Top Travel Leads

Trekking in Eastern Nepal along the Arun River valley one can admire fascinating changes in house architecture as one progresses from the lower Himalaya toward the elevations where Arun breaches the High Himalaya on its way from Tibet to Nepal.  One of the dominant Ancient Nepalese ethnic groups that populate the Nepal Midlands in this region are the Rais. Generally, the Rais have settled west of the Arun River in altitudes between 4,300 and 7,400 feet above sea level, however, their settlements can be found also on or very near the bottom of the Arun gorge, in altitudes even less than 1,000 feet. Here the Rai houses are constructed on stilts and woven out of bamboo and reed. In some instances the Rai settlements can be quite compact, with the porches of the neighboring houses practically touching and narrow passages lead between the houses, but for the most part, Rai low river valley villages are dispersed. Packed with mud like the entire house floor, including the front elevation of the house, the porch is a viable work area. As the structures are only one story high, storage is partially provided on the outside of the house. Cattle and other livestock are typically kept below the house. A special thrashing and milling area is built usually in close vicinity of the house.

Another house type is built by the Rais higher on the west bank of the Arun, in a region immediately south of the Lhomi Tibetans, but even here the altitude where they settle does not exceed 5,000 feet above sea level. Although bamboo is still used abundantly, particularly in the construction of the animal shelters, the important building material is stone.

The facades of the houses are frequently richly decorated with geometric ornaments and “flowers of luck” designs, and images of gods as expression of worship to reward the house with prosperity.

Some of the houses have adjacent to them fine fenced vegetable gardens. Typically the houses are roofed with thatch, although bamboo mats may occasionally be used. In villages above 6,000 feet, as is the case on the northern side of the Salfa Phedi pass, separating the watershed of the Arun from that of the Dudh Kosi, the roofs of the Rai houses are covered with wooden shingles.

During the civil war in Nepal, a conflict between government forces and Maoist insurgents, which lasted ten years and finally ended with peace agreement in 2006, it was virtually impossible to travel in Eastern Nepal as this area was controlled by a number of bandit groups many of which posed as Maoist rebels but were most set on ambush and armed robbery than selling communist ideology and collecting rebel-sanctioned donations prevalent at that time. Today once again this region is open and may be used as a lesser frequented route to access the Sherpa region of Solu-Khumbu to the north-west from here.

Backdrop of Rangdum Monastery on a small hill in Suru Valley

The Mulbekh Gompa, about three quarters of the way from Leh to Kargil, marks the end of the Buddhist Ladakh and the beginning of its Muslim parts. The Muslim culture here as in Kargil and from here on toward the alpine valleys of Kashmir as well as the first third of the way toward Zanskar, leading through the Suru Valley, is related to Baltistan, the Pakistani region further west of the border with India formed here by the Indus River. Already in Khalsi, a scruffy junction town half way between Leh and Kargil, one can catch a glimpse of the Muslim presence as windows of some of the local shops are decorated with pictures of Ayatollah Khomeini, reminding one that regions further west are mostly Shiite Muslim rather than Buddhist.

Traversing the Pensi La

Suru Valley constitutes the main supply route for the remote Zanskar and the journey is stunning though tiring and can be difficult. It takes some 12 hours to traverse the distance between Kargil and Padum in Zanskar by a 4-wheel drive, and the difficult part is crossing the Pensi La, often shrouded in clouds and subject to blizzards.

The courtyard in front of the main temple of Rangdum Gompa

The first stage of the Suru Valley road past Kargil leads through Muslim villages. The road is relatively well maintained, as Kargil market is still too close and a lifeblood of these villages. Past the scenic Muslim village of Panikhar the road begins to deteriorate. Once the spires of the last village mosque fade away the valley narrows and high mountain ridge of the

Prayer flags on rooftop of Rangdum Monastery

Himalaya that separates Suru valley from Kashmir to the south becomes more prominent. Not far past Panikhar first glacier oozes down a side valley onto a valley floor and the twin peaks of Nun (7135m / 23,400ft) and Kun (7087 / 23,242) come to view.

A spectacular scenery continues on to the Rangdum Monastery that is sat atop of a small hill in a wide-open valley framed by jagged snow-capped peaks. Impressive multi-color layers of strata that lie one upon another, laid down by natural forces at 45-degree angle, form a sheer backdrop of the Rangdum Gompa. The

Memorial to the three Rangum monks killed in July, 2000

sense of the remote and desolate is omnipresent and awe-inspiring. Though a small hamlet of a few houses dots the flat plain, revealing there is life beyond the monastic edifice, the gompa’s solitude and eerie desolation is downright unnerving, definitely at best an outpost for search of spiritual wisdom and quiet meditation. There are some three dozen monks in residence and the their confines are truly Spartan. As the monks retreat into their quarters and the freezing wind howls over the ramparts of the monastic walls, a sense of destitute is as strong as the ambiance is peaceful. So much more it is shocking to imagine that in July, 2000, three Rangdum monks were brutally killed by a small band of Muslim militants (who were never found) for no apparent reason though it’s widely believed the killing was on purpose instigated by Kashmir separatists sat to extend their terrorist activities amidst the remote parts of Jammu-Kashmir of which Ladakh is a part.

Drung Drang Glacier as seen from top of Pensi La

After Rangdum the Suru Valley road starts climbing toward the summit of Pensi La (4450m / 14,400ft), the gateway to Zanskar. Though the high altitude of the pass is prone to sudden storms and heavy snowfall can block the road even in mid summer for days, on even a marginally fair day the views and vistas from the top of the path are simply stunning. When the clouds part above the snow-capped peaks of the Himalaya the long tongue of the Drung-Drang Glacier reveals itself in all its grandeur as it winds down from the high mountain peaks. One can gape in awe at the site for hours if it were not for the piercing chill of the wind that prompts one to proceed toward Zanskar. From top of Pensi La the road starts a long gradual descent toward Padum plain and the heart of Zanskar, and the impression that one truly entered one of the most remote regions of India becomes complete.

Chomolhari trek is a  great eight-day trek to the high pastures of yak-herders and  the memorable Jangothang camp at base of  the imposing Mount Chomolhari (7316 m). This trek packs all the highs of the Himalayas – grand views, high alpine lakes, rich flora of rhododendrons and wild flowers as well as sightings of blue sheep. If you are short on time or may question your stamina, there is 2-day shorter and easier version of the Chomolhari Trek. Returning to Paro across Bonte La Pass via descending into the Soi Yaksa Valley, this route passes through Bhutanese farmland, alpine yak pasturelands as well as crosses high Himalayan passes.

For more see Chomolhari Trek: Trekking to the Base of 7,316m Mt. Chomolhari

Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal were the first to climb Mount Everest as part of the British expeditiion to Everest on June 26, 1953.  Hillary devoted much of his life to helping the Sherpas of Solu-Khumbu, raising money to build hospitals and schools. Trekking to the Everest Base Camp has since become one of the must-do expeditions in the Nepal Himalaya.