Climbing Cho Oyu 8201m

Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world and is located near Mt Everest at the border between China and Nepal. Cho Oyu has become a popular objective for mountaineers who like to attempt their first 8000m peak and want to gain real high altitude experience. Cho Oyu is popular because of its relatively, non-technical climbing route. It's one of the easiest 8000m peaks in the world with a low avalanche risk and a short and direct summit ascent. More over, the mountain is relatively easy accessible by car from Kathmandu or Lhasa combining two different cultures in one trip.

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+ Trip description

From Kathmandu to Cho Oyu's base camp in Tibet

This expedition starts in Kathmandu. Kathmandu is the right place to complete your expedition gear and for us to finalize your Chinese visa and Tibetan travel permits. The first part of this expedition is a five days drive and acclimatization trip to Kodari (the border town between Nepal and China), Zhangmu, Nyalam, Tingri and the Cho Oyu’s Chinese Base Camp (4910m). You actually drive through the Himalayas! Reaching the Tibetan plateau, the landscape changes in wider, green and sandy valleys with some of the world’s highest passes that are accessible by car. The ride offers stunning views on the Tibetan mountain ranges, some of the best sightseeing spots and off course the Tibetan culture. From the Chinese base camp you will drive & trek up to the Interim Camp (5360m) and the Advanced Base Camp (5720m). This is an effective two days training and acclimatization trip through beautiful mountain sceneries with deep blue skies and huge white capped Himalayan peaks.

Climbing Cho Oyu

Once you have arrived in Cho Oyu’s advanced base camp (ABC) you will have a great sight at the entire mountain and its climbing route! From here our climbing schedule starts; a month’s lasting process of acclimatizing, ascending, descending, resting, exploring, and establishing several high camps: camp 1(6430m), camp 2 (7130m) and camp 3 (7560m). In the mean time the daily rituals will make sure you stay healthy until the right window appears for Cho Oyu’s summit attempt. Although climbing Cho Oyu is relatively straight forward and relatively, non-technical, you still have to climb a few difficult sections, like steep ice for about 25 meters and another steep rock section. At all difficult sections you will use fixed ropes to climb up and abseil down again. It’s a very rewarding, but tough climb to a massive, almost flat summit that offers you a stunning 360 degrees view on all other giant peaks of the Nepalese and Tibetan Himalayas. This Cho Oyu expedition is great way to climb a 8000m peak and a very effective preperation before climbing Everest!

Return to Kathmandu

When the Cho Oyu expedition has finished, we return to Kathmandu via the same way, driving a last time across the Tibetan plateau and through the Himalayas all the way back to Nepal and Kathmandu.

+ Itinerary & different options

[ Arrival in Kathmandu / free days ]

Cho Oyu Expedition via Nyalam		Different options
1 - Kathmandu - Briefing / Visa 2 - Kathmandu - Visa 3 - Nyalam 4 - Rest & acclimatisation 5 - Tingri 6 - Rest & acclimatisation 7 - Chinese base camp 8 - Rest & acclimatisation 9 - Intermediate camp 10 - Rest & acclimatisation 11 - Cho Oyu ABC 12 - Cho Oyu ABC 13 - Excursion 14 - Cho Oyu ABC 15 - Camp 1 16 - Excursion Camp 2 17 - Cho Oyu ABC 18 - Cho Oyu ABC	19 - Cho Oyu ABC 20 - Camp1 21 - Camp 2 22 - Excursion Camp 3 23 - Cho Oyu ABC 24 - Cho Oyu ABC 25 - Cho Oyu ABC 26 - Camp 1 27 - Camp 2 28 - Camp 3 29 - Summit Cho Oyu 30 - Summit Cho Oyu 31 - Summit Cho Oyu 32 - Summit Cho Oyu 33 - Cho Oyu ABC 34 - Tingri 35 - Kathmandu	35 days - Cho Oyu via Lhasa Do you prefer a different route or itinerary? Just contact us and we will be more than happy to think with you and organize the tailor made trip you're looking for...

[ End of services / free days / departure / continue travelling ]

+ What's included & excluded in the price?

To make things easy for you, we have put together different service packages that suit most people. However, if you want to make it really special, we also provide full tailor made services. Have a look at the fixed packages first or download a detailed comparison sheet.

» Download Comparison Sheet (pdf)

Summit Service - Pro
The Pro package provides you a full organized and guided expedition until the summit. This package includes organizational arrangements, a complete professional, experienced staff & crew, all needed equipment, all services and luxuries that makes your entire expedition as comfortable as possible. The staff takes care of all tasks and activities, you are not required to help.

Summit Service - Basic
The Basic package provides you a full organized and guided expedition until the summit. This package includes organizational arrangements, a small professional, experienced staff & crew, essential equipment & services only, without the luxuries of the Pro package. Although professionally organized, this package is much more basic and adventurous, you are required to help with all tasks and activities.

Base Camp Service - Pro
The Pro package provides you all services up to base camp and in the base camp (or ABC) itself for the entire expedition. This includes all organizational arrangements, a complete professional, experienced staff & crew, all needed equipment, all services and luxuries that makes your trip to the base camp and in the base camp itself as comfortable as possible. Above base camp you organize everything you need yourself and you are responsible for your own safety, equipment, food and strategy.

Base Camp Service - Basic
The Basic package provides you all services up to base camp and in the base camp (or ABC) for the entire expedition. This includes all organizational arrangements, a small professional, experienced staff & crew, essential equipment & services only, without the luxuries of the Pro package. Although professionally organized, this package is much more basic and adventurous, you are required to help with all tasks and activities. Above base camp you organize everything you need yourself and you are responsible for your own safety, equipment, food and strategy.

+ How difficult is this trip?

We have rated the Cho Oyu Expedition in Nepal with E4. This means that it's a very streneous trip while the climbing sections are difficult (difficile). Have a look at a general description of these codes! Below we'll try to describe the specific difficulties of this trip.

Cho Oyu (Chinese) base camp - 4910m
In this expedition you will drive from Kathmandu to Kodari at the border with China/Tibet by bus. After all formalities at the Nepalese and Chinese customes, we will drive through the Himalayas to the small villages of Nyalam and Tingri before arriving at the Chinese base camp. As we're gaining altitude very fast in these days, we (and all other expeditions) take a nessecary rest and acclimatization day after each days drive. Depending on the weather, the road may be very muddy and bumpy forcing a slow adventurous ride across bridges, streams and small, steep road sections.

Cho Oyu ABC - 5720m
The Chinese base camp is the starting point for a few days trek to the real base camp, or advanced base camp. It's a nice trek on talus slopes and rocky moraines to the Intermediated camp and finally to the Advanced Base Camp.The trek doensn't involve any difficulties, but as we're still gaining altitude very fast, we need to acclimatize a day in between.

Cho Oyu Camp 1 - 6430m
After sufficient rest in the ABC, we start to climb. The climb to Camp 1 (North West ridge) involves a glacier crossing and a tiring climb across loose scree, stones, snow and ice. No specific difficulties.

Cho Oyu Camp 2 - 7130m
On the way to camp 2 you will encounter the first technical section. This is a six meter high, 60 degrees snow& ice wall that you need to climb. Normally you can use a number of snow/ice steps and we will fixe ropes if needed.

Cho Oyu Camp 3 - 7560m
From camp 2 to 3 there’s another short wall of about 40 degrees snow & ice.

Cho Oyu summit - 8201m
From camp 3 you will start your summit attempt. In the early morning (night) you will start climbing from 7450m through some rocky sections. The summit trail involves no other difficulties than the extreme high altitude. The summit itself is large and amazingly flat, that's why your last challenge is to find the real summit at 8201m! We'll find it anyhow...

Back to Cho Oyu ABC
After a successful summit attempt you will descent in one or two days to Cho Oyu ABC. Depending on the situation and time frame, you may choose to return to Kathmandu earlier as planned or hang out in ABC until the entire expedition departs from the mountain.

In general...
Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world. Although Cho Oyu is a relatively, non-technical climb, it involves steep snow, hard ice and rock sections. To ensure safety, ropes will be fixed at all difficult sections. However, you should feel comfortable with alpine climbing techniques in winter conditions at higher altitude, like: using ice axe and crampons, anchoring, belaying, abseiling and crevasse rescue. All members should have knowledge and experience in winter camping, avalanche danger and recognition, prevention and treatment of high altitude sickness and frostbite.

This expedition is open for climbers with previous mountaineering experience at higher altitudes (6000m-7000m). As you’re part of a group during difficult situations and demanding activities, you must have experience in working and living in and with a group of people who share the same, common goal. An easy going, flexible attitude is a must.

* Note 8000m peaks: This mountain is more than 8000m high. Climbing above 8000m (death zone), involves an increased risk of serious health problems, complete lethargy and very extreme weather conditions. For personal safety reasons you should be able to climb independently and be able to survive without help from anybody else.

+ What clothes & equipment do I need?

After booking we will send you a final, detailed clothes & equipment list with all the required clothes and (climbing) equipment that you need for this trip. To get a really good idea what you will get from us, you may download an example equipment list.

» Download an Example Equipment List (pdf)

+ What is the best time to make this trip?

An indication of best seasons to make this trip (stable weather and clear views)

• Spring: April, May
• Autumn: September, October

Is Spring or Autumn better?
Well, normally, Spring is colder and windy, but with less snow then Autumn, so the chances on avalanches is a bit smaller. As the mountain is still warming up in Spring, there's will be more ice then in Autumn, making the climb more technical. On the other hand, Autumn starts warmer than Spring, but it becomes colder while bringing unstable weather. So, Cho Oyu can be climbed in Spring and Autumn, having it's own advantages and disadvantages. Usually. Spring time is more crowded as many climbers believe that their chance on summit succes is a bit higher than in Autumn.

Indication of temperatures: (depending on weather conditions)

• Below 5000m varying from: Day time: +10ºC / +30ºC. Night time: -10ºC / +15ºC
• Above 5000m varying from: Day time: -5ºC / +30ºC. Night time: -15ºC / -40ºC

Tibet and Tibetan mountains are known for its strong winds (chill factor). Beside the wind you may encounter deep snow, heavy rain, dust, heat and very strong sunshine. Mountain storms and fog (white out) are unpredictable and can arise quickly, changing trekking & climbing conditions dramatically. Rain, snow and strong winds are always possible.