Option #4: Mera Peak - 6476m

The second 6000m peak you find on the net when you're looking for mountains to climb in Nepal is the Mera Peak. It seems to be doable by anybody who's seriously fit and has used crampons and ice axe in his life. I have the crampons experience, and I can work on the fitness, so that could qualify me for a Mera Peak adventure. Of course because it is "the" obvious peak to pick, it's not as magic and you shouldn't expect to be alone at base camp. Still a nice objective, 500m higher than Kilimanjaro, Nepal style. Kilimanjaro was a hike up to 5895m, which you ascend in one week. With the added difficulty of snow, ice and crevasses, I shuoldn't be ashamed of attempting the Mera Peak. Those 500m make a massive difference, there is a point where every additional metre is a big battle and is even harder to conquer than the metre before.

Above you see what seems to be the non-climbed south face (although some nutters probably tried and might have even succeeded), the one below shows where you're supposed to arrive towards the summit -looks a lot friendlier for a 6476m mountain . As I said about the Island Peak, it's hard to be sure if you're looking at the right mountain when googling a random mountain in Nepal... Furthermore, depending on the season and the year, the place might look very different!! In fact at the following link they show two photos of the summit, 15 years apart: http://www.summitpost.org/mera-peak/150229

+ With 6476m, you don't just climb a 6000m peak to tick the "6", you go well beyond!
+ Some expeditions, although they require an even longer holiday, tackle the Island peak in the same package, ambitious but certainly seducing...
+ Nepal, the place to climb!
+ You can find an expedition of about 21 days, possibly manageable with work
+ I read you can see the 6 highest peaks in the world from the summit of the Mera Peak. I have doubts on the K2, but the other five I believe. Plus the Ama Dablam and a number of other magical summits!
+ Some agencies try to warn you about the dangers, some want you to buy their expeditions and tell you it's a straightforward walk. The descriptions of the routes that I have seen sound challenging enough for me, as much as I can represent it to myself from the other side of the world...
+ There is a time slot around November time, leaving me time to plan, prepare and train
- They keep saying on the internet that it's "the highest trekking peak in Nepal". I would like to call myself more than a trekker, but like I said I think this peak might be just challenging enough for me, regardless of where we categorise it!
- Still seems to be a "commercial summit" but I think the more I get into this project, the less I care. After all, I topped Kilimanjaro and Mont Blanc, they're much worse for that matter!

Not a lot of negatives, could well be a winner...

Description of the route (french): http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/56327/fr/mera-peak-voie-normale
Adventure Peaks expedition including the Island Peak: http://www.adventurepeaks.com/expeditions/mera-and-island-peak.htm
Mountain Madness expedition: http://www.mountainmadness.com/adventures/trek-or-climb/asia/mera-peak-trek-or-climb#trip-overview/description