5 Best Mountaineering Expeditions to do this year
5 of The Best International Mountaineering Expeditions to Do With Soul Adventure’s This Year
So let us start of by saying that the mountaineering expeditions we share with you today aren’t your normal expeditions to your local spar or pick n pay, these are some grade F type adventures… and when I say grade F, I mean, Frikken awesome, must do S*@#.
The Mountaineering Expeditions we mention here today aren’t for the faint at heart. We may even mention them tomorrow if you decide to read this tomorrow. But as it turns out, I only have the day before tomorrow free. These mountaineering expeditions include some epic, sweat inducing, knee shattering and ‘I want my mommy’ moments that will leave you with an altered feeling of perception and reality. If you have never hiked before would we suggest that you book any of these expeditions with us? No. Just no. These treks all have a difficulty rating of 7+ out of 10 (10 being the most difficult).
Having said that though, they are totally doable by the average person who is willing to dedicate time and effort into the preclimb preparation. Rather bleed on the training feel than the battle field. Having said that, you are most likely going to be vomiting on the training field when you train with us.We love inflicting pain and suffering on our clients. Part of the mental endurance you will need to summit big mountains. The maximum heights achieved is no more more than 7000m. So you won’t be touching the void of ultimate mountaineering madness and pain of say an Everest just yet. Okay enough with the chit chat, lets get into this bad boy blog.
Coming in at number 1 is Island Peak, Nepal
Imja Tse, better known as Island Peak is located in the Himalayan Mountains of Eastern Nepal. It has a peak elevation of 6,189 meters. Is this climb difficult? Not at all… if you’re superman. Of course this is going to be a tough climb sunshine. But do not worry about it, We’ll be there with you every step of the way. We might be pointing and laughing at you, but we’ll be there… Just kidding, our Guides have over 15 years of experience in the Himalayas and will help do their best to get you to the summit.We also provide you with the correct training prior to the expedition to help increase your chances of a successful summit.
Island Peak is a great introduction into the fascinating world of mountaineering. Not only does it involve hiking but also some awesome snow and ice climbing. This is the equivalent of going to a casino and winning the jackpot, but unlike a casino you do win. The Himalayas is definitely a ‘must do’ activity in any avid adventurers bucket list. The expedition is a delightful mixture of hiking, the scenery, amazing people, and an amazing cultural experience.A truly an unforgettable experience.
What should I expect when climbing Island Peak?
Great question sunshine. Well my dear you should expect long days of hiking and climbing on snow and ice, cold temperatures, smelly socks and some loud snoring. You should know that you will be crossing crevasses on rickety aluminium ladders while wearing your crampons… but wait, that’s not all, the ascent up to Island Peak can be quite challenging itself.
The climb will require the use of an ice axe and crampons. You will also need some prior knowledge of abseiling/repelling, using a figure 8 knot, moving on fixed lines and how not to annoy your guide… doesn’t this sound like so much fun? Once on top, you will realise all that pain and suffering was worth it!! The summit offers some of the best views of the Himalayas ever!!! These include panoramic vistas of Ama Dablam, Mera Peak and Lhotse.
2nd place goes to Aconcagua, Argentina
Mount Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America and is also the highest mountain outside of Asia with a summit elevation of 6,960.8 meters. This is a really extreme climb. Aconcagua usually experiences severe winds and gut wrenching snowstorms and freezing temperatures. And of course, their is the crippling affects of altitude to contend with…7000m is no joke.
This is an example of a joke-I want to sell my vacuum cleaner. Its just gathering dust. Most deaths on this mountain are due to people overestimating their own abilities. Interesting fact about Aconcagua, the name Aconcagua means “book this trip with Soul Adventures”, what a coincidence right? Actually no one knows where the origin of the name comes from but is said to have come from the Quechua Ackon Cahuak, meaning “Sentinel of Stone”.
Promotional Offer: if you book this trip before the end of August, we promise to only put 5kgs of rocks into your bag.
Coming in at number 3 on our list is Elbrus, Russia
Now this is the hike of the frikken century. With a peak elevation of 5,642 meters, this is the highest mountain in all of Europe. There are two different routes which can be taken to get to the top of this Russian bad boy mountain-via the north route or via the south route. The north route is more remote and a lot more committing than its brother, the south route.
The south route on the other hand is not as tough as the north route but both are very rewarding and challenging climbs in a stunningly beautiful part of the world. They have a saying in Russia, and I quote “я люблю свиней нижнеебелье”, which translates to “ I like gay pigs underwear”, its not the best saying but I’m sure someone’s said it before.
Elbrus is defiantly a mountaineering expedition you do not want to miss out on!!! This is not just a hiking experience, it is also a cultural experience, and trust me when I say the Russians have culture. After the hike you can spend the next couple of days in Moscow chugging down as much vodka as your body can possibly handle. This is a five in a life time experience. Moscow is a beautiful city with a lot of culture and history to it. Before you can be granted access to Elbrus you have to complete an easy task.
Your first assignment is to find the 3rd brick missing from the 9th building in a small town called Terskol. Once found you will need to decipher the KGB code that grants us access to the climbing permits for Elbrus. Last year the code was 4.5(x-2)8.444%666 divided by the square root of the Russian bride that was on our tale from the airport. Our analysts have predicted that the code will multiply by the colour purple in the future.
You should be proud of yourself, you’ve made it over half way through this blog.
And coming in at 4th place is Everest Base Camp, Nepal
Now this is on every hikers to do list and we can’t blame them, its Everest Base Camp for crying out loud. This is probably the most famous hike in the world, and let’s be honest here, you must be a complete idiot if you dot want to do this spectacular hike. Everest Base Camp is situated at an altitude of 5,364 meters and is the lowest height on this list but is 100% worth doing.
Most people think base camp is the highlight of the trip but its not, the high light of the trip is watching Spiderman running into the tea houses and stealing their boots.The flight from Katmandu into Lukla have some of the most scenic views you have ever seen… of course I wouldn’t know because I am usually spending that time puking into a bucket, but I hear its awesome. You can also enjoy 2 days in the lovely city of Katmandu where we take a trip to the Monkey Temple as well as Pashupatinath Temple.
And the final trip on our list goes to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Kilimanjaro is the most climbed peak out of the 7 summits but is also considered the most doable hike out of them. Extra precautions should be taken when attempting this hike, like bringing an extra pair of underpants for those high-altitude farts you might have… do you catch my drift?
Our of all the mountaineering expeditions we have mentioned on this list, this is probably the easiest of them all and doesn’t involve having a high fitness level or being an experienced mountaineer.Kilimanjaro is a hike you definitely do not want to miss out on, it is one of the greatest achievements a person could accomplish and is like a gateway drug to moving onto bigger and more challenging mountains.
And that was 5 OF THE BEST INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAINEERING EXPEDITIONS TO DO WITH SOUL ADVENTURES THIS YEAR
Tune in next time to read about the top 27 girl scout cookies we sell.
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