Chulu Far East Peak Climb

Welcome to Kathmandu, a city full of vibrant markets, bustling streets, colorful temples and grand pagodas. Our guide will meet you at the airport and take you to our hotel. The remainder of the day you will have an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the shopping areas closest to your hotel and catch up on shopping for equipment. In the evening, our tour guide will give you a brief introduction and provide valuable information about the trek.

Immediately after breakfast we head by jeep to Besisahar and then continue through to Chame. The drive will give you an opportunity to take in the local scenery and get a feel for what lies ahead.

The trail today begins by crossing a bridge and then there is a steep climb before we reach the village of Tal (1700m), situated next to the Marsyangdi River. Leaving Tal we continue on before reaching today’s destination, Dharapani Village where we will stay the night

Today we begin trekking from Dharapani climbing higher and a noticeable change with cooler conditions. You will see a change in the landscape at this higher elevation as the trail passes through forests before reaching the Tibetan village of the Bagarchhap with its distinctive Tibetan architecture. Climbing higher we reach the apple-growing region and farms along with pine forests and views of Lamjung and Annapurna II peaks. The trail then follows the Marsyangdi River heading upstream and passes the villages of Manang and Koto before reaching Chame. It is a very easy walk from Koto to Chame where we spend the night. Chame is the district headquarters of the Manang region.

After leaving Chame we pass through Telekhu and along the trail have some breathtaking views of Annapurna and Pisang (6091m) until we have to re-cross on a suspension bridge to the south bank of the Marsyangdi River. After crossing the river we then head higher passing a pine-forest as we trek through the upper reaches of the Manang valley to Pisang. At the upper edge of Pisang village we can see Pisang and Chulu peaks. Tonight we stay at Pisang.

Today we head off on a five hour trek and after passing a mani wall we cross a swing bridge and then climb higher before coming to Ghyaru Village (3700m). From here we have some wonderful views of Annapurna II, III and IV. Like many villages in the Manang district the homes are made of stone and have flat roofs. We then descend around 500 meters until we reach the much larger village of Ngawal where we stay overnight.

Medical professionals recommend that before heading to higher elevations that trekkers spend some time acclimatizing. They also recommend staying active. From Ngawal you can follow a few trails out of the village in order to better acclimatize, and besides it will offer you some amazing views over the surrounding peaks. We will stay another night in this very charming village.

Today we head off on a five-hour trek and along the trail observe the usual goats and yak grazing the sparsely vegetated slopes. Tonight we will sleep in a tent at Yak Kharka.

We have another five hour day trekking to the base camp, slowly creeping higher and higher.

Today we have a two to three-hour trek to High Camp where we will camp for the night.

This is naturally the highlight of the trek and is guaranteed to be a thrilling day as we ascend to the peak. An early start is necessary so that we arrive at the summit around lunchtime. The climb up the ridge to the top will provide some truly fantastic views. The feeling of being on top of the world will have the adrenalin pumping and the camera in overdrive! After taking in the views we will head back to Ngawal for the night and enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.

Today we have a five hour trek to Manang where we will stay overnight.

Today we will trek for around four to five hours before reaching Yak Kharak where we will stay overnight.

Climbing higher we gradually get used to the higher altitude. We follow the east bank of the Jarang Khola and along the trail view steep bluffs before reaching Thorong Phedi (meaning foot hills). If we are lucky we may see the famous blue sheep and even a snow leopard! This is also home to Lammergeyer (bearded vulture). There is also a belief the mythical griffons are in this region!

Today is most likely the toughest day of the trek, hiking for around 7-8 hours. The higher altitude contributes to the degree of difficulty and sometimes strong winds in these upper regions. Along the trail, we may pass sheep, yaks, and merchants transporting their goods. Once we reach Thorong La Pass we will be rewarded with breath-taking views of Annapurna, Gangapurna and the eye-catching peak of Khatungkang (6484m). Leaving the pass we descend around 1600 meters and the brilliant Dhaulagiri (Dhaula Giri, meaning “White Mountain”) is the highest mountain that is entirely in Nepal. The trail is more undulating and relatively easy before we reach Muktinath where we stay the night.

Following the trail today leads us to Jomsom in the Kali Gandaki Valley where we will stay overnight in a hotel.

Today we have a scenic flight from Jomsom and can look down and back over our great climbing and trekking adventure. The birds-eye view from the plane gives you another perspective of the enormity of the Himalayan Mountains.

Today we head back on a 6 to 7-hour drive to Kathmandu with many fond memories of Nepal and its unique culture and geography. These memories will last a lifetime!