Also known as Jomo Tseringma, Api is a beautiful mountain peak nestled within the Byas-Rishi range of the majestic Himalayas. Located in Nepal's Darchula district in the Sudhurpashchim Pradesh province, Api stands tall at an impressive 7,132 meters (or 23,399 feet). You can pinpoint its geographical location using the coordinates 30° 00' 19" latitude and 80° 55' 54" longitude. Api's first successful ascent was on May 10, 1960, achieved by Katsutoshi Hirabayashi from Japan and Gyaltsen Norbu Sherpa from Nepal.
If you find yourself in need of assistance while near the basecamp along the caravan route, you can reach out to the Khalanga Darchula police post or the Khalanga Darchula army post - both about 66.6KM away. In case of health emergencies, Lahuti (54.1KM) and Ghusa (21.8KM) are your nearest health centers. Dumling (28.3KM) and Lawathi (14.3KM) are the closest settlements in this area.
When it comes to royalty fees for attempting to climb Api, they are subject to change depending on both the season and climber's nationality. For Nepalese citizens, the fees are NRs 6,000 during springtime, NRs 3,000 for autumn climbs, and NRs 1,500 during wintertime or summer. On the other hand, foreigners can expect to pay USD 500 in spring, USD 250 in autumn, and USD 125 during winter or summer.
Getting to Api involves flying from Kathmandu to Nepalganj first. Then two caravan route options await: one being Darchula-Syaku-Gati Bagad leading to basecamp while the other option passes through Baitadi-Gokuleswar-Ghunsa, also providing access to the basecamp. The Darchula route stretches for about 66.6KM, whereas the Gokuleshwar route adds up to 108.5KM. Regarding the climbing paths, the Darchula route measures around 6.8KM or opt for the 6.1KM Gokulaeshwar alternative. Altogether, allow for approximately 60 days to undertake this thrilling expedition.