This summer I spent a month in Nepal for World Challenge, leading my team through the usual treks, community projects and adventure travel. We had a fantastic time at a school in the foothills of the Himalaya, did some ace white water rafting on the Trisuli, visited the incredible ancient Bhaktapur and had a 2 day warm up trek in the Helambu region. Our main trek was a 2 week adventure in the Rolwaling, up to the breathtaking Tsho Rolpa – here’s a brief synopsis of what we got up to….
Rolwaling Trek
From Kathmandu, the start of the Rolwaling trek is a bit of a journey! Being a large team we had a bus, making the bumpy, precipitous and hairpin riddled road even more interesting. Occasional landslide enforced stops for the road to be cleared and traffic passing slowly so as not to trundle down to the river below meant it was 14 hours on the bus until we were deposited at the trail head.
The trek to Tsho Rolpa is a relatively quiet one compared to other Nepalese areas, and as such has less infrastructure, but recent development meant we had 3000 (they’re marked!) concrete steps to head up straight off the bus! The hike up to the first nights camp was sweaty to say the least! Amazing views up the river valley and the road towards Tibet, with lots of development with a hydropower scheme nearing completion. However, once up at Simi Gaun you were transported to the pleasant tea houses mixed with locals going about their business, farming crops alongside a few goats and chickens. The forest here was alive with noisy Cicadas, big (hopefully harmless!) spiders, monkeys and lizards and who knows what else lurking in the undergrowth..
Early rises with tea in bed, a hearty breakfast produced by the cook team and packing tents away so the porters could set off, became routine, along with early starts walking to try and beat the monsoon rains to camp in the afternoon. Luckily this routine paid off each day, and also meant we didn’t have too many issues with the dreaded leaches!
For the next few days we followed the trail through forest of huge rhododendrons and pine, crossing some interesting bridges and slowly gaining height. Reaching Beding was the first time the views really opened up and we could glimpse glaciated peaks. A rest day here to aid acclimatisation and a chance to wash clothes, with some of the team opting for a dip in the chilly glacial water of the river.. A tour of the monastery was a highlight, with all the ornate Buddhist decorations and intriguing history. From here we were only 3km from the border with Tibet, if only we had the time to be able to pop over!
to Tsho Rolpa
Mystical Na
Walking up to Na was like stepping back in time. The prayer wheel entrance to the pastures below, prayer flags adorning all the rocks and mani stones along the trail.. The teams first time above 4000m and everyone looking strong, things were looking good! Small clusters of stone houses amongst the walled enclosures, we were in a rustic tea house at the top of the village. The views were amazing, up the valley to the final goal of Tsho Rolpa and surrounded by many peaks over 6000m with the impressive Gaurishankar at just over 7000m looming above. Roaming the pastures were more Yaks than I’ve ever seen, and within the stone walls were many baby yaks. Very cute!
A rest day here before tomorrow’s final ascent. Sat propped up by a rock, listening to music and reading amongst the Alpine flowers whilst the locals brought their Yaks down to the settlement, with not another person other than the locals and our team, it felt like paradise to me!
Tsho Rolpa
Our final push up to the lake at Tsho Rolpa entailed an early start to try and beat the usual afternoon cloud that drifted up the valley. We crossed the bridge above Na with more layers on than usual, and the flat-ish gradual ascent up the valley towards our end goal drifted by effortlessly for the team. The lake was sitting up above the moraine that we could see in the distance, and soon enough we were at the base of it. The valley divided here, to our left a days walk away over a pass was Tibet, and if we carried on our path we’d eventually reach the main Khumbu region and Namche Bazaar. Our ascent ahead up the steep moraine barely slowed the team down, and all reached the lake at nearly 4600m. Out of the main trekking season the weather had been kind to us and we were treated to sublime views as cloud drifted in and out. We couldn’t believe our luck that we had the place entirely to ourselves – a stark contrast from other popular treks in Nepal.
Some of the team chose to sit by the lake and take it all in, others ran around snapping away with their cameras, all remarked that it was way better than they had anticipated and how all the hard work had been worth it. We lingered for a long time but eventually knowing an early lunch was down in Na, we headed down together.
Back in Na we were treated to a hearty lunch and then had an amazing opportunity to attend a Puja ceremony. The local lamas were gathered to bless the local households and we were able to follow them round the village and look on in awe at the goings on. A very special experience and a day the team will never forget!
All that was left then was reversing the route we took up, staying in some different spots, and an ace final night in Simi Gaun at the top of those 3000 steps.. We sat on the balcony of the tea house listening to the sounds of the forest and chatting about everyone’s experience of the trek and the trip in general – a perfect end to another very successful trip!
I’ll be in Nepal again in a couple of months, this time leading a trip on Mera Peak for Jagged Globe – can’t wait to get back to this special country! Fingers crossed for another successful expedition!
