USEFUL INFORMATION:

How to organize an expedition…

What do you need? What type of training? What medicines should you have? How do you have to face the climbing? These are the typical and difficult questions we must answer when we want to organize an expedition. Here are my suggestions. I’ll be available for any further doubts or questions.
We must consider that an expedition includes transfers, climbing permits, cooks, porters and a lot of mishaps. To avoid it, it’s better to found upon a specialized agency. In this case you buy the following services:

• Airport transfers
• Hotel in the city you arrive, 4 nights in a B&B
• Help when you buy food and tools
• Dispatch of legal formalities and clearance
• Staff, visa and special permits
• Transfers by land
• Board and lodging at the BC
• Transfer of baggage and tools to the advanced base camp by animals or porters
• Food (and a cook) at the Base Camp for the duration of the expedition
• Services at the base camp: tents for two people with mattress, canteen tent, kitchen tent, bathroom tent, tables and chairs
• Environment and pack fee
• Climbing permit
• Staff (cook/helper) fee (TMA code)
• Equipment and bonus, insurances, salary, board and lodging
• Officer

Some agencies are Italian, other are international, in any case they refer to a local agency. If the expedition consists of 5/6 people you can organize your own expedition, but if the expedition is made up by just a few people it’s better to join an international expedition. Contact more than one agency and collect their estimates: I remind you that it’s not true that the most expensive agencies are the best!

Some considerations:

If you are alone, contact a big agency because i twill certainly have more than one expedition for the same mount. In this case, if your group decides to give in, you can join another group. Sleep in the tent with another person only if you are sure you go on well with him. 30-40 days are long and the ten twill be your home.
Take with you music, books and everything good for your spirit to kill the time. Good sense and tolerance will help you there.