Overview
Mera Peak (6,476 m / 21,267 ft) is a mid-altitude mountain situated in the Sagarmatha National Park. It belongs to the Barun sub-section of the Mahalangur Himalayan sub-range, which is part of the greater Himalayan mountain range. The Nepal Mountaineering Association has classified Mera Peak as a trekking peak, making it the highest trekking peak in the country.
Climbing Mera Peak offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, such as Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Kanchenjunga. Charming and Baruntse Peaks are also located close to Mera Peak and provide beautiful views from the summit.
The Hinku and Hongku valleys are visible from the top of Mera Peak, showcasing their glacial moraines, deep woods, and rivers. Hinku Valley is also famous for the prehistoric caves scattered throughout the area.
Mera Peak is made up of three peaks – Mera North (6,476 m/ 21,247 ft), Mera South (6,065 m/ 19,898 ft), and Mera Central (6,461 m/ 21,098 ft). Mera North is the highest and most commonly used for climbing. The Mera Central was first climbed in 1953 by Colonel Jimmy Roberts and Sen Tenzing, and the Mera North was scaled in 1977 by a team of French and Nepali climbers. The Mera South was climbed in 1986 by Mal Duff and Ian Tattersall, two British men.
The trek to Mera Peak starts in Kathmandu with a beautiful mountain flight from Tribhuvan International Airport to the Lukla airstrip in the eastern part of Nepal. The Lukla airport is located in the Sagarmatha National Park, which was established in 1976 to protect the pristine flora and fauna of the Khumbu Region.
The trek to Mera Peak base camp passes through Thuli Kharka, Mousam Kharka, Tagnag, and Khare, with forests and yak-grazing pastures dominating most of the route. As we get closer to Mera peak, we will walk through glacial moraines and snowy terrain.
The Mera Peak Base Camp is located at an altitude of (5,300 m/ 17,388 ft), while the High Camp is located at an altitude of (5,780 m/ 18,963 ft). We will set up base at the High Camp before tackling the final climb to the summit, which is slightly challenging.
However, the view of the Hinku and Hongku valleys beneath the peak, separated by a mountain ridge that connects Mera Peak with northern giants like Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Baruntse, and Pumori, is worth the effort.