Popularly known as the 'Matterhorn of the Himalaya', the overwhelming ice-coated granite pyramid of Ama Dablam dominates the sky above the trekker's trail to the Everest Base Camp. The mountain derives its name from the glacier lying on its Southwest face. The glacier looks like a jewel box hanging on the neck of the mountain, hence the name Ama Dablam, literally meaning 'The Mother's Jewel Box'. Interestingly, when a team led by Edmund Hillary scaled the mountain for the first time, Nepal's King nearly imprisoned Hillary for climbing the sacred Ama Dablam without permission.

 

The standard ascent to Ama Dablam is made via the South-Western Ridge, the same route followed by Ward (UK), Bishop (USA) and Gill (NZ) in the first ascent of the mountain in 1961. The route offers varied and sustained climb with reasonable level of difficulty. Three high camps are set up at strategic points. The climb is moderate up to Camp 1, then it gets challenging up along the narrow granite ridge. Negotiating pitches of steep ice and snow slopes, the route gets more technical from Camp 2.  From Camp 3, skirt around the hanging glacier or the Dablam, cross snow arete (A sharp ridge) and bergschrund(A gap or crevasse at the edge) between ice cliffs, and scale the summit.

DAY 01: Arrival day in Kathmandu

DAY 02: Kathmandu Sightseeing and Preparation

DAY 03: Fly to Lukla & Trek to Phakding- 9,184 ft (2,800 m)

DAY 04: Trek to Namche Bazaar

DAY 05: Rest & Acclimatization at Namche Bazaar

DAY 06: Trek to Deboche

DAY 07: Trek to Pheriche (4,300m)

DAY 08: Acclimatisation above Pheriche

DAY 09: Move to Base Camp 4570m/15000ft

DAY 10-25: Ascending and Descending of Ama Dablam Top 6856m/22488ft

DAY 26-27: Trek to Lukla
DAY 28: Fly Lukla to Kathmandu 

DAY 29: At leisure in Kathmandu

DAY 30: Depart Kathmandu