At CTSS, we offer a variety of different climb options to customize your Ecuador experience to your climbing style and ability.

Allowing you to customize your expedition to suit your needs is a huge priority for us.

As mountaineers ourselves, we understand that it’s the little things that can make the difference. Comfortable, well-rested climbers are successful climbers, and climbers who have objectives that are suited to their skill level are happy climbers.

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. Our standard treks stay three nights in Base Camp before departing, but we have had people stay longer; this can be arranged by chatting with us directly. Please let us know immediately if you have people who would like to join us, so we can make arrangements for them. Space in hotels in Kathmandu and teahouses is limited during the climbing season, so we need to know the final numbers as soon as possible.

What about altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness, or AMS, is a common concern, but you don’t need to worry. We intentionally maintain a slow acclimatization schedule to allow you ample time to acclimatize naturally. Slow and steady wins the race, as such. We still encourage you to speak with your doctor about your options, as there are medications like Diamox that can help with acclimatization, with few side effects that many people find helpful. However, this is a personal choice.

All of our staff are trained to recognize and respond to signs of altitude sickness, and will manage them promptly.

A few key symptoms to look out for include headaches, loss of appetite, and shortness of breath. Remember when you are on the trek/climb, there’s no need to push stoically through in silence, tough it out, or worry about holding others back. Please speak up about how you are feeling so we can adjust your pace, schedule, and other aspects to ensure your success. There is plenty of room in the itinerary to do that. After all, some of the best climbers/trekkers in the world acclimate to altitude slowly, so don’t feel ashamed or stressed if you need to take your time.

What’s the best climb to prepare for a Manaslu climb?

Hands down, climbing is the best prep for climbing. Expeditions like the Ecuador Volcanoes trip, which offers a vast amount of affordable world-class climbing in a short timeframe, are an ideal progression step to Manaslu, along with the 3 Peaks in Nepal, or some intensive mountaineering training courses, such as the Mount Baker 5-day Alpine Academy.

Will we be taught how to use the oxygen systems?

You will be provided with top-quality, reliable oxygen tanks, masks, and regulators on your climb. We will review their usage in depth at Base Camp, so you can practice before your climb.

What’s the deal with extra oxygen?

We provide you with plenty of oxygen to maintain a comfortable flow (approximately 3L/min) throughout the climb. As standard, we provide you with three bottles. If you would like extra oxygen, we encourage you to make that decision. With the extra oxygen, you can run at a higher flow rate (4-5L/min), which will keep you warmer, allow you to move faster on summit day, and reduce your fatigue levels, all of which contribute significantly to your safety.

Additionally, if you are delayed on the mountain for any reason (for instance, due to weather or traffic) or misplace your bottle, which can happen periodically, having the extra Os may save your summit bid.

The extra oxygen option buys an additional bottle delivered to the upper mountain (we will discuss strategy on how to use this extra oxygen best.

Please note that extra oxygen is non-refundable and non-transferable

How do I charge my devices?

Given the local electricity expense, teahouses charge you to repower and recharge your electronic devices en route to base camp. This tends to become more expensive as you move up the valley, so 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 charging stations in common areas for your devices. The Manaslu Executive Add-On will have power in their tents/domes during specific times.

Will I need to share a tent with someone?

For the majority of the expedition, you will not share a tent, as each participant will have their own at Base Camp. However, there will be times on the upper mountain when you will need to share a tent with another climber for safety and warmth reasons. Our accommodations at our hotel in Kathmandu and at the teahouses during the trek are double-occupancy.

Can I book a single room for my hotel and teahouse stays?

All hotels and teahouses are double or triple occupancy. If you want single rooms en route to base camp, we can arrange this at an additional cost. Sometimes, tea houses are packed during the climbing season and may not have room to accommodate single rooms. Please let us know as early as possible to give us the best chance of securing a private room. Again, this is adventure travel, and we ask you to roll with the punches if they are not available.

How heavy will my pack be?

Trekking packs are relatively light. You will likely be carrying 5 lbs to 10 lbs (2kg—5kg) most of the time on the trek into Base Camp. If you are bringing a large camera, computer, or other fragile items, plan to keep them in your trekking pack and add their weight to your estimate.

Generally, climbing packs on Manaslu are relatively lightweight. You will likely be carrying 15 lbs—30 lbs (7kg—12kg) most of the time while climbing. While climbing, be prepared to carry your gear for the day and some of your personal items for the mountain. Sherpas will carry all of the group gear and help with personal gear where possible.

Will I need to purchase trip insurance?

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

Unforeseen hiccups both before and during the expedition can be costly. For instance, you may accidentally have a fall the week before you are due to leave, a family emergency might crop up halfway through your trip, or unsafe climbing conditions beyond anyone’s control may put a hard, premature end to the season in the name of your safety. In such circumstances, we want you and your investment to be protected. It’s essential to note that we cover your expedition expenses well in advance, so these costs are already incurred and irrecoverable, regardless of whether the project is shut down on day 1 or day 40. Of course, every effort is taken to account for every eventuality in advance, wherever possible.

Please forward a copy of your insurance policy for our records, so we can assist you in the event of an emergency or unexpected issue during the expedition. As most insurers require us to contact them immediately, we appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

What is the food like on the climb?

At Manaslu Base Camp, CTSS has the best chefs and food, hands down. Our teams are consistently impressed by the quality of food and hygiene at Base Camp, considering our location in the world.

Our chefs are exceptional on Manaslu and well-versed in catering to a wide range of dietary requirements and allergies. Please feel free to discuss your needs with us. We do ask, however, that your dietary requests be requirements rather than preferences.

Why do I need to bring my own snacks?

We will be making a big run for group snacks and meal food for the mountain, and we will have lots of good stuff, but we want to ensure everyone has the food they need. Even people who aren’t usually picky about food can become particularly discerning about what they can digest on Manaslu due to the extreme altitude, and getting enough calories is hugely important. Gu packs, Shot Blocks, nuts, Snickers, cheese, etc, whatever it is that you know you can eat when you don’t want to eat anything is best. Getting specialty and familiar food can be challenging in Nepal, so it’s best to bring what you love from home. Also, bring a good supply of cough drops or hard candy, as you may find them helpful in the dry air. We’ll have some for the team, but people seem to go through them really quickly.

Manaslu has a reputation for being dangerous. How accurate are those claims?

Like all 8,000m mountains, Manaslu presents its own hazards and must be approached with caution, requiring trained and experienced guidance. These objective dangers include crevasses, icefall hazards, falls without a fixed rope, and avalanches. CTSS mitigates avalanche hazard by avoiding prone slopes and campsites after heavy snowfall. We take a conservative approach to these hazards, waiting for the snow to settle or the completion of avalanche cycles. We have plenty of contingency in the schedule for this purpose, and patience is not just a virtue but a lifesaver in these instances. Like any extreme altitude climb, altitude-related dangers also exist, which we will manage through a slow acclimatization program. Manaslu is actually one of the safer and more approachable of the 14x 8,000m peaks. Being in Nepal, we also have better access to helicopter rescue and evacuation services, which can transport you to definitive care in Kathmandu in a matter of hours should an emergency arise.

“Climbing the Seven Summits provided world-class expertise and logistical support during my Manaslu expedition — solving a multitude of issues that kept me on the mountain until COVID struck. They sourced and replaced all my lost high-altitude gear and critical prescription medication, arranged helicopter flights when none were available, and personally handled every detail of my evacuation and medical care. You can pay a company for services, but you can’t pay people to do what CTSS did for me. In my book, I owe them my life.”

– Donald B

“I cannot even put into words how incredible that trip was for me – you truly run everything top notch and it shows in every single part of the trip. Your patience in teaching/coaching in a way that I didn’t feel intimidated by was amazing and so so appreciated. I am in awe of this whole experience”

– Julie M., USA

“An incredible experience from start to finish. I can’t say enough what a difference it makes to have a great guide who cares so much about the whole experience and a great time to make the journey so special. I hope this is the first of many climbs with CTSS for me.”

– Kevin A., USA