen or more paying people together and whoever organised the group joins the trip free. The organiser still pays their own flights and permits, since those are fixed costs we pay out for every person and cannot absorb. Your departure is guaranteed on your own dates, from a solo traveller up to a group of twenty.
Planning a group? Message me on WhatsApp with the trip, roughly when, and how many of you, and I will send you a price and a plan.
Our family, and why climbers trust us
Our family brings three generations of guiding in the Himalayas. My grandfather, Hari Lal Simkhada, helped international travellers experience the Himalayas for the first time, arranging logistics, finding routes and building trust with people who had come halfway around the world on a dream. His son Ganesh went on to hold senior positions in Nepal's tourism and mountaineering institutions.
I am the third generation, and I design every itinerary you see on this website. The company started in 2016, but the family has guided in these mountains for three generations.
Have a question right now? WhatsApp me directly on +977 9810351300. No sales team. No chatbot. The person who designed your climb answers personally.
- Over 300 reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. 4.9 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google.
- TAAN member #1586, Government Reg: 147653/072/073.
- Secure 10% deposit. Pay just USD 312 to reserve your Mera Peak expedition, via Himalayan Bank.
- Himalayas for every budget. From USD 3,115 including all climbing gear, guides and permits.
- Mountaineering-degree guides. Your climbing team holds university qualifications in mountaineering, not just trekking certifications.
The climb that funds a school year
A larger price means a larger contribution to the Nagarjun Learning Center, the school my mother helps run in the village of Saldum, central Nepal. About seventy children study there for free, and the school provides two daily meals. It is registered as a Nepalese charity, and is verified and listed on the UN Partner Portal. A single Mera Peak booking covers more than a full year of one child’s education. Every booking helps fund free education for 70 children.
Secure payment by Himalayan Bank.
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