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2010.07.25 GHT pilot project familiarisation trips announcement

[NB. This document was updated on 25th July 2010]

Download as an easy read PDF: Nick Meynen: Between myth and reality

Phoksumdo lake in Dolpa © Linda_Bezemer 2010

After a failed attempt to take off and a last minute repair on the engine, we and our plane are finally ready to escape the heat of Nepalganj, a city on the Southern plains of Nepal. After a flight over ever higher mountains, we enjoy a bumpy landing on a sloping field full of stones in the village of Juphal, right on the flank of a mountain. For some mysterious reason we have to fill in a Crime Investigation form upon our arrival. It reminds me of the period when Dolpo was forbidden for foreigners, not so long ago. Probably the only form they found that was in English, as Dolpo is still not accustomed to receiving many visitors. It is late April 2006, but in the guest book of that year we find only one name: film director Eric Valli. Valli happens to be the man who inspired us to visit Dolpo, with his movie Himalaya. The film and the book The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiesen create the image of an authentic community with ancient traditions and a hard, simple and semi-nomadic existence. They speak of hermits in their old monasteries overlooking an endless succession of snowy ridges, quietly painting thangkas and meditating. Dolpo approaches the fictional Lost Horizon, a novel by James Hilton.

In ancient Juphal, they speak a language which is spoken in only two other villages. Their belief in the gods of nature is reflected in the dokpas: wooden dolls with their arms outstretched, placed on bridges and roofs to keep out evil spirits and embrace the good ones. Although the houses resemble Tibetan architecture (flat roofs, multiple levels with terraces), the southernmost part of Dolpo is strongly reminiscent of typical rural Nepal: green hills full of terraces and tea houses where dhal bhat (rice with lentils) and chiya (milk tea) are served. For three days we walk north along a delicate path through a deep, narrow and uninhabited valley until we arrive in another world: beyul or “the hidden world”.

Legend

Dho is Tibetan for “lower village”. It once was the lowest village in the time when it belonged to Tibet. A few kilometres before the village, a landslide blocked the river, which then curved through a deep canyon. At this special place, the old border between Tibet and Nepal, a legend lives on. The story has it that an evil demon wanted to drown the people of Dho. She blocked the river with the Indian sand falling from the folds of her dress and the water rose. The good Lama Guru Rinpoche was just in time to cut a canyon with his sword and so the people of Dho were saved from drowning. The rock at this site is indeed unique in Dolpo. At the little pass formed by the landslide there is a small temple. Locals believe that the source there is actually the blood coming out of the heart of the demon. Those who take three sips, will be protected against evil spirits.

When the valley opens up, we get our first view of what is now known as ‘Tibet in Nepal’. As the snow stops falling and the evening sun illuminates the white carpet, arrival in Dho lives up to our imagination. The next day, a path into the valley towards Charka takes us along an ancient Bon-Po gompa (monastery). Bon-Po is the religion that existed in Tibet before Buddhism. This religion lives on in a few remote areas of Tibet and here, in Dolpo. Pilgrims come from afar to one of the many sacred sites to visit. Some of the oldest gompas from around the Himalayas can be found here. We meet the local lama (monk) and are invited into his house to drink Tibetan butter tea. In his house there’s a small temple, full of masks and old books. There is no box for donations, no signboards and no English conversation at all. Still, it seems to us that the lama could use some money for the maintenance of his cultural heritage. Many young lamas went to Kathmandu or India to study and few come back. The harsh weather conditions also require additional care of the buildings.

Since the eighties, the Dutch development organization SNV has supported local organizations in their mission to make sure that tourism benefits the poorest people first. In honour of Marjan Rens, an employee who died in 1999 in Dolpo, SNV supported a local organization to renovate a gompa. They also published an illustrated information booklet on all the major cultural sites and festivals in Dolpo. Mainly due to the civil war, tourists stayed away and most of the funds were subsequently diverted to other places. Now that the war is over, the time seems ripe for the cultural heritage to get the attention it deserves. Sustainable tourism can certainly help to restore the heritage. On our way to the top of a hill just behind Dho, only the towers of a destroyed royal fortress stood up. The rich history of Dolpo is even clearer when we arrive in the more than thousand years old Ribo Bumpa gompa. This is the most important religious building throughout the region. Among other marvels we find a big old wall painting, which on closer inspection is actually a beautiful map of the entire area. All the monasteries, and the holy Phoksumdo lake are indicated. The painted Indian elephant shows that the Dolpo-pa (inhabitants of Dolpo) have been semi-nomadic for centuries, maintaining very distant trading relationships. Ribo Bumpa gompa is home to the legend of Guru Rinpoche and is a witness of Dolpo’s rich past, but also a fragile treasure. The fact that we are free to walk around without anyone to welcome or guide us and the advanced state of weathering of the gompa, shows again that the protection of this magnificent heritage has a long way to go.

Globalization

In Dho we meet Angad. A highly educated, fluent English speaking Nepali with a vision of environmental management. He also happens to be an excellent photographer, a businessman and a cynical politician. It seems surreal to meet someone like this in Dho. He seems to be the ambassador of a new generation, probably as exotic to the Dolpo-pa as we are. His roots are in the south and he only settled here after his marriage. His presence is a sign that Dolpo is gradually joining the globalized world. From our Western point of view this is often regretted, because the authenticity which we also admire seems threatened. We are already seeing a few people walking around with a Nike sweater, sneakers and a portable radio. From the perspective of local people, things are different. The new currency of the tourists has become a necessity. In their harsh environment, the food which the Dolpo-pa can harvest is enough to feed everyone for a few months a year. Due to falling revenues from the salt trade, many no longer have enough to eat. In most regions of northwest Nepal the famine has become structural and every year more people migrate to Kathmandu. Ironically, it is therefore perhaps the tourists with their foreign currencies who can keep people in Dolpo and by doing so ensure its authenticity. However, often there is too little income from tourism for the local population. We choose to take a local guide and local porters instead of arranging everything with outsiders. By buying whatever few items are sold locally, we also pump a little money into the local economy. Just scattering money around is not the right solution to their poverty. Elsewhere in Nepal, where many Westerners come, all too often children quit school because begging is lucrative. Giving a donation to a school or a health post might work better if you have some spare money to give.

To the sacred lake

When we reach a village just behind Dho, only two 5000+ meters passes and three days hiking separate of us from the mythical Phoksumdo lake. From our camp at 4800 meters we search for yarchagumba with one of our porters. This libido-enhancing substance is a unique hybrid between an insect and a fungus. The weird creature only grows above 3500 m in some very remote areas in the Himalayas. According to Chandra, our guide, this little creature can be a saving grace for the local economy. While a yarchagumba fetches a sum of one dollar per piece here, in Hong Kong they sell yarchagumba soup at $ 100 per bowl. Businessmen from Japan sometimes come to Dolpo when yarchagumbas are harvested. But there is a dark side to this apparent good fortune. During the harvest all schools are closed and both the young and old participate in the high altitude search.  Maoists and the government levy heavy taxes and the biggest gains go to the dealers who come from elsewhere. Moreover, the trade is not without dangers. At the end of May 2007 at least 16 Dolpo-pa were killed when a sudden and severe snow storm descended on their temporary high altitude camp. One can also wonder whether the intensive harvesting is sustainable.

From the 5300 m Numa La pass, we admire one snowy mountain ridge after another, up to the 8167 meter high tower watching over the whole area: Dhaulagiri. After a steep descent, we reach a campsite at the foot of our next pass, the Baga La. Although this pass is slightly lower than the previous one, the knee deep melting snow makes it just a little harder. We navigate around a beautiful summit while small avalanches on the other side create a beautiful spectacle. Finally, we leave the wilderness and after a long descent we reach the first grass, trees and abandoned houses in three days. We are now on an ancient trade route from India to Tibet. When we reach the first pasture, a yak caravan is waiting for the snow on the Baga La to melted sufficiently before the yaks can proceed. Early May, the people of Upper Dolpo – the most northerly, isolated part of Dolpo – come back from the warmer south, their yaks laden with food to make ends meet until the next harvest, sometime in August. After the descent through a path cut into the rock we turn a corner and suddenly we catch the first glimpse of the mythical turquoise lake. Phoksumdo lake is known for its beautiful colour as well as the total absence of marine life, the purity of its water and its sheltered loction between huge cliffs. Long ago, a huge earthquake caused a massive landslide blocking the valley with a 165 meter high dam, now forming Nepal’s highest waterfall. In the film Himalaya there’s a dramatic scene where a yak falls in the water, somewhere along the cliff-side path still known as the death trail. This path is cut into the almost vertical rock face, sometimes supported by some shaggy timber bridges. In some places the path is so narrow that we wonder how even one yak can pass. Only their fresh droppings convince us that it is indeed possible.

Alternative healing

On the way back we pass a local amchi (traditional Tibetan doctor). He shows us part of the more than four hundred species of medicinal plants and herbs found in Dolpo, but also minerals and a scalp of the rare snow leopard are used in the drugs he makes. An amchi makes a diagnosis based primarily on the pulse, tongue and urine. Treatment often combines medication with burning fire points with a glowing iron rod. Their starting point is to achieve a healthy balance between mind, body and spirit on one hand and the natural environment on the other. Thanks to WWF support, the amchis made a practice where they can exercise their duties and where young lamas are trained. This gives young people the chance to work locally and ensures the survival of this ancient knowledge.

The survival of their unique community depends on how the Dolpo-pa can deal with the outside world. Businessmen, aid agencies and tourists bring Dolpo in closer contact with a world they hardly knew a generation ago. The idea that a unique and self-sustaining society now depends on input from outside is one, pessimistic, way of thinking. The optimistic view is that all the new inputs are rather keeping Dolpo authentic. Dolpo-pa who are starving and migrating to cities do not maintain their heritage at all, but with income from tourism and some training by NGOs this evolution might turn into a revival of their ancient culture. A balance will be needed, between the traditional semi-nomadic life and a new economy based on tourism. The time to remove the accumulating dust from the hidden treasures of Dolpo is now.

Nick Meynen

This text is a translation from the original “Dolpo: tussen mythe en realiteit”, (Te Gast in Nepal, 2007)

Article on Humla and the GHT in the Boston Globe by James Vlahos

Our trek was in Humla, the most remote district in Nepal. Tucked into the country’s far northwestern corner, Humla is mountainous and roadless, and home to only 43,000 people, most of them clustered around the district headquarters of Simikot. The southern reaches are relatively lush, encompassing the deep gorge of the Karnali River, rhododendron thickets, and pine-shrouded slopes that rise to snowy peaks. The north is more arid and includes the Limi Valley, windswept and vast. Limi is the site of the Halji Gompa, established in the 10th century and believed to be Nepal’s oldest Tibetan Buddhist site. While parts of Nepal have arguably become too popular much of Humla is as it has been for centuries.

Read the full article ‘HIDDEN HIMALAYA’ online at the Boston Globe website.

See also the photo gallery here for the trip to Limi Valley on the GHT.

A GPS map route of the lower Dolpa circuit

For most of the established treks in Nepal, GPS can be helpful, but is not really necessary. If you start getting up into wilds, traversing seldom used cols or crossing featureless terrain, then GPS can be a useful back up, but still not replacement for map, compass and having the good navigational skills to be able to use them.

GPS is very useful however to see where others have been, to be able to plot that easily on maps, show all of the trekking options available on a map of Nepal and perhaps for accurate recording of water supplies, camping spots or places of interest.

A short search on the web reveals just a few GPS files available for download of just a few treks, predictably the Everest base camp trek and Annapurna circuit (GPS file here) but there are also GPS way points for the excellent Dolpa circuit, which the GPS informs has around 9000m vertical ascent over 12-14 days!

There are also further resources here on everytrail.com although, again, few treks. If you have any GPS waypoint files that you think would be useful to share here with others, please get in touch now using the form below.

Another important reason is good weather. The mountains are usually stated to be at their best in April, May and October, November. In summer, December is still an excellent time to trek but days are shorter and it’s getting very cold at higher places. Between around February to mid-March winter storms cover higher trails and block passes. Summer time (June, July, August) is synonymous with monsoon clouds. Many places in Nepal however, such as Humla, Dolpa and Mustang, lie in the rain shadow of the mountains meaning the skies remain clear whereas the rest of Nepal (and the airports) is under cloud.

Each section of the trail has something different to offer in terms of the people and the landscapes. If you are going to get the very most out of your time spent on the Great Himalaya Trail, then its best to make sure you find the best time to enjoy the incomparable views.

For an example of the GHT split up into discrete treks, see the illustration below.

The GHT in Nepal as 7 trekking sections and 3 link sections © Robin Boustead

See here for a list of permits required for certain trekking areas in Nepal.

Additionally, for some areas you may need a TIMS card which is US$ 20 for individuals and US$ 10 for members of groups.

Mountaineering permits

Photo of Bhrikuti Sail (6361 m), Mustang Himalaya, Nepal - by Martin Scott - click to read more.

For some groups trekking in remote areas, it may be more sensible to take a permit for a trekking peak. A good example is an exciting, alternative Great Himalaya Trail high route from Phugaon to Lo Mantang and then Lo Mantang to Chharka Bhot (see this on the map of Nepal).  then it may be more economical to take trekking peak permits for Bhrikuti Sail and Arniko Chuli.

In all cases, it will save you a lot of time and energy to seek the advice of a registered trekking agent.

Great Himalaya Trail lower route

If you are interested in the lower route, then so far no specific guidebook is available, however, due to the lower elevations, the ease of access and communications, you’ll find logistics much easier to manage. There are people currently planning to walk this route in 2011 with the aim of documenting trail options, places of interest, accommodation p etc ossibilities.

Section guides

If you are aiming to trek a smaller section of the GHT, then there are many Nepal trekking guidebooks that could help you with planning and background information on Nepal, especially for the more established treks.

I have been asking a lot of people where their favourite place in Nepal is as a way of putting some of the less visited places on the map. Many people say somewhere in Solukhumbu, but then that is because that’s the place so many people visit. Chris Bonnington, celebrated British mountaineer loves Khumjung, just above Namche Bazar because he got wonderfully drunk there in 1961. Gelinde Kaltenbrunner, loves the Kanchenjunga region because it’s so wild. Kurt Diemberger loves the valleys below Makalu.

I have been asking a number of people where they would most like to visit. Many say Phoksumdo lake, the incredible turquoise jewel among the arid mountains in Dolpa, a few have said the Far West in the undiscovered areas below Mount Api. Another would love to visit Shelmogang, the crystal mountain in Humla and see the Saga Dawa Festival. And yet another would just like to see the rhododendrons Helambu in full bloom.

What about you? Where would you like to go to in Nepal?

Tarkeghyang and the Sherpa's of Helambu

We’re waiting on someone to provide us with an article which explains the differences between the Sherpa’s of Solokhumbu and the sherpas of other regions, namely Langtang, Helambu and Rolwaling. The geography of Nepal is such that once members of an ethnic group have migrated over into another valley system, after time even the dialect that they speak can change.

Meanwhile, a quote from a Canadian traveller:

In the Himalayan valleys of Nepal live a self-reliant people unlike any others I have encountered. They help Westerners who come in search of high altitude adventure to feel welcome. They seem to rise above hardship. Their quiet nobility literally embraces travellers who journey there. When I trekked in the Helambu region north of Kathmandu, their hospitality was simple, gracious and oh so appreciated.

More information coming soon about the sherpa’s of Helambu.