Trek in Nepal
In April, we took a break from our travels in Southeast Asia and explored the vast Himalayan mountains of Nepal. We were thrilled to have Ryan’s close friend Buddy join us.
Stunning view of our hike in the Langtang National Park
Tamang Heritage Trail
Nepal offers a lifetime worth of incredible hikes at a variety of skill levels to choose from. We decided to embark upon a multi-day trek that wasn’t technically difficult but promised to reward us with spectacular landscapes and provide a small glimpse into one of Nepal’s many ethnic communities.
We chose a week-long trek on the Tamang Heritage trail located in the Langtang National Park. The park sits north of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, on the border with Tibet. The Nepali government established this trail as part of an initiative to improve access to this stunning region and bring revenue to the villages less-frequented by travelers. The trail involves treks up and down switchbacks to get from one Tamang village to another. Unlike other treks which often revolve around the goal of summiting a mountain peak, the purpose of this trek surrounds the journey of going from village to village, enjoying each community’s hospitality along the way.
Our trekking team consisted of an English-speaking guide, Tasi, and two porters, Kaji and Pemba. Tasi and Kaji presented themselves as seasoned sherpas with Pemba as a young man taken in under their wing.
Driving to the National Park
The drive from Kathmandu north to Langtang National Park is just 140km. By Jeep, the trip lasts approximately seven hours. It is a narrow dirt road, carved into the wall of the mountain canyons, thick with truck traffic and smog. Our driver insisted on cutting the inside corner of every blind turn around the sharp mountain bends with Speed Racer-like confidence. He also didn’t hesitate to split imaginary lanes with a car on one side and a steep cliff drop-off on the other.
On our drive, we approached a washed out section of steep road with policemen present on the scene, a rare site on the remote mountains. We watched for several minutes as trucks and buses struggled, one-by-one, to pass over the loose dirt. When it was our turn to attempt the travers, the police officer waived us through the bottleneck. We made it halfway up the dirt embankment before losing all momentum and skidding to a stop. Our driver reversed down the hill carefully for our next attempt, making sure to back up all the way to the cliff’s edge for maximum run-up. Pausing for a moment to take a deep breath before sinking his foot into the gas pedal, the Jeep lurched forward and jerked to and fro as the driver struggled to maintain control. I was in the backseat with my eyes-closed, curled up in a ball, wondering what we had gotten ourselves into.
The Trek
We began our first day out of the small hiking town of Syabrubesi. This would be the largest town we saw for a week and boasted such luxuries as an ATM and a pharmacy.
After a full night’s rest and a hearty breakfast, we began hiking up the mountain and out of the town. As we made our way up the steep hill, we heard the sound of a phone connecting to a bluetooth speaker. We soon discovered Kaji, our older porter, enjoys playing traditional Nepali music to herald our imminent arrival and departure from a village. The undulating beats of the Nepali strings and percussion filled our ears with a soundtrack that perfectly complemented the majestic Himalayan landscapes and small villages nestled into the sides of the mountain. If we happened upon a group of villagers staring at us with curious expressions, Kaji then would start to sway his hips and move his arms artistically through the air almost as if he was pretending his arms were wings. Ryan, Buddy, and I were so charmed by Kaji’s love of music and dance that we soon joined in with our own makeshift dance. Our silliness, without fail, brought a smile to any onlooker’s face.
Our meals each day took place at a small inn or restaurant. Throughout the Tamang villages, we found that every menu was almost identical. They featured a wide range of “Mo-mo” dumplings (a fan favorite of ours), Nepali-style ramen, chaomein, spaghetti, pizza, mullet, porridge, pancakes, and chapati bread. We rarely saw meat. After taking our order, the innkeeper would then venture out to their local food stand to gather the ingredients to make our meal. In order to save time, we usually ordered the more complicated meals for dinner. At lunch, we would order the dish the host always had ready and on-hand…dal bhat!
“Dal Bhat” is a meal that is such a staple in the mountains that it has developed its own poetic catchphrase: “Dal Bhat power, 24 hour.” Simply mentioning the dish to our sherpa Tasi would bring happiness to his face in the form of an ear to ear grin, bright eyes, and a big laugh. He seemed to appreciate the nourishment of the dish. In reality, “dal” stands for a kind of lentil soup and “bhat” stands for steamed rice. They’re often served on a flat plate with pickled vegetables and a kind of stewed spinach. I enjoyed the dish well enough, but after a few days we had to resort to some of the other typical menu offerings to help Ryan enjoy his food a little more.
As we approached our destination village each evening, Tasi would start asking villagers along the road where we could go to find lodging for the night. They’d point to an inn that was open whereby Tasi would secure our room for the night. While we got settled and drank an assortment of tea, the inn keeper would get started on dinner. Shortly into the trip we discovered that our guides also served as helpers to our innkeepers wherever we went. Kaji, who owns some restaurants in Kathmandu, would immediately invite himself into the kitchen to help prepare our meals.
We found our lodgings to be quite comfortable. We stayed in our own rooms and shared a bathroom. If we paid extra, we could take a hot shower. In each inn, we discovered a curious architectural feature to secure doors. On each side of the door, there was a sliding-latch lock. This means the door can be secured from both inside and outside the door.
After a few days on the trail, we settled into a typical morning routine. We got up for breakfast at a very reasonable hour of 7am. One morning, while half-asleep, Ryan tried to use the bathroom. He discovered the door was locked but that the outside latch was not. Naturally in his sleepy haze, he resolved to lock the door to match its locked state. His sleepy mind couldn’t seem to imagine the reason for the locked door was also the simplest: the bathroom was already in use. We later discovered Buddy was inside, minding his own business. When Ryan locked the door from the outside, he effectively trapped Buddy in the bathroom until some unsuspecting hiker freed him from his pungent prison. Although Ryan claims to be completely unaware of these actions, Buddy attests to their veracity.
Hands-down, my favorite part of each day were the first two hours of hiking. The sun was low in the sky, illuminating the valley with soft yellow light. These hours were also typically the clearest part of each day before the dust and air pollution had a chance to mar the vistas with smog. As we departed the village to the soundtrack of Kaji’s Nepali music, we walked in a line through the narrow lanes next to peoples homes. I watched as Ryan would run his fingers across the tips of barley as we strolled by fields and fields of grain. The overall impression gave us the distinct feeling of being hobbits from the Lords of the Rings embarking from the Shire on a grand adventure.
Back to Kathmandu
Before we knew it, our trek had ended and we were making our way back to Kathmandu. We truly enjoyed the time we spent with our guides who generously shared with us many facets of Nepali culture, food, and dance. After the tour ended, we met back up with our guides for lunch to reminisce about the trek and enjoy a little more of each other’s company before parting ways. Of all the tours we’ve been fortunate enough to participate in over the last year, this trek with these guides will forever have a special place in our heart. It’s hard to pin down exactly what sets this trek apart. Yet, we are certain a part of it is our guides’ joyful sharing of their country’s rich beauty and culture.
Our remaining few days in Nepal were spent in an exquisitely beautiful historical hotel called the Baber Mahal Vilas. Relaxing at the hotel’s many restaurants, courtyards, or small boutiques was a delightful way to finish a truly memorable trip to Nepal.
