Exploring the Himalayas
The Himalayas that belt across Northern Nepal holds some of the most magical destinations in the world. Concealed by tall peaks and clouded under the heavy snow, the experience of discovery is as close to finding Shangri-La. Places invisible, trail treacherous, and weather unpredictable but yet the fruit heavenly.
Gokyo
Junbesi
Marpha
Manang
The Himalayas that belt across Northern Nepal holds some of the most magical destinations in the world. Concealed by tall peaks and clouded under the heavy snow, the experience of discovery is as close to finding Shangri-La. Places invisible, trail treacherous, and weather unpredictable but yet the fruit heavenly.
Here is a list of four must-visit destinations in the marvellous Himalayan region of Nepal.
Gokyo Village
Situated near the eastern shore of Dudh Pokhari, overlooking Mt Everest in Northern Solukhumbu District lies the beautiful village of Gokyo at 4750 meters high. Chances are, you might have come across this name while you were planning a trek to Everest Base Camp.
With the majestic tall mountains that surround it, this village though small holds many experiences. Regarded as a sacred religious sight by followers of Hinduism and Buddhism, the lake of Gokyo sees flocks of not just adventurers but also devotees. The beautiful rhododendron forests, suspension bridges draped with Buddhist flags, tens and hundreds of yak trains will follow you as you walk the adventurous trails of rocky mountains, cold slopes, and glaciers to this stunning village. It holds its little significance through the lifestyle of the Sherpa people living here. The emerald-coloured Gokyo lakes around the Gokyo valley reflect the beauty of the ethnic villages. It is the beating heart of the people and the very essence of the valley.
A flight from Kathmandu to Lukla followed by 10 to 13 days trek shall lead you to Gokyo. Since this small village is thinly populated, there is only one lodge inside it, while a bunch of hotels and teahouses can be found around the Khumbu region, a couple of kilometres from the village.
Junbesi
This magical Sherpa village, nestled in the lower Solukhumbu region, at an altitude of 2700m, is less known but a must-visit destination. The small houses surround the 400-year-old Buddhist Stupa overlooking the massive mountain range, is at a junction of the Everest trail and Thuptenchholing monastery.
White painted brick houses, Thankas depicting magic and mysteries line every street you’ll encounter as you step in this piece of paradise. The delicate warm sun rays hit the coloured roof of each house during the summer. From the alluring landscape to the cultural hospitality of the Sherpa people, massive celebrations of festivals like Dumje and Nyungne are regional highlights.
There are several resorts and family-run lodges that resonate home to weary travellers coming in. It is about 4 to 5-hour trek from Salleri, the district headquarters, and about 4 1/2 hours from Phaplu airport. Like Gokyo, you can stop by this beautiful village on your trek to Everest base camp and add a lively highlight to your trip.
Marpha Village
The beautiful village of Marpha is situated in Mustang district and has also become the apple capital of the country. White-painted stone houses reflecting the traditional heritage and architecture are spread all over this small ancient village wrapped by the mountain range of Annapurna. As the name suggests, mar means hardworking whereas pha means people, this little enchanted white village is the home of a thinly populated, yet diligent Thakali people and their hard-earned lives.
Along with the stunning essence of the mountains it captures and camouflages along the lines, it also holds significant religious value especially in Buddhism, and the main highlight of this heavenly village is Nyingma Monastery that is inhabited by several Buddhist Monks. Yet, the true spirit of the village reflects in the calming sound of children playing in the stoned streets while the adults spend their day caught up with the ample horticulture farming going on for more than 50 years under the sound of the fluttering Buddhist flags scattered over the houses.
Since the prime economic driver of this village is tourism, there are a good number of hotels with adequate modern facilities, pleasant resorts with beautiful sceneries, and guesthouses with welcoming hosts along with various amenities. You can either take a flight from Pokhara to Jomsom and go for a short half-an-hour hike or stop by this alluring village during your Annapurna Circuit trek.
Manang
Manang, also known as one of the most beautiful hidden valleys of South Asia, is another stunning place enclosed between the snowy Himalayas. Located in Gandaki about 250 km from the capital, that holds life at 3540m high, this peaceful village is the last stop in the Annapurna circuit route.
As you’re on the verge to enter this enticing town, their lies the Gangapurna viewpoint, 10 minutes away from it, that frames the breathtaking view of the mountains, glacier, lake, and river, almost like something straight out of a painting. The valley is home to a thousand-year-old Buddhist monastery overlooking the indigenous community who settled their years prior. Annual festivals and communal celebrations brighten up the village and chimes of it can be heard around the valley. This valley is also the gateway to Lake Tilicho, one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world.
You can travel to Manang by, first, a flight or bus ride from the capital to Pokhara, and then you can either rent a Jeep or trek your way through the adventurous Annapurna trial. Since it is a major travel destination for travellers accommodation ranges from hotels, lodges to tea houses. Modern amenities housed in traditional architecture creates a lively aura with the addition of pleasant smiles and scenic views.
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Recommendations for my friend visiting Nepal
Nepal’s adventure activities are challenging and thrilling, what’s more, they are conducted with the utmost regard for your safety.
For a Singaporean friend, who spent three months in Kathmandu, one of Nepal’s adventure activities included moving around in darkness quite often, what with the constant load shedding. He claimed to have returned with improved night vision! Well, even though most hotels in Nepal have adequate backup electricity arrangements, it does give the eyes some exercise while walking on dark streets. It’s clear, anyway, that visitors are likely to find various aspects of their Nepal tour to be an adventure of sorts, one typical example being traveling by public transport. Now, that is also an adventure! Anyway leaving the mundane aside, let’s get down to the real nitty-gritty of Nepal’s adventure activities you get to experience on your Nepal tour.
Nepal Treks
Trekking high on the mountains, close to the world’s highest peaks is certainly the most popular of Nepal’s adventure activities, with almost 40% of all visitors on a Nepal tour going on one trek or the other. Some of the most popular Nepal treks are as follows: 1. Everest Base Camp trek, which takes you through fascinating landscapes and quite a few Sherpa villages, before eventually reaching the base camp on the Khumbu Glacier, with Mount Everest towering above you. 2. Annapurna Circuit trek, which starts from Besisahar, goes along the Marsyangdi River, passing through Tamang and Gurung villages, and takes you to Muktinath, Jomsom, and Pokhara. 3. Mustang trek, which takes you to the once forbidden kingdom of Lo Manthang in Mustang district, where you will find yourself immersed in Tibetan culture and lifestyle. 4. Imjatse (Island Peak) trek, which goes through the valleys and glaciers of Khumbu, and gives you the chance to climb an authentic Himalayan peak, that is, Imjatse Peak (6,189 m). 5. Ghalegaun village trek, which goes through the villages of the famous honey hunters of Nepal.
Nepal Whitewater Rafting
What else awaits you besides trekking, as far as Nepal’s adventure activities are concerned? Well, whitewater rafting, for one. Nepal whitewater rafting is said to be one of the best in the world, what with its great mountain rivers flowing majestically down from the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas to the lowlands of the Terai. Imagine yourself on an inflatable rubber raft riding down the swirling rapids of these great mountain rivers rushing between huge mountains on either side. It’s sure to be an experience you’ll never forget. You don’t have to worry about the risks either, since you’ll have highly experienced people looking out for your safety all the time. Just so you know, river are graded from one to six depending on their being more tranquil or more hazardous, which means you get to choose your ride. Grade 1 to Grade 3 rivers are supposed to be easy ones; good for first timers, and the best time to go rafting is between September and early December, as well as between March and early June. Some popular rivers for Nepal whitewater rafting are stretches of the Trishuli, Kali Gandaki, Marshyangdi, Karnali, Bhote Kosi, Seti , and Tamur.
Nepal Mountain Biking
Challenging terrain is what’s important for mountain biking, and that’s what you get in plenty in Nepal. Many on a Nepal tour make it a point to go mountain biking, especially in and around the Kathmandu valley with its many interesting biking trails, and around Pokhara, as well. You’ll be pedaling on tracks that sometimes go uphill all the way and then downhill on the return, or sometime, you’ll be going up and then down at regular intervals, the lay of the land being what it is. The rides will take you through paddy fields, villages, riverbanks, temples, and so on and so forth. ‘Never a dull moment’ is what you’ll be thinking as you give your stamina a tryout. One route that many riders really like is the one to Nagarkot. Nepal travel agencies usually organize this mountain biking experience as a three-day affair, with you going first to Nagarkot, that beautiful hill station, where you spend a night. The next day, you ride downhill to Namo Buddha (famous pilgrimage site) and on to Dhulikhel (another popular hill station), where you again hunker down for the night. Both Nagarkot and Dhulikhel are known for their many beautiful resorts, aside from their fantastic views (including sunrise and sunsets), so you’ll appreciate your stay at both places. Next day, you pedal across to Panauti (an ancient Newari town), and then onwards to Sisneri, Patan, and Kathmandu. This is just one example of what you can expect when mountain biking around the valley; there are plenty more trails which you can chose to ride on at your pleasure. And, as mentioned before, biking around Pokhara is another experience that’s sure to make you happy…and healthy.
Nepal Bungee Jumping
No need to say that bungee jumping is one of the most thrilling adventures for any individual; it challenges courage like few other activities do. Here, in Nepal, there’s some fantastic bungee jumping to be done, from a platform 160 m high over the wild Bhote Kosi River. It will take you some three-and-a-half hours to drive from the capital to this famous bungee jumping site near the Nepal–Tibet border, that’s a part of The Last Resort, which also organizes other activities like mountain biking, rafting, canyoning, and so on. Bungee jumping is, however, their major forte. They take all the necessary precautions to ensure that your jump is safe. And, thrilling? Well, more like an ‘adrenaline rush’; that’s the usual response of jumpers. An instructor will brief you thoroughly, and tell you to ‘walk like a penguin and fly like a bird’. They’ll photograph and video record your leap of faith, and present you with a souvenir t-shirt as well. You’ll probably be spending just around Rs.2000 for all this. A fantastic adventure all around, undoubtedly.
Nepal Canyoning
First, know that canyoning consists of traveling down steep canyon walls, wading across rock strewn creeks and streams, and going through cascading waterfalls. How? Well, you hike, you scramble, you wade, you boulder-hop, you climb over rocks, and you do abseiling and rappelling, as well. An all-in-one-affair, that’s what canyoning is all about. You can take a one-day trip or a three-day trip, the choice is yours; the latter obviously being the preferred option as it allows you experience everything. Might sound like a lot of adventure, a lot of risks, but not to worry, trained instructors will be with you all the way. They know what techniques are to be used and they’ll be using the best equipment available, and, of course, are mindful of maintaining the highest safety standards. The nearest site for going canyoning is the Bhotekoshi River, some 100 km from Kathmandu.
Nepal Paragliding
Paragliding is another of Nepal’s adventure activities that’s sure to fulfill your spirit of adventure and set it soaring to a new high. November through February is the period for Nepal paragliding, with November and December considered the best months. Pokhara gets pride of place when talking paragliding; near to the city is a place called Sarangkot that’s at a height of 1,592 meters, and this place has become the mecca for those on a Nepal tour who want to go paragliding. There are other sites, as well, in different parts of the country, but Sarangkot is the favorite. Qualified pilots provide a short briefing before launching. It’s a fact that most enthusiasts get butterflies in their stomachs before taking off, and that’s natural. However, qualified pilots will do all they can to reassure you and tell you the dos and don’ts beforehand. What’s more, they’ll be flying with you, so it’s something like holding your hand all the while as you soar over the Pokhara valley. Tandem flights are the norm, meaning, a pilot will be in a special harness with you on the same glider. You’ll be more of a spectator, really, since the pilot does the flying, but you’ll find that it’s a good deal since that leaves you free to focus your attention on the splendid vista below you. During the 20-30 minutes of flight, there are good chances of having company in the form of soaring vultures and eagles flying beside you. This exhilarating experience should cost you around USD100 per flight.
Nepal Ultra Flights
Ultra flight is another of Nepal’s adventure activities that will give you a different type of thrill. Ultra flights involve special two-seater planes carrying one pilot and one passenger in every flight. Since their purpose is to give you a fantastic viewing experience, these planes have large openings on both sides. Again, Pokhara is where it all happens. Before taking off from the airport, the pilot will give you a thorough briefing, so you know what’s what, such as the path and the height you’ll be flying. You’ll be taken up to 5,000 ft and fly over Pokhara at 50 to 90 km/h for about 15 minutes. If you want to, you can also opt for a 30-mimute flight that’ll fly at 90 km/h and take you close to Machhapuchchhre Himal. Another option is an one-hour flight that will fly at 12,000 ft at 90 to 130 km/h over the length of the entire Annapurna Range. Another lifetime experience, that’s what an ultra flight is!
All said and done...
Nepal’s adventure activities are many in number, and all are highly enjoyable and healthy pastimes. Beside those mentioned above, there are other adventure activities, too (jungle safari, ballooning, climbing, etc.), so make sure you ask the people concerned, no matter which hotel in Nepal you’re staying in, for more information.