Cho Oyu guides

Also serving Cho Oyu

Pro guides who run trips here but have no reviews for Cho Oyu yet.

• Climbing The Seven Summits

  ERTI 4.90 overall

  Based in United States

• Adventure Consultants

  ERTI 4.82 overall

  Based in New Zealand

• Summitclimb

  ERTI 4.62 overall

  Based in United States

About Cho Oyu

Elevation

8,201 m (26,906 ft)

Country

China / Tibet

Climbing history

First ascent on October 19, 1954 by Austrian expedition. At 8,188m, the sixth highest peak. Considered the "easiest" 8,000m peak due to non-technical nature and good weather. Popular training ground before Everest attempts.

Notable itineraries

Northwest Ridge/Normal Route (5-6 weeks): Standard route from Tibet side. West Ridge: Alternative from Nepal but rarely used. Fixed camps at 6,400m, 7,100m, and 7,500m. Good success rates around 50-60%.

Weather and best time to go

Weather: During the climbing season, temperatures at the base of Cho Oyu tend to be quite cool. The end of the spring climbing season is generally the warmest time of year on the mountain. The climbing seasons come at drier times of year on the mountain, but storms are not uncommon and can form rapidly. Temperatures at the top of the mountain are always below freezing., Best Time to Visit: May to June, September to October, Average Expedition Length 6 weeks

Currency

Chinese Yuan (CNY) for Tibet approach. Peak permit approximately $8,000-10,000 (Tibet). Nepal approach more expensive. Budget $20,000-35,000 for guided expedition.

Languages

Official: Mandarin Chinese (Tibet), Nepali (Nepal). Tibetan spoken locally. English with expedition operators. Chinese liaison officer required on Tibet side.

Every review is checked by our team before it's published, and guides cannot pay for a better rating.

Recommended gear for Cho Oyu

High-altitude essentials picked for 8,000m expeditions. Recommended by our expert team.

• Rab Expedition 8000 Suit (Men's) (8000m suit): View at CampSaver
• La Sportiva Olympus Mons S Boots (8000m boot): View at CampSaver
• Black Diamond Absolute Mitts (expedition mitts): View at CampSaver
• Rab Expedition 1200 Sleeping Bag (down sleeping bag): View at CampSaver
• Petzl Ascension Ascender (ascender): View at CampSaver
• Global Rescue membership (rescue and evacuation): View at Global Rescue

Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them.

How this page works

Every review is checked by hand by our team before it's published. Critical reviews stay up.

Paying ExpedReview never changes the ranking.

The ERTI badge beside each name is a company-wide score out of 5, built from reviews we verify and many other factors. It is not a rating for this route.

Last updated 9 October 2026 (editorial review).

Spotted an error? Email hello@expedreview.com

Frequently asked questions

How are reviews verified on ExpedReview?

Every review is checked by hand by our team before it's published. Critical reviews stay up, and paying ExpedReview never changes the ranking.

Which guides run trips to Cho Oyu?

Climbing The Seven Summits, Adventure Consultants, Summitclimb.