TSUM VALLEY TREK

Description

Tsum Valley Trek

The Tsum Valley trek is in the western part of Gorkha District, Nepal. Tsum Valley is another excellent option for trekking through the wilderness of the Manaslu region. The Larke Pass trek (see our other offers), at 5,106m, can also be reached via the Tsum Valley trek. This trekking route only opened in 2008.

Trekking in this hidden valley starts with a drive to Arughat in Dhading district and on to Machhikhola. This 19-day trek explores the Himalayan region including this hidden valley. After driving to Arughat, the trek continues through various villages and small rivers with mountain views. The Manaslu trek via Tsum Valley and the Manaslu Circuit trek are other options for trekking the Manaslu region.

What’s Included

Cost includes:

• All standard meals during the trek (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Guesthouse accommodation during the trek, mostly twin-share and occasionally dormitory-style rooms (13 nights)
• Local English-speaking trekking guide
• Required local staff and porters to carry luggage (1 porter for every 2 clients)
• Food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipment and medicine for porters and guides
• All special trekking permits and fees
• Surface transfer to/from Kathmandu (Kathmandu-Sotikhola by jeep, Tal-Kathmandu by jeep) plus breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and/or tea

Cost excludes:

• Lunch and dinner while in Kathmandu
• Travel insurance covering emergency rescue and evacuation
• International airfare and airport departure tax, Nepal entry visa (easily obtained on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport; multiple-entry tourist visas for 30 or 90 days available – 2 passport photos required)
• Alcoholic and cold drinks

Nepal Highlights:

Best time to visit Nepal – additional information on the “Tsum Valley Trek”

Nepal can be visited all year round, but a few natural hazards are worth noting: heavy flooding during the monsoon (mid-July to mid-August) and extreme cold in the high Himalaya (late November to mid-December). Nepal is a land of hills and mountains, and its high peaks are one reason the country is so rich in water resources – fast-flowing rivers and beautiful lakes. Heavy rain, or even several days of light rain, can cause flooding in the lowland Terai region, so extra caution is advised there during the monsoon. Away from the monsoon, the hill regions enjoy sunny days even in winter, making for a pleasantly mild travel season.

Seasons in Nepal – additional information on the “Tsum Valley Trek”

Nepal recognises six seasons: Basanta Ritu (spring), Grishma Ritu (early summer), Barkha Ritu (monsoon), Sharad Ritu (early autumn), Hemanta Ritu (late autumn) and Shishir Ritu (winter).

Outside the monsoon (early July to late August), any season is suitable for a trip – Yetiland-nepal.de advises against travelling in the Terai lowlands during the monsoon.

Summers can be hot, with temperatures ranging from around 25 to 40°C depending on location. In the upper Himalayan region, summer temperatures reach up to about 30°C, while the lower Terai plains in southern Nepal can see highs of 40°C or more.

Winter days are mostly sunny, with cold mornings and evenings. If you’ve experienced winter in Greece, the feeling in Kathmandu is similar – from mid-December the sun keeps days pleasantly warm, while evening temperatures can drop to around 5°C. In the high Himalaya, however, temperatures fall well below 0°C.

Buddha was born in Nepal – additional information on the “Tsum Valley Trek”

This is a matter of pride for Nepalis: neighbouring countries, India in particular, sometimes claim Buddha’s origins lie there, which stirs up debate from time to time. In fact, Buddha was born in Nepal.

Well worth a visit is Lumbini, his birthplace southwest of Kathmandu. The prince who left his palace in search of lasting peace and meaning in life attained enlightenment (Nirvana) there. His teachings have since spread across the world and are followed by millions of people; in modern Western society too, Buddhism and meditation – a path to self-awareness and inner peace – have become popular everyday practices.

Take a look at our tours that include a visit to Lumbini.

8 of the world’s 10 highest mountains are in Nepal – additional information on the “Tsum Valley Trek”

Nepal is home to 8 of the world’s 10 highest mountains: Mount Everest (8,848m), Kanchenjunga (8,586m), Lhotse (8,516m), Makalu (8,485m), Cho Oyu (8,188m), Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Manaslu (8,163m) and Annapurna I (8,091m). Yetiland-Nepal offers three categories of trip in these regions: Expedition – climbing an eight-thousander (for experienced professionals only); Trek – trekking through the same region at much lower altitude (ideal for those who want to experience Nepal’s mountains without climbing them); and Holiday – for enjoying Nepal’s nature, scenery and leisure activities.

One of the world’s most dangerous airports

Lukla Airport, the gateway to the Everest region, is considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Wedged between steep hills, it makes for a genuinely challenging landing and take-off. Pilots speak of a “point of no return”, beyond which all preparation and technical alignment must already be complete to bring the aircraft in safely. Thousands of passengers fly in during peak season each month – a truly unique experience. Thanks to their extensive experience across almost all of Nepal’s hill regions, Nepali pilots rank among the most skilled in the world.

New Year in Nepal – additional information on the “Tsum Valley Trek”

Nepal follows its own calendar, the Vikram Sambat. Nepali New Year falls around mid-April, marking the start of the Nepali summer. People also follow the lunar calendar for religious festivals and family celebrations. As Nepal is home to many ethnic groups, each with its own history, several local New Year dates exist side by side – a well-known example is Losar, celebrated among others by the Sherpa community.

Nepal’s unique flag – additional information on the “Tsum Valley Trek”

Nepal’s flag is the world’s only non-rectangular national flag, formed of two stacked triangles bearing the sun and the moon. These symbols reflect the character of the Nepali people: the moon for humility, the sun for courage. Nepalis are famed for their hospitality towards visitors – in the hill regions, hosts will traditionally slaughter their own livestock (such as chickens or goats) to honour guests. To this day, many Nepali soldiers, known as Gurkhas, serve in armies around the world.

A one-of-a-kind weapon

The handcrafted khukuri knife is world-famous and originates from Nepal. Carried by Nepali soldiers and used in both World Wars, it is credited in veterans’ accounts with contributing to the legendary fighting prowess of the Gurkha regiments. A khukuri also makes an excellent souvenir.

Suspension bridges – additional information on the “Tsum Valley Trek”

Nepal is famous for its many suspension bridges spanning valleys between its hills, long a practical way of life for people in the mountainous regions. The idea even inspired Germany’s own Geierlay suspension bridge in Rhineland-Palatinate, built as a nod to Nepal’s example.

Landslides

As a very hilly country, Nepal is prone to flooding and landslides during the monsoon, especially in the lower-lying Terai region with its year-round vegetation. The combination of Nepal’s fast-flowing rivers and sustained monsoon rain can trigger landslides in the hill regions, so travel during the monsoon season is best avoided.

Earthquakes

Nepal sits in a zone of high seismic risk. This doesn’t mean major earthquakes happen constantly, but history shows a serious quake roughly every 50 years. The cause lies beneath the surface: the Indian Plate shifts about 5cm against the Eurasian Plate every year, gradually pushing the Himalaya upward over millions of years. The April 2015 earthquake (magnitude 7.8, at a depth of 8.2km) was one of the most recent major quakes, causing severe economic and geographic damage, killing around 9,000 people and injuring roughly 22,000.

Flying in Nepal

Nepal’s civil aviation is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal: CAAN – Nepal.

A number of airlines operate in Nepal, including Yeti Airlines, Buddha Air, Himalaya Airlines, Simrik Airlines, Nepal Airlines, Saurya Airlines, Shree Airlines, Sita Air, Summit Air and Tara Air.

Private helicopter charters are also available, including through Air Dynasty, Simrik Air, Prabhu Helicopters, Altitude Air, Fishtail Air, Manang Air, Makalu Air, Kailash Helicopter Services and Heli Everest.

Airports in Nepal

Numerous domestic airlines operate flights throughout the year. Nepal stretches roughly 880km along the Himalayan axis and 150–250km across, covering a total area of 147,516km². With an average domestic flight time of just 1.5–2 hours, all major airports are reachable within a maximum of 3 flying hours: Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu), Tenzing-Hillary Airport (Lukla), Pokhara Airport, Simara Airport, Bharatpur Airport, Biratnagar Airport, Surkhet Airport, Nepalgunj Airport and Jomsom Airport.

Of these, Lukla Airport is considered one of the most dangerous in the world – a unique experience that thousands of travellers still make every month. When you book a complete package with Yetiland-Nepal, you don’t need to arrange any of this yourself.

Note that during winter (November to December), heavy morning fog often causes flight delays, and in some cases full-day cancellations after long waits. For this reason, Yetiland-nepal.de typically relies on tourist buses rather than domestic flights during this season.

Similar tour: Kanchenjunga
More background on Tsum Valley