Sixty-two days from Kathmandu to summit and back, on the classic South Col line. Six clients to two western and four Sherpa guides. The trip that built our reputation.
The South Col route is the most-climbed line on Everest, and most operators treat it as a conveyor. We don't. AltiPro runs a six-client trip with two western guides and four climbing Sherpas — a ratio that turns the busiest mountain on earth back into something resembling a real climbing expedition.
You'll spend two weeks in the Khumbu acclimatising before the icefall ever sees a boot. Two full rotations to Camp 3 before any summit attempt. We hold our own rope on the Lhotse Face — we don't share fixed lines with other operators above 7,500 metres.
Every client gets a personal oxygen cylinder regime, sized to their physiology, monitored continuously above Camp 2. Two of our guides are trained Wilderness EMTs. Global Rescue insurance is mandatory. Helicopters are on call at Pheriche and Lukla.
A tent city on a moving glacier. AltiPro maintains a private dining dome, oxygen storage, satellite uplink, and full medical kit. You'll spend 14 nights here across two rotations.
Arrive at Tribhuvan International. Three nights at our partner hotel in Thamel. Full personal gear shakedown with the lead guide, oxygen mask fitting, and a permit briefing with the Ministry liaison.
Helicopter to Lukla, then trek Phakding → Namche → Tengboche → Dingboche → Lobuche → Gorak Shep → Everest Base Camp. Acclimatisation hikes at each stop. Two rest days for AMS monitoring.
Pujā ceremony at Base Camp. Two icefall passes with ladder training. Sleep at Camp 1 (6,065 m), then push to Camp 2 (6,500 m) for 3 nights. Return to BC for rest. This rotation alone fails most climbers — we don't take that personally.
Through the Western Cwm again to Camp 2, then up the fixed lines to Camp 3 (7,200 m). Sleep one night without oxygen, one with. Descent all the way to Pheriche (4,371 m) for a full week of recovery and oxygen-saturated rest.
Weather window briefing. BC → C2 → C3 → C4 (South Col, 7,950 m). Summit night: depart C4 around 22:00, gain the balcony by 02:00, South Summit by 06:00, Hillary Step by 07:30, top out 8,849 m. Descend to C2 same day. To BC the day after.
Strike camp, helicopter from Gorak Shep to Lukla (weather permitting), Lukla to Kathmandu. Two nights at the hotel — hot shower, hot meal, summit celebration with the team — then airport.