GHT | Manaslu, Tilicho Pass + Annapurna Traverse – Nepal

Day 1 – Arrive Kathmandu 1340m (4395′) | Transfer Kathmandu Guest House
Welcome to Nepal! You will be met at Tribhuvan International Airport by a representative from Kamzang Journeys or Khumbu Adventures (our partners in Kathmandu) Doma, Lhakpa and Nuru Sherpa). Look for a sign with your name on it as you leave the arrival area. We strongly suggest purchasing a NTC (Nepal Telecom) SIM card as you leave the airport if you have an unlocked phone. It’s very useful for data in the remote regions of Nepal. We will transfer you to the Kathmandu Guest House (or see Great Stays tab for luxury, boutique, and other hotel options in the Kathmandu Valley) where your room has been booked for you. Drink plenty of water to hydrate after your flight, and enjoy your first evening in Kathmandu …

We’ll need your travel medical insurance, a copy of your passport and Nepali visa, and one (or more) visa-sized photos (inquire if we need for your trek); please have them ready to give to Lhakpa, Doma or Nuru. And please ask if you need your gear checked, or have shopping or sightseeing questions!

Thamel is a myriad of shops of all imaginable varieties, bakeries, cafes, restaurants, bars, hotels, spas, climbing walls, colorful banners and signs, and eccentrically clad backpackers. Enjoy dinner at Roadhouse Cafe, New Orleans, Yin & Yang, Third Eye, or one of Thamel’s other restaurants … (B)

Day 2 – Kathmandu
Enjoy a free day exploring Kathmandu’s many World Heritage sites or embark on a tour of the beautiful Kathmandu valley, surrounded by Himalayan snow peaks (See Kathmandu Valley Tours for optional tours with a qualified guide, car, and entrance fees included). Or just relax at the hotel, visit the spa, have a massage, wander Kathmandu’s fascinating streets, pop into neighborhood Hindu temples and Newari-styled courtyards, join in on koras of the Buddhist temples. (B)

Cafe Caravan & Dolpo Gallery
Dolpo Artist Tenzin Norbu creates wonderful Dolpo paintings, the prints (and some originals) are available from our Cafe Caravan at Boudhanath Stupa, housed in one of Boudha’s original historic buildings, decorated in a bright, Tibetan style and overlooking the magnificent stupa!

Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Nuru Wangdi Sherpa (Khumbu Adventures & Café Caravan) has his Kathmandu guide license and a large SUV vehicle, and can arrange any sightseeing you might want to do in Kathmandu and the Kathmandu valley. He is often available for guiding your excursions as well. Mobile + WhatsApp: +977 9803633783 (WhatsApp)

Massage in Kathmandu (Ramji of Relieving Hands)
Ramji is a blind masseur trained by Seeing Hands in Kathmandu, who now offers wonderful at home (or hotel) massages, with his own massage table and oil. He is truly a master masseur, a real healer and VERY highly recommended. His prices are extremely reasonable. Let us know if you want help to arrange a massage.
Relieving Hands by Ramji

Kathmandu | World Heritage Sightseeing Tours – Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Durbar Square & Swayambunath
Kathmandu is filled with World Heritage sites and sacred destinations, crowded with traditional neighborhoods and colorful festivals. Spend a few days exploring Nepal’s exotic capital and the history-laden Kathmandu valley. We can arrange sightseeing guides and vehicles as required. See Kathmandu Heritage & Happenings for more details.

We recommend beginning with Pashupatinath in the early morning and moving on to Boudhanath mid-morning. Hindu Pashupatinath on the sacred Bagmati river and its sacred temple complex is one of Nepal’s most important sites, a powerful cremation site, and Nepal’s most important Hindu temple. Here, monkeys run up and down the steps of the burning ghats, and trident-bearing saddhus draped in burnt-orange and saffron sit serenely meditating when they’re not posing for photos-for-rupees. Local guides can explain the significance of the complicated ceremonies. Please be respectful when taking photos.

Boudhanath, in the midst of traditional monasteries (gonpas in Tibetan) and hung with long strings of multi-colored prayer flags, attracts Sherpas, Tibetans, and tourists alike for daily circumambulations (koras) of the iconic stupa. The striking Buddha eyes of Boudhanath Stupa watch over a lively and colorful Tibetan community and attract pilgrims from all over the Himalayan Buddhist realm. There are wonderful spots for lunch at Boudhanath (Roadhouse Cafe has wood-oven pizzas and a breathtaking view of the stupa and colorful Nepals circling it), and it’s a good place to learn the technique of thanka painting and purchase a thanka (Buddhist mural). See also Bhaktapur for more options for shopping for thankas.

Wander through the many temples, pagodas, courtyards, and the museum at Kathmandu Durbar Square, a timeless gathering spot and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Kathmandu Durbar Square, including the old royal palace, is Kathmandu’s ‘Palace Square’, a showcase for the world-renowned artisans and craftsmen of Kathmandu and a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist palaces, temples, stupas, and statues. The Malla and Shah kings ruled over the Kathmandu Valley during the centuries of the building of the layers of this Durbar Square. Along with their opulent palaces, the square surrounds numerous courtyards and temples, all works of art with intricate and often erotic carvings. Kathmandu Durbar Square is known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, a name derived from a statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, at the entrance of the palace. The social, religious and urban focal point of the city, Durbar Square is often the site of festivals, marriages, and other ceremonies such as Teej. Some important structures are Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar (Abode of the Living Goddess), Taleju Temple, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, the 17th century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages.

In the evening (take the interesting back streets from Durbar Square) climb the many steps to the gilded Swayambhunath stupa (known as the monkey temple) which rises from the Kathmandu valley floor at 1420 meters and is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. Swayambunath, the ‘self-created’  stupa, was founded over 2000 years ago at a time when the Kathmandu valley was filled by a large lake, with a single lotus in the center. Mythology says that Manjusri, a bodhisattva, drained the lake with one cut of his sword and the lotus flower was transformed into the stupa. From its commanding views of Kathmandu, circumambulate Swayambunath’s white-washed stupa, painted with distinctive Buddha eyes, the complex a unique synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism. Another interesting time to visit Swayambunath is in the mornings when Nepalis visit the temple dedicated to the God of Smallpox with colorful offerings for the goddess.

Stop to photograph reflections in Kathmandu’s many pokharis or ponds, including the beautiful Rani Pokhari (queen’s bath) near New Road, and the Naga Pokhari (pond of the snake gods of the underworld) just beyond the palace gates. The many bathing ghats, square enclosures with steps leading down to water spouts, often decorated with naga heads, are also interesting and colorful gathering spots.

Day 3 – Drive Gorkha. Hike Gorkha Fort + Fort Camp 1060m
We’re up early for our scenic six-hour drive from Kathmandu to the historic town of Gorkha, once the capital of a massive Kingdom which included parts of lower Tibet, with it’s old ‘durbar’, or King’s palace, a mix of Buddhist and Hindu deities, perched high up in the surrounding hillsides and reached by worn stone steps. After organizing the gear and loads with the porters, we head up to our first night’s campsite above the Gorkha Fort, stopping en route to visit this well-maintained site, home of the powerful Gorhka royalty until about a century ago. We can see the crew setting up camp from the top of the fort; once at camp, we will introduce you to our ‘Kamzang Style’ dining tent and your personal Big Agnes or Marmot tents.

Day 4 – Trek Arkhol 570m
We wake to misty mountain views in the morning; have a look over fresh coffee and chai! The middle hills of Nepal are timeless, and we trek for the first two days through classic middle hills scenery; rolling, forested hills, snaking rivers with rounded rock strewn on the beaches, local fishermen casting their nets, iridescent rice fields, papaya, lemon and orange trees, water buffalos, thatched huts and local ‘bhattis’ (Nepali tea-houses) along the trail for a quick dal bhat or cup of chai.

We have a leisurely seven hour day for our first real day of trekking, with many locals selling bananas and papayas en route (bring small change). We’ll meet many colorful Gurung and Hindu local en route, an will have time to stop at the many traditional villages along the way. We start by descending gradually on stone slab steps to scattered tea-houses, vivid green rice paddies and several small, densely populated village with a school right on the trail, the kids in the schools reciting their lessons. The next descent is very steep and slippery, a long drop down to a small bridge which leads us past more flooded rice-paddies to a dirt road which we walk along for half an hour before reaching a small cluster of tea-houses where we’ll stop for a cup of tea. A quarter of an hour later, in the heat of the day, we reach a local bhatti, continue on past more terraced fields and through a small village and then climb up to a point overlooking a magnificent S bend in the Daraundi Khola far below. We descend back to the river and stop at a much needed swimming hole and rocky beach where we cool down and have our packed lunch. About 10 minutes past this stop is a long bridge where we can watch locals swimming and catching fish below us, and then past the village on the other side where cold cokes are available we cross a rickety, swaying, wooden bridge, perhaps the longest in the region. Ekle Sangu is the dingy village on this side of the river; there is a vegetable market just above the village where we will pick up a few supplies for dinner. Another hour and a half of dirt-road trekking on the left bank of the river and again through several small hamlets and bhattis brings us to a small, metal bridge over a small, intersecting bridge. We cross, hike another half an hour and reach our lovely campsite along the beach on the Daraundi River just below the small village of Arkhol.

Jump in the river and then enjoy our first mountain sunset. The village kids with surely be by to see what’s happening, perhaps carry a basket of beer. Take advantage of a chance for a sun-downer while we’re still low in altitude!

Day 5 – Trek Rangrung Phedi 875m 
A continuation of yesterday’s lovely scenery and a six hour day, we hike up to Arkhol village on stone steps built into the paddies and continue through the long stretch of main Arkhol lined with small shops. We continue though bustling Gurung villages with local tea-houses, some selling a delicious fish curry, contour around rice paddies and then climb high on a steep trail being rewarded by expansive views up and down the misty river valley. We descend again, often following a newly-built dirt road, and cross several swaying suspension bridges spanning the Daraundi Khola before stopping for lunch at a rocky river beach where we can jump in to cool off (many of the village kids will be swimming, too). We hike past a high waterfall which tumbles to the trail (shower?) and climb up and down steeply a few times to reach our camp at Kalibote in the early afternoon. Tomorrow we have a steep climb ahead of us, and this is the last campsite before the (large) hill. Head down to the river and perch yourselves on the smooth river rocks next to the wonderful swimming hole for a wash after our hot day. The staff might even pick up some small fish for dinner …

Day 6 – Trek Barpak 1915m
It’s a long and steep climb but beautiful hike up to the incredibly scenic village of Barpak, situated perfectly on a green ridge overlooking the misty valley below. The new road started in 2009 built to connect Barpak and Laprak with Gorkha traverses our trail for the first half of the climb; we have to traverse this dirt road a few times as we climb through the dense forested hillside filled with rhododendrons, bauhenia and other large, leafy trees. Along the way we’ll stop for a break at the Gurung memorial ‘chautaras’ or rest stops. These are specific to the Gurung and Rai people, both Buddhist with an animist/shamanistic bent. Two hours of climbing later we reach the local school at Mandaray followed by an entrance gate and several small tea shops where we can stop for a cold drink. Continuing to climb gently, contouring around tilled wheat fields, it will take us another hour of more gentle climbing to reach the ancient chortens that mark the lower reaches of Barpak village.

We stay for the night at a local lodge in order to support the Gurung villagers of Barpak, who’s village was destroyed in the 2015 Nepal earthquakes. Barpak and Laprak was the epicenter of this massive earthquake, and we continue to support the villagers by staying in their lodges and purchasing their products. Our camping will begin once back down on the mail trail along the Manaslu Circuit, in Korlebesi. At the shop, you can find a cold beer or drink, and wander over to the local school ground to watch a game of volleyball.

Barpak is a large, Ghale (royalty) Gurung village, extremely clean, with a weekly market, wide alleys between the houses, grain and vegetables drying outside on the patios, several shops, a new school, a soccer field, viewpoints and flowers planted along the decks of these Gurung houses. Many of its men joined the Ghurkha Army, returned to Barpak with new wealth, and have built lovely houses. We arrive in time for lunch, and have the afternoon to wander the narrow streets of the village, a photographers paradise. Note the locally woven ‘bakus’, a sort of felted wool poncho which most men wear to keep the rain and cold away, and the men carrying hemp rope bags. The village is full of women weaving on wooden looms, spinning and carding. The villagers often organize ‘cultural shows’, the proceeds of which go to improving the village, so we might be treated to one in the early evening. Across the steep valley the hillsides are peppered with other terraced villages. We are towered over by Bauddhi Himal, a high, snow-capped peak which makes for wonderful sunrise and sunset photos. (3 hrs drive + 4 hrs trek) (B, L, D)

Day 7 – Trek Laprak 2200m 
After breakfast we’ll start on a picturesque climb right out of town towards a lovely pass, with Bauddhi Himal providing a spectacular back-drop to the sprawling, scenic Barpak as we ascend the narrow ridge. Starting on old stone steps and passing several chautaras, we reach grassy grazing kharkas and look out at the tilled hillsides and impossibly perched Gurung villages across the many deep valleys. Our trail is often stone steps, alternating with hard-packed dirt and stony trail, which meets the new road to Laprak near the ridge-pass, the Laprak La (2820m), which separates Laprak and Barpak. From the viewpoint half an hour before the pass, with flocks of sheep grazing on the grassy hillsides, we are rewarded with panoramic mountain views which are better than at the actual pass itself. Bauddhi Himal, Shringi Himal, Ganesh Himal and the Langtang range all span the horizon. The rhododendrons are blooming brilliantly in many hues of white, pink and red, lovely foreground for photos with the snow-peaks in back. Bring a wind jacket as the clouds often move quickly up to this ridge, and it gets cold at the pass.

Another steep hour or two of trekking between tilled fields, past local kharkas and through the new ‘kane’ chorten brings us down to Laprak, a large, closely packed Gurung village of five hundred houses, perhaps not quite as scenic as Barpak but just as interesting. The Maoists used to stay in this village, and the villagers often offer some friendly indoctrination. We stay at a lodge in the upper reaches of the village, near the school, with the afternoon free to explore the village below.

Take a walk down the hill on the stone steps leading to the lower village and a look into some of the houses, several connected by wooden decks, all with symbolic murals on the mud-brick walls and family photographs over the doors. Medicinal roots are often drying on the decks, and millet and barley are spread in low baskets. Again, many women will be on their standing or back-strap looms weaving the long strips of wool for their bakus or blankets. The villagers are friendly, and there is lots to explore in Laprak’s winding maze of small lanes, perhaps visiting some of the local houses. (5 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 8 – Trek Korlebesi 875m 
A long, classic Himalayan trekking day, the steep hillsides peppered with traditional Nepali villages and their extensive fields, all of it spectacular, but hard on the knees! We’ll have an early start to have plenty of time for all of us, including the porters, to reach Korlebesi. Descending steeply on muddy stone steps through the maze of Laprak village, we pass old and young villagers out early on their decks, taking advantage of the morning sun, with wheat, barley and buckwheat laid out on straw mats. We continue to descend steeply, switchbacking through corn, wheat and barley fields to the river. After crossing the river on a new suspension bridge (next to the old, very rickety one), we climb equally steeply back up, past terraced fields of pink sorghum and rice, all the time far above the Macha Khola which we follow for most of the day. We contour around several hillsides on a narrow trail, barely visible at times, up to a small chorten just below the village of Singla from where we’re treated to views of Manaslu Himal, and Ganesh Himal l to the back.

We’ve still got a way to go as we trek through more terraced fields, climb and descend several dusty hillsides, climb on more stone steps and reach a plateau that seems to extend into an expanse of nothingness. We descend finally from here, and after about twenty minutes of steep stone steps reach the Gurung village of Korla. (Our Korla Camp is just above here, at 1935m). Still more downhill from here during which the landscape becomes more tropical, through more tilled fields, past a small hamlet with lovely rocks and finally we reach an extremely steep set of stone steps which leads to a long suspension bridge across the Nimrung Khola and to our campsite at Korlebesi on the Budhi Gandaki river. Look out for the local women weaving straw mats in the village. Our campsite is just below the village, next to the Nimrung Khola, again providing great swimming holes. We will probably get a visit in the evening from this village’s cultural ambassadors, and perhaps be treated to a cultural dance by the Korlebesi women’s group.

Once at our grassy campsite we will introduce you to our ‘Kamzang Style’ dining tent, your personal Marmot or North Face tents and have a cup of fragrant masala chai! (8 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 7 – Trek Jagat 1370m
A six plus hour trekking day today, starting with a walk through the village of Korlebesi and followed by an hour of walking along the river, by tobacco and buckwheat fields, past rocks washed smooth by the river, often climbing up stone steps, to reach the hot springs in the center of the small, terraced village of Tatopani. We have plenty of time to soak our grungy bodies in the gushing hot water streaming out of sculpted spouts. A gentle climb through the woods past some spectacular waterfalls and sculpted rocks brings us to a new suspension bridge across the Budhi Gandaki which we cross. We continue along a forested path and soon reach the large teahouse at Dobhan where the staff is having dal baht. After a short break we cross the Dhoban Khola on another suspension bridge Above Dobhan, the Budhi Gandaki descends in an impressive series of steep cataracts. We’ll share the trail with local sheep and goat herders, the youngest of the flock in rope baskets slung over their backs. More steep steps along cliff walls to climb as the river descends even more steeply and stratified river rocks decorate our route. It’s hot and there will be chances to stop at fly-blown Nepali bhattis, shared with local farm animals, for a drink, snack and rest en route. The valley flattens a bit and after a short climb we reach a newer bhatti and campsite. From here our trail climbs high above the river, nearly 200 meters, only to descend to an ‘eye’ of the Budhi Gandaki River. The valley widens, the river makes a large S turn and then calms.

We’ll stop for lunch at another camping spot and group of bamboo teahouses called Lauri just at the bottom of this climb, with another swimming spot on the Lauri River. An easy hour along the right banks of the river brings us to a long, new suspension bridge again crossing the Bhuri Gandaki after which we climb high, descend past the campsite at lower Jagat and then climb again on neat stone steps to enter our campsite in Jagat, the entrance to the Manaslu park. It is worth wandering around this beautiful, paved village, where proud villagers have recorded how much they contributed to these paving schemes. Our campsite is impressively clean and grassy, with cold beers and a shower available at the attached shop and lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 10 – Trek Philim 1570m
Enjoy our short day of less than three hours, with the rest of the afternoon to explore the upper village of fascinating Philim. After descending a long series of stone steps back down to the river from Jagat village, we climb on slab steps along a terraced hill-side to the small hamlet of Saguleri, just past where we’ll have our first view of the impressive Shringi Himal, 7187 meters high. Beautiful flame-leaf trees adorn the trail as we continue to climb and descend far above the river. We pass through the fly-blown paved village of Sirdibas, where the local children sell oranges in the Autumn and soon afterwards pass the local water-mill. Crossing the river again on a long, high suspension bridge at Gata Khola, we have a steep climb past green fields of wheat to reach Philim, the MCAP headquarters with a health post, a Japanese-sponsored school and a micro-hydro plant. We arrive at our grassy campsite in time for lunch, and have the afternoon free to wash at the dharapani (tap) across the path from camp, to explore the interesting upper village and gompa, or sit and enjoy the afternoon at camp.

The upper village’s Gurung inhabitants are very poor, and we often spend the afternoon tending to wounds and sick villagers who have commented that our western medicine is ‘magic’. Notice the chorten with the Maoist hammer and sickle in the center of the upper village, the kane chortens with murals inside and the intricately woven baskets which both the men and the women craft. The exquisite gold heirloom necklaces that adorn some of the women come from Barpak. Be careful of village dogs as they do sometimes bite! (B, L, D)

Day 11 – Trek Deng 1865m
Leaving Philim, we trek north on a beautiful, high and grass-sided trail following the Budhi Gandaki past Eklai Batti, soon passing the valley leading to Tsum valley on our right, a wild, deep gorge below. We soon descend a bit to reach a river junction, cross the Budhi Gandaki on a steel Bailey bridge, and continue further north into more Tibetan border regions. After the bridge and passing the trail to Nyak on the left we ascend gradually along a wide, hillside trail through an open pine forest, and then cross the river two more times on newly built steel suspension bridges (thanks to a benevolent Gurkha society), trekking through dense woods of rhododendrons, bamboo and wild flowers. As we climb, look back for views of Ganesh Himal IV. A few hours later we pass the riverside campsite and teahouses of Pewa where the staff will eat lunch.

After another 45 minutes of relatively easy climbing we leave the narrow gorge, cross the Dyang Khola on a metal suspension bridge, and climb briefly to the hamlet of Deng. Deng is the start of the lower Nubri region called Kutang, where the people are ethnically Tibetan but speak a different dialect than the people of upper Nubri where the people are purely Tibetan. The Kutang dialect, called ‘kukay’, is a mix of Tibeto-Burman and Gurung. We have views of the Ganesh Himal to the rear, as well as Lapuchen and Dwijen Himals to the north. We camp right in the middle of the small village, which now has a few new lodges, and get fresh greens from the family that owns the land. It’s worth a visit to the upper floor of their house above us, perhaps for a glass of local ‘chang’, or Tibetan beer (which the husband has undoubtably already started into). It starts to feel like a piece of old Tibet again. (B, L, D)

Day 12 – Trek Namrung 2540m
The valley is still steep-sided and impressive as we leave camp in the morning, descending briefly to a metal suspenion bridge which we cross as we head along the undulating trail to Nupri. We switchback steeply, once climbing a notched wooden ladder, up to the small, poor village of Rana where the women usually have their looms out. After more climbing through lovely woods of pine and crossing another bridge, we reach Bihi Phedi, where there is a new lodge and views of Kutang Himal. From here we start to see very artistic mani stones (prayers etched onto wayside rocks, particularly mani stones with pictures of gods and goddesses in this region), a sure sign that we are entering another of the tiny Tibetan footholds that mark the high Himalayan places. These particular mani stones were carved by stone carvers from Bihi, above Bihi Phedi, famous in the region for this craft.

We have several more hours of ascents and descents ahead of us, twice crossing tributary streams on metal suspension bridges, staying high above the Budhi Gandaki. The walk through the gorge is breathtaking but hot, with spectacular views. Five hours past Deng, just past a beautifully painted kane chorten and after crossing a bridge over the Budhi Gandaki, we reach the outskirs of Ghap. Again, note the elaborate mani walls with Buddhas in several asanas which were carved by the famous Bihi stone-carvers, and the egg-shells strung above the local ‘tea-house’ doors in Ghap prevent the evil spirits from entering the house. Past the bridge, it’s a good half hour to reach lunch at Hotel Kyimolung campsite.

+ We don’t camp at Ghap but across the Bhuri Gandaki and up steeply up for 45 minutes is the village of Chaak, where the son of the tea-house and campsite owner in Ghap lives with his family. There is a small, deserted gompa, carved mani stones (the style here is distinctly different that most other Tibetan Buddhist regions), and some Tibetans from Samdo who graze their yaks here. In the village, they will be drying their maize to grind into flour, and then trade with the people of upper Nubri. Across the river are great views of the village of Prok perched on the plateau jutting over the river below us. From Chaak, you can trek further to Kwak, and there is a trail up to Shringi Himal base camp. A fire recently destroyed the gompa at Kwak.

Soon after leaving Ghap, we ascend for two hours through a dense, cool forest of fir, rhododendron, bamboo and oaks, crossing the now narrow Budhi Gandaki twice on newly built suspension bridges, and continue to climb, often on smooth, stone steps. We might spot danphe, the national bird of Nepal, or grey langur monkeys with white faces along the trail. As we gain altitude, we reach alpine territory and are treated to increasingly broad mountain views. We eventually reach Namrung, the first village in Nubri, a region of purely Tibetan inhabitants speaking a dialect of western Tibet. Our campsite at Namrung is small and grassy; it’s a spectacular spot when the weather is good but can be chilly if in the clouds so bring something warm in your daypack. It’s a long day for the porters so expect your bags a bit later than usual.

We are now entering the Tibetan region of upper Nupri; Nupri means ‘western ridge’ or ‘western mountains’. (B, L, D)

Day 13 – Trek Lho 3180m
Another wonderful and diverse trekking day awaits. Above Namrung, the valley opens out and there are extensive barley fields and bear watches to guard them. Note the bamboo structures in the fields at the nearby village of Banzam, the winter settlement and crops of the Lihi villagers. An hour and half of undulating trails later we reach the village of Lihi at 2840 meters, a substantial altitude gain. Lihi houses two old gompas, and is spread along the trail with billowing fields of barley, guarded by more bear watches. Lihi is known for its unusual architecture which we’ll see further north in Nupri as well – apartment-like units with a common roof. From Lihi, you can head east to the newly opened village of Hinang, which also has an important gompa.

We climb gently through the village past the lodge campsite, descend to the Hinang Khola which flows from the Hinang and Lanjam Glaciers, and climb again, with views of Ngadi Himal and Manaslu north opening up aheadof us. Soon we reach the kane chorten and the picturesque Tibetan village of Shyo at 3000m. Shyo has a small lha-khang and two newly rebuilt gompas (with help from the Taiwanese?), one across the river. Look for the bear claw on the upper deck of one of the slate-terraced house at the far end of the village. Across the river are said to be the ruins of an old Tibetan fort as well as the resplendent new gompa. From Shyo, the views of Ngadi Chuli are spectacular, and further on, towards Lho, we are finally treated to breath-taking views of Manaslu itself, an impressive afternoon!

One more small descent out of Shyo, past a fly-blown teahouse and a small stream, and we start to climb up to Lho. We’ll stop for lunch at one of the new lodge decks in the lower reached of Lho. From here it’s a short but steep switchback up to Lho.

We set up camp at the top of Lho, a lively, green and sprawling village adorned with many prayer flags, in the yard of a small lodge just above the new chorten that was built with the help of the Taiwanese in 2009. The local household deities in Lho are called ‘pholhas’ and are revered at small altars in all of the houses. The small gompa just below our old campsite and new lodge is worth a visit as is the new Nyingma Rimjung Gompa, adorned with multi-colored prayer flags just up the hill from our campsite. The large gompa houses 150 monks (both novice monks and lamas) from such far away Tibetan regions as Manang, Dolpo and Bhutan. The gompa was a join venture of these same Taiwanese and Kempo Tashi Tsering.

From camp, sunset and sunrise are wonderful, with breathtaking views of Manaslu and Manaslu North just ahead of us. (B, L, D)

Day 14 – Trek Pung Gyan Gompa 3870m
We wake to a misty, golden sunrise and spectacular views of Manaslu and Manaslu North from the campsite. Walking through the upper reaches of Lho, with the snowy peaks of Manaslu rising behind the gompa, we pass billowing green barley fields, a long mani wall and large, old chortens followed by the kane chorten where we’ll get the best views of Manaslu. We descend, cross a small stream on wooden bridges and then ascend through light forests next to a small river until we reach a small hydro-electric hut. From here we’ll hike up through a once dense forest of pine, now nearly deforested. Locals from Lho and Sama Gaon have cut almost all of the large pines to transport by yak to Tibet where it will be sold and other Chinese goods purchased. Soon we reach Hong Sangbu Gompa, once a small village gompa and now dwarfed by the larger, newer gompa which will apparently be used for meditation. The gompa is near Musithang kharka, a seasonal herding spot, and has fantastic views of the surrounding peaks.

Leaving the gompa and barking dogs, we descend just a bit to an old mill where local women who stay in Shayla are often roasting barley and grinding it to make tsampa. Soon we reach the high, idyllic summer settlement of Shayla, where we’ve found pelts of blue sheep tucked away in the rafters of the now-deserted settlement. There are extensive mountain panoramas from here as well, and new lodges. Once past Shayla we have two hours of trekking through classic alpine scenery, crossing two small bridges over glacial streams. Our trail leads us past Tibet grazing settlements, the trail to Pung Gyan Gompa to the left, several doksas (kharkas), a large school and eventually past checkered fields of barley and potato to Sama Gaon, or Ro, as the locals call it. We’ll take a sharp left turn just before the school and doksas and hike up to Pung Gyan Gompa for the night.

Pung Gyan Gompa sits at 3870 meters and is a stunning walk up an often icy and slippery trail along the Numla Khola and the Pung Gyan glacier past Tibetan ‘kharkas’ or seasonal herding settlements. There are unbeatable views of Manaslu near the gompa. The gompa was mostly destroyed by an avalanche in 1953, and recently rebuilt. The complex includes a cave gompa as well, which affords even better views of the valley. (B, L, D)

Day 15 – Trek Sama Gaon (Ro) 3525m
Back down the valley to the school, it’s just a half an hour’s walk to Ro. Sama Gaon sits in a bowl at the foot of the pastures leading to the high peaks. It’s a lovely village of mani walls, household monks, gompas and tightly packed rows of houses. Just above the village is the extensive Pema Choling Gompa which acts as a retirement home for many of the elders of Sama. The people settled here from Tibet over 500 years ago, and the two gompas (one in the lower village) date from this time, both having unique architecture, colorful doors and windows and built of wood. The Tibetan villages in this region of Manaslu have distinctive entrance gates (kanes), and they maintain an active trade with their co-religionists in Tibet over several high passes nearby (notice the Chinese brandy and beer for sale in the small shops). Taxes were actually paid to the Dzongka Dzong (fortress) at the border of Tibet, a few days walk from Sama Gaon, as late as the 1940’s until it was taken over by the Gorkhas in the late 19th century. Later, after 1959, the region was home to Tibetan guerrillas, and thus closed to trekking until 1992. The economy is based on farming, herding and trading.

Take the afternoon to hike up to the old Kagyu Pema Choling Gompa settlement just north of the village. This is locally called Labrang, or Lama’s place, and houses several lamas and their families as well as many nuns. The lamas and monks in Sama are all married, and there are about sixty of them. There are frequent pujas at the gompa and many prayer rooms with old murals and statues, worth at least an hour to explore. It’s also endlessly fascinating to wander the dirty alleyways of Sama, it’s stone houses with wooden decks and shingles a similar style to the ones in Lho and Lihi. Yaks and dzobkios share the narrow alleys, which have small waterways running in the middle of them and planks to bridge the two sides. If the weather is good, you will see the village women weaving wool (phal) from Tibet as well as local sheep and goat wool into lengths of fabric which eventually become chubas.We often shop for hook rugs (den) and other Tibetan artifacts in the village, a good way to interact with the villagers.

Geoff Child’s ‘Tibetan Diary’ is a must-read before (or after) spending time in Sama Gaon. We have it in our library. (B, L, D)

Day 16 – Trek Samdo 3850m
Another day of mountain views as we trek past craggy woods of Himalayan birch during the walk up to Samdo, an easy 3 or 3 1/2 hours away. For those who want an extra excursion we’ll hike above the lake up Manaslu Base Camp valley. Half an hour after leaving Sama Gaon, cross the small bridge, hike through the gate of the grazing wall and head west towards Manaslu Base Camp along the grassy lateral morraine. En route, we’ll pass two seasonal kharkas, looking like they’ve not been used recenty. As we hike up through the woods on a dirt trail, past birch, juiper and rhododendron, the lake opens up below us and we get closer to the impressive icefall of the Manaslu Glacier. We’ll hike up to a cave at just over 4000 meters before calling it a day and returning back to the valley, crossing the small stream and heading north again.

We pass by the left side of the long mani walls at Kermo Kharka and 1/1/2 hours afterwards spot the entrance chorten of Samdo high on a bluff. We descend back to the Budhi Gandaki and cross a small bridge leading to a short climb to the ‘kane’ entrance of Samdo. The villagers of Samdo came across the border from the village of Riu in Tibet after 1959 and built their new village here, at their old herding settlement. Like the people of Ro, Samdo inhabitants are Tibetan, and were ceded the land by the king of Jumla over 500 years ago. Unlike the Ro people, they only claimed their land after the Chinese takeover in the early 1950s. Since then they have established a trade with China and India, marketing among other things, the aphrodisiac root that grows in the region. We have lots of friends in the village so will probably be invited to visit and share some chang (Tibetan barley beer), salt-butter tea and perhaps do a bit of carpet or textile shopping. Take a walk around the village where the inhabitants live an essentially Tibetan lifestyle, herding their yaks, sheep and goats, training their horses and planting barley. There is a small gompa in a house mid-village which we visited in a previous year where a puja was held by several of the reincarnated lamas of Samdo.

We have a connection with a family in Samdo that Clint Rogers, who wrote the book about Samdo ‘Where Rivers Meet’ (also in our library), lived with years ago. We helped the wife, Nima Dikki, get over her four-year postpartum depression, and knew her husband Tsewang Gyurme and their kids well. Sadly Tsewang Gyurme died fighting a forest fire in January 2011 (see memorial in Kamzang Fund section) and Nyima Dikki is now trying to make ends meet by running a small local tea-house. We’ll visit them later in the afternoon and anyone is welcome to come sit by the warm fire. The oldest daughter, Menden Samo, now in her late teens, is now home helping her mother run the household. (4 – 5 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 17 – Samdo | Day Hike for Manaslu Views
Today is a rest and acclimatization day in this wonderful Tibetan village, tucked away below Manaslu which towers above us to the west. The sun hits camp early and warms the campsite so get up with the sun, soak in the mountain environment and notice the early morning sunbeams illuminating the village wood-smoke. In back of camp rise the magestic peaks of Ngadi Chuli, Himal Chuli and Simnang Himal.

We recommend a hike up valley directly to the east of Samdo, heading towards one a trading pass to Tibet, for amazing mountain panoramas including an in-your-face view of Manaslu itself. Passing through the one street of the village, we climb to the northeast of the village gaining wonderful views down to Samdo and it’s tilled or green fields below. As we ascend, the peaks to the west open up behind us and in a hour we’ve crested ‘Samdo Spur’ at 4250 meters. From left to right, the peaks are: Simrang Himal, Himal Chuli, Ngadi Himal, Manaslu, Manaslu North and Larkya Peak. To the right of the Larkye La which is just in front of us as we look northwest, we can see Cheo Himal and Kang Guru behind the pass. Two more contours to northern ridges brings us to a small, clear glacial stream and the original summer kharkas of the Lho people, now deserted and used by the Samdo-pa in the winter sometimes. The kharka huts are beautiful, with glimmering slate tiles on the roofs and slate patios. Climb one more hill to the old cairn and head directly north up the grassy hillside to reach the idyllic ‘Samdo hill’ at 4590 meters. From here we’ll get views east to the pass to Tibet as well as over the Larkye La and the Manaslu massif. Purple and yellow primulas color the hillsides, marmots stand on their hind legs and whistle, choughs soar and play above us, cuckoos and chukkars dart past us, and blue sheep roam the hillsides above. We might also see more danphe as they crash through the underbrush, and often spot lammergeyer and Himalayan griffin soaring high above us. It’s a knee-wrenching hour-long descent back down to Samdo, where a hot lunch awaits.

The Gya La (‘large pass’) to the north of Samdo is a more frequently used trading route to Tibet but makes for an exteremely long daytrip. The border markers at the top says ‘China, 1962.’ The trail up to the pass is used frequently by groups of Samdo residents with their yaks carrying timbers over the border to Tibet. True High Asia. These days the main trade is in yersa gumpa, and Tibetan Khampas come for the month of June to bring this commodity back to Tibet and sell to the Chinese for a hefty profit. (B, L, D)

Day 18 – Trek Dharamsala High Camp (Larkya Phedi) 4480m
It’s a short trekking day as we head to our high camp for Larkya La. We leave Samdo on the old trade route towards Tibet (Sherpas from the Khumbu region used to bring their yaks into Tibet and then across the Larkya La down into Nubri on their extensive trade-circuit in years past), cross a small bridge, and climb westwards above the ruins of Larkya Bazaar. The bazaar was one of the trade markets, a seasonal tented camp, that flourished years ago, before the closing of the Tibetan border. Ascending through grazing lands, open, grassy plateaus filled with dwarf rhododendron, juniper bushes and lichen-covered granite, the panoramas become increasingly awe-inspiring. We soon reach the view up to Syancha Glacier on the other side of the valley which tumbles down from Manaslu & Manaslu North. The route up Manaslu is visible from one of the many spurs that we crest this morning. Finally we come to the developping campsite at Dharamsala, the high camp for the Larkya La pass. We’ll have lunch here while the staff sets up camp and gaze out at the views. You’ll feel the altitude and the cold here, so perhaps enjoy a leisurely afternoon and keep warm. We’re in blue sheep territory, so keep an eye out for herds of them grazing nearby on the barren hillsides.

If you’ve still got energy to spare hike up either of the ridges that form the boundery of our valley, or hike up alongside the small spring-fed stream in back of camp and enjoy the birds, marmots and blue sheep. Either way you’ll have good views of Naike Peak to the south and the tip of Manaslu in front. We’ll have an early dinner in preparation for our pass crossing tomorrow. This will be our last day of camping in the Manaslu region. The mules will head back down the valley with our camping gear, and we will have porters or mules to carry our personal duffel bags for the next few days as we stay at the lovely lodges in the Annapurna region. (3-4 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 19 – Trek Bimtang 3590m | Cross Larkya La (5140m + 5160m) 
Thank God for fresh-brewed coffee! It’s dark and cold as we pack up our gear and tents in the morning and head off on our eight to nine hour trek over the Larkya La to Bimtang. Bring your trekking poles, and ‘yak tracks’ if you have them. After a short climb directly above the campsite, we hike along the right side of the lateral morraine, soon following the narrow bottom of this valley. Look for blue sheep, pika, marmot and Tibetan snow-cock tracks in the snow – and we’d be lucky to see snow leopard prints. We’ll soon reach the ablation valley on the north side of the Larkya Glacier where we’ll have views of Cho Danda and Ganesh Himal l to the east and then of Larkya Peak (6250m) to the west. We continue across the often snowy, undulating moraine of the glacier, past the many snow markers, and in about two hours reach a small hut, mostly unused, at 4920 meters. From here we’ve got another two hour push to reach the pass. We continue to ascend on small ridges and past a lovely frozen lake, often through the snow, making a gradual ascent which becomes steeper only in the last section to the pass.

The views from the top of the Larkye La are wonderful, mountain panoramas equally amazing from both sides of the double pass. From the east, the direction we just hiked up, we’ll look down on Samdo Peak and the peaks bordering Tibet, and Larkye Peak to the southeast. To the west towards the Annapurna region rise Kang Guru (ridge only), Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal and a bit further down the pass the views open up to included Gyagi Kung and Annapurna II. After hanging our Tibetan prayer flags and yelling ‘Ki ki so so lha gyalo’ (may the Gods be victorious), get ready for a steep climb down a razor-edge ridge and then a descent, often slippery and icy and slightly precipitous, to a trail following the left side of the Salpudanda glacier moraine. We’ll lunch after reaching a flat area with smooth rocks if there’s no snow, once we’ve crossed the rock-fall area. From here we continue to traverse downhill with another steep section ahead, soon reaching a flatter valley full of primulas and azalea bushes. We still have a good 2-3 hours to go to reach our campsite, a long haul. A boulder-strewn, circular descent lead us, finally, to Bimtang, which means ‘plain of sand’, the region where the Samdo people keep their yaks and horses in the summer and winter months.

We’ll stay in one of the nice, new lodges in Bimtang, and enjoy a chilled beer as the evening clouds gather, turning pink behind the surrounding peaks. (B, L, D)

Day 20 – Trek Tilje 2300m 
A chilly but beautiful morning, as the sun behind the ridge hits the peaks around us long before the campsite. After leaving the grazing fields of Bimtang, we climb to a ridge over the moraine, soon afterwards crossing a boulder-strewn river, which recently flooded, on a wooden bridge. We ascend and then head down through open forests of brilliantly blooming rhododendron, juniper, birches and spruce past the doksas below Bimtang. En route we might pass Samdo-pa returning from their shopping in the Manang region with their loaded horses. Butterflies flutter peacefully around us, hummingbirds dart from tree to tree, and white strawberry flowers and azalea bushes are underfoot as we descend through forests of rhododendron, with the back side of Manaslu openning up impressively in front of us. We follow the intersecting glacial rivers, increasingly large as we drop, and eventually cross a steel Bailey’s bridge and reach the small hamlet of Karche where there is a tea-house and lodge, and where the porters are having their dal baht. We might eat here, or perhaps we’ll lunch just below along the riverside, now the Dudh Khola.

We continue along the rocky river-bed, often on trails which traverse sliding hillsides, to several small, green villages, a sign that we’ve reached lower altitudes. After a somewhat long (6-7 hours) but very scenic day we reach the large village of Tilje and our lodge in the lower section of the village in the yard of a small teahouse. The inhabitants of Tilje are a mix of Manangis, Ghale Gurung and Chettris (Hindus) so have developped a unique architecture and culture, and eat a mix foods ranging from dal bhat and buckwheat dhiro to tsampa to Tibetan salt-butter tea. The deep gorge ahead marks the land of apple pie, cold beers and hot showers, otherwise known as the Annapurna Circuit. (B, L, D)

Day 21 – Trek Chame 2710m
Continuing to climb through forests of pine and oak, we pass through the long, cobbled village of Danagyu before coming to a small bridge and thundering waterfall, where we turn left and head up the high trail to Koto. After an hour of lovely, open forests, we reach a clearing at the top of the trail and a charming Tibetan teahouse where we will stop for a break. Pausing for breath, we can look back for views of Manaslu and Peak 29. An hour away is the wonderful Gurung village of Thanchuk, 2615m, where the villagers might be harvesting their crops of buckwheat or stuffing local sausages. Heading back down to the village of Koto Qupar, our base for the trek up to Nar Phu, we can look straight up at nearby Annapurna II – a stunning sight convincing us that we are deep in the Himalayan mountains! Many of the villagers are the from Nar Phu valley; this is the gateway to their region. Less than an hour brings us to Chame, the local administrative center of Manang, and a large village packed with small shops and tea-houses, an army post and a large school. We bed down here for the evening at the New Tibet Lodge at the far end of town, across the river. In the morning, we’ll have early morning sun and great views of Lamjung Himal.

Day 22 – Trek Upper Pisang 3240m
It’s a beautiful walk of six to seven hours from Chame to Pisang, through woods with some small ascents, and wonderful views of the peaks soaring above us. We reach the small hamlet of Taleku with its one, old lodge after half and hour, and then an hour later reach the decked, wooden tea-houses of Bhratang where we’ll stop for a sunny tea-break, and perhaps search for some apples, grown locally in this region. Continuing through a lovely forest of pines, firs and spruce along the river bank, we eventually climb up to a bridge on a scenic trail peppered with large boulders, and get our first view of the ‘Rock of Pisang’ soaring majestically overhead to the right, a piece of the ancient sea-bed thrust upwards millions of years ago. More open woods, always accompanied by views, leads us to a group of Tibetan souvenir stalls and a tiny tea-stall, and soon after the woods open up to a high plateau, where we stop for lunch at the sunny group of decked lodges called Dhukure Pokari. Half an hour further along the river along a flat, easy trail to the train of lodges at Pisang, where we stay at Maya’s Guest House. We’ll have the afternoon in Pisang to explore the village, with it’s Tibetan mani stones and gompa, perhaps taking a walk up to Upper Pisang for amazing views of Annapurna II and Annapurna III.

Pisang is the first village of upper Manang, called Nyesyang, much higher and dryer than the lower village of Gyasumdo below and much more Tibetan in character.

Day 23 – Trek Ngawal + Manang | High Route 3510m
Today’s trail is one of the most scenic along the Annapurna route, an alternative to the most trekked and shorter main trail with spectacular views of the Annapurnas. We start the morning with a steep ascent to Upper Pisang (3340m) and continue with another longer and steeper climb to Ghyaru, an old, atmospheric village with a lovely tea-house with alpine views. Here, trails above the village lead to the climbing peaks of Pisang, Chulu East and Chulu West. Another two or three hours brings us to the larger, equally atmospheric village of Ngawal, a wonderful, old village of cobbled streets, prayer wheels, decorative water-spouts and beautiful architecture, obviously a hub of religious activity in previous times. After lunch, we still have a few hours more to trek, first down and through forests of juniper to Braga village, an old Tibetan-style village of about 150 partially deserted houses with adjoining decks. We have time to explore the old village of Braga, with its large, old gompa perched colorfully above the stacked houses. The gompa has an elaborate collection of thankas and statues, and it is worth finding the key-keeper to open the assembly hall and ‘lha khangs’ for us. Braga also has an impressive collection of traditional architectural details, so keep your eyes open for beautifully carved wooden windows and doors. The prayer wheels and chorten at the foot of Braga are particularly brightly painted.

After a snack (or lunch if we didn’t have it in Ngawal) at the New Yak Hotel (one of Kim’s favorite’s) it’s just a 20-minute walk past a series of unique and colorful chortens to Manang, at 3500m, a village of 500 or so flat-roofed houses, the headquarters for the region, and an interesting village packed with trekkers, bakeries and lodges. Manang is dominated by high peaks – Annapurna III and Gangapurna tower over it, and a dramatic icefall sits just across the river. There is an old gompa on the edge of town, many local teahouses, and some atmospheric, winding streets in the village leading out toward the Thorung La. Finally, guest houses, showers, cold beers! There is a 3 pm lecture on altitude by the Himalayan Rescue Association for anyone interested. We stay at our good friend Tashi and Angmo’s Mountain View Lodge, absolutely the best in Manang if not the entire Annapurna region! Tashi is an accomplished and award-winning photographer who has led treks with us before, and is one of the only people to have photographed snow leopards in the wild.

Day 24 – Manang
Today is our ‘rest’ day, with lots of options; a long day-hike to the Ice Lake, a visit to the ‘Hundred Rupee Lama’ at the cave gompa above Manang (recommended for the views of Annapurna 2 and 4 if nothing else), an afternoon hike above Gangapurna Lake to the viewpoint (also recommended), a two-hour hike to Milarepa’s cave across the river from Braga, the HRA talk or a tour of Manang’s many bakeries. The guest house is wonderful, a sunny and warm place to gaze at the peaks in the afternoon.

Day 25 – Trek Tilicho Lake Base Camp East
It’s a fantastic hike from Manang to the Base Camp at Tilicho Lake, one of the highest lakes in the world. We head through Manang village, cross to the east side of the Marsyangdi River and then head into the ‘interior’ of the Annapurna circuit past several small Manangi villages and a new-ish half-way lodge, then crossing some sliding sand chutes to Tilicho Base Camp, a hike of about six hours. Keep your eyes open for blue sheep as there are large herd in this region. Tilicho Lake is a further hour and a half walk away.

Day 26 – Trek Tilicho Base Camp West | Cross Tilicho Pass 
A challenging crossing of the Tilicho Pass today heading towards Jomsom in Lower Mustang!

Day 27 – Trek Jomsom
Finally, a long, lovely downhill hike to Jomsom, the headquarters of Lower Mustang. Here we will stay at the Trekkers Inn for the night and meet the Mustang group tomorrow. Showers, cold beers and WiFi await!

Day 28 – Fly Pokhara + Kathmandu
If the weather cooperates, we take off early for our mountain flights to Pokhara and then to Kathmandu. After checking into our rooms at the Kathmandu Guest House, we’ll have plenty of time to wash off the grime of weeks of trekking in a long, hot shower. Later, we head out to dinner together to celebrate the trek.

Day 29 – Kathmandu
An extra day in Kathmandu, just in case …

Day 30 – Trip Ends
Transfer to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for your flight home. Namaste! (B)

Alternative Thorung La Route

Day 25 – Trek Thorung Phedi High Camp 4700m
We have an easy two or three hour walk up to the Thorung La Base Camp Hotel at Thorung Phedi, and on to the High Camp just another hour above that. After passing Tengi, Gunsang and Yak Kharka, we’ll have an early lunch at Letdar (see photo above), and afterwards its only another hour or so to hike up to the lodge at High Camp, where we will stay the night, getting to bed early for our early morning start for the Thorung La the next day. If anyone is having problems with altitude, we have the option of staying at Thorung Phedi Base Camp, where we had lunch, a nice spot to spend the afternoon with its glass windows.

Day 26 – Trek Muktinath + Jharkot 3800m
Up early for the three or four hour switch backing trek to the top of the Thorung La at 5400m, stopping once for a longer break at the ‘mid-way’ teahouse, where we are treated with spectacular views over Mustang and the surrounding peaks. The descent is almost as demanding as the ascent to the top of the pass, so a cup of chai and a snack at the local tea house at Chabarbu, at the bottom of the descent, is a required stop. And on to lower Mustang, which we have actually reached just after the pass, and the serene temple complex of Muktinath.

Muktinath is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists and Hindus situated in a tranquil grove of trees, and contains a wall of 108 waterspouts in the shape of cows heads spouting sacred water, the Jwala Mai temple with a perpetual spouting flame and the pagoda-styled Vishnu Mandir, all of which make up the auspicious combination of earth, fire and water. We stay just five minutes down the trail from Muktinath at Ranipauwa. Or we might opt to continue to the older, less touristy village of Jharkot, reached by continuing along a wonderful trail through more Mustangi villages, where traditional back-loom weaving techniques are still being practiced by the local women. Half an hour from Ranipauwa, Jharkot is an older Mustangi village with a medieval feel, a Shakya gompa which is a traditional medicine center and incredibly photogenic whitewashed houses and streets.

Day 27 – Trek Kagbeni 2800m + Drive Jomsom 2760m
A beautiful, remote trekking day, and a look into old Mustang; the scenery is truly wonderful – soft light, patchworks of fields, peaks overhead, villagers out plowing the fields, horses tethered next to the houses, and apple trees providing texture to the landscape. Heading back up to Muktinath temple, we turn off the main trail towards Mukti village. After an hour of gentle walking, we reach Chhongar, and then the fortified village of Jhong, and finally half an hour later, Khingsar. En route, we’ll stop at ancient gompas, look into walled courtyards where live continues as it has for centuries (except often with electricity). Finally, we return to the main trail before the Kagbeni intersection. After a steep descent, we reach the windy Kali Gandaki (called the Thak Khola by the locals) river valley where it intersects the Jhong Khola, and the last village in lower Mustang, the atmospheric oasis of Kagbeni. The mud-packed houses, prayer wheels, narrow, stone streets, covered alleyways, chortens and old brick-hued gompa dominating the village and guarding the river intersections are reminiscent of old Mustang, and those who wanted to venture further can wander across the river to the Mustangi villages officially “off limits” but easily accessible.

We’ll drive nice down the Kali Gandaki riverbed back to Jomsom, the administrative center for the region. The Kali Gandaki valley gets incredibly windy in the early afternoon, so important to arrive before noon. We’ll have lunch in Jomsom, and there is a bank if anyone needs to change money. We stay the night at the Trekkers Inn near the check-post, a nice lodge with good food and cold beers for our last night on the trek.

+ There is an amazing, but much more difficult route from Eklai Batti, crossing the bridge to the village of Phakling, and then ascending another hour up to the larger village of Phalangar, a remote village of tight alleyways, often covered, craggy trees, an old gompa and quite lively. The trail then ascends to a relatively high pass, with great views, and descends again to the Kali Gandaki, and an hour later we reach the cobbled streets of Jomsom.

Day 28 – Fly Pokhara + Kathmandu
If the weather cooperates, we take off early for our mountain flights to Pokhara and then to Kathmandu. After checking into our rooms at the Kathmandu Guest House, we’ll have plenty of time to wash off the grime of weeks of trekking in a long, hot shower. Later, we head out to dinner together to celebrate the trek.

Day 29 – Kathmandu
An extra day in Kathmandu, just in case …

Day 30 – Trip Ends
Transfer to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for your flight home. Namaste! (B)

Day 1 – Arrive Kathmandu 1340m
Welcome to Nepal! You’ll be met at the Tribuvhan International Airport by a representative from the Kathmandu Guest House. Once you exit the airport, look for the Kathmandu Guest House sign and a sign with your name on it. Rajendra (+977 9841623270) +/or the KGH driver will transfer you to the Kathmandu Guest House, where your rooms have been booked for you.

Kim will meet you at the guest house and introduce you to Thamel, the bustling tourist area of Kathmandu. Thamel is a myriad of banners, signs, music shops, bakeries, cafes, restaurants, bars, hotels, shops of all imaginable varieties and eccentrically clad backpackers. Over a dinner of wood-oven pizza at Roadhouse Cafe, we’ll go over some of the logistics of the trek and get to know each other over a few beers.

Day 2 – Kathmandu
Morning meeting at 9:30 am in the back garden of the Kathmandu Guest House to collect passports, insurance information, photos and go over the trek details.

The day is free to explore Kathmandu and the Kathmandu valley, shop, wander Thamel’s interesting streets, visit the spa, have a massage or just read a book in the lovely Kathmandu Guest House gardens. We’ll have time for a bit of gear shopping in Thamel for anyone who needs to adjust their gear, and in the evening we’ll get together for dinner at Dechenling, New Orleans of one of Thamel’s other great restaurants. (B)

Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Kathmandu is filled with World Heritage sites and sacred destinations, crowded with traditional neighborhoods and colorful festivals. Spend a few days exploring Nepal’s exotic capital and the history-laden Kathmandu valley. We can arrange sightseeing guide, vehicles and guides as required. See Kathmandu Heritage + Happenings for more details.

We recommend beginning with Pashupatinath in the early morning, and moving on to Boudhanath mid-morning. Hindu Pashupatinath on the sacred Bagmati river and its sacred temple complex is one of Nepal’s most important sites, a powerful cremation site and Nepal’s most important Hindu temple. Here, monkeys run up and down the steps of the burning ghats, and trident-bearing saddhus draped in burnt-orange and saffron sit serenely meditating, when they’re not posing for photos-for-rupees. Local guides can explain the significance of the complicated ceremonies. Please be respectful when taking photos.

Boudhanath, in the midst of traditional monasteries (gompas) and hung with long strings of multi-colored prayer flags, attracts Sherpas, Tibetans and tourists alike for daily circumambulations (koras) of the iconic stupa. The striking Buddha eyes of Boudhanath Stupa watch over a lively and colorful Tibetan community and attract pilgrims from all over the Himalayan Buddhist realm. There are wonderful spots for lunch at Boudhanath (Roadhouse Cafe has wood-oven pizzas and a breathtaking view of the stupa and colorful Nepals circling it), and it’s a good place to learn the technique of thanka painting and purchase a thanka (Buddhist mural). See also Bhaktapur for more options for shopping for thankas.

Wander through the many temples, pagodas, courtyards and the museum at Kathmandu Durbar Square, a timeless gathering spot and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Kathmandu Durbar Square, including the old royal palace, is Kathmandu’s ‘Palace Square’, a showcase for the world renown artisans and craftsmen of Kathmandu and a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist palaces, temples, stupas and statues. The Malla and Shah kings ruled over the Kathmandu Valley during the centuries of the building of the layers of this Durbar Square. Along with their opulent palaces, the square surrounds numerous courtyards and temples, all works of art with intricate and often erotic carvings. Kathmandu Durbar Square is known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, a name derived from a statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, at the entrance of the palace. The social, religious and urban focal point of the city, Durbar Square is often the site of festivals, marriages and other ceremonies such as Teej. Some important structures are Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar (Abode of the Living Goddess), Taleju Temple, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, the 17th century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages.

In the evening (take the interesting back streets from Durbar Square) climb the many steps to the gilded Swayambhunath stupa (known as the monkey temple) which rises from the Kathmandu valley floor at 1420 meters and is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. . Swayambunath, the ‘self created’  stupa, was founded over 2000 years ago at a time when the Kathmandu valley was filled by a large lake, with a single lotus in the center. Mythology says that Manjusri, a bodhisvatti, drained the lake with one cut of his sword and the lotus flower was transformed into the stupa. From its commanding views of Kathmandu, circumambulate Swayambunath’s white-washed stupa, painted with distinctive Buddha eyes, the complex a unique synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism. Another interesting time to visit Swayambunath is in the mornings, when Nepalis visit the temple dedicated to the God of Smallpox to with colorful offerings for the goddess.

Stop to photograph reflections in Kathmandu’s many pokhari’s, or ponds, including the beautiful Rani Pokhari (queen’s bath) near New Road, and the Naga Pokhari (pond of the snake gods of the underworld) just beyond the palace gates. The many bathing ghats, square enclosures with steps leading down to water spouts, often decorated with naga heads, are also interesting and colorful gathering spots.

Day 3 – Drive Gorkha 1510m | Gorkha Farm House
We board private vehicles for our scenic drive from Kathmandu to the Gurung village of Gorkha in Nepal’s steamy middle hills, driving along the Prithvi Highway and following the Trisuli River. Gorkha was once the capital of a massive kingdom which included parts of lower Tibet, and is dominated by an impressive ‘durbar’, or fortress palace complex, predominately Hindu with frequent animal sacrifices in the name of Durga or Kali in its several old Hindu temples. The fort is perched high up in the surrounding hillsides and reached by nearly an hour of hiking up worn stone steps, often with other Nepali Hindu pilgrims, an extremely photographic afternoon! We stay in a local hotel for the evening. Take advantage of a chance for a sun-downer while we’re in Nepal’s steamy middle hills, and still low in altitude. (5 hrs drive) (B, L, D)

Day 4 – Drive Rangrung Phedi 875m. Trek Barpak 1915m (Lodge)
Starting in the lovely morning light, we drive to the Manaslu region along a newly built jeep road, heading north past our old campsite at Arkole village, driving past vivid green rice paddies, over small rivers and past many roadside batties to the small hamlet of Rangrung. At Rangrung Phedi we start our trek, switchbacking up to the lovely Gurung village of Barpak.

It’s a long and steep climb but beautiful hike up to the incredibly scenic village of Barpak, situated perfectly on a green ridge overlooking the misty valley below. The new road started in 2009 built to connect Barpak and Laprak with Gorkha traverses our trail for the first half of the climb; we have to traverse this dirt road a few times as we climb through the dense forested hillside filled with rhododendrons, bauhenia and other large, leafy trees. Along the way we’ll stop for a break at the Gurung memorial ‘chautaras’ or rest stops. These are specific to the Gurung and Rai people, both Buddhist with an animist/shamanistic bent. Two hours of climbing later we reach the local school at Mandaray followed by an entrance gate and several small tea shops where we can stop for a cold drink. Continuing to climb gently, contouring around tilled wheat fields, it will take us another hour of more gentle climbing to reach the ancient chortens that mark the lower reaches of Barpak village.

We stay for the night at a local lodge in order to support the Gurung villagers of Barpak, who’s village was destroyed in the 2015 Nepal earthquakes. Barpak and Laprak was the epicenter of this massive earthquake, and we continue to support the villagers by staying in their lodges and purchasing their products. Our camping will begin once back down on the mail trail along the Manaslu Circuit, in Korlebesi. At the shop, you can find a cold beer or drink, and wander over to the local school ground to watch a game of volleyball …

Barpak is a large, Ghale (royalty) Gurung village, extremely clean, with a weekly market, wide alleys between the houses, grain and vegetables drying outside on the patios, several shops, a new school, a soccer field, viewpoints and flowers planted along the decks of these Gurung houses. Many of its men joined the Ghurkha Army, returned to Barpak with new wealth, and have built lovely houses. We arrive in time for lunch, and have the afternoon to wander the narrow streets of the village, a photographers paradise. Note the locally woven ‘bakus’, a sort of felted wool poncho which most men wear to keep the rain and cold away, and the men carrying hemp rope bags. The village is full of women weaving on wooden looms, spinning and carding. The villagers often organize ‘cultural shows’, the proceeds of which go to improving the village, so we might be treated to one in the early evening. Across the steep valley the hillsides are peppered with other terraced villages. We are towered over by Bauddhi Himal, a high, snow-capped peak which makes for wonderful sunrise and sunset photos. (3 hrs drive + 4 hrs trek) (B, L, D)

Day 5 – Trek Laprak 2200m (Lodge)
After breakfast we’ll start on a picturesque climb right out of town towards a lovely pass, with Bauddhi Himal providing a spectacular back-drop to the sprawling, scenic Barpak as we ascend the narrow ridge. Starting on old stone steps and passing several chautaras, we reach grassy grazing kharkas and look out at the tilled hillsides and impossibly perched Gurung villages across the many deep valleys. Our trail is often stone steps, alternating with hard-packed dirt and stony trail, which meets the new road to Laprak near the ridge-pass, the Laprak La (2820m), which separates Laprak and Barpak. From the viewpoint half an hour before the pass, with flocks of sheep grazing on the grassy hillsides, we are rewarded with panoramic mountain views which are better than at the actual pass itself. Bauddhi Himal, Shringi Himal, Ganesh Himal and the Langtang range all span the horizon. The rhododendrons are blooming brilliantly in many hues of white, pink and red, lovely foreground for photos with the snow-peaks in back. Bring a wind jacket as the clouds often move quickly up to this ridge, and it gets cold at the pass.

Another steep hour or two of trekking between tilled fields, past local kharkas and through the new ‘kane’ chorten brings us down to Laprak, a large, closely packed Gurung village of five hundred houses, perhaps not quite as scenic as Barpak but just as interesting. The Maoists used to stay in this village, and the villagers often offer some friendly indoctrination. We stay at a lodge in the upper reaches of the village, near the school, with the afternoon free to explore the village below.

Take a walk down the hill on the stone steps leading to the lower village and a look into some of the houses, several connected by wooden decks, all with symbolic murals on the mud-brick walls and family photographs over the doors. Medicinal roots are often drying on the decks, and millet and barley are spread in low baskets. Again, many women will be on their standing or back-strap looms weaving the long strips of wool for their bakus or blankets. The villagers are friendly, and there is lots to explore in Laprak’s winding maze of small lanes, perhaps visiting some of the local houses. (5 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 6 – Trek Korlebesi 875m (Camping)
A long, classic Himalayan trekking day, the steep hillsides peppered with traditional Nepali villages and their extensive fields, all of it spectacular, but hard on the knees! We’ll have an early start to have plenty of time for all of us, including the porters, to reach Korlebesi. Descending steeply on muddy stone steps through the maze of Laprak village, we pass old and young villagers out early on their decks, taking advantage of the morning sun, with wheat, barley and buckwheat laid out on straw mats. We continue to descend steeply, switchbacking through corn, wheat and barley fields to the river. After crossing the river on a new suspension bridge (next to the old, very rickety one), we climb equally steeply back up, past terraced fields of pink sorghum and rice, all the time far above the Macha Khola which we follow for most of the day. We contour around several hillsides on a narrow trail, barely visible at times, up to a small chorten just below the village of Singla from where we’re treated to views of Manaslu Himal, and Ganesh Himal l to the back.

We’ve still got a way to go as we trek through more terraced fields, climb and descend several dusty hillsides, climb on more stone steps and reach a plateau that seems to extend into an expanse of nothingness. We descend finally from here, and after about twenty minutes of steep stone steps reach the Gurung village of Korla. (Our Korla Camp is just above here, at 1935m). Still more downhill from here during which the landscape becomes more tropical, through more tilled fields, past a small hamlet with lovely rocks and finally we reach an extremely steep set of stone steps which leads to a long suspension bridge across the Nimrung Khola and to our campsite at Korlebesi on the Budhi Gandaki river. Look out for the local women weaving straw mats in the village. Our campsite is just below the village, next to the Nimrung Khola, again providing great swimming holes. We will probably get a visit in the evening from this village’s cultural ambassadors, and perhaps be treated to a cultural dance by the Korlebesi women’s group.

Once at our grassy campsite we will introduce you to our ‘Kamzang Style’ dining tent, your personal Marmot or North Face tents and have a cup of fragrant masala chai! (8 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 7 – Trek Jagat 1370m
A six plus hour trekking day today, starting with a walk through the village of Korlebesi and followed by an hour of walking along the river, by tobacco and buckwheat fields, past rocks washed smooth by the river, often climbing up stone steps, to reach the hot springs in the center of the small, terraced village of Tatopani. We have plenty of time to soak our grungy bodies in the gushing hot water streaming out of sculpted spouts. A gentle climb through the woods past some spectacular waterfalls and sculpted rocks brings us to a new suspension bridge across the Budhi Gandaki which we cross. We continue along a forested path and soon reach the large teahouse at Dobhan where the staff is having dal baht. After a short break we cross the Dhoban Khola on another suspension bridge Above Dobhan, the Budhi Gandaki descends in an impressive series of steep cataracts. We’ll share the trail with local sheep and goat herders, the youngest of the flock in rope baskets slung over their backs. More steep steps along cliff walls to climb as the river descends even more steeply and stratified river rocks decorate our route. It’s hot and there will be chances to stop at fly-blown Nepali bhattis, shared with local farm animals, for a drink, snack and rest en route. The valley flattens a bit and after a short climb we reach a newer bhatti and campsite. From here our trail climbs high above the river, nearly 200 meters, only to descend to an ‘eye’ of the Budhi Gandaki River. The valley widens, the river makes a large S turn and then calms.

We’ll stop for lunch at another camping spot and group of bamboo teahouses called Lauri just at the bottom of this climb, with another swimming spot on the Lauri River. An easy hour along the right banks of the river brings us to a long, new suspension bridge again crossing the Bhuri Gandaki after which we climb high, descend past the campsite at lower Jagat and then climb again on neat stone steps to enter our campsite in Jagat, the entrance to the Manaslu park. It is worth wandering around this beautiful, paved village, where proud villagers have recorded how much they contributed to these paving schemes. Our campsite is impressively clean and grassy, with cold beers and a shower available at the attached shop and lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 8 – Trek Philim 1570m
Enjoy our short day of less than three hours, with the rest of the afternoon to explore the upper village of fascinating Philim. After descending a long series of stone steps back down to the river from Jagat village, we climb on slab steps along a terraced hill-side to the small hamlet of Saguleri, just past where we’ll have our first view of the impressive Shringi Himal, 7187 meters high. Beautiful flame-leaf trees adorn the trail as we continue to climb and descend far above the river. We pass through the fly-blown paved village of Sirdibas, where the local children sell oranges in the Autumn and soon afterwards pass the local water-mill. Crossing the river again on a long, high suspension bridge at Gata Khola, we have a steep climb past green fields of wheat to reach Philim, the MCAP headquarters with a health post, a Japanese-sponsored school and a micro-hydro plant. We arrive at our grassy campsite in time for lunch, and have the afternoon free to wash at the dharapani (tap) across the path from camp, to explore the interesting upper village and gompa, or sit and enjoy the afternoon at camp.

The upper village’s Gurung inhabitants are very poor, and we often spend the afternoon tending to wounds and sick villagers who have commented that our western medicine is ‘magic’. Notice the chorten with the Maoist hammer and sickle in the center of the upper village, the kane chortens with murals inside and the intricately woven baskets which both the men and the women craft. The exquisite gold heirloom necklaces that adorn some of the women come from Barpak. Be careful of village dogs as they do sometimes bite! (B, L, D)

Day 9 – Trek Deng 1865m
Leaving Philim, we trek north on a beautiful, high and grass-sided trail following the Budhi Gandaki past Eklai Batti, soon passing the valley leading to Tsum valley on our right, a wild, deep gorge below. We soon descend a bit to reach a river junction, cross the Budhi Gandaki on a steel Bailey bridge, and continue further north into more Tibetan border regions. After the bridge and passing the trail to Nyak on the left we ascend gradually along a wide, hillside trail through an open pine forest, and then cross the river two more times on newly built steel suspension bridges (thanks to a benevolent Gurkha society), trekking through dense woods of rhododendrons, bamboo and wild flowers. As we climb, look back for views of Ganesh Himal IV. A few hours later we pass the riverside campsite and teahouses of Pewa where the staff will eat lunch.

After another 45 minutes of relatively easy climbing we leave the narrow gorge, cross the Dyang Khola on a metal suspension bridge, and climb briefly to the hamlet of Deng. Deng is the start of the lower Nubri region called Kutang, where the people are ethnically Tibetan but speak a different dialect than the people of upper Nubri where the people are purely Tibetan. The Kutang dialect, called ‘kukay’, is a mix of Tibeto-Burman and Gurung. We have views of the Ganesh Himal to the rear, as well as Lapuchen and Dwijen Himals to the north. We camp right in the middle of the small village, which now has a few new lodges, and get fresh greens from the family that owns the land. It’s worth a visit to the upper floor of their house above us, perhaps for a glass of local ‘chang’, or Tibetan beer (which the husband has undoubtably already started into). It starts to feel like a piece of old Tibet again. (B, L, D)

Day 10 – Trek Namrung 2540m
The valley is still steep-sided and impressive as we leave camp in the morning, descending briefly to a metal suspenion bridge which we cross as we head along the undulating trail to Nupri. We switchback steeply, once climbing a notched wooden ladder, up to the small, poor village of Rana where the women usually have their looms out. After more climbing through lovely woods of pine and crossing another bridge, we reach Bihi Phedi, where there is a new lodge and views of Kutang Himal. From here we start to see very artistic mani stones (prayers etched onto wayside rocks, particularly mani stones with pictures of gods and goddesses in this region), a sure sign that we are entering another of the tiny Tibetan footholds that mark the high Himalayan places. These particular mani stones were carved by stone carvers from Bihi, above Bihi Phedi, famous in the region for this craft.

We have several more hours of ascents and descents ahead of us, twice crossing tributary streams on metal suspension bridges, staying high above the Budhi Gandaki. The walk through the gorge is breathtaking but hot, with spectacular views. Five hours past Deng, just past a beautifully painted kane chorten and after crossing a bridge over the Budhi Gandaki, we reach the outskirs of Ghap. Again, note the elaborate mani walls with Buddhas in several asanas which were carved by the famous Bihi stone-carvers, and the egg-shells strung above the local ‘tea-house’ doors in Ghap prevent the evil spirits from entering the house. Past the bridge, it’s a good half hour to reach lunch at Hotel Kyimolung campsite.

+ We don’t camp at Ghap but across the Bhuri Gandaki and up steeply up for 45 minutes is the village of Chaak, where the son of the tea-house and campsite owner in Ghap lives with his family. There is a small, deserted gompa, carved mani stones (the style here is distinctly different that most other Tibetan Buddhist regions), and some Tibetans from Samdo who graze their yaks here. In the village, they will be drying their maize to grind into flour, and then trade with the people of upper Nubri. Across the river are great views of the village of Prok perched on the plateau jutting over the river below us. From Chaak, you can trek further to Kwak, and there is a trail up to Shringi Himal base camp. A fire recently destroyed the gompa at Kwak.

Soon after leaving Ghap, we ascend for two hours through a dense, cool forest of fir, rhododendron, bamboo and oaks, crossing the now narrow Budhi Gandaki twice on newly built suspension bridges, and continue to climb, often on smooth, stone steps. We might spot danphe, the national bird of Nepal, or grey langur monkeys with white faces along the trail. As we gain altitude, we reach alpine territory and are treated to increasingly broad mountain views. We eventually reach Namrung, the first village in Nubri, a region of purely Tibetan inhabitants speaking a dialect of western Tibet. Our campsite at Namrung is small and grassy; it’s a spectacular spot when the weather is good but can be chilly if in the clouds so bring something warm in your daypack. It’s a long day for the porters so expect your bags a bit later than usual.

We are now entering the Tibetan region of upper Nupri; Nupri means ‘western ridge’ or ‘western mountains’. (B, L, D)

Day 11 – Trek Lho 3180m
Another wonderful and diverse trekking day awaits. Above Namrung, the valley opens out and there are extensive barley fields and bear watches to guard them. Note the bamboo structures in the fields at the nearby village of Banzam, the winter settlement and crops of the Lihi villagers. An hour and half of undulating trails later we reach the village of Lihi at 2840 meters, a substantial altitude gain. Lihi houses two old gompas, and is spread along the trail with billowing fields of barley, guarded by more bear watches. Lihi is known for its unusual architecture which we’ll see further north in Nupri as well – apartment-like units with a common roof. From Lihi, you can head east to the newly opened village of Hinang, which also has an important gompa.

We climb gently through the village past the lodge campsite, descend to the Hinang Khola which flows from the Hinang and Lanjam Glaciers, and climb again, with views of Ngadi Himal and Manaslu north opening up aheadof us. Soon we reach the kane chorten and the picturesque Tibetan village of Shyo at 3000m. Shyo has a small lha-khang and two newly rebuilt gompas (with help from the Taiwanese?), one across the river. Look for the bear claw on the upper deck of one of the slate-terraced house at the far end of the village. Across the river are said to be the ruins of an old Tibetan fort as well as the resplendent new gompa. From Shyo, the views of Ngadi Chuli are spectacular, and further on, towards Lho, we are finally treated to breath-taking views of Manaslu itself, an impressive afternoon!

One more small descent out of Shyo, past a fly-blown teahouse and a small stream, and we start to climb up to Lho. We’ll stop for lunch at one of the new lodge decks in the lower reached of Lho. From here it’s a short but steep switchback up to Lho.

We set up camp at the top of Lho, a lively, green and sprawling village adorned with many prayer flags, in the yard of a small lodge just above the new chorten that was built with the help of the Taiwanese in 2009. The local household deities in Lho are called ‘pholhas’ and are revered at small altars in all of the houses. The small gompa just below our old campsite and new lodge is worth a visit as is the new Nyingma Rimjung Gompa, adorned with multi-colored prayer flags just up the hill from our campsite. The large gompa houses 150 monks (both novice monks and lamas) from such far away Tibetan regions as Manang, Dolpo and Bhutan. The gompa was a join venture of these same Taiwanese and Kempo Tashi Tsering.

From camp, sunset and sunrise are wonderful, with breathtaking views of Manaslu and Manaslu North just ahead of us. (B, L, D)

Day 12 – Trek Pung Gyan Gompa 3870m
We wake to a misty, golden sunrise and spectacular views of Manaslu and Manaslu North from the campsite. Walking through the upper reaches of Lho, with the snowy peaks of Manaslu rising behind the gompa, we pass billowing green barley fields, a long mani wall and large, old chortens followed by the kane chorten where we’ll get the best views of Manaslu. We descend, cross a small stream on wooden bridges and then ascend through light forests next to a small river until we reach a small hydro-electric hut. From here we’ll hike up through a once dense forest of pine, now nearly deforested. Locals from Lho and Sama Gaon have cut almost all of the large pines to transport by yak to Tibet where it will be sold and other Chinese goods purchased. Soon we reach Hong Sangbu Gompa, once a small village gompa and now dwarfed by the larger, newer gompa which will apparently be used for meditation. The gompa is near Musithang kharka, a seasonal herding spot, and has fantastic views of the surrounding peaks.

Leaving the gompa and barking dogs, we descend just a bit to an old mill where local women who stay in Shayla are often roasting barley and grinding it to make tsampa. Soon we reach the high, idyllic summer settlement of Shayla, where we’ve found pelts of blue sheep tucked away in the rafters of the now-deserted settlement. There are extensive mountain panoramas from here as well, and new lodges. Once past Shayla we have two hours of trekking through classic alpine scenery, crossing two small bridges over glacial streams. Our trail leads us past Tibet grazing settlements, the trail to Pung Gyan Gompa to the left, several doksas (kharkas), a large school and eventually past checkered fields of barley and potato to Sama Gaon, or Ro, as the locals call it. We’ll take a sharp left turn just before the school and doksas and hike up to Pung Gyan Gompa for the night.

Pung Gyan Gompa sits at 3870 meters and is a stunning walk up an often icy and slippery trail along the Numla Khola and the Pung Gyan glacier past Tibetan ‘kharkas’ or seasonal herding settlements. There are unbeatable views of Manaslu near the gompa. The gompa was mostly destroyed by an avalanche in 1953, and recently rebuilt. The complex includes a cave gompa as well, which affords even better views of the valley. (B, L, D)

Day 13 – Trek Sama Gaon (Ro) 3525m
Back down the valley to the school, it’s just a half an hour’s walk to Ro. Sama Gaon sits in a bowl at the foot of the pastures leading to the high peaks. It’s a lovely village of mani walls, household monks, gompas and tightly packed rows of houses. Just above the village is the extensive Pema Choling Gompa which acts as a retirement home for many of the elders of Sama. The people settled here from Tibet over 500 years ago, and the two gompas (one in the lower village) date from this time, both having unique architecture, colorful doors and windows and built of wood. The Tibetan villages in this region of Manaslu have distinctive entrance gates (kanes), and they maintain an active trade with their co-religionists in Tibet over several high passes nearby (notice the Chinese brandy and beer for sale in the small shops). Taxes were actually paid to the Dzongka Dzong (fortress) at the border of Tibet, a few days walk from Sama Gaon, as late as the 1940’s until it was taken over by the Gorkhas in the late 19th century. Later, after 1959, the region was home to Tibetan guerrillas, and thus closed to trekking until 1992. The economy is based on farming, herding and trading.

Take the afternoon to hike up to the old Kagyu Pema Choling Gompa settlement just north of the village. This is locally called Labrang, or Lama’s place, and houses several lamas and their families as well as many nuns. The lamas and monks in Sama are all married, and there are about sixty of them. There are frequent pujas at the gompa and many prayer rooms with old murals and statues, worth at least an hour to explore. It’s also endlessly fascinating to wander the dirty alleyways of Sama, it’s stone houses with wooden decks and shingles a similar style to the ones in Lho and Lihi. Yaks and dzobkios share the narrow alleys, which have small waterways running in the middle of them and planks to bridge the two sides. If the weather is good, you will see the village women weaving wool (phal) from Tibet as well as local sheep and goat wool into lengths of fabric which eventually become chubas.We often shop for hook rugs (den) and other Tibetan artifacts in the village, a good way to interact with the villagers.

Geoff Child’s ‘Tibetan Diary’ is a must-read before (or after) spending time in Sama Gaon. We have it in our library. (B, L, D)

Day 14 – Trek Samdo 3850m
Another day of mountain views as we trek past craggy woods of Himalayan birch during the walk up to Samdo, an easy 3 or 3 1/2 hours away. For those who want an extra excursion we’ll hike above the lake up Manaslu Base Camp valley. Half an hour after leaving Sama Gaon, cross the small bridge, hike through the gate of the grazing wall and head west towards Manaslu Base Camp along the grassy lateral morraine. En route, we’ll pass two seasonal kharkas, looking like they’ve not been used recenty. As we hike up through the woods on a dirt trail, past birch, juiper and rhododendron, the lake opens up below us and we get closer to the impressive icefall of the Manaslu Glacier. We’ll hike up to a cave at just over 4000 meters before calling it a day and returning back to the valley, crossing the small stream and heading north again.

We pass by the left side of the long mani walls at Kermo Kharka and 1/1/2 hours afterwards spot the entrance chorten of Samdo high on a bluff. We descend back to the Budhi Gandaki and cross a small bridge leading to a short climb to the ‘kane’ entrance of Samdo. The villagers of Samdo came across the border from the village of Riu in Tibet after 1959 and built their new village here, at their old herding settlement. Like the people of Ro, Samdo inhabitants are Tibetan, and were ceded the land by the king of Jumla over 500 years ago. Unlike the Ro people, they only claimed their land after the Chinese takeover in the early 1950s. Since then they have established a trade with China and India, marketing among other things, the aphrodisiac root that grows in the region. We have lots of friends in the village so will probably be invited to visit and share some chang (Tibetan barley beer), salt-butter tea and perhaps do a bit of carpet or textile shopping. Take a walk around the village where the inhabitants live an essentially Tibetan lifestyle, herding their yaks, sheep and goats, training their horses and planting barley. There is a small gompa in a house mid-village which we visited in a previous year where a puja was held by several of the reincarnated lamas of Samdo.

We have a connection with a family in Samdo that Clint Rogers, who wrote the book about Samdo ‘Where Rivers Meet’ (also in our library), lived with years ago. We helped the wife, Nima Dikki, get over her four-year postpartum depression, and knew her husband Tsewang Gyurme and their kids well. Sadly Tsewang Gyurme died fighting a forest fire in January 2011 (see memorial in Kamzang Fundsection) and Nyima Dikki is now trying to make ends meet by running a small local tea-house. We’ll visit them later in the afternoon and anyone is welcome to come sit by the warm fire. The oldest daughter, Menden Samo, now in her late teens, is now home helping her mother run the household. (4 – 5 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 15 – Samdo | Day Hike for Manaslu Views
Today is a rest and acclimatization day in this wonderful Tibetan village, tucked away below Manaslu which towers above us to the west. The sun hits camp early and warms the campsite so get up with the sun, soak in the mountain environment and notice the early morning sunbeams illuminating the village wood-smoke. In back of camp rise the magestic peaks of Ngadi Chuli, Himal Chuli and Simnang Himal.

We recommend a hike up valley directly to the east of Samdo, heading towards one a trading pass to Tibet, for amazing mountain panoramas including an in-your-face view of Manaslu itself. Passing through the one street of the village, we climb to the northeast of the village gaining wonderful views down to Samdo and it’s tilled or green fields below. As we ascend, the peaks to the west open up behind us and in a hour we’ve crested ‘Samdo Spur’ at 4250 meters. From left to right, the peaks are: Simrang Himal, Himal Chuli, Ngadi Himal, Manaslu, Manaslu North and Larkya Peak. To the right of the Larkye La which is just in front of us as we look northwest, we can see Cheo Himal and Kang Guru behind the pass. Two more contours to northern ridges brings us to a small, clear glacial stream and the original summer kharkas of the Lho people, now deserted and used by the Samdo-pa in the winter sometimes. The kharka huts are beautiful, with glimmering slate tiles on the roofs and slate patios. Climb one more hill to the old cairn and head directly north up the grassy hillside to reach the idyllic ‘Samdo hill’ at 4590 meters. From here we’ll get views east to the pass to Tibet as well as over the Larkye La and the Manaslu massif. Purple and yellow primulas color the hillsides, marmots stand on their hind legs and whistle, choughs soar and play above us, cuckoos and chukkars dart past us, and blue sheep roam the hillsides above. We might also see more danphe as they crash through the underbrush, and often spot lammergeyer and Himalayan griffin soaring high above us. It’s a knee-wrenching hour-long descent back down to Samdo, where a hot lunch awaits.

The Gya La (‘large pass’) to the north of Samdo is a more frequently used trading route to Tibet but makes for an exteremely long daytrip. The border markers at the top says ‘China, 1962.’ The trail up to the pass is used frequently by groups of Samdo residents with their yaks carrying timbers over the border to Tibet. True High Asia. These days the main trade is in yersa gumpa, and Tibetan Khampas come for the month of June to bring this commodity back to Tibet and sell to the Chinese for a hefty profit. (B, L, D)

Day 16 – Trek Dharamsala High Camp (Larkya Phedi) 4480m
It’s a short trekking day as we head to our high camp for Larkya La. We leave Samdo on the old trade route towards Tibet (Sherpas from the Khumbu region used to bring their yaks into Tibet and then across the Larkya La down into Nubri on their extensive trade-circuit in years past), cross a small bridge, and climb westwards above the ruins of Larkya Bazaar. The bazaar was one of the trade markets, a seasonal tented camp, that flourished years ago, before the closing of the Tibetan border. Ascending through grazing lands, open, grassy plateaus filled with dwarf rhododendron, juniper bushes and lichen-covered granite, the panoramas become increasingly awe-inspiring. We soon reach the view up to Syancha Glacier on the other side of the valley which tumbles down from Manaslu & Manaslu North. The route up Manaslu is visible from one of the many spurs that we crest this morning. Finally we come to the developping campsite at Dharamsala, the high camp for the Larkya La pass. We’ll have lunch here while the staff sets up camp and gaze out at the views. You’ll feel the altitude and the cold here, so perhaps enjoy a leisurely afternoon and keep warm. We’re in blue sheep territory, so keep an eye out for herds of them grazing nearby on the barren hillsides.

If you’ve still got energy to spare hike up either of the ridges that form the boundery of our valley, or hike up alongside the small spring-fed stream in back of camp and enjoy the birds, marmots and blue sheep. Either way you’ll have good views of Naike Peak to the south and the tip of Manaslu in front. We’ll have an early dinner in preparation for our pass crossing tomorrow. This will be our last day of camping in the Manaslu region. The mules will head back down the valley with our camping gear, and we will have porters or mules to carry our personal duffel bags for the next few days as we stay at the lovely lodges in the Annapurna region. (3-4 hrs) (B, L, D)

Day 17 – Trek Bimtang 3590m | Cross Larkya La (5140m + 5160m) (Lodge)
Thank God for fresh-brewed coffee! It’s dark and cold as we pack up our gear and tents in the morning and head off on our eight to nine hour trek over the Larkya La to Bimtang. Bring your trekking poles, and ‘yak tracks’ if you have them. After a short climb directly above the campsite, we hike along the right side of the lateral morraine, soon following the narrow bottom of this valley. Look for blue sheep, pika, marmot and Tibetan snow-cock tracks in the snow – and we’d be lucky to see snow leopard prints. We’ll soon reach the ablation valley on the north side of the Larkya Glacier where we’ll have views of Cho Danda and Ganesh Himal l to the east and then of Larkya Peak (6250m) to the west. We continue across the often snowy, undulating moraine of the glacier, past the many snow markers, and in about two hours reach a small hut, mostly unused, at 4920 meters. From here we’ve got another two hour push to reach the pass. We continue to ascend on small ridges and past a lovely frozen lake, often through the snow, making a gradual ascent which becomes steeper only in the last section to the pass.

The views from the top of the Larkye La are wonderful, mountain panoramas equally amazing from both sides of the double pass. From the east, the direction we just hiked up, we’ll look down on Samdo Peak and the peaks bordering Tibet, and Larkye Peak to the southeast. To the west towards the Annapurna region rise Kang Guru (ridge only), Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal and a bit further down the pass the views open up to included Gyagi Kung and Annapurna II. After hanging our Tibetan prayer flags and yelling ‘Ki ki so so lha gyalo’ (may the Gods be victorious), get ready for a steep climb down a razor-edge ridge and then a descent, often slippery and icy and slightly precipitous, to a trail following the left side of the Salpudanda glacier moraine. We’ll lunch after reaching a flat area with smooth rocks if there’s no snow, once we’ve crossed the rock-fall area. From here we continue to traverse downhill with another steep section ahead, soon reaching a flatter valley full of primulas and azalea bushes. We still have a good 2-3 hours to go to reach our campsite, a long haul. A boulder-strewn, circular descent lead us, finally, to Bimtang, which means ‘plain of sand’, the region where the Samdo people keep their yaks and horses in the summer and winter months.

We’ll stay in one of the nice, new lodges in Bimtang, and enjoy a chilled beer as the evening clouds gather, turning pink behind the surrounding peaks. (B, L, D)

Day 18 – Trek Tilje 2300m (Lodge)
A chilly but beautiful morning, as the sun behind the ridge hits the peaks around us long before the campsite. After leaving the grazing fields of Bimtang, we climb to a ridge over the moraine, soon afterwards crossing a boulder-strewn river, which recently flooded, on a wooden bridge. We ascend and then head down through open forests of brilliantly blooming rhododendron, juniper, birches and spruce past the doksas below Bimtang. En route we might pass Samdo-pa returning from their shopping in the Manang region with their loaded horses. Butterflies flutter peacefully around us, hummingbirds dart from tree to tree, and white strawberry flowers and azalea bushes are underfoot as we descend through forests of rhododendron, with the back side of Manaslu openning up impressively in front of us. We follow the intersecting glacial rivers, increasingly large as we drop, and eventually cross a steel Bailey’s bridge and reach the small hamlet of Karche where there is a tea-house and lodge, and where the porters are having their dal baht. We might eat here, or perhaps we’ll lunch just below along the riverside, now the Dudh Khola.

We continue along the rocky river-bed, often on trails which traverse sliding hillsides, to several small, green villages, a sign that we’ve reached lower altitudes. After a somewhat long (6-7 hours) but very scenic day we reach the large village of Tilje and our lodge in the lower section of the village in the yard of a small teahouse. The inhabitants of Tilje are a mix of Manangis, Ghale Gurung and Chettris (Hindus) so have developped a unique architecture and culture, and eat a mix foods ranging from dal bhat and buckwheat dhiro to tsampa to Tibetan salt-butter tea. The deep gorge ahead marks the land of apple pie, cold beers and hot showers, otherwise known as the Annapurna Circuit. (B, L, D)

Day 19 – Trek Jagat | Annapurna Region 1315m (Lodge)
It’s an easy trekking day following the Dudh Khola through bamboo forests down to Dharapani, an atmospheric Tibetan village with prayer flags fluttering in the wind, stopping en route at the gompa in Thongje on the old Annapurna trail. Trekking south on the main Annapurna Circuit trail, we soon arrive at a long suspension bridge over which we cross the Marsyangdi River to reach the small village of Karte, re-crossing it soon afterwards. We continue along a high, winding, stunning cliff-side trail past several small teahouses at Khorte, and then switch backing down the steep trail before crossing the Marsyangdi River yet again. Before us to the left we drop to river level and spot the wide plain and waterfall at scenic Tal, the last village of the Lower Manang region.

Tal means lake, and the area here was formed when the valley was blocked by a landslide and a dam formed behind. The lake has long gone and now the village of Tal sits on the river flats. Continuing along the left bank of the riverside, we have a quick ascent to the entrance ‘kane’ of Tal, and after cresting the small hump, we descend steeply past the small teahouses at Sattale, loosing even more altitude as we continue down on an undulating trail through the lush forest to the river and cross another suspension bridge leading to Chamje. a short hike uphill. Chamje is an atmospheric, ‘wild west’ village of traditional-style teahouses, often packed with saddled local horses. From here the road-building is full-on, so we’ll continue as far as we can get, and hop in our jeeps. But before then we have one more hour-long descent along the new dirt road, looking across the river to large waterfalls, to reach the (once) lovely cobbled village of Jagat, situated on a shelf which juts into the precipitous Marsyangdi valley. Jagat isn’t what it used to be as the road now passes through it, but it’s still got charm and we’ll appreciate staying in the lodge for our last night on the trail. (B, L, D)

Day 20 – Drive Bandipur 1030m (The Old Inn)
We’ll board our private vehicles for the bumpy ride to Besi Sahar at the start of the Annapurna circuit, followed by a good, paved road down to the Kathmandu – Pokhara highway and on another hour or so to the scenic, Newari village of Bandipur, where we stay at the wonderful Bandipur Inn, a rural heritage site, for the night. Bandipur is a charming, traditional village off the main roads, with much to explore, and a relaxing atmosphere, a warm climate and the perfect way to break the drive to Kathmandu.

About The Old Inn at Bandipur:
“You’ll love its eagle’s nest location, its lazy walks through orange groves, its simple architecture, and you’ll never forget the utterly stunning pink-tinged Himalayan skyline of dawn – and another before twilight. Its sense of history is unique too for it was a centre of exotic trade between lowland and highland and between British India and independent Tibet and it is this fact of history that explains its prosperity and faded grandeur. This house has stories of ancient trans-Himalaya trade routes and of store-rooms crammed with merchandise en route between the opulence of India and the grandeur of Tibet. Restoration and conservation of this traditional Newari Town House required keeping the low ceilings and the overall sense of proportion and scale. The practical inclusion of comfortable and clean showers and toilet facilities are achieved.” (B, L)

Day 21 – Drive Kathmandu
Back on the road driving through the lush, semi-tropical middle hills of Nepal heading back to Kathmandu. It is a different world in the Nepali hills, and the gentle light sends us on our way back to the bustle of Nepal’s capital. Back at the Kathmandu Guest House, enjoy a hot shower and a cold beer in the lovely garden before dinner out in Thamel. (B)

Day 22 – Trip Ends
Transfer to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for your flight home. Namaste! (B)