The following three and a half weeks are allocated for the climbing period of Cho Oyu. During this course, we follow an acclimatization schedule of climbing with equipment and rest days. The summit climb requires setting up three higher camps on the upper flanks of the mountain above the base camp.
Camp 1 is set up at 6400m which is led by the route following the moraine up the main glacier which then turns towards the east to a tributary glacier requiring the climbers to climb steeply up the scree and snow.
The route to Camp 2 (7000 m) follows a moderate snow and ice ridge before a small ice serac out to a broad plateau.
After Camp 2, we need to climb up on a 30-degree snow slope to reach Camp 3 at 7400 m.
On the Summit day, we head towards the Yellow Band, a short but steep wall of rock and ice, technically challenging and demanding. After traversing the Yellow Band, we move up the West Face to the summit plateau. Most climbers stop at a set of prayer flags believing that they have summited the peak but there is still a 15-minute walk across the plateau to reach a point that offers spectacular views of the Gokyo lakes of Nepal, that point is the Summit of Cho Oyu.
After witnessing the extraordinary views of the mountain ranges including Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and mesmerizing Gokyo Lakes, we slowly retrace our trail to the Advanced Base Camp. The summit day requires 10-12 hours of walking on rocks, ice, and snow.
Accommodation
Full Board Camp Service