-Nepal Lobuche East EverestViewGlacierSchool.com - Easy & Affordable Way to Learn Technical Skills & Gain High Altitude Experience-

These photos were taken on our recent successful Everest View Glacier School expedition where we put 5 members and 2 Sherpas on the summit and had a lot of fun. Photos in slideshow: Valerie Hovland, Tunc Findik, Elselien te Hennepe, Bruce Manning, & Preston Stroud. For caption information on these photos, please visit our Everest View Glacier School photo gallery.

Please view our new Everest View Glacier School video clips.

Awarded 25 Best New Trips 2009 by the editors of National Geographic ADVENTURE magazine.
May be the "easiest" and most affordable way to learn glacier travel while gaining high altitude experience.
One of the most beautiful places to take an up-close look at the high peaks around Everest in Nepal.
Learn the technical skills needed using ice-axe, crampons and rope to climb the world's highest peaks.
After glacier training, make a summit attempt on the fun trekking peak of Lobuche East.
Do well on our April trip and transfer directly to Cho Oyu (the world's 6th highest peak).
Trek to Cho La and Lobuche on snow-free paths through green terraced villages, rushing rivers, suspension bridges, lush forests, stay in civilized 'teahouses' and camp in verdant meadows beneath towering peaks.
Add on an optional fun and exciting trek to Everest Basecamp and the top of Kala Pattar.
Leadership April: Dan Mazur, over 20 years experience leading climbs and treks in Nepal.
Leadership May & October: Raj Thapa and staff, over 10 years leading treks and climbs in Nepal.
Dates and Cost:

29 March-19 April, 1-22 May, and 9-30 October, 2010, 2011 & 2012. 22 days in Nepal.
2010 Expedition: Full Service Cost: $2750, £1850, €2150.
2011 Expedition: Full Service Cost: $3050, £2050, €2350. GBP & EUR conversions as of {7-May-10}.
Seven day option: $1150. 6-12 April, 10-16 May, or 18-24 October, 2010, 2011, & 2012.
Optional 4 day extension to Everest Basecamp and Kala Pattar: $450.

Please click the logo for payment options including credit card, cheque, bank transfer, etcetera.

Recent news: Our Everest View Glacier School has just returned and the trip was a huge success. Please click here to view news of our expedition. Please also visit our "Archived News" for more stories of past trips.

Please click one of the links below to view the introductory information or just scroll down (photo right by Valerie Hovland: A great view across the Cho La Glacier where we conduct our training lessons).

Programme description:

Introduction
Leader and staff
National park
Trekking to Cho La Basecamp
Glacier Training
Lobuche East
Who is this trip for?

Everest View Glacier School Programme Description:

Introduction: In just 3 weeks, our Everest-View Glacier School may be the easiest way to learn the fundamentals of glacier travel with ice-axe and crampons, while gaining high altitude experience in the spectacular grandeur of the Khumbu Himalaya. We will teach you everything you need to know to make a summit attempt towards the end of our itinerary on the fun trekking peak of Lobuche East (6119 metres/20,075 feet). It is a beautiful place to learn, practice your skills and to take an up-close look at the high peaks of the Himalaya, including Everest, the famous south face of Lhotse, Makalu and the north side of Ama Dablam.

Our proposed schedule allows for acclimatization, training, practice and rest. Our expedition is cautious and careful, with excellent leadership, organization, Sherpa climbers, cooks and waiters, tasty food, the best equipment, a full kitchen and sleeping tents in basecamp and high camp.
We teach you everything you need to know in special training sessions in Cho La base camp and on the Cho La Galcier. The actual climbing on the fun trekking peak of Lobuche East could be best described as steep walking/climbing, with team members roped-up.
You travel at a very careful pace without having to carry a heavy rucksack, while enjoying freshly prepared meals and lots of hot drinks, all important for acclimatization. The logistics are all taken care of, so just relax and enjoy the pure and pristine environment of the high Himalaya (photo right by Valerie Hovland: Climbers ascending the summit ridge of Lobuche East. You can see all the way down to the lake where we set up basecamp).
Participating in our Everest View Glacier School may qualify you for Mustagata, Ama Dablam, & Lakpa-Ri /North Col.
This expedition to Cho La basecamp and Lobuche East maximizes many prior expeditions, years of accumulated wisdom of the high Himalaya, a strong record of reaching the top of 6000 metre/20,000 foot & 7000 metre/23,000 foot peaks: Mustagata , Aconcagua, Island Peak , Ama Dablam, Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, North Col, Lhakpa Ri, and many other summits. In addition to our growing number of successful worldwide expeditions, we have an intimate knowledge of the Nepalese officials who regulate the permit system and we know all of the liaison officers, sherpas, cooks, yak drivers, and hoteliers/restaurateurs personally. back to top

Leader and staff: During the trek, in basecamp and on the climb, our experienced staff is with you all of the way. Our friendly guides and trip leaders are experts at leading interesting groups of men and women throughout Nepal. In addition, they have an intimate knowledge of the Sherpa people, customs, temples and shrines in each picturesque village you stroll through. We must also give credit to our polite and highly experienced, hard-working trekking sherpas, cooking, and office staff.

On trek: Our guide, together with friendly and helpful sherpas, cooks and local people leading yak caravans carry all of your personal equipment, group equipment, prepare and serve delicious meals, so you can relax and enjoy the trek. We stay in comfortable, warm teahouses during the trek. You do not need to carry a heavy rucksack during the walk (photo right: Our expert trek leader, Mingma, holding up a copy of Sherpa Magazine. He is featured on the cover).
On the mountain: Our climbing guide and group sherpas will fix the route, set up the high camps and carry the group equipment, such as tents, stoves, etc. If you wish to help out, we welcome you to do so, otherwise just relax and focus on getting well acclimated and achieving your goals. You do not need to carry a heavy rucksack during the climb.
Sherpas: Our excellent sherpas have an intimate knowledge of the beautiful trek to Island Peak and the comfortable villages we will visit because this is their home region. They live in this land, grew up on farms here, have family and friends in the fun areas we will pass through, making our visit less of the usual tourist experience and more involved with the unique and genuine culture of the Khumbu Valley. They go out of their way to help make your visit remarkable, enjoyable along the way, and create lasting ties with the majestic landscapes and the inhabitants who reside there. This is a truly wonderful trek with friendly people. back to top

Everest National Park: The park covers an area of 1148 square kilometres in the Khumbu region of Nepal. This includes Island Peak and several other well known peaks such as Lhotse, Pumori, Mount Everest, and Ama Dablam. The surrounding area is a 'world biosphere reserve'. Since 1976 the park has served to safeguard unique cultural, physical and scientific values through sound conservation principles. Vegetation in the park varies from oak, pine and hemlock forests at lower altitudes to fir, juniper, birch and rhododendron woods at mid-elevations. Scrub and alpine plant communities with bare rock and glacier are found above the tree line. 22 species of rhododendron bloom during the spring (April and May) and much of the flora is colourful throughout the year. Wild animals most likely to be seen in the park are Himalayan tahr, goral, serow, musk deer, and well over 100 different bird species (photo right by http://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals/420.htm: The Himalayan Tahr can grow to a metre high and weigh upwards of 100 kg).

Trek to Cho La basecamp: This is one of the most beautiful treks in the world with ancient snow-free paths winding past green terraced villages, rushing streams crossed on swinging bridges and each night a comfortable 'teahouse' or a good tent pitched in a quiet pasture beneath the highest peaks in the world. Throughout the trek we eat delicious meals prepared by our skillful cooks. The trek will be moderately paced, allowing plenty of time for acclimatization, rest and site-seeing. The trek winds through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on earth, where you can relax in exotic, friendly Sherpa villages. Our trusty yaks and porters carry all of your baggage, so you don't have to carry a heavy rucksack. We stay in comfortable, warm teahouses during the trek.

Glacier Training on the Cho La Glacier: After taking a rest day in Cho La basecamp we will begin several days of training before setting out for Lobuche East. Our school will consist of learning and practicing glacier rope techniques, ice-climbing, crevasse rescue and snow-camping. There will be ample opportunity for you to test out equipment, ask lots of questions and, most of all, have fun. back to top

Team members on the Cho La Glacier having fun. Team members practicing ascending and descending safely on the Cho La during our special training sessions. Climbers near the summit of Lobuche East (Valerie Hovland).

Lobuche East: This fun trekking peak affords the opportunity to go high and practice our newly learned techniques from the previous training on the Cho La Glacier.

Basecamp: After we have finished our training, we will make the brief and beautiful trek to Lobuche East. Basecamp is located at 5550 metres/18,200 feet near a beautiful hidden lake at the base of the glaciated South-West Face.
High Camp: From the northern end of the lake near basecamp, we climb slabby terraces and snow slopes beneath the main glaciers of the South-West Face and gain access to the ridge overlooking Lobuche and the Khumbu Glacier. At the point where the glacier face and ridge meet we will establish our high camp (photo right by Valerie Hovland: The view of Lobuche East from basecamp).
Summit Attempt: From the high camp we will continue up the sinuous snow arête to its junction with the summit ridge. The route to the East Peak follows the summit ridge north-west across several snow bumps along the way. Upon reaching the snow summit you are treated to magnificent views of Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Makalu. back to top

Team on the summit of Lobuche on a perfect sunny day. Team member and sherpa on the summit of Lobuche (Valerie Hovland).

Who is this trip for?

We encourage men and women from around the world, of all ages to join us as an individual team member or with your own group, whether that is your spouse, partner, friends, sibling, clients, colleagues, etc. Most of our members join as individuals, our team dynamics work well, and we are able to build successful and safe groups of people that enjoy trekking, climbing, and traveling together.
During the Everest-View Glacier School expedition, we teach you all of the skills needed in special training sessions. Our training covers glacier travel, ascending and descending ropes safely, using ice-axe and crampons, etcetera. Irregardless of experience, everyone is welcome to join us and see how they feel at 6000 metres/20,000 feet (photo right by Valerie Hovland: The team resting below Lobuche East basecamp. From here it is a short hike to the lake we will camp at before starting for the summit. Behind them is Lobuche East in the distance).
Previous camping experience is beneficial to enjoying the trip, although not required.
It would be nice if you have some experience with foreign travel, although we are happy to advise and help you if this is your first time out of the country and, for many of our members, it is.
All of the work is done for you, such as cooking, carrying group equipment, setting up tents, etc. Yaks and sherpas will carry all of your personal items so you do not have to carry a heavy rucksack.
It is not necessary to be in extremely good shape to enjoy this trip. If you have fun walking for 3-6 hours up and down hills with a few 20 minute breaks mixed in, then you can accomplish this school. back to top

Please "click" one of the links on the column on the upper right of your screen under "Everest View Glacier School" to learn more about our expedition.