Himlung is not a technically difficult mountain to climb but it involves multiple days of climbing at high altitude on mixed terrain. The high altitude reaching 7000m mark makes this expedition a challenging climb. Climbers are required to move independently in mixed terrain(Rock, Ice and Snow) with the use of Crampons and Ice-Axe. You are also expected to carry your personal climbing gears which can weight 10-15 kgs. If you have bagged 6000m peaks and are comfortable with the usage of Crampons and Ice-Axe then Himlung maybe your new mountaineering adventure to push your altitude experience to a new level. Our climbing itinerary has been devised keeping every aspect in mind in order to ensure maximum success chances.

At least 6,000m of climbing experience is required to participate in Himlung climbing. Basic climbing experience with previous use of climbing equipment such as crampons and ice-axes is required as this climb involves crampon, ice-axes and rope work. The climb is not very technical but requires climbers to be in excellent physical shape. The base camp is at an altitude of 4850m and the summit is at 7126 meters. Climbing days are 6 to 7 hours on average and peak days will be 10 to 14 hours long. You should also be comfortable carrying the necessary personal equipment during your ascent and ascent. During the trekking period to and from the base camp, we provide porterage support to transfer your gears and equipment. Similarly, we offer a guided expedition to Himlung with a 1:1 Sherpa to client ratio but it is essential that you are fully prepared and trained. The fitter you are, the more enjoyable the experience will be.

The climbing route to Himlung proceeds through mixed terrain at a 30 degree gradient for most of the section. From base camp to camp 2, the route passes mostly through cliffs and moraines. From Camp 2 to the summit, the route goes through mostly snow vertical sections with some mixed ice climbing sections. The steepness on this hill does not exceed 40 degrees.

On summit push, We provide 1: sherpa guide to client ratio. Most of our Sherpa guides come from Rolwaling village, a hidden gem in the foothills of Mt. Gaurishankar. All our Sherpa guides are previous Everest summiteers with detailed experience on high altitude expeditions. Each of our Sherpa guides has tons of experience in climbing high altitude peaks.

We consider delicious and nutritious food to be a key component to the overall success of our expeditions. We take the utmost care in quality and hygienic preparation. Our High Altitude Chef will be with us for all meals at Base Camp. During the trek, your meals will be served at the teahouse/lodge you will stay and in Kathmandu, only breakfast. If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know in advance and we will be sure to cater to your needs.

We provide each climber with an individual tent at the base camp during an entire expedition. Each tent will have spacious space, comfortable mattresses, carpeted floor and more for your comfort. Higher above from base camp, a high-quality extreme weather tent will be provided for every 2 climbers. It’s also a lot warmer and safer when you can keep an eye on each other.

Our Himlung Expedition group will be equipped with a satellite phone for emergency purposes throughout the expedition. Cell phone network is available during the trekking section but service is not reliable and may fluctuate depending on weather conditions. If you need to make a personal call, you can use the satellite phone at $3 per minute. In addition; we also provide a radio communication system to communicate between camps.

Our emphasis is always on maintaining the small group so that it will be easy to coordinate and cooperate with each other especially in high altitude expeditions like Himlung. You will get to know your Sherpa guide and team member personally. Being a small group is always efficient on a bigger mountain. Our group size is small and your Sherpa guides will not only assist you at the summit push but will also assist you in the rotation of higher camps.

It’s mandatory to get rescue insurance before embarking on any adventurous activities like high altitude expeditions. We advise all our clients to get an insurance that covers up emergency helicopter evacuation that may be needed in case of the occurrence of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) in high altitudes where there are no other means of transportation available. Medical expenses, Baggage lost, Delays and Cancellation, Death & Repatriation are also other important factors to include when purchasing your Insurance. It is advisable to review carefully the insurance and its coverages before making the final decision.

Payment: To reserve your spot on the expedition, a nonrefundable deposit (20% of total cost) is due at the time of registration. Your booking will be confirmed by email after we have received the booking form together with the initial deposits. For payment methods, we accept wire transfers. Please note that an additional 3.5% charge will be levied (as imposed by the bank) on the total amount if you are paying via card. And balance payment must be made 30 days prior to the expedition start date.

View our payment information page for more details on payment.

Refund policy: The trip deposit is non-refundable and will be forfeited in the event of any cancellation, as such we strongly recommend you include Trip cancellation coverage on your insurance policy. The reason for the non-refundable policy is due to the great expenses incurred in such an expedition. The expeditions are planned and prepared months before your arrival in Kathmandu.

The gear listed below is required for the expedition. We encourage you to get all equipment listed below and kindly ensure you check and try every piece of equipment. You can also buy or hire the same in Kathmandu.

Head:

• A warm hat
• Baseball cap or other sun hat
• Thermal balaclava
• Buff X 3
• Sunglasses/glacier glasses (high quality, UV-blocking sunglasses with good all-around protection)
• Ski goggles (anti-fog and good ventilation)
• Headlight X 2 with extra batteries

Upper Body:

• Base layer top
• Long sleeve shirt
• T-shirts
• Warm jacket/sweater/pullover
• Primaloft or light down jacket
• Hardshell jacket with hood
• Down jacket with hood (800m fill)
• Down suit (light weight, comfortable fit and 800m fill) (for summit climb only)

Lower Body:

• Below the base layer
• Trekking trousers/pants
• Mid-weight trousers/pants
• Hardshell Gore-Tex pants (non-insulated and waterproof)
• Insulated down pants

Legs:

• Warm socks (4 pairs of thin socks and 4 pairs of thick socks)
• Trekking shoes (with padding to protect/support your knees)
• 8000m mountaineering boots (light weight and comfortable size)
• Camp shoes
• Low shoes

Hands:

• Liner gloves
• Medium weight gloves
• Heavyweight gloves (leather palm)
• Down Mittens / Summit Gloves

Climbing Equipment:

• Climbing helmet
• Harness
• Ascender/Jumar (large handle)
• Descender /Figure 8
• ATC Guide
• Carabiners (4 screw gates and 4 snap gates)
• Prussik Cord X 2
• Slings X 2
• Ice Ax
• 12-point steel crampons

Gear/Personal Equipment:

• Lightweight backpack (45-55 L) for both trekking and climbing
• Inflatable sleeping mattress
• Sleeping bag – 20C rated for base camp
• Sleeping bag – 40C rating for high camps
• Trekking pole
• Water bottle one (1) liter X 2 with insulated cover
• Thermos
• Multi-tool knife
• A bottle of urine
• Laundry bag to keep dirty clothes
• Large plastic bags to keep clothes dry
• Lock
• Binoculars
• Sewing kit
• Duct tape
• Reading materials, notebooks and pens
• Camera with charger or extra battery
• Snack Foods (Energy Gels for Summit Day)

Toilets and hygiene

• Quick drying towels
• Small face towel
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deodorant, soap and shampoo (small bottle)
• Face and body moisturizer, sunscreen and lip balm
• Hand sanitizer/antiseptic wipes
• Hygiene products
• Basic first aid kit

Important Documents

• Passport with visa and 6 months validity from the end of your trip
• 4 copies of passport size photographs for permission and official formalities
• Travel insurance (please see general information page for more details on this)
• Flight tickets
• Credit cards in case of emergency
• Driving ID or any other ID if you lose your passport.

Other information required for the trip (such as insurance, arrival instructions, visa and passport, etc.) will be provided after you sign up for the campaign. Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information about the trip.