Customer Reviews
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. 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!
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.
The FA Team continues to prove year after year they are a top expedition organizer & leader. 2019 was no different. Are you going into the Baltoro, up a Tibetan 8,000m route, or to a similar big mountain objective? If so, Furtenbach Adventures is a sound choice. The principles & standards FA deliver on make a significant experiential difference when you’re on the mountain. My most recent FA climbing team enjoyed thorough pre-trip organizing/prep, amazing food quality through to the last moment of the trip, impressive camp infrastructure, and world-class guides. On top of that, their climber selection process yielded an incredibly strong team to which I was fortunate to join. Taken as a whole, the FA Team was one of the strongest on the mountain during the 2019 Everest season. I would not hesitate to choose Furtenbach Adventures for any high-consequence expedition in the future.
Which route should I choose – NORTH or SOUTH?
The two “normal routes” up to the top of Everest offer each certain advantages, but each also carries risks and challenges. Ultimately, it should be a considered decision whether to attempt the climb from the north from Tibet via the North Col and Northeast Ridge or from the south from Nepal via the Khumbu Icefall, Lhotse Face and Southeast Ridge.
In many cases, there will be individual arguments for one side or the other, depending on each member’s experience, personality, climbing intent. You may have more sympathy for one side, it has more appeal, or you may see it as the more beautiful line.
Listen to your intuition, which is always the best advisor in such decisions, or let us advise you personally!
North |
South |
+ objectively safest ascent
+ last camp is higher (8300m) therefore
shorter summit day
+ more comfortable and luxurious basecamp thanks to road access
+ max. of 200 permits per year – which means less climbers
– ascent longer exposed to wind and cold temperatures
– technically more demanding in the last third, more rock
– descent from summit more difficult |
+ technically easier and longer climb possible in the slipstream
+ possibility of descent to 4000m for better regeneration before the summit push
+ double expedition with Lhotse possible
– more climbers, thus danger of congestion in the icefall, the Lhotse Face and on the summit ridge
– last camp at 8000m, therefore longer and more strenuous summit day
– total ascent from base camp a little longer and therefore more demanding on physical condition |
Which expedition suits me CLASSIC or FLASH™?
The main reason for failed ascents of an 8,000 meter peak is the long acclimatization period on the mountain. The multiple and sometimes dangerous and tiring ascents and descents and the risk of infection at base camp, where many people are in close quarters, saps the strength of many climbers before the actual climb has even begun. So why acclimatize at base camp when you can do it at home in your own four walls, significantly increase the success of the expedition, and greatly shorten the duration of the expedition?
Experience altitude acclimatization in a new way! Get used to the low-oxygen high-altitude air – from the comfort of your own home and with the long-standing know-how of our experts. For a shortened expedition duration, more performance as well as higher chances of success and efficiency on the mountain.
Through hypoxic training, altitudes of up to 7,000m can be simulated. This way you will be pre-acclimatized for your upcoming expedition in a highly efficient and individual way and will be able to reach your summit goal in the shortest possible time.
15 years of experience with hypoxic systems facilitates the pre-acclimatization and increases performance and chances of success at the summit significantly With the support of experts, you can acclimatize at home. Quite simply, with the world’s only sleeping tent that simulates oxygen levels at 7000m. Perfect to prepare for high altitudes!
Classic |
Flash™ |
+ much time on the mountain – you can also experience the real camp athmosphere on site
+ also guests of our Classic expedition have 4 weeks of pre-acclimatization included
+ improves performance and acclimatization on the mountain which leads to better summit chances and increased safety
+ 8 bottles of oxygen per member
+ cheaper
+ high altitude porters and Climbing Sherpa (on summit day 1:1 Sherpa : member)
– more time needed (approx. 6 weeks)
– longer waiting time in basecamp, where regeneration is more difficult
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+ shortening the duration of the trip to half of the time (approx. 3 – 4 weeks)
+ high performance and fitness on the mountain due to pre-acclimatization
+ significantly reduced risk on the mountain
+ 2 Climbing Sherpas/member
+ 1 mountain guide per 4 members, thereby best support possible
+ unlimited amount of oxygen
+ exclusive oxygen regulator with a flow rate of 8lpm
+ monitoring of the vital data during the expedition
+ more time at home and less vacation needed
+ reduced exhaustion
+ minimized symptoms of altitude sickness
+ integration of acclimatization into daily life
+ parameters of acclimatization individually tunable
– acclimatization symptoms in a softer form at home (sleep is normally not as good as usual) |