Helambu Trek – Day 1.
Kathmandu (1300m) – Melamchi Bazar (870m) – Duwachauri (1500m)
:Walking time 2hrs 45mins.
We were so eager to set off on our trek that we were up and at’em before the restaurant had opened! There was no way Steve could embark on the adventure without a brew so we waited and were just finishing off when our guide arrived. We jumped in a taxi to make sure we got to the bus station for the 8 o’clock bus and be on our way before the traffic got too bad. Nepali bus stations are as chaotic and the rest of the Indian sub-continent and even Harry (our guide) had to ask lots of people before we found the bus, tucked away in a far corner. Got our tickets, settled into our seats and were ready for the off – the only trouble was the driver wasn’t ready and had decided to leave at 9 o’clock instead. Hey ho!
It gave us chance to take in the sights and sounds of the bus station, for me to catch up with my journal and for Steve to check the trek route on our newly purchased map. The extra hour also gave the lads time to get the hammer out and bang more bits of the bus together. We’ve been on some pitiful buses over the years but this was the shabbiest, cronkiest bus yet. The buses are in such a bad state of repair that starting them is a specialist job. Every single one around us needed to be jump started and that’s not easy in a cramped space. In fact ours burst into life just inches off the bus parked in front! Finally we were off, all-be-it at a shuffle through the station and then in first gear once we hit the main road. If this was top speed it was going to take some time to get to the start of the trek. Luckily after 5kms or so they decided they had enough customers on board and more gears were engaged.
Then of course we had to stop to pick up more people near the airport which turned into a prolonged stop and more of those TV’s were put on. The journey on the paved road wasn’t too bad even though we frequently stopped to pick up more people and produce. After a couple of hours we turned off the main road onto a dirt track. We thought the safari roads in Tanzania had been bumpy but they now looked like super highways in comparison! Not only was the road in a shocking state, but it wasn’t wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass each other so we were constantly reversing. To compound the general slowness, people were now getting on or off at approximately 50m intervals. The alleged 3hr trip to Melamchi Bazar turned into a 5hr endurance test!
We were now 3 hours later than planned and the guide said we wouldn’t have time to get to the first intended stop before it was dark. Luckily there was another place he knew about on the way so all was not lost and we finally got to do some walking. We crossed the river and started climbing steeply up but all the while the people the guide was talking to were pointing to a track on the other side of the river. In fact as we set off, I said to Steve that from looking on the map we needed to be on the other side of the valley. Anyway we kept pushing on and the people walking with the guide were constantly changing and it soon became clear that the guide was being guided by the locals to get us back on track. We couldn’t just go back and start again as that would mean admitting that we’d gone the wrong way initially. Lo and behold we then started descending very steeply and back towards the river. You guessed it – we crossed back over the river and then of course had to climb back up the other side of the valley.
The paths are very steep in places and you quickly gain altitude and get to admire the valley you’ve just left. The guide was now setting a swift pace as we’d lost even more time. Although we were now back on track, Harry still engaged the help of whoever happened to be going our way. So we huffed and puffed our way up the steep terraced slopes while the locals nonchalantly carried huge bundles of vegetation on their backs.
We got to the half way house just before it got dark. Duwachauri doesn’t have a lot to offer the world but we checked into Langtang Guesthouse. According to the sign proudly displayed outside they have e-mail and hot water. Er no! We just about had running water and there wasn’t a glimmer of electricity. It goes down as one of the worst places we’ve stayed in with hard wooden beds with bedding it was best not to get too close too – just as well we had our sleeping bags with us. Dirt floors and newspaper covered walls made from mud all added to the ambiance! Despite the limited facilities the lady of the house rustled up and an excellent dhal baht with tasty leafy greens.
Even at this lowish altitude it’s chilly once the sun has gone down. We were tucked into our sleeping bags by 7pm and the headlamps were switched off before 8 o’clock – we know how to live the wild life! Following a long, tedious travel day we were looking forward to starting the trek proper(!) the following day. We calculated that it took us 5 hours to travel 77kms today with it taking 2 hours to cover the last 22kms – we’d have been better off walking!
Helambu Trek – Day 2
Duwachauri (1500m) – Kakani (2000m) – Nigale (2300m) – Sermathang (2590m) Walking time 3 hours
Morning couldn’t come soon enough as neither of us got much sleep in our luxury accommodation. We were nice and warm through the night but had already resorted to the thermal pyjamas so the nights to follow were potentially going to be interesting. While we were munching our superb freshly made chapattis the goats and chickens were shooed out of what had been last night’s dining room. The bill was presented on a scruffy scrap of paper and at a grand total of Rs555/= for dinner, bed and breakfast for two we couldn’t really complain. What do you expect for a fiver?!
Harry was keen to get going since we had to make it Kakani and then onto the next place in one day. We were also keen to get going as we were still waiting for our first glimpse of the mountains. We took the short cut through the forest and it was time for the guide to realise that we are not slow walkers. He’d predicted it would take us 2 hours to reach Kakani but we were there in an hour. We had time to stop for a much improved brew in the guesthouse we should have stayed in. To be honest it was still no great shakes but looked fantastic in comparison!
That night we would be staying in Sermathang and since it was only a 3-4 hour walk away we had plenty of time. Onwards and upwards and by this time the sun had started to burn off the misty cloud. Once we were on the top of one of the more prominent ridges we were rewarded with great views of the mountains. The sky had cleared so it was lovely taking it all in basking in the sun. The Helambu Trail isn’t very popular, as people say you don’t get very close to the mountains and therefore don’t get fantastic views. I thought it was beautiful and who wants to be in crowds all the time?
Nigale, our next stop, consisted of a local’s teahouse and a stupa and from there we could see our final destination and knew it wouldn’t take us long to get there. We tried to talk Harry into pressing on to the next village, but he wasn’t having any of it and said we wouldn’t have time. So we were forced to sit back with a brew and take in the snow-capped peaks and deep valleys. The teahouses vary from those that are only there to cater for trekkers and those that are strategically placed for locals carrying loads from one village / valley to the next. They carry such huge, heavy loads that they need to take regular breaks, and what better than having a brew and catching up with the local news and gossip.
By midday we’d had enough of sitting around – this was supposed to be a trek after all! – so headed off to Sermathang. Obviously we had plenty of time, so we made a slight detour to look at a brand new Buddhist statue. How on earth they got the huge thing up there is a mystery. We were checking into The Helambu Lodge in Sermathang by 1pm and following lunch were wondering how we were going to keep ourselves occupied for the afternoon. Luckily this guesthouse was much more geared up for taking in trekkers and tourists and they even had an extensive menu in English. Although it was still quite basic it was very neat and tidy with solar panels for hot water. The panels are not very efficient but to have a shower and get freshened up was most welcome.
Sermathang is a Sherpa village spread up and down the valley slopes. The buildings are much more substantial than those lower down the valley and we progressed from dirt floors and cow dung walls to concrete floors, painted walls and a paved patio area. The village is very well cared for with all the logs, produce etc being neatly stored and flowering plants brighten up the gardens. The lady running Helambu Lodge is very proud of her set-up and rightly so. One huge room serves as a kitchen, storeroom, shop and dining area and it is immaculately clean and all her things are neatly stored away or proudly displayed on shelves. Considering how far away we were from the nearest town it was amazing to see how much variety of products she had – I wonder how often they get deliveries.
It didn’t take long to potter around the village so we had plenty of time to read our books in a patch of sunlight. We were covering the distances between guesthouses quickly and it’s just as well we didn’t let the bloke in Kathmandu talk us into this being an 8 day trek. To be honest it would surprise me if it takes 7 days and I reckon that it’s probably a 5 day trek. We don’t want to rush around but then we’d rather be walking all day than sitting around reading our books and twiddling our thumbs. Harry is finally beginning to get it that we can walk – in fact he reckons I’m as fast as a Sherpa. Praise indeed but I’m nowhere near their league as I couldn’t walk so fast and carry heavy loads like they do.
Helambu Trek – Day 3
Sermathang (2590m) – Ghangyul (2770m) – Tarkeghyang (2740m) – cross Melamchi Khola (1900m) – Melamchigaon (2530m) Walking time 5hrs 30mins
No problem waking up once the sun is starting to peak through, but getting out of the warm sleeping bags was much more of a challenge! Eventually plucked up the courage and set off to watch the sunrise over Sermathang while breakfast was being prepared. The valley was carpeted in cloud but we had bright, clear views looking up to the mountains. Once we were fed and watered it was time to settle the bill – 3 times the price of the previous evening but a steal at 16 quid for lunch, dinner, bed, breakfast and a never ending pot of tea and coffee each.
Just before setting off, we checked the day’s route with Harry and were disappointed to find out that we wouldn’t be taking a side trip up a 3700m peak. However, we were happy to find out that we wouldn’t simply be staying at Tarkeghyang as originally planned, but carrying on to Melamchigaon. So we were finally going to be doing more than just a couple of hours pottering around. The sun and the walking soon warmed us up and the first part of the route was Nepali flat. In other words you basically stay at the same altitude but the path constantly climbs and falls. There were a few sneaky steep sections and it was good to be able to exercise our up and down hill muscles simultaneously. Here in our part of the world, we’re more used to all up, followed by all down, with the whole lot being steep.
We went through some fantastic scenery once again and to be honest it was even more beautiful than where we’d been as we were approaching the furthest and highest point of the trek. After about an hour we stopped briefly at Ghangyul, another picturesque Sherpa village strategically placed with cracking views all round. If ever we were to walk in these parts again, we would try to tailor the trek so we could spend a night here. We carried on and got to Tarkeghyang in time for elevenses, but the cloud was rolling up the valley so we didn’t hang around for long.
The next section of the trek called for a steep descent into the valley so we could cross Melamchi Khola (river). Once more a robust bridge was in place and it’s great to know that the locals don’t like to get their feet wet any more than strictly necessary! We then had to climb back up the other side, and in fact ascended 600m to Melamchigaon where we were to spend the night. This village turned out to be much better than Tarkeghyang and we were glad Harry finally realised that we could cover distances quite quickly while still enjoying the trek. We checked into Himalaya Lama Lodge which was on a par with the place we’d stayed in the previous night and other lodges that we’ve seen.
Although these places have surprisingly extensive menus it’s basically a case of what they have in stock and the produce that is in season. Luckily for us pumpkins were all over the place and a warming bowl of soup was just the ticket on several occasions. You also have to bear in mind that the cooking is done on the family fire so they do not have room for lots of pots at the same time. We kept things simple, and not to mention very tasty, every night by ordering dhal baht which the family would be preparing anyway.
This was the best day of the trek so far as we actually spent most of the day walking! It was great getting to our final destination with enough daylight left to get ourselves organised, but not spending too long sitting around getting progressively colder. The route would in fact be pretty easy to follow without a guide and there tends to be people around to point you in the right direction. For most of today we could work out where we were headed to next by looking out for the next stupa. We began to feel like we were on a Buddhist pilgrimage for Christmas. The flags fluttering in the breeze were used to add colour and detail to many a photo. Melamchigaon has a particularly interesting gompha (another word for stupa) and many of them are brightly painted with prayer wheels – had to have a go of course. There are loads of temples near Kathmandu that people like to visit to have a go on the prayer wheels, but you can’t beat having the entire temple to yourself in a village perched on the side of another splendid valley.
Helambu Trek – Day 4
Melamchigaon (2530m) – Tharepati (3510m) – Mangengoth (3000m) Walking time 4hrs 30mins
The chilliest start yet and we crept outside to find frost on the ground. Now we know that many parts of the world experience much colder temperatures than we were facing, but the difference is there’s nowhere to go to get warm. Central heating – forget it; you can’t even indulge in a hot water shower! We knew we were going to ascend 1000m this morning, so freshly made chapattis were just the thing to set us on our way – the best chapattis of the holiday no less.
Even though we were steadily climbing up, it was not a day for removing fleeces as we were in a forest. That also meant that we couldn’t look back to see how far we’d climbed but at least we weren’t in dense jungle and tripping over tree roots like we usually are. We constantly climbed for 3 hours and as we neared the top we started to get our first views of the mountains. This helped to spur us on and Steve was looking forward to a brew – of course! At the top we were rewarded with views just as spectacular as we’d been promised, the Himalayan peaks stretched for miles. Harry pointed out and named as many as he could including; Langshisa Ri, Dshabu Ri, Pangen Dopku and Naya Kang all 6000m peaks (give or take 100m or so).
In our part of Asia, if you’d climbed to 3500m you’d been on top, but not here in Nepal. In fact, you’re only half way up at the very best! It’s very difficult to explain just how magnificent the mountain range is – the pictures and posters you see do it justice but seeing it all in reality can’t be beaten. We sat at the stupa in Tharepati for some time taking it all in and having a well earned snack. Usually at this time of year we’d have been walking in snow but the snows had not yet arrived – global warming? Even though we were in the direct sun, the breeze was still a bit chilly so we retired to Yak & Yeti Lodge for lunch.
Following lunch, we descended down to Mangengoth comprising solely of 3 teahouses. Mangengoth and Tharepati are both places that only consist of teahouses and in fact, no one would bother to live there if trekkers didn’t go through. The Helambu and Langtang treks meet at Tharepati, so it is worth the lodges taking it in turn to be open during the off-season. Mind you, one of those at Mangengoth looked like it hadn’t been operational for quite some time. Our lodging for the night, Mangengoth Lama Lodge, advertised ‘inside bathroom with hot water’ – were we going to be able to have 2 showers during the trek? Turned out to be a washing up bowl full of lukewarm water to take into the room to share! Oh well, at least we were a little bit fresher and cleaner.
The best thing about the purpose build lodges is that they operate more like guesthouses rather than the homestay style teahouses we’d been in up to now. Previously the only place to get warm was to sit by the family’s cooking fire and you feel a bit rude hanging around. Tonight’s treat was being able to sit in a proper dining room where they lit a fire for us – an early Christmas present!
Helambu Trek – Day 5
Mangengoth (3000m) – Kutumsang (2470m) – Chipling (2170m) – Pati Bhanjyang (1770m) – Chisapani (2220m) Walking time 6hrs 30mins
Started the day feeling exhausted as we’d spent the night feeling far too cold to be able to sleep. Once we found the courage to extract ourselves from our sleeping bags, we wandered outside to find everything covered in frost. Today was a day for setting off wearing fleeces and jackets and it took some time before we felt warm enough to remove the top layer. We had thought it would have been nice to spend a night at the highest point and to wake up with glorious mountain views. However, extending the walk down to Mangengoth turned out to be an inspired move due to the temperature and the fact that the tops were thick with cloud.
We reached Kutumsang by 10 bells and stopped for a brew – of course. We were back in the land of real villages and the lady in the lodge even rustled up real coffee! Once again we rested in a very picturesque spot but didn’t linger long as we’d finally persuaded Harry that we could cover distances quickly and without it zapping our energy levels. By this stage we realised that if we pushed it and actually did another full day’s walking we’d be able to knock a day off the trek. We negotiated the Nepali flat section of the day’s walk quickly and reached Chipling in time for an early lunch. Nepali flat equates to up and down sections but it’s more than an undulating landscape, since we climbed 300m, descended the same and then climb back up a further 300m.
Over lunch we broached the subject of walking past 1 o’clock in the afternoon(!) but took a slightly different stance by saying it would be nice to be back in Kathmandu for Christmas Day. Now we’re not really bothered about celebrating Christmas, but we knew the villages towards the end of the trek were nothing special, and that we would have left the spectacular views behind. It made more sense to press on and finish a day early. Luckily Harry agreed and so we left our ridge edge teahouse (Lame Dodje Lodge) and descended very steeply down to Chipling village. In fact we carried on descending down to Pati Bhanjyang and from there we knew it would be ‘upstairs’ to Chisapani. The upstairs part didn’t start until after quite a long stretch of Nepali flat and then when we did hit the final hill it only took us 45mins to ascend 600m.
Chisapani translates into cold water but we’d been promised a hot water shower – no joy once again, and even Harry was very disappointed. Although we still had at least a couple of hours walking the following morning we treated ourselves to a beer and Harry joined in the end of trek festivities. The clouds had rolled down thick and fast so we didn’t get to see the Annapurna range despite staying in Annapurna View Lodge. We might not have had very good views, but it was the best food of the whole trip.
Helambu Trek – Day 6
Chisapani (2220m) – Mul Kharka (1860m) – Sundarijal (1460m) – Kathmandu (1300m) Walking time 2hrs 30mins
Although we were quite a bit lower, it was still very cold, but we managed to get a bit more sleep and were ready to tackle the last little bit of walking and the journey back to Kathmandu. It was still very cloudy and too hazy to get any good views of the mountains and we only got a fleeting glance of the Annapurna range, a little further down the track. We had mentally prepared ourselves for a long downhill walk and were dismayed to find out that we would be starting with 15mins of ‘upstairs’. For once Harry underestimated the time and it looked like we might take the 4 hours Harry had pencilled in. We felt slow going up but it was soon conquered and for once the flat section actually was a gently undulating path.
We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the pine woods – very fitting for Christmas morning - the sunlight was dappling through the trees and in the shade there were still patches of frost. Stopped briefly for a juice (closer to civilisation so didn’t have to have brew!) at Mul Kharka where there were quite a few trekkers just setting off. By this point the path really did go straight down and it was mainly steps so we basically jogged down and shaved time off Harry’s prediction one last time. In Sundarijal we were lucky enough to jump straight on a bus that was bound for Kathmandu and it set off immediately. Mind you it did crawl along in first gear for about half an hour and after the peace and quiet of the mountains being in town was an assault on the senses.
The driver eventually filled his bus and found some more gears – I’m sure you’ve read that before somewhere! The 15kms took an hour and a half which was a little frustrating since it had only taken us 60mins longer to walk the same distance that very same morning! At least there were lots of fun people watching moments to keep the journey entertaining, but all we wanted was to get back and have a hot shower. As luck would have it, International Guesthouse had a room so we checked back in, had a much needed hot shower and went to find some tasty snacks and a cold beer. We’d finally had enough of dhal baht so treated ourselves to a cracking pizza that was so big we had to ask for a doggy bag. The previous sleepless nights quickly caught up with us and we were tucked up in bed by 9.30pm – on Christmas Day? Unheard of for a very, very long time!
