Helambu Circuit Trek

Your guide will meet you at your hotel in the morning to begin your city tour of Kathmandu. You will visit the Boudhanath temple, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal, Pashupatinath, a Hindu pilgrimage site, and possibly view cremation ceremonies along the banks of the Bagmati River. Continue drive to Patan
Durbar Square to observe ancient Nepalese architecture and end your tour after lunch. Then, you will visit the Patan museum. Overnight in hotel

Drive for about an hour from Kathmandu to Sundarijal (1350m) where there is a large water project which supplies most of the drinking water to Kathmandu Valley. The unpaved road from Boudhanath turns into a trail near a small hydroelectric plant and starts up a concrete steps alongside the water pipe.

Beyond Sundarijal the trail climbs continuously through forests (still following the water pipe) to a medieval-looking reservoir, dam and waterworks. Crossing the dam, the trail leaves the water supply system and climbs steeply to a road at 1550m and climbs to the top of the Shivapuri ridge. The first village of the trail is Mulkharka. The trail now entered the Shivapuri Watershed & Wildlife Reserve. Portions of the trail are almost level, but much of the climb is steep. After passing through the army camp where your Shivapuri entrance permit is checked.Shivapuri ridge forest is dense forest of pine, oak and rhododendron trees. The trail heads down the ridge through a forest of oak and rhododendron to Chisapani at 2300m. The trail continues to drop from Chisapani on a good level and crosses meadows and fields. The final descent to Kutumsang is on a trail that has eroded into a slippery slide.

The trail heads north out of Kutumsang and follows a long stretch of level at the foot of a hill. We make a very steep ascent to Chipling at 2170m. From here the trail makes another steep, 200m climb on a stone staircase to the top of the JhoginDanda ridge at 2470m. One can witness good mountain views along thisstretch of trail. From the ridge the trail descends through forests to ThodangBetini village at 2250m. Continuing along the forested ridge, the trail descends to a large chorten overlooking the Tamang village of GulBhanjyang at 2140m. The trail climbs the ridge from GulBhanjyang to another pass at 2620m. Its downhill walk ends at Tharepati. We stay overnight in this village.

The trek proceeds north up the YurinDanda ridge which affords views of the peaks above Langtang and of the Gosainkund peaks. The trail climbs above Tharepati a steep, eroded trail, mostly through fir and rhododendron forests where there are only few shepherds’ huts. The trail descends to Magen Goth at
3150m. From here it continues to climb, steeply at first, then more gradually, the trail makes some ups and downs passing through forests, across flower-strewn meadows and crossing streams. Then the trail makes a short final climb to reach the prosperous Sherpa village of Malemchigaon at 2530m. Malemchigaon is a beautiful village dotted with monasteries, a line of prayer flags at the front and
brightly painted walls and statues

From Malemchigaon, the trail continues to descend to the MalemchiKhola, which we cross on a sturdy suspension bridge at 1890m.. After crossing the river, the trail immediately begins the ascent towards TarkeGyang. It is a long climb to this picturesque village on a self high above the river at 2600m. ThakeGyang `is the largest village in Helambu. The stone houses with narrow alleyways are found here.

Passing through the Sherpa village of Kakani, The trail passes through the guesthouses and mani wall then drops off the west side of the ridge in a rhododendron forest, along a broad, well-travelled path. We see several chortens, mani walls and kanis. On the way. Finally, the trail enters the hot, rice-growing country of Malemchi and Indrawati valleys, and leaves the highland ethnic groups for the Brahman, Chhetri and Newar people who inhabit the lower regions. The trail is now in semi-tropical banana-andmonkey country at an elevation below that of Kathmandu.