Lhotse Expedition - 45 days

Climbed first in 1956, May 18th by Mr. Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss from Switzerland, Mt. Lhotse is one of the toughest mountains in the world to scale. The tremendous and dramatic South Face of this mountain has made it famous among climbers. Mt. Lhotse is rarely climbed the mountain that requires lots of preparation and experienced guides. Situated at the border of Tibet and Nepal, Mt. Lhotse long east-west crest is located south of Mt. Everest. The summits of these two mountains are connected by the South Col, a vertical ridge that never drops below 8,000m.

Himalayan Penchant

To all the dreams that roar louder than the fear and invisible wings that are willing to fly higher than the Himalayas, Lhotse Expedition is a lifelong journey that will be in your memory forever. From the rich culture of the locals to tempting landscape unlike any other place on Earth, you will experience more than just climbing a mountain. Up there at insane elevation, where there is no life, you will find meaning to your life overlooking at glistening Himalayan mountains like Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Pumori, Ama Dablam, Kongde, Mt. Thamserku, and numerous others.

Mt. Lhotse Expedition landmark

There are so many things to explore and look around during the Lhotse Expedition. First of all scaling Mount Lhotse itself is a big achievement that you will have in your life. And, not only will you be scaling one of the 8,000 meters above mountains, but also get to know the exotic Khumbu region, the dram travel destination of adventure lovers. The picturesque villages, fine valleys, glacial lakes, thrilling suspension bridges, stupas, and monasteries, everything is a landmark here.

Culture & Ethnic Diversity

During the Mt. Lhotse Expedition, you will get to see the culture, tradition, and lifestyle of the locals. People from communities like Rai, Sherpa, Lumbu, etc reside in this part of Nepal. Their norms and heritage are extremely rich and ancient. You will get to explore hundreds of years old monasteries and stupas as well. Tengboche monastery is the biggest and the oldest monastery of the Khumbu region, that you will get to visit during the climbing.

Natural Aptitude

From dense forests to completely frozen regions, you will get to explore a diverse range of vegetation and climatic zones during the Lhotse Expedition. In the lower elevation, you will pass by dense forests of rhododendron, pine, oak, fir, juniper, etc along with crossing glacial streams and cold rivers. The trail passes through Sagarmatha National Park, which is home to hundreds of flora and fauna. Likewise, in the higher elevation, you will traverse through narrow ice gullies, moraines, glaciers, and snowy paths.

Lhotse Expedition difficulty

Lhotse Expedition is a difficult climbing journey. You have to overcome lots of difficulties and have to survive in one of the extreme environment, where there is no trace of life in miles. There will be several crevasses to cross, ice wall to cross, and steep snowy ascends. You have to have strong physical fitness, endurance, and stamina. Previous trekking and climbing experience is needed to go on Lhotse Expedition.

Altitude Sickness & Prevention

Not to mention the Lhotse Expedition does include chances of altitude sickness. Also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), it is a common illness that can happen to anyone regardless of their age and fitness. Even though it is a common thing during high altitude journey, but can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is very important to acclimatize the body properly.

Following are the things you can do to reduce the chances of getting AMS:

● Drink plenty of water.

● Avoid alcoholic drinks.

● Include an adequate number of rest days in the itinerary.

● Carry general medication of AMS.

● Drop down to lower elevation if you find yourself getting AMS.

● Inform your guide immediately.

● Don't push yourself to complete the journey if your symptoms did not get in control.

Transportation and Bag Pack

Lhotse Expedition begins with a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, and from here, you will begin trekking towards the base of Mt. Lhotse through several beautiful villages and lush forests.

Food and Accommodation during Lhotse Expedition

During Mt. Lhotse Expedition, you will be staying in the lodge as well as camps. The lodge will give you basic facilities at a higher altitude. In villages like Namche Bazaar and Tengboche, you will get more services like wifi, good cafes, libraries, etc. The loge will be basic with limited facilities. Good enough to spend the night.

Likewise, for food, you can find a good variety in the menu from Nepali dishes to Indian, Tibetan, and Continental. Similarly, with the increase in altitude, the menu also gets limited. During your stay in camp, the meals will be cooked and prepared by the porters.

Best Season to go on Lhotse Expedition

Spring (March to May) and Autumn (October to November) is the best time to go on the Lhotse expedition. Moreover, climbers usually prefer to climb this mountain during the springtime then autumn because of a hotter climate during the day. However, it is possible to climb this mountain in both seasons.

Lhotse Expedition cost

Lhotse Expedition cost depends on the itinerary and facilities you are willing to have during the climbing. The more facilities you will add, the more cost will get higher. Remember, you will be trekking in a completely isolated part of the world with no human trace. Therefore, lots of preparation and amenities needed to be carried to the base camp and high camp. All of this drastically increases the price. However, the experience you will get and the view you will see is more than the worth you will pay to summit Mount Lhotse.

Essential Document

Here is the list of things that you have to carry during the expedition:

● Passport & Visa.

● Travel Insurance.

● Extra Photos.

● Permits.

● Cash (as per need).

What is done in Base camp?

During your stay at the base camp, you will get trained by your guide. He will brief you about the proper use of gears like rope, harness, ice-ax, etc. You will go on a short hike to acclimate your body and increase your confidence level. You might also climb nearby peaks.

Training and Climbing Strategy (Lhotse South Col Route)

Khumbu Icefall:

Crossing Khumbu Icefall is the most challenging part of the journey. The Khumbu Icefall is a steep glacier with large crevasses and dangerously unstable seracs, which makes the route very strenuous and risky of falling in ice. Plus, the danger of high altitude sickness also remains constant along with unpredictable weather changes. The Sherpa guide will set the crevasses with ladders and long vertical serac ice walls.

Lhotse Base Camp (5,200 m/17,060 ft):

Located on moving glacier, Lhotse Base Camp stands 5,200 meters above the sea level. As per the requirement, we will shift and move our tenets because of melting ice. You will spend a few days acclimatizing your body.

Camp I (5,900 m/19,357 ft):

We will gradually move towards the Camp I from the base camp. The route will be difficult and include technical climbing as well. We will not spend many days here for acclimatization and quickly move to Camp II.

Camp II (6,400 m/20,998 ft):

Camp II is a safer place to spend several nights. Located in a later moraine at the bottom of the west ridge, Camp II will be our main camp, where we will set our kitchen, dining, and toilet tents.

Camp III (7,100 m/23,294 f):

From Camp II to Camp III, the altitude increases rapidly which makes any effort harder. Plus, we will be not using supplemental oxygen. Using fixed rope, we will cross the Lhotse Face and ascend to Camp III. Here, we will spend a couple of nights for acclimatization.

Camp IV (7,900 m/25,918 ft):

Camp IV is our last camp. To reach Camp IV, we will cross the Yellow Band a layer of marble, phyllite and semi schist rock and the Geneva Spur, an anvil-shaped rib of black rock. Both of these areas are set-up with fixed ropes.

Summit (8,516 m/27, 940 ft):

We will begin pushing towards the summit in the middle of the night so that we can reach the summit between 7 to 10 am. Our Sherpa guides will set the ladders and rope whenever required and help you reach the summit. You will come across two rocky sections before reaching the summit.

Extra Personal Expenditure

The extra cost of yours like buying food or drinks out of the itinerary meals and shopping are not included in the package cost. On the trail, you might have to charge your electric appliances or take a hot shower that costs a few extra bucks are also not included in the package cost. Therefore, make sure to carry enough cash with yourself so that you can use it whenever you need it. Also, there are no ATM machines available on the trail, and none of the teahouses accepts the card for payment.

Safety & Precaution in Expedition

Climbing Mt. Lhotse is a real deal that can not be taken lightly. Years of experience of your guides are needed to reach the top of these 8,000 meters above mountains. Any small mistake can lead to huge injury that can be life-taking, therefore it is very important to be careful up there in the Himalayas. From preparing the gears to set the ropes, everything should be perfect because the Himalayas do not accept any mistakes.

Here is the list of things that you can take into consideration for safety & precaution during the expedition:

● Make sure to take out insurance that includes emergency air evacuations.

● Make sure to check your gears properly before the beginning of the journey.

● Follow the lead of your guide.

● Don’t rush, walk slowly & safely.

● In case of any problem inform your guide imitatively.

● Collect enough information on the weather and temperature.

● Drink plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated.

● Take plenty of rest and acclimate your body on the trail.