Tsum Valley Trek

End Point : Y

Manaslu tsum Valley trekking is actually good place to spend your holidays. There is lot of things it’s really interesting to know. The place is located north from the Kathmandu. In Tsum valley the people are flowing Tibetan Buddhism and culture language are also similar like in Tibet. The local people are habitually of Tibetan origin and speak a unique language. Tsum Valley was a secret region waiting it is opened for trekking in 2008 and there is small information available on the area. The tsum Valley is a holy Himalayan Buddhist pilgrimage valley located in northern Gorkha Nepal. Exactly “Tsum” means vivid against the magnificent scenery of the Ganesh Himal, Sringi Himal and Buddha Himalayan Ranges, this peaceful Himalayan valley is rich in very old art, culture and religion. The local people are habitually of Tibetan origin and speak unique language. Trails are strewn with imaginative Chortens and lined with Mani walls made of thousands of stone slabs fixed with drawing of deities and inscribed with prayers. The famous Kyimu Lung, a pilgrimage circuit in the central Trans-Himalaya, is well well-known for its center of learn and meditation.

This circuit traverses the Tsum Valley the Manaslu area in Nepal, and southern parts of Tibet. The Tsum Valley has long history of Buddhism. The Buddhist saint Milarepa is believed to be meditated in the caves of these mountains. Traditionally, the valley was a culturally distinct geographical called “Tsum Tso Chuksum”, which means thirteen provinces ruled as a single area. The very old remains of the Tsum Kingdom are still visible today. Due to its remoteness and inaccessibility, this holy valley and its people have been bypassed by typical development for centuries. As a result, the only one of its kind culture of this valley has remained intact. The valley is drained by the Shear Khola, which originates from the western glacier of Ganesh Himal and east and southern glaciers of Sringi Himal and meets the Budhi Gandaki at Nyak. The valley is uniquely rich in wildlife, especially the Himalayan Thar and Blue Sheep which congregates in herds of 50 to 200. Hunting, fishing is not allowed in the Tsum Valley. The valley also boasts some unique and historic monasteries, as well as Rachen Gompa and Mu Gompa, which lie on a pretty plateau nestled in the lap of the valley and Gompa Lungdang, situated at the base of a pointed hill against the main hill of Ganesh Himal.

Numerous festivals, several mask dances and rituals are celebrated during the year in the Tsum Valley preserving the century old practices. Loshar:- LO means year and SHAR means new, the Tibetan word meant of Happy Loshar (Tibetan New Year) celebrated according to the Tibetan Lunar Calendar offering large quantities of incense to appease the local spirits, deities and protectors. Tsumbas of the lower tsum valley celebrate Loshar earlier than the upper Tsum people. Dhajang (The horse Festival):-The second most important festival of this region is celebrated on a slightly different date than the normal Dec/Jan. Committed to the welfare of the people, it is celebrated by the active male participants holding horse races leaving women to join in the evening for dancing and singing. Happy Saka Dawa:- The full moon day of Saka Dawa commemorates Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and Nirvana As cited by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the Hinayana text Treasure of Quotations and Logic, virtuous actions done on this day (fall in May) are multiplied one hundred million times. Rituals are performed at local monasteries and nunneries and the devotees take fasting during this time.

Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu Airport

Arrival pick up & transfer to Hotel. O/N at Hotel on BB Basis.

Day 02: Full day sight seeing in Kathmandu Valley           

Full Day Kathmandu sightseeing Swambhunath temple, BouddhaNath Stupa, Pasupatinath Temple & Kathmandu             Durbar square. O/N in Kathmandu

Day 03: Kathmandu to Arughat Bazaar (540m),
Morning after breakfast, drive to Arughat Bazaar by Land Curser or Local Bus through exploring Nepalese country side that offer green hills, river, farms. Overnight at Tented Camp .
Day 04: Arughat Bazaar to Soti Khola (730m),
After breakfast,trek to Soti Khola with easy walk hilly up and down through passing Gurung and Mager villages, passing seasonal crops fields and waterfalls. Overnight at Tented Camp.
 
Day 05: Soti Khola to Machha Khola (930m),
After breakfast we walk 6-7 hours with normal local trail to Machha Khola. Machha Khola means Fish River and it’s located just over the stream. Overnight at Tented Camp.

Day 06: Machhi Khola to Doban (1150m),
After breakfast Trek  to Yaru Phat, several steep ascend and descents through exploring country hill side, crossing and passing rivers and passing several settlements. Overnight at Tented Camp.

Day 07: Doban to Philim (1570m),
After breakfast, trek start with rugged trail with up and down continue to Philim through passing jungle and dramatically stunning view of Srigri Himal. Philim is a large numbers of Gurung villages with millet and corn fields. Overnight at Tented Camp .Day 08: Philim to Chumling 2360m/7743ft -6.30 hours Climb slowly uphill to Eklebhatti. Continue further reach the place one is going to Manaslu and next to Tsum valley. Walk with pine forest, ups and reach Chumling with the view of Shringi Himal 7187m. It is known as Lower Tsum.

Day 09: Chumling to Chhekampar 3000m/9842ft -5.30 hours Climb ups and down following with Syar Khola valley. Walk through pine forest to reach Chhekampar and it is situated on a flat land with view of Ganesh Himal, Boudha Himal and Himal Chuli. Here are 2 villages Chhekam and Par known as Upper Tsum valley. Here has been practiced polyandry marriage system for a few houses.

Day 10: Chhekampar to Nile – 3350m/10990ft -6.30 hours Climb through the shrubland to the last village Nile/Chhule in Tsum valley. There is a piren phu (pigeon cave) which is believed once Milarepa was meditated here is situated at cliff nearby Burji village. There are 2 Gompas with carvings stone on the rocky cave.

Day 11: Nile to Mu Gompa 3700m/12139ft -4 hours Climb gradually uphill with gorgeous valley with grassland to the Mu Gompa. It is a largest Gompa of 19th century old. The is statue of Tara, Padmasambhava and Avalokiteshwara. You can visit to next old Dephyudonma Gompa 4050m/13287ft in 2 hours and here is possible camp with water.

Day 12: Rest Day in Mu Gompa 3700m/12139ft From here one trail leads to Tibet pass too. Take a hike towards Pika Himal basecamp which is nearby Tibet border and the view of Ganesh Himal range is superb here. Back to the camp and stay overnight Mu Gompa.

Day 13: Mu Gompa to Rachhen Gompa 3300m/10826ft -5 hours Walk with grassland to the Rachhen Gompa. It is 19th century old and situated Shiar Khola valley nearby Tibet border. Here are only nons (woman) and is not allowed some part of the Gompa. Here is big Mani and thousand clay statues of Avalokiteshwara. Stay overnight here.

Day 14: Rachhen Gompa to Tumje -6 hours Walk ups and downs with stream and pine forest to Tumje and stay overnight here.

Day 15: Tumje to Philim 1550m/5085ft -6 hours Walk down hill uphill with stream, cross Ripchet, waterfall, forest to Philim village and stay overnight.

Day 16: Philim to Tatopani 950m/3117ft -7 hours Walk with lot of ups, downs with stream, waterfall, bridge, forest, river valley through Setibas, Jagat and Yaru Khola towards Tatopani literally means hot spring place. Stay over night here.

Day 17: Tatopani to Soti Khola 710m/2329ft -6 hours Walk bank of the Budhi Gandaki River with crossing it, ups, downs, waterfalls, forest through Machha Khola, Labu Besi, Khorsaani towards Soti Khola and stay over night here.

Day 18: Soti Khola to Arughat Bazaar 570m/1870ft -6 hours Walk through the sub tropical forest, Magar and Gurung village, waterfall, bank of Budhi Gandaki River to the Arughat Bazaar.

Day 19: Arughat Bazaar to Kathmandu 1350m/4429ft -8 hours by bus Bus goes to Salyantar, Ankhu Khola, Palpa Bhyang, Dhading Besi, Malekhu, Trishuli River valley, Highway and finally Kathmandu and stay over night at hotel.

Day 20: Departure to Tribhuban Internationl Airport You should enter the airport 3 hours before your flight schedule. It is 6 km car ride with our representative takes minimum 30 minutes time to get there. We hope you enjoyed once in Nepal and it is not enough so we optimist next visit with us for new programme. We wish you safe and happy flight journey to next destination with putting scarf (Khata). We make sure you are not going to pay any airport take because it is already included in your flight ticket.

Cost Includes:

• All necessary transportation by private vehicle. (Kathmandu to Aarughat to Kathmandu by Local Bus)
• Hotel in Kathmandu on twin sharing basis with breakfast
• All accommodation and meals during the trek on Tented Camp.
• A full day sightseeing tour in Kathmandu valley including tour guide and entrance fees
• An experienced English-speaking trek leader (trekking guide), assistant trek leader (4 trekkers: 1 assistant guide) and Sherpa porters to carry luggage
• All trekking equipment (Tent, mattress, dining tent, kitchen tent, toilet tent, kitchen utensils etc.)
• Including staff salary, insurance, equipment food and lodging
• Down jacket, four seasonal sleeping bag, duffel bag and trekking map (down jacket and sleeping bag are to be returned after trip completion)
• All necessary paper work and permits (National park permit, TIMS )
• Medical kit
• All government and local taxes

Cost Does not Includes:

• Nepal Visa fee
• International airfare to and from Kathmandu
• Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu because of early arrival, late departure, early return from mountain (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
• Altitude chamber (PAC) or oxygen
• Lunch and Dinner in Kathmandu
• Travel and rescue insurance
• Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, heater, etc.)
• Optional trips and sightseeing if extended
• Tips for guides and porters