Climb Mount Manaslu in 2003

We are returning to Manaslu in April-May 2004. For news about our expedition, please "click" the News Button.

Full Service Cost: $7950, £4550, €6750; Basic Climb Cost: $3250, £1850, €2750.

* What does the price include? Our full service expeditions include: a highly qualified British, European, and/or American leader; sherpas for the group; 3 hot meals per day on the mountain, on trek, and in basecamp; trek and base camp cooks; trek, mountain, and basecamp food; ALL permit fees; liason officers; hotels, guesthouses and restaurants in route (but not in Kathmandu, a minimal expense); transport: bus, train, jeep, porters, yaks; use of group gear and supplies: rope, ice, snow, and rock gear; trek, base, and altitude tents; cookers, fuel, walkie-talkie radios, gamow bag, medical oxygen, first-aid kits, etcetera. In addition to our normal trekking and high-altitude tents, we now provide an individual tent (1 tent per person) in basecamp.

Note : Our full-service expeditions employ yaks and porters to carry your personal equipment to and from basecamp, climbing sherpas, high-altitude porters, and medical oxygen (in basecamp) to assist the team as a whole, and to carry group equipment and supplies. We DO NOT ask you to carry heavy group equipment (although it is an option if you really want to), such as tents, rope, gas, etcetera. For a minimal expense, we can also provide personal sherpas, and climbing oxygen, to individual members who wish to use these services. Thank you!

Training Note: Upon arrival in the basecamp, all members are kindly requested to participate in one or two days of training in the areas of climbing techniques, rope fixing, ascending, descending, safety techniques, rappels (abseils), belaying, medical equipment and procedures, communications equipment, camping techniques and high-altitude cooking. For the expert and beginner alike, it is important to review these techniques in order to enhance skills, and work together as a team.

Communications Note. Our expedition is equipped with "walkie-talkie" radios, and a satellite telephone for international voice telephone calls and emails. The members wishing to use the telephone will contribute $4 per minute of use. Not only will the phone be convenient for sending and receiving voice calls, it should be possible to send and receive 2 small emails per minute.

Introduction

Manaslu, at 8163 metres, is the eighth highest peak in the world. It is located in the west-central part of Nepal, and our team will climb it by the original route. We will be climbing during the "spring" or " pre-monsoon" season, when the hazards of weather and snow and avalanche are traditionally at their lowest. It is easy for you to leave the expedition early, if you need to return before 1 June.

Our Basecamp. Camp 2 on the Plateau. The upper mountain. Our route ascends the right hand skyline, to the peak on the left.

The final pitch below the summit. Almost on top! On the summit in 1956.

After summitting by what is considered to be the "easiest route" on the mountain, we are considering an attempt on Manaslu East, a never before climbed 7992 metre summit. Our trip includes all imaginable team-services, shared-support, and group equipment. Our expedition begins and finishes in Nepal’s cultural center: Kathmandu. The trek to and from basecamp is a ten to 14 day odyssey through an unspoiled wilderness of jungle, grassland, and high-altitude alpine flowers and tundra. Given what is included in this expedition, we feel that it is a very good value. The leaders of this trip are not mountain-guides, yet they and their Nepalese staff members are highly experienced mountaineers with many years of success and safety in the Himalaya, including summits of Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, K2, and numerous other high peaks. We have spent many years studying this mountain, flying over it, speaking with climbing teams who have reached the summit, negotiating with government officials, as well as collecting maps and photos of the route. Manaslu is special in that it is a high summit, not extremely difficult, with an approachable and relatively straightforward route, which should allow for a fairly reliable chance at reaching the top for everyone in the team.

Route Map showing Samagaon at 3550 metres (center lower). Base camp at 5000m, Camp 1 at 5900m, Camp 2 at 7000m, Camp 3 at 7650m, and the Summit at 8163m.

*DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY FOR MANASLU CLIMB*
1.	Arrive Kathmandu. Please be here on this day for logistics.
2.	In Kathmandu. Tour the city and arrange permits.
3.	Bus to Gorkha
4.	Walk along a ridge, then downhill to Arughat.
5.	Trek through rice paddies to Sundi Khola.
6.	Trek through forest to Macha Khola.
7.	Trek along river banks of Buri Gandaki to Jagat.
8.	Continue along the river to Deng.
9.	Continue along river to Ghap, a buddhist village.
10.	Continuealong river to Sho, first views of Manaslu.
11.	Trek to Pungen Gompa.
12.	Rest day.
13.	Trek to Sama Gaon.
14.	Trek to Manaslu base.
15.	Rest in Manaslu base.
14-52.	CLIMB MANASLU. It is possible to leave early if you need to be home before 1 June.
53.	Pack up Manaslu base.
54.	Trek down to Samagaon.
55.	Trek down to Nyak.
56.	Trek down to Jagat.
57.	Trek down to Macha Khola.
58.	Trek down to Arughat.
59.	Trek down to Gorkha.
60.	Bus to Kathmandu.
61.	In Kathmandu.
62.	Fly Home.

Team Member Experience

This is not a guided expedition, and team members are expected to be able to care for themselves in a winter-camping and climbing environment. Members must have knowledge of roped climbing techniques to protect for crevasse-falls, as well as use of fixed lines. Above ABC, all members must be prepared to join a rope with another team member. Solo climbing is not allowed. Team members must be prepared to climb fixed ropes on steep rock, ice, and snow terrain. They must be ready to brave strong winds, cold temperatures, avalanche hazards and deep snow. They must have a knowledge of altitude sickness and frostbite; recognition of symptoms, its prevention and treatment. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, they need to join with a spirit of teamwork and cooperation, and be ready to work with the group and be a good "team-player".

Equipment Note

All group equipment will be provided. You will need to bring your own personal equipment, including, rucksack, iceaxe(s), harness, helmet, plastic mountaineering boots, down/duvet jacket, wind/waterproof clothing, sleeping bag/mat, etc. It is best to bring your own personal equipment, but, if necessary, these items may be purchased or hired in Kathmandu.

Fitness and Health

To participate in this tour you must be a very fit and active climber in good health. Prior to joining our group, please see your doctor and obtain the necessary permission and advice, as well as medications for travel in extremes of altitude, and also for exotic locales. Make sure you have trained yourself thoroughly before joining our team.

MANASLU

Eighth Highest in the World, and perhaps the easiest of the "8000ers"