Sherpa Treks NepalSherpa Treks

Khumbu · 27.74° N · 86.71° E

Ama Dablam Expedition

The iconic sculpted peak above Tengboche - a technical, fixed-rope climb with some of the most exposed camps in the Himalaya.

technicalclassicaltitude13 days6,812 mStrenuous
Begin the ascent

Day 01 · Travel · 2,610 m

Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding

A dramatic mountain flight into Lukla, then an easy walk down the Dudh Koshi valley to Phakding.

  • O₂ 73% of sea level
  • Day 1 of 13

Day 02 · Trek · 3,445 m

Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Cross the Hillary suspension bridges and climb steeply into the Sherpa capital, Namche Bazaar.

  • +835 m gained today
  • O₂ 65% of sea level
  • Day 2 of 13

Day 03 · Acclimatization · 3,445 m

Acclimatization day in Namche

A rest day with a short hike up to the Everest View Hotel for first sight of the big peaks.

  • O₂ 65% of sea level
  • Day 3 of 13

Day 04 · Trek · 3,860 m

Namche to Tengboche

A rolling trail with the first full view of Ama Dablam's sculpted ridgeline, ending at Tengboche's famous monastery.

  • +415 m gained today
  • O₂ 62% of sea level
  • Day 4 of 13

Day 05 · Trek · 3,985 m

Tengboche to Pangboche

Descend through rhododendron forest and climb again to Pangboche, home to the Khumbu's oldest monastery.

  • +125 m gained today
  • O₂ 61% of sea level
  • Day 5 of 13

Day 06 · Trek · 4,570 m

Pangboche to Ama Dablam Base Camp

Leave the main trekking trail and climb moraine to Base Camp, pitched directly beneath the peak's south-west ridge.

  • +585 m gained today
  • O₂ 56% of sea level
  • Day 6 of 13

Day 07 · Acclimatization · 4,570 m

Base Camp acclimatization and rotation

Rest, technical gear checks, and a rotation partway up the ridge to fix ropes and pre-acclimatize.

  • O₂ 56% of sea level
  • Day 7 of 13

Day 08 · Trek · 5,900 m

Base Camp to Camp 2

Climb the exposed granite ridge past Camp 1 to Camp 2's dramatically perched tent platforms.

  • +1,330 m gained today
  • O₂ 47% of sea level
  • Day 8 of 13

Day 09 · High point · 6,812 m

Summit day

Jumar the fixed ropes through the Yellow Tower and Mushroom Ridge to the summit, with Everest and Lhotse filling the skyline.

  • +912 m gained today
  • O₂ 42% of sea level
  • Day 9 of 13

Day 10 · Trek · 4,570 m

Descend to ama dablam base camp

A long descent day back down to base camp.

  • O₂ 56% of sea level
  • Day 10 of 13

Day 11 · Trek · 3,445 m

Ama dablam base to Namche bazar

Decend back to Namche bazar. Rest well and enjoy the evening with the Sherpas.

  • O₂ 65% of sea level
  • Day 11 of 13

Day 12 · Trek · 2,610 m

Descend down to lukla

Going back down to lukla and prepare for the flight back to Kathmand.u

  • O₂ 73% of sea level
  • Day 12 of 13

Day 13 · Travel · 1,400 m

Flight to Kathmandu

Early morning flight back to Kathmandu. Say Goodbye to the sherpa team who will be helping you on your next expedition in Nepal.

  • O₂ 84% of sea level
  • Day 13 of 13

Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors · CC BY-SA

Elevation

How the days climb.

Hover the profile to see each day - conservative ascent, acclimatization built in.

1,000m3,000m5,000m7,000mD1D3D5D7D9D11D136,812 m

The ledger

The climb, in numbers.

Everything about this route, derived from the itinerary - from the metres you gain to the oxygen you'll be breathing at the top.

13Days on the trail
6,812 mHigh point
4,202 mTotal climb
StrenuousDifficulty
2–6Group size
AutumnBest season
42%Oxygen at the top
Day 9High-point day

Thinner air, day by day.

Oxygen falls with altitude. You start at 84% of sea level and finish at 42% at the high point - which is why every ascent profile here is conservative, with rest days built in.

  • Best trekked Autumn
TrekAcclimatizationTravelHigh point

Expedition

What it takes to summit.

Climbing grade
Alpine AD - steep fixed-rope sections above Camp 2
Permit cost
$2500
Technical gear
Required

One of the most photogenic 6,000ers in the world; the Yellow Tower and Mushroom Ridge sections demand solid jumaring technique.

Scenes

What a Khumbu day looks like.

Ama Dablam Expedition - photo 1
Ama Dablam Expedition - photo 2
Ama Dablam Expedition - photo 3

Reviews

What travelers say.

Ama Dablam Expedition reviewAma Dablam Expedition

Technical, exposed, and the most rewarding climb I have done. The camp 2 headwall is no joke - glad we trained with the crew beforehand.

P

Priya Nair

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Walk this route

Ama Dablam Expedition, 13 days - shaped around you.

Permits, flights, crew and every cup of tea along the way, handled by Abishek Sherpa. Tell us your dates and we'll send a full quote within a day.