Chulu West Peak Climbing

Overview Chulu West Peak is a popular destination for mountaineers seeking an exhilarating and challenging adventure in the majestic Annapurna region of Nepal. Standing at an impressive elevation of 6,419 meters (21,059 feet), this peak also offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding Himalayan giants. The journey to Chulu West begins with a scenic flight from Kathmandu to the picturesque town of Pokhara. From there, a drive takes you to the starting point of the trek in Syange, where the real adventure commences. The trail also meanders through lush valleys, terraced fields, and quaint villages, allowing you to immerse yourself…

Overview

Chulu West Peak is a popular destination for mountaineers seeking an exhilarating and challenging adventure in the majestic Annapurna region of Nepal. Standing at an impressive elevation of 6,419 meters (21,059 feet), this peak also offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding Himalayan giants.

The journey to Chulu West begins with a scenic flight from Kathmandu to the picturesque town of Pokhara. From there, a drive takes you to the starting point of the trek in Syange, where the real adventure commences. The trail also meanders through lush valleys, terraced fields, and quaint villages, allowing you to immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of the local Gurung and Thakali communities.

As the trek progresses, the landscape transforms into a rugged alpine terrain, with snow-capped peaks piercing the azure sky. The route encompasses diverse ecosystems, including dense forests, alpine meadows, and glacial moraines. Along the way, trekkers cross high mountain passes, such as Thorong La, which presents a thrilling and rewarding challenge.

Reaching Chulu West Base Camp marks the beginning of the climb. Experienced guides and Sherpas also provide guidance and support as you navigate the icy slopes, steep ridges, and crevasses. The ascent requires technical skills, including the use of crampons, ropes, and ice axes. The final push to the summit rewards climbers with a remarkable sense of accomplishment and awe-inspiring views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Manaslu ranges.

The descent follows a similar route, allowing for a gradual acclimatization and an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the journey. After the trek, a well-deserved rest and celebration in Pokhara await, offering a chance to rejuvenate and share stories with fellow adventurers.

Conclusion and Summary

Chulu West Peak climbing trip is also a thrilling expedition that combines the allure of high-altitude mountaineering with the enchanting beauty of the Annapurna region. It also demands physical endurance, mental resilience, and a passion for adventure. With proper preparation, experienced guides, and a respect for the mountain environment, this expedition promises an unforgettable experience that will leave trekkers with memories to last a lifetime.

Read Less

Trip Highlights

Climb the high altitude Chulu West Peak (6149m)
Panoramic views of the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Manaslu Himalayan ranges.
Stay in charming Gurung villages in the Annapurna region.
Thorong-La Pass (5416m), the highest point and most physically challenging day on the Annapurna Circuit. Its mesmerizing views make it all worthwhile!
The Muktinath Temple, one of the most important Hindu & Buddhist shrines in Nepal.
Trekking through low sub-tropic forests to high alpine rocky terrain, constant views of the Annapurna Massif & some of the world’s tallest peaks: Annapurna 1, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri.

Itinerary Expand All

Day 1 : Arrival at Kathmandu and transfer to hotel (1350m).

Welcome to Kathmandu, a city full of vibrant markets, bustling streets, colorful temples and grand pagodas. Our guide will meet you at the airport and take you to our hotel. The remainder of the day you will have an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the shopping areas closest to your hotel and catch up on shopping for equipment. In the evening, our tour guide will give you a brief introduction and provide valuable information about the trek. In the evening you will meet the rest of the group at a welcome dinner at a local Nepali restaurant.

Day 2 : Explore Kathmandu & pre-trek briefing.

Today, we will spend the day sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley with our guide. We will visit Pashupatinath, which is regarded as the holiest Hindu temple in Nepal and where pilgrims worship Lord Shiva (situated on the banks of the holy Bagmati River), Bouddhanath, a Buddhist temple known as ‘Little Tibet’ and then on to Swayambhunath known as the Monkey Temple. From Swayambhunath we drive to Kathmandu’s famous Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, and located in front of the old royal palace. Upon arriving back at your hotel you may have time to do some last-minute shopping around Thamel – the tourist hub of Kathmandu.

Day 03: Drive Kathmandu to Syange/Jagat

We have to begin very early today as we need to go a long drive to reach at our trek starting point. After breakfast, we leave Kathmandu at around 7 am and nearly after 8-10 hours’ drive we reach Syange or Jagat (as per situation) via Besishahar. Enroute, we see more of countryside of Nepal that offers greeneries, rivers, villages, farms and beautiful mountain sceneries. However, the condition of road is not equally fine in all portion of our drive today. The road up to Besishahar is coal-tarred road, whereas after Besishahar the road is dusty and coarse though we can easily overlook it as we watch the outstanding sceneries through the windowpane. Overnight stay at Syange or Jagat Guesthouse.

Day 04: Trek Syange/Jagat to Dharapani

Upon our breakfast, we start our journey today in a relax way. We enter Manang district after crossing a large bridge near Tal. The trail continues through barley, rice, potato fields and pine forests. After passing the village of Kodo we will be at Dharapani, one of the big villages in the Manang valley. Overnight at Dharapani.

Day 05: Dharapani-Chame

Today, we negotiate a few steep forested ridges along with several landslides on route on the west. On the way to Chame, we encounter with the most sensational views of Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II, and Annapurna IV (7,525m/24,688ft). Small hot springs add relief on our long day hard trek. Chame is the administrative centre of the Manang District.

Day 06: Chame- Pisang

A steep and narrow path through a very dense forest will bring us to the dramatic curved rock face, rising 1500m from the river. As the trail opens up we get surrounded by majestic Himalayan Peaks. We find ourselves in U-shaped valley of Manang hanging between two giant snow peaks. After walking through these wonderful sites we reach at Pisang. Overnight at Lower Pisang.

Day 07: Upper Pisang-Manang

There are two routes that we can follow today. If taken upper route (Himalayan Glacier recommends), i.e., the route through Upper Pisang via Geru, the sceneries will be outstanding. We feel like we are horizontally in front of the majestic peaks. The panoramic views of the mountain peaks, such as Annapurna, Pisang peak, and several others will definitely allure us. We notice a contrast with the landscape and vegetation from today onwards. The cold and dry climate create a much harsher environment. We pay our memorable visit to Barge monastery, the largest in the entire district of Manang. Overnight in Manang.

Day 08: Manang: Rest Day

Today is the scheduled acclimatization day. It is not recommended to stay idle but a short walk to higher altitude will be better to get acclimatized with the altitude. Manang is a good place to do that as the next two days will be very challenging and tiring trek for us with rapid gain in altitude. We should never be confident with the altitude and always be cautious. Bhojo Gompa or Gangapurna Lake is worth visiting sites from acclimatization point of view. We make an easy excursion to a little distance away to a village called Vraga, a small old village with a monastery. At this juncture, we also make our short visit to the Himalayan Rescue Association where we can get some ideas about Mountain Sickness. Overnight at Manang.

Day 09: Manang to Leder

From Manang, we continue through alpine landscapes with high altitude vegetation and forests. A gradual ascent takes us to Yak Kharka and then to our today’s camp. Our today’s camp area is most used as the alpine pasture by the local people.

Day 10: Leder to Chulu West Base Camp

Today, we continue our trekking from Leder to Chulu West Base Camp. From the Base Camp, we can enjoy the views of Annapurna Himalayas. We may also like to discover the surrounding areas. At this point, we will set up our camp for overnight stay.

Day 11: Chulu West base camp to camp I

From the Chulu Base Camp, we continue hiking towards Camp I. The route is not that technical. But it would be better to remember that we are climbing on high altitudes. At this juncture we relish the magnificent views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains including Manaslu, Gangapurna and Lamjung Himal.

Day 12: Rest & Acclimatization at Camp I

Today will be the rest and acclimatization day at Camp I. While we rest at camp I, the climbing leaders and other staffs make way to Camp II and supply the equipments for the camp. Later, they return back to Camp I. We may rest and if interested walk around Camp I.

Day 13: Camp I to Camp II

Today, we leave camp I and continue climbing the rock band to Camp II. The route is not that technical but we may have to use ropes, crampon, and ice-axe. We set up Camp II at 5,530m /18,143ft. Some visitors also attempt the summit directly from Camp I. However, since the climb is relatively straightforward from the Camp II until the summit, we make an overnight stay at Camp II for proper rest and acclimatization.

Day 14: Summit Chulu West and back to Camp I

It is our summit day, and it is going to be long day. Therefore, we would wake up much earlier today. Each moment we have to work hard through the icy high-altitude trail but the outstanding high Himalayan scenes are such tempting that our eyes love to watch more over the horizon than on our trail. After summiting, we return back to Camp I.

Day 15: Camp I to Leder

From Camp I, our return path descends all the way to Leder. While descending, we enjoy the panoramic views of the Annapurnas and other peaks. We make our overnight stay at Leder and celebrate the summiting of Chulu West Peak.

Day 16: Contingency Day

There is no such guarantee that we can get quite a favorable weather on our planned day for the summit. So this day is used as a contingency in case if we are unable to summit the Chulu West Peak on the scheduled date due to bad weather condition or some other reasons. Sometimes somebody in the group may get some problems in acclimatizing well enough to make the ascent. Since. the day can be used in that condition too. If the trip goes smoothly, we do not need this spare day.

Day 17: Leder to Thorong Phedi

Today, we clean up the base camp and head for Thorong Phedi. It is going to be mostly an easy way walk downhill. However, we do not forget that we are still in high altitude area.

Day 18: Thorong Phedi - Thorong Pass - Muktinath -Jomsom

At the beginning, we cross the famous high pass of Thorong La today. An early start is important to complete the mission. We reach Muktinath, an important pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhist after crossing the pass. Muktinath hosts a Vishnu temple and a monastery nearby demonstrating the religions harmony in Nepal. For the Hindus, the region is a “Muktikhsetra” or the region of liberation or salvation. There are water spouts channeled for the stream running above the temple. We enjoy the tremendous stunning views of Dhaulagiri peak from Muktinath. From Muktinath, we continue back to Jomsom on a local bus.

Day 19: Jomsom to Pokhara by flight

Upon the completion of morning breakfast, we check in the airport to fly back to Pokhara, a 30-min dramatic flight to Pokhara between gorge of the two huge mountains, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. Upon arrival at Pokhara airport, our guide will escort us to the lakeside hotel. We utilize the rest afternoon for discovering the beautiful Pokhara valley leisurely. While walking along the bank of Fewa Lake one of the biggest lake of Nepal, we cannot stop admiring the state of Fish Tail Mountain reflecting in the lake. We can also take a boat around the Fewa Lake or just can take an hours’ walk to the World Peace Pagoda. At the evening, we engageg on exploring around the lakeside.

Day 20: Drive back to Kathmandu

Today upon our breakfast, we make a 200 kilometers drive back to Kathmandu from Pokhara. It will be better to hold on the left pane of the vehicle to enjoy the scenery through the route. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, we will be escorted to our hotel. There is nothing to do but trade emails with travel companions and organize the photos. We can spend the evening either leisurely or perhaps catch up on some last minute shopping. Finally, we celebrate dinner together with Nepal Challenge Trek trekking staff.

Day 21: Final Departure

Our journey in Nepal comes to an end today! Nepal Challenge Trek escorts us to the airport for our flight time. Approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight, a representative from Nepal Challenge Trek will escort us to the airport and bid farewell greetings. On our way to home, we will have plenty of time to plan our next adventure in the wonderful country like Nepal.

What's Included

In the Above Cost It Includes:
1. Airport Pick-up and Drop Off,
2. Licensed and trained trekking guides,
3. potters for carrying goods and supplies,
4. 4 Nights Accommodation in the 3 Star Hotel in Kathmandu with B & B. (Bed
& Breakfast)
5. All accommodation during the trek.
6. All meals and hot beverages during the trek.
7. Transportation to and from trail head.
8. All necessary documents and permits for trekking (where applicable)
9. National Park/Conservation Area entry Permit, Equipment such as tents And Mattresses, Cooking Equipment, Camp site charges, Insurance, and
equipment for the staffs.
10. Coordination of quick Rescue service (Costs covered by your Insurance Plan)
11. Trekking staffs wages etc.
12. 1 hr. trekker massage after your trek.

What's Excluded

Services and Cost Does not Included in Price:
1. International Airfares,
2. Travel/Trekking Insurance,
3. Excess baggage charges More than 16kg and hand bag more than 5 kg in
domestic flights.
4. Visa fees.
5. Airport Departure Taxes.
6. Drinks (Cold and Alcoholic) Rescue charge.
7. Tips for The staffs.
8. Expenses of Personnel nature and Permit and Liaison officer fee (where Applicable.
9. Meals during stay in the Kathmandu.
10. Domestic Ticket Etc

Trip Information

There are several packages available that include Chulu West Peak climbing. Some of the most common packages include:

Chulu West Peak Base Camp Trek: This package typically includes a trek to the base camp of Chulu West Peak, where climbers can acclimatize and prepare for the ascent. The trek itself takes around 16-18 days and includes beautiful views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges.
Chulu West Peak Expedition: This package is a fully-guided expedition that includes a combination of trekking and climbing. It typically lasts around 23-25 days and includes a trek to the base camp, acclimatization climbs, and the summit climb of Chulu West Peak.

Climbers attempting Chulu West Peak should have previous mountaineering experience and be comfortable with technical climbing on ice and snow. It’s important to choose a reputable guide or operator with experience in the region and a good safety record. Proper acclimatization and physical fitness are also important to ensure a successful climb.

It’s important to note that there is also Chulu East Peak, which is a less technical climb and is recommended for less experienced climbers. If you’re interested in climbing a peak in the Chulu region, it’s important to choose the peak that’s best suited to your experience level and skills.