DOLPO REGION

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DOLPO REGION 

Trekking in the remote district of Dolpo leads through picturesque, concealed valleys and antiquated hallowed places like Shey Gompa. getting a charge out of captivating perspectives on the flawless waters of Phoksundo Lake, experiencing yak convoys that cross the high-Himalayan passes and mountain individuals who live in probably the most noteworthy settlements on earth like the Dho-Tarap valley; Dolpo is amazing.

Dolpo's unprecedented common magnificence was perfectly caught in the Oscar designated film"Caravan". Trekking in this Himalayan locale is an exceptional experience.

Dolpo is kept by the Dhaulagiri run in the south and east, Mt. Sisne and Kanjiroba in the west, and the Tibetan plateau towards the north. Lake Phoksundo's gleaming turquoise waters never neglects to entrance guests, making it one of the significant attractions of Dolpo.

Settlements here are for the most part at stunning elevations of 3,660 m to 4,070 m and the individuals are ardent Buddhists who have been exchanging with Tibet for a considerable length of time. There are 130 gompas (Buddhist cloisters) in Dolpo which says a lot for their strict enthusiasm.

One of the brilliant minutes during the trek is seeing long yak processions that even today persevere through tremendous difficulties arranging the unforgiving, frigid territory, crossing high mountain passes, conveying merchandise for trade to the opposite side of the Himalayas.

Firmly connected with Tibet, the individuals speak Tibetan, look Tibetan, and hold their Tibetan legacy and culture which are featured by strict services in their religious communities where Tibetan Buddhism prevails. Little has changed in the lifestyle for these tough individuals who carefully follow the traditions and convictions of their ancestors who came over from Tibet hundreds of years back. This trek is a chance to meet these straightforward people who live under outrageous conditions simply getting by.

Opened up for the travel industry just in 1989, these high mountain valleys stayed unexplored and generally inconspicuous by untouchables. Detached by the troublesome geography, the individuals in this district have protected their way of life and carry on with an actual existence immaculate by the trappings of current society.

Dolpo is one of the Restricted Areas of Nepal so trekkers require a Trekking Permit from the Department of Immigration notwithstanding the TIMS card to trek in this locale. Trekkers must be incredibly fit to persevere through the long and exhausting stretches in transit.

MOUNTAINEERING IN NEPAL

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                                                         MOUNTAINEERING IN NEPAL

With eight of the world's highest mountains in the country, Nepal is a mountaineer's paradise. The ultimate glory of mountaineering is reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, but there are other technical challenges like Lhotse beside it or you can take on any of the other 326 climbing peaks that are waiting for you!

Nepal Himalaya is the most formidable mountain range in the world with nearly a third of the country lying above the elevation of  3,500 m. Eight of the world's highest peaks lie within Nepal's territory: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, and Annapurna, which are all over 8,000 m above sea level. The first to be climbed among them was Annapurna in 1950 by a French Expedition with Maurice Herzog as a leader while Everest was first summitted by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 with a British Expedition led by John Hunt.

Besides these eight giant peaks, there are 326 other mountains within Nepal which are open for mountaineering expeditions, and out of them, 103 have never been climbed before. Nepal offers mountaineers more opportunities than any other country in the world and throws endless challenges at them including the less glorified trekking peaks which still require climbing gear and climbing skills if you want to climb them. 

Nepal's climbing history goes back a long way starting with the early explorers from British India who were lured by lofty peaks and the challenges of climbing virgin peaks where no human had set foot before. By the 1960s Nepal's trekking and mountaineering industry were well established with private companies providing all logistics including porters and guides for a full expedition that would spend months in the mountains. Today there are many companies that will take care of every aspect of mountain climbing and all the mountaineer has to do is arrive in good shape physically and mentally, prepared to take on the challenge and not worry about equipment and supplies.  Most of the Everest expeditions are handled by well-known and trusted private companies.

The reputation of the Sherpas is built on mountaineering with many of these mountain people achieving glorified status with their multiple climbs of Everest and other 8000m peaks. Most expeditions wouldn't go up without the loyal, hardy, and extremely reliable sherpas. They risk their lives for their clients and are often called upon to rescue a climber in trouble. Although today there are many other ethnic groups involved in the service, they are generally referred to as Sherpas.

Despite all the attention being grabbed by mountains like Everest and Annapurna, the latter more for trekking than climbing, there are other peaks being climbed on a regular basis but don't make headline news. Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Manaslu are also climbed often besides trekking peaks like Mera, Island, and Yala peaks which are quite popular. Ther are also climbers looking to climb virgin peaks as Nepal from time to time, opens up new, unheard of peaks for climbing, and who wouldn't want to be the first to climb! 

Nepal has designated the Annapurna, Manaslu and Kanchenjunga regions as Conservation Areas while Sagarmatha (Everest), Langtang and Shey-Phoksundo (Dolpo) are national parks while other mountain areas might not fall into these categories but are designated as ‘Restricted Areas’ as they are close to Nepal’s northern border. While the infrastructure of, and accessibility to Sagarmatha, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Langtang are well developed and easily accessible enabling mountaineers and expeditions to make quick progress to their base camps the remaining areas, including the restricted areas, are still very remote, where rescue or help from external sources will be difficult or unlikely and access to these areas is complex and at times difficult. Expeditions into those areas require a completely different approach, level of commitment, and organizational ability to succeed on their chosen summit.

The mountains of Nepal are grouped into different categories depending on their height and under whose authority they lie. The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for the expedition peaks above 6,500 m, while the Nepal Mountaineering Association is responsible for mountains that are known as Trekking Peaks. These peaks range in altitude from 5,800 m to 6,584 m, and call for climbing skills and climbing gear and should not be taken lightly despite the misleading title. Expeditions to peaks below 5800metres do not require climbing permits although they will require other forms of permits to enter specific regions. All expeditions are required to pay refundable garbage deposits while expeditions to peaks above 6,500 m will also be required to employ a Liaison Officer. The best time for mountaineering expeditions is pre-monsoon when the weather is better, especially at altitude, although the visibility might be restricted with the pending monsoon conditions. Autumn is good for the slightly lower peaks, while winter is cold with short days and early spring might be subjected to seasonal snowstorms. However, in these times of global warming and climate change, the seasons are no longer as predictable as they used to be.

Today in Nepal it is possible to book onto either a commercial expedition to attempt any of the larger mountains or to attempt a trekking peak with one of the many Nepali trekking agents. If an independent expedition wishes to attempt any of the ‘legally’ open peaks then they should read the appropriate policies and procedures legally required under the current Nepal Tourism Act (Provisions relating to Mountaineering).

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CLIMATE OF NEPAL

In northern Nepal summers are cool and winters are severe, while in the south, summers are very hot while winters are mild to cold. Nepal has five seasons: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter.

In the Tarai (southern Nepal), summer temperatures exceed 40° C and above 45 in some areas, while winter temperatures range from 7°C to 23°C. In mountainous regions, hills and valleys, summers are temperate while winter temperatures can plummet to sub zero. The Kathmandu Valley has a pleasant climate with average summer temperatures of 20°C – 35°C and  2°C – 12°C in winter.

Average temperatures in Nepal drop 6°C for every 1,000 m you gain in altitude. 

The Himalayas act as a barrier to the cold winds blowing from Central Asia in winter, and form the northern boundary for monsoon rains. Some places like Manang and Mustang fall in the rain-shadow behind the mountains and are mostly dry. Eighty percent of all the rain in Nepal is received during the monsoon (June-September). Winter rains are more pronounced in the western hills. The average annual rainfall is 1,600 mm, but it varies by eco-climatic zones, such as 3,345 mm in Pokhara and below 300 mm in Mustang.

There is no seasonal constraint on traveling in and through Nepal. Even in December and January, when winter is at its severest, there are compensating bright sun and brilliant views. As with most of the trekking areas in Nepal, the best time to visit are during spring and autumn. Spring is the time for rhododendrons to bloom while the clearest skies are found after the monsoon in October and November. However, Nepal can be visited the whole year-round.

GRADING OF TREKKING

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TREKKING IN NEPAL

The 800-mile long Himalayan trail of Nepal is famous for its climbing expedition, pristine trekking routes, and thrilling adventure. Due to the presence of unique climates and flora and fauna, Holy River, Culture, Snow-capped Mountains, forest ridges a large number of Europeans and Americans began exploring Nepal since 1950. Therefore trekking in Nepal will help to gain experience about the lifestyle and thrilling adventure where the memories can’t be forgotten in a lifetime. Trekking can be structured for a few days and extended to several weeks as per the clients’ requirements and comforts.

Gradings of trekking
Being a mountainous country the elevation of the country ranges from 60 meters above sea level to the highest point on earth, Mount Everest 8848 meter. Nepal is divided into different Climatic conditions from Sub-tropical to Alpine. Due to the presence of unique climatic variations, the grading of the trek is into a different category.

Grade A: Soft/Easy Trek
This grade trek is easy. On these days you will reach an altitude of up to 2000 meters. Approximately we will walk 16 km per day.

Grade B: Moderate/Medium
This is a medium grade of the trek. The trekkers will reach an altitude up to 3000 meters. Normally the walking distance  approximately will 12 km per day.

Grade C: Difficult/Strenuous
With the change in altitudinal variations, the trekker will have to climb above 3000 meters. On these days walking distance will 8 km per day. This grade is difficult in comparison to others.

Grade D: Technical/ Challenging
Being a Mountainous country the challenges are more adventurous and daring. This grade includes different high passes to climb mountains. The trekkers/climbers will reach an altitude above 5000 meters and will have to walk normally 4 – 5 km per day

MARDI HIMAL TREK

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MARDI HIMAL TREK

Mardi Himal Trek offers one of the most exotic and interesting treks in Nepal, with an exploration of traditional villages, incredible scenery views as the diversity of culture, spectacular views of livery mountains, and tempting river views as you trek through the valley. This trek invites you into remote villages and untouched forested hills and valley.

It gives the trekker an "off the beaten track" experience with a firm emphasis on enjoying the vast green wilderness that is Mardi Himal.

Trekking Duration: 8 days

Grade: Technical

Activities: Trekking

Start/End: Kathmandu/Kathmandu

Maximum Altitude: 4890 m

Group Size: 2-15 pax

Daily walking hour: Approximately 5-7 hours

Best Season: Mar-Jun/Oct-Nov