NEPAL : MANASLU CIRCUIT : an introduction

 

 

 

NEPAL : MANASLU CIRCUIT : an introduction

We have chosen to walk the Manaslu Circuit near the northern Nepalese border with Tibet. This region is inaccessible by motorised transport and village life is much as it has been for hundreds of years. The trek is centred around a major peak, Manaslu – one of about 10 peaks in the Himalayan range that tower above 8,000 metres.

The walk begins in Arughat, a trading centre, which is about 6 hours by road north of Kathmandu. The land around here is lush and fertile, watered by the mighty Bodhi Gandaki River. In fact, we follow the river for about a week and then climb higher into more barren regions, where the culture is predominantly Tibetan Buddhist. We will cross 2 mountain passes, the highest at Throngla is 5420 metres. Our programme includes several acclimatisation days to adjust to higher altitude during the trek. It will take 22 days. We will have a day in Pokhara and Kathmandu before flying home.

We have booked to do the walk through Nireka Adventures, with the owner of the company, Satish, as our guide. He has organised a camping trip for us and Glenis, another walker from Tasmania. There are 13 staff to support us – guides, cooks and porters. Satish’s main concern is safety and the health and well-being of his clients. Nothing has been skimped on, to the extent that he brings his own portable decompression chamber for major altitude emergencies. This is very comforting for inexperienced trekkers like us who have not walked in extreme conditions.

The highlights so far have been the magnificent scenery, the mountain views are extraordinary especially as we move closer towards major peaks, and the people - our wonderful Nepalese companions and the incidental contact with communities as we travel along the trail.

M&M

mm_smith@bigpond.net.au