Parchamo Peak Climbing – 19 Days

Day 1: Arrival day in Kathmandu (1,300m)
On first day of our trip, our organization front man picks you up from Tribhuwan International Airport (Kathmandu) along you will be passionately welcomed and shifted towards tourist standard inn by our private vehicle. We also notice you to attend for meeting at head office for discussion regarding our planned trek.

Day 2: Kathmandu valley sightseeing and trip preparation
On second day after finishing our morning breakfast, we move ahead for sightseeing some historical places which are listed on UNESCO World Heritage Site. Therefore exploring these locations, we return back for finalizing our trekking equipments (trekking boots, down jacket, sleeping bags, ropes, harness, Ice axe, Crampons and many more others) which are required during our upcoming trek and this night we be spent at same hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 03: Drive to Gongar Khola (1350m/4428ft) via Jiri Charikot (7-8 hrs drive) 
Today we will leave Kathmandu and drive towards Gongor Khola. The scenic drive offers inspiring views of the surrounding natural wonders and the daily activities of the local people. The drive takes around eight hours to reach Gongor Khola which is the starting point of the trek.

Day 04: Trek to Simigaun (2000m/6560ft) 4-5 hrs trek
We start to trek from Gongor Khola, following the trail that goes over the normal path before ascending and descending through the dense forest filled with rhododendron, oaks and pine trees. We will continue to walk along the river bank and then cross the suspension bridge before climbing up a steep uphill that leads to the village of Simigaun that is largely inhabited by Sherpa people.

Day 05: Trek to Dovan (2850m/9348ft) 5-6 hrs trek
From Simigaun, we will follow the trail that passes through additional Sherpa villages. With magnificent views of Gaurishankar just above the Rolwaling Valley, we continue to follow the trail that heads through a beautiful pine forest before making a climb on to a rocky ridge. A gradual descent from the top of the ridge will lead us to Rolwaling Khola and then towards Dovan.

Day 06: Trek to Beding (3690m/12103ft) 5-6 hrs trek
Leaving Dovan, we will continue to walk along the bank of Rolwaling Khola. We walk through dense forest filled with rhododendron and pines trees with the stunning views of Gaurishankar. After crossing the suspension bridge we will gently ascend to an open plain area where the Sherpa village of Beding is situated.

Day 07: Trek to Na Village (4180m/13710ft) 3-4hrs trek
Today we will have a short and easy trekking day. From Beding, we will make an easy gradient through fir trees. As the valley becomes broader and flatter, we continue our trek to reach Na Village. Na is scattered village where there are plenty of tea houses and offers good camping options.

Day 08: Rest at Na Village for acclimatization and local hike.
Acclimatization is very essential in higher altitudes. Hence, we will take a day rest at Na Village for acclimatization. Besides, Na provides a couple of good day hike options. We can head up the valley to a small kharka and follow the trail to Yalung Peak Base Camp which is five hours return trip. Or, we can climb to the end of Tsho Rolpa lake for the views of Kang Nachago above Na which takes four hours for return trip.

Day 09: Trek to Kabuk at Tsho Rolpa Lake (4560m/14956ft) 4-5 hrs trek
We start our trek by climbing a decent gradient to a bridge over the Tsho Rolpa outflow. We follow the main trail that ascends an ablation valley to the south. Along the trail, we pass through Chhukyima where there are couple of teashops that are run by locals of Na Village. Continuing on our route, we trek towards the end of the valley and climb a steep uphill for a magnificent view of the lake and surrounding peaks. A gradual decent from there leads us to Kabuk.

Day 10: Trek to Drolambu Glacier (4880m/16006ft) 5-6 hrs trek 
We start early today because our trail leads through the crossing of the glacier which is best before the sun gets stronger. We cross the plateau to the further eastern corner above the glacier before descending a loose earth trail towards the southern edge of Trakarding Glacier. From here the trail climbs up to reach the northern side of the glacier. Once on the north side, we follow the trail that leads to the snout of Drolambu Glacier.

Day 11: Trek to Tashi Cape via Tashi Lapcha Pass (5755m/18876ft)  6-7 hrs trek
We make an early start for the crossing of the challenging Tashi Lapcha Pass. Following the trail that goes over the glacier, we climb a natural ramp that heads for the crossing of the pass. The pass is a rocky ridge often snow covered and icy. We have magnificent views of surrounding peaks from the top of the pass. From the top of the pass the high camp is beneath an overhanging rock-face about 100 m down from the summit.

Day 12: Rest/Acclimatization day at Tashi Cape
Acclimatization is very essential for ensuring the successful climb to the summit of Parchamo Peak. Any kind of mental and physical sickness can arise due to lack of acclimatization. Thus, today we will spend our day making necessary preparations for the climbing the summit of Parchamo Peak the following day.

Day 13: Summit Parchamo Peak (6187m/20300ft) and back to Ngole (5110m/16760ft)  9-10 hrs hike
Today is the day we were desperately waiting for. We will make an early start with a vision to reach the summit before midday, as the strong winds afternoon can create obstacles for climbing the summit . We will climb northeast over the scree beneath the rock wall of Tengi Ragi Tau. Following the footsteps and guidance of our experienced climbing experts we will climb the snow slopes over the ridge and overcome several technical sections before heading towards the summit. Once at the top we are rewarded with magnificent views of Cho Oyu, Amadablam, Thamserku, Kusum Kangaru and other surrounding mountains. After spending some quality time at the top we will descend and head back to reach Ngole.

Day 14: Trek from Ngole to Thyangbo Kharka (4320m/14169ft)  5-6 hrs trek 
After having achieved the summit of Parchamo Peak, we will follow the trail that descends down from the rocky slopes of Ngole. We will continue to descend vigorously down to reach Thyangbo Kharka. Thyangbo Kharka has a few tea houses and good camping sites. 

Day 15: Trek from Thyangbo Kharka to Namche Bazaar (3450m/11316ft)  5-6 hrs trek  
From Thyangbo Kharka we follow an easy two-hour trail towards Thame. From Thame, we walk the trail along Bhote-Khosi River. Descending gently towards Phunki Tenga, we continue on our route by crossing a bridge over Dudh Koshi. Passing through several villages and teahouses along the route finally reaches Namche Bazaar - The Sherpa Capital.

Day 16: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2800m/9184ft)  5-6 hrs trek
The last day of our trek leads from Namche Bazaar via Monjo to Lukla. The trek is pleasant, except for few short uphill climbs and then down to the Bhote- Koshi River crossing it three times. The last uphill climb of 45 minutes will bring us to Lukla for our overnight stay.

Day 17: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu
We will take an early morning flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu. Enjoy the scenic mountain flight after the wonderful achievement of Parchamo Peak summit.

Day 18: Free day in Kathmandu 
You would surely like to see as much of Kathmandu as possible. An early start is practical to visit the temples of Kathmandu. Also, walking around the shopping area of Thamel is worth spending quality time at Kathmandu. We will have a final meal together in the evening. We host for farewell dinner in familiar local restaurant, where you can enjoy Nepalese ethnic dance and music with delicious Nepali food items.

Day 19: Transfer to International Airport for departure. 
Our representative will drop you at the International Airport as per your flight schedule.

Visa Information

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and you can obtain visas for Nepal from the Nepalese Consulate in your country or up on arrival in Kathmandu Airport. Nepalese visas cost USD 25 for 15 days and USD 40 for 30 days till date.

Official Papers

Some of the required official documents are your valid passport, 4 extra passport sized photographs (for trekking permits), travel insurance, airline tickets and luggage tags. Visas can be obtained upon entry into Nepal.

Weather Information

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict.  Nights are generally cooler and days are warm.  Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February and December in Himalayan areas.

Best time to travel

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

Physical Fitness

Even though the physical fitness plays an important role in trekking you don’t have to be super athletes or a marathon runner to trek in Nepal.  Many people of good fitness for their age can complete the trek. You can prepare yourself before hand by doing some yoga which will prepare you in your breathing as you will be going to the higher altitude. Running or hiking to hills, going for a long walk will also help you. And if you live in urban area running in the stairs of a tall building will also work better in keeping you fit for trekking. All though these preparations aren’t strictly compulsory, you can do well even when the preparations you do aren’t rigorous like that of some ultra-athletic person. Do these things in moderate pace for two months or even less.  And you are set to complete any trekking to Nepal.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking is Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you to bring you travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your home land. We do not arrange or sell insurance so you can find your local travel insurance for this.

Vaccination for Nepal

All travelers should consult with their physician or update on vaccination requirements before travel. (Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities) For traveling to Nepal; we recommend you to take a vaccination of Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies etc, it is not really must but recommended.

Booking Process

While you chose which trip you wanted to go with, contact us to our head office Thamel Marg, Kathmandu Nepal by email or phone, email is more easy and clear options, as soon as we get your email or call we will process for your booking. We need 20% booking amount to confirm your booking, the payment can be made through the Bank transfer, Credit card payment (Master/Visa card) or through online money transfers also Money Gram, Western Unions or others. After we get the 20% amount we will confirm your booking and you will get the official booking and payment receipt. The final balance for the tour will be paid upon arrival in Kathmandu.

Safety Guidelines

• Do proper research about the company that you are planning to trek with and make sure they are legally registered travel agency.
• You should be well acquainted about the travel health and travel insurance before travelling.
• Have idea about the climate, geography, temperature and environment of Nepal before starting your trip.
• Using credit cards instead of cash is a wiser idea.
• Majority of the Nepalese people are nicer but there are few scammers you will come meet on your way and need to avoid them, for example ‘holy men’ who will try to plant a tika (a red paste denoting a blessing) on your forehead demanding a payment for it on streets.
• Be careful while buying the medicinal herbs as some may be illegal for you t take home and also be aware of duplicate products.
• Never get yourself involve in doing drugs, trafficking and sexual relations with children as there is a strict rules for these cases and might get yourself into a big problem.
• Take copies of your passport, visa, air ticket and trekking permits and keep them separately from the originals.
• Prepare yourself for altitude sickness and be familiar with its symptoms so that you can follow the guidelines for safe acclimatization.

Where is Nepal?

Nepal is a landlocked country located in Southern part of Asia sharing the border with China form north and India from the south, east and west. It is especially known for its multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-linguistic and multi-ethnic diversity in unity. It is a small country with many world's most beautiful mountain ranges, art, culture, and wildlife, no wonder it is the paradise for the trekkers from all around the world. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is also known for its most unique culture and heritages which directly grabs the attention and takes you to the time of old civilization from 12th century.

What is Nepal known for?     

Nepal is mostly known for Mt.Everest, highest peak in the world. It is also known as the birthplace of Lord Buddha, who was the pioneer of the Buddhist religion. Eight of the fourteen eight-thousanders are located in the country, either in whole or shared across a border with China or India. Besides that, it is also known as multi-ethnic, multiracial, multicultural, multi-religious and multilingual country. Overall, Nepal is known for its hospitality as there is a saying in Sanskrit  “Atithi Debo Bhaba”. (Guest are god).

How can I obtain a Visa?

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at the entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and the following fees either in USD dollars cash or the equivalent local currency:

Is the country politically safe and stable?

Nepal is one of the newly democratic countries in the world with many active political parties, ideas, ideologies, and leaders. Now Nepal has the communist government elected with 2/3 of the majority so, now it has the fully stable government it does not affect the daily life of the residents and the tourist. Life moves on, as usual, unperturbed.

When Is The Best Time To Travel?

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

What kind of weather (how cold does it get) can we expect during trekking?

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict. Nights are generally cooler and days are warm. Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February, and December in Himalayan areas.

Are Vaccinations Required?

Immunizations are not required to visit Nepal. (Exception: if you are traveling from an area infected with Yellow Fever, you must have a certificate.) Depending on the season and region of travel, certain vaccinations and/ or medications are suggested and we will recommend preventative measures. We do encourage all travelers to be current on routine immunizations. Also, we recommend the vaccines for polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis A/B, Influenza (Flu), Japanese encephalitis, and Tuberculosis. Meantime, it is better to consult your professional doctor about your travel and he/s might recommend you properly. You can also take the suggestion of local travelers who have traveled Nepal before and know more about the required precautions. Please note that the protection that can be gained from vaccines varies from 50% to almost 100%. So remember that even if you have taken a vaccine you might still get the disease, although you will have greatly reduced your chances of getting ill.

How fit do I need to be for the trek?

You don’t have to be a super athletic person but despite the ages should be moderately fit. We recommend to running, hiking to hills and long walk as a preparation.

Are ATM booths easily available?

Yes, ATM booths are easily available around the major city area where you can use both credit and debit cards. But there are only few ATM booths on the way to your trek, so it’s better you withdraw your cash before to trek.

What type of food to expect during the trek? 

Nepal is rich in cultural diversity. Meal habits of the Nepalese vary with the ethnicity and the geographical differences. Normally, the local has a habit of taking milk/black tea in the morning, before noon take lunch after mid-day take light snacks as Khaja and Dinner in the evening. The lunch and dinner comprise Dhido (short of porridge), Dal, Bhat, Tarkari, Achar (Lentil, Rice, Curry, and Pickles). However, you can have a choice of Indian/Continental/Italian/ Chinese food even in some trekking regions.

Is drinking water safe while trekking? 

Drinking water should be treated by boiling and water purification by medicine or with filtered. We suggest carrying a water purifier while trekking to be on a safe side.

Are there any tourist police in Nepal?

Of course, there is tourist police located near the Nepal Tourism Development Board's Office. Also, there are complaint counters at the airport, Basantapur Durbar Square, Thamel and so many other places. Tourist police are specially trained in English and have the detailed local knowledge to assist tourists. For security and travel related assistance, you can reach any of the officers from telephone 4-247041, 4-4268969 from 11 am to 5 pm.

Is Nepal safe? Is a woman traveling alone safe with your company?

Absolutely Nepal is safe for the traveler. Firstly, Nepal is considered as one of the peaceful countries in the world (chances are it's safer here than your home-country). Secondly, while you're on one of our trips, we take personal responsibility for your well-being, a responsibility we commit very seriously.

What about Time in Nepal?

Nepal is +5 hours 45 minutes ahead to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT: +0545). For example, when it is noon in Kathmandu, the standard time of London is 6.15am, 4.15am in Sydney, 1.15am in New York and 10.15 pm the previous night in San Francisco. The strange 15-minute difference is said to be a reflection of the exact time at the summit of Mt. Gaurishankar.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking in Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you bring your travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your homeland. We do not arrange or sell insurance so we suggest you to do a research on the company and do the travel insurance.