Helambu and Panch Pokhari
Pure Himalayan magic - wonderful cultures, great views, stunning trails, plenty of wildlife and rarely another trekker in sight - this is a great trek for the wildflower spring season.
Primarily a cultural trek through Hindu, Tamang and Sherpa regions this area is rarely visited by tourists. We begin from the Kathmandu/Lhasa road and ascend to the sacred pilgrimage lakes of Panch Pokhari (literary means five ponds). We then cross some rugged, untamed country which skirts the southern reaches of the Langtang National Park to connect with the beautiful trails through Helambu.
Oak, pine and rhododendron forests full of wildlife, and hopefully the famous Daphne pheasant, is interspersed with quaint and sometimes historic villages.
This is a great spring-time trek when the wildflowers are in full bloom and the people are full of excitement at the end of winter.
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Details |
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Price Includes |
(HK-18393-P) |
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All airline tickets and tax. |
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All necessary permit and entrance fees. |
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All hotels in Kathmandu. |
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Airport pickup and drove. |
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All ground transportation. |
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All staff's wages and insurance. |
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All the meal during the trek (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) |
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All Trekking equipment like tents, tables, chairs, mattresses, pillows, hot water bags and Kitchen crews |
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Price Excludes |
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• Personal bar bill, travel insurance/ International airfare
• Items of personal expenses such as alcoholic drinks, cold drinks. laundry tips etc
• Nepal entry visa fee
• Personal expenses
• Personal rescue if you need
• Note above day to day itinerary. May be change depending on weather and flights. |
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Suitability / Level |
Demanding |
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Theme |
Small Group Travel
(Click to Search All) |
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Max Group Size |
14 |
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Itinerary
& Highlights |
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Day 1 - Arrival Kathmandu transfer to Hotel
Meet with our representative at the airport. Drive to hotel.
Day 2 - Kathmandu
Sightseeing Day see Kathmandu Day Trips for ideas of what to do.
Day 3 - Kathmandu–Chautara- Syaule
We drive to Chautara on the Araniko Highway (the main road to Tibet) and then trek to our overnight camp at Syaule.
Day 4 -Syaule – Kamikharka Danda
The first part of the trek is the ascent of a long ridge which will take us a few days. The trail begins with a climb up to the forested Okrin Danda ridge, then past an unusual double Mani wall (Buddhist prayer stones). It is almost a continual climb after lunch and our legs will really start to feel it but the country is beautiful and the people always greet us with a smile and Namaste! to wish us on our way. Note that water is scarce here (the main source is a 30 minute walk away) so make sure that you have a good supply at breakfast for the day.
Day 5 - Kamikharka Danda – Chyachya Danda
We trek through some classic Himalayan scenery today. A really enjoyable ascending trail through rhododendron and oak forests and views of the mid hills and distant mountains continues to follow the ridge line and brings us to a picturesque Chorten (Buddhist burial memorial). Our camp site is now not far as we descend across summer pastures to Chyachya Danda. Note that water is again scarce throughout today so please ensure you fill up at breakfast.
Day 6 - Chyachya Danda– Hile Bhanjyang
After breakfast we climb steadily across rough pastures to some cairn markers on the ridge. And then relief (!) as our trail becomes a gentler ascent through rhododendron and oak forest and up to another crest at Chhyangsa Marphu. The final descent to Hille Bhanjyang is a bit steep and in spring can be in deep snow with difficult icy section in the gullies.
Day 7 - Hile Bhanjyang-Nasem Pati
The exertion of the trail over the previous days is soon forgotten when we hit the flagstone trail along the ridge line and enjoy some great views of the mighty Himalaya. We are now one the well trod route to Panch Pokhari which becomes heavily congested each year with pilgrims.
Day 8 - Panch Pokhari
We make a day of visiting the sacred lakes at Panch Pokhari today. This holy Hindu site of five lakes honours the Lord Shiva, whose shrine stands beside a cluster of cast-iron tridents on the shore of the main lake. The nearby stream is also sacred, so please do not wash in it. Every year on the full moon in June/July many thousands of Nepali's come here to take Darshan with Shiva, it is a beautiful and deeply spiritual place. It is possible to camp here and add a further night to the itinerary for those who wish to enjoy the site further.
Day 9 - Nasem Pati - Gai Kharka
After breakfast we head west towards the heart of the Helambu region, threading our way through old growth forests and ravines which constitute the southern edge of Nepal's first National Park - Langtang. This region is rich with native Himalayan biodiversity- including tigers - but we will be safe in our campsite at Gai Kharka.
Day 10 - Gai Kharka - Yangri.
Today we follow a sometimes steep and rough trail that descends through temperate rhododendron, pine and oak forest. The villages we pass through gain in size as we approach a bridge over the Panch Pokhari Khola (Indrawati River) which leads to our campsite beside the Larke Khole at Yangri.
Day 11 - Yangri - Lhakhang Gompa
The morning's ascent through Yangri, past the school and onto Dalegaon doesn't faze us now that we are walking fit. Here we enjoy a lovely shaded rest spot and relax while the day-to-day bustle of mountain life continues around us. Our trail then continues up through Bangdang after which we may see a great waterfall in spate on the other side of the valley. We cross the ridge above us which takes us into the Helambu region proper and our campsite at Lhakhang Gompa where we can finally stop for the day.
Day 12 - Lhakhang Gompa - Tarkeghyang
We start today with a visit to the nearby Gompa and the millions of prayer flags attached to the fir trees that surround the monastic compound - it is truly an impressive sight. If time permits and we are feeling fit we can also visit the nearby view point of Yangri Ma which becomes congested on Bhuddas birthday with picnickers. The trail down from the ridge is a little steep and eroded, but we soon reach Tarkeghyang.
Day 13 - Tarkeghyang – Melamchi Goan
We have now entered the heart of the Helambu region known for its mixed Tamang/Sherpa culture and Tibetan tea. Today is a fairly short trek through a maze of trails across the Melamchi Khola to Melamchi where we can try tzarjah (Tibetan tea) and polda (Tibetan tea and tsampa mixed together).
Day 14 - Melamchi Goan- Tharepati
We climb up through beautiful mixed forest and onto the minor ridge that connects with the Gosainkunda and Langtang treks. Our destination is the small village of Tharepati which was just a summer grazing area in 1990. In the distance can be seen the Laurebina Pass - the entry point to the sacred lakes of Gosainkunda.
Day 15 - Tharepati- Kutumsang
Following the ridge line trail we enter some beautiful mixed forest and a favoured haunt of the Danphe pheasant - the multi-coloured national bird of Nepal. After what seems no time at all we enter the village of Kutumsang where the Tibetan based cultures of the Langtang region give way to the Hindu cultures of the low-hills.
Day 16 - Kutumsang - Chisopani
As we descend the ridge line we pass through rhododendron and pine forests punctuated by small villages all of which contain a rag-tag bunch of adorable children who will all want to be your friends! The change in culture becomes more noticeable as women start to wear the distinctive sari styles of the Kathmandu valley. We camp at Chisopani for some great sunset views of the now distant mountains and a final night party.
Day 17 - Chisopani – Kathmandu
We crest a final ridge this morning a wave a last farewell to the mountains before heading down a large hill that we thank heavens we didn't have to walk up! We clatter down the final stone steps to the road head at Sundarijal where our transport will be waiting for us.
Day 18 - Kathmandu
Day 19 - Final Day end of trek debrief and departure. |
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Accommodation
& Centre Details |
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4 night's hotel, 14 nights camping |
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Holidays
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