Trekking in Nar-Phu valley, Nepal
25.10 - 07.11.2024
14 days
Spots available: 9 out of 10
14 days
Spots available: 9 out of 10
Green rice and barley fields, blue sky and snow-white Himalayan peaks
In 2016 trekking to the Nar-Phu Valley became my first trekking in the closed remote areas of Nepal. This category includes regions where modern civilization has not reached, where the tourist infrastructure is minimal. In my opinion, it is one of the most interesting and worth to visit areas in the Himalayas.
We will get special permits to visit remote Nar Phu Valley and will go trekking there with a local guide. The villages there have preserved the ancient Buddhist way of living as it was hundreds years ago. Old stone houses with special wooden stairs, buddhist temples, which you can barely find only by the sounds of Buddhist instruments inside, hospitable locals, who are always happy to invite us for the cup of the tea - all this will happen with us in magic Nar-Phu.
Our highest point will be Kang La Pass (5320m), which we will cross after proper acclimatisation in previous days, during our trekking we will have spectacular views the peaks of Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna IV (7525m), Lamjung Himal (6983m), Pisang (6091m), Gangapurna (7554m), Kanga Ru (6981m)
Our trekking trip will last for nine days, two of which we will stop in the villages of Nar and Phu to take a relaxed walks around old buddist villages and sights around. After trekking, we will go to the famous Fewa Lake, where we will indulge in the well-deserved hedonism mode with swimming, paragliding, boat trips, cafes, shops, outdoor cinema and simply relaxing near the pool.
My story about this region was published in National Geographic Russia magazine.
We will get special permits to visit remote Nar Phu Valley and will go trekking there with a local guide. The villages there have preserved the ancient Buddhist way of living as it was hundreds years ago. Old stone houses with special wooden stairs, buddhist temples, which you can barely find only by the sounds of Buddhist instruments inside, hospitable locals, who are always happy to invite us for the cup of the tea - all this will happen with us in magic Nar-Phu.
Our highest point will be Kang La Pass (5320m), which we will cross after proper acclimatisation in previous days, during our trekking we will have spectacular views the peaks of Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna IV (7525m), Lamjung Himal (6983m), Pisang (6091m), Gangapurna (7554m), Kanga Ru (6981m)
Our trekking trip will last for nine days, two of which we will stop in the villages of Nar and Phu to take a relaxed walks around old buddist villages and sights around. After trekking, we will go to the famous Fewa Lake, where we will indulge in the well-deserved hedonism mode with swimming, paragliding, boat trips, cafes, shops, outdoor cinema and simply relaxing near the pool.
My story about this region was published in National Geographic Russia magazine.
Price for the tour - € 2150
- What is Included:
- Domestic flight Pokhara-Kathmandu
- Accommodation during the whole tour: lodges during trekking, best hotels in Pokhara and in Kathmandu
- Mountain porters during trekking (we go with a small backpacks, in which only the most necessary things we need during trekking).
- Permits and documents for the trekking in the restricted area (Nar Phu restricted area permit, Annapurna Conservation Area Permit)
- English-speaking Nepali guide during the trekking part
- Insurance, meals and travel costs of the porters and guide
- Group leader Tanya Sharapova during the whole tour
- All transfers on individual transport (jeeps, minivans)
- Meeting and transfer from/to Kathmandu Airport
- Breakfasts in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Welcome dinner in one of the best roof top restaurants, Kathmandu
- Phewa Lake boat trip, Pokhara
- Special duffle bag for things that porter will carry
- Assistance with the documents for Nepali visa, if needed
- Recommendations for clothing, equipment and better way to train before trekking
- Group first aid kit
- What is not included ≈ from 900$ :
- Flight to/from Kathmandu / around 600-800$
- Meal during trekking part / 15-20$ per day
- Insurance / from 40$
- Nepali visa on arrival / 40$
- Tips for porters and guide / 50$
What is Included:
- Domestic flight Pokhara-Kathmandu
- Accommodation during the whole tour: lodges during trekking, best hotels in Pokhara and in Kathmandu
- Mountain porters during trekking (we go with a small backpacks, in which only the most necessary things we need during trekking).
- Permits and documents for the trekking in the restricted area (Nar Phu restricted area permit, Annapurna Conservation Area Permit)
- English-speaking Nepali guide during the trekking part
- Insurance, meals and travel costs of the porters and guide
- Group leader Tanya Sharapova during the whole tour
- All transfers on individual transport (jeeps, minivans)
- Meeting and transfer from/to Kathmandu Airport
- Breakfasts in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Welcome dinner in one of the best roof top restaurants, Kathmandu
- Phewa Lake boat trip, Pokhara
- Special duffle bag for things that porter will carry
- Assistance with the documents for Nepali visa, if needed
- Recommendations for clothing, equipment and better way to train before trekking
- Group first aid kit
What is not included ≈ from 900$ :
- Flight to/from Kathmandu / around 600-800$
- Meal during trekking part / 15-20$ per day
- Insurance / from 40$
- Nepali visa on arrival / 40$
- Tips for porters and guide / 50$
What to expect?
Do you think I can?This trekking route could be done by any healthy person. Contraindications - overweight, heart diseases, knee issues. You should be aware that we trekking in the mountains with physical activity almost everyday (during trekking part of a tour). But the most important thing is that everyone goes at their own pace.
Nepalese visa is issued upon arrival at Kathmandu Airport or is issued in advance at the Nepalese Embassy. In both cases, an invitation from a licensed travel agency in Nepal and hotel reservations are required. Assistance in obtaining visa is included in the price of the tour.
Where we will stay, what we will eat and will be there a shower during the trekking part?We will stay in the lodges, which locals build to provide overnight stay for trekkers (normally it is a part of their own house). There they will provide foods by menu (rice, noodles, soups, potatoes, breads, eggs and sometimes, even, pizza). Shower will be provided in the most of the lodges, if not - hosts will provide buckets of hot water.
How many people will be in a group?Normally my groups are around 10 people. This is the optimal number of people for a friendly team, so that it is not too boring and not too noisy.
What weather should we expect?The weather will vary from +25 to 0. In the afternoon we walk in T-shirts, in the evening after sunset we warm ourselves with winter jackets.
What should I take with me?You will have a detailed list of the necessary equipment. Plus I provide a video in which I explain what we need and why we need it.
Our itinerary day by day:
Day 1
Early morning arrival at Kathmandu. Finishing procedures with our permits, because now I will have your passports with nepali visas inside. While the final documents will be proceed, we will have time to explore Kathmandu. Visiting Kopan Buddhist monastery or Pashupatinath temple complex.
Day 2
Transfer to the starting point of our trek, village of Besisakhar by minivan. Then by the jeep we will go to the village of Darapani (1860 m). We stay in Dharapani Lodge for the night and the next day we start trekking to Nar-Phu valley.
Day 3
Today we will trek from the Darapani village(1860 m) to Koto village where people from gurung tribes live. Koto located at the altitude of 2600 meters. After a couple of hours of walking, we will show our permits to authorities and enter the closed region of Nar-Phu. Today we will walk through pine and spruce forests, along the way we will see the snowy peaks of Annapurna II and Manaslu mountains. Walking time - 6 hours.
Day 4
Today will be a long day along the Soti Kola river, we will walk through coniferous forests, suspension bridges and waterfalls. Later we will reach the Tibetan plateau and the Meta village (3560m). There will be views at Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal peaks. Walking time - 8 hours.
Day 5
Today we will trek to the Phu village, the first of the two most interesting villages in the region. On our way we will see Buddhist choortenes - that's the Tibetan name for stupas, which usually built in sacred Buddhist places and sometimes store Buddhist relics.
It will be a spectacular day rich with Buddhist sights, main of which will be the the Tashi Laghan monastery. In the Phu village, where we will stay for two nights, we will have a spectacular view at the Himlung Himal Mountain.
It will be a spectacular day rich with Buddhist sights, main of which will be the the Tashi Laghan monastery. In the Phu village, where we will stay for two nights, we will have a spectacular view at the Himlung Himal Mountain.
Day 6
Today we are staying in Phu village (4250m) to get the proper acclimatisation. It will be pretty relaxed day. In the morning we can visit Buddhist monastery for puja (pray ceremony) and in the afternoon we will walk to the glacier or just walk around the village.
Day 7
From the Phu village we will head towards the Nar village. Today we will stay for the night at the Buddhist monastery on the Phedi river (3510m). On our way we will see the peaks Kanga Ru, Pisang and will pass by two Buddhist chortens. Dinner at small and tiny monastery kitchen.
Day 8
Today it will take us only three hours of walk to reach the Nar village (4110m), where we will have a whole day to find a secret temple in one of the local houses or maybe to relax with a book on the rooftop or to wander around the neighbourhood.
Day 9
Сrossing the Kanga La pass at an altitude of 5320 meters our main task for today. We will leave Nar as early as possible. Passing by grazing yaks on high-altitude pastures, overlooking the western ridge of Pisang peak, we gradually will cross the pass. The climb to Kanga La pass is not too steep and will take us around two hours. From there we will have an incredible view at the Annapurna Ridge and other peaks, which is truly spectacular. After haninging the colourful Buddhist flags, we will go down to the Ngawal village, where we will have a well-deserved dinner.
Day 10
From the Ngawal village (3660 m) we will descend in three hours to the Pisang village (3200m) passing by bright green fields of barley, Buddhist monasteries and chortens. Great view of the snow-white peaks right from the window of our lodge is granted.
Day 11-12
End of the trekking part. By jeeps we will go to Pokhara, Nepali resort city on a lake. In Pokhara we will stay for two nights of the full-power hedonism. The swimming pool, local restaurants, bars, shops with Buddhist souvenirs, an open-air cinema in the jungle, boats on Lake Fewa - all is ours!
Day 13.
Time to say goodbye to Pokhara and take the flight on a mini plane to Kathmandu.
Day 14
Last minute shopping and departure from Kathmandu.
Reviews about tours with Tanya Sharapova:
The perfect organization of the tour, an amazing team, breathtaking nature and a sense of expanded boundaries out of their own capabilities. A journey from which it is impossible to return the same!
Now I want to do trekking more and more and surely in Himalayas. Thank you, Tanya, for this miracle, for discovering a new world, for a surprisingly cool team, for a new sense of self. It was one of the most beautiful, divinely beautiful places in the world that I have seen, it was one of the coolest trips in my life.
This trip to Nepal turned out to be one of the most inspiring trips in my life! Visiting Nepal is like landing on another planet and having a limited time to study local customs. In addition to the incredible nature and breathtaking views, I liked the people I met there. Strong in spirit, very smiling and positive. The decision not to merge with negative thoughts and see the beauty remained with me after our trip. I have already started planning my next trip to Nepal with Tanya.
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