Mera Peak Expedition via Phaplu - 19 days

Mera Peak Expedition via Phaplu - 19 days


Mera Peak Expedition via Phaplu is the most reliable and adventurous trek that leads to the summit of Mera Peak through different routes starting from Phaplu, a lower part of the Solu Khumbu region. This route from Phaplu will allow you to skip the Lukla or any other mountain flight. So, there is no risk of flight cancellation or delay. Also, the trek starts from lower altitudes at Khari Khola after driving to Phaplu. So, it also allows for better acclimatization to altitude up to the highlands.

In this 19-day itinerary, you’ll follow the long trail to climb Mera Peak (6,461m), one of the 6000 highest peaks in the world. There are a couple of routes to visit Mera Peak. The usual route starts with Lukla and passes through several settlements like Chutanga and Thuli Kharka; then, crossing Zatrwa La Pass (4,600 m), you’ll join the Kothe.

However, the route to Mera Peak Expedition via Phaplu begins from Khari Khola and passes through Panggom, Ramailo Danda, and Chattra Khola to reach Kothe. Starting a trek from a lower land such as Phaplu, Mera Peak Climbing via Phaplu offers you enough time to acclimatize adequately before scaling the summit. This route will not only help you acclimatize better, but the trail from Phaplu provides beautiful scenery and is much quieter than the trail starting from Lukla.

From Kothe, you’ll follow the standard route to Thaknak and Khare. At Khare, you’ll get pre-climbing training which will help you to ascend the summit more confidently. After that, you’ll hike to Mera Base Camp and Mera High Camp. Afterward, you’ll climb the Mera peak and retrace on the same trail till you reach Kothe. En route undoubtedly, you’ll enjoy the outstanding views of the Everest region.

From the top of the peak, you’ll get the best mountain scenery with five eight-thousanders, including Mt. Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,586m), Lhotse (8,516m), Makalu (8,485m), and Cho Oyu (8,201m), as well as other Himalayan peaks. After summiting, you’ll have a relaxing trek to Thamdanda from where you will drive back to Khari Khola and then Kathmandu. So, while returning to Kathmandu, you’ll take an overland tour instead of taking a flight. So, while returning also there will be no headache of flight irregularities. With the final departure flight, your Mera Peak Expedition via Phaplu ends.

How Much Does This Trip Cost?

The trip's price depends on the type of services chosen by our clients and the group size. The cost of each trip we organize is different because we see travelers as individuals having their own particular needs and preferences.

Get ready for an incredible journey tailored to your interests and preferences, whether you're looking for a budget-friendly adventure or a luxurious getaway. Leave the planning to us as we take care of all the details, ensuring your dream trip becomes a reality. You can relax and focus on creating unforgettable memories that will stay with you forever.

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Trip Highlights

  • Skip the flight to Lukla and ride off from Kathmandu on a 10-hour drive to Phaplu
  • A quiet, unpopulated trail from Phaplu to Kothe
  • Explore isolated villages of the lower Solu Khumbu region such as Phaplu, Khari Khola, Panggom, Chattra Khola, Kothe, etc. 
  • Hike around Makalu Barun National Park and witness red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan Thar, and other rare wildlife
  • Trekking through the remote Hinku Valley
  • Ultimate trekking and climbing experience in the Everest region
  • Walk along the long and untainted by more touristic route to Mera Peak 
  • Hike to the outstanding Mera Peak Base Camp and High Camp
  • A great chance to learn basic mountaineering skills such as using ice axes, crampons, rope, ascenders, harnesses, etc. 
  • Get an opportunity to summit Mera Peak (6,461m), one of the highest trekking peaks in Nepal
  • Breathtaking panoramic Himalayan views, including Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Kangtega, and many surrounding peaks from the top of the Mera Peak
  • An opportunity for greater exposure to the authentic village lifestyle, especially of the Sherpa people 

Brief Itinerary

Day Highlights
Day 1 Arrive in Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft)
Day 2 Trip Preparation and Rest Day in Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft)
Day 3 Drive from Kathmandu to Phaplu (2,413m/7,915ft) - 8 to 9 hours drive
Day 4 Drive to Khari Khola and Trek to Panggom (2,846/9,335ft) - 4 to 5 hours drive, 3 to 4 hours trek
Day 5 Trek to Ramailo Danda (3,276m/10,746ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek
Day 6 Trek to Chhatra Khola (2,800m/9,184ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek
Day 7 Trek to Kothe (3,691m/12,107ft) - 6 to 7 hours trek
Day 8 Trek to Thaknak (4,358m/14,295ft) - 3 to 4 hours trek
Day 9 Trek to Khare (5,045m/16,547ft) - 3 to 4 hours trek
Day 10 Acclimatization Day at Khare and Pre-Climb Training
Day 11 Trek to Mera High Camp (5,780m/18,958ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek
Day 12 Summit Mera Peak (6,461m/21,193ft) and descend to Khare (5,045m/16,547ft) - 10 to 12 hours trek
Day 13 Contingency Day for Summit
Day 14 Trek to Kothe (3,691m/12,107ft) - 4 to 5 hours trek
Day 15 Trek to Thuli Kharka (4,300m/14,107ft) - 6 to 7 hours
Day 16 Trek to Thamdanda and Drive to Khari Khola - 7 to 8 hours trek, 1 hour drive
Day 17 Drive back to Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft) - 10 to 11 hours drive
Day 18 Free day in Kathmandu
Day 19 Final Departure from Nepal

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1
Arrive in Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft)

On arrival in Kathmandu, a representative from Third Rock Adventures will welcome you to the International Airport. From the airport, you’ll drive to the respective hotel in a private vehicle. Depending on your arrival time, you can spend the rest of the day exploring nearby places.

Overnight stay in Kathmandu. 

Day 2
Trip Preparation and Rest Day in Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft)

Today you’ll visit our head office and meet your climbing guide for the trip briefing. Your guide will discuss the trekking route and describe the basic day-to-day activities. He’ll also share some protocols that you need to follow during Mera Peak Expedition via Phaplu. After the briefing, you’ll have time to check the gear and equipment. If you need any climbing/ trekking gear or equipment, you can hire or buy it in Thamel or Khare. Later, you can get back to your hotel and prepare for the upcoming trek.

Overnight stay in Kathmandu. 

Day 3
Drive from Kathmandu to Phaplu (2,413m/7,915ft) - 8 to 9 hours drive


Set your day with a hearty breakfast and embark on the Mera Peak Expedition journey. You’ll drive to Phaplu and behold some great countryside scenes along the way. However, the road conditions are rough, so you’ll experience a bumpy ride on some portions. But you’ll enjoy some of the excellent views of the mountains and green hills on the way. After a few hours of ride, you’ll reach Phaplu, a gateway village in the lower Solu Khumbu. It also has only domestic airports in the region.

Overnight stay in Phaplu. 

Day 4
Drive to Khari Khola and Trek to Panggom (2,846/9,335ft) - 4 to 5 hours drive, 3 to 4 hours trek

Early morning you’ll grab breakfast and take a few hours drive to Khari Khola. From here, you’ll start your trekking journey. You’ll enter the Dudh Koshi Valley. The trail comes across some traditional farms. There are truly some spectacular scenes along the path as you'll spot tiny villages with natural beauty. Passing from the forest trail, you’ll reach the charming settlement of Panggom. Sherpa people inhabit this village and are involved in farming and trading.

Overnight stay in Panggom. 

Day 5
Trek to Ramailo Danda (3,276m/10,746ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek

After having a filling breakfast, you’ll start your hike by leaving Panggom. In the first section of the trail, you’ll cross the Panggom La Pass. After that, you’ll gradually ascend, walk on the steady path, and take a turn to the north side. Here you’ll cross Peseng Kharka Khola and reach Peeng Kharka Danda. After that, crossing Ningsow Khola, you’ll get to Ningsow village. Further, you’ll climb uphill and downhill for a while and reach Ramailo Danda. You’ll get the exceptional panorama of Mera Peak and Salpa from here.

Overnight stay in Ramailo Danda. 

Day 6
Trek to Chhatra Khola (2,800m/9,184ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek

Today you’ll head towards Chhatra Khola. After walking for a while, you’ll enter the Makalu Barun National Park. You’ll walk along the path named Pasang Lhamu trail. The trail goes through some dense portion of forests, so if you’re lucky enough, you’ll even spot some elusive Red Panda.

Overnight stay in Chhatra Khola. 

Day 7
Trek to Kothe (3,691m/12,107ft) - 6 to 7 hours trek


Leaving Chhatra Khola, you’ll start walking towards the north section on the main trail to Mera Peak. Continue your walk alongside the Majang Khola. Afterward, the path merges with another route that moves alongside the Hinku Khola. After that, you’ll head towards Tashing Onggma, where many seasonal tea shops exist. In the last section, you’ll cross the bridge over the Sanu Khola and reach Kothe.

Overnight stay in Kothe. 

Day 8
Trek to Thaknak (4,358m/14,295ft) - 3 to 4 hours trek

Today, you’ll trek along the ridgeline of the Hinku Khola in the shadow of Mera Peak. En route, you’ll cross the summer herders’ settlement of Gondishung, which lies on the west bank of Hinku Drangka. After that, you’ll come across a 200-year-old Lungsumbga Gompa. Inside the gompa, you'll witness the beautiful rock with Mera Peak scripted along with its route to reach there. After a short walk, you’ll finally arrive at Thaknak. It is a summer grazing area with some old lodges and shops.

Overnight stay in Thaknak. 

Day 9
Trek to Khare (5,045m/16,547ft) - 3 to 4 hours trek

Today you’ll leave behind Thaknak and trek to Khare. You’ll follow the path that goes by the lateral moraine of Dig Glacier to Dig Kharka. On the way, you’ll enjoy the magnificent sight of Charpate Himal. Gradually, you’ll climb through moraines and from here, the path begins to get steeper. After climbing for a few hours steep hill, you’ll reach Khare. You can savor the spectacular view of the north face of Mera Peak. You can hike around and explore the surroundings.

Overnight stay in Khare. 

Day 10
Acclimatization Day at Khare and Pre-Climb Training


Today is dedicated to acclimatization and basic climbing training to prepare you for Mera Peak Expedition via Phaplu. Your climbing guide will help you with some basic climbing techniques. He will also show the best ways to use climbing gears like ice axes, harnesses, ascenders, climbing boots, and crampons. This prior climbing training is helpful and will boost your confidence, especially if you’re a novice climber. You’ll also learn to use the rope up and down while climbing. After completion of training, you can explore the surrounding area and relish the amazing sight of Mera peak.

Overnight stay in Khare. 

Day 11
Trek to Mera High Camp (5,780m/18,958ft) - 5 to 6 hours trek

Today you’ll trek to Mera High Camp, one step close to Mera Peak. En route, you’ll relish the outstanding views of three summits of the Mera Peak- Mera North (6,476m), Mera Central (6,461m), and Mera South (6,065m). Following the boulder-strewn path and some steep sections, you’ll first reach the Mera Peak Base Camp. After then, you’ll cross Mera La Pass, where you’ll get marvelous views of Mt. Everest, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Nuptse, etc.

Overnight stay in Mera High Camp. 

Day 12
Summit Mera Peak (6,461m/21,193ft) and descend to Khare (5,045m/16,547ft) - 10 to 12 hours trek


Today is the most important, exciting, and challenging day for the Mera Peak Expedition. You’ll wake up early in the morning, have breakfast, put on your crampons and headlight, and begin your expedition. Follow your climbing guide; even though it is a non-technical climb but the altitude and cold will make your climb challenging. When you’re 50-60 meters close to the summit, you must be careful while crossing this section, as this might be a tough stretch on the steep snowy slopes. However, with the help of fixed ropes and jumars, you’ll be able to make it to the summit.

You’ll get jaw-dropping views of the mighty Himalayas from the summit, including Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, etc. After spending fabulous moments and capturing great photos, you’ll retrace to the high camp. Here you’ll rest for a while and descend to Khare again. As this has been a long summit day, and of course, you are tired, so rest well. 

Overnight stay in Khare. 

Day 13
Contingency Day for Summit

In the Himalayas, we can’t predict the weather condition. So, there is no guarantee that the weather conditions will be favorable on the summit day. Thus, this day is set aside as an extra day if you can’t climb the peak per our itinerary on the planned day due to bad weather conditions or other undesirable situations such as getting sick or injured. However, if the trip goes as planned, we’ll skip this extra day from the itinerary.  

Day 14
Trek to Kothe (3,691m/12,107ft) - 4 to 5 hours trek

Today you trek back to Kothe following the same earlier trail. After reaching Kothe, you can celebrate your accomplishment of climbing the Mera Peak Summit. You can try out some local delicacies with wine.

Overnight stay in Kothe.

Day 15
Trek to Thuli Kharka (4,300m/14,107ft) - 6 to 7 hours

Early morning you’ll have a hearty breakfast enjoying the surrounding mountain views. As you begin, you’ll again start noticing the tree line in some sections of the trekking path. You’ll also witness some kharkas or grazing meadows for yaks. You’ll walk downhill on the same trail you

took earlier. After passing Gondinshung, you’ll arrive at Thuli Kharka.

Overnight stay in Thuli Kharka. 

Day 16
Trek to Thamdanda and Drive to Khari Khola - 7 to 8 hours trek, 1 hour drive

After having breakfast, you’ll begin your trek to Thamdanda. Following the pristine rhododendron forest trail, you will continue walking on the downhill route until you arrive at Thamdanda. As this is your last day on the trail, relish the panoramic sight of snow-capped peaks in the distance. After taking a short break at Thamdanda, you’ll again ride back to Khari Khola.

Overnight stay in Khari Khola. 

Day 17
Drive back to Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft) - 10 to 11 hours drive

After the hearty breakfast, you’ll take an overland tour to Kathmandu. On the way, you can again enjoy the countryside scenery of rice fields, rivers, quaint villages, and distant mountain views. Once you reach Kathmandu, you can rest in your hotel.

Overnight stay in Kathmandu. 

Day 18
Free day in Kathmandu

This day is free as you’ll explore the Kathmandu Valley on your own. You can visit nearby places and learn about Nepalese culture and lifestyle. Later you can even do some souvenir shopping. 

Overnight stay in Kathmandu.  

Day 19
Final Departure from Nepal

You'll bid farewell to this beautiful Himalayan country with a heart full of joy and lovely memories. A representative from Third Rock Adventures will drop you at Kathmandu International Airport for your final flight back home. However, there are many options for trip extending also. You can choose our trekking and tour packages and discover Nepal more!



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Latest Trip Reviews

Travel experiences of our clients who recently returned from their trips.

Cole Staples
flagsCanada
Apr 07, 2022

Mera Peak via Phaplu

We drove to Phaplu instead of flying to Lukla and trekked via the classic route. It's a great route to trek. We were accompanied by great guide. We had acclimatization and pre-climb training day. The weather was great that day and the views marvelous. Nothing was compromised and everything was absolutely perfect. Hihgly recommended guide and company.
Aiden White
flagsUnited States of America
Mar 29, 2022

Mera Peak Climbing

Me and Bradley climbed Mera Peak this year and it's the biggest achievement of the year for us. We booked Mera Peak CLimbing trip with Third Rock after talking with Naba on phone and sharing emails. We read the reviews, and found it genuinely recommended so we trusted him. In Kathmandu when we met him we know this is the company we were looking for the climb. Our climbing leader Gadul was highly professional who knows what he is doing and his decisions. We didn't have to worry a bit when he was backing us up. He his highly recommended climbing leader.
Joseph Price
flagsUnited States of America
Mar 26, 2022

Mera Peak Expedition

Back from a 19-day Mera Peak expedition. Our guide Gadul was absolutely great with his mountaineering skill and got to know that he has more than a decade of experience. It was evident. The climbing was thrilling and a challenging one for me but with my guide I did it. It is one of the biggest achievement for me and now I am preparing to climb ISLAND PEAK with Gadul again.
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