Notes
How Difficult is Climbing Chulu Far East Peak?
Chulu Far is listed in Group “B” Trekking Peak by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). It is “moderate” in terms of difficulty level. Compared to Chulu East(6584m), Chulu West(6,419m), this Chulu Far East(6,059 m) is non-technical or low-technical. This means this trekking peak is straightforward and beginner-friendly.
However, climbers should not underestimate it due to various risk factors like:
- High altitude and Thin air: Reaching the summit at 6,059 m is the main challenge. Here, the air pressure and oxygen level in the air are lower than at sea level. Less oxygen means poor performance, and the risk of altitude sickness remains extremely high.
- Steep terrain: While approaching the summit, climbers need to walk on approximately a 40–45 ° slope. Careful footing, proper balancing and basic mountaineering skills are required.
- Long summit day: During summit day, it takes 4 to 6 hours to reach the 6,059 and descending takes another 3 to 4 hours. Walking for such long hours in a single day and at high altitude is physically and mentally exhausting.
- Unpredictable Weather: In the Himalayas, things don’t go as planned; the weather can shift dramatically even in the best climbing season. Bad weather results in snowfall, strong winds, low visibility, and falling temperatures. Summit delays and risk remain significantly higher in such conditions.
- Remote isolation: This journey takes you to a remote landscape where it will be difficult to find medical facilities, roads and modern facilities. During an emergency, it can take time depending upon the location and weather conditions.
- Terrain Challenges: Climbers need to navigate through a variety of landscapes like glaciers, crevassed areas, rocky sections, scree, moraine, and snow-covered slopes.
What Training Programme is Best For Chulu Far East Peak?
No matter if you are a beginner climber or an experienced climber, training plays an important role. Before joining this climbing adventure, we suggest you follow the training programme for at least 8–12 weeks. Focus on these things:
- Cardiovascular Training: Improve your cardiovascular endurance through activities such as running, cycling, swimming, stair climbing, and brisk uphill walking.
- Uphill Hiking: Practise hiking carrying a 5 to10 kg backpack that you will need for this trip.
- Strength Training: Do exercises such as squats, lunges, step-ups, calf raises, planks, and push-ups to increase your leg and upper body strength.
- Endurance & Back-to-Back Training: To build endurance, it takes time, so invest 1 to hours daily. Also take rest to recover after heavy exercise and focus on building a healthy body by taking nutritious and healthy food.
- Mountaineering Skills: Learning the basic mountaineering skills helps to build confidence. Please learn these skills by joining the course or by taking practical lessons from an experienced climbing instructor.
- Altitude Preparation: When you are heading for high altitude, not only physical fitness is sufficient. Learn breathing techniques, acclimatization tips, pacing and hydration habits.
- Technical and Safety Skills: Learn how to manage risk and make safe decisions during difficult situations.
Best Time to Climb Chulu Far East Peak
The best time to climb Chulu Far East Peak is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). This season offers favourable climbing weather conditions, the best views of mountain peaks, and the summit success rate is high.
In spring, the colorful blossom of rhododendron in the forest trail adds to the beauty of lower sections of the route. Also, the warmer temperatures, longer daylight hours and less chance of rainfall make it favorable for the summit attempt.
In autumn, the clear sky and excellent visibility make it a popular season for climbing. The best view of the Annapurna range is from the summit, and you can enjoy breathtaking surrounding Himalayan Peaks.
Summer(June–August) and Winter (December–February) are off-season. During this time, climbing is possible but risky due to harsh weather conditions and unpredictable weather.
Required Climbing Permits and Documents
To participate in this adventure, all our climber needs:
- NMA Peak Permit
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)
- Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS) Card
All these required permits will be obtained by us, and for the permit process, we need these documents from you:
- A valid passport (with six months' validity),
- passport-sized photos
- Travel insurance covering high-altitude helicopter rescue
Accommodation during Trek and Climb: What To Expect
Accommodation in the Chulu Far East Peak journey depends upon location. From Chame to the Yak Kharka, you will stay in the teahouse. At Base Camp and High Camp, you will stay in a tent which is set up by us.
- Teahouse facilities: Inside the teahouse, you will find a twin-sharing bed, blanket and pillow. Wifi, hot shower, and charging are available, but you need to pay a small fee.
- Tent: There will be a separate tent for the kitchen, sleeping and toilets. You won’t get any facilities like wifi, hot shower and charging while staying in a tent.
Food during Trek and Climb: What To Expect
While staying in the teahouse, our climbers can choose the food items from the menu. Food items are mostly Nepali dishes with a few other international dishes. Veg and non-veg items are available. Remember, the higher you go, the more basic the food items become. During the camping section, breakfast, lunch and dinner will be a simple and limited choice.
Let’s see the food menu items at the teahouse:
Breakfast
- Porridge
- Tibetan bread
- Pancakes
- Toast with butter, jam, or honey
- Eggs – boiled, fried, scrambled, or omelet
- Muesli or cornflakes
- Chapati
- Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate
Lunch
- Dal Bhat
- Momo
- Thukpa
- Fried rice
- Fried noodles
- Pasta
- Sherpa stew
- Sandwiches
- Soup
- Vegetable or egg dishes
Dinner
- Dal Bhat
- Momo
- Thukpa
- Sherpa stew
- Fried rice
- Fried noodles
- Pasta
- Soup
- Vegetable, egg, or meat dishes
Drinks & Beverages
- Tea
- Milk Tea
- Black Tea
- Ginger Tea
- Lemon Tea
- Mint Tea
- Coffee
- Black Coffee
- Hot Chocolate
- Hot Lemon
- Hot Milk
- Fresh Juice (where available)
- Bottled Water
- Boiled/Filtered Water
- Soft Drinks (where available)
Risk of Altitude Sickness and How to Minimize
The risk of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) starts from 3,000 metres above sea level. At Chulu Far East Peak, you will reach an altitude of 6,059 m, where the risk of altitude sickness becomes significantly higher. No medicine can cure AMS once you catch symptoms, but we can definitely prevent it. These are the precautions that you should follow, which will help to minimise the risk of altitude sickness:
- Ascend gradually and avoid walking too fast above 3,000 meters.
- Take enough rest whenever you feel tired
- Give your body enough time to adjust to the decreasing oxygen levels.
- Drink water regularly at several-hour intervals to keep your body hydrated
- Avoid doing heavy exercise at high altitude.
- Skip alcohol, caffeine, and sleeping pills.
- Eat fresh food which is high in carbs and easy to digest.
- You can take medicine for altitude sickness(acetazolamide) by consulting with a doctor.
- Avoid shortcut itineraries and follow the golden rule” climb high, sleep low”.
Travel Insurance: Why It Matters & How to Choose the Right One
Insurance is mandatory to obtain the NMA permit in Nepal. Therefore, to obtain the permit as well as for your safety, you must obtain insurance that covers these common things:
- Trekking and climbing activities up to 6,100 meters
- Helicopter evacuation policy must explicitly validate coverage above 6,000 meters.
- Trip delay and cancellation
- Coverage for emergency medical treatment
- Coverage for search-and-rescue operations if required.
- Coverage for emergency hospitalization and treatment.
- Coverage for transportation back to your home country if medically necessary.
Note: If you are looking for the right insurance company with the best policy, then we can assist you. Contact our tour operator to learn more in detail.
