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 villages 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. Travelers 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 road head leading to Manang, often
camp at Dharmashala, a rudimentary wooden hut built
by the people from the two villages.
The Nepal 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.
ITINERARY
DAY 01 Arrival Kathmandu, transfer
hotel
DAY 02 Kathmandu free day, hotel
DAY 03 Bus to Besisahar, Trek Begins:
camp
DAY 04 Ngadi, camp
DAY 05 Jagat, camp
DAY 06 Karte, camp
DAY 07 Koto, camp
DAY 08 Chhacha, camp
DAY 09 Meta, camp
DAY 10 Junum, camp
DAY 11 Phu, camp
DAY 12 Rest day at Phu, camp
DAY 13 Hike around Phu valley, camp
DAY 14 Yak Kharka, camp
DAY 15 Panggi Pass, camp
DAY 16 Above Nar, camp
DAY 17 Youingar, camp
DAY 18 Kang la Pass, camp
DAY 19 Manang, camp
DAY 20 Khangsar Khola, camp
DAY 21 Tilicho Lake, camp
DAY 22 Mesokanu Pass, camp
DAY 23 Jomsom, camp
DAY 24 Flight Jomsom - Pokhara -
Kathmandu, transfer to hotel
DAY 25 Kathmandu free day, hotel
DAY 26 Final departure, transfer
airport
