Climb Mera Peak (6461m)

This trek is classified as 'Tough', so it is suitable only for prepared trekkers with a very good level of fitness as well as previous experience in high-altitude mountain environments (above 4000m). Mera Peak is considered a non-technical trekking peak: as such, you don't need any special climbing skills, only an understanding of how to use ice axes, crampons, and ropes. A few days' introductory course on mountaineering skills would be highly beneficial; however, your local climbing guide in Nepal will offer some training during your acclimatisation day in Khare before the actual climb, so you can also learn the basic mountaineering skills required during the trip itself.

Climbing any 6000m+ peak involves challenges and hazards, so you should be prepared, train properly and obtain adequate insurance cover. The risks involved in the climb can be mitigated with a well-planned itinerary which includes proper acclimatisation, contingency days and training such as this one designed by our expert local host. The local guides will set the pace and as with all altitude treks, the theme will be ‘slowly slowly’ to ensure you adjust to the altitude gradually. So although this trek is rated as ‘Tough’ there are plenty of rest hours factored into each day to ensure you can complete it safely.

Aside from the summit climb, trekking up and downhill every day for 15-16 days at high altitude is a considerable challenge in itself and requires significant physical exertion. You should consider appropriate fitness training for months before the trip begins.

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamt of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

When you trek in the mountains, there is always the risk of getting altitude sickness, regardless of how old, young or fit you are. We would expect most trekkers to feel some mild symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, sleeplessness, heavy breathing) when over 3500m. Our guides are trained to identify the symptoms and if more serious ones are noted, there is a strict procedure regarding extra care or even a rapid descent if needed. All of our trips have been designed with altitude best practice in mind, so acclimatisation days have been built in and our experienced guides follow advice to ‘walk high and sleep low’.

Owing to the nature of this trip, it is essential that your personal travel insurance policy provides cover for the maximum altitude visited on this trip (6461m) as well as for emergency medical evacuation by helicopter.

We do not include meals on the trek as from experience, we know that altitude and physical exercise mean appetites vary hugely. The cost of food also rises as we ascend as it all has to be carried in by porters and yaks and very little can be grown locally. How much you spend per day will vary according to your choice of meal, but generally people spend between US$30-35 per person per day on meals and hot drinks. Below is an approximate breakdown of some items:

• Dal baht: $4 to $7C
• Chow mein: $2 to $4
• Eggs: $2 to $4
• Toast: $1.50 to $3
• Tea/hot chocolate: $1.00 to $3.00
• Chocolate bars: $2 to $4

Teahouses will provide cold water free of charge; however, it will need to be treated to enable you to drink it. Please read the drinking water FAQ for our advice. Other extra costs to be considered are:

• Shower: $2-$4
• WiFi: $2-5
• Electricity: $2-5

Please note that it's worth carrying a backup fund of US$250 just in case as there are no ATMS during your trek.

We work with some of the best leaders in the industry. Every single one of them is government licensed and very experienced. In order to ensure the guides high standard of performance, the host provides them with top-notch in-house training that covers advanced wilderness first aid, hyperbaric chambers, oxygen system, mountain rescue and incident management and Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.

Throughout the trek and climb you'll be led by a AWFA and CPR certified trekking guide. During the summit push, you'll be led by an NMA-certified climbing guide and his team. This is the full crew who will support your expedition on the ground:

• One trekking guide
• One climbing guide
• One assistant trekking guide (on 1:4 ratio)
• One assistant climbing guide (on 1:3 ratio)
• Porters (on a 1:2 ratio)

Summit day

The guide will determine group divisions based on walking pace when reaching High Camp and will arrange the necessary connecting ropes, ensuring there is at least one assistant climbing guide for each group. As the group approaches the final stretch (approximately 50 to 55 meters from the summit), you will follow a fixed rope line. If any group member becomes unable to proceed to the summit, they will receive assistance from an assistant climbing guide in the case of small groups. In larger groups (consisting of six or more members), where the presence of an assistant climbing guide is important for summiting, the assistant trekking guides will be responsible for bringing the individual back down. This arrangement will not hinder the progress of the rest of the group. Please rest assured that in addition to the team of experienced climbing guides and assistant climbing guides, your host will work with an experienced group of trekking guides and assistant trekking guides as a backup team. They all have mountaineering skills and are familiar with navigating the Mera Peak route.

It is customary in Nepal to tip guides and porters. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. You can give any tips to your lead guide at the end of your trip, which will then be shared amongst the whole team. For full transparency, the lead guide will distribute the tips to the guides and porters in your presence. It is customary for the guides to receive a higher share than the porters as they are more highly qualified. This particular trip has a higher staff-to-customer ratio than other Nepal treks and more porters in order to carry the climbing equipment, so a good rule of thumb is around US$160 per person for the trekking part and US$100 per person for the climbing part, although the amount you give is entirely your choice.

If you would like to give an additional tip to a member of the team who has supported you personally please do so directly and discretely.

Although most teahouses have the option to buy bottled water, we advise against it to reduce the use of plastic in the mountains (this ends up being burnt or dumped in landfill out of sight). You will instead be provided with cold water that needs treating. There is a wide range of products available these days which are more effective than traditional purification tablets – some trekkers like to use UV handheld devices such as a Steripen – but other options are available (just check their performance in freezing conditions).

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

We’ve sourced some great optional activities for you to do in and around Kathmandu should you wish to explore the area a little bit further. Please discuss these directly with your host who will be able to book them for you.

Cook Like a Local: This short cooking workshop (approx. 3 hours) teaches you how to cook popular Nepali dishes like MoMo and Dal Bhat. You’ll meet your teacher and accompany them shopping, then head to the kitchen and learn to cook alongside them. Price: Pay what you think the workshop is worth!

Shop Local: A 2/3 hour guided exploration of the markets of Kathmandu. Learn about the vendors that line the narrow and crowded alleyways and witness everything you could ever imagine being sold, haggled or bargained for. It’s a great chance to learn about the melting pot of cultures that exist in Kathmandu. Price: $9-$50pp, depending on the group size.

Master of the Arts: Patan Durbar Square is popular for its handicrafts and this trip will explore the local factories where they are produced. You’ll visit 2-3 factories and learn about the traditional processes they use and see artwork being produced. Price: $14-$59pp, depending on the group size.

Introduction to Shamanism: Shamanism, which is believed to heal many diseases, is not practiced widely these days, however this trip enables you to meet a practising guru and learn all about this age-old tradition. You’ll visit a small house for an introduction, followed by lunch and then a drumming session where you’ll learn the importance of rhythm to healing. Price: $90-$150, depending on group size.

The best times to visit this region and climb this 6000m+ mountain are between March and May, or between September and November when the weather is usually fair, dry and stable. The later dates are clearer but colder with snow conditions more stable. At 3800m an average night time temperature is -4˚C and average daytime temperature is 10˚C. This drops with altitude and at High Camp temperatures may be as low as -15˚C to -25˚C.

Of course, mountain weather is notoriously hard to predict and snow can be expected on any trip, so come prepared.

Please bear in mind that the included baggage allowance on your internal flights is 15kg, including your trekking rucksack. The included climbing equipment (see Kit List) will be collected in Khare so if you bring any personal items/kit, please be mindful of the 15kg restriction. Any weight exceeding this limit costs 100 NPR per kilo. If needed, you can decide to purchase some extra weight and pack 18-20kg combined (with a maximum of 10-12kg in a duffel bag, plus 7-8 kg max. in a daypack).

All of our trips include a porter for every two trekkers. Each porter will carry up to 20-24kg of kit in total, so your overnight bags and spare clothes will be transported for you (10-12kg per person).

You can leave any luggage that you won't need on the trek at the hotel in Kathmandu.

We recommend checking out the country specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

For current advice about travelling in Nepal, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages.

Flight cancellation: a flight to Lukla is included on Day 3 of this tour, returning from Lukla on Day 18. Although we schedule departure dates outside of the main monsoon season, weather conditions in any mountain region can be unpredictable. It is not uncommon for flights to and from Lukla to be delayed or cancelled during the trekking season. If your flight to Lukla is cancelled, then your host will revert to a series of contingency plans which could involve a flight out to Lukla on Day 4 instead (you would skip the contingency day on Day 15) or a long, two-day drive to Khari Khola, which would allow you to join the trek nearer Pansggom.

There is one further option in the event of flight cancellations to Lukla: to try to charter helicopters for the group (subject to availability). Helicopters are less hindered by poor conditions and can often fly when planes cannot. Anyone taking this option will need to pay roughly USD350-500 extra per person (the full helicopter cost is more than this but your cancelled Lukla flight will be refunded and deducted from this).

Weather: if you are not able to approach the summit due to adverse weather conditions, then you can use the contingency day we have allocated. Using the contingency day should be decided upon by a mutual agreement between fellow trekkers. However, please note that this contingency does not apply to individual cases: if you are not able to climb due to personal health conditions, there is no Plan B.

See also 'When should I book my return flight?' (below).

The flight from Lukla to Kathmandu at the end of the trip is usually reliable; however, if the weather is poor cancellations can happen and there is the chance that you might have to fly the next day. To play it safe, we advise you to consider booking an extra night’s accommodation in Kathmandu at the end of the trip.

This trip includes a return domestic flight to Lukla. Nepal's mountainous terrain and weather make for challenging flying conditions and sadly more incidents (including fatalities) occur here than in other countries. Since 2013 the EU has banned all Nepalese domestic airlines from flying within EU airspace in order to raise awareness of the poor safety record (although no Nepalese airlines were operating routes within the EU prior to the ban). You should be aware that flying in Nepal is an identified risk: please consider this carefully before booking. Additional information can be found on the Aviation Safety Network entry for Nepal as well as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for Nepal. Domestic airlines in Nepal are generally not accredited by any internationally recognised safety audit systems and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of Western nations.

What does Much Better Adventures do about this?

Much Better Adventures collaborates with other UK travel companies that arrange for independent air-safety auditors to visit Nepal annually to assess the local airlines. Much Better Adventures then only uses the carriers that were approved as part of the most recent audit. If any concerns are subsequently raised about an approved airline between audits, we put them on hold until the auditors are satisfied that safety standards are being met.

All of our trips include a porter per every two trekkers. They will carry up to 15kg of kit so your overnight bags and spare clothes will be transported for you (7.5kg per person). You will only need to carry a daypack with essentials in (an extra layer, snacks, water, suncream, camera etc.) plus you'll be expected to carry your own crampons, carabiners and harness once these are collected from Khare.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. See here for more info about the local teams we partner with.