TREK ITINERARY
Expedition to Muktinath March 2012
The trek up to Muktinath is a classic. It has heaps of variety. From the tropics in Pokhara to the windswept plains of the trans-himal in Mustang. There are pine forests, farming communities, old gombas and, of course, massive snowy peaks.
We spend a couple of nights in Kathmandu, sightseeing, getting acquainted and shopping for gear. You can line up some great souvenirs too, especially if you like art, craft, felt, funky clothing, trekking gear, paintings (modern and traditional), jewellery, brassware, silk saris.......I think you get the picture. If you don’t like shopping I can arrange for you to go and visit around the valley.
We will take our own bus down to Pokhara and spend two nights there. On our free day we can go out on the lake and climb to the Peace Stupa for our first really good look at the Anapurnas and to test out our gear and our ‘trekking legs’.
Our minibus will take as to Nyapul to start the trek, its only about an hour from Pokhara. The trail climbs quite steeply up to Gorepani but don’t worry we will take three days to get there. On the third morning you will have the option to climb the famous Pun Hill for one of the world’s best views. Then the trail descends through intensively farmed hillsides to the village of Tatopani which has a great view of Nilgiri South and boast a hot spring; a bit ugly but very functional. We take a rest day there as the next day is a fairly long climb into pine forests at Ghasa. The village of Ghasa is lined with traditional whitewashed stone houses and there is a tiny gomba (Bhuddist temple). From Ghasa its a fairly easy day on the road up to Kalopani. The lodge there is a beauty and the views of Daulaghiri and the Anapurnas will astound.
After Kalopani the trail is much flatter and easier as we walk across the wide Kali Gandaki valley. It is up to two kilometres wide in places and we might, with luck, find a few saligram fossils. The villages of this region, Mustang, are lovely; Tukche, where we stay in an old converted salt-traders house, Marpha, where we stop for lunch and a look around and then Jomsom which is probably the least attractive village on the trek but has a wild, windswept quality of its own.
Above Jomsom is one of my favourite parts of Nepal. The flat valley floor is easy to walk and the dry, wind-eroded, bare hills have a magical quality of their own, especially as we approach the holy temples at Muktinath. Kagbeni is a crumbling ruin of a place and its a steep climb up to Muktinath but don’t worry, we will use the local ponies. It is a nice steady descent the next day – directly for some or via Kagbeni one more time for others.
From Jomsom we will take an early morning flight (with any luck) back to Pokhara for a choice of recovery days or a direct flight to Kathmandu.
I actually love the bus ride back to Kathmandu. Scenic in the extreme and pretty easy to take with your feet up after all that trekking.
We will have two or more nights in Kathmandu for more shopping or sightseeing – depending on your schedule. Our lodgings are quite near Bouda so I like to walk over there for dinner in the evenings. Also, the Kopan Gomba is worth a visit and only about half an hour’s walk away. A taxi ride to Nagarkot and a day’s walk down is another option, with a chance to check out Bhaktapur at the end of the day.
So, here is your itinerary. Remember, it is not written in stone. We may have to adapt to conditions out there on the day. Landslides can block the trail, heavy weather could keep us indoors or force us to turn back. In the ten years I have been taking people up to Muktinath nobody has ever gone home disappointed. It is ALL GOOD. COST IS $2650 (AUD) EX KATHMANDU - INCLUDING ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF.
| March 10 | Arrive in Kathmandu, airport pickup and settle into our local hotel. A short walk in the late afternoon to Boudanath Stupa for dinner. |
| March 11 | Into Thamel (tourist area) of Kathmandu for gear shopping and sightseeing around the old bazaars. Pay me and do some banking – rates are better here than Pokhara. Visit to the tailor? Pick up later. |
| March 12 | Bus trip to Pokhara. It takes about 7 hours with a few tea and pee stops and a lovely break for buffet lunch. Evening wander around the Lakeside area of Pokhara. More gear shopping as required – rent or buy. |
| March 13 | Out on the lake in the morning for a short climb to test our gear. Then a ‘gear check’ and last-minute shopping. Evening, meet the porters and hold pre-trek briefing. |
| March 14 | Minibus out to Nyapul to start our trek. Trek 45 minutes to Birethanti for morning tea, lunch along the way and trek to Tikedungha. Gently uphill. Always feels tough the first day. |
| March 15 | A hard day up an endless stone staircase. Very slowly. Lunch at Hille and overnight at Banthanti. Afternoon recovery time – you will need it. |
| March 16 | Uphill again but not so steeply now. Through rhododendron forest in deep shade to Gorepani at 2800 metres. Might get a view if afternoon is clear. Colder! The rhodis should be starting to flower! |
| March 17 | Early morning climb Pun Hill (optional). The view from the lodge is pretty good anyway. Downhill after breakfast to Sikha, a lovely old village. Nice easy trekking and getting gradually warmer. |
| March 18 | Downhill again, back to 1100 metres, at Tatopani. Hot Springs, good cooking, comfortable rooms, nice garden. Warm conditions. |
| March 19 | Tatopani again! Why not, it’s really nice here. (Optional) |
| March 20 | Our hardest day. Quite long and there is a steep climb in the middle. We will take it very slowly. Stay overnight at Ghasa. We could jeep the first section which is road.?? You could walk the harder off-road route? |
| March 21 | Uphill again to Kalopani. We should be there for a late lunch. Stunning valley with Daulaghiri and Tukche Ice Fall behind and Anapurna 1 and Barasikhar in front. Very comfortable lodge. |
| March 22 | A much easier trek now as we enter the upper reaches of the Kali Gandaki river. No more climbing. Wide open river flats with rocks and fossils along the way. Tukche, in a beautiful old salt traders house overnight. Really lovely village architecture. |
| March 23 | Another flat, easy day with lunch stop at Marpha, another architectural gem, and overnight at Jomsom, via Upper Shyang (old unspoiled village). Tea at a friend’s house along the way. |
| March 24 | Another easy day’s walking – just three hours – to Kagbeni. The river valley is a wildly beautiful environment. Afternoon, optional side-trip up to Thiri in the previously forbidden kingdom of Upper Mustang. Offload excess gear for the overnight to Muktinath (if returning) |
| March 25 | Ponies carry us up to Muktinath (there is a jeep for those who prefer). High and wild, glimpses of Thorong La, ancient temples. 3800 metres with the views you would expect. Very Tibetan. Overnight at Jarkot just below Muktinath. |
| March 26 | This is always a lovely day. Strolling fairly gently downhill all day with a good look around Jarkot on the way – 500-year-old gomba. Alternatively walk directly back to Jomsom. Longer but nearly all gently downhill. |
| March 27 | Some of you will fly back to Pokhara today. Others will walk over, nice and slowly, from Kagbeni to Jomsom. (you can ride ponies again if you really want to). Afternoon hike over to Thini?? |
| March 28 | Flight back to Kathmandu for some. Afternoon activities to be decided. Shopping, sightseeing (Durbar Square?) |
| OR | |
| March 30 | Flying home for some. |
| OR | Back to Kathmandu. Heaven to sit on the bus watching the splendid scenery goes by – no effort required. Nice dinner at Bouda?? Or you could stay in Pokhara for another relaxing day ???? |
| March 31 | A chance to see some more of Kathmandu, perhaps some shopping. Happy to arrange whatever you would like. Or travelling back to KTM. |
Some of you will be staying on for a few days in Kathmandu. I will be happy to arrange somebody nice to take care of you – shopping, sightseeing, a day-walk. Your choice.
A few things to remember:
You can leave luggage at Kathmandu and Pokhara. You don’t have to take all your ‘city clothes’ with you on trek. They could be washed for your return!
I will check your gear and let you know if you are under or over-equipped. I will take you shopping for anything you might need – sleeping bag, jacket, water bottle, overpants, etc.
You will be well briefed before the trek about safety, trail and lodge etiquette, photos, etc.
If you can’t get a flight for the exact dates we can accommodate that.
If the itinerary sounds a bit daunting remember I’ve had two people, Don and Irene, both 82 years of age complete this trek and lots of people well into their seventies. Take heart!
YOU CAN DO THIS!!
teresadb@hotmail.com
Cheers, Teresa
