Lhakpa Gelu has 15 years experience in organising and leading trekking, tours, adventure travel and expeditions across the Himalaya in areas such as the Khumbu, Langtang, Mustang, Manaslu, Dolpo, Humla, Tibet and Ladakh. He is particularly popular with our French clients because of his fluent French, and impressive guiding record across the Himalaya for trekking.
Lhakpa has also guided on 6,000m trekking peaks including Lobuche, Mera Peak, Island Peak and Chulu East. Lhakpa is also often asked to lead dignatories on trekking trips as he is so well regarded in the industry. Lhakpa is fluent in French, English, Tibetan, Sherpa, Nepali and Hindi.
Since this time, Lakpa has participated in numerous Himalayan expeditions, and has led expeditions to and summited many peaks including Mt Everest, K2, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Annapurna, Gasherbrums I and II, Makalu, Manaslu, Cho-Oyu, Ama Dablam (21 times), and the following trekking peaks: Nerikha, Pachermo, Lobuche, Island Peak, Pisan Peak and Mera Peak to name a few.
Lakpa is also well known for repeating Catherine Destiville’s 18 pitch waterfall ice climb on Kwangde in 2006. Lakpa is a founding member of the Kathmandu Sport Climbing Association and was the winner of the Nepal National Rock Climbing Competition in 2004. He was previously a lead instructor at the Alex Lowe Charitable Fund’s Khumbu Climbing Centre in Phortse, Nepal, teaching Sherpas the skills required for mountaineering. Lakpa has performed many search and rescue missions in Himalaya for many companies over the years, often being one of the ‘go to’ people for advice and participation in such missions.
When he is available, he also leads treks for Expedition Base, including treks for school children and clients with special needs, where special care is a must. Lakpa was previously the managing director of another mountaineering and expedition company in Nepal from 2009 until forming Expedition Base with new partner, Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, in 2017, with the support and input of his now wife, Chris. Lakpa also featured in international publication National Geographic magazine in November 2014. Lakpa is fluent in English, Tibetan, Sherpa, Nepali and Hindi.
Chhiring began his career on a multitude of lower-elevation climbs, including Ama Dablam and numerous ascents of Nepalese trekking peaks. Over time, he has added many 8,000m peak expeditions to his resume including: Everest, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga and K2. In 2014, he became the then youngest Nepali to reach the summit of K2.
He was previously a lead instructor at the Alex Lowe Charitable Fund’s Khumbu Climbing Centre in Phortse, Nepal, teaching Sherpas the skills required for mountaineering. He currently teaches mountaineering skills to foreigners and Sherpas for the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
Like his brother, Jangbu, Chhiring is an ‘in demand’ guide. Chhiring was in New Zealand for the period 1 November 2017 - 31 March 2018 guiding with a leading NZ mountaineering company, Aspiring Guides, before returning to Nepal for a lead guiding role on Kanchenjunga in April and May of 2018. On that expedition, Chhiring broke trail for nearly 6 hours in some of the toughest conditions anyone could face. After that, he was then in Australia meeting clients in preparation for future climbs and will return to Australia in late 2018 for the same reason.
He is one of the strongest guides you will ever meet in the mountains, and one of the most considered in approaching a mountain, assessing risk and knowing the mountains he climbs well.
Pema’s commitment to excellence and his experience working with the Expedition Base team have been invaluable to date to give Expedition Base’s missions the best chance of being successful.