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Mera Peak ( 6,476m/21,247ft )

The bulk of Mera, officially the highest of Nepal’s permitted trekking peaks, ries to the south of Everest and dominates the watershed between the wild and heavily woded valleys of the Hinku and Hongu Drangkas . Mera (Peak) is a chance to venture into a little visited and as yet unspoilt region of Nepal where the hillsides are still densely forested and a need to be self-sufficient is essential. There is also, of course, the pleasure of going above 21,000 feet.” Both the Hongu and Hinku valleys remain uninhabited although there are Kharka in the Upper Hinku basin where Sherpa from the South, near Pangkongma, graze their animals during the grass- growing monsoon. The upper Hongu Basin is truly a mountain wilderness, a place of massive moraines, glacial lakes and spectacular peaks that include Charmlang and Baruntse.

Additionally, it offers some of the most spectacular mountain scenery, pristine forest, and high altitude climbing in the world. We start this climb with a hair-raising flight into the small town of Lukla at 2,800 m (9,184 ft). From there it is a six-day trek, with plenty of acclimatization days to keep us healthy at our ever-increasing altitude, through some of Nepal’s most pristine Rhododendron, oak, silver fir and birch forests, past beautiful alpine lakes, and finally up to the foot of Mera Glacier where we’ll establish base camp. We’ll set up two more high camps, the first over 300 m above B.C. on the Mera Glacier, and the second after we cross the Mera crevasse field at 5,800 m. From here it is a steady and steep climb to reach the summit, with awe-inspiring views of Kanchenjunga and Makalu to the east, Everest and Lhotse to the north, and Ama Dablam and Cho Oyu to the west.

Island Peak ( 3189m / 2030 ft )

This peak offers an enjoyable climb the peak, also provides some of the most striking scenery in the Khumbu. If the peak can be likened to an Island in a glacial sea, than the main land forms a semicircle of cliffs that rise in the north to the rugged summit of Nuptse ( 7879m/ 25850ft ), Lhotse ( 9501m/27870ft), Lhotse middle peak( 8410m/ 27590ft), as yet still unclimbed and Lhotse Shar ( 8383m/ 27503ft ). To the east, rising above the frozen waves of the Lhotse Shar glacier, is Cho polu( 6734m/ 22093ft ), beyond which can be seen the red granite mass of Makalu ( 8475m/ 27805ft). To the south of the Imja glacier and icy flutings of Baruntse ( 7720m/ 25328ft) and the Amphu peaks lead the eye to the lofty pinnacle of Ama Dablam ( 6856m/ 22493ft ), which is liked a giant sea – stack guarding the entrance to the glacial bay in which Island peak stands

Tharpu Chuli ( 5500m / 18045ft )

Situated in the heart of the Annapurna Sanctuary, Tharpu Chuli is an attractive mountain; part of the eidge line, thrown south from Glacier Done, that includes Singu Chuli and acts as a central divider between the semi-circle of peaks enclosing the Sanctuary. The mountain is sometimes confused with Rakshi peak, a small summit and viewpoint to the west of Tharpu Chuli, that stands above named after Roberts’ dog!

As well as enjoyable climbing the mountains offers one of the outstanding viewpoints of the Annapurna massive. From its summit you have a superb panorama of Hiunchuli (6331m/20771ft), Annapurna South (7219m/ 23684ft), Fang (7647m/ 25089ft), Gangapurna (7455m/ 24459ft), Annapurna III (7555m/ 24787ft), Machhapuchhare (6993m/ 22943ft) and of course Singu Chuli or Fluted Peak (6501m/ 21329ft).

Seen from the moraines above the huts at the Annapurna South base camp, the mountain takes on a shape, aptly described by its former name Tent Peak, with its long South-East Ridge forming the sloping ridge pole. The lower half of the South-West Face is a series of rocky gullies and buttresses giving way to strongly etched snow flutes. Under a lot of snow this gecomes a very attractive aspect indeed with a good number of lines. The North-West Ridge, itself the normal line of ascent, which is gained by the flat glacier to the west.

Tharpu Chuli’s relatively low altitude and reasonable approach, without serious objective danger, make this an attractive mountain, especially when combined with its position and ease of access. At present three routes have been recorded and many more are obviously possible. Because of the large number of climbing expeditions that enter the Sanctuary it might well be the peak has received a lot of unnoticed attention.

Pisang peak ( 6091m / 19983ft )

Seen from Pisang the peak rises from yak pastures above the village in a uniform slope to the final summit pyramid, which is an undistinguished snow and ice slope. Looked at from above Ongre, the peak is a little more interesting and can be seen as a curved ridge, with the faces above Pisang being the truncated southern end of the mountain. This is made up of steeply titled rock, the dip slope of which faces the valley and is well seen in this peak and the great rock slabs further down the valley.

The peak obviously has a lot of scope for exploration and pioneering the whole of the western flank, which is guarded by hanging glacier, would appear to offer a considerable challenge, whilst a traverse of the whole summit ridge, which connect to a more northern summit before curving back west looks a superb possibility. Access to the western end of the ridge, however, looks problematical as the ridge as guarded by huge rock slabs, a feature on this side of the valley.