Trans-Himalayan Holiday

Post monsoon is a great time to explore Nepal and Manang in the Trans-Himalaya is a much sought after destination. Humde airfield is no longer functional but the road will take travellers right up to the Manang village at 3,519m. Maybe treat yourself to a trip this Dasain.

Excerpt of a Manag feature we published in Nepali Times 20 years ago this week on issue #167 24-30 October 2003:

The airfield at 3,200m is an ideal place to start a week-long trans-Himalayan holiday. It is a pleasant two-hour walk down to Pisang along meadows and pine forests.

Next day, walk to the monastery in Upper Pisang, have lunch at one of the numerous restaurants facing Annapurna II, and then on to a cluster of houses that is Ghyaru at 3,800m. The trek from Ghyaru via Ngawal to Manang is the high road that offers a grand panorama of the entire north wall of the Annapurnas. Take side trips to the numerous pastures on the north side of the valley, including the holy Kecho Lake at 4,800 m where the Annapurnas are reflected on the waters.

Another day trek from Braga is to climb as far as you can up a spur of Annapurna III to Mila Repa’s cave and see if you can spot the bow that the Buddhist saint is said to have left behind. The road up from Manang, past the bulldozed remains of the lateral moraine of the Gangapurna Glacier, has spectacular views of a turquoise green lake.

All this will acclimatise you for the tough trek to Tilicho, one of the world’s highest lakes at 5,100m. It is a three-day roundtrip from Manang via Kangshar, and only for the well-acclimatised.  After this, if you still want to go to Thorung La, be our guest.

For archived material of Nepali Times of the past 20 years, site search: nepalitimes.com