Day 1
Arrival to Kathmandu
International Flight arriving into Kathmandu
Parchamo Peak and Rolwaling Trek , 6187m Guided Itinerary
Parchamo Peak is a challenging 6000m climbing expedition in the high Nepalese Himalaya, along the Rolwaling Trek. Please note that the itinerary given is the outline plan. However, we will be travelling in a high mountain environment with a number of unknown influences including weather and rates of acclimitisation of different individuals. Therefore the itinerary is flexible to some extent to allow our leaders to make appropriate decisions on the ground based on prevailing conditions.
Route mini map
Trip snapshot
Days23
DistanceFlexible
Total climb6963 m
High point6187 m
What this trip is like
Parchamo Peak is a challenging 6000m climbing expedition in the high Nepalese Himalaya, along the Rolwaling Trek. Please note that the itinerary given is the outline plan. However, we will be travelling in a high mountain environment with a number of unknown influences including weather and rates of acclimitisation of different individuals. Therefore the itinerary is flexible to some extent to allow our leaders to make appropriate decisions on the ground based on prevailing conditions.
Stay style: Operator-led Nepal lodge or expedition itinerary.
Food and support: Operator-managed meals and trekking-day food pattern.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 2
Kathmandu
Kathmandu – Getting over any jet lag by resting and possible sight-seeing in Kathmandu
Day 3
Kathmandu-Simigaun
Kathmandu-Simigaun – We drive East then North North-East from Kathmandu for around 200km. Although a relatively short distance, the drive takes us along some stunning mountain roads and can take 6 to 7 hours. We then camp overnight at Simigaun.
Day 4
Simigaun-Kharka
Simigaun-Kharka – Today is a fairly short day but tough in terms of altitude gain. We begin by continuing along the ridgeline. Through the ‘v’ of the Rolwaling valley ahead of us we can see the sharp peak of Gaurisankar (7135m) standing on the border with Tibet. We then begin to contour the Northern edge of the valley before dropping down slightly to Kharka.
Day 5
Kharka-Beding
Kharka-Beding – We are starting to gain some altitude now and today’s trek will be taken slowly. We continue along the Rowaling valley as the forests start to thin out around us. To our left the valley’s Southern slope rises up and up to eventually become the ridge-chain forming the border with Tibet. Ahead of us the superb south west face of Kang Nachugo rears up to 6737m as part of this chain. Soon we arrive in Beding, nestling in a gentle bend in the river, where we will spend the night.
Day 6
Beding-Nagaon
Beding-Nagaon – Today is a fairly short day as we continue along the spectacularly steeply sided Rowaling valley to the village of Nagaon. Na is said to be the oldest Sherpa village in the area and holds particular cultural significance to them. We should have plenty of time in the afternoon to do some exploring.
Day 7
Nagaon
Nagaon – Today we will rest and relax to aid our acclimitisation. We will probably take a short local walk to keep active. Our guides and porters will make final preparations of all our food and equipment that we will need to take up to the higher camps for the next few days.
Day 8
Nagaon - Yalung BC
Nagaon -Yalung BC – Today is short in distance but requires quite a large increase in altiude. After a few kilometres along the valley floor we turn south and climb up out of the main Rolwaling valley and into the Yalung valley which meets it at right angles. Needless to say, the ascent will be hard on the lungs but the fantastic views out to the North will help to make it worth it.
Day 9
Yalung BC
Yalung BC – After our hard climb and sharp increase in altitude the day before we will spend today resting, eating and generally acclimitising. We will probably also take an easy walk up the valley towards the Yalung La where we will see the first sections of the climbs to Yalung Ri and Ramdung. Today will also give us an opportunity to refresh our minds on the snow & ice equipment and techniques that we will need on the following days.
Day 10
BC-Yalung Ri-BC
BC-Yalung Ri-BC – Today we will start early for our ascent to the nearby peak of Yalung Ri. This is a fairly short and relatively easy ascent but with spectacular views and a real feel of climbing in the Himalaya.
Day 11
BC-Ramdung Camp 1
BC-Ramdung Camp 1 – We will pack light as we set off to make high camp up to the south, on the way to Ramdung Peak. We will pick a suitable spot at around 5400m, often close to the side of a glacial lake.
Day 12
Ramdung Camp 1 - Ramdung Camp 2
Ramdung Camp 1-Ramdung Camp 2 – We again continue to the south toward our objective of Ramdung over mixed glaciated ground. We will pick a suitable spot at around 5600m but within sight of the final push across the glacier and up to the peak. The climb does not give a huge increase in altitude but puts us in a good position to begin our summit attempt.
Day 13
Ramdung Camp 2-Ramdung Go-BC
Ramdung Camp 2-Ramdung Go-BC – It will be an early ‘alpine start’ today as we make the most of the more stable conditions in the early morning and maximise the available daylight of the day. This will be a long, tough day as we move over mixed glaciated and rocky ground to where the Yalung and Ramdung glaciers meet and then up the long, broad ridge to the summit of Ramdung. After a quick stop at the summit we retrace our steps down past our high camps and back to our basecamp for a well earned rest.
Day 14
Yalung BC-Tsho Rolpa
Yalung BC-Tsho Rolpa – After dropping to the valley floor and turning east we soon meet the inflow of the Rolwaling valley from the north and begin a steep section up the moraine dam to the Tsho Rolpa lake. This lake had been growing steadily from the 1950’s and lead to fears about the stability of the moraine dam at its western end. As a result a channel was cut through the moraine dam and an engineered sluice installed to help relieve the pressure. We will pass along the flank of the lake and camp either alongside at Kabug or just past the lake.
Day 15
Tsho Rolpa-Dhagarding(Tashi lapcha BC)
Tsho Rolpa-Dhagarding(Tashi lapcha BC) – We now make our way further up the valley towards the the head of the Trakarding glacier on the west flank of Parchamo, and where the Drolambau glacier tumbles down from the valley to the north. Depending on the conditions on the hillside and the glacier its self we will pick a route up to a rocky rib on the outer south east edge of the valley corner where we will site our camp.
Day 16
Dhagarding- Tashi Labsta Pass (5760m-Tashiphuk High Camp)
Dhagarding- Tashi Labsta Pass (5760m-Tashiphuk High Camp) – We will make an early start to make the most of the more stable, frozen, slopes above us. Parchamo will keep us in the shade so the first few hours will be cold as we push on slowly up the Drolambau glacier with Teng Ragi Tau towering in front of us. As we reach its flank we double back on ourselves on a glacial ramp up to the Tashi Labsta Pass. Here we emerge into the full force of the sun and get our first view down into the Thame Khola valley as it drops toward the Khumbu. We go a little past the pass and round to a large overhanging cave at the foot of the Teng Ragi Tau where we make our high camp.
Day 17
High Camp-Pachermo Peak- High Camp
High Camp-Pachermo Peak- high camp – If we are all feeling well acclimitised the previous evening, and the weather is good, we will have an early start this morning to begin our summit attempt. We cross the glacier at the pass and then rope up to begin the steeper ground. We are essentially following the long ridgeline up to the summit but it will involve some degree of winding back and forth around undulations and pinnacles before we reach the summit. The view out from the summit takes in an incredible vista with far too many peaks to name but including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and even Annapurna and Dalaguri if it is clear. After the obligatory photos we will carefully begin the descent back to our high camp.
Day 18
High Camp-Thame
High Camp-Thame – Today’s section starts off with the hard stuff. We will leave early to again make the most of the time when the ice and rocks are well frozen and stable. We pick our way carefully down initially steep ground and then to a set of small lakes. From here it is an easier few kilometres down to Thengpo. If we all feel good we may push on down to Thame to give us more time in Namche tomorrow.
Day 19
Thame-Namche Bazaa
Thame-Namche Bazaar – Today is a relatively long walk but on easy ground and down hill pretty much all the way into Namche Bazaar. Namche is the ‘capital’ of the Sherpa people and has steadily grown over the years. It now fills a greater portion of the natural bow in the hillside and has a fine array of shops selling everything from souvenirs to knock-off mountain gear.
Day 20
Namche-Lukla
Namche-Lukla – The long hill up into namche is well known by trekkers on the Everest Basecamp trail. Thankfully we will be aclimitised to several thousand metres up and going downhill. This will allow us to enjoy the warmth of the valley and the fragrant forests. We drop down to the spectacular bridge at Larja and along the Dudh Kosi river, after a short climb up to Monjo we sign out of the Sagarmatha National Park and make our way to Phakding then a short climb up to Lukla for the night.
Day 21
Spare Day
Spare Day – this can be due to weather or acclimatisation and can be used at any point in the itinerary
Day 22
Lukla-Kathmandu
Lukla-Kathmandu – We will be up early to get our kit checked in for the flight back to Kathmandu. The planes whine as they power up before carreering off down the sloping runway and off into the valley and down to Kathmandu. We will have plenty of day left in Kathmandu to have a good shower and either relax or begin to explore the city.
Day 23
Kathmandu/Spare Day
Kathmandu/spare day/departure – Having the whole of today free allows us further flexibility if we are delayed on our climbs or for the flight back from Lukla. However if all goes to plan then today we have a full day free to see some of the sights in Kathmandu or the nearby valley. There are hundreds of temples and interesting sights in and around Kathmandu and we can help you to decide on and plan a good taster. On this day, travellers can also depart Kathmandu for international flight home.