Sample Nepal Trekking Itinerary: Trekking the Jaljale Himal

Sample Nepal Trekking Itinerary:

Trekking the Jaljale Himal PO Box 1566 | Burlington VT 05402 | (800) 233 4499 | info@aboveclouds.com | aboveclouds.com The Art of Adventure Travel

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Trekking the Jaljale Himal This trek is our one our in-house favorites and is well on its way to becoming a classic Himalayan trek, albeit without the crowds. It offers untouched culture and pristine Himalayan wilderness, with regular views of four of the world's five tallest peaks (including Everest & Kangchenjunga).

The trek begins with a flight to Tumlingtar, bringing us face-to-face with Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Everest, and Makalu. On our way up to the ridge we pass through the picture-postcard-perfect town of Chainpur on market day. Hundreds of people dressed in their finest clothes bargaining and socializing create an indelible impression. On the ridge, we hope to meet some yakherders before ascending onto Jaljale and into the wilderness. Jaljale is the lowest himal in the Himalaya, and is dotted with small, clear lakes.

Crossing a pass at the end of the ridge (15,300'), we descend to Topke Gola, home to Tibetan traders and yakherders and one of the most remote settlements in Nepal. We descend the Mewa River to Dobhan, a busy market town, then climb back up to the ridge at Gupha Pokhari. We trek to the roadhead at Basantpur, drive to Biratnagar on the Indian border, and fly back to Kathmandu. *This trek has been written up for years in the book “1,000 places To See Before You Die,” and we couldn’t agree with that assessment more! This is a sample version of the itinerary, we’re happy to revise it to fit your dates, interests and needs - BUT - keep in mind that we like to schedule it to coincide wish as many haat bazaars as possible!

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Sample Day-By-Day Itinerary: 01: Arrive Kathmandu this evening. Upon arrival you’ll be met by our representative and escorted to the hotel for your first overnight in country.

02: Today is a full day in Kathmandu with your guide spending a good amount of time exploring the medieval city. By late afternoon you’ll return to your hotel to do a gear check and enjoy your welcome dinner.

03: After breakfast this morning we transfer to the domestic airport in Kathmandu for the flight to Tumlingtar (1,300'), a small airstrip beside the Arun River in eastern Nepal. From Tumlingtar, we have a half-hour walk on the flattest trail in all of Nepal, through cultivated fields. A quick descent brings us to the first camp beside the Sabha Khola.

04: We begin with two river crossings—wear your Tevas if you brought them, otherwise tough it out in your bare feet. Once across, we begin the long ascent to the town of Kharang (4,600’), passing through Lohakot village, where we may see blooming bauhonia trees. From our camp just above the town we have views (weather permitting) of the peaks in the Makalu region, including the long, flatridged summit of Chamlang.

05: We get up early this morning in time to catch the sunrise over Makalu and Chamlang. Our short morning trek takes us along a relatively flat trail, through some of Nepal’s most picturesque villages, inhabited by Hindu caste peoples, Rai tribals, and the artisan/merchant Newars. The route is nicely framed by such lovely trees as poinsettia and bougainvillea. After an easy hour-and-a-half walk we arrive in Chainpur, one of the prettiest towns in Nepal. Much of the obvious wealth seen in the houses and buildings here can be attributed to the bronze casters, whose work is prized throughout the Himalayan region. The bronze is produced using the lost-wax casting method, which we hope to be able to see in process in some of the craftsmen’s workshops. From Chainpur, we will continue our trek another two hours to our camp at Siddha Pokhari (4,600').

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5 06: This morning's trek is flat and gentle, through terraced farmland and forest, to our lunch spot beside the Piluwa River. There is an excellent bathing spot just below the bridge. After lunch climb steeply for 2-3 hours to our camp just above Nundhaki (6,300'), a scattered tribal and Sherpa village.

07: Today is the hardest day of the early trek. After lunch the uphill becomes less severe, and eventually we reach our contour trail, which will take us for the last, comfortable hour to our camp at Suke Pokhari (9,800’). From here we see the world’s third highest peak, Kanchenjunga (28,028’), and its no less impressive satellite peaks for the first time on our trek. To the northwest, Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu reign over the surrounding countryside, giving us a clear view of four of the five tallest peaks in the world. We have also now entered the world of the yakherders, several of whom may have set up camp nearby with their excitable charges. In these altitudes, we meet mostly dzomos and dzopas, the names for the female and male yaks that have been crossed with cows. As we get higher, we’ll meet the pure yaks, mostly above 12,000’.

08: After yesterday’s taxing trek, we have an easier day crossing through rhododendron and daphney forest. We’ll stop a little earlier than usual for lunch, in an open area called Khoping. After lunch, we continue the mostly gradual ascent, passing a burned-out forest en route to tonight’s camp at Dobate (11,400’). The view of Kanchenjunga and the peaks in the Everest area may be as good from here as anywhere on our route.

09: If the skies are clear, it is well worth your while to get up with the kitchen crew this morning, as sunrise from here may be one of the scenic/ photographic highlights of our trek. Today’s trek is along the ridge, with stunning views of the entire Himalayan range throughout the day. The trail condtions are rough in places, with lots of up-and-down. The dense forests we pass at various points along the route are covered by rhododendron, dwarf bamboo, and birch, with several other species down below. Today we’ll carry a pack lunch, as there is no place for the cook to prepare a hot lunch; however, we’ll try to serve you hot tea and/or juice, conditions permitting.

Our camp is at Mane Bhanjyang (11,600’) in a saddle.of pure yaks, backdropped by the tallest mountains on the planet.

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10: Today is a rest day to enjoy this peaceful place and give ourselves maximum opportunity to acclimatize successfully on the high ridge ahead. Here we feel as if we are lost in the middle of nowhere. We are surrounded by mountains on every side. There is also an option to do a short hike back to Gidde Danda (Vulture Hill, 12,000’) to help acclimatize. Here we have the opportunity to get some dramatic photos of pure yaks, back-dropped by the tallest mountains on the planet.

11: Well rested, we prepare to enter an entirely new world. Our camp marks the end of Milke Danda and the beginning of Jaljale Himal. Today’s route begins with a steep drop of 500’ over rocks and boulders. We then begin a steep climb on an open hill-side atop which we finally meet the Jaljale ridge (13,000’). We will have a packed lunch as there is a shortage of water enroute. As we gain altitude, we can look back and see row after row of corrugated ridges receding into the distance, backdropped by the most stunning, snow-capped peaks in the world, the Himalaya. Once on top of the ridge, the trail becomes much more gradual and our final hour into camp is almost comfortable. Camp is beside Jaljale Pokhari (13,700’), with great sunset views toward Kangchenjunga.

12: Today we wake up on top of the world! As good as the view out the tents has been since we began the trek, it doesn’t get much better than this. From here the trail will be consistently rocky and rough, alternating between indistinct yak trails and boulders, until we get to the northern point of Jaljale, several days away. Our morning walk begins with an hour-and-a-half of uphill (500’) to a small pass, beyond which open up dramatic views of the Everest and Makalu massifs. It is important to walk slowly this morning, as we have entered a zone where the likelihood of altitude-related problems is more common. We now drop down steeply (700’) to the lunch spot, Selele (13,500’). After lunch we ascend 800’ to our second pass of the day, then descend a little before crossing the most precarious section of trail on our trek, several short stretches of ledge trail where you’ll be assisted by our able Sherpa staff. We continue on to camp in a protected bowl with three small lakes called Teen Pokhari (Three Lakes, 13,800’).

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7 13: We’ll have bed tea and breakfast an hour earlier than usual, as today is one of the longest days we’ll face. But if it is long and arduous, it is also stunning in the views it will afford us. Early on we have great views to the east of Pathibhara (12,475’) and Kangchenjunga. Pathibhara is perhaps the most religiously significant place in all of eastern Nepal. As we work our way along the eastern side of the ridge, we have to cross three separate shoulders, each one involving several hundred feet of ascent followed by a similar descent. We’ll also pass three lakes this morning, one called Kalo Pokhari (Black Lake) and the others both called Banduke Pokhari (Gun Lake), which is also our lunch spot. Just beyond the second shoulder is a small pass which affords us our best views of the Everest region on our route. Cresting the third shoulder we can see our camp down below at Jumle Pokhari (Twin Lakes). We expect to arrive in camp after 5pm.

14: In Jumle Pokhari today we have to make a decision whether we take a whole day of rest or just half of it. If all agree, we may find it better to move our camp after an early lunch. We will ascend 500’ up to a saddle at 14,300’. After that we have a gradual up-and-down walk through a summer pasture area.

We will walk by a beautiful lake and descend steeply about 300’ to our new camp at Senju Lake (13,900’). Here we may meet Tibetan yakherders from Topke Gola, moving their herds of yaks and nyaks along the ridge to Gupha Pokhari (9,250’). We may have the opportunity to take pictures of gule (baby yaks) and the loading of the adult yaks carrying homemade dry cheese (churpi), herder’s utensils, rations, and woolen carpets from Tibet.

15: Today we begin with a 1,000’ ascent to Rate Dol Pass (14,800’). Ahead lie two lakes straddling the ridge, and beyond them a peak (15,200’) which can be climbed by anyone who wants to take advantage of the views from on top: Everest and Makalu to the west, and the ever-present Kangchenjunga to the east. Along our route lie a couple more lakes, and hillsides covered with the aromatic sunpati. Tonight’s camp is the highest of the trip, at Shiva Khola (14,400’).

16: Today is one of the most dramatic days of the trek, as we’ll cross the high point on the ridge and leave Jaljale, dropping back down into “civilization.” Our route begins with an ascent to Shiva Lake, fed, of course, by Shiva Brook. We trek around the west shore of the lake and then ascend to Topke Gola Pass, at 15,150’ the high point of our trek. From here we can see Topke Gola, our destination for the day, 3,000’ below. The rest of the day will be spent in first gear, descending along our trail through the forest, trying to keep our knees from disintegrating. In late afternoon we arrive at Topke Gola (12,000’), summer home of the yakherders we met up on the ridge. There is a small monastery here, kept locked at this time of year, and prayer wheels kept spinning by the movement of the stream underneath. Below the village is a very old mani wall.

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17: We have a leisurely start today, as it’s almost all downhill the rest of the way. Also, some people may want to photograph Topke in the early morning sunlight. We begin working our way down the Mewa Khola (Papaya River), which is heavily cloaked in forest for the next couple days. The forest is alpine this morning, and subtropical this afternoon, a wonderful contrast. Camp tonight is at Shewaden (8,700’), nearly 6,500’ below where we were yesterday morning!

18: We continue our long descent of the Mewa River, passing through more subtropical forest. In mid-afternoon we reenter civilization at the Tibetan village of Dongen, and continue on an hour to tonight’s camp at Papung (6,900’).

19: As we descend the river further, facial features, houses, crop patterns, and temperatures all change dramatically. The world becomes warmer and greener, villages are larger and more prosperous. Tibetans have given way to tribal Limbus, whose ornate homes are the most beautifully decorated in Nepal. Camp is at Sankrante (3,750').

20:Other than the heat, which may affect some of the trekkers, today is an easy riverside trek. Camp is just outside Dobhan (2,550'), an important market town which almost has an Indian feel to it.

21: Today you’ll ascend, steeply in places, to the market town of Taplejung. This corner of Nepal is inhabited mostly by a tribe called the Limbus. The women are easily identified by their unique jewelry, which includes large pieces of 24 carat gold, brought back from overseas by their British Gurkha army husbands and sons.

22: Today we will have an all day drive to Ilam, Nepal’s tea production center. We’ll stop along the way to explore some of the small villages and stretch our legs. We can explore the tea gardens in Ilam, and possibly have a tour of the factory to see how tea is processed.

23: We drive this morning to the airport in Bhadrapur and fly after lunch to Kathmandu. On arrival we’re transferred to our hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.

24: Full day tour of Kathmandu and its twin city, Patan, known as the City of Artisans due to the many woodcarvers and bronze casters who live here. This evening we’ll share a farewell dinner with our guide at a restaurant in town.

25: Morning at leisure to explore or rest and relax before your long journey home. End of Services.

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COST & NOTES:

Grade: Strenuous Land Cost: pricing TBD based on dates & group size

Included: All listed airport transfers, transportation to/from the trail head (by surface or regularly scheduled flight), all meals on trek, trekking services (guide/cook/porters), all communal camping equipment (tents, ground pads, cooking/eating utensils), and all required trekking permits & fees.

Not included: Meals in Kathmandu not indicated, Nepali visa (best obtained on arrival at Kathmandu airport), Tips to guides and staff, Travel/Medical Evacuation Insurance & Personal items such as laundry, telephone, shopping, etc., personal items such as laundry, telephone calls or shopping etc‌ PO PO Box Box 1566 1566 || Burlington BurlingtonVT VT 05402 05402 || (800) (800) 233 233 4499 4499 || info@aboveclouds.com info@aboveclouds.com || aboveclouds.com aboveclouds.com