Gold leaf trees accent the backdrop of the Tibetan Plataeu

Last fall when we journeyed along the Annapurna, our OWT group passed through a village called Jarkot. Located on the northern side of the legendary Thorong La pass, Jarkot borders the Tibetan plateau and is surrounded by arid, brown desert mountains. It also has a host of deciduous trees, the leaves of which turn gold beneath the autumn sky. We strolled through the the mudstone huts of the village and into the entrance of the central monastery there–a large monastery filled with Buddhist relics and thonkas. After touring the spiritual site, we wandered down into the arid hills of lower Mustang, energized by the crisp fall air, enthralled by the desert-like beauty around us, heading for the peaks in the distance, the largest of which was Dhaulagiri.

The One World Trekking Dolpo and Snow Leopard trekking group has entered its second week on the trail. Today, September 17, they have crossed the first of several high passes – the Kang La at 17,630 feet. The next several days to the ancient Shey Monastery will surely be ones to treasure… 

SEPT. 17: Cross the Kang La pass (17,630ft/5,375m) and trek towards Crystal Mountain.
Now begins our trek to the fabled Shey Gompa and neighboring ‘Crystal Mountain’ (which takes its name from the veins of quartz that traverse its base), the most sacred peak in Dolpo which pilgrims circumambulate each July or August, during the full moon, before the yearly grain harvest. The sacred mountain is known as the ‘Kailash’ of Dolpo; the mythology behind it describes a Tibetan Buddhist lama who battles the fierce local mountain spirit on a snow lion, perhaps the same lama who founded Shey Gompa.

We’re up early for our challenging pass crossing, heading up the rocky valley to the base of the pass, where we turn west and hike up a steep trail traversing loose slate to the crest of the Kang La (5375 meters). What views we are treated to for our efforts! We have views of the peaks Shey Shikkar and Kang Chunne, both just over 6000 meters, before descending steeply down to the wide valley floor. Be ready for snow on the northern side of the pass! We are entering George Schaller’s blue sheep (and Snow Leopard) country, so keep the binoculars ready. After stopping for lunch by the stream that flows down the valley, we pass a long, ancient mani wall and finally spot Shey Gompa and the small village of Shey.

SEPT. 18 & 19: Days 12 & 13: Crystal Mountain Kora and trek to Shey Village. (13,620ft/4,126m).
We have decided to postpone our passing under the red chorten that marks the entrance to Shey by deviating off of the main path and join the pilgrimage route that circumambulates the sacred Crystal Mountain. Our camping spot on Day 12 will depend on natural water sources. What an epic approach into the fabled Shey Gompa! Our camp for the next two nights will be made just below the gompa on a wonderful grassy campsite.

‘I flew through the sky on a snow lion
And there, among the clouds, I performed miracles.
But not even the greatest of celestial feats
Can equal once rounding on foot this Crystal Mountain.’
- Drotob Senge Yeshe (the lama)

SEPT. 20: Day 14: Exploration day at Shey Gompa.
As Shey means crystal, this monastery is also known as the Crystal Monastery. The lama of Shey resides at a red hermitage known as Tsakang gompa which is west of Shey. It is more of a retreat than a monastery. Tsakang had been a meditation center for many famous lamas from Tibet. Shey Gompa belongs to the Chaiba community, followers of the Padmasambhava and Kagyu sects. It was the first Kagyupa monastery and its founder was the lama Ten-szin-Ra-Pa. The monastery was built during the 11th century.

In Dolpo the ancient Tibetan way of life combines animism with the teachings of the Buddha. Drutup Yeshe introduced Buddhism in the Dolpo Valley. Many centuries ago he came to Dolpo and appeared before a wild people whose supreme God was a ‘fierce mountain spirit.’ Crystal Mountain is to the west of Shey monastery. It is a very strange mountain indeed. Its contorted cliffs are laced with quartz and embedded with a rich variety of marine fossils. Shey Gompa stands above the confluence of Kangju Nala and Yeju Nala. Near the confluence there is a group of prayer mills turned by water wheels.

For those needing a rest day, the 11th-13th century, ochre Shey Gompa is a wonderful monastery, with colorful Tibetan murals and old statues inside which the gate-keeper, a lay monk, and his family will open for us. The murals are not old, but there is a valuable scroll that describes the mythology behind sacred Crystal Mountain and Shey Gompa, including where to find the milky lake in the interior of the Crystal Mountain kora which allows the pilgrim to see Mount Kailash in the far distance. To the left of Shey Gompa is another gompa, built into the cliff-side. You might remember the prayer-room inside from the movie ‘Himalaya.’ Make a ‘kora’ of the gompa complex and relax for the rest of the day with a book, soaking in the spectacular views from our campsite.

For those wanting to explore, we’ll make a pilgrimage to a sacred gompa to the west of Shey perhaps venturing even further the valley towards Phijor and Samling Gompas. But first, perched among the craggy, red cliffs, is the smaller but perhaps more important Tsakhang Gompa (which means red gompa, after the cliffs) of the Kagyupa sect, knows for its teachers Tilopa, Marpa and Milarepa. The incarnation of the first Tsakhang lama, the 17th ‘trulku’ of this line, is a young lama from Phijor now studying in Kathmandu. The gompa is filled with colorful Buddhist paintings and rare thankas.

Trekking between Makalu and Mt Everest in Nepal

The Great Himalaya Trail is the longest and highest alpine walking journey in the world, as it winds its way 2,790 miles through the world’s tallest mountain ranges and most isolated communities from Tibet to Pakistan. Very few people have walked the length of the Himalayas and, until recently the trail has remained a rather undefined entity, as it is actually a series of treks that can be combined to eventually complete the traverse. One major goal to opening up wild and remote parts of the Himalayas would be to attract trekkers away from the busy areas such as Everest and Annapurna and provide dearly needed economic benefit to people living in the other isolated mountain regions. One World Trekking offers adventurous souls and avid hikers the opportunity to trek across Nepal and onwards through the Himalayas. The Nepal section of the Great Himalaya Trail offers a staggering wealth of diversity and cultural experiences.

The Great Himalaya Trail offers challenging, high-alpine trekking through some of the most rugged and breathtaking mountainscapes on earth. The route offers an incredible diversity in terms of landscapes, flora & fauna, people and culture: from snow leopards to red pandas, sub-tropical jungle to fragile high-altitude eco-systems, the famous Sherpa, Shamanism and the ancient Bön Buddhist culture of Dolpo and Humla.

Monks in Bhutan

The new trekking route into Merak and Sakteng is a truly incredible cultural journey and nature trek into a region closed to foreigners for the past 30 years. Until now only a handful of scientists, researchers and tourists have been granted permission to enter this area. Merak and Sakteng has been closed to protect the unique cultural heritage of the Brokpa people and in part to give the mythical Yeti some peace, whose tales of wandering in the valley is very popular among the locals. The Brokpas (highlanders) of the Merak and Sakten regions of eastern Bhutan are semi-nomadic yak herders who speak a unique dialect and wear clothing unique to this isolated region of Bhutan.

Our 6 day trek visits both Merak and the Sakteng valleys and enters the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of nine protected areas in Bhutan. It also forms part of the Bhutan Biological Conservation Complex. The Sanctuary protects the easternmost temperate forest ecosystems in the country with endemic species like eastern blue pine, black-rumped magpie and many others found only in the east. The Sanctuary was set up to protect the elusive Megay, or yeti. Other wildlife includes snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan black bear, barking deer and Himalayan red fox. Fauna and birds include the hoary-bellied Himalayan squirrel, Assamese macaque, blood pheasant, grey backed shrike, grey-headed woodpecker, common hoopoe, rufus-vented tit and dark breasted rosefinch. The Sanctuary is typical of the diversity of Himalayan terrestrial ecosystems, combing alpine meadow, temperate forest and warm broad leaf forest. According to the surveys conducted by the World Wildlife Fund some 203 species of plants, 119 species of birds and 18 species of mammals have been confirmed. The snow leopard and red panda have been classified internationally as “highly endangered” species.

The people of Merak and Sakteng have their ancestral roots southern Tibet. Around the 15th century, Aum Jomo and Lama Jarepa led the inhabitants of Tshona Village in Tibet, with all their belongings, scriptures, yaks and sheep, further south in search of a new home. After several months, crossing snowcapped mountain passes, raging rivers and through dense forest, they arrived at the foothill of a very high mountain pass. The stronger and younger nomads along with the animals managed to climb over the pass and settle in a beautiful meadow covered valley, with shrubs and rhododendron forests. They set the shrubs on fire and made that valley as their new home, which is now Merak meaning “set on fire”. The weaker group who could not go beyond the pass turned back to settle in a beautiful wide valley covered with bamboo forests, which is now Sakteng meaning “meadow covered with bamboo”.

The people of Merak and Sakteng are known as the Brokpa (highlander) to the people living on the lowlands and have maintained their own unique traditions and customs. Similar to the people of Laya, Lingshi and Lunana, the Brokpa live a semi nomadic lifestyle, primarily depending on yaks for their livelihood. Merak and Sakteng fall under the Trashigang Dzongkhag, which is the furthest eastern province in Bhutan. People from Merak and Sakteng come to Trashigang during winter to trade their yak products for rice and other goods. They barter yak butter and cheese with corn and other grains. One prized Brokpa product is a fermented cheese. They put fresh cheese into leather bags and leave it to ferment. The longer it is kept the better it tastes and actually tastes better than it smells!

The valleys of Brokpa are inseparable with the existence of Yeti, or Abominable Snowman. As it is believed and many stories are told about the existence of this elusive creature, the Brokpas’ name for Yeti is Megay. Most of the stories are told by the yak herders who have encountered the Yeti, while searching for their lost yaks in deep forests in isolated areas at high altitudes. Some yak herders have said that it is white in color and others said it is light reddish. The footprint is one foot long and the distance is about four foot between them. They say that it emits a strong odor like that of garlic and it feeds mainly on bamboo shrubs. They believe that should one see him, it should be treated with respect for it is believed to be the guardian deity of these remote areas. It does not attack humans unless it is provoked. Some tried to follow the footprints but in vain and so far this creature has continued to elude us.

For Hindus, the sacred shrine is considered one of the 108 sacred shrines on earth. According to Hindus, the area is a veneration of Lord Vishnu, evidence which is attributed to the river stones and fossils that line the nearby riverbeds. For Buddhists, Muktinath is connected to the Sky Dancers, or Dakinas, Tibetan Buddhist goddesses who play a central role in the process of enlightenment.

It is the presence of all five elements that bring these two religions together in Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa, the local name, Chumig Gyatsa meaning ‘hundred waters.’ According to Buddhist and Hindu tradition, everything in life is born of the five elements earth, air, water, sky and fire. Inside the Jwala Mai temple, an eternal flame burns from deep within the earth. On the mountainsides, trees grow abundantly in this unusually high altitude habitat. It is said that one hundred and eight water spouts pour down from mountain streams, bringing a constant source of cleansing holy water to the village. The thin, high altitude are is clean and revitalizing, the sky endlessly blue.

After sustaining the challenge of the Thorong La Pass, many trekkers overlook this complex and holy village, willing their tired feet pass through quickly or simply stop and rest without exploring. For many Hindus and Buddhists, however, a visit to this most sacred site is the culmination of weeks of travel by foot, which will be followed by several more weeks once they have been cleansed of their impurities by the holy waters and wonder of the Himalaya.

One of the many pilgrims en route to Chumig Gyatsa's sacred temple

Children in Humla-Source. UNESCO.org

All but forgotten by the rest of the world, the isolated territories of Humla offer vistas that are both limitless and intimate. Here is a land of eternally snow-capped mountains and sweeping valleys – a landscape as forbidding as some distant moon. This is a land where the inhabitants work an alpine soil which relinquishes sustenance begrudgingly. Trade with distant neighbors means days of driving stubborn yaks over perilous mountain trails and the long, harsh winters seem to forever banish warmth from the small villages situated in the area’s many narrow valleys. However, this ancient lifestyle does yield untold riches. It is said that the splendid isolation and sheer altitude of the Hidden Himalayas brings their inhabitants closer to the gods, the Hindu Chhetri, Thakuri and Buddhist Bhotia people of this land are possessed of spirituality few Westerners will ever realize. In Humla, the gods are everywhere – in the clouds, in the mountains, in the very dung with which the soil is fertilized. Here is where Lobsang Lama lives in a rock-carved mountainside hermitage. The meditative spiritual life of Humla is partnered with many festivals of religious celebrations marked by joyous celebration.

In spring 2011, we’re offering a trip through this spectacularly remote region. For an off the beaten path Himalayan trek, Humla is sure to satisfy the most pioneering of adventurer travelers. More details here.

Marpha–the self-proclaimed apple capital of Nepal

Marpha is the apple capital of Nepal, in other words, Marpha is heaven for a trekker like me who can’t go more than a day or two without a fresh crisp apple to munch on. I was both thrilled and surprised when, after a long dusty walk through the Kali Gandaki basin, we arrived in the Eden of Marpha’s apple orchards and–unbeknownst to me at the time–home of some of the world’s best apple crumble. After setting up camp in an apple orchard off the main path, I had two desires in mind and stomach: coffee and crumble. And I knew exactly where to go.

En route to our apple orchard campground, we’d passed the Marpha Restaurant & Bakery that had crayon written testimonials (presumably from previous diners) taped to the front window. Several signs said “Best Apple Crumble,” and one even claimed “Best Apple Crumble you’ll ever eat!” I had to test it for myself.

Walking into the lodge, I was greeted by two fantastic things: the welcoming smile of Sasi Hirachan, the lodge owner’s wife, and the intoxicating smell of fresh apples sizzling with cinnamon, butter and sugar. Sasi showed me to a table in the open air courtyard which and handed me a menu. No need for the menu. “Apple Crumble dinos,” I said, and coffee, black. “If you wait a few minutes I have a fresh one in the oven,” Sasi offered. “Raamro cha,” I replied.

The apple crumble was more than worth the short wait, especially after 12 days of walking and recently having trekked over the 17,866 foot Thorong La, the crux of the Annapurna circuit. It was succulently moist and warm and sweet, my tongue felt suddenly like that of a child tasting sugar for the first time and I feigned a relieved smile of contentment. A group of German’s gathered around a table nearby. “Real coffee?” one of them asked the others. “Ja woll,” I called to their table, “it’s delicious. So is the crumble.” They all ordered a round of coffee and crumble and soon smiles similar to mine were spreading across their wind and sunburned faces.

Sasi came over to check on us and we all praised her crumble. Sasi has lived in Marpha her entire life and has had years to perfect her ultimate recipe. My group was heading out to Dhaulagiri the following day but I promised Sasi that I would stop in to visit her the next time I found myself wandering Marpha’s streets. Several days later, our Dhaulagiri ambitions abandoned due to an impassable mountain pass, I found myself standing in front of Marpha Restaurant and Bakery with a watering mouth. I couldn’t keep the joy of Sasi’s apple crumble to myself and had invited my travelmate Andy to join. One again we were greeted by Sasi’s smile and the intoxicating smell of baking apples. Once again the apple crumble was incredible and Andy was equally swept up in it’s sweetness. Can I be so bold as to say Sasi’s crumble is the best in the world? Not quite, but I can say it’s the best I’ve ever had.

The village and orchards of Marpha

Day 12: Trek to Naar Village. 3-4 hours of trekking. 13,730 feet. Camp or Lodge.
The trail out of camp is anything but subtle! It is straight up with only a few level breaks for almost the entire 600 meters to be gained today. As we approach the two Naar Gates all of the hard effort suddenly becomes worthwhile. At the top of the last hill, we pass through the second gate and arrive onto a high plateau of chortens, mani walls and grand mountain views. The views down to Naar Village are sublime – the undulating patterns of the surrounding barley and mustard fields, four old, colorful and traditional monasteries and the snow-capped peaks looming overhead. We arrive early and, after lunch, have plenty of time for some exploring. Naar is the larger and seemingly more prosperous of the two villages. This place is bustling with activity as the adult residents hustle about working in the fields and the children attend the village school. 

Day 13: Trek to Kangla Phedi. 2-3 hours of trekking. 15,190 feet.
A short and enjoyable walk this morning to our base camp for the Kang La pass. We stroll through the village, following the well-built irrigation ditch which feeds into the maze of crop fields, and then climb up onto a large and wide plateau which leads to the Kang La pass. The entire ridge of the Pisang Himal lies before us as we very gradually make our way up the almost 500 meters to camp. This area is seldom visited by any but local shepherds and is also known as prime Snow Leopard country. Keep a sharp eye! After lunch we should relax and prepare for the early morning to come.    

Day 14: Cross the Kang La (17,430 feet) and trek to Ngawal. 12,530 feet. 7-8 hours of trekking. Camp.
A 4am wake up this morning. As the last 100 to 150 meters of the Kang La pass is typically snow covered, we need to get over while the snow is still cold and firm.  

The Kang La is not a difficult pass, but it could be a long day if the altitude is taking its toll. The Kang La, at 5315 meters, is an absolutely spectacular pass looking over the Lamjung Himal, Annapurna I, II, III and IV, Gangapurna, the top of the Fish Tail and beyond to Tilicho and Nilgiri peaks. The trail down is initially steep but then eases off. It is a long descent to Ngawal, so we will be sure to take it easy on our knees. We will pack lunches today and take a break once off of the steeper parts of the descent.  

Ngawal, on the upper Pisang route of the Annapurna circuit (off the main Annapurna circuit), can be reached in 2 to 3 hours from the pass, but the walk down is so nice that we will take it easy and enjoy the views. Just before Ngawal is an unusual grouping of chortens and prayer flags, and marks a meditation cave far up in the hills. Ngawal Village, our camp for the evening, is a wonderful old village of cobbled streets, prayer wheels and beautiful architecture, obviously a hub of religious activity in previous times.  

The view of the Annapurna Range from atop the Kang La Pass.

Today was an amazing day. We walked up and down for miles through enchanted Rhododendron forests at 10,000 feet elevation, where the air was sweet, crisp and fall-like, and golden leaves tumbled from tree boughs. Machapuchare and Annapurna peered at us through the sunlit leaves. All day  we stared at those beauties on the eastern horizon, marveling at their stark shapes, snow-capped features, their absolute grandeur. We stopped for lunch beside a gurgling creek, the sun warm, air just cool enough and T-shirts most comfortable in the pleasant air. After lunch we wandered back into the snaking Rhode limbs that reached high into the clear Himalayan sky. The trees stood tall as oaks, their chunky roots sprawled out onto the path where we walked. It was pure magic.

Along the way we passed a herd of sheep–some black, some spotted, some pure white–resting beneath a tree draped in prayer flags, their Shepard, a young boy, sat close by. The trail wandered uphill and then relentlessly down, again and again. We paused for a break in Tatapani, a midday haze had settled over Machapuchare. Andy and I pointed out the signs on the lodges and shops that boasted “Strange Special Items” like pizza, apple pie, chocolate cake. All the talk of food made us hungry and Andy and I shared a pastry while Mark and Peggy sipped Coke. Since our 4 a.m. wake up, we had walked nearly six hours already that day and still had three left to go before we could rest our knees and selves in Gundruk. The calories were a welcome necessity.

So, with bellies full of snacks, we hit the trail again, this time walking ourselves straight into the jungle. A foreboding sign warned at the entrance “Do not walk alone in the jungle,” or the man monsters will get you, our guide Moti said with a smile. We all laughed, nervously. The path took us deep into the jungle which became so thick as to have green growing out of every surface save for the sky. Furry, florescent green moss coated the trunks of green leafy trees, bushy ferns overflowed into the trail, the rhododendrons continued to snake skyward. Cicadas hummed, buzzed sometimes deafeningly loud, so loud I felt like they were crawling in my ears. We walked and walked, our steps forming the rhythm that drove us onward. A scream erupted from a tree canopy and we looked up to see monkeys shaking the branches as they leapt from limb to limb. How unreal! I thought; I’d never seen monkeys in their true habitat before.

Eventually the jungle broke open onto a hillside where we were greeted by the great peaks in the east, now veiled in a patchy sea of ambiguous puffy clouds. Every so often a black rocky ridge would reveal itself, ensuring us that the mountains where still there. Below the mountain fog soft emerald rice paddies emerged, cloaked in quite afternoon sunlight that made the hills, paddies, trees all around feel mellow and subdued, as though they were in the middle of a mid-afternoon siesta. I sighed at the sight; we hadn’t seen rice paddies since the start of our journey weeks prior.

As we neared Gundruk, the hillsides around us dropped sharply down 4000 feet to the valley floor where a river flowed. The dirt path morphed into precisely laid stone that had been hand cut and placed by the villagers. We began to trek down toward Gundruk itself where the paddies, huts and lodges are built into hillsides so steep you feel as though you could fall right off them, tumble the entire way down to the magic green valley floor below. Finally camp was reached and our crew of weary travelers kicked off our boots in relief. The kitchen boys were hard at work on dinner and the mouth-watering scent of garlic frying in hot oil seeped into the cool evening air. Setting sun cast a pale orange glow on Machapuchare’s fish tail. A soft breeze stirred. We have only two days left of walking this trail; I’ll be sad to say goodbye.

Day 7: Trek to the winter settlement of Meta. 4-5 hours of trekking. 11,710 feet. Camp.
After two long days, we have earned a later time for bed tea and a shorter walk. Continuing along the hillside and contouring above the river, the valley finally opens up and delivers us onto the 10,500 foot high scenic pastures of Meta. Meta is a non-permanent winter settlement of Naar consisting of a dozen or so well constructed stone houses. The village is surrounded by sheer rock walls and guarded by the 7000 meter snow-capped peaks of the Lamjung Himal and Kang Guru. After lunch, we will have the afternoon to explore the village.

Day 8: Trek to Kyang. 4-5 hours of trekking. 12,530 feet. Camp.
An hour past Meta, Junam is the second semi-permanent settlement where “khampas” from Tibet occasionally sheltered. This area is very similar to what you would see in Tibet – huge snow-capped peaks above and a desert-like topography down low. The contrasts in color and light are fascinating. We are starting to see prayer flags adorning all the ridge tops, memorial chortens and mani (prayer) walls along the route. The views of the Lamjung Himal, Pisang Peak and Annapurna II are now substantial as we spend most of the day walking at or above 3,600 meters. Many ups and downs bring us to the colorful mani wall signifying the entrance to our campsite at Kyang – the extensive winter settlement of Phu situated on a plateau high above the river.

Day 9: Trek to the remote village of Phu. 5-6 hours of trekking. 13,020 feet. Camp.
The excitement is high this morning in anticipation of finally reaching the remote village of Phu (Phoo). Dropping steeply down to the river, we trek along the riverbank. Today, we really start to see some of the unique and colorful chortens for which Naar and Phu are justly famous. After 1.5 to 2 hours of trekking through scenic canyon lands and gorges, we come upon the “leaning tower of Pisa” monolith which guards the steep trail up to the Phu Gate, locally known as Pupigyal Kwe. This ancient gate provides us with our first view of the three villages of Phu, as well as an old “dzong” and the remains of two forts, all now in ruins, but impressively situated atop the flatlands before Phu. Just before the bridge to Phu, a line of wonderful chortens color the landscape and lead the way to the main village of Phu, perched high up on a hill, amphitheater style. We will set up camp on the lower reaches of Phu, formerly called Gomdzong.