Arun Valley Gokyo Valley Trek

Trip Facts


Duration: 24 Days
Trip Start From: Kathmandu-Tumlingtar
Trip End In: Kathmandu
Group Size: 2-12 pax
Tansportation: Air
Activity Per Day: 4 - 6 hours
Max Altitude: 4790 meters
Trip Grade: Modrate & Strenous

Trip Highlights

  • Scenic flight to Tumlingtar and  from Lukla
  • Situated eastern part of Nepal, between Sagarmatha and Makalu-Barun National Parks.
  • An alternative approach to the Everest region  via Salpa Pass (3350m).
  • Deepest valley of Nepal
  • Incredible diversity of natural beauty and culture
  • Experience the lifestyle of Sherpa, Rai and Limbus (Different indigenous groups of Nepal)
  • Significant views of Mt. Everest, Makalu, and hundreds of other mountains
  • Encounter less tourists flow on the trail.
  • Visiting panggom hometown of our Sherpa

Trip Overview

Arun valley trekking  trail is located between the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) and Makalu-Barun National Parks.The Everest climbers heading to Everest have used this route earlier .This  route was  followed by Tim  Macatney Snepe  in his ‘’sea to summit’’en route to complete his second  ascend to the Everest. This trekking route is a non tourist destination and is designed with sufficient acclimatization time to the altitude to increase your chances of completing the traverse into region.You will quickly understands this trek’s appeal; there are few treks in Nepal that can match its diversity.While it follows some of the traditional Everest Base Camp trekking route, there are also enough differences to keep return trekkers in Nepal interested. Arun Valley is the world’s deepest valley that lies between Mt. Everest and Mt. Makalu that is unspoiled and untouched by urbanization. The Arun Valley is still a pure wild nature with lush forests, clean glacier river, untamed flora and fauna, traditional mountain civilization, and home of beautiful nature bound by wonderful Himalayas.

Join the enticing and alluring trek if you have the yearning for trekking to the offbeat paths and a moderate level of fitness.  Adventure Sherpa Tracks  arrange Arun valley trekking according to trekkers  visiters holiday schedule and preference .  You just can’t afford to lose the chance

 

 

Itinerary Overview

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264ft) and transfer to hotel

DAY 02: Fly to Tumlingtar, trek to Kartiki Ghat ( 325m/1066 ft ) 4-6 hrs

Day 03: Trek to Gothe Bazaar (685 m /2,247 ft ) 6 hrs

Day 04: Trek to Salpa Phedi (1,520m/ 4,986 ft) 4-6 hrs

Day 05: Trek to Guranse (Chayaksila) 3000 m/ 9,842 ft ) 5-6 hrs

Day 06: Trek to Sanam ( 2,840 m/9,317 ft ) 4-6 hrs

Day 07: Trek to Gudel ( 1,965 m / 6,446 ft ) 4-6 hrs

Day 08: Trek to Kiraunle Gompa (2,540m/8,333 ft ) 4-5 hrs

Day 09: Trek to Najing Dingma, via Surkie Pass ( 3,070 m/10,072 ft)  4-6 hrs

Day 10: Trek to Panggom ( 2,850m/9,350 ft ) 5-6 hrs

Day 11: Trek to Puiyan ( 2,730 m /8,956 ft  )

Day 12: Trek to Phakding (2,656 m/  8,713 ft)

Day 13: Trek to Namche Bazaar ( 3,450 m/ 11,318 ft)

Day 14: Namche Bazaar: acclimatization (3,438m/11,280ft)

Day 15: Trek to Dhole (4040m/13255ft)

Day 16: Trek to Machhermo (4,470m/14,666ft)

Day 17: Machharmo to Gokyo (4,800m/15,749ft)

Day 18: Gokyo Valley: Climb Gokyo Ri and hike to fifth lakes (5,357m/17,576ft)

Day 19: Trek to Phortse (3,780 m/12402ft)

Day 20: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,438m/11,280ft)

Day 21: Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2,800m/9,187ft)

Day 22: Fly to Kathmandu (1,350m/4,429ft)

Day 23: Reserved day and sightseeing in kathmandu

Day 24: Transfer to airport for international flight

Note: Please take care to note that your Sherpa guides  has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to your safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary; however, since this adventure entails travelling in remote mountainous regions, we cannot guarantee  it. Weather, health condition of a group member, unexpected natural disasters, etc., can all contribute to changes in the itinerary. Your  Sherpa guides will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required.

 

Day to Day itinerary

After landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and  completing your custom formalities pick up your luggage and look for representative of Adventure Sherpa Tracks who who will be with display board at the arrival gate. You  will be greeted by our representative and he/she  will pick you and transfer  to your  hotel. Then check-in at the hotel, freshen up and take a rest. In evening or noon , you  are introduced to your  fellow participants ,guides and discuss about our trip at Hotel where you stay.

Fly from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar early in the morning to start the trek through the Arun Valley. You’ll have beautiful views over the city, the Himalaya, and of the terraced fields below.

After arriving in Tumlingtar, begin the trek. The mountains in the distance are Chamalang to the left and Makalu to the far right. Follow the small road through the long village and adjoining series of small, lively villages and colorful tea-houses. Many locals will share the trail, as well as trains of mules carrying cardamom, the biggest cash crop in the region. After an hour, reach a fantastic suspension bridge with side ties, stretching across the wideArun River. Then, drop down to the sandy riverside, peppered with boulders. Following the river closely, pass terraced rice fields, buffalos, thatched huts and villagers working in the fields. Have lunch at Chewa Besi, then continue toKartiki Ghat, a village known for bees and honey. Stay overnight here at a teahouse.

You will cross a small stream of sparkling water on a wooden bridge as you start climbing through a lush tropical forest of cardamom. then, you will pass through thatched huts to a Chautara, (a kind of a local rest-spot which can also be used as a spectacular viewpoint) high above the obscure valley and the Arun River. Trailing around the hillsides and climbing up, you will come across Marduwa, a small hamlet where you will take a break for tea refreshments while looking out for the brilliant blue Kingfishers searching for fish in the river.

Today you will cross the river on a flexing bamboo bridge and trek through several pictorial whitewashed villages with a thatched roof and ochre bases. You will pass through Lankuwa village and start on a steep uphill climb to Dhobani. Along the way, you may find traditional fishermen with their long bamboo nets trying to catch fish. You will walk your way through a thick tropical forest of cardamom and other green trees as you will climb the “waterfall steps” and eventually reach Lower Phedi where the paper is also prepared. Your journey continues for another hour and reaches Sapla Phedi where you will halt for the night.

Start the morning with a steep climb up stone steps through upper Salpa Phedi, then keep climbing, with increasingly amazing views down the valley. It will take you several hours of climbing to reach Jau Bari, a village that grows the best barley in the region. Here, there is a Sherpa monastery just below a lovely Sherpa-run campsite. Stop for a breather here, then continue past terraced fields and through rhododendron forests. Pass the turnoff for Salpa Lake and stop overnight at a local porter stop with several Sherpa houses

The Salpa Bhanjyang pass (11,023 feet/ 3,360 m) is the border of Solu Khumbu and the Sherpa region. It’s a short ascent to get here, just over an hour to the chorten-topped windy pass, where there are wonderful views of snow-capped Karylung Peak. Descend steeply through the forest following a small stream and several mani walls to the Lidung Khola. There, cross to the north bank and continue to a few local teahouses. An hour or so afterward, reach the picturesque Sherpa village of Sanam, a lovely village with traditional Sherpa houses and terraced fields. Stay overnight in a teahouse.

Leaving Sanam, contour along a high trail with broad views, first reaching Duire (Tiu), a group of simple lodges. Soon afterward, arrive at the rustic gompa at Nimtsola. Here, Sherpa influence ends as you enter the land of the Rai. The trail is now larger. Finally, reach the buffalo huts and terraced fields of the large Rai village of Gudel, a bustling and interesting place. The village ofBung and the Naulekh mountains are visible in the distance, as is Mera Peak. Descend steeply on slate steps to a campsite at the back of a local teahouse, your stop for the night.

Another day of trekking through the ups and downs of the Himalayan region. You will climb down the steep stone slabs, past rice paddies and cardamom plants to a river far below you. You will cross a long wooden bridge and begin the equally steep ascent to the bung. Following the stream on a rock trail; you will ascend a switch-backing trail after crossing the Hungu Khola. Bung begins just after crossing the river. It is situated along the slope of the hill and upper reaches are 400 m above the lowest houses. The meaning of Bung stands for “beautiful flower” in Rai and it is a befitting name for the village of Rai Inhabitants, renowned for its Tongba or millet beer. You will keep climbing up, and after a while, the path evens out a bit and you will trek with great views and cooler temperatures until you reach a grassy plateau where you will take a break to fill out tummy. At the end of the trail, you will camp at Kiraunle-Chambaling Gompa, which has been recently built, to re-energize ourselves.

On your way up the trail, you will move up straight from your campsite to the ancient, moss-covered Chorten and Mani walls on the ridge as you will pass through ancient rhododendron forest towards an intersection by the small group of tea houses. You will be heading towards the Surkie La pass at 3070 meters and from where; you will get better views of Karyolung, Khatanga, and Number. With a steep descent down a rocky trail through a bamboo forest leads you to the destination of the day-Nanjing Dingma. This is a small village having few small tea-houses and shops with green pastures all around.

After a good night’s sleep, you will wake up fresh in the morning and after having your breakfast, you will leave Najing Dingma and descend through green woods for an hour to Gai Kharka, another small village consisting of only a few thatched huts. You will continue descending further through the steep way until you come across a rickety bridge high above the Inkhu Khola. From here, you will continue a steep ascent of two to three hours to the next village, but as you gain altitude you are treated to a mind-blowing view up and down the Inkhu valley, eventually spotting Mera peak looming in front of you.

You will reach Shubuche which is a large village located at an altitude of 2660 meters. The village is spread out over the hillside and is marked by Tibetan prayer flags and a small gompa at the upper reaches. Pangum La (or Satu La pass at 3175 meters) is another hour of the climb away. You can see the trail of Trakshindo La and the incredible scenic Sherpa village of Pangma from Jiri. You will reach your beautiful campsite in Pungmo in another half an hour from where you will experience the fantastic sunset over the wide-open valley, across the Dudh Kosi while the Karyolung stands tall majestically in front of you.

Heading out of town, past the long rows of old mani walls, you can look out at the hilltop villages of Bupsa and Karikhola in the distance. Instead of walking towards them, veer right on a smaller wooded trail towards the small hamlet ofKharte (2.5 hours away) and then the Khari La (wide pass). It will take a good hour and a half of contouring and climbing to crest the pass (10,088 feet/ 3,075 m), but the views are amazing from the top. Have your first view of the sacred Sherpa peak, Khumbu Yul Lha (Khumbila),Gyachen Kang and then Kusum Kangaru, just around the corner. It’s a quick descent on a rocky trail to the main Jiri trail, and then just another half an hour to the charming village of Puiyan, your stop for the night.

The trail now leaves the tributary valley and heads more directly north towards Chaurikharka (8,900 feet/ 2,713 m). Before ascending, the main trail crosses a spectacular deep gorge with a high waterfall (7,900 feet/ 2,408 m). Chaurikharka, a large scattered village with a monastery and a high school, is the breadbasket of the Khumbu area, as the land is fertile and crops like barley, wheat, and green vegetables are grown. After this village, the trail from Lukla joins that towards Phakding. The path becomes quite busy with trekkers, porters and pack animals. Several hours of walking along a scenic trail bring you to Phakding.

Our trail moves forward alongside the Dudh Koshi River. During the trek we cross several suspension bridges and pass several villages, monasteries and chortens. We can enjoy a good view of Mt. Thamserku from Benkar village. Our trekking permits will be checked at Monjo as we enter the Sagarmatha National Park. A descent and a gradual walk brings us to Jorsale, the last village until Namche Bazaar. The walk is enjoyable through a river bed and we reach the Hillary Suspension Bridge. As we climb up towards Namche Bazaar, the magnificent sights of Kwangde Peak, Kusum peak, Kangaru peak, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Tawache, and many other fabulous mountains greet us. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Acclimatization is important for us to adjust to the gradual change in environment. It will also help us to prevent catching Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).  Today we hike to Khumjung villages, enjoy the Himalayan vista from Syangboche or tour the quaint streets of Namche Bazaar. We can also visit the Tourist Visitor Center where we can see a variety of things related to the first Everest ascenders and Sherpa culture. This visit will also get us acquainted with various plant and animal life of the Everest region. In Khumjung we can even visit a monastery that houses a yeti scalp! We also climb up to the airstrip above Syangboche and enjoy incredible views of Kongde, Thamserku and Khumbila mountains. We walk back to Namche Bazaar to spend the night.

Leaving Namche, you follow the trails of Dudh Koshi River upstream and ascent on a trail filed with Mani walls and prayer flags. The peaks of Everest (8848m), Ama Dablam (6856m), Lhotse (8414m), Taboche (6367m), and so on can be seen glimmering on the skyline. You reach Dhole after passing through several Sherpa villages and small monasteries. Overnight in Dhole.

Another beautiful day in the lap of the Himalayas as you will start to continue the hike towards the Gokyo valley. You will trail high above the valley floor, while Cho Oyu continues to loom in front of you for the latter part of the walk from the borders of Nepal and Tibet. You will come across some small Sherpa herding huts on your way and after a few more hours of trekking, you will reach the charming Yak-herding settlement of Luza. For the Khunde and Khumjung inhabitants, this is one of the many seasonal settlements, the next one being Machermo which will be arriving in about 45 minutes, after having climbed steeply out of Dole, to a set of prayer flags which marks an end to the settlement. then, you will continue climbing up and down once again and finally reach Machermo, where you will camp out for an overnight stay.

We ascend on a hill and enjoy views of the Dudh Koshi valley and Kangtega, Thamserku and Cho-Oyu mountains. Beyond the ridge the valley widens as the trail passes through a Chorten and reaches Phangga. We descend to the river bank before climbing up to the terminal moraine of the Ngozamba Glacier on a steep trail. We pass through Longpongo, Raboche Tsho and Dudh Pokhari before reaching Gokyo. On the trail next to the first lake, we see what is believed to be the footprints of a Lama (Buddhist priest). We explore Dudh Pokhari before calling it a night. Overnight in Gokyo.

Today we  spend another day in Gokyo to acclimatize to the high altitude. If the weather is good, we climb Gokyo Ri today. From the top of Gokyo Ri we admire the Himalayan vista and the tranquil Gokyo lakes. We also hike to the fourth and the fifth Gokyo lakes. The 4th lake is only about 3km north of Gokyo. It is marked by high cliffs and Himalayan peaks rising above it. We continue to walking a little further and reach the 5th lake. A climb up a nearby hill will guarantee us remarkable views of Cho-Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Makulu. We can see a lot more from here – the spot is called Scoundrel’s Viewpoint. From the northern part of the 5th lake we see the Cho Oyu base camp and Ngazumpa Glacier which is the biggest glacier the world. We walk back to Gokyo to spend the night.

This is a wonderful day of hiking on high mountain trails which goes around the ridges on the west of the river. You have to trek along the lakes and the stone steps to cross the river. After this, you will reach the hamlet of Na, following which have a gradual climb contouring on a high trail along the western side of Cholatse and Taboche peaks. As you look back, you can see an unobstructed Cho Oyu and the glacial valley and Ama Dablam ahead. You will reach Phortse early in the afternoon and stop at the colorful Phortse gompa at the top of the village. Phortse is one of the oldest villages in Khumbu and looks like a maze of small walled lanes and traditional houses. The village is located on a promontory protruding from Taboche, which towers majestically above it. You can always see many Daphne, musk deer and blood pheasants that live in the woods bordering the village.

The walk along the yak trails down to the bridge over Dudh Koshi, through the rhododendrons and past the ancient moss-covered Mani walls to Debouche feels wonderful. You will stop at Debouche at the ani gompa or nunnery. After this begins the steep climb which will take you to the spectacularly set Tengboche Gompa. The Gompa is backed by the massive wall of Kangtega. After reaching the gompa, there is a steep descent to Phunki Tenga. then, you will cross the bridge across the river, a last steep climb and trek through the scrub, pine forest, and rhododendron which takes us to Kyangjuma. Another 1 ½ half hour of the trek and you will reach Namche Bazar.

We descend on a rocky trail and cross several suspension bridges before walking on a leveled trail. The air is warmer as we walk on the same trail to reach Lukla. Our trek in the mountain ends after we reach Lukla. We spend our time reminiscing about our time spent in the mountain. Overnight in Lukla.

We fly back to Kathmandu on the earliest possible flight. After reaching Kathmandu we have the rest of the day off to rest. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner .Overnight in Kathmandu.

 

After breakfast Adventure Sherpa Tracks’s tour guide will you pick from the hotel for full day sightseeing around Kathmandu . you will  tour among these world hesitate sites Durbar Square, Pashupatinath temple, Swayambhunath stupa and Bouddhanath stupa , The Durbar Square sheds light on the life of the royals in ancient times. Pashupatinath temple is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for all Hindus. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple and Baudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world. Depending on your preference it might be a other sites like Bhaktapur too .Back to hotel and preparation for the trek

The reserved day is for any delays in the domestic flight from lukla  Today, you can spend the day as you please in the Kathmandu and casual day for Shopping around Kathmandu .

 

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! Approximately three hours before your scheduled international flight, Our representative from Adventure Sherpa Tracks  will drop you off at the Tribhuwan International airport  and does  a farewell.

Price Includes

  • All meals during trek. (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
  • Accommodation during trek at local lodge.
  • Domestic airfares and transportation from Kathmandu to trek starting point.
  • English speaking  government-licensed Sherpa trekking guide & assistant guide (4 trekkers=1 assistant guide)
  • Porter Service (2 Trekker =1 porter)
  • Staff  cost including their (Salary, domestic airfare, equipments, food and accommodation)
  • Trekkers’ Information Management System fees
  • 3 nights accommodation at 3. 4 or 5 star hotel in Kathmandu on twin sharing with breakfast.
  • All guided sightseeing tour in Kathmandu and entry fees.
  • Airport transfers and escort.
  • Insurance for all staffs
  • All ground transportation on comfortable private vehicle
  • All government and local taxes

Price Excludes

  • International airfares
  • International Airport Departure Tax
  • Trekking Equipment
  • Major meals, Lunch and dinner during your stay in Kathmandu
  • Any type of personal expenses, such as alcoholic beverages and drinks, phone and laundry.
  • Airport departure tax to be paid in rupees on your departure 1760 rupees
  • Entry visa fee
  • Rescue & travel insurance, trip cancellation costs, accident or health emergency, evacuation, loss, theft or damage to baggage and personal effects.
  • We strongly advise you to take out personal travel insurance.
  • Tips & Gratuities to porters and guides

The cost of the trips with us depends on the level of service, type of accommodation in the city and size of groups. We have a special discount for large groups, travel and adventure companies, nonprofit organization etc. Email us for further information about the cost of the trip. We would be happy to provide pricing and further info if you kindly provide the information below or simply email us at either info@adventuresherpatracks.com or adventuresherpatracks@gmail.com

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