Ama Dablam Expedition is a truly remarkable experience! Trekking through the beautiful Khumbu Valley and interacting with the local Sherpa culture combine with this challenging climb to create a truly unique experience.
Ama Dablam, a 6812 m) mountain, is one of the most impressive mountains and the third most popular Himalayan peak from the permitted expedition. Ama Dablam, “Mother’s Necklace”, means the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother (ama) protecting her child, and the hanging glacier thought of as the Dablam, the traditional double-pendant containing pictures of god, worn by SHERPA women. It is believed that a person who sees Ama Dablam will have their wishes fulfilled.
Overview
The Ama Dablam Expedition with Everest Alpine Trekking is a remarkable mountaineering journey that encapsulates the essence of adventures in the heart of the Himalayas! Ama Dablam, often referred to as the “Matterhorn of the Himalayas” due to its distinctive pyramid shape, offers climbers a challenging yet rewarding ascent. The route to its summit is a test of technical skill, physical endurance, and unwavering determination! Are you ready?
The climb begins at Base Camp, nestled in the shadow of Ama Dablam, at an elevation of approximately 4,600 meters. From here, climbers embark on an arduous journey that takes them through a series of high-altitude camps. The Advanced Base Camp (ABC), situated at around 5,639 meters.serves as the launching point for the expedition’s higher reaches.
Trip Highlights
- Climbing the 6,812-meter Ama Dablam, known as the "Matterhorn of the Himalayas," is a prestigious achievement.
- The journey offers stunning views of Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu. Trekkers pass through traditional Sherpa villages, experiencing their rich culture.
- Reaching base camp is an adventure, with beautiful valleys, diverse landscapes, and local wildlife.
- The climb is challenging, with rock and ice sections, crevasse crossings, and steep slopes, testing one's skills.
- Acclimatization is crucial for high altitude adjustment and allows for side excursions and cultural exploration.
- The trip begins in Kathmandu, Nepal's lively capital, with its historical sites and bustling markets.
- A scenic flight to Lukla offers breathtaking Himalayan views. The trek includes the awe-inspiring Khumbu Glacier.
- Completing the Ama Dablam expedition grants you a sense of victory and a moment of pride that will be treasured in your memory for life.
Itinerary
Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal. Upon completing the visa formalities and collecting your luggages in the airport, kindly proceed to the exit of the arrival hall. Your trip leader will await you just outside the arrival hall and will escort you to your hotel in Kathmandu. Please look out for a placard of Everest Alpine Trekking.
In Kathmandu for final preparation of Climb. Meet other team members, complete official and government formalities, final gear check and load. Upon your interest, an optional Kathmandu sightseeing can be arranged on these days.
We will have a trip orientation and your trip leader will give you a brief about your climb before we head to our journey.
The first flight to Lukla takes place very early in the morning. Depending on the time, you will have your breakfast either in the hotel or upon arrival in Lukla. You will be transferred to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu Airport from where you take your flight to Lukla which is about 40 minutes landing on the narrow, runway high above the Dudh Koshi River. Your porters and support staff will be waiting at the airport to help you with your luggage to start your trek to Phakding. The trek to Phakding is an easy walk for the first day with a mostly downhill leg. The trek will take you through pastoral lands through several small villages and farms. Approximately after 3 hours, we reach Phakding where we spend our overnight in the tea houses that are run by Sherpas.
After breakfast, your guide will brief you about the day. An easy walk today to Monjo will take you through the pine trees and glimpses of distant snow-capped peaks. You will encounter impressive waterfalls and yaks along the way taking necessary foods and other essentials for the trekkers as well as the locals. You will pass through the checkpoint before reaching Monjo where the officials check your permits. Your guide will sort out the paper works while you can stroll around for a bit. After this you officially enter the Sagarmatha National Park and a little way up the trail, you arrive in Monjo where you will stop for lunch. After lunch, you start your trek through the wooded valley on a good trail crossing the river through the high suspension bridge. Right after the bridge is the upward climb towards Namche. An hour and a half long ascent to Namche - famous among the locals as “Namche Ko Ukalo” meaning the uphill of Namche. It is all uphill till you reach Namche, and about an hour before reaching Namche your hard work will be rewarded by your first view of Everest. Your guide will walk you to the lodge you will be staying overnight.
Being situated at high altitude, Namche Bazaar serves as an acclimatization stop for climbers to avoid altitude sickness. Namche Bazaar is the main centre of the Khumbu region and is facilitates with government offices, internet, ATM’s, restaurants and a colourful market. Our guides can take us to explore the real charm of Namche Bazaar. We can observe traditional Sherpa life and enjoy flora and fauna found that grow at this altitude.
Today we will walk to the biggest monastery of the Everest region located at Tengboche. It encloses within Sagarmatha National Park which is listed in a UNESCO world heritage site. The trek to Phunki will be easy, but afterwards ascending will become relatively harder. The panoramic view of the Himalayas from the monastery shows us a divine universe built under the same range. We can observe a Buddhist religious ceremony. After spending an hour to visit the monastery, we trek further down to Debuche
After breakfast, we trek for one and half hours to Pangboche. We spend a couple of hours to visit the oldest monastery build by the monk who travelled from Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet to Khumbu valley. After lunch at Pangbuche, we head towards northeast towards the Imja Khola pulling out of the Everest Basecamp trail. After crossing the suspension bridge, we climb towards Amadablam on the narrow zigzag route to the Amadablam Basecamp. You are welcomed by our Base camp staffs who will be there for your assistance through the expedition.
Climb to camp I (spend overnight)
Touch Camp II or the Yellow Tower and descend to camp I
Descend back to the Base camp
Rest and prepare for the summit push
Reserve day at the base camp
Summit push
Climb to camp I (overnight) – start at
Climb to Camp II (overnight) – start at
Climb to Camp III – start at 4 am – reach by 1 pm – rest for 6 hours – start for summit at 8 pm
Climb overnight at reach summit around 6-7 am and descend to Camp II
Descend to base camp
Packing and clearing the Base camp after the summit
Note - Be advised that the mentioned activities during the climbing period are a tentative plan. The actual planning of the summit is made at the base camp by your climbing guide. The activities may change because of the unstable weather conditions in the Himalayas and also your level of fitness. We advise you to book a Flexi flight and allow extra days in case if you need for the summit push.
ack to Namche Bazaar is mainly downhill from Base camp, with a small uphill stretch.
From Namche, we’ll get up early and descend back to Lukla. We will pass Monjo after a short walk and then to Phakding. We stay on the same trail and advance towards Cheplung and further to Lukla
We will enjoy our last views mountains while flying back to the Kathmandu from Lukla. After 25 minutes of flight, our representative will be waiting for you at the domestic airport to take you back to the hotel where you can enjoy your chilled beer and warm shower.
Free day in Kathmandu for official documentation, closing briefing by the government and collecting certificate if successfully reached in the summit. Farewell dinner and celebration at Piano Piano restaurant at Nomad Hotel.
Depending on your flight time you will have your transfer arranged to the airport. The airport check-in is 3 hours before the departure time, and the hotel checkout time is noon. In case your flight is late evening please let us know if you require half day use of the hotel with a charge.
Cost Includes
- Kathmandu Service includes arrival & departure transfers, domestic airport transfers, and four nights in a Kathmandu hotel with breakfast and a welcome dinner.
- Government fee climbing royalty/permit. Includes all the permits charges required to climb Ama Dablam, including the garbage deposit fee, government liaison officer charges and wages and insurance for at least 1 Climbing Sherpa as required by the Government of Nepal for permit & other miscellaneous costs
- Trekking service includes all the necessary arrangements required during the Trek: i.e. domestic flight/transfers including a helicopter from base camp to Lukla, accommodation and three meals a day in local lodges, a trekking guide and portage of personal trekking & climbing gear.
- Basecamp Service includes three-course meals a day and unlimited hot drinks while at basecamp, a required number of kitchen crew with their wages, transfers and insurance, a personal tent, and a standard dining tent with a heating system and generator /solar battery charging facilities, toilet tent, shower tent and human waste disposal fees.
- Higher camp Service (C1, C2 & C3), higher camp service beyond the base camp; it includes the necessary number of tents, high altitude food, cooking pots, epi gas, gas stove, walkie-talkie, satellite phone and weather forecast.
- High Altitude Climbing Sherpa, a personal climbing Sherpa with his equipment, daily wages, load ferry charge, meals, accommodation, flight/transfers and insurance for the expedition duration.
Cost Excludes
- Lunch and Dinner during your stay in Kathmandu (except for the farewell dinner)
- Any packed food/snacks, aerated drinks, energy drinks, mineral water, alcohol, cigarettes, chocolates, nutria-bars during the trekking.
- Items of personal nature, Laundry Expenses, Tips.
- Any extra expenses arising out of various/unforeseen situations like natural calamities, landslides, political disturbances, strikes, changes in Government regulations, etc.
- Extra transportation then display in itinerary program.
- Any additional staff other than specified.
- Rescue, Repatriation, Medicines, Medical Tests and Hospitalization expenses.
- Medical Insurance and emergency rescue evacuation if required.
- Travel Insurance and helicopter rescue.
- Filming permit (if special camera).
- Personal climbing gears
- Expenses incurred towards usage of landlines, mobiles, walkie-talkies or satellite phone And Internet expenses
- Clothing, Packing Items or Bags, Personal Medical Kit, Camera/Video Fees or Trekking Gears
- Nepal custom duty for import of expedition goods
- Summit bonus for climbing Sherpa Guides as per Mountaineering Association rules. Minimum US$ 500.00 per climbing Sherpa guide.
- Tips and gifts for base camp and high altitude trekking and climbing staff.
- Airfare of international flights
- Nepal entry visa fee (Visa issuance on arrival in Kathmandu)
- Any extra services or products or offers or activities which are not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Any other item not included in “COST INCLUDES” section.
FAQS
It generally takes around 25 to 26 days to climb Ama Dabalm. The Ama Dabalm expedition itinerary may be longer, depending on the highlights of exploration around the region and number rest days.
The Ama Dabalm expedition cost for the standard duration climbing is approximately around 8,500 to US$ 14500.
Yes, Ama Dablam climbing is technical; this mountain is considered a sem-technical peak in the Himalayas. You will have to overcome the ice and rock climbing sections on the mountain while pushing for the summit.
As Ama Dablam is a technical climb that has physically demanding sections, this expedition is only recommended to climbers who are familiar with mountaineering tools and skills, and have some prior climbing experience.
Climbers can usually manage upto 7,000 meters without the need of supplementary oxygen. So, you will not generally need bottled oxygen for Ama Dablam climbing; however, Peak Climbing Nepal will still arrange them if needed.
Everest Expedition ,the tallest peak standing on the planet, is the longest expedition and requires both more advanced experience and technical expertise. Thus, compared to the short Ama Dablam expedition is much more easy.
According to the Tourism Department of Nepal, anyone who wants to climb Ama Dablam has to pay the minimum royalty fees per person of $400 to the Nepal Government during Spring and Autumn season. In contrast, the same fee is $200 during the Winter and Summer seasons.
Though Ama Dablam is smaller in altitude compared to many other mountains in Nepal. It is one of the hardest mountains to climb. It is so because it demands high technical skills of rock and ice climbing. Its structure is what makes this peak a challenging one to climb.
We have added a comprehensive list of gears suggested for the expedition. This list includes everything used for the Everest expedition. We do not underestimate the peak of Ama Dablam as it is equally challenging in terms of technicality and weather conditions. Hence, we recommend you to get everything that we have mentioned above.
Climbing Mt. Ama Dablam requires a permit, which is only available through an officially recognized local company in Nepal. The presence of a guide is required by law on high peaks over 6,000 meters in Nepal. We advise all climbers to hire a guide because a successful expedition requires a strong team that includes a skilled base camp crew and knowledgeable, capable, and reliable climbing Sherpa guides.
It can be beneficial to gain technical skills like rope climbing and proper gear use by enrolling in advanced mountaineering courses. It is advised to be familiar with multi-pitch climbs up to a grade of 5.10 a, b, and c, as well as have competence with mixed climbing for the Ama Dablam Expedition. Ice climbing expertise up to WI-3 or WI-4 is advised for spring climbs, though fixed-line ropes will be used for the more difficult portions of the mountain.
On the way to Ama Dablam Base Camp, nearly every lodge and tea house has electricity or power, allowing you to recharge your phone, camera, or power bank for a minimal price. Most tea houses use hydroelectric power, while some also use solar energy. There will only be a small amount of solar power available at Ama Dablam Base Camp, so we urge you to pack a power bank for personal use.
Yes, in case of an emergency, rescue facilities are available. However, the climbers are advised to have insurance that covers the medical expenses and evacuation.
The best time to climb Mount Ama Dablam is the Spring and Autumn seasons, owing to better weather conditions.
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