Mt.Gangapurna Expedition

Gangapurna Expedition (7, 4 55m)

The mountain lies in Manang District of Nepal between Annapurna III and Tilocho Peak with an altitude of 7455m is Mt. Gangapurna. It is located to the north east of Mt. Annapurna at the opposite end of Grand Barrier to Tilicho Peak on the shoulder extending 10km from Annapurna directly east of ROC Noir. Mt. Gangapurna is one of the famous, beauty and excellent mountain in Nepal. Gangapurna was first climbed in 1965 by a German expedition led by Günther Hauser, via the East Ridge, which is the most accessible, most obvious and most elegant but challenging climbing line.

Mt. Gangapurna Expedition offers superb Himalayan views of Mt. Manaslu 8163m, Annapurna I 8091m, Mt. Annapurna II 7937m, Annapurna III 7555m, Annapurna IV 7525m, , Tilicho peak 7134m, Pisang peak 6091m , Chulu West Peak 6419m, Chulu East Peak, Thorung Peak, beautiful landscape, lush valleys and mixed culture. Since Mt. Gangapurna expedition has been open numerous mountaineers summit this peak. 

This Expedition is safety and the well being of paramount importance to us and our groups. All of our trips are led by qualified professional Expedition guides and Sherpas who are well trained by Nepal Government. Our job is to ensure your comfort and safety as we take you where you want to go, because your holiday is equally importance to us. In this regards, we work honestly, efficiency and effectively to provide you the Himalayan experiences that meet your interest. We encourage you to question us freely and contribute in the planning stages of your adventure in the expedition period.

Approaches to Mt. Gangapurna:

• Mt. Gangapurna expedition start from Kathmandu after six hour scenic drives to Beshishahar and start trek from Khudi Village from where you reach Bhulbhule in 30 minutes in the Valley of the Marsyangdi River.

• The trail leads you through vastly contrasting flora & fauna towards the majestic peak of Mt. Manaslu and Lamjung Himal. A major intersection of the trail meets at Dharapani while trekking through Larkya La. The Massif of Manang valley is really rich in unique culture and landscapes.

• A standard access to the Base Camp (4650m) is through Besisahar via Marsyangdi valley within 10 day trek and affording an excellent acclimatization. After the climb one can fly-out from Humde, only few hours of hiking down from the Base Camp or from Jomsom with 3 days spectacular hike via Thorong La pass (5416m).

• This awesome climb is straightforward but somewhat challenging ridge climb with low objective danger. The view from Gangapurna summit is breathtaking on Annapurna massif, Dhaulagiri, Tibetan plateau and Tilicho Peak on the other end of the Grand Barrier.

• In fact the Annapurna and Damodar peaks dominate the valley. A technical section takes you to a place from where you can catch the entire panorama of the Annapurna Himalaya Range. The trail then ascends from the Manang valley to reach the top of the Thorong Pass at 5416m. After this you have a chance to visit the famous temple of Muktinath. The final part of the trek takes you to Jomsom from where a flight transports you across the great Himalayas to Pokhara or you can continue make trekking through Ghorepani Poon hill than Pokhara.

Gangapurna Base Camp Services:

• Everest Expeditions Nepal provides very professional, helpful and friendly service from Kathmandu to the ABC and during the climb. Our objective is to provide a high quality, helpful, safe, friendly, stress free and comprehensive service to maximize summit opportunity. We offer wide range of services from Base Camp logistics to fully guided climbs with individual climbing Sherpas helping their clients to experience the summit.

• High elevation climbing requires not only a set of climbing skills and high fitness level but also the ability to cope with high elevation conditions affecting on ability to function to the extent possible at sea level, where most of climbers are living.

• Our philosophy is to support climbers with the skill and high altitude genetic adaptation ability of a Climbing Sherpa, who was born and grew up at high elevation as did his predecessors.

• Gangapurna requires set-up of 3 high camps, where the gear, food and fuel has to be carried up. No matter how physically strong and fit one is at the sea level, at high elevation one’s physical efficiency drops considerably so the team of Climbing Sherpas pooled from all clients will set-up the route to allow you to summit.

• Having personal Climbing Sherpa eliminates arbitrage of the ‘Leader’ to decide who will get limited climbing support on the summit day. In the emergency situation the classic expedition Leader has responsibility for a number of people including themselves with impaired physical abilities due to high altitude, while Climbing Sherpa has only responsibility for his own client and with high physical abilities at high elevation due to natural genetic predisposition and all in cooperation of other expedition Climbing Sherpas. Our Climbing Sherpas are highly trained and experienced climbers doing high elevation climbs in Nepal and Tibet season after season.

• We believe that our philosophy of an expedition with the Base Camp Leader-Coordinator and the team of Climbing Sherpas assigned to individual climbers is by far the most efficient and safer way to achieve high elevation summit and much superior over the solution with the climb Leader controlling limited number of resources.

• In the Base camp our cooks and helpers will prepare and serve three delicious freshly cooked and plentiful meals a day and will ensure that hot and cold drinks are available 24hrs a day. In the Base Camp we provide spacious expedition quality personal tents for all our clients both with full board and base-camp service only. In the base camp we also provide dining tent, kitchen tent, toilet facilities and portable shower facilities and tent accommodation for our staff.

• In the Base Camp we provide access to communication including satellite telephone and internet access, solar panels to charge your batteries and UHF/VHF hand held radios on the mountain to maintain communications between ABC and high camps.

• Our Leader and camp manager as well as climbing Sherpas have an extensive experience of multiple climbs above 7000m, so whether you use our full board service or Base camp services you can expect a good advice and support. They also know personally most of other Climbing Sherpas and network together in the Base camp regardless of the operator they work for.

• Logistically Gangapurna is a very easy peak, although technically challenging and it is suitable even for a small climbing team.

Gangapurna Expedition Full Board Service:

• For full board clients, who would be less experienced climbers or single climbers requiring a climbing buddy, we provide personal tent and food at high camps with the climbing Sherpa, who will prepare appropriate meals.

• We provide a personal Climbing Sherpa guide to help the clients to reach the summit. Personal climbing Sherpa will set up high camps including provision of food and fuel and will guide and assist the client on the summit day and if required will set-up fixed rope to ensure the safety.

• We provide the climbing Sherpa with appropriate radio communication to Base Camp from the climbing route. Our Climbing Sherpas will network, cooperate and work with other clients Climbing Sherpas on the route to ensure safety of his client as well as overall expedition team.

• After arriving to the Base camp (4650m) we will take a day or so for acclimatizing rest and preparations including snow practice so that we all develop common understanding and refresh our basic climbing and rescue techniques and develop our climbing protocol.

• Our climb protocol follows standard high elevation principles of acclimatization and progressively building higher camps.

• The standard route begins at the Base Camp (4650m) located at the foot of Gangapurna North Shoulder at the glacial stream fed from Glacial Dome Peak located to the west of Gangapurna, which will be our water source while in the Base camp.

• The climb is very straightforward. We will setup an ABC at 5000m on a small snow plateau under the North Shoulder from where we will be able to step on Gangapurna Glacier. From the ABC we do our first scouting acclimatization climb to Camp 1 (5600m) located on a large plateau below the East Ridge along the 20deg/600m glacial route. We will assess the route and setup fixed lines if required. We will return to the Base camp for acclimatization rest.

• During the second climb we bring the remaining gear and set-up Camp 1, where we stay overnight. The following day we move on 45deg/1100m snowfield to Camp 2 (6300m) located half way on the route and stay there overnight. We explore the rest of the route to 6900m the following day and return to Camp 1 and the following day to the Base camp.

• Our program allows 17 days for the climbing period to account for weather and individual physical condition and strength. It gives us plenty of opportunities to carry supplies to camp 1, 2 and 3 and few opportunities of summit push.

Climbing Routes East Ridge Route:

• The East Ridge of Gangapurna is a straightforward climb, starting by crossing the Gangapurna Glacier and then climbing up 1100m North Face section followed by 400m East Ridge climb. There is a low objective danger due to potential avalanche on the North Face section and crevasses crossing the Gangapurna glacier.

• The Base camp is located at the foot of North Shoulder of Gangapurna Shoulder at the glacial stream fed from Glacial Dome Peak located to the west of Gangapurna, which will be our water source while in the Base camp.

• The Advanced Base Camp (ABC) is located on the snowfield shelf 300m above the BC via 30deg snow hike.

• Camp 1 (5600m) is located on a glacial plateau at the foot of the East Ridge. Past ABC we step on upper section of Gangapurna glacier and climb 600m on the glacier with 20deg inclination to Camp1. From Camp 1 we face 50deg/1100m North face of the East Ridge. It is fairly steep but well protected.

• Camp 2 (6300m) is located half way on the North Face 50deg/1100m route, which is a snowfield climb.

• Camp 3 (6900m) is located at the top on the North Face 50deg/1100m route, where we top the East Ridge and begin our 40deg/400m summit section.

• Summit is section of the route is a narrow snow covered ridge with some cornices and hence it constitutes a considerable exposure.

Gangapurna Expedition Spring 2016 Itinerary

Apr12/Day 01:Arrival in Kathmandu Airporty & transfer to hotel(1350m)

Apr13/Day 02-03:Rest and prepare day for assignment & briefing.

Apr14/Day 04:Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (823m.) which takes about six hours over night in lodge.

Apr15/Day 05:Trek from Beshi shahar to Bahundanda (1305m), which takes about five hours. Over night in lodge.

Apr16/Day 06:Trek from Bahundanda to Chyamche (1430m.) which takes about six hours.

Apr17/Day 07:Trek from Chyamche (1410m.) to Dharapani (1860m.) and it takes about five hours.

Apr18/Day 08:Trek from Dharapani to Chame (2670m.) which takes about five and half-hours.

Apr19/Day 09:Trek from Chame to Pisang (3100m.), which takes about five hours.

Apr20/Day 10:Trek from Pisang to Manang (3440m.) and it takes about five and half hours.

Apr21/Day 11:Rest day at Manang for acclimatization and hang in and around town.

Apr22/Day 12:Trek from Manang to Gangapurna Base Camp (4600m) and Prepare base camp.

Apr23/Day 12-34:Climbing Period (Gangapurna Summit 7455m)

May15/Day 35 :Preparation to returning(Clean Base Camp) and trek to Manang(3440m) Which takes about four hours.

May16/Day 36:Trek from Manang ot Thorong Phedi (4420m.) which takes about six and half hours. 

May17/Day 37:Trek from Thorong Phedi to Muktinath (3850m.) via Thorong La (5416m) Pass and it takes about seven hours.

May18/Day 38:Trek from Muktinath to Jomsom via Kagbeni (2895 m.) and it takes about five hours.

May19/Day 39:Early in the morning Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara, which takes about 20 minutes. Then Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist mini bus that takes about seven hours.

May20/Day 40:Full Day sightseeing in Kathmandu valley (DurbarSquare, Swoyambhunath, Boudhanath & Pashupatinath) and Nepalese cultural program with farewell dinner in the evening.

May21/Day41:Final departure ,or alternative Join other activities