Climb Mount Everest Tibet North Ridge, inexpensive, affordable, low budget, cheap, Chomolangma, Sagarmatha, Chomolungma, Mt. Everest. Working with the Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA), the Tibetan Mountaineering Association (TMA, CTMA), the Xinjiang Mountaineering Association (XMA, CXMA), the Kashgar Mountai

We welcome you to visit our new Everest Tibet website. There is more thorough information about the trip, slideshows, photo galleries, video clips and much more. Thank you.

Often spelled: "Chomolangma", "Sagarmatha", "Qomolungma", "Chomolungma", "Qomolongma", "Chomolongma", "Qomolangma".

Full Service Cost: $19950, Ł10,150, €12,650; Basic Climb Cost: $6950, Ł3550, €4450.

The Tibetan side of Everest from the Chinese basecamp at 5200 metres. Our route follows the left-hand skyline ridge (Franck Pitula).

When you see the high level of service we provide, as well as low budget options, you may agree that the cost is affordable, inexpensive, even cheap.

11 of our members and 8 sherpas reached the summit in total safety. News Available on News Button.

Leader: Dan Mazur, leader of four succesful Everest expeditions. Our last expedition placed 11 members and 8 sherpas on the summit.

Team members on the summit. 11 members of our team reached the summit along with 8 of our world famous Sherpas (photo: Lakpa Sherpa).

Basecamp kitchen, cooks, meals, dining, and sleeping tents: $3450, Ł1650, €2450.

Advanced basecamp kitchen, cooks, meals, dining, and sleeping tents: $3450, Ł1650, €2450.

High altitude leaders, sherpas, tents, equipment, walkie-talkies, food, stoves, fuel, etcetera: $3450, Ł1650, €2450.

One of the best sources of knowledge about the Tibet route on Everest may be the video tape know in Britain as "Lost on Mt. Everest the Search for Mallory and Irvine", and in the US as: "Nova: Lost on Everest". It has educational video footage documenting the entire route and features of the mountain we shall be climbing, a real plot, authentic historical content (unusual for climbing films), and if you don't mind the accents, you might find it of use. Look for it on your local Amazon Books or other bookshop website.

Leadership: During this full-service expedition, you will benefit from the leadership provided by Dan Mazur. It is his fifth Everest expedition. He is a relaxed, friendly and well organized person, and a highly-skilled professional with 15 years of experience in getting people to the summit and back down with the highest attention to safety. For more about Dan, please "click" on the Leadership link above.

A meeting on the roof of our hotel, where we describe the plan of our expedition. The audience, our trekkers and climbers. Felix and Arnold demonstrating the members high mountain equipment before a shopping trip to one of Kathmandu's 50 mountain shops to purchase any needed essentials for the members (Franck Pitula). Ryan Waters, one of our leaders, climbing up to the North Col at 7000 metres. Ryan has led one of our teams to the summit of Everest and another to the summit of Cho-Oyu (Ryan Waters).

Organization: Your expedition is organized by Jon Christian Otto, fluent Chinese speaker, Tibet and China expert with ten years experience in Chinese Himalayan climbing. Jon is an excellent communicator, an international diplomat, extremely well organized, with superb attention to each and every detail. For more about Jon, please "click" on the Leadership link above.

Mountaineering is memorialized here in a Lhasa statue celebrating the first ascent of Everest from Tibet (D.L. Mazur). In Beijing in June of 1999, we had dinner with Wang Fu Zhou, the world's first person to climb Everest from Tibet. He is now president of the CMA Chinese Mountaineering Association (J. Otto).

Sherpas and Equipment Transport: Our expedition includes transport of all of your equipment from Kathmandu to advanced basecamp, and returned to Kathmandu. While climbing on the mountain, we DO NOT ask our full-service members to carry heavy group equipment (although it is an option if you really want to), such as tents, rope, fuel, food, etcetera. We employ climbing sherpas, and high-altitude porters, to carry group equipment and supplies. For a minimal expense, we can also provide personal sherpas, and climbing-guides, to individual members who wish to have their own private sherpa or personal climbing-guide.

Training: Upon arrival in advanced basecamp, ALL full-service and basic-climb members are required to participate in one to two days of training in the areas of climbing techniques, glacier travel, 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, ensure safety-awareness, and work together as a team.

The team practicing ascending and descending the fixed ropes in ABC at 6400 metres. The low-angle ice we are practicing on is a very safe branch of the Rongbuk glacier (Elselien te Hennepe).

Safety: BOTH full-service and basic expeditions are allowed access to our extensive medical supplies, first-aid kits, medical oxygen, and a gamow bag in case of emergency. Thank you for being a well-prepared and safe team member!

Communications: During our expedition, we regularly update several websites, such as EverestNews.com with the progress of our expedition and our team members. In this way, your loved ones and friends, colleagues, and sponsors can stay tuned to how you are progressing on your way up to and back down from the summit. Our expedition is equipped with one "walkie-talkie" radio for each member, and a satellite telephone for international voice telephone calls and emails. Members wishing to use the telephone will contribute $4 per minute of use. Not only is the phone convenient for making voice telephone calls, it is normally very easy to send and receive small emails at the rate of 1 KB (one small email) per minute.

Group Equipment: We provide a plethora of well-used, top-quality, and time-tested equipment, group gear, and supplies, including: rope, ice, rock, and snow anchor protection; basecamp, advanced basecamp and altitude tents; cookers, fuel, high-altitude food, walkie-talkie radios, bamboo marker wands, etcetera. We now provide an individual tent for each member in basecamp, so you do not have to share. Please see the above EQUIPMENT link, to study what we bring for your use and safety.

Cooks and Food: On the road we eat in the local restaurants as available. In basecamp and advanced basecamp our skillful and hard working cooks prepare three hot meals each day with a very healthy diet of fresh vegetables, cheeses, eggs, and fresh as well as tinned fruits, meats and fish (all meats and fish are prepared separately out of respect for the vegetarians in our midst). They supply you with unlimited hot-drinks, the key to successful acclimatization. We have large weather-proof kitchens and dining tents, with comfortable chairs and tables. On the mountain, above advanced basecamp, we provide you with abundant and nutritious locally available quick-cooking food, so that you may prepare at least three meals and lots of hot drinks each day, in our specially designed high-altitude stoves using our butane-propane expedition mix fuel.

Another big meal in advanced basecamp at 6400 metres with lots of fresh vegetables, meat prepared seperately for the meat eaters, and hot drinks (Franck Pitula). High altitude hanging cook set. It is not possible to cook outside of the tents on Everest, because of the winds (Tim Spear).

Personal Equipment: Plastic Double climbing boots are required, (Millet "One-Sport" boots are available in Kathmandu at a low price of approximately $400. Please let us know if you need a pair) as are good quality leather walking boots. You will need to bring your own personal equipment, including rucksack, iceaxe, crampons, harness, helmet, plastic mountaineering boots, good quality leather boots, down/duvet jacket, wind/waterproof clothing, sleeping bag/mat, etcetera. You will need to bring your own daily snacks ( a wide selection of snacks are readily available in Kathmandu). In addition, we ask you to bring 6 of your favorite high-altitude freeze-dried dinners for yourself. Please see the above EQUIPMENT link, to study what is needed.

Ryan Waters on the summit, wearing one of our oxygen sets. Team member and Sherpa oxygen supplies cached in the storage tent in ABC. All of our oxygen is hand checked and the bottles, masks, hoses, and regulators are carefully matched. We guarantee 100 percent of our oxygen to work perfectly. Any oxygen bottles and equipment unused will be repurchased for 70 percent of what you payed. On the far right of the photo, you can see our hot water hand washing water reservoir and soap, where everyone washes their hands before each meal, in order to maintain good hygiene (Ryan Waters).

Oxygen: WE ONLY USE OFFICIALLY LICENSED OXYGEN, AND FULLY GUARANTEE EACH BOTTLE, MASK, AND REGULATOR. Although some climbers wish to try it without, most members will prefer to have oxygen available. Regarding oxygen, the cost is up to you. Some people want 1 bottle, others want 12. We suggest you bring five and we 100% guarantee and certify our bottles and oxygen systems, and test them thoroughly with the mask/hose/regulator set-up. We have our own oxygen analysis instrumentation, and we are able to certify that the contents are 100% oxygen. Additionally, we are able to certify the volume of contents in the bottle. We feel that our bottles/masks/hoses/regulators are 100 percent guaranteed and reliable. We have a buy back policy. We will buy back any unused bottles, and the mask/hose/regulator (in good condition) for 60 percent of what you paid! Please check our "Questions" site for the cost, and scroll down the list of question topics until you see "Oxygen".

Team Member Experience: Our leader and our team-climbing-sherpas, are there to ensure (for our full-service members) you make it up to the summit and down safely. However, this is not a guided expedition (although you could hire your own personal guide, sherpas, etcetera), and team members are expected to be able to care for themselves in a winter-camping and climbing environment. Obviously, when climbing the highest mountain in the world, there are hazards present, and members must have experience in roped rock and ice climbing techniques (to protect from falling down the mountain or into crevasses), and have winter-condition climbing experience in the greater ranges of the world. It is also required that all members will have an awareness of altitude sickness, frostbite, and the recognition of their symptoms, prevention, and treatment. Once traveling above advanced basecamp, all members must be prepared to be roped to another team member at all times. Neither solo climbing, nor descending, are allowed above advanced basecamp. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, members need to join with a spirit of friendship, teamwork and cooperation, and be ready to work with the group and be a good "team-player".

Descending the fixed lines from the summit. Most accidents occur on descent. Its a time for the utmost concentration and good hydration and nutrition. This is when you find out how fit you really are (Ryan Waters).

Fitness and Health: To participate in this expedition you must be a very fit and active winter-walker-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. Note: You can purchase all necessary medicines inexpensively with no doctor's prescription in Kathmandu. Make sure you have physically trained yourself very thoroughly before joining this climb of the highest mountain in the world. We look forward to climbing together with you!

Introduction: Climb Everest (8,848 Metres)

Everest is perhaps the most coveted mountain in the world. The north (Tibetan) side is the least expensive way to climb it, and the dates we have chosen feature the best weather of the year. Our proposed schedule allows for two possible summit attempts and two full descents to the Chinese basecamp at 5200 metres. Our style of climbing is cautious and careful, with excellent leadership, organization, Sherpa climbers, cooks and waiters, tasty food, the best equipment, two full kitchens and basecamp plus advanced basecamp, 6 camps on the mountain, 1000s of metres of fixed line, hundreds of rock ice and snow anchors, top-quality high altitude tents and high altitude stoves, expedition mix gas, and full safety equipment: medical oxygen, gamow bag, and extensive medical kit.

This expedition to Everest maximizes many years of accumulated wisdom of the high Himalaya, a strong record of reaching the top of 8,000ers: Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho-Oyu, Shishapangma, and many other 8,000 metre summits, in addition to more than 25 Himalayan expeditions, in all safety, along with an intimate knowledge of the Tibetan and Chinese officials who regulate the permit system. This is our 12th expedition to Tibet since 1986, and we know all of the bureaucratic officials, liaison officers, yak drivers, and hoteliers/restaurateurs personally.

The monkey temple makes a nice training walk in Kathmandu (Franck Pitula. Try to go at dawn when the pollution is not so bad. A local woman leaving an offering at a temple (Ryan Waters).

Detailed Description

The trip begins in the ancient and colorful city of Kathmandu (you could also start in Beijing). You stay in a comfortable, simple, clean, hot-water hotel, at minimal cost and sample some of the very reasonably-priced tasty Nepalese, Tibetan and Western-Style cuisine, available at the hundreds of local restaurants. During your free days in Kathmandu, while your Chinese visa is being processed, you shall finalize arrangements, purchase and hire the bits of equipment you might be missing at the hundreds of mountain-climbing and trekking equipment shops in the neighborhood (with low prices, as well), and take time out for trinket hunting, with suggested visits to explore the 17^th century splendors of the Monkey Temple, the Durbar Square and old Kings Palace, as well as the ancient cities of Patan, and Bakhtapur. We also have several member and training sessions during these days, where our leaders spend time with you reviewing climbing techniques and equipment, going over medical and safety procedures, etcetera. If you are concerned about the altitude and have purchased Diamox (acetylzolamide), which is inexpensively available with no doctor's prescription in Kathmandu, this might be the time to begin taking it.

After the finalization of your Chinese visa, we set out very early in a bus for the 4 hour drive to the last Nepal town of Kodari at 1,770 meters. We clear Nepalese customs and immigration, then hire local porters and vehicles to carry your bags across the Bota Kosi River on the Friendship Bridge, to Zhangmu, the gateway town in Tibet.

On the Friendship Bridge, border Crossing between Nepal and Tibet (Bruce Manning).

Upon entering Tibet, the clocks immediately go forward by 2 Ľ hours. Our secondary government liason officer will meet us in Zhangmu. After clearing Tibetan customs and immigration, a Chinese bus takes us up the windy road through the rolling hills to Nyalam town at 3,750 meters, and a basic "hotel". The smaller towns in Tibet are generally simple and rustic places, and this one is no exception. The topography here is quite interesting in that we are perched in the transitional zone where the Tibetan plateau rams into the Himalaya, then drops into the forested valleys and jungles of Nepal, and finally out into the Gangetic plain of the Terai and India. We stay over one extra night in Nyalam, to help adjust to the altitude, and during our "rest-day" in Nyalam, we take advantage of the interesting surroundings to walk to the top of local hills and savor the first glimpses of the Himalayan Giants.

Bouldering in Nyalam on our rest day (Felix Berg). On the road to Tingri, Himalayan Giants in the background (DL Mazur). Our sturdy Tibetan trucks carry the equipment, here being loaded by our Sherpas (Tim Spear).

In the morning we continue our bus-ascent into the Tibetan plateau, to the town of Tingri at 4,342 meters. There are superb views of Shishapangma, Cho-Oyu, and Everest as we drive into Tingri. The town itself is a very basic one-street hamlet surrounded by the tents of nomadic Tibetans. About ˝ of all ethnic Tibetans living in Tibet are nomadic or semi-nomadic. Our extremely rustic little hotel has an adequate restaurant, and it will be interesting to see if the high altitude has quelled our appetites for tasty fresh food. There are the ruins of an old fortress on a rise above town, and from here we can see the finest views of Everest, Lhotse, Cho-Oyu, and Shishipangma.

A stop along the road near Tingri. There is a simply developed hot springs here. Only the very brave are able to tempt fate by entering the dirty water (Bruce Manning).

The following morning, after what for many is a relatively sleep-free night, we drive the 70 kilometers to Everest base camp at around 5,200 meters. The drive follows a dirt road along the Rongbuk Valley and has spectacular views of the Himalaya. Chinese base camp is located just near the medieval and active Rongbuk Monastery.

We will spend another day resting, acclimatising, and organizing equipment into Yak loads at Chinese base.

Preparing our yak loads at Chinese basecamp (Bruce Manning). Blue mountain sheep in the cliffs above basecamp (Felix Berg).

We then spend two days moving up to the "interim camp", which is located at 5800 metres and halfway to the "advanced basecamp (ABC)".

Yak train heading up to interim camp (Bruce Manning). Interim Camp at 5800 metres, where we acclimate for a day or two before heading up to ABC (Tim Spear).

Next, we spend two days working our way up to ABC. 6,400 meters, ABC must be the highest basecamp in the world. It is located on a rocky moraine next to the Rongbuk Glacier.

Franck walking up the Rongbuk to ABC (Tim Spear). Our comfortable ABC at 6400 metres, A view of the mountain at sunset from ABC (Ryan Waters).

Upon reaching ABC, we will take another rest and acclimatization day, this time going over our equipment, safety procedures, climbing techniques, cooking and camping methods, and working to form ourselves into a more cohesive team.

After resting and completing our training, we will begin our climb of Everest.

Climbers approaching the North Col at 6800 metres. Lines are fixed here for safety. Our tents at the North Col at 7000 metres, also known as camp 1. Climbers Walking up to the 7500 metre camp, also known as camp 2. You can see the tents in the North Col in the background (Ryan Waters). At the 7500 metre camp (Ken Stalter).

On the way up to camp 3 at 8300 metres, which lies up and to the right in the photo (Ryan Waters). Camp 3. Andre Bredenkamp and Chris Drummond in Camp 3 (Franck Pitula).

Distant view of the second step at 8500 metres, ladders on right (Franck Pitula). On the second step at 8500 metres. We fixed 300 metres of rope here. Looking at the summit from 8400 metres. Climbing the second step. (Ryan Waters).

The third and final step onto the summit. Ryan on the Summit. (Ryan Waters). Franck Pitula on the summit. A sunburned Felix back in ABC after summitting.

Through the following weeks, we will climb up and down the mountain, according to the schedule suggested below, exploring the route, establishing camps, and building our acclimatization and strength levels. We will also descend to the Chinese basecamp several times, in order to rest well. Following the proposed itinerary below should give us the best chance to ascend in safety and maximize our opportunity to reach the summit during the "weather windows" which open in May.

1.	Arrive Kathmandu (1,300 meters).
2.	In Kathmandu - Bring Passport to Chinese Embassy, for Visa. Logistics, training, purchasing, packing, training, visit temples, city tour, shopping. Hotel and meals at members minimal cost.
3.	In Kathmandu - Pick up passport from Chinese Embassy. Logistics, training, purchasing, packing, training, visit temples, city tour, shopping. Hotel. We may choose to depart Kathmandu for Tibet on this day;
4.	Bus to Tibet; drive to Nyalam (3,750 meters). Hotel and meals at organizer's expense.
5.	Rest in Nyalam (3,750 meters). Walk around the local hills. Hotel.
6.	Bus to Tingri (4,342 meters). Hotel.
7.	Rest in Tingri. Explore surrounding hills.
8.	Drive to Chinese Basecamp (5200meters). Camp.
9.	Rest in Chinese base. Organize equipment and supplies. Camp.
10.	Walk gently in the hills surrounding Chinese base.
11.	Rest in Chinese base. Organize equipment and supplies. Camp.
12.	Walk with the yaks halfway to advanced base to interim camp (5,800meters). Camp.
13.	Rest in interim camp.
14.	Rest in interim camp.
15.	Walk with the yaks to advanced base (ABC) at 6400 metres. Camp.
16.	Rest in Advanced base. Extensive training. Organize supplies.
17.	Rest in Advanced base. Extensive training. Organize supplies.
18.	Walk to Camp 1 North Col (7000m). Return to ABC.
19.	Rest in ABC.
20.	Rest in ABC.
21.	Walk to Camp 1. Sleep there.
22.	Explore route to Camp 2 (7500m), return to ABC.
23.	Walk back down to Chinese base.
24.	Rest in Chinese base.
25.	Rest in Chinese base.
26.	Rest in Chinese base.
27.	Walk up to interim camp.
28.	Walk up to ABC.
29.	Walk to Camp 1, sleep there.
30.	Walk to Camp 2, sleep there.
31.	Explore route to Camp 3 (8300 metres), return to camp 2, sleep there.
32.	Walk Down to ABC.
33.	Walk back down to Chinese base.
34.	Rest in Chinese base.
35.	Rest in Chinese base.
36.	Rest in Chinese base.
37.	Walk up to interim camp.
38.	Walk up to ABC.
39.	Walk to Camp 1. Sleep there.
40.	Walk to Camp 2, sleep there.
41.	Walk to Camp 3, sleep there.
42.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
43.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
44.	Descend to ABC.
45.	Walk back down to Chinese base.
46.	Rest in Chinese base.
47.	Rest in Chinese base.
48.	Rest in Chinese base.
49.	Walk up to interim camp.
50.	Walk back up to ABC.
51.	Walk to Camp 1. Sleep there.
52.	Walk to Camp 2, sleep there.
53.	Walk to Camp 3, sleep there.
54.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
55.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
56.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
57.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
58.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
59.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
60.	Attempt summit if conditions allow.
61.	Descend to Camp 1.
62.	Packing in camp 1, descend to ABC.
63.	Packing in ABC.
64.	Yaks transport equipment, supplies and rubbish to Chinese base. Members walk down.
65.	Packing in Chinese base.
66.	Drive to Tingri. Hotel and meals at organizers expense.
67.	Drive to Kathmandu. Hotel and meals at members expense.
68.	In Kathmandu. Final packing, summit celebration, saying goodbye to new friends.
69.	Fly home. Thank you for joining our Mount Everest Expedition!

1.	Leader: Dan Mazur, leader of four successful Everest expeditions;
2.	Organizer: Jon Christian Otto, fluent Chinese speaker, Tibet and China Expert, with 10 years Himalayan climbing experience;
3.	Climbing Sherpas for the group;
4.	Transport to basecamp to/from Kathmandu, for you and equipment, including accommodation and meals on the road;
5.	Yak transport of all equipment from the road to and from advanced basecamp;
6.	Three hot meals per day in basecamp and advanced basecamp. Comfortable tables and chairs and dining tent;
7.	Skillful basecamp and advanced basecamp cooks;
8.	All mountain, basecamp and advanced basecamp food;
9.	All permit fees and liaison officers;
10.	Use of group gear and supplies: rope, ice, rock, and snow anchor protection; basecamp and altitude tents; cookers, fuel, high-altitude food, walkie-talkie radios, satellite telephone, etcetera;
11.	Emergency equipment and supplies: medical oxygen, gamow bag, basecamp medical kit, high-altitude medical kits, etcetera;
12.	In addition to our top-quality high-altitude tents, we now provide an individual tent (1 tent per person) in basecamp.