Overview
Baruntse is 7,129 metres in the Hongu basin, east of the Khumbu, and it is the mountain most people choose for a first seven-thousander. The south-east ridge is moderate snow and ice, fixed where it steepens, with no rock and no icefall.
What it asks for is endurance at altitude — which is precisely the rehearsal an eight-thousander requires.
The approach
Over the Zatrwa La into the Hinku, up to Khare, then across the Mera La into the Hongu — a basin with no settlement, no lodges and no way out except the way you came or a helicopter. Base camp sits at 5,400 m by the Panch Pokhari lakes.
Most teams climb Mera Peak on the way through. It is perfect acclimatisation and banks a summit in case Baruntse's weather never opens.
The wind
Baruntse's summit ridge sits exposed to the jet stream in a way its neighbours do not, and wind — not difficulty, not altitude — is what turns most parties back. Success rates swing hard from year to year for that reason.
What it costs
USD 11,000 to 20,000. The royalty is USD 600 in spring and USD 300 in autumn; the rest is the crew, the camps carried into an uninhabited basin, and — for nearly everyone — the helicopter out.
Day by day
The 32 days itinerary
Distances, walking times, altitudes and accommodation for every stage — stored as structured data, not written into the prose.
- Day 1
Kathmandu — briefing and packing
Ministry briefing, gear check, expedition load-out
- Altitude
- 1,400 m → 1,400 m
- Sleep
- Hotel, Kathmandu
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
- Day 2
Kathmandu to Lukla, walk to Chutanga
Kathmandu (1,400 m) → Lukla (2,860 m) → Chutanga (3,050 m)
- Walking
- 3 hours after the flight
- Altitude
- 1,400 m → 3,050 m
- Sleep
- Camp, Chutanga
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 3
Over the Zatrwa La to Thuli Kharka
Chutanga (3,050 m) → Zatrwa La (4,610 m) → Thuli Kharka (4,300 m)
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 7 hours
- Altitude
- 3,050 m → 4,300 m
- Elevation
- +1560 m / −310 m
- Sleep
- Camp, Thuli Kharka
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 4
Thuli Kharka to Kothe
Thuli Kharka (4,300 m) → Kothe (3,600 m)
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 6 hours
- Altitude
- 4,300 m → 3,600 m
- Elevation
- −700 m
- Sleep
- Lodge, Kothe
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 5
Kothe to Thangnak
Kothe (3,600 m) → Thangnak (4,350 m)
- Distance
- 9 km
- Walking
- 4 hours
- Altitude
- 3,600 m → 4,350 m
- Elevation
- +750 m
- Sleep
- Lodge, Thangnak
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 6
Thangnak to Khare
Thangnak (4,350 m) → Khare (5,045 m)
- Distance
- 7 km
- Walking
- 5 hours
- Altitude
- 4,350 m → 5,045 m
- Elevation
- +695 m
- Sleep
- Lodge, Khare
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 7
Khare — acclimatisation and optional Mera Peak
Khare (5,045 m); many teams climb Mera (6,476 m) as acclimatisation
- Altitude
- 5,045 m → 5,045 m
- Sleep
- Lodge or camp, Khare
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Baruntse expeditions commonly climb Mera first — it is on the way, it is the ideal acclimatisation, and it means a second summit if the weather on Baruntse does not cooperate. Doing so needs its own NMA permit and adds about five days.
- Day 8
Khare over the Mera La into the Hongu
Khare (5,045 m) → Mera La (5,415 m) → Hongu valley camp (5,000 m)
- Walking
- 7 hours
- Altitude
- 5,045 m → 5,000 m
- Elevation
- +370 m / −415 m
- Sleep
- Tented camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Crossing into the Hongu — no settlement from here on
- Day 9
Hongu valley to Baruntse base camp
Hongu camp (5,000 m) → base camp (5,400 m)
- Walking
- 6 hours
- Altitude
- 5,000 m → 5,400 m
- Elevation
- +400 m
- Sleep
- Tented base camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Panch Pokhari lakes
- Baruntse's south face
- Day 10
Base camp — puja, skills and rest
Base camp (5,400 m)
- Altitude
- 5,400 m → 5,400 m
- Sleep
- Tented base camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 11
Rotation to camp one
Base camp (5,400 m) → camp one (6,100 m) → base camp
- Walking
- 8 hours
- Altitude
- 5,400 m → 5,400 m
- Elevation
- +700 m / −700 m
- Sleep
- Tented base camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 12
Rotation — sleep at camp one
Base camp (5,400 m) → camp one (6,100 m)
- Walking
- 6 hours
- Altitude
- 5,400 m → 6,100 m
- Elevation
- +700 m
- Sleep
- Tented camp one
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 13
Camp one towards camp two, then descend
Camp one (6,100 m) → camp two (6,400 m) → base camp (5,400 m)
- Walking
- 8 hours
- Altitude
- 6,100 m → 5,400 m
- Elevation
- +300 m / −1000 m
- Sleep
- Tented base camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 14
Base camp — rest and weather watch
Base camp (5,400 m)
- Altitude
- 5,400 m → 5,400 m
- Sleep
- Tented base camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 15
Summit push — base camp to camp one
Base camp (5,400 m) → camp one (6,100 m)
- Walking
- 6 hours
- Altitude
- 5,400 m → 6,100 m
- Elevation
- +700 m
- Sleep
- Tented camp one
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 16
Camp one to camp two
Camp one (6,100 m) → camp two (6,400 m)
- Walking
- 5 hours
- Altitude
- 6,100 m → 6,400 m
- Elevation
- +300 m
- Sleep
- Tented camp two
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- The col below the south-east ridge
- Day 17
Summit day, and down to camp one
Camp two (6,400 m) → Baruntse (7,129 m) → camp one (6,100 m)
- Walking
- 12–14 hours
- Altitude
- 6,400 m → 6,100 m
- Elevation
- +729 m / −1029 m
- Sleep
- Tented camp one
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
The south-east ridge — snow and ice at a moderate angle, fixed on the steeper sections, with a corniced final crest. Not technically hard, but long, cold and high, and the wind on the ridge decides most attempts.
- Everest
- Lhotse
- Makalu and Chamlang from the summit
- Day 18
Base camp — contingency and reserve days
Base camp (5,400 m); spare days for weather and a second attempt
- Altitude
- 5,400 m → 5,400 m
- Sleep
- Tented base camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 19
Base camp out to Lukla, or helicopter
Base camp (5,400 m) → Lukla (2,860 m)
- Walking
- 4 days on foot, or 25 minutes by helicopter
- Altitude
- 5,400 m → 2,860 m
- Elevation
- −2540 m
- Sleep
- Lodge, Lukla
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Most teams fly out from base camp. Walking means recrossing the Mera La and the Zatrwa La with tired legs — four days, and the reason a helicopter line is in nearly every budget.
- Day 20
Lukla to Kathmandu, and reserve days
Lukla (2,860 m) → Kathmandu (1,400 m)
- Walking
- 35 minutes by air
- Altitude
- 2,860 m → 1,400 m
- Meals
- Breakfast
Route map
Where the trail goes
Route line, start and end points, and every overnight stop. Locations are shared entities — the same record powers the destination and itinerary pages.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Baruntse the usual first seven-thousander?
Should you climb Mera Peak first?
How remote is it?
What is the main obstacle?
When should you go?
About the author
Tom Eriksen
Gear editor & photographer
Tom tests trekking equipment the only way that produces honest answers: by carrying it for weeks at a time above 4,000 metres. He shoots most of the photography on this site and writes the gear reviews, comparison tables and packing lists.
Writes about: Trekking gear · Photography · Packing and weight
