While part of the Great Himalaya Trail Development Project is to help promote the GHT to trekkers and trekking companies alike, the main part of its work is to make sure that the people of those areas are trained and able to provide services and products to the groups visiting new trekking areas.

The traditional-style self-sufficient camping treks only provide little benefit to the local inhabitants of a region–and make for a more costly trip too.

It makes sense then to help local communities develop local services for trekking groups. This has been happening in various places throughout Humla and Dolpa, where more than 50 small businesses have received training courses over the last 18 months.

They have learned about who tourists are, what is important to them during their visit and what standards they are expecting.

The skills training in lodge management, cooking and guiding has been hands-on. Mr. Narabhum Shahi of Hotel Mount Putha in Juphal, when asked what he will do with income from tourism says: “I’d like to add more rooms and improve the existing ones. I want to invest in expanding this business a little … and of course some of it will go to educating the kids…”

Cook training in Dolpa - How to make a good ommelette!

After the training, the trainees have written action plans stating what are they will do in the coming months to put their new skills into practice..

Linda Bezemer, a tourism expert with SNV who went on these monitoring visits, says: “It is great to see how step by step small businesses are improving: personal hygiene improved, toilets are being built and kept clean, the area around the teashop is well kept and waste is properly separated.”

But training alone is not enough, you learn through practice. The most promising participants will be given a chance to get ‘training on the job’, working in a hotel in Pokhara or guiding a trek.

Guide training in Dolpa - how to make a splint for a broken arm.

In addition to training Entrepreneurs, training has also been given to Tourism Development Committees to help ensure that tourism development is managed properly in the long term.

When accommodation, cooks, locally sourced foodstuffs and local guides are available, everybody wins. Trekking companies see reduced costs, new areas become more accessible to groups and local communities earn income from their services.

To help clarify what services are available in Humla and Dolpa, Agent’s Directories have been put together for both places. While this includes some on the newly trained people, it also includes the experienced and long established service providers.

Download the list of suppliers from Humla and Dolpa below.

[Coming soon]

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.

Or download the article as PDF.

Hidden Himalaya article – Boston Globe – James Vlahos – page 1

Hidden Himalaya article – Boston Globe – James Vlahos – page 2

The Hidden Himalayas. Photography of Humla, West Nepal by Thomas Kelly

“Mr. Kellys photographs are beautiful. Both opportunistic and tactful, they…capture a moment at first glance picturesque, then luminously revealing.” — The New York Times Book Review

“With a wealth of color photographs and gifted words, The Hidden Himalayas captures the seasons of Humlas world, spectacularly beautiful as it is incredibly harsh.” — San Diego Magazine

“Its not your average traveler who treks through Nepal, but this fabulous collection of photographs provides the next best thing.” — McCalls

Two young Americans take us to Humla, an ancient territory at the edge of Nepal where no Westerner has ever lived before. In breathtaking photographs and evocative prose, Thomas Kelly and Carroll Dunham capture Humlas limitless vistas and disclose intimate details of the lives of its extraordinary people: yak herders, caravan drivers, shamans, and brides who are shared among brothers.

Here is a land of eternally snow-capped mountains and sweeping valleys. A land as eerie and forbidding as the landscape of some distant moon, its people all but forgotten by the rest of the world. Their lives are a struggle — the alpine soil metes out sustenance grudgingly, and long winters threaten to banish the warmth of life forever. Yet these lives yield untold riches. As if the splendid isolation and sheer altitude of the hidden Himalayas bring them closer to the gods, the people of this land are possessed of a spirituality few Westerners will ever know.

Kellys extraordinary photographs are accompanied by Dunhams evocative and lyrical account of life as the people of Humla conceive it: a cycle of fall, winter, spring, and summer. In a world made easy, accessible, and all too familiar by supersonic travel, television, and communication at the click of a mouse, here is an enlightening glimpse into the lives of a virtually untouched people.

About the authors:

Born in New Mexico and educated in Chicago and Rome, Thomas L. Kelly served as a Peace Corps volunteer and as a program director for CARE. Fluent in the Nepalese language, he has established an audiovisual business in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he now lives.

V. Carroll Dunham is an anthropologist and writer who is director of Sojourn Nepal, a program that promotes self-growth through interaction with Tibetan and Nepalese culture.

You can find this book in Kathmandu, in Pilgrims book house or order online via Abbeville press.

Picture of a snow leopard which can be seen by the lucky on the Great Himalaya trail in Nepal

Snow leopards are medium sized mountain cats that range across central Asia and the Himalayas. Snow Leopards are one of Nepal’s most endangered animals and their existence is under threat. There were an estimated 300-500 snow leopards in Nepal in 2003 and their numbers continue to diminish due to poaching. Despite their small numbers trekkers and locals often come across their footprints at high altitudes. People have reported seeing these cats high up Langtang valley, in Dolpa and Limi Valley in Humla.

Ecology & behaviour

Snow leopard’s live anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000m during the summer and will descend into the forests as low as 1,200m during winter. Snow leopards spend most of their lives alone on the high mountain ranges and are incredibly secretive and well camouflaged. The snow leopard’s coat is much thicker than other cats and its ears are smaller to reduce heat loss. Snow leopards also have much longer and thicker tails to help them balance on the rocky slopes when they hunt. They are most active during dawn and dusk when they are hunting and roaming their territory. Because their prey is abundant in Nepal, Nepali snow leopards often live much closer together and have smaller territories – some even as small as 12 km2

Diet, behaviour, and threats of extinction

Snow leopards are opportunistic feeders. While they can hunt animals up to three times their size, they will readily scavenge and hunt much smaller prey. In Nepal, snow leopards will prey mostly on Himalayan Blue Sheep, but they will also hunt all sorts of different prey, like tahr, gorals, deer, boars, langur monkeys, and rodents. Snow leopards prefer ambushing their prey from above, where they can chase their prey down steep slopes. They can leap up to 14m at a single time and will chase their prey up to 300m in a single pursuit. When they make a kill they will carry it all the way back to their den and, if it is a larger kill, can live for up to two weeks before having to hunt again. Unusually, their diet also includes a large amount of grasses and twigs, the reason for which is unknown.

Snow leopards will also readily hunt domestic animals, which often bring them into conflict with farmers and herders. However, unlike other larger cats, snow leopards are easily frightened and will readily abandon a kill if they are threatened. They may not even defend themselves if attacked. Due to the rise in poaching and the illegal sale and trade of their furs they are becoming increasingly rare. The Snow Leopard Trust was started to try and conserve wild snow leopard populations before they become extinct.

Mount Saipal (7,031m) seen on the trail to Yari from Tumkot, Limi Valley Trek, Humla, Nepal © 2009 Dmitri Alexander - www.dmitriphoto.com

Don’t have much information about Saipal other than it is big and remote. I’ll try and look into the Himalayan Database and see who has tried to climb it and when. A cursory Google search finds the last expedition to be a British one lead by Chuck Evans way back in April 1992 – Jul 1992.

© 2009 Dmitri Alexander – www.dmitriphoto.com

Background info:
Sun Valley Resort belongs to Sunny Treks and Expeditions, a Kathmandu based agency run by people from Humla. Pema Gyaltsen Lama, the manager of the hotel, takes care of all the arrangements for organization of treks.

Sunny Treks has been organizing treks in Humla and to Mount Kailash for almost 20 years. They mostly organize treks booked through their Kathmandu-based agency, but also work together with other Kathmandu-based agencies.

In 2009 they organized treks for about 25 groups, mostly Europeans, but also Taiwanese.

Tenzin Norbu: Managing Director
Sonam R. Lama: General Manager

Services:

• Arrangement of complete trekking packages
• Renting out camping equipment
• Arranging trekking staff like guides, cooks, kitchen helpers and porters
• Arranging pack animals, like mules and dzopas
• Organization of food supplies for trekking
• Storage of camping equipment for other agencies
• Accommodation in Simikot: Sun Valley Resort

Contact details:

www.sunnytravel.com.np
www.himalayanherbs.net

Offices in Kathmandu and in Simikot:

Kathmandu office:
GPO Box 7823, Baluwatar,
Kathmandu, Nepal
Email: sunny@mos.com.np
Tel: +977 (0)1 4432190, 4442043
Fax: +977 (0)1 4426308

Simikot hotel and office:
Sun valley resort
Tel: +977 (0)87-680171
Mobile: +977 9848309156
Pema Gyaltsen Lama: manager

Nepal Trust

Background info:
Nepal Trust is a Nepalese NGO, founded by a Scottish man more than a decade ago, with a head office in Kathmandu. They work in Humla, working together with the Humli people on sustainable community development projects in the areas of health, education, renewable energy, eco-tourism and heritage preservation.

Over the last decade Nepal Trust has also operated a number of ‘Treks To Build Health and Community’. These treks have enabled volunteers to participate in local community projects such as construction of health posts and repairs to monasteries.

Nepal Trust in Simikot mostly organizes treks booked through the office in Kathmandu. Besides they organize treks for some Kathmandu-based agencies, like Shiva Treks. Most of the tourists are European.

Services:

• Arrangement of complete trekking packages
• Renting out camping equipment
• Arranging trekking staff like guides, cooks, kitchen helpers and porters
• Arranging pack animals, like mules and dzopa’s
• Organization of food supplies for trekking
• Accommodation in Simikot: Nepal Trust Gueshouse

Contact details:

http://www.nepaltrust.org

Offices in Kathmandu and in Simikot:

Kathmandu office
The Nepal Trust
GPO Box: 8975, EPC 4131
Maharajgunj, Bansbari
Kumar Marg, Nursery Land
House # 46
ntrust@wlink.com.np
Tel/fax: +977 (01) 4372354

Nepal Trust guesthouse and office in Simikot
Rinjin Lama (manager) and Sagar Lama
Tel/fax: (+977)(0)87 680073
Mobile Rinjin: (+977)9841 607300
Mobile Sagar: (+977) 9841 549864

Sonam Lama, Hotel Simikot and Lodge, Simikot

Background info:
Sonam Lama has 16 years experience with trekkings in Humla and Mount Kailash. He started as a kitchen assistant and since 10 years he is organizing trekkings from Simikot, working with many Kathmandu based agancies, like Thamserku Trekking, Himalayan Ecological Treks, Sherpa Society and Sherpa Nepal. He organized over 30 trekkings in 2009.

Services:

• Arranging trekking staff, like assistant guides, kitchen helpers and porters
• Arranging pack animals, like horses, mules and dzopa’s
• Organization of local available food supplies for trekking
• Arranging kerosene for trekking
• Renting out of stove and other kitchen equipment
• Renting out of dining, kitchen, and toilet tent
• Accommodation in Simikot: Hotel Simikot and Lodge

Tel: (+977) (0)87 680003
Mobile: (+977)9741153096

Chhiring Lama, Simikot Bazar/Buraunse

Background info:

Chhiring Lama started as a porter in 1998. Since 2000 he has been working as a local agent. He works for Kathmandu agencies, like trekking team, “Around the Himalayas”, “Himalayan Waves Treks”. Most of the tourists are German, Austrian and Russian. He arranged about 30 treks in 2009.

Services:

• Arranging trekking staff like kitchen helpers and porters
• Arranging pack animals, like horses, mules and dzopa’s
• Organization of local available food supplies for trekking
• Arranging kerosene for trekking
• Renting out of stove and other kitchen equipment
• Renting out of dining, kitchen, toilet and member tent

Contact details:

+977 (0)984 8309417

Bijay Lama, Bijay Guesthouse, Simikot

Services:

• Agent for helicopter flights to Hilsa

Contact details:

Tel: (+977)( 0)87 680150
Mobile: (+977) 9748 900309

In order fully appreciate the outstanding beauty of Limi and encourage visitors to stay longer, exploration to higher altitudes and places of interest provides an unforgettable perspective of the area. From Til a day trip up towards the glaciers of the Nala Kanka Himal range brings you beneath the towering south face of Pemba. To the west Mount Memonazum or to the east Mount Karkzang could present the serious climber with an exciting challenge. Note however that this mountain range, particularly Mount Pemba is regarded as sacred and so permission would need to be agreed with the villagers before any ascents were attempted.

A shorter half day trip above Til Gompa provides trekkers with good views of the Limi valley from a great vantage point along with more distant views of the Nala Kanka Himal range.

Beyond Til, off the main trail to the Namka pass, lies an important Buddhist retreat cave containing ancient chortens and murals. This could be visited as a day trip from Til or alternatively on the way to or from Hilsa. Ideally some fixed cables (like those used for Via Ferratas in Italy) would be required to make this a safer trip if approaching the cave from the Hilsa direction.

A good outing from Halji explores the valley of the Halji Khola, ascending via high pastures to the pristine waters of lake Taku, with views of glaciated peaks. With an overnight camp at this idyllic spot, the adventurous mountaineer would be able to explore further amongst these lofty peaks, perhaps making a first ascent.

From Jang, forty minutes pleasant walking along the main trail towards Takchhe, lies a hot spring of ideal temperature for bathing. It is set in a lovely wide open and green valley alongside the Limi Khola. This makes an excellent half day outing from Jang, or a suitable spot for a break when travelling to or from Jang.

Horse Riding

More distant horse riding excursions could be arranged locally to give a fuller appreciation of the region, for example riding out along the Tugu Road from Jang for views of Mt. Kailash and lake Manasarovar, or riding out to the Ning valley to see a rock shaped like a heart and a mountain with a hole through it. Horses could also be hired out to assist with any of the side trips mentioned above.

Limi, unique and fascinating, still possesses and practices its rich Tibetan traditions where the old values of humanity and brotherhood dominate. However, like other communities in the Himalayas, their way of life is fast disappearing. The people in Limi are facing tough times and a severe challenge of survival as their traditional sources of income are drying up. Making wooden bowls, some of them very ornate, for ceremonial use in Tibet and China and the pashmina trade were the major sources of income. The maple wood for the bowls is now expensive and scarce as trees are disappearing, and the competitive pashmina market has slumped locally. They are also facing a reduced ability to trade with Tibet following the opening of official borders of Tibet with India and Nepal.

Map of the Limi Valley

Cut off by snow and ice from November to April, Limi is the place that time forgot. But time is catching up with them and the valley’s families and traditions are in danger of fragmenting or joining the Himalayan mountain people’s Diaspora to wherever they can find a job. New skills and ways must be found for the Limi community to generate income to stem migration to Kathmandu and the swelling cities of India.

Over the past three years, the Nepal Trust, a Nepali NGO with a partner registered charity in Scotland, has been working to develop medical services, sanitation and alternative energy. Nepal Trust has helped construct a health post, installed renewable energy in all three villages and trained a local health worker. Nepal Trust also has been promoting Limi through its contacts in UK and sends ‘Treks to Build’ groups, volunteers in Limi every year. Nepal Trust funded a survey to develop a restoration works on the 11th century Halji Gompa.

However, whilst our work aims to improve the health and lives of the Limi people, only the generation of a sustainable economy can ensure long term community development and prosperity.

The Nepal Trust believes that this can be achieved through the development of mountain tourism, encompassing the natural and cultural assets of the Limi valley.

The villages of Limi: Jang, Halji and Til

Jang

Jang lies farthest up the Limi valley at an altitude of 4000m. The village is set alongside and facing the Limi Khola on the gently sloping north side of the valley amidst terraced barley fields. Rocky crags tower above to the north whilst gently sloping wooded and rocky hillsides form the southern flanks of the valley, topped by an impressive rocky spire. The village is neatly arranged in two clusters separated by fields and the main thoroughfare along the valley. The Gompa is prominently located above the village overlooking the river. A large two-footed stupa, mani wall and chortens mark the entrance from Halji and numerous other chortens and prayer flags can be seen on the slopes to the north. The Mani Lakhang, on the main path, provides a central point outside which locals gather to discuss village news.

Halji

Halji, at 3750m, is set back from the main Limi valley sitting at the edge of a flat plain protected from the Limi Khola by a moraine bank. The enclosed land is intensely farmed, on terraced and irrigated fields. A large valley rises behind, to the north, to high pastures and glaciated peaks. Glacial streams provide a constant source of clean water and power for the grinding mills and wood turning lathes. The central focus of the village is the 11th century Gompa where many religious festivals and rituals are performed. The buildings are of dry-stone construction with inter-linking flat roofs providing easy communication between neighbours. Rocky cliffs rise to the northeast creating a dramatic backdrop to the village. As with all the villages in Limi, the religious devotion of the villagers is reflected by the large number of stupas, chortens and mani-stone walls at the entrance to Halji.

Til

Til (3950m) is nestled up on the gently sloping east side of a steep valley lying to the northwest of the main Limi valley. A large stream coming down the valley forms the entrance to the village over a small wooden bridge, after which the path passes through a two-footed stupa. Terraced fields, mainly containing barley for chang and tsampa production, surround the village. To the east the valley rises steeply with rocky cliffs and a waterfall, which provides the water supply as it passes to the southeast of the village. The houses are well constructed from dry stone with roof terraces for drying crops and conversing with neighbours. The village centre, outside the Mani Lakhang, is busy with women discussing village news and spinning wool.

Rinjin Lama of Nepal trust

Rinjin Lama is from northern Humla, and has worked for Nepal Trust for many years. He is great at getting things organised. He knows Humla very well and the rest of Nepal too – in 2003 he was part of the team supporting Rosie Swale Pope on her end-to-end run of Nepal. He and his wife Pema, among other things, manage the Nepal Trust Guest House in Simikot.