Himlung Expedition  - 28 Days

Upon arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Glacier who will transfer us to our designated hotel. After check-in at the hotel, we will freshen up and rest for a while. If you arrive Kathmandu in the morning or early afternoon, we will visit Himalayan Glacier office and meet our trekking/climbing guide and discuss our upcoming trip for any preparations. Later in the evening, Himalayan Glacier will host a welcome dinner that will introduce us to the Nepalese food culture. Overnight in Kathmandu.

We tour Durbar Square, Pashupatinath temple, Swayambhunath stupa and Boudhanath stupa which are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Durbar Square sheds light on the life of the royals in ancient times. Pashupatinath temple is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for all Hindus. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple and Boudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world.

Today is a leisure day for us. While our climbing leaders will attend a formal briefing in the Ministry of Tourism, we will have time to rest as well as get familiarized with the local surroundings. Today, we will also be briefed on the nature of the expedition, equipment and team composition. We can also make our last minute shopping of personal items as we will be leaving for the mountains the following day.

During the late afternoon on the day before we leave for the mountains, our climbing leader will check our gears and equipment as Kathmandu is the last opportunity to buy anything missing. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Today, after breakfast we will drive along the Kathmandu – Pokhara Highway towards Dumre, from where we will follow the rough route along the Marsyangdi River. Passing through the low-lying villages and paddy fields, we will drive for as long as 8 hours to arrive at Besisahar, which is the capital of Lamjung District. Overnight in Besisahar.

In the morning, we will have our breakfast in our hotel and begin our drive through the off-beat road from Besisahar towards the village of Koto, our trailhead. As we drive along the Marsyangdi River, we will cross a beautiful waterfall and picturesque villages of Bhulbhule, Syange, Jagat, Chamche, Tal, Dharapani, Bagarchhap, Danagyu, and Timang before we reach Koto. Koto is the junction from where we leave the Annapurna Circuit Trekking Trail and follow the Nar Phu Valley Trekking route. The drive from Besisahar to Koto is around 4 to 5 hours on a private vehicle. Overnight in Koto.

In the morning, we register our restricted area permit at the Police Check Post. Then we trek through the River bank of Soti Khola again through wonderful pine forests, streams and suspension and reach Dharmasala. We have our lunch on the way. We then continue the trek through forests and ascend steeply towards Meta village. Finally, we arrive on the Tibetan Plateau where we have a very good view of Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal. Overnight in Meta.

Today, we trek out of Meta after breakfast. As we begin walking, magnificent sights of the unique, colorful Tibetan Buddhist Chortens appear in sight right in front of us. These are what Nar and Phu Valleys are famous for. The trail is easy following the contour and is marked by extravagant shapes of very old juniper trees and colorful bushes along the sides. After walking for about 3 to 4 hours, including crossing several suspension bridges, we will reach the deserted fields of Chyaku. Overnight in Chakyu.

We will walk on undulating paths crossing suspension bridges over different streams today. As we keep walking, the woods become thinner with wider vistas. After 3 to 4 hours of hike with a final steep climb up the valley along a small river, we will reach Kyang. It is a temporary village with remnants, particularly the ruined forts of the Khampa settlements (the place where Khampa refugees from Tibet, once captured and lived). Overnight in Kyang.

In the morning after breakfast, we start walking past the Phu Khola on a rocky trail heading towards a narrow gorge. After some time, the trail descends towards a river and upon arriving at the river bed, we will cross the river across a wooden bridge. Then, the trail heads north towards a steep climb. As we gently make our way up, we will witness several large chortens and deserted buildings. After 5 to 6 hours, we will cross a suspension bridge and arrive Phu Gaon. Overnight in Phu Gaon.

Today is the scheduled acclimatization day. We are suggested to rest and get acclimatized with the altitude. As we are in the Lost/Hidden Valley, we will explore the breathtaking Phu Valley, the culture, natural diversity, and religious practices of the ethnic groups of people. We will spend this day going for short hikes exploring the Tashi Lakhang Monastery – the old Buddhist Monastery, which is supposed to be the last monastery constructed by Karmapa Rinpoche. Phu village is an ancient village that has a history of almost 800 years.

We will tour around its old-aged houses and monasteries as well. Samdo Monastery and Choling Monastery are the two attractions of the Phu Village. Apart from exploring the cultural avenues of the Lost Valley, the valley also offers us a great view of Himlung Himal and other snow peaks of the region. Overnight in Phu Gaon.

After an acclimatization day in Phu Gaon, it is now time that we hike towards the east through a glacial valley leading to Himlung Himal base camp. Today is the shorting hiking day, so after breakfast we will leave the village on a similar trail as the past days, but with some gain in elevation. After 3 to 4 hours of a slow-pace walk, we will arrive to the base camp of Mt. Himlung, where our Sherpa team will set up a tent for the expedition team. Overnight in Mt. Himlung base camp.

Today, we will take rest and get acclimatized properly at the base camp. At the base camp, we will get to admire breathtaking views of the lofty mountains around us. Some climbing groups may not rest one day at the base camp, but we recommend to take ample rest and get properly acclimatized so that the climbing days are smooth and hassle-free. Overnight in Mt. Himlung base camp.

After breakfast, we begin on a slow and steady pace towards camp one. We need to remember that the expedition from here onwards is slightly demanding for which we may need several days/weeks of training and practice. It is always best to seek advice and assistance from our group leader on the climbing trails, in case of any difficulties. The trail towards camp one is significantly snowy. Our Sherpa crew will go ahead of us to set up our tents and make provision of hygienic meals. On arrival at camp one, we will be stunned to witness the awe-inspiring views of the Annapurna, Manaslu and Gangapurna mountains. Overnight in Camp One.

After breakfast at camp one, we will check our supplies and then begin our journey towards Camp Two. The climb is steady but quite strenuous. With a sound poise and self-determination, we will succeed to pass through it. On arrival at camp two, we get to witness the magnificent sunset view, which is indeed truly mesmerizing and once-in-a-lifetime experience. After spending a short while at camp two, we will make our way back to the base camp to spend the night. Overnight in Mt. Himlung base camp

Today is the second day set apart for acclimatization before we take on the exciting summit of Mt. Himlung. We will spend the entire day resting at the base camp, which is a nice way of getting properly acclimatized. While at the base camp, we may walk around the campsite, take photographs. Our guide will equip us with our necessary gear for the remaining trip. Overnight in Mt. Himlung base camp.

Just like the early climb to camp one, we will check our supplies and then begin our journey towards Camp Two. On arrival at camp two, we will take rest in our camping tents and be prepared for the much demanding ascending in the next few days. Overnight in Camp One.

Today after breakfast at camp one, we will proceed further ahead towards camp two with our experienced team of Sherpas, who will assist us in everything. Our previous climbing experience and the guidance of our Sherpa crew will come quite handy today. We will ascend slowly with a sound poise and self-determination. On arrival at camp two, we will rest in our tents set up by our crew member. Overnight in Camp Two.

We will leave Camp two and proceed our climb towards camp three after our breakfast in the morning. We need to move ahead with caution so as to avoid any risk of injury. It is a rather short ascend of 350m from camp two to camp three, so we will arrive at camp three campsite at noon time. After lunch at the campsite, we will move around the surroundings and savor the beauty of the Himalayas, take pictures and relax at our camp. Overnight in Camp Three.

This day is set aside so that we get ample rest before taking on the summit, and our body gets properly acclimatized to the altitude. So, we will take plenty of rest and stay hydrated all the time. In the meantime, our guide will prepare everything adequately for the upcoming summit bid, the next day. Overnight in Camp Three.

After taking plenty of rest and getting acclimatized, our body will be revitalized for the last segment of our adventurous journey to the top of Mt. Himlung. Today is definitely our big day and an important part of the entire expedition. After our trek leader makes sure that our equipment is working properly, we will begin our journey in the morning after breakfast. We will overcome the steep, snowy, and technical sections that are certainly strenuous with the aid of reliable equipment and expertise of our climbing guide.

After several hours of climbing, we will reach on top of Mt. Himlung. There, we will enjoy a vista of the surrounding landscape and the pristine beauty of the Himalayan mountains. Due to the risk of altitude sickness, we won’t spend much time at the summit. We will now begin descending back to our camp. Overnight in Camp Three.

This day, we will have our breakfast and make way towards the base camp. The trail ahead keeps descending through some of the most stunning landscapes. Although it is comparatively easier to walk down to the base camp, but we need to take care of our knees and ankles. The rough surface of the trails might be very hard on our knees and ankles. After about 5 to 6 hours of descending, we will arrive at the base camp. We will spend the night at our tents ruminating the wonderful memories of our Himulung expedition. Overnight in Base Camp.

It is now time to descend to Phu Village after the successful summit of Mt. Himlung. We will clean up and then enjoy our breakfast at the base camp and then set out to retrace back to Phu. The 5 to 6 hours of descend back to Phu is moderate, but we must take care that we don’t hurt our knees or ankles during the descend. If time is right for you and the day falls a full moon night, then you will get to witness the Full Moon prayer by the local people. Overnight in Phu Gaon

We will leave the scenic village of Phu after our breakfast on a descending trail and follow the trail back to the suspension bridge. During the hike today, we will pass the monasteries, chortens, and old buildings behind descending towards Kyang. The trail passes through a battered moraine before we cross over the Mruju Khola. As the trail has more descends, we get to enjoy the astonishing views of Lamjung Himal without getting much tired. After 5 to 6 hours of walk, we will end up reaching the village of Meta, where we will rest for the remaining time in our designated teahouse or lodge. Overnight in Meta.

After breakfast in Meta, we will begin walking, following the same trail that we had hiked while going for our Himlung expedition. Today is the last trekking day for us, so it is another chance to enjoy the trek and look out for sceneries that we might have missed earlier. The trail passes through stone huts of Singenge towards a dense forest gradually leading to a slight descend to a suspension bridge over the Seti Khola. Walking around 6 to 7 hours amidst the beautiful sounds of the several gushing rivers and peaceful forested trails, we will reach Koto Village after a short ascend. Overnight in Koto.

We have our breakfast in Koto and then a private vehicle will be waiting for us that will take us to Besisahar. The drive from Koto to Besisahar is approximately 7 to 8 hours on the dusty road. By the time we reach Besisahar, we might feel exhausted by the bumpy ride, so we will rest in our designated teahouse/lodge room. Overnight in Besisahar.

After breakfast in Besisahar, we will drive back to Kathmandu, which is roughly 6 to 7-hour drive depending on the road and traffic conditions on the main highway. On arrival in Kathmandu, we will be transferred to our designated hotel where, we will rest for the evening. Later, we will have a farewell dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Today is a leisure day for us in Kathmandu. We may either stroll around the streets of Thamel or explore the world heritage sites. Some of us may want to buy souvenir items to carry back home for relatives or friends back home. In the evening time, we may enjoy the serene atmosphere of Thamel’s nightlife. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Our adventure in Nepal officially ends today. A representative from Himalayan Glacier will drop us off at the Tribhuwan International Airport well ahead of your scheduled flight time.