You ascend to 8201 meters (26,906 feet) on our Cho Oyu expedition to Lhasa, the former capital of Tibet. As we travel to Cho Oyu base camp, our group will visit numerous Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and palaces for acclimatization. You will return to Kathmandu via Kerung, a different overland route.
The Cho Oyu Expedition is a stunning and relatively difficult climb that starts in Nepal. For anyone who has ever wished to ascend one of the world's six highest mountains, which is 8,201 meters, the Cho Oyu offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and an exciting adventure in Tibet. Among the fourteen 8,201-meter Himalayan peaks in the world, Cho Oyu has the best success rate, despite being the sixth-highest mountain on Earth. There are a few brief, steep technical portions along the short, straightforward route to the peak. With fixed lines, it is safe to climb.
- Get a first-hand look at Tibetan culture.
- There is a possibility of summiting two 8,000-meter peaks in one season.
- Take on the well-known "Yellow Band" and "Ice Cliff."
- From the top of Cho Oyu, where you can watch the sunrise over the mountain, you can see the finest view of Mount Everest.
Route of the Cho Oyu Expedition
After arriving at Base Camp at 4,800 meters (15,750 feet) in 4WD Land cruisers, our Cho Oyu Expedition gets underway. The journey from Lhasa takes a few days, during which we traverse the breathtaking Tibetan Plateau. In Base Camp, we spend a day setting up our climbing gear. Instead of taking a week or more, this drive and BC time only take 2–3 days.
On Cho Oyu, you go from Base Camp to Advanced Base Camp (ABC) in a single day after allowing each member to acclimate. At ABC, you spend the majority of your time watching Cho Oyu. Our camp, which is located at 18,530'/5,650m on a glacial moraine, is sunny, comfortable, and has all of our Alpenglow amenities, including heated dining tents, a fully equipped kitchen, a heated communications and hangout tent, internet access, and much more.
From the Advanced Base Camp on Cho Oyu, you will reach Camps 1 and 2. You proceed to Camp 1 (21,000 feet/6,400 meters) after taking the required time off and hiking to acclimatize. You also climb around ABC and to the neighboring Nangpa La, a well-known glaciated pass that crosses into Nepal and is frequently traversed by local traders. Easily follow the morainal valley to a small lake, then climb steeply up a difficult scree slope to camp in a sheltered bowl on the glacial ridge. You stay in Camp 1 for at least three nights. During this period, you ascend the short but difficult ice cliff, a steep 20–30 meter ascent of firm ice on fixed lines, and cross wide glaciated slopes to reach Camp 2, situated at 23,000 feet (7,000 meters). We will be using oxygen above this altitude on our summit push, so you do not stay the night in Camp 2. We descend to ABC to rest and get ready for our summit assault after this ascent to Camp 2. You will be using Camp 1, Camp 2, and Camp 3 (24,250'/7,400m) for our last ascent of Cho Oyu. To ensure we are fit and strong on summit day, we go to Camp 3 and spend the night there, receiving extra oxygen.