Ama Dablam Climb Expedition – Nepal

General overview

Mount Ama Dablam – Cost $6,450, (6,812 metres / 22,349 feet, located in Nepal, just 12 miles / 20 kilometres from Everest, is perhaps the most visually striking mountain in the world. The Ama Dablam expedition offers members the opportunity to ascend moderately technical, but very climbable snow, ice, and rock surrounded by stunning Himalayan views)

Easy, fun solid rock & mixed climbing, Safe fixed ropes the expedition is Perfect for beginner, novice and expert climbers. The upper camps on Ama Dablam are world-renowned for their exposure. The Mountain offers coveted expedition for novices and expert climbers alike.

Quick Facts

• Located just 7 miles / 12 km from Everest, with stunning views from the summit.
• Good granite scrambling. Only one pitch is 12 m / 40 ft of UIAA French 4, British Severe, USA 5.6, Aus 14.
• We review skills, train for rock and ice climbing & conduct fixed rope training on cliffs around basecamp.
• Average team size is 6. During 9 prior climbs we were successful in putting 45 members and 30 Sherpas on the summit.
• Short walk to grassy base camp at 4,500 m / 14,500 ft on snow-free paths through Khumbu valley. Green terraced villages, rushing rivers, lush forests, stay in `teahouses’, camp beneath towering peaks.Full Service Expedition: British, American, or European leader, Sherpas, hotels, internal flights, yaks, porters, ropes, tasty meals on trek, in basecamp & high camp, group climbing equipment, individual tents, radios, international calls, news updates.

Ama Dablam : Our full-service expedition includes:

• British, European, and American leader
• Expert climbing Sherpas for the group (personal Sherpas available upon request)
• Full service trek to base camp with all teahouses and all meals
• Round trip return flights for you and your gear from KTM-Lukla and Lukla to KTM
• Personal equipment check in KTM and guided shopping trips for renting/hiring and purchasing
• Meeting you at the airport and airport transfer to the hotel
• Yak transport of all equipment to and from basecamp
• Skillful base camp cooks
• Three meals each day, on trek, in basecamp, and at high altitude above basecamp
• Group emergency equipment, medical equipment and satellite phone
• Private tents in basecamp (no sharing)
• Comfortable base camp with dining mess tent, tables and chairs, showers, bathroom, and solar charger
• Guided training on cliffs and glaciers around basecamp
• All ropes, tents and high altitude climbing equipment.
• Full high altitude service to the summit and back
• All permit fees and liaison officers
• Two nights stay in a good quality comfortable Kathmandu hotel on arrival and two nights prior to departure in a double room. Private rooms are available for a small additional fee.

What is not included?

• International flights to/from Kathmandu
• Mountain climbing rescue and travel insurance
• Personal climbing equipment and clothing
• Gratuities for staff
• Nepalese visa

Add on High Attitude Support : Click here for prices

• Private Sherpa (personal guide/porter) – Carries up to 10 kg (22bs) of your personal equipment, climbs with you, melts water, cooks, and will be with you every step of the way.
• Personal equipment carriage service – Sherpa carry up to 10kg (22lbs) of personal equipment up and down the mountain between camps

Ama Dablam : Our Basic Climb Includes :

• British, European, or American leader
• All permit fees and liaison officer
• A walkie-talkie radio
• Emergency equipment and supplies
• Access to team fixed ropes and camps (sites, not tents)
• Airport transfers
• Two nights stay in a Kathmandu hotel on arrival and two nights prior to departure in a double room. Private rooms are available for a small additional fee.
• Other services and may be purchased and hired at minimal expense

Itinerary

The proposed itinerary allows enough time for proper acclimatization, rest days, and several returns to base camp, where the kitchen and base camp staff can look after all of your needs, and quell your appetite. The weather at this time of year is normally quite good and stable. However, we all know the global weather is changing, and in case of storms, you will note the proposed itinerary includes extra days as well. In previous expeditions, half of those who reached the summit needed every single “extra” day.

Weather – At low elevation, the temperatures can vary from 27°c to -7°c ( 80°f to 20°f). At higher elevations, the temperature can vary from 16°c to -23°c (60°f to -10°f). The wind is the most chilling factor, and can be quite variable, with everything from a flat calm, to hurricane force on the summit. There may be deep snow, heavy rains, mosquitoes in wet areas, blowing dust, burning heat, bright sunshine.

Arriving in Kathmandu – The trip begins in the ancient and colorful city of Kathmandu. You stay in a comfortable, simple, clean hotel, and sample some of the tasty Nepalese, Tibetan and Western-Style cuisine. During your free days in Kathmandu, you shall finalize arrangements, including your group visa, and take some time out for trinket hunting, with potential visits to explore the 17th century splendors of the Monkey Temple, the Durbar Square and old Kings Palace, as well as the ancient city of Patan.

Trekking to Basecamp – For our full-service members, the cost of this expedition includes one of the most beautiful treks in the world. On leaving Kathmandu, we fly to Lukla at 2860 metres/9400 feet, where we meet our yak drivers, and porters. From Lukla we will trek to Phakding (2550 metres/8400 feet) and sleep in a tea house or camp.

We will continue our trek up to Namche Bazaar (3446 metres/11,350 feet), the capital of the Sherpa Kingdom. Here we rest for a day to acclimate, then proceed up to Pangboche (3860 metres/12,700 feet) for a night. The next day we will make the last leg of the trek to basecamp at 4650 metres/15,300 feet. After resting, organizing, and training in basecamp for a day, we will begin our climb.

Moving to Advanced Basecamp – Base Camp (4650 metres/15,300 feet) to Advanced Basecamp (5500 metres/18,150 feet). Ama Dablam is one of the few Himalayan peaks that can be reached without crossing a glacier. We climb a long gravel ridge-slope, and cross a boulder field on the SW ridge where we will place advanced basecamp. There is water here in early October. We have located one of our skillful cooks here in recent years

High Camps – Advanced Basecamp to Camp 1 (5700 metres/18,800 feet). We scramble over large boulders and climb an easy fourth class slab, where we fix a “hand-line”. In 2007, we established two kitchens, complete with Nepalese cooks, in both ABC and Camp 1.

Camp 1 to Camp 2 (6000 metres/19,800 feet). We scramble-climb along an easy fourth class horizontal rock ridge and around several pinnacles, gaining only 300 metres/1000 feet, vertical. The exposure is huge, with massive drop-offs on both sides of the ridge. The climbing is very enjoyable with good quality granite. At the end of the horizontal ridge we climb the Yellow Tower with 6 metres, 20 feet of French 4th class, British Severe, North American 5.5. Above the Yellow Tower we place Camp 2 on ledges and a flat-topped rock pinnacle. Camp 2 is probably the most “airy” site you will ever pitch a tent on. Please be very careful when you go to the toilet.

Summit Day – Camp 2 to the Summit (6812 metres/22,349 feet). From camp 2, a steep snow ridge is climbed through the Grey Tower, with one move of French Class 4, British Severe, or 5.5, then multiple fourth class-scrambling pitches in snow, rock and ice. A snow-rock-ice chute is climbed to gain the ridge traverse, named the “mushroom-ridge”, which is a very bizarre but fairly stable formation. This is followed to the right side of the base of the Dablam, where camp 3 is made on a broad flat snowfield. In recent years, due to risk of avalanche, we have only used camp 3 as a stop to make hot drinks and rewarm our feet and we have not slept overnight there.

Two easy pitches of dramatic but very solid 40+ degree snow-ice are climbed to the side of the Dablam to reach the fluted, but very easy and solid, 30-48 degree snowfields that lead to one of the worlds finest summits, where you will be treated to incredibly stunning views of the south Face of Lhotse, Nuptse, Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, Pumori, Shishapangma, Makalu, and the Khumbu Himal.

Going Home – After packing up all of your equipment, supplies, and rubbish, you will make a short return trek the way we came to Lukla to catch our flight back to Kathmandu. Back in Kathmandu, you can enjoy a hot shower and a grand Nepalese western-style feast. You can have a day to relax, celebrate, tour the valley, write postcards, and do a bit more shopping, before heading home. We hope you had a safe, enjoyable, and successful adventure.

Good to know

Leadership

Leadership: Dan Mazur is a relaxed, friendly, well organized, and highly skilled professional with over 20 years of experience leading people to the summits of Everest, K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Manaslu, Shishapangma and Baruntse.

Sherpas: We employ some of Nepal, Tibet, and the Karakorum’s best local mountaineers and Sherpas to assist team members in realizing their summit goals. Our friendly and loyal high altitude climbing staff has supported teams to the summits of more than ten of the highest peaks in the Himalaya.