Trekking in the Himalayas

By Christoph Kohler

THE great Himalayas, the roof of the world, are a dream for most of the people. At it’s highest point it reaches an amazing 8,884m. It was not until 1953, when the Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, and the New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary, tackled this unbelievable challenge. Today, it seems that Mount Everest sees a steady traffic. You don’t have to go to those extremes to enjoy the incredible beauty of the Himalayas. I opted for the Langtang valley, which even today is not over-crowded with too many trekkers.

The most essential thing you have to organise in Kathmandu is a valid permit, which you always have to carry with you. There are several check-posts along the way. If you don’t want to waste a whole day in a crowded, stinky, hot immigration office in a never-ending queue, it may be wise to consult one of the agencies, which are available in abundance around Thamel and Durbar Marg. If you don’t want to strike out independently, these are the places to hire guides, porters, tents, or whatever your needs are. Shop around until it meets your requirements. Watch out, there are a lot of unreliable agencies offering their services as well. If your porter just disappears overnight with your gear, you will regret the bargain. If you don’t already have good boots, warm clothes and a sleeping bag, I recommend Kathmandu to shop around. Sufficient local currency in small denomination is a must. There are no facilities along the way. On the trek, a US $ 20 - note is virtually worthless.

To reach the starting point of the Langtang trek, you have to take a torturous, nightmarish bumpy, 10-hour bus journey to Dhunche, another day’s walk from the Tibetan border. Unfortunately, this direction is off limit, even though you might be tempted. This route is impossible. So close, yet so far.

From Dhunche it is a three-to-four-day walk to Kyangjin, a settlement in the valley. For the first few hours you have to walk on the road to Syabru Bensi, the last real village on the way. Road construction to link Syabru Bensi is going on. From here it is a pleasant walk through the jungle along a milky glacier water river. You can spot the entire families of monkeys playing in the woods. If luck is really on your side, you may come across some rare red pandas. Colourful butterflies and orchids can easily be spotted and are a delight for the eyes. Birds chirp as if they are in a contest, and leaf canopies of different trees give shelter from the sun.

A steady traffic of coolies makes its way up the path with heavy loads up to 60 kg, which is carried with a leash across the forehead. For the exhausting three days walk to Kyangjin, their salary is Rs 10 per kg.

Taking a shower at night in the freezing water of the river takes some special preparation — a deep breath, because the heart nearly comes to a standstill.

After the jungle is left behind, the path cuts through the pine forest, slowly ascending until Gora Tabela, where you should rest for the night, because the altitude is already 3000 m, which can be fatal. All people react differently to altitude sickness and symptoms like headache, losing of appetite, vomiting, difficulty in breathing and disorientation should be treated seriously. People die at an altitude of 3000m, and, therefore it is foolish to continue without proper acclimatisation.

The view from Gora Tabela is rewarding. One can see the majestic mountain rising into the blue sky. Surrounded by incredible waterfalls and grazing horses, this place invites you to stay overnight. Looking down the valley you will realise why your legs are aching. Don’t miss the night sky, which seems to be much brighter than usual. Trained eyes might even see satellites cruising around our planet. The best time for this is just after sunset, when the sunlight reflects on them. Shooting stars and a clearly visible Milky Way make your thoughts slip away easily, and remind you how tiny you are.

Langtang is the last village on the way to Kyangjin. Some prayer wheels, a water-powered mill and some friendly villagers great the trekker. Horses give way to hairy yaks, which are the only animals that can survive in high altitudes. The villagers see the opportunity to make some extra rupees selling tea, biscuits or renting out a room in their spacious stone houses. In the surrounding fields women are seen working and children herding sheep and cattle.

From Langtang it is another three to four hours walk through the rocky area to Kyangjin. Pine trees and bushes are seen scattered between a rough mountain terrain. Along the path, plenty of stupas remind you that the inhabitants are predominately Buddhists. The shady trees of the forest are far behind and the sun burns strong. Sunscreen is advisable, even when it is cloudy. Sunrays at this height are much more effective. Even though the trail is not steep, it seems harder to reach the final destination, and by the time one reaches the last ridge, one is totally fatigued. Every step is a major effort, and after 10 of them one is out of breath. Ten years ago Kyangjin consisted of one gompa, one cheese factory and one guest house. Today a dozen ugly guest houses, mushrooming out of the ground, are littering the beautiful valley. I opted for the original one, the Tibet Guest Houses, which is managed by a lovely, care-taking Tibetan woman, who makes delicious apple pies.

It is worth spending some days in Kyangjin. The view from the Cherko Ri summit is breathtaking. The majestic Langtang Lirung, the Ganja La, a tricky option heading back to Kathmandu, the Yala Peak and its glacier are a treat to watch. Unfortunately, the time which can be spent at the summit is limited since thick fog appears out of nowhere. Don’t leave Kyangjin without a visit to the cheese factory.

The most obvious route down — because the Ganja La is only for skilled mountaineers — is the way you came. Since your legs are trained by now, it is possible to reach Bamboo Lodge in one long day.

Since one is already acclimatised, one doesn’t have to take any rest days. The three lakes just below the pass at Gosainakund are sacred to the Hindus. Walking sticks are lying around, left by pilgrims. I crossed the pass as the thick fog lingered. Unfortunately, I missed the beautiful view.

After coming back to Kathmandu, the traffic, people and the pollution already make you dream of your next trek.