I went on an Amadablam Expedition thinking I was prepared. I had trained, read the blogs, and followed all the cool climbers on Instagram. What I didn't expect was how much the mountain would actually mess with me, my body, my mind, and my idea of “fun.”
Don't get me wrong. It was one of the best things I've ever done. Ama Dablam is jaw-dropping, unreal, and totally humbling. But before you pack your gear and post your “pre-climb selfie,” you need to know what really happens up there.
Here are 7 brutal truths I wish someone had told me.
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1. You Will Feel Like a Potato with Legs
At sea level, I can jog. At 5,000 meters? I could barely zip my jacket without wheezing like an old vacuum cleaner.
Fact: Oxygen levels drop to about 50% of what they are at sea level above 5,000 meters (source: UIAA Medical Commission). Your body will hate you. Your brain will lag. And yes, you'll probably forget why you came here in the first place.
2. Altitude Sickness Doesn’t Care How Fit You Are
There was a guy in our group with six-pack abs and a resting heart rate of 45. He puked his soul out on day three.
AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) hits fast. It's not just “feeling tired.” It's dizziness, nausea, headaches, and in worst cases, death. It doesn't care how many marathons you've run.
3. You Will Cry, Possibly While Peeing into a Bottle at 3 AM
It's freezing. You're in your sleeping bag. You have to pee. But getting out means unzipping everything in sub-zero temps.
So you use the bottle. And as you try not to spill it while half-asleep and shaking, you ask yourself, "What life choices brought me here?" I cried a little. That's normal.
4. You’ll Start to Hate Your Favorite Snacks
I brought 12 protein bars I loved back home. By day five, the smell made me gag. At high altitude, your taste changes. You crave salty, spicy, weird things.
Also, never trust dehydrated meals. They lie. “Creamy Pasta” is just hot, cheesy sadness.
5. Your Phone Photos Will Lie to Your Followers
Ama Dablam looks like a dream. And your photos? Even better. But they won't show you the windburn, the fear, or the smell of unwashed socks at 6,000m.
Reality: Behind every perfect selfie is a climber who hasn't showered in 10 days and cried twice that morning.
6. The Climb Is Technical. Like, Actually Technical.
This is not a “walk up Everest Base Camp” kind of hike. Ama Dablam is steep. It has rock, ice, vertical climbs, fixed ropes, and some real sketchy spots.
Stat: Only about 50% of climbers who attempt Ama Dablam reach the summit (source: Himalayan Database).
This isn't to scare you. It's to say: Take it seriously. Train hard. Learn rope skills. And maybe stop watching TikToks of shirtless guys doing pushups at Base Camp.
7. Despite All This, You'll Want to Do It Again
After all the tears, sore legs, frozen fingers, and emotional breakdowns… I still think about it every day.
The sunrise at Camp 2? Unreal. The view from the summit? Felt like flying. The people? Some of the best I've met.
And honestly, Ama Dablam made me feel small in the best way.
Final Thought
Climbing Ama Dablam is not a filtered adventure. It's real, raw, and sometimes awful. But also incredible .
Just know this: If you're only in it for the photos, don't bother. But if you're ready to suffer a little and smile a lot, the Amadablam Expedition might just change your life.
Don't forget your pee bottle. Trust me.
