- Program Details
- Date and Price
- Itinerary
- Service Details
- Gallery
About this Expedition
To make a summit to a 5588-meter’s mountain in Minya Konka Range within a week from Chengdu, this expedition provides you opportunity to climb a non-technical 5500+ meters mountain while enjoying a well-paced mountain experience. This Name Feng (Mt. Nama) is a 5588 meters’ mountain west to Mount Gongga and it is located inside the heartland of Gonggashan Region. The approach is around 46km from road head at 2900m and to C1 at 4800m. The nearest town is called Caoke, a hot spring village by the south of the valley, from where it is around 320km drive away from Chengdu. Trips to Name usually takes a week. Climbing season of Nama is usually from May to November. Summit of Name has great views of other big mountains.
Program at a Glance
(optional 2 extra days prior to trip for acclimating is recommended for a higher chance of successful summiting)
Day 01 Arrive at Tsemed Village (Altitude 3400m)
Day 02 Arrive at BC (4050m)
Day 03 Arrive at C1 (4800m)
Day 04 Summit and Return BC (4050m)
Day 05 Return to Tsemed Village (3400m)
Day 06Return to Roadhead and drive back Chengdu
What to Expect
Approaching 46km on foot in 2.5 days.
Climbing in Different Seasons
May is in spring time and may see spring snow. Relatively stable weather but warmer than April.
June to August is the summer time and in July and August has rainfall and relatively unstable weather but also the warmest and most beautiful season. Summer warmth allows climbers to bring less hardcore warm-keeping gears.
September to November is the autumn time of Minya Konka. More stable weather and less rain but still possible of snow.
November to December has the clearest weather but also the coldest. It is actually good season to come if cold weather is not an issue.
Comparing to Other 5000er available in China
Climbing Techniques Breakdown
Long Approach
Total 46 km on foot before arrive the climbing part by C1. This part is broken down into 3 days. It provides time for acclimating as well as the ideas of expeditions that is far and sometimes hard.
Walk on Scree
From C1 and before the ice/snow, the climb is on scree: you will learn how to walk steady on the rocky scree and on steep scree, learn how to cope with psychological pressure.
Climb on Snow/Ice
Above the snow the climb is sometimes on 30-40 degree or steeper of ascending. It requires long hours of ascending on the slope. Techniques of walking on such terrain and try rely less on the rope but rather techniques of your walking. A high endurance is required.
Available Dates 2024:
30 Apr - 05 May;
06 Jun - 11 Jun;
16 Sept - 21 Sept;
02 Oct - 07 Oct;
20 Oct - 25 Oct.
Price:
8800 yuan PP (1 guide works for 2 climbers)
12800 yuan PP (1 guide works for 1 climber)
Upfront Payment 6000yuan, Rest of Payment due 15 Days prior to departure date.
Price Inclusions:
Mountain Guide;
Lodging and Tents at campsites;
Campsite food (B&D): meals above BC are basic mountain food;
Shared climbing gears;
The carrying of 15kg for each before BC;
Climbing Permits;
Logistics and Medical Support;
Necessary transfers as per plan.
Price Exclusions:
Flights/trains, accommodations and meals in Chengdu and other personal expenses;
Lunches;
Personal gears including personal technical gears (including crampons, harness, helmet, climbing boots, ice axe, etc can be arranged);
Horse-riding, personal porter service;
Summit Certificate;
Optional porter service above BC;
Fapiao;
Optional tips to guide and porter.
Cancelation
As costs happen after confirmation, the following refunding policies are applicable when a cancelation happens:
Cancelation 30 days prior to departure date, full refund;
Cancelation 16-30 days prior to departure date, 50% refund;
Cancelation within 15 days prior to departure date, no refund.
01. This is a standard trip to Mt. Nama, however we recommend you to add more time prior to this trip for better acclimating to have usually a higher chance of successful summiting.
02. There could be minor changes of locations for overnight/distance of walking each day given possible changing weather, road/trail conditions, etc.
03. This trip is customizable to better fit your pace.
04. Climbing trips involve uncertainties such as extreme weather, changing trail conditions etc, that may delay or extend your trip. We recommend you to plan extra days for such trips especially when coming to booking departure flights.
Itineraries
Day 01
Chengdu – Caoke – Tsemed Village
Today starts early from Chengdu in the morning and drive via Ya’an and into the mountains at Shimian. The drive will take about 5 hours and you will arrive at Caoke for lunch. After Caoke you will have internet loss and from the road end, you will start to walk. The walking is about 4-5 hours to cover a total of 17km. The latter part of the walking can be replaced by a car ride before arriving in the village. /p>Overnight at Tsemed Village at local GuesthouseElevation Tsemed Village at 3400m
Day 2
Tsemed Village – Nama Feng Base Camp
This is the second day of acclimatization of your expedition to Nama Feng. You will walk from Tsemed Village to Nama Feng Base Camp following the trail from the valley into the forest and will make a stop at Gongga Gompa (Gongga Monastery), where you will have a break before you continue on walking into the bigger valley where you can see Mount Gongga itself. The trail is by the side of a changing stream. You may need to cross the river several times especially during the monsoon seasons. The trail will fade at a spacious prairie where you will set up your base camp. It is by the foot of Mount Gongga at the elevation of 4050m. Total walking for about 6 -7 hours to cover a total of 13km.Overnight campingElevation Base Camp at 4050m
Day 3
Nama Feng Base Camp – Nama Feng Camp 1
Today is another day of acclimatization. You will walk from base camp to camp 1 within a day. The walking is quite short to cover only 5km but it is very steep. The ascent is from 4050m to 4700m. You can have a late start and will still arrive at camp 1 early in the afternoon. You will be able to see Mount Gongga and Nama Feng for today. After arrival at camp 1, you will be guided through the simple course of ascending and descending with Jumar and eight ring, skills on how to use your straight ice axe, helmet, etc. After this, a simple dinner and rest early to prepare for tomorrow.Overnight campingElevation Camp 1 at 4700m
Day 4
Nama Feng Camp 1 – Nama Feng Summit – Nama Feng Base Camp
Today is the day you will make the summit. Get up early by 2.30 in the morning and have a basic breakfast before gear up with your harness, helmet, ice axe and check your necessary personal gears including sunglasses, water bottle, sunproof, crampons and boots. The walk is from 4700 meters to the scree slopes until 5000 meters. This part you will also be guided so you can rest assured that the walking is on safe ground. After the screes it is the snow part where you will wear your crampons and start to use your harness. The walking on the snow will start by a steep ascent for about 150 meters and after that it is less steep where you will be walking by yourself. Normally it is by 10.00 that you should finish your walking up and start to go back. Normally the summit takes about 6 hours. The walking down also needs to be careful while passing the steep icy part. After coming back to Camp 1, rest and repack and go down to base camp. Today the total walking is about 10-12 hours.Trekking 11km/ 7-8 hoursOvernight in hut or camping
Day 5
Nama Feng Base Camp – Tsemed Village
Today is a leisure day walking back to Tsemed Village from Nama Feng Base Camp. It is normally done in a faster pace as it is going down. While passing Gongga Gompa, you can go inside to have a look if it is available. Arrive in Tsemed Village and rest, repack.Overnight at Tsemed Village at local GuesthouseElevation Tsemed Village at 3400m
Day 6
Tsemed Village – Caoke – Chengdu
Today you will start by a car ride to Bawang Lake and from there to walk the 7km part of trail to catch your car at the road end and drive all the way back to Chengdu.
Service Details
Service-Oriented Expeditions:
Most comfortable possible BC;
Detailed expedition briefing;
Light-packing while the heavy gears are taken care by the packhorses;
High-quality gears;
Separate Kitchen by BC, clean drinking water;
Variety of food choices provided by experienced outdoor chef;
Well-experienced Mountain Guides:
Years of training and climbing;
Guides have done this climb many times and have the knowledge about the climb;
Guide knows the risks and the counter-measures;
All guides have AHA certificate;
Safety is Everything:
a.Most sufficient possible acclimating as shown in the program;
b.Well-equipped communication gear including satellite phone and radios;
c.Medical support including oxygon;
d.First response system
Before Signing Up
a. Exprience of former treks, climbs at high altitude including at least one trip to above 4000m that requires long hours of trekking, or experience of climbing on snow & ice, rope-involved climbs.
b. More climbing techniques or ice-climbing experiences will help a successful summit to Mt. Name but these are not mandatory.
c. A form will be sent to you for personal experience checking and assessment according to each individual based on your experience etc.
d. If you are not sure about if you are up to this trip, please send your inquiry.
e. A healthy physical condition is required before sign up. You are not opt to sign up such trip if you have any major ailments, cardiovascular disease; heart cerebrovascular disease; cardio-cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, cardiac disease, etc, any former surgeries shall be made known to us. Consult your doctor before sign up for such trip.
f. Advices given by your guide is crucial. There are unpredictables in a climbing trip, signing up on such trip may expect minor or even major changes of plan. Safety is the first priority under any circumstances. All mountain guides are working under safety guidelines in a climbing trip. Any injuries or death caused by factors out of our control or by your own activity against our suggestion, will be on your own responsibility.
g. Please care nature and take your trash with you all the time, don’t harm plants and animals;
h. Please give care to the gears provided.
Expeditions Risks
By Signing up to this trip, you understand and accept the risks below:
1. Expedition such as this, requires certain level of physical performance and has risks from nature, your own activity under certain circumstances, your master on using of gears, performance of your own personal gears, terrain, weather, etc
2. We have insurance purchased for each climber. Any accident or incident that will require compensation will be done via insurance.
3. We are not responsible for results caused by your acting against our advices.
Suggested Personal Gears
Shared gears will be provided including whole set for BC, ropes, etc
Personal gears need to be prepared by yourself:
Personal technical gears: Climbing boots, crampons, ice axe(ice tool), helmet, harness, carabiners and locking carabiners, ascender and descender, belay devices, sling (renting available, around 500/P)
Personal gears: Duffel bag, 20L-30L summit pack, approaching boots, heavy down jacket (200g and above), fleece jacket and pants, wind-breaker jacket and pants, quick-dry underwears, hats and warm-keeping hats, socks and warm socks, gloves and warm/water-resilient gloves, headtorch, sunglasses, thermal/water bottle, lip oil, sun cream, gaiters, sleeping bag (comfort temp -15, mat), walking poles, personal utensils and toiletories, personal high-energy snacks for lunches,.
If you are not sure about your list of packing, please send your inquiry.
