As part of our family’s early plan to travel to the remote areas of Nepal once a year ( this brings us to understand Nepal more and encourages internal tourism too), this year our family headed to Mardi or Machhapuchhre mountain Trek.

This is a lovely trek that takes you along a walk atop literally  mountainous ridges full of rhododendron forests and few villages along the way back. This is one of the shortest treks you can do while enjoying the magnificent Himalayas including the Annapurna range. Specially for Nepali travelers this can be one of the treks to begin your wanderlust journey. And this is a good trek for a family with children to do too (except during snowy, rainy weather and the trek to the basecamp would need experienced guide as you pass through snow, cliffs and ice slippery slopes at times). For Nepali travelers, Rs 2,000 a day for room and board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) would be a good travel expense to carry.

Day 1: Kathmandu (1,300 m)  to Pokhara to Kande to Australian Camp (1,900 meters)

We traveled on Buddha Air to

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So close, yet so far! Helambu region just north of Kathmandu is home of the Hyolmo Sherpa community that very few Nepalis have traveled to. Every year, me and my family, try to trek to one of the remotest regions of Nepal to enjoy and learn more about our nation with its bountiful diversity. This time, we chose the beautiful Helambu region.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
– Mark Twain

Day 1: Sundarijal in Kathmandu (1300 m) to Chisapani (2154 m)

We took a taxi (cab) to Sundarijal through Chabahil- Boudha and started our big climb up stairs just besides Sundarijal hydro (built in 1934 AD). Our climb took us to Mulkharka village inside Shivapuri National Park. We climbed in steps like paths until the very top of Shivapuri hill (we term 2000 meter mountains actually hills in Nepal). As we descended on to the other side towards Chisapani, rain started pouring. As we reached our hotel hailstorm started pouring and we considered ourselves lucky to have

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दशैँ तिहार बिच पारी हरेक बर्ष झैँ म र मेरो श्रीमती नेपालका कुनै बिकट मनोरम हिमाली क्षेत्र हिडयौँ। शहरमा बस्दा बस्दा थुप्रिएको अलमल्याईपन, बिभिन्न सामाजिक बन्धन र नकारात्मक सोचका गाँठो फुकाउन बेलाबेलामा प्रकृतिको निकट जानै पर्छ। यस्तो मन सफा गर्ने भ्रमणले हामीलाई अाफ्नो देश राम्ररी चिन्ने मौका पनि प्रदान गर्छ।

हामी धेरै नेपालीलाई नेपालमा चुम उप्यत्यका भन्ने ठाँउ पनि छ भन्ने कुरा थाहै छैन होला। हामी काठमाडौँबाट उत्तरमा दिनहँ गणेश हिमाल देख्छौँ। तर त्यस हिमाल पारी पनि नेपाल छ भन्ने कुरा विरलै थाहा होला। हो, त्यहि हिमाल पारी नेपालीहरु बसोबास् गर्ने एउटा चुम उपत्यका छ जुन गोर्खा जिल्लाको उत्तरी सिमामा पर्छ र तिन तिरबाट तिवेतले घेरिएको छ।

चुम उपत्यका पुग्न मनाश्लु हिमाल पर्यटकिय मार्गबाटै शुरु गर्नु पर्छ। हाम्रो चुमको भ्रमण

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Have you traveled to the hidden valley of Chum behind the Ganesh mountains in the Himalayas surrounded on 3 sides by Tibet ?

My wife and I decided it was once again time for our annual trek onto remote Nepal. It was an excellent opportunity to rejuvenate our souls, secluded from the urban social distractions of Kathmandu. This was also our way of getting to know our Nepal. The sad reality is many Nepalese these days have seen other countries more than places within Nepal. If we only make it a practise of traveling within Nepal once a year, our tourism industry would be further self-reliant while Nepalese learn and enjoy the diversity and beauty within. Here is our daily account of how we ventured into the hidden valley of Chum. I bet many of you have never heard of this place which lies just behind the Ganesh mountain range that you see every day from Kathmandu valley.

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Here are some safety tips while trekking in the Himalayas in Nepal. Google around to find other travelers tips too. Meanwhile you can also read some of my trekking diaries here.

1. Many trails in Nepal have mules /donkeys as main transport vehicles. If you see mules/donkeys coming towards you, make sure you always give side on the safe end. Don’t ever stand towards the edge of a cliff to let them pass, i.e stand on the side of the cliff wall. Mules/ donkeys will not hesitate to push you off the edge as they usually (obviously) want to take the safest side in the trail!
2. Use walking sticks ( two if possible). it helps ease your balance and in some tricky situations like crossing streams or on broken paths. Trails usually go from good to worse within a day of change in weather. Sticks are a special help to your legs. You can find a pair at an affordable price

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