Overview
There are many short treks in and around the Kathmandu area. One of those wonderful short treks that are ideal for young families is in the Hyolmo area of the Helambu Valley.
This area is known for the culture of the Hyolmo Mountain people. There are green rhododendrons, bamboo forests, incredible waterfalls and great snowscape mountain scenes. There are numerous Buddhist monasteries, chhortens and Mani walls that you will pass along the way.
This is a great short trek. It is rated as a moderate trek, with a few challenges, but easy enough for most people to experience with little to no difficulty. Vertical Expedition is pleased to be able to offer this wonderful short trek into the Hyolmo region of the Helambu Valley.
Itinerary
Arrive in Kathmandu at Tribhuvan International Airport where you will be met by your representative of Vertical Expedition and taken to your Three Star Hotel to relax from your long flight.
We drive for 15 km by private vehicle to the village of Sundarijal which is just outside of Shivapuri National Park. We join the trail head, trek upwards to Mulkharka until we are around 600 meters above Sundarijal, enjoying a most wonderful view of the valley as well as the mountains. Our destination is the village of Chisapani, known for its stunning mountain views. This is a popular tourist village with some nice hotels and great food. Trekking time is around 5 hours.
The trail descends to Pati Bhanjyang (1770 m) and then travels on what we call “Nepali Level” (up and down). It then rises in elevation to 2620 m before descending again to the village of Khutumsang where we plan to spend the night in a local lodge. Trekking time is around 5 hours.
The views of the Gosainkund Mountains are wonderful today as we make our way toward the village of Tharepati. All along the way we see great mountain views. This area is lightly populated, giving us more quiet time by ourselves as we commune with the natural beauty of the Himalayas. We will spend the night in a local lodge. Trekking time is 5 hours.
We descend today into ravines to explore Sherpa villages. Our destination is Tarke Gyang, the largest village in Helambu where we will stay at a local lodge. Trekking time is 6 hours.
Sermathang is the center of an important apple growing area and there are apple orchards everywhere. The high mountains of the Himalayas rise magnificently above the apple orchards. In the spring when the apple blossoms are in bloom, the scene is absolutely awesome. Today we can take our time and meet the local people and enjoy their hospitality. We will spend the night in a local lodge. Trekking time is around four hours.
We descend a great distance today, dropping from 2620 meters to 846 as we make our way to Melamchi Pul Bazar. Here we can pick up a local bus back to Kathmandu with travel time around 4 – 5 hours. We return to Kathmandu and check back into our Three Star Hotel. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with a cultural show.
All good things must come to an end, and today, it is time to travel to your next destination. Your representative at Vertical Expedition can help you to plan your future trip as well as to other destinations around South Asia. Be sure to talk to your representative before leaving Kathmandu about a return trip to this great country. As they say, a lifetime is never enough to explore all that Nepal and the Himalayas have to offer.
Trip Information
- All airport/hotel transfers.
- Two nights in a Three Star hotel in Kathmandu. For duration of trek, local lodges and/or tea houses.
- All accommodations and meals during the trek.
- A full day of sightseeing tour in the Kathmandu Valley including an English-speaking tour guide and entrance fees.
- Private transportation by land cruiser.
- And experienced English-Speaking trek leader (government trained trekking guides), assistant trek leader (4 trekkers = 1 assistant guide) and Sherpa porters to carry luggage (2 trekkers = 1 porter). This includes salaries, insurance, food and lodging.
- Sleeping bag, a Vertical Expedition Duffle Bag, T-Shirt and trekking map. (Sleeping bags and duffle bags are to be returned at the end of the trek.)
- Farewell dinner along with one cultural show.
- A comprehensive medical kit.
- All government and local taxes
- Nepal Visa Fee (bring USD currently and four passport photographs)
- International airfare to and from Kathmandu
- Excess baggage charges
- Personal clothing and gears
- Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu because of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountains (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary.
- Travel and rescue insurance.
- Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, etc.)
- Cost raised by cancellation, landslide, weather, political unrest or illness will not be our responsibility since these factors are not within our control.
- Tips for guide, drivers and porters.
Extras
FAQS
What are the crew & group size during this trek?
For this trek, there will be one leader, an assistant leader (4 trekkers = 1 assistant leader) and Sherpa porters for carrying luggage (2 trekkers = 1 porter). This arrangement ensures that if anyone in the group is sick, the trip can still go ahead as planned. Vertical Expedition can run this trek for groups of any size. But, Vertical Expedition generally includes maximum of twelve (12) visitors as this company has found this to be the optimum size for a successful trip. However, if you would like to make a group booking for more than twelve people, Vertical Expedition can arrange this, too.
Where will you be staying during this trek?
All accommodations for the Hyolmo Land Culture with Children Lodge Trek are on a twin sharing basis with inclusive trip costs and based on standard of hygiene, standard of service and food, location, etc. There are two styles of accommodations on this trip. In Kathmandu, we will stay two nights in Three Star Hotels. On the trek, we will stay five nights at local lodges and tea houses which do vary in quality. Most contain unheated rooms with wood beds and foam mattresses. Vertical Expedition provides attached rooms in some major towns; however tea houses or lodges in some places only have shared facilities as well as shared toilet. If we are a solo traveler, we may have to share the room with someone else of the same sex. Please understand that we will try to provide single rooms if at possible for an additional supplemental fee.
What are the meals arrangement during this trek?
During our trek, we can enjoy typical Nepali food as well as some basic foods from different types of cuisines. While in Kathmandu, we can enjoy a great selection of foods from a variety of ethnic cultures. In the larger villages, we will have good selections, but some of the small villages may only feature a single item for dinner. Lunch will be served as a picnic lunch. There will be a farewell dinner that will feature a cultural show in Kathmandu.
