Trekking Trails in Nepal

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    Discovering Tourism DestinaTAAN& Trekking

    Trails in Nepal

    EXPLORINGTHE TOURISMPOSSIBILITIESOF DOLPA

    Trek, Bike and Raft

    LOWERMANASLU ECOTREK GORKHA

    THE RUBYVALLEY TREKGANESHHIMAL REGION

    LUMBA SUMBA PASSKANCHENJUNGA& MAKALU www.taan.org.np

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    Discovering Tourism DestinationTAAN&Trekking Trailsin Nepal

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    © All rights reserved: Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal- TAAN- 2012

    All rights reserved. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism

    or review as permitted under Copyright Laws of the Nepal, no part of this book may be

    reproduced by any process without written permission from the TAAN. Any enquiries should

    be directed to TAAN, [email protected]

    Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN)

    P.O. Box : 3612

    Maligaun Ganeshthan, Kathmandu

    Tel. : 977-1-4427473, 4440920, 4440921

    Fax : 977-1-4419245

    Email : [email protected]

    Price: Organizational NRs. 500, Individual NRs. 300.

    Publication Coordinator: Amber Tamang

    Designed Processed by: PrintComm 42244148, Kathmandu

    Printed in Nepal

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    Discovering Tourism Destinations&Trekking Trails in Nepal 5

    Iam highly privileged to offer you thisbook, which is a product of very hardwork and dedication of the team ofTAAN. This book, “TAAN- DiscoveringTourism Destinations and TrekkingTrails in Nepal”, is a very importantbook in the tourism industry of Nepal.There are dozens of trekking trailsdiscovered and described in detail withday-to –day itineraries. Lumba-SumbaPass Taplejung, Eco-cultural trails inGorkha, high altitude treks and culturaltreks in Dhading Ganesh Himal region,and incredible, hidden treasurestrekking in Dolpa district have beenstudied by different teams of expertsand included in this book. All the newlydiscovered trekking routes Link to theGreat Himalayan Trail (GHT)”.

    I am grateful to the Secretary ofMinistry of Culture, Tourism, andCivil Aviation, Department of TurismIndustry, and Nepal Tourism Boardfor institutional and moral supportto lead these jobs. On behalf of TAANand its family, I appreciate SNV forsupporting in the whole process of

    identication, exploration, promotionand development of these all trekkingtrails. Thanks to the TAAN executivemembers, general members and thestaffs for their cooperation to makethis mission possible. Thanks a lot toTAAN’s CEO Mr Ganga Sagar Pant, whoenjoys every challenge and made this

    TAANSTRENGTHENINGTHETREKKINGTOURISM INDUSTRY

    book possible in time working daysand nights.

    I remember all the individuals involvedin this process. Mr Malpa Lama, theporter involved in Taplejung LumbaSumba Exploration lost all the ngersof his legs, Mr. Rana Bahadur Khadka,1st Vice President of TAAN, who wasthe team coordinator in Taplejung,survived just because he got rescuein time, …, there are many stories ofhardships and dedication during theexplorations in different districts. Forthis reason, I am proud to say thatthis book is truly an authentic book intourism market. I got to know that the

    book is handy to carry while trekkingto the respective areas and is veryinformative for the trekkers.

    Mahendra Singh Thapa President

    Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN)

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    EXPLORING

    THE TOURISMPOSSIBILITIESOF DOLPA

    Trek, Bike and Raft

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    T E A M L E A D E R

    Mahendra S. Thapa

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    Due to the harsh living conditions,

    few people live or travel in theseareas. As a result, the people ofDolpa are part of a very isolatedculture found in specic pocketsof northern Nepal. This is a landwhere life still revolves aroundhorses, mules, and yaks, people stillwear traditional attire and jewelry,

    waters are still divided on the basisof a dice game, and the remains ofthe dead are given to wild vultures.Even today, much of Dolpa isrestricted area for tourists, whichcontributed to the preservation ofunique culture of Dolpa.

    Some of the attractions of this routeare: Dho Tarap, a human settlementat the highest altitude in the world,Shey Gumba, religiously the mostimportant Gumba in Nepal, andlake Phoksundo, the deepest lake ofhigh altitude in the world.

    Flora and FaunaUpper Dolpa region is full of rareherbs and wild animals. Luckytourists can sight blue sheep,ghoral, and even cheetahs,and many other species of wildanimals. Also, the forests of UpperDolpo are home to rare plants likeYarsagumba, Jatamasi, Panchaunle,

    Chimailo, and many others.

    YarsagumbaUpper Dolpa is one of the fewremaining sources of Yarsa Gumba,an exotic half plant, half animalthat is considered a powerfulaphrodisiac. Every year, in May-

    June, the Shey Phoksundo NationalPark opens its doors to the seekersof Yarsagumba. Local villagers travelin droves to great heights to seekthis elusive plant that is found onlyin high altitudes under specicweather conditions. At a diminutive

    IntroductionDolpa is one of the most interesting trekking destinationsof Nepal for many reasons. First of all, with an area of 7,889sq. kilometers, it is the largest district of Nepal, and yetone of the most sparsely populated. Its topography is veryinteresting. It contains the deepest lake of Nepal, LakePhoksundo, which also happens to be the deepest lake ofhigh altitude in the world. Dolpa is one of the few Nepalidistricts that is behind the Himalayan mountains, due towhich it gets very little rain. Hence, most of the hills arebare with little vegetation. Harsh weather combined withhigh hills makes this area one of the most inhospitable inNepal, and yet the barren and majestic hills lend it a rarebeauty that is absolutely mesmerizing.

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    six inches, the Yarsagumba is hardto spot on ground for anyone but

    local experts. Even the locals haveto endure tough hardships of highaltitude, cold, and harsh topographyto reap the Yarsagumba in its primecondition. They then sell it to localdealers at up to Rs. 1,200 per piece. The economy of Dolpa leans heavilyon Yarsagumba, called simply “the

    insect” by locals, and “HimalayanViagra” by its enthusiasts. In July-August, droves of local traders canbe found collecting Yarsagumbafrom villagers, and taking it over toChina or Kathmandu for sale. At theend of the chain, Yarsagumba sellsfor more than Rs. 5,000 per piece inretail.

    Trekking in Dolpa The months of March to Septemberare good for embarking on this trek.After September, it starts snowingheavily, and trekking is possibleonly with heavy duty equipment.From November it is completelyimpassable. The best time is fromMarch to May, as it may rain in Juneand July.

    Communication Travelers may lose communicationat many stretches of the journey.Satellite phones work in any place,but are expensive. Phone networkswhich are popular in other partsof the country do not work well

    here. Ncell works in big towns like

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    Dunai and Khalanga, but not atsmaller villager. Namaste is only

    available at Khalanga and Dunai.Hello Nepal is the most popularnetwork, and works in some of thelarger settlements like Saldang,and Bhijer. Hello Nepal towers arebeing constructed , Tinje, Dho Tarap,Chharka, Kagkot, Mukat, and a fewother places. Sky Nepal is the second

    most popular phone network.

    High AltitudeAny height more than 3,000 metersabove sea level is considered to behigh altitude. During Dolpa trek,travelers frequently go above 3,000meters and there are several passes

    of more than 5,000 meters. Hence,travelers should be well prepared for

    altitude sickness. Though anythingabnormal that happens above

    3,000 meters is considered altitudesickness, some of the commonsymptoms are listed below.l Headachel Difficulty in breathingl Disinterest in foodl Vomitingl Difficulty in walking

    l Dizzinessl Sleepinessl Tirednessl Anger / Irritationl Body achesl Slurred Speech

    Travelers should carry enough

    water, food, and medicines toalleviate altitude sickness.

    Day Place of Lunch (L) Destination (D) Altitude of Waling time Walking Max altitude Origin (O) Destination from O to L time from of the day

    (in meters) L to D (in meters)

    1 Juphal Kageni Chhepka 2,491 3 hrs 3 hrs 2,491

    2 Chhepka Rechi Chunuwar 3,130 3.5 hrs 2 hrs 3,130

    3 Chunuwar View Tower Ringmo 3,647 2.5 hrs 1 hr 3,715

    4 Ringmo Choklapuk Ruktang 3,594 4.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 4,026

    5 Ruktang Pack Lunch Base Camp 4,677 4 hrs 2 hrs 4,677

    6 Base Camp Pack Lunch Shey Gumba 4,354 2.5 hrs 4.5 hrs 5,352

    7 Shey Gumba Namgung Gumba Saldang 4,085 7 hrs 4 hrs 5,120

    8 Saldang Namdo Rhakyo 4,151 2 hrs 4.5 hrs 4,151

    9 Rhakyo Pack Lunch High Camp 4,850 3 hrs 3 hrs 4,850

    10 High Camp Takshi Dho Tarap 4,090 5 hrs 1 hr 5,107

    11 Dho Tarap Lang Tangum 3,586 3 hrs 5 hrs 4,090

    12 Tangum Laini Odar Lashikyap 2,718 5 hrs 2 hrs 3,586

    13 Lashikyap Shahar Tara Dunai 2,095 3.5 hrs 4 hrs 2,718

    14 Dunai - Juphal 2,250 4 hrs 2,250

    Itinerary of Upper Dolpa Circuit

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    The trek starts from Ranjhaairport, a small airport ontop of the town of Juphal.Currently, it is the only airportin Dolpa and can be reachedfrom Nepalgunj. The road takesyou through a little sojourn inthe town of Juphal, after whichit descends steeply. For aboutan hour, the road is muddy andstony with little vegetation. Afterthat, there is a short stretch ofmotorable road that lasts up toSuligad. Suligad is the entranceto Shey Phoksundo National Park.

    Here, the tourists who have notpaid their entrance fee can do so.Beyond Suligad is restricted area.

    From Suligad the road becomeshorizontal, with mild inclines inbetween. The road is populatedwith tea shops in between atKhalaripi, Kageni and Sangta.Kageni and Sangta are bothideal lunch places as they haveplenty of hotels. Sangta even hasa charming campsite with waterand toilet facility. The campsiteoffers a view of the ragingSuligad river. Our actual campingwas at Chhepka, which is moredensely populated than theabove mentioned intermediary

    villages. It also provides campsiteand water facility.

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    Day two starts at Chhepkaand goes on to several smalloutposts like Dhane, Kiptarungand Rechi. The road followsthe Phoksundo River upstreamthrough dense forests. The roadinclines mildly uphill at rst, and

    later the incline grows steeper.At some points, the rod dipsdown to the level of the water.At these points, there is a stoneembankment which contains thewater and yet lets travelers beclose to the water. On this daytravelers cross Phoksundo riverseveral times over small localbridges. At one point between

    Rechi and Chunuwar, there is adramatic point where two rivers ofdistinctly different colors merge toform a single Phoksundo River.

    Dhane contains a shop in a tent,where you can buy basic food

    items. It also contains a trash canand water source. Kiptarung andRechi also contain tents for basicnecessities, and at Rechi a hotelis coming up. The camping is atChunuwar, which houses a hotel,a campsite, a village water tapand well managed public toilets.It also contains communicationfacility through a PCO.

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    The third day’s trek goes steeplyuphill for the rst three hours. There is minimal vegetation, and thehills are very dusty in dry seasons. The road offers a bird’s eye view ofthe unique beauty of surroundinghills. These hills are made almostentirely of gray stone with littlevegetation. The bare outcroppingshave jagged tops, which lead theirmajestic beauty to the beauty. Atthe end of three hours of uphillclimb is a view tower, wheretravelers can rest. The view toweroffers a view of Phoksundo falls, aspectacular 3-step waterfall thatdrops down 167 meters from thePhoksundo lake. After a ten minutewalk uphill from the view tower, the

    travelers can get the rst glimpseof Phoksundo lake. After that, theroad goes gently downhill and theview of Phoksundo lake gets clearer.After walking for about an hour, onearrives at the village of Ringmo. Thisvillage of mainly Buddhist people lieson the banks of Phoksundo lake.

    We camped at Phoksundo lake afteronly half a day of walking in order toenjoy the beauty of this lake. There isplenty of open space to camp beside thePhoksundo lake, and also public toilets. The village offers a PCO and electricityto charge mobiles. The Phoksundo bankalso offers a spectacular view of NumalaBagala passes which are on the way toDho Tarap.

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    Phoksundo LakeWith a maximum depth of 145 m,Phoksundo is the deepest lake inNepal and also the deepest lakefound at such a great altitude inthe world. It is a freshwater lakecompletely devoid of any animallife. The lake is fed by streams thatoriginate from the Himalayas, andhence its water is very cold. It is

    famous for its deep aquamarineblue color, but at close observation,it can be seen that the lake changescolor with according to the amountof ambient light. It takes on a wholerange of shades from deep green,shimmering silver, to its usual deepblue and gray.

    The legend of Phoksundo The word Phoksundo is of Tibetanorigin, and is made up of three

    words: Phok which means spreadout, Sung which means three, and

    Dhu, which means stone. Thesewords describe the shape of thelake, which has three corners jutting out from the center.

    Once upon a time, there was aLama in Tibet. There was a demonwho was troubling his people,

    and the Lama started chasing thedemon. The demon was carryinga bowl of oil in one hand, and abowl of water in the other. Thelama chased the demon all theway from Tibet to Phoksundo,where the demon spilled his bowlof water, which formed a lake. The

    demon then escaped, leaving theLama trapped behind the water. This is the locals’ story of the originof this lake.

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    From this onwards we enterUpper Dolpa, as Ringmo village

    is the boundary between Lowerand Upper Dolpa. We started outby walking on a rocky precipiceover the Phoksundo lake. Theprecipice offers different anglesto view all three corners ofPhoksundo lake. The precipiceis also the site of a dramatic

    scene in the popular Frenchmovie Himalaya. The road climbsand dips to the level of thelake, where we crossed severalshallow streams on foot. Weencountered many streams thatempty into the Phoksundo lake.After walking for about two

    hours, the road swerves to theleft, after which the rst cornerof Phoksundo is obscured fromview and we only get to see thelast corner. The track goes up toa height of 4,085m, after whichit steadily descends through adense pine forest. After walking

    downhill for about two hours, wegot to Choklapuk, a lovely beach

    perfect for camping. Located onthe edge of Phoksundo’s corner,this place offers a wide expansefor resting and relaxing, and awonderful view of Phoksundo lakeand surrounding mountains.

    After lunch, we walked horizontally

    along a gorge with mountains onboth sides. This was one of themost adventurous parts of the trip. This road is ooded in summer andwe walked through ice cold waterand among thorny bushes. Theriver is ice cold, because it descendsdirectly from the Himalayas, and is

    the major source of the waters ofPhoksundo lake.

    Camping was at Ruktang, an openspace beside the river. On the left side,this place offers a view of Kanjirowamountain on clear days, which is full ofsnow even in the month of July.

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    On the fth day, the route is veryunique. We crossed Pisten Riverover and over again withoutbridges. The river ows inside agorge, and alternately embraceseach side of the gorge. As aresult, we have to either walkthrough the river or due to whichwe have to walk on the dry side. The walk is uphill but not steep. The water ranges from shallow toknee deep, and the current is veryswift. Sandals are recommendedfor entire day. Several waterfallsfall into the river from both sides.

    On this day, we climbed up to aheight of 4,677 meters. Althoughthis is a considerable heightwhere altitude sickness usuallytakes hold, this day the coldwater alleviated the symptomsof altitude sickness. The lunchwas packed this day, because thegeography was not very suitablefor cooking. Camping was at BaseCamp, on the shore of the river. There is a wide open space at theriver shore, with stony groundand thorny juniper bushes.

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    This day was the most arduous dayof the trek, since we crossed ourhighest pass on this day. The road isinclined steeply, interspersed withshort stretches of gradual inclines. The nal few hundred meters are ina sandy mountain, where our feetslid at every step. Altitude sicknessmay take hold at this point, andtravelers should be well preparedfor that.

    After crossing the pass, the otherwide offers a spectacular view oflight sand colored mountains. Themonsoon rains in Nepal come fromclouds which travel northwardsfrom the oceans in the south. Butmost of them disperse their waterin Southern Nepal, as they cannotcross the tall Himalayan mountains.Hence, some places in Nepal whichare behind tall mountains do not

    get much rainfall. Dolpa is one ofthem. The results of little moisturecan be seen in these parts, wherethe mountains are bare and sandy,and the vegetation is very sparse.

    We had packed lunch on this day.After walking downhill from the

    pass for about four hours, we get toShey Gumba. From a religious pointof view, Shey Gumba is consideredthe most important of all Gumbasin Nepal. It is almost a Mecca forBuddhists. Though the buildingitself is modest, the statues in the

    Gumba are very expensive, someof them are coated in gold andsilver. They word Shey itself means“biggest of all” in Tibetan.

    The legendsof Shey GumbaOnce upon a time, the people weremaking a Gumba in Digarji. Thepeople would build all day, butevery night demons would comeand destroy whatever was madein the day. The Gumba could neverbe completed. The people nallydecided to ask Guru Rimpoche foradvice. The Rimpoche suggested amost secluded place that demonswould never be able to get at. That place was Shey, which issurrounded by tall mountains ofmore than 5,000 meters on allsides, and is almost inaccessiblefor outsiders. The villagers came to

    Shey and built their Gumba, buteven the gods were reluctant tostay in such an inhospitable place.Once the villagers installed thegods and went back home, theyfound that the gods had alreadyown back, and had arrived at theirvillage before them. The villagers

    went back to Shey Gumba again. This time they shackled the godswith iron chains, and that is howShey Gumba came to be.

    The Shey Gumba is also said tobe commissioned by the king

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    of Jumla. The kingdom of Jumlaceased to exist several hundred

    years ago, but Shey Gumba stillhouses a sword and an inscriptionfrom the king of Jumla.

    Crystal Mountain, which stands rightin front of Shey Gumba, is supposedto be the younger brother ofKailash Mountain. Kailash Mountain

    is sacred to both Hindus andBuddhists. Some people worshipthe two mountains as females,considering them to be sisters. Manylegends are connected to this originof this relationship. According toone, the Lama from Shey Gumbaew to the top of Crystal to meditate

    in a cave, and from there he could

    see Kailash Mountain. It is alsobelieved that the Ghyangtok Gumba

    at Kailash and Shey Gumba wereconstructed in the same year.

    Shey FestivalEvery twelve years, in the year ofthe dragon according to Tibetancalendar, Shey Gumba holds afestival. Though the Gumba has

    a ceremony in September everyyear, there is a major ceremonyevery twelve years. This festivalis celebrated grandly by invitingRimpoches from other surroundingGumbas. Buddhists from all over theworld ock to this festival. Duringthis festival, devotees make a

    rotation of Crystal Mountain.

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    On this day we crossed the secondpass of the journey. From SheyGumba the path is muddy at rst.We walk on the side of a hill on amild incline. There are also somestretches of steep incline. Afterwalking for about three hours, weget to a gorge with a shallow river.We walk uphill along the river shore,then we climb a short stretch ofsteep incline. The nal stretch takesus almost horizontally on a dark,sandy mountain.

    After crossing the pass is a steepdownhill trail. Though the hills arebarren without greenery, thereare all kinds of wildowers in red,

    yellow, pink, and blue sproutingfrom rocky surfaces. We followa river downstream, and we seemore and more barren rock likehills. Lunch was at Namgung, asmall village that offers an openbrick kitchen for trekkers. If thetravelers are weary, they can campat Namgung instead of walkingfour more hours to Saldang, asNamgung offers a good campingfacility as well.

    After walking uphill from Namgungfor two hours, we reach a hilltopthat offers a panoramic view oflight green colored mountains farinto the distance. We descend from

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    the hilltop to the village of Saldang.Saldang is a beautiful valley, its

    green elds in stark contrast tothe bare hills around. Saldang isdensely populated compared to thesurrounding hillsides. It is a fertilevalley which grows potatoes, rice,wheat, and barley. Saldang also hasa primary school, a health center,and communication facility through

    Hello network. It has a goodcampsite and running water as well.

    Saldang contains a Gumba calledSamiye Choying Gumba. ThisGumba is older than Shey Gumba,

    and has been modeled on thePotala Gumba in Tibet and other

    Gumbas in Thimpu. It has beenrecently repainted for the festival. The Gumba officials have decidedto retain old style stone roofs,instead of giving it a tin roof, so asto preserve its original look.

    Alternative: This is a very long

    stretch to complete in a singleday, and it can be broken down atNamgung. Lunch can be packedand camping can be done atNamgung.

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    We start this day from Saldang withmild inclines and declines. We walkalong a gorge where the bottomis populated with green elds oflocal barley. We pass several villageson the way, and the mountainsideis dotted with little chhortens, orBuddhist shrines. Many of themare hard to access. Lunch wasat Namdo, a small village with aschool and communication facility.We had to cross a knee deep rivertwice to reach the camping spot. The campsite was at a river shore afew miles out of Rhakyo. It was on

    open ground on a small precipiceoverlooking a river. Thorny juniperbushes were the only vegetation.

    This part of our trek is part of a traderoute to China. There were manycaravans of yaks, horses, and mulesgoing to China. The Tibetan borderopens for 15 days each year, duringwhich people in the northernvillages of Nepal go to Tibet andshop. They buy merchandise,clothes, and other necessary items,and much of the Yarsagumba tradetakes place through this route.

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    On this day we prepared to crossour last pass of. We walked up amild incline along a river inside agorge. We crossed the river at somepoints. For a long stretch, the trackwas almost horizontal along a rivershore, but towards the end, theincline became steeper. On this daywe left valleys and villages behind,and the scene went back to barren

    On this day we crossed the last passof the journey. The road from HighCamp to Jengla Pass is steeply uphillwith stones and boulders on theroad. Since we camped at a greatheight, in the morning we were

    able to cross the pass very soon,at about one and a half hours. Theroad going down from the pass isgradually descending at rst, andthen becomes almost horizontal.On the left are barren ridged hillsthat look as if they are carved out ofindividual rocks. Each ridge in the

    hills is of a different color, red, ochre,or green. They look like parallelwaves from afar. On the right, wherewe walk, there is more greenery. Ariver, which will later join the Bheri,ows in between.

    hills with a few signs of vegetationhere and there. Lunch was at aheight of 4,427 meters. Camp wasat High Camp, at a height of 4,850meters. This was our highest campof the journey. Even in the monthof August, this place was very coldand foggy. This was our coldestcamp of all.

    Lunch was at Takshi, a little villagein a broad valley. The valley is verybeautiful with lots of yellow wildowers, and elds of local barley. There were a few houses andtents. About an hour from Takshi

    is Dho Tarap, where we camped.Dho Tarap is the world’s highestaltitude human settlement 4,090meters. The people of Dho stillfollow traditional culture, andthe houses are built according totraditional architecture where mostof the living space is underground,

    and a small part of the house just above ground. Dho Tarap is a junction from where roads divergeto Jomsom, Mustang, and Tibet.Hence, we would see a lot of horse,mule, and yak traffic around Dho Tarap.

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    From Dho Tarap, we walk in a windygorge that is almost horizontal.Even though the sun is shining,the wind makes warm clothesnecessary on this section of thetrail. We follow the same rive asyesterday. We walk on a high,bare precipice and watch the riverpass through narrow gorges. Theriver constantly changes shape,becoming wide and shallow insome places and deep and narrow

    between close set hills. Sometimesit even disappears between andunder the hills. There are ridgedhills on both sides. We encountereda couple narrow valleys with a fewtents. We also passed several openspaces which were junctions forhorses and mules to rest or passthe night. Lang and Tol Tol weretwo of these junctions. Lunch wasat Lang. Camping was at Tangum, ameeting point of two rivers.

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    The trail starts with a mild incline,but takes us to a height of 3,800meters. The river sets our course asit whistles far below. From this daywe see growing vegetation. The pineforests go from scarce to dense in amatter of hours, and there are twospectacular waterfalls on this stretchof the road. This stretch of the roadis very cold due to the wind. Also,the gorge is made up of almostperpendicular hills, which allow foronly a few hours of sunlight.

    After descending from the heightof 3,800 meters, we came to LainiOdar, a narrow valley with a tent.We had lunch there. Camp wasat Lashikyap, a large village on aprecipice overlooking the river. Theriver that we followed was joinedby another river to form ThuliBheri. Thuli Bheri becomes a largeand fast owing river tat offersnumerous possibilities.

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    The track led us through a gentle horizontal walk through dense vegetation. There are lots of village on the way, notably a group of separate villagesnear each other that are called Tarakot, Tarabagar, Shahar Tara and Tuppo Tara. From Tarakot we walk along the shore of the river. The road sometimesclimbs to the top of the hill, and sometimes dips to the level of the river.Lunch was at Shahar Tara, one of the intermediary villages which was directlyon our way. Camping was at Dunai, the headquarter of Dolpa, a large townwith electricity, health center and communication facility.

    The last day of the trek led us uphill again. We had to get to Juphal, because Juphalis the only city in Dolpa with an airport. The road from Dunai is a wide motorableroad up to Kalagauda. We walk on this road horizontally for approximately twohours. Then there is a steep uphill stretch for about two hours, as Juphal is situatedat a considerable height than Dunai. Finally, we arrive at Juphal airport on top oftown. From here we can take a plane to Nepalgunj or Surkhet.

    DAYl 13

    DAYl 14

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    For travelers who cannot get enough of the adventures and cultures ofDolpa, there is a longer route that takes them through several villages. Thisis an opportunity for travelers to soak in more of the culture of Himalayantribes, and to challenge their physical capacity. Apart from many smallsettlements, there are two major villages in this route: Bhijer and Tinje. Thereare also two extra passes that will test the traveler’s stamina. This track is fullof alpine forests, interspersed with bare mountains. The itinerary of extendedUpper Dolpa Circuit is as follows.

    Day Place of Lunch (L) Destination (D) Altitude of Waling time Walking Max altitude Origin (O) Destination from O to L time from of the day

    (in meters) L to D (in meters)

    1 Juphal Kageni Chhepka 2,491 3 hrs 3 hrs 2,4912 Chhepka Rechi Chunuwar 3,130 3.5 hrs 2 hrs 3,130

    3 Chunuwar View Tower Ringmo 3,647 2.5 hrs 1 hr 3,715

    4 Ringmo Choklapuk Ruktang 3,594 4.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 4,026

    5 Ruktang Pack Lunch Base Camp 4,677 4 hrs 2 hrs 4,677

    6 Base Camp Pack Lunch Shey Gumba 4,354 2.5 hrs 4.5 hrs 5,352

    7 Shey Gumba Namgung Gumba Saldang 4,085 7 hrs 4 hrs 5,120

    8 Saldang Namdo Rhakyo 4,151 2 hrs 4.5 hrs 4,151

    9 Rhakyo Pack Lunch High Camp 4,850 3 hrs 3 hrs 4,850

    10 High Camp Takshi Dho Tarap 4,090 5 hrs 1 hr 5,107

    11 Dho Tarap Lang Tangum 3,586 3 hrs 5 hrs 4,090

    12 Tangum Laini Odar Lashikyap 2,718 5 hrs 2 hrs 3,586

    13 Lashikyap Shahar Tara Dunai 2,095 3.5 hrs 4 hrs 2,718

    14 Dunai - Juphal 2,250 4 hrs 2,250

    Itinerary of ExtendedUpper Dolpa Circuit

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    The Upper Dolpa circuit is a tough one with many passes of more than 5,000meters. Travelers can also choose a less taxing and popular route that takesthem through scenic Phoksundo lake and Numa La pass. This trek is lessexpensive than the Upper Dolpa trek, because Upper Dolpa charges an entryfee of $ 500 for ten days of trek.

    This stretch contains two passes very close to each other: Numa La and BagaLa. Hence, there are steep inclines and declines close to each other. Numa LaPass is the highest point of this stretch, which may contain snow even in themonth of August. From then to Dho Tarap, the road gradually declines. Mostof the road is full of tall, barren hills with little vegetation. The itinerary forlower Dolpa is as follows:

    Day Place of Lunch (L) Destination (D) Altitude of Waling time Walking Max altitude Origin (O) Destination from O to L time from of the day

    (in meters) L to D (in meters)

    1 Juphal Kageni Chhepka 2,491 3 hrs 3 hrs 2,491

    2 Chhepka Rechi Chunuwar 3,130 3.5 hrs 2 hrs 3,130

    3 Chunuwar View Tower Ringmo 3,647 2.5 hrs 1 hr 3,715

    4 Ringmo Maduwa Bagala Fedi 4,115 2 hrs 4 hrs 4,115

    5 Bagala Fedi Bagala Bhanjyang Gyambo 4,631 4 hrs 2 hrs 5,214

    6 Gyambo Numa La Modo Gumba 4,080 4 hrs 3 hrs 5,5248 Modo Gumba Thaksi Dho Tarap 3,944 1 hr 3 hrs 4,080

    9 Dho Tarap Lang Tangum 3,586 3 hrs 5 hrs 4,090

    10 Tangum Laini Odar Lashikyap 2,718 5 hrs 2 hrs 3,586

    11 Lashikyap Shahar Tara Dunai 2,095 3.5 hrs 4 hrs 2,718

    12 Dunai - Juphal 2,250 4 hrs 2,250

    Itinerary of LowerDolpa Circuit

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    Jumla is a wonderful alternativebecause of its convenience. Jumlahas a well constructed airportand the ights are regular from

    Nepalgunj. As a result, Jumla is wellstocked on any kind of provisions,and most shops offer competitiveprices. This offers an enormousadvantage to travelers and trekkingcompanies as well, because travelersdo not need to stock up on food,vegetables or trekking equipmentsfor coming to Jumla, and they cansave up on transportation fees.

    Also, there are many motorableroads in Jumla, which provide theperfect setting for mountain biking.

    Flora and FaunaJumla is a haven for botanists, because

    it contains several rare ora. Jumlais the world’ highest altitude whererice is grown. Normally at this height,it is difficult to get enough irrigationfor rice, but in Jumla, the Tila Riverwhich ows down from mountainsirrigates the farms. Kalo Marsi is a local,patented species rice native to Jumla,

    and it is famous for its medicinalqualities. It is also famous as thefavorite rice of Chandra Shumsher,a Rana Prime Minister of Nepal.

    Even today, the demand for this ricesurpasses its supply, exacerbated bythe fact that this rice does not growelsewhere. The apples of Jumla arealso in demand and are exported.Also, many rare herbs like Satuwa,Jatamasi, Guchi-chyau, etc can befound in the hills of Jumla. One ofthem is Bhojpatra, a tree whose barkpeels off in layers and was used aspaper atone point. The plants Jumlaare completely organic, as Jumla isdeclared to be a chemical free district.

    CultureJumla also has a rich culturalheritage as the origin of Nepali

    language. Till today, the majority ofJumla are from the Nepal speakingcommunities of Bahuna andChhetris. Several unique culturalphenomena, like the Deuda dance,and Chopaya, a rice planting ritualwhere farmers play in muddy elds,can be observed in Dolpa.

    Jumla AlternativeSince our ight was cancelled for two days in a row, we decided to y to Jumla and trek to Dolpa from there. This turned out to be a wonderfuldecision, since it provided a welcome diversion for us, and a betteroption than waiting in Nepalgunj airport.

    Day Place of Lunch (L) Destination (D) Altitude of Waling time Walking Max altitude Origin (O) Destination from O to L time from of the day

    (in meters) L to D (in meters)

    1 Khalanga Gutthichaur Manisanghu 2,770 7 hrs 2.5 hrs 2,987

    2 Manisanghu Chotro Nauligoth 3,553 2.5 hrs 6.5 hrs 3,913

    3 Nauligoth Chaurikot Kaigaun 2,600 2 hrs 5.5 hrs 3,615

    4 Kaigaun Ghodakhor Liku 2,426 7.5 hrs 3.5 hrs 3,841

    5 Liku Tripurakot Dunai 2,095 2.5 hrs 6 hrs 2,426

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    The trek starts from Khalanga, theheadquarter of Jumla and the site ofits only airport. Khalanga is home toChandan Nath temple, which usedto be the Kuldewata (family deity) oferstwhile Baise Chaubise kingdoms.Even the famous Muktinath ofJomsom is said to be a division ofChandan Nath.

    From Khalanga the road follows Tila River upstream. There are manywide valleys, elds, villages andwater mills on the way. There arealso many hotels to snack at. Theroad is mostly horizontal, but thereare inclines in between. We starteddescending from a maximum

    altitude of 2,987 meters. After thedescent, there are hills with pineforests on the top and meadowsat the bottom. These meadows areused to graze livestock. For lunchwe arrived at Gutthichaur, whichwas one of the larger meadows.It contains a few hotels in tents.Camping was at Manisanghu, awell populated village.

    Alternative: This day contains avery long stretch of walking, whichmay be too hard on the rst day. This day can be broken downinto two parts, with lunch at anyof the intermediate villages, andcomaping at Gutthichaur.

    DAYl 1

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    The trail starting from Manisanghuwas a motorable road. It gentlyinclined up to Chotro. Chotro is oneamong several culturally uniquevillages. The people of Chotro aremostly Chhetri, and yet, they do notfollow most of the cultural traditionsof Chhetris. They follow Tibetancultural traditions, complete with aLama for major religious occasions.However, they do maintain sometraces of Chhetris. Chotro is anexample of cultural harmony andintermingling that permeates inNepal. Many villages with this speciccombination of Chhetri and Tibetanculture can be found in this belt.

    After Chotro, there are very fewhotels or settlements to be found

    on the way. The road inclinesgradually for a couple hours,and then there is a steep inclinethat goes up to 3,913 meters. The track is mostly made of mudand dirt, with lots of vegetationaround. There are beautifulwildflowers all along the way, ofred, yellow, purple, white andblue. The top is called Maurikot,which has a couple tents wheretravelers can rest. When goingdown from Maurikot, the roadis horizontal at first and thendeclines steeply. There are acouple small houses and openspaces for camping. Our campingwas at Nauligoth, a smallsettlement with a couple animalfarms and hotels.

    DAYl 2

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    The road from Nauligoth starts on adownhill note. Through the day, theroad goes both up and downhill. There are forests all along the wayand white and blue owers thatgrow wildly in grass. Also, therewere many villages on the waylike Balang, Jhyakot, and Majhkot.Jhyakot is a pretty developed villagewith a medical shop, school, andlaptops for all students. On this dayBheri River comes in sight.

    Lunc was at Chaurigoth, a smallvillage in the way. Our campsiteKaigaon was a big village withschools and police outpost. Thistrack is a part of a bustling traderoute between Jumla and Dolpaand we observed many people,horses, and mules going to andfrom Jumla for trade.

    DAYl 3

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    This day we crossed our secondpass of the trek. The road goessteeply uphill from Kaigaun up to aheight of 3,308 meters. We can crossthe steep incline after climbing fora little more than two hours. On topof the hill are a couple tents wheremilk and a few basic provisions areavailable. The next stretch of roadis full of steep inclines and declinescoming one after the other. Thereare dense forests on both sides. Afterfollowing such a road for four hours,we arrive at the end called Lagna, at aheight of 3,841 meters.

    From Lagna, the road declines steeplyup to the village of Ghodakhor. It isthe rst village after Kaigaon. Thereare very few hotels along the way. The road from Ghodakhor is full ofsteep ups and down, though it does

    not go up to a great height. There aremany diverging roads on this day,and one needs a detailed map or aknowledgeable guide to negotiatethe road. This ended up being thelongest day of trek. Camp was atLiku, a populous village with a locallyfamous secondary school.

    Alternative: There is a short pathfrom Kaigaon that takes you directlyto Shey Phoksundo in two to threedays. This path goes through thevillage of Hurikot up the Kagmarapass. This pass is more than 5,000meters above sea level, and thepath from Kaigain involves climbingapproximately 3,000 meters in twodays. The recommended altitudechange is only 400 meters per day.However, it can be attempted byphysically t trekkers.

    DAYl 4

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    Amotorable road is beingconstructed from Liku to Tripurakot. From Liku, the roadgoes steeply downhill rst and thenstraight through the construction.. Tripurakot is a rarity in this area,as it has electricity 24 hours aday. The vegetation decreasesfrom Liku to Tripurakot, andthen completely vanishes from Tripurakot onwards. There is nowater source between Tripurakot

    to Kalagauda, as the hills arebarren. Lunch was at Kalagauda,from where the road to Juphaldiverges. From Kalagaudaonwards, the road is flat andmotorable, and there are manyHindu and Buddhist templesalong the way. Camping was atDunai, the headquar ter of Dolpa.Dunai is a densely populated townwith electricity, communicationfacility, and schools.

    DAYl 5

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    Other TourismPossibilities:

    • M ntain biking There are many motorable roads onour trek route. The rst of them is fromJumla to Maurikot. The road is slightlyuphill at rst and hen steeply uphillnear Maurikot. Also, after crossingBalangra pass, it is feasible to ride to

    DUnai via Ghodakhor and Likhu.

    Even in Upper Dolpa, it is possibleto ride mountain bike from SheyGumba to Saldang in two days. Thisis a single track over 4,000 metersabove sea level. It is also possibleto ride bike from Saldang to Rakyo

    and carry the bike up to Jeng Lapass, which is 5100 meters abovesea level. After crossing Jeng LaPass, bike riding is possible againat Takshi, which is an almost atvillage. Riders can go as far asSisaul via Dho Tarap. Lastly, from Tarakot there is a motorable roadupto Dunai that is appropriate formountain biking.

    • Ra tingRafting experts in our teamidentied several rivers in whichrafting is viable. Tila River in Jumla isone of them, where locals have triedsuccessfully tried rafting. In fact,local entrepreneurs here seemedvery keen on starting rafting in Tila.

    Thuli Bheri River in Dolpa hasseveral rapids, and there have beensuccessful rafting attempts from Tarakot to Chisapani.

    • G l ngGutthichaur is a place seven hoursaway from Jumla. It is a broad valleyat the bottom of mountains full ofpine trees. Since the ground is moreor less at with gentle slopes, it is theperfect location for a golf course.

    • Sn w b arding and ice skatingSnow boarding and ice skating arepopular activities in winter. ThoughNepal has lots of appropriatelocations for these activities, theyhave not been fully utilized. Thereare several well known lakes inJumla like HUdke Daha, BishtajiDaha, etc. Many of them freeze in

    winter, providing a perfect locationfor snow boarding and ice skating.

    • H t spring Two hours from Khalanga is ahot spring that is famous for itsmedicinal properties. National aswell as international tourists can beattracted to this site.

    Conclusion at LocalInteraction ProgramWe held an interaction programwith local officials and townspeopleof Dunai. Representatives of localgovernment bodies, trade unions,political parties, and media werepresent at the meeting. The meetingwas moderated by Ravindra Shahi,program coordinator of GHT atDolpa. The meeting started off withthe question of the future of tourismin Dolpa. TAAN president MahendraSingh Thapa was of the opinion that

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    tourism is the future of Dolpa. Rightnow, there are only about 1,300

    tourists per year in Dolpa. Mahendra Thapa and the local officials alsoconcurred that increasing thenumber of tourists is the rst stepto improve tourism in Dolpa. Hepointed out that the trek of Dolpais a challenging one, requiring acertain level of physical tness.

    Accordingly, the right clientele forDolpa would be young tourists whoare looking for adventure.

    The following issues were pointedout by local officials as challengesto attracting tourists to Dolpa:

    • Lack In rastr ct reLocal officials conjectured thattourists hesitate to come to Dolpabecause of the lack of infrastructurelike hotels, electricity, etc. TAANPresident countered that with theincrease of tourist ow, locals wouldautomatically start investing ininfrastructure. He gave the example

    of Solukhumbu, where a highlydeveloped infrastructure exists with

    every kind of facility for tourists. These infrastructures did not popup automatically, and were notcreated by the government. Instead,locals found it to their benet toinvest because they knew the owof tourists would make up for theirinvestment. As a result, today the

    per capita income of Solukhumburesidents is signicantly higher thanthat of average Nepalese.

    • Airp rt The airport in Dolpa is not pitchtopped. Hence, every time it rains,the airport gets muddy. This leads

    to ight cancellation. We ourselvesfaced this problem twice in a row. This particular problem will be solvedpretty soon as the airport will be pitchtopped in the future soon. However,if the ights are still canceled due tobad weather, we have provided theoption of ying to Jumla instead andtrekking from there.

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    • R ads The local officials expressed theirconcern that the roads of Dolpatrekking routes are not wellmaintained. They complained thatthe budget to build roads is oftensidetracked, due to corruptionand other issues. TAAN Presidentinformed them that TAAN is readyto help Dolpa construct better

    roads. For that, the local VDCsshould contribute 25%, and therest of the budget would comefrom TAAN and Tourism Ministry. Tourism Ministry has a departmentfor infrastructure development. Ifproperly utilized, this departmentcan assist in construction projects.

    • Expensive Entr eeRight now, Upper Dolpa is restrictedregion and the entry fee for UpperDolpa is $500. Adding that toother trekking expenses, a touristhas to spend around $2,500 fora ten day trek. Comparatively, atourist can complete a similar trekin approximately 1,000 dollars in Tibet and Laddakh. Even in Nepal,the most popular trekking routeis Annapurna circuit, which alsohappens to be the cheapest one. The local officials informed us thatthey had already taken the stepsto reduce the revenue. The districtcouncil had passed the decision,and a letter had been forwardedto ministries in Kathmandu. Butthere was no response from theministries. TAAN President assured

    the locals that TAAN would take upthis issue and lobby for reduction of

    entry fee with the government.

    Another problem associated withpermits is that government officesare closed on Saturday and Sunday. Tourists arriving on Friday arestranded in Kathmandu because ofthis. TAAN President would like to

    lobby to change this as well.

    • Pr visi n halrevenue to DolpaIn many popular tourist destinationslike Manaslu and Solukhumbu, halfof the revenue from tourism goesto the local bodies. Till date, this

    has not been happening in Dolpa. TAAN president promised to lobbyfor this issue, citing the example ofManaslu were successful lobbyinghas directed half the revenue tolocal bodies.

    At the end, TAAN President affirmedhis commitment to improvingtourism in Dolpa, and asked forDolpa residents’ support in futuresteps. He suggested that Dolpaleseshould keep their rivers clean andbuild septic tanks, as rafting isone of the major possibilities forDolpa. The local residents of Dolpaexpressed their happiness that they

    would get a chance to be heard inthe central government through TAAN. They expressed that TAANwould be able to market Dolpa forthem as they had been lacking inthat aspect.

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    LOWERMANASLU ECOTREK GORKHA

    T E A M L E A D E R

    Gopal Babu Shrestha

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    In Marcha/April 2012 TrekkingAgencies Association of Nepal(TAAN) in nancial associationwith GHTDP/SNV organized aresearch trip to explore new tourismpossibilities in Gorkha district. The team identied new trekkingroutes and sub-routes linkingalready popular religious, culturalpoints like Manakamana and Kalikatemples.

    The exploration team documented

    history, geography, and cultureof the place it visited during itsnine days trek. The place it visitedare as follows: Manakamana Temple, Bakyaswari Mahadeva,Siddha Lakhan Cave, TinmaneVillage, Ghairung Baskot, Bungkot(Kaule Bhangar), Gorkha Bazaar,

    Sirandanda, Ghyachok, Barpak,Basukang, Laprak, Choyabhanjyang,Nambai Kharka, Sambai Kharka,Dharche Danda, Tallo Thotneri, SitaCave and Ghyampesal.

    Geography andDemographicDistribution of GorkhaDistrictGorkha district (27'15'- 28'45'N latitude and 84'27'- 84'58' Elongitude) is extended betweenthe altitudes 228m to 8163m asl.It covers an area of 3610 sq kmand is bordered by Dhading in theeast, Lamjung in the west, Tibet(China) in the north and Tanahu andChitwan in the south (CBS 2001).

    According to CBS 2001, the totalpopulation of Gorkha district is2,88,134 (134407 male and 153727female); including seventy twoethnic groups of which Gurungs(22.29%), Brahmins (17.93%),Chhetris (12.08%) and Magars

    (11.35%) are major ethnic groupsand total number of householdis 58923. Average lifespan is 54.0years, per capita income is Rs.6985.00 and human developmentindex is 0.308 (CBS 2001).

    IntroductionG rkha, place r m where ni cati n Nepal was started b KingPrithvi Nara an Shah, is the rst capital Nepal. There are severalplaces of historical and archaeological importance in the district.Blessed by nature splendor and land marked by plethora of historic,religious, ecological and cultural importance it has every potential tobe featured as one of the favored touristic destinations of the country.However, number of tourists coming to this region is limited. Besidesthe Manaslu circuit trek, Lower Manaslu route offers moderate trekking,historical tour, pilgrimage tour, agro tourism and community based

    home stay. The locals are also committed towards development andpromotion of tourism in the district.

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    Manakamana

    Tinmane Bhanjyang

    Baskot

    Ka lebangar

    Ramp r

    DhungagadeBhanjyang

    Khanch wk

    Deurali

    Tallo Thotnery

    Nyauli Kharka

    Dharche Danda

    Sambe Kharka

    Laprak Barpak

    Ghyachchowk

    Sirandada

    Bhachhek

    Chanaute

    Bhaluswara

    Sangu

    Kh plangBazar

    Jhakri Gupha

    Rati nal the St dLocal stake holders do not havesufficient understanding aboutselling their tourism products.Nation has not given enoughattention to develop and promoteresources and tourist destinationsdespite its priority in words/policy

    encrypted in papers to encouragetourism as an instrument toalleviate poverty. Albeit with hugepotentials, neither the governmentnor the local people have benetedfrom the available resources.

    Successful implementation ofgovernment policy dependson active participation of localpeople and improved modesof infrastructure. However, lackof knowledge and awarenesstowards the aesthetic and culturalsignicance of prevailing tourism

    products, insufficient tourisminvestments and dearth of technicalknow-how and weak promotionalactivity are some of the majorchallenges to prosper tourismindustry in the region.

    Lower Manaslu Community Based Eco Trail

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    Rec mmendati ns The team after exploring variousplaces of Lower Manaslu region hasfollowing recommendations:

    I. Since most of the villages areoffering home stay facility,

    orientation and trainingcourses on home stay facilitymanagement to the operatorsof home stay facility should beorganized.

    II. Many historical and religiousrelics such as Sita cave, 17thcentury temple the artifacts of

    Martyr Lakhan Thapa, forestaround Dharche Danda andothers should be conserved andpreserved.

    III. Tourism infrastructure such assign boards along the trekkingroute depicting informationabout the direction and altitude

    is mandatory.IV. Provide awareness training andencourage locals to preservetheir culture.

    V. Educate people aboutsustainable tourism.

    VI. Environmental assessmentshould be carried out as earlyas possible to document thesocial, economical and biologicalinformation.

    Conclusion The team studied history,geography, and culture ofaforementioned places along theLower Manaslu Trekking Route andsuccessfully gathered informationrequired for the preparation ofguide book, a trekking route mapand a video documentary. The effort

    put up by the team of identifyingnew tourism opportunities willhelp to ourish tourism in Gorkha.Lastly, this kind of exploration tripis recommended for the countrylike Nepal where many places withgreat tourism potential is yet tobe explored and has gained noattention from the government. This initiative of TAAN and GHT willdenitely help to contribute to theever growing tourism industry ofthe country.

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    Manakamana cable car station atKurintar is 3 hours drive from

    Kathmandu where a 10 minute longNepal’s only cable car leads to theManakamana Devi temple at the hilltop (1315m asl). The temple dates backto 17th century. Manakamana Devi isbelieved to be the wish fulfilling goddessand every year millions of devoteesfrom Nepal and abroad pay visit to thistemple. Legend has it that a King ofGorkha was blessed by the goddessto get victory over small kingdoms inpursuit of making a big Gorkha.

    After lunch session at Manakamanabazaar, begins the rst leg of the trek toBakyaswori Mahadeva temple (1515m)

    situated 2 km north of Manakamanatemple. It is believed that goddess Sati’stongue fell at Bakyaswori Mahadeva,and the shrine has spiritual powerto provide speech to speechless.According to the priest, many mutechildren have gained speech afteroffering prayers to the shrine.

    About 500m further uphill is aSiddha Lakhan Thapa (founder ofthe Manakamana temple) sacredcave which also offers a magnicentview of Manaslu Himalayan ranges.Right next to the cave is a 250 yearsold temple built during the reign ofKing Prithvi Narayan Shah.

    After this, the trek descends to Tinmane Bhanjyang, a brief stopfor tea break. The village also offersa home stay facility. Trek for dayone concludes at Pipalchap villageat Ghairung VDC. No commerciallodging is available; however thevillage has a home stay service withgenuine local food and rooms.

    Main attraction of the village is atemple dedicated to Himalaya Deviwhich is visited by thousands ofdevotees from different parts ofGorkha. The temple bears a big belldating back to 1949 BS (1886 AD).

    DAYl 1 Kathmand – Ghair ng (1090m) - 3 hours drive,10 minutes cable car and 5 hours trek

    DAY TO DAYITINERARyINfoRMATIoN foRTHE TREKKERS

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    Bungkot is a historic birth placeof Lakhan Thapa, the rst martyrof Nepal. Lakhan Thapa (1891-1933BS) was hanged to death with friendJaising Chumi Magar at his own homeon Falgun 2, 1933 BS for opposing thetyrant Rana regime. Many people visit

    Kaule Bhangar to pay tribute to therst martyr of the nation.

    Apart from its historical signicance,other attraction is Lakhan Thapamemorial park built in thecommemoration of the rst martyrwhere a bust of the martyr has been

    stalled. The park has a collectionof Lakhan Thapa's belongingslike swords and stone spout.Interestingly, locals have stepped up

    efforts in preserving these artifactswithout any external assistance.

    Majority of the population in thevillage is from Magar community.Bungkot offers a home stay facilityand a delicious delicacy made with

    fresh and locally grown produce.From here, Gorkha Bazaar is 1.5 hoursof walk, the district headquarter ofGorkha. There are several options foraccommodation - 3 star to budgethotels - in Gorkha Bazaar.

    DAYl 2 Trek t G rkha Bazaar via B ngk t, Ka le Bhangar (First Martyr Lakhan Thapa Village) (900m) - 5 hrs

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    Gorkha Palace The historical Gorkha palace fromwhere King Prithvi Narayan Shahinitiated unication of modernNepal is perched one thousand feetabove Gorkha Bazaar; the palacedominates the surroundings and isvisible from all surrounding area. Itis regarded as a holy shrine. It alsooffers visitors with fantastic viewsof green valleys and the Himalayanpanorama. The palace also boastsbeautiful architecture

    Gorkhanath Cave The cave of Gorakhnath is situatedabout 10 m below the palace. Thecave is believed to be the shelter

    of Gorakhanath Baba (great sage)after whom the district obtainedits name. The sage was the guideof Shah Dynasty who blessed andprovided his precious guidance tothe dynasty for the unication ofnation.

    Gorkha MuseumGorkha museum is situated atGorkha bazaar. It has a wide rangeof artifacts and personal belongingsof King Prithvi Narayan Shah alongwith his 52 feet long chino (birthdetail). Apart from these collectionsit has also wide range of objectssuch as art, sculptures, coins andseveral other articles on display.

    DAYl 3 Gorkha excursion

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    Bhachek is about 6-7 hours ofbus/jeep drive from GorkhaBazaar. Driving through curvaceousmountain roads overlooking DaraudiRiver is a thrilling experience.Sirandanda, the nal leg of day four,is arrived after a short hike of one

    hour from Bhachek.

    A Hyolmo village, it is situated atthe hill top from where its namehas been derived to Sirandada.Major attractions of Sirandandaare: Nagepokhari, Dudhpokhari,Bhot dodar, Chima, Dharadi

    and tea garden. It also offersa magnicent view of sunriseand a stunning Manaslu range. The village has a rich diversityof medicinal herbs like nirmasi,

    jedamasi, jatamasi, rato unyu,yarsagumba, satuwa etc. Homestay facility is available in thevillage. Agriculture produce ofthe village is organic potato andunprocessed tea leaves. It is one ofthe few villages in Gorkha District

    to produce its own tea (not acommercial production).

    Sirandanda is struggling to nd itsplace in the tourist map despitethe overwhelming scenic beauty ofits landscape.

    DAYl 4 Drive and Trek from GorkhaBazaar – Sirandada (1900m)

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    After a walk of about 1.5 hourstowards Northeast is Mathar

    village which is at an elevation of 1790m asl. Further at a distance of 1.5 kmlies Ghyachowk, a stopover for lunchwhere one can ask local to preparelunch. The destination for the fth dayi.e. Barpak village is at a walking ofabout 4.5 hours from Ghyachowk. Enroute to Barpak are Dewalsara, SumRiver, Daraudi River, Goje and Alagang.

    Barpak, mostly inhabited by ex-armymen, is also known as thevillage of late Capt. Gage Ghalewho was honored with VictoriaCross Medal. Gurung and Ghalecommunity comprises the major

    population of this village. It hasall the basic amenities such as24-hour electricity, internet facility,medical service, and hotels. Ithas road access and buses fromKathmandu commutes on a dailybasis (except monsoon season). The

    unique sloppy shape with clusteredstone tile-roofed houses, stonebuilt narrow alleys and panoramicview of Buddha Himal are themajor attractions of Barpak. Foraccommodation, the village offerswell organized home stay facilityalong with standard hotels. Barpakhas gained many national andinternational acclaims - nominatedas a unique destination for Nepal Tourism Year 2011; provided theirwarm hospitality to many notedpersonals, among them is GermanChancellor Dr Roman Herzog.

    DAYl 5 Trek to Barpak village (1920m) - 7 hours walk

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    While on way to Laprak, onewill come across Basukang (a junction that also leads to RupinalaPass – famous destination amongManaslu trekkers). Laprak village(28.29 N and 84.78 E) located atLaprak VDC is a landslide vulnerable

    zone (Gurung, et al. 2011). The raintriggered landslide in 1999 sweptaway houses and about 12 hectaresof cultivated land. Since then, thevillagers are living in constantfear (usually during the summermonsoon). More damages werereported in 2002, 2006, and 2007 due

    to landslides (Gurung, et al. 2011).

    Unlike other villages of Nepal, all9 wards of the VDC are clusteredtogether. The temperature is warm

    and cool from April to October andcold and snowfall from November toMarch. The most notable characterof Laprak is the wooden roofedhouses which bears a uniform lookin the entire VDC. Laprak, a typicalGurung village, is also a pit stop for

    the Manaslu trekkers. There are 2hotels available for accommodation.Laprak is also accessible from Tatopani in the East and Gumdavillage in the South.

    The village is home to late ImanSingh Gurung, rst person from the

    Gurung community from westernNepal to summit Mt Everest. Most ofthe villagers are engaged in tourismbusiness and few of them have alsoearned international recognition.

    DAYl 6 Trek to Laprak Village(2100m) - 6 hours walk

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    The Kharka (pasture or cowshed) isarrived after a moderate walk of 4hours from Laprak. The Kharka is anopen pasture land with few temporaryhouses of Laprakis (people of Laprak)which provides them shelter duringplantation and harvest period of

    potatoes. Trekkers need to be self-sufficient for food and lodging. There isno toilet facility as well. During the stayin Nambai Kharka, it is advised thatone should stick with vegetarian dietas locals believe that slaughtering ofanimals will bring ill to the trekkers.

    DAYl 7 Trek t Nambai Kharka(2700m) - 4 hours walk

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    Dharche, the highest point of thelower Manaslu trekking route,offers a breathtaking 180 degreepanoramic view of more than 20Himalayan peaks. Among Gurungcommunity, Dharche Danda (hill)holds a religious signicance. They

    offer prayer to the hill deity to avoidnatural calamities. Also no felling oftrees is allowed in the area. It is alsobelieved that if tourists offer prayerto the hill deity, they will be blessedwith clear visibility and will wardoff misfortune while on trek. Someof the prominent peaks that can

    be viewed from the top of Dharcheare: Annapurna, AnnapurnaI, Annapurna II, Bharatsikhar,

    Gangapurna, Machhapuchhre,Lamtang, Himalchuli, BuddhaHimal, Sarang Peak, Malkunti Peak,Babu Himal, Sringi Himal, GaneshI, Ganesh II and Ganesh III amongmany others.

    The eight day of the journey endsat Tallo Thotnery, a village enrichedwith Gurung culture. No commerciallodging facility is available buttourists have an option for home staywhere they will share local highlights(Gurung dance and local delicacies). The place also offers major attractions

    such as: Sita Cave situated in thesouthwest and Olajung Danda.

    DAYl 8Wake up early and hike to Dharche Danda - (3220m) forsunrise view and majestic sightings of Manaslu Himalayan ranges,then trek to Tallo Thotneri (1560m) - 7 hours walk

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    The famous cave is reached afterwalking down1.8 km from Tallo Thotneri. The cave is situated at 1165m asl. Sita Cave, surrounded by denseforest, holds a religious signicanceamong Hindus and it is one of themajor tourist attractions. Everyyear during Ram Nawami which is

    celebrated on the ninth day of thebright fortnight of the Hindu monthof Chaitra (March and April) thousandsof Hindu devotees gather to pay

    Bus departs at 8 am (daily) to Gorkha Bazaar which is 2.5 hrs of drivefrom Ghyampesal. Bus services are available on a regular intervalfrom Gorkha to Kathmandu which is 6 hrs of drive.

    homage to Lord Ram. It is believedthat goddess Sita, wife of Lord Ram,spent some time and stayed here. The caving experience in Sita Cave isthrilling and adventurous.

    After touring the cave we end the dayin Gyampesal, the nal destination of

    the trek, which is few hours walk fromfor the Sita Cave for overnight stay oncamp or home stay.

    DAYl 9 Trek to Gyampesal via Sita Cave6 hours walk

    DAYl 10 Drive from Gyampesalt Kathmand

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    THE RUBYVALLEY TREKGANESHHIMAL REGION

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    T E A M L E A D E R S

    Saroj Neupane

    Rajendra S bedi

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    Although near to both Kathmanduand Pokhara, the Ganesh HimalRegion has remained a well-keptsecret to all but Nepal’s most avidtrekkers. The unexplored area isconcealed between the populardestinations of LangtangNationalPark and the Mansaslu ConservationArea Project.

    Wildowers ourish, and waterfalls

    embellish the lush hill sceneryin a land blessed with wide-ranging geographical, cultural andbiological diversity.

    Sensational viewpoints feature thesublime Himalaya to the north.Most prominent is the Ganesh

    Himal Range, a family of peaksamong the most attractive of theentire Himalaya. The Ganesh massifis named in honor of Hindu deityGanesh, son of Shiva and Parvati.Selected viewpoints in the areaoffer immense panoramas !

    Most rewarding are the culturalattractions including magnicentGanga Jamuna, twin waterfalls,Kalo, Seto and Ganesh kunda, hotspring and Tripurasundari templesand especially the hospitablepeople that inhabit the region. The

    IntroductionDhading, G rkha, Ras waa and N wak t districts are at thegeographical center of Nepal and lie at the heart of the nation’s history.It is from these hills that Gorkhahillsmen, led by Prithvi Narayan Shah,set out to unite Nepal in the late 1700s. Since then, Gorkha soldiers havereceived international fame for their bravery and skill as warriors.

    area is populated mainly by TamangGurung and Ghale to the north, andBrahmin, Chhetri, Dalit, Newar andChepang at the lower elevationsin the south. Visitors are warmlywelcomed by all with a friendlinessthat makes Nepal legendary.

    At least 10 separate trekkingitineraries are recommendedand await travelers promising

    unforgettable adventures.Government registered trekkingagencies will be happy to setup visitors with a guide and allnecessities for exploring thiscaptivating, undiscovered region.

    The area is easily accessed by the

    Prithivi Highway and PasangLhamuHighway along the southernfringes, connecting Kathmanduand Pokhara. Another adventurousoption is to hike in from the TamangHeritage Trail of Rasuwa and followthe Ruby Trek, so named for theprecious stones harvested in thearea as well as Bhalche Nuwakot,Gorkha and Dhading Besi.

    We will take you along this routewith dramatic scenes of naturalbeauty, village scenery and culturalcharm.

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    GANESH HIMAL REGION

    QUICK FACTSBest time to visit:all season (views are clearest fromfall to spring)Geography:mid to high-hillsMaximum elevation:Dobra Danda (Ganesh HimalViewpoint), 4341 m (14280 ft)Minimum elevation: Dhading Besi (520m/1716 ft)Facilities: camping, lodges and hotels, teahouses,home stay (agencies can arrange all details)Duration:one to three weeksAccessibility: road connection including two majorhighways (Prithvi and Pasang Lhamu)Difficulty level: easy to moderate with advancedoptions, too; best explored with guideFormalities: Nepal Visa on arrival ($25 USD for 15days, $40 USD for 30 days, or $100 USD for 3 months);

    Langtang National Park Entry Fee, 3000 NRS ; TrekkingInformation Management System (TIMS) card, $20 USDwill be checked if passing through Dhunche (rather thanwalking in from Bhalche, Dhading, Gorkha)Food and lodging costs: minimalTypical Nepali dish: daal-bhaat-tarakaari (lentilsoup, rice and vegetables)Typical drink: chiyaa (sweet milk tea)Highlights: indigenous ethnic groups Gurung, Ghale,Tamang, Brahmin, Chhetri, Dalit, Newar, Chepang) culturalinteraction, village scenery and lifestyle, Nepali hospitality,Himalayan panoramas including the Ganesh Himal Range,sacred lakes including Seto Kunda, Kalo Kunda, GaneshKunda, Tin Kanya Temple, Triveni Temple, waterfalls,hot springs, Hindu Temples including ParvatiKunda andTripursundari Temples, Buddhist monasteries, cheesefactory, immense viewpoints, herbal plants, crystaland ruby mining, dances and festivals, historical sites,unexplored territory, rare and exotic wildlife

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    Taking local bus early in the morning or a private four wheel drive journeyfrom Kathmandu reaches Shyabru Besi, gateway to the Langtang Valley at theconuence of the Bhote Kosi and Langtang Rivers. Mesmerizing scenic drivingand passing through Trisuli Bazaar, Ramche Gaon and Dhunche Bazaar makes youscenic driving. Narrow and bit adventurous zig zags road but amazing landscapealong the way driving will make you good start day drive of the trek.

    Adirt track zig-zags to the west up to Bahun Danda Pass and then down to the Tamang settlement of Gatlang, a cornerstone village on the Tamang Heritage Trail or hike to Gatlang by way of Chawatar. Gatlang is a Tamang village withunique customs and craftsmanship in a magnicent setting. Above lies ParvatiKund, popular during Janai Purnima when thousands of pilgrims are attracted tothe sacred pond and nearby temple.

    DAYl 1 Kathmand – Sh abr Besi(1503m/4945ft) 8-9 hrs drive

    DAYl 2 Sh abr Besi – Chawatar (l nch) – Gatlang(2337m/7690 ft) 5- 6 hrs hike

    RouTE 01

    Ganesh Himal CulturalHome Stay Trekking – 7 da s

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    The trail ascends through pineand rhododendron forest to alunch point of Yuri Kharka beforecontinuing to Khurphu Bhanjyangand then dropping down to theSomdang River, border between

    Rasuwa and Dhading districts.

    A sprawling mining compound, nolonger functioning but locals are

    appealing government to reviveit, lies a few hours to the northupriver. The hike passes through ascenic valley featuring the 200 mChukarma Waterfall. The formermine leaves a lot be explored and

    is the site of a 1.4 km tunnel boredinto the mountain to extract zinc,copper, tin, crystal and even highly-prized rubies.

    DAYl 3Gatlang – Parvati K nd,y ri Kharka (l nch) –Somdang (3271m/10760ft) 6-7 hrs

    Gatlang Village

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    Pangsang Kharka is a viewpointsouthwest of Somdang villagewith a broad panorama of thesurrounding terrain. To the northare the soaring peaks of Manasluand the Ganesh Himal Range. Thelarge meadow is graced with a giant

    entry gateway and is a sensationallocation for camping and taking inthe breathtaking scenery. The wholeGanesh Himal region is blessed withabundant herbal plants. Previously,herbs were taken to Tibet along anancient trade route and exchangedfor salt, livestock, wool and

    turquoise.

    Descend to Tipling, a large villagethat hosts two Buddhist gombasand both a Protestant and Catholic

    church. Along a ridge top to theeast is a gomba and cremationground for both Buddhists andChristians lined with colorful ags.Being a majority of Tamang peopleit has beautiful Tamang cultureshow. Tamang people have own

    rich culture to show for the visitors jhankri or shaman dance, ghodeor horse dance, said to have beenbrought from Tibetan culture longago. Jhankri (shaman) activity isrobust in this territory with theworship of natural forces andindigenous local deities interwoven

    with Hindu and Buddhist practices.Mane dance, Mendo Maya, Parodance and Ghode (horse) dance aswell as Lama (monk) dance are quitepopular.

    DAYl 4 Somdang - Pangsang Pass (3842 m) - Tipling(2078m/6835ft) 6-7 hrs

    Pangsang Pass

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    Descend to cross the Adha Khola on abox bridge and ascend to the sistervillages of Shertung and Chalish, regallyoverlooking the fertile river valley andabundant elds.

    Shertung is inhabited mainly byTamang. The name Shertung means‘place of gold’. According to a legend, two brothers in search of gold wereled here by a dream and thus thesettlement was born. Tamang peoplehave own rich culture to show for thevisitors Jhankri or shaman dance, ghodeor horse dance, said to have beenbrought from Tibetan culture long ago.Jhankri (shaman) activity is robust inthis territory with the worship of naturalforces and indigenous local deitiesinterwoven with Hindu and Buddhistpractices.

    Chalish is inhabited primarily byGurung, Ghale and Kami. There used tobe Newar people but they migrated toKathmandu city. The hospitable peopleof this area have unique customs andcraftsmanship and traditional dances,including a hospitable welcome dance,Ghatu Dance, Dohori is also popular

    with call and response between maleand female participants, a type ofcourtship ritual, complemented by folkmusic. Some dances depend on the timeof year and take place during festivalsincluding the Maruni Dance during Dasaiand Tihar, Hai Nelo Dance of Tihar, andthe Ghatu (Ghasiri Dance) that occursduring Chandi Purnima in the Nepalimonth of Chaitra. Deusi and Bhailoprograms in Deepawali are also quitepopular. Gurung men traditionally wearvangra, a woven, embroidered cottoncloth tied at the ends that serves as apouch for carrying goods. Sri TinkanyaDevi Mandir lies above Chalish. Localwomen tie bits of cloth or leave a banglerepresenting a wish to be fullled neara small pool of water surrounded byBarmase or periwinkle owers.

    Have lunch in Shertung or in Chalishvillage and then trek continue toBorang. If you have lunch at Shertungvillage you trek to Borang via Awaivillage whereas trekking via Chalish willbe passing through Gobre gaon. Borangvillage also the Tamang communityvillage and similar culture of Tipling andShertung village will be found.

    DAYl 5 Tipling – Shert ng/Chalish – B rang Village(1700m/5610ft) 5- 6 hrs

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    After breakfast trek all the downto Lishne khola (2 ½ hours walk)and trek continue to Percho wherestop for lunch and trek continue toDarkha Gaon.

    After breakfast trek all the way down

    to Darkha Phedi taking 45 minutesdownhill walk and then take sharinglocal Jeep with other people and thearrive in Dhading Besi after 3-4 hoursrough and tough zig –zags roaddrive. Crossing through Ankhu Khola

    Passing through suspension bridges,breath taking views of Ankhu kholaand Chyamchyat as well as Ri villageother side of the river nally reachat Darkha gaon. This village is mixculture village of Brahmin peopleand Tamang as well as Dalit.

    as well as Kimdang phedi villages,

    Katunje and Jyamrung villagewill make you fun driving havingfabulous landscape surroundings.From Dhading change another busand drive back to Kathmandu taking3 hours drive.

    DAYl 6

    DAYl 7

    B rang – Perch (l nch) – Darkha Ga n(850m/ 2805ft) 7-8 hrs

    Darkha Ga n – Darkha Phedi - Dhading Besi –Kathmand (1310m/4323ft) 6 -7 hrs drive

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    Taking local bus early in the morning or a private four wheel drive journeyfrom Kathmandu reaches Shyabru Besi, gateway to the Langtang Valley at theconuence of the Bhote Kosi and Langtang Rivers. Mesmerizing scenic driving andpassing through Trisuli Bazaar, Ramche Gaon and Dhunche Bazaar makes you full

    of fun driving. Narrow and bit adventurous zig zags road but amazing landscapealong the way driving will make you good start day drive of the trek.

    Adirt track zig-zags to the west up to Bahun Danda Pass and then down to the

    Tamang settlement of Gatlang, a cornerstone village on the Tamang Heritage Trail or hike to Gatlang by way of Chawatar. Gatlang is a Tamang village withunique customs and craftsmanship in a magnicent setting. Above lies ParvatiKund, popular during Janai Purnima when thousands of pilgrims are attracted tothe sacred pond and nearby temple.

    DAYl 1 Kathmand t Sh abr Besi(1503m/4945ft) 8-9 hrs drive

    DAYl 2 Sh abr Besi-Chawatar (l nch) – Gatlang(37m/7690ft) 5- 6 hrs hike

    RouTE 02

    Ganesh Himal Culturaland Hot Spring HomeStay Trekking – 9 da s

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    The trail ascends through pineand rhododendron forest to alunch point of Yuri Kharka beforecontinuing to Khurphu Bhanjyangand then dropping down to theSomdang River, border betweenRasuwa and Dhading districts.

    A sprawling mining compound, nolonger functioning but locals are

    DAYl 3 Gatlang – Parvati K nda, y ri Kharka (l nch) –Somdang (3271m/10760 ft) 6-7 hrsappealing government to revive it,lies a few hours to the north upriver. The hike passes through a scenicvalley featuring the 200 m ChukarmaWaterfall. The former mine leaves alot be explored and is the site of a 1.4km tunnel bored into the mountain

    to extract zinc, copper, tin, crystal andeven highly-prized rubies.

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    Pangsang Kharka is a viewpoint

    southwest of Somdang village with abroad panorama of the surroundingterrain. To the north are the soaringpeaks of Manaslu and the GaneshHimal Range. The large meadow isgraced with a giant entry gateway andis a sensational location for campingand taking in the breathtaking scenery.

    The whole Ganesh Himal region isblessed with abundant herbal plants.Previously, herbs were taken to Tibetalong an ancient trade route and

    exchanged for salt, livestock, wool

    and turquoise. This hill/danda/passis known as one of the most beautifuland the best magnicent mountainviews point almost in 270 degreesLangtang ragnes, Ganesh Himal ranges,Manaslu ranges and bit of Annapurnaranges mountain view point. So fartea house has not developed yet so

    highly recommended to have own tenthowever local yak huts can be usedfor a night halt. But dry fruits/food isrecommended for a night camp.

    DAYl 4 Somdang to Pangsang (Aka, Pangsang) Pass (La)(3842m/12640ft) 3 ½ hrs

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    Descend to Tipling, a large villagethat hosts two Buddhist gombasand both a Protestant and Catholicchurch. Along a ridge top to the eastis a gomba and cremation ground forboth Buddhists and Christians linedwith colorful ags. Being a majorityof Tamang people it has beautifulTamang culture show. Descend tocross the Adha Khola on a box bridgeand ascend to the sister villagesof Shertung and Chalish, regallyoverlooking the fertile river valley andabundant elds.

    Shertung is inhabited mainly byTamang. The name Shertung means‘place of gold’. According to a legend

    , two brothers in search of gold wereled here by a dream and thus thesettlement was born. Tamang peoplehave own rich culture to show forthe visitors jhankri or shaman dance,ghode or horse dance, said to havebeen brought from Tibetan culturelong ago. Jhankri (shaman) activity isrobust in this territory with the worshipof natural forces and indigenous localdeities interwoven with Hindu andBuddhist practices. Holy Chyamradanda, Fyanchyat monastery andSajyat are the main holy attractionsof the village. Spectacular mountainview of Lapsang Karpo, Ganesh Himal(Yangri) as well as Ganesh II and III canbe seen from this village.

    DAYl 5 Pangsan Pass – Tipling (l nch ) – Shert ng(1875m/6188ft) 5-6 hrs

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    After breakfast , trek down to Chalish

    village taking 30 minutes walk, leaveyour luggage and trek to Tatopani (hotsprings) walking 1 ½ hours where packlunch will be suited to eat (no lodgehas built yet). Enjoy half of the daytaking bath with one of the best hotspring of this region. After enjoyingreturn back to Chalish village.

    Chalish is inhabited primarily byGurung, Ghale and Kami. There used tobe Newar people but they migrated toKathmandu city. The hospitable peopleof this area have unique customs andcraftsmanship and traditional dances,including a hospitable welcome dance,

    Ghatu Dance, Dohori is also popularwith call and response between maleand female participants, a type ofcourtship ritual, complemented byfolk music. Some dances depend on

    the time of year and take place during

    festivals including the Maruni Dance,Dausi, Bhailo during Dashain and Tihar,Hai Nelo Dance of Tihar, and the Ghatu(Ghasiri Dance) that occurs duringChandi Purnima in the Nepali month ofChaitra. Gurung men traditionally wearvangra, a woven, embroidered cottoncloth tied at the ends that serves as

    a pouch for carrying goods. Sri TinKanya Devi Mandir lies above Chalish.Local women tie bits of cloth or leavea bangle representing a wish to befullled near a small pool of watersurrounded by Barmase or periwinkleowers. This village is known as oneof the most friendliest of the areas

    in terms of culture show program,hospitality, kindness and helpful. Mostof the youngsters of this village are intourism work as a trek guide, Sherpa,porter even trek and travel owners.

    DAYl 6 Visit Hot Spring (2 ½ hrs walk) and backChalish Gaon (1674m/5505ft.) 5 hrs

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    After breakfast trek to Mani Danda –30 minutes walk from where you willsee the breath taking Ganesh Himalranges mountain views and a stonethrow entire Chalish village viewson the back. Trek continue passingDeul danda, Gobre village (hilly edgewalking slow walking is recommendedwith your guide and porter), Chhapdanda and Bandare Bhir where rockclimbing possibility has been seen.So any rock climber who is willing

    to climb is highly recommended butbasic infrastructure has not developedyet. Arrive Borang village which is alsomajority of Tamang people and trekcontinue to Ukhum for lunch. Afterlunch trek continue to Lishne jungle,cross suspension bridge, passingthrough Chhapchyat village you nallyget to Jharlang village (Ungul). One ofthe best and panoramic mountain viewpoint of the area. This is Tamang villageand belongs nearly 200 houses.

    DAYl 7 Chalish – ukh m (l nch) – Jharlang (ung l)(3000m/9900ft) 5-6 hrs

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    After breakfast trek most of the way down to Jharlang Phedi walking 2 ½hours passing paddy terraces and surrounding landscapes. Passing throughsuspension bridges, breath taking views of Ankhu khola and Chyamchyat aswell as Ri village other side of the river nally reach at Darkha gaon. This villageis mix culture of Brahmin people and Tamang as well as Dalit.

    After breakfast trek all the way down to Darkha Phedi taking 45 minutes downhill walk and then take sharing local Jeep with other people and the arrive inDhading Besi after 3-4 hours rough and tough zig –zags road drive. Crossingthrough Ankhu Khola as well as Kimdang phedi villages, Katunje village andJyamrung village will make you breath taking scenic driving having fabulouslandscape surroundings. From Dhading change another bus and drive back toKathmandu taking 3 hours driving.

    DAYl 8

    DAYl 9

    Jharlang Ga n – Darkha Ga n(850m/2805ft) 6-7 hrs

    Darkha Ga n – Darkha Phedi – Dhading Besi –Kathmand (1310m/4323ft.) 6-7 hrs drive

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    The vehicle journey from Kathmandu by local bus or privatefour-wheel vehicle begins in the morning and travels throughscenic landscape. Pass Trishuli Bazaar, Ramche Gaon, and Dhunchebefore reaching Shyabru Besi, gateway to the Langtang Valley at

    the conuence of the BhoteKosi and Langtang Rivers.

    Adirt track zig-zags to the west up to BahunDanda Pass and then down to

    the Tamang settlement of Gatlang, a cornerstone village on the TamangHeritage Trail or hike to Gatlang by way of Chawatar. Gatlang is a Tamang villagewith unique customs and craftsmanship in a magnicent setting. Above liesParvatiKund, popular during JanaiPurnimaa when thousands of pilgrims areattracted to the sacred pond and nearby temple.

    DAYl 1 Kathmand – Sh abr Besi(1503m / 4945 ft) 8-9 hrs drive

    DAYl 2 Shyabru Besi-Chawatar (lunch) to Gatlang(37m/7690ft) 5- 6 hrs hike

    RouTE 03 Ganesh Himal StrenuousKal and Set K ndaCamping Trekking – 17 da s

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    Trekking Agencies'Association of Nepal- TAAN70

    Descend to Tipling, a large village thathosts two Buddhist gombas and botha Protestant and Catholic church. Alonga ridge top to