Tsum Valley Trek

The land is Tibetan Buddhist; its language a dialect of Tibet. Many of the people here don’t even speak Nepali and for all practical purposes, this land has been isolated from the world. Its isolation was intended. Tsum Valley Trek can only be reached through high passes of the north or through the narrow Sarki George on the Syar River which begins its course in the high Himalayas. The Syar River waters the upper and lower Tsum Valley which is rich farmland in the midst of the Himalayan Mountains that form the barrier between Nepal and China.

Brief Itinerary of Tsum Valley Trek

An 18 day trip to Tsum Valley trek is recommended in order to be able to see everything and to enjoy the scenery, culture, and hospitality.

Day 01  Arrival in Tribhuvan International Airport
Day 02  Trek preparation and Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing
Day 03  Kathmandu – Soti Khola (elev. 600 m)
Day 04  Soti Khola to Mchha Khola Gaon (elev. 1300 m)
Day 05  Machhakhola to Jagat- (elev. 1410 m)
Day 06  Jagat – Lokpa (elev. 2040 m)
Day 07  Lokpa to Chumling (elev. 2386 m)
Day 08  Chumling to Chhokangparo (elev. 3031 m)
Day 09  Chhokangparo to Nile (elev. 3361 m)
Day 10  Nile to Mu Gompa (elev. 3700 m)
Day 11  Mu Gompa to Rachen Gompa (elev. 3240)
Day 12  Rachen Gompa to Gumba Lungdung
Day 13  Gumba Lungdang to Lokpa (2240 m)
Day 14  Lokpa to Jagat (elev. 1340)
Day 15  Jagat to Lapubensi (elev. 900 m)
Day 16  Lapunbeshi to Arught (elev. 535 m)
Day 17  Drive back to Kathmandu
Day 18  Departure

Food and Accommodations during Tsum Valley Trek

As the area is new to tourism, do not expect to find first-class accommodations. Most of the lodges are either a single room where everyone sleeps, or you may be sleeping in someone’s home on the floor. Several of the local residents are working to develop better accommodations for visitors. Don’t be surprised, however, if you find there is no glass in the windows (and the wind blows through at night). The places are generally pleasant enough, although one place we stayed at had big holes in the roof, along with large openings in the sides of the building.

Toilets are eastern style and often located in ways from where you sleep. Sleeping dogs get aggressive at night, and if you need to make a midnight outing, you might run face to face with a curious yak. The locals drink butter tea, which is very rich and served hot. It makes for a nice way to warm up, and the butterfat is needed to survive the poor nutrition in the mountains. They also drink Roxy, local alcohol made from millet that is distilled.

People

The people practice a form of Buddhism which strictly adheres to the practice of not killing any animal for food. The wild animals have no fear of man as they have learned that humanity is not their enemy. The people farm with yaks and use them to move goods in and out of the valley. The few stores are stocked with goods from China and almost every village has a Gomba (Buddhist monastery). Some of the monasteries are very large, like the one at Rachen Gumba which has room for 113 monks and nuns and covers several acres of land.

The scenery is most impressive as the valley is surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The southern peaks form the Ganesh Himal Range which acts as a barrier between the residents and the rest of Nepal. To the north are more snow-capped mountains that form a barrier with China. The people live as they have for hundreds of years. The women work in the small fields and take care of the homes; the men work outside and earn what money they can find. They practice a spirit of non-violence and peace, in keeping with the teaching of The Buddha.

Here you can walk the trails, climb mountains, visit ancient mountain monasteries, eat Tibetan bread and drink a locally made alcoholic drink called Roxy. Don’t expect to be served any meat – it just isn’t done as this is a place of pure vegetarianism. Their diets consist of wheat, buckwheat, barley, potatoes, and bread. They will consume eggs and they enjoy traditional Tibetan Butter Tea which they serve in steaming cups that will warm you against the cold winds that blow through the valley.

Religion and Culture of Tsum Valley

The Valley is 100% Tibetan Buddhist. Everywhere you will see pictures of the Dalai Lama. There are Gumbas (monasteries) in almost every village with the largest ones at Rachen Gumba, Mu Gomba, and GumbaLangdang. The last two monasteries do have places for visitors to stay. They have an excellent view of the Ganesh Himal Mountains. The lamas are friendly and very open to discussing their faith. When passing a chhorten, always pass on the left side, moving in a clockwise fashion.

It is considered bad luck to go around a chhorten in a counter-clockwise fashion. When entering any place of worship, treat the place with sacred respect. This will honor the local people who will be happy to share their faith. Also, ask before entering any place of worship. It is always best to seek permission first. Usually, every home has some kind of shrine where the family worships. You may find yourself sleeping in such a location. As always, treat that place with respect.

Mountains

The majestic mountain ranges that can be viewed from Tusm valley are Ganesh Himal Range, Siringi Himal range and Manaslu range. Kulha Palsang Himal can also be seen on the northern side of this valley. Ganesh Himal range, located mostly in north-central Nepal, is a sub-range of the Himalayan mountain range. Yangra (Ganesh I), Ganesh NW and Mount Ganesh are the mountains of Ganesh Himal Range.

Sringi Himal range, which lies in the Central Nepal-south of Tibet border and has Shiar Khola valley in the east and the Tom / Trisuli Gandaki valley in the west. The highest peak in this range is Chamar, 7187m, which is about 25km east of Manaslu. Although Mt. Manaslu is not seen from Tsum valley, its southern ranges can be observed. Himal Chuli and Baudha Himal of Manaslu range are clearly seen from here.

High Passes in Tsum Valley Trek

Ngala Dhojhyang is a very attractive pass situated above the snowline at an altitude of 5093m. The pass is very windy and is clear and pleasant especially in summer. Likewise, Thapla pass is located at an altitude of 5104 m and is partly covered with snow and glaciers. Then another pass called Humlung Pass is very difficult to reach  and it takes eight hours for outsiders to arrive at that pass. Jonah is a very good place for camping since it has enough land for tents. After Jonali, we can reach Dhursa, which is very steep and narrow and it takes three hours to reach the pass from Dhursa.

Rivers & Lakes in Tsum Valley

Lungdang Khola, Shiar (Syar) Khola and Sarpu Khola are the main rivers of Tsum valley, which originates from the glaciers. Regarding lakes, ChhoSyong-Mu, Khungyu Lake, ChhoLungyu and Yamdro lakes are some attractive lakes for tourists.

Waterfalls

Trekkers will be delighted to see numerous waterfalls during the Tsum Valley Trek. Waterfalls like Chhuypang Chemo Chule, Samba Tingding Chhupyang, and Syoga Lungba are some major beautiful waterfalls, which will come during trekking.