We know we're not the cheapest deal around, and we don't want to be. We spend more providing the best personnel, equipment, logistics and safety measures — things that many lower-cost programs cannot afford and do not have. We don't cut corners. As you shop around, consider the following:

• IMG leaders are professionals and are great teachers as well as strong climbers. All have done numerous high-altitude expeditions, including the Himalaya. Our clients enjoy the immense benefit of a core group that has climbed together extensively, producing a team that knows how to work well together.
  
  
• IMG always complies with all local, state, federal, and international regulations for the countries in which we climb. This includes proper visas and climbing permits, full insurance and equipment for our employees and Sherpa support teams, and complete adherence to all environmental regulations. Our great safety record allows us to operate with full liability insurance. All client funds are deposited in a regulated trust account. We take our business seriously!
  
  
• IMG Base Camp is top-notch, our enthusiastic cooks do a great job, and our menus are well considered. It makes a difference! Some of the amenities we offer include: a shower tent, a separate communications tent, individual tents at base camp, excellent base camp food which often includes fresh baked goods, sushi, and tempura by our trained cooks, western snack food, thick foam pads for sleeping, etc. We feel these small comforts go a long way in making our clients more at home at base camp, and allow them to relax and focus on their climb.
  
  
• IMG itineraries are longer than most others offered on the market, and we allow enough time for a second attempt, if necessary. We know how to acclimatize properly and we don't rush.
  
  
• IMG brings advanced technology to the mountain. All climber/sherpa teams will be issued a VHF walkie-talkie radio. Solar power at Base Camp quietly supports our satellite communications, allowing us to maintain excellent emergency contact capabilities and keep friends and family informed of our progress during the long weeks away from home. IMG will post regular internet dispatches and/or send regular e mail updates to keep friends and families appraised of the climber's progress.
  
  
• IMG provides its state-of-the-art proprietary oxygen system to every summit climber. 1800 liters of oxygen will be placed at Camp 3 for use during the summit bid. Additional oxygen will be available for sleeping at C3 as well as emergency and backup.
  
  
• IMG maintains a full team medical kit at base camp and bring appropriately sized kit up with us to higher camps so we can properly deal with medical situations should they arise. We supply a gamow bag, pulse oximeter, and extra medical oxygen for emergencies.
  
  

The IMG Putha Hiunchuli expedition will be staffed at an approximate ratio of 1:2 between team members and IMG staff climbers/climbing Sherpas. The Sherpas will be deployed differently at different times during the climb for the best advantage of the team. When the climbers are down low, most of the Sherpas will be working on fixing rope, building camps, and carrying loads. As the climbing team moves up for summit bid, most of the Sherpas will be deployed to climb in support of the climbers during the attempt. The IMG western leader may or may not climb with the team, depending on the circumstances.

We also offer a Personal Sherpa and Extra Oxygen Option for an additional cost. We will assign exclusively to you one of our very best Sherpas, who has summitted 8000m peaks many times, been through the Khumbu Sherpa climbing school, and who speaks English well. As a small, two-person team, you will be able to take advantage of the "best of both worlds" with all the "horsepower" of the main IMG team at your disposal in case of emergency, but also having the additional flexibility afforded by a climbing partner who is committed to climbing exclusively on your own schedule, when you want to. Your personal sherpa will also be available to help carry your personal gear and extra oxygen.

You need to have solid cramponing skills, good common sense and the ability to learn and adapt. Putha Hiunchuli is usually climbed un-roped, so it is common for climbers to move together but at the same time be semi-independent on the mountain between camps. We will provide a VHF walkie-talkie to all climbers so they can stay in contact. The IMG staff will be available for consultation in all aspects of the expedition and will be climbing with you, but this is not a guided climb in the classic sense where everyone is roped together. Prospective climbers must be competent and capable of climbing without direct supervision.

The equipment list is meant to help you compile your personal gear for a high altitude climbing and trekking trip. Most items are required, while a few are optional. Please consider each item carefully and be sure you understand the function of each piece of equipment before you substitute or delete items from your duffle. Keep in mind that this list has been carefully compiled by Eric Simonson, the expedition organizer. Don't cut corners on the quality of your gear.

We usually carry a daypack/rucksack as carry-on luggage and check two lockable bags. One of those bags can stay at the hotel while climbing for storage of your travel clothes (it is OK to leave a bag with wheels at the hotel). The other bag will be used by the porters to carry your gear on the climb, and it should NOT have wheels. It does not have to be 100% waterproof, just stout nylon fabric is fine. You will want to put everything in plastic bags anyway, inside the duffel.

We suggest that you use a travel wallet that you can hang around your neck and place inside your shirt. This is a safer way to carry your money and travel documents. Leave expensive jewelry and watches at home. Experienced travelers will also carry a couple of extra passport photos with them as well as a photocopy of the first pages of your passport. These should be carried in a place separate from your passport. Having these available will greatly facilitate the replacement of your passport if you lose it. Carry a pen with you for completing travel forms. Get to the airport early and make sure your luggage gets checked through to the correct destination.

The Sherpas will carry a reasonable amount of your personal gear for you up to the camps. For example — your sleeping bag, down suit, extra high altitude gear, some food and snacks, etc. You should not have to carry a big load at any time on the trip — we want you to be able to move at a reasonable speed. You will need to carry with you the things you require during the day: clothes, snacks, water, camera, etc.

All meals on the climb and treks are included. You will be responsible for your bottled drinks and alcoholic beverages. You may want to bring powdered drink mixes for flavor in your water bottles. We recommend you bring 5 pounds of your favorite trail and snack foods for high altitude. There is a grocery store in Kathmandu near the hotel which has many snack items available (candy, crackers, nuts, etc). Not available in Kathmandu are things like Power Bars, Gu, or electrolyte replacement drink mix.

International Mountain Guides has worked for many years with the staff at CTT Destinations to provide professional travel service for participants in our programs. For help with your plans, we urge you to contact Pirjo DeHart at CTT Destinations: 425-831-0367 or pirjo.dehart@cttdestinations.com

We invest in insurance coverage for commercial liability and medical and disability insurance for our employees and Sherpas while participating on our programs. We cannot insure you for your personal needs, but we do expect you to be as fiscally responsible as we are. We require that you insure yourself against potentially expensive difficulties that may arise. First, Trip Cancellation Insurance may provide financial relief should you be forced to withdraw from the program before it even happens. Next, make sure you have adequate Travel Insurance for coverage should you have a problem during the trip. Medical care and evacuation in remote locations can be expensive. For more information, please see our page on Trip Cancellation and Travel Insurance.

If you need assistance with the various insurance options, give Becky Kjorvestad a call in the IMG Office (360-569-2609) or email becky.kjorvestad@mountainguides.com

Note on end dates: Climbers, please extend your policy 7 days after the trip end-date to to allow for any delays.

Your passport must be valid for 6 months after the trip and have empty pages. Advanced visas are not required for entry into Nepal. We will simply get our visa on arrival at the airport in Kathmandu, where you purchase a 90-day Nepal tourist visa (bring $100 plus a 2" x 2" passport photo).

We suggest that you leave these items with our staff in Kathmandu, so it is easy for them to change your tickets or extend your visa for you while you are climbing.

Costs Included in Trip Fee:

• All airport transfers in Kathmandu before and after the climb
• Lodging on double occupancy basis
• Hotels with breakfast in Kathmandu for stated itinerary at beginning of expedition
• Welcome dinner
• All meals Kathmandu to Kathmandu
• Domestic Nepal flights
• Park fees, permits, liaison officer
• Sherpa guides, Sherpa climbers and cook staff
• Camp equipment including sleeping tents
• Dining facilities
• Cooking gear and fuel
• VHF radio and satellite communications systems
• Climbing route equipment
• First aid kit, hyperbaric (gamow) bag and emergency medical oxygen
• Climbing oxygen for summit day

Costs not included in trip fee:

• Costs not included in trip fee:
• International round-trip air fare and travel expenses to/from Kathmandu
• Single supplement accommodations in hotels
• Hotels and meals upon arrival back in Kathmandu AFTER the trip are not covered (we will make a hotel Reservation for you in Kathmandu and will cover the cost of your transfer to the Kathmandu airport
• Personal gear
• Excess baggage charges
• Airport taxes and visas
• Sherpa tip pool
• Satellite telephone charges
• Personal sundries and beverages
• Costs incurred as a result of delays or events beyond the control of IMG
• Required Travel Insurance
• Customary but optional tips for the guides and Nepal staff

EXTRA MONEY TO BRING: As soon as you get to Kathmandu you will need your $100 Nepal visa fee, and then at the hotel we will collect your Sherpa tip pool contribution.

In addition to the tip pool and visa, we suggest $1500 more, plus a credit card. Better to have extra cash money and not need it than to need it and not have it! For your cash, bring new style bills (with the big faces) including some $10's and $20's. You can get a limited number of rupees each day in Kathmandu at a cash machine with your credit card, but you won't get dollars. You can change cash money into rupees at the hotel, and there are numerous money changer shops nearby.

We will collect for a tip pool and ask the team members to please contribute $500. We will collect this in Kathmandu and distribute this on behalf of the team as a thank you gift to the many unsung people that make the whole operation run smoothly: the porters, trek staff, cooks and helpers, hotel staff, Kathmandu staff, climbing sherpas, and others. You may also wish to provide additional tip to your guides (figure 5% if you are looking for a generous number).

NOTE: everybody checks your money for counterfeit and no one takes old bills (bring NEW style US$ bills, not old style). Merchants will often try to give you ripped bills (rupees) for change. Tell them you want an un-ripped one, otherwise you'll never be able to spend it. You will probably want to change $100 into rupees (get small bills) for spending in Kathmandu for food and gifts. It is difficult or impossible to get more money once the trip starts. Bring the rest of the money with you in case of emergency. If you have extra left over rupees at the end of the trip that are unspent, change them back before you leave Nepal, otherwise you will not be able to change them once you leave the country.

You will probably also want to bring a credit card too, but remember that you will likely get hit by your bank with 3% fees on foreign credit card purchases. If you plan to use your credit card, you should call your bank and let them know you will be traveling abroad, otherwise using it might trigger a fraud alert on your account which results in your card getting turned off.

We take great pride in the long term relationships we have built with our local staff. They do a great job, we pay and tip them well, and they enjoy working for IMG. We make sure that the IMG porters have adequate clothing, equipment, shelter, sleeping arrangements, food, cooking equipment and water. Sick or injured porters are properly cared for. All loads are weighed to ensure that porters are carrying loads that don't exceed their physical ability or legal limits. Porters are paid a fair wage for their work and are paid tip money directly from the tip pool at the end of the expedition (no middleman taking a cut).

IMG is committed to Leave No Trace. All human waste is properly disposed of and garbage is sorted into burnable and recyclables (taken back to Kathmandu). All gas cylinders are taken back to Nepal and recycled, and all oxygen cylinders are returned to the USA.

• Tetanus-Diphtheria - You should already have. Do you need a booster?
• Polio - You should already have. Do you need a booster?
• MMR - You should already have. Do you need a booster?
• Meningitis - Recommended. Consult your physician.
• Hepatitis A - Recommended. Consult your physician.
• Hepatitis B - Not a bad idea. Ask your physician.
• Cholera - Ask your physician. Not usually recommended any more.
• Typhoid - Not a bad idea to be safe. The tablet form, Vivotif Berna, is good for five years.
• Rabies - The new vaccine is easy. Rabid animals are occasionally encountered in Nepal.
• Malaria - Not necessary unless you plan on traveling, for example, to certain parts of Thailand before/after the trip... then malaria chemoprophylaxis is recommended.

We recommend that you visit the travel clinic at a major University Hospital or your local Public Health Department for the most up to date info on travel requirements, or check the Center for Disease Control Website at www.cdc.gov.

Our first priority is always going to be supporting our fellow IMG climbers. We are also willing to assist with other teams that need help with rescue, but this will take second priority to our IMG climbers. The cost of a helicopter evacuation depends on the type of helicopter involved, the amount of flight time, and the number of landings. We REQUIRE that everyone carry a rescue insurance policy that will as a minimum cover $10,000. You will need either cash or a Visa/Mastercard with sufficient credit available (not American Express) since you may need to guarantee the charge on your credit card and then seek reimbursement from your insurance company.

While it's always nice to have a doctor as a participant on our trips, we cannot guarantee a doctor's presence. We ask that you carefully complete the Medical Information form included in the registration materials. We need to be informed of any allergies you may have, medicines you are currently taking and any medical conditions that could possibly effect your ability to safely participate on a climbing expedition.

In addition to the first aid items listed on the equipment list, there are a few additional medications that you should consider. These should be discussed with your personal physician and some will require a prescription. We want everyone to bring two regimens of the antibiotic azithromycin ("Z-Pak") and some Immodium in case of bad traveler's diarrhea. A sleeping medication can be useful for napping on the international flights and for the first few days in Nepal (due to the big time change). We do not recommend the automatic use of Diamox while climbing but you might find a small dose (125mg) useful if altitude sickness symptoms appear. Discuss this and your other medication requirements with your physician. Any medication should be used only if necessary and use should be discussed thoroughly with your physician and with your guide before you take the medication.

Water purification is also very important. An effective and inexpensive method is the use of iodine crystals or tablets. These are available commercially at mountaineering stores as a product called 'Polar Pure' or 'Potable Agua'. Filters, such as the ones made by MSR, are also good. Either can be used or both can be used in combination. On the trek our recommendation is to plan on treating your water bottle water with an iodine tablet (Potable Aqua) or other purification method. You can buy bottled water in Kathmandu, but we do not encourage you to buy bottled water on the trek since the bottles are garbage and constitute an environmental issue. If you want to buy boiled water at the lodges for your water bottles, you should bring some extra money. We also recommend that each participant bring a small bottle of a hand disinfectant such as Purell. Anything that we can do to stay healthy is worthwhile. Health issues will be discussed during the expedition and we encourage you to contact us if you have any questions before or during the trip.

Our IMG guides are very experienced with dealing with altitude illness, but we are not allowed to provide prescription drugs to our customers. For this reason we ask each climber to consult with their own physician and to bring their own emergency medications to use (while descending!) in case of onset of high altitude pulmonary or cerebral edema symptoms. These include Nifedipine and Dexamethasome, which will help to "buy some time" to get down to a lower altitude. The Nifedipine is useful for pulmonary edema (take one 30mg sustained release tablet every twelve hours) and the Dexamethasome is useful for cerebral edema (take one 4mg tablet every 6 hours). Our suggestion is that climbers each bring a few tablets of each medication (2 tabs of Nifedipine and 4 tabs of Dex is plenty) and that should be sufficient to provide one day of treatment so the patient can get down, if they start to get sick. For more information see this recent article in WILDERNESS & ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, 21, 146-155 (2010).