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Mount Everest South Flash

In just 3 weeks to the top of the highest mountain of the world.

From Home to Everest in only 3 weeks? Furtenbach Adventures makes it possible.
Acclimatization for this expedition is already done at home. While a traditional Everest expedition takes two months, our Flash Expedition saves time and additionally increases safety and chances of success. (3 weeks only)

Our Flash Expeditions will fundamentally change the world of high-altitude mountaineering! The high risk of illness due to infections caught in basecamp is minimized as less time is spent in basecamp. Further, acclimatization is already done at home and on Island Peak, which saves us all of the acclimatization rotations on Everest. This results in the Flash expedition being more energy saving and therefore much safer due to fitter participants and fewer traverses of the Khumbu Icefall.

To maximise chances of success, the participants of the expedition sleep in a hypoxia tent for 6-8 weeks before the start of the journey, in which the body is getting acclimatized to an altitude equivalent of 7000m.

Furtenbach Adventures has more than 15 years experience in the use of hypoxia systems for pre-acclimatization in high-altitude mountaineering. The first ‘Flash’ expedition was carried out in 2016, during which all participants were preacclimatized in hypoxia tents. Once in the Himalayas participants are acclimatized within a very short time and have a much higher efficency – Ready for the summit ascent! Our Flash Expeditions in 2018 and 2019 were carried out on the Everest North side with 100% success. And this formula for succes is now transfered to the south side as well.

This innovative pre-acclimatization, combined with a small group, maximum oxygen support, best equipment and an experienced team makes the Flash Expedition so successful and allows an ascent within only 3 weeks.
Furtenbach Adventures is the only tour operator achieving such a short expedition duration besides minimising risk. Through our state-of-the-art expedition preparation we change the world of high-altitude mountaineering.

The Everest Flash Expedition is now also offered on the south side at the same time as Evererst North Flash Expedition. For preparation and acclimatization purposes the participants summit Island Peak (6189m) before reaching Mount Everest basecamp. The sherpas set up the high camps and oxygen depots in advance. As soon as the weather window fits, the summit ascent can begin.

Summit Oxygen is the latest, lightest and most reliable oxygen system. Our participants recieve special regulators that were developed just for us and deliver more oxygen than conventional regulators. This alows flow rates up to 8L / minute. Oxygen is available to all participants from Camp 2 (6400m).

The entire oxygen system is carried completley redudantly for each participant and deposited on the mountain. For each participants we hire at least 2 Sherpas, in order to be able to compensate defaults and transport the high amount of oxygen.

Check out our overview page to see which options we offer on Everest.

Adventure Factor brave
Experience / Emotion lifechanging
Fitness / Struggle challenging
Risk the height
Comfort luxury basecamp

Highlights:

  • Reduced expedition duration (3 weeks only) due to pre-acclimatization
  • Permit for six-thousand metre peaks for acclimatisation incl. helicopter shuttle to the mountain
  • 2:1 Sherpa client ratio on summit day
  • Unlimited oxygen* for each climber
  • Spare oxygen system for each climber
  • IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide
  • Small group size for increased safety and higher success rate
  • The Everest Flash expedition is exclusively available from Furtenbach Adventures. No other operator offers it in 3 weeks.
  • Success rate 2017: 100%
  • Success rate Everest Flash 2018: 100%, 21 days from home to summit!
  • Success rate Everest Flash 2019: 100%, 28 days from home to summit!
  • 2020 expedition cancelled because of COVID
  • 2021 expedition cancelled because of COVID
  • Success rate Everest Flash 2022: 100%, 16 days from Kathmandu to summit! + first CO2 negative expedition in history – more about our sustainable expedition

Here you can read exiciting and interesting facts about our Everest Flash 2019!

Trip dates:

Booking code:-
Minimum members:-
Price per person: 0

Registration for the Everest Flash expedition is subject to a personal consultation.

Preparation:

Preparation is key for an Everest expedition to be carried out in such a short timeframe. This starts with an individual consultation, where targets and training schedules are determined. Each team member must have comprehensive high-altitude mountain experience. Intense physical fitness and mental resilience training must be carried out in the months leading up to the expedition.

Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of careful acclimatization. This will take place at your home using hypoxic tents: every climber will receive an individual training schedule and will be acclimatized over a period of 8 weeks up to an altitude of approx. 7,000 meters. This means that most of the on-mountain acclimatization which carries risk and is exhausting can be skipped and the total duration of the expedition can be brought down to 3 weeks.

If you have any questions, read our FAQs or contact us directly.

The following schedule is planned:

The exact itinerary on Mount Everest is subject to changes in official regulations, weather and snow conditions, as well as the progress of line fixing along the route. The actual itinerary may differ. Schedules of other groups are also taken into account in order to avoid any potential bottlenecks.

In addition to that service which we provide, such as oxygen, Sherpa support, base camp set-up, route selection, high camp set-up etc., a successful ascent also involves a great portion of luck, good weather, and good physical and mental strength on the part of the climbers.

We allow for maximum flexibility so that the expedition can be extended should circumstances require it, as long as participants wish to do so and are prepared to bear any additional costs incurred.

Day 1-8: Kathmandu and journey to Everest Basecamp

Day 1: Arrival and get-together at the hotel in Kathmandu.
Meet and greet the other climbers while enjoying a beer in the hotel gardens. A great adventure awaits us, and our journey is soon to begin. You can feel the anticipation, excitement and joy.

Day 2: Helicopter flight to Syangboche above Namche and overnight stay in nearby Khumjung at app. 3750m. During the flight we are surrounded by the impressive rocky mountains of the Himalaya.

Day 3-8: Acclimatization at Island Peak and / or Lobuche or Mera Peak. Acclimatization peak to be selected according to the local circumstances. Trekking to and ascent of the chosen mountain.

Day 9-21: Mount Everest Base Camp and summit attempt

Day 9: Trek to Everest Base Camp (5330m), from where we will prepare and plan the ascent of Mount Everest.

Day 10-21: Within these days we will reach the summit of Mount Everest. The advantage is that we have only have to climb through the Khumbu Icefall once during the ascent and descent, as we already have acclimatized to a six-thousand metre peak and therefore do not need any further acclimatization rotations. We wait for the right weather window for our first summit attempt. We skip Camp 1 , so we need 4 days for the ascent and two days for the descent. From Camp 2 (6400m) we have Oxygen at our disposal. In Camp 3 (7160m) and 4 (8000m) we can also sleep with oxygen.  There is enough time for rest days and a second summit attempt.

Return journey and flight home

check_circle_outline  Included:

  • All expedition organization costs
  • IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide
  • 3 nights in an upscale hotel in Kathmandu in a twin room (single room supplement)
  • All transfers including transport from Kathmandu – Everest BC – Kathmandu (flights, all-terrain vehicles)
  • Permit for six-thousand metre peaks for acclimatisation incl. helicopter shuttle to the mountain
  • Full board for the duration of the trip (except in Kathmandu — breakfast and dinner only)
  • All drinks included (softdrinks & alcoholic beverages)
  • Twin room for stop-overs on way to base camp
  • Baggage transport to base camp and back (max 40kg baggage per person)
  • 1 two-roomed tent with bed at base camp per person
  • Sleeping mat for advanced base camp
  • High camp equipment (tents, cooker, gas, crockery, food)
  • All safety equipment for the route
  • Use of fixed ropes along the route
  • Waste transport away from base camp
  • 2 climbing sherpas per participant
  • replacement oxygen system up to the summit
  • Hypoxic tent and generator for up to 8 weeks prior to expedition
  • Insurance and equipment for Nepalese staff
  • Emergency medical oxygen
  • First aid kit, high altitude emergency medicine, pulsoxymeter
  • Kitchen crew
  • Comfortable, heated group tent, shower tent, etc. at base camp
  • Satellite communication and WIFI for a fee and depending on availability
  • Solar charging
  • Two-way radio for each climber
  • All summit fees & permits
  • Weather updates
  • Safety and assurance of an Austrian tour operator

help_outline  Optional:

  • Single room supplement: € 700

highlight_off  Not included:

  • International Flight to/from Kathmandu (We’ll gladly make you an offer)
  • Lunches in Kathmandu
  • Excess baggage fees on included flights
  • Personal insurance
  • Visa for Nepal
  • Shipping costs for hypoxic tent and generator outside of the EU
  • Personal medications
  • Tips
  • Personal mountain and climbing equipment
  • Sleeping bag for base camp and high camps
  • Fees for satellite phones, emails
  • 2 x Summit bonus for personal climbing Sherpas
  • All services not specifically mentioned in “What the price includes”

About the Furtenbach Adventures Everest Expeditionen

We run a unique style of Everest expedition with maximum oxygen and Sherpa support to achieve the highest level of safety and highest chances of success. The exclusive nature of Furtenbach Adventures makes our expeditions stand out from the rest – maybe even a bit better.

  • We benefit from 20 years of experience in organizing expeditions to eight-thousand-meter peaks in the Himalaya and Karakoram mountain ranges.
  • We employ experienced, state-certified (IFMGA/AMGA) mountain guides, together with a team of proven Everest Sherpas.
  • Our climbing Sherpas have summitted Everest multiple times over and are highly skilled at knowing exactly how they can best support our climbers during their summit attempt.
  • In contrast to many other tour operators, we provide the most advanced, most reliable and easiest oxygen system available on the market, from Summit Oxygen.
  • We provide unlimited oxygen* to each of our climbers with regulators that are specially designed for us. This means our clients can breathe at a higher flow rate while climbing and can sleep using oxygen from Camp 3 (7160m), thereby conserving energy.
  • Our climbers are better acclimatized by the time they arrive because they have already started their acclimatization process at home, 6-8 weeks prior to the start of the expedition. All high-altitude generator equipment is delivered to your home and collected when training is completed and includes a training plan and expert supervision. We take care of everything.
  • We provide one of the most comfortable base camp facilities ever to be seen on Everest.
  • The food that our kitchen teams produce is outstanding, turned out from a base camp kitchen on a glacial moraine at the ends of the Earth

 Classic Everest Expedition on the Northside or the Southside

Mount Everest Flash 2019, Hakan B.

Furtenbach Adventures offers a unique mountaineering experience by perfectly combining safety, comfort, and technology. I was thrilled to join the Flash Expedition team led by Lukas Furtenbach in May 2019. His leadership, top professional guides and a team of incredible Sherpas have helped us reach the summit on time and return safely to the basecamp during a season of very challenging conditions. The organization utilized technology in the best way possible. More importantly, safety was the top priority in every single moment of the expedition. Oxygen tanks are the most crucial units on Mount Everest and thanks to the dedication of the Sherpas, there were plenty of tanks for everyone along the way – up to the summit. I slept in an altitude tent for 2 months ahead of the expedition to get acclimatized for the mountain. The tent simulates higher altitudes by reducing the amount of oxygen which causes an almost impossible environment to sleep in. However, acclimatizing for two months allowed our team to reach the summit in a much shorter time. Thank you, Lukas and the team for your incredible efforts. Highly recommended for this once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Mount Everest Flash 2019, Gabriel P.

It has been a 5-week wonderful adventure on this superb and historical Everest north-east ridge. Views are amazing and climbing is of high interest on that route. A precise and secure organization is a key success factor in such an environnement and Lukas and the whole Furtenbach team are doing amazingly well at that exercise. Great memories!


Mount Everest Flash 2019, Marc-Antoine L.

Perfect organization. Safest way to climb up to the summit and come back down, safe. 2 experienced sherpas/climber + lot’s of oxygen for the summit day are key. Every possible detail is being thought off to make the days at the base camp more comfortable : large individual tent, efficient hot shower, correct food, large common tents etc… Preparation in the head tent during 8 weeks at home is long with many uncomfortable nights of bad sleep, but this pre acclimatization perfectly works up to 7000m ! Don’t hesitate to go back to shigatze (3-4 days) after the acclimatization in ABC to get back in shape.

info  General Infos

Tour operator for this trip: Furtenbach Adventures.

Despite modern equipment and tactics, high-altitude expeditions still present an enormous challenge. Aside from technical and fitness requirements, it is the altitude itself that presents the largest obstacle. For our Everest Flash Expedition, we use pre-acclimatization in a hypoxic tent at home. It is essential that Everest Flash climbers adhere strictly to the training and acclimatization programme (see our FAQs).
Weather and conditions on the mountain can lead to itinerary and/or route changes. Climbers take part in the expedition at their own risk and individual responsibility. Furtenbach Adventures assumes no liability for accidents, damages or loss of materials.

If you are not sure that taking part in an expedition like this is the right thing for you, feel free to contact us on Tel +43 512 204134 or e-mail [email protected] for a personal consultation.

This package in general is not suitable for persons with reduced mobility.

https  Insurance

We strongly recommend taking out a travel insurance (including trip cancellation, interruption, medical and luggage insurance). For this journey, the Global Rescue Signature Travel Insurance is suitable. The price of the insurance depends on the trip and the personal data of the traveller. We happily make you an offer after booking or upon request.

To cover search and rescue costs in the mountains, we ask our expedition participants to take out a “medical only”-membership at Global Rescue. This membership can be concluded here before departure: https://ss.globalrescue.com/partner/furtenbach/. Further information are provided after your booking.

language  Entry Requirements

Passport and Visa Regulations

EU or Swiss citizens:

Nepal: When entering the country, you need a passport with a validity of at least 6 more months. You can get a visa on arrival directly at the airport or in advance directly at your embassy. We recommend to get a “multiple entry” visa for 90 days.

Get further information directly on the official website: https://www.immigration.gov.np/page/tourist-visa

Information about recommended vaccines and health regulations: http://www.who.int/ith/en/

Travelers must be able to prove their return or onward ticket when entering the country. More detailed information regarding entry, visa and health requirements for this travel destination will be provided once you’ve communicated your nationality.

work  Equipment

Unless specified in the detailed trip notes, all high camp equipment is provided by us. You need to bring your own personal equipment such as down clothing, expedition boots, an insulated sleep mat and a sleeping bag with a comfort range of -20 to -25 degrees Celsius for the high camps. Once you have booked we will send you a detailed equipment list. We are happy to advise you on the selection and purchase of any equipment required. With years of expedition experience, we know what works and what does not.

insert_chart_outlined  Difficulty / Technique

The ascent is the individual responsibility of the climber under the guidance of a mountain guide or expedition leader. Climbers must be able to move safely and independently over mixed ground (rock, snow, ice) and – if required – build rope teams independently under the supervision of the mountain guide / expedition leader. Cooperation, camaraderie and support on the mountain increase the chances of success for everyone. The guide is there to provide guidance for the whole group and can only respond to individual needs to a limited extent. It is imperative that climbers adhere to the instructions and decisions made by the mountain guide. Irrespective of this, each participant must know his or her own physical limits and, if required, make the decision to turn around in good time.

For expeditions offered by us, unless otherwise specified in the trip details, we require the following from climbers: the ability to clip in and out of fixed ropes independently on rock, snow, ice and corn snow slopes, as well as the ability to use crampons and ice axes to move over mixed ground independently. On climbing sections, and in dangerous or exposed situations, fixed ropes are attached by mountain guides and by the Sherpa team.

perm_identity  Physical Fitness

A key factor to an expedition’s success is good physical fitness. Train hard in the months leading up to the expedition! Several hour climbs with a pack on your back and negotiating 1000 meters of ascent in a day should not pose a problem for you. You have to carry your own personal equipment on the mountain, unless you have booked a personal Sherpa. The porters are there for the whole group, to set up the high camps and secure the route with fixed line. We will gladly provide individually tailored advice on how to best prepare yourself mentally and physically for an expedition.

local_hospital  Health

We recommend that every climber undergoes a medical examination prior to departure. Good health is a prerequisite for any expedition. A visit to the dentist is particularly advisable, because previously undetected dental problems can become acute due to the sudden change in pressure at higher altitudes.

check_box  Experience

We know how alluring and attractive an eight-thousand-meter peak can be. However, we’d like to make sure that you are able to climb the mountain safely, come back down safely and are able to enjoy the expedition while you’re on it and not just afterwards. Therefore, in order to embark on one of our eight-thousand-meter peak expeditions, you must already have some high altitude and mountaineering experience. When booking, please indicate what altitude you have already attained and which high peaks you have climbed. If you are a beginner, we offer a bespoke programme aimed at getting you ready for your chosen objective. For Everest take a look at our “Getting Ready for Everest“-program!

In order to participate in our seven-and six-thousander expeditions, you should have at least some experience on some of the four-thousander peaks of the Alps or other mountain ranges. Our offer for newcomers applies here as well: we can train you to become prudent and safe high-altitude climbers!

We offer a special introductory weekend for all those who want to learn about – or refresh their knowledge of – the skills and techniques required on an expedition. More info here.

payment Payment

Unless otherwise agreed, a deposit of 20% of the tour price is to be paid when receiving your invoice, but earliest eleven months before the end of the tour date. The balance must be paid 20 days prior to departure. Please find more information regarding payments in our GTCs.

directions_run Right of withdrawal

Clients have the right to withdraw from the travel contract at any time, paying any cancellation fees specified in the General Terms of Conditions of Furtenbach Adventures GmbH.

For expeditions to 7000 and 8000-meter peaks, the following fees apply for cancellation on the part of the client prior to travel: up to 3 months prior to departure 50%, within 3 months of departure 100%.

The tour operator will be released from the contract if the specified minimum number of participants is not reached and if the customer has been notified about the cancellation in writing within the following periods: up to 20 days prior to departure.