Narphu Valley Trekking is one of none tourist Trekking area of Nepal. For this trek we need special permit from government as this Narphu village is recognized very lately. Who want to explore hidden valley and trek off the beaten crossing through Challenging high passes like Masokanto La (5099m), Kangla pass (5200m) & Tilicho Pass (5230m) with beautiful Lake Tilicho.Hidden by swirls of mountain mist ahead of us, from Kangla pass at 5200m the magnificent panorama view of Annapurna massif appears remote and forbidding. Our destination is the Nar-Phu valley, above the tree line on the upper limits of cultivation, in the very north of Manang district. It takes five hours reaching the pass that links Nar with Manang and three other Bhotia villages in the Nyershang down valley. Nowadays, Nar Phu has about 300 inhabitants who depend on livestock, unlike most Bhotia people, whose trading patterns changed drastically after the Nepali Government closed borders with Tibet, the people of Nar and Phu valley were least affected by this change. The tortuous path leading from the valley into Tibet had never made them dependent on the salt trade, and till today yak herding is the basis of their livelihood.
It is a panoramic thrill flying into Kathmandu on a clear day. The views of snow-capped mountain peaks sprawling down below you are almost ecstatic, beginning a whole chain of memorable experiences that stay with you for a long, long time. A representative and driver from our office will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. The representative will help you check into your designated hotel. At the hotel, you will be briefed about your daily activities.
Kathmandu is the historical and cultural heart of Nepal and has been a popular destination for tourists ever since Nepal opened its doors to visitors. The city presents a wonderful mix of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence.
There will be a guided tour to the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal Boudhanath and after that to the most popular Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva- Pashupatinath. We take a tour to Patan or Lalitpur (the City of Artisans), which is 5km away from Kathmandu. We walk through Patan Durbar Square, and delight in the architectural wonders of Malla era. Mahaboudha Temple, Kumbeshwor Temple, Krishna Temple and Golden Temple are the major attractions at the square.
We drive for approximately 6 hours along the Kathmandu-Pokhara Highway to Dumre and then follow the rough road by the Marshyangdi river to Besi Sahar.
We start our first day's short trek from Besi Sahar, turning right at the canal on the outskirts of the village and descending the narrow path to the Pam Khola. We then cross the stream and climb to the village of Denauti with its traditional red-mud houses. From here we descend to the banks of the Marshyangdi Khola and then follow the trail through rice paddies and sub-tropical forests to the Gurung village of Khudi.
Leaving Khudi we pass a school and a forest nursery, as the trail continues northwards up the Marshyangdi Valley. After crossing a suspension bridge at Bhulbule, the trail passes a cascading waterfall and rice terraces with the magnificent views of Manaslu serving as a backdrop. Following a gentle incline we come to the village of Ngadi with its shops and teahouses. From here, the trail continues to ascend towards Bahundanda. Bahundanda literally means "Hill of the Brahmins" and it is the most northerly Brahmin settlement in the Marshyangdi Valley. It is situated on a long ridge and we camp in terraced fields near the village.
A steep trail descends from Bahundanda, through rice terraces, before crossing a stream at the bottom of a small waterfall. It then climbs again and traverses the hillside high above the river before reaching the village of Hani Gaon. Ahead, the Marshyangdi valley forms a steep V-shape, and we follow the winding mountain path down through Syange and along the river for some distance. The trail then climbs steeply and the path is cut into the sheer cliff-face some 200-300m above the riverbed. Eventually we descend to the stone village of Jagat, situated on a shelf which juts into the precipitous Marshyangdi valley.
The trail from Jagat descends until it almost reaches the river and then begins to climb again through a forest. The sheer cliff on the opposite bank plunges downward but this side is also steep. When the climb ends, we follow a level track to Chyamje. There is a magnificent waterfall on the opposite bank. After descending to the river and crossing a suspension bridge, we begin a climb to Sattale on a path so steep that it seems one slip would send you hurtling down into the valley.
We continue on an undulating path above the river, and at one point, where a tributary flows in from the opposite bank, the main river becomes covered with huge boulders that hide the water. Climbing the zigzag path to the top of the hill, we see the level, plain of Tal before us. Though it is enclosed by cliffs, the level area looks reassuring after the harrowing mountain paths just travelled on. We descend to a grassy riverbank which leads to Tal with its hotels and teahouses. Beyond Tal, the valley narrows and the path becomes high and winding, and in several areas seems hewn from the rock itself. Beyond the small village of Karte, there is a bit more cliff-walking before the path drops again to the river. We cross a suspension bridge, and climb the short distance to the stone mani marking the entrance to Dharapani.
As we cut through a narrow field from the village, the Dudh Khola, which originates from the south face of Manaslu, enters on the opposite bank. The Marshyangdi then veers to the left, and as Annapurna II becomes visible ahead, we arrive at Bagarchhap, a Bhotia village with prayer flags fluttering in the breeze. Continuing to climb through forests of pine and oak, we pass through Dhanakyu before coming to a thundering waterfall. Further on, the Marshyangdi Khola enters a gorge and the path consists of steep stone steps. Pausing for breath, we can look back for views of Manaslu. When the steep incline ends we follow a path amid magnificent rhododendrons to Ratamron and then continue on a gently rising path, crossing a stream before entering a pine forest. We then cut across a loose hillside to the hamlet of Koto (2600 m) from where we can look straight up at the magnificent Annapurna II. This is also where we leave the Annapurna Circuit, we cross the Marshyangdi river and enter the Narphu valley. From the bank of Narphu Khola we start climbing to our first camping site, which we reach about two hours from Koto.
Most of this first day in the NarPhu valley we walk on small jungle paths, which is quite a change from the bigger trail around Annapurna. The first part is up and down and then we have a short steep ascent to Choto (2840m). We then have lots of steep ups and downs and the path is quite exposed above the Nar Phu Khola. At the altitude of 3090m we cross a suspension bridge, here the valley is very narrow and just before the bridge there are some hot-springs. The rock carved path now becomes very exiting, both because of danger, but also because there are some big waterfalls. We climb to a two storied hut at Sinhenge Dharamsala, where we set camp for the night.
We begin the day by crossing Methang Khola river and then start a breathtaking climb on a winding path to the Methang pastures. Here at Methang there is an ancient Chorten and marvellous views of Kang Guru. Further on we pass the abandoned Methang village (3560m), from the village there is a path to Kang Guru BC. The path to the next village Junan is easy and flat, Junan is also abandoned. From here we continue to have an easy walk to Lower Chaku village, which has about 15 houses. We continue to Upper Chaku on a steep trail.
This day begins with a hard steep ascent to the abandoned Kyan village Vhaku, where there is a nice long mani wall. We continue on an amazing tunnel carved rocky path 70 meters above the river and then decent to the riverbed, we follow the riverbed and pass some Mani Chrotens. We then climb up from the riverbed to the Phu valley entrance door (Phuohi Yalgoe). About an hour from the valley entrance we cross the Phu Khola and begin climbing up to the village. Phu village consists of about 30 houses, which are home to 100-150 people. We camp near the river.
We rest here for a day, have a look at the village and might go exploring a little further up in the valley.
To get to Naar we have to go back down the valley, we pass Chaku and walk on for a couple of hours before we cross the Phu Khola at Naar Phedi (two bridges to Naar). From here we climb up to a very nice grassy campsite.
From our campsite it is a steep couple of hours climb to Naar Village (4110m), we have lunch here near the village, so we can take a look at it before we walk on. We continue on a long but gentle ascent through the lateral moraine of Temdenzon Khola, on a nice path. At the bottom of Kang La, we camp on a nice grassy spot.
Today we have a long and hard day ahead of us, however it is very rewarding. We have to cross the big Kang La pass (5280m). It is a very steep ascent to the top of the pass where there is a chorten and some great views of the Annapurna massif. Just before reaching the pass, there is a small lake where we take a rest before making the last effort to reach the top. From the top of the pass it is a very steep decent, but after an hour we take a grassy path that leads to Ngawal. There are restaurants and lodges in Ngawal. We continue all the way to Munje. On the way we pass beautiful forests. We camp there for the night.
Cultivated fields appear on both sides of the path and off to the right, below a craggy mountain, we can see the village of Braga with its splendid monastery. Large chortens and mani walls abound and the tall peaks of the Himalaya spread out before us - Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV, Gangapurna [7455m] and, to the rear, Tilicho Peak [7134m].
After a short steep climb we reach Manang, which is a surprisingly large village for this remote mountain region. We camp here for the night, amidst the fluttering prayer flags.
From Manang, we climb to the next village of Tengi. We are surrounded by magnificent peaks of the Annapurna Himal , Peak 29 and Himalchuli . We are now past the tree line. The vegetation consists of alpine grasses and scrub juniper. Climbing the path past the summer village of Gunsang, we cross the Gundon Khola via a wooden bridge. From here we can see ahead the mountains surrounding the Thorung La which we will cross tomorrow. The trail is up and down as the elevation gradually increases and we soon enter an alluvial delta where there are yak pastures. An hour beyond this, we come to the small settlement of Letdar.
Leaving Letdar, we climb gradually to a ridge before descending to the headwaters of the Marshyangdi and crossing via a covered wooden bridge. After a short ascent up the mountain path on the right bank, we follow a narrow trail across an unstable scree slope and then descend to Thorung Phedi.
We begin the trek early today for crossing the Thorung La [5416m]. The trail becomes steep immediately on leaving camp but as this trail has been used by local people for hundreds of years the path is well defined. The gradient then eases and after around 4 hours of steady climbing we reach the chorten and prayer flags of the pass. The views are dramatic, from the snow covered mountains above, to the head of the Kali Gandaki valley below and the brown and purple hills of Mustang which spread out before us. The descent to Muktinath is a tiring and knee pounding journey but it's compensated for with excellent views of Dhaulagiri. Eventually the moraines give way to grassy slopes before a pleasant walk along the Jhong Khola Valley to Muktinath and its shrines and temple.
We now begin the descent down the dramatic Kali Gandaki valley, initially through arid country in the same geographical and climatic zone as Tibet. After passing through Jharkot and Khingar, villages with typical Tibetan architecture, we follow the valley floor most of the way to Jomsom and are rewarded with tremendous views of both Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri. Jomsom is a large town sprawled along both banks of the Kali Gandaki River, and it is here we will spend the final night of our trek.
We take an early morning flight to Pokhara. It is a spectacular flight along the Kali Gandaki Gorge and provides wonderful views of both the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges. We then catch a further flight back to Kathmandu.
Our Nepalese support team will take you to the airport for your flight home. (Or stay longer for short tours such as game drive at National parks, rafting, Tibet tours, mountain biking etc).
What Type of Trek is This?
This is tea house trekking tour thus you will be eating ans sleeping at the tea houses during your trekking period.
A Day on Trek
Each morning after packing our bags and a healthy breakfast, we set off on the day’s walk. After walking for 3-4 hours we stop for lunch at around midday. The afternoon’s walk is generally shorter and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the village, doing a bit of washing or simply relaxing with a good book. On some days we will arrive at our destination by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free. After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and reliving the day’s adventures, before retiring for a well-earned sleep.
Meals and Accommodation
In Kathmandu we use 2 star hotel to ensure a comfortable stay and relaxed environment before and after your trip. All breakfasts are included at the hotel in Kathmandu. Rooms are generally twin share - depending on group size and room availability, triple share may be offered to your request.
While on the trek, we provide good quality food in sufficient quantities from Tea Houses/Mt. lodges. We provide all meals on full board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and tea & coffee) from the teahouse menu during the trekking period. Most of the accommodation is in guesthouses which are basic structures, generally with shared facilities but very comfortable. In some guesthouses, showers are available; where there are no showers; there are private facilities in which you can sponge bath.
Luggage while on Trekking
During trek your main luggage will be carried by porters or pack animals (usually yaks or cross breeds). You simply carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sun-screen, spare jacket, etc. - a small load that allows full enjoyment of the trek. A trek bag is ideal for your main luggage, plus a small lockable bag for travel clothes or anything that you do not need during trek which you can leave at hotel’s locker room/safe deposit box in Kathmandu for free of charge. Weight allowance at Nepal’s domestic airlines is 15 Kgs, excess weight is chargeable at USD 1 or more per Kilo depending on sectors.
Ground Leader and Crew
1) Trained Nepali Trek leader (experienced and knowledgeable)
2) Sherpa Guide (handles the logistics and guides you and your team on the trek)
The Sherpa guide (commonly called Sirdar) will be accompanied by a crew of porters. On camping trek, there will be 2/3 porters for each members while on GAP and on Lodge trek 1 porter for 2 members.
Join a group or private Trip:
Our trips are available on both fixed departure and private basis. If you are looking for a group to join this trip please check our ‘departures’ link for availability, dates and price. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any of the trips at your convenient timeframe for any number of people (minimum 1 & maximum 100 at a time).
If you want to do something that is not included in our trip list we are ready to tailor a trip to suit your exact requirements. In short, we will make every effort to get you on the trip you want, when you want.
Group Size and Fixed Departure Date:
If you opt to join our ‘fixed departure trip’, you are likely to be joining people from different countries of any age group except minors. The size of group varies, minimum no of persons required to operate a trip is 2 the maximum is 15 people.
Personal Expenses
Personal expenses depend largely on the type of trek, duration and the trekking region.
If you are on Camping or Tea house trek all meals will be provided. You only need money for table drinks (alcoholic/non alcoholic beverages), snacks while walking (a few smaller shops are available along the trail in some areas) tips, souvenirs, hot shower (available in some places).
If you are on ‘GAP’ trek style you need to pay for all your meals. NPR 1000-1500 a day should be enough to cover your meals. We pay for your accommodation at mountain hut (tea house) along the trail and bear all the expenses of staff assigned by us.
Tips are appreciated by your support team after the trip. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. As a suggestion, we advise you to allocate 5 - 10% of the total tour cost as tips.
Flight and Transfers
You can choose any mode of transport to commute from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Please do check for piece difference. From Kathmandu, you take a 30 minutes scenic flight to Pokhara and by driving it will take 7 hours along the Prithvi Highway to Pkhara. The starting point of the trek is Nayapul. On your return, our car/bus shall pick you from Nayapul and drive to Pokhara. You can choose between flying or driving back from Pokhara to Kathmandu. We will arrange the transportation from your hotel to the airport (Kathmandu).
Communication and Electricity:
While trekking in the remote parts, you may not have an access to telephone facility for some days or weeks. However, en route there may be few places where telephone facilities may be available and likely to be working. There is electricity facility entire trekking trails in Nepal thus there won’t be any problem to re-charge your battery and cameras.If it is crucial for you to keep in contact with your family or others, Adventure Magic Treks can provide you a mobile satellite phone (rental charge on request).
How do you find us in Kathmandu ?
You need to pass on your International flight details to us for a “meeting and greeting” service at airport. You just pass on the Customs and come out of the Terminal building where you will see someone standing with a placard with either ‘Adventure Magic Treks’ or your name written on it. Our airport representative or tour officer will greet you and welcome you with a garland.
Climate and Best Time to go .
The best seasons to trek in the Annapurna region are Autumn (from mid-September till November end) and Spring (from the beginning of March until mid-May). Temperatures will drop considerably as you trek higher everyday. The nights are cold (between -20 C to 5C) but the days are sunny and hot (between 10C to 30C). The mornings are usually clear, with clouds building up during the afternoon, disappearing at night. Trekking during the monsoon is not recommended, as the visibility during monsoon is limited. Trekking in the winter is possible; however, it is much colder than Autumn and Spring.
March, April, October and November are the most popular and favored months for traveling. Please choose the date that is convenient for you.
Itinerary Changes
The itineraries for each trip should be taken as a guideline only. Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary.
You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into the remotest region, where many unforeseen events may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original.
Trek Duration
We ensure liability as per indicated itinerary and list of services. If the holiday is cut short or completed earlier than the projected period upon client’s wish, we shall not be responsible or make refund against unutilized days or services. Clients need to pay extra for Hotels/services incurred in Kathmandu or elsewhere in such cases.
Vaccinations
As vaccination requirements change frequently, we suggest you to consult your doctor at least 2 months prior to the beginning of your trip. We recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and polio.
First Aid Kid
We supply a medical bag with standard medicines prescribed by trekking doctors. Since our staffs/guides are not qualified for suggesting medications to western clients, we would request you to use the medicines upon your own risk. It is safer and more reliable if you have your own medicine kit and not depend on what we have.
Altitude :
Altitude Sickness has the potential to affect all travelers from 2500m and higher our itinerary is planned in such a way that you make very gradual ascend, spending some days at a low elevation to build necessary acclimatization before walking up to Annapurna south base camp at 4130m (the highest point on this trek). When you are at high altitude, your body needs time to adjust to smaller quantities of oxygen in the air at 5500m/18,044ft; the air pressure is approximately half that of sea level, i.e. there is half the amount of oxygen.
Check out "Altitude illness" by Dr Jim Duff
Rescue and Evacuations
In case of a serious sickness or a casualty, which we believe will not happen; we will do everything to transfer you to the nearest hospital. Since you are entirely liable for all the expenses incurred in evacuation please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it or be prepared to pay on your own after getting back to Kathmandu.
Insurance
Before joining a tour, we recommend you to take a travel insurance which should cover cancellation, medical expenses, helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation.
Responsible Travel
Wonderful environment of the Himalayas is also an extremely fragile one. Increasing population density and numbers of trekkers threaten the very beauty of Nepal. At Adventure Magic Treks , we are extremely conscious about the environment and aim to minimize our impact as much as possible.
As deforestation is one of the greatest environmental threats, we do not have camp fires and use kerosene for cooking as an alternative fuel to wood. We also discourage trekkers from using wood-fuelled hot showers in lodges along the way. Many lodges, however, now provide solar hot showers, a far more eco-friendly alternative.
Garbage disposal is another major problem and some of the busier trails can, at times, appear strew with litter. Our staff members are well motivated towards eco-friendly practices. We carry out all our garbage, apart from that which can be safely and easily burnt at the campsite. Our aim is to help protect and preserve this beautiful environment for future generations of trekkers to enjoy.
Trip Extensions
In addition to your trek, we can organize extensions both within Nepal and other neighboring countries. You may want to try water rafting or a jungle safari in Nepal or Nepal Cultural Tour. You may as well take a trip to Tibet, India or Bhutan, whichever seems more appealing to you. Since the trek ends in Pokhara, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal, it would be nice and relaxing for you to spend a day or two taking in the sights and sounds of this scenic city.
Social Responsibility
Adventure Magic Treks works with the motto ‘Development through Tourism’. Keeping in line with this motto, Adventure Magic Community Service Project was imagine to authorize deprived, marginalized, poor and minority section of Nepal.
Staff’s Care:
We ensure that all the porters and other staffs going into high altitude conditions are provided with adequate clothing and equipment. We are the first ever company to supply high-altitude porters with crampons. Therefore we are lifetime member of Keep.
Booking conditions:
Booking Procedure:
If you still have any questions regarding this trip, please feel free to contact us. We answer all enquiries within more or less then 12 hours. If you want to book a trip, you can e-mail us at info@adventuremagictreks.com or contact us straight by phone: +977-1-4410361
Clothing and Equipment List for Trekking in Himalayas:
Our main paramount is to offer safe and enjoyable trek for your clients.As part of the booking process, we will provide you with a comprehensive clothing and equipment list for proposed trekking .Experienced trekkers will often take only a selection of these items based on what has worked in the past.Please find the equipment list below for your personal use during your traveling period.
Foot wear:Walking boots, Wool and liner socks, sandals
Clothing:
Waterproof jacket and trousers, Trekking trousers, Long sleeve shirts, Micro fleece, Mid to heavyweight fleece, Sleeveless or body warmer type fleece, Thermals or base layer for top & bottom (merino wool or synthetic), Fleece pants, Medium weight down jacket
Hand wear: Fleece gloves, Warms mittens and/or gloves
Head wear: Wool or fleece hat, Sun hat, Scarf, Head torch and extra batteries,Sunglasses
Personal Equipment:
Sleeping bag, Backpack large enough to carry water bottles, camera and extra clothing, Stuff sacks for keeping your gear dry and organized, two water bottles (Nalgene wide mouth bottles are the best), Sunscreen and lip salve with a high SPF, Insect repellent, Water purification tablets (Pristine, Biox Aqua or Aqua Mira), Favorite snack food, Books, iPod and cards etc, Trekking poles, Camera with spare batteries and memory cards, Insurance certificate.
Travelling:
Duffle bag or large backpack for your personal gear on the trek (carried by a porter), Bring a small combination padlock to secure the bag, Travel clothes. You will need casual clothing for air travel days and time spent in Kathmandu, Toiletry bag include toilet paper, soap, towel, toothbrush, etc.
Personal first aid kit:
Any personal medications, Diamox (optional) helps with acclimatization.
Adventure Magic Treks always provide down jackets and down sleeping bags for all our trips.The above list is one 'rough guide' of kit which you'll need to consider before leaving home. Each trekker should carry one backpack for items required during the day.Your day backpack will contain items such as warm clothes, jacket, camera, water bottles, and personal first aid kit and day snacks. The rest of your personal equipment packed in a duffel bag or backpack will be carried by a porter.The maximum weight allowance is 15kgs/33 pounds that we strongly care of porter rights and solely against any exploitation on its operation.