A useful guide to help you choose the best trekking travel insurance for high altitude hiking and expeditions without altitude caps.

So, you’re planning an epic adventure, trek or expedition, and you’ve just found out that your regular travel insurance won’t cover you above a certain altitude.

Yep, I’ve been there too.

It turns out, finding quality travel insurance that covers adventure sports like mountaineering or trekking at high altitudes is quite difficult. That’s because most regular travel insurance companies will void coverage above a certain altitude– usually in the range of 4500-5000 meters (14760-16400 feet). Not convinced? Read the small print!

This means that if you’re looking for insurance for the Everest Base Camp trek or for long treks or expeditions in the Nepal Himalayas, Karakoram, or the South American Andes, you’ll want to check out the best rescue and travel insurance policies below.

Quick Answer: Best Rescue Policy

In a rush? I recommend checking out Global Rescue. This is the policy I use as they offer yearly and trek-based memberships that include helicopter rescue coverage with no altitude caps.

Get Global Rescue

The Best High Altitude & Trekking Travel Insurance Policies

Let’s face it, there’s a reason why a regular travel insurance provider will void coverage the minute you step over a certain altitude. That is, things can go wrong in the mountains.

The last thing any trekker or mountaineer wants is to fall into debt after a costly helicopter evacuation mission. Trust me, speaking from personal experience, I’ve seen people fall ill with altitude sickness to the point that they required evacuation. In fact, these issues are likely more common than you think and happen all the time on popular trails like the EBC, Three Passes, or the Machu Picchu Trek.

However, with one of the below trekking travel insurance policies or rescue memberships, you’ll be covered for any medical emergency or evacuation.

1. Global Rescue Membership

Global Rescue offers arguably the most popular rescue memberships on the high-altitude and trekking scene. There’s a reason why most of the major expedition companies and travel agents in Nepal recommend this plan to their clients.

As part of their Travel Services membership, they provide coverage for:

• Worldwide Field Rescue – deployable teams standing by to rescue members in dangerous or remote environments
• Medical Evacuation – deployable medical teams capable of transporting members back to their home country hospitals anywhere in the world
• Medical & Security Advisory – Global Rescue’s staff includes paramedics, nurses, and military special operations veterans who are on-call to advise on security and provide virtual medical assistance in an emergency
• Other travel assistance services – including visa and passport, hospital referrals, translation services, logistics management and coordination

The best part about this rescue and evacuation insurance for trekkers is that there is no altitude cap, meaning this policy will even cover you at the summit of Mount Everest!

Memberships are available on an annual or short-term basis (7, 14, or 30 days), which makes this plan very flexible and affordable.

However, keep in mind that a Global Rescue membership is not a traditional travel insurance plan. This means that you won’t be covered for things like trip cancellations, delays, baggage, or emergency medical and dental. However, they do offer an add-on travel insurance policy with IMG (IMG Signature Travel Insurance), which will cover all of these things, on top of your high-altitude coverage and rescue/evacuation coverage.

Student discount: Global Rescue offers student membership discounts which is great if you’re taking a gap year or semester abroad.

More Info: Global Rescue

2. Garmin Search & Rescue Insurance (With A Supported Device)

Garmin isn’t a company that you’d traditionally expect to provide travel insurance or high altitude Search and Rescue coverage.

However, this global tech giant has recently begun offering Search and Rescue (SAR) Insurance plans to those who own one of their compatible satellite communication devices like the popular and affordable InReach Mini.

The way that this policy works is that Garmin will cover financial reimbursement up to $100,000 USD for qualified search and rescue related expenses when you use your Garmin satellite device for SOS, resulting in the Garmin IERCC coordinating your rescue. Their insurance memberships are only available as yearly plans.

Due to you needing to use their device to call the helicopter evacuation or search and rescue team, the coverage is very cheap. However, unfortunately, this basic policy has an altitude cap of 5000 meters. As a result, if you are planning to step above this at any point, you’ll have to step up to the High Risk (HR) policy.

The Garmin SAR HR policy covers all adventure sports from rock climbing in remote areas to BASE jumping, to wingsuits– so, you know that this insurance policy will cover any trek or high altitude mountaineering expedition.

I recently purchased this insurance for Mera Peak in Nepal (6476 m) and while I didn’t have to use it, provided me with one of the most cost-effective trekking travel insurance policies for mountains above 6000 meters. Furthermore, the InReach lets me stay in contact with family members with basic SMS messaging over satellite, anywhere on earth.

Tip: Garmin InReach Mini

I’ve been using the Garmin InReach Mini satellite communicator for all serious treks and expeditions since 2020. It lets me send unlimited SMS anywhere on earth and has an emergency SOS feature that could save your life.

Buy at REI

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3. World Nomads Travel Insurance

World Nomads Travel Insurance is one of the industry leaders in adventure travel insurance and will cover trekking at high altitudes up to 6000 meters.

Looking for trekking travel insurance for the Everest Base Camp Trek or Machu Picchu? This travel insurance provider will be a great option for many popular treks and hikes just like this in the Himalayas or in South America.

That’s because World Nomads is the only traditional insurance company that I know of offering trekking travel insurance above 5500 meters, with a solid claims record and a good reputation in the backpacker and adventure travel community. Their travel insurance plans offer varying levels of cover (Explorer and Standard) but are both quite comprehensive:

• Overseas dental and medical expenses (including altitude sickness)
• Trip protection (trip cancellation)
• Stolen credit cards
• Delayed baggage
• Travel delay
• Emergency evacuation (medical evacuation coverage)

World Nomads have been around for a long time. In fact, I used to use their annual policies when I first started traveling full-time for work, before I switched to the more affordable SafetyWing insurance (4500 m altitude cap)– combined with a Garmin SAR HR for expeditions.

More Info: World Nomads

Best Travel Insurance for Trekking Up to 6000m

If you’re planning a trek or mountaineering expedition up to 6000 meters, then you have the option of picking either Global Rescue, Garmin SAR HR (with a supported device), or a World Nomads travel insurance policy.

Both Global Rescue and Garmin SAR HR offer great cover and do not have an altitude cap. However, World Nomads will void the insurance if you step above 6000 meters, including personal accident cover.

Popular trekking peaks below 6000 meters where these plans will have you covered include:

• Summit of Kilamanjaro (5895 m)
• Pico de Orizaba (5636 m)
• Misti (5822 m)
• Carihuairazo (5020 m)
• Yala Peak (5700 m)
• Many accessible peaks in Bolivia

So, if you’re really planning on staying under 6000 meters of elevation, any of the above will do just fine.

Everest Base Camp Travel Insurance

No, there’s no such thing as specific travel insurance for the Everest Base Camp trek. However, just like above, any of my three recommendations will have you covered for the EBC since the highest elevation that you’ll likely reach will be at Kala Patthar (5644 m).

Machu Pichhu Travel Insurance

Unlike Nepal’s EBC or the popular Annapurna Circuit, the Machu Pichhu trail leads to a maximum elevation of just 4215 meters (13 823 feet). As a result, you’ll have a lot more options available to you in regard to insurance that will cover you for the trek and your travels in Peru or South America.

World Nomads will be one of the most comprehensive offerings for your trip, but SafetyWing (more affordable) will also cover you since their elevation limit is 4500 meters.

If you also plan on trekking in the Andes, where you will find higher altitudes, then it might be a good idea to purchase one of the above three insurance policies.

Key Things to Look For in High Altitude Trekking Insurance

I’ve done tonnes of travel insurance research for my own expeditions and treks at high altitude. After close to five years on the road, I also have a personal experience of being forced to make travel insurance claims.

My best advice is to simply read the product disclosure statement (PDS) or similar document outlining everything that is covered, and everything that isn’t covered in case of an accident.

Altitude Limits

The first thing you’ll want to look for in travel insurance for trekking is the altitude limit wording. This is sometimes hidden quite deep in the small print, so be vigilant! Furthermore, you’ll want to check special conditions like the use of rope or ice axe on mountains. Sometimes, travel insurance companies will limit their coverage from technical ascents with these types of disclosures– even if the rope is there for extra safety!

Medical Coverage

Of course, when choosing an insurance policy for high altitude, you’ll want to consider whether or not you need things like medical coverage, including overseas hospital cover and emergency care. That’s because non-traditional search and rescue or evacuation memberships like Global Rescue or Garmin’s SAR HR will not include this. Instead, in the event of a medical evacuation, they will transport you back to your home country’s hospital. This means, if you need to get medical treatment in the country of travel, you will need to pay for the fees.

This can be a good thing, especially in remote regions or countries without high-quality medical care facilities and if you have hospital fees and medical expenses covered at home through your government or medical insurance plans.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

Lastly, practically all travel insurance companies will have some kind of specific requirements and wording regarding pre-existing medical conditions. If you do have a pre-existing medical condition, ensure you review this section thoroughly, as some insurers may have a problem if altitude sickness, HACE, or HAPE cause complications with your existing heart, brain, or lung issues.

Get Inspired With These Epic Treks & Adventures

I hope that this short guide to trekking travel insurance for high altitude adventures has helped you get the peace of mind you need for your next big trip! Of course, this article provides only general advice and it might be best to speak to insurance experts before making a call.

However, just remember that AMS or a simply twisted ankle can cost you a lot of money in evacuation fees– even if it’s not a serious injury. Personally, I never embark on any expedition or adventurous activities without being covered for at least search and rescue or evacuation.

If this article has been helpful or if you discover any extra cover options for trekkers at high altitudes, help out by letting me know below!

Alright, insurance talks out of the way. Why don’t you check out some of my more fun articles and blog posts from previous adventures below?

• A Guide to Camera Gear for Travel: 2023 Travel Photography Gear Guide
• Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek – The Complete Guide
• Climbing Mera Peak (6476 m) in Nepal – Everything You Need to Know
• Finding the Best Camera Backpack for Hiking, Travel & Adventure in 2023
• Finding the Best Water Filter Bottle For Travel, Hiking, & Backpacking
• SafetyWing vs. World Nomads Insurance for Digital Nomads
• Three Passes Trek Itinerary & Independent Trekking Guide (2023)
• Training at HMI Darjeeling – (Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in India)

The post 3 Best Trekking Travel Insurance Policies for High Altitude Hiking & Expeditions appeared first on We Seek Travel.

Many hikers are drawn to this remote part of the Khumbu Himalayas every season for a chance to stand on top of Nepal’s highest trekking peak at 6476 meters (21,247 ft).

Mera Peak offers the perfect introduction to Himalayan high-altitude expeditions as it requires very little technical experience while providing exposure to glacial traverses, expedition camps, and of course, high altitude. At the Mera Peak summit and during the ascent, climbers are rewarded with incredible Himalayan views, including five of the world’s 8000-meter peaks in the Everest region and beyond; Lhotse (8516 m), Cho Oyu (8188 m), Kangchenjunga (8586 m), Makalu (8481 m), and Mount Everest (8848 m).

In this detailed guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know about trekking to and climbing Mera Peak (Mount Mera) from Kathmandu. I’ve included several itinerary options, tips on booking a guide, a packing list, and a personal day-by-day breakdown of our ascent with photos so you’ll know what to expect.

About Mera Peak

The Mera Massif is located in the Kumbu Region of the Nepal Himalaya and contains three summits. These are Mera North (6476 m), Mera Central (6461 m), and Mera South, (6065 m).

• Mera Peak Height: 6476 meters
• Duration: 14-18 days
• Difficulty: Relatively easy
• Climbing Season: April - May & September - November

The standard trekking route to the summit begins at the nearby village of Khare and involves high-altitude glacier walking. This is usually covered in 2 or 3 days, opting to stay at Base Camp (5200 m) and Mera High Camp (5800 m), or directly from Khare to High Camp (what we did).

While crampons are required for the glacial traverse, an ice axe is optional and would only be useful for emergency self-arrest as the route to the summit is simply a long, steep walk on hard snow and ice. This means no crevasse crossings, rock or ice climbing, nor the need for fixed ropes or jumaring. In alpinism, this peak has an Alpine Grade F (Facile, or Easy).

Being an easy 6000er with incredible views makes it a popular peak during the main climbing seasons of Spring (April-May) and Autumn (September-November). Expect several expedition teams with a group size of 2-10 people to attempt the summit every day during these periods. Weather conditions in late Autumn are apparently much better, with less wind and cloud cover than in Spring. While this is the best time to climb, expect a very cold summit day.

There are many expedition companies running programs to Mera Peak from Kathmandu via various trekking routes. Alternatively, it's also possible to trek to Khare independently and hire a guide at Khare (what we did). These routes usually take 7-10 days to reach Khare via Lukla or Bung Mahakulung. Below I'll go into more detail about trekking itinerary options to Khare.

Insurance for Trekking & Climbing in Nepal

Read the fine print– Most travel insurance companies void coverage as soon as you step over 5000 m. That's why I use and recommend Global Rescue, which offers yearly or expedition-based rescue coverage with no altitude caps.

Get Global Rescue

Itinerary Options to Khare (Mera Peak Base Camp)

There are three main trekking routes to reach Khare where you will begin the climb to Mera Peak. After the summit day, the best and quickest way to get back to Kathmandu is to trek to Lukla via the Zatrwa La.

The most popular itineraries to Khare include:

• Lukla to Khare via Paiya & Chutok La
• Lukla to Khare via Zatrwa La
• Bung Mahakulung to Khare

The majority of expedition companies and tour operators begin their Mera Peak programs by flying their clients from Kathmandu to Lukla (or now from Ramechhap as KTM-Lukla flights are halted).

However, if you're looking to trek to Khare independently, I highly recommend starting at Bung Mahakulung as we did. This is not the normal route but has a better acclimatization profile and passes through some beautiful small villages in the lower Himalayas. Here, locals are always happy and surprised to see trekking tourists. The track is also very easy to follow and superbly maintained. Additionally, you'll pass the beautiful alpine lakes of Panch Pokhari on the way and save some money as you will only need to purchase one Lukla flight (on the way down).

If you intend to hike to Khare from Lukla, then it's a good idea to take the longer Hinku Valley option via Paiya, Pangom, and Ramailo Danda. This is because flying to Lukla and trekking over the Zatrwa La in the first two days requires some serious elevation gain and is likely unsafe for anybody not acclimatized.

Below is a useful Mera Peak map showing the main trekking routes in this region with altitudes for each village. I've also included three sample itineraries below to help you plan your trip. Note that I've added one rest day into some of these. However, when planning make sure to add at least one extra day (contingency day) in case of bad weather.

Don't miss: Guide to Picking Trekking Travel Insurance (no altitude caps)

Lukla is a village with the only airport in the Solo Khumbu region (Tenzing-Hillary Airport). This is also the main starting point for some of the most popular treks in Nepal, including the Everest Base Camp Trek and the Three Passes Trek. Trekkers can purchase their Lukla flight in advance (best at least a week before) through Yeti Airlines (Tara Air), Summit Air, or Sita Air.

1. Lukla to Khare via Pangom

• Day 1: Fly to Lukla from Kathmandu (or minivan to Ramechhap then fly to Lukla) & trek to Paiya (2730 m) via Chutok La (2945 m)
• Day 2: Trek to Pangom (2900 m)
• Day 3: Trek to Ramailo Danda (3270 m)
• Day 4: Trek to Chetrwa Khola (3110 m)
• Day 5: Trek to Kothe (3580 m)
• Day 6: Rest day in Kothe (3600 m)
• Day 7: Trek to Thangnag (4350 m)
• Day 8: Trek to Khare (4900 m)
• Day 9: Acclimatization & training at Khare (4900 m)
• Day 10: Khare to Mera Peak High Camp (5800 m)
• Day 11: Summit Mera Peak (6476 m) and return to Khare (4900 m)
• Day 12: Trek to Kothe (3600 m)
• Day 13: Trek to Thuli Kharka (4230 m)
• Day 14: Trek to Lukla (2800 m) via Zatrwa La (4610 m)
• Day 15: Fly to Kathmandu (or via Ramechhap)

2. Lukla to Khare via the Zatrwa La

• Day 1: Fly to Lukla from Kathmandu (or minivan to Ramechhap then fly to Lukla) & trek to Chutenga (3480 m)
• Day 2: Trek to Thuli Kharka (4230 m) via Zatrwa La
• Day 3: Trek to Kothe (3600 m)
• Day 4: Rest day in Kothe (3600 m)
• Day 5: Trek to Thangnag (4350 m)
• Day 6: Trek to Khare (4900m)
• Day 7: Acclimatization & training at Khare (4900 m)
• Day 8: Khare to Mera Peak High Camp (5800 m)
• Day 9: Summit Mera Peak (6476 m) and return to Khare (4900 m)
• Day 10: Trek to Kothe (3600 m)
• Day 11: Trek to Thuli Kharka (4230 m)
• Day 12: Trek to Lukla (2800 m) via Zatrwa La (4610 m)
• Day 13: Fly to Kathmandu (or via Ramechhap

3. Bung Mahakulung to Khare

• Day 1: Jeep from Kathmandu to Bung Mahakulung (1700 m)
• Day 2: Trek to Khiraule Gompa (2600 m)
• Day 3: Trek to Cholem (3560 m)
• Day 4: Trek to Panch Pokhari (4350 m)
• Day 5: Trek to Kothe (3600 m)
• Day 6: Trek to Thangnag (4350 m)
• Day 7: Trek to Khare (4900 m)
• Day 8: Acclimatization & training at Khare (4900 m)
• Day 9: Khare to Mera Peak High Camp (5800 m)
• Day 10: Summit Mera Peak (6476 m) and return to Khare (4900 m)
• Day 11: Trek to Kothe (3600 m)
• Day 12: Trek to Thuli Kharka (4230 m)
• Day 13: Trek to Lukla (2800 m) via Zatrwa La (4610 m)
• Day 14: Fly to Kathmandu (or via Ramechhap)

Booking a Guide for the Mera Peak Climb

Climbing Mera Peak requires a guide from Khare as it is a mandatory part of getting a climbing permit from the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). Furthermore, applying for this permit is difficult to do on your own unless you have a contact with an expedition agency in Nepal.

Luckily, it is possible to book a Sherpa guide from Khare, who can also arrange your permit. This means you can easily complete the trek to Khare (at the base of Mera Peak) independently and stay in tea houses along the way without any issues.

We planned our entire trek and climb with Refuge Lodge, the largest and best lodge in Khare. This is a small family-run business and the first family to offer guided Mera Peak climbing.

While we trekked to Khare on our own, Jangbu Sherpa from Refuge Lodge (he lives in Kathmandu) organized everything for us in person, including:

• Jeep ride from Kathmandu to Bung Mahakulung
• Mera Peak climbing permit
• Mera Peak High Camp - tents, mattress, pillows, camp cook, meals and tea, emergency oxygen
• Staff and Sherpa Insurance - mandatory for the NMA permit
• Included gear rental (once we reached Khare)
• Sherpa guide (from Khare)
• Free lodging at Refuge Lodge

He also went over our plan and gave us a better-recommended itinerary from Bung Mahakulung to Khare with the help of the above map. The cost for all of this was $450 USD, plus an additional 4000 Nepali rupees (shared between 5) for the jeep ride from Kathmandu to Bung Mahakulung. We were able to pay via bank transfer in Kathmandu before departing.

Alternatively, trekkers who would prefer to pay for a Kathmandu to Kathmandu expedition to Mera Peak will have dozens of trekking companies to choose from. Note that the price is obviously going to be much higher than simply booking a guide from Khare.

Mera Peak Expedition Cost

After contacting several expeditions and climbing companies prior to departing, I can confirm that the price for an all-inclusive Mera Peak expedition from Kathmandu to Kathmandu costs between $1800-$4735 USD depending on the company.

Conversely, here's my cost breakdown for trekking independently from Bung Mahakulung to Khare and returning to Kathmandu via Lukla over a 16-day trip. I recorded the costs and listed the average in the daily cost column.

Tipping guides: It is also customary to tip Sherpa guides upon a successful summit.

Facilities on the Mera Peak Trek

Nepal is one of the best destinations on earth for tea house trekking. However, unlike the more popular routes like the Everest Base Camp Trek or the Annapurna Circuit, the facilities in the remote regions you'll pass on the way to Mera Peak are much more limited.

You'll still have access to accommodation, hot food, simple packaged snacks, and sometimes even electricity and WiFi. However, the only villages where you can purchase equipment or clothing are Lukla and Khare.

Furthermore, Lukla is the only village with an ATM, yet they are not always working. Therefore, it's best to withdraw enough cash in Kathmandu prior to departing.

Tea House Lodging & Accommodation

On the trail, you will find small lodges and tea houses to sleep in. You do not need to book these in advance, simply show up and they will offer you a room. These are usually just large enough to fit two single beds or one double bed.

Most tea houses in the Khumbu are built from stone and rooms divided by basic plywood. You'll get a raised bed with a mattress (thickness varies greatly), and you must ask for a blanket (sometimes lodges do not have any spares). Tea houses usually have a common area that serves as a restaurant. If you're lucky, the lodge will light a fire to warm up the room.

The cost for tea house lodging on the Mera Peak routes is usually free if you eat your dinner and breakfast there. On some occasions in remote areas like Cholem and Panch Pokhari, the cost is 500 Nepali Rupees per night ($3.90 USD).

If you're trekking from Bung Mahakulung as I did, expect very basic lodging until you reach Kothe.

Khare, the village beneath Mera Peak, is the most developed village that I passed outside of Lukla. Here, you'll find very comfortable beds, a bakery, a large restaurant serving pizza and steak, and even an electric blanket!

Food & Snacks

Meals in the Himalayas are usually simple but always hearty. Most lodges will offer meals like fried potato and cheese, fried noodles, fried rice, and of course, dal bhat– the traditional meal of Nepal.

It is customary for hosts to offer second servings of dal bhat, which always leaves you full.

The cost of a hot, cooked meal at a tea house varies from 350 to 850 Nepali rupees ($2.70-$6.60 USD). Expect to pay upwards of 1200 rupees for exotic food like pizza and steak at the fancier lodges.

All lodges also offer a variety of different hot drinks including tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. Black tea will set you back 100 rupees ($0.80). Trekkers can also purchase packaged snacks like chocolate bars or packaged noodles at most tea houses.

Wifi & Electricity

Before you depart from Kathmandu, you can purchase a Nepal Telecom (NTC) sim card. Currently, this is the only Nepali telecommunications company offering service in this region. I had a Ncell sim and this did not work anywhere once we left Bung Mahakulung.

However, connectivity will be very limited even with NTC for the majority of the trek. You'll likely only be able to get enough coverage to get a message out every now and then.

Electricity is also very limited until you reach Kothe. From here, you'll be able to ask the lodge owners if you can charge your devices. However, the majority of these villages rely on solar and will likely charge you for the privilege.

The exception is Khare, where at Refuge Lodge they somehow have enough electricity to offer electric blankets in the rooms.

Tip: If you need to charge cameras or your phone, I recommend buying a lightweight solar panel. I used the 21W Anker Powerport which kept my camera, InReach, and kindle charged up for the whole trek.

How I Stay Connected Off-Grid

I've been using the Garmin InReach Mini satellite communicator for all serious treks and expeditions since 2020. It lets me send unlimited SMS anywhere on earth and has an emergency SOS feature that could save your life.

Buy at REI

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My Day-By-Day Experience Climbing Mera Peak

With all of the logistics out of the way, here is my detailed day-to-day Mera Peak itinerary.

Day 1: Jeep Journey from Kathmandu to Bung Mahakulung (1700 m)

We were told the jeep ride from Kathmandu to Mahakulung would be long, bumpy, and would feature a few nail-biting sections. However, no warnings could prepare us for what was to come.

Starting at 3 am, our driver arrived at our pickup point, strapped our trekking backpacks to the roof, and hit the road. 

Initially, we were skeptical about the need for such an early start. However, after seeing the conditions of some stretches of these Nepalese mountain roads, we knew it would be a long one.

The first 8 hours alternated between stretches of decent tarred road and off-road, unsealed tracks. As we climbed, the weather blessed us with clear, uninterrupted views of several Himalayan peaks.

After this time, we had officially passed the end of the documented road, and we were en route to Mahakulung via a network of local dirt tracks that would excite any 4x4 off-road fan.

Finally, as the sun had just set, we pulled up to Bung Mahakulung, a small mountain village with a single tea house lodge. A friendly man greeted us and welcomed us to our rooms, which were very clean, comfortable, and warm.

Safe to say we had a pleasant first night’s sleep, with a belly full of dal bhat and a mind full of thoughts of the trail and summit ahead.

Day 2: Trek From Bung Mahakulung to Khiraule Gompa (2400 m)

• Duration: 2-3 hours
• Total ascent: 700 m
• Total descent: 0 m

The first day of trekking would be an easy one, with just a few short kilometers climbing from 1700 m to 2400 m via a wide and gentle inclining trail, ducking in and out of the jungle. 

We passed several local families harvesting corn and tending to their buffalo. Each greeted us with warm smiles and a friendly, excited welcome. It was immediately clear that this was a region that not a lot of tourists had the privilege of visiting.

This trail was utterly beautiful and offered us magical views of the sweeping valley and the surrounding Himalayan foothills.

After just 3 hours of easy hiking with several stops for photos, we had already arrived in Khiraule Gompa, a picturesque hillside village with a large, prayer flag-draped stupa in its center.

Shortly after dropping our bags at the “Yangjum Hotel” lodge, the village kids ran to us and watched us with a look of confusion. After returning their curiosity with a smile and some childish banter, they obsessively followed us around the village, belly-laughing and skipping through the worn, dusty trails.

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge, drinking tea, and trying our first thongba- a traditional alcoholic beverage native to the Himalayan villages of Eastern Nepal. 

Just as the night prior, we downed a big portion of dal bhat and hit the sack, ready for a slightly longer trek the following day. Unfortunately, I began developing a fever on the jeep ride the previous day which progressively worsened in the coming days and resulted in a couple of extra rest days on the way to Mera Peak.

Day 3: Trek From Khiraule Gompa to Cholem (3450 m)

• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Total ascent: 1175 m
• Total descent: 125 m

Following a lazy start topped off by a hearty serving of tsampa porridge, we departed Khiraule Gomba towards Cholem. 

The first section climbed the hillside directly above Khiraule Gompa before meeting up with a dirt road, which we then followed for a short section. After roughly 100 meters of incline, we arrived at a nice lodge called the Himalayan Hotel, surrounded by beautiful pine trees. 

Here, we met Pasang Sherpa, the father of Jangbu, who helped us to arrange the climb from Refuge Lodge. We found out that Jangbu had wished that we had stayed at his hotel, but due to a bit of confusion simply checked into the first tea house in Khiraule Gomba instead. Pasang Sherpa was not bothered by this and even offered to show us the way to Jungle Camp (Cholem), where he also owned a lodge.

So, we continued up the hillside, climbing endlessly through varying sections of meadow-like fields and moist rhododendron forests. We stopped for lunch approximately halfway at a small lodge, which apparently was owned by Pasang Sherpa's sister. Then, we continued to climb the forested hills. At this stage, my fever was pretty awful but I tried to push the symptoms to the back of my mind and muster the energy to enjoy the beauty of this magical place.

The final section of this trail was quite steep but the trail is immaculately kept. Overall, there was very little decline for the entire day and the incline only broke briefly for short sections of flat ground. 

Jungle Camp (Cholem) is a picturesque little village comprising three stone buildings. The larger of which is a tea house owned by Pasang Sherpa. After passing us on the trail, he had prepared our rooms and welcomed us.

We wrapped up the night with a heaping serving of dal bhat and went to sleep at around 7:30 pm.

Day 4: Rest Day at Cholem (3450 m)

Unfortunately, the bug I'd picked up wasn't showing any signs of giving up. I thought that the two long days of hiking with a heavy backpack probably weren't helping my situation. So, in hopes of kicking it for good, we decided to have a rest day in Cholem before continuing to higher altitudes.

This would also have an acclimatization benefit. I sat enjoying the sun with a book and tea for the majority of the day while a few members of our party climbed the pass behind the camp for a better view and to help with acclimatization.

Day 5: Trek from Cholem to Panch Pokhari (4300 M)

• Duration: 4-5 hours
• Total ascent: 945 m
• Total descent: 95 m

Feeling rested, we began the immediate climb up the bare hillside to the looming pass directly visible above Cholem. This climb is quite steep, climbing 750 meters over 1.5 kilometers to an altitude of roughly 4200 m. Since we left early, we were lucky enough to have a clear view of the snow-capped peaks hiding on the other side, as well as the imposing Indian peak of Kangchenjunga (8586 m) far in the distance. 

Next, the path wraps around another bare hillside before climbing yet again to another pass at 4500 m.

From this pass, the five beautiful alpine lakes of Panch Pukari reveal themselves beneath black, rocky peaks. We sat for a while admiring the view before descending gently toward the lakes. Apparently, these lakes are very holy and attract hundreds of pilgrims every year during the full moon festival in August.

A few of our team decided to climb the adjacent rocky ridge before descending. Once we'd descended to the lakes, we were in for another short descent down to the minuscule village.

Panch Pukari consists of three dung-laden, stone huts sitting in a gorgeous bowled meadow beneath a towering waterfall. The only lodge is called Mera Lodge and Hotel, and the remoteness of this Himalayan homestead is apparent as soon as you step inside.

Nevertheless, our host whipped up a delicious lunch and dinner and kept us warm with tea. Unfortunately, after a big day of altitude gain, I was feeling terrible and crashed into bed almost immediately when I arrived. I downed two portions of extra strong Tibetan garlic tea and held my fingers that I'd begin feeling better soon.

Day 6: Trek from Panch Pokhari to Kothe (3600 M)

• Duration: 5-6 hours
• Total ascent: 385 m
• Total descent: 1085 m

While the majority of the path from Panch Pokhari to Kothe is downhill, it begins by climbing up the side of a small ridge for roughly 200 vertical meters.

Then, the trail snakes around endless bends and drops sharply back into the tree line with snow-capped giants of Kyashar (6769 m) and Kusum Kangru (6367 m) revealing more of their might around each corner.

The final two hours lead trekkers through beautiful, dense forests while dropping gradually into the Hinku glacial valley before climbing another small hill further up the valley. Shortly after we arrived at Kothe (3600 m), a beautiful sunny crossroads village with plenty of options for lodging. 

We decided to stay at the Mera Lodge and Restaurant, run by a very friendly old Sherpa man and his daughter. 

Directly behind the village, Mera Peak was now in full view for the first time. From its southern face, it looked formidable, but we knew that as a popular trekking peak, its other side would be much more welcoming.

We spent the afternoon enjoying the sun, washing clothes in the river, and playing cards by the fire.

Day 7: Rest Day in Kothe (3600 M)

Unfortunately, I was unable to shake the bug I'd been carrying as I was still lethargic and slightly feverish.

As a last-ditch effort to heal up, we decided to take advantage of the lower altitude in Kothe and take another rest here. 

It was a beautiful day, and we sat outside for the majority of the day enjoying the warm weather and trying to soak in as much vitamin D as possible. I ordered a big pot of honey lemon ginger tea for 800 rupees and relaxed around Mera Lodge.

Kothe is also the village where trekkers will need to pick up the Makulu-Barun National Park Permit (2000 rupees). To save time, we walked down to the National Park office at the end of the village and purchased our permit here in advance. The official also requested to see our Mera Peak climbing permit, which Jangbu had sent me a digital copy of prior to departing Kathmandu.

Day 8: Trek from Kothe to Thangnag (4350 M)

• Duration: 4-5 hours
• Total ascent: 750 m
• Total descent: 0 m

Feeling refreshed, and for the first time in a week, not reading a fever when I woke up, we quickly downed some peanut butter and honey pancakes at the lodge dining area, packed our bags, and set off up the beautiful Hinku Valley towards the delightful mountain town of Thangnag.

The trail begins at the northern end of the town, just after the National Park office. Immediately, it crosses a small boulder field before lining up with the Inkhu River, which we followed upstream until we reached Thangnag.

This was a clear highlight for me so far. Not only was I feeling much better, but the mountain views in the valley were phenomenal, with majestic, white peaks on all sides. As we rounded the Mera massif on its western face, its summit disappeared behind the smaller yet almost vertical Mahakulung Peak.

The trail was also very comfortable with such a gentle incline that we hardly noticed the altitude gain.

What we did notice, however, was that the trail from Kothe to Thangnag was much busier than the remote, off-the-beaten-path regions we'd come from so far. We passed about a dozen trekking companies returning from their Mera Peak climb in the short 4-hour walk! A stark contrast from meeting perhaps one or two groups per day.

As we neared the village, we passed a small Tibetan monastery dug into the cliffside. Soon after, we could see Thangnag sheltered beneath the imposing south pillar of Kyashar, and Kusum Kangru's three peaks.

Jangbu's sister runs a lodge in Thangnag called Oxygen Lodge, so we decided to stay there. This was easily the best lodge in town and offered very clean, comfortable rooms and excellent food at great prices.

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Day 9: Trek from Thangnag to Khare (4900 M)

• Duration: 4 hours
• Total ascent: 610 m
• Total descent: 60 m

Finally feeling much better, we were in for another excellent day of trekking, in my opinion, the most scenic day of the trip.

The trail from Thangnag to Khare begins directly east of the village by following a set of cairns through the large boulder field. Shortly after, we climbed the grassy hillside where we took a short detour overlooking the beautiful Sabai Tsho glacial lake. We sat here for a few moments taking in the view and snapping some photographs.

Right about at this stage, we were beginning to round the Mera massif towards its northern side, where we'd finally get a clear view of its North and Center summits.

Next, we continued the gentle incline up the glacial valley following a magnificent trail beside the river and steep moraine. Soon, we came to a small hut where some locals were selling snacks. We sat here and enjoyed a chocolate bar and then made the final ascent into Khare by climbing a golden-grassed rolling bluff.

Arriving at Refuge Lodge in Khare was a strange feeling. We knew just how remote this region of Nepal was, yet this lodge looked and felt like it belonged in Chamonix! Yet, we were certainly not complaining. That evening, we got a beautiful sunset view of the back side of the Mera Peak massif. Below are some shots that I captured with my Canon 100-500mm lens.

To wind down, we ate a delicious gourmet cheese sandwich for dinner and played too many card games until late in the evening.

Day 10: Acclimatization Day - Hike & Training in Khare (4900 M)

• Duration: 1 hour
• Total ascent: 300 m
• Total descent: 300 m

Nearing 5000 meters, we were really starting to notice the cold. We woke up with our drink bottles almost completely frozen and many of our batteries drained. Luckily, I was able to charge my camera and drone batteries at the restaurant free of charge.

Today we met our guide, Phur Gyalje Sherpa (Gyalje), who would take us up the Mera Glacier to the Mera Peak summit. Apparently, he was Jangbu's cousin.

He instructed us regarding the breakdown of the coming summit attempt, which would involve an acclimatization hike today, followed by a short training session. Then, the next day we would depart directly for Mera Peak High Camp (5800 m), followed by a 2 am summit push the next morning.

Excited, we began the planned acclimatization hike to the small hill beside Khare (Khare Ri) without our backpacks. It took us roughly one hour to reach the top, where we sat and then explored a little further on, trying to spend as much time as possible at the elevated altitude. I took the opportunity to photograph some of the nearby glaciers with my telephoto lens.

After the descent, Gyalje took us for a brief training session involving the basic use of jumar for ascending and a figure eight descender on a fixed rope. Having just completed the basic mountaineering course at HMI Darjeeling a couple of weeks prior, this wasn't really necessary for most of us. However, this was Haylea's first time even wearing crampons and she did not have much previous experience in mountaineering– so, the training was very useful for her.

We spent the rest of the afternoon packing our bags for the summit trek and then relaxing and fueling up with a big feed at Refuge Lodge. The lodge allowed us to leave all of the non-necessary climbing gear and clothes in a luggage area, which meant we could climb with a much lighter load.

Day 11: Trek From Khare to Mera Peak High Camp (5800 M)

• Duration: 5-7 hours
• Total ascent: 920 m
• Total descent: 20 m

While it is possible and probably better for acclimatization, to summit Mera Peak in three days from Khare, we decided to skip the lower Mera Peak Base Camp (5200 m) and head straight up to Mera Peak High Camp.

Apparently, this is the more popular itinerary and worked well for me. However, as you'll read about further below, Haylea did not get enough time to acclimatize to this schedule and suffered altitude sickness just below the summit and had to turn back.

The trail to Mera Base Camp from Khare begins by climbing the small hillside to the east of the village. Soon, it begins climbing the edge of a steep ridge, crossing eroded sections of scree and large boulders. After roughly 1.5 hours, we arrived at Mera Peak Base Camp, which sits just above the crampon point 10 minutes further on (beginning of the glacial traverse).

Here, we attached our crampons and began the steep climb toward High Camp via the Mera La. The snow conditions were quite hard and compact, making the ascent technically easy yet physically demanding due to the steepness and high altitude.

We had a short lunch break upon reaching the Mera La, where we admired the turquoise-blue glacier below us. Shortly after, we began the final push toward Mera Peak High Camp. At roughly 5500 meters, we turned around and noticed that we had our first view of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu.

The final push to camp was steeper than the first section and after a total of 6 hours of walking, we arrived.

Mera Peak High Camp is perched on the edge of a steep cliff below a small rocky outcrop. On either side are imposing, ancient glaciers providing shelter from harsh winds. As soon as we arrived, Gyalje set up our expedition tent and began preparing tea and dinner.

We spent the rest of the afternoon admiring what was one of the most magical sunsets of my life. However, as soon as the sun set the temperature dropped to -10ºC so we quickly retreated to our tents, got in our bags, and tried to get some shut-eye before the 1 am wake-up call.

Below are some of my favorite shots from that sunset at Mera High Camp.

Day 12: Mera Peak Summit (6476 M) to Khare (4900 M)

• Duration: 8-10 hours
• Total ascent: 696 m
• Total descent: 1615 m

After a sleepless night, we ate a porridge breakfast at 1 am and slowly crawled out from our bags and strapped on our harnesses, mountain boots, and crampons. Weather conditions were okay besides the high winds and cold weather. The temperature was -25ºC when we departed and we were very grateful that we brought the huge summit down jackets and extra socks.

By 2 am, we were all roped up together and began the slow, cold climb to the summit of Mera Peak. The trail was very much the same as the day previous, yet this time the wind was whipping our faces and the altitude, combined with the severe cold really slowed our pace.

We were all feeling great, besides Haylea who had terrible headaches the night before. Our fears became reality when she started to lose orientation and had quite bad spells of dizziness and nausea. She decided to push on a little further but was on the point of spewing as we approached just short of the summit.

Unfortunately, for me, this meant that I also couldn't watch the sunrise from the summit, but I made the call to rope her up and bring her back down to High camp so that the remainder of the team members could.

Luckily, the sunrise view from High Camp was unbelievably beautiful. From here, we could see five of the world's highest mountains, including Cho Oyo, Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Lhotse, and Everest. I snapped plenty of photos and flew my drone around the massif, capturing some of my favorite alpine footage to date. Haylea's condition was also improving at the lower altitude of High Camp. But, I knew that she should descend further soon.

So, after the successful summiteers returned to camp, we quickly ate some morning tea and began the long, steep descent back to Khare. Upon reaching Khare Haylea's headache remained but she felt much better.

Day 13: Trek From Khare to Kothe (3600 M)

• Duration: 4-6 hours
• Total ascent: 60 m
• Total descent: 1360 m

Stoked about the views but admittedly a little bitter about how close Haylea and I got to the summit, we began the long, sweeping descent from Khare, passing Thangnag on the way. This was the only day whereby we doubled back on our route, and we were very happy about this as the walk down the valley was kind on our battered knees.

Admittedly, we slept in a little in Khare, which meant a late start. We arrived at Kothe with our headlamps on but the local Sherpa woman at Mera Lodge did not mind and began cooking potatoes, rice, and dal for us.

Dropping nearly 3000 meters of altitude in 48 hours definitely felt strange on our bodies. That night we got some of the best sleep we'd had in the past two weeks.

Day 14: Trek from Kothe to Thuli Kharka (4230 M)

• Duration: 5-7 hours
• Total ascent: 1100 m
• Total descent: 470 m

The trail from Kothe to Thuli Kharka is regarded as one of the most difficult trekking days on this route. It begins at the back of Kothe, hidden behind the "Namaste Lodge". From here, the trail begins climbing gently through dense pine and rhododendron forest before descending down the Hinku Valley to meet with the river further downstream.

After being in the cold, high altitude for such an extended time, we were really enjoying the warm, sunny weather. We found a beautiful blue swimming hole on the river and a few of us took a dip.

Shortly after, the trail cuts back into the forest and climbs a ridge, passing a few small streams and some abandoned stone buildings. At the halfway point, there is a small village where we stopped for a hot noodle lunch.

This marks the start of the steep ascent up to Thuli Kharka, gaining altitude again quickly through sections of exposed, rocky meadows and dense pine jungle.

As we climbed, we had a fabulous view of Mera Peak, as well as, across the valley, the descending trail from Panch Pokhari that we used a week prior.

Approaching Thuli Kharka, we gained a small pass at just over 4300 meters and then descended gently before sharply climbing to another pass slightly higher than the one previously. This trail was not in great shape when we climbed, with signs of landslides and a narrowing, worn track.

Finally, we began the undulating path to Thuli Kharka, dropping down wild, rocky terrain and cutting the corner where the township suddenly appeared in view.

We stayed in a small, stone lodge run by a very friendly Sherpa lady who fed us one of the best dal baht meals we'd had so far and lit the fire just for us.

Day 15: Trek from Thuli Kharka to Lukla (2800 M) Via Zatrwa La (4610 M)

• Duration: 5-7 hours
• Total ascent: 425 m
• Total descent: 1855 m

The final day of trekking was upon us. Today, we'd climb the Zatrwa La Pass and drop nearly 2000 vertical meters back down to Lukla.

After an early start, we set off for the pass. The trail is clearly visible as it steeply winds up the hillside directly behind Thuli Kharka. On the way up, we were treated to great views of the village overlooking the rolling jungle hills of the Lower Himalayas below.

Following roughly an hour of trekking, we gained the Zatrwa La (Zatrwa Pass) at 4610 meters. At the top, we were surprised to see a small tea hut. We decided to drink tea and relaxed here for a brief moment before beginning the descent.

Immediately after the pass, the rocky trail descends slightly and then climbs yet another pass. From here, the long, steep descent begins all the way from Lukla. Honestly, this is one of the steepest sections of the Mera Peak hike and I would not like to have to climb it from the other side without any existing altitude acclimatization.

Soon, we descended back down to roughly 4000 meters and arrived at the small village of Kharkateng, where we sat and enjoyed lunch and met some shy kids who didn't mind their portrait taken.

Dropping below 4000 meters again, we began to gradually become immersed in increasingly denser forest terrain. Soon, we noticed Lukla in the distance, illuminated by sun rays bursting through the Himalayan clouds.

The rest of the final day was quite relaxing once the trail began to level off slightly to a comfortable decline. We passed several waterfalls and flowing streams where we filled our bottles.

Arriving at Lukla was a strange feeling. I noticed that the village had developed a lot in the past three years since I'd last been there. We celebrated the end of our self-guided trek to Mera Peak with burgers, milkshakes, and warm apple pie.

I recorded the hikes each day using my Garmin GPS watch. The GPX map and exact routes are available on my Strava.

Day 16: Fly to Ramechhap & MiniBus to Kathmandu

Unfortunately for us, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal had transferred all inbound and outbound Lukla flights to the village of Ramechhap. This meant we were unable to fly directly to Kathmandu airport. I tried to gather some information on how long this policy would last, but it seems it might be in place for a while.

On the advice of Jangbu Sherpa, we had purchased tickets for the following day, giving 2-3 extra days on top of our original itinerary. However, thanks to Jangbu, who seems to have contacts everywhere in the Khumbu, he changed our flights for this afternoon for us after a quick WhatsApp message.

However, due to busy flights, we were put on flight 11 out of 12, which meant waiting at a cafe for most of the day. We didn't mind the downtime and used the opportunity to catch up with the online world after two weeks off the grid.

The flight to Ramechhap was a smooth one, but I was a little bit nervous since the last time I was in Lukla, I witnessed a devastating plane crash that resulted in the deaths of the pilots and airport guards.

After roughly 15 minutes, we landed in the Nepali plains at the remote village of Ramechhap. From there, we jumped in a shared minibus (2000 Nepali Rupees), which took us and eight other passengers all the way to Kathmandu. This road is a typical Nepali road, with some nail-biting sections and hairpin turns on the edge of massive drops.

After six hours, we arrived in Thamel during peak traffic hours. We checked into the amazing Flock Hostel where we'd left our baggage and enjoyed a well-deserved wood fire pizza in town.

Options to Continue on from Mera Peak (Mera Peak to Island Peak or Baruntse)

Being an entry-level and relatively easy trekking peak, Mera Peak is often utilized to prepare for bigger ascents and more technical climbs like nearby Mount Baruntse (7162 m) or Makalu (8481 m).

Of course, these expeditions will need to be arranged with a guiding company.

However, it is possible to save some money for expeditions to nearby Khumbu peaks by trekking to Baruntse Base Camp (5640 m) independently from Khare after the Mera Peak summit. However, this route includes the infamous Amphu Lapcha pass, which is regarded as one of the toughest in Nepal. In fact, it is apparently more difficult than climbing Mera Peak or Island Peak. As a result, you'll need some proper mountaineering equipment for this pass. Refuge Lodge told me that they can organize a guide and gear for the Amphu Lapcha pass for the cost of $800 USD.

Alternatively, some trekkers combine Mera Peak with a climb of the popular trekking peak, Island Peak (Imja Tse 6150 m), or to prepare for an Ama Dablam (6812 m) expedition. It will take three days to reach the village of Chukhung from Khare via the Amphu Lapcha pass, where you will find the nearby Island Peak base camp.

Where to Stay in Kathmandu (Thamel) Before & After The Climb

The trekking and tourist hub in Kathmandu is called Thamel. This is where you will find all of the best trekking shops, hostels, restaurants, bars, and hotels in Kathmandu. If you're planning a trek in the Himalayas, you'll want to find a hotel or hostel that allows you to leave your luggage there until you return. Below are the three best accommodation options that offer this service.

• Kathmandu Guest House - long famous for being "the place" where climbers stay before big expeditions. Be prepared to meet lots of serious mountaineers going to or returning from major Himalayan expeditions.
• Aloft Kathmandu - overlooking the city from the heart of Thamel, Aloft is one of the best places to stay before big expeditions and is very popular with climbers and trekkers. You'll get access to a huge indoor pool, a massive gym, and a truly epic buffet breakfast.
• Flock Hostel - the best backpacker hostel in Thamel. This place has very clean dorms with curtains and private rooms with excellent views. There's also an amazing on-site cafe and restaurant serving delicious coffees and international meals and is rated #1 on Trip Advisor for breakfast and dinner in all of Kathmandu!

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FAQs About Climbing Mera Peak

More Himalayan Trekking & Climbing Posts

I hope that you've enjoyed this long blog post about climbing Mera Peak in Nepal. I wish you all the luck for your Mera Peak adventure! If you're on the fence about trekking agencies, I urge you to take the less-beaten path via Mahakulung or book a local Nepali Sherpa guide over a western guide to support these communities.

While you're here on my blog, make sure to check out some of my other trekking and climbing posts! I've written extensively about trekking and climbing in the Himalayas, Europe, and South America!

• 3 Best Trekking Travel Insurance Policies for High Altitude Hiking & Expeditions
• 31 Best Hikes in South Island New Zealand
• 36 Must-Do Hikes in Tasmania: The Ultimate Tasmania Hiking Guide
• Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek - The Complete Guide
• Federation Peak: Winter Summit Attempt - Tasmania
• Kala Patthar Trek - Everything You Need to Know
• The Best Lightweight Tripod for Backpacking, Hiking & Travel
• Three Passes Trek Itinerary & Independent Trekking Guide (2023)
• Training at HMI Darjeeling - (Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in India)
• Trekking Itinerary Gokyo Ri Sagarmatha National Park - Free Guide

The post Climbing Mera Peak (6476 m) in Nepal – Everything You Need to Know appeared first on We Seek Travel.

After years of hiking and trekking around the world, I was longing for the opportunity to embark on some more technical mountaineering ascents. However, growing up in Australia, a mostly flat nation with only one notable peak, didn’t offer many opportunities to hone my technical mountain skills.

So, I began researching the best ways to acquire those skills and quickly found that a Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) would be the best place to start. I’d done some trekking in the Himalayas before, including Nepal’s famous Three Passes Trek, so I knew that basic mountaineering adventure courses in the Himalayas would be right up my alley.

After a recommendation from a friend, I ended up enrolling in the BMC at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) in Darjeeling, West Bengal – a school with an international reputation and as one of India’s premier mountaineering institutes.

This article is aimed at informing those interested in enrolling at HMI, or those curious about Himalayan mountaineering schools in India. I’ve included tonnes of information about the BMC course and the institute, as well as a detailed day-by-day breakdown of my experience with an honest review of the course at the bottom of this post.

About HMI Darjeeling (Himalayan Mountaineering Institute)

HMI Darjeeling is one of the oldest and longest-running mountaineering institutes in the world. It was founded by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (India's first Prime Minister) and Tenzing Norgay in 1954, just one year after Sir Edmund Hillary and Norgay made the first successful ascent of Mount Everest (8848 m).

HMI's most popular course is the BMC, which attracts a long waiting list for Indians (more on this later), but they also offer the Advanced Mountaineering Course, Search and Rescue, Method of Instruction Course, and various special courses like the adventure courses (trekking and summits).

The institute is strangely located within the Darjeeling Zoological Park, meaning trainees and visitors must walk through the zoo to get to the institute's entrance gates. You'll find the entrance to this zoo on Lebong Cart Rd, a short walk from Chowrasta and Chauk Bazar, Darjeeling.

HMI is a government-run facility (jointly by the government of India and the Government of West Bengal). It's headed by the Defence Minister and the Chief Minister of West Bengal. As a result, the organization is much more militaristic, hierarchal, and bureaucratic than western climbing schools.

Tenzing Norgay: HMI Darjeeling is well-known in India and the global mountaineering world for being founded by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay (along with Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to summit Everest). Norgay served as the institute's first Director of Field Training and largely shaped the early course structures. Today, there is a memorial outside the HMI museum dedicated to Norgay.

Getting to Darjeeling

The easiest way to get to Darjeeling is to fly to the nearby domestic airport of Bagdogra. There are several flight routes connecting to Bagdogra via large Indian transit hubs like Delhi and Kolkata. Domestic flights in India, including routes to Bagdogra, are quite affordable, especially if you compare prices across airlines using tools like Skyscanner or CheapOAir.

From Bagdogra airport, it is very easy to arrange a taxi to Darjeeling on arrival. Simply walk past the baggage collection area and immediately before reaching the exit, turn left down the narrow hallway to a small taxi office. The official price for a taxi to Darjeeling is 1500 INR (approximately $18 USD), which is very fair for the long and very winding 3-4 hour drive.

Just be prepared, Darjeeling's second name is the Queen of Hills, and this is no exaggeration.

Transport Tip: Travelers can also pre-book a private airport transfer from Bagdogra Airport online which will save you the hassle of having to book one when you arrive.

Alternative Transport Options to Darjeeling

Alternatively, travelers can opt for slightly cheaper but much longer overland journeys to Darjeeling from cities across India.

If you use RedBus, you'll find an extensive network of inter-city buses running to the nearby city of Siliguri at affordable rates. From Siliguri, you'll need to take a taxi or shared Jeep to Darjeeling, which is easy to find at the arrival bus station and costs roughly 1500 rupees, and takes 3-4 hours.

There's also a train station in Siliguri, meaning you can use RedBus again to book train tickets from nearby cities including Kolkata.

Tip: In my opinion, sleeper buses in India are much more comfortable and more convenient than trains.

About the Basic Mountaineering Course

The Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) in India is a 28-day course designed to take beginner mountaineers (men & women) and provide them with all of the skills necessary to embark on expeditions up to 7,000 meters.

The course is split into theoretical (classroom lectures) and practical components covering topics such as the use of mountaineering equipment and technical clothing, rock craft, ice craft (glacier training), snow craft, etc.

The BMC is split up with an initial 8 days spent at the Himalayan Institute in Darjeeling, followed by a 4-day trek from Yoksum to HMI Base Camp at Chaurikhang, West Sikkim (4500 m). Then, trainees spend 10 days at the camp for field training and height gain, followed by a 2-day descent trek and 2-3 days of written tests, formalities, and graduation once back at HMI.

All mountaineering institutes in India offer a standardized course program for the BMC. This means that candidates looking to progress to the Advance course can do so at other schools as well. However, only candidates with a graduating score of A or above are permitted to progress to further mountaineering training in India.

Course schedules run during March, April, May, September, October, and November.

Indian climbing regulations: The BMC is a very popular course in India with a long waiting list. The reason is that its completion is a preliminary requirement for Indian citizens wanting to embark on an above 7,000-meter expedition in the Indian Himalayas. Strangely, the Indian government does not have any formal training restrictions for foreign nationals on any expedition. However, it may help if mountaineers apply for climbing permits themselves with the intent to climb alpine style.

Enrollment Process

The enrollment process for the BMC at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute varies greatly depending on whether you are a foreigner or an Indian national.

Unfortunately, I can't comment much on the Indian process. However, after speaking to people on my course, they've told me that in order for Indians to apply, they must put their names down and wait for up to two years. There are also Indian military slots and sponsorship slots from programs like the cadets. If you're an Indian reader, I recommend contacting HMI directly.

For non-Indians, there are foreigner slots available. These are separate from the regular waiting list slots for Indians and allow people from other nations to enroll as late as a few months in advance. However, foreigners (and Indians who want to pay full price for the early enrollment) have to pay the full course fees, which in 2022 was roughly $1000 USD (but seems as if is increasing yearly). Waiting list candidates pay a fraction of this.

Both Indians and foreigners will need to complete the enrollment form, as well as a very lengthy and thorough medical assessment form. The medical requires everything from an ECG to chest X-rays, which was frustrating for me as somebody who lives on the road.

In order to complete your enrollment, you'll also need to forward 10% of the course fees as a deposit after emailing a copy of your Application Form and Medical Form to the HMI staff.

Insurance for the BMC at HMI

Mountaineering insurance up to 5000 m+ is compulsory for all candidates at HMI Darjeeling. Since most travel insurance companies void coverage as soon as you step above 4500 m, I strongly recommend Global Rescue since their policies offer yearly or expedition-based coverage with no altitude caps.

Get Global Rescue

What to Expect From a Mountaineering Course at HMI Darjeeling

Before I dive into my day-by-day recap, here's a bit of information about the facilities at HMI Darjeeling.

The Institute (Campus)

The first thing you'll notice about the HIM campus is that it is quite big, with several wings and facilities. Below I've included a small list of these facilities, as well as some photos beneath.

• Javal Hall (auditorium) - a large lecture theatre hall capable of accommodating more than 225 students at a time. Used for lectures and training presentations.
• PTI Hall - a regular classroom with folding-table desks where HMI instructors deliver smaller lectures and classes.
• Library - a well-stocked library containing loads of mountaineering and travel books.
• Gym - small strength and fitness gym with a few weight machines and treadmills. Unfortunately, this was closed during my course.
• Indoor Rock Climbing Hall - basic indoor sports climbing wall.
• Outdoor Rock Climbing Wall - impressive 50' x 20' sport climbing wall with traditional lead, top rope, and speed climbing sections.

Lodging (Hostel)

True to Indian customs, the HMI campus hostel is split up into two wings– one for males and one for females. This means that couple enrollees will be separated.

The hostels are 3 stories high, with several rooms on each floor accommodating up to eight students in bunkbed-style dorms. There are also large metal lockers for each student in the room.

On each hostel floor is a bathroom with mostly Asian (squatter) toilets and a couple of showers. The hot water geezers only turn on in the morning.

Food (Dining Hall)

Trainees receive three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), served in a large, open dining hall.

These meals are mostly rice and dal based and are quite basic in terms of variety. Honestly, eating the same food for every meal was one of the most difficult parts for me on this course. At first, I thought it was me who needed to adjust to an Indian diet, but in the end, it seemed that the majority of the Indian candidates were also longing for variety.

The bonus here is that you are able to walk up and get as many servings as you want, assuming you finish your plate. Oh, and there are many, many "tea breaks" for chai and biscuits throughout the course, both on campus and at HMI Base Camp.

Equipment

Apart from a basic list of essential items like sports shoes for PT, trekking boots, gloves, and base layers, HMI provides all necessary mountaineering equipment and technical clothing required for the expedition to West Sikkim.

A basic list of the gear provided includes:

• Backpack (large 80L hiking backpack)
• Sleeping mat
• Sleeping bag
• Mess tin
• Down jacket
• Balaclava
• Rain jacket & pants
• Climbing harness
• Jumar, figure-8 descender, carabiners, piece rope
• Ice Axe
• Crampons

The overall quality of the equipment is good enough for the BMC. However, in terms of international mountaineering standards, the equipment is well– let's just say I wouldn't climb any serious peak with this gear.

Therefore, if you have your own equipment such as Gore-Tex shells or technical gear like an ice axe or crampons, I highly recommend bringing it for the course.

HMI Base Camp

The HMI Base Camp is located at Chaurikhang, West Sikkim at 4500 meters. The camp is positioned on a grassy hill just above the Rathong River and is surrounded by beautiful peaks including Rathong, the Kabru Mountains, Mount Frey, and Kokthang.

The facilities at Base Camp are quite impressive, offering a hut for accommodation (expedition tents for the Advanced course trainees), equipment rooms, toilets (squatter drop toilets), dedicated training areas, a medical office, and full kitchen.

Don't miss: Guide to Picking Trekking Travel Insurance (no altitude caps)

HMI Museum, Darjeeling Zoo, and Treetop Rope Course

As mentioned earlier, the HMI campus sits within the Darjeeling Zoo. In fact, the institute earns some money from tourists who visit HMI to tour the grounds. While initially, this made me feel a little strange since there'd be random families asking me for selfies, I quickly got over it.

Something else I didn't expect was that we were not allowed to leave the gates once we'd received our hostel slips, even to tour the zoo. Therefore, if it's your kind of thing, I'd dedicate some time to check it out before or after the course.

On the other hand, the HMI Museum, which I highly recommend, is within the walls of the institute, meaning candidates can visit during downtime. This museum features some historical items including Tenzing Norgay's Everest summit jacket and axe. This is also the oldest mountaineering museum in India.

Additionally, just outside the museum is a souvenir shop and a small cafeteria serving basic meals like momos or sandwiches, which were a great treat when we had the chance to visit.

The Treetop Course is a new addition inside the HMI Darjeeling grounds but is off-limits to candidates and really not worth the time in my opinion.

My Experience of the Basic Mountaineering Course at HMI

In this section, I'll provide a quick day-by-day recap of my experience in the Basic Mountaineering Course to help you understand what to expect. Of course, the BMC structure will likely not be exactly the same as you'll experience as some outdoor activities like rock climbing are weather dependent.

However, this will give you a good idea of what it's like undertaking the course at HMI Darjeeling, especially as a foreigner.

Day 0: Initiation and Checking into the HMI Hostel

We reached HMI Darjeeling just after midday on the scheduled arrival day. Upon arrival, we were greeted by administrative staff who then guided us through the introduction process.

This was quite straightforward, with just a few forms and documents to sign, as well as a brief medical report check. We were also offered the option to purchase insurance for 1000 Indian rupees which would cover us for the entire course. Shortly after, we were handed our Hostel Slip, which we passed to the quartermaster, who then assigned us our hostel rooms.

After quickly settling in, we were given a quick introduction in the Javal Hall (large auditorium), followed by our first dinner together. This was a good opportunity to meet the other trainees and get settled in for the course.

Day 1: Getting Settled into HMI Campus

The first day at HMI was all about getting prepared.

The day started at 6:50 am with the assignment of ropes, which are essentially small groups of 5-6 people that we'd stay in for the remainder of the course. Interestingly, the instructors split the 63 trainees up by region, then assigned ropes in a way that would mix people from different states of India (as well as one foreigner per rope).

First PT Session

Shortly after, we began our first PT (physical training) session. This involved a morning jog through the Darjeeling Zoo and around the soon-to-be familiar loop down Mall Road to Chowrasta that we'd run for the next week.

The first section of this easy 5-km jog involves a slight incline but I was surprised that the instructors really kept a very slow pace, to begin with (roughly 7.5-minute kilometers). Additionally, the jog was broken up with a short PT session at a nearby courtyard involving basic bodyweight exercises and stretches.

While this was not overly demanding by any means, I believe that this 1 hour PT session is structured to help trainees acclimatize to the 2000-meter altitude at the campus.

Campus Orientation

After a quick shower and Indian breakfast, we lined up (HMI calls it "Fall-In") in the courtyard in lines of ropes. This process involved the assignment of an alternating Rope Leader, which we would take turns being every two days.

The responsibility of the Rope Leader was to ensure that all other rope members were present when called. This would be a common occurrence for the next week following each break or meal.

Shortly after, the instructors walked us around the campus and introduced us to all of the facilities including:

• Indoor Rock Climbing Hall
• Library
• PTI Lecture Hall
• Outdoor Rock Climbing Area
• HMI Museum
• Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Plarque
• Equipment Wing
• Medical Wing

First Lectures

Next up, we were treated to a decent lunch followed by our first lecture on mountain equipment.

Final on-site Medicals

I was quite surprised at just how thorough HMI was with its medical inspections. Not only were we required to undergo some pretty thorough reports before arriving, but we were also inspected on day one by the onsite medical team.

This involved a quick checkup on our vitals, including blood pressure and heart rate, as well as weight and height reporting and a quick chat with the medical officer.

Receiving Our Mountaineering Equipment

After a quick chai tea break (get used to these), we were then instructed to report to the Equipment Wing to receive our assigned equipment. This equipment included:

• Rucksack
• Waterproof Jacket and Pants
• Massive Down Jacket
• Sleeping Bag & liner
• Mess Tin
• Harness & Hardware (Jumar, carabiners, etc)
• Woolen balaclava
• Water bottle
• Rappelling jacket

If we had brought some of our own equipment, including drink bottles, harnesses, etc, we were told that we didn't need to rent this and that we could use our own.

Evening Lecture

To wrap up the day we attended a 45-minute lecture on mountain manners and other formalities expected of us.

Day 2: Climbing Ropes & Knots

Just like on day 1, the second day started with a PT session commencing at 6:50 am. Again, we ran the same loop but this time at a gradually faster pace. I still found this to be very easy and was a little surprised at just how little physical effort was expected of us.

Following PT, we had roughly one hour to have a quick shower and eat breakfast together before fall in.

Morning Lecture: Rope

The first lecture of the day was held in the auditorium and contained useful information about rope use in mountaineering.

Practical: Learning Knots & Mountaineering Rope Use

After a quick tea break, we were asked to report to the Outdoor Climbing Area for a rope and knot learning session. I really enjoyed this session as we learned many different types of knots that we'd use every day for the rest of the course.

Some of the main knots and hitches used in the BMC at HMI Darjeeling include:

• Guideman knot
• MIddleman Knot
• Figure of eight
• Bowline (various methods)
• Bowline on the bite
• Reef knot, fisherman's knot, sheet bend
• Clove hitch

There were plenty of instructors present who were able to teach each of us the correct methods of tying these knots and hitches, as well as the practice of coiling rope.

Further Lectures

After lunch, we attended more lectures in the PTI hall. These were classes on the Himalayas and an introduction to rock climbing. We also finished up the day by watching an inspirational Everest movie.

Day 3: First Day at Tenzing Rock

Again, the day started with a progressively more difficult PT session. However, while the pace was faster than the previous days, it was easily managed and you will likely still find it too easy if you hold a decent level of fitness.

Rock Climbing at HMI Darjeeling Tenzing Rock

Day three was an exciting day as we were finally able to practice some rock craft. The main training ground for all rock work at HMI Darjeeling is a large boulder outcrop located less than two kilometers from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute campus and is known as Tenzing Rock.

This is a perfect rock for training as it features several grades of rock climbing pitches, space for rappelling, and even a decent chimney area. The first day at the rock involved basic rock climbing and belaying practice which again was quite straightforward and very easy for those with previous climbing experience.

However, on this particular day, the rock was quite wet which meant slippery conditions. We climbed until roughly 12:00 pm, whereby after which we made the walk back up to the HMI campus for lunch.

Afternoon Mountaineering Lectures

Following a hearty lunch, we attended the now-familiar afternoon lectures. This time the topics covered areas of mountaineering terms, as well as mountaineering hazards.

Day 4: More Rock Craft & HMI Lectures

Unlike the previous days, the morning PT session on day four was followed by a 30-minute guided yoga session. While it wasn't the best yoga session I've ever done, I was happy that the institute was including yoga in its course program.

Next, we headed back to Tenzing Rock for more climbing, belaying, and practical lessons on rock anchoring.

The afternoon included lectures on mountain clothing and environmental management in the mountains.

Day 5: First "Hike" and Rappelling at Tenzing Rock

On Day 5 we were instructed not to undergo morning PT. Instead, we were told to prepare a 15-kilogram rucksack for a 10-kilometer training hike around Darjeeling and down to Tenzing Rock.

The purpose of this was to prepare trainees for an upcoming fitness test before heading to the HMI base camp.

In all honesty, I felt a longing for some nature trails at this stage and would have preferred the hike to feature some of the beautiful hiking trails in Darjeeling. Instead, we marched in a long loop that finished at Tenzing Rock.

Rappelling Practice

After spending the past two days at the rock, we had completed all of the climbing routes, as well as the anchor fixing training and chimney route. So, the next two days were dedicated to rappelling practice.

We were taught direct rappelling techniques without hardware such as stomach rappelling, shoulder rappelling, and side rappelling, as well as indirect rappelling using the figure eight descenders.

Similarly to the previous days, the time at the rock finished at 12:00 pm so we could make it back to the HMI campus by 1 pm for our lunch.

Afternoon lectures

Afternoon lectures on day eight featured classes on tents in mountaineering and a basic first aid course.

Day 6: Day at Tenzing Rock

We kicked off the sixth day with a regular PT session followed by another yoga class. This time, I was much more impressed with the yoga flows and instruction. After this, we headed back to Tenzing Rock and completed another rappelling and climbing session.

It was quite inspiring to see so many trainees gain so much confidence with climbing, belaying, and rappelling so quickly.

The afternoon lectures included a class led by the on-site medical officer on high altitude sicknesses including AMS, HAPE, and HACE. The final class was a very informative one about map reading.

Day 7: Tenzing Rock and Indoor Climbing

Originally, day 7 was reserved for a physical fitness hiking test. However, due to a landslide on the way to base camp, our trek, and consequently the test, was pushed back by two days.

Instead of the test (which was held on day 9), we kicked off the day with another PT lesson followed by rappelling sessions at Tenzing Rock.

This time, we got to try out long-line rappelling on the steep face, which was much more exhilarating.

Afterward, we returned to the HMI campus to do some indoor rock climbing followed by a short movie and an afternoon of free time on campus.

Day 8: Jumar Practice & Stretcher Training

The day started off with a light jog, followed by a 30-minute yoga session. At this point, everybody in the course was getting much fitter and more used to the altitude.

Jumar Ascending on Tenzing Rock

Due to the fact that our glacier training at base camp was pushed back by two days, the instructors brought us back to Tenzing Rock for a day of Jumar ascending. This lesson is usually reserved for Base Camp, however, the teams did well to set up a decent ascent practice on the steep side of the short face.

Jumars are the main tool for most mountaineers looking to climb on expeditions with a Sherpa or guide. As a result, we really tried to take it all in and learn as much as possible.

Rope Stretcher Making

Following another decent lunch in the mess hall, the course was brought up to the courtyard opposite the HMI museum. Here, we were taught how to make an improvised rope stretcher from a 50-meter rope.

Our Rope instructor also took some time to give us one-on-one training on some of the main knots that we were struggling with.

Day 9: Pandem Trekking Test (fitness Test)

Before the BMC course heads out to the base camp for field and glacier training, passing a basic fitness test is required. Originally, this test was meant to happen on day 7. However, due to the pushed-back departure date, our course group underwent this test on day 9.

The test involved a simple 14-kilometer trek carrying a minimum of 15 kilograms of gear. The passing time was under 3 hours, which we were made to agree on. If we weren't able to complete the trek within this time frame, we'd be asked to leave the course. In fact, we even had to sign a waiver before the test to accept this condition.

While this seems harsh at first, it does have logistical merit. The coming days of trekking to the glacier would be much harsher, and any individuals who weren't able to complete this basic trek would experience major issues down the line.

The trek forms a long loop starting with a gradual descent down to the nearby Darjeeling tea plantations before climbing a rather steep, switchback road back to Chowrasta, with a final stretch to the HMI Darjeeling campus. The view on the way was quite refreshing after spending so much time at the Darjeeling campus. Sweeping valleys of tea trees merged into rolling hills of Middle Himalayan jungle landscapes. In the distance, small glimpses of snow-capped peaks penetrated the thick morning fog.

In the end, I was able to complete the trek in two hours and three minutes with a decent level of fitness but little altitude exposure over the past few months. While so far the PT had been much too easy, this trek was quite difficult, especially for us who set the pace quite high.

Unfortunately, several trainees from my course were unable to complete this test within the required time restraints. As a result, they were asked to leave the following day.

See Pandem Trek map: My Strava

Tips for the Pandem Test: The first 7 kilometers of the Pandem test involves a gradual decline down to the valley of tea plantations. I recommend setting a decent pace and taking advantage of this section by alternating between a slow jog and a downhill powerwalk. However, the last 5 kilometers involve an increasingly steeper ascent, with about 500 meters of elevation gain. Try to set a slow steady pace for this uphill stretch and just keep walking and you'll make it within 3 hours.

Avalanche Lecture

After an easy day hanging out at the campus following the Pandem test, our instructors gave us an informative lecture on avalanche safety and rescue. This was one of my favorite lectures so far, with tonnes of useful information for staying safe in avalanche-prone areas, and gave us the opportunity to try tracker beacons.

Day 10: Preparing for Sikkim

On Day 10 we received good news from our instructors, the landslides had been cleared and we were off to Basecamp tomorrow! 

But first, we set off on the final PT session, an easy and very familiar loop to Chowrasta and back to the HMI campus. 

Following the PT we had a fall-in order and the instructors gave us a thorough rundown of how and what to pack for the upcoming expedition. 

Then, we had the rest of the day off. So, we packed our bags, toured the Darjeeling Zoo (which was actually slightly depressing), and spent some quality time with the crew, some of whom were, unfortunately, leaving the next day due to a failed Pandem test time. 

Day 11: Journey to Yuksom

The air was filled with excitement on day 11. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t eager to get out of the HMI campus. Don’t get me wrong, the place is great, but spending 10 straight days in the same hostel, eating the same food, and being unable to leave was kind of getting to me. 

Following the morning fall-in, we loaded our backpacks onto the Tata 4x4 “Jeeps”. There were four foreigners in our course, of which I was one. Our instructors told us all to ride in the same car, as we required a special passport screening at the border of Sikkim.

In total, we crammed eight passengers into the 5-seater 4x4, with an additional 200 kilograms or so worth of backpack weight on the roof racks.

I’ve been down some sketchy roads in my life, but I’d have to say the road from Darjeeling to Yuksom has to be up there with some of the worst. 

The journey of 93 kilometers was meant to take us 6 hours but ended up dragging out to around 10 due to multiple landslides which needed to be cleared for the HMI Darjeeling convoy to pass.

The fact that our driver had a habit of speeding up around corners made the experience even more nail-biting. 

However, in the end, we arrived at the top of Yuksom, where several A-frame tents and hot dal waited for us. Yuksom is a small village on the edge of Kanchenjunga National Park and the former capital of the kingdom of Sikkim.

This was a good place to stock up on some trail snacks and enjoy civilization before departing for Base Camp.

Now, it was time to relax after the long journey, and prepare for the long trek to HMI Basecamp at Chaurikhang and Rathong Glacier over the coming days.

Day 12: Trek from Yuksom to Tshoka

After a rather uncomfortable night’s sleep in a wet, soggy tent, we fell in at 7 am and prepared for the long, 16-kilometer trek from Yuksom to Tshoka. 

Unfortunately for us, the monsoon was dragging out this year, which meant a long, arduous journey through dense jungle with enduring rainfall beating down on us for the majority of the day. 

Truthfully, this was a challenging trek of closer to 19 kilometers as recorded on my Garmin watch. The incline for the day, including the undulating sections, added up to a total of 1550 meters, which a lot of trainees struggled with.

The trek itself involved several undulating sections on a wet, muddy trail. Furthermore, the trail was in poor shape. There were at least three serious landslides that had all but washed away the trail. As a result, HMI’s beasts of burden couldn’t accompany us on the trek. Instead, we all pitched in and carried an extra 2 kg of potatoes and Maggi noodles to help with food supplies on the way to HMI Darjeeling’s base camp beside the glacier.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a welcome relief to arrive at Tshoka (3000 meters) where we were greeted with dry cabin rooms and to our surprise, even some cardboard-thin mattresses.

The trek from Yuksom to Tshoka took us 8 wet hours. Unfortunately, the rain had penetrated our rucksack covers, resulting in the majority of our gear being soaked (including my passport) I highly recommend anyone doing a mountaineering course in India, especially in the wet altitude regions, purchase an internal plastic bag liner or dry bag for their gear.

Day 13: Acclimatization in Tshoka

The original plan for Day 13 was to stay in Tshoka and complete an acclimatization hike to help us get used to the rapidly increasing altitude. However, the morale was low in our class, with many people facing the grim reality of soaked boots, down jackets, and base layers.

To add to this, it took some members much longer to arrive in Tshoka, with a few making it in well after nightfall. 

So, our instructors decided to schedule day 13 as a rest day at the village. Luckily for us, Mother Nature gifted us a few bright hours of sunlight which did wonders for our wet gear and equipment. Fortunately, I was able to dry the majority of my gear by wearing wet clothes in the sun and using the wise strategy taught to me by my mate Ryan of wearing socks in my wet boots, and wringing them out every 10 minutes or so to absorb the water.

Other than the day-long battle against moisture, we enjoyed the peaceful vibes of Tshoka, which contained a beautiful tarn wrapped in prayer flags, as well as a small monastery and grazing yaks.

Day 14: Tshoka to Dzongri

Following a successful rest day in Tshoka, it was time to continue the trek to Dzongri, a small settlement at an altitude of 3940 meters. At a time schedule of 5, 6, and 7 (5 am for tea, 6 am for breakfast, and 7 am for departure) we headed off on the steep climb.

The ascent began immediately and continued through the beautiful silver pine and rhododendron forest. If it wasn’t for the fair weather, this trek would have surpassed the previous haul in terms of difficulty. We gained a total of 1058 meters in elevation gain over just 7.1 kilometers.

The highest point was at the 5.5-kilometer mark, a 4030-meter ridge marked by cairns and colorful prayer flags. We sat here for a moment to rest following the stew climb, before descending another 100 meters or so to Dzongri. 

Dzongri is a beautiful little village sitting beside a gentle stream and comprising a few huts and a small merchant stall offering snacks and other rarities in these wild regions. 

We purchased some chocolates, scoffed down our well-earned dal lunch, and then following not more than 15 minutes of rest, we departed for an acclimatization hike to a high viewpoint above Dzongri at 4155 meters (Dzongri Top).

This was a gentle walk without any load and led us to what we were told was a magnificent view of Kanchenjunga and surrounding peaks. Unfortunately, the clouds weren’t offering us any views, but it was still a nice way to wrap up a long day of hiking. 

The accommodation at Dzongri was large A-frame tents shared by 6-7 HMI trainees. 

Goechala Trek: The first few days of the trip to the Indian Himalayan Mountaineering Institutes' base camp follows the trekking route called the Goachala Trek. While nowhere near as popular as trails in Ladakh or Uttarakhand, this trek is arguably just as beautiful, finishing with amazing views of Mount Kanchenjunga.

Day 15: Dzongri to HMI Base Camp

Finally, it was time to embark on the final ascent to the HMI Base Camp (4500 m). Just as the day before, we packed up our gear and began trekking at 7 am. 

The trek was approximately 10.5 kilometers and involved a steady, gentle incline towards Dzongri La, a pass situated just 100 meters lower than the Himalayan Mountaineering Institutes’ famous base camp. From this pass, we descended gently into the Rathong glacial valley below to approximately 4000 meters, crossed the Rathong River, and began the gentle climb back up the ridge to base camp.

At this stage, we were kicking ourselves for the luck we brought. Yet again the day was foggy and not a single peak managed to penetrate the thick clouds. Apparently, Kangchenjunga (8586 m), the world's third tallest mountain, is normally visible from the Dzongri La section on a clear day.

However, we were still able to make it to base camp by 1:30 pm, which was acceptable considering the many mandatory breaks we were forced to endure.

The rest of the afternoon was spent getting accustomed to our new home for the week ahead. We sat outside waiting for the clouds to clear to witness the famous Himalayan view but again, had no luck on this front.

Our assigned accommodation was in “Tisco Hut”, a wide dorm-style hut with a single bunk bed row spanning roughly 15 meters across. In this hut, just over 50 men were able to secure a spot for their mattress, which would be our “bed” for the next week. 

Day 16: First Day at HMI Base Camp

After a surprisingly sound sleep, we were woken up at 4 am by enthusiastic coursemates who apparently have no concept of silence while others sleep.

I’m talking loud chatting, dramatic yawning, and even music playing while four dozen other people were trying to sleep… Besides the rude awakening, the first day at HMI Base Camp was quite enjoyable.

We began the day with a short hike to a viewpoint above the base camp, where we had a lecture on surrounding peaks. Unfortunately, the clouds were still too stubborn to part, and we were left questioning whether or not these peaks existed or not.

After returning to base camp, our instructors assigned us “central equipment”, including ropes, carabiners, and pitons, as well as 6000-meter snow boots, an ice axe, and crampons.

The rest of the afternoon was spent getting accustomed to the gear, with a theory lecture on glacier climbing and using our new boots. 

The same hindering landslides that challenged us on the journey from Yuksom to Thoka also meant that mules and yaks were unable to make the same journey. The result was limited food rations for the trek from Yuksom and at base camp. Needless to say, we were all very sick of dal and rice, which was the only thing we ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

Day 17: First Glacier Training Day

After over two weeks, it was finally time to train on the Rathong Glacier. Today also marked the first day of the official end of the Monsoon, and it did so in fashion, with the clouds clearing during our morning chai to finally reveal the beautiful surrounding Sikkim peaks.

Visible were the icy peaks of the Kabru mountain group including Rathong (6678 m) and Kokthang (6148 m), as well as Mount Frey (6010 m) and BC Roy (5480 m).

After breakfast, we hiked for 2.5 hours along the sandy moraine to reach the Rathong Glacier, where we donned our harnesses and strapped on our crampons.

Next, we teamed up in our ropes and practiced several glacial traverse techniques including ascending and descending with various methods of ice axe and crampon techniques.

In total we spent roughly 3 hours at the glacier before turning back, arriving at HMI Basecamp at 2:30 pm. 

After lunch, we all crammed into the tiny mess hut and were given a thorough lecture on glaciers.

Day 18: Ice Climbing on Rathong Glacier

Just like the morning prior, the clouds conformed to their seasonal October shift that marked the end of Sikkim’s seasonal monsoon and awarded us with a spectacularly clear mountain morning.

After breakfast, we once again set off for the glacier training area, this time with more confidence in the use of technical ice climbing equipment. 

The 2-hour walk out to the glacier is one I certainly didn’t mind repeating. The winding labyrinth through the Rathong moraine is spectacularly beautiful, with the Kabru peaks and the three Forked Peaks staring down on us from their high perch.

Below are some mountain shots I captured on the way.

All photographs on this blog post are taken by me and available for purchase as fine art prints or for commercial licensing. Please contact me for more information or read about how to use my images for free.

Today’s lesson involved double ice axe climbing, this time up a 20-meter ice wall while belayed on a top rope. The purpose of this glacier training was to get more experience and confidence using our crampon front points to balance on a vertical ice face.

After a few hours of training, we returned to HMI Basecamp content with a solid day of Himalayan mountaineering training. After lunch, our instructors told us that we had the remainder of the day off, and we hung out around the camp and enjoyed being in one of the most beautiful regions on earth.

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Day 19: Aid Climbing and River Crossing Practice

Today marked the fifth day of living at 4500 meters, and our bodies were finally getting more adjusted to the altitude. After another magnificent, cloudless morning, we fell in and separated in ropes at three different stations around camp.

Throughout the day, we rotated between these stations, which involved training specific river crossing techniques including travel traverse and suspension traverse, as well as climbing rock faces with the use of double Jumar (chest and foot jumar), and a very informative map reading activity. In all honesty, this was my personal favorite day of the HMI basic mountaineering course so far, with fabulous weather and fun, informative training activities. 

In the afternoon, all trainees reported for a late afternoon demonstration on rope fixing and ascending on a fixed rope, which would prepare us for the next day’s glacier training session. 

Day 20: Bad Weather in Sikkim

Unfortunately, our clear weather luck had run out on day 20.

Rain poured from midnight and well into the day. The result was a postponed day of glacier training. Instead, we practiced one of the most essential skills in mountaineering- patience. We hung out at HMI Base Camp, played cards, and prayed for good weather in the coming days.

Luckily the clouds began to clear in the late afternoon, which meant our instructors could host a demonstration on ice axe self-arrest techniques on the grassy slopes near advanced mountaineering course tents.

Day 21: Jumar Ascent on Rathong Glacier

The poor weather persisted through the night and into the early morning. Nerves were high as our instructors postponed the daily fall-in by an hour to keep an eye on weather conditions. However, in the end, we decided to push on to the glacier in the rain as otherwise, we would have missed out on one of the most essential mountaineering skills for future expeditions- ascending on a fixed line using a jumar and crampons. 

The weather worsened as we approached the glacier, but we pushed through and were able to get a few solid hours of jumar training under our belt. As we returned to base camp, the sun poked through the fog, signifying the start of a lovely rest of the afternoon in which we were offered a lecture on crevasse rescue.

Day 22: Final Glacier Training Day

After a week at HMI base camp, the final glacier training day was finally upon us.

Following an early start, we made the final trek over the golden hills, through the boulders and dark earth of the moraine, and onto the glacier. Today, our instructors set up several training stations, including a crevasse rescue exercise using C-pulley and Z-pulley systems, an ice piton fixing station, and two glacier climbing exercises using jumars and ice axes.

At the conclusion of the drills, we all took some celebratory photos together on Rathong Glacier, before turning back and trekking back to base camp through the rain. Once we arrived, we fell in and were prepped for the following day, where we were to climb a nearby rocky peak called Renok (Black Peak).

Day 23: Height Gain on Renok Peak

The mountains gifted us with a beautiful clear morning on our final full day at HMI base camp, where we were set to climb a nearby rocky peak called “Black Peak” or “Renok Peak”.

The trek began on the opposite end of the camp from the now very familiar route to the glacier. The trail bent around some sweeping hills and undulated lightly through a beautiful clear valley, with the Fork Peaks, Kapru Dome, and Kapru South in full view for the majority of the morning.

After about an hour and a half, we began a short-lived but steep ascent before arriving at a boulder field. Here, we strapped into our harnesses and roped up in groups of 5 to make the light scramble to the summit. Disappointingly for me, this was quite an easy climb that required very little technical effort. However, it was clear that this was the first time several people on our course were exposed to scrambling on semi-exposed rock.

As a result, the climb took much longer than it should have. At the summit, we were told the altitude of this peak pushed beyond 5000 meters. Conversely, a quick map search confirmed my Garmin’s altimeter’s reading of just below 4,800 meters. Disappointingly, we were told that if we wanted to climb Frey Peak or anything above 5500 meters, we would have to return for the advanced mountaineering course at HMI. 

This was contradictory to what I'd been told by HMI staff when I signed up. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining but this is good to know for those of you interested in getting a climb in for "height gain" day.

That afternoon, we fell in for the last afternoon session and returned our central equipment and glacier training gear including snow boots, crampons, and ice axes. Our instructors also briefed us on the coming trek back to Yuksom which would begin early the following day.

Day 24: The Sikkim Descent: HMI Base Camp to Tshoka

We awoke on the morning of day 24 at 4:30 am to pack our bags and fall in for the final time at HMI Base camp.

Today, we had a long trek ahead, this time again with heavy loads but the distance would be doubled from the route up as our goal was Tshoka, 1,500 meters lower.

We internalized our goodbyes to the silver peaks and corrugated iron huts that had been our home for the past week and began the rolling descent down the Rathong Valley towards Dzongri La (Dzongri Pass)

It took us one day to cover the distance we did in two the week prior and arrived at Tshoka at around 3:30 pm.

Day 25: Tshoka to Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

The final descent from Tshoka back to Yuksom involved a knee-burning 1,500-meter total elevation drop over the wet and muddy 15-kilometer path through the Sikkim foothills. We set a decent pace from the onset but unfortunately, our instructors committed to overly-frequent rest stops to wait for the group to catch up as one, which put a hamper on the overall enjoyment of the trek for me.

I'm never in the rush to finish a trek, but constantly stopping every 10 minutes for a break really breaks up the flow of the hike and is one thing I struggled with.

Nevertheless, this region, while wet, muddy, and leech-filled is undeniably beautiful. Dense rainforest covers the majority of the path, frequently crossing pure streams sourced from megalithic waterfalls draping the ever-rising slopes. 

We arrived at Yuksom at roughly 3:00 pm, polished off a quick meal of rice and dal, and set off for HMI in our jeep convoy.

Again, as foreigners we stopped at the border checkpoint out of Sikkim to stamp our passports, arriving at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute Campus by 6:30 pm.

Day 26: HMI Sports Climbing Competition

To most accustomed to the comforts of regular life, the bunk beds at HMI are far from what we’d call luxury. But, after spending close to a fortnight sleeping on a few planks of wood lined by a 5 mm thin yoga mat in a narrow, tunneled hut shared by over 50 men at altitude– the first night back at HMI felt irrationally lavish. 

Waking up from a long, uninterrupted sleep, we ate breakfast and fell in at the courtyard. Our instructors prepared us for the coming two final days, which would involve a sports climbing competition, returning our equipment, and the final graduation.

The first thing in store for us was the sports climbing competition. We were hoping that this would be held on the big outdoor wall, but it ended up being a simple, timed route on the indoor wall. We’d only get one chance to reach the top, following the marked route, and the fastest person to complete it would win. To my surprise, only four people managed to complete the route from the entire batch.

Then, once everyone had climbed, we gathered our equipment, including all the trekking gear, harness sets, and rented clothing, and returned it to the Equipment Room in a rope-wise manner.

Day 27: Graduation 

The final day at HMI involved little learning or physical training but was a good practice in patience for the long, arduous bureaucratic formalities expected of an Indian government institute.

It took 2.5 hours for us to line up and wait for each student to receive a pin, followed by a quick handshake from the president. In the end, I was certainly glad the "graduation ceremony" was over.

Regardless, as soon as it was, we all enjoyed taking group photos, congratulating each other, and sharing an overall sense of accomplishment.

Usually, candidates would stay an additional night after graduation and depart the following morning after breakfast. However, a couple of us had arranged for an early departure following the graduation, which meant we quickly had to run around the campus for a final cut of the red tape to attain clearance signatures from all offices to leave.

Departing HMI left me with mixed emotions. I would be lying if I said I wasn't happy to be finished, but the memories and experience I'd earned at HMI will stick with me for life.

Preparing For the BMC at the Darjeeling Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

Decided that you're going to take the plunge and commit to the 28-day Basic Mountaineering Course at HMI Darjeeling? Here are a few tips for preparation.

Recommended Gear

As mentioned in the above equipment section, HMI Darjeeling provides the majority of the equipment that you'll need.

However, if you're serious about mountaineering, it's a good idea to invest in some technical equipment of your own. If you're going to do so, then buying this for the course is a good idea, since you'll get to practice with the gear that you'll actually use to summit peaks in the future.

Recommended gear for mountaineers that you might want on the course include:

• Good weatherproof jacket - GoreTex or similar membranes are ideal but expensive. Don't be one of those guys bringing an umbrella to a mountaineering expedition!
• Warm base layers - essential at high altitudes
• Deodorant - please guys!
• Water bottle filter - unfortunately, this Gora got stomach problems due to the water after drinking unfiltered. After this I filtered all my water using my Grayl GeoPress water bottle - highly recommend water bottle filters to any serious adventurer instead of straw filters.
• Climbing harness - lightweight harnesses are better for high-altitude expeditions
• Ice Axe - the ones that HMI provides are a little outdated, blunt and straight, non-technical variations
• Crampons- similarly, having your own crampons means you can keep them sharp, making glacial traverses and front-pointing much easier and safer
• 6000 m+ snow boots - a second pair of boots that are essential for glacier training and high-altitude expeditions. The boots provided by HMI are cheaper, hard-plastic boots. Good brands for comfort, safety, and longevity are La Sportiva, Millet, Scarpa, and similar
• GoPro - the most versatile camera to capture memories. I recommend a 3M mount as well to record climbing (fixed to your helmet)
• Hiking Backpack - I used the HMI backpack, however, I recommend bringing your own as I was not a fan of the mount. A 60-70L pack is recommended for the course.
• Multiple pairs of socks - I recommend bringing 3-4 pairs of trekking socks at least.
• Sleeping bag - the one provided is adequate but has been used by hundreds of people before you. If you're hygiene-conscious, it's a good idea to bring your own. A -20ºC bag is a good option.
• Sleeping mat - the yoga mat-style sleeping mate provided does the job but is not very comfortable. The Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite is a great option if you're planning on future expeditions.

How I Stay Connected Off-Grid

I've been using the Garmin InReach Mini satellite communicator for all serious treks and expeditions since 2020. It lets me send unlimited SMS anywhere on earth and has an emergency SOS feature that could save your life.

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Fitness

While I can confirm that the course is not overly physically demanding for those of us who have spent a fair bit of time trekking or embarking on other adventure activities, it was clear that many candidates did not take preparation seriously. Hence, several failed the Pandem Test and were not permitted to continue on the trek to HMI Base Camp.

On the other hand, it was clear after day one of PT that I overprepared physically. Overall, the PT was much too easy and didn't provide much benefit for me, nor did the tests provide the challenge that I was looking for.

HMI provides a recommended pre-course training program. However, I don't think this is a very good one for the activities you'll be performing.

As a baseline, I recommend that every candidate prepares by working up to sustaining a 5-6 kilometer run with an incline. I also recommend doing physical exercises like pushups, situps, and squats, which will help with PT and overall strength for climbing.

Additionally, if you have access to a climbing wall in your town or city, getting some basic rock climbing experience will also come in handy.

Alternative Mountaineering Institutes in India

While HMI is arguably the most famous mountaineering school in India, there are several others to consider as well.

The most reputable schools include:

• Nehru Institute (NIM) - Uttarkashi
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS) - Manali
• Jawahar - Pahalgam

I have heard great things about both Nehru Institute and ABVIMAS and spoken to instructors from both schools who highly recommend their courses.

There are several other institutes including one in nearby Gangtok., However, these are reserved for military training only.

Final Review: Would I recommend HMI to Aspiring Mountaineers?

If you've read my comprehensive day-by-day breakdown, then you know that I have both great and not-so-great things to say about HMI Darjeeling.

Pros

Overall, I would certainly recommend anybody who is serious about acquiring as many mountaineering skills as possible for the most cost-effective price. Climbing schools in the Alps and North America ask for upwards of $8,000 for condensed versions of these courses (10-14 days). Comparably, HMI's course costs an eighth of this.

On the other hand, if you instead choose to embark on some organized 6000-meter expeditions to begin learning mountaineering skills, I'd say that you'd have to complete at least 3 or 4 to get the same level of practical experience as the BMC. Again, this would cost several thousand dollars anywhere in the Himalayas, including Nepal.

In terms of value for money, the BMC at HMI is a no-brainer.

Furthermore, training on the Rathong Glacier is amazing. West Sikkim is one of the most picturesque and remote regions of the Himalayas, and you will be training on blue ice beneath some of the world's most majestic peaks. In fact, this region is blocked off to the public, and only military and HMI candidates are permitted here!

For foreigners, spending time in India is also a valuable experience. Although you'll undoubtedly get hit with some culture shock, Indian people are among some of the friendliest on earth and you'll make some lifelong friends in this course. Even though I had traveled in India extensively prior to this, I was still surprised by just how welcoming and kind Indians are to foreigners.

Lastly, several of the instructors are incredibly experienced, with huge mountaineering feats like the seven summits under their belts. This offers a good opportunity to learn from highly skilled and respected mountaineers.

Cons

Training at HMI, or any mountaineering institute in India, has in my opinion, some pitfalls.

Firstly, the course structure and content are quite regimented. While both Nepal and western climbing nations shifted to a more effective and flexible, small-team approach decades ago, India still sticks to its militaristic view of mountaineering.

For example, the majority of alpine ascents in India are still completed by military regiments rather than small groups of dedicated mountaineers. Being a government institute, HMI embraces this approach in its training and its teaching of alpine climbing. Of course, as a foreigner leaving HMI, I'm far more likely to climb on smaller expeditions of 4-8 people, rather than upwards of 30 in a hierarchical, military fashion– so, much of the structural and cultural elements that HMI teach is wasted on me.

Of course, this has mixed perceptions, but in my view, this is an outdated and ineffective approach to mountaineering.

Consequently, while at the institute, you are treated like an army cadet, not an aspiring climber. Expect strict rules and limits on your freedom of movement (even after training hours), as well as having to line up and wait for hours to listen to bureaucratic nonsense. The most frustrating part for me as a western climber is being forced to pay respects to titles, even to those individuals who have never stepped foot on a summit- I look forward to the day that India starts to acknowledge that respect is earned by character and merit, not given in titles.

Don't get me wrong, I would embrace a regimented schedule if the course coordinators were able to stick to it themselves. Unfortunately, you'll be standing around a lot in this course as organization and coordination is severely lacking. As a single, simple example (trust me, there are many), instead of breaking up the course into segments for each activity, 60+ candidates get asked to stand in a line and wait for their turn to climb an artificial wall once, all while a dozen instructors watch on. There are loads of examples like this that you'll endure throughout the course– but I think you get my point.

Unfortunately, as an Indian candidate told us. This is an Indian Government institute. While they've had over six decades to solve their issues, things apparently don't change with these types of structures.

Conclusion

I apologize for the above rant. However, my goal as always is to provide you with the most honest account in my reviews. In order to do that, I have to let you in on both the good and the bad.

With that said, even with all of the pitfalls and frustrating moments at HMI, I would certainly recommend the experience to anybody serious about beginning their mountaineering journey.

Looking back now, this was one of the most memorable adventure travel experiences I've had to date.

Some of the people that I had the privilege of meeting will be friends for life. And, the experience that I gained in Sikkim, along with the knowledge passed down to me at the HMI campus has already proved to be extremely useful in the mountains.

However, aspiring mountaineers who value their time more than their money would do better training at a European or North American mountaineering school, where the structure and systems are more fine-tuned to modern alpine climbing.

More Photos from the BMC With HMI Darjeeling

More Adventure Inspiration After The Mountaineering Course

I hope that you've enjoyed this comprehensive blog post about training at the HMI Darjeeling mountaineering institute in India. While you're still here on my blog, check out some of my other guides to India below for more adventure travel inspiration.

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• 3 Best Trekking Travel Insurance Policies for High Altitude Hiking & Expeditions
• 7 Best Taj Mahal View Point Locations in Agra, India 2023
• 71+ Inspiring Travel Instagram Captions & Quotes
• Climbing Mera Peak (6476 m) in Nepal - Everything You Need to Know
• India Itinerary 1 Month Journey - Best Things to do in India in 2023
• Travel Packing List for India: What You Need to Bring On a Trip to India
• Where to Find the Blue City in Jodhpur - Rajasthan, India 2023

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