Tsum Valley Trek

Day 01: Arrive day in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264ft)

Car

20 Minutes

Overnight

Kathmandu

Meal

Welcome Dinner

Accommodation

Hotel

Welcome to the Himalayan country of Nepal. Our representative will be waiting for you at the Tribhuvan International Airport to welcome and assist you with the transfer to your Kathmandu Hotel. After getting refreshed, you will be invited to a welcome dinner in a typical Nepalese restaurant in the heart of Kathmandu in the evening. You will also receive a trip briefing before retiring for the night at the hotel.

Day 02: Kathmandu valley sightseeing & trek preparation (1,300m/4,264 ft)

Overnight

Kathmandu

Meal

Breakfast

Accommodation

Hotel

After breakfast, the day will start with our guided trip to cultural world heritage sites in Kathmandu valley that includes the pilgrimage sites of the Hindu temple Pashupatinath, the world's biggest Bouddhanath stupa, and the monkey temple Swoyambhunath Stupa. After exploring the surrounding areas, we will visit the historical Kathmandu Durbar Square to explore its temples, unique architecture, and Kumari (living goddess). In the evening, we will have a pre-trip discussion and introduction with our fellow trekking staff for your adventure trip.

Day 03: Drive from Kathmandu drive to Soti Khola (730m/2,395ft) 7-8 hours

Car

7-8 Hrs

Overnight

Sotikhola

Meal

3 Meals

Accommodation

Tea House

We will take an early start by taking a 6-7 hours drive in a private transfer to Arughat Bazaar in the Gorkha district. As you follow the Budi Gandaki River, you will notice on arrival that the town is located on both sides of the riverbank. Arughat Bazaar is a pleasant town with many shops selling any last-minute supplies that you may need for your journey. After the tea break at Arughat, we will continue to drive to Soti Khola. Overnight at Sotikhola.

Day 04: Trek from Soti Khola to Machha Khola(6-7 900m/ 2,953ft ) 6-7 hours

Overnight

Machha Khola

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will trek to Machha Khola on this day. The lake is also translated as Fish River in English. There is a village named ‘Machha Khola’ above the river with the same name. This village is also the joining point for the Great Himalayan Trail as it heads up the East bank of the river and goes in the direction of the Ganesh Himal. Overnight at Machha Khola.

Day 05:Trek from MachhaKhola to Doban(1,070m/3,510ft) 6-7 hours

Overnight

Dovan

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

The trail from Macha Khola involves some steep ascents and descents often dropping down to the gravel bars beside the river. After crossing the TharuKhola, we will reach a valley that contains many fields of wheat and buckwheat on either side. After two hours on the trail, you will get to the small village of Tatopani which has a natural spring in which you can clean yourself a little. A further climb across a well-crafted staircase will bring you further to Doban. This village lies at the confluence of the Shiar Khola, which flows from the east, and the Sarpukhola, which flows from the west. Overnight at Doban.

Day 06: Trek from Doban to Philim (1550m/ 5,085ft) 6 hours

Overnight

Philim

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6 Hours

Accommodation

Tea House

The route will climb further across rugged rocky terrain, up and down ravines, and notched trees. We will pass Jagot, which is where the official Police check post is located. The village is exceptionally clean and well-organized. We will also get good views of Sringrihimal as we continue up to the village of Philim at 1550m. This is a large Gurung village with fields of corn and millet. Overnight at Philim.

Day 07: Trek from Philim to Chumling (Lower Tsum)(2,386m/7,828ft) 7 hours

Overnight

Chumling

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will continue along the river for about one hour until we get to diverge in the river system. Taking the left hand, the trail will cross the suspension bridge and will take you to the Larke pass on the Manaslu route. We will stay to the right, which will take us into the lower Tsum Valley. In Philim, the landscape was very spread out but in this region, you will be trekking through a canyon with some exceptionally tall pine trees and beautiful grasslands hugging the mountainside. Overnight at Chumling.

Day 08: Trek from Chumling to Chhokangparo (Upper Tsum)(3,031m/9,944ft) 5-6 hours

Overnight

Chhokangparo

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

5-6 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will continue our trek up the valley to Dumje where we will be stopping for lunch. There is a trail that leads off South Easterly that will take you to the Ganesh Himal Base Camp. From here we will see spectacular views of the Baudha and Himalchuli peaks to the southwest. Chhokangparo, which is part of the Upper Tsum Valley. The Upper Tsum Valley is a part of the Inner Himalaya and a village situated on flat land and made up of two settlements Chhekam and Paro. Some households in this village still practice polyandry. Overnight at Chhokangparo.

Day 09: Trek from Chhokangparo to Nile/Chhule(3,361m/11,026ft) 5-6 hours

Overnight

Nile

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

5-6 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

From Chhokangparo, we will continue northeast as we make our way to Nile/ Chulle. We will visit the Milarepa Piren Phu Cave after walking for two more hours. PirenPhu (pigeon cave) is one of the most sacred caves in the Tsum Valley. The great Buddhist Yogi Chyuchin Milarepa, the famous Tibetan saint, was believed to have meditated here. There are two separate gumbas attached to the rock cave which houses the life-size statues of Avaloketishvara, Budhha, Tara, and Milarepa. You'll also find richly painted Buddhist murals, excellent artistic scripts carved on stones, long prayer flags, and significant Buddhist paper scripts that make this cave one of the most important cultural assets in the valley. You can also get beautiful views that can be had of the Shiar Khola, Rachen Gumba, the mountains, and settlements amidst vast agricultural land. After trekking further up the valley, the trail will bring you to Nile / Chulle. Chulle is on the eastern side of the ShiarKhola while 20 minutes further upstream is the Nile. These are the last villages heading north in the upper Tsum Valley. Overnight at Nile/Chhule.

Day 10: Trek from Nile/Chhule to Mu Gompa (3600 m/ 11,808ft), 4hrs

Overnight

Mu Gumpa

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

3-4 Hrs

Accommodation

Monastery

We will reach Mu Gompa after walking for two hours further along the old Nepal-Tibet caravan path. The oldest monastery in the valley “Dephyudonma Gumba (4060m)” is situated here. It was found about 700 years ago. The history of this monastery is directly associated with the dawn of Buddhism in the valley. The monastery houses religious books, including Kangyur, a life-sized statue of Avalokiteshwara, and images of Guru Padmasambhava and Tara. The landscape is dotted with mani walls, chortens, and katanas (gateway chortens). Chortens are Buddhist religious monuments, also known as stupas, which are distinct features in Tsum Valley. They are erected to ward off evil spirits from places that are identified as thresholds such as confluences and bridges or to commemorate the visit or death of historic figures, lamas, or even relatives. Kaanis are also called gateway chortens placed before the entry of any village which travelers are supposed to walk through. Mani walls are long walls made of mani stones i.e. stones with carved mantras. The main purpose of these mani walls is to ask for the help of the gods for the well-being of travelers. Overnight at Mu Gompa.

Day 11: Extra day for excursion

Overnight

Mu Gumpa

Meal

3 Meals

Accommodation

Monastery

Upper Tsum Valley is a separate world where nature, people, and spirit coexist in harmony. The people here never slaughter animals, not even as a sacrifice to the gods, which is customary in many parts of the world. Every single family sends a child to the local monastery to become a monk or a nun. Heading back down the valley, we will arrive at Rachen Gompa, the biggest nunnery/monastery in the valley which houses nuns belonging to the Ngak-pa sect. It was established in the year 1905 AD and houses one thousand clay-molded statues of Avalokiteshwara, Guru Padmasambhava, Tara, and Buddha Amitabha. The interiors of this monastery are richly painted with murals depicting Buddhism and its history as well as a brightly colored carved throne and pillar, and a large prayer wheel. Overnight at Rachen Gompa.

Day 12: Trek from Mu Gompa to Rachen Gompa (3,240m/10,629ft)5 hours

Overnight

Rachen Gompa

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

5 Hrs

Accommodation

Monastery

Upper Tsum Valley is a separate world where nature, people, and spirit coexist in harmony. The people here never slaughter animals, not even as a sacrifice to the gods, which is customary in many parts of the world. Every single family sends a child to the local monastery to become a monk or a nun. Heading back down the valley, we will arrive at Rachen Gompa, the biggest nunnery/monastery in the valley which houses nuns belonging to the Ngak-pa sect. It was established in the year 1905 AD and houses one thousand clay-molded statues of Avalokiteshwara, Guru Padmasambhava, Tara, and Buddha Amitabha. The interiors of this monastery are richly painted with murals depicting Buddhism and its history as well as a brightly colored carved throne and pillar, and a large prayer wheel. Overnight at Rachen Gompa.

Day 13: Trek from Rachen Gompa to Dumje (6-7 hours)

Overnight

Dumje

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

We will be taking an easy walk with plenty of time for Photography as we proceed down the valley. There are many small villages worth exploring along the way. We will reach finally our destination at Dunje which is also small with about eight houses and some adjoining cattle sheds. Overnight at Dumje.

Day 14: Trek from Dumje to Philim (6-7 hours)

Overnight

Philim

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

From Dumje, we will trek down to Philimbut. We will take a small alternative path via Ripchet. Here, we will pass one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Lower Tsum Valley named 'Samba Tingding Chhupyang'. Overnight at Philim.

Day 15: Trek from Philim to Tatopani (6-7 hours)

Overnight

Tatopani

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

From Phillim, we will trek to Tatopani where once again you may freshen up a little with very hot water. After two weeks of camping, your excitement surely will build knowing that you can visit this hot spring once more. Tatopani has four or five houses only with the majority being lodgings. We will pass through Jagat once more and have our permits checked and stamped as we will be leaving the Manaslu Conservation area. Overnight at Tatopani.

Day 16: Trek from Tatopani to Soti Khola (6-7 hours)

Overnight

Sotikhola

Meal

3 Meals

Walking

6-7 Hrs

Accommodation

Tea House

For the next two days, we will stay on this side of the river passing through many terraced fields of crops grown by local villagers and walking past tropical waterfalls. Overnight at Soti Khola.

Day 17: Trek from Soti Khola to Kathmandu (7-8hours)

Car

7-8 Hrs

Overnight

Kathmandu

Meal

3 Meals

Accommodation

Hotel

We will now take the trek to an end. Our last leg of the journey is the drive back down to Arughat Bazaar. We will continue to drive back to Kathmandu.

Day 18: Departure day from Kathmandu

Car

20 Minutes

Meal

Breakfast

Today is usually a day spent for last-minute souvenir and gift shopping. A representative is also interested in meeting one last time to understand how your trek went if there were any problems along the way and or whether we are in any way able to provide you with further service or assistance. That may be with onward transport arrangements, traveling information, and or maybe further interest in joining one of our other treks or tours available to you. We wish you a wonderful Himalayan adventure with us!