Nar and Phu | The Lost Valleys of Nepal

The trail to the village of Phu

"On the eastern side of the valley, sunlit pastures mounted towards the 23,000-foot summit of Kang Guru, a massive sugar-icing dome flawed by shadowy crevasses and ice-falls. Yaks grazed on the hill; the chiming of the bells they wore drifted down to us. To the west, our maps told us that the village of Nar stood on a shoulder of pasture land that ran up from the river, but the village was still hidden behind Pisang Peak. Northwards, the valley narrowed again between mauve and ochre precipices veined with glittering quartzite." 
Windsor Chortlton, The Cloud Dwellers of the Himalaya, The Bhotia

If you are walking on the famous Annapurna circuit in Nepal you will pass the small village of Koto Qupar. Right of the main trail there is a non descript track which plunges down into a forest and crosses a bridge over the  river. This is the trail to Nar and Phu villages, part of the restricted area of upper Nepal. A rewarding trek is to visit Nar and Phu villages and re- enter the Annapurna circuit at Ngawal crossing the 5320 metres Kangla Pass with it's dress circle view of the entire northern sweep of the Annapurnas.

South Col Expeditions trekked this route with a small team in late September-early October 2015. Here are some black and white photos from the trek.

A trekking team on the trail to Kyang from Phu from Kyang

Walking above Phu village with Kangaru peak in the background

Porters carry planks of wood for construction from Meta to Phu

The abandoned Khampa settlements at Kyang 

A yak descend on a rocky trail above Kang la Phedi

Village roof top at Nar

Main street of Nar village

Panorama from the Kang la pass 5320m

For more information and photos do visit http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya/Nar-and-Phu-Valleys-of-Nepal/