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Day 01 |
Kathmandu to Gorkha: (1650m):
Travel by bus from Kathmandu to Gorkha (approx. 5hrs).
Gorkha is well known as the birth place of the present Shah
dynasty. Within the villahe there is the old royal palace
and many temples. It also offers a marvelous panoramic view
of Annapurna Himal, Manaslu, the Ganesh Himal and Langtang
Himal. |
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Day 02 |
Gorkha to Khanchowk: (1000m):
Descend carefully along a stone-paved path until you reach
Ahle village. From here to Taple the path becomes a gentle
ascent. After Taple you will reach a pass and continue for a
while along a ridge with open views. Finally, descend a
steep slope by a well maintained path with stone steps and
you will reach Khanchowk. |
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Day 03 |
:Khanchowk to Aarughat: (530m):
The trail makes an abrupt descent into the valley. When you
reach the river shores further downstream you will cross
from one bank to another. After this point the trail
traverses high across the flank overlooking the Buri Gandaki.
Cross the suspension bridge over the tributary and you will
reach Aarughat, the largest village in the Buridandaki
basin. |
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Day 04 |
Aarughat to Khursani Bari (900m) or
Korsani Dhara:
The trail ascends through rice paddies and farm fields until
you pass the small hamlet of Kokethar. Continue along the
level path and you will see a huge rock to your left. From
Kyoropani, repeating ascents and descents, you will be
traversing until you arrive at the shores of Soti Khola.
From here further ascents and descents will finish with a
steep climb before reaching Lapubesi (840m). |
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Day 05 |
Korsan Dhara to Machha Khola:
From Lapubesi traverse the slope that has farmed fields and
rice paddies. The trail soon goes down to shores of white
sand and back again onto the mountain flank. In
approximately an hour you will reach the Machha Khola.
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Day 06 |
Machha Khola to Jagat: (1,350m):
Cross the suspension bridge to the left bank, pass a
forested area, then follow the path which looks like it is
carved into the rock and you will reach Doban Khola. Trek
further along the path across farmed fields and you will
reach Jagat, a small village with a police check post and
lodges. |
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Day 07 |
Jagat to Filim: (1590m):
Leaving the village descend a stone path leading to the wide
river shores. Cross the Pangour Khola (flowing from the
left) before traversing rapidly and you will reach Saguleri,
from where you can see Sringi Himal beyond the valley.
Further along the right bank begin ascending until you reach
Filim. Though it is a Nepalese Gurung it has a strong
Tibetan influence. |
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Day 08 |
Filim to Deng:
Leave the village and a small ascending traverse. The trail
then goes down to the river shores. Ascend a little while
along the Buri Gandaki and cross the suspension bridge to
the opposite bank. |
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Day 09 |
Deng to Namru (2,630).
Cross to the right bank of the Buri Gandaki using the wooden
bridge and more on through houses and farm fields. The path
then enters a forested area where Himalayan cedars stand
out. More on through the forest and cross over a wooden
bridge again. Keep ascending in the forest until you reach
Namru. |
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Day 10 |
Namru to Lo village (3,150).
The trail begins to descend then ascend until you reach a
meadow. After passing the meadow you will enter Bengsam
village. Walking through the village the view opens up. Here
you can see Naike peak, Manaslu North peak (7,157m) and the
long-awaited Manaslu (8,163m). The houses in the village are
scattered amongst the surrounding farmed fields. Leaving
this village and continuing through the Kanni you will reach
the Neighbouring Lo village (3,150). It is a large village
with many houses and a fine gompa. |
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Day 11 |
Lo village to Sama Gaun: (3,500m):
From Lo village the path descends to the valley of Damonan
Khola. Cross the wooden bridge over the stream and climb
back up the steep slope. The trail will continue for about
10 minutes along this stream and then fork into two. The
path going straight ahead leads directly to Sama (the other
which turns to the left will go to Sama via Honsan ho Gompa.
From Honsan ho Gompa it then descends along the stream in
the forest before joining the main path). The valley ahead
of you soon opens wide and you will descend to a wide, flat
meadow where Yaks are left to graze. You will see many
potato fields and soon reach Sama (3,500m). |
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Day 12 |
Sama Gaun (Rest day for
acclimatization):
You can visit Sama Gompa in about 20 minutes from this
village. The gompa, located on top of the hill, is well
worth visiting. After passing the gompa there is a wide,
grassy area of land from where you can see Manaslu (best in
evenings and in the mornings). So beautiful that you may
think you are in another world! |
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Day 13 |
Sama Gaun to Samdu/Dharmasala:
Descend to the Buri Gandaki, which has now turned north
again, and follow it to a bridge over a side stream. Take
the trail to the left which leads to Manaslu base camp. When
you enter the meadow from the path on the river shores you
will reach Kermo Kharka, looking up at Manaslu right in
front of you. After passing the Kharka you will be going by
a long medan. The valley narrows gradually and the path
traverses up the flank. Follow the path down on the gentle
flank and ascend again. To your left you will be overlooking
Larkya Bazar. After crossing the two streams you will see
the great Larkya Glacier. Once going around the valley of
the Salka Khola then climbing again you will reach the stone
guest house (4,450m). It is not a lodge but a form of
shelter called 'Dharmasala', used for crossing over the
pass. |
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Day 14 |
Dharmasala to Larkya La/Bimtang:
(3720m):
Today's route begins up the ridge in front of the guest
house which eventually becomes a long gentle climb beside a
moraine. Cross a small ridge then descend slightly to a lake
before climbing the ridge until you reach the top of the
moraine at 4700m. The trail here becomes rougher and
indistinct as it crosses the moraine to the south of a steep
grassy slope. It takes 3 to 4 hrs from the guest house to
the pass and is extremely cold and windy climbing on the
Larkya La in snowstorms. The desecending trail follows along
the top of a moraine to the west, then drops steeply and
traverses scree slopes. It makes a long set of steep, rough,
switchbacks, crosses the moraine and then descends more
gently. The trail improves before you reach a large meadow,
a mani wall and a small rest house. The palace here is
called 'Bimtang', which is a Tibetan name meaning 'plain of
sand.' |
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Day 15 |
Bimtang to Tilje:
The trail drops from the Bintang meadow and crosses a
glacial stream, the headwaters of the Dudh Khola, by a
wooden bridge. Climb over the side of the moraine and
descend into a pine and rhododendron forest to Hompuk
(3430m). The walking improves as the trail descends and
switches back down to a fork of the Dudh Khola It then
follows the river through forests to a goth (3030m).
Continue through fields, over a clear stream, passing houses
and more fields interspersed with rhododendron and oak
forests. Stay on the north bank auntil reaching Tilje.
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Day 16 |
Tilje to Dharampani: (1,860m):
Cross the wooden bridge to the left bank of the Dudh Khola
where the path begins a gentle descent. After about one hour
cross the suspension bridge over the Marsyandi River before
reach Dharampati (1,860m). |
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Day 17 |
Dharampani to Tal:
The trail descends through scrub forests and crosses a
wooden bridge back to the northern side of the Dudh Khola
(1930m) and climb up through a chorten-shaped arch past a
mani wall to Tal. |
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Day 18 |
Tal
to Bahundanda: (1,311m):
Cross the suspension bridge to the left bank. Pass the
village and follow the path through the rice paddies. Cross
another suspension bridge over the Ngatti khola before
climbing up onto the plateau. Looking up you will see
Bahundanda. The Bahuns, Tamangs and Gurungs live in
Bahundana village. |
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Day 19 |
Bahundanda to Beshi Sahar:
Finally, trek down the narrow valley past Ngadi until you
reach Beshisahar. |