Himlung Himal 7126M difficulty: Entry-level challenging 7000M mountain expedition - Namas Adventure
Near the summit of Himlung Himal 7126M
How hard is it to climb Himlung Himal? How difficult is it to climb Himlung Himal?
Climbing a Himlung Himal 7126M peak can be a physically and mentally demanding undertaking that requires a high level of physical fitness but not so much technical climbing skill. This 7000M+ peak expedition is classed as easy/safe (amongst the 7000M peak expeditions) and records one of the highest summit successes at the 7000er level. However, any climbers interested in this expedition should not underestimate the challenges this expedition poses.
Climbers who have a strong foundation of endurance and strength training, as well as experience with rock climbing, will be better prepared to handle the physical demands and technical challenges of this expedition.
Difficulty grade: AD+ and Fitness level: 4.
(Alpine / Fitness grade link)
The trek up to the base camp is a gradual several-day hike, slowly adapting and acclimatizing to the altitude and environment. Climbing high to Camp 1 involves a relatively easy 4-6 hour climb through glaciers, moraines, and small valleys. However, the traverse from Camp 1 to Camp 2 is more challenging, involving a steep and exposed scree slope that may be affected by snow conditions. The route to Camp 2 also involves traversing a glacier and avoiding crevasses, and fixed ropes will be used on the steeper and more exposed parts of the route. The risk of avalanches is generally low on both Camp 1 and Camp 2, but conditions should always be checked by the guide members.
The summit push on Himlung Himal is expected to be the longest and most challenging part of the climb. It involves a steep 45-50° vertical climb of 1100 meters in altitude, which is physically and mentally demanding. It is important for climbers to carefully plan their energy reserves not only for the ascent but also for the descent back to Camp 1, which can be a long and physically demanding journey. Your summit push day will be a 10 - 12hr+ journey.
Upon completing the Himlung Himal climb, you will have gained valuable experience that can prepare you for other challenging climbs in the Himalayas, such as Baruntse (7129 meters), Ama Dablam (6810 meters), Annapurna IV (7525 meters), or Manaslu (8163 meters). Our team is here to guide you through this exciting and remote expedition climbing journey.
Let’s climb. Go. Live Your Story
Visual journey of Himlung Himal expedition - Namas Adventure
Climbing Himlung Himal is one of the most exhilarating experiences in the remote corner of the Nepal and Tibetan border. A 7000M+ mountain peak expedition with a picturesque visual and a challenging climb. Himlung Himal is considered one of the safest and easiest amongst the 7000er expedition with the highest summit records. If you are ever considering your first ever 7000M peak expedition that has fewer objective dangers then Himlung Himal should be your choice of the expedition.
In this blog post, we take you on a visual journey of the Himlung Himal climb. (We will update images with even better visuals). Follow along as we describe the entire journey in images, as we take the beautiful yet challenging journey up to the summit of Himlung Himal 7126M. Hopefully, this will inspire you to go climbing this amazing peak.
The journey begins with a 10-hour jeep ride from Kathmandu to Dharapani before we begin our trek. Also, meeting cheeky local faces is a welcoming sign. Images by - Vicente Di Loreto
Next 3 days of trekking from Dharapani - Mehta to the final settlement village of Phu. We trek deep down the gorge into the further corners of the Annapurna circuit. Images by - Vicente Di Loreto
Trekking via the beautiful and rugged gorge we arrive at Phu-Gaon 3800M. This is the final village settlement and we stop here for one additional day for acclimatization before heading out to the Himlung Himal base camp. Images by - Vicente Di Loreto
Himlung Himal base camp 4850M/15920FT. Home for the next 15 days of climbing.
Puja ceremony at Base camp. Namas Adventure team on an expedition (October 22)
Climbing high to Camp 1, 5400M/17716FT, and Camp 2, 6200M/20340FT. Rotations and camping at camp 1 and camp 2 before summit push to 7126M.
Photos @Adidoesultra (Link)
The final stretch to the summit, climbing via the ridge is a surreal experience. Summit push day is the longest and most challenging part of the entire expedition. Expect around 10+ hours of climbing to the summit and back to camp 1. Annapurna massif, Manaslu 8163M, and other 6000M peaks are visible from the summit of Himlung Himal. Images by - Vicente Di Loreto
Himlung Himal 7126M summit.
Himlung Himal Expedition
Namas team departs to Himlung Himal every year. For more information on our Himlung Himal 7126M expedition or any of our other international expeditions check out our website. (Call/WhatsApp) - +44 7446976060 or send us an email at bookings@namasadventure.com
When is the best time to climb Himlung Himal? Spring or Autumn? - Namas Adventure
Climbing the final summit ridge at Himlung Himal 7126M
Himlung Himal is one of the best options to climb a 7000M+ peak in the remote corner of the Annapurna region. This 7000M peak expedition is classed as one of the most accessible, safest, semi-technical climbs with a higher summit success rate at 7000M peak mountain expeditions.
This peak is suitable to climb during both seasons but more success stories have been officially recorded of the autumn season’s climb. See our blog post on Baruntse or Himlung Himal for data from 2017 to 2020 (Link). For those interested in their first 7000M peak expeditions, we often get asked when is the best time to climb Himlung Himal?
With years of running expeditions and gathering local information passed on from our guides, who have been climbing year in and out, and collecting data from local databases, we would say it depends on your preference for climbing a mountain in different conditions. The great news is that Himlung Himal is suitable to climb during late spring and during early to mid-autumn. Here, we aim to lay out the conditions during spring and autumn so that you can choose to climb in the season you prefer.
What is the difference between Spring & Autumn climb? 🧗
There are fewer climbers during the spring season compared to the autumn season.
More snow during spring compared to autumn climbs
A high probability of wind speed picking up and extreme freezing temperature drop during late autumn.
The spring season sees a longer daylight duration compared to the autumn season.
Late April to May and Mid-September to October are the best time to climb.
Autumn sees more stable weather compared to the spring season.
In spring (late April - May) some of the winter snow will have melted in the mountains making it favorable to climb. Himlung Himal is known to have more snow (more so during spring), so do not underestimate the grit you will have to go through when climbing this peak. Weather can never be guaranteed in the mountains and you should expect some weather-related disturbances during your climb even though this is the best time to climb. If you are one who enjoys a bit of an extra challenge at extreme altitude peak climbing then spring expeditions might your pick.
Every mountain definitely tests your patience especially when things don’t go according to the plan and teams will have to improvise and wait out for climbable conditions. Spring sees fewer climbers than other peaks (Everest/Lhotse excluded) compared to autumn. When spring does open up with a clear weather window it is one of the best times to climb in Nepal. Oh! and not to forget you and your team will have the whole of the mountain to yourself. There is hardly any team in Himlung Himal during the spring season.
Autumn (Mid September - October) is the next time to climb Himlung Himal. A number of teams can be expected during this season compared to the spring season. After Manaslu 8163M teams are focused on either Himlung Himal 7129M, Baruntse 7129M, or Ama Dablam 6810M (the most teams). Guides have reported that as soon as November hits high winds start to pick up in the mountain and this has been the case for the past several years most summits have been in October or in the first week of November.
Himlung Himal has the highest summit records during the autumn season when compared amongst all the commercial 7000M+ expeditions that operate in Nepal. So under good to perfect conditions and the mountain not being super-difficult to climb, technically, Himlung Himal is the best 7000M+ expedition to climb during autumn.
Conclusion
Whichever is your preferred season, climbing Himlung Himal 7129 is an amazing 7000M+ expedition to be undertaken. Spring hosts fewer climbers when compared to autumn and conditions are suitable to climb during both seasons as mentioned above. If you are up for a challenge and prefer to see fewer climbers during the expedition then spring departures are for you. If you are comfortable with some amount of teams being in the mountains then autumn is still a great time to climb this 7000er peak. The thrill and challenges of climbing a remote Himalayan peak are guaranteed. You as a climber choose your climbing condition and the thrill of a great climbing experience is guaranteed. Either way, it is an amazing peak to climb and an accomplishment of a lifetime.
Let’s go, and climb Himlung Himal and other peaks around the world.
Go. Live Your Story.
Question.
Which season do you plan to climb Himlung Himal? Please comment below, we’d love to hear from you.
We organize Himlung Himal 7129M peak expedition every year during spring and during autumn. Planning to climb a 7000M+ peak one day? Whatever your climbing goal is drop us an email. Our team will be glad to have you onboard and together we shall achieve the summit and enjoy the climbing experience. Our team is here to assist and make your climb in the Himalayas an enjoyable, accessible, and comfortable one.
Baruntse 7129M or Himlung Himal 7126M which 7000M+ mountain peak to climb? - Namas Adventure
Baruntse and Himlung Himal are perfect intermediate level and semi-technical peaks to climb at 7000M level in the Himalayas. Whatever your goals for climbing a 7000M extreme altitude expedition be, a stepping stone to an 8000er peak or climbing simply climbing a 7000er mountain peak, we highly recommend these two peak expeditions. (Putha Hiunchuli 7246M is another great option)
Both expeditions are not crowded as the 8000er expeditions (Everest/Lhotse during spring & Manaslu during autumn). Between the two expeditions, Himlung Himal has seen slightly higher climbers compared to Baruntse. (2021 Autumn, Himlung Himal 77 - 90 climbers & Baruntse 20 - 25 climbers). So, you can certain that there won’t be a crazy amount of climbers during your expedition. Having said that, it is always good to have some number of team/s in the mountain. You can never be sure when an event turns out wrong in the mountains. Every day we are playing with the forces of nature. Balance is key.
Learning from past summit data, the Himlung Himal expedition has a higher rate of summit success compared to the Baruntse peak expedition where there are several summits during the autumn season compared to 0 summits during the spring season (commercial route). Let’s look at the data from the previous 5 years of Baruntse 7129M and Himlung Himal 7126M successful summits. (commercial expeditions). Source “Himlayan Database”
Successful summits, BARUNTSE 7129M VS HIMLUNG HIMAL 7126M
So, coming to the question of which 7000M peak I should climb?
Our answer is it depends on your preference. What is it that you want from your adventure? If the summit goal is important to you (no mountain summit is 100% guaranteed) then Himlung Himal 7126M has a better odds of making it to the summit than Baruntse 7129M and is technically less challenging.
Situations change in the mountains, you never know when the next dangers pop out in the mountain, or the hazard that was there before may not even exist. Weather is a huge factor during your high camp days. You may have a clear window for the next 7+ days or it might be pouring snow and low visibility, windy for an extended period of time. Being safe and returning home safely should be your primary goal. Whatever the circumstances, you should be open to all possibilities of success or failure. What is guaranteed is a raw and thrilling Himalayan adventure in your life memoir.
With the insight data from previous years, if you would like to choose any of the 7000M expeditions mentioned above then our team at Namas Adventure is here to assist and welcome you to take on your adventure of climbing a 7000M mountain. We organize the expedition during both seasons. For yearly mountain updates and summit success, hazards in the mountains and to be part of our team on 7000M mountain expeditions or other mountaineering expeditions, please email us at - bookings@namasadventure.com. Our team will be there to assist you on your next adventure of a lifetime.
Let’s go and explore the 7000ers.
Live Your Story
Namas Adventure Team
Himlung Himal Expedition (Experience, fitness level and skills) requirements - Namas Adventure
Himlung Himal Summit 7126M.
What previous experience is required to climb Himlung Himal?
When planning a Himlung Himal expedition, it is important to consider your previous climbing experience. This 7000M+ peak presents a number of challenges, including the need for comfort and experience with ropes, climbing gear, and fixed-line techniques, as well as the ability to withstand cold and potentially adverse weather conditions.
While Himlung Himal may not be the most technically demanding of the 7000M peaks in Nepal, it is still a significant undertaking that requires a strong level of skill and preparedness. If you have limited climbing experience, this peak may be a good option to start your journey into 7000M+ expeditions. Its relatively high success rate and the fact that it requires the use of gear and fixed lines make it a suitable choice for those looking to build their skills and confidence. Regardless of your level of experience, it is crucial to be physically and mentally prepared for the demands of this expedition.
Preferred Previous mountaineering experiences
Anywhere above 4000M - 6500M+ peaks with semi-technical to technical climbs around the world. For example Alpamayo, Huscaran, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, Denali, Mt. Blanc, Mt lenin, Ebrus. The general term is any semi-technical to technical peaks that are higher and have longer ascend and descend sections. These experiences do qualify you to take on Baruntse and other 7000M peaks in the Himalayas.
Fitness level - 4
We have graded fitness level 4 for Mount Himlung. An exceptional level of all-around fitness will be required to cope with the exceptionally strenuous nature of these expeditions. An exceptional level of endurance and strength fitness level is required. The mental toughness aspect is equally required. Experience is required to be able to take on tours of this physical grading.
The difficult issue is how you train for such exceptional conditions. Hard work will be required to get to that fitness level. For a General fitness indication, climbers should be able to run a half marathon or be able to cycle for 2 -3 hours. If you prefer hiking, you should be able to carry a load of 20 kilograms and hike for 3 to 4 hours.
Good strength and muscle endurance training routines can be implemented with a variety of approaches such as taking part in cross-fit sessions and kettlebell training.
Himlung Himal camp 2, 6100M
Skills to be learned.
Guides in Nepal will advise you to keep it real simple. So there are four basic things you must - must know.
Figure 8 knot and how to tie a stopper knot at the end of the rope.
Ascending/jumaring on fixed-line and abseiling with super 8 belay device or ATC descender in multi-pitch sections. You will have to be very very careful and well-rehearsed on abseiling since there is no room for errors when descending. You only get that one chance when coming down so you will have to be super careful. And for safety backup have ‘prusik knot’ tied on the main rope.
Climbing, traversing, and hiking with crampons on for long-duration on ice, rock, and snow surface.
Performing snow arrest and safely getting back up if by any chance climbers slip and slide.
As climbers joining Himlung Himal expedition will already have previous experiences, we recommend climbers to have extra essential skills in their climbing arsenal. If you cant find mountains to climb near your place, rock climbing indoors and outdoors is one of the best ways to keep refreshing your rope skills and staying in climbing shape.
With all commercial expeditions, the majority of your expedition is handled and taken care of by your expedition company. Having competent members from operational management to guiding leaders on the field is key for any successful expedition. Once you are signed up and you’ve got the necessary skills and experience all you need to be is physically and mentally prepared that is your commitment to fitness training.
Challenge yourself.
Go. Live Your Story
Are you planning to climb a remote, rugged, and challenging 7000M+ peak with substantially less objective danger? Whether your goal is simply to climb an extremely high altitude peak, explore and climb remote peaks in Nepal, or progress to higher 8000M+ peaks then our team at Namas Adventure/Expedition is set for your next adventure. Email - bookings@namasadventure.com or Call/Whatsapp us at +447446976060 and our team will be there to answer your inquiry and instruct you with any questions regarding the expedition.