Blick vom Cholatse auf das zentrale Himalaya, Cho Oyu (rechts)

Cho Oyu Climb - 8,201m Expedition

30. August - 08. October 2025

+49 (0)30 774 9034

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expedition leader

Int. Summit Team Summit Team International - Summit Climb Mountain Guides

Basic costs:: 32.500,00 €

Full service:: 46.200,00 €

Status:

Cho Oyu - 8,201m / 29,609ft

Selected dates:
30. Aug to 08. Oct 2025

Additional options:

Together on Cho Oyu:
+ Individual participation
+ Top Sherpas, top teamwork
+ The safest 8000 normal route
+ Experienced Leadership

Mountaineering skills

Mountaineering

Technical scale: Mountaineering skills required for our expeditions, alpine tours and demanding trekking.

1 - easy

2 - quite difficult

3 - difficult

4 - very difficult

5 - extreme

Mountaineering is the underlying ability to climb any mountain. On classic expeditions, many exposed areas are secured.

1 - easy / simple

"Easy" on expedition already includes mountaineering in alpine terrain or on glaciers up to grad ZS/AD "quite difficult" according to alpine scale. Exposed areas and crevasses are fixed if possible. Basic knowledge in handling ice axe / crampons and rope is required.

2 - quite difficult

Route with extensive passages in the grad ZS/AD: Safe handling with an ice ax, crampons and rope are required. Exposed places or crevasses are fixed if possible or walked in rope team.

3 - difficult

Persistent suspended passages must be managed. These will be insured if possible. Mountaineering on the alpine scale S/D "difficult" with exposed climbing passages (up to IV. UIAA degree). Good use of crampons and rope is required, as well as safe climbing in combined terrain.

4 - very demanding

Exposed and demanding route. The difficulties range up to the alpine scale SS/TD "very difficult" and are mostly insured. Dealing with fixed rope and climbing clamps, increased demands on climbing technique, physical conditions and experience are required, as are all the demands of "difficult" mountaineering.

5 - extreme

Very demanding mountaineering, even without the possibilities of protection. The terrain will rarely exceed the alpine difficulty SS/TD, but can reach the requirements of the alpine scale AS/ES "extremely difficult". Above-average ability and a lot of experience in alpine mountaineering are expected.

Danger Warning: For safety reasons, your personal skills and sufficient experience are required for each expedition and ascent (specific description under Information / Requirements).

Stamina - Endurance

Stamina - Endurance

A mountain athlete needs endurance above any other specific fitness skill. Cardiovascular fitness is of course always subject to the movement (as climbing rocks or steep ice, you will not be able to transfer your triathlete or running fitness to mountains without being solid in the required mountaineering skills).

1 - Active Tour
Easy treks to EBC or on top of Kilimanjaro. You should be an active person.

2 - Sportive Tour
More demanding treks, simple climbs, like the climb of Elbrus. You should be a sportive person regularly exercising (at least 2-3x per week).

3 - Demanding Trek / Expedition
Very demanding treks like to the top of Aconcagua, or expeditions at the physical lower level like Ama Dablam. You should be an endurance athlete wit mountaineering experience. You should train endurance at least 3x/week.

4 - High Endurance - Expedition

To climb Everest (with oxygen-support) or some of the "easier" 8000m peaks you need a strong endurance. You should train specifically at least 4-5x per week.

5 - Very high Endurance - Expedition
Some of our special self-supported 8000m+ peak climbs as on Makalu, or to climb Everest (without oxygen-support) fit into this category. Your endurance should be near the level of a professional mountain athlete.

Similar Climbs and Treks - Overview:

Cho Oyu Climb - 8,201m Expedition

Cho Oyu: The sixth highest mountain in the world is known as the "Goddess of Turquoise" because of its turquoise glow in the evening light. Among mountaineers, reaching its summit considered the "easiest" of the 8000m peak ascents. According to mountain statistics, the normal route is by far the least dangerous route to reach a summit above 8000 meters height. The Tibetan plateau is now well developed and the journey to the base camp is quick and easy. But no movement is "easy" above 8000 meters: To climb Cho Oyu remains a challenge, even with great support and sherpas helping you. Accompanied by our SummitClimb professionals, we plan the climb this 8201 meters / 29,609 feet together and we invite you to join our expedition (40 days, Nepal, and Tibet/China).

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Want to go on an adventure?

Cho Oyu Climb - 8,201m Expedition

Selected dates:
30. Aug to 08. Oct 2025

Basic costs:: 32.500,00 €

Full service:: 46.200,00 €

Airport of departure:

Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hannover, Stuttgart, München (EU)

Upgrades

Request / Book

Cho Oyu - costs & services: Your full-service-participation (with oxygen if necessary) offers the best chances of success to reach the summit. The Basic Climb, without assistance to set up the high camp and going to the summit, or even the catering at base camp, is a very difficult task, which only very experienced high altitude mountaineers should try. Our basic offers (basic price) should only be taken advantage of by experienced high altitude mountaineers, not simply for savings. Together we are strong, and so we put together individual high-performance expeditions.

Costs & Services - Cho Oyu Expedition

Your full-service membership includes all the service-packages with a flight from Europe (without flight, individual arrangement possible of course). Services:

Organization of the entire expedition
Experienced SummitClimb expedition leader
Scheduled flights to Nepal and back from various European airports:
- please indicate your wish
- incl. 30kg free baggage allowance and 8kg hand baggage
Preparation and training weekend (optional)

Cho Oyu - Basic Climb includes:

Organization and coordination of the expedition
4 nights in Kathmandu in a ***hotel with overnight stay/breakfast
Permit to climb Cho Oyu:
- Laison with CTMA
- Liaison officer
Transfers by program: Kathmandu - Base Camp - Kathmandu
Accommodation and full board during the trip from Kathmandu to the base camp
Yak transfer for personal equipment from paddock to base camp, max. 40kg.
Access to fixed ropes and full-service group campsites
Extensive emergency pharmacy + pulse oximeter + medical oxygen + hyperbaric chamber GAMMOV-Bag
Radio for emergencies

Cho Oyu - base camp services include:

All BC equipment: common tent, kitchen tent and material, toilet tent, shower tent
Single tent per participant
Catering by experienced Nepali and TMA kitchen team
Full board in base camp
Satellite telephone (usage at an extra fee)
Internet and email at base camp (usage at an extra fee)
Solar power system

Cho Oyu - high camp services include:

Support and coordination
Fixed ropes, group ropes and fixing material, radio equipment
All high camp equipment: tents, stoves, pots, and gas
For high camps and the ascent: Emergency pharmacies and emergency oxygen
Sherpas and/or CTMA high altitude porters including their insurance, equipment, fees
Support by Sherpas with the high camp setup and cooking

What is not included?

Personal equipment (equipment hire available)
Private expenses (such as telephone, alcoholic beverages, gifts, etc.)
Insurances:
- compulsory: health and accident insurance with emergency service
- recommended: cancellation insurance, luggage insurance
Visa for Nepal (90 days, USD 125 / EUR 115)
Visa for China/Tibet (USD 200 for EU citizens)
Tips: Summit-Bonus for Sherpas and accompanying team

View map

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Request / Book

Cho Oyu expedition: Every year we carry out our Cho Oyu expedition with a duration of 40 days in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon. This is short, but due to the quickly reached base camp, we have sufficient time for acclimatization and a good summit-push. Should there be time left after an early ascent, we will be happy to organize an additional program to Lhasa, some days of relaxation in Nepal, or your early return to daily life.

Expedition itinerary - Cho Oyu

Day 1 • Flight to Nepal: Departure by scheduled flight from Europe (major hubs).

Day 2 • Arrival in Kathmandu: Latest arrival, airport pickup, drive to accommodation in a comfortable hotel, introduction, and passport collection for permit process.

Day 3 • Kathmandu: Group meeting, organization of the permit, gear check, leisure, and relaxation.

Day 4 • Off to Tibet: Early start towards the Tibetan border. We travel through the Langtang Mountains via Dhunche and Syapru Besi to the Tibetan border.

Day 5 • Into Tibet, China: Today we continue by bus to cross the border. After a short distance we reach Gyrikong (2,700 m / 8,850 ft) and are accommodated at a comfortable hotel.

Day 6 • Gyrikong, Tibet: For acclimatization, we can do a hike up to an altitude of about 4,500 m (14,500 ft).

Day 7 • Tingri, Tibet: We continue along the Gyrikong Zangbo River, then east over a 5000m pass to the plateau around Tingri (4340m) with views of Mount Everest and Cho Oyu. We stay overnight in a simple but comfortable hotel.

Day 8 • Tingri, Tibet: Another day in Tingri. Rest or hike for acclimatization.

Day 9 • Cho Oyu, Chinese BC: The Chinese Base Camp (approx. 4,900 m / 16,076 ft) at the end of the Gyabrag glacier is reached.

Day 10• Cho Oyu, hike: A hike at 5500m altitude is initially planned here for better acclimatization.

Day 11 • Cho Oyu, hike to BC: For further acclimatization, we take our time to reach the actual base camp spending a night along the way camping.

Day 12 • Cho Oyu, Tichy BC: The actual base camp named after Tichy, the leader of the first ascent expedition, is situated at an altitude of 5,780 m / 18,960 ft.

Day 13 • Rest day: Very important for acclimatization. We are already at almost 6000 meters (20,000 feet) altitude.

14th day • Camp 1 (6,300m / 20,670 ft): Along the Gyabrag glacier, we hike along moraines into a basin opposite the Jasamba (7352m). The final ascent of about 400 meters / 1,300 feet of altitude difference follows over a flank of scree and gravel, which is called "killer slope" because of the effort of walking this kind of terrain at altitude. It will become easier with better acclimatization but never pleasant.

Day 15 • Camp 1: Rest day.

Day 16 • Camp 1.5 (6,500 m / 21,325 ft or 6700 m / 21,980 ft): We follow a ridge with some small ups and downs. On our first ascent to fix and prepare the route, it makes sense to set up an intermediate camp either before or after a striking steep climb (from 6650m to 6700m, in places 70° or steeper).

Day 17 • Camp 2 (7,050 m /21,130 ft): After a plateau, an ascent through a glacier break follows to reach another plateau. Here we set up the 2nd high camp, stay overnight if necessary, or descend directly to the 1st high camp (6300m).

Day 18 • Descent: We descend back to base camp.

Day 19 • rest day: We rest at base camp.

Day 20 • rest day: We rest at base camp.

Day 21 • C1 (6300m): Ascent.

Day 22 • C2 (7050m): Ascent.

Day 23 • Summit push - Cho Oyu (8201 m / 26,906 ft ): Our attempt to reach the summit usually starts from the 2nd high camp. We follow a flank where at 7500m a 3rd high camp can be used if necessary to reach the yellow band at 7700m. Further slopes, rocky in the pre-monsoon, snowy in the post-monsoon, and a wide ridge lead to the eternally long summit plateau. At the end of this, with a bit of weather luck, the Mount Everest massif and the mountains of the Khumbu appear. After the summit, we descent back to the 2nd high camp follows.

Day 24 • Descent: Back to base camp (5800m)

Days 25-35 • Reserve days: A full 10 days are available for reserve. The described schedule is idealistic. Very likely the weather (storm, high winds, precipitation) and conditions (snow, avalanches) will put a damper on our plans. We need to reach 7000m+ as safety prerequisite for climbing without artificial oxygen and often we descend to the road (acclimatized 2-3 hours hike) to rest after a 1-hour drive in Tingri before the summit push.

36th day - Back to Tingri: Early in the morning we start: With yaks first in a train directly back to the Chinese base camp and in the same afternoon even further into civilization to Tingri.

Day 36 • Tingri or Gyrikong, Tibet: Early in the morning we start: With yaks first in a train directly back to the Chinese base camp and in the same afternoon even further into civilization to Tingri, or further to Gyrikong.

Day 37 • Kathmandu, Nepal: With jeeps and trucks, we travel further back via Gyrikong on the Tibetan-Nepalese, cross the border and change vehicles, to continue onwards to Kathmandu.

Day 38 • Kathmandu: Free time in Kathmandu or reserve.

Day 39 • Kathmandu: In the evening or early the next morning (depending on flight connection, flight wish) we transfer you to Kathmandu Tribhuvan International airport.

Day 40 • flight: Return flight and arrival at the destination (Europe, other destinations on request)

Safety

Cho Oyu - requirements

Requirements: To participate in this expedition you should be an experienced climber with an excellent physical condition. The ascent takes place over wide, moderately steep flanks and a longer ridge (6,300 m - 7,000 m), partly interspersed with crevasses. The summit push follows combined terrain (easy with snowed in autumn). You should have experience in alpine touring (at least AD+/AS+ according to the French/SAC scale) and high altitude experience from altitudes above 6,000 meters / 20,000 feet.

Technical difficulties in terms of steep climbing and ice passages are only a few and they are short. Each participant must be trained in the relevant crevasse recovery procedures (possibly refresh during a crevasse recovery course). Ice and firn flanks up to 40° steepness must be able to be climbed without rope safety. The "Yellow Wall" (at 7,700m) with a total of 50 meters in altitude (two rope lengths) of approx. 50° steep combined terrain and 10 meters of rock climbing (approx. UIAA 4, before the pre-monsoon, sometimes snowed up in post-monsoon) and a firn flank (approx. 70° steep, before the post-monsoon) forms the technical crux of the climb, which we try to fix throughout.

Physical requirements: The harsh climate of Tibet demands good health and the willingness to forego comfort. A very good physical condition is required for 1,000 meters / 3,200 feet of altitude at high altitude in 8-12 hour ascent and the subsequent descent.

Danger note: Each participant takes part in this expedition independently and at his own risk. The extreme altitude and extreme cold bring subjective and objective dangers. Due to the remoteness and altitude as well as the regulations in Tibet, the possibilities for rescue are extremely limited.

In the case of missing knowledge, we recommend attending preparatory courses on time:

Missing mountain experience should be made up of an extensive training program.
Support by a personal Sherpa as 1:1 guide and artificial oxygen can be booked in addition.

Infos

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You can call us at:
+49 (0)30 774 9034

Or send us an e-mail:
info@summitclimb.de

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Join our Cho Oyu team: Please outline your experience in the note field (biggest tours of the last 3 years and altitude experience) or send your tour report in a separate email. You have read the conditions for participation and meet the requirements (see information), then book online now! You are also welcome to send an inquiry and get further advice before joining our Cho Oyu expedition.

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Cho Oyu Climb - 8,201m Expedition

30. Aug - 08. Oct 2025

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Du kannst unsere Reisen direkt online buchen unter:
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You can call us at:
+49 (0)30 774 9034

Or send us an e-mail:
info@summitclimb.de