The ultimate mountaineering objective: a full guided expedition to the summit of Mount Everest (8,849 m) via the South Col route from Nepal. 65 days of acclimatisation rotations, fixed-rope ascent through the Khumbu Icefall and Lhotse Face, oxygen-supported summit push from the South Col, and the indescribable experience of standing on the highest point on Earth.
Mount Everest (8,849 m) — known as Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolungma in Tibetan — is the highest point on Earth and the defining objective of modern mountaineering. Since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made the first ascent on 29 May 1953, the mountain has been summited by over 6,600 individuals, yet remains one of the most demanding and resource-intensive undertakings in adventure sports. No route to the summit is safe, no weather window is guaranteed, and no level of experience eliminates the fundamental objective hazards of high-altitude mountaineering: avalanche, icef all collapse, crevasse, and the physiological ceiling imposed by the Earth's atmosphere at 8,000+ metres.
What our guided Everest Expedition provides is the highest-quality support framework within which a committed, experienced, and physically exceptional climber can pursue the summit with the best possible chance of success: expert Sherpa guides with multiple Everest ascents, comprehensive oxygen systems, professionally managed base camp, fully fixed routes through the technical sections, and a medical and logistics infrastructure that has been refined through decades of high-altitude expedition management.
The South Col route — established by the 1953 British expedition and used by the vast majority of guided Everest climbers — ascends from Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) through the notorious Khumbu Icefall to the Western Cwm (6,100 m), up the Lhotse Face to the South Col (7,906 m), and along the Southeast Ridge to the summit. The route passes three intermediate high camps: Camp 1 (6,100 m), Camp 2 (6,400 m), and Camp 3 (7,200 m), with the South Col serving as Camp 4 — the launch point for the summit push.
The route's technical cruxes are the Khumbu Icefall — 600 metres of collapsing seracs, crevasses, and aluminium ladder bridges that are the most objectively dangerous section of any standard 8,000-metre route — the Lhotse Face (a 1,200-metre 45-degree ice face requiring fixed ropes and crampons), the Yellow Band (limestone slabs at 8,400 m requiring careful footwork in full oxygen and summit-suit conditions), and the Hillary Step (or the ridge equivalent since the 2015 earthquake reshaped the upper mountain) immediately below the summit.
The human body cannot simply ascend from sea level to 8,849 m — it requires a carefully staged adaptation to progressively lower atmospheric oxygen partial pressures. Our 65-day itinerary reflects the physiological reality of Everest acclimatisation rather than a commercial desire to keep costs low by compressing timelines. The programme follows the industry-standard rotation schedule:
Rotation 1 (Days 14–18): Ascent to Camp 1 (6,100 m) and return to Base Camp. The body begins producing additional red blood cells in response to reduced oxygen. Climbers experience the Khumbu Icefall for the first time — the most technically complex section of the route in terms of navigation and ladder management.
Rotation 2 (Days 24–29): Ascent to Camp 2 (6,400 m), spending two nights above 6,000 m. The Western Cwm — a vast enclosed glacier basin beneath the Lhotse Face — is one of the most extreme environments on the mountain: temperatures can reach -30°C at night and +40°C in the trapped radiant heat of the midday cwm.
Rotation 3 (Days 36–42): Ascent to Camp 3 (7,200 m), spending one to two nights in the death zone approach. The Lhotse Face at night, under headlamp, with crampons biting into 45-degree ice and the lights of Base Camp 2,000 metres below, is one of mountaineering's defining experiences. The body has now spent multiple nights above 7,000 m and the acclimatisation process is as complete as it can be.
Summit Rotation (Days 48–58): The expedition window. Ascend from Base Camp through all four camps to the South Col (7,906 m), rest for 4–6 hours, depart by headlamp at 9–11 pm, and ascend the Southeast Ridge over 8–12 hours to the summit. Weather windows on Everest in the spring season typically occur in the last two weeks of May, with the most reliable windows involving 2–4 days of low wind following the passage of jet stream systems.
Our expedition uses supplemental oxygen above Camp 3 for all clients and recommends its use from Camp 2 onward for sleeping. The physiological reality of Everest is stark: at 8,849 m, atmospheric pressure is approximately one-third of sea level, delivering roughly one-third the oxygen per breath. Without supplemental oxygen, the human body above 8,000 m — the "death zone" — is in a state of progressive deterioration that can lead to cerebral and pulmonary oedema, frostbite, and death. The use of supplemental oxygen significantly reduces summit day duration, frostbite risk, and cognitive impairment in the death zone, and is standard practice for all commercially guided Everest expeditions. "Oxygen-free" Everest ascents are undertaken by a small number of elite alpinists with specific physiological profiles and are not offered on our guided programme.
Everest is technically accessible to non-professional mountaineers who have the right combination of experience, fitness, and financial commitment — but the experience requirement is genuinely demanding. We require all Everest applicants to have: a successful summit of at least one 7,000-metre peak (ideally in the Himalayas), extensive glacier-travel experience, competence with fixed-rope ascent on steep ice, proven cold-weather camping capability at altitude, and a documented medical assessment showing cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness appropriate for extreme altitude. We review all applications individually. Summit day on Everest is 8–12 hours of continuous effort at extreme altitude with a loaded oxygen mask, crampons on ice at 8,500 m, and temperature conditions that can reach -40°C with wind chill. The preparation must match the reality.
The Nepal government charges a climbing royalty of USD 11,000 per person for the standard South Col route (spring season). This fee is included in our expedition price. Additional government-mandated costs include the liaison officer (a government-appointed mountaineer assigned to every Everest expedition), the garbage deposit (USD 4,000 per expedition, refunded on production of garbage removed from the mountain), and TIMS/Sagarmatha National Park entry. All government fees are included in our package price and managed by our Kathmandu-based expedition office.
A fully guided Everest Expedition from Nepal costs USD 35,000–65,000 depending on the operator, service level, and group size. Our guided expedition is priced at USD 49,500 per person, which includes the Nepal government climbing permit (USD 11,000), all Sherpa support, Base Camp management, supplemental oxygen (4 cylinders per climber minimum with additional bottles available), high-altitude tents at all camps, fixed ropes, and Kathmandu hotel accommodation. It does not include international flights, personal gear, or expedition insurance. Budget operators offering prices below USD 30,000 typically compromise on oxygen supply, Sherpa ratios, or Base Camp infrastructure — areas where compromise directly affects summit success rates and safety.
We require: a successful summit of a Himalayan peak of 7,000 m or above (Mera Peak or Island Peak alone is not sufficient), proven competence on glaciated terrain with ice axe and crampons, fixed-rope jumar ascent experience on steep ice, documented cold-weather camping at altitude above 6,000 m, and a medical assessment confirming cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness for extreme altitude. Additionally, we strongly recommend prior experience on an 8,000-metre peak (Cho Oyu is the most common preparatory climb). Everest is not an objective for first-time high-altitude climbers, and we will not accept applications from candidates without the documented prerequisite experience regardless of fitness level.
The Nepal government charges USD 11,000 per person for the standard spring-season South Col route. This fee was set following a 2015 revision of the royalty structure and applies to all foreign nationals. Citizens of SAARC countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.) receive a discounted rate. The permit is valid for a single spring season (generally March–May). If you attempt but do not summit, the permit is not refunded or transferred to the following year — you must purchase a new permit for any subsequent attempt.
The overall summit success rate for all Everest attempts from the Nepal side in recent years (2018–2024) is approximately 55–65% in good seasons and 30–40% in poor weather years. For fully guided expeditions with experienced operators, properly acclimatised climbers, and supplemental oxygen, the success rate is higher — typically 60–75% in favourable seasons. The most common reasons for turning back short of the summit are weather (jet stream arriving before the weather window closes), altitude illness, frostbite, equipment failure, and physical exhaustion. No operator can guarantee a summit.
Yes — all clients on our guided Everest Expedition use supplemental oxygen above Camp 3 (7,200 m) and are supplied with oxygen for sleeping at Camp 2 (6,400 m) onward. We use Summit Oxygen and Poisk oxygen systems — the two most reliable systems in current Himalayan use. Each client receives a minimum of 4 oxygen bottles (approximately 80 hours of flow at 2 litres per minute) with additional bottles available at Camp 4. Our Sherpa guides also climb with oxygen above Camp 3. Oxygen-free ascents are not offered on our guided programme.
The spring season on Everest typically offers 1–3 weather windows of 2–5 days each, usually in the second half of May. In rare years (2012, 2020), the windows are very narrow or absent, resulting in low summit numbers across all expeditions. If the entire expedition season passes without a viable weather window, we offer a partial refund of the unused Sherpa days and Base Camp costs. The government climbing permit is non-refundable as it is paid directly to the Nepal government. We include expedition insurance coordination in our service — your travel insurance should include a "trip curtailment due to weather" clause, which most specialist mountaineering insurance providers include.