Trekking in the Himalayas (Nepal, India)
The Himalayas is an attractive sound of this word for many. For those in love with the mountains, this is the highest dream, for spiritual seekers, this is a temple not made by hands and high-mountain monasteries, for those who seek the exotic, these are yeti, places of power and Himalayan yoga, but for everyone, this is the indescribable beauty of landscapes and rest on trekking routes that heals the body and soul !
The accessibility of the Himalayan regions in modern conditions has become almost fabulous. If even 70 years ago it took a long time to get by caravans to the beginning of trekking trails, now small planes with 15-20 seats or jeeps bring you right to the beginning of the trail. This saves a lot of time on your vacation.
Life on trekking
Trekking in NepalTrekking in Nepal is the most equipped for a city dweller who is used to sleeping in a warm bed. Hard-working Sherpas and Tamangs – these are high-altitude peoples living in the region of Everest, Annapurna and Langtang – equipped the valleys with cozy huts with restaurants, showers, Wi-Fi and double rooms. For those who do not like tents, this is a vacation with maximum comfort: trekking during the day, or as it is now called Nordic walking, and in the evening a warm restaurant with a varied menu and a book before bed. In many mountain huts on the trekking routes of Nepal, in addition to beds with pillows and mattresses, on which you usually sleep in your sleeping bag, they already offer bed linen. And you can be sure that it is clean, as you can easily see here both washing machines and washed sets drying in the fresh mountain air.
mecca of the himalayas
I must say that the entire Solo Khumbu valley impresses me greatly. In the upper reaches, it is fed by as many as 3 eight-thousanders – Everest (8848 m), Lhotse (8516 m), Cho-Oyu (8201 m), and Makalu (8463 m) is also clearly visible from many points. Trekking to Everest base camp and trekking to Gokyo lakes are, in my opinion, the most beautiful and unique. These trekking routes start from a forest zone dominated by Himalayan pines and thickets of rhododendron trees, and higher up you find yourself right on huge frozen rivers of glaciers – you probably won’t see anything like this anywhere in the world!
The Mecca of the Himalayas The culture of the Sherpas is also unique. In just 60 years, they built a unique mountain civilization here. In some ways, it looks like an alpine one, but everything here is more prepared for the arrival of a tourist in your home: hospitable hosts are always happy to cook food for you, heat water, and help dry your things if you get caught in rain or snow. Their mentality is completely modern – and the Internet and smartphones and satellite phones – everything is in natural use, without any difficulties for either young people or middle-aged people. They built an airport, a power plant, cheese factories, a museum of Sherpa life, a mountaineering museum, created trade unions and local governments – they go to meetings, solve public issues together. It is very interesting to see a combination of ancient national traditions, Buddhism and modern living conditions. One doesn’t interfere with the other at all!
Trekking and climbing trekking peaks
Trekking Peaks For the most physically prepared tourists, I would recommend options for combined trekking tours combined with climbing 6,000 peaks. Here, acclimatization will definitely be sufficient and it will cost less, since usually there are fewer people who want to climb than to trek, and then the general alignment for everyone is the most profitable. Trekking to Everest base camp with the possibility of climbing Island Peak can be examples of such tours. This is one of the classic peaks above 6000 meters, when climbing, you need an initial skill in using equipment – crampons, jumar, etc. The peak is very beautiful – it offers a gorgeous view of Amadablan (6814 m), Makalu (8463 m) and Lhotse (8516 m).
Trekking routes without an airplane
For those who have already walked the classic trekking route to Everest and stroked the blue and white three-meter ice feathers of the glacier with their palms, of course, we can recommend many more trekking routes in Nepal and India. The Langtang area is the closest to the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, it is important that you can get there by bus, which makes you not dependent on the vagaries of the weather. Trekking tour in this area can be from 5 to 20 days. On short tours to Lake Gosainkund or the foot of the seven-thousander Langtang Lirung (7246 m), you can count on spending the night in excellent loggias. There are tracks going from the outskirts of Kathmandu – here the guest houses are more modest, and when crossing the high mountain passes in that area, a tent is required.
Trekking routes without an airplaneThere are also areas accessible without an airplane, but less equipped and requiring more than two weeks to complete the trekking route. The most popular of them are the tracks around the eight-thousanders – Annapurna and Manaslu. Here, especially near Manaslu, you will meet much fewer tourists on the trail, because, having started the ring, you need to reach it to the end, overcoming high mountain passes, which not everyone will dare to do. Therefore, for those who love sparsely populated trails, trekking around Manaslu can be advised.
