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Hidden by swirls of mountain
mist ahead of us, from Kangla pass at 5200m the
magnificent panorama view of Annapurna massif
appears remote and forbidding. Our sturdy
mountain ponies every few steps, their steaming
sweat-soaked bodies heaving. Behind us Hongde
airport, which we left behind early in the
morning, is a tiny speck. Our destination is the
Nar-Phu valley, above the tree line on the upper
limits of cultivation, in the very north of
Manang district. It takes five hours reaching
the pass that links Nar with Manang and three
other Bhotia village in the Nyershang down
valley.
Nowadays, Nar Phu the population about 300
inhabitants who depend on livestock, unlike most
Bhotia people, whose trading patterns changed
drastically after the Nepali Government closed
borders with Tibet, the people of Nar and Phu
valley were least affected by this change. The
tortuous path leading from the valley into Tibet
had never made them dependent on the salt trade,
and till today yak herding is the basis of their
livelihood.
Besides the Kangla linking Nar to the Nyeshang
valley , the most direct route from Kathmandu to
Nar and Phu is along the Marshyangdi River.
Travellers trek through the Himalayan foothills
and round the eastern end of the Annapurna
before they arrive at Qupar, a police check post
half and hour before Chame, Manang's district
headquarters. From here a long and steep trail
winds up to Nar and Phu whose villagers, laden
with goods purchased in Chame and even lower
down in Besishhar, the end of the roadhead
leading to Manang, often camp at Dharmashala, a
rudimentary wooden hut built by the people from
the two villages.
TheNepal government's recent decision to open up
Nar and Phu to tourists has evoked little
enthusiasm among the villagers, whose pastoral
lifestyle continues. Apart from the odd
researcher and climbing expeditions permitted to
climb Him lung, Ratnachuli and Gachikang, few
foreigners has visited the area and tourism
infrastructure is almost non-existent. Since
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)
recently extended its network to include Nar and
Phu Valley, it is preparing a suitable tourism
development plan at the request of the
government for undiscovered valley. |
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Trip Grade : Moderate
Trip Duration : 24 Days
Maximum Altitude : 5200
m.
Best Season : Spring:
Mar-Apr-May Autumn: Sept-Oct-Nov |
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Days 01 : Arrival
Kathmandu, transfer hotel
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Days 02 : Kathmandu free
day, hotel
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Days 03 : Bus drive to
Besisahar, camp
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Days 04 : Trek to Jagat,
camp
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Days 05 : Trek to
Lamachour, camp
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Days 06 : Trek to Karte,
camp
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Days 07 : Trek to Koto,
camp
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Days 08 : Trek to Chhacha,
camp
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Days 09 : Trek to Meta,
camp
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Days 10 : Trek to Junum,
camp
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Days 11 : Trek to Phu,
camp
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Days 12 : Rest day at Phu,
camp
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Days 13 : Hike around Phu
valley, camp
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Days 14 : Trek to Yak
Kharka, camp
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Days 15 : Trek to Panggi
Pass, camp
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Days 16 : Trek to Above
Nar, camp
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Days 17 : Trek to
Youingar, camp
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Days 18 : Trek to Kangla
Pass, camp
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Days 19 : Trek to Manang,
camp
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Days 20 : Trek to
Khangsar Khola, camp
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Days 21 : Trek to Tilicho
Lake, camp
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Days 22 : Trek to
Mesokanto Pass, camp
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Days 23 : Trek to Jomsom,
camp
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Days 24 : Fly to Pokhara
and drive to Kathmandu, transfer to hotel
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For Further Information
Click Here |
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