From
Gorkha, the ancient royal city of the
Gurungs and the origin of the illustrious Gurkhas, the
normal approach to the twin-turreted, fairy-tale-castle-like Mt.
Manaslu follows the trade route
alongside the Buri Gandaki through its deep gorge gouged between
high rock precipices, comparable
to those in Yosemite or the Dolomites, to the remote Tibetan
settlement of Samagaon sheltering at
the base of the world's eighth-highest mountain.
An
interesting detour is to include a
crossing of the Rupina La directly beneath the spectacular
Baudha Peak.
The
route winds up a broad, terraced ridge
through fields of golden grain and brightly painted
farmhouses with elaborately carved, wooden windowsills and
balustrades. Fine views obtain to the
west of the wide, white sweep of the Annapurna Himal.
"Busnos",
( please sit down )
invited Khadke, one of our two kitchenboys, at a shady chautara
( stone or wooden platform for porters to rest their loads )
beneath a grove of great burr and
pipal trees.
Beyond
the last of the small, farming
settlements we followed a complex route on faint trails
through uninhabited wilderness to gain the snow-covered pass.
Above the col a tremendous ridge of
rock and ice swept up to the summit of the Baudha Peak and on
round to the adjacent Himalchuli.
Plunging
down through deep, soft snow we
entered the beautiful, tranquil Chuling Valley
- uninhabited and seldom visited. Behind us the huge east face of
the Baudha Peak soared sheer
above the chaotic ice-falls of the Chuling Glacier. Ahead, the
serrated summits of the Ganesh Himal
seemed to float in an azure sky completely disassociated from
their rugged, forested foothills.
"
I want to retire here as a shepherd
", announced Horst at breakfast one morning before we
descended to the timber-roofed, stone-built dwellings in the
compact Gurung village of Ngyak in the
Buri Gandaki valley.
Harvesting
was in progress. Everything was
being done manually. In the stone-walled fields the
ripe, golden grain was being cut with hand scythes to be carried
to the flagstoned farmyards and
thrashed with long-handled, wooden flails.
Beyond
Ngyak we entered 'Little Mustang' -
the isolated upper valley of the Buri Gandaki with its
small communities of Tibetan peoples.
Great
walls of mani-stones ( stone tablets
inscribed with the Buddhist mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum'
- hail to the jewel of the lotus ) and numerous, multi-tiered
chortens ( Buddhist stone-built
cairn-like shrines ) lined the trail. Some of the larger chorten
had archways decorated with
colourful, intricate thangkas ( Buddhist religious paintings ).
"
Shim, shim ", ( give me
something ) entreated the brown-faced, ruddy-cheeked youngsters
swaddled
in heavy clothing against the bitingly cold wind. Giddah ( large
eagles ) soared effortlessly
overhead while side-valleys afforded fine views up to the lofty
snow peaks of Himalchuli and
Ngadi Chuli.
Suddenly,
on rounding a bend, the mighty
pyramid of Manaslu, dazzling white in the bright sunshine,
appeared in full view towering above the pine forests. We
continued beneath great snowfields and
vast scree slopes across extensive yak pastures alongside the
Buri Gandaki, now much reduced in
size, through the main village of Samagaon, with its small gompa
( Buddhist monastery ), and on to
the cluster of flat-roofed dwellings at Samdu - one of the
highest permanent settlements in the
Nepal Himalaya.
From
Samdu there is a low pass into Tibet.
Local traders can cross the border freely but not so
trekkers. All groups must be accompanied by a police liaison
officer.
We
now climbed due west away from the river
into a side-valley leading up to the Larkya La. A
disconsolate group of Americans was coming down. One of their
members had AMS ( Acute Mountain
Sickness ) and they had been unable to cross the pass.
In
dim pre-dawn light we trudged up rough
moraines beneath a black, jagged ridge. At 5,200metres
the Larkya La is neither a difficult ( assuming good weather )
nor a particularly high pass but I
was suffering from the altitude and every step was a major mental
and physical effort.
Eventually
a final snow slope led up to the
pass bedecked with brightly-coloured prayer-flags.
Above us loomed the Larkya La Peak - a fine 6000metre summit not
requiring a climbing permit. A
treacherous, icy path led onwards across the wind-swept col.
The
descent on the far side over rough,
loose scree was much steeper than on the ascent and height
was lost rapidly as we scrambled down into a savagely glaciated
valley enclosed by towering snow
peaks.
Encamped
in a magnificent location in yak
pastures beneath the enormous, rock and ice cliffs of
Mt.Phungi - an outlier of Manaslu - a superb vista extended up
the glacier to the pinnacles and
pyramids of the Peri Himal.
Next
morning a cairned path led down over
moraines into the densely wooded valley of the Dudh Khola
beneath the dramatic western face of Manaslu with great rock
ridges enclosing vast snow fields and
huge hanging glaciers.
Two
days later we reached the police
checkpoint in the village of Thonje on the banks of the
Marsayangdi Khola on the trade route to Manang - the first leg of
the circuit around the Annapurna
Himal and familiar territory from my first himalayan journey.
Detailed
Account:
Rupina La
l.l Gorkha to Sirandan:
Our first night was spent without kitbags, tents or dinner beneath
a starry himalayan sky. We had lost our 40 man trekking crew.
From Kathmandu we had travelled by bus to Gorkha to be met by ‘LB’
( our Sirdar ) and Nima ( one of our 3 Sherpas, Assistant Sirdars ) who
had come through the previous day with our equipment and food supplies.
Having directed some locally recruited porters to carry our kitbags
to a campsite at the nearby village of Chisapani ‘LB’ led us up an
interminable stone stairway to the King's palace on a hilltop high
above
the town. An armed Guardsman forbade the photographing of the erotic
woodcarvings decorating the roof struts.
It was a short downhill walk on the other side to the village of
Chisapani. However our trekking crew was not to be found. Not until
lunchtime the next day were we to be re-united. In the locality there
were 3 villages called Chisapani - we had gone to one whilst our crew
had gone to another.
On our second night we canped only a short distance from Gorkha on
a grassy terrace amidst trees overlooking the Dorandi Khola and broad
rice paddies.
For the following 3 days our route was along a broad ridgetop up
through terraced hillsides with fields of golden grain and picturesque
villages with thatched roofed farmhouses resplendent with brightly
painted flower murals and ornate window frames and balustrades.
Splendid
views obtained of the white massifs of the surrounding himalaya soaring
above the green and brown foothills into clear blue skies. To the West
was the long sweep of the Annapurnas, ahead to the North were the
peaks of Himalchuli and Baudha of the Manaslu Himal and to the East
loomed
the jagged summits of the Ganesh Hinal.
Massive burr and peepal trees provided shady chautaara ( stone platforms where our porters could rest
there loads. ”Busnos", ( please
sit down we were invited. Elsewhere our kitchenboys played exuberantly on the numerous 'rotapings' (
Nepalese 4 seat Ferris wheels
and 'lingapings' ( rope swings suspended from 4 tall bamboo poles.
I was on trek again with Horst and
Ursula ( companions on previous
treks to Rolwaling and Hongu and 5 other German friends.
At the Tamang village of Sirandan we
were entertained at our canpfire by
the singing and dancing of the local youngsters. Raymund,
nicknamed ‘The Elephant Man’ due to his
ample dimensions, stole the show
with his energetic attempts to emulate the intricate and
graceful movements of the dancers. On
the following morning we stopped
at the large whitewashed chorten at the village centre to
make a contribution to the funds of the
school.
1.2 Sirandan to Rupina La
High Camp:
Sirandan was to be the last
village for more than a week and the
terraced fields now gave way to woodlands and meadows. In the
evening a 'gai kharke' ( cow pasture on
the ridgetop provided a fine
camping place.
Next day our route emerged from the
forests onto open, boulder-strewn
moorland with a few scattered wickerwork huts of cattle herders.
Ahead of us, beyond an escarpment, rose
the snow-capped summits of Himalchuli
and Baudha Peak.
Henceforth it was a complex route to
Rupina La and ‘LB’ hired one of
the local cattle herders to escort us over the faint trails through
the uninhabited wilderness and across
the intervening ridgetops.
Climbing above a rhododendron forest we
encanped in a grassy amphitheatre
on the steep rugged hillside. There was a magnificent
sunset that evening and a splendid view
down the valley to a sea of clouds
with rocky crests protruding in silhouette against a flaming
red sky.
An arduous 2 hours next morning gained a col on the ridge at an
altitude of over 4000m. Across a narrow valley precipitous rock walls
rose to snow covered tops whilst at the valley mouth the eastern
horizon was lined with the jagged summits of the Ganesh Hinal. From
the col an ice-bound path plunged down to a pleasant lunchspot in
grassy meadows beside a sparkling stream.
A path led downstream for a short distance before angling upwards and
across a broad shoulder providing more fine views of the Ganesh
Hinal. A long, steep descent through rhododendron forest brought us to
a snall clearing on the banks of another stream.
Tonight for the first time there were no nearby huts or houses that our
porters could use but they speedily and expertly constructd
shelters fron the plentiful supply of banboos and reeds.
In the morning another stiff ascent to the top of the opposite ridge
was rewarded with a view of the Dorandi Khola far below nestling
beneath high forested hillsides surmounted by rugged, snow-covered
crags.
An initially gradual descent across open moorland led to a steeper one
through rhododendron forest. At an awkward traverse across adversely
sloping slabs Hans Dieter lost his footing and slipped - only by
clutching a thin sapling did he manage to avoid a long and serious fall
Reaching the banks of the river we headed upstream through conifers and
encanped in boulder strewn noorland beneath high enclosing rock
walls.
The river had dwindled to a mere stream at the valleyhead where we
climbed the tussock grass slopes to a small set of ledges left
littered by a previous group. Although it was only midday there were no
higher campsites before the pass and an afternoon's respite was
welcome before an anticipated long hard day. There was also some
trepidation regarding the possibility of altitude sickness - some of
our party had not previously been above 4000m. To add to our concerns
we were now enshrouded in cloud and mist blown up the valley by a
cold, shilling wind.
1.3 Across Rupina La:
In the din pre-dawn light we scrambled up the steep grassy hillside
angling towards the crest of a spur. Thereafter an inter-mittent path
continued onwards and upwards to a shoulder and a sighting of our
objective. On the skyline, beyond a snow-covered boulder field lay the
Rupina La - our gateway to the Chhuling valley.
Steps had to be kicked in the final snow slopes to the col but then we
were there, to be rewarded with a breathtaking outlook.
Sweeping round above and before us were the massive rock and ice walls
of the Baudha Hinal with huge tumbling glaciers and enormous scree
slopes. The summit cones of Himalchuli and Manaslu poked above the
ridgeline into cloud-free skies.
A cold wind was blowing and our porters did not linger on the summit
but immediately began the steep descent through fresh, soft,
waist-deep snow. ( Several days later in Ngyak we were to learn that a
Spanish group had failed in their attempt to cross in the reverse
direction due to the deep snow on this Northern side of the pass.
Lower down careful footwork was required in negotiating another boulder
field.
Once below the snow-line it was a long but pleasant walk down into the
glaciated valley and along past numerous lochans and through
birch forests to a level campsite in open moorland beside the
crystal-clear waters of the embryo Chhuling Khola and beneath
towering peaks and ridges.
1.4 Down Chhuling Valley to Ngyak:
In the morning we crossed the ice-clad boulders in the stream-bed
and climbed to the top of a lateral moraine. An awkward scramble down
the steep wall led onto the rough, broken surface of the glacier. Small
cairns marked a route through the convoluted rubble to the far
side and a pleasant, grassy, ablation valley.
From the meadows we passed through a small forest of fir trees
surrounding a loehan with the still waters reflecting the twin summits
of the Shringi Hinal rising to thé East.
Our route was now blocked by the much wider Chhuling glacier - one of
the few in Nepal which is still expanding in size. Entry and
exit were simplified by the absence of moraine walls but it was
difficult to find a route through the mounds of detritus and around the
many
large pools of melt-water — no cairns marked the way. However the
direction to be taken was indicated by a lone gem-seeker encountered
in the midst of the desolation busily extracting a large garnet from a
boulder. Frequent stops were made on the traverse to admire the
shapely Himalchuli soaring skywards only a short distance away at the
head of the glacier. On the far side we descended into forests of
tall fir trees and headed down valley.
Later in the afternoon the trail emerged into open, trackless meadows
bounded on the southern side by wooded slopes in the russet
shades of autumn sweeping up to a long, serrated ridge of snow-covered
mountains.
At breakfast next morning we enjoyed a magnificent vista of Baudha Peak
and Himalchuli rising regally at the valleyhead dazzling white against
an azure blue sky and the dark green of the conifers. This view was to
remain with us all day as we proceeded down the beautiful valley.
Unexpectedly we were gaining altitude as the trail climbed high on the
steep hillside far above the Chhuling Khola. Not until
mid-afternoon did we begin to drop down; Before us the jagged summits
of the Ganesh Himal floated high in the sky above a layer of clouds.
The appearance of occasional small terraced fields indicated our return
to habitation and soon after we encamped near a small farm.
It was uphill again the next morning but this was compensated with a
grand view extending the length of the Chhuling valley across the
forests to the glacier and Baudha Peak and Himalchuli. The path now
spiralled down a steep hillside to the Gurung village of Ngyak perched
on a plateau above the confluence of the Chhuling Khola and the Buri
Gandaki. We were now on the trade route from Gorkha to Tibet.
LARKYA
LA:
2.1 Ngyak to Samagaon:
Whilst ‘LB’ and Dendi, our cook, went in search of fresh vegetables we
explored the narrow passageways of the compact village
with its prinitive, subsistence-farming, lifestyle. No machinery, let
alone electricity, was employed.
After lunch a level track between fields of golden grain preceded a
short climb to a shoulder on a spur. From here a steep, knee-jarring
path wound down through cliffs to the white waters of the Buri Gandaki
embedded far below in a deep narrow gorge. The gloomy banks of the
turbulent river were then followed to the hamlet of Deng.
That evening the sounds of cheerful singing emanated from our porters’
hut and lasted late into the night. They were enjoying their first stay
in a village for more than a week.
Shortly after Deng a suspension bridge took us across the raging waters
to a stone stairway hewn into the sheer cliffside. The path climbed
high above the river before contouring through neagre fields nestling
beneath high, austere mountains reminiscent of the Italian Dolomites.
Stones were thrown by our staff to scare off the monkeys plundering the
crops. Long mani walls engraved with exquisite images of Buddha and
large, multi-tiered shortens, some with archways, marked the route.
We re-crossed the river on a metal box bridge which provided a
dramatic viewpoint over the mighty torrent of water crashing down
between the confining rock walls and cascading over huge polished
boulders.
It was a long way through thick jungle before we eventually reached the
village of Namru with its police checkpost. Not until well after dark
did our porters arrive - they were suffering from their revels of the
previous evening.
Beyond Namru the valley opened out into broad cultivated fields fringed
with conifer forests. Large eagles ( giddah ) soared effortlessly
overhead. On our left a side-valley provided a fine view up to the snow
peaks of Himalchuli and Ngadi Chuli ( Pk. 29 ).
Further on mighty Manaslu, the world's 7th highest mountain at 8l56m (
25,760ft. ) suddenly appeared above the forested slopes of the
beautiful valley.
" Shim shim ", ( give me something ) entreated the smiling, red-cheeked
youngsters as we passed through the sprawling Tibetan village of Lho.
Late in the afternoon we emerged from pine forests into a level
clearing - the first suitable canping place since Lho.
It was a freezing cold night with frost crystals sparkling beneath a
clear starry sky. Above the treetops loomed the ghostly white shapes of
Manaslu and its satellite peaks.
2.2 Samagaon to Darna Sala:
A pleasant walk next morning across a wide grassy plain grazed by
yaks and a few ponies brought us to Samagaon, the main village in
the upper Buri Gandaki valley, ensconced beneath the soaring summit
snowfields of Manaslu.
Long mani walls lined the path as we wandered up valley towards Samdu,
our destination for the day. Nearby the twin pointed summits,
one of ice and one of rock, of Manaslu swept majestically into an azure
sky from brilliant white snowfields. Beneath the neves vast
ieefalls tumbled to grey boulder fields and barren scrubland.
Further on we met a small group of Americans coming down with one
member on horseback. He was suffering from AMS. They had had to
abandon their attempt to cross the Larkya La and were retracing their
route back to Gorkha.
A short but steep climb soon gained the small settlement of Samdu, one
of the highest in the Himalaya, with its box-like, stone-built houses.
built into the hillside amidst terraced fields in a spectacular
mountain setting. Towering immediately overhead was the snow-plastered
bulk of Mt.Pang Phuchi whilst the summits of Baudha, Himalchuli and
Ngadi Chuli formed an imposing sky-line the length of the valley.
Next morning a gentle descent to the Buri Gandaki, now a mere stream,
was followed by a long gradual ascent to the West. As we
climbed there was an increasingly fine view backwards to the niniature
houses of Samdu nestling beneath Pang Phuchi. A glaciated
side-valley revealed another superb sighting of Manaslu like some
gigantic icy castle with its twin turrets.
At midday we reached the solitary hut at Darma Sala where we pitched
our tents on grassy swards. Across the narrow valley arose
great walls and spires of rock and ice. With Nima I clinbed to a
rounded hilltop above the stone hut to gain a vantage point to
inspect our route ahead across moraines and boulder fields to the col
on the sky-line - the Larkya La - our objective for the morrow.
2.3 Across Larkya La:
A few stars gleaned faintly in a dark sky as we packed our tents in the
biting cold. Thankfully there was no wind as we trudged slowly,
mechanically, uphill alongside the moraine beneath the black jagged
ridgeline. Behind us the sky was perceptibly lightening and then the
tips of the peaks caught the first rays of the morning sun. Gradually
the drab forbidding landscape was transformed into a dazzling,
sparkling brightness as the golden light suffused over the surrounding
snowfields and glaciers.
Beyond an ice-bound tarn we entered an extensive snow- covered boulder
field. The gradient was slight but I was suffering from the altitude
and every step forward was an enormous effort. Eventually the path
skirted another, larger, frozen lake and then it was only a brief clinb
over hard-packed snow to the multi-coloured prayer flags decorating the
rocky col. We had reached the high point of our trek at an altitude of
some 5,200m ( cl7,000ft ).
From the col scree and snow slopes swept upwards to Larkya La Peak
standing in splendid isolation only a short distance away. I had had
aspirations of making an attempt on it but we were already several days
behind schedule. A grand view extended back down the valley to the
boulder fields beneath the lofty sub~peaks of the Manaslu Himal
A treacherous, icy path now led on across the wind~swept crest of the
pass. Ahead a magnificent new panorama of himalayan summits,
the Peri Himal, stretched across the western horizens The descent on
the far side, across rough, loose, scree slopes was much steeper
than our ascent and height was rapidly lost as we entered the heavily
glaciated valley encircled by towering peaks.
In mid-afternoon a pleasant stroll over a grassy yak pasture in an
ablation trough brought us to a nice campsite beside two dilapidated
stone huts. In one, three young sherpanis were running a rudimentary,
but welcome, tea-shop.
Next morning befere breakfast I climbed to the crest of the lateral
moraine for a superb view up the glacier to the marble-white
pinnacles and cones arrayed along the sky-line. Above our campsite
loomed Mt.Phungi, one ef Manaslu's outliers, in jagged silhouette
against the rays of the rising sun.
2.4 Return to Pokhara:
Shortly after starting a rough wooden bridge across the head-waters of
the Dudh Khola afforded a last view up the glacier to the peaks of the
Peri Himal. As we continued down into the wooded valley a tremendous
himalayan landscape unfolded above us. Great snow-faces, rock-walls
and ridges dropped from lofty summits to huge ice-fal1s and glaciers.
This was the impressive western aspect of the Manaslu Himal.
It has a long day through pine forests before we finally reached the
large Gurung village of Tilje far down the valley.
An apple orchard on the banks of the Dudh Khola provided an excellent,
secluded campsite for our first, long overdue, rest day.
From Tilje it took less than two hours to reach Thonje, with its police
checkpost, at the confluence of the Dudh Khola and the larger
Marsayandi Khola. We were now onto the popular Annapurna Circuit and
although it was now late in the season there were still a few trekkers
heading up-valley to Manang and the Tharong La.
We turned due South into the deep, spectacular gorge of the Marsayandi
and encamped at Tal on the wide grassy flats near one of the many high
waterfalls that gushed from the sheer cliffs.
Next day brought us to Bahundanda, astride a ridge, and a further half
day to Bhulbhule where we were to separate - I was finishing the trek
in Pokhara and the others in Bhote Odhar - however we were meeting
again in Kathmandu.
That afternoon we made donations of clothes and money to our trekking
staff and porters in reward for their valiant services.
In the evening they entertained us with traditional Nepali songs and
dances.
A leisurely morning was spent buying provisions for my 4 day trek to
Pokhara before setting off across the ramshackle suspension
bridge and along the banks of the Marsayandi. I was taking a crew of
4:- Nima as guide ( his first time ), Kadke Gurung as kitchenboy,
Kancha Rai and Go Bahadur Magar as porters.
At Kudi Bazaar our route left the main trail and turned off westwards.
It was to be a switchback journey over 3 ridges and across 2 river
valleys. From each of the ridgetops splendid vistas obtained over
scenic, fertile countryside and the middle hills to the great peaks of
the Manaslu Himal:- Baudha, Himalchuli, Peak 29 ( Ngadi Chuli ), and
majestic Manaslu itself. It was hard to believe that we had walked
completely around the tremendous massif.
A tranquil canoe ride across Begnes Tal brought us to the roadhead on
the outskirts of Pokhara and the end of our 28 day trek.
