Cho-Oyu Expedition - 45 days

Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world, has only recently become a popular mountain to climb. Most of the Cho Oyo expedition teams climb from Tibet side due the easy technique-climbing route from there. This is because the ascent to the summit is short and direct, with a few small technical sections climbed in safety using fixed ropes.

Legend : Regarding to the name of this Cho Oyu , the legend says, in Tibetan language, Chomo means the goddess and Yu means the turquoise. So adding these two words, it was called Cho Oyu . Also it is called the "Turquoise Goddess" as per the Tibetan dialect. Another derivation of the name is called it as the bald god as well.

Expedition begins when you arrive to Kathmandu and we welcome in airport and transfer you to the hotel. Next day, we have the introduction section to the members with our crews. Since then we make your Tibet visa and other necessary documents for the Cho Oyu Expedition. Next day depart to Tibet border.

After 3 day, we drive you towards Nepal-Tibet border up to the Friendship Bridge through Arnico Highway ; where the Chinese liaison officer and Chinese transportation meet us there. The expedition gears go by truck but the members there Travel by Land cruiser 4wd or with comfortable Minibus. We take time to acclimatize with one night at Zhangmu (2300m) and two nights at Nylam (3750m), which also gives us the chance to trek up high hills for acclimatization.

Next day we drive to Tingri (4350m) where we spend further two nights acclimatizing. Then we drive Tingri to Base camp 5000m along the rough way with jerking & bouncing experience through grassy plain which leads up to the Chinese base camp.

We set up our camp at Chinese Base Camp and stay two nights or more, which depends on the feeling of our members. We also make schedules of the yaks by that time. Base camp is a temporary but comfortable affair with Nepali cook and dining tent. Now the two-day walk towards the advance base camp (ABC) begins.

ABC is in the heart of the Himalayas at 5700m; surrounded by celestial peaks. There is also the high pass called Nangpa La nearby which, an old but still used yak track trading route between Nepal and Tibet exists.

From ABC, we can see the superb scene of Cho Oyu . This is the main base camp and we plan to stay there for the longer duration also to look the favorable situation for the expedition. Every person gets his or her own tent. Our Service will be full board up to ABC and after that the climbers should manage all services by themselves.

From ABC it is several hours of tough walking on a vague path over moraine-covered glacier to the start of the mountaineering properly.

Camp I is either situated more or less on the ridge at 6400m and the real mountaineering starts from here. The ridge is now soft and easy enough for climbing, then it broadens out and you should climb successive huge steps, several of which probably require fixing a rope up there. You should fix a new rope in co-operation with other members on the mountain. Normally one rope is used for ascent and another for descent. Although the route is crevassed but normally these creates no problems.

Camp II is on the edge of a large plateau at 7125m although you can carefully assess where to put the rope. Depending on conditions and fitness you may attempt the summit from here, or you may establish a light Camp 3 across the plateau and up on a minor ridge at 7550m. Above

Camp III, there are two rocky steps where you fix another set of ropes prior to our summit ascent.

Finally, you will start early in the morning from camp 3 for summit. Above the rock bands, the slopes are still steep and you may take a line to fix there, depending on conditions, however once on the crest of this ridge the terrain is straightforward although it is a long haul to the summit plateau.

The panorama is breathtakingly magnificent, including Everest 8848m, Lhotse 8501m, Nuptse 7855m, Chamlang 7319m, Ama Dablam 6856m and other peaks of the Everest region to the east and south. To the west, there are the Melungtse and Gauri Sankar massifs and to the north, there is all Tibet area. It is normal to descend to Camp 2 from summit and to continue down to the ABC.

Climbing Sherpa guide : We facilitate highly professional, well trained and qualified climbing Sherpas for your expeditions. If you take Sherpas along with you on the expedition, they are very useful in your each and every step of support, which makes your climbing easier to restore your strained energy; and it gives you vigorous strength for your next day's climbing. Most of the groups, who have gone with the Sherpa guides on the expedition, are found to be succeeded as per our past experiences. So we suggest you to operate your expeditions along with the Sherpa guides.