Shishapangma Expedition (8,027 m)

Today we hold a full expedition briefing at our office in Boudha, covering the overland journey, the climbing plan and life at Base Camp. Your Sherpa guide then checks your equipment piece by piece, and anything missing can be bought or hired in Kathmandu's mountaineering shops. Meanwhile, our team finalises the Chinese group visa and Tibet permits, which require your original passport. In the afternoon you can visit Boudhanath Stupa, close to our office. Overnight at the hotel.

A second day in Kathmandu allows the Chinese group visa to be collected and the final permit documents to be checked. Expedition cargo is packed and loaded for the drive north. If you have free time, explore the old royal squares of Kathmandu or Patan, or visit Pashupatinath on the banks of the Bagmati. In the evening we go over the plan for the border crossing and the first days in Tibet. Overnight at the hotel.

We leave Kathmandu by private vehicle and drive north through Trishuli Bazaar and Dhunche into the Langtang region, a journey of around 7-8 hours on a road that is rough in places. The route climbs over forested ridges with views of Ganesh Himal and Langtang Lirung before dropping to Syabrubesi on the Bhote Koshi river. Syabrubesi is the last sizeable town before the Tibetan border. Overnight in a lodge.

A short drive up the Bhote Koshi valley brings us to the border at Rasuwagadhi. After Nepali exit and Chinese entry formalities, we meet our Tibetan liaison officer and transfer to vehicles in Tibet for the drive to Kerung (Gyirong), a valley town of forest and fields at around 2,700 m. Border procedures can take time, so patience helps. The afternoon is free to rest and explore. Overnight at a hotel in Kerung.

A full day in Kerung helps your body adapt before the big gain in height onto the plateau. We take an acclimatisation walk in the hills above the town, which is greener and more wooded than most of Tibet, and return for lunch. The rest of the day is for resting, drinking plenty of fluids and enjoying the relaxed pace of the valley. Your Sherpa guide checks how everyone is feeling. Overnight at the hotel.

Today we climb out of the Kerung valley over high passes onto the Tibetan plateau, a dramatic change in landscape from forest to vast open grassland and distant snow peaks. The drive takes around 6-8 hours with stops along the way. Tingri lies on the wide plains north of the main Himalaya, and on a clear day you can see Cho Oyu and the Everest group on the horizon. Take it easy on arrival. Overnight in a guesthouse.

A second acclimatisation day at around 4,300 m is essential before moving to Base Camp. In the morning we hike up one of the hills near Tingri, gaining a few hundred metres for views of Cho Oyu and Everest, then return to rest. Drink plenty, eat well and avoid exertion in the afternoon. This is a good time to repack your kit for Base Camp and the yak loads. Overnight in a guesthouse.

A drive of around 4-5 hours across the plateau brings us to Shishapangma Base Camp, often called Chinese Base Camp, at about 5,000 m. Set in a wide valley with views of the mountain, the camp is the end of the road and the point where yaks take over. Our crew sets up the dining, kitchen and individual tents, and the rest of the day is for settling in. Overnight in tents.

Two days at Base Camp give your body time to adjust to 5,000 m before going higher. We take short acclimatisation walks on the slopes around camp, rest and drink plenty. Meanwhile, the CTMA team arranges the yaks and our crew sorts loads for Advanced Base Camp. Your Sherpa guide uses the time to review rope skills and the plan for the climb, and to check that your boots and down clothing are ready.

Our trek to Advanced Base Camp is split into two days to help acclimatisation. Today we follow the valley up towards the mountain, walking over grassy slopes and moraine while the yaks carry the loads. The walk takes around 4-5 hours, and the intermediate camp sits at about 5,300 m beside the glacier. Take your time, keep a steady pace and drink often. Overnight in tents.

A further 4-5 hours of walking on moraine and stony ground brings us to Advanced Base Camp at around 5,600 m, close to the foot of the route. This will be our home for the climbing period. Our crew sets up individual tents, a dining tent and the kitchen, and the yaks return down the valley. The afternoon is for rest and settling in, with Shishapangma rising directly above camp.

We begin with a puja, the Buddhist ceremony Sherpa climbers perform to ask for safe passage before climbing. The following day is for rest and a skills refresher: your Sherpa guide reviews fixed-rope technique, ascender and descender use, crampon work and glacier travel. Meanwhile our climbing team scouts the lower route on Shishapangma and starts carrying ropes, tents and fuel towards Camp 1.

Rotations follow the standard route on the north side. We cross the glacier from Advanced Base Camp to establish Camp 1 (around 6,300 m), then climb broad snow slopes with some steeper sections to Camp 2 (around 6,800 m), returning to Advanced Base Camp to recover between trips. Our Sherpa team fixes rope where needed and carries tents, fuel and food to the high camps. The aim is to sleep at Camp 2 before the summit push.

With acclimatisation complete, we rest and wait for a settled forecast. The summit push takes around four to five days: up through Camps 1 and 2 to Camp 3 (around 7,300 m), then a pre-dawn start across the upper snow slopes to the summit ridge. The main summit at 8,027 m lies beyond the central summit along an exposed ridge, so turnaround times are agreed and kept. Spare days allow a second attempt.

We pack up Advanced Base Camp, leaving the site clean and carrying all waste down, and walk back to Base Camp in around 5-6 hours while the yaks carry the loads. With weeks of acclimatisation behind us, the descent feels easy and the thicker air is noticeable. In the evening there is time to celebrate the expedition with the Sherpa team and the crew. Overnight in tents.

We drive back across the plateau and down into the green Kerung valley, a long day of around 7-8 hours. Dropping more than 2,000 m in a day, you will notice the warmer, thicker air and the return of trees and fields. A hot shower and a proper bed are waiting at the hotel, and the evening is free to relax and enjoy a meal in town. Overnight at a hotel in Kerung.

After breakfast we drive to the border at Rasuwagadhi, complete exit and entry formalities and say goodbye to our Tibetan liaison officer and crew. On the Nepal side our vehicle takes us back through Syabrubesi and Dhunche to Kathmandu, a long day of around 9-10 hours including the border crossing. On arrival you are transferred to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

This day is kept in reserve for delays caused by weather or transport. If it is not needed, we complete the expedition debriefing and you are free to explore Kathmandu: the old royal squares of Kathmandu and Patan, Swayambhunath on its hilltop or the shops of Thamel. It is also a good moment to celebrate the Shishapangma expedition with the team before heading home. Overnight at the hotel on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

After breakfast, we transfer you to Tribhuvan International Airport in good time for your onward flight. We hope you leave with strong memories of Shishapangma and of the people who climbed it with you, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Himalaya, whether for another expedition, a peak climb or a relaxed trek.