Manaslu/Tsum Valley Updates May 5 2018

A South Col team trekked Manaslu and Tsum valley in April - May 2018. Some updates from this trek which are useful for fellow trekkers in the next season:

Trail Updates
Due to the construction of a new road all the way from Soti Khola up the Tsum Valley to Tibet the existing trails between Lapu Besi and Tatopani which is the approach for both the Manaslu and Tsum Valley treks are in a precarious condition.

The existing road upto Soti Khola from Arughat which now has small buses plying on it has been extended to Lapubesi. However private vehicles have permission to drive only to Hawa Danda which is 30 minutes walk from Lapubesi.

From Lapubesi due to the road construction on the old trail, a newer trail has been made along the river. However due to the blasting of rocks above, parts of this newer trail is only rocks and boulders and walking on this trail is difficult but compared to the trail conditions further up it can somehow be managed.

Short section of trail around 2 minutes between Maccha Khola and Lapubesi

From Machha Khola to Khorlabesi the old trail along the river is totally devastated. The road building along parts of this trail is on in full swing and there is a possibility of rock fall rendering this trail unsafe. We did not find most locals, trekkers and mule caravans using this old trail. There is now a new trail across the river which climbs around 400 metres from Maccha Khola reaches a high point above Khorla Besi and then plummets around 300 metres to the valley to reach Khorla Besi in 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on your walking speed. This is against the normal 1 hour 15 min which it used to take between Machha Khola and Khorla Besi on the old trail.  It is likely that this new trail will continue to be used even for the upcoming October- November season as the monsoon rains will wreak more havoc on the road construction during June to September 2018.

Road timings Khorlabesi to Tatopani

From Khorlabesi to Tatopani the road construction is taking place on the old trail and the Nepal Army only allows the trail to open between 11 am and 12 noon and again between 5 pm in the evening and 7 am in the morning.  Even when the trail is open due to blasting of rocks and debris all over the trail it is difficult to cross many sections where now no trail exists.

Logistically the longer route between Machha Khola and Khorlabesi and the trail open timings between Khorlabasi and Tatopani need to be considered when drawing up an itinerary for this trek. It is now possible to reach Soti Khola on the same day from Kathmandu and stay the night in Soti Khola. If you are in a private vehicle you can drive past Soti Khola to Hawa Danda and reach Lapubesi on the same day from Kathmandu which is what we did. The Hotel Laxmi is a good stop in Lapubesi far better than the lodges of Soti Khola. From Lapubesi it is possible to reach Khorlabesi by around 2 pm but the trail only opens at 5 pm so either you stop in Khorlabesi for the night or hit Tatopani around 6 pm where there are very basic lodges. Continuing on to Dobhan, where there are better lodges, in the dark is not a very good option.
If you are walking from Soti Khola then Khorlabesi on the first day is a hard walk considering the additional climb of 400 metres up and 300 metres down which would be quite exhausting in the mid day sun at this low altitude.
This is the current trail situation – it is possible that timings and routes will change for the autumn season 2018 so try to get local information from the trekking companies in Kathmandu and the lodges en route before planning the trek itinerary.

Mules on the trail

I was quite amazed to see the increase in mule traffic on this trail since my last visit a year ago. The only reason I could find for this increased traffic is the building of new lodges all along the trail and the building materials being carried up by the mules. We also found many houses which had been damaged by the earthquake being rebuilt and this could also be one of the reasons. I estimated around 300 to 400 mules on one day between Tatopani and Jagat and it would be the same or nearabouts on most days. The mules are a constant danger to trekkers – arriving unannounced around a cliff and often at a fast pace. They don’t usually stop so you have to wedge yourself between a rock and the trail to somehow avoid them.  On narrow sections this if often quite difficult. One of our trekkers was kicked by a mule as there was no space for her to get away from the trail.  Mule jams are also not uncommon especially across bridges where sometimes fifty to sixty mules crossing over can cause long delays.  You may need to add forty five minutes to an hour to your trekking day to consider these delays.

Trekking Numbers

We found fewer trekkers in the region this spring compared to the earlier year. Our findings were borne out at the Manaslu Conservation Area Project in Jagat where the officer  in charge informed us that only 2000 or so trekkers had come in so far in 2018 ( upto May 2nd 2018). This is a far cry from the Everest and Annapurna treks where 20,000 to 30,000 trekkers visit each season. One of the reasons for this could well be the poor road condition Dhading Besi/Gorkha to Arughat coupled with this new road building exercise along the trail.

For detailed information on the Manaslu Circuit Trek route do  visit  http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.in/2017/07/manaslu-circuit-part-i-route-and-timings.html

Annapurna Foothills Trek December 23-30 2017

The Annapurna foothills provide tremendous trekking with delightful trails connecting villages and ridge tops. This picturesque trek winds through enchanting villages with ochre thatched houses, terraced rice fields and rhododendron forests, which are spectacular in the spring when whole hillsides are cloaked in colourful flowers. The ridge top village of Ghandrung provides one of the finest viewpoints of the Annapurna Mountains with magnificent views of the four Annapurnas, and Machapuchare with its fishtail summit. It is a  good walk to the top of Poon Hill 3150 metres with a dress circle view over the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri as well. 
Who should do this trek?

• Suitability: A good choice for most  walkers, reasonable level of fitness required.
• Walking times: average 5 to 7 hours walking per day 
• Altitude: up to 3150m
• Terrain: for most of time following well-travelled trails, there will be daily ascent and descent on steps which are part of any Nepal trek.
•  Remoteness: usually not too remote and often there is a reasonable level of infrastructure such as lodge accommodation and cell/ mobile phone reception and wifi reception every day at the lodges.

Trek Leader: Sujoy Das

ITINERARY
Day 01   Kathmandu to Pokhara  by early morning flight and the drive to Kande and trek to Tolka  

We fly into to Pokhara 30 min and then drive for 75 min to Kande.   From Kande we climb to Austrian camp in around two hours and then walk to Pothana in half an hour for lunchh. . From Pothana the trail climbs uphill to Deorali from where it makes a steep descent to Bichok. From Bichok it is a level walk to Tolka where we stop for the night.  

Day 02 Trek to Ghandrung  (1950 metres) 5-6 hours walking 

The large village of Ghandrung can be seen directly across the valley from Landrung.  It is a n hours walk in the morning from Tolka to Landrung. This is a short walking day allowing time to explore Landrung and Ghandrung. From Landrung we descend to the Modi Khola River and cross on a large suspension bridge. The ascent through terraced fields to the picturesque town takes around 2 hours. Ghandrung is largely a Gurung town and is the headquarters of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). Many of the lodges here have the more environmentally friendly features that ACAP encourages such as back boilers, solar panels, etc.  The views of the Annapurna Mountains and Machapuchare from here are stunning.

Day 03 Trek to Tadapani (2595 metres) 4 hours walking 

From Ghandrung the trail climbs gently to the village of Baisi Kharka where we stop for a cup of tea and then make the final ascent to Tadapani. Overnight at a lodge in Tadapani. The views of the Annapurna Mountains and Machapuchare from here are stunningly close.  

Day 04 Trek to Ghorepani  (2750 metres) 6-7 hours walking 

The trek from Tadapani to Ghorepani involves a number of ups and downs! We pass through the villages of Banthanti and Deorali before reaching Ghorepani. Overnight at a lodge at Ghorepani.  

Day 05  Ghorepani to Tirekedhunga/Hille  (1515m) -5 to 6  hours walking We visit Poon Hill at sunrise to watch the views over Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. After breakfast we begin our walk down to Ulleri (1960m)  We stop for lunch at Ulleri and then start descending the 3000 steps to Tirkedhunga ( take it easy!). Night at Tirkedhunga or the neighbouring village Hille.

Day 06   Tirekedhunga/Hille to Birethanti to Pokhara to Kathmandu (885 metres)  2.5 hours  walking 

We leave early for Birethanti around 7 am. We gte there by 9 am and then cross the river to Nayapul. We drive from Nayapul to Pokhara 90 min and are in Pokhara for lunch. After an early lunch we go to the airport and board the afternoon 3 pm flight to Kathmandu. Night at a hotel in Kathmandu. 

Day 07   Kathmandu to home destination by flight 

COSTS

 The cost of this trek is  USD 900 for foreign passports and INR Rs 46,500  for Indian  citizens. Meals not included. Please budget an additional US $ 200-250 for meals, battery charging in lodges, wifi charges, hot water in flasks etc.  Exclusions apply. 

• Costs include:
• Two internal flights Kathmandu to Pokhara return. 
• Micro bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara
• ACAP national park permit and TIMS permit for trekking in the Annapurna region
• Travel from Pokhara to start of trek and back
• One  night accomodation at Pokhara (Hotel Gurkha Haven) and   two nights  accomodation in Kathmandu on the way in and out  on twin sharing basis
• All accommodation on the trek on twin sharing basis
• Cost of porters/guides for the trek. Please note that porters will carry one duffel bag or backpack not exceeding 10 kgs in weight for each trekker comprising of personal items, clothing, sleeping bag etc.
• Please budget an extra USD 25 per day for meals not included in the cost above

Costs not included:

• Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara and fooding on the trek is not included
• Airport taxes at Kathmandu and Pokhara airports in case of flights
• Desserts, drinks, and exotic items listed in the lodge menus are not included.
• Alcohol, cold drinks (coca cola, sprite, beer), juices, ice cream etc on the trek and in Pokhara.
• Client travel and medical insurance of any kind.
• Emergency evacuation costs if needed.
• Video camera fees in National Parks (where applicable).
• Bottled drinks; boiled, filtered or bottled water; alcohol; snacks; tea/coffee;
• Hot showers (Rs 200-300 per shower);
• Personal clothing and equipment; sleeping bag; douvet/down/goretek jacket, medicines for personal use etc.
• Air fare from home country to Nepal and back
• Tips to porters/guides at the end of trek estimate at US $ 50 per person

For more details email sujoyrdas@gmail.com or call +919831054569.

Useful Links

http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya/Annapurna-Foothills-Poon-Hill/
http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya/Annapurna/
http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.in/2015/03/poon-hill-trek-kande-ghandrung.html
http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.in/2017/01/annapurna-foothills-trek-poon-hill-and.html

South Col: Ghorepani/Poon Hill Trek and Photo Workshop

South Col Expeditions ran a trek-cum- photo workshop for five days in the Annapurna foothills in December 2011. The route was Pokhara-Birethanti-Ghandrung-Tadapani-Ghorepani-Poon Hill-Ulleri-Tirkedhunga-Birethanti-Pokhara. The team had four very enthusiastic and talented photographers: Dhrubo Gupta, Partha Das, Susmit Bhattacharya and Sandip Bhattacharya. Some photographs from the trek:

Best months to trek in Nepal

  I have been getting some enquiries about which are the best months to trek in Nepal. More specifically, people want to know which is the  most busy month and how does spring trekking (March/April) compare to autumn (Oct/Nov)? Weather wise post monsoon Oct/Nov is the most stable and clear but Oct is also the most crowded. I generally like to avoid Oct as lodges are busy, trails are full and there are far too many people around.
Recently we have been trekking in December which is suitable for the foothills but not ideal for the high mountains e.g. Kala Pattar, Annapurna Base Camp etc.
So my recommendations would be for high altitude treks in  Nepal try April or mid to late November. For foothills trekking November-December would be fine. In fact Everest Kala Pattar trek would also be good in November before the winter snows set in.
Here are the statistics of trekkers in Everest and Annapurna for the last five years which gives a good idea of the numbers on the trail:

EVEREST REGION
	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Jan	426	486	566	642	576
Feb	524	455	592	853	658
Mar	2343	1977	3029	3688	3041
Apr	2458	3439	4246	4661	4513
May	937	886	1679	1986	1629
June	201	110	284	297	298
July	204	184	209	294	229
Aug	260	352	434	450	509
Sept	1016	1190	1458	2135	2535
Oct	6242	6595	7750	9260
Nov	3448	3323	4188	4830
Dec	984	1039	1379	1503
ANNAPURNA REGION
	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Jan	1842	2106	1877	2570	2555
Feb	2325	3096	1527	3029	3574
Mar	2955	5147	4621	6575	6473
Apr	5484	6021	3216	8261	7324
May	2228	1794	1051	3022	2377
June	782	789	390	1325	680
July	864	881	712	779	774
Aug	1489	1488	1445	2186	2112
Sept	4315	3353	3525	5306	5231
Oct	9576	9314	9547
Nov	5698	5116	5319
Dec	3110	2242	2954

The figures for Everest were collected from the entrance of the Sagarmatha National Park ( Jorsale) and the Annapurna data from the ACAP office at Birethanti.