HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING CLASSIC FOR THE ADVENTUROUS CLIMBER

Join us for a one-of-a-kind Himalayan adventure to the summit one of the most spectacular Himalayan peaks - Cholatse. With a robust 2-week acclimatisation itinerary that sees you visiting Gokyo Ri and crossing Renjo La high mountain pass, this expedition has it all…after climbing Cholatse, you visit Kala Patar, Everest Base Camp and cross another high mountain pass - Chola Pass - having a truly unforgettable Himalayan experience; a complete physical, mental, emotional and cultural experience as you climb the spectacular “steps to heaven” and summit one of the most beautiful and technically exciting mountains in the world. 

Your 34-day adventure begins as soon as you register, right here in Melbourne, with our unique 12-month Build-Up Training Program to help you prepare for this trip. 

We’ll work with you on your fitness, rock and mountaineering skills, lifestyle and mindset. We aren’t just mountain guides, we are elite athletic performance coaches who specialise in helping our clients achieve incredible things. 

The journey to the base of the world’s highest mountain is called ‘the steps to heaven’ for a reason. Our unique 34-day journey combines breath-taking scenery, an exciting and challenging technical summit climb, fascinating Nepalese culture and a personal sense of achievement to deliver an experience that will be carved into your memory forever. 

We’ve created a gold class adventure itinerary to offer you the full Himalayan experience, teaming Everest Base Camp with Kala Patar, including Gokyo lakes to take you over a glacier and two high mountain passes to reach unsurpassed views of Mt Everest. All of that awesomeness to prepare your body for the big mission - a technical climb to the summit of Cholatse (6440m ASL). 

We’ve ticked all the boxes and pulled out all the stops. This is one trip that the committed alpine adventurer cannot miss. 

Cholatse is a spectacular peak with steep soaring lines on every aspect. The line up the South West Ridge involves climbing steep snow and ice pitches. The route ascends through snow slopes leading to a crux section on rock. Once past the difficulties, the climbing culminates in a steep and superb ridge line that plateaus onto the summit dome. 

Before moving into base camp at 5000m ASL, we spend 9 days acclimatising and building up our mountain fitness via Renjo La pass and Gokyo. Once at Cholatse base camp, we rest for a day, then begin the assault. We allocate 9 full days to achieve the summit and descend, allowing enough time for a safe ascent, and a contingency day in case of bad weather. 

Climbing with Rossfit is an experience unlike any other offered. We aren’t just experienced mountain guides, we’re also world class health and movement coaches. We help people make positive changes to their thoughts, lifestyle and health as soon as they sign up. We won’t take your money and then just see you in Nepal when the trip starts. We offer support along the way through your 12-month build-up training, and your expedition. Plus, we have a proven track record of 98% success on all our adventure activities. 

We have a bigger itinerary with more variety and options including: 

• Exciting and interesting acclimatisation journey, taking you over two high mountain passes (Renjo La & Chola), to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Ri (with the most spectacular views of Everest). 
• Cholatse technical summit 
• Additional rest days and contingency days on Cholatse, to ensure better acclimatisation to the high altitude and increased chance of a successful summit push. 
• 12-Month Build-Up Training Program with the same expedition leader who will take you on your expedition – fitness, nutrition, alpine skills, climbing skills, high altitude awareness training, first aid. 

Day 1 Kathmandu (26th September 2024)
 

Today is a travel day. We recommend booking a day flight to Kathmandu, so that you arrive at your hotel NLT 10pm, to give yourself a solid night sleep. 

Day 2 Kathmandu
 

Welcome country brief in the morning, followed by a familiarisation walk around Thamel. Group dinner and meet our Nepalese climbing Sherpas and guides. 

Day 3 Kathmandu
 

Morning city tour, followed by free day to explore Kathmandu and finalise gear/equipment for the expedition. 

Day 4 / Exped 1 Kathmandu / Phakding (2610m)  

Exciting privately chartered helicopter flight to Lukla (2840m), trek to Phakding. 

Day 5 / Exped 2 Phakding / Namche Bazaar (3440m) 


Trek Phakding to Namche Bazaar – beautiful market town high up in the Khumbu, our home for two nights. 

Day 6 / Exped 3 Namche Bazaar 


Acclimatisation day. Multiple day hike options for great views and to assist acclimatisation. 

Day 7 / Exped 4 Namche Bazaar / Thame (3880m)
 

Trek Namche Bazaar to Thame. 

Day 8 / Exped 5 Thame / Marulung (4249m)
 

Trek Thame to Marulung. 

Day 9 / Exped 6 Marulung / Lungdhen (4368m)
 

Trek Marulung to Lungdhen. 

Day 10 / Exped 7 Lungdhen / Gokyo (4790m)  

Trek Lungdhen to Gokyo, crossing over Renjo La High Mountain Pass (5360m). 

Day 11 / Exped 8 Gokyo
 

Hike up Gokyo Ri (5380m) in the morning to see epic views of Everest. Rest for the remainder of day. 

Day 12 / Exped 9 Gokyo / Cholatse Base Camp (5000m)
 

Trek along Ngozumba glacier and a slight descent to Cholatse base camp. 

Day 13 / Exped 10 Cholatse
 

Rest and preparation day. 

Day 14 / Exped 11 Cholatse
 

Move to start of climbing route. 

Day 15 / Exped 12 Cholatse
 

Climb to camp 1. 

Day 16 / Exped 13 Cholatse
 

Rest day. 

Day 17 / Exped 14 Cholatse
 

Carry to camp 2. 

Day 18 / Exped 15 Cholatse
 

Move to camp 2. 

Day 19 / Exped 16 Cholatse
 

Summit day. 

Day 20 / Exped 17 Cholatse
 

Contingency summit day. 

Day 21 / Exped 18 Cholatse / Cholatse Base Camp
 

Return to Cholatse B.C and rest. 

Day 22 / Exped 19 Cholatse Base Camp / Dragnag (4700m)
 

Trek back along Ngozumba glacier to Dragnag. 

Day 23 / Exped 20 Dragnak / Dzongla (4830m)
 

Trek Dragnak to Dzongla through Chola High Mountain Pass (5330m). 

Day 24 / Exped 21 Dzongla / Lobuche (4940m)
 

Trek Dzongla to Lobuche. 

Day 25 / Exped 22 Lobuche / Gorakshep (5140m)
 

Trek Lobuche to Gorakshep. In the afternoon visit Everest Base Camp (5364m). 

Day 26 / Exped 23 Gorakshep / Lobuche
 

Sunrise hike up Kala Patar for epic views of mountain Everest, followed by the return trek down to Lobuche. 

Day 27 / Exped 24 Lobuche / Dingboche (4410m)
 

An easy trek down to Dingboche. Option to turn today into an epic day of adventure and cross Kongma La Pass (5535m), descending on the other side to the town of Chukhung. 

Day 28 / Exped 25 Dingboche / Tengboche (3860m)
 

An enjoyable downhill (mostly) hike to the monastery town of Tengboche. 

Day 29 / Exped 26 Tengboche / Namche Bazaar (3440m)
 

Return to Namche Bazaar. 

Day 30 / Exped 27 Namche Bazaar / Lukla (2840m)
 

Final day of trekking, from Namche Bazaar to Lukla, where we celebrate mountain-style! 

Day 31 / Exped 28 Lukla / Kathmandu
 

Today we say goodbye to the Himalayas with an early morning fixed-wing flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Enjoy some well-deserved luxury at one of Kathmandu’s best hotels, Hotel Mulberry. 

Day 32 Kathmandu
 

Rest, relax and recover. Rooftop pool, massages, room service….you get the idea. 

Day 33 Kathmandu
 

Rest, relax and recover. Farewell dinner. 

Day 34 Kathmandu
 

Depart for home. 

Participants of the Cholatse Expedition must have some high altitude and/or technical rock climbing/mountaineering experience. If you are lacking rock climbing experience, it will be compulsory to attend the Rock Climbing Skills course (see below). If you are lacking technical mountaineering experience, it will be compulsory to attend the Mountaineering Skills course in New Zealand (see below). Furthermore, a strong level of hiking and climbing fitness and a positive attitude is essential to take part in this expedition. For over a month you will be living at high altitude, pushing your body almost every day, trekking or climbing for 4-8 hours on working days, and up to 18 hours on bigger days - including summit days, covering steep, hilly, rocky, glaciated and icy terrain. You will be required to use an ice axe and crampons to summit Cholatse, requiring a huge amount of physical fitness. Each year the conditions change and it’s crucial that we’re physically prepared for the worst possible conditions. Moreover, the high altitudes climbers experience throughout this route makes it harder to breathe and physical exertion becomes more difficult. 

As part of your application process, an assessment will be made by your expedition leader, Ross, to determine if you’re physically able and have the necessary experience, will-power and positive attitude to take part. Then once your 12-month build-up training begins, you’ll receive customised guidance on what training you need to do to be physically ready for the expedition. Participants will be required to attend various single-day and multi-day group training activities during the build-up training to ensure you are adequately prepared for this expedition. 

Climbing Cholatse requires the use of technical mountaineering equipment, including ropes, harness, special high-altitude mountaineering boots, crampons, helmet and ice axe. As part of the build-up training you will have opportunity to work with this equipment to ensure you have the required skill sets to perform in the mountains. Only those with a high level of fitness who are acclimatising well are likely to be successful on summit days.…that is where an effective build-up training program is so important. 

Participants with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart, lung, and blood diseases or injuries such as back, neck, knees, ankles, hips, shoulders or wrists should inform Ross before booking the expedition. We also require that you consult your doctor and receive medical clearance before committing to the trip. 

12-Month Build-Up Training 

Training Start Date: 2 October 2023 

Training Finish Date: 25 September 2024 

Every participant is required to take part in the 12-Month Build-Up Training Program to prepare themselves physically and mentally for the challenges we will face in Nepal. We have a 98% success rate on all our adventure challenge treks and expeditions, and we plan to uphold this record. We want to see you succeed and come out of this Adventure overwhelmed with happiness, as well as fitter, stronger and healthier than ever. 

12-Month Build-Up Training Program (required): 

• Individual health, fitness & skills assessment 
• Individualised build-up training program - a bespoke periodised training program for each participant that includes: 
• Cardio training 
• Strength training 
• Muscular-endurance training 
• Nutrition and supplementation protocols 
• Rest and recovery protocols 
• High-altitude preparation protocols 
• 4 x single-day training hikes (taking place at various locations around Melbourne) 
• 2 x mountain skills training weekends 
• Self-aid, first-aid and wilderness first-aid training (classroom) 
• High altitude awareness training (classroom) 
• 2 x rock climbing training weekends 
• 1 x technical alpine skills training weekend 

Additional Build-Up Training Components (optional/required depends on experience level): 

• 6-Day Rock Climbing Skills course 
• 9-Day Mountaineering Skills course in New Zealand 
• 1on1 or semi-private strength & conditioning coaching with Ross 

(See below for more details on the Additional Build-Up Training Components and if you may be required to complete them) 

Rock Climbing Experience

In order to join the team for the Cholatse Expedition, you will require a minimum degree of rock climbing experience. If you don't meet the minimum requirements, you will be required to attend the Rock Climbing Skills course. 

The minimum rock climbing experience level is: 

• Multi-pitch rock climbing experience - leading at or above grade 12 (trad) or grade 14 (sport) 
• Confident performing multi-pitch abseil on vertical rocky terrain (with and without the aid of a prusik) 

If you don’t meet these minimum rock climbing requirements, you will be required to attend the 6-Day Rock Climbing Skills course. 

6-Day Rock Climbing Skills Course 

This custom-built rock climbing course has been designed to take a beginner rock climber and arm them with all the essential skills to be confident and able to multi-pitch trad climb outdoors in a safe manner. Furthermore, this course teaches participants are to build various anchors, conduct rescue procedures and abseil with confidence. The skills you learn on this course provide the foundation for the alpine climbing skills taught on the Mountaineering Skills course in New Zealand. The skills you will learn on the 6-Day Rock Climbing Skills course include: 

• Single-pitch trad climbing - learn how to place pro, build anchors, setup a climbing rack and abseil 
• Multi-pitch trad climbing - leading, abseiling, advanced anchors building skills 
• Advanced abseil skills - become confident abseiling with and without the aid of a prusik 
• Prusiks - learn how to use different styles of prusiks, and how to ascend a rope using only a prusik (no ascender device) 
• Essential rescue skills - self-recovery, pulley systems 

Location: This course will take place at either Arapiles or Mount Buffalo in Victoria. 

Dates: Early November 2023. Exact dates TBC 

Investment: $1,400 

Prerequisites: Indoor lead climbing course certificate (2-day course conducted in most indoor climbing gyms), and be comfortable climbing indoor lead at grade 15 or higher 

Course includes: 6 days of full instruction by certified rock climbing instructor, most rock climbing equipment 

Not included: accommodation (camping or Airbnb accom will be organised amongst course participants), food, transport, personal climbing gear (harness, helmet, rock shoes), hiking/camping gear/clothing.

Mountaineering Experience 

In order to join the team for the Cholatse Expedition, you will require a minimum degree of technical mountaineering experience. If you don't meet the minimum requirements, you will be required to attend the Mountaineering Skills course in New Zealand. 

The minimum mountaineering experience level is: 

• Have sumitted technical alpine mountains, utilising climbing equipment (ropes, ice axe/hammer, crampons) 
• Confident safely traversing glaciated terrain 
• Confident trekking and climbing utilising mountaineering boots and crampons 
• Confident setting anchors in snow and ice 
• Confident lead climbing up vertical ice and mixed terrain 

If you don’t meet these minimum mountaineering requirements, you will be required to attend the 9-Day Mountaineering Skills course. 

9-Day Mountaineering Skills Course 

To develop and refine your mountaineering skills in preparation for Cholatse, we have put together a custom 9-Day Mountaineering Skills course that takes place in the Mt Cook region, south island, New Zealand. Rossfit has teamed up with a world class New Zealand alpine skills company to bring you quality instruction by qualified and highly experienced instructors, in a region known for its challenging and technical features. We have chosen to run the course a couple of days longer than the standard ‘Alpine Skills Courses’ that many mountaineering guide companies offer, in order to allow extra time to put into practice skills taught on the course by summitting some peaks in the latter part of the course, and also to give us some buffer in case of bad weather. 

The skills you will learn on the 9-Day Mountaineering Skills course include: 

• Knots and hitches for mountaineering 
• Snow and ice climbing 
• Abseiling, belay techniques and rope systems 
• Snow, ice and rock anchors 
• Glacier travel and crevasse rescue 
• Route finding and mountain navigation 
• Emergency shelters 
• Mountain weather and forecasting 
• Basic avalanche hazard evaluation 
• Glacier travel on fixed line and basic self-rescue system 

Location: Tasman Glacier, Mt. Cook region, New Zealand. 

Dates: Late Feb/Early Mar 2024. Exact dates TBC 

Investment: $6,150 

Prerequisites: Outdoor rock climbing experience (multi-pitch climbing - leading at or above grade 12 (trad) or grade 14 (sport), confident performing multi-pitch abseil on vertical rocky terrain (with and without the aid of a prusik) OR have completed the 6-Day Rock Climbing Skills course. 

Course includes: 9 days of full instruction by certified alpine climbing instructor/s, most climbing equipment, helicopter insertion/extraction to/from Tasman glacier, food and accommodation 

Not included: Flights/transport to/from Mt Cook, accommodation before/after the course, personal climbing gear (harness, helmet, mountaineering boots), hiking/camping gear/clothing. 

1-on-1 & Semi-Private Strength & Conditioning Sessions 

Above you read the outline of the 12-month build-up training program. In addition to the numerous group training activities that take place throughout the build-up training period, it is essential that participants engage in structured fitness training on a daily and weekly basis. This is crucial for the development of your physical fitness, so that you can perform at the required level in the group training activities, as well as on the expedition. 

If you would like additional support and accountability on a weekly basis during the build-up training period, it is worth considering 1on1 or semi-private strength and & conditioning sessions, coached by Ross at the Rossfit studio in Port Melbourne. In these sessions you will be guided through specific workouts in your periodised training program, ensuring that you are training with correct technical and at the appropriate intensity. 

Semi-private sessions have 2-4 participants to one coach. If you are interested in learning more about 1on1 or semi-private sessions, make note in the booking form below. 

As this expedition involves trekking and technical summit climbs at extreme high altitude, we have decided that all participants will use a porter service (that is included in the cost) to conserve energy and maximise their chance of having a successful time in the mountains. You will place the bulk of your clothing & equipment into a duffel bag which your porter carries. You will then carry a medium size day pack with water, snacks and a spare layer or two (approx. 5-8kg). Technical climbing equipment will be taken by porters at the start of the expedition directly to Cholatse Base Camp to wait for our arrival later on in the expedition. 

A full packing list will be provided to participants at the start of the build-up phase, and plenty of coaching is provided on packing configuration, weight minimisation and clothing/equipment selection. Here’s a brief version for your initial information and planning: 

• Medium size day pack 
• Suitcase/bag to leave at hotel in Kathmandu with anything you don’t need on the expedition 
• Heavy duty trekking boots that protect ankles 
• Mountaineering boots that are crampon compatible and rated for 7000m summits (La Sportiva G2 SM, Scarpa 6000 or equivalent) 
• Other technical mountaineering equipment (harness, PAS, helmet, ascender, ATC, carabiners, crampons) 
• Hiking poles 
• Ski goggles as well as sunglasses with full eye protection (wrap-arounds or mountaineering glasses) 
• Cold weather and wet weather trekking clothing 
• Sleeping bag (rated to -40 degrees Celsius) and liner 
• Camera with spare batteries and memory cards 
• Personal first-aid kit 
• Reusable water bottles (2 x 1 litre) 
• Headlamp 

Cost Includes: 

• 34-day fully guided expedition by both Australian and Nepalese guides 
• 12-months build-up training 
• Airport transfers 
• 3-nights 4-star hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast prior to expedition 
• 3-nights 5-star hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast after the expedition 
• Teahouse accommodation during the expedition 
• Breakfasts in Kathmandu and all meals on the expedition 
• All ground transportation 
• Privately chartered helicopter flight - Kathmandu to Lukla 
• Fixed-wing aircraft flight - Lukla to Kathmandu 
• Experienced English speaking and government-licenced Nepalese climbing and trek guides. 3:1 guide to climber ratio on trek. 1:1 ratio on Cholatse. 
• Some technical mountaineering equipment (ice axe, sleeping mat, tent) 
• Porter service throughout the expedition, duffel bag provided 
• All required paperwork and trekking permits 
• All government and local taxes 

Not Included in Cost: 

• Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu 
• International flights to/from Nepal 
• Personal first aid kit 
• Passport/visa related costs 
• Travel insurance (required) 
• Trekking equipment (pack, sleeping bag, clothing, etc.) See ‘What to Take’ section 
• Climbing Equipment 
• Some costs associated with Build-Up Training activities (Rock climbing skills course, mountaineering skills course, food, accom & transport on single day hikes, mountain training weekends, etc.) 
• Optional 1on1 or Semi-Private strength & conditioning coaching sessions 
• Rock Climbing Skills course 
• Mountaineering Skills course