nsadmin, Author at Nepal Sanctuary Treks

Larke Pass: A Challenge worth Conquering

Posted on September 7, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

Nepal being a geographically diversified country offers trekkers a variety of trekking routes to explore. Manaslu at 8,156 meters (26,759 ft) above sea level, is the eighth highest mountain peak in the world. It is located in the Mansiri Himal, in west-central Nepal. Manaslu meaning “Mountain of the Spirit” was named after the Sanskrit word Manasa meaning “intellect” or “soul.”
Manaslu Larke Pass trek is one of the most adventurous trekking trails in Nepal. It was officially opened as adventure trekking by the government for foreign trekkers in 1991. Since the trek can turn out to be risky sometimes, trekkers should travel in a group of at least two persons with a registered guide rather than independently. Mt. Manaslu is also known as “The Japanese Mountain,” since most climbers who made it up to the summit are Japanese. The trek generally cherishes the mesmerizing mountain scenery along with the local livelihood influenced by Tibetan culture.

Explore Manaslu’s high altitude glacier lakes, a diverse range of flora and fauna and cultural charming region.

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Ethnic groups

Mansalu is inhabited by major two ethnic groups; Nurbi and Tsum which are separated by the river at Chhikur. The frequent visit to Nubri occurred since Nepal opened itself for tourism while Tsum still holds on to much of its art, culture, and tradition. The Gurungs dominate the central hills of the region where the Bhutias (also called Bhotias), closed to Sherpas are in the vicinity of Tibet. They are recognized by their flat-roofed houses, monasteries, mani walls, and other Buddhist indicators.

Major Peaks

Apart of Manaslu, there are the region offers the enchanting beauty of other mountains, namely Himachuili (7,893 m.a.s.l), Lango (6,668 m.a.s.l) and Saula (6,235 m.a.s.l).

What makes Manaslu Larke Pass trek route special?

–    The mixture of Nepalese and Tibetan culture
–    Many suspension bridges as you cross the Buri Gandaki, a long deep river
–    Walking between the borders of Nepal and Tibet
–    Breathtaking Manaslu range throughout the trekking route
–    Ten peaks greater than 6,500 meters (21,300 ft), with a few above 7,000 (23,000 ft) meters in the route
–    An ancient monastery “Sama Gompa” at Sama Gaou
–    Being wild and remote, the trek manages to facilitate the trekkers with the tea-houses, making the route more accessible for food and accommodation.
–    An opportunity to explore a subtropical forest at a lower elevation, Himalayan foothills to the high and challenging crossing of the Larke Pass.
–    A wide range of wildlife including endangered animals like snow leopards and red pandas.
–    Crossing Larke Pass over 5160 meters
–    The best alternative to Annapurna Trek

Getting up to Larke Pass

The trek lies on the newly developed Great Himalayan Trail. The 19 days trek to Manaslu Larke Pass begins from Arughat. Leaving the main road behind at Pokhara, you gear north to Dhading from Kathmandu and join a rough road to its end, reaching Arughat at 550 meters (1,804 feet). The drive is about 8 hours long. The trek continues along the bank of Buri Gandaki reaching Soti Khola at 597meters (1958feet) at 6 hours.
Further 6 hours of the trek and you will be standing on Machha Khola. Climbing over the Machha Khola village and walking past the tobacco and buckwheat fields will lead you to Tatopani village, named after the local hot water springs (called “Tatopani” in Nepali). Off again, walking across the suspension bridge, gentle climb into the woods, passing through the spectacular waterfalls for 7 hours, trekkers arrive at Doban village which will lead to another village called Jagat village at 1,440 meters (3,051 feet).

Further, an easy three to hour hike will lead the trekkers to Samdo at 3,860meters (12,664 feet) which is, in fact, a small collection of houses and lodges. A day hike will rest the trekkers to the Tibet border which will guide them towards the trade route to old Tibet. Passing through the remains of the old market, 2 hours of the steady uphill trail, trekkers arrive in Dharmasala at 4,460 meters (14,628 feet), the last tea house before reaching Larke Pass.
From Dharmasala, the path is not that rough but climbs steadily to reach the top of the pass. The Buddhist flags and Chortens (a Buddhist shrine) further encourage the trekkers to move tirelessly forward while unrevealing the breathtaking scenery from the top. Walking about 8 to 9 hours, here trekkers stand at Larke Pass, the highest point in the Manaslu trek. Larke Pass is also the most exciting and challenging part of the whole trek.
As soon as the trekkers reach Larke Pass, at 5,135 meters (16,847 feet), they are honored with the spectacular view of Mount Himlung, Manaslu North, Annapurna II, and many other snow-covered mountain peaks. The first view of Mount Manaslu from the top is worth every trouble that the trekkers go through during the journey to Larke Pass. The feeling when you are at the top while taking a deep breath in the lap of mountains is just beyond any words can express.
The rest of the journey is proceeding downward from Larke Pass. Trekkers will continue their trek through a different valley. Their trail passes yak pastures and small villages namely Kharche, Gho, and Tilje. Trekking for 8 hours and you reach Dharapani at 1,860 meters(6,102feet). Descending along the Annapurna circuit 7 to 8 hours trek will continue along the Marshyangdi river to Chyamje at 1,430 meters (4,690 feet). Continuing the Annapurna trial for 6 hours, through the Jagat village at 1,440meters (4,724 feet). From Jagat, we take a vehicle to Beishar which takes 4-5 hours. We pass all the way through the banks of Marsyangdi and Trishuli River, enjoying the scenery and refreshing views of the hilly areas and mountains on the way back to Kathmandu.

Trek to Manaslu Tsum valley and take pleasure in a marvelous array of geographical landscapes and cultural diversity.

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What can trekkers expect from Larke Pass Trek?

No doubt the trek of Larke Pass is one of the most beautiful treks that will take to the beautiful regions of the Himalayas. In the Larke Pass trek, one can expect to see and experience the following:
-You will pass through the distinctive and remotely located village around Mount Manaslu which is the world’s seventh highest mountain.
-You will get to explore the unique set of cultural diversity of those remote villages. In villages are mainly reside the followers of Buddhism.
– While crossing the Larke Pass, which is at an elevation of 5,125 meters, you will see the most magnificent of the Mount Manaslu.
– Also, you will pass through the paths which offer you a close and splendid view of beautiful snow-capped mountains.
-Along with diving in the pool of natural and scenic beauty, you will enjoy the hospitality and friendliness of the locals in that region.

Flora and Fauna in the Larke Pass region

The region of Larke Pass is rich with different varieties and species of flora and fauna. You can find a wide range of vegetation from tropical riverine forests to tundra vegetation because of the great variation in climate and elevation. There is a tropical hardwood forest of sal, papa lampastti (Duabanga), and Dhusure (Lagerstroemia praviflora). Schima wallichii, Chirepine (pinus roxburghii), Castanopsis indica, Pipal lampastti (Duabanga), Siris (albizia mollis), and others are the vegetation that can be found as you climb towards the higher altitude. Other types of vegetation you can see in the higher altitude areas are juniper (juniperus recurva), fir-birch, rhododendron, and spruce.
In Larke Pass, there is much wildlife that is on the endangered list of species. Looking at the overall wildlife of Manaslu, there are 33 species of mammals, 211 species of butterflies, and 110 species of birds. Monkey, weasel, Langur monkey wild dogs, wild cats, porcupines, ghoral are some of the wildlife in this region.

Samagaun Festival of Larke pass region

Samagaun Festival is celebrated by the people of a small village called Samagaun, which is located at an altitude of about 3,580 meters. This village was damaged in great amounts during the earthquake of April 2015. As of now, most part of the houses in the village has been reconstructed. During this festival, people of this region come together and celebrate it with full joy.

The first expedition to Manaslu Larke Pass

In 1950, H.W. Tilman, with Major J.M.O. Roberts, trekked to Larkey Pass and saw Manaslu and its plateau from there and concluded that there was a direct route to the summit. However, they did not give it a try. After Tilman, the four Japanese expeditions explored the possibility of climbing Manaslu by North and east faces. Finally, on May 09, 1956, Toisho Imanishi and Gyalzen, members of a Japanese expedition, climbed Manaslu for the first time in history.

When to explore Larke Pass?

Manaslu is one of the riskiest mountains to climb. It is commonly known as “The Killer Mountain” because of its toughness during the climbing. In May 2008, 297 conquests of the mountain were made out of which 53 deaths occurred in the mountains. Planning trekking for Larke Pass would be more effective in spring (March to May) and autumn (Mid Sep to November). This time is the least hazardous for bad weather, snowfall, rainfall, and avalanches. December also offers the best moment of your life with crystal clear views, but the cold temperature is not something everyone can stand. However, trekkers should not forget to start their trek early to avoid the unusual wind that increases later in the day.

Is it safe to trek to Manaslu Larke Pass after the 2015 Earthquake in Nepal?

The earthquake in 2015 posed severe damage in Gorkha, a district under which the Manaslu circuit falls. The earthquake caused transformations in trekking trials. Still, many trekkers wonder whether it is safe to trek to Manaslu. In spite of the rumors after the earthquake, trekkers are still doing tasteful treks. The trek routes are achievable, and the tea house is in good condition. So, there is nothing to worry about.

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Altitude sickness and Medical help

Altitude sickness is a serious problem as you proceed toward higher altitudes. It results when your body fails to adopt the pressure drop and less oxygen at higher elevations and can affect anyone, regardless of age or fitness. Usually, altitude sickness occurs above 2,500 meters. A headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of energy, less appetite, and problems with sleep are some of the symptoms of Altitude Sickness. More serious conditions may include the inability to walk, shortness of breath even at rest, and a cough that produces a white or frothy pink substance.
The more altitude you reach, the riskier it becomes. Thus once you reach 3,500 meters, you have to be careful that you do not climb more than 300-400 meters a day. The only cure for altitude sickness is to descend to a lower altitude. If you suffer altitude sickness, the best idea will be to consult your guide to go down at least 500 meters to recover. Nepal Sanctuary Treks is here to develop a very well-staged itinerary for acclimatization.

Pack your bag with

–    Water bottle (preferably the one which keeps the water warm)
–    Cameras with extra batteries
–    Sunscreen cream
–    Sunglasses
–    Trekking stick
–    Raincoat
–    T-shirts
–    Wind stopper and down jacket
–    Thermal tops and bottom
–    Trekking trousers
–    Trekking boots and sandals
–    Socks, Gloves, Woolen cap
–    First aid kit
–    Dry foods, chocolates, or energy bars

Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek

Posted on September 7, 2018January 25, 2023 by nsadmin

Nepal is the attraction of millions of tourists. There are plenty of things in Nepal which are almost irresistible for an adventure and nature lover. The Himalayas has been the main highlight of Nepal to the rest of the world. However, Nepal has a long list of other things excluding all the glorious mountains.

Being such a small country, the diversity in the geography of Nepal is something. Nepal is divided into three geographical regions; Himalayan, Hilly and Terai region. All three regions have distinctive features to offer. Himalayan region is situated in the Great Himalayan Range and is filled with snows. Hilly region is a mountain region, but it doesn’t really contain snow. And, Terai region is a lowland region with hills, but it generally has plain lands. Also, Nepal has a huge cultural diversity, where people follow their customs and culture and speak their ethnic language. There are several cultural heritage in Nepal and temples or religious monuments in all the areas. The religious belief in Nepal is so incredible that stone is worshipped as a god too. There is a strong religious belief in Nepal that the faith is represented in many things.

Lakes and rivers are not only the source of water and the art of nature to admire, but they are also our faith, and they are worshipped as a god. The water of such sources is considered holy. Among many such lakes and river, Shey Phoksundo is also one of them. Now, your trek to Shey Phoksundo Lake won’t be limited to the lake only; you will also get to discover and explore the different variety of flora and fauna in the Shey Phoksundo National Park. As the lake itself lies in the area of the park, you will enjoy the magnificent views along with discovering the wilderness in the park.

About Shey Phoksundo

Shey Phoksundo Lake is an alpine freshwater oligotrophic lake, which is located at an elevation of 3,611.5 meters/11,849 ft. in the Dolpa District. This lake is in the periphery of Shey Phoksundo National Park. Shey Phoksundo Lake is spread over the area of 494 hector/1.91 sq mi with the water volume is 409,000,000 m3 and discharge of 3.715m3/s. The maximum depth of Shey Phoksundo is 145 meters/476 ft.

You will also find a traditional village of Dolpo called as Ringmo in the southern end. The village lies on the 30,000 to 40,000-year-old landslide dam that formed the lake. While you pass the dam, you will see the waterfall of over 167 meters/548 ft tall.

What is the religious importance of Shey Phoksundo Lake?

Yearly hundreds of pilgrims visit this sacred lake to take a bath in the holy water of this lake. The religion of Dolpa is divided into two parts, in the upper Dolpa, one can find the privilege of traditional Tibetan culture, and in lower Dolpa, there are Buddhism and Bon including the Ringmo Village.

Shey Phoksundo Park has many religious sites including gompas. The most famous one is Shey Gompa, which was built during the 11th century. Near the lake of Shey Phoksundo, there is Thashung Gompa which was built about 900 years ago.

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How to reach Shey Phoksundo Lake?

Shey Phoksundo Lake is one of the best trek destinations you can go for in Nepal. Your journey to Shey Phoksundo Lake begins with your arrival in Kathmandu. From Kathmandu, you will have to take another flight of 55 minutes to arrive at Nepalgunj. You can choose to stay and have a rest at Nepalgunj. Then after Nepalgunj, you have to fly to Jufal, which takes around 40 minutes. Jufal is the starting point of your real trek towards Shey Phoksundo.

Your trekking from Jufal takes you with many descends and ascends delightful and dense forest. You will walk along the bank of Bheri River and reach Dunai, after about 4 hours of walk.

From Dunai, you will continue your trek, crossing the suspension bridge over the Bheri River and continue to walk towards Suligad. You will find the upriver trail is mostly through the shrubs. Crossing the wood bridge at Kagbeni, you will continue to walk uphill. The narrow trails of the trek will lead you to the wide riverside of B’onpos from the village Ringmo. Then you will walk the uphill, through the beautiful forest of oak, maple, and pines and a quick mild descend to the wood crossing. Now, you will arrive at Chepka crossing a small rivulet at Shyangta.

From Chepka, you will head to Sunduwa. Now, this journey might be a bit of a challenge. For the first few hours from Chepka, you will pass through the giant trees of oaks, maple, pine, walnut, and birch. As your journey goes, you will have to pass some major uphill and downhill where the gorge runs deep and narrow. Then, you will arrive at Sunduwa.

You will be heading towards Ringmo from Sunduwa. In this trek, you will cross the altitude of 3,000 meters, and the trails on the precipice are steep and narrow with loose soil and rocks. You will also see the change in vegetation with the presence of sparse juniper shrubs and a few cypresses. All your effort will be worth, with the beautiful view of the waterfall. The stunning view of mountains, terraced farms of Sunduwa and Reike will reward for the ultimate effort.

Ringmo is a traditional village with mostly Tibetan ethnicity, who are of Bonpo faith. The people of this village is engaged in the tourism, trade and yak herding. The village is at an elevation of 3,660 meters/12,000 meters and lies on the landslide dam that formed Shey Phoksundo Lake. You will also find an old Bon monastery in Ringmo, where a small museum lies too.

Your arrival at Shey Phoksundo will take with a total “awe”. The lake is surrounded by glaciers and has the most magnificent turquoise color. You will relish beautiful views all around you, which are breathtaking. The water of the lake also plunges the beautiful and forceful waterfall halfway through Sunduwa and Ringmo. The stunning crystal clear water of the lake make the thunderous and roaring sound as it lands from above 100 meters in height. Around the waterfall, you will see the dense forest of Pine, Musk Deer, Blue Sheep, and Himalayan Thar.

After all your tour of Shey Phoksundo, you will be on your return journey now. You will move down to Sunduwa from Ringmo and to Chepka in around 5 hours of walk. From Chepka you will be headed to Jufal and Nepalgunj by flight. Then, at last, you will reach Kathmandu and head towards your next journey.

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Shey Phoksundo National Park

Shey Phoksundo Lake lies in Shey Phoksundo National Park, so while in your trek to the lake, you will also go through the park. Shey Phoksundo National Park is the largest and the only trans-Himalayan national park of Nepal. The park will give you a diversity of spectacular and beautiful landscapes and ranks among the most scenic mountains in the whole world. Most of the part lies in the north of Himalayan crest. The elevation of the park ranges from 2,130 meters in the southeast to 6,883 meters at the summit if Kanjiroba Himal, which is at the southern edge of the Tibetan plateau.

Apart from the beautiful views of the Himalayas, Shey Phoksundo National Park also offers the wide variety of flora and fauna. The flora of this region is very diverse. The northern region of the park consists of barren areas of the upper Himalayas. The trans-Himalayan slope has Caragana Shrubs, Rhododendron, Salix, Juniper, White Himalayan Birch and you will see the occasional silver fir mostly covers the high meadows of the Himalaya. While the valley of Suligad has blue pine, hemlock, cedar, spruce, silver fir, bamboo, poplar, and rhododendron. The park also has 268 species of ethnobotanical importance.

Now, taking our turn to fauna, the park is home to many of the endangered animals which include grey wolf, musk deer, snow leopard, and blue sheep. Other animals that can be found in the park are a jackal, Himalayan black bear, leopard, Himalayan Tahr, goral. Great Tibetan sheep and yellow-throated marten. One can also find six different species of reptiles and 29 species of butterfly. In that 29 species of butterfly, it includes the highest flying butterfly in the world, Paralasa nepalaica. There are also over 200 species of bird in the park; some are a white-throated tit, wood accentor, Tibetan partridge and crimson-eared rosefinch.

Best season to trek Phoksundo Lake

Spring (March-May)

As per the trekkers, Spring is the best season to choose for trekking in Shey Phuksundo. Apart from the best climates, this season also offers some best sightseeing of beautiful and colorful rhododendrons blossoming. During this season, the temperature is moderate, and the weather is perfect. You will get to witness the mesmerizing view of Dhaulagiri and other mountains.

Summer (June-August)

It is the rainy season of Nepal. The season starts with scorching sun and gradually monsoon takes over. With the arrival of monsoon, heavy rainfall comes making it very difficult for going on trekking. The path becomes muddy and slippery making it more challenging and unfavorable to trek. So, trekking during this season of Nepal isn’t very wise.

Autumn (September-November)

Autumn is another best season for trekking. In Autumn, the temperature is moderate, the weather is nice and days are usually clear which gives you an opportunity of look at the excellent mountain view and the delightful forest of pine, rhododendrons and other floras.

Winter (December–February)

Winter is always harsh in Nepal, and especially in the higher altitude regions, it becomes even more bitter. Shey Phuksundo is at an elevation of 3,611.5 meters/11,849 ft, so it won’t be harsh as the trek isn’t in higher altitude region. Winter is the ideal season for trekking in lower elevation regions.

Things to do in Mustang Nepal – Forbidden Kingdom of Nepal

Posted on September 7, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

Mustang is located at the northern part of Nepal. “Mustang” is a Tibetan word which means “Plain of Aspiration” Although Mustang is one of the remotest regions, it is a very popular and one of the favorite tourist destination. This area is also second regarding the sparsity of population. Formerly, Mustang used to be known as “Kingdom of Lo.” It remained as an independent kingdom until at the end of 18th century the kingdom was annexed by Nepal and became a dependency of the Kingdom of Nepal since 1795. The monarchy of Mustang came to an end by order of Government of Nepal in 2008. You might get to see the last official king of Mustang, Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista, who ruled from 1930-2016.

Mustang is an ancient forbidden kingdom, and its culture language is closely related to the Tibet. The place has very strict regulation for tourist, and it has aided a lot in keeping Tibetan tradition. The upper region of Mustang was a restricted place until 1992: this makes it one of the most preserved regions in the whole world because of its isolation from the outside.The region is bordered by the Tibetan plateau and has some of the tallest mountains of the world including Annapurna and Dhaulagiri.

Mustang is one of the popular trekking as well as a holiday destination of Nepal. The unique set of culture and tradition, the isolated living and the natural beauty, these all features are the reason why Mustang is on visiting list of many people. You will encounter several beautiful and mesmerizing view of mountain peaks, along will also come across the Kali Gandaki Gorge, which is by some measure the deepest gorges in the world.

Mustang lures thousands of tourist from across the world and from Nepal itself. Mustang is not a place where one activity is enough. You will keep on finding out the villages and valleys which are equally beautiful and represent unique culture and lifestyle. Here are some of the things you must do, be it visiting any places or trying out some new.

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Visit Muktinath

Muktinath is one of the most celebrated sacred sites of Nepal. This temple is a very popular pilgrimage site for Hindu as well as Buddhist. The temple is at an elevation of 3,710 meters and very close the village called Ranipauwa.

Muktinath is also called as “MuktiKshetra” by Hindus, which means “place of liberation.” It is believed that this temple is 106th among the available 108 Divya Desam (premium temples) by the Sri Vaishnava sect of Hinduism. In ancient period Muktinath was called ThiruSaligramam, which is according to Sri Vaishnava literature and before the Buddhist origin. Muktinath is also one of the 108 Siddhpeeth.

As per the Buddhist, it is called “Chuming Gyatsa,” which means “Hundred Waters” in Tibetan. This place is sacred for Buddhist although it has a Vaishnav origin because it is believed that Guru Padmasambhava mediated in this place for some period. This place holds importance for the Tibetan Buddhist as well because of Dakinis (goddesses known as Sky Dancers) and also it is one of the 24 Tantric places.

Visiting Muktinath is of the very satisfying thing as you pass through the beautiful entrance gate, encounter the unique temple, see the holy bells, burning incense and candles, and come across the 108 holy tap water of Muktinath. Experiencing these things will fill your inner self with sudden religious essence.

Stay in Jomsom

Jomsom is at an elevation of 2,700 meters and is also known as Dzong-Sampa or New fort. You will come across Jomsomwhile on your journey to Mustang. Although Mustang is your ultimate destination, Jomsom is also one of the popular places to visit. Jomsom is a unique and beautiful place, an administrative and commercial center which offer all the necessary accommodation and provision. Jomsom offers you the mesmerizing view of mountains, green and beautiful paddy fields, gompas and traditionally built houses.

Jomsom extends over both banks of Gandaki River. You will find the black tones in the bank of Gandaki River which is called shaligram in the Hindu culture, and those stones are believed to the form of Lord Vishnu. You will also see the glorious and soaring peaks of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri.

Visit the historic village: Kagbeni

Kagbeni is a village in the Lower Mustang region. It is Tibetan influenced village filled with prayer wheels, chortens, and a Buddhist monastery. The main attraction of Kagbeni is a fortress ruin which was built before the establishment of the village in the second half of the 16th century. It is believed that the king of Muktinath valley built a fortress for his son at the convergence point of four trade routes. This strategic location allowed to levy taxes on the goods and animals that pass through the valley. There are holes in the fortress walls, which are unique. It can be only guessed that those holes were designed for a defense mechanism against invasions.

Another attraction of Kagbeni is a red monastery, and it is called KagChodeThuptenSamphel Ling Monastery. It is built at the confluence of two rovers and was founded by a famous Buddhist scholar from Tibet in 1429. In Kagbeni Buddhism is the main part of the culture, although there is a general decline of the monastery.

You will also encounter a series of cave ruins above Kagbeni which dates back to the prehistoric times. There are more than 10,000 abandoned cave settlements which are dug into the sides of cliffs throughout the Mustang.

Try some adventures

Mustang is very richly designed region with unique geography. With its rich topography, Mustang is the perfect place for adventure. Trekking is undoubtedly the most famous one, but there are other several activities you can in Mustang. The structure of Mustang is comprised of highland and lowlands and plain roads too. Adventurous sports like cycling, rock climbing, and horse riding is perfect in this region. It won’t be quite fun if you go for trekking in Mustang region and return without trying any other activities.

Celebrate Tiji Festival

Tiji festival is celebrated in the Lo Manthang, the walled city of Lo region of Upper Mustang. “Tiji” is an abbreviation of the word “TempaChirim” meaning “Prayer for World Peace.” It is a very joyous festival which is celebrated for three days as a mark of victory of good over evil with different prayers, chants, and dances in colorful dresses. This festival has religious as well as spiritual importance.

Religious importance in essence to the victory of DorjeeSonnu (Lord Buddha’s incarnation) over a demon called Man Tam Ru and spiritual, in essence to the good of all the sentient being and eliminate the negative energies from Mustang.

This unique festival is celebrated in the third month of Tibetan calendar which is generally May. As your chance of witnessing Tiji this year is over, you can watch this vibrant festival in 2019 on May 30, May 31 and June 1.

Enjoy the local cuisine

The ethnicity, custom, and region define the food of Nepal. There are different menus in different places and of different ethnicity. As Mustang is a rich in culture and tradition, where different ethnic group resides, you must try the local cuisine of that place.

Thakali food, which is famous in all over Nepal, is one famous cuisine of Mustang. You will also get to have the authentic Nepali food. Also, some local cuisine like Tibetan bread, local tea mixed with salt and butter, brandy from Marphais must try.

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Capture the exotic beauty

Mustang has some stunning view of the mountain ranges like Annapurna range and Nilgiri range and beautiful landscapes of hills and villages. Colorful rhododendron forest and apple fields add even more beauty to this place. The beautiful and distinctive places like Jomsom, Kagbeni, and Lo-Manthang, which are rich in culture and traditional is one main jewel of Mustang.

As you come across these places and find yourself in awe make sure you capture these moments in your camera lens. Himalayan settlements, monasteries, and snowfall make it even more perfect.

Lo Manthang

Lo Manthang is one of the main attractions of the Mustang region. It is popular for tall whitewashed mud-brick walls, gompas and royal palace of Mustang, which is a nine-cornered, five-story structure, built around 1400. The palace suffered multiple cracks in the devastating earthquake of April 2015. You will also come across four major temples, which is Jampa Lhakhang (Jampa Gompa) also known as “God House”, which is oldest among them built in early 15th century, Thubchen Gompa, built in late 15th century with a huge red assembly hall located just in the southwest of Jampa Lhakhang, Chodey Gompa, now the main city gompa and Chopramg Gompa, also known as “New Gompa”.

Your visit to Lo Manthang will give the opportunity to explore the core culture and tradition of Mustang along with beautiful views all around.

Chosar Cave

Mustang is an ancient village that dates backs to the thousands of years. In Mustang there are some 10,000 human-made caves dug into the side of valleys. From the exploration of many groups of archaeologist and researcher, those stacked caves were found and partially mummified bodies and skeleton that are at least 2,000 – 3,000 years old.

In Mustang you can see several of those sky caves in Chosar village of Lo-Manthang. These thousand-year-old caves have also led to the discovery of valuable Buddhist paintings, sculptures, manuscripts and several artifacts from the 12th to 14th century.

Drakmar

Drakmar is one of the most visit places in Mustang. But, there isn’t much mention about this place except in some books that refer to it as a place from which some emissaries came to the King’s court in the 18th century. Drakmar is located near the village of Kag, just beyond the Monastery at Te. As per the local legend, Drakmar is the place where Guru Rimpoche slew an ogress named Balmo, and he placed great chores on her organs so she couldn’t come back to life.

The red cliff of Drakmar is very famous, and it is believed that that red cliff is stained with Balmo’s blood. Locals around that place say that the chorten has fallen and Balmo is alive again, and some ghosts serve Balmo, and they take people who venture too close. You will find dramatically colored cliffs riddled with many human-made caves.

Lurpa Village

Lurpa is a traditional Bon village of Mustang. Hidden in the Panda Khola gorges between Kagbeni and Jomsom, Lurpa is an ancient village with traditional values. Despite the growth of Mustang as a tourist landmark, Lurpa has able to keep its charm intact. This isolated village is far from the trekking trails of Mustang, and it is the very reason the core culture of pre-Buddhist shamanistic belief, Bon religion is alive.

This village is very attractive with the tightly built traditional houses. The walls of the houses are made of adobe and cobble extracted from rivers around. The coating is done out of the pigmented soil from a cliff nearby. Lurpa is untouched by the modern world, so there is a perfect balance between the habitat and natural environment.

Cycling in Nepal: Experience the Adventure

Posted on September 7, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

Nepal is home of adventures; it is the very best destination if you are looking for something exhilarating and fun. Bungee jumping, paragliding, rafting are some of the highlights of adventure you can try in here. Among the long list of the adventure, cycling is one of the popular and loved by tourists. You will find it hard to believe, but with such a small area, Nepal has an amazing diversity that will shock you. In Nepal, there are glorious and magnificent mountain in the Mountain region, beautiful hills and green forest in the Hilly region and plain road and dense forest in the Terai region. With its varied topography, there is variation in the climate too, no matter what season.

With a blessed geographical diversity and amazing topography, Nepal is a destination to choose for adventures. And, talking of cycling, Nepal offers you best route, with challenging paths and magnificent views en route while cycling.

Cycling might seem like a tiring thing to do, but it is very relaxing. As you ride on your bike and start peddling, your journey will unravel the beautiful places which can’t be reached by any transportation; you will also discover the life of people, you will get to witness the sacred sites and listen to their legends. Your feet may be tired a bit, but the beauty you see and the things you encounter in your route, will ease all the tiredness and fills you will a thrive for more.

So, today, I have listed out some cycling destinations which you must try at least one of them during your visit to Nepal.

Explore Kakani, Mulkharka, Chisapani, Nagarkot, Namobuddha, Dhulikhel, Balthali and Lakuri Bhanjyang with Cycling.

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Kathmandu Valley Cycling

You might find Kathmandu Valley crowded and full of smog, but that is just in the main centers of the city. As your journey moves forward leaving all the hustles of the city, you will be surprised to see all the mesmerizing scenarios and equally peaceful places. Your journey will take you to the different place than you have witnessed in the city, a place of peace with small villages, hidden temples, wooded slopes and the magnificent views of mountains of the Nepal Himalaya range.

Your cycling tour of Kathmandu valley will offer you a closer look at the life of people of middle hills of Nepal. You will see the difference in the way of life of people living just in the outskirt of Kathmandu. You will pass some historic cities like Basantapur, Patan, and Bhaktapur, the beautiful hills of Nagarkot and the sunrise view you can witness from there, the marvelous view of Kathmandu and mountains, temples and monasteries and you will get to taste the local cuisine prepared in firewood.

This tour won’t be far from Kathmandu, the city will always be a view, and yet you will feel far cycling in the off beaten trail and experiencing typical Nepal. We offer you best the package for perfect cycling tour around the valley which will take you to the beautiful hill station which offers a spectacular view of Annapurna (8,091m), Manaslu (8,165m), Ganesh Himal (7,446 m), Langtang lirung and several other peaks. Also, you can enjoy the birds eye view of the whole valley of Kathmandu standing at the height of 2,030 meters.

Kathmandu-Chitwan-Pokhara Cycling

This cycling tour will take you to some of the beautiful places of all three regions, i.e., Mountain, Hilly and Terai region. You will come across Bhaktapur, Dakshinkali, Dama, Hetauda, Chitwan, Tansen, Jomsom, Marpha, Tatopani, Pokhara, and Kathmandu valley. Nepal is made of different geographical features, and this tour will take you to the total wilderness. Now, don’t be afraid, nothing dangerous lies there. In Kathmandu-Chitwan-Pokhara cycling, you will pass some subtropical jungles which are rich of flora and fauna; you will also witness varied wildlife and distinctive culture, which you won’t see anywhere in Nepal, Tharu Culture. In Tharu Culture, people prefer to live in a traditional way keeping themselves away from the modern world. Hundreds of tourists pay a visit to the Chitwan to witness the rich biodiversity, along with the distinctive Tharu Culture. Tharu people call themselves as the people of forest and have live in the forest of Chitwan for hundreds of year. They decorate the rice containers so artfully and paint the verandahs and outer walls of houses with clay, mud, grass, and dung. Witnessing such a unique way of living and their art with local materials is not something you can see everywhere.

This route of cycling will be fun and full of exploration of flora, wildlife, culture, and many exciting things. It is a bit of a challenging climb with downhill and fun single tracks.

Explore beautiful views of Dakshinkali, Daman, Hetauda, Chitwan. Tansen, Jomsom, Marpha, Tatopani, Pokhara with cycling

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Kathmandu-Pokhara Cycling

Cycling tour of Kathmandu to Pokhara is of the best cycling experience which takes you to several historical towns, distinctive and picturesque villages, beautiful landscape view of mountains and hills. This tour will take to the tranquility, away from the crowd and chaos of the city. This tour will take you to an incredible off-road route which connects Nagarkot, Kakani, Trishuli, Gorkha, Besisahar, Kalasti and Pokhara.

Explore an incredible off road route connecting Nagarkot, Kakani, Trishuli, Gorkha, Besisahar, Kalasti and Pokhara.

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Jomsom-Muktinath Cycling

Your cycling journey will start after you arrive at Jomsom from Pokhara. Jomsom is a beautiful town located in Mustang at an elevation of 2,700 meters. In Jomsom, you will encounter people mostly of Tibetan origin, but they follow their custom and language. Your journey will take to several wonderful villages which are rich in culture and Jomsom is one of them.

As I said above, Muktinath is a pilgrimage site for Hindus as well as Buddhists, where you see many devotees who come from different parts of the country and India as well. There are shrines, a Buddhist monastery and Vishu temples, which makes the Muktinath more interesting. Apart from the sacred sites, you will also witness the spectacular views of the mountains like Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Tukche and many others.

You will ride through the small and rocky tracks, paved roads, some challenging paths and yet all these efforts pay off as you will see some most beautiful views of your life. Cycling in the beauty of nature all around with a sip of locally brewed apple brandy at Marpha, experiencing the chilly wind in Jomsom, which is beautiful and equally rich in culture and relaxing your body and soul in the Tatopani hot spring is a journey worth taking. This cycling journey is adventurous, religious and full of exploration.

Upper Mustang Cycling

Although, Upper Mustang is known as the “Forbidden Kingdom,” it is not forbidden now. It was forbidden until 1992 for the foreigners. But now, Upper Mustang is one of the major destinations of foreigners for both trekking and cycling and tourism has become very popular in Upper Mustang. Cycling in the Upper Mustang is certainly adventurous as there are challenging ascents and endless singletrack descents. But, along with all the adventure, you will also discover the life of people in that region who are Gurung, Thakalis or primarily Tibetan. In this region, Tibetan culture has been preserved by the relative isolation of this region’s people from the outside. You will discover the distinctive culture of this region, views of mountains, thousands of year old human-made caves and many more.

Feel the infinite mountain biking adventure in Upper Mustang Mountain

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Charity Trek in Nepal – Learn and Help the Local Community

Posted on August 30, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

The Great mountain range in Asia, where lies the world’s highest peaks including the Mountain Everest and over fifty mountains exceeding 7,200 meters and ten out of fourteen 8,000 meters peaks. And, among those ten peaks, eight are in Nepal. No wonder thousands of tourist pay visit Nepal to have a glimpse of those glorious Himalayas.

Trekking is very popular and one of the most loved adventures by tourists in Nepal. For the sole purpose of trekking only, thousands of people from around the world come to Nepal. Nepal has impressive and great trails for the perfect trekking. In Nepal, there is a trail called the Great Himalaya Trails, which is an extensive trail system that covers Nepal from Humla to Darchula in the west to Kanchenjunga in the east. Nepal is a small country, but the diversity despite its size will certainly shock you. The lowest point in Nepal is 59 meters above sea level, and the highest is 8,848 meters above sea-level, these two points are only 200 kilometers apart in a straight line.

With its high prospect of tourist in this sector, trekking is flourishing in Nepal. Although Nepal is very gifted and rich in natural aspects, there is a great lag of development. Mostly in remote areas people have to face several challenges due to lack of job and infrastructure. Life is very hard in those regions. So nowadays, while in the trek, trekkers provide some financial help to the people of that region.

Trek in Nepal

Trekking has been popular in Nepal for a long period. Back in the mid of 1960s, only a few trekkers visited Nepal especially as a part of group expedition followers. But today, it is completely different. One can find the National Parks and Conservation Area lodges have been established, where treks can find the proper accommodation and provision. In those hotels and lodges, you will find all the basic facilities. Most of the trails are safe and well maintained and sign-posted too.

There are many trekking destinations in Nepal. All of them have different length, difficulty and timing. In Nepal there are three main trekking areas and there the most easily accessible, they are the Everest, Langtang and the Annapurna region. The trekking trails of Annapurna and Langtang have some advantage as they can be reached through road connections. You can find the several trekking regions which are accessible by domestic flights like Kanchenjunga, Makalu, and Dolpo. It will take many days of trekking to reach the higher mountain areas from the local center of population.

Want to do a Charity Trek in Nepal

While in your trek, you will see the beautiful view of the Himalayas, also you get to explore the wide range of vegetation. In Nepal, there is six distinct and diverse vegetation, which ranges from Tropical below 1,000 meters through Sub-tropical 100 meters – 200 meters, Lower Temperature 1,700 meters – 2,700 meters, Upper Temperature 2,400 meters – 3,000 meters, Subalpine 3,000 – 4,000 meters and Alpine 4,000 meters to the snowline. These regions are well-populated areas with a diverse amount of flora as well as fauna.

You can find trails for trekking any time of year in Nepal. Mostly the southern areas have a higher level of precipitation. Also, some routes along the Great Himalaya Trails lies in the rain shadow. It is a dry area on the leeward side of the mountains namely Mustang to the north of Annapurna and Manaslu, Dolpa to the north of Dhaulagiri and the far west of Nepal to the north of Saipal Himal.

In Nepal, especially the people living in the hilly and Himalayan region depends on tourist for their income. They work as a trekking porter or guide to earn some money. Further, your help to them and their community is deeply appreciated.

What is Charity Trek?

Charity Trek is just like any other charity except you will get to see the beautiful views, mountains, distinctive villages and the unique culture of peoples. It is fundraising in your hometown and then visiting here in Nepal to the particular place you want to donate the money. You can visit any place or region for charity, like schools, hospitals, and communities.

Why should you do Charity Trek in Nepal?

While in your charity trek in Nepal, you will know where exactly is your money going. You trek all the way to the region or place you want to help, and there remains no doubt that your money is benefited by someone else.

Charity Trek in Nepal is like killing two birds with one stone. First, you can help the peoples with your small contribution and second, you will get to know Nepal is many ways. Nepal is geographically as well as the culturally diverse country. You will have a great time on your charity trek.

Charity isn’t all about the money. In Nepal, you can do charity in any way you want. Books, provisions, clothes, stationery items, and these some examples of the charity you can choose. You may find it hard to believe, in remote areas of Nepal some peoples aren’t getting enough provisions, there are students without books and materials so that any help will be appreciated.

Once you visited Nepal, you can spread words about your experience you had in Nepal, if not charity then at least their visit will give a job to porters and guide.

Why should you do Charity?

Charity doesn’t only help the one who is in need; it will help you too. Your small contribution will certainly make a great deal of difference to the others; it will also provide you with the deep satisfaction and happiness. If a small sum of money can make a difference in more than one life then why not do it?
Your deeds define you. Your giving nature will be a worthy example for you’re the community and especially to your kids. From you, they will learn, the essence of generosity and grow to be the one. You will inspire the people around you, your friends, family, and society to do the same.
Helping others will let you explore the world differently. Till yesterday you were caught up in yourself, today you are looking for the causes like poverty, illiteracy, and others, so you can be the one to take a step to help because you can.

What to expect from us?

Nepal Sanctuary Treks has been in trekking business for more than 30 years now. We also specialize in charity treks and make sure you have all our support to make your program successful.

You and your group can select among various project sites like school, hospitals, and sanitary programs in any area you like. With your decision, we will assist to make your charity more effective. You can either give the money directly or buy things like books for schools and library, materials for a local hospital or school, buying goats, pigs, or cows for low-income families, or sponsor a child’s education.

Contact us for any queries regarding Charity Trek in Nepal

With our decades of work in this field, we know the regions and areas and understand the problems and issues they have been going. We will help in every step of your planning and make sure the help goes directly to the remote communities of Nepal.

Our aim in Charity Trek is simple:

To serve the best of us to make your program successful and effective.
To give you our best trekking crew that will support you.
Make sure you have a wonderful experience as both trekker and charity provider.
Make sure your contribution faces no leakage, and the help is hand-to-hand.

Nepal Sanctuary Treks will be more than happy to help you and support you in your steps to create a capacity for underprivileged peoples to lift themselves from poverty. We have every range of treks, dates, porters, and guide, suitable for big as well as small groups. Charity Trekking in Nepal will be your wonderful experience as you will help any project sites and enjoy the natural beauty of the place too.

Trekking in Nepal as Solo Female Trekker

Posted on August 26, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

Nepal is the small yet proud and diverse country. Diverse in terms of the culture, custom, and tradition to the topography itself. For a small nation like Nepal, this diversification is really amazing. There is a wide range of biodiversity with much rare flora and fauna, cultural diversity with different customs and way of life, there is geographical diversity where you can find plain and fertile land in Terai region and tall and glorious mountain in Himalaya region.

Out of many attraction and features that Nepal has, Mountains are amongst the top of the list. Thousands of tourist make up to the several base camp of different mountains every year. If you are having thoughts of doing some adventure in this awesome country then, what’s stopping you? But if your friends are reluctant and too boring to try out some adventures with you and you are left all alone or you want to spend some time by yourself with nature, then we have a solution for that too. We will assist you from the moment you start the trek to the moment you make it back safely. And, again, if you are hesitating because you are a female and females are supposed to be fragile, aren’t they? Then there isn’t any better opportunity to prove a solo female is worth more.

So, today to all those daring females, who are willing to go for a solo trek in Nepal, this article will tell you all you need to know.

Why choose Nepal for the solo trek?

Coming to Nepal will certainly give you the chances of doing several adventures like bungee jumping, skydiving, trekking and many others. Apart from all the adventures, you will also get to dive in the pool of diverse culture where you will the distinctive lifestyle of people and you can try some fun things in Kathmandu itself like trying Nepali cuisine, going to all the three Durbar Square of Valley, visiting Thamel, Asan, Garden of Dreams and many more.

What the best destinations for trekking in Nepal?

After you decide to visit Nepal and checking out the list, you find trekking is the best way of knowing the nature, witnessing the alluring beauty and knowing Nepal, then let me help you will some trekking destinations.

Everest Base Camp Trek

Everest Base Camp Trek will take you to the base camp of Mount Everest. It is at an elevation of 5,364 meters. During your trek, you will come across many spectacular views of beautiful mountains, villages and several Buddhist Monasteries.

Annapurna Circuit Trek

Annapurna Circuit Trek is another popular trekking destination of Nepal. This circuit trek is of 160-230 km depending on up to where motor transportation is used and where the trek ends. You will witness the magnificent of beautiful peaks like Annapurna, Manaslu, Gangapurna, Tilicho, and others.

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Langtang Valley Trek

This is another famous trek of Nepal to the Langtang Valley especially known as the valley of the glacier.

Annapurna Base Camp

This trek will take you to the base camp of Annapurna and throughout the trek, you will pass beautiful hills, distinctive villages, and glorious mountains. Annapurna Base Camp is at an elevation of 4320 meters.

Gokyo Trek

Gokyo lies on the west side of Everest Base Camp. In your trek in Gokyo, you will arrive at Gokyo Village, where you will find Gokyo Lakes (six of them), which are of religious significance. Then you can go up to the Gokyo Ri, tallest peak in Khumbu region.

These are some popular trekking of Nepal, however, the list doesn’t end here, click here to explore more.

How safe is Nepal for the solo female trek?

After checking out the list above and decide on your destination, you probably want to know if it is really safe for a solo female. Trekking for several days in a difficult route and the higher altitude is not a piece of cake. And doing them alone, with no group makes it even challenging. However, in Nepal, this challenge will be full of fun and exciting.

Nepal is a very religious country and so hard line that from their way of living to the food they eat, they do it as their religion says. Due to the traditional way of thing of people here Nepal is safe for you.

In Nepal, females are considered as the prestige and pride of the family. All the ethnic group of Nepal is strict about the way of treating females and males are very protective of a female in this society. So if you are a foreigner on your own, you will be warmly welcomed Guests as God in Nepal and moreover if you are female, they will treat you with great hospitality and won’t jeopardize your safety issue.

Tips for Solo Female Trek in Nepal

Nepal is a conservative country, where many people have old-school thoughts. It may be difficult to get familiar with this new culture, but reading out this tips, it will help you to some extent.

Some people have some peculiar ideas about foreigner given to then liberal culture, a way of life and way of clothing. So you must be cautious about your dress code. Short dress, half pants, sleeveless are considered offensive in some places. However, this won’t be of any issue in cities.
While trekking is fully equipped and travel light. Going on a solo trek, you will be on your own, so carry every possible necessity and let them be light. Some must carry things are torch with spare batteries, trekking boots, night sandals, medicine, toiletries, gloves, socks, underwear, hats, windproof and waterproof jackets.
Of everything you carry do not forget to carry spare of them.
Mensuration is not an easy topic of Nepal. People here are reluctant to talk about those things so it may be hard to find the sanitary pads in remote areas. So make sure you buy them in city areas. Otherwise, you can plan your trek as per your mensuration cycle.
Hire a porter as they will carry your bags and help you navigate the route as well. You can trust the directions of porter as they have been walking the route for a long time.
Now, hiring a porter doesn’t mean he is your trekking guide. So buy a trekking map from stores and as they will show if you are on the right route or not.
Trekking in the high Himalayas means no ATMs or bank or remit services. As the areas are remote, these services won’t be available, so you have to carry enough cash during treks.
Some places might hold restrictions on foreigners, so make sure you have permits to every place you are going.
Travel insurance is must do thing while on a trek, especially for solo travellers. The serious condition may occur when you will need quick medical evacuation and those are usually expensive. So better you have insurance.
Inform your respective embassy, so they can keep a record.
You must carry a local SIM, so you can make a call for help in case of any mishaps.
Always be polite and know about the gestures. Gestures can be different in different places, so be careful of gestures you use and know about the do’s and don’ts.
Keep some more days on hand than your actual plan. While in your trek you may encounter many beautiful valleys and villages, with distinctive culture and lifestyle. You may never get a second chance to visit the same place and if you get that chance it may not be the same, so keeping some more days will give you the chance to the culture and people more closely.

Everest Base Camp trek for solo female

Undoubtedly Everest Base Camp is one of the famous treks in the whole world. Trekking up to the base camp of the world’s highest mountain, Everest, is certainly something. Many female trekkers have made up to the camp in past successfully, so why can’t you? The fact that you are a female won’t make the routes any harder or easier, you just have to have the confidence and belief in yourself to make it happen.

You will arrive at Lukla from Kathmandu on a direct flight. Then your trek to Everest Base Camp will begin. From Lukla, you will trek towards Phakding which is at 2,652 meters of altitude, then to Namche Bazaar which lies at an altitude of 3,440 meters. You must acclimatize for a few days in Namche Bazaar before moving to a higher altitude. Then you will trek to Tengboche (3,860 meters) and to Pheriche (4,410 meters). It will best to rest and acclimatize in Pheriche, then to Lobuche (4,910 meters). From Pheriche, you will be trekking towards your ultimate destination Everest Base Camp, which is at an altitude of 5,364 meters. Most of the trekkers continue their trek towards Kala Patthar after from where you will see the magnificent and closer view of Mount Everest. Then you will make your backward trek from Kala Patthar returning to Pheriche and then to Namche Bazaar. From Namche Bazaar, you will return to Lukla and to Kathmandu from where you will head towards another destination.

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Conclusion

So if you are planning for a solo trek in Nepal, then Nepal Sanctuary Treks will be more than happy to make the necessary arrangements for you. We can also organize a group trek will of solo females coming from different parts of the world, whichever the choice you make, we will be there to assist you. We carefully plan together with you and supply you with all the information necessary for your safety, comfort, and pleasure. For further information on solo treks please write us at info@nepalsanctuarytreks.com or gtulsi@wlink.com.np.

Janai Purnima: The Festival of sacred thread and bond of purity

Posted on August 24, 2018 by nsadmin

Nepal is blessed with the natural beauty comprising diverse geography, unique topography, and rich biodiversity, but it is also blessed rich culture and tradition. Nepal is home to several religion groups including Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and Kiranti. These are just the major religious groups; 36 different ethnic groups in Nepal follows their distinctive customs and culture and speak the ethnic language.

In Nepal, the festivals are also celebrated by different ethnic groups of a different religion in their own way. Janai Purnima is one of such festivals which is popularly known as sacred thread festival observed by Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain.

What is the Janai Purnima festival?

Janai Purnima is Hindu festival celebrated by almost every family of Nepal. According to Nepali Calendar, this festival falls on the full moon day of Shrawan or Bhadra month. Different ethnic groups of different region celebrate these festivals in a different way and hold its own significance. Brahmins and Chhettri ethnic group celebrate Janai Purnima. People mainly residing in the Terai region celebrates this festival as Raksha Bandhani or Rakhi. Similarly, Newar Community of Nepal celebrates this day as Kwati Purnima.

How is Janai Purnima celebrated?

Janai Purnima is one of the most sacred and important festivals of Hindu religion. The festival celebrates the bond of pureness and security. Janai means holy thread and Purnima is the full moon. On this day, Hindu Nepalese men of Brahmin and Chhetri group perform their annual ritual of changing Janai. Janai is a sacred thread made of cotton worn across the chest by Hindu men, especially Brahmin and Chhetri. They change this sacred thread after taking a bath in the holy river of Bagmati or Vishnumati or nearby rivers.

This thread is only worn by males who have performed a religious ceremony called Bratabandhan. Bratabandhan is a Hindu ceremony which is performed as a symbolic representation that a boy has reached the age of manhood and is ready to follow the rules of following the religion faithfully. Janai must be worn every day onwards for their entire life and must not disgrace the religion. In Janai, there are three cords, which symbolize body, speech, and mind and when the three knots have tied the one who wears is supposed to have gained completed control over each of the symbol.

They take a bath and makes their offering to Saptarishis (seven legendary rishis or sages) and their departed fathers and ancestors, then Tagadharis (Hindu men wearing the Janai) put the new Janai with a belief of having complete over body, speech, and mind.

Other people who are not wearing Janai, wears a sacred colorful thread called “Doro” around the wrist from Pundits (priest). There is a belief that sacred thread is worn for safety and protection. After some months, that thread is tied in the tail of cow on the third day of Tihar festival. This ritual is done for the safe passage to the heaven after death. It is believed that after a person dies, he/she would hold on to the tail of the cow as the cow pulls across to the Baitarni River.

On the occasion of Janai Purnima, thousands of devotees visit the Kumbheswar temple of Patan, Lalitpur. The temple lies in a complex that includes other structures like Bangalamukhi, Ulmanta Bhairava, and two hiti ponds. There is a popular belief that the water spring that fills the ponds comes all the way from the holy lake of Gosainkunda, which is located at the distance of 43 km north of Kathmandu. Taking a dip in that pond during Janai Purnima is equivalent to taking a dip in Gosainkunda itself.

Several devotees also visit the three sacred Gosainkunda Lakes, one of the famous pilgrimage sites of Nepal. According to Hindu Mythology, it believed that Lord Shiva created this lake when he trusts his Trishul (Trident) into the mountain to extract water so that he could cool his burring thread after he swallowed poison. That’s ‘why the water of this lake is considered holy and on the occasion of Janai Purnima thousands of pilgrims from Nepal as well as India visit Gosaikunda.

Gosainkunda is nestled in Langtang region of Rasuwa district at the altitude of 4,380m .The trek to Gosainkunda determines true devotion to Lord Shiva and to be there during the Janai Purnima is regarded the most auspicious. According to spiritual beliefs, people who take bathe in the lake would get rid from sins, pain and grief.

The Gosainkunda Trek is filled with varied array of flora and fauna, blanketed forests of rhododendron, bamboo and oak trees, picturesque villages of varied ethnic groups, enchanted divine glacial lakes, immense mountain panorama, and especially, the myths of Gosaikunda itself, that create exceptional trekking experience and above all, get opportunities to immerse into Nepali traditional festivals and culture.

Also, in some part of Nepal, people offer foods like Kwati, rice, and roti (flatbread) in a leaf to the frogs by placing them in fields. This ritual is done as according to the belief that frog brings the rain and ultimate farmers get to plant the fields with crops. Gai Jatra is another festival which is celebrated the very next day of Janai Purnima.

What about the other festivals of Janai Purnima?

Raksha Bandhan/Rakhi

Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi is another festival of this day celebrated especially in Terai region of Nepal by Hindu and Jain. This festival is also celebrated throughout India. Raksha Bandhan means “bond of protection,” Raksha means “protection,” and Bandhan means “bond.”

Raksha Bandhan is the festival of brother and sister. In this day, sisters meet her biological brothers, cousins or adopted brother-like friends and tie rakhi on her brother’s wrist. Rakhi is a colorfully woven bracelet. After rakhi, brothers and sisters pray together. Then sisters apply tika (colorful mark) on brother’s forehead and perform an aarti wishing him a long and healthy life. In return, the brothers take promises to protect his sister and take care of her in all the circumstances. They also give gifts and money to sisters as a token of love and feed each other with sweets, fruit, and other delicious foods.

This festival is very important to build a positive relation of care and affection between brother and sister and the entire family as well. Although this festival is between brother and sister, it is celebrated in the presence of whole family members. That is why nowadays this festival is celebrated in most of Nepal.

Kwati Purnima/Gun Punhi

Janai Purnima is also called as Kwati Purnima or Gunhi Punhi. The Newar Community of Nepal mostly celebrates Kwati Purnima. However, nowadays every house celebrates this festival. This day coincides with Shravan Poornima of the month Shravan in the Hindu lunisolar calendar which is celebrated as Janai Purnima.

On this day, a special dish called Kwati is prepared and is consumed as a feast with the rest of the family as a celebration. Kwati is a soup made from a mix of nine different types of sprouted beans. The nine different beans used while making Kwati commonly includes black gram, chickpea, field bean, soybean, green gram, field pea, garden pea, cowpea and rice bean. The beans are soaked for three to four days in water until the time they sprout. They are cooked with various spices to make a thick soup.

This dish is consumed on the festival of Gun Punhi, the full moon day Gunla. Gunla is the tenth month of the Nepal Era lunar calendar. It is eaten as a delicacy and for health benefits and ritual significance.

Legend behind the origins of the festival

There are several history and myths about the celebration of Raksha Bandhan. Some of them are:

There is a myth that after Lord Vishnu won all the three world from the demon king Bali. Lord Vishnu granted a wish of Bali to stay with him in his palace, but Lord Vishnu’s wife Goddess Lakshmi did not like the palace. So Goddess Lakshmi went to Bali, ties a rakhi and made him her brother. In return Bali asked what gift she wants, then she asked him to free Vishnu from the request that he lives in Bali’s palace. Bali granted Lakshmi’s wish and accepted her as his sister.
According to another legend, in the war between Gods and demons. The deity of the sky, rain, and thunderbolts, Lord Indra, was disgraced by the demon King Bali. Then, Lord Indra’s wife Sachi went to Lord Vishnu and asked for his help. Lord Vishnu gave her a holy bracelet made of cotton thread. Sachi tied that holy thread around the wrist of Indra, blessed with her prayers for his victory. Then Lord Indra defeated the demon king Bali. This legend inspired the protective power of holy thread.
This legendary narrative relates with India and goes back in a time when Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BCE. During that time, wife of Alexander the Great, Roxana sent a sacred thread to Porus, the king of Kaikeya kingdom, asking him not to harm her husband in battle. Kind Porus respected the importance and significance of rakhi, and wore the rakhi. In the battle of Hydaspes, King Porus stopped himself from killing Alexander personally when he saw the rakhi on his wrist.

Nepal has welcomed over half a million tourists in 6 months. Are you missing?

Posted on August 24, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

Nepal is a beautiful country where you can splash in the beauty of nature and bask in its diversification of culture and traditions. This small country that lies between India and China has huge potential in the tourism sector and it has been from the history to today’s date too, Nepal has been trying to welcome more guests from every corner of the world.

It is not like fewer tourists are coming to visit in Nepal, hundreds of tourists arrive each day, but Nepal has so many things that one must see and experience. So today let us know about the different tourism campaigns that were launched in the past in Nepal to this very present day and for upcoming days too. You will also see the various sectors where tourists are much attracted, you know, in case you need a tip about where to go after visiting Nepal.

History of Nepal Tourism Year

His Majesty’s Government declared the year 1998 would be the year as Visit Nepal 1998 on April 12, 1998. The objective to this declaration was to enhance the image of Nepal as an exclusive destination for the visitors around the world. To make this program more effective and accomplish its objective, various organizations and agencies both within and outside came together.

The theme for Visit Nepal 1998 was “A sustainable habitat through sustainable tourism,” and the slogan was “A world of its own.” The campaign’s theme was to ensure the flow the tourist and develop our tourism standard moving along with the safety of the environment side by side. And the slogan tells that Nepal is a world of its own where people are bound by their own culture and traditions than foreign influence. The campaign was a success as Nepal welcomed 463,684 visitors, representing a growth of 10%.

The second national tourism campaign was declared on October 25, 2008, by Government of Nepal as “Nepal Tourism Year 2011”. The president of Nepal inaugurated the campaign in the presence of SAARC region’s tourism ministers. It has been the most significant tourism promotion campaign to this date. The targeted number of tourist in the year 2011 was one million, and so all the resources and expertise were pooled together to make this campaign a success.

Current Tourism Prospect of Nepal

In 2017, there was an unpredicted growth of visitors which is almost about a million 940,248 to be precise. The increment in 2016 and its continuation in 2017 and first six months of 2018 has given a message to the tourism sectors of Nepal as there was a slight decrease of tourist in the year 2015 because of the earthquake.

Talking about the present flow of tourists in Nepal, Nepal has successfully welcomed more than more than 520,000. As per the record of Nepal Department of Immigration, in the first three months, a total of 288,918 number of tourist paid a visit which is a very good increment of 14.20%.

Visit Nepal 2020

The Government of Nepal has set a target to welcome millions tourist each year by 2020 and has declared 2018 as Visit Nepal Year too, and it has already made bought half of its goal in the first six months.

But the Visit Year 2018 now has been postponed to 2020 because of the slow pace of constructions and upgrades that have been going for roads and airports and also heritage restoration projects. Expansion of Tribhuvan International Airport and construction of Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairawaha is on and is targeted to complete by 2019. And the damages that occurred in a significant heritage site during the 2015 earthquake will be reconstructed before 2020.

Currently, the significant visitors in Nepal are from India, China, Sri Lanka, America and United Kingdom. The country-wise tourism strategy will help even more to bring the outbound travelers from neighboring nations as there has been a rise in the number of outbound travelers from India and China.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), the air service agreement with the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, and Turkey will be finalized soon; also the MoCTCA will review the air service agreement with Thailand, Egypt, Japan, and China, among others.

About the Visit Year 2020, the program has been called as unrealistic, over-ambitious and private sectors too have been skeptical. But Nepal has already made a good start, and many efforts are being made to make this program a success. By 2020, there will be the addition of 10,000 room nights across the country, 4,000 alone in the Kathmandu Valley. More focus will be given to the neighbors China and India. To support the more arrivals of Indian tourists, works are on process to launch cross-border flight from different airports like Biratnagar and Nepalgunj. Buddha Air has also announced a flight which will connect New Delhi, India from Nepalgunj. Even Shree Airlines, a domestic career is in wait for the approval of Government for an international flight.

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Also, given to the federalism system of Nepal, MoCTCA will survey to expand the agencies line of the ministry and departments to the provincial and local level. And by comprising all the province of the nation, a master plan will be made for the preservation and promotion of the entire tourist site within the country.

Reasons to make a visit to Nepal this year

To Witness the World’s Heritage Sites

You will hardly find any country with as many world heritage sites as Nepal despite being a smaller nation. UNESCO has declared ten sites as World Heritage in Nepal. That heritage has been in there for hundreds of years and one from the B.C. Those heritages have been enlisted because of their cultural and natural values. The lists are:

Kathmandu Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Bhaktapur Dubar Square
Pashupatinath Area
Swayambhynath
Boudhanath
Changunarayan
Lumbini Area
Chitwan National Park, and
Sagarmatha National Park

The pool of diversified culture and tradition

Nepal is a country rich in culture and tradition where people speak their native language. Nepal is the home for religion like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Kiratism, Christianity and several others. And among those religions, many castes and sub-caste are classified too, who follow their tradition and speak own language. Speaking of Language, 123 languages are spoken in Nepal by people of different caste. Nepal is also a country of festivals, where 55 different festivals are celebrated. Check out the list of festivals here.

Rich in Bio-diversity

Nepal has such flora and fauna which are rare in the world such as yarshaghumba (Cordyceps Sinensis) and the one-horned rhino being the most valuable among others. The verdant forest of Nepal has been the shelter of diversified wildlife and rare plants which includes one-horned rhino, Nepali orchid, kande bhyakur (spiny babbler) and others. You can take a tour of this rich bio-diversification in Nepal from several wildlife reserves and national park, mainly, Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park, and Sagarmatha National Park.

Famous Nepali Cuisine

Nepali Cuisine is of several varieties determined the ethnicity of the peoples. In Nepal, different ethnic groups have their cuisine. Some of the famous cuisines are Dal Bhat, Newar Khaja, Dhindo, and Momo. Also, the famous snacks are made from beaten rice, soybean, puffed rice, wai wai among others. Now, let’s move on to the local drink which includes raksi, chaang and tongba, all of them are home-made. Know the other mouth-watering cuisine of Nepal here.

Land of Temples

Nepal is the home of the holiest pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhist; Pashupatinath Temple for Hindus and birthplace of Lord Buddha, Lumbini. These are only the highlights. With its history going back to the era of gods and diversified traditions which Nepal follows, there are much more to see. It is almost impossible to walk a few steps without temples, shrines and hearing holy music being played. Click here to know some major sacred sites of Nepal.

Over 200 beautiful lakes

Nepal has over 200 lakes which come from the glacier origin. Some of the major lakes are Rara Lake, Tilicho Lake, Fewa Lake, Shey-Phoksundo Lake and Ghosaikunda Lake.

The glorious Mountains

Nepal is totally gifted by nature, with its rich bio-diversity of wildlife and rare plants, beautiful lakes and the snowcapped Mountains. Out of fourteen mountains above 8,000 meters, eight of them belong to Nepal and not to forget the very tallest Mount Everest. What else is worth than watching these beautiful mountains, the breathtaking landscapes and a dare to try?

Exhilarating Adventures

As Nepal is a nature-gifted country. With its high mountains, excellent topography consisting of hills and valley, wild rivers and deep gorges. Nepal is a right place for trying out adventures. Some of the must-try are:

Bunjee Jumping
Skydiving
Rafting
Paragliding
Rock Climbing
Zip Flyer

Nepal is Safe

Nepal has been a safe place for tourists, feasible due to the religious tolerance and natural benevolence of people. In Nepal, guests are considered as gods, where people welcome with great politeness and warm hospitality and makes you feel like a home away from home.

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Colorful, Spiritual and Captivating festival of Mustang: Tiji

Posted on August 22, 2018October 17, 2022 by nsadmin

Nepal is a home to many traditions and culture. People in Nepal follow their customs, ritual and speak their ethnic language although they belong to the same religious group. The cultures and festivals are different as per our religion and ethnic group. In Nepal, mainly Hindus and Buddhists can be found. However, people belonging to Kiranti, Sikh, Christians, and others can be found as well.

More than 55 different festivals are celebrated in Nepal. From year’s main festival Dashain, which is celebrated by almost every religion to the Udhauli and Ubhauli which are celebrated by Rai Community of Nepal, Nepal celebrates many such festivals depending on religious, ethnicity and castes. Not only has our ethnicity decided the festivals we celebrate, but the region where we belong too.

Chhath is a Terai festival and Mithila region of Nepal, which is celebrated by Tharus, Maithils, and Madhesi ethnic group. The newar community of Bhaktapur celebrates Bisket Jatra, GauraParva is celebrated in Hilly region of Far Western Development Region. These are just a few examples of the varied number of festivals in Nepal as per caste, ethnicity, region, places, and religion.

Festivals in Nepal has meaning and different stories of their own. Dashain is celebrated as a victory of good over evil. Tihar signifies the importance to not only gods and humans, but also to animals like dog, ox, cow, and crow. Holi signifies victory of good over evil; it is a day to forgo your past mistakes, to end conflicts by meeting others and a day to forgive and forget. Our festivals aren’t just celebration, they also teach us the way of life and keep our faith in good.

Amongst many of such festivals, Tiji festival is also the one which is observed as a victory of good over evil and it is celebrated in a particular region of Nepal. So, today we will know about this distinctive festival.

What is Tiji Festival?

Tiji is a very joyous and vibrant festival celebrated in Lo Manthang, the walled city of Lo region of Upper Mustang of Nepal. The name “Tiji” is an abbreviation of the word “Tempa Chirim” which means “Prayer for World Peace.” This three-days long festival is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil with prayers, chants, and dances in very colorful dresses. Tiji festival has religious as well as spiritual importance.

Why is Tiji festival celebrated?

Like many festivals, Tiji is also celebrated for the victory of good over evil. And it is rather a fascinating festival which goes for three days. Tiji festival celebrated the victory of Dorjee Sonnu (Lord Buddha’s incarnation) over a very vicious demon named Man Tam Ru who bought mayhem feeding on human beings and causing droughts and strops. This festival consists of Tibetan rituals that celebrated the myth of a son who had to save the kingdom of Mustang from destruction.

During the three days of the festival, the monks of Choedhe monastery of Lo-Mantang perform rituals dances. On the first day, a dance called “Tsa Chham” about the harassment of the demon, Ma Tam Ru Ta. The second day “Nga Chham” about the birth of Dorjee Sonnu as the son of the demon and the final day, the attempts to return the demon to the realm of Lord Buddha. All this enacted in the dance performance.

Choedhe Monastery organizes the dances of the festival. Rimpoche is the head of this monastery, where 65 other monks from Lo-Manthang, Chhosyer, and Nhenyul resides.

What is the spiritual importance of Tiji Festival?

Though Buddhism is one religion; there are several practices in the same religion too. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Vajrakila (Dorje Phurba) or Vajrakumar (Dorje Shonnu) is a name of the guardian deity named Yidam. This practice is rather old and very popular in Nepal as well as India. The Buddhist masters of Nepal; Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Shilamju introduced this practice during the 8th century in Tibet. The Vajrakila practice has many lineages in Tibet and among many such practices, Khon tradition Kila (Phurba) is one of the major practices of Tibetan Buddhism in Sakyapa School. Padmasambhava instructed the major dance steps of the sacred dance of Vajrakila at Samye Monastery in Tibet. Vajrakali practice and rituals are very famous in the Chhode Monastery of Lo-Manthang in the Mustang area.

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However, Tiji festival came into existence after a long time, to be precise in the 17th century. The king of Mustang, King Samdup Rabten invited Sakya Trizin Ngawang Kunga Siman to come and stay at Lo-Manthang. Sakya Trizin came and stayed at Chhhode Monastery of Lo-Manthang. Sakya and started to perform a very special Vajrakila ritual for the well being and better of a sentient being and eliminating the negative energies in Mustang. He also started a special religious dance related to the meditation of Vajrakila. And, since then, the monks of the Chhode monastery have been performing this religious dance with rituals for the wellbeing of Mustang.

How is the Tiji festival celebrated?

In Tiji festival, the main dancer, Tsowa completes a three month of retreat before the main event of the festival. During the main event, the members of Mustang royal family and all the villagers of the seven provinces of Upper Mustang/Lo Chhodun participates to witness this sacred dance, which is done along with many other rituals. According to the Mustang (Lobo) dialect, it is Tiji or Tenchi, which is the part of the meditation practice based on the Tantra text related to Vajrakumar/Vajrakila. However, the original name of this sacred dance is Tenpa Chirim, which means the benefits of Buddha’s teaching and all sentient beings. It is also believed that the performers of this dance receive empowerment of Vajrakila.

During the sacred dance, the most important elements of the meditations are performed. There are two types of activities which are performed during the development phase of meditation; first, peaceful dance steps, which is followed by a second activity which eliminates all the negative energies.

The dance is divided into three parts, which are preliminary, main practice and conclusion. At the first or preliminary part of the dance, there are total 15 steps. Then, comes the main practices where the generation of celestial palace and generation of deities are portrayed in dance in two steps and the conclusion part clears out all the nihilistic and eternal views and fills with optimism.

The various poses and gestures that are used during the dances symbolically imply different processes of meditation. The Buddhist masters use this sacred dance ceremony as a skillful means to benefit the sentient beings. Every steps and detail of dance depict deep meaning which is believed to clear our obstacles in life by enlightening us with faith and respects.

When is the Tiji festival celebrated?

It is a very interesting festival with the spiritual importance which is celebrated every year during May for three continuous days in Lo-Manthang, Upper Mustang. Originally, this festival used to celebrate at the end of the twelve months of Tibetan calendar, but now, it has been celebrated at the third month of Tibetan month which is May.

Tiji Festival in 2019

Teji festival is being celebrated on 30 May, 31 May, and 1 June in 2019. As this festival is very popular bookings get started before month of the festival, so hurry and contact us before all seats are taken.

Where is Upper Mustang?

Upper Mustang is a remote yet a very popular area by Tibetan border. Formerly known as the Kingdom of Lo, it is an isolated region of the Nepalese Himalayas. Upper Mustang is one of the popular trekking destinations in Nepal. Closely tied in Tibetan culture and language, Mustang was once an independent kingdom. The monarchy of Mustang ceased to exist on October 7, 2008, by order of Government of Nepal.

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More and more trekkers are being drawn to the enigmatic of this region and Nepal Sanctuary Treks is here you to make your trekking experience more wonderful and adventurous. If you would like to know more information please write to us at info@nepalsanctuarytreks.com or gtulsi@wlink.com.np

Explore Enchanting Turquoise Gokyo Lakes via Everest Base Camp

Posted on August 21, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

Nepal is a biodiversity-rich country where you can find rare flora and fauna and species. With eight of fourteen mountains above 8,000 meters, Nepal is undoubtedly a gifted country, with the alluring Himalayas. Nepal attracts thousands of tourists with its beautiful topographical features, glorious mountains, a variety of wildlife, cultural heritages, adventures and exploration and mesmerizing lakes.

Nepal is the second richest country in inland water resource with over 6,000 rivers and rivulets. The melting of snow in the mountains gives away many beautiful lakes, ever-flowing rivers, and stream. All those rivers, lakes and every water resources are considered as the jewel in Nepal which enhances the beauty of Nepal.

Nepal is home to diversified culture and tradition, where there are hundreds of sacred site for every religion and many of them are the lakes and rivers. In Nepal, lakes are not just a source of water or nature’s art, they are the embodiment of religious and cultural significance and devotees and tourist from all over the world pay a visit to those sites.

Gokyo Lakes Trek via Everest Base Camp, renowned for the sequence of mesmerizing alpine lakes in the Gokyo valley and the well-known Cho La Pass that lead us through the landscapes of the Khumbu region with impressively sky-high snowcapped mountains, warm hospitable of Sherpas, vibrant monasteries and prayer flags, the Namche Bazaar, Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar

Amongst many of those sacred lakes which are equally mesmerizing, Gokyo Lake is one of them. Gokyo Lakes are located in north-eastern Nepal in Solukhumbhu District in Sagarmatha Zone. Your trek in Gokyo will give you the once in a lifetime moment to see the glorious Himalayan ranges over 8,000 meters which includes Mount Everest, Makalu, Cho Oyu and the Ngozumpa Glacier. Gokyo Village its self is a distinctive village with the house built of stone and magnificent views all around. Gokyo Lakes comprises six lakes; Gokyo Cho, Thonak Cho, Gyazumpa Cho, Tanjung Cho, Ngojumba and Longpanga Cho.

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Gokyo Cho

Gokyo Cho is the main lake among six lakes of Gokyo Lakes. This lake is also called as Dudh Pokhari and is spread in an area of 42.9 hector/106 acres and its depth is 43 meters. It is the most sought lake by tourists which makes it famous than the rest of the five. Gokyo Cho is the third lake to make an appearance in the synchrony.

Thonak Cho

Although the title of most famous goes to Gokyo Cho, Thonak Cho is the largest one with an area of 65.07 hector/160.8 acres. It is also the deepest among the six with the depth of 62.4 meters.

Gyazumpa Cho

Gyazumpa Cho is another beautiful lake among the six. The lake has an area of 29 hectors/72 acres.

Tanjung Cho

Tanjung Cho is spread in an area of 16.95 hectors/41.9 acres.

Ngojumba Cho

Ngombua Cho is smaller than rest with an area of 14.39 hector/35.6 acres.

Longpanga Cho

Longpanga Cho is the sixth lake of Gokyo lakes and the first to appear in the synchrony.

How to reach Gokyo Lakes?

Gokyo Lakes is one of the famous trekking destinations among tourist in Nepal. The journey towards Gokyo Lakes begins from Lukla Airport. You have to take 35 minutes spectacular flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (2,886m.) The flight presents you close up vistas of the Himalayas and quixotic landscapes of hills, farms and rivers. Upon arrival at Lukla, the trek begins with a steady ascend up the mountainside on the left bank of the Dudh Koshi River to the village of Phakding. On the next day, you will trek to Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar is a beautiful village and a trade center, which provides lodgings and stores catering as well as internet cafes.

You will also find the Tibetan market where clothing and cheap Chinese goods are main items on sale. In Namche Bazaar, you will savor the spectacular view of Khumbu Mountains like Thamserku (6,608 meters), Ama Dablam (6,856 meters) and even the Mount Everest. Whilst you trek towards Machhermo, you will be captivated by the stunning views of Cho Oyo (8,188 meters), Thamserku (6,623 meters) and Kantega (6,782 meters). After 4-5 hours of trek you will reach at Gokyo, a small yet spellbinding in Solukhumbu District nestled in the lap of Himalayas. It is on the eastern shore of Gokyo Cho (Dudh Pokhari) and at the foot of Gokyo Ri.

Gokyo village is at an elevation of 4,750 meters, which makes it one of the highest settlement in Nepal as well as in the world. As the village has a small settlement, almost all the buildings are guest houses for trekkers. You will encounter all the emerald blue Gokyo Lakes as you keep exploring them. After arriving at Gokyo and seeing all six mesmerizing lakes.

Next you will be hiking up to Gokyo Ri view point at the elevation of 5,357 meters to witness the panoramic backdrops of Himalayas including Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and several other peaks. If the weather is favorable, you can spend few hours at the top of the Gokyo-Ri and savor the glory of Himalayas.

After Gokyo Ri, you will trek on to Dragnag (4,830 meters) and then to Dzongla, a small village, which you will pass through Cho La Pass which is at an elevation of 5,420 meters. From Dzongla, you will arrive at Lobuche then you will arrive at your ultimate destination Everest Base Camp (5,380 meters).

Once you arrive at EBC, your return journey will start. From Everest Base Camp, you will descent to Gorak Shep (5,164 meters) where we stay overnight. Next day we will wake up early and hike up to Kala Patthar, which gives a closer view of the Mountain Everest. Returning from a short hike to Kala Patthar, you will be back to Gorak Shep and then to Pheriche for overnight and finally retrace back to Namche Bazaar.

Sources of Gokyo Lakes

Gokyo Lakes is the permanent source of fresh water, that’s why it not only has religious value but hydrological value as well. The lakes feed on the water from different sources like seepage from Ngozumpa glacier, which is the longest glacier of Himalayas, stream originating from the Ngozumpa glacier itself in the east and another stream from Renjo La pass from the north-west.

These glacier-fed water wetlands and the water get discharged to the Dudh Koshi River through the way of Taujon Lake and Longabanga Lake.

However, the Gokyo lakes are in a very vulnerable state as it lies in an ecologically fragile and unstable zone. The existence of the lakes will come in stake if Ngozumpa glacier outbursts.

Where to acclimatize during the trek?

Climbing at the higher altitude always possess the risk of altitude sickness, so you must acclimatize in some places so your body gets adjusted in the extreme altitude. As your trek moves forward, you should acclimatize for a few days in Namche Bazaar.

After Namche Bazaar, your next place for acclimatization will be at Gokyo. However, you can acclimatize in any place near, in case you start having the symptoms of altitude sickness. The aforementioned places are general where trekkers stay to acclimatize.

Best time to visit Gokyo Lakes

The best time to visit Gokyo Lakes will be in autumn (September – November) and spring (March-May) as the weather will be warm and sunny giving you the excellent view.

But if you like to avoid the crowd, then you might visit during December – mid January.

Trekking can be undertaken during June-August, however due to monsoon season the visibility can be poor and Lukla flight may get canceled.

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What is the religious importance of Gokyo Lakes?

Gokyo Lakes is a sacred site and has religious importance. The lakes considered a holy site by Hindus as well as Buddhists. During the festival of Janai Purnima which generally occurs in August, hundreds of devotees visit this place and about 500 Hindus take a holy bath in the lakes.

This place is worshipped as the residing place of Nag Devta (Snake God); a temple of the Hindu Gods Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu is at the western corner of the lake. There is a traditional faith in the area that birds and wildlife should not be harmed, this belief has largely helped to protect fauna.

Gai Jatra: Nepalese tradition of celebrating the death

Posted on August 20, 2018September 22, 2022 by nsadmin

Gai Jatra (Gai means cow and Jatra means procession or journey) is one of the biggest festivals of Kathmandu valley celebrated to commemorate the demise of the loved ones during the year. It falls on the month of Bhadra (August to September), one day after Janai Purnima, the thread changing occasion. Gai Jatra is celebrated by a local Newar community residing in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts with great enthusiasm and excitement. It is observed for a whole week, eight days to be exact. This year Gai Jatra falls on 11^th Bhadra 2075 (27th August 2018). The Gai Jatra is also a public holiday in Nepal.

What happens in Gai Jatra?

As a part of the festival, the members of the deceased family send a cow for the procession. In the morning, the cows are bathed with the special cleaning of their tails. The people worship the cow, put vermilion powder (Tika) on it, and then the procession starts around the valley. For cows are not common in cities nowadays, young boys from the family dress as a cow. Various cultural programs are conducted and many nearby villages involve in the ceremonies.

Although Gai Jatra is celebrated for the whole eight days, the first and second days are the most important. The day of Gai Jatra includes the procession around the city in the memory of the demised member in the first half of the day followed by humor, jokes, songs, and dances in the second half. On the second day of Gai Jatra, people observe Mayata (a typical Buddhist festival) in which they visit all the 150 Vihars (all the monasteries) in sequential order. The devotee offers various things and lit the butter lamps throughout the journey.

History of Gai Jatra

The Gai Jatra fundamentally begun in ancient ages when people used to fear ‘Yamaraj,’ the god of death, and worshiped him. However, the modern tradition of celebrating Gai Jatra started with the death of a prince during the Malla Era. At that time King Pratap Malla ruled Kantipur (now Kathmandu).

King Pratap Malla wanted all his five sons to have experience in the administration of the country even during his lifetime. With this aim in view, he made them rule over the country for one year in turn. But, unfortunately, his second eldest son Chakrabartendra Malla died on the second day of his reign.

The death of the prince led the queen to serious depression. She started spending her days drowning in grief. The king could not see his beloved in such a miserable condition and made all his possible efforts to improve her condition. However, all his attempts went in vain, since no efforts could bring a little smile to her face.

Finally, after all his attempts, the king asked to organize a parade in which each family who had suffered a loss in that year participates in the parade. He ordered everyone to wear colorful and funny dresses and gave ‘freedom of speech’ where one can crack a joke about anything which might not be inappropriate in ordinary days.

As the procession began and passed across the palace, the king explained to the queen the huge mass have also experienced the same grief she is going through. This procession made the queen realize she is not the only one who has lost her beloved. Though many others are mourning, and yet this hadn’t stopped them from participating in the parade, wear colorful clothes, make jokes, laugh, and celebrate life.

As the journey processed, the mass made silly jokes without any hesitation. When it came to social injustice and some reputed persons in the society, the queen could not help herself out, and she burst into laughter. The king, overwhelmed with happiness, commenced the tradition of Gai Jatra celebration annually and decided to include jokes and sarcasm as a part of the festival.

Beliefs regarding the Gai Jatra

Primarily, people celebrate Gai Jatra as a tribute to the departed soul. People believe that the cow, a holy animal according to Hindu myth, would lead the wandering spirits of the departed soul towards heaven. It is even believed that the dead one would hold the cow’s tail to make the journey across the Vaitarni River without facing any challenges. People believe that unless they perform Gai Jatra, the descended soul of their loved ones would never make their way to heaven.

Moreover, people offer foods, beaten rice, curd, and coins to the cows and the young boys who are dressed as cows. They believe that this will bring good fortune, peace, and harmony not only to them but also to their family and the city as well.

Gai Jatra in different cities

Kathmandu

Lalitpur is believed to be the origin of this festival since the king who started this festival is from this city. However, the custom has been passed from generation to generation. People celebrate Gai Jatra in Kathmandu with more joy and programs than in Patan.

Patan

The celebration of Gai Jatra is almost similar in Patan to that of Kathmandu. Only what differs is the participant’s density. Since the people in Patan observe a Gai Jatra like festival called mayata, people’s involvement is observed to be higher in this festival rather than Gai Jatra.

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Kirtipur

Kirtipur has a wide celebration of Gai Jatra specifically in the historical towns Kipu dey, Panga, Naga, Bhajanga, and Yarwocha. They have a peculiar way of celebrating the festival. Apart from the good wishes of the demised soul, it indicates the hard work of the farmers in their fields. The men dress as women and visit door to door requesting to join them in the celebration. Music and dances are performed in a variety of manner. Kirtipur carries many beliefs and stories behind the celebration of Gai Jatra than other cities.

Bhaktapur

The most enjoyable and exciting Gai Jatra is observed in Bhaktapur with full of energy and enthusiasm. A two-wheeled chariot called Taha-Machas made of the bamboo framework that indicated the dead ones with their possessions and photographs. The men are dressed up in women’s dress which we call Hakupatasi. Face painting and masks are common. Similarly, what is more, unique about Gai Jatra in Bhaktapur is the Ghinta Ghisi dance which is celebrated for a week. The dance is performed in a long row of people, the two opposite people hitting each other’s stick.

Importance of Gai Jatra

Celebrates death as a part of life

Gai Jatra provides a community with an opportunity to create a stronger bond through participation in songs, laughter, dances, culture, and remembrance of their beloved one. Moreover, this is a perfect demonstration of the fact that death is a natural phenomenon and a part of life. This, it reflects the celebration of sorrows in a way that adds colors to our life.

Political aspect

Adding on, the politicians or any government officials are also trickled by the festival against the corruption and inefficiency in the existing systems through the jokes, satires, and comics. On this day, people are allowed to convey whatever they want as long as it is humorously. This practice was so effective in the ancient period that the governmental bodies used to make different laws according to the message conveyed through the event.

Gai Jatra today

Through the passage of time, there are changes in the way of celebration of Gai Jatra. Along with the cultural tradition of celebrating the festival, various activities are added as a part of the festival. Even the newspapers, magazines, and television channels launch various videos, photographs, and cartoons based upon the existing sociopolitical issues in the community as well as the country. Even the theater performs satirical and humorous dramas during the occasion. We can even find many Gai Jatra videos uploaded in YouTube these days.

Thus, Gai Jatra is a festival that allows people to accept the universal truth of life that is death. According to Hinduism, “Whatever a man does in his life is a preparation to lead a good life after death”. This festival empowers the people to prepare themselves for their life after death. If you are planning to visit Nepal between August and September then do not miss the opportunity to experience the grand Gai Jatra. You will be more than overwhelmed to observe such energy, humor, and colors in a single event.

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Family Trek in Nepal: Explore, Experience, and Exhilarate with your loved ones.

Posted on August 16, 2018 by nsadmin

Some of us might want to go and explore the world on our own, but many of us want to share the same experience with our loved ones, with our family. Going alone on some journey, having that thrill inside and witnessing the once in a lifetime moment, but deep in your heart if you miss your family, then that sadness engulfs all that exhilaration.

Well, if your next destination is Nepal, then you can skip that sadness here because Nepal offers many destinations which are perfect for you and your family. Nepal is a perfect place for family, with its varied tradition and culture, it will also give your children to learn many such things and experience them which they couldn’t gain from any books. Nepal is becoming very popular for family trekking or hiking, probably because of it a perfect place for a family, where you can witness magnificent view and learn the way of life who has isolated themselves in the Himalayas.

It is a place where your children will savor the true beauty of nature and look at them closer than ever being far from the smog and crowd of the city. And, going on a trek with family is more than adventure and discovery, it will make your bond with each other in stronger.

Nepal Sanctuary Treks will help you organize the best trek with family ensuring your best time with your loved ones. Nepal doesn’t lack the trekking destination, you can choose any from the long list with any packages, either you want to camp or stay in the lodge, we will make sure you get the trek just as you have planned. And now comes, the porters and guides, it will come along the package you choose.

So, today we will see everything relating to family trek in Nepal.

Age Range of Children in Family Treks

Going on a trek alone is a challenge itself, going with children make it even more challenging as you have to take more care of them than of yourselves. So, here are the age ranges of children telling

We understand that you love your kids and want to take them with you, but if they are very young (less than a year), then you must not take them, however, up to the elevation of 3,000 meters might not be too dangerous.
Now, if your children are above one year, you can take them for trekking in ponies, dokos (basket carried on the back) or let porters carry them.
If your child can walk, then you can take them for short treks, with regular stop, and with less speed.
If your children are above 5, then it will alright to take them, but you might need porters to carry them in some places during the trek.
If you are going in the trek with less than a year old child, then it will be best to be best to be based at a low altitude so that everything can be kept ready while you return.

Tips for Family Treks in Nepal

Before heading for trekking, decide the package very wisely because the packages determine the facilities you will get and going with family might be a bit challenging so make sure you have the best on your trek.
Plan your trek properly after studying the routes of your trek. Make sure to plan regular breaks, so your children get refreshed, plan your stop, accommodations and carry food items like candy bars and cookies to keep up the energy.
It needs much cautiousness and cares for family, then with yourself. Be prepared for any emergency, so do not forget to carry medical kit and make sure you have all the medicines.
Make sure you have right fitting boots of all, waterproof/windproof jackets, socks, inners, underwear and every little thing.
It will be best not to take your children above the elevation of 4,000 meters as the risk of altitude sickness will be high to them.
Due to all the walk, your body will be exhausted and might dehydrate, so carry plenty of water. Children’s gets dehydrated even more quickly.
You might be excellent trekker, your children are not, so walk in a group and keep with children close to your distance.
When you take Guide or porter with you in family trek; they will guide will way and help to manage the children too.
With all the walking throughout the day, your children will be exhausted and so will you. It will be wise to carry some books to read to your children at the night or some toys to keep them for some time.
Sunscreen, hats, gloves, bug spray, torch with spare batteries are the essentials.
Do not forget to take a mobile with a local sim, for immediate help in case of emergencies

Best family trekking destination in Nepal

Ghorepani – Poon Hill Family Trek

Poon Hill is a very popular destination of Nepal and is best for your family. You don’t need to fear about the altitude as it lies at 3,210 meters, which isn’t very risky with children. This trekking is also called as Annapurna Sunrise Trekking or Annapurna Panorama Trekking. This trekking is relatively easy which offers the magnificent view of Annapurna, Gangapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and other peaks, beautiful rhododendron forest, beautiful ethnic villages of Annapurna range, green and beautiful paddy fields and many more.

So, this trek will be perfect to go with your family and offers you to see beautiful art of nature, the chance to know the varied culture of different ethnic groups, beautiful landscapes, and it will prove to be best will all that it offers and creates a stronger bond with you and your family as together you will explore.

Everest Region Family Trek

Everest Region is a pool of natural beauty with stunning views everywhere you look. During your trek, you will encounter the hidden valleys, beautiful lakes, and a waterfall, green and stunning pine forest, forest with blooming rhododendron and many more. You will also get to know the culture and customs of ethnic groups living in the Everest region and encounter several temples, gompas, and monasteries.

What will be more exciting and exhilarating than trekking in the Everest region, with a majestic view of Mount Everest and letting your children learn the different way of life than of city?

Annapurna Base Camp Family Trek

Annapurna Base Camp is one of the very popular trekking destinations of Nepal. If you are planning to go on this particular trek, then you have made an excellent choice, however, do not take any children below seven years old. During this trek, you will witness some breathtaking views of the Himalayas and experience the diverse culture. You and your family will see the magnificent view of Annapurna range, Macchapuchhre, Tilicho, Hiunchuli, and other beautiful snowy peaks. Your family will be excited than ever seeing the colorful rhododendron forest, glaciers, suspension bridges, lakes, rivers, and waterfall.

Annapurna Base Camp will be best if you want to have some adventure, fun and unravel the nature’s beauty in the best way with your family.

Mardi Himal Family Trek

Mardi Himal Trek is the trek in the Annapurna region. It will be perfect to go with a family as it is short and has quite trails. The trails of Mardi Himal Trek lies in the east of Annapurna Base Camp, and this trek gives you the beautiful view of mountains like Mardi Himal, Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, and others. You and your family will have a great time in the beauty of Mardi Himal trek.

The trail is tranquil, giving you the space to enjoy the time with your family in the best way you have planned. With no human settlements and sheer tranquility, your way through the colorful rhododendron forest, waterfalls and suspension bridges will give you the best time with your family ever. Your children will explore the life of the Himalayas, the elating beauty of nature and get to pet the horses, yaks, and donkeys; this all experience will be the best gift ever to your children from you.

Ghandruk Family Trek

Ghandruk has become popular trekking destination for external as well as internal tourists. This trek offers you the stunning view of mountains and the distinctive culture of Gurungs of Nepal. This trek is perfect for your family as it isn’t so challenging.

In this trek, your family will pass dense forest with rhododendrons, pine and oak trees, several traditional villages like Dhampus, Landruk, and Chomrong which are mostly Gurung inhabited. You will get to know the culture, tradition and their way of life in a more close way. Along with all the beautiful valleys, forest, and enticing cultures, this trek also offers the stunning views of South Annapurna, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre and other peaks too.

This trek will be the best treat for you and your family where you will explore the culture and tradition of the old ethnic group, Gurung, get to see the finest backdrops of mountains and be spellbound with the dive in the beauty of nature.

There is no doubt that family treks, mainly in place such as Nepal, offers an ideal prospect for immersing into the local culture and relishing in the beauty of nature. Nepal Sanctuary Treks is here to make your family trekking experience more wonderful and adventurous. If you would like to know more information please write to us at info@nepalsanctuarytreks.com or gtulsi@wlink.com.np

Travelife Partner Sustainability Award received by Nepal Sanctuary Treks

Posted on August 8, 2018 by nsadmin

Travelife Partner sustainability award

for Nepal Sanctuary Treks

Amsterdam, August 7, 2018. The Travelife Partner award was received on August 07,2018 by Nepal Sanctuary Treks. The award is a recognition for the long-term efforts and frontrunner position of Nepal Sanctuary Treks regarding sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Nepal Sanctuary Treks complies with more than 100 criteria, related to an operators’ office management, product range, international business partners and customer information. The Travelife standard is covering the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights and labour relations; and is formally recognized as in full compliance with the UN-supported Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.

Nepal Sanctuary Treks is the 21st company in Nepal to have reached the Travelife Partner award.

Mr. Naut Kusters, manager of Travelife for tour operators, “I am delighted to see that sustainability in the tour operators sector is obtaining momentum. The award of the front-runner Nepal Sanctuary Treks will inspire other companies in Nepal to follow the same path”.

Travelife, which has been established with the support of the European Commission, is the leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector. More than 35 national travel associations are promoting the scheme to their members including ABTA, The British Travel Association and PATA, the Pacific Asian Travel Association. Since 2012, more than 600 Asian companies have been trained in CSR with the support of the Dutch government CBI program. They are now working step-by-step towards more sustainable operations.

Nepal Sanctuary Treks

Nepal Sanctuary Treks was founded on November 19, 1998, managed and operated by experienced professional Mr. Tulsi Gyawali who has 30 years of experience in the field of trekking and continually making an effort to promote responsible travel. Nepal Sanctuary Treks is based on four core values:

– Quality and Personalized service

– Client’s Safety,

– Sustainability and Responsible Travel

– Labor Standard and Human Rights

Nepal Sanctuary Treks is committed to comply with sustainability standards and implement the guidelines of Sustainability Policy to increase the positive impact of tourism on individuals and local communities, whilst reducing negative social, environmental and economic impacts.

Travelife for Tour operator’s en Travel agents

Naut Kusters, phone +31 6 48805 475

n.kusters@travelife.info

www.travelife.info

About Travelife (www.travelife.org)

Travelife is a certification system, dedicated to achieving sustainable practices within the tourism industry. It provides companies with realistic sustainability goals, tools, and solutions to implement positive change within their businesses and supply chains. Travelife is managed by ABTA – The Travel Association in the UK – and by ECEAT Projects – a not-for-profit organization based in The Netherlands. Travelife has two key focuses:

Travelife for Tour operators and Travel agents: the system provides online training and practical tools for sustainability management and certification. The training and online tools are suitable for tour operators and travel agencies of any size and cover all management aspects of the travel company business including office operations, the supply chain, destinations, and consumers. Upon submitting a report in compliance with the Travelife standard (based on an independent onsite audit), the company can obtain the “Travelife Certified” status.

The Travelife standard for Tour operators and Travel agencies is based upon the full Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including labour conditions, human rights, environment, biodiversity and fair business practices. The management requirements are compatible with EMAS and ISO 14001. The system is supported by more than 35 national travel associations to further its implementation among members.

Official Press Release

Kala Patthar “The Black Rock” of Nepal

Posted on August 7, 2018 by nsadmin

Kala Patthar which literally means “black rock” in English is one of the extraordinary destinations you will have in Nepal. The naming of Kala Patthar came from the coloration of the rock which made up its peak.

Your journey to Kala Patthar will be marked as one of your worthy adventures as the routes to Kala Patthar is considered remarkable. Kala Patthar is located at the south ridge of Mountain Pumori in the Himalayan range above Gorak Shep.

What will you experience?

During Kalapatthar Trek the trekkers gain innumerable wilderness, cultural and Himalaya experiences. Trekking through the picturesque hamlet, alpine forest, lush green forests, glacial rivers, waterfalls, stony trails, mountains and Buddhist monasteries to a Kala Patthar from where a 360-degree majestic backdrop of mountains including Mt. Everest can view without obstruction. Along the trail, you are likely to encounter with blue sheep, Tibetan snow cock, yaks, Himalayan Thar, mountain goat, pheasant and many more. Furthermore, you get opportunities to observe the culture, tradition, primitive lifestyles and warm hospitality of Sherpa.

The trekkers get boundless photographic opportunities to capture the mesmerizing vistas of Khumbu Glacier, Everest and Nuptse, alpine bushes, junipers, pine forests, rhododendron flowers and picturesque villages. This trek leads you to Everest base camp (5400meters) and Kala Patthar. Therefore, trek to Kalapathar is idyllic and worth to visit.

What is the elevation of Kala Patthar?

Kala Patthar is located at an elevation of 5,644.5 meters/18,519 ft. On December 6, 2006, Dr. Luis A. Ruedas, the assistant professor of Portland State University along with his Garmin E-Map GPS units went to the Kala Patthar to compute its elevation. Those units could average a series of individual satellite readings, which makes the findings more accurate and reliable than single reading machines. The units derived the elevation as 5,643 meters (18,514 ft) averaging 48 readings.

Then again on October 2008, a GPS with WAAS confirmed the elevation of 5,644.5 meters (18,519 ft), confirming the data of 2006.

Why is Kala Patthar famous?

Kala Patthar is not exactly a mountain as it stands only 10 meters (33 ft) tall; yet, it is a very popular destination among tourist. The very reason why trekkers want to reach out to Kala Patthar despite its low-standing height; it provides the most accessible close-up view of Mount Everest. Due to the Everest Massif structure, Mount Nuptse blocks its high summit from the surrounding region. However, from Kala Patthar, you can adore the spectacular view of Everest, Changtse, and Nuptse. Well, this not it, from Kala Patthar, you can also have some glimpse of northern flank and Mount Lhotse. To enjoy the stunning landscape of those marvelous mountains, trekkers in the Mount Everest region make sure they visit Kala Patthar.

In December 2009, the remarkable cabinet meeting at Kala Patthar was held by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal including 23 ministers to address the threat and issues of climate change to the Himalayas.

How to reach Kala Patthar from Kathmandu?

After you arrive in Kathmandu, you trek to Kala Patthar. Kala Patthar is not exactly a mountain, but rather a hill that gives the best and closer view of Everest and other peaks. Kala Patthar Trek is not a much trek, but you can go for Everest Base Camp Trek and reaching the camp, you can take a few hour hikes and reach Kala Patthar.

If you don’t want to go for an adventurous trek to the camp of the world’s tallest mountain, then, there is still an option for you. You can take a helicopter tour to both Kala Patthar and Everest Base Camp. In this tour, you can get close to Mount Everest. This Heli Tour takes off directly from Tribhuwan International Airport of Kathmandu at 6:30 am. This tour will go to the east side, which is parallel to the Himalayan range and taking you to the Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar.

How to reach Kala Patthar from Everest Base Camp?

Everest Base Camp is one of the most visited trek destinations for tourists in Nepal. Basically, the duration is 14 – 20 days for Everest Base Camp Trek considering what package you want to choose. You can get a direct flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. However, you can trek to Lukla as well. Your option is limited to air and foot as there are no roads connecting Kathmandu and Lukla.

After arriving at Lukla, your next stop will be Namche Bazaar, which lies at an elevation of 3,440 meters (11,290 ft). It will take about two days to reach Namche Bazaar. After reaching here, you and your team should allow a day rest for acclimatization. Then, from there it will take another two days to reach Dingboche (4,260 m/13,980 ft elevation). From Dingboche, it will take two days to reach Everest Base Camp. However, your trek may not go as per the number of days as it mostly depends on your trekking stamina.

Now let us come to our actual point, Kala Patthar. Your trek to Kala Patthar begins from Gorakshep, which lies at an elevation of 5,164 meters or 16,942 ft. Gorakshep is a frozen lakebed and the actual base camp of the Mount Everest. From Gorakshep, your trek will make its way up with a series of steep switchbacks. Then your trails will become steep until the wind-swept summit ridge. A walk of about 10 minutes from there will take you to the place with many prayer flags and the splendid view of the Mount Everest, Changtse, Nuptse and a glimpse of other mountains too. Gazing at those magnificent views, you will certainly think, yes, it is a total worth.

After reaching Kala Patthar and obviously, clicking as many pictures in that cold, your backward journey will begin. Through the same ridge and making back to Gorakshep, then to Dingboche, you will finally make it back to Lukla. After Luka to Kathmandu, well, search for another adventure in Nepal.

What are the risks of having altitude sickness in Kala Pattar?

Altitude Sickness or acute mountain sickness is a condition of giving negative health effects because of high altitude caused by the rapid exposure to low level of oxygen at the high altitude. Trekkers with health issues mostly have altitude sickness. In order to minimize the risk of altitude sickness, it is necessary to acclimatize. Acclimatization is the process by which the body adapts to the high altitude conditions like a low level of oxygen and declining air pressure. Nepal Sanctuary Treks carefully design and plan the itinerary and provide enough time to acclimatize the body.

While in your trek to Kala Patthar as well as Everest Base Camp, there are some places where you should stay for acclimatization. Most trekkers don’t experience any symptoms of altitude sickness up to the elevation of 2,400 meters. As your trek goes further and reach an elevation of 2,600, most of you may through those symptoms and acclimatization will be important.

According to the research, it will be difficult for trekkers to adjust with the oxygen level above 3,500 meters (11,500 ft). So, you must acclimatize and adjust yourself to a new environment, otherwise, it will be more difficult in higher altitude. Namche Bazaar is close to the height of 3,400 meters, so it will be best to stay here for at least three days as it will be perilous to move to a higher altitude so quickly.

After Namche Bazaar, you should spend at least two nights in Dingboche, which lies at an elevation of 4,260 m/13,980 ft. Your stay in Dingboche will ensure your attitude adaptation in higher altitude. Above the elevation of 5,638 meters/18,500 ft, you will enter the layer of “death zone”. Kala Patthar is the highest point in Everest Base Camp, which lies at 5,644.5 meters/18,519 ft. That place is really close to extreme altitude level with less than 50% level of oxygen. So, you must acclimatize in lower altitude.

If you experience any symptoms from below, then, you are suffering from altitude sickness.

Headache
Vomiting
Trouble in sleeping
Dizziness
Lack of appetite
Shortness of breath

If the above symptoms get frequent and serious, then, it will be risky to go for further altitude. So, do return to a lower altitude and get a physician.

What is the best time of day to visit Kala Patthar?

Kala Patthar is few hours of a hike from Everest Base Camp but, do not hurry to Kala Patthar as soon as you arrive in the camp. Most trekkers climb Kala Patthar in the early morning so they can have the best view in the dawn light, but as the sun rises behind the Mount Everest and Lhotse, you won’t get a good shot. It will be best if you climb Kala Patthar in the late afternoon as during this time of day sun will be set and you will see those spectacular views of Everest along with other mountains.

Everest Base Camp and Kalapathar trekking is a great experience of a lifetime adventure. Nepal Sanctuary Treks presents you the utmost remarkable trek with quality services, safety, and security. We will be flexible on our Kalapathar treks itinerary in accordance with your preference, timeframe, and design program in such a way that allows clients to get enough time for acclimatization. If you would like to know more about Kalapathar program then please write to our travel expert at info@nepalsanctuarytreks.com or gtulsi@wlink.com.np.

Homestay in Nepal – Experience the real Nepal

Posted on August 5, 2018June 6, 2024 by nsadmin

Homestays have surged in popularity in Nepal, offering an authentic immersion into village life. Supported by the Nepal Tourism Board, these experiences provide insights into local culture and support grassroots development. Initiated in places like Sirubari and Ghalegaon, homestays are now widespread across the country, from the Kathmandu Valley to Chitwan and beyond. Despite the absence of precise data, their prevalence is undeniable. Beyond accommodation, homestays foster sustainable development and empower communities, making them an invaluable aspect of any visit to Nepal.

To explore and experience

Homestay will give you the chance to explore the traditional lifestyle of Nepali people, which have been almost forgotten by city peoples. In rural people, people follow the actual way of living from which Nepal has come so far and my friend, they are the real “keepers” of Nepal.

Along with the exploration of the rural life, you can experience that life too. Dive into the pool of nature’s art and for some days live the life of those native, believe me, you will be amazed by their distinctive living. Homestay will give you the chance to know the reality of the life about the people in the rural Nepal which you will never learn from any books or any magazines. So, by traveling all the way from your country, what is the best way of making the visit worth than experiencing that life by yourself?

To know the real Nepal

As you explore the life of people in rural areas and experience the same, you will get to know the real Nepal. Living in the house made of stones and tiles, grazing your herd of cattle’s in the hills, living a simple life of peace and happiness with pride, is the way how it was done in the old days.

Now, most of the population are based on town areas, but behind those hills and mountains, there are still people who like to follow the same way of living. The life you see in town is a recent adoption of modern living; people would rather cling on the hope of living a better modern life and struggle their whole life than live a life of peace and self-esteem in the village.

Staying in a homestay will give you some glimpse of that life, and you will see the life beyond the tall buildings of towns.

Have the taste of authentic food

You can have the taste of all Nepali cuisine in the restaurants and hotels from city areas, and they do serve the best, but the taste of the food in a homestay is. You will get a chance to eat the food made from the fire woods, locally grown vegetables, well, where else will you get this?

Several foods are prepared in Nepal during different festivals and occasions. So if you are lucky and be your host’s guest during festivals, then, you will get to taste of some local food made of local ingredients.

Get to know the culture

In a homestay, you will get to see the culture and tradition. Nepal is a country where people belonging to the traditions follow different customs and culture as per their caste. Your host will be delighted to tell you the culture and customs that existed hundreds year back.

It will be an excellent opportunity for you to learn, so never hesitate to show your queries to your host; they will be more than happy to explain everything they know.

To uplift the local economy

Homestay has been a new way to uplift the local economy. Staying in a homestay can aid a lot in the local economy. Tourism has been one of the significant sources of revenue in Nepal, but the local economy isn’t the one benefitting from those tourism programs.

In a homestay, the money you pay will directly go in the hand of your host, what is the better way of ensuring the promotion of local economy and having the time of life at the same moment?

It is safe

The locals in villages live a simple life. They are unknown to the cunningness unlike the most people in the city nowadays. They lead a simple and innocent life in a peaceful community untouched of any fabrication.

While staying in a homestay, your host will give you the information which is facts and their warm way of hospitality will make you feel safe. Living with those people in a homestay is one of the best treats.

Good Value

Your comforts won’t be comprised in a homestay. Your host will give you the best of what they can offer, with a warm greeting and hospitality so that you won’t feel like an outsider. They will welcome you with great hospitality and assure your comfort in their home because they will think of you as a guest, not a customer.

Learn the language

In Nepal, there are 123 different languages that the spoken all over the country. Although Nepali is the national language, especially people in rural areas prefer to speak their ethnic language. You can learn the Nepali language, along with that you can learn a few ethnic languages too.

It is a home away from home

In hotels, you can get all the facilities and luxury, but the feeling of sitting inside the four walls will make you miss your home. But in a homestay, you won’t, as it is home after all.

It will be like visiting an acquaintance from another community. You can get a chance to be involved in that community, and they will treat you like one of the family.

You won’t feel lonely

As I said, homestay is a home away from home. Getting the people to know, finding out the way of life, participating yourself in their culture will never make you feel lonely.

It will be like meeting new friends and understanding each other. You can involve yourself in their community and try to learn the local customs.

Contribute back to the community

It’s an ideal option and great opportunity to give back to the community and local people by participating on various CSR (Community based responsibility) activities such as teaching English at rural school, creating awareness campaign on environment and hygiene, donating the school and charity organization in the form of kind or money.

How your contribution benefitted to Host families and communities

The host families can reap the several benefits besides earning money from their services. Nepal Tourism Board has also supported the homestay program by providing training for better homestay and organizing several programs.

Women and Children Empowerment

In most part of rural areas, women bound within the four walls and reliant on their spouse. Homestay program provides an opportunity to learn the new skill and English language that enables them to enhance their confidence level to communicate with guests and become capable enough to become breadwinner to support their families from the money they make. In addition, children will also get a chance to get exposure to the outside world.

Preservation and Promotion of Local Culture

Community-based Homestay project inspires and make realize on the significance of preserving culture and tradition. As guests take a deep interest in local culture and tradition. This will help to gain insight among local people that culture and tradition are essential to keep alive for sustainability.

Proper utilization of local resources and product

Homestay project will benefit to host as they can utilize their local made products, resources in their services. For instance: they can use their organically grown fruits and vegetables to serve the guests and local people can exhibit their local talent among the guest i.e. cultural dance.

Strengthening local community

Homestay helps to create the teamwork and collaboration among people in the community. People get the opportunity to work together to create the guests experience more memorable, authentic and make effort to make the home environment.

They greet and welcome the guests with warm hospitality to the people all around the globe. In addition, homestay enables to help people to exchange the idea and experience with guests. This will help to establish the strong relationships among host and guest.

Improve livelihood

Homestay project help to uplift the economic status of local people and create wider benefits for the communities. The money spent by guests is circulated within the local communities that greatly support to boost their livelihood.

Environmental Awareness

Homestay project lead hosts to become more concern on the environment and its resources. This will lead them to become more responsible towards the environment, safety and hygiene.

If you are interested to spend your vacation in a rural setting with local people, engross in nature and feel the authentic Nepalese experience and create a difference through your involvement then please contact at info@nepalsanctuarytreks.com.

You can visit our sites for homestay itinerary at https://www.nepalsanctuarytreks.com/activity/bungmati-home-stay/ or https://www.nepalsanctuarytreks.com/package/discover-culture-and-nature-experience-diverse-range-of-community-life/. We are here to assist you to create your experience truly blissful and memorable.