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Everest South Side Climb Nepal  •  29,032'  •  8849m
Expedition Details Dates and Prices

Everest South Side Summit Climb with International Mountain Guides

We've been organizing Everest expeditions for over 40 years, and each year do our best to put together a strong team with compatible climbers and top-notch guides and leaders. We fill our trips, and thus can be picky; we've turned away many climbers whom we felt would not be a good fit with our program.

IMG has long been a leader in innovative climbing programs to the Himalayas. We were one of the very first companies to offer guided programs to Everest (1991), the first company to offer a stand-alone climb to the North Col (1994) and to 8000m (2001). We were one of the first companies to guide Shishapangma (1990) and Cho Oyu (1995), first to guide the Khumbu Icefall as a stand-alone program (2000), first to offer the option of personal Nepalese guides to climbers (2002), first successfully guided climb of Lhotse (2009), first with the Hybrid concept (2010), first to offer an Everest "Express" itinerary (2010), and the first to rappel an alternate route around the Hillary Step (2013).

With over 800 summits of 8000-meter peaks to our IMG credit, and 605 of them on Mount Everest, we are still never satisfied and continue to look for ways to improve our IMG Everest program. For 2024 we continue our tradition of innovation and attention to the details. We put in place first class logistics and staffing. We don't cut corners. Our goal is to conduct the very best program that we can, at a fair price. We don't think you will be disappointed.

If you would like to join a world-class expedition to Everest, please give this Everest 2024 document a careful reading and then contact our contact our IMG Everest Team if you would like further information!

Eric Simonson and Becky Kjorvestad
IMG Himalayan Programs

Overview

The 2024 IMG climbers and trekkers will travel to Everest Base Camp in two separate teams, each led by IMG guides and composed of a nice mix of climbers and trekkers. We will be using helicopters to Lukla for Teams 1 & 2. Inclement weather can cause delays with the fixed wing flights and by utilizing helicopters, we will have a much better chance of staying on schedule.

Lobuche Base Camp
Our Lobuche Base Camp strategy has been working great for many years, and we will do it again in 2024 for the trekkers and climbers. Three nights of camping at Lobuche BC (with gorgeous day hiking in the area) provides for excellent acclimatization and means our climbers and trekkers will feel good when it's time for them to move up to Everest Base Camp! We will have our own cook team preparing meals at Lobuche BC to keep our team members healthy.

Everest Base Camps
We will have two separate (adjacent) base camps, one for the IMG Climbers, and one for our IMG Nepalese Staff. Each camp will have separate dining, toilet, shower, and kitchen facilities. In between the camps, we have our common meeting facility—the giant Eureka Military MGPTS tent, complete with 70,000 BTU military hazmat tent heater that runs outside the tent and pumps the heated air inside (so no danger of carbon monoxide). This is the place to be if you want to hang out in a carpeted and warmed environment, watch movies, read, work on the computer, make a phone call, or just socialize! We have good charging capacity with both 12v solar and backup generators. Wireless internet will be available at Base Camp (price TBD). In our Communication tent, we have a VHF radio base station and large antennas that let us talk with the South Col and all the way down to Pheriche. We subscribe our climbers and local staff to the service provided by the HRA Base Camp Medical Clinic, so you have access to unlimited consultation with the HRA doctors.

Food
Nothing is more important to health and morale on a long trip than good food. We have very experienced Lobuche BC, Everest BC, and Everest Camp 2 cook teams. At Base Camp, they bake fresh bread, rolls, cakes, etc. regularly. We receive regular deliveries of fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat to Base Camp in addition to staples purchased in Kathmandu and "goodies" brought from USA. We also include gluten free and vegan options (please advise if you have food issues). Most climbers will spend about two weeks at high altitude (over 6000m/20,000ft) during the course of the trip, when appetites really wane and life is truly uncomfortable. We assist climbers to choose their high-altitude food items at Base Camp from our food supply tent, so you know exactly what you will be eating up high. Also, climbers should bring about 10 pounds/5 kg of additional "lunch" snacks which you know you can eat at high altitude, when some people's appetites become very picky.

Note on Dates

Dates are listed starting with the arrival day to Kathmandu to the arrival day back to Kathmandu from Lukla at the end of the trip.

The ending dates for the EBC Classic Trek, Sherpa Trek, and Lobuche Climb are FIXED, but you should add one contingency day in Kathmandu at the end, before flying home, in case of Lukla flight delay.

The ending dates for the C2, C3, Everest and Lhotse Climbs are FLEXIBLE, depending on weather and conditions. For C2 and C3 Climbers, it would be prudent to add at least one week of contingency days to these itineraries as listed on the spreadsheet. For Everest and Lhotse Climbers, please note on the itinerary the maximum number of days possible for climbing ends on May 31st. We suggest you make your return plane reservation home for June 4th. Normally climbers will reconfirm or change their homeward departure flights when you know exactly when the expedition is going to end for you (contact your travel agent from Everest BC). We plan to stay at Base Camp for climbing until approximately the end of May.

Classic Everest Climb with Nepalese guide (1:1)

This is the program which the majority of our IMG climbers have done over the years and is perfect for the climber with previous experience on big mountains. This is a complete expedition: no cutting corners, nothing less than the finest support on the mountain and offering you the ultimate in flexibility to tailor your schedule to your personal needs. This program is led by IMG Senior guides and you will be assigned a personal guide when climbing. IMG does not allow members to climb solo. Included is unlimited consultation with the IMG staff, consultation with the docs at the HRA BC Medical clinic, Icefall fees, all expedition food, communications, oxygen, support during summit rotation, complete trek service, and total expedition logistics from Kathmandu to Kathmandu. Our itinerary includes staying at our custom Lobuche Peak base camp for great acclimatization hiking on the way to Everest BC at the beginning of the expedition, a subsequent ascent of Lobuche for further acclimatization and training prior to the first rotation on Everest, then two acclimatization rotations (one to C2 and one to C3) prior to the Everest summit bids. The goal is maximum practice and acclimatization before going high on Everest, for the best possible chance of  uccess.

Hybrid Everest Climb

Some of our customers have asked about a higher level of support for climbing Mt. Everest. We have what you are looking for, with our revamped Hybrid Program which combines the oversight of our IMG Senior guides, along with additional support (two guides per climber) and Extra Oxygen at Camp 2 and Summit day (enough for climbing @ 4 liters per minute on the Summit Day). The general itinerary for the Hybrid Program is the same as the Classic climb. You will be assigned your personal guides for the acclimatization rotations and summit attempts. IMG does not allow members to climb solo. With this revamped Hybrid Program, you will have more flexibility than if you were required to follow the schedule of other climbers. This program will give the Hybrid climber the maximum flexibility while climbing, maximum support, and a generous amount of oxygen.

Private Everest Climb with with 1:1 Nepalese AND 1:1 western guide

For the customer who is not cost sensitive and who wants the optimum support, we assign one of our Senior IMG guides on a 1:1 basis and include our "extra" oxygen option (1 bottle at C2 and 4LPM on summit day during your summit rotation). At Base Camp you will be provided a large standup personal tent with a cot for sleeping and organizing. This is the Cadillac program for the discerning climber who wants the very best. Please contact our team for more information.

Classic Nepal Everest Base Camp Trek with Gokyo Option

The trek to Everest BC is one of the world's classic human powered adventures! We have two trekking departures to Base Camp; each trek accompanies the IMG climbing team and sees all the famous sights on the way up and down the Khumbu Valley. Our itinerary includes staying in lodges between Lukla and Pheriche, then in our custom Lobuche Peak base camp (for fantastic acclimatization hiking) for several nights prior to moving on up to Everest BC at the beginning of the expedition. Rub shoulders with the climbers and see what a real expedition is like. Climb Kala Pattar, hike up to the base of the Khumbu Icefall and get some photos, then join in with the expedition puja ceremony at Base Camp. You stay overnight at Everest Base Camp as a guest of the expedition; only trekkers associated with expeditions are allowed to stay at EBC. Then, trek back out to Lukla with our crack guide team for the flight to Kathmandu.

We have a limited number of positions available on these Classic EBC Treks, accompanying each of our three climbing teams.

For trekkers wishing to extend their trek, we have the Gokyo Extension Option with Trek Team 2 which adds 6 days of trekking. You'll cross two more high passes (Cho La and Renjo La @ 5300+m) and visit the famous Gokyo Valley. What a classic! From the summit of Gokyo Ri you see Cho Oyu (8153m), Gyangchung Kang (7922m), Lhotse (8501m), Makalu (8475 m), Cholatse (6440m), Taweche (6542m), Kantega (6685m), Thamserku (6808m), Lobuche (6145m) and Mt. Everest (8848m).

Lobuche Peak Summit Climb

If you would like to visit Everest Base Camp with Teams 1 or 2 and stay longer and go higher, bring your crampons and ice axe and add a climb of Lobuche Peak (to over 20,000 feet — we stop at the false summit — the last pitch to the real summit is difficult technical climbing). After spending several nights at Everest BC for acclimatization, our Lobuche climbers and members of the Guide Team will drop one day back down the valley to climb this beautiful peak, with world class views of Everest from the summit. From the beautiful IMG Lobuche Base Camp tucked up a side valley from the EBC trek route, the route climbs to a high camp which leads to the summit ridge. The steeper parts of the climb to the ridge are normally fixed with about 500 meters of rope. Lobuche Peak is a perfect objective if you are fit and have Mt. Rainier type skills (ice axe, crampons, and roped glacier travel). We will review use of fixed ropes for climbers who have not done this before. Afterward, trek back out to Lukla with our crack Nepalese Trekking Team for the flight to Kathmandu. Please see the Lobuche Expedition Pages for more info specifically on Lobuche Peak.

Khumbu Icefall climbs to Camp 2 or 3

Our Khumbu Icefall programs are for the climber who wants an up close and personal Everest experience without a summit attempt. All climbers join the Lobuche Peak itinerary with the IMG guide team for instruction and evaluation. Then, you climb the famous Khumbu Icefall and on up the Western Cwm to Camps 1 and 2. Similar to our Classic IMG Everest Climb, this program is led by IMG Senior guides and you will be assigned a personal guide when climbing. This is real climbing with some risk, so you need to be in good shape and have solid skills with crampons, fixed rope, etc. Camp 3 climbers will be provided oxygen for you to practice with as you climb the Lhotse Face to Camp 3. For the fit and adventurous climber, if you are thinking about coming back to climb Everest someday, this is great practice!

Lhotse Climb

Lhotse climbers accompany the Everest and Lobuche climbers to EBC, and for the acclimatization climb of Lobuche Peak. Similar to our Classic IMG Everest Climb, this program is led by IMG Senior guides and you will be assigned a personal guide when climbing. We have two rotations planned (same as for Everest climbers) to ensure that you are ready to ascend the world's 4th highest peak. The Lhotse route follows the Everest route to the South Col (which is a better campsite). From there you traverse into the Lhotse Couloir and then climb directly up to the summit. Lhotse is a stiff climb, more difficult than Cho Oyu. Our team will fix the route all the way to the summit, but there is steep ice and rock in the Lhotse Couloir, so you need to be very fit and capable. On summit bid you will be provided 7200 liters of climbing oxygen (same as Everest climbers) with 1800L at C3, 3600L at Col, 1800L higher on the climb. The goal will be to descend to C2 after the summit. IMG has now done eight Lhotse climbs, each successful ('09, '10, '11, '12, '13, '18, '19 and '21). Please see the Lhotse Expedition Pages for more info specifically on the Lhotse climb.

To address a common question about Lhotse, please see IMG guide Greg Vernovage's perspective on Lhotse vs. Everest

Express Everest Summit Climb

For experienced climbers, we provide the option of a shorter itinerary and a different acclimatization profile. We can tailor the itinerary to shorten the total length of the expedition buy using pre-acclimatization, additional oxygen, and use of helicopter to expedite travel to and from Base Camp. Please contact Greg Vernovage to discuss this program and various alternatives.

Sherpa Trek with Local Guides to Everest BC

Our Nepalese led Everest trek offers top notch support and logistics. This group also stays at IMG Base Camp, near the end of the expedition, normally about the time of the summit bids. This is an exciting time to be there! After the Base Camp overnights, trek back out to Lukla with our local guide team for the flight to Kathmandu. With a slightly accelerated itinerary, you can do this trip in 3 weeks of vacation time!

Expedition Organization and Leadership

International Mountain Guides (IMG)
IMG is the oldest and most respected high-altitude climbing service in the world and its Himalayan mountaineering programs are organized and directed by Eric Simonson. Their teams include a group of professionals who are the best in the business. Since 1990, we have conducted over 60 Himalayan 8000 meter expeditions, and over 800 IMG team members have summited the world's classic 8,000-meter peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma.

IMG's Everest Philosophy
IMG leads the way! Our goal is to minimize risk while helping as many members as possible reach their goal, and we invest in the logistics and manpower to make this possible. We will not sit back and let other teams do the work. Our IMG Staff is part of the rope fixing efforts preparing the route for future summit bids. We value our reputation as one of the premiere international climbing companies. If you would like to join a world-class team on Everest, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your goals and qualifications for membership in the IMG Everest team!

Ang Jangbu Sherpa and the Nepalese Team
A veteran of dozens of expeditions and an Everest summiter, Ang Jangbu has worked on every IMG Himalayan program since 1991 and is an immensely popular leader. Ang Jangbu Sherpa and his staff put together one of the very best Guide teams for IMG. We are proud to have a group of Local Guides working for us who are among the best paid, best led, best equipped, and best trained in the business.

References

Joining a high-altitude trek or expedition is a serious decision. You should be completely confident in the organization and leadership before you make that decision. Many of you have climbed with us before, and because your experience with us was good, you're considering another climb with us. For those of you who haven't climbed with us before, we strongly encourage you to interview us thoroughly and also talk to our past clients. When you're ready to make the decision, we'll be happy to provide you with a complete list of references. Please also browse comments online from our trekkers and climbers.

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