Lhotse Expedition, the 4th highest mountain in the world, stands at 8516m, immediately south of Mount Everest; the summits of Everest and Lhotse are connected by the South Col, a vertical ridge that never drops below 8000m. The long east-west crest of Lhotse has three summits: Lhotse Main 8516m, Lhotse East (Middle), 8413m, and Lhotse Shar 8383m.
The standard climbing route for Lhotse follows the Everest South Col route up to the famous Yellow Band just beyond Everest’s Camp III, 7300m, on the Lhotse Face.
The West Face of Lhotse is marked by a deep scar, an icy gully known as the Lhotse Couloir; the couloir is the crucial test to the Lhotse climb, mainly because the climbing conditions of the couloir are affected by weather and seasonal snowfall.
This Lhotse Expedition demands advanced skill climbing on steep, exposed and technical skill and altitude experience is mandatory. It is an ideal climb designed for previous Everest climbers or those who have proved confident on 7000-meter climbs.
Lhotse is best known for its proximity to Mount Everest and at 8,516 metres it is the 4th highest Peak in the world. The climbing route for the Lhotse Expedition follows the same route as the climb on Everest, including the aptly named Lhotse face almost all the way till Everest’s Geneva Spur from where it follows a steep climb through a long couloir to the summit.
Lhotse has three summits, of which the lowest is 8,383 metres high (Lhotse Shar). Next in order of altitude is Lhotse East, also known as Middle, standing at the height of 8,413 metres. The highest peak at 8,516 metres is called Lhotse Main.
With a height of 8,516 m, the Lhotse is number four in the ranking of the highest mountains in the world and thus just missing the top-3 podium. Nevertheless, the number four has an impressive height and is definitely not for the faint-hearted, but those who are looking for an outstanding adventure!
The Tibetan name translated means “southern peak” and indicates its belonging to the Everest massif. Lhotse’s long east-west ridge is located just south of the world’s highest mountain. And so the Lhotse, as Everest’s neighbor, comes up with an intoxicating ascent. The first part follows the Everest-South-Route up to Camp 3. From here the ascent to Lhotse follows its own, steeper route leading to the summit ridge.
The Lhotse has three summits: Lhotse Main (8. 516m), Lhotse Shar (8. 383m) and Lhotse Middle or East (8. 413m). From Lhotse and its secondary peak Lhotse Shar over 3,000 m (!) high rock walls drop in the southern direction. Due to the enormous difference in altitude and the extreme height, these walls range among the most difficult and dangerous in the world.
Lhotse Expedition Route
After half an hour of scenic flight to Lukla, Which is known as the Khumbu gateway point. You will be trekking toward Namche Bazaar (3400m), Tengboche (3800m), Pheriche (4200m), Lobuche (4710m), Gorak Shep (5150m) to Everest/Lhotse; Base Camp (5200m). It typically takes 8-9 days to reach the Advance base camp from Kathmandu.
The Lhotse expedition is a severe logistical excursion with lots of food, supplies, and equipment hauled up along the Everest Base Camp trek by armies of porters and Sherpa guides carrying ropes, ladders, and equipment to high camps. Clients wait patiently in the base camp as the Sherpa set up miles of fixed lines and find their clients’ path.
The Lhotse climbing expedition along the South col is called the regular Lhotse climbing route. The summit program will be dependent upon weather and snow conditions. But in general, will be a single push of 6 consecutive days from base camp and will go as follows: Base Camp – Camp II(6400M): Camp 2 – Camp 3 Camp III (7100m): Camp III– Camp IV (7900m): Camp IV – Summit(8516M)– Camp 4: Camp 4 – Camp 2: Camp 2 – Base Camp.
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Lhotse Expedition cost details of Nepalgram Adventure
60 days trekking and climbing programs. Include Lodge, tent accommodations, Breakfasts, Lunch, Dinners, Porters’ High climbing guide & cook.
The price also includes fixed rope, main rope, ice crow, snow bar, ice hammer & all the group gears needed while climbing the peak.
Hotels in Kathmandu as per our itinerary is included. Transport, Climbing permit and insurance is included in the cost for Lhotse Expedition.
Climbing permit cost
Mountains | Spring | Autumn | Summer |
Lhotse (8516M) | $ 1800 | $ 900 | $ 450 |
We assure kind hearted and experienced staff who know how-to trace the route on glacier route, high pass route, and how to fix the rope for ice climbing, and how to climb the Lhotse Expedition with minimal risk and precisely successful pattern.
Outline Itinerary
- Day 1 – International Arrival (1,300m)
- Day 2-3: Expedition document application, Preparation, briefing for Expedition (1,300m)
- Day 4: Fly to Lukla & Trek to Phakding (2,810m)
- Day 5: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,400m)
- Day 6: Rest Day for acclimatization (3,400m)
- Day 7: Namche to Tengboche (3,800m)
- Day 8: Namche to Tengboche (3,800m)
- Day 9: Pheriche – Lobuche Base Camp (4,371m)
- Day 10-53: Climbing period (8,516m)
- Day 54: Base Camp to Dingboche (4,260m)
- Day 55: Dingboche to Tengboche (3,800m)
- Day 56: Tengboche to Namche (3,440m)
- Day 57: Namche to Lukla (2,886m)
- Day 58: Lukla to Kathmandu (1,300m)
- Day 59: Free Day (reserved day in case of flight cancellation) (1,300m)
- Day 60: International Departure B (1,300m)
Download detail itinerary of lhotse expedition
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Itinerary
Representative will greet you in an airport & transfer you to your Hotel, after refreshment you will be picked from hotel lobby to office where you will be formally introduced to your Guide and the activities to be enjoyed over the next few days. We will also ask for your passport photographs and any other details required for your trek permits, at this stage.
These day we are busy for briefing about expedition, documentation, visa application, last minute shopping and preparation for departure to expedition. We’ll also introduce to our Nepali crew coming with you for expedition.
After breakfast, we will be taken to the domestic terminal of TIA for an early morning flight to Lukla. After flying above the breathtaking green and white mountains, we reach Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating in a landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountains. Upon our arrival at Lukla, we meet our crew members and after some packing and preparation, we start our trek through the prosperous village of Lukla until we reach Phakding. To assist in acclimatization, we only have a short hike today. However, if interested in additional activities, we can take a side trip to a nearby monastery.
After breakfast we walk through beautiful pine forests and then along Dudh Koshi River ending our nature-filled journey at Namche Bazaar. After walking for almost over an hour, we come across the glistening Mt. Thamserku (6,608m) on our right and also experience the serenity of pine, fir and juniper forests throughout our journey. If the weather is clear, we may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. We continue walking until we reach the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Mt. Everest and main trading center of this region. This day we cross five suspension bridges, the last one also known as the Hillary Bridge being the highest. It is an uphill walk from Hillary Bridge to Namche Bazaar.
This is the day set aside for acclimatization. Health experts recommend that we stay active and move around even during the rest day instead of being idle. There are a few options set aside for this day. We can either stroll around Namche’s quaint villages or come in contact with the Sherpa people and their rich culture, or we can hike up to the Everest View Hotel and enjoy an up-close view of the mighty Everest. While in the Namche village or upon returning from the hike to the Everest View Hotel, trekkers may also visit the local museum containing exhibits displaying the area’s native flora and fauna as well as the history of the Mount Everest region.
For trekkers who want to hike for a little longer, a hike to Khumjung village (5-6 hours) may also be an option. While in the village we can visit the Edmund Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery (a monastery famous for housing the head of the Yeti!).
We trek further along the Everest route and pass through beautiful villages and cross the Dudh Koshi River while also enjoying magnificent views of the Himalayan peak along the way like Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. After ascending on a steep trail we reach the Tengboche Monastery and spend some time there. Later we descend to Debuche to spend the night.
We hike to another village called Pangboche on our way to Pheriche. Pangboche is a scenic village surrounded by Everest to its north, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kangtaiga to the east, the Kongde range to the south and the ImjaTse River flowing through the wide fertile valley.From here, we continue further up towards Pheriche, another beautiful village for an overnight stay.
This day we will start on the straight path for some hours then climb up to Dugla. We cross a river made by a glacier then after a little climb we precede on straight path, which leads us to Lobuche base camp.
Camp 1 (6065m) is located on the top of Khumbu icefall; it is a desolate and exposed place mainly used as rest and transition location on the way to camp 2 (6750m). The glacier between camp 1 and 2 flattens but there are still large crevasses close to camp 1, which are also fixed with ladders.
Camp 2 is located in a lateral moraine at the bottom of west ridge. It is a very safe and sheltered location with tremendous views on Lhotse. All companies set-up their main climbing camp for the duration of climbing period with tents for individual climbers, the kitchen and dining tents. Camp 2 is main acclimatization camp and the base for camp 3 acclimatization climb and the final summit attempt.
Camp 3 (7100m) is located on small ledge on the Lhotse wall. One has to cross the glacier to the right side before 40deg 600m climb on the compact snow field. The route is safe with couple of short less then 3m ice cliffs, which climbing Sherpas set up with fixed ropes.
Camp 4 (7920m) located near South Col is the last camp; it is easily accessible by majority of climbers without supplementary oxygen. There are two rock sections to navigate before camp 4: Yellow Bands, interlayer marble, phyllite and semi-schist rocks and Geneva Spur, an anvil shaped rib of black rocks; they are again set-up with fixed ropes.
From camp 4 the route enters 500m couloirs about 40deg along a mix of pack snow, ice and some rock & back to Base Camp.
After a successful summit of Mt. Lhotse (hopefully), you will be taken back to Dingboche (4260m) via Lobuche (5218m).
You are descending toward Tengboche (3860m) by trek (4hrs) from Dingboche.
Mostly downhill today it will take you 4 to 5 hours, there is a steep climb for about an hour before you encounter the scenic walk back into Namche. From Khumjung you can pass through Khunde where you may enjoy a visit to the little monastery if you haven’t already.
Trek to Lukla (2886m) and it takes about four hour. You re-trace your steps along the Dudh Koshi, crossing the western bank at Benkar. It is a beautiful and easy walk through blue pine and rhododendron forest, back-dropped with views of Kusum Kangaru. An early lunch will be taken at Phakding and in the afternoon you ascend out of the river valley back to the airstrip and you are offered lodge accommodation at Lukla. In the evening, a farewell dinner may be followed by a few celebratory drinks and dancing with Sherpa companions.
We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenirs shopping or sightseeing.
This is the free day and you can use it for your shopping. In the evening we will drive you for farewell dinner with cultural dance.
All too soon it’s time to bid Nepal farewell and one realizes that we can never be intimate, only acquainted with this amazing adventure Himalaya.