CHO OYU Expedition – 8,201 m

WILD YAK Team:

Climbing Cho Oyu is a technically challenging, physically tiring, and mentally demanding endeavor, and choosing the right expedition Sherpa Team is crucial for a safe and successful climb. Therefore, WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS carefully determines and assigns the best Sherpa Team for your Cho Oyu Expedition. Here are some elements that we take into consideration to evaluate and choose the right team for our WILD YAK Cho Oyu Expedition: 

Experience: our WILD YAK Expedition Sherpa Team has extensive experience climbing Cho Oyu and other significant mountains in the Himalayas. They know the route, conditions, techniques, and risks while climbing Cho Oyu. The WILD YAK Team has led many successful ascents on Cho Oyu in previous years. 

Expertise: our WILD YAK Expedition Sherpa Team is a highly skilled team of Sherpa climbers who perform best in difficult situations. The WILD YAK Team consists of new-generation dynamic climbers, qualified and trained by the Nepal Mountaineering Association. Last, our WILD YAK Expedition Team is in excellent physical fitness and can withstand the rigors of such expeditions in high altitudes. 

Personality: During your Cho Oyu Expedition, you will spend much time with the WILD YAK Expedition Sherpa Team. Expedition members must feel comfortable with our Sherpa Team and should establish a good relationship. Our WILD YAK Expedition Sherpa Team is friendly, kind, and supportive.

Communication: communication and personal compatibility within the team are crucial for a safe and successful expedition. Interaction with the members, responses to queries, and willingness to address their concerns are vital requirements in an expedition. Each Sherpa of our WILD YAK Expedition Team communicates effectively with the member and ensures everyone is on the same page. Indeed, it is also the advantage of being a small group expedition, where the climbing members and the WILD YAK Team have sufficient time to properly understand each other as climbing partners. Some of our WILD YAK Expedition Sherpa Guides speak multiple languages.

Weather Reports:

Weather reports are a lifeline for Himalayan expeditions. They help members and the WILD YAK Team prepare for any situation, make informed decisions, and take necessary precautions. With valuable insights into weather conditions, these reports can reduce risk and increase the chances of a successful and safe ascent.

WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS is taking the weather report services from a professional weather forecast provider, not from online weather sites.

At WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS, we emphasize the importance of weather reports and strictly follow our expeditions’ updates.

Communication:

The WILD YAK Team takes every precaution to ensure your safety while climbing Cho Oyu. Our communication systems enable constant contact between the members, guides, and the Base Camp (Cook & BC Manager) with satellite phones, radios, and other GPS tracking devices.

In addition, the use of communication devices and climbing updates enhances safety. It provides peace of mind in the event of an emergency, particularly when it comes to weather updates.

WILD YAK’S emergency features:

WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS has well-defined emergency response protocols, such as:

– medical kits with high-altitude medicine

– oxygen with masks and regulators

– Plan for immediate response to medical emergencies in case of altitude sickness, frostbite, or injury.

In addition, our WILD YAK Expedition Sherpa Team is trained to administer first aid and coordinate rapid evacuations if necessary.

We draw your attention that there are no helicopter rescues possible in Tibet / China.

WILD YAK’s commitments

We demonstrate a solid commitment to responsible tourism by integrating sustainable practices into our WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS operations.

Since 2014, WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS, in collaboration with our charity organization “The Butterfly Help Project“, has contributed namely to schools constructions, sponsoring Sherpa children who have lost their fathers in the mountains, collaborating with local organizations to preserve their culture, and financially supporting community development initiatives.

In addition, WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS encourages travelers to actively participate in community-based activities and respect local customs and traditions. We highly encourage reusable water bottles, minimizing single-use plastics. We also provide proper waste disposal facilities during the trekking.

Furthermore, WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS greatly emphasize the well-being of porters and the WILD YAK guiding Team. We are committed to treating porters fairly and providing them with better working conditions by limiting the weight carried by each of them. Additionally, we apply a strict policy of fair wages and provide them with proper clothing, footwear, and necessary accessories. Finally, we purchase insurance for each porter’s emergency medical and rescue services on each trip.

Last but not least, we contribute with each of our trip to the projects of “The Butterfly Help Project”.

In Kathmandu:

We stay in superior category hotels – Hyatt Regency and Yak & Yeti, or similar category, on a single room basis, breakfasts included. 

The included evening meals are served in excellent restaurants in Kathmandu. WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS has tested each restaurant to meet our client’s requirements best.

Please note that drinks are at each participant’s expense.

Experience an epic journey from Kathmandu to the Cho Oyu Advanced Base Camp.

Our journey begins in Kathmandu, where we obtain the necessary Chinese visa for all members. This is followed by a flight over the Himalayas to Lhasa, where you can catch a stunning glimpse of the world’s highest mountain range. On arrival in Lhasa, we stay in a comfortable Tibetan-style hotel, where we rest and enjoy delicious meals.

During the journey by private vehicle to Cho Oyu Base Camp at 5,200 metres, we enjoy acclimatising with cultural visits to the various towns we pass through on the Tibetan high plateau. The journey is picturesque, with majestic views of the Himalayas. We gain altitude as the days go by.

We stay in traditional superior style hotels, in single rooms, with all main meals included.

We follow the overland route back to Kathmandu at the end of the expedition.

Located at an altitude of 5200 metres, this is where we meet our exceptional WILD YAK Team of expedition sherpas. They have worked hard to set up a temporary Base Camp. We spend the next two days there, ensuring that our bodies acclimatise efficiently for our ascent to the higher camps. We also arrange for the collective equipment to be transported by yaks to the Advanced Base Camp, located at an altitude of 5,700 metres. This is the main operational camp for our Cho Oyu expedition.

Our dedicated WILD YAK kitchen team provides hearty meals and refreshing drinks to give us energy for the rest of the adventure. This will be our “home away from home” as we progress towards our goal.

WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS has its own philosophy regarding the Advanced Base Camp: the ascent of Cho Oyu is one of the central parts of this expedition, comfort, hygiene and good food at the Base Camp and Advanced Base Camp are among our priorities.

WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS’ Advanced Base Camp is comfortable and well organised. Each participant has an individual tent. We equip each tent with an insulating layer, a good mattress and a pillow.

Our mess tent is triple insulated and has heating at certain times of the day. A water bucket with soap is located next to the mess tent. A solar charging system is available for your electronic devices.

The Base and Advanced Camps also have a toilet and shower tent.

High Camps:

In the high camps, we encourage team spirit by asking two members to share a tent to support each other and make diligent observations of each other’s form, particularly at night. 

We provide essential equipment such as thermal mattresses, utensils, and food.

If necessary, we can also hire sleeping bags for the high-altitude camps. 

Our WILD YAK Expedition Team will happily assist you in setting up and dismantling tents and cooking the water.

The Cho Oyu ascent route comprises five camps:

Base camp at 5200 metres
Advanced Base Camp at 5700 metres
Camp-I at 6400 metres
Camp-II at 6800 metres
Camp-III at 7300 metres

The most difficult part of the ascent lies between Camp-I and Camp-II, with numerous crevasses and seracs.

The day of the summit is the most demanding: it takes around 12 hours of walking at an altitude of over 7,300 metres, returning to camp-II . All in all, the ascent is not extremely difficult, but you do need to be in excellent physical condition.

Our payment & cancellation policy

We aim to provide our customers with a convenient and secure payment process at WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS. To ensure a smooth transaction and clarify our payment policies, we have developed the following payment policy:

Booking confirmation:

To secure your booking, a deposit or full payment will be required at the time of booking. The specific payment requirement will depend on the type of booking, destination, and specific terms and conditions associated with your reservation.

Your reservation will be confirmed once the payment is processed and received by us.

Payment procedure:

Payment Methods: bank transfers

Currency: The default transaction currency will be specified on our website or provided when booking. If you pay in a different currency, currency conversion fees may apply, and the payment provider or financial institution will determine the exchange rate. Note: All bank transfer charges are for the remitter’s account.

Payment Schedule:

• The payment schedule will depend on the type of booking and the specific terms and conditions associated with your booking.
• For some bookings, full payment may be required at the time of booking.
• For other bookings, a deposit will be required at the time of booking, with the remaining balance due before a specified deadline.
• Failure to make the required payments within the specified timeframe may cancel your booking, subject to our cancellation policy.

Payment Security: We prioritize the security of your payment information and comply with industry standards and best practices.

Payment Disputes and Refunds: In the event of a payment dispute or if you believe an incorrect payment has been made, please contact our WILD YAK service team immediately. Refunds, if applicable, will be processed according to our cancellation and refund policy.

Modifications to the Payment Policy: We reserve the right to modify this policy without prior notice. Any changes to the payment policy will not apply retroactively and will only affect future bookings.

Please note that this is a general overview of our payment policy. The payment terms and conditions may vary based on your booking and destination. We recommend reviewing the detailed payment policy provided when booking or contacting our WILD YAK service team for further assistance.

Trip Cancellation Policy (cf. Article 5 of WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS Terms and Conditions):

At WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS, we understand that unexpected events can disrupt your travel plans. To ensure a smooth and transparent experience for our valued customers, we have developed the following trip cancellation policy:

Cancellation Requests:

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing via email, registered letter, or through our designated cancellation form on our website. The date of receipt by us of your cancellation will be considered for calculating the charged money. If the last day of the time limit is an official holiday or a non-business day, the time limit shall expire at the end of the first subsequent business day.

Cancellation & Refund Policy:

Cancellation from your side:

The cancellation charges will vary depending on the type of booking, destination, and specific terms and conditions associated with your reservation.

Once you have paid your deposit, your trip is confirmed, subject to payment of the fees owed 60 days before your trip commencement date. An expedition trek member may then cancel his/her participation on the following basis:

• Cancellations outside of 60 days will result in the loss of the trip deposit.

• For cancellations made within 60 days of the trip commencement date, we reserve the right to retain 50% of the total fee.

• For cancellations within 30 days of the departure date, a cancellation fee of 100% of the full fee applies.

Non-refundable components of your booking, such as certain flights, accommodations, or activities, may not be eligible for a refund.

Refunds will be issued using the original payment method used for the booking.

Cancellation by WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS:

If we need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances, we will notify you as soon as possible.

If we cancel your trip, you will be eligible for a full refund of the amount paid for the affected booking.

Modifications to the Cancellation Policy:

We reserve the right to modify this cancellation policy without prior notice.

Any changes to the cancellation policy will not apply retroactively and will only affect future bookings.

Please note that this is a general overview of our trip cancellation policy. The specific terms and conditions may vary based on your booking and destination. We recommend reviewing the detailed cancellation policy provided when booking or contacting our WILD YAK service team for further assistance.

Tailor-made preparation workshops and training:

With WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS, we ensure you’re well-prepared for your next Everest Expedition. Our pre-expedition workshops and training sessions in the Alps will give you essential high altitude skills. Our preparation workshops in the Alps cover everything from physical and mental fitness advice to emergency procedures and the risks associated with high altitude.

We’ll also organize virtual meetings for our briefings for those you can’t attend in person.

With our expert advice, you’ll be well-prepared and confident that you’re ready to meet the challenges of your next high altitude expedition.

Feel free to contact us for a tailor-made preparation workshop in the Alps

Your personal equipment and climbing gear:

Acquiring the necessary equipment for your Everest expedition can be expensive, with specific requirements that you might only need for this particular adventure. To help minimize expenses, we provide our guests with the option to rent some expensive equipment at a very reasonable price. Our offerings include expedition sleeping bags, down suits, and warm-down jackets. This allows you to experience your expedition without purchasing gear you may never need or use again.

Note: Members must order the required expedition equipment (sleeping bag, down suit, down jacket) 60 days before the expedition’s departure. Don’t miss out on securing these essential goods in time!

We will provide the members with a comprehensive list outlining all the essential clothing and equipment they must bring individually.

Travel Insurance:

Having the right travel insurance is essential to enjoy your trip with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS fully. Travel insurance must provide coverage for trip cancellation due to personal emergencies (mountain rescue and helicopter evacuation shall be covered), medical issues, natural disasters, or other covered events.

Purchasing comprehensive travel insurance to protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances, including trip cancellations is therefore mandatory for anyone booking a trip with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS. To this extent, you must submit a copy of your insurance policy to the WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS office with your registration form.

We recommend carefully choosing your insurance policy, as some insurance companies make exceptions for such trips. Before booking your insurance, check that the insurance company knows the itinerary you will be following with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS and that all activities undertaken during the trip are covered.

Finally, check that your insurance policy also covers trip cancellation.

Due to the international situation of our clients, please note that WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS does not sell insurance. For more information on this subject, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Before traveling with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS, please check the validity of your passport. Your passport must be valid for six months after your return date. 

Nepal is one of the countries where obtaining a visa is quick and straightforward. There are two ways of getting a visa to enter Nepal:

– Upon your arrival at the immigration office at Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport.

To apply at the airport, you must fill in a form using the electronic terminals. Take the printed receipt from the machine to make the payment (we recommend that you have an exact change in U.S. dollars) at the airport bank. Once you have paid, take your receipt to the immigration desk.

– Before your departure, contact your country’s Nepalese Embassy or Consulate.

According to the provisions in force, the amount of the visa obtained on arrival is USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, and USD 125 for 90 days.

Add a personal climbing Sherpa:

Sherpas play a critical role in supporting climbers during expeditions at extreme altitudes. Their expertise, strength, and unwavering commitment make the ascent to the summit more attainable while effectively mitigating the associated risks. Their invaluable contributions enable climbers to fulfill their dreams and conquer the formidable challenges that await them. Adding a personal sherpa contributes thus to a sense of security. It reduces the risk of injuries or physical strain associated with carrying heavy backpacks. It is best for everyone with difficulties recovering from strenuous activity.

By opting for an additional Personal Sherpa service, you’ll gain invaluable support from a dedicated and highly experienced WILD YAK climbing Sherpa. 

Your personal Sherpa(s) will accompany you throughout the journey, guiding and assisting you from Base Camp to the summit and back. He will even help carry your necessary personal equipment to the higher camps. You will share a tent with your Personal Sherpa, who will also handle cooking responsibilities, ensuring a proper recovery and comfortable experience.

Our WILD YAK Expedition Sherpa guides are highly skilled professionals and friendly and supportive companions. Having summited Everest and other challenging peaks multiple times, they have the expertise to make your climb successful.

Helicopter services

You can use the helicopter service in Nepal for mountain tour flights and get amazing views of the Himalayas. Feel free to contact us for any  booking.

Extra Visits:

Discover the Hidden Gems of Nepal beyond Adventure Activities

Besides mountaineering or trekking, you can explore diverse experiences in Nepal. With its cultural heritage, spiritual traditions, natural beauty, and warm hospitality, Nepal offers endless opportunities to create meaningful and unforgettable memories.

Cultural exploration and local immersion:

Uncover the richness of Nepal, where adventure activities are just the beginning. Elevate your senses with sightseeing tours of Nepal’s historical sites and architectural marvels – Marvel at ancient palaces, temples, and intricate wood carvings in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan. Explore monasteries, museums, and art galleries to unlock the secrets of Nepal’s rich history and artistic traditions.

Immerse yourself in vibrant festivals, traditional villages, and the warm embrace of locals eager to share their customs and traditions. Immerse yourself in the local culture with homestay programs, where you can experience the daily life of Nepalese families, learn traditional cooking, and engage in community activities. Forge genuine connections and gain a deeper understanding of the local culture.

Wildlife and Nature Experiences: 

Unleash your wild side with wildlife safaris in national parks like Chitwan and Bardia, where rhinos, tigers, elephants, and exotic bird species roam free. Or embrace the serene beauty of Nepal’s mountains, lakes, and rivers through nature walks, birdwatching, and boating activities.

Spiritual and Yoga retreats: 

Embark on a spiritual journey to Nepal’s sacred sites, such as the revered Pashupatinath Temple, the peaceful Swayambhunath Stupa, and the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Lumbini. 

Find serenity and rejuvenation through meditation retreats, yoga classes, and spiritual workshops that nourish the mind, body, and soul. Indulge in a world of wellness and Ayurveda, as Nepal offers a sanctuary for rejuvenation. Pamper yourself with spa treatments, Ayurvedic therapies, and healing practices that promote relaxation, stress relief, and holistic well-being. 

Volunteer and Community Service: 

Make a difference through volunteer programs, where you can contribute to community development, education, healthcare, and environmental conservation projects. Experience the satisfaction of leaving a positive impact and gain a profound understanding of Nepal’s social challenges and initiatives.

WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS is dedicated to sustainable tourism and actively contributes to the community. Through their charity organization, “The Butterfly Help Project,” the co-founders of WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS have undertaken various initiatives, including constructing four schools in remote areas of Nepal. Additionally, they run a hostel for underprivileged mountain children, providing them with accommodation and education opportunities. They also sponsor numerous children who have lost their fathers in the mountains.

In addition to their educational efforts, the co-founders of WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS have established two apple orchards in the Kanchenjunga region at more than 3000 meters, supporting the local economy. 

You can visit one of these schools or volunteer at the hostel if interested. By engaging with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS, you can contribute to the co-founders’ impactful projects and make a difference in the lives of others.

Become a Volunteer:

Make a difference through volunteer programs, where you can contribute to community development, education, healthcare, and environmental conservation projects. Experience the satisfaction of leaving a positive impact and gain a profound understanding of Nepal’s social challenges and initiatives.

WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS is dedicated to sustainable tourism and actively contributes to the community. Through their charity organization, “The Butterfly Help Project,” the co-founders of WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS have undertaken various initiatives, including constructing four schools in remote areas of Nepal. Additionally, they run a hostel for underprivileged mountain children, providing them with accommodation and education opportunities. They also sponsor numerous children who have lost their fathers in the mountains.

In addition to their educational efforts, the co-founders of WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS have established two apple orchards in the Kanchenjunga region at more than 3000 meters, supporting the local economy. 

You can visit one of these schools or volunteer at the hostel if interested. By engaging with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS, you can contribute to the co-founders’ impactful projects and make a difference in the lives of others.