Baruntse Expedition (7129 Meter)

Trip Overview

Trip Facts

Country: Nepal
Trip grade: Strenuous
Destination: Mount Baruntse
Activities: Trekking and Climbing
Accommodation: Hotel, Guesthouse & Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Maximum altitude: 7129 meter
Group size: 1+
Best Season: Spring & Autumn

Baruntse is a beautiful mountain peak in the Southeast corner of the Everest National Park. It towers beautifully between two 8,000 meters mountains – Lhotse and Makalu. Baruntse Expedition is a highly technical adventure. The mountain stands at 7129m (23,390ft) above sea level and attracts mountain climbers every year to attempt the summit.

Many climbers have successfully summited Mt. Baruntse ever since Colin Todd and Geoff Harrow summited the mountain for the first time on 30 May 1954 from the South-East ridge. This Expedition is in many regards the ideal climbing adventure for the mountaineers attempting a 7,000-meter mountain.

Despite the fact that its elevation is not as much as neighboring mountains, you will be in the very heart of the compelling Himalayan Mountains. You can enjoy the view of the Lhotse South Face and the staggering Makalu west column. Baruntse expedition demands a significant number of skills required for climbing any 8000-meter peak. It is a perfect preparation climb if you are planning an expedition on an 8000-meter mountain like Everest Expedition or Manaslu Expedition.

You will trek through the route that the Mera Peak Climbing adventure takes. Traversing peaceful trail in the region, you will make your way all the way to Baruntse Base Camp and prepare for the expedition. In about a month’s time, you can enjoy the thrilling adventure of climbing to the summit of beautiful Baruntse.

Reasons Baruntse Expedition becomes an Experience

Nepal Climbing Adventure always strives to offer an adventure traveling experience that you can cherish. While the Baruntse Expedition is beautiful in its all essence, your experience of trekking there becomes even more beautiful with us.

By the time we take you to the base camp and bring you back, we take one step ahead to offer you a beautiful experience. We keep your safety and happiness is our top priority and you will experience the same during the trip.

Going on the Baruntse Expedition with us is traveling in safe hands.

Detail Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu

After you arrive in the airport, you will be received by our representatives and taken to a hotel. After you check in, you will meet your travelling companions and a welcome dinner will be organized in the evening where you will be served with original Nepali cuisine and introduced to Nepali culture.

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu and preparation for the trip

After having breakfast, you will be briefed about the composition of your team, travel equipment and nature and strategy of the climb. All official procedures will be finalized and necessary arrangements will be made. Then there will be a guided tour of the major landmarks and UNESCO world heritage sites of Kathmandu valley like Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Swoyambhunath and Bouddhanath. In the afternoon, there will be a pre discussion before the expedition and the final preparation like checking the equipment will be done.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 03: Flight to Lukla and trek to Chhuthang

Our early morning flight to Lukla, one of the world’s most beautiful and highest airports in the world, takes about 30 minutes. We will be seeing the likes of Everest mountain range and dense snowcovered forests and beautiful landscape. As we land at the Tenzing and Hillary Airport, we will start our trek to Chhuthang after breakfast. We will walk through severall forested areas. As we trek below the Kalo Himal aka. Black Mountain, we will trek towards open pasture ground at Chhuthang. Overnight in a camping tent.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 04: Trek to Thuli Kharka via Zatrala Pass

After breakfast, we leave Chhuthang and take after the trail that is a step by step rise at first and after that much more extreme climb towards the crossover of Zatrala Pass. Our tiring move to the highest point of the pass is remunerated with staggering perspectives of Numbur Himal, Kongde Ri, Karyolang Peak and other attractive high crests of the region. From the top our trail deviates towards Thuli Kharka.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 05: Trek to Kothe

Today we begin a delightful trail that takes us down to Hinku River. We will make a fairly long climb through thick rhododendron filled forest to reach Kothe. Kothe is situated at the west side of Hinku valley and is popular for thick rhododendron forest. In spring, the slopes are loaded with red rhododendron blossoms that make this place one of the best in the most captivating spot on earth.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 06: Trek to Thangnak

From Kothe we proceed with our trek on the trail that goes along the edge of Hinku River. As we approach the settlement of Gondishung, we go through Lungsumgba Gompa which was built around 200 years back. From here we can see Mera Peak with its route carved with rocks which is a perfect work of art. A lovely and simple trek will lead us to Thangnak where we remain for the night.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 07: Trek to Khare

After breakfast we leave Thangnak and trek over the trail that goes over the icy way towards Kharka with mesmerizing sight of snow topped mountains. We proceed with our climbing that leads us to the beginning of Hinku Nup and Shar Glaciers. From that point, our trail is a lofty climb to Khare. From Khare we will get the opportunity to see dazzling perspective of Northern Face of Mera Peak. We spend our overnight at Khare.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 08: Acclimatization at Khare

We will have a day to adapt ourselves to the varying altitude and climatic conditions to ensure ourselves for the summit of Mt. Baruntse. Hence, we will take a rest at Khare for acclimatization and visit around the area. Also, Khare offers short hikes to its guests which are surprisingly best places for acclimatization and preparation for the journey onwards.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 09: Trek to Mera La Pass

Heading for the days trip, we walk along the rocky trails above the western ridge of Mera glacier. There is a steep way onwards as we head towards Mera La Pass at 5,400m. From the very top of the pass, we will see the overwhelming view of the snow covered peaks of Khumbu region. We will descend down all the way towards our camping site.

Accommodation: Camping

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 10: Trek to Seto Pokhari

Today we will take after the trail that heads higher into the yak field of the remote valley. Our trail leads straightforwardly into the epicenter of world's towering mountains with amazing views of highly elevated valleys. After some season of trekking, we will achieve our campground close Seto Pokhari which signifies 'White Lake' in Nepali. Overnight in campsite.

Accommodation: Camping

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 11: Trek to Baruntse Base Camp

Leaving our campsite at Seto Pokhari, we head onwards through the remote area. We will meet Honku valley on the way which leads us to our campsite in the base camp of Mt. Baruntse. The Sherpa will build our tent and do the necessary preparations for the rest of the trip as we comfort ourselves enjoying the views around.

Accommodation: Camping

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 12 - 23: Summit of Mt. Baruntse and back to the Base Camp

As the climb is done per the experience and ability of the climber themselves, there is no need of day to day itinerary. Our guides will adopt a strategy keeping in their mind what best fits the climbers and their progress. Generally, the group will spend a couple days at the base camp practicing rope climbing and acclimatizing before moving over the base camp.After all the climbing we have done till now, no further notable problems are expected. To make the climb effective, we build up two camps above Baruntse base camp. Two camps are set up over the base camp for climbing purposes. Camp 1 is set up just beneath the East Col. at a height of 5700m, and the Baruntse Camp 2 is on the southeast edge at an elevation of 6420m.

Above Camp 1, we ascend snow slopes at a 50 degree edge, past a backup summit (6745m). From here the course turns out to be more unpredictable. A progression of short, steep trails of snow and ice are folllowed until we pass onto the west side of the edge. This takes us an ice cliff after which we have entry to the less demanding, more extensive slopes above which finally leads us to the summit at 7129m. The trek takes roughly ten hours. After accomplishing the summit of Baruntse, we descend down along the same course.

Accommodation: Camping

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 24: Cleaning of Base camp and descent to Seto Pokhari

Finally achieving our passion to reach the summit of Mt. baruntse and gaining a lifetime experience of Mountain climbing, we look forward to completing our trip. As the base camp has been a place to stay for us, we will leave the place clear, as it was before respecting the motive of responsible ecotourism. We will descend down and retrace our path once again through the Honku valley to finally reach Seto Pokhari for the night stay.

Accommodation: Camping

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 25: Trek to Mera La Pass

We continue our way back as we leave our camp and descend down through the alpine valley. After some time, we again walk uphill towards Mera La pass where we will camp for the coming night.

Accommodation: Camping

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 26: Trek to Thagnak

From our camp, we start our trek by taking after the trail that trip steeply towards Mera La Pass. We will walk downhill for 6-7 hours all the way to reach Thagnak passing through khare for overnight stay.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 27: Trek to Kothe

We leave Thagnak after breakfast and continue our trek downwards to reach Kothe around which we can enjoy the rhododendron, oaks and pine forests. We will stay overnight at a lodge.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 28: Trek to Thuli Kharka

After breakfast in the morning, we proceed ahead through the dense rhododendron forest and pass through the western section of the Hinku valley to get to Tuli Kharka. Overnight at a lodge in Tulikharka.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 29: Tuli Kharka to Lukla

As we come to the last day of our trek, we want to finish it with the same encouragement as the very first day and continue downwards. We will ascend to cross the Zatrawala pass and again descend to reach Lukla which is our destination for the remaining of the day and night stay.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 30: Fly to Kathmandu

We take an early morning flight from Tenzing and Hillary Airport to Tribhuvan International Airport. Watching and enjoying the beautiful scenery of the amazing Khumbu region for the last time of the trip, we will have a short flight of about 40 minutes and back to Kthmandu. After reaching the hotel and refreshing, you can take a stroll around the Thamel area and buy souvenirs for your friends abroad. We will serve you with a farewell dinner later in the evening.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 31: Rest at Kathmandu & Debriefing

Today, you will be visiting the Departmnet Of Tourism for debriefing of the expedition and receive the certificate of accomplishment.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 32: Departure

Our airport representative will drop you off and make the necessary arrangements for the flight. Waving goodbye and exchanging wishes, you will finally leave Nepal after a memorable trip of your lifetime.

Meal: Breakfast

Cost Details

What is included?

All types of organizational requirements
All trekking and climbing paper works and permits
All airport and hotel transfers
Welcome and farewell dinner
Accommodation and meals during the whole of the expedition
Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and back
Government and local taxes
Reference notes to plan your trip
An experienced English speaking climbing guide, assistant climbing guide, Sherpa porters including their salary, insurance, food, lodging and all equipment
A comprehensive medical kit
Facilities of Email and satellite phones in base camp
Necessary oxygen bottles
Written and photo internet dispatches to send your progress to your family

What is not included?

Nepal Visa fee(bring small denomination cash USD and two passport photographs)
International airfare
Excess baggage charges
Extra night accommodation apart from the schedule due to any reasons
Lunch and evening meals in case of early return than the scheduled itinerary
Travel and rescue insurance
Charges of Email and satellite phones
Charge for extra Sherpa porter (if required)
Personal expenses
Tips for climbing guide and Sherpa

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions - Trekking & Climbing in Nepal

Are you a licensed adventure company?

Yes, we are a licensed company to operate adventure tours in Nepal. We have been organizing tours, Treks, and Expeditions for our valued clients for over two decades. Our long journey and experience in the field have made us pioneer in the industry.

Do the guides speak English and have first aid training?

All of our guides are experienced experts in their job and speak fluent English. Most of them are born in the areas they guide trekkers to and have several years of experience as trekking guides in the mountains. It's mandatory that they are trained in first aid and also carry a first aid kit with them during the trek.

How big are the groups?

We always do our best to team up a small group of like-minded people to give them a memorable and insightful adventure travel experience, coupled with an invaluable opportunity to interact with each other in the true spirit that comes with adventure. Our trek groups generally comprise of maximum 12 members. We need a minimum of 2 participants to run our fixed departure dates. For private trips, no minimum or maximum numbers apply.

Are permits included in the price of the adventure?

Yes. All of the necessary permits for your trekking, climbing, and expedition are included in the price and will be arranged for you prior to your trek. For certain restricted regions (like Manaslu and Makalu), you'll need to have a full day in Kathmandu prior to your trek as your trek operator will need your passport for the permit registration.

Do you arrange private adventures?

Yes, we do. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any of the trips at a timeframe that best suits you for any number of people (minimum 1 & maximum 100 at a time). The costs for private trips are generally fixed on the basis of group size, trek area, duration, and trek style, and is negotiable. We also arrange TREKS FOR A SINGLE WOMAN. If by any chance, none of our fixed group departure dates work for you and you do not have anyone to accompany you, you can still be able to make your preferred trip with us. There is absolutely nothing to worry about if you want to go solo. We assign local guides, porters, etc who you can trust your life with.

Do you provide any equipment while trekking?

On all our Camping treks, we provide all the tents, sometimes dome tents, sometimes sturdy A-frames, and normally people share one tent between two; a foam mattress each; all the cutlery and utensils, cooking pots, stoves; candles/kerosene lantern, tables, and stools, kitchen tent, dining tent and toilet tent; all the main meals while trekking but not snacks. On Tea house treks there isn’t really a necessity to provide any equipment.

But you are provided a duffel bag if you don’t have one and a down jacket if you haven’t flown in with your own. This is loaned to you and must be returned when the trek is done.

How difficult are the treks?

Classifying the difficulty of a trek is like walking a thin red-line, as it depends on your fitness and experience hiking in the mountains. In the Himalayas, a trek's difficulty depends on the steepness of the trail, the general altitude, and the duration of the trek. Generally, the higher you go the more difficult the trek becomes. For most treks in the lower foothills (Ghorepani, Poonhill, Ghandruk, and Pikey Peak), it's fairly moderate trekking, although some days will be more challenging than others. For higher-altitude treks (i.e. Everest Base Camp, Gokyo, Annapurna Circuit, and Nar Phu), the treks become more challenging as you get going over 5,000m passes with longer days. If you’re an avid walker and enjoy hiking, then there’s no better adventure than trekking.

How long do we walk each day?

Much of our trekking ventures are classified into THREE different categories according to the level of difficulty. Soft Adventure treks are only about a week to 10 days in duration. They generally don't go above 4000 meters and each day, you can expect to be walking for around 4 – 5 hours. While moderate to fairly challenging treks are longer treks that go right into high mountain country. Physically quite tiring, these involve approx 6-8 hours trekking along rocky ridges of high Himalayan peaks. Arduous treks are longer treks that go far beyond the normal haunts of trekkers and tourists. Physically challenging, these may involve 7-9 hours trekking and likely to include unfavorable weather conditions and activities that are not only physically challenging but also tax the mind. These trips are not for greenhorns.

What is exactly 'teahouse' trekking?

Teahouse trekking refers to staying at a small local lodge or mountain hut each night of your trek. The lodges are basic but pretty cozy; enough to shelter you from the bitter mountain winds. They consist of 5-10 rooms with a common area used for eating and hanging out. Most treks in Nepal are teahouse treks where the lodges are run by members of the local community. Bunking out at these teahouses in some of the harshest territories on earth will give you a true sense of what life is in the wild.

What do we mean by FOT trek?

On FOT or a ‘Fully Organized Trek’, all meals and sleeping arrangements will be fully organized by the support crew. FOTs are also known as CAMPING TREKS. On camping treks, you will be sleeping in tents. A trekking crew consists of one sirdar, one cook, and kitchen crew, Sherpa assistants, and porters depending on the size of the group. Under the leadership of the Sirdar (local trek leader), the crew consists of several Sherpa assistants who will ensure you don't take the wrong path, a cook and kitchen crew to keep you well-fed with delicious and nutritious meals, and the porters to transport all the gear from camp to camp.

Our main aim is to make the trek as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. The ratio of both Sherpa guides and kitchen crew to group members is generally 1:4 and the ratio of porters to group members is around 3:1 at the beginning of the trek, but this decreases as food is eaten and loads become smaller. For bathroom facilities, we carry a toilet tent. Your camping staff dig a deep hole in the ground for excrement and cover the hole with soil after nature’s call is done. Camping treks are more expensive than teahouse treks. These treks are generally operated in remote restricted alpine zones that go above the tree-lines. Camping treks can also be used as options for teahouse treks throughout the Himalayas to enjoy the true spirit of adventure!

What is security like during trekking?

Security for our clients is always a foremost priority for us. All our guides and other support crew are carefully chosen for your trips. Our guides hold licenses issued by the Nepal Government. They are very honest and reliable. But we would also advise you to take care of your own personal belongings. If you are on ‘camping treks’ please do not leave your bags unattended at any time for your own safety. Take your main bag inside the tent once you reach the campsite. At night, all bags and belongings are kept in the middle of the tent. Your guide assigns a Sherpa on a rotation basis to guard the campsite throughout the night. If you are on a ‘Tea house or GAP trek’ arrangement, you will be sleeping in local teahouses. You need to take sensible precautions yourself at all times. Never leave your baggage unattended and keep your lodge room locked when you go out.

What happens if I fall ill during the trek?

If by chance you fall ill during your trek, the first course of action depends on what's wrong with you. If it's altitude sickness, moving to lower altitudes and taking altitude medication will solve most cases; if it's quite severe, your guide will arrange for emergency evacuation by helicopter (be sure that emergency helicopter rescue is covered in your travel insurance). If you have a stomach sickness, bug, or any other types of food or water-related illnesses, your guide will have medication on hand for the most common illnesses.

What type of food is served during a trek?

On CAMPING TREKs we provide three delicious, plentiful and nutritious meals daily with a tasty mix of local and western dishes. Your day starts with a king-size breakfast consisting of a choice of porridge, muesli, and cereals followed by omelet, fried, or scrambled eggs with ‘chapattis’ [rounded bread made from wheat] or multigrain-bread. Also included are seasonal fresh fruits. Lunch is generally a selection of organic salad, cooked vegetable dishes, pasta, and traditional bread. Dinner is a truly hearty 3-course meal - soup, followed by a variety of vegetables, meat, and rice and pasta dishes and completed with a simple dessert [which may include a finger-licking crusty apple pie].

Ironically, some of the best apple pies in the country are found on these mountains and not in Thamel, Asia’s hub for backpackers; as many tourists would assume. Tea and coffee are also provided at all meals. We use as much fresh organic produce as possible available at some of the villages we hike through and special diets are regularly catered for. The trek leaders maintain very tight controls on health and hygiene in the kitchen with respect to general cleanliness and food preparation and also within the group with respect to personal hygiene.

All foods are well cooked and vegetables are treated by potassium permanganate or iodine. We only serve Boiled water for drinking. Antiseptic soaps and potassium or iodine treated water are provided for washing. Special dietary requirements can always be catered for. On Tea House treks we provide standard breakfast, lunch, and three-course dinner, tea or coffee is also included with each meal. Your guide will help with menu selection and ensure that you get the best value meals possible. Although the food is usually plentiful and delicious, you should be aware that the menu is not normally extensive. Most teahouses offer a variety of rice and soupy noodle dishes, as well as soup and seasonal vegetables. A variety of cereals, bread, and egg dishes are generally available for breakfast. There will also be plenty of snacks available such as biscuits, chocolate, and soft drinks and in some areas, you will find fresh fruit in season. You can buy packaged water (bottled mineral water) from local lodges and shop en route or you can also ask your guide to fill your water bottle with boiled water and treat it with water purification pills. Although it's held that gluttony is a sin, nevertheless, we ensure our trekking guests are well fed in as much as they can digest to cope with the arduous trails and the tough elevations.

Do I need to carry my own gear?

You'll carry your daily essentials (sunblock, water, hat, light jacket, and camera) but your porter will carry the bulk of your gear, such as extra clothing and overnight basics. Porters are especially helpful for longer treks where you'll be carrying more gear. For shorter treks (2-3 days), you may opt just to have a guide if you're comfortable carrying your own gear, but hiring a porter is a great way to support the local economy and is quite affordable. It's also the safest thing to do when you’re hiking on the biggest and most rugged mountains on planet earth.

How much could porters carry?

Porters typically carry up to 30 kgs max. (To ensure they're not overloaded). For fragile items, such as cameras, it's still best to carry these items yourself. If you have more than 15 kg., please carry the extra weight in your day pack. In the commercial trade, when transporting goods and supplies up into the high mountains, some porters carry up to 100 kgs and get paid less than a fair wage provided by some so-called responsible trekking companies. However, doing things like this weighs on the conscience and we totally avoid such unfair situations.

We know the risk that comes with neglecting our porters and follow all mandatory guidelines as stipulated by the IPPG international porters association.

What is the overnight accommodation like?

In cities like Kathmandu or Lhasa, accommodation will be in hotels of your preference. We have a pool of hotels that ranges from luxury deluxe to budget hotels. While on a trek accommodation will depend on the trek style. If you are taking a camping trip then you will be sleeping in tents. Whilst we endeavor to stay in the best possible accommodation along the way, you should be aware that most teahouses, particularly in the smaller villages, are pretty basic but cozy enough to protect you from the harsh elements. The bedrooms are usually very small, the shared bathroom facilities are often outside and meals are served in a communal dining hall. Although simple, the teahouses do provide shelter and warmth and are normally run by friendly local families. Tea house treks are less expensive than Camping treks and are largely suitable for small groups. Usually, during busy seasons if private rooms in smaller villages are fully occupied you might have to bunk out in a dormitory. But then this is what adventure is all about.

Can we change the itinerary?

Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your senior guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary. You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into some of the most remote regions in the world, where many unforeseen circumstances may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original itinerary.

Is tipping included and if not, how much should I budget?

Tips are always appreciated by your support team after the trip. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. Guiding on some of the riskiest trails on earth is a tough job and your crew always makes sure they lead from the front. Some trekkers give 10% of the total tour cost as tips. The hat is passed around and the whole group contributes. Most trekkers happily provide tips with big hearts. The choice is yours if you feel they’ve been worth it.