Day 1: Travel day
If travelling from London we usually fly overnight from London Heathrow to Kathmandu.

Day 2: Kathmandu
Arrive Kathmandu. Transfer to hotel. Rest of the day free to relax, sightsee, shop

Day 3: Kathmandu
Free in Kathmandu for further relaxation, sightseeing and shopping. There will alos be a trip briefing and final equipment/trip preparation.

Day 4: Kathmandu-Lukla-Phakding
Early start for a spectacular mountain flight to the tiny airstrip at Lukla (2827m). At Lukla we meet with our porters and begin the trek with a short walk to Phakding (2600m). Walking time: 3 hours.

Day 5: Phakding-Namche Bazaar
A steady climb through the fertile Dudh Kosi valley, with its many farms and settlements, to Namche Bazaar (3440m), the most important Sherpa town and a former trading centre with Tibet. Walking time: 5 hours

Day 6: Namche Bazaar
Today is a rest day to acclimatise. Namche Bazaar is well worth exploring, with its Buddhist monastery and distant views of Everest, or you may like to walk to one of the nearby villages such as Kunde, Thamo or Thame.

Day 7: Namche Bazaar-Tyangbuche

Day 8: Tyangbuche to Pangbuche

Day 9: Pangbuche to Ama Dablam Base Camp

Days 10 - 21
12 Days to attempt Ama Dablam. This includes 3 days contingency in case of bad weather.

Days 22-23
2-day return trek to Lukla

Day 24 Fly from Lukla back to Kathmandu. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 25. Return flight home.

Climbing route on Ama Dablam
We will ascend via the South West Ridge, which is the usual climbing route. It is a climb over mixed terrain with sections of snow, ice and rock, some of which are steep and technical. In addition to base camp, it is usual to have 2 extra camps en route to the summit. A number of days are included for bad weather and contingency. As with all trips and expeditions into the mountains, the itinerary is subject to change depending on the weather and conditions under foot.

Duration
25 days

Price
The price includes:
Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu (twin rooms, B&B)
All meals and accommodation during trek and climb
Trekking & expedition crew including guides, cooks and porters
All group equipment including tents and cooking equipment
Permits and Liaison Officer fees
Return flights: Kathmandu - Lukla
Local transport in Kathmandu (Airport-hotel-airport)
Emergency Oxygen, Mask and regulator

The price does not include:
Flights to/from Nepal
Personal insurance
Bar Bills, beverages and laundry
Tips
Visa fees
Optional extras

Group Size
Minimum 4. Maximum 8.

Joining the group
Anyone interested in joining the climbing expedition is asked to submit their climbing CV to Nick Parks nick@mountaintracks.co.uk 

Meals
On the trek the cook team will serve an abundant mixture of Nepali and western dishes. For many Nepalis their daily fare consists of dal bhaat. In its basic form this is simply lentils and rice; but it is usually supplemented by spiced vegetables and perhaps yogurt and hot pickles; it may also form the basis of a more elaborate meal including eggs, fish or meat. You will certainly have the opportunity to eat this nutritious and often delicious fare. In general your diet will be low-fat and high-fibre one - excellent fuel for the trek!

Climate
Autumn (September to November) is mostly dry with cool days and sunny skies and is the best period for trekking in Nepal. Be prepared for the odd day when it will pour down for hours, in contrast to the short sharp bursts of precipitation that typify the monsoon period.
Please note that mountains, especially high ones, produce micro-climates and sudden weather changes can occur at anytime.

Altitude
High altitude symptoms vary from one person to another and are unpredictable. What is certain, however, is that they can almost always be overcome by steady acclimatisation. Right from the start we will be ascending very gradually to ensure everyone is well prepared for the thinner air.

Trekking & Safety
Trekking & climbing expeditions are not packaged holidays where everything can be planned in advance. We cannot assure that everything will run like clockwork.
Trekking has its dangers. These risks can never be removed altogether but they can be minimised. Our aim is to provide you with a thrilling expedition that is directed with maximum attention to your safety and the safety of others. The risks are reduced by the expert judgement of our leaders. They will make decisions with safety as the first priority, even if this is at the expense of reaching your ultimate goals. Consequently the ability to be flexible and the ability to maintain a cheerful attitude are two of the most important things that you can pack in your bags for your trip to Nepal.

Equipment
Please see our recommended equipment list.

Your guides
This trip will be led by one of our team of IFMGA Mountain Guides, supported by local English speaking Nepalese guides. These guides not only lead the trip but they also oversee the logistical side of the operation. – managing the staff, checking supplies, organising camps and being responsible for a myriad of other essential tasks.

Visa Requirements
All foreigners visiting Nepal require a visa. This is best obtained before departure at the Royal Nepalese Embassy or Consulate in your country. Two-passport size photographs are required for the visa procedure. Children below 10 years are exempt from paying visa fee.
For this trip you need a 45 day visa – valid for six months from the date of issue.
Please contact your local Royal Nepalese Embassy or Consulate for more information on the visa application procedures.

Other Useful Information about Nepal

Tipping
Tipping in Nepal is expected. 10% of a bill is reasonable.
At the end of the trek it is customary to tip the trekking staff (guides, cooks and porters) a sum equivalent to between 10 & 20% of their wages on the trek. This is likely to amount to the local currency equivalent of roughly £60 per trekker. It is a good idea to discuss the tip with the group and co-ordinate its collection and payment. A public ceremony in which enveloped cash is handed over to each individual porter and sherpa usually goes down well.
It is also customary to make presents of any unwanted items of clothing, which are much appreciated.

Time in Nepal
Nepal is five hours and forty-five minutes ahead of GMT. Thus, at midday in Kathmandu it is 6.15am in the UK.

Money
The currency unit is the rupee and at the time of writing there are approximately 129 Nepali Rupees (NPR) to the UK Pound (August 2009)
Although some shops and restaurants in Kathmandu will accept credit cards, for most of your expenses you will need cash. In Kathmandu there are banks which will change travellers cheques and there are some cash machines, but the former may well be shut when you want them and the latter are relatively new and unreliable. Authorised money changers are widespread in Kathmandu and give reasonable rates for either dollars or sterling. The hotels also change money, though generally at less favourable rates. We suggest you bring mostly sterling with a few dollars as there are some places that insist on dollars.

Expenses While in Nepal
Nearly all your expenses in Nepal are covered in the cost of the trip. There are, however, some costs which are excluded. You may also want to spend a little on sightseeing and shopping in Kathmandu. Visitors to Nepal find clothing, jewellery, carpets and artefacts of cultural interest good value. Kathmandu also has some excellent bookshops.
The necessary and reasonably predictable costs that you will have to meet come out to approximately £200 as follows:
Lunches & dinners in Kathmandu £60 payable in rupees
Personal taxis and other optional transport £20 payable in rupees
Liquid refreshment bought while trekking £30 payable in rupees
Tips for support staff at the end of the trek £60-70 payable in rupees
The more variable costs to allow for include: Any medical costs (which may be reclaimable)
Bar bills and alcohol bought while trekking (bottled beer will cost between £2 & £3)
Hotel laundry bills.
In summary we recommend bringing between £250 and £300 in sterling and US dollars.

Electricity
Electricity in Nepal runs at 220V but treat this figure as a rough guide: it’s fairly constant in Kathmandu; but where you are lucky enough to find it outside the capital the supply will be very erratic, as likely as not coming from a generator. Use a voltage stabiliser if you plug in any sensitive equipment. There are no standard plug sizes: if this is important to you bring an international (Asian-oriented) adapter kit with as many shapes and sizes as possible; if that fails have one made up in an electric shop in Kathmandu to suit your own equipment.

Communications
Telephoning abroad from the cities presents few problems. Internet cafes are widespread and very cheap in Kathmandu. Local-rate international calling via the internet is also often available.
On the trek, however, the story is very different, with few possibilities of telephone contact.

Further Information about Nepal
Books
Trekking and climbing in Nepal, Steve Razzetti (Globetrotter)
Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya, Stan Armington (Lonely Planet)
Nepal: an essential handbook for trekkers, Amy Kaplan (Mandala)
Trekking in Nepal: A Traveler’s Guide, Stephen Bezruchka (Cordee)