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The Jonsom-Muktinah Trek
Map This trek is the most popular and most developed trek in Nepal. First the trail leads through some small villages until it reaches the view point "Poon Hill" at Ghorapani, where you see the Himalayan range of the Annapurna and the Daulaghiri. From Tatopani the trek follows an ancient trading route between Nepal and Tibet, which is also a pilgrim path for both Hindus and Buddhists along the "Kali Gandaki" river to the monastery of Muktinah (3.800m). You cross some beautiful Tibetan villages and pass through vegetation zones from subtropical to desert.
The trek is suitable for beginners and takes one week to ten days, if you catch a return flight from Jonsom to Pokhara (otherwise you have to walk 3-5 days back!)
If you have absolutely no more time than a week, you should consider taking a plane from Pokhara to Jonsom. But it is more natural and more beautiful to ascend the several vegetation zones and you might get problems with the altitude sickness.
Accommodation, Food
There are many guest houses on the way, which are hardly booked in late November. It happened that I was the only guest. Accommodationwas only 1-2 Dollar; with food you will take usually in your guest house you pay less than 10 Dollars (without beer = 2 Dollar a bottle). You are asked to order your meal in the afternoon, because they prepare it fresh.
Temperature
It was a pleasant 20 C at day in late November, but very cold (below zero) in the night. You get thick covers in your guest house, but they can't wash them each time after use and therefore it is recommendable to take a thin sleeping bag with you. Electricity is present, but not all the time, a torch is helpful.
Organized? Guide and Porter?
To go at your own, without trouble, can save money.
If you book an organized trip from Europe, you can be rather sure, that all goes well. You may have more fun in a group, but you pay more than twice. If you have to organize your trip by yourself, you will learn more of the way things happen in Nepal. On the other hand in a package tour you have a guide, who can explain a lot of things, you won't hear, if you go alone.
If you book an organized tour in Kathmandu, you can't be sure, that you have a serious company. It's possible that the guide has to askthe local people for the way. I booked a sight-seeing tour in Kathmandu and was disappointed. The tour started at eleven, skipped important sights ( Boudha ) and there was only half an hour time for visiting Pagan Square or Swayambunath. Don't believe in recommendation of western travelers you don't know or faked emails the local agencies show to you.
Guide and Porter?
Guide are not Porters, you have to hire porters separately, if you need some.
The guides in Nepal are often very educated and trained for the job, when they are working for a renowned company. You often see women trekkers with guide, there are also female guides for women available. I have heard that some guides organize Marihuana or Prostitutes on the trek, but I don't know exactly, neither do I need such help.
Guides charge 10-20 Dollars a day, porters 8-10 Dollars. You have to add food, accommodation and return ticket, but guides and porterspay less than half the price.
You don't need guides and porters for this trek. If you can't spend much money, go alone. If you are more rich, help to beware the peoples job's and hire them for really reasonable wages. Ask friends or other sources you can trust for recommendation, a miscasting could be very enervating. Most of the trekkers I met, who were traveling with a guide, were more than
content with their guides.Start in Kathmandu
I went to Pokhara the following day as it was better to stay near the airport than somewhere in the mountains at the end of the trip.
Many tourist busses to Pokhara leave at Kantipath Road on the opposite side of the Royal Palace at seven to eight o'clock inthe morning. You can walk; it's very close to Thamel. Fare to Pokhara is about 3 Dollar.Trekking Permit
Around two o'clock the bus will arrive in Pokhara and taxi drivers are waiting for you to take you to the tourist quarter "Lake side", where is also the Tourist office, you get your trekking permit. This trekking permit costs 2000 RS (15 Dollar) and you need a passport picture . The Tourist office is open from 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. (4.30 p.m. in high season) except Saturdays. If you buy the permit in a travel agency or somewhere else, you may expect a fine at the control post. There they charge double for the permit.
The last errands.... Pokhara Lake click on Photo to enlarge
There are many local guest houses on the trek, where you can drink Coke or tea. If you prefer to drink water you have to purify it withiodine. The germs which cause diarrhea, typhoid fever and hepatitis are acquired from feces of other people; sewing disposal is not solved in Nepal. Chlorine preparations are not reliable enough. Iodine is sold in pharmacies in Pokhara for less than one dollar. Vitamin C should help to eliminate the iodine taste, which is like the rinsing at your dentist. Today there are some water filling stations along the Annapurna Circuit, where you get a liter purified water for half a dollar. The technique of purification is from New Zealand.
You need plaster for blisters, a torch and loo paper, the last is not included in your hotel fee. Food in a restaurant is very cheap and taste good. Meat is barely available or it is very sinewy, so eat a meal in Pokhara.
Bag packs in Pokhara are comparatively cheap to Europe. Even if it looks like Lowe, it is not the same quality, but it is worth the price. I bought a big one for 20 Dollars and left half of my baggage in a storage room in my hotel in Pokhara. Send your last emails, on the trek there are no opportunities (nor in Jonsom). Buy a map of your trek for two dollars, but you can't miss the way anyway.
Dangers
The risk of violent crime and theft is not as enhanced as in South America, but be careful as everywhere. Nepal people are mostly friendly, helpful and honest.
Be sure not to stand at a slope but on the hillside, if mules come on your way. Mules don't calculate their panniers and there is thedanger they push you down the slope without intention.
The most serious danger is the altitude sickness, which occurs in an altitude of more than 2.800 meters. Every year some trekkers die,because they underestimate this risk. Drinking, eating, marihuana, slowly moving helps only a little. The reason of the altitude sickness is fluid, which accumulate between the cells in your lungs and brain, when you are ascending to quick. You prevent this kind of sickness only by ascending slowly and taking a day rest for acclimatization, when you reach your individual altitude to acclimatize. The first symptoms are headache, loss of appetite, nausea and fatigue. Don't ascend if you notice these symptoms, but descend and take an extra day of rest. Don't sleep in a new altitude with any symptoms of altitude sickness! Don't stick on the schedule of your group; they have to take regard, the prevailing numbers of lethal accidents occur on organized treks.
click here for more information: Altitude SicknessYou may get problems with your knees, because the descent from Ghorapani is long and strenuous. A cane is very, very helpful.
The Trek
First Day: Naya Pool- Ghorapani
There are busses from the new bus station to Beni ( 1 Dollar). After two hours you have to drop pout in Naya Pool. Take some picture ofthe holy mountain Machapuchre (Fishtail); you won't see the full mountain later.
If you are busy or keen on trekking you can reach Ghorapani at the first day, but only if you start early ( 9 to 10 a.m.) in Naya Pool. Take a Taxi from Pokhara (10 Dollar) or get up very early. (I started at 11 a.m. and was tired in Bathanandi at 4 p.m.) If you want to trek more unhurried take a stop at Tikedunya or Ullieri.
It is important to stay in Ghorapani, because you can see the full Himalayan Range only in the morning. Later clouds will appear and cloak the mountain peaks.
The trek descends at first and ascends slowly till Tikedunya. You cross some villages between rice terraces, you can watch the rural life and many inns are inviting to take a rest. The signboards of the restaurants display also the name of the situated village.
In Tikedunya an endless stone staircase climbs steep up to Ulieri, the most strenuous part of the trek. Buy a walking cane made of bambus in Tikedunya or at the way to Ulieri, it is very helpful to ascend or descend. The ascent from Ulieri to Ghorapani gradually became more gentle.
Two girls, who like to dance with Nepal Music, manage the „Green View Lodge“ in Bathandi. There is no night life on the trek; people sleep early. The way to Ghorapani is a gentle up and down through oak and rhododendron forests. With luck you can see some monkeys. You stay at best in Ghorapani with the Mountain View to the Dhaulagiri (8.167m)
Green View Lodge Banthandi.
....click on Photo to enlarge
Second day: Ghorapani-Tatopanie
Most of the people get up before sunrise to climb the view point "Poon Hill" for the unobstructed panorama of the "Daulaghiri","Nilgiri" and "Annapurna". Follow the torches in the early morning. The ascend takes about 40 minutes. The panorama from below isnearly the same, so you can sleep late without missing anything, but make your own opinion..Poon Hill - "view to the Dhaulagiri 8167m " ....click on Photo to enlarge
After breakfast the way to Tatopani descend in staircases. You need six hours to go to Tatopani, even if it is always going down, don’t underestimate the time you need. The constant going down stress your knees and you will be happy that you have bought a walking cane. The way displays many views to the Dhaulagiri on the left, to rice terraces on the right and you cross some small villages full of peasant life. From Ghara the trek makes a steep descend to the suspension bridges of the Ghara Kola. Stay in Tatopani, the village is bigger and more relaxing than Dana.
I recommend to relax your tired legs in the hot water springs in Tatopani. There are two cement pools down on the banks of the rivers.
Third Day: Tatopani - Kalopani
Your path continues along the river to Dana, which consists of three villages. You may loose the way in Dana, you must cross the streamto the old part of Dana. In Rupse Chara pass the waterfall, ask the people for the way until you reach the suspension bridge. After thebridge the pass ascend steep for one kilometer. Then the pass is smooth till the second suspension bridge not far from Ghara (2080m), the first settlement with Tibetan culture. After Ghara the trail continues through pine forest in a gentle up and down for a longer time, until you reach the suspension bridge to Lete, which is only a few serpentines up. Lete and Kalopanie is one long stretched settlement, which ends near the Technical School. I don't fancy this village much, but there are nice views of the Annapurna, the three Nilgiris and Dhaulagiri in the morning.
Fourth Day: Kalopani-Marpha
After crossing the suspension bridge the trail is predominant flat along the Ghatta Kola with its large riverbed. Wild Cannabis plantsgrow at the wayside. After the suspension bridge keep right along the riverbed and your soon reach Larjung and Khobang, two niceTibetan settlements. Tukuche is an old trading post, where traders from Tibet and Nepal met, to barter with salt and wool from Tibet andrice and grain from Nepal. Today the peasants cultivate apricot, pear and apples, try apple, pear or apricot brandy...Tukuche ...click on Photo to enlarge
Very interesting are the typical "Thakali" houses with patios, woodcarving windows, doorways and balconies. The two Buddha temple are worth a visit, taking photos are allowed, a small donation (20-50 Rs) is asked.....Thakali House.-...
....Cannabis click on Photo to enlarge
Stay in Tukuche or better in Marpha, a nice Tibetan town but not in the boring Jonsom. There is a lot of accommodation in Marpha, theTibetan Temple towers the town, and it resembles a miniature version of the temple in Lhasa.
Fifth day Marpha-Kagbeni (or Muktinah)... Marpha ..
...Tibetan Temple ..click on Photo to enlarge
..Kagbeni ..click on Photo to enlarge
It takes a two hours walk to Jonsom. It's a good idea to organize in Jonsom a flight ticket back to Pokhara, leaving the organization to a hotel has proven as unreliable. If you arrive before 10 a.m. in Jonsom you can reach Muktinah at the same day. Kagbeni is a medieval town with mud houses and narrow alleyways. From here begins the Mustang trek northward to the walled city of Mustang. You have to pay a minimum of 700 Dollar entrance fee. You have to turn right and the last ascend from Kagbeni could be more difficult, when your body slows down because of the altitude. Be aware of altitude sickness.
It’s a good idea to organize in Jonsom an air ticket back to Pokhara, leaving the organization to a hotel has proven as unreliable.
Sixth day: Muktinah
.....click on Photo to enlarge
Muktinah (3.800 m) is an important pilgrim place for Hindus and Buddhists. The temple is about half a kilometer walk above the village.The waterspouts symbol the 108 Hindu temple of Shiva. In a short distance below is the pagoda with the perpetual holy flame, produced from natural gas alongside a spring. The combination of earth, fire and water is responsible for the religious importance of the place.The return way to Jonsom takes 4 to 5 hours. The ticket office of Royal Nepal Airlines was open till 3.30 p.m.
Seventh day: Flight Jonsom-Pokhara:
In Nepal clouds contain rocks. Therefore pilots fly only at good weather conditions in the early morning. A Ticket from Royal Nepal Airline was 52 Dollars, from Cosmic Air 65 Dollars. Cosmic Air should be more reliable. In the high season it is reported that it could be difficult to get on the passenger list, passengers have to wait for some days. If you don't reconfirm you could be off the list, flights often are canceled because of the weather and other reasons. Who can fly follows sometimes not obvious rules. An open ticket is told to be worse than a ticket on an exact day, so be aware that the date of the flight is performed on the ticket. I had no problems getting a ticket for a flight the next day in late November.... click on photo to enlarge
The baggage was controlled thoroughly because of terror attacks. I don't know if they take offense at cannabis; better remove it before.
I reached the Chitwan NP at 4.30 p.m the same day.
Questions, corrections, news, critics, links, suggestions and other feedback are welcome !!
Note: Because English is not my native language, there are mistakes in writing and grammar. It would be kind to mail me 1-5 mistakes you found, if you think this side is helpful for your trip. Thanks!
Mail me:kambodschajoe@hotmail.com
