A DREAM DESTINATION

It is a great adventure in history, in landscape and in the faiths of Asia. In the heart of the highest mountains on earth, Mount Kailash rises to an altitude of 6,714 metres, and is one of the most elegant and entrancing peaks in Tibet. For the traveller, this is a dream destination, almost inaccessible until just a few decades ago because of bad roads, political prohibitions, and the presence of bandits. But no Westerner has ever felt lonely in the area around Mount Kailash.
The Kailash "Gang Rinpoche", which means "Jewel of snow" is striking in the way it rises high above the surrounding range and always remains snow - capped. Traditional Buddhist cosmology has often connected Kailash with Mount Meru, the great mythological mountain that forms the axis of this world system. Because of its religious associations, many Hindu and Buddhist ascetics, hermits and pilgrims have been drawn to the area of the mountain for the past two thousand years or so to see it, offer prayers, absolve sins, circumambulate it and to practice austerities and meditation. South of Mount Kailash, across the base of the majestic Mount Gurla Mandhata, are the two lakes Mansarovar and Rakkshas Tal (lake). They are the highest bodies of fresh water in the world, with Manasarovar (330 sq. km), at 4,558 meters, about fifteen meters higher than Rakshas Tal. Manasarovar considered by Buddhist and Hindus to be more worthy of veneration. Buddhist believe that Queen Maya, the Buddha's mother was carried here by the gods and washed prior to

giving birth to the Buddha

annapurna travel

Annapurna Region
Central Nepal is dominated by the Annapurna Himal and the village of Pokhara. There are three major trekking routes in central Nepal: to Jomsom, to Annapurna Sanctuary, and a circuit of the Annapurna Himal itself. Pokhara is also a good starting place for short treks of one to four days, including the "Royal" trek, which is described here. Mustang is also geographically a part of the Annapurna region, but because treks to Mustang are subject to special restrictions, this is described it in the separate page on restricted area treks. About two-thirds of the trekkers in Nepal visit the Annapurna region. The area is easily accessible, hotels in the hills are plentiful, and treks here offer good scenery of both high mountains and lowland villages.
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)
ACAP was established in 1986 under the guidance of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation. The project encompasses the entire Annapurna range, more than 7600 sq km. In an innovative approach to environmental protection, it was declared a "conservation area" instead of a national park. A large number of people live within the protected region, but traditional national park practices dictate that few, if any, people reside within park boundaries. In an effort to avoid any conflicts of interest, ACAP has sought the involvement of local people and has emphasized environmental education.

ACAP projects include the training of lodge owners, with an emphasis on sanitation, deforestation and cultural pride. They have trained trekking lodge operators and encouraged hoteliers to charge a fair price for food and accommodation. ACAP encourages the use of kerosene for cooking throughout the region, and requires its use above Chhomrong in the Annapurna Sanctuary and on the route between Ghandruk and Ghorapani. ACAP is supported by a "conservation fee" of Rs 650 that is collected from all trekkers who obtain trekking permits for the Annapurna region.

ACAP has encouraged the construction of toilets throughout the area; use them no matter how disgusting they are. ACAP has also made provision for the supply of kerosene in those parts of the conservation area where the use of firewood by both trekking groups and hotels is prohibited.

In Pokhara, visit ACAP's Trekkers Information & Environmental Centre next to the Hotel Lakeside. In addition to providing information, the centre sells iodine, solar battery chargers and other products that can help you to protect the environment while you are trekking. There is also a "trekkers meeting board" and a battery drop-off centre.


Annapurna Area Trekking Routes

Annapurna Panorama





8 Days of trekking to Ghorapani
Maximum Elevation 2775 metres (9100 feet)







Days
Itinaries

Day 01
Fly to Pokhara, drive to Birethanti

Day 02
Birethanti to Ulleri

Day 03
Ulleri to Ghorapani

Day 04
Ghorpani to Banthanti

Day 05
Banthanti to Ghandruk

Day 06
Ghandruk to Landrung

Day 07
Landrung to Dhampus

Day 08
Dhanpus to Phedi, drive to Pokhara, overnight in hotel

Day 09
Fly to Kathmandu









Jomsom Trek






10 Days of trekking to Jomsom and Muktinath
Maximum Elevation 3710 metres (12,175 feet)

The views of the mountains are spectacular, and the route actually crosses to the other side of the main Himalayan range for some unusual views of the northern flanks. The entire route remains below 3000 metres, though the trek is still strenuous enough to be stimulating (see the Route Profile for the trek around Annapurna). This is a good trek if you wish to avoid high altitudes.





Days
Itinaries

Day 01
Fly to Pokhara, drive to to Birethanti

Day 02
Birethanti to Tikedungha

Day 03
Tikedungha to Ghorapani

Day 04
Ghorapani to Tatopani

Day 05
Tatopani to Kalopani

Day 06
Kalopani to Jomsom

Day 07
Jomsom to Muktinath

Day 08
In Muktinath

Day 09
Muktinath to Jomsom via Kagbeni

Day 10
Fly Jomsom to Kathmandu via Pokhara












Annapurna Sanctuary




12 Days of Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp
Maximum Elevation 3900 metres (12,800 feet)
The route to Annapurna Sanctuary (Annapurna Deuthali in Nepali), the site of the Annapurna south face base camp, is a spectacular short trek. Though it has some steep climbs, the trek is not difficult. The major problem with this trek is that it can become impassable because of snow and avalanches in winter and early spring. It is the only major trekking route in Nepal that has significant avalanche danger, so you must inquire locally whether the trail is safe. Some trekkers have died because of avalanches, and others have been stranded in the sanctuary for days. The sanctuary trek traverses a variety of terrain, from lowland villages and rice terraces to glaciers, and offers outstanding high mountain views. This trek is a fine opportunity to surround yourself with Himalayan peaks in a short time, without having to contend with the altitude and flight problems of the Everest region.





Days
Itinaries

Day 01
Fly to Pokhara, drive to Phedi, trek to Tolka

Day 02
Tolka to Chhomrong

Day 03
Chhomrong to Bamboo Lodge

Day 04
Bamboo Lodge to Himalayan Hotel

Day 05
Himalayan Hotel to Machhapuchhare Base Camp

Day 06
Machhapuchhare Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp

Day 07
Annapurna Base Camp to Deorali

Day 08
Deorali to Doban

Day 09
Doban to Chhomrong

Day 10
Chhomrong to Ghandruk

Day 11
Ghandruk to Birethanti

Day 12
Drive to Pokhara








Around Annapurna



18 Days of Trekking across Thorung La
Maximum Elevation 5416 metres (17,770 feet)
This trek travels around the entire Annapurna massif, visiting the Tibet-like country on the northern slopes of the Himalaya and the dramatic Kali Gandaki Gorge. Much of the trek is through lowland country, but there is one high pass, Thorung La. The pass is not difficult, but this is still a long trek at high elevation. You should be aware that you might have to return to Dumre if it is impossible or dangerous to cross Thorung La because of snow or altitude sickness. There are years when the weather allows it to stay open, but Thorung La is usually snowbound and closed from mid-December to mid-April.





Days
Itinaries

Day 01
Dumre to Besi Sahar

Day 02
Besi Sahar to Bahundanda

Day 03
Bahundanda to Chyamje

Day 04
Chyamje to Bagarchhap

Day 05
Bagarchhap to Chame

Day 06
Chame to Pisang

Day 07
Pisang to Manang

Day 08
Manang

Day 09
Manang to Letdar

Day 10
Letdar to Thorung Phedi

Day 11
Thorung Phedi to Muktinath

Day 12
Multinath to Kagbeni

Day 13
Kagbeni to Marpha

Day 14
Marpha to Kalopani

Day 15
Kalopani to Tatopani

Day 16
Tatopani to Ghorapani

Day 17
Ghorapani to Tikedungha

Day 18
Trek to Birethanti, Drive to Kathmandu








The Royal Trek





4 Days of trekking in the Annapurna foothills
Maximum Elevation 1730 metres (5700 feet)
This is an easy, short trek that starts near Pokhara and offers good mountain views. It gained its name because Prince Charles and an entourage of 90 guests, camp followers and staff trekked here. The trek has also seen the likes of such luminaries as Mick Jagger. The route is not a popular one, so you will see few other trekkers.





Days
Itinaries

Day 01
Pokhara to Kalikastan

Day 02
Kalikastan to Shaklung

Day 03
Shaklung to Chisopani

Day 04
Chisopani to Pokhara








Trek to the Kingdom of Mustang






18 Days of Trekking
Maximum Elevation 3840 Metres (12,600 feet)

In common usage, the name Mustang refers to the arid Tibet-like region at the northern end of the Kali Gandaki (known to its inhabitants as Lo). Officially, Mustang is the name of the district along the Kali Gandaki from the Tibetan border south to Ghasa. The capital of the Mustang district is Jomsom; the region of Tibetan influence north of Kagbeni is generally referred to as upper Mustang.

The trek to Lo is through an almost treeless barren landscape. Strong winds usually howl across the area in the afternoon, generally subsiding at night. Being in the rain shadow of the Himalaya, Lo has much less rain than the rest of Nepal. During the monsoon the skies are cloudy and there is some rain. In the winter there is usually snow; sometimes as much as 30 or 40 cm accumulates on the ground.

In Lo itself the countryside is similar to the Tibetan plateau with its endless expanses of yellow and grey rolling hills eroded by wind. There is more rain in the lower part of upper Mustang and the hills tend to be great red fluted cliffs of tiny round stones cemented together by mud. Villages are several hours apart and appear in the distance almost as mirages; during the summer season, after the crops are planted, they are green oases in the desert-like landscape.

Because of the cold and snow, most of the population departs from Lo on trading expeditions during the winter. The trekking season, therefore, is from late March until early November. The trek does not go to extremely high elevations, but the cold, dust and unrelenting afternoon winds can make the trek less pleasant than other treks in Nepal.





Days
Itinaries

Day 01
Fly to Pokhara, drive to to Birethanti

Day 02
Birethanti to Tikedungha

Day 03
Tikedungha to Ghorapani

Day 04
Ghorapani to Tatopani

Day 05
Tatopani to Kalopani

Day 06
Kalopani to Jomsom

Day 07
Jomsom to Muktinath

Day 08
Kagbeni to Chele

Day 09
Chele to Geling

Day 10
Geling to Charang

Day 11
Charang to Lo Manthang

Day 12-13
In Lo Manthang

Day 14
Lo Manthang to Ghami

Day 14
Ghami to Samar

Day 16
Samar to Kagbeni

Day 17
Kagbeni to Jomsom

Day 18
Fly Jomsom to Kathmandu via Pokhara

living goddess Kumari

The Kumari is the god of Hindus. When the Hindus family Specially, Newar culture born the girl they worship god call kumari from born period to during The E-ya period. E-ya is the festival of Newari which has marriage girl to bel call load of shiva. Specially, festival is we make the kumari to living god .

The Kumari Devi is a young girl who lives in the building known as the Kumari Ghar, right beside Kathmandu's Durbar Square.

From time immemorial the practice of worshipping an ordinary pre-pubescent girl as a source of supreme power has been an integral

part of both Hinduism and Buddhism, a tradition which continues even to this day virtually in every household. They call this girl Kumari Devi and worship her on all the religious occasions.
The predominance of the Kumari cult is more distinctly evident among the Newar community inside the Kathmandu Valley as she has become an inevitable feature of their worship almost in every Vihar and Bahal and including the nooks and corners of Newari settlements. However, it was the Vajrayana sect of Mahayana Buddhism that was responsible for establishing the tradition of worshipping a girl from the Sakya community as the royal Living Goddess.

The selection of the Living Goddess is a highly elaborate tantric ritual. Upon passing the preliminary test, this is merely concerned with their 32 attributes of perfection, including the colour of her eyes, the shape of her teeth and the sound of her voice. Her horoscope must also be appropriate. The 4 to 7 year poor girls from the Sakya community are made to confront a goddess in the darkened room. The sight of the Buffalo heads scattered around, the demon- like masked dancers, the terrifying noises theyencounter scare some of these innocent babies. The real goddess is unlikely to be frightened, so the one who is calm and collected throughout the tests is the only girl who is entitled to sit on the pedestal for worship as the Living Goddess. Then as a final test similar to that of the Dalai Lama, the Kumari then chooses items of clothing and decoration worn by her predecessor.

The god-house Kumari Ghar is a store-house of magnificent intricate carvings where the Living Goddess performs her daily rituals. During her tenure in the god-house, Guthi Sansthan, the government trust fund bears her entire expenses including that of her caretakers. Under normal circumstances, her days in the god-house come to an end with her first menstruation, but if she turns out to be unlucky, as they say, even a minor scratch on her body that bleeds can make her invalid for worship. She then changes back to the status of normal mortal and the search of a new Kumari begins. It is said to be unlucky to marry an ex-Kumari.

On Indra Jatra, in September, the Living Goddess in all her jeweled splendor travels through the older part of Kathmandu city in a three tiered chariot accompanied by Ganesh and Bhairab each day for three days. It is really a grand gala in which people in their thousands throng in and around the Kathmandu Durbar Square to pay their homage to the Living Goddess. During this festival she also blesses the King in keeping with the tradition in which the first king of the Shah dynasty, who annexed Kathmandu in 1768, received a blessing from the Living Goddess.