Trek to the Forbidden Kingdom

Greetings Everyone,

After crossing the wild Teri La, we had entered the ancient Kingdom of Mustang. Now, nothing stood between us and our final destination, Lo Manthang, the capital of Mustang. Clouds still lingered in the south and west the following morning but we were in a rain/snow-free band. We set off after breakfast and immediately had to cross a scree slope but the trail was wide. We climbed high above the river before descending down to cross it, then it was up again. We saw our first stone ruins on the other side of the river which Chet said belonged to Tibetans that fled here when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959.

Stone Ruins

A steep, slippery descent on scree brought us to another river crossing and you guessed it, up again. We began to see juniper trees but sadly all the big ones had been cut down. This arid area covered in juniper reminded us of Arizona.

Junipers

We contoured around several saddles before reaching the highest one with a view of the camp set up on a plateau far below. 

View of Camp

After lunch, we went pika hunting behind camp. We climbed to a spring which appeared to be attracting birds. There were some pretty rose-colored finches. We both spotted pikas but they scurried into a bush before Marc could get a photo. Finally after waiting patiently for an hour and a half one popped out in the open long enough for Marc to get a photo. 

Pika

The following morning we set off for Tangge, the first village we’d encounter since leaving Naar. There were still plenty of clouds around obscuring the views as we made our way up and down the high ridges of this ancient land.

1st View of Tangge

We reached the tiny settlement of Tangge, spinning well-worn prayer wheels and admiring the chortens lining our path. Time had stood still here and the spirituality of the Buddhist culture prevailed. 

Spinning Prayer Wheels at Tangge

The crew set up our tent in the courtyard of a guesthouse next to a chorten. We wouldn’t have to worry about evil spirits tonight. The woman who owned the establishment set about weaving on an antique wooden loom while her young son played about.

Spinning Yak Wool

The next morning we continued our trek toward Lo Manthang by climbing steeply out of Tangge and crossing a high windswept plateau. The scenery here reminded us of the desert southwestern US. 

Descent to the Kali Gandaki River Valley

Then it was a descent all the way down to the mighty Kali Gandaki River where we stopped for lunch. At this time of year, the river didn’t look particularly high so we decided to follow the porters and wade across. When we reached the shore, the frigid water was flowing swiftly and we lost our nerve. Fortunately, a new suspension bridge had been built high above the river and we climbed up to cross it. The wind had picked up and the long bridge swayed ominously. I now wished we had waded across the river but instead followed Dorje onto the swinging expanse. It wasn’t too scary but I was happy to reach the other side.

Ready to Cross!

We continued our climb reaching another plateau which we had to traverse before making the descent to the Buddhist village of Yara. Once again colorful chortens greeted us and we had to clamor over a stone wall to enter the settlement. 

Chorten at Yara

Our tent was set up in a campsite above one of the guesthouses with a commanding view over the valley. We would spend two nights here, our first “rest day” since leaving Phu Village.

Our View from Camp

After breakfast the next morning, we headed out with Chet and Dorje to visit Luri Cave Gompa. The skies were clear this morning and we got great views of Dhaulagiri and Tukuche looming over an ancient row of prayer wheels.

Dhaulagiri and Tukuche

We reached the village of Ghara in about an hour and enquired about a key to Luri Gompa. A young woman with the key met us on the road for the remainder of the walk to the gompa. We arrived at the gompa perched high on a cliff nearly two hours after we had set off from camp. 

Climbing Up to Luri Gompa

We climbed the switchbacks to a metal bridge which led to the gompa. The young woman unlocked the door and we climbed wooden stairs to a first chamber with ancient statues, thankas, drums and other artifacts where the woman lit a butter lamp.

Thankas Inside Luri Gompa

We went into another chamber with a 15-foot stupa with paintings on all sides and amazing frescoes on the ceiling of the chamber. Not much is known about this gompa but it’s believed to date back to the 14th century! 

Inside Luri Gompa

We left the Luri Cave Gompa and made our way down to another newer gompa near the Dhe Khola.

2nd Gompa

After a quick visit to the gompa we followed the river back to Yara in search of fossils that were once readily found here. A guide with another group found a few and gave one to me. 

Looking for Fossils

That evening we went to the guesthouse to watch the local Tibetan woman dance and sing. After their performance, we gave them a small token of appreciation. It's a way tourism can help local women earn a living when other opportunities are few.

Dancing and Singing Performance

We awoke twice during the night to the eerie cries of jackals. They sounded like a large pack. They didn’t call for long but the village dogs barked forever after. Today we would finally reach Lo Manthang. We hiked down to the Kali Gandaki River and followed it for a bit before crossing and climbing to the villages of Dhee.

Climbing Out of Dhee

We climbed a series of plateaus above the village before reaching the final summit. Here we encountered our first trek groups from Lo Manthang. After a stop to eat our pack lunches we finally got our first glimpses of the “Walled City”. 

1st View of Lo Manthang

We had to climb down to cross the Kali Gandaki which at this location was a mere stream and ascended to a new gate at the entrance to the city. After 18 days on the trek, we had reached our final destination!

Entering Lo Manthang

That evening we said a teary goodbye to our porters as they would be taking a bus to Jomsom in the morning. Xiring, Sanukumar, Khamnsung, Sundar, and Karun carried our heavy loads day after day over high mountain passes and through raging rivers. If that wasn’t enough, they’d arrive in camp and help set up our tents. They never complained but were quick to help always with a warm smile. We can’t thank them enough for making this trek possible and wish them the best of luck for the future!

Our Porters

The last place we were to visit on our epic trek was the village of Choser about a two-hour hike away. Here the sandy cliffs are riddled with caves carved out by the early inhabitants of this former kingdom. To get a sense of what it would be like to live in one of these dwellings we made the climb on rickety ladders through narrow chambers to at least the third floor. This was enough to satisfy my curiosity and we did not proceed further to the top floors. 

Inside Choser Caves

We hitched a ride back to Lo Manthang and decided to visit the Royal Mustang Resort Hotel. Chet said it was owned by the son of the last King of Mustang. When we arrived, it appeared to be closed but as we were leaving a young man opened the door and invited us in. The man said that there were no guests as the season was ending for the winter. I was intrigued by a portrait of the last king and his Tibetan bride that hung in the lobby. We were about ready to leave when the young man told us that the King and his wife were his grandparents! I was delighted and insisted that he pose with me in front of their portrait.

Peggy with the King's Grandson

We still had time to visit the Choedye Monastery where we were lucky to witness another puja ceremony. We sat mesmerized as the monks chanted, clashed cymbals and beat a drum.

Inside Choedye Monastery

On October 25, we left Lo Manthang and drove along the new jeep road to Jomsom. We stopped for one last look to where we had crossed the Teri La into this fabled land.

Last Look at the Teri La

After stops to repair our broken suspension and for lunch we arrived in Jomsom in the afternoon. We stayed in the same hotel that we stayed in 2009 after our trek around Dhaulagiri. That evening we said our final goodbyes to the remaining staff: Chet, our unflappable trip leader who delivered a second flawless trek for us, Kumar, our soft-spoken cook who prepared our delicious meals that fueled us along the way,  Dorje, our strong Sherpa who held my hand and guided us through the tough spots and finally to Mangley and Prem who helped Kumar in the kitchen and served us our meals. 

Our Trek Crew

In the early morning, a flight out of Jomsom took us past the imposing east face of Dhaulagiri to the mountain town of Pokhara and then it’s was back to the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu.

View of Dhaulagiri From Our Flight

Out 8th trip to Nepal had come to an end. I’ll never tire of visiting this tiny country straddling the high Himalaya and the lowland forests of the Terai.  Nepal’s vibrant Hindu culture of the cities and peaceful Buddhist culture of the high Himalayas will remain in my heart forever!

We hope all is well with everyone.

Peggy and Marc

Our route map:

Trek to the Lost Valleys (Part II)

Greetings everyone,

After a delightful visit to the village of Phu, we retraced our route back down the Phu Valley to where the trail diverged to cross the River and entered the Naar Valley.

Trail Junction to Naar

The wind had picked up making the descent tricky but we reached the suspension bridge and climbed steeply to the Gyalbu Kumbu Monastery where we’d camp for the night.

Our Camp at Gyalbu Kumbu Monastery

There didn’t seem to be anyone around but Kumar found a woman who directed him to a small building that he could use as a kitchen. The guys set up the tents while we visited the gompa to watch a puja ceremony. Three to four young monks were chanting, beating a drum and clashing cymbals. It was nice to find an active monastery. Many are now vacant with the monks only returning on special occasions.

Monks in Gyalbu Kumbu Monastery 

As night fell, the gompa was lit up with red lights. It looked like a space ship. The nearly full moon bathed the surrounding mountains in a soft glow.

A short trek day today but we would finally reach the village of Naar. We climbed steadily above the gompa with views of Himlung looming over the Phu Valley and Kangaru in the clear above the village of Meta. 

View of Himlung

The climb continued until we reached an impressive line of ancient chortens and with Kangaru beyond it made for some spectacular photos. 

Chortens Near Naar

Around the next bend, the village of Naar came into view. It was an impressive sight with ancient stone houses, red-roofed gompas and blue-roofed guesthouses situated at the end of the valley with snow-capped mountains looming beyond. Terraced barley fields now barren surrounded the village.

Entering Naar

There was a lot going on in Naar and we set off to investigate. Nearby groups of villagers were busy threshing barley. The men were using wooden paddles to beat the harvested grain to separate the seeds from the stalks. We took photos and videos of the action.

Threshing Barley in Naar

Unlike Phu, there were more people here going about village life. In addition to the threshing, people were busy washing dishes and clothes, taking care of kids, plowing fields, etc. making for some great photos. 

Village of Naar

In the wee hours of the following morning, we were rudely awakened by a chopping sound. At first, I thought the guy that runs the guesthouse had run out of firewood. Marc got up to investigate and said three village men were already up and beating barley! More threshers joined in and it was impossible to get back to sleep but somehow we managed to get at least another hour in.

As we left Naar, I felt privileged to see a way of life that is fast disappearing from the planet. It was good to see the villagers working together seemingly enjoying a simple but difficult way of life.

Villagers Sifting Barley

We climbed down and down on a series of switchbacks toward the Labse Khola. We didn’t reach the river at this point but followed a trail above it until we reached a newly built suspension bridge and crossed to the other side. It was then up and up to a plateau where our tents were being set up among the stone huts and corrals of a summer grazing camp.

1st Camp Above Naar

Chet, our guide, spotted a pika in the stone wall of one of the huts and with a bit of patience, Marc got some great photos. It’s difficult to identify pikas but this one was most likely a Large-eared Pika. 

Large-eared Pika

As we entered further into this remote valley, it became drier and drier. We scanned the barren hillsides for Blue Sheep and often spotted them grazing across the river, high above us. For days they were the only other inhabitants in this lost valley which we would follow to the Teri La.

Blue Sheep

On day 12 of our trek, we set off for the Teri La High Camp. We climbed high above the river and Dorje spotted a few herds of blue sheep on the ridges across the river. We stayed high only dipping down to cross a side stream. We finally reached the river crossing without a bridge. Kumar was there with the kitchen boys building a bridge of stones so we didn’t have to use our sandals to wade across the frigid water. On the other side, we climbed a steep moraine. Chet had to hold my hand in spots because I didn’t feel comfortable crossing the steep, exposed sections. Finally, we reached a high barren plateau and the going got easier. We could now see the Chulu Range, climbing peaks topping out at over 21,000-feet.

Chulu Range

We were now over 16,000 feet and moving slow. Chet said we had plenty of time so there was no point in pushing it. We finally reached the river the color of Tang and headed up it. We crossed the “Tang River” several times but we could hop across on rocks. 

Along the "Tang River"

We climbed gradually approaching 17,000 feet. We could see a plateau ahead and Chet said the camp was on top. Finally, around 1:30 our tents came into view. There was little wind and the sun was shining so it was pleasantly warm. However, when we left our tent for dinner, I saw a few snow flurries, not a good sign. Before going to bed I noted that there were quite a few stars out so I felt more hopeful for good weather tomorrow.

Approaching Camp

At 2:00 am I woke to the sound of a pitter-pattering on our tent. When I peered outside the ground was covered in snow! I know I shouldn’t be superstitious but being the 13th day of our trek, I was concerned that something like this would happen to prevent us from crossing the high pass. I woke Marc and he checked the weather again on his InReach but it said there was only a 10% chance of snow showers. He said it was clear when he went out at 10:00. He fell back asleep but I couldn’t. I felt too anxious about whether or not we could cross the pass in this weather. I kept willing the snow to stop but it didn’t. We finally got up at 5:45 and I braved the 4 inches or so of snow to get to the toilet tent. When I returned to our tent Chet and Dorje were there. They told Marc that we’d cross the pass today before the weather got any worse. I was anxious and eager to get going. I just wanted to be up and over the Teri La.

Packing Up Camp Below Teri La

We packed up than had breakfast. We put on our Gore-Tex pants and jackets as it was still snowing lightly. We left around 7:10 with Chet. Three of the porters were already ahead and It was difficult for them to follow the snow-covered trail so Chet with barely a voice had to shout directions to them. The going was slow but the grade wasn’t too steep so the snow wasn’t causing too much of a problem.

Approaching Teri La

As we neared the pass, we stopped to put on our microspikes. I felt much more confident with them. The porters had already flown over the pass by the time we arrived. I must admit what was supposed to be a high point (literally and figuratively) of the trek was anticlimactic. Of course, the weather had everything to do with it. With no views and blowing wind, we didn’t linger too long. We snapped a few photos of us at 18,356-feet and headed down.

Us on the Teri La at 18,356 feet

Thank goodness for our microspikes, the descent would have been much more difficult without them. We descended a moraine to a river crossing and the high camp for trekkers coming in the opposite direction.

Descending from Teri La

We removed our crampons since there wasn’t any more snow but we had a steep climb ahead. I wasn’t feeling at all confident today and Dorje had to lead me up the steep pitch by the hand. Near the top, it got even dicier as there were some rocks to negotiate. Once on the top, I thought it would get easier but it didn’t. Now we had to contour around some steep slopes on a trail only a foot wide! Dorje had to come to my rescue again and lead me across by the hand. I was nervous about Marc behind me but he seemed ok with the exposure where one slip could mean a fall of 500-1000 feet in spots! The contours seemed to go on forever. I couldn’t believe that fully loaded mules could negotiate this narrow, exposed trail! We finally reached the end of the cursed contours and could see camp set up below. Now, all we had to do was climb 2500 feet straight down on a trail with loose scree!

Descent to Camp

At the bottom, we had to cross a river before walking down the valley to camp. The kitchen crew and porters had pretty much set up camp for us. After carrying heavy loads over an 18,000-foot, snow-covered pass they still had enough energy to set up all the tents. What a great crew!

Approaching Camp

Hot juice and noodle soup were served. We shared one packed lunch and gave the other to the porters thanking them for all their hard work. We returned to our tent to rest after a very mentally and physically challenging day. I was very happy to be over the Teri La!

We hope all is well with everyone,

Peggy and Marc

Our route map: