FAQ'S

When is the best time to plan for Annapurna Three Peak climb?** . . .

April - May or September - November

(We do not recommend travelling to Annapurna region during the month of June, July or August due to heavy rainfall in Nepal with Monsoon season.)

Which route will Namas team choose? I can see the mountain is very steep and exposed, What is your climbing strategy?** . . .

Chulu Far East is considered a non technical trekking peak in the Annapurna region and the least technical high altitude climbing peak in the itinerary.

Chulu East is the most highest 6584M, difficult AD+ and technical climbing peak in this itinerary. We will climb the south route in alpine style.

Chulu West is a semi technical climbing peak in this itinerary. We will be climbing the south east ridge route to summit the peak.

How long is a typical climbing day on the mountain?** . . .

On normal climbing day can expect an average of 6 hours climb on each peak. Summit attempt days are usually the longest one, as we have to descend down to the nearest village or base camps.

What is summit day like?** . . .

Summit day in at each peak is different. Chulu Far east is a straight forward climb, Chulu Far east is technical climb in alpine style ascent and Chulu West on a fixed line. We will be mostly climbing through ice and snow terrains and will be a early day (am) start to the summit.

Can I see Annapurna from the summit?** . . .

You won't be disappointed by the vista the climb offers. Annapurna II, IV, III and Gangapurna is visible from the summits.

Contingency Days?** **. . .

We do not have contingency day added in our itinerary but can be extended upon request if our team is not able to summit due to bad weather conditions.

Guides /Sherpas for Annapurna Three Peak climb? Ratio : clients. Qualification and level of English?** **. . .

On this expedition we aim to have max 8 climbers, we have 1 lead guide and additional guides (number dependent) who will be NNMGA certified. Additional* charges apply. Nepalese certified guides are more than capable in this day and age and have an excellent level of English. We are committed to responsible tourism and want to enhance and prioritise local Nepalese leaders first, but if the clients request a western guide personally then we can have that arranged.

Sherpa ratio 1:2. Our Sherpas are NNMGA (Khumbu climbing centre trained/certified). Personal Sherpa for 1:1 can be arranged who will be solely responsible for the clients but extra additional charges apply. Our Sherpas have an intermediate level of English. Can understand, reply and instruct very well.

How much tips do you suggest for guides and porter teams? Summit tips?** **. . .

Most of our guest give tips during the end of the trek/climb. Your booking payment already consist a tip pool of $300. We will fairly distribute the tips among your drivers, assistant guides and porters.

Guest also donates trekking equipments like jackets, trek poles, gloves or hats to porters which is greatly appreciated. Guest can also buy our porters dinner, during the final day of the trek for all their hard work and for making their trek possible

Suggested Additional Summit tips $600.

Is Annapurna Three Peak suitable for beginner climbers and what level of fitness do I need? **. .

Yes, all the three Peaks suitable for all beginner to intermedaite level climbers. Chulu Far East itself is a non-technical high altitude trek/climbing mountain. To reach the summit of Chulu Far East 6049M you do not need any special climbing skills such as climbing on ropes using gears or use of ice axe. The mountain has less to non-technical challenges, there are 3-4 small opening crevasses during the climb but apart from that, the climb is straight forward. All climbers are recommended to partake in preparative fitness training 3 to 4 months before the departure date. You should be able to carry 5-8 kgs of your bag pack, walk up and downhill every day for 15/16 days and be able to push yourself during the summit climb.

Chulu West and Chulu Far East are semi technical climbing peak. Climbers will have to use fixed line ropes and abseil down from the summit. With guidance from our guides climbers should be able to climb these peaks as well.

Summit climb to all the mountains will demanding. That is why we highly suggest you train well over 10-12 weeks before your trip. You will need good endurance and body strength. Aerobic exercises mixing with overall body strength building routines should help you prepare physically for your trip. Another aspect is your mental strength. We would say any mountaineering experience is more about testing your mental strength, to push forward and take on the challenge of completing a great adventure and being exposed to new uncomfortable environments.

How do I know this is the right trip for me? . . .

All three Peak climb is a 6000M peak climbing adventure suitable for all beginner/novice climbers, this mountaineering adventure really depends on your ambition to go on a great challenging climbing adventure. To help you clarify if this is the right peak climbing adventure for you, [our grading][2] system can help you determine if this is the right expedition and if it is the right time to take upon trips of such nature. If you are yet unsure please do contact our team and we will walk you through where you are in your current experience level and guide you into choosing the right adventure.

How many guides/ Sherpas will be assigned to our group? . . .

1:2 Guide client ratio

How many in a group? . . .

Min 4 - Max 8

Who is this trip for? . . .

All interested climbers, 18+ who is looking for a beginners/intermediate experience level climb. 15-17 years old must be accompanied by adults

Who goes on this Peak climbing adventure? . . .

Climbers from all over the globe with different backgrounds, interest and mountaineering skill level join our expeditoin.

Can my friends and family join me on the trek to Khare? . . .

Yes, it is possible. Please email us about this and give you relevant informations.

Can I contact other climbers to join me on this trip? . . .

Yes, we highly encourage that. Maybe its your friend with whom you have been on amazing/challenging adventure trips before, a you met during your other expeditions, a challenge you seek together or any other ideas where you think the other person might enjoy this amazing climb.

Baggage allowance by Namas Expedition team for Khumbu Three Peak Expedition ? . . .

We allow 30kgs of personal weight.

Is it possible to organise a private climb? . . .

We will be more than happy to organise private trip for you and your group. As long as it is with in the suitable season. Extra cost will apply as we will have to organise a seperate logistical and planning for private climb request. Please contact our team for any private trips or expeditions.

What fitness/conditioning level is needed for this climb? . . .

You need to be in excellent shape for this climb. Although all the Peak climbing is supported by Sherpa guides and ropes, due to the technical nature of the peak, it is critical that you are in the best shape possible.

Technical preparation and trainings for this trip? . . .

Climbers should be able to at least have the understanding of safety rope knots, abseling and ascending when climbing and descending.

How hard is it to climb to the summit of all the peaks? . . .

Chulu Far East Peak is classed as 1B alpine grade. Chulu West and Pisang peak are graded 2B. When it comes to expedition the more fitter you are and more stronger the better your chances of successfully climbing to the summit and most of all enjoying the expedition. Summiting Mera Peak mostly depends on the weather condition and your fitness level. The climb normally starts around 3/4 am in the morning and it is about 3-4 hours climb to the summit. For any climbers, it is a technically straightforward ascent. The main hurdle being proper acclimatization to the high altitude.

How heavy will my bagpack be? . . .

You will just need to carry your personal items and most of your heavy gears are carried by our porter team.

How do you I train for a trip like this? . . .

We have written blog post on training for mountaineering which can give yo a guidance and tips on how long to what type of training you should undertake to train yourself well for challenging peak climbing adventures.

Physical fitness needed for this climbing trip? . . .

You need to be in a great shape for this climb. Due to the non technical nature of the peak, it is very important that you are in the best shape possible. Also, as Sherpa support is moderate on this climb, you are expected to be able to carry all of your personal gear needed for the climb. Sherpa teams are primarily responsible for carrying group gears to the camps.

Which Mountain can I aim for after Annapurna Three Peak climb thats above 6500M? . . .

Our main suggestion is take it one step at a time. The lure of Everest is there but taking small steps, gaining right experience and understanding your physiology is very crucial for climbing extreme high mountains. Amadablam 6810M, Baruntse Peak 7129M, Manaslu 8163M, Tilicho Peak 7134M are some of the 7000M+ - 8000M+ Peak expedition we organise at Namas adventure.

What sort of hotels do we stay at in the city? . . .

All Namas expedition team stays at the Hotel Manalsu or Tibet in Kathmandu. Arrivals hotels are only 15 minutes walk from the tourist centre of Thamel. Our chosen hotel provides swimming pool, restaurants, spa and massage near by and plenty of local shops near by to buy souviners.

What are the lodges like? Can I have my own room or tent? . . .

Lodges or tea houses we use during trekking days are local Sherpa tea houses. You will love the cultural ambience of the tea houses. Places we book are kept tidy, clean, modern lodges—the best that are available in each village. They are well-known locations to us and we have a good relationship with the lodge owners. Private rooms can be booked at additional cost. Our standard trips are based on shared rooms, usually twin-share and sometimes triple-share. On the mountain you will share a tent with one, or sometimes two other climbers.

If you would like a personal tent during Expedition days, Base camp personal tent can be arranged. Please do let us know in advance so that our team can make the necessary arrangements.

How many nights will we sleep in our own tents during the trip? How many nights in small houses on the way, are those heated? . . .

During alpine camping tents; at all base camps and high camps. On the trails we will be sleeping in Tea houses. Almost all the houses in every trekking routes of Nepal are built the same way. The Dining hall is warm and heated but all the rooms aren't so once we are in our rooms we will have to depend on our clothes, blankets and sleeping bags to keep our self warm.

Will Showers and laundry be available? . . .

On our trekking days tea houses we stay will offer hot showers and laundry services for a small fee.

Is foods included in our booking fees? . . .

All our expeditions are all-inclusive. Breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as ample hot and cold drinks during trek and expedition days are included. We can cater for vegetarians as well as many other special diets as long as we are informed of this prior to the trip.

What are the food like? . . .

During the trekking days in tea houses mostly foods are prepared according to your choice in the menu. Rice and Lentils (Dal bhat being the famous diet) to pasta, soups, pizza, mash potato, dumplings etc. But during the camping days we provide both cooked and packed/canned food supplies packed from Kathmandu.

Options are limited during camping days. Mostly Rice/lentils/veg/ pasta for cooked foods and freezed dried foods, chocolate/energy bars, biscuits, hydration tablets. We will have varieties of freezed dried foods (chicken, veg, spaghetti etc ) which are specially made for expeditions.

Will you provide all the equipment to produce drinking water? . . .

Bottled waters can be bought everywhere. Boiled waters are also available on the lodges. Or we would recommend bringing your own water treatment kit or filtered water bottle. (Lifestraw filtered bottles). Water Treatment: Iodine tablets (Potable Aqua or similar) or iodine crystals (Polar Pure)

What is the best way to get to Nepal? . . .

You will need to search for flights to Kathmandu Tribhuvan Intn'l airport. Regular flights operate into Kathmandu via Bangkok, Doha, Dubai, Trukey, Hong Kong, Singapore and Delhi.

Do I need to get a visa for Nepal? . . .

Yes. For most nationalities, a visa can be obtained on-arrival into Kathmandu airport or border entry points or can be issued prior through an Nepalese embassies or consulated abroad. Upon arrival, be sure to have the correct USD amount in cash for your visa application and photos can be take through the kiosk machine available at the airport. Currently, a 40-day visa costs $40 and 90-day visa costs US$100. Please dp make sure that your passport has at least six months validity.

Do I need to arrive the day before the trip starts? And when should I book my flight to leave? . . .

We have got you all covered. All our trip programme itinerary already have an arrival day and a departure day built into them. Please plan to arrive at early hours on Day 1 of the itinerary. If you plan to come early and explore Kathmandu then you are welcome as Kathmandy offers tons of culutral experiences. If you would like a 1-2 days tours please do let us know and we can provide suggestions. Namas Nepal representative will meet and pick you up at the airport and the first of many team briefings will take place on the evening of Day One. Please do not book to depart before the scheduled final trip itinerary day. All the details will also be sent on the final email.

When should I book my ticket? . . .

We recommeend you to book 90-60 days prior to your trip start date to ensure your trip has met the minimum numbers and will operate. If you see a good deal and want to book your flights, then ensure that you can make changes to your ticket or you run the risk of losing it if we do have to cancel the trip. In such situations, we are usually able to help you book on to an alternate departure, either with us or another operator.

Can I get a cheap ticket online? . . .

Yes, please make sure you have a flexible departure date on your ticket. With the nature of our expedition and the places we do are not straight forward as we due to unforseen cisrumstances we might have to add 1-2 days extras to complete our expedition which will lead to extension of our itinerary. In those circumstances you do not want to end up paying extra for your departures.

Where do we meet? Will I be picked up? . . .

As you arrive in Kathmandu, Namas guide or representative will receive you at the airport with our shuttle car/van. If you are arriving before the scheduled trip start date and want to be receiced at airport then please do let us know in advance and we can make the arrangements to pick you up. Or there are airport taxies to help you.

What if I am arriving early or departing late? . . .

Namas team can make necessary arrangements or recommendations should you want to explore more of Nepal. Please do let us know in advance or even to our team in Nepal to help you with these matter.

What insurance do we need to get? . . .

Insurances are mandatory in all our trips, there is a requirement for each expedition member to have insurance to cover any personal or medical mishaps that may occur before or during the expedition. [Click here for more information on expedition insurance.][2]

Do I need evacuation insurance? . . .

Yes, it is very important and a must. Many of our expeditions are in remote places with no roads and third world medical services. In an unlikely event scenario, we would want you to be evacuated asap and get you the right medical attention.

Who do you recommend for insurance? . . .

Insurances varies on your nationality but there are a handful of insurances that cover most of the countries especially for mountaineering expeditions. [Please click the link here][2], we have a list of recommended insurance providers that we tust and which our clients have previously used.

What is Trip Cancellation Insurance? . . .

For very unknown and unforeseen circumstances you may be forced to cancel their trips for reasons such as family illness, injury to one’s self, business issues, etc. In times like this you want to have a peace of mind protecting your investments on trips, flight tickets. So trip cancellation insurnace should gurantee protection of your money that you have paid for.