How do I know this is truly a First Ascent and it’s never been climbed before?

We work we both our local Sherpa experts and directly with the Nepali government to identify true First Ascents from the most up to date database. We then purchase ‘permits’ or the rights to that climb that for our team.

How early should I commit to my climb?

We feel that the sooner you commit the better as it gives you more time to prepare mentally and physically for the climb. A first ascent in Nepal is a big undertaking and something that you will want to work up to consistently. I have found that people are generally more successful when they commit earlier as it gives them longer to shake out any problems that may arise, arrange their home and work life to be away for a number of months, and build their fitness endurance and strength up over time and thereby avoid injury etc.

What’s the best climb to prepare for a First Ascent?

We recommend refreshing your skills on peaks like the Ecuadorian Volcanoes and Mt Rainier prior to joining us on our first ascent program. These climbs would provide the best, most specific climbing for our climb in Nepal. Also, refreshing your technical rock and ice skills can be very helpful.

Will I need to purchase insurance?

Yes, trip insurance is required for this program and it needs to cover the entire cost of the trip and include trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical expenses, repatriation, and evacuation for the entire length of the expedition.

Trekkers are required to have the same coverage. Unforeseen hiccups are part of adventure travel both before and during the expedition and it can be very expensive. Every effort should be taken to account for them in advance. Please forward a copy of your insurance for our records so that we can help you in the event that it needs to be used during the expedition. Most insurers require us to contact them immediately.

For more information on trip insurance please visit the “Trip Insurance” page

It’s a long time away from home – can my family and friends join me?

Yes, your family and friends are more than welcome to join us on the trek into Base Camp and throughout the entire expedition if they like. Please let us know immediately if you have people who want to join us so that we can make arrangements for them. Space in hotels in Kathmandu and in the teahouses is limited during climbing season so we need to know final numbers asap

What’s the acclimatization process?

Our entire expedition including the trip to Base Camp is slow in order to allow our bodies ample time to acclimate. That means there can be plenty of down time while your body adjusts. Please bring a few books or a deck of cards. This is a slow process but it will give you a much better chance at success on the climb and trek. Make sure to communicate with your guides directly if you are experiencing any altitude issues.

How much cash should I bring?

It is better to have more money than you need than not enough, while most things are covered on the trip once you land in Kathmandu (check what’s included/what’s not included list for details) you will still need cash. The cash that you need to bring includes money for visas ($50 for 1 single entry 30 day), Sherpa tip pool ($400 for climbers and $300 for trekkers), money for staff tips (customary but optional), $500 to cover expenses for a potential early departure (not often, but sometimes this occurs) and $1,500 – $5,000 if you think you’ll want a helicopter ride out, $300 for miscellaneous expenses like non-group meals, shopping, drinks around Kathmandu and while on the trip to base camp if you want wifi, sodas, specialty coffees, bottled water, charging of devices or snacks (meals are covered), Generally we recommend bringing $2,000 – $3,000 USD plus a credit card to cover all potential expenses including an early departure but it is unlikely that you will need all of this. Small denominations (1’s, 5’s, 10’s and 20’s) are better and although American dollars are accepted, you can change money into Nepali rupees at change houses when you arrive. Rates are generally about the same and I’ve never encountered one that isn’t legitimate. Also, there are now quite a few ATM’s around town where you can use your card to take out local cash at a good rate. It is much more difficult to change money, especially large sums, once on the trek. Please let your credit card company know you will be traveling so you can use your card (and not set off the fraud alert due to using the card in a foreign country)

How much gear can I bring?

We pay for transport for two 50lb duffels (1x trekking duffel which will travel with you and 1x climbing duffel which may go straight to base camp and meet you there) this should be more than enough weight. If you want to bring more than this with you, you will be expected to pay for the excess weight. Just bring what you need to be comfortable but not more than that. It is unlikely that you will need two full duffels so please bring only 1 if you can fit everything into 1.

What immunizations do I need?

Make sure your immunizations are up to date. Consult your doctor, local travel clinic, or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for updated information on immunizations for Nepal and China. Recommended immunizations include diphtheria-tetanus (DPT), polio, mumps-measles-rubella (MMR), meningitis, hepatitis A and B, cholera and typhoid, and rabies. Malaria shouldn’t be a problem in Kathmandu or on the climb. If you plan to travel to lower-elevation areas in Nepal before or after the climb, you should consider malaria chemoprophylaxis.

How should I pack?

For the trip to base camp climbers will need to pack in two separate duffels: a base camp duffel and a trekking duffel. Climber’s base camp duffel will not be accessible while on the trek and should contain all of your climbing gear (crampons, axes, down suit etc) and items you won’t need until we reach the peak. Your trekking duffel will contain everything you will need for the trip to Base Camp including your trekking gear, rain gear, street clothes, and a light sleeping bag. Trekkers will have everything with them in one duffel. Please keep everything you will need with you such as medications and medical supplies. What will go in your trekking and base camp duffels will be covered in more detail in Kathmandu. Pack an additional small lightweight carry on bag or duffel in your luggage to leave street, travel clothes and things you won’t need on the expedition at the hotel in Kathmandu

I have dietary requirements, can you cater for those?

Yes, our chefs are amazing and are well versed in catering for a wide variety of dietary allergies. Around food preferences we ask that you roll with the punches a little in the more remote parts of Nepal and embrace what is locally and seasonably available. We will do our best wherever we are to make sure you can choose what you like and what you prefer to avoid. Please feel free to chat to us about your needs.

Why do I need to bring my own snacks?

We supply a large amount of  group snacks and meal food for the mountain and will have lots of good stuff but we want to make sure everyone has the food that they need. Even people who aren’t usually picky about food can get really particular about what they can digest at altitude and getting lots of calories is hugely important. Gu packs, shot blocks, nuts, Snickers bars, cheese, etc… whatever it is that you know you can eat, (even when you don’t want to eat anything) is best. Getting speciality and familiar food can be difficult in Nepal so it’s best you bring what you love from home. Also, bring a good supply of cough drops or hard candy as you might like them in the dry air. We’ll have some for the team but people seem to go through them really quickly.

How safe is the food and water?

As in Kathmandu, once on the trail into base camp it is highly recommended that you stick to treated rather than tap water. Properly boiled water is available in all the teahouses and bottled water is readily available in stores en route but to reduce the amount of trash and pollution in the valley we encourage you buying boiled or UV treated water from teahouses. You can also bring your own water treatment solution. We will provide some teas and coffees at meal times but if you want sodas, bottled waters, specialty coffees, or drinks outside of meal times we ask that you purchase them yourself.

Nepal isn’t known for its cuisine. The food can become a bit monotonous but its energy dense and fulfilling. Asian inspired, there is a lot of fried rice, rice based meals, soups, omelettes etc. Stick to meals where the food is obviously local. We stay in reputable teahouses and have our own cooks who have a good understanding of food hygiene so our climbers and trekkers rarely get sick. It’s ok and somewhat expected to get a slightly upset tummy as you’ll be eating food that is different to what you are used to. At Base Camp, we have our own chefs who are incredible and take every precaution. They also cook Western foods, have fresh food resupplied regularly and serve a good variety. CTSS is known to have the best food on the mountain and given where in the world we are, that’s a remarkable feat.

Will I be sharing a tent?

There will be times on the mountain where you will need to share a tent with another climber for safety, warmth and to reduce the number of dangerous loads the Sherpa need to carry.

What about phones & wifi?

We understand it’s important to stay in touch with friends and family and on top of your inbox where you can. There are a number of ways to do this;

We suggest picking up a local Ncell sim card in Kathmandu with a data package. Signal is reliable in Kathmandu & in many parts of Nepal it is strong enough to support both calls and data.

You can buy a local Ncell sim card in Kathmandu and there is a Ncell store close to our hotel that we are happy to show. Your phone will need to be unlocked and you will need your passport to get a sim card. You can get recharge cards almost anywhere. This is by far the most affordable way of staying connected and getting data. If you’d like to use your own sim card, talk to your provider about activating your international roaming and you should be able to tie into the local networks.

Please keep devices like laptops, smartphones and iPads waterproofed in your trekking packs so they don’t break in your duffels. You will be responsible for your own valuables.

In the more remote areas of Nepal, at Base Camp and on the mountain on a First Ascent it’s best to assume that there won’t be any cell service.There will be a satellite phone with the team but we need to be mindful of recharging ability and keeping the airwaves free for emergencies. It can be made available to team members at $3/minute. If you plan on bringing your own satellite phone with you, you are required to register it with Nepal which costs thousands of dollars. Should you choose not to register it and use it anyway, you do so at your own risk.

How heavy will my pack be?

In general, climbing packs are relatively light. You will likely be carrying 20lbs – 30lbs (7kg – 12kg) most of the time while climbing and less on the trek into base camp. While climbing you should be prepared to carry your gear for the day and some of your personal gear for the mountain. Sherpa will carry all of the group gear and help with personal gear where possible.

How do I charge my devices?

Given the local expense of electricity, teahouses charge you to repower and recharge your electronic devices en route to base camp. This tends to get more expensive up the valley and a portable battery pack is a good idea. You will need to bring an adapter. This cost is your own expense. At base camp we will have solar panels to charge your devices.

Do I need a visa? How do I navigate Kathmandu airport arrivals?

Often just getting to Nepal can be the hardest part. Once you’re on the ground it’s time to relax. Upon exiting the plane walk to the left of the customs area and have your passport, photo, money, and visa form handy. You must pay for your visa first at the desk straight ahead and to the left before getting in the “Visa Upon Entry” line (far left of the large room). Purchase the a 90 day visa for trekkers and Lobuche climbers single entry Nepali visa.

http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np/page/visa-on-arrival

In the Khumbu, what’s not included?

We cover almost everything in the cost of the trip once we start the trek so there shouldn’t be too many other expenses that you need to worry about. The biggest expense is tips. The Sherpa tip pool is $400 for climbers and $300 for trekkers and we will collect that at the beginning of the climb to disperse amongst the entire team at the end of the climb including cook staff and dining staff. People sometimes tip their individual summit Sherpa a bit more. The other personal expenses people accrue are wifi (through third party operators) additional personal snacks, drinking, charging of devices & toilet paper. We suggest you bring a portable charger and pack a few additional rolls of toilet paper for the trek in.

What’s the deal with blog updates?

We know family and friends will want to follow your progress so we will be posting regular updates to the Climbing the Seven Summits blog here: http://climbingthesevensummits.com/blog/ We try to update it as often as possible but make sure your loved ones know that ‘no news is good news’. If a few days pass between updates it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong, simply that we are probably busy climbing.