Gaurishankar Foothills Trek - 12 Days

Arrive at Kathmandu after a scenic flight over the mountains. Meet the representative of Himalayan trekkers and transfer to Hotel. Rest of the time enjoy strolling the surrounding area.

After breakfast at the hotel, a tour guide will take you to the historical and cultural places of Kathmandu. The Kathmandu city presents a fabulous mix of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and western influence in the valley. There will be a half-day guided tour to the famous and biggest Hindu shrine of Pashupatinath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Boudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath.

We begin our trek from Kathmandu with a leisurely drive along ‘Friendship Highway’ to Lamosangu from where we continue on to Jiri and then Charikot. We continue northwards along the Bhote Kosi Valley up to Singati (950m). We set up camp close to this small town.

The first day of our climb begins with a steady ascent through alpine forests that leads out into open pastures. The Bhote Kosi is a constant presence, in our sight throughout the day. Perched on the high ridge beside Bulung (2150m), we relax to a spectacular view of Gauri Shankar.

This day of hiking is mostly relaxing as we head downhill, all the while following the Sangawa Khola. It is a joy to experience the indigenous flora and fauna in the region. We finally descend to our campsite at Chilingkha (1920m).

We begin the day with ease hiking downhill for about three hours till we reach the Samling Khola (1720m), a tributary of the main river. We cross the tributary across a narrow but sturdy bridge and begin the ascent to Bigu Gompa (2110m). We pitch our tents by the nunnery and settle in for a quiet night.

We take a leisure day to rest and recoup our wits after the last couple of days of rigorous hiking. We explore the famous nunnery of Bigu Gompa that was built in the 1930s and houses spectacular gardens which are a delight.

Another easy start to the day with a downhill descent of over 800m to the river is followed by a sharp ascent to the highest point of our trek, the Tinsang La (3300m). We rest atop the Tinsang La and gather our strength while we take in the stunning views of the surrounding Himalayan range. We then descend sharply to set up camp at Dolangsa (2490m). All in all, this is the most exacting day of hiking.

A fun-filled day of hiking along banks and through varied woodland ecologies awaits us as we set off through grazing pastures littered with yaks. The terraced fields that are characteristic of such high regions are a wonderful vision for first-time hikers to the area. We even pass some waterfalls along the way and soon arrive at the village of Gorthali (1710m) where we make our final camp of the trek. From here on out, we will not have any Sherpas or guides attached to our group as we can find our way back to Kathmandu quite easily from here. So on this day we will enjoy with our crew members and give a remarkable farewell to them.

The final day of our trek follows long, winding and level trails that are frequented by the locals. We make our way through swaths of rhododendrons and prickly oak trees before crossing a tributary stream and arriving by the Bote Kosi River. From atop this ridge, we catch our final glimpses of the majestic Himalayan range and then head down the hillside to Barabaise. Retracing our journey, we take the ‘Friendship Highway’ back to Kathmandu having come to a whole loop.

Today either you can visit some of the heritage sites of Kathmandu or you can spend your day by exploring the market area and shopping.

In the evening, joining the team of Himalayan trekkers for farewell dinner with cultural show.

You can depart from Kathmandu to your home country or extend the trip and head for another trip within or outside Nepal.

Have a safe journey and please do visit Nepal again!