Ama Dablam Climbing Cost | Ama Dablam Expedition | Season To Climb
Ama Dablam Climbing Cost: $4950
Climbing Ama Dablam service includes all group equipment like camps, hot drinks, ropes, and food for free.
6 April to 3 May 2023, 2024 and 2025
1 November to 28 November 2023, 2024 and 2025
Ama Dablam Climb
Your trek to Ama Dablam begins with a 30–40-minute fixed-flight flight from Kathmandu (1350 meters, 4450 feet) to Lukla, at 2800 meters, 9200 feet. 10 kilos (22 pounds) of luggage are included for free.
Our company pays for all your excess baggage over 10 kilos (22 pounds). So it’s also included in Ama Dablam’s climbing cost. Sometimes the flight will be from Kathmandu to Lukla, and sometimes it will be from Mainthali, Ramechap, a regional airport 5 hours away from Kathmandu. It’s included in the Ama Dablam climbing cost.
After resting in Base Camp (4500 meters/14,750 feet), we head up grassy slopes to high rocky ridges, crossing scree and boulder fields to Advanced Base Camp at 5100 meters/16,750 feet.
There is a flowing spring here. After spending the night in ABC, we rock-hopped up through giant boulders and climbed a gently sloped rock apron to Camp 1 at 5400 meters (17,750 feet).
Often, we return from here and go back down to base camp for a rest before returning to Camp 1 after a few days. From Camp 1, the rock climbing really begins when we come upon a long, solid, horizontal-ish granite ridge that connects C1 to Camp 2.
Along this ridge are many easy traverses and climbs, but also some big rock ledges for standing on or resting hands against!
One of the most challenging parts of the climb is the Yellow Tower, which involves two maneuvers rated at North American 5.7, British Severe, and French 4. Although the moves themselves aren’t particularly hard, it’s extremely exposed, and there’s a 300-meter (1000-foot) drop beneath your feet as you make your way across a steep slab to a small dihedral face and then ascend to a ledge at the peak of a steep rocky outcropping.
After scaling the Yellow Tower, you’ll find yourself at Camp 2—a flat area on top of a stony ridge guard that can accommodate around 10 tents.
The Best Time To Climb Ama Dablam
April
May
November
How To Reach Ama Dablam
Fly to Kathmandu from your home country. Your international flight will bring you to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu’s international airport, to commence your Ama Dablam expedition. You will be able to buy your visa on arrival. The costs will be around $100–200 for 60 days. This is not included in the Ama Dablam climbing cost.
What Equipment, Clothing, and Boots Are Necessary For Ama Dablam
- Thick hooded down jacket
- Thick down trousers, perhaps a down suit (but it’s limited in that you can’t use it lower on the mountain), down booties
- Down mitts or super-insulated mitts
- warm face mask
- Wind and snow goggles are important, as are clear lenses for high winds at night to prevent snow and wind blindness.
For boots, we recommend lightweight running/trainers/trail shoes, all-leather sturdy single trekking/mountain ankle high boots for boulder hopping and rockclimbing scrambling to camp 2, and 7000–8000 meter high double mountaineering boots. For summit day above camp 2.
- For your harness, we recommend a good mountaineering midweight harness.
- Ice-axe
- Ascender
- figure 8
- four 2-meter slings
- 2 locking carabiners and 4 standard carabiners
- Of course, don’t forget your helmet (which must fit over a warm hat) and your headtorch(es) with extra batteries.
- For summit day, we highly recommend three 1-liter water bottles.
- Climbing gloves are nice to have, and you will enjoy having a range of thicknesses from ultralight liner gloves up to lightweight with reinforced palms to medium weight with warm insulation.
- Gore-Tex shell layers of trousers and jackets are brilliant to have, as are expedition-weight thermal shirts and long underwear leggings.
- A good-quality 60-liter backpack seems to be a perfect size.
- Thick foam mats for basecamp and folding closed-cell foam (Karri) mats for the high mountains.
Reason To Undertake
Ama Dablam is very pleasing to the eye with its many graceful lines. Rather than the usual Himalayan “snow plod,” climbing on Ama Dablam is very gratifying to the mountaineer. With a lot of fun, easy, moderately technical pitches on rock, snow, ice, and mixed terrain.
Ama Dablam is easily fixed with safety ropes, rendering it relatively easy and safe for moderately experienced and novice climbers and also yielding challenging fun for the expert climbers.
Ama Dablam is often pictured in movies and photo essays about Everest. Everest is quite boring-looking and hard to see, due to the way it is hidden behind Lhotse, Nuptse, and the West Ridge. However, Ama Dablam looks more like the stereotypical mountain pinnacle. Because of this, Ama Dablam is known as the Matterhorn of the Himalayas.
Because of its fame, Ama Dablam is often referred to as the “most famous rock, ice, and snow peak in all of Asia”. Another special feature is that Ama Dablam has no glacier at its base.
Instead, Ama Dablam’s basecamp is on grass. And the basecamp is quite low as well, being situated at just 4500 meters (14,750 feet).
FAQ
Is Ama Dablam climbing a straightforward task?
The ascent to the peak of Ama Dablam involves navigating vertical snow, ice, and rock at extremely high altitudes. Most individuals who embark on this climb have previous climbing experience and have acclimatized to high altitudes. However, with technical training at the base camp, it is possible for a highly physically fit novice to learn the necessary skills and techniques to successfully reach the summit of Ama Dablam.
What level of mountaineering experience is recommended before joining an expedition to Ama Dablam?
As with most climbs, the more experience a person has before the trip, the more comfortable they will be during the ascent. For Ama Dablam, climbers would benefit from having prior experience in climbing rock and/or ice. Additionally, experience in high altitude climbing is preferred. A reputable outfitter will provide training and review all necessary skills at the base camp, allowing even relatively inexperienced climbers to attempt the peak.
Is it necessary to hire a guide for Ama Dablam, or can it be done solo?
Climbers must obtain permits and hire a guide to climb Ama Dablam. Permits can only be obtained through a domestic (Nepali) outfitter.
Are there any other mountains in Nepal that one should have climbed before attempting Ama Dablam?
For some, Ama Dablam may be their first mountain in Nepal. Adequate experience can be gained by climbing peaks all over the world. However, many individuals choose to climb Nepali peaks such as Island Peak, Loboche East, Mera Peak, or Barunse before taking on Ama Dablam.
When is the best time of year to climb Ama Dablam?
The optimal season for climbing Ama Dablam is in the fall, with the traditional climbing season lasting from October to early December. Most climbers attempt the ascent between mid-October and early November. October tends to be slightly warmer, but with less stable weather, while November offers cooler temperatures with less wind and precipitation.
