Ama Dablam Expedition 2023

Trip Overview

Ama Dablam Expedition 2023 Overview

Maximum Altitude:	6,812m/20,283ft
Total Duration:	31 Days
Coordinates:	27.8619° N, 86.8612° E
Climbing Route:	South-West Ridge
Grade:	Strenuous +
Group Size:	Max 12
Activity:	Mountaineering and Climbing

Famously known as Mountaineer’s mountain, Ama Dablam is one of the technical mountains in the Khumbu region of the Himalayas, which stands tall at 6812m. The glacier lurking from the southwestern face gives an impression of a jewel dangling from the neck of a mountain which gave it the name of Ama Dablam (meaning Mother’s Jewel), this is a steep pyramid of ice with vertical walls and sharp, exposed ridges. Get the technical climbing experience of conquering this mountain sharply pointed. Ama Dablam summit allows panoramic views of eight-thousanders including Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu and Lhotse.

Our Ama Dablam climbing route follows the standard route through the southwest ridge to the summit. This route is the safest and is free from the risk of avalanches. We need to cross 40-45 degree slopes.

Why climb Ama Dablam with us?

• Guided by some of the best guides and the Sherpa team.
• 1:1 Sherpa to climber ratio on summit day and 1:4 leader to climber ratio
• Quality and safety of the expedition
• Premier climbing experience on Ama Dablam
• A cohesive team of climbers
• A long history of high-altitude expeditions

Climbing Strategy:

A careful strategy is important for a successful climb. Our itinerary and climbing strategy are developed by our expert team of Sherpas who have been in this field for a decade. After our final preparation in Kathmandu, we board a flight to Lukla and start our first leg of the expedition, trek to the Ama Dablam Base Camp. We will follow the standard Everest Base Camp trekking route until Pangboche, from where we detour and climb to the base camp.

Our Ama Dablam base camp is well-appointed providing each climber with a comfortable stay. We will spend a few days at Amadablam Base Camp for rest, preparation, training and a puja ceremony. After we are fully settled at the base camp, a rotation of higher camps will be conducted to aid our acclimatization process. The rotation of higher camps is effective before making the final attempt at the summit. Hence, we will climb to higher camps and descend to lower camps in order to make our bodies well acclimatized to the high altitude.

On the first rotation, we will carry a small load to Camp 1 (5,600m/18,368ft) and then return to our Base Camp. On our next rotation, we will sleep at Camp 1 and early in the morning of the next day, we will climb to Camp 2 (5,900m/19,352ft) and descend back. In a final rotation, those feeling comfortable will sleep at Camp 2 while other climbers will descend to lower camps for rejuvenation before making the final attempt for the summit.

After Base Camp, we will set up 3 camps before making it to the summit. Camp 1 will be at (5,600m/18,368ft), similarly, Camp 2 will be at (5,900m/19,352ft) and final Camp 3 will be at (6,300m/20,664ft).

Once we are fully acclimatized, we will take a few days rest at the base camp and wait for a perfect weather window to arrive for our final summit push. 

Tentative Acclimatization Schedule:

1st Rotation: 

Day 01 – Climb to Camp 1 (5,600m/18,368ft) and O/N
Day 02 – Return back to base camp

2nd Rotation:

Day 01 – Climb to Camp 1 (5,600m/18,368ft) and O/N
Day 02 – Climb to Camp 2 (5,900m/19,352ft) andO/N
Day 03 – Touch 6,000m and return to base camp

Summit Push:

Day 01 – Climb to Camp 1 (5,600m/18,368ft) and O/N
Day 02 – Climb to Camp 2 (5,900m/19,352ft) and O/N
Day 03 – Summit push (6,812m/20,283ft) and return to Camp 2
Day 04 – Return to base camp 

Please note that these acclimatization and summit programs may differ during the expedition period as each climber adapts differently to an altitude. 

Why climb with us:

For over 30 yrs the people who helm this venture have been successfully organizing high-altitude Expeditions ensuring safety first and service paramount. The success of the expedition depends largely on a carefully planned itinerary and the best logistics and these are what we offer. We are committed to maintaining the expedition safe and successful with the quality of service. Our emphasis is always on maintaining the small group so that it will be easy to coordinate and cooperate with each other. You will be guided by highly professional mountain guides and they are some of the best in this field.

We are dedicated to providing the highest professionalism throughout the expedition by taking utmost care of all the logistics needed for our Ama Dablam Expedition

See our 30 years of history: Here

Personalised Expedition on Ama Dablam: 

We would be glad to offer a personalized expedition on Ama Dablam should you have any specific requirements or preferences.

Similarly, if you would like to add the Lobuche peak climb or Island peak climb to our Ama Dablam expedition itinerary, please contact us; we would be glad to accommodate your request. We are able to offer the following expeditions too: 

– Ama Dablam Expedition with Lobuche Peak Climb 
– Ama Dablam Expedition with Island Peak Climb 

Trip Itinerary

Dates & Price

Cost Inclusion

Cost Exclusion

Essential Information

Difficulty

Ama Dablam is a technical mountain in the Khumbu region of Nepal consisting of mixed terrains (Rock/Ice/Snow) with exposed ridge climbing.  It requires a high level of fitness and previous experience of at least moderate technical climb. Since most of the section on Ama Dablam is fixed rope climb, you need to be very comfortable with jumaring and abseiling on fixed ropes. The route between Camp 1 and Camp 3 consists of a technical climb with some near-vertical ice and rock. Climbers should expect multiple days of climbing at high altitude in extreme conditions. 

The route consists of a pyramid of ice with vertical walls and sharp, exposed ridges. Get the technical climbing experience of conquering this mountain sharply pointed.

Prerequisite

Climbers are required to have a good climbing resume and moderate skills on a technical climb. You need to have solid rock-climbing and cramponing skills and be able to climb and rappel with a pack on. Since you will be spending most of the time in extreme conditions a previous experience of climbing a 6000m peak is required. Climbers are required to be in excellent fitness level and must have the ability to perform at a high level for a longer duration at high altitudes.

A fierce determination and a burning desire to climb the mountain are the essential prerequisites for joining this category expedition. One needs to be familiar with walking in snow, rock and ice carrying your pack on. You should be familiar with Rope skills, ice axe arrest and crampon skills, the use of ascenders (Jumar) and descenders, and how to use your particular harness. 

Training well ahead in advance, at least 6 months prior to the expedition start date is recommended. Doing cross-fit, uphill walking carrying a heavy backpack on exposed terrain and other physical activities will be greatly beneficial to improve your performance. Consult with your doctor about your physical level and have a balanced program of training, diet and rest. Lastly, it's all mind over the body so mental toughness is the key to having a successful climbing experience. 

Sherpa Guides

Our Sherpa crews are critical to the success of the climbs that you do with us. We, us professionally trained Sherpa guides & sirdars who are just not hikers & climbers on the mountains but have been trained to perform this task with a lot of common sense & guile.
Kunga Sherpa, Everest summiteer and founder of Highland Expeditions, has successfully guided and organized over 40 expeditions to 8000m as an expedition sirdar oversees our experienced Sherpa crew that will be with you on the climb.  We ensure that they are confident & experienced. Most of our guides were born in these parts & have relatives living in other parts of the regions where they were born in.

We know that locally born staffs are a vital cog in that wheel of sometimes dangerous adventure where anything can happen.

At Highland Expeditions, we always make sure that our mountain crews are highly motivated & never compromise. We provide a 1:1 sherpa guide to client ratio on the summit day. Each of our Sherpa guides has tons of experience in climbing high altitude peaks. 

Meals

We consider delicious and nutritious food to be a key component to the overall success of our expeditions. We charter the food in by flight and take the utmost care in quality and hygienic preparation. Our High Altitude Chef will be with us for all meals at Base Camp. During the trek, your meals will be served at the teahouse/lodge you will stay. And in Kathmandu, only breakfast will be provided to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where what and with whom to eat for lunch and dinner.

If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know in advance and we will be sure to cater to your needs.

Accommodation

We provide each climber with an individual tent at the base camp during an entire expedition. Each tent will have spacious space, comfortable mattresses, carpeted floor and more for your comfort. Higher above from base camp, a high-quality extreme weather tent will be provided for every 2 climbers. 

We do not emphasise more on luxurious things as to unnecessarily increase the cost and human effort but we make sure that you get a good rest. 

Approach

We will follow the standard route through the southwest ridge to the summit. This route is the safest and is free from the risk of avalanches. We need to cross 40-45 degree slopes. A careful strategy is important for a successful climb. We will spend a few days at Amadablam Base Camp for proper acclimatization. Rotation of High Camps is effective before making the final attempt at the summit. Hence, we will practice climbing to Camp 2 (5900m) and descending to Lower Camps for making our bodies well acclimatized to the high altitude. On the first rotation, we will carry a small load to Camp 1 (5700m) and then return to our Base Camp. On our next rotation, we will sleep at Camp 1 and early in the morning of the next day, we will climb to Camp 2. In a final rotation, those feeling comfortable will sleep at Camp 2 while other climbers will descend to lower camps for rejuvenation before making the final attempt for the summit.

After Base Camp, we will set up 3 High Camps before making it to the summit. Camp 1 will be at 5700m. Similarly, Camp 2 will be at 5900m and final Camp 3 will be at 6300m.

Group size

Our emphasis is always on maintaining the small group so that it will be easy to coordinate and cooperate with each other. Our group size is small and we only take up to 10 pax in one group. If you opt to join our ‘fixed departure trip’, you are likely to be joining people from different countries of any age group except minors. The size of the group varies, the minimum no of persons required to operate the trip is 1 and the maximum is 10 people on each group.

Insurance

It’s mandatory and highly recommended to get rescue insurance before embarking on any adventurous trips in Nepal. We advise all our clients to get the insurance that covers up emergency helicopter evacuation that may be needed in case of the occurrence of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) or any other reasons in high altitudes where there are no other means of transportation available. It is advisable to review carefully the insurance and its coverages before making the final decision. Carry proof of your insurance with you on the holiday and leave a copy next to your kin. You must ensure that your insurance provides an adequate level of protection and covers you for the activities involved.

More information: Travel Insurance

Communications

Our Ama Dablam Expedition group will be equipped with a satellite phone for emergency purpose throughout the expedition duration. The cell phone network is available during the trekking section and at base camp, the service is not reliable and may fluctuate depending on weather conditions. In case you need to make a personal call, you can use the sat phone at $3 per minute. 

Weather

The best season for the Amadablam expedition is the autumn season (from October to the end of November). The Spring season also witnesses few climbing teams but due to the presence of blue ice and unstable weather and terrain, the summit chances are very low.

Equipment Checklist

The gear listed below is required for the expedition. We encourage you to get all equipment listed below and kindly ensure you check and try every piece of equipment. You can also buy or hire the same in Kathmandu as they are available in the many trekking shops from branded to local manufacturers in Kathmandu.

Head:
- Warm Hat and Bandana/Scarf
- Baseball cap
- Thermal Balaclava / Buff
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Ski goggles (Anti-fog and good ventilation)
- Headlight X 2 with spare batteries
- Climbing helmet

Upper body:
- Long-sleeved shirts
- T-Shirts
- Baselayers
- Warm Jackets/Sweater/Pullover
- Waterproof jackets
- Down Jacket with hood (800m fill)
- Primaloft or light down jacket
- Down Suit (Lightweight, comfortable fit and 800m fill)

Lower body:
- Thermal
- Inner wears / Baselayers
- Undergarments
- Waterproof trousers
- Trekking trousers
- Down or Primaloft pants

Feet:
- Warm socks (4 pairs thin socks and 4 pairs thick socks)
- Trekking shoes (Preferably full to protect/support your ankle)
- 8000m Mountaineering boots (Lightweight and comfortable size)
- Camp Shoes
- Gaiters
- Down shoe

Hands
- Gloves
- Primaloft Mitten
- Down Mitten

Climbing equipment:
- Backpack 30-35 litres (To carry your sunblock, water, camera, waterproof jackets and others that you may require while trekking)
- Backpack 60-70 litres for climbing
- A pair of trekking poles
- Harness
- Ascender/Jumar (Large handle)
- Descender /Figure 8
- ATC Guide
- Carabiners (4 screw gate and 4 snap gate)
- Prussik cord X 2
- Slings X 2
- Ice Axe
- 12-points steel crampons
- Inflatable sleeping mattress
- Sleeping bag X 2 (One for base camp and one for higher camps)

Others:
- Trekking poles
- Water bottle one (1) litre X 2 with an insulated cover
- Thermos
- Multi-tool knife
- Pee bottle
- Laundry bag to keep the dirty clothes
- Large plastic bags to keep the clothes dry
- Padlock
- Binoculars
- Sewing kit
- Duct tape
- Reading materials, notebooks and pens
- Extra clothes to wear in Kathmandu when you come back from the expedition.
- Camera with charger or spare batteries

Toiletries and hygiene
- Quick-drying towel
- Small face towel
- Toothbrush &Toothpaste
- Deodorants, Soap and Shampoo (Smaller bottle)
- Face and body moisturizer, Sunscreen and lip balm
- Hand sanitiser/Antiseptic wipes
- Hygiene products
- Basic first aid kit

Documents
- Passport with visa and validity of 6 months after your trip completion
- 4 copies of passport size photos for permits and official formalities
- Travel Insurance (Please refer to the general information page for more detail about it)
- Flight tickets
- Credit cards in case of emergencies
- Driving ID or any other ID in case of loss of your passport.

(Please carry the photocopy of all the documents along with you and leave a copy to next of kin)

Other Information

Other information such as (Insurance, Arrival Instructions, Visa and Passport etc) required for the trip will be provided after you have signed up for the expedition. Please feel free to get in touch with us if you require more information about the trip.

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Reviews

John D Warwick Nov 19, 2022

What an outstanding company. Not paying through the nose, I was a little unsure what to expect but these guys were amazing. The comfort, professionalism and safety were second to none. And their schedule was so smart, it did everything to get us to the summit. Well done guys, see you again soon