Trekking to Remote Areas

Please Note: Minimum of 4 persons are required for the following trips.

01. MUSTANG ADVENTURE
12 nights / 13 days
Mode of trekking: Camping
Grade 3
Cost : US$ 2,925 per person

Mustang or correctly Lo, the enchanting land of the Lopa people is strongly enticing. The region located at North-western part of Nepal was restricted to the foreigners before 1992. This arid land attached to the border of Tibet portrays unique natural beauty completely different from other parts of Nepal. An extension of Tibetan plateau, the desert like dry terrain of Lo is amazingly marked by sparsely distributed settlements which in turn are marked by houses built of mud, ancient monasteries and at certain places by greenery, signifying highly limited growth of crops in the area.

The remarkable landscape of Lo comprises of wind howling deep canyons, Kaligandaki river bordered by reddish cliffs lined with weather beaten organ pipes, barren hills and the views of Damodar, Sherapko, Khamjung himalayan ranges topped by snowcapped peaks.

Fascinatingly Lo has a history of its own. The Mustang raja or king of Lo has an honorary position of colonel in Nepal army in present day Nepal. However, the royal lineage of Mustang goes back 25 generations dating to 14th century. The belief is that King Ame pal was the first king and the founder of Lo. In 18th century Mustang became a part of larger Nepal. Even today Mustang raja resides in his palace at Lo Manthang, once the capital of Mustang.

History also accounts visits of enlightened saints from Tibet in the past. The influence of Sakyapa and Nyingmapa sects of Tibetan Buddhism is prominent amongst the locals. The settlements although sparsely distributed are marked with ancient Budhist monasteries bedecked with religious wall paintings and idols of Budha. Lopas, the people of Lo lead a life influenced by Tibetan customs and culture. They say that present day lifestyle of the locals reflect Tibetan lifestyle ages back, the culture still is intact. Booking

Note: This trek lies in Grade 3 category. The trekker has to be physically and mentally prepared to do this trek. Physical training such as jogging, walking up and down the hills or the stairs, aroebic training and weight training are highly suggested to enjoy this trek. Please train for at least 8 weeks before the trek. The walking duration mentioned above are approximate only.

THE TREK

Day 1
Jomsom to Kagbeni - In Pokhara early in the morning we (the group, trek guide and the liaison officer) go to the domestic airport from the hotel and fly to Jomsom. At Jomsom, the rest of the trekking crew meets us, trekking permits and essential papers are submitted at the check post for checking. Then we start walking on the Kaligandaki riverbed towards Kagbeni, the destination for that day. Mid way, we stop for lunch at Eklo bhatti, a small Gurung settlement. Once again we proceed towards Kagbeni- a Gurung settlement consisting of clustered mud padded houses, a Gompa and a school. Here, certain formalities as rechecking of the trekking permits, food and equipment lists are completed by ACAP. At the camp tea and biscuits are served to us on arrival. For our accommodation tents are pitched in the courtyard. Dinner served at around 7 pm starts with soup followed by the main course and dessert. The duration of the walk from Jomsom to Kagbeni is 4 to 5 hours. Glancing back the walk offers a grand view of Nilgiri.

Day 2
Kagbeni to Chele - At about 7.30am we proceed towards Chele, our destination of that day. Initially on this day we walk on the Kaligandaki riverbed. As we move ahead and intermittently look back, we see the views of the mountains inclusive of Tilicho, Annapurna I and Thorang Peak getting wider and better. Ahead, the closer we are, the shapes of organ pipes on the cliffs become more and more distinct. As we walk on the village of Tangbe looms above us at a certain point. Our lunch on this day is at Chuksang village. The time we have there allows us to visit one of the oldest Nyingmapa pa monastery built just across the Kaligandaki river. On entering the monastery we find remarkable frescoes depicting budhist icons on walls and a huge statue of Maitreya Buddha. The village of Tetang seen from Chuksang is nearby. After lunch break the walk to Chele is about two hours. The village of Chele seats on the raised elevation above the riverbed of Kaligandaki River. Before climbing up to Chele we can see rows of caves on the walls above us, along the side of Kaligandaki River. The village of Chele is surrounded by green vegetation, here, we camp on the roof of a lodge.

Day 3
Chele to Geiling - A grand view awaits one's eye next morning from Chele. The Kaligandaki gorge opens up to offer a dramatic view of Nilgiri, Annapurna I, Thorang peak and other significant peaks. The reddish organ piped cliffs extending into canyons and the surrounding snow capped peaks are delightful to one's eye. The ascent from Chele to Samar traverses by the side of the hills offering views of the mountains and canyons as we walk along. We see Gyagar village surrounded by wals of mud at a certain point. Samar, a village marked by a fast flowing clear stream and huge willow trees provides breathtaking views of the canyons and the mountains. From here a sharp descent followed by a challenging ascent leads to the Bag-la pass (3800m). Across the pass we stop at Bhena for lunch. Then a gradual climb brings us to Bhena pass and another sharp descent to Syamochen. Again a short climb brings us to Eklobhatti, then a gradual descent along a slope- bypassing a local chorten - to the beautiful village of Geiling.
Geiling, a small settlement of clean white washed traditional houses and two Sakyapa monasteries is blessed with one of the most beautiful landscapes in Mustang. Here,the slightly raised slopes extend towards the rolling hills with the snow-capped mountains in the backdrop offering a magnificent view.

Day 4
Geiling to Charang - Next morning a soft climb from Geiling brings one to the bottom of Nyila pass (3950m) -the highest point of our trek. As usual the ascent towards and across the pass opens up to unsurpassed grandeur of hills and mountains in a distance. Following a trail by the mountainside we are confronted by an opening to a valley. After descending we reach the village of Ghami- located by the side of the Kaligandaki River. Fast flowing clear streams, a monastery, chortens and traditional houses are evident in this village. After crossing Kaligandaki River we face the longest mani wall. A short walk from here brings us to the start of Chamla pass. Ascending to the top of the pass is very challenging. Chamla pass offers the view of the far off mountains and the Tibetan plateau. Then it's a long descent and a walk across the flats to Charang, bypassing a big chorten. Charang perhaps is the most charming among all the settlements in Mustang. The tall fortress painted in white and a red gompa (Sakyapa monastery) are the landmarks of Charang. Traditional thangka paintings, paintings of Budha and budhist idols are preserved inside the gompa. The Sakyapa monastery adorned with the frescoes of Pancha Buddha is worth a visit and so is the old palace. The numerable chortens here give unique character to the village, not to speak of magnificent landscape. Charang has its own hydro electricity, which provides power to the village in the evening. We have lunch, dinner and overnight stay at Charang.

Day 5
Charang to Lo Manthang - Leaving Charang behind the next morning we gradually descend to the Charang River. After crossing it we ascend to a certain level before crossing the arid flats- once again bypassing a huge chorten. We view Lo Manthng from a distance before descending down to it. At Lo Manthang we have our lunch, then we go for a stroll around the capital.

The capital of Mustang, Lo Manthang is surrounded by high walls. Within them you will find three major ancient monasteries, the Royal palace and a very old settlement of the Lopas, the people of Mustang. With the right permission one can visit the Royal palace and meet the king and the queen. The main monastery, Chodey gompa of Sakyapa sect houses metal images of holy deities, Champa Lakhang the other monastery dating back to 15th century has a huge statue of Maitreya Budha – the one who is destined to be born 4000 years after Gautama Budha. Therefore, we still have to wait 1500years for him. The walls of Champa lakhang is decorated with large mandalas. Finally, inside the last monastery, Thugchen gompa, 15th century, there is a statue of Gautam Budha along with those of Padmasmbhava – the bodhisatva who started the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Budhism,Vaisravana and Avalokitesvara – the compassionate one.

In the old days Lo manthang used to be a trade center between Kaligandaki valley and Tibet,thus, the Lopas of the capital following Tibetan culture and religion gained a lot of wealth then. Even today except for the old folks and children during every winter the Lopas go to India for trading woolen goods.

Day 6
Excursion around Lo Manthang - On this day we hire horses and visit the King’s summer palace at Tinghar and the Namgyal monastery on a spectacular hilltop. In the evening we return to Lo Manthang for the night.

Day 7
Lo Manthang to Ghami via Lo gekkar - Next day we return to Ghami, but by a different route. In the morning we cross scenic valleys to reach Lo Gekkar, a sacred area marked by a Nyingmapa monastery. Here, we stop for lunch and visit the monastery as well. The décor inside the monastery Ghar gompa consists of holy paintings and well preserved carved stones. During the walk the views of the mountains are spectacular. After the lunch it's a steep climb up the hill for a short while. Then it's a gradual ascend before a gradual descend. From the trail the villages of Marang and then Charang can be seen. The trail takes us across the flats before reaching a ridge from where it's a steep descent down to the village of Tahmar. Leaving the scenic village of Tahmar behind we gradually ascend the trail which eventually leads to the mountainside before sharply descending down to Ghami.

Day 8
Ghami to Samar - On this day we f ollow the route to Geling valley via Nya la pass. Instead of going to the village of Geiling we take the route to Tamakhan and then to Syamochen, the previous lunch spot. After lunch we gradually descend to a stream before diverting to a route leading up to the Rangbyung cave. The cave features painted chortens, self created statues and sacred relics. Retracing the steps back we gradually walk up a trail by the mountainside towards Samar. Enroute after a walking down to a stream and up to a ridge and repeating the process again we reach the village of Samar.

Day 9
Samar to Chuksang - Return via the previous route back to Chuksang for lunch and the overnight stay. The afternoon at Chuksang can be spent by visiting the village of Tetang and a monastery there.

Day 10
Chuksang to Jomsom - Follow the route through banks of the Kaligandaki River back to Jomsom, stopping for lunch in Kagbeni.

Day 11
Fly to Pokhara from Jomsom and provide transfer to the hotel.

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02. Kanchenjunga Trek
19 nights / 20 days
Mode of trekking: Camping
Grade 4
Cost : US$ 3,400 per person

Kanchenjunga area in the eastern part of Nepal is yet another attraction for the trekkers. Kanchenjunga Himalayan range boasts World's third highest mountain, Kanchenjunga, 8586m and forms the border between Nepal and Sikkim (India). Trekkers were allowed into Kanchenjunga region from 1988.

The region is inhabited by the Limbus and Rais, the ethnic groups who dominate the area east of the Arun River. They can be distinguished by colorful Nepalese cap they wear. The area is blessed with heavy rainfalls thus agriculture flourish in this part of Nepal. The regional hills abound with Rhododendron forests providing additional alluring aspect. Magnificent mountain vista inclusive of Kanchenjunga (8586m), Makalu (8463m), Jannu (7710m), Yalung Kang (8505m) and a host of other peaks can be observed in this region. The trekking trail in this region traverses from sub tropical to high altitude allowing one to experience landscape & vegetation of low elevation all the way up to Yalung glacier, 5000m.

The experience of tranquility amid spectacular lanscape, unspoiled nature and ancient culture make Kanchenjunga a highly attractive region for trekking. Booking

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03. MAKALU BASE CAMP TREK
24 nights / 25 days
Mode of trekking: Camping
Grade 4
Cost : US$ 3,750 per person

The adventure of Makalu Base Camp trek offers spectacular sceneries of Nepal - some of grandest. The experience of contrasting vegetation due to differing altitudes on this trek is amazing. One starts from the lowlands of Terai, just 200 m. above sea-level to climb to the base of Mt. Makalu at 5000m! We commence our trek from Hille following an ancient trade route by the side of mighty Arun river, one of Nepal's two largest rivers. From Tumlingtar we head to Sherpa village of Tashigaon the last settlement in the region and enter the Makalu basin crossing high passes of Shipton La (4500 m) and Barun La (4400 m). On the trek panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks inclusive of Everest, Kanchenjunga, peaks in Tibet and massive Southern face of Makalu (8463 m) reward the trekkers, making their effort more than worthy. We fly back to Kathmandu from Tumlingtar.

Throughout the trek we generally walk 6 to 7 hours a day. At times snow conditions or difficulty of walking rapidly in high altitude may cause 8 to 9 hours of walking a day. The walking duration per day depends on one's pace and, of course, on how often one decides to stop for photographs. The trekkers are always accompanied by our staff irrespective of their pace. The route and campsites are at the discretion of the Group Leader, and the itinerary below must be seen only as a guide. Booking

THE TREK

We start our trek from Hille. There we hire additional porters to carry our gear, the cook may purchase additional fresh fruit and vegetables. The next day we begin our trek North to the Makalu-Barun region and, ultimately, to Makalu Base Camp. Our route takes us North along the banks of the Arun River, then it diverts towards North-East crossing three passes and numerous river valleys. The initial part of the trek allows plenty of time for acclimatization, an important factor for the final week of the trek.

The first few days are spent walking up the unspoiled and beautiful Arun River valley. Arun is one of Eastern Nepal's major rivers, originating in Tibet not far from Everest and flowing South to join the Sun Kosi river. The river is wide, its blue-grey water flows leisurely between white sandy banks composed mainly of glistening fragments of mica. Many small settlements line the riverbanks where we get opportunities of experiencing traditional villages of Nepal. During the first few days of the trek the trails are easy to negotiate - there are few hills to climb and the short days allow long lunch breaks giving time to laze in the sun and swim in the river. In the early and late part of the season (October/November and March/April) this regio0n is quite hot during the day with temperature reaching up to 35 degrees C !

The airstrip at Tumlingtar is built above Arun river in an extensive plateau with many small settlements scattered around. From Tumlingtar, we head Eastwards and start ascending. The trail soon follows a ridge between Arun river and Sabha Khola and climbs to Khandbari (1040m). We keep climbing until we reach the Tamang village of Bhote Bas.

Beyond Bhote Bas the cultivated fields soon disappear, giving way to dramatic scenery of Chamlang, Makalu, and Jaljale Himal. We descend through rhododendron forests to the village of Mure (1980m); the people in this area are Sherpas and Rais. After Mure, it’s a long descent to Num (1490m) via eroded, rock-strewn trail. From Num, the trail descends further through corn fields and jungle to Arun river at 660m. A long steep climb on a rocky trail takes us to Seduwa (1490m). We pass terraced fields and meadows and arrive at the Sherpa village of Tashi Gaon. We take a rest day at this village, and then the real climb begins. We gain 1400 meters of altitude from Tashi Gaon to Kauma (3470m) and then climb steeply through rhododendron forests to a ridge with a long mani wall adorned with prayer flags. From here we can see Makalu and Kanchanjungha. We also cross Shipton La pass and descend to Mumbuk, a forest camp. A descent down through steep gullies brings us to the Barun valley. A trail with rocks and mud leads up to the glacial valley. We cross the North side of the Barun Khola (river) and arrive at Nhe Kharka. The trees here are birch and scrub rhododendron. The valley widens and offers great mountain views in every direction. Above Nhe Kharka, we follow the North bank of the Barun river. The Barun valley makes a S-shaped curve and the wall along the Barun river is 1500 to 2000 meters high, but our trek is a gentle climb. We leave the rhododendron forest behind and enter an alpine environment, passing moraine created by the Barun glacier. The altitude gain is almost 1500 meters on this day because we can only camp at Sherson (4615m), where the huge face of Makalu jumps out at us. From Sherson, we trek to Makalu Base camp for incredible panoramic views of the South face of Makalu, Baruntse, Everest, and Lhotse.

From Makalu Base Camp we retrace our steps through the Barun Valley to Tashi Gaon and finally on to the warmer climate of Tumlingtar and our flight back to Kathmandu.

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04. Rara Trek
10 nights / 11 days
Mode of trekking: Camping
Grade 3
Cost : US$ 2,200 per person

Located inside Rara National Park, a high altitude lake, Rara at 2980m is the largest lake in Nepal. Trek to Rara lake offers marvelous sceneries. The trail to the lake meanders up and down through pine forests and open grasslands. Sparsely populated villages and the seemingly virgin landscape en route give the feel of wilds on this trek.

Surrounded by hills lush with spruce, pine and juniper trees and mountains in the backdrop the view of this clear water is lake is dramatically beautiful.

The trek starts from and ends at Jumla, a settlement at 2370m. Rara trek differs from other treks in Nepal and thus is unique with its own luring charm. Booking

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