About Manaslu, Mustang and Dolpo

Manaslu-Mustang-Dolpo

Manaslu

Lareke Pass 5200m.

Trekking around Manaslu offers a unique opportunity to experience relatively "untouched" region of Nepal. Opened for trekking only since 1991 , it provides spectacular beauty along the border of Nepal and China and is now a controlled trekking route which allows organized trekking groups special permits to venture round its spectacular circuit. Located in west-central Nepal, the 177-km trek around Manaslu provides strong walkers the best that Nepal has to offer: fantastic mountain scenery, spanning altitudes from 375 m to 5.300 m. a diverse range of ecosystems and ethnic cultures, and a trail that puts one physically closer to Tibet than any other trek in Nepal.

The standard 21 -day hike usually begins in Gorkha but for those preferring a longer trek, the winding road to Trisuli becomes the preface to this exciting walk Because of its isolation and newness to tourism, this trip must be done as a full service trek through an official trekking company. All supplies necessary for the trip (including food and kerosene) must be carried in and all rubbish must be portered out. A Nepalese Liaison Officer must accompany each group to assure protection of both the fragile environment and cultures there.

Mustang

Mustang Area

Mustang, or Lo as it is known by the inhabitants, is a mysterious high plateau tucked behind the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Massifs in north central Nepal. The area is actually the top of a watershed, the headwaters of what becomes the mighty Kali Gandaki River, which then runs southward through the world's deepest gorge. In the rain shadow of the huge Himalayan peaks, though, this area is dry and windswept, ruggedly sculpted and mostly devoid of vegetation. The region offers dramatic and unique geography for those who only have seen the more familiar green, forested landscape of the rest of Nepal.

With a cultural history that is as intriguing as the landscape, Mustang has piqued the curiosity of many Himalayan adventurers, and only recently was it opened for limited visitation. Historically a vital trading route between Tibet and India, the trail into Mustang is lined with the fascinating remains of forts that served as tax collection out posts. Settlements in Mustang were fortified, a testament to its turbulent history. More recently, in the late 1950s and 60s, the area was a center for Khampas, guerrilla's who were trained and armed by the US C.I.A. to resist the Chinese Army's occupation of Tibet.

There are records that outline events stretching back to the eighth century, and from the writings of the Tibetan poet Milarepa it is known that the unique form of Buddhism called Sakyapa has been practiced here since 1073. This form of Buddhism lacks the more familiar metaphysical aspect; it is more worldly and practical, perhaps in response to the unforgiving environmental pressures in this area.

Dolpo

The best known of the many isolated high Himalayan valleys across northern Nepal, Dolpo preserves one of the last remnants of traditional Tibetan culture. Legend says it's a one of the "hidden valleys" created by Guru Rinpoche as a refuge for devout Buddhists in troubled times. Surrounded by high mountains including the Dhaulagiri massif to the south-east and cut off by high passes closed by snow half the year, Dolpo's easiest access is from Tibet, where its people emigrated from perhaps 1. 000 years ago.

Upper Dolpo shelters about 5.000 people, whose lives revolve around Buddhism, barley, and yaks; their villages (over 4.260 meters) are among the highest settlements on earth. A large portion of Dolpo has been set aside as Shey - Phoksumdo National Park, at 3.555 square km Nepal's largest. Meant to preserve a complete example of the trans-Himalayan ecosystem, the park shelters blue sheep, Himalayan black bear, leopards, wolves, and the exclusive snow leopard.

Dolpo Area

Dolpo is the best-known of Nepal's forbidden northern border regions. The 1989 announcement that the government was opening the region to group treks caused a flurry of excitement.

To reach here, you must trek through a registered company, which will obtain permits. Groups generally fly from Nepalgunj to the Juphal airstrip, then walk few hours to the district headquarters of Dunai (2,100 meters). The trail follows the Suli Gad River, passing through thick conifer forests and a few Thakuri Hindu villages. The National Park check-post is one day from Dunai; two steep days later, you reach Phoksumdo Lake.