CTSS 2025 Ping-Pong Champion: Dawa Yolmo

The weather has been warm and sunny at Everest Base Camp, rejuvenating everyone ahead of their summit bids and giving everyone a chance to do some laundry and play a little ping-pong. And, we are excited to share the official results: Dawa Yolmo is the champion of our CTSS 2025 ping-pong tournament, an annual competition in our famed Big House! Dawa is a two-time Everest summiteer and a three-time Ama Dablam summiteer, with many other 6000m peaks under his belt. This year, Dawa is guiding 1:1 with private climber Terry S.

Ropes have now been fixed to the summits of Lhotse and Everest, which means the route is now open for all climbers.

Over the next few days, our focus will be on positioning our teams for the right summit window.

Climbers, guides, Sherpa, and staff are all doing well and focused on what comes next.


First Ascent Private Climb

FIRST ASCENT  |  Nepal


First Ascent Private Climb

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Contact us for pricing, dates, and availability.

You will start your trailblazing adventure by meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal. Here we will do thorough gear checks, have guide briefings, repack and reorganise our gear for the journey ahead.

Following our time in Kathmandu, we fly domestically as a team to a remote part of Nepal to begin our trek to Base Camp. From the moment you begin the trek, you will be at altitude. It’s essential to take it easy and let your body adjust to the altitude naturally. Altitude isn’t something to be feared; it’s achievable for most people, but it is a process that can’t be rushed. Inexperienced operators and generic expeditions that move too quickly often have disgruntled, unwell people because their bodies are struggling to adjust.

It’s also important to be aware that we will be traveling through more remote regions of Nepal that receive very little, if any, tourism, so expect this to be real adventure travel. That said, you will be awed by the beauty of the landscape and the genuine and friendly Nepali people. You can expect it to be rugged and strenuous at times, but this hard work will pay dividends.
As we acclimatize, we will enjoy spending time absorbing the rich Tibetan culture, passing by countless Tibetan Buddhist stupas and Chortens, and taking in any sightseeing landmarks. We will endeavour to visit a High Lama and receive a traditional blessing for our mountain ahead.

Once at base camp, we will set up our own comfortable home away from home, settle in, plan, and adjust our approach to the peak. We will run through an alpine training and refresher skills clinic while at base camp and go through the various equipment/food caches that we will need for the upper mountain.

We will make a series of forays up the mountain in order to continue our acclimatisation, test our route, and scout for hazards before our summit attempt.
Following your climb, there will be ample time to celebrate while returning down the valley and take in your achievement in this remarkable corner of the world before flying back to Kathmandu and onward home.

Itinerary:

Sample itinerary. CTSS will work with our private climbers to create an ideal climb itinerary that meets their specific needs.

Unlike our other expeditions, a solid itinerary isn’t possible for such an unknown and unpredictable climb, and will vary widely as we’ll be setting it as we go! (In any case, we need to keep details as scarce as possible in public forums for obvious reasons.)

We will have a more detailed itinerary for you in Kathmandu, but you can expect a rough timeline like this:

  • Days 1 - 3: Team Arrives, Gear Checks, Team Briefings
  • Days 4 - 12: Journey & Trek to Base Camp
  • Days 13 - 15: Acclimatization & Training
  • Days 15 - 22: Climbing Rotations & Summit
  • Days 23 - 26: Descend and Return to Kathmandu
  • Days 26 - 29: Contingency Days
  • Day 30: Fly Home

Our expeditions are designed to be fully inclusive, except for some services/items of a personal nature like flights, gear, insurance. Here’s a detailed list so you know what to expect

Included in the First Ascent Private Climb:

    • Leadership, strategy, and climbing oversight, including full support for a summit attempt
    • A climbing Sherpa to assist with carrying personal gear
    • Full expedition logistics, weather forecasts, etc
    • Climbing permits for an unclimbed peak in Nepal
    • Training and skills refresher clinics
    • Domestic flights internally to and from the mountain region
    • In-country transportation associated with the program itinerary
    • Airport transfers
    • Lodging in Nepal, including hotels in Kathmandu, teahouses, and mountain camps
    • Welcome dinner & meals throughout the expedition
    • Access to medical and communications gear
    • Mountain camp infrastructure and logistics, including tents
    • On mountain meals

Excluded from the First Ascent Private Climb:

  • International flights to Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Airport arrival or departure taxes
  • Associated travel expenses including: Visa, Passport,
  • Reciprocity Fees, Vaccination Charges, Excess Baggage
  • Optional excursions not included in the itinerary or additional days before or after the scheduled program
  • Personal climbing equipment, clothing, toiletries, etc
  • Personal sundries including but not limited to: non-team meals while in Kathmandu, personal snacks, specialized high altitude climbing food, alcoholic beverages, laundry services, medical expenses, gratuities, 3rd party internet, email or phone charges, bottled water, specialty coffees
  • Sherpa tip pool
  • Guide tip (customary but optional)
  • Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of CTSS above and beyond the normal expedition costs
  • Required trip insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)
  • Unused Contingency Days at the end of your program: CTSS covers one night in the hotel in Kathmandu on your return. If you decide to stay longer in Kathmandu beyond this night, those costs are your responsibility. We highly recommend that, while you should plan to be away from home for the entire duration of the expedition, including contingency days, you book a flexible return airfare so you can move your flight forward if you don’t use all of the contingency days or push it back as you need.

Ama Dablam Private Climb

AMA DABLAM  |  Asia


Ama Dablam Private Climb

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Ama Dablam Private Climb

Contact us for pricing, dates, and availability.

You start your adventure by meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal. Here we will do thorough gear checks, have guide briefings, and pack and organise our gear for the climb ahead. Following our time in Kathmandu, we fly to Lukla to start our approach trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp.

You will love the 6-day trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp. Our schedule involves both moving days and trekking to the next village, sprinkled with rest and acclimatization days in between. The slow ascent up the valley is essential to allow your body time to acclimate and gives you a chance to explore each village we stay in. On some rest days, we’ll take a small day hike up to points of interest to give our bodies new high points and enjoy visiting some famous cultural and religious sights on our way through the scenic Khumbu valley in the shadow of the world’s highest mountains. Including staying in the ‘Sherpa Capital’ Namche Bazaar, where you can have a beer in the world’s highest pub, to visiting the famous Tengboche Monastery, where a High Lama will bless your climb ahead. Passing by countless Tibetan Buddhist stupas and chortens, you will feel the rich culture of Tibetan Buddhism come alive.

Porters and yaks will bring the majority of your gear on the trek, allowing you to trek light, carrying only what you need for the day. Most days, we will walk between 4 and 6 hours on the trail at a moderate pace, with the occasional day or two containing longer stretches.

Once you have arrived in Base Camp, we follow a busy, but deliberate, itinerary of working our way up and down the route to continue acclimatizing and become familiar with the climbing techniques necessary for a successful summit bid in a series of climbing rotations.

When we are ready, and the weather looks great, we launch our summit bid, which is 4 nights, 4.5 days away from Base Camp. First to Camp 1, the following day to Camp 2, where we enter new terrain, climbing from Camp 2 to Camp 2.7 at 20,800ft (6,340m). Camp 2.7 is really now the standard Camp 3 and is located slightly lower and closer to the ridge than the traditional Camp 3 that is no longer used due to the serac fall hazard off the glacier above. From Camp 2.7, you will wake early for an alpine start to the summit!

After summiting, the team descends back to Camp 1 for another night. The following morning is a descent back to basecamp for well-earned celebrations, rest, and packing for the journey home.

Following your summit, we enjoy a relaxed descent back down the valley, taking in your achievement in this remarkable corner of the world before flying back to Kathmandu and onward home.

Itinerary:

Sample itinerary. CTSS will work with our private climbers to create an ideal climb itinerary that meets their specific needs.

Please contact us for more information.

  • Day 1: Arrival Day in Kathmandu
  • Day 2: Gear checks, guide briefing, and free time to explore Kathmandu
  • Day 3: Fly to Lukla, Hike to Phakding
  • Day 4: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar
  • Day 5: Rest day in Namche/Acclimatization hike
  • Day 6: Trek from Namche to Tengboche
  • Day 7: Rest day in Tengboche, visit Tengboche Monastery
  • Day 8: Trek from Tengboche to Ama Dablam Base Camp
  • Day 9: Rest day/Traditional Tibetan Puja Ceremony
  • Day 10: Climb to Camp 1 and descend back to Base Camp
  • Day 11: Rest/pack in Base Camp
  • Day 12: Climb to Camp 1 and spend the night
  • Day 13: Acclimatize above Camp 1, sleep at Camp 1 a second night
  • Day 14: Climb to Camp 2 and spend the night
  • Day 15: Descend to Base Camp
  • Day 16: Rest at Base Camp
  • Day 17: Rest/pack/prepare for the summit bid at Base Camp
  • Day 18: Climb to Camp 1 and spend the night
  • Day 19: Climb to Camp 2 and spend the night
  • Day 20: Climb to Camp 2.7, short night before summit morning
  • Day 21: Summit Ama Dablam! Descend back to Camp 1
  • Day 22: Descend to Base Camp and pack
  • Day 23: Trek from Ama Dablam Base Camp to Namche
  • Day 24: Trek from Namche to Lukla
  • Day 25: Fly to Kathmandu
  • Day 26: Contingency Day
  • Day 27: Contingency Day
  • Day 28: Contingency Day
  • Day 29: Fly Home from Kathmandu

Our expeditions are designed to be fully inclusive, except for some services/items of a personal nature like flights, gear, insurance. Here’s a detailed list so you know what to expect

Included in the Ama Dablam Private Climb:

  • Leadership, strategy, and climbing oversight, including full support for a summit attempt
  • Professional mountain guides, sherpa support staff, base camp support staff, and porters to assist with carrying personal gear
  • Full expedition logistics, weather forecasts, etc
  • Climbing permit for Ama Dablam
  • Training and skills refresher clinics at Ama Dablam
  • Domestic flights to and from Lukla
  • In-country transportation associated with the program itinerary
  • Airport transfers
  • Accommodation in Nepal, including 4 nights in Kathmandu and teahouses on the trek
  • Welcome dinner, all breakfasts & all meals on the trek and mountain. Please note that in town, free time meals in Kathmandu are your own responsibility
  • Access to medical and communications gear
  • Mountain camp infrastructure and logistics, including tents and cooking gear

Excluded from the Ama Dablam Private Climb:

  • International flights to Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Airport arrival or departure taxes
  • Associated travel expenses including: Visa, Passport,
  • Reciprocity Fees, Vaccination Charges, Excess Baggage
  • Optional excursions not included in the itinerary or additional days before or after the scheduled program
  • Personal climbing equipment, clothing, toiletries, etc
  • Personal sundries including but not limited to: non-team meals while in Kathmandu, personal snacks, specialized high altitude climbing food, alcoholic beverages, laundry services, medical expenses, gratuities, 3rd party internet, email or phone charges, bottled water, specialty coffees
  • Sherpa tip pool
  • Guide tip (customary but optional)
  • Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of CTSS above and beyond the normal expedition costs
  • Required trip insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)
  • Unused Contingency Days at the end of your program: CTSS covers one night in the hotel in Kathmandu on your return. If you decide to stay longer in Kathmandu beyond this night, those costs are your responsibility. We highly recommend that while you should plan to be away from home for the entire duration of the expedition, including contingency days, you book a flexible return airfare so you can move your flight forward if you don’t use all of the contingency days or push it back as you need.

Ama Dablam Team Climb

AMA DABLAM  |  Asia


Ama Dablam Team Climb

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Ama Dablam Team Climb

Departures in October | Starting at $17,495 USD

You start your adventure by meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal. Here we will do thorough gear checks, have team briefings, and pack and organise our gear for the climb ahead. Following our time in Kathmandu, we fly to Lukla to start our approach trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp.

You will love the 6-day trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp. Our schedule involves both moving days and trekking to the next village, sprinkled with rest and acclimatization days in between. The slow ascent up the valley is essential to allow your body time to acclimate and gives you a chance to explore each village we stay in. On some rest days, we’ll take a small day hike up to points of interest to give our bodies new high points and enjoy visiting some famous cultural and religious sights on our way through the scenic Khumbu valley in the shadow of the world’s highest mountains. Including staying in the ‘Sherpa Capital’ Namche Bazaar, where you can have a beer in the world’s highest pub, to visiting the famous Tengboche Monastery, where a High Lama will bless your climb ahead. Passing by countless Tibetan Buddhist stupas and chortens, you will feel the rich culture of Tibetan Buddhism come alive.

Porters and yaks will bring the majority of your gear on the trek, allowing you to trek light, carrying only what you need for the day. Most days, we will walk between 4 and 6 hours on the trail at a moderate pace, with the occasional day or two containing longer stretches.

Once you have arrived in Base Camp, we follow a busy, but deliberate, itinerary of working our way up and down the route to continue acclimatizing and become familiar with the climbing techniques necessary for a successful summit bid in a series of climbing rotations.

When we are ready, and the weather looks great, we launch our summit bid, which is 4 nights, 4.5 days away from Base Camp. First to Camp 1, the following day to Camp 2, where we enter new terrain, climbing from Camp 2 to Camp 2.7 at 20,800ft (6,340m). Camp 2.7 is really now the standard Camp 3 and is located slightly lower and closer to the ridge than the traditional Camp 3 that is no longer used due to the serac fall hazard off the glacier above. From Camp 2.7, you will wake early for an alpine start to the summit!

After summiting, the team descends back to Camp 1 for another night. The following morning is a descent back to basecamp for well-earned celebrations, rest, and packing for the journey home.

Following your summit, we enjoy a relaxed descent back down the valley, taking in your achievement in this remarkable corner of the world before flying back to Kathmandu and onward home.

Itinerary:

Sample itinerary. Your actual daily schedule will be strategically planned to account for the best weather and summit windows, etc. We begin our expedition in Kathmandu, Nepal, where we obtain our climbing permits before flying to Lukla in the Khumbu Valley to trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp. Our climb ends in Kathmandu, where CTSS will cover one night’s accommodation. We recommend booking a flexible return airfare.

  • Day 1: Arrival Day in Kathmandu
  • Day 2: Gear checks, guide briefing, and free time to explore Kathmandu
  • Day 3: Fly to Lukla, Hike to Phakding
  • Day 4: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar
  • Day 5: Rest day in Namche/Acclimatization hike
  • Day 6: Trek from Namche to Tengboche
  • Day 7: Rest day in Tengboche, visit Tengboche Monastery
  • Day 8: Trek from Tengboche to Ama Dablam Base Camp
  • Day 9: Rest day/Traditional Tibetan Puja Ceremony
  • Day 10: Climb to Camp 1 and descend back to Base Camp
  • Day 11: Rest/pack in Base Camp
  • Day 12: Climb to Camp 1 and spend the night
  • Day 13: Acclimatize above Camp 1, sleep at Camp 1 a second night
  • Day 14: Climb to Camp 2 and spend the night
  • Day 15: Descend to Base Camp
  • Day 16: Rest at Base Camp
  • Day 17: Rest/pack/prepare for the summit bid at Base Camp
  • Day 18: Climb to Camp 1 and spend the night
  • Day 19: Climb to Camp 2 and spend the night
  • Day 20: Climb to Camp 2.7, short night before summit morning
  • Day 21: Summit Ama Dablam! Descend back to Camp 1
  • Day 22: Descend to Base Camp and pack
  • Day 23: Trek from Ama Dablam Base Camp to Namche
  • Day 24: Trek from Namche to Lukla
  • Day 25: Fly to Kathmandu
  • Day 26: Contingency Day
  • Day 27: Contingency Day
  • Day 28: Contingency Day
  • Day 29: Fly Home from Kathmandu

Our expeditions are designed to be fully inclusive, except for some services/items of a personal nature like flights, gear, insurance. Here’s a detailed list so you know what to expect

Included in the Ama Dablam Team Climb:

  • Leadership, strategy, and climbing oversight, including full support for a summit attempt
  • Professional mountain guides, sherpa support staff, base camp support staff, and porters to assist with carrying personal gear
  • Full expedition logistics, weather forecasts, etc
  • Climbing permit for Ama Dablam
  • Training and skills refresher clinics at Ama Dablam
  • Domestic flights to and from Lukla
  • In-country transportation associated with the program itinerary
  • Airport transfers
  • Accommodation in Nepal, including 4 nights in Kathmandu and teahouses on the trek (twin share)
  • Welcome dinner, all breakfasts & all meals on the trek and mountain. Please note that in town, free time meals in Kathmandu are your own responsibility
  • Access to medical and communications gear
  • Mountain camp infrastructure and logistics, including tents and cooking gear

Excluded from the Ama Dablam Team Climb:

  • International flights to Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Airport arrival or departure taxes
  • Associated travel expenses including: Visa, Passport,
  • Reciprocity Fees, Vaccination Charges, Excess Baggage
  • Optional excursions not included in the itinerary or additional days before or after the scheduled program
  • Personal climbing equipment, clothing, toiletries, etc
  • Personal sundries including but not limited to: non-team meals while in Kathmandu, personal snacks, specialized high altitude climbing food, alcoholic beverages, laundry services, medical expenses, gratuities, 3rd party internet, email or phone charges, bottled water, specialty coffees
  • Sherpa tip pool
  • Guide tip (customary but optional)
  • Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of CTSS above and beyond the normal expedition costs
  • Required trip insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)
  • Unused Contingency Days at the end of your program: CTSS covers one night in the hotel in Kathmandu on your return. If you decide to stay longer in Kathmandu beyond this night, those costs are your responsibility. We highly recommend that while you should plan to be away from home for the entire duration of the expedition, including contingency days, you book a flexible return airfare so you can move your flight forward if you don’t use all of the contingency days or push it back as you need.

Lobuche East Private Climb

LOBUCHE  |  Nepal


Lobuche East Private Climb

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Lobuche East Private Climb

Contact us for pricing, dates, and availability.

Our Lobuche East expedition is one of our most popular Himalayan programs because it allows aspiring climbers not only the opportunity to tag a Himalayan gem but also to tick off a bucket list trek to Everest Base Camp and stay in Base Camp proper for two nights.

Your adventure starts in Kathmandu, Nepal. Here, we will do thorough gear checks, have guide briefings, and pack and organise our gear for the climb and trek ahead.

Following our time in Kathmandu, you will fly to Lukla to start the trek. We land at the Hillary runway at roughly 9,000ft/3,000m. From the moment you land in Lukla, you will be at altitude. It’s essential to take it easy and let your body adjust to the altitude naturally.

We take our time on the most iconic trek in the world, spending time visiting famous cultural and religious sights on our way through this scenic valley in the shadow of the world’s highest mountains. Our slow acclimatization schedule means there is plenty of time to explore landmarks like the famous Tengboche Monastery, where you can stop by to visit a High Lama and receive a blessing, take time to explore the famous Namche Bazaar – the Sherpa capital, or have a beer in the world’s highest pub. Passing by countless Tibetan Buddhist stupas and chortens, you will feel the rich culture of Tibetan Buddhism and the Sherpa come alive.

We choose to implement a slow acclimatization schedule, not just so you can take in the sights and sounds of the valley, but to ensure you enjoy your trek and climbs and feel great throughout.

Altitude isn’t something to be feared; it’s achievable for most people, but it is a process that can’t be rushed. Generic treks and climbs that move too quickly often have disgruntled, unwell people because their bodies are struggling to adjust.

Staging the climb from our well-equipped Lobuche Base Camp, we will conduct training clinics before moving up to High Camp to begin our ascent.

Lobuche is such a great, scenic climb (offering similar terrain & climbing to Everest, albeit at a lower altitude) that all of our Everest climbers make the ascent of Lobuche en route to Everest base camp as one of their acclimatization rotations.

Following your Lobuche climb, you continue your trek to Everest Base Camp, where you can celebrate with a 2-night visit to Base Camp Proper, staying at CTSS’ famed camp, and celebrating.

Here you will also have the opportunity for some additional climbing in the lower part of the Khumbu icefall and a free day to unwind and explore.

Leaving Everest Base Camp, enjoy the descent back down the valley, taking in your achievement in this remarkable corner of the world before flying back to Kathmandu and onward home.

Itinerary:

This itinerary is only a rough estimate and will be determined by weather and conditions. This is adventure travel, meaning things rarely go as planned, and this schedule will likely change. Climbers need to be adaptable and positive.

We always recommend climbers arrive in Chamonix one day early to avoid travel delays or issues with lost baggage. Added expenses (hotel/food/sightseeing) of this extra day are the client’s responsibility.

  • Day 1: Climber arrives in Kathmandu
  • Day 2: Obtain climbing permits, free day in Kathmandu, dinner
  • Day 3: Fly to Lukla and start trekking to Phakding
  • Day 4: Trek to Namche
  • Day 5: Rest day and acclimatization hike in Namche
  • Day 6: Trek to Tengboche
  • Day 7: Rest day and acclimatization hike in Tengboche. Visit the Tengboche Monastery
  • Day 8: Hike to Pheriche
  • Day 9: Rest day and acclimatization hike in Pheriche
  • Day 10: Hike to Lobuche Base Camp, overnight in CTSS’ tented camp
  • Day 11: Acclimatization hike to High Camp, skills refresher, overnight in CTSS’ tented camp
  • Day 12: Move to Lobuche High Camp, overnight in CTSS’ tented camp
  • Day 13: Acclimatization and training at Lobuche High Camp
  • Day 14: Summit Lobuche East & return to Lobuche Base Camp, overnight in CTSS’ tented camp
  • Day 15: Trek to Everest Base Camp, overnight in CTSS’ tented camp
  • Day 16: Explore Everest Base Camp, overnight in CTSS’ tented camp
  • Day 17: Trek to Pheriche
  • Day 18: Trek to Namche
  • Day 19: Trek to Lukla
  • Day 20: Fly to Kathmandu
  • Day 21: Fly Home
  • Day 22: Contingency Day

Our expeditions are designed to be fully inclusive, except for some services/items of a personal nature like flights, gear, insurance. Here’s a detailed list so you know what to expect

Included in the Lobuche East Private Climb:

  • Leadership, strategy, and climbing oversight, including full support for a summit attempt
  • A climbing Sherpa to assist with carrying personal gear
  • Full expedition logistics, weather forecasts, etc
  • Climbing permits for Lobuche
  • Training and skills refresher clinics at Lobuche &
  • Everest Base Camp
  • Domestic flights to and from Lukla
  • In-country transportation associated with the program itinerary
  • Airport transfers
  • Accommodation in Nepal, including hotels and teahouses
  • 2x nights' accommodation at Everest Base Camp proper
  • Welcome dinner & meals throughout the expedition
  • Access to medical and communications gear
  • Mountain camp infrastructure and logistics, including tents
  • On mountain meals

Excluded from the Lobuche East Private Climb:

 

  • International flights to Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Airport arrival or departure taxes
  • Associated travel expenses including: Visa, Passport,
  • Reciprocity Fees, Vaccination Charges, Excess Baggage
  • Optional excursions not included in the itinerary or additional days before or after the scheduled program
  • Personal climbing equipment, clothing, toiletries, etc
  • Personal sundries including but not limited to: non-team meals while in Kathmandu, personal snacks, specialized high altitude climbing food, alcoholic beverages, laundry services, medical expenses, gratuities, 3rd party internet, email or phone charges, bottled water, specialty coffees
  • Sherpa tip pool
  • Guide tip (customary but optional)
  • Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of CTSS above and beyond the normal expedition costs
  • Required trip insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)
  • Unused Contingency Days at the end of your program: CTSS covers one night in the hotel in Kathmandu on your return. If you decide to stay longer in Kathmandu beyond this night, those costs are your responsibility. We highly recommend that, while you should plan to be away from home for the entire duration of the expedition, including contingency days, you book a flexible return airfare so you can move your flight forward if you don’t use all of the contingency days or push it back as you need.

Summit Bids on the Horizon

Our teams are fully acclimatized and ready for their summit bids over the next few weeks. We expect the rope-fixing team, who have done a great job, to fix ropes to the summit tonight, with the season’s first summits coming close behind. We will let the first wave clear, and our teams will make their move. All eyes are on the forecast.

The climbers’ priority is to bank as much sleep, rest, and good food as they can to recharge their batteries. Mentally, the team is in great spirits, with a healthy dose of anticipation and full focus.

As we continue to share more on the route to Everest, below are two videos that will take us up to Lhotse Face to South Col (ropes were just fixed there over the weekend) and then all the way to the summit.

One again, a huge THANK YOU to our entire 2025 CTSS Everest and Lhotse guide team. Simply put, this is the most experienced guide team ever on Mt Everest. Period. And likely the biggest! Within this team, there are too many 8000m and Everest summits to count. Being the best of the best means their dedication, hard work, client care, generosity, and humility are absolutely on point. It’s an honor to work with such an incredible team of mountain professionals.


Ropes are Fixed to South Col

Big news coming in from the upper mountain today! Ropes have been fixed to the South Col, which means our teams have started moving oxygen up the mountain to be ready for summit bids. Traditionally, Everest sees the most summits in mid-May, and we are fast approaching that timeline. We will keep you posted as climbers, guides, and our teams make plans for their summit climbs.

We have one private climber, Andrea G, along with guide Robert, who is finishing their rotation. They will drop back to Everest Base Camp tomorrow.

One of our private teams, the Bouka Family, wrapped their first rotation today. They shared this beautiful video highlighting the climb through Khumbu Icefall to Camp 1, capturing the essence of the glacier in every scene.

The team shared, “It was during our first acclimatization rotation that we truly discovered what the Khumbu Icefall is all about.A chaotic maze of ice, only visible through the beam of our headlamps. This iconic section is crossed at night to reduce the risk of falling ice blocks—and maybe it’s better not to see the full scale of this moving frozen ocean… The atmosphere is surreal: a mix of eerie silence, cracking ice, and the sound of our crampons on ice or swaying ladders.”

All of our other teams and climbers are back at Base Camp after successful rotations. A few climbers are dropping back all the way to Lukla and Kathmandu to “touch grass,” which is a strategy that entails flying to much lower elevations either between rotations or just ahead of a summit bid to get some extra rest and recovery. Their bodies will undoubtedly enjoy this little break from the high-altitude environments at and above Everest Base Camp.

We got a peek at life above Base Camp from Sam and Emma Schwerin, who completed their second rotation with their guides Tendi Sherpa and Fred Alldredge. This team spent one night at Camp 1 and three nights at Camp 2, where they did an acclimatization hike to 22,228 feet and had plenty of time to play Uno!


Summit Standby

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Photo - Casey Grom

Climbers Back At Base Camp After Successful 2nd Rotation

Here’s the latest from the Khumbu:

Word came in from our Western Guided team, and they are now back at Everest Base Camp enjoying a much-needed rest after a successful second rotation. The following private climbers also arrived back at Base Camp today, including Jocelyn C. and guide Ashish, Terry S. and guide Dawa, Eva S. and guide Pega, as well as John W and guide Don.

To the right, you’ll see a quick video update from Tendi Sherpa (Little Tendi), who oversees all of our Everest Base Camp and upper mountain logistics. As Tendi shares, many of our climbers are now eyeing their summit bids as we wait for an ideal weather window.

40-day Speed Climber Alyssa and guide Phunjo hit their goal and tagged Camp 3 today. They are now back at Camp 2 and plan to return to Everest Base Camp tomorrow.

We have a few other private climbers still pushing forward with their first or second rotations, including Kevin S and guide Jangbu along with our Lhotse climber Adravan F. Today, they reached a new high point of 7,100 meters. They will stay at Camp 2 tonight before returning to Everest Base Camp tomorrow.

The Bouka family is doing well at Camp 2 and will return to Base Camp tomorrow to conclude their first rotation.

Below, you will find an overview of the route our teams are taking to the summit of Everest. All teams and climbers will complete multiple rotations on the upper mountain before making their final summit bid.


Weekend Updates from Everest

We hope you are all enjoying a great weekend.

Updates for May 4th: The teams are doing really well on their acclimatization rotations and are to be commended for their strength.

Today we welcomed back to Base Camp Sam & Emma S, Michael K, Robert A, Eva S, Adam S (and our Camp 3 climber Doug C who all successfully tagged Camp 3 - Congratulations!) to complete their second rotations.  Also coming back to Base after successful first rotations Varun R with Guide Thunang. They will now enjoy a well deserved rest.

Up at Camp 2 our Western Guided Team are enjoying a good rest with half of the team hitting Camp 3 today, along with private climber John W with Guide Don. The other half of the Western Guided team elected for a rest day at Camp 2. They'll tackle the Lhotse Face tomorrow before reconvening as a broader team and dropping back down to Base completing their second rotation. Jocelyn C & Terry S, Andrea G & Kevin S also took an active rest day hiking to the Base of the Lhotse Face. Tomorrow they will look to tag Camp 3.

The Bouka team had a nice sunny, warm rest day at Camp 2. They'll be looking at tagging Camp 3 tomorrow as well.

Our Speed Ascent climber Alyssa moved strongly from Camp 1 to Camp 2 along with Lhotse climber Ardavan.

We will be in a nice early position with lots of time ahead of us in the season to take our pick of weather windows. The team are doing great.

Crossing the CWM
Ladder section in the icefall
Fresh dusting at Camp 1
Michael K topping out of the icefall
CTSS Camp 1 -2025