Mera Peak

Wow, Nepal and the Himalayas, are completely stunning worth a trip anytime. But if you wish to feel completely cared for and safe 360 expeditions. Is the way ahead. It will be hard, the weather maybe against you. You may be in the dumps but you will find out what your capabilities are and the trip. You will laugh cry and enjoy every minute of it. 360 expeditions have the best European guides, backed up by fantastic local guides who are with out doubt second to none. If I could I would do it again.

You don’t know the strength of a company or confirmation of what they ‘Say ‘ they will do , until it actually really happens to you , not from a want of trying , I learned my life lesson on Mera , about adventure, the real meaning of being an adventurer , it’s not about the summit , it’s the journey , know your limits , it is what it is !!! I wish , pretty much everyday that I could have summited Mera , however life carries on just the same , I got rescued off Mera , totally cared for , flown home and very grateful to the wonderful service the 360 team said they would do , I have always promoted this company to people I know and I hope this will reassure you , that they know exactly what they are doing !!!!! Good luck Adventures , your in safe hands

360 Expeditions deliver exceptional adventure experiences. Right from the initial enquiry about the Mera Peak trek we were warmly welcomed. As our first attempt at a Himalayan trekking peak we had many questions, which were quickly answered both via email and also a Skype call with Rolfe. Once booked, unlike feeling like a 'number' with a larger company, we were pleasantly surprised with the number of communications leading up to the trek and we immediately felt part of the 360 family. Upon arriving in Kathmandu we were enthusiastically greeted by the local staff and by Jo, our leader. We were really happy with the accommodation at the well-known Kathmandu Guest House in the centre of Thamel. We met the rest of the expedition team members - a great bunch of like-minded adventurers. Jo quickly built a good team spirit by organising a meal at a local restaurant. She also did a good job at checking our gear to ensure we had the right gear and not too much! The itinerary for the trek towards Mera Peak had been designed to help us acclimatise, and with the extra bonus of avoiding the crowds. Jo and the expedition crew were very caring and helpful. The food and accommodation (tents and tea houses) were really good. Unfortunately for us, due to a number of factors outside 360's control, we had to end our trek early. Due to a mix of altitude sickness and injury my partner and I were medevac'd back to Kathmandu before we were able to complete the expedition. Jo and the 360 team back at HQ were so helpful in making all the necessary arrangements and following up to check that were were OK. We were sorry to have ended the trip early but the upside was that in that short time we had made some long lasting friends who we've kept in touch with ever since. I'd have no hesitation in recommending 360 Expeditions to anyone seeking an adventure with a difference, with highly experienced crew and with a company that really cares. In fact we have since been on another adventure (the Winter Skills Course) with 360 which was an amazing experience.

This was my first trip to the Himalayas and it did not disappoint! Having flown in to Lukla, we took a less direct route to Mera, hiking through the Hinku Valley before joining the main route at Khote. Going this way not only allowed for plenty of natural acclimatisation - climbing high, sleeping low - it was also much quieter, with less people on the trail. We stayed each night in tea houses, some very basic and traditional, others were more modern. All had excellent food - in many we had a menu to choose from for both breakfast and dinner. How they managed to turn out so many different plates of good from such a small kitchen was very impressive! 360 Expeditions were brilliant throughout - pre trip support and advice, our in country guide and our local crew were ever supportive. The biggest bonus of the trip was that when our flight to Lukla was being repeatedly delayed, putting our itinerary at risk even before we started, our local team were able to organise helicopter flights instead (with no additional cost) which ensured we only started half a day behind. In my experience, that's not a level of service you get with many companies. That's one of the reasons I'll always happily use 360 expeditions for expeditions 😊

Great trip, fantastic mix of culture, interesting trekking and real Himalayan mountaineering. Sherpas really look after you and many of them Everest regulars! 360 obviously well respected in the area with loads of experience. Nice to finish with time to explore Katmandu as well. Throughly recommended.

What makes a great travel company and is 360 Expeditions one of them? I have had the pleasure of using a fair few companies to ship my Yorkshire butt up a hill or two around this planet over the last 20 years. For me the experience of most expeditions starts the day you seriously send that first email with an enquiry about a trip or date. 360 Expeditions backroom team are excellent, quick, efficient, informative, experienced and for me a really important quality is approachable, fun and ultra professional. This sets the tone of the trip, they get back within hours, with the information you asked for, giving you confidence that when you really need them, they will be there for you. Let's be fair, if a company cannot be organised 6 months out in an office with warm coffee and biscuits, do you really think they will do well when nature decides to have some fun with your plans at 5000m? I have been fortunate enough to have used 360 Expeditions on my last 3 trips. Everest Base Camp, Mera Peak and recently Stok Kangri. Rolfe Oostra has been my guide on all of them, he has been more than just the owner of 360 Expeditions, he has also been my guide, confidant, medic, card teacher, drinking partner and that friend you see every few years and look forward to seeing again the moment you have parted company with them at the airport. The first thing you realise is the amount of respect 360 Expeditions have for the most important people on any of their trips to the bigger hills, their Sherpas. The quality of Sherpa 360 employ, means that even before you have taken your first real steps, you have the confidence that you are in very safe hands. Couple this with the organisational skills, the hygiene protocols, the seamless way kit is taken and reappears in a timely manner 10 days later at crampon point, the communication back up, briefings made informative, relevant and fun and a host of other features nearly too many to mention, well, you get the picture. 360 Expeditions do all these things incredibly well, to the point that most clients will simply take them for granted, I can assure you, this is not the norm. As a Diving Instructor of 25 years, I have organised many trips for large numbers of people in challenging circumstances around the world. Maybe this is why I appreciate just how good 360 Expeditions are at not only doing the basics exceptionally well, but recognising how they can go the extra mile for their clients in the areas that really matter. Remember you only get to see how good a company is when nature has thrown the "proverbial" at the fan. So all the above is what makes an adventure company great, remember the views are always the same irrespective of the company? How you get to experience them views, is what makes the real difference. So I could not recommend 360 Expeditions more highly. Naturally as a Yorkshireman, I asked for a large sum of money to write this, but it appears the cheque has been lost! PS. Food Great. Guides Great. Organisation Great. Clients Great & Views AMAZING, so maybe the views aren't always the same, irrespective of the company? Finally; The Sherpas - Simply the most amazing people in the world, we learn so much from just been in there company. Namaste.

I have been on several expeds with 360 Expeditions, all led by the amazing co-founder Rolfe Oostra. What stands out about 360 Exped's Mera Peak trip (and most I have been on with them) is the intimate size of group (6 of us) and the close level of support provided pre-trek by the 360 team and the in-trek leadership and support of Rolfe and his team. I fell ill with a serious altitude issue at one of the upper camps and had to be helivac'ed back to Kathmandu. At a time when I didn't feel great, the smooth operation that Rolfe put into gear and the regular visits I received from 360's in-country team in hospital whilst the trek team walked out was amazing - a real testimony to a company that does things professionally and doesn't cut corners. Amazing.

5 Star review! I wish that I could give more. This still lives with me 8 years later as the best 3 weeks of my life. I have done 4 expeditions now - 3 with 360 Expeditions and I would not consider any other firm to work with. Firstly its the pre-expedition logistics. I was managed impeccably from Marni and Helen. They did not know me before (even though I had met Rolfe, my guide prior in 2010) but before I went I felt that they knew me very well. Pre expedition training plans, kit advice for a novice and a discounted kit package too. You do not just book and arrive unprepared. I was met by Rolfe - I had met him in 2010 and he was super cool - but he doesnt know it (just google this guys CV!!). He just breathes the mountains. Pre flight prep talks and kit check and we were away to Lukla. If you havent done Lukla before - you need to do Lukla!!! When we arrived we had breakfast and Rolfe arranged his team of Sherpas, Sirdar and Porters. The logistical planning was exceptional - kit split into 2 teams of porters - one going direct to the Mera Base at Khare and the remainder was carried with us through the Hinku Valley as we prepared for the change in altitude, slowly and deliberately gaining fitness too. Food was incredible ! On another trip I lived on porridge, eggs and Dal Bhat. With 360 Expeditions I was getting salads, toasted sandwiches, chicken and chips on one day, soups, dumplings - everything. It amazed me that we were eating a picnic by a waterfall and then it would just be packed up and moved on. The camp chef would overtake you to ensure you had a nice hot chocolate at the end of the day. The team was close knit - I talk to them all, 8 years later. I knew no one prior, but thats the beauty of expeditions - you are all in the same boat. What I found amazing was how immersed in culture you become - Nepal is the most fascinating place - dont think that you go there for the scenery alone! Above everything else the main difference - the biggest difference and the greatest compliment that i could pay 360 Expeditions was the difference in class in their professionalism. Other teams - supposed big players - rallied around Rolfe for advice. I mean, he had been here several times before. He had contingencies - extra rope (which the big players asked to borrow) and it soon became apparent to our small group that our team got bigger as other companies clients joined us for advice from Rolfe. They didnt feel safe with the others, but they could see the expertise that made them more than a bit jealous. And finally the biggest difference - Rolfe and his team of Sherpas. Fully immersed within our team, highly entertaining and just a little bit crazy at times too. Think Bum slide races! I look back on this trip with agony that I need to do this again - and I will - and I will not shop around for the team to take me. There is only one choice for me, and it should be yours too.