Climb Cho Oyu Itinerary

Travel Days: Most climbers and trekkers fly to Kathmandu via Thailand with an overnight in Bangkok. During your flight you will cross the International Date Line and travel time is approximately two days. The program start date begins on Day One in Kathmandu.

Day One: KATHMANDU  •  4,383 feet
Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be met by your RMI guides and our hosts from Himalayan Experience (Him-Ex) and transferred in private vehicle to the Hotel Tibet. The afternoon is spent relaxing and recovering from the long flights.

Day Two: KATHMANDU  •  4,383 feet
Today the group will have a free day to explore Kathmandu’s rich and diverse culture, including the Boudhanath Stupa and Swayambunath- the Monkey Temple. Kathmandu is the largest city in Nepal and it is the cosmopolitan heart of the Himalayan Region. It is situated in a bowl shaped valley in central Nepal. The day will be filled with sight seeing, shopping for souvenirs, and enjoying the local cuisine.

Day Three: LHASA   •   12,100’ feet
Our hosts from Him-Ex will transfer us to the local airport for our flight to Lhasa (12,100’). Upon arrival in Lhasa, we are met by the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA). The CTMA will provide transportation to our hotel.

Day Four and Five: LHASA    •  12,100’ feet
We spend the next two nights in Lhasa to rest, acclimatize and sightsee in this amazing capital city of Tibet.

Day Six: XIGATSE  •  12,795’
We drive from Lhasa to Xigatse (12,795’), where we will spend the night.

Day Seven: TINGRI  •  14,400’
We drive from Xigatse to Tingri (14,400’).

Day Eight: TINGRI  •  14,400’
We spend the day hiking and acclimatizing in Tingri.

Day Nine: BASE CAMP  •  16,400’
We travel from Tingri to Base Camp (16,400’) on Cho Oyu. At Base Camp (BC) we will be met by Lachhu Bahadur Basent and the Himalayan Experience staff.

Day Ten: INTERIM CAMP  •  17,500’ ft
Our group climbs from BC to Interim Camp (IC). Our equipment will be carried by yaks to IC and then onto Advanced Base Camp (18,500’).

Day Eleven: ADVANCED BASE CAMP  •  18,500’ ft
We continue from IC to Advanced Base Camp (ABC).

Day Twelve to Thirty five: THE CLIMB
Your safety and success are our main concerns. Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.’s experienced guides give careful attention to every last detail of the preparation and have in place important backup logistics. It is at this stage, during the time spent planning at Base Camp and Advanced Base Camp, that the main logistical battle for the summit is won. Once on the upper mountain the same attention to detail is given.

Above ABC (18,500’) we establish three camps. Camp 1 (21,000’) is at the top of a long scree slope. From here the route is entirely on snow. We follow a gentle rounded ridge until we hit a short-but-steep ice cliff. We use a fixed rope to negotiate the cliff (normally about 60’) and then continue across a gentle glacier before we start another slightly steeper slope which we ascend via a fixed rope. Camp 2 (23,100’) is on an easy snow slope.

The day to reach Camp 3 (24,500’) is relatively short -- about 3 to 4 hours, climbing more gentle snow slopes. From here we can reach the summit in 5 to 7 hours and return to Camp 2 for the evening.

This final day consists of climbing intermediate snow slopes until we reach a series of rock bands, which we cross by way of their snow ledges. We come out onto a snow slope leading us to the summit ridge and then to what is often mistaken as the summit. The real summit is still about 1,200’ away on almost flat snow. The descent is then fairly fast but with some time to enjoy the spectacular surrounding scenery.

This itinerary is only an outline of the planned expedition, and if weather and route conditions allow for all members to have a chance for the summit earlier, then the program will be moved accordingly. Similarly, if a summit attempt is delayed and needs to be made near the end of the expedition, we can arrange for extra days at the end of the trip.

Day Thirty six: BASE CAMP  •  16,400’
We descend from ABC to BC in one day rather than two as on the ascent. We will utilize yaks to carry our equipment.

Day Thirty seven: BASE CAMP  •  16,400’
We spend the day at BC to rest and pack for our return to Kathmandu.

Day Thirty eight: ZANGMU  •  7,544’
We depart BC and drive across the spectacular Nyalam Thongla Pass, along a beautiful Nyalam gorge and into the town of Zangmu (2,300 m) near the Nepalese border. A representative from CTMA will again meet our group and coordinate our transportation and lodging. We spend the night in Zangmu.

Day Thirty nine: KATHMANDU   •   4,383 feet
Drive from Zangmu and to Kathmandu. We spend the night at the Hotel Tibet.

Day Forty: KATHMANDU   •   4,383 feet
Packing in Kathmandu.

Day Forty one: International Flight from Kathmandu to U.S.A.