Trekking in the Khumbu and the crossing of
the Renjo La 5417m
November 2005
 10
hardy men and one brave woman stepped onto the tarmac in Kathmandu on
October 25th this year. It was my 24th time to walk into the Nepal sunshine,
and my 28th group trek.
Our dream group was made up of 4 past trek leaders, Gary Coopland and
Merv Cavers from Winnipeg, Ross Macdonald from Calgary and myself. Don,
our son joined me for his first Nepal experience, and made the trek
even more special. David Gartshore left Oakland CA to be with Andreas
Poulsson of Vancouver, George Brazier and his brother-in-law Dr. David
Cannell came from Vancouver, and Leny and Jim Richardson chose to cross
the Renjo La as an extension of their honeymoon. And to complete the
perfect group, Tashi Sherpa, our partner and long-time friend, joined
from Kathmandu.
Until recently, the Renjo pass has been closed due to the politically
sensitive valley of Bhote Kosi. At the head of the valley is the Nangpa
pass to Tibet, the main escape route for Tibetan refugees fleeing their
Chinese occupiers.
We flew to Lukla, walked to Namche Bazar with a mass of other trekkers
mostly from Europe and Japan, and then left the crowds to go up the
valley to Thame at 3,800 metres. Most of us, that is. George Brazier
and David Gartshore were stalled in Namche with flu symptoms and hypothermia.
The Bhote Kosi valley is uninhabited above Thame, and we discovered
the reason for this. The high and dry Tibetan plateau heats up during
the day sucking dense cool air from the lower Nepali Khumbu region causing
high winds. Making the trek especially tough was an enormous boulder
field at 4800m. Here, the trail became precarious for trekkers and porters
as it crosses the Nangpa glacier. It took us 1 1/2 hrs hopping from
boulder to boulder to cross the moraine, only to find a campsite that
was totally exposed to the elements. An afternoon exploratory trip towards
the pass and the Tibetan border revealed gorgeous views of the western
flank of Cho Oyu, the 8th highest mountain in the world. Dinner was
called for 6:30. With the temperature in the dining tent reading –11c
and the wind blowing hard, we knew we were in for a cold night! Later
that evening, the thermometer plunged to a bone chilling –16c
degrees.
The following morning, Leney, Jim and Andreas, suffering from altitude
and colds, left camp to return to Namche. The remaining six descended
to the 4200m campsite in preparation to cross the pass the following
morning. Once again, there were more casualties and for the first time
ever, I was one of them, waking to bronchitis. Merv was sick with the
“Khumbu cough” so we simply had to descend. That left Don,
Ross, David and Gary to cross the pass to the Gokyo valley!
Our original group of eleven was now split into four parts; Jim, Leney
and Andreas on their way to Tengboche Monastery, George and David (now
recovered) climbing to Gokyo to meet the healthy four and Gord and Merv
headed down to the warmth of a lodge in Thame. Who would have thought
our merry band would become so scattered by day 7 of a 14 day trek!
We were reunited on Day 12 in Namche. The weather had returned to the
warm, still days typical of early November in the Khumbu. Everyone had
made the best of their time and felt fulfilled. George and David climbed
Gokyo Ri. Jim, Leney and Andreas enjoyed Tengboche Monastery, the summitters
had the pleasure of flying the group prayer flags from the Renjo la
in sight of Everest, and Merv and Gord (the old dogs) relaxed in the
warmth of a Thame lodge and enjoyed the care and attention of Dr. Kami
Sherpa (who was on his day off from the Kunde / Hillary hospital).
Trip observations:
- We experienced 14 days of unrelenting sunshine and great views,
and came to understand the rigours of the Tibetan escape route into
Nepal.
- we passed many trekkers on the lower trails leading up to Namche.
The Khumbu is reaping the benefit of the restrictive Maoist actions
in the Annapurnas and other major trek areas. Many new lodges have
been built in the Khumbu, particularly between Lukla and Namche. Comfortable
lodges are now available for trekking throughout the Khumbu. Tent
travel is on the wane.
- The Lukla airstrip (700m in length) is now paved. Canadian Twin
Otter and German Dornier aircraft arrive at first light in waves of
four. Their turnaround time is 5 minutes. The terminal operates like
a Swiss watch!
- We delighted in re-uniting with our many Sherpa friends in the Khumbu,
and enjoyed our ‘home-away-from-home’ - the Kathmandu
Guest House and the outstanding hospitality of Rajan Sakya, Uttam
Phuyal and staff.
- Tourism is obviously down in Kathmandu. The stores are less crowded
– the streets of Thamel not full. There is a temporary peace
in Nepal. But the two sides are so far apart that it is hard to imagine
that there will not be more confrontations before their political
problems are solved.
- The country is safe for travel, even in Maoist controlled areas
such as the Annapurnas. Tourists are welcomed for their currency –
a one-time fee is charged by the Maoists in all trekking areas other
than the Khumbu.
We celebrated our return to Kathmandu with a fine wind-up dinner at
the Thamel House, a menu of upscale Nepali food, rakshi and beer, a
few emotional tears, and many complimentary speeches.
After five years away from Nepal, I felt privileged and a sense of
deep pleasure to be able to return with close friends and family to
the Nepali people and their beautiful country!
~ Gord
^ back to top
Adventure in Annapurna
...in search of the sacred Kare Tal
Our group of eight hardy trekkers left Kathmandu bound for the west
shoulder of Annapurna South. There, nestled at the foot of Annapurna
lies Kare Tal, one of the three sacred lakes in Nepal. Each year thousands
of devout Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims climb through the wilderness at
full moon in August to perform puja (prayers) by the tiny lakeside shrine
at 15,000'. We planned to follow these footsteps in the usually perfect
fall weather. We had done this many times before and looked forward
to our return with eager anticipation. It was not to be.
The Copra Ridge trek is rated strenuous. Over the first 6 days the
route climbs 9,000' to reach an exposed ridge looking down into the
Kali Gandaki gorge which is three times the depth of the Grand Canyon,
and across and up at Dhaulagiri the world's sixth highest mountain.
Above the campsite tower Nilgiri, Annapurna l and Annapurna South. The
panorama is truly awesome.
On day four we noticed high cirrus clouds forming. By the next day our
worst fears were confirmed - a low pressure system was moving in. During
the night, on our magic ridge we heard rain on the tent. Our plan to
move to the high campsite at 14,000' was postponed 24 hours while we
waited for the system to pass. Enveloped in rain and cloud we spent
the day playing cards in the dining tent. A lottery was held as to when
the storm would pass. We watched the snow line above us move ominously
closer. A second stormy night in the tent dashed our hopes. By morning,
with the temperature at +2c and our campsite enveloped in cloud, we
aborted the climb. Sadly, we broke camp and escaped to warmer and safer
elevations acknowledging another lesson from the mountains on expectations.
In 5 hours we descended 5,000' to bamboo forests, water falls, orchids
and abundant bird life.
The following day in bright sunshine, we joined other trekkers and
donkey trains on the busy trading trail to Tibet. The stormy nights
at high elevations were replaced by warm campsites, local dancing and
lush surroundings. Our final night was spent at Birethanti, a Magar
village next to the rushing Modi Khola, where we celebrated our adventure
with San Miguel beer. While we did not achieve one objective we did
enjoy a high adventure in the Annapurnas. Maybe next time?
Gord and Gail Konantz
^ back to top
Tea with the King
Mustang's culture and landscape are Tibetan, but the area was incorporated
into the modern kingdom of Nepal in the eighteenth century. We arrived
tired and dirty in the ancient fifteenth century walled city of Lo Manthang,
the capital of the kingdom. It really was, as Michel Peissel described,
"the mythical fortress of a lost planet; in a lunar landscape of barren
crests with jagged contours...a fortified town, whose rectangular bastion
enclosed in its shelter a whole city."
We had hoped to meet King Jigme Palbar Bista, but learned that he
was planning to leave at six o'clock the following morning. It was a
now-or-never opportunity, so, grabbing ceremonial katas (scarves), we
rushed to the palace. We were ushered into a meeting room, served Tibetan
tea by the Queen's niece and we talked to the King through an interpreter.
We learned a great deal about the problems of the people of Lo, the
status of their schools, and his expectations for the future. Our audience
with the king was the highlight of a trek through a dry and dusty but
magnificent land, with its rocky ravines and high passes.
The trek followed the ancient salt route between Tibet and India - still
used today, but not for salt. Now modern goods are carried by the Tibetan
ponies, including jeans and other manufactured items coming from India,
and wool products and goats going south in return. This is not the Nepal
of lush green valleys, but of dry dun-coloured rolling hills and high
plateaus. Tibetan is the spoken language, and the villages are dominated
by large monasteries and forts.
Travelling from Kathmandu by helicopter we arrived in the administrative
village of Jomson at 8,900', to acclimatize prior to starting our climb
to higher elevations. Here we met our support staff of cooks and sherpas,
and the nine ponies that were to carry all our food and camping gear.
Moving up the Kali Gandaki valley, we passed through villages with strange
sounding names like Kagbeni, Tangbe, and Chhuksang. Then the work started,
as we followed the Golden Staircase, a tough climb carved out of the
side of a great gorge. Our reward was a delightful campsite and fine
food, at the village of Samar.
At Tsarang we pitched our tents on the roof of a house owned by the
King's nephew, Tsewang Bista, a twenty-eight year old who gave us our
first understanding of how life was changing in Mustang. The landscape,
however, is eternal, and a few more hours of walking led us to a magnificent
view overlooking the medieval city of Lo Manthang, and the prospect
of tea with the King.
Gary Coopland
| The 13 day MUSTANG trek (150 km.- rated 'Challenging')
is a custom trip. Permits are limited and a government liaison
officer is required. Air transport is used from Kathmandu to Jomson
near the Mustang border. |
^ back to top
A Grand Sherpa Wedding at Namche
Kalden and Ang Kenji Sherpa, who live and work in Vancouver, were married
November 22 in a traditional Sherpa wedding at Namche Bazar in the Khumbu.
This astrologically auspicious day, chosen specifically by the lama
of Tengboche, brought together the family of Kalden Sherpa from Sallung
(5 days walk from Namche) and the family of Ang Kenji Sherpa of Namche.
A Buddhist wedding does not feature the bride and groom as in our culture.
Instead, it is the coming together of two families, much exchanging
of katas (ceremonial scarves) and a sequence of traditional ceremonies
over a five hour period. The host family ensures that guests' glasses
are constantly topped up with tea, chhang (beer), or scotch (served
from 3 litre bottles) throughout the day. Juniper branches are burned
in the courtyard as a ritual cleansing, and prayer flags decorate the
walls and houses.
To open the ceremonies, a welcome speech by the Lama praised the qualities
of those in the room with great wit, to judge by the gales of laughter
and rejoinders that came from the audience. The activities then include
a Tibetan blessing of the house, the food and the families. the reading
of the bride's dowry (land, carpets, jewelry, etc.) and a short service
joining the bride and groom. The wedding represents the 'transfer' of
the bride from her family to her husband's family. It is a highly emotional
moment for everyone, and distressing for the bride. She presents gifts
to each member of her family as her parting gesture.
The service is followed by dinner and dancing. Sherpa dancing is performed
in a line. Three or more men link arms and with one person singing and
chanting, a complicated series of steps follow. Alternately, everyone
dances in the standard traditional way to music from a large stringed
instrument while the host circles the room filling up glasses with an
encouraging "che, che, che"...(drink up).
Sherpa wedding clothes and jewellery are outstanding. Men wear long
black cloaks, high leather boots and rumpled fedoras. The groom, resplendent
in yellow brocade, crowned with a red boater style hat, looked like
an Oriental potentate. The women were dressed in colourful brocade decorated
with lavish necklaces of zei stones and gold and silver boxes encrusted
with turquoise, coral and pearls. Many of the brocade pill-box style
hats were trimmed with panels of fox fur.
And if this was not enough, one had only to look up at the snowcapped
peaks of the surrounding mountains, towering 13,000 feet over the village,
to feel that the scene was complete. In sparkling sunshine, it was indeed
an auspicious day for the wedded couple, as well as a privilege for
two wide-eyed Canadians!
Gord Konantz / Ross Macdonald
^ back to top
Seven Days in Tibet
Golden temples, reincarnate lamas and colourful pilgrims - this is the
Shangri La that bring to our minds memories of the magical world of
childhood fairy tales.
It is now possible to fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa in an hour, surely
one of the most spectacular flights in the world. Our plane floats along
the Himalayan Range taking a left turn around Mount Everest. At this
point the white mountains stretch to the horizon separating the lush
greenery of Nepal from the dry moonscape of Tibet. We land at 12,000
feet and are met by our guide Phubu, to be whisked away in a minibus
along sparkling rivers through high rocky folds for the 1 1/2 hour drive
into Lhasa. We expected poor food from all we had heard, but are delighted
to find that every meal is a seven course feast in all our Chinese hotels.
Travelling by bus from Lhasa to Gyantse and Shigatse over several
days, we were witness to many wonders - chanting red robed monks, prayer
flags on high passes, a yak skin boat on a turquoise lake, glorious
fifteenth century paintings in a mandala shaped temple, small horses
threshing grain, or pulling entire families to market hitched to two
wheeled carts, and always the smiling faces of the Tibetan people. The
contrast between the Tibetans and the Chinese was palpable, and it was
difficult not to make comparisons - hospitable and warm versus stern
and cold, colourful and spiritual versus drab and practical.
Tibetan women are beautiful. They circle the Jokhang temple spinning
prayer wheels, with turquoise and silver twined into their shiny black
braids. The men wear multicoloured hand-woven cloaks lined in lambskin.
Is this the 20th century or have we somehow been transported back on
a magic carpet to the 10th century pilgrimages that we read about in
our history books?
Temple roofs are sheathed in gold with dharma wheels and snow lion
gargoyles glimmering in the sun. Inside, colours of ochre, red, maroon,
vermilion and gold surround us and the statues of Buddhas and Lamas
glow in the soft light of hundreds of butter lamps. Brightly painted
wrathful gods recall the Last Judgments of 10th century France. The
devoted pilgrims prostrate themselves before the deities on paving stones
worn into deep furrows by the thousands who have preceeded them. They
brush by us making their offerings of butter, silk scarves and money,
touching their foreheads to the base of the gods in respect.
The Chinese are busy rebuilding some temples and repairing others,
for this is what the tourists come to see. Surveillance cameras line
rooftops, the monasteries are empty, the prisons full and Tibetans are
restricted in their activities. For now, the borders are open to tourists
travelling in groups.
We felt privileged to see Tibet. It affected us all and changed us
in a profound way that is difficult to put into words.
Gail Konantz
^ back to top
Minding the Himalayan Environment
Nepal, the size of Washington state, has a population of 22 million.
It has one of the lowest GNPs' in the world, and with a geography that
seems to be designed for yaks and mountain goats, it is remarkable that
so many people inhabit such a relatively small space. There is no oil,
gas, or minerals. In some areas forests have been depleted as wood is
used for shelter, heat and cooking by the local people.
Increasing numbers of tourists put an added strain on the environment
while at the same time generating badly needed foreign currency. Now
approximately 150,000 trekkers come to walk on the finest hiking trails
in the world. We often hear about garbage left on trails and in more
remote high places by climbing expeditions, and how efforts are being
made to clean up these areas.
In our ten years of travel to Nepal we have seen major improvements
in the way the Nepalese and travellers treat the environment. The Annapurna
Conservation Area Project (ACAP) provides education for locals in water
preservation, trail cleanliness and lodge hygiene. The Sagarmatha National
Park has strict rules on the cutting of trees by Sherpas and trekking
groups must now use kerosene. Tree planting programs are flourishing.
The Austrian government completed a hydro project in 1995 for the Everest
region that now provides electrical service to Namche and the regional
villages. Instead of 200 loads of woods coming to Namche Bazar every
day, now only 5 loads are brought in. Villages provide weekly cleanup
crews that walk the busy 60 km. trail from Lukla to Tengboche.
As a trekking company bringing people to this mountainous land, we
are committed to responsible travel. Our campsites are left clean and
kerosene is used for kitchen fuel. The lodges we use provide electrical
heat for food preparation and hot water. We support the reforestation
program of the Hillary Foundation.
^ back to top
ROMANTIC RAJASTHAN - Travels in INDIA
Bagwan means god in Hindi. He drives like a god too, and miracles
come to mind when the road appears to be one car wide, and coming towards
you is a herd of goats, two men pushing banana carts, three women in
orange saris balancing water urns on their heads, and one large truck.
Somehow the road expanded to allow passing, and we sink into the back
seat of our Ambassador, pleased that the top speed is a leisurely 70
km/h.
Rajasthan is desert country. Silver sage, Cerulean blue skies and
ochre sand are the dominant colours. But these are punctuated by explosions
of pure colour. Dashing men sporting handle bar moustaches, wear turbans
in yellow, pink and red. Women float along in their lime green, purple
or orange saris. 
Rajasthan is camel country. Nomads herd these odd beasts from watering
hole to market to fair. We see them loping single file along the side
of the road, herding the gangly young ones, or perched precariously
behind the one hump swaying with the beast's ungainly gait.
We stay in Haveli's - small architectural delights built by the flourishing
business class when the Maharajas reigned the land and traded on the
silk route.
Our destination is Jaisalmer, a fairytale fortress town on the full
desert. From a distance it looks just like the sandcastles we built
as children. There are forts at every stop in this part of India with
fabulous carved gates big enough for the elephants to enter. They carried
Royal families then, but now they carry tourists like us. While it is
desert outside the walls, inside there are flowering trees and chattering
green parrots. We visit Jain temples with lace marble domes that are
symphonies in stone. On a busy street in Jaipur, we are staggered to
see a Jain priest walking along in the crowd wearing a string purse
around his shoulder, and nothing else. No one seemed to notice.
And then fabled Udaipur, where we stay at the Jagat Niwas on the lake
overlooking the Lake Palace Hotel and watch the sun's orange ball sink
beyond the hills. Pink light deepens to plum. I was here 18 years ago
and then I remembered the sunset in Udaipur as the most beautiful I
have ever seen. It still is. At dusk, the monkeys swing down from the
temple to the Bhodi tree by our room where they curl in their young
and settle down for the night as the light fades from plum to black
velvet.
For a change of pace, we drive off to Ranthambhore to experience jungle
in this national park and to look for tigers. We were lucky to see three,
a mother strolling with her two cubs.
Back in Delhi, we stay one night before returning to Kathmandu. It's
only an hour's flight. We find it hard to say goodbye to Bagwan at the
airport and promise to return soon. Rajasthan has worked its magic on
us. There's so much more to see and do next time.
^ back to top
NOTES ON TIPPING ETIQUETTE
Trekkers who first experience a third world country are often overwhelmed
by the generosity and gentleness of the local people. They have seldom
encountered such material poverty or such generous natures. Their first
impulse is often to lavish money on the individual people they encounter.
"A hundred bucks is nothing to me and a lot to him" "I feel guilty because
I have so much and I'm going to give him whatever he needs" are some
of the comments we hear. Some trekkers want to bring someone who has
carried their bag or helped them over a stream to what they think is
a better life in our country, or offer them a holiday in their home
town. But pause a minute. You are trekking in a poor country but in
the richer areas where more people have employment. Take those generous
feelings of compassion from your specific encounter and think what you
can really do to help.
That hundred bucks could:
* provide clean water to an entire village
* give a lifetime of sight to two blind children in Nepal
* help to establish a Health Post or a school for medical treatment
and education
Everest Trekking has researched giving programs and chosen several
where not only will your money go directly to the people you want to
help, but in most cases the Canadian International Development Agency
will match it.
Click here to view the charitable organizations
we support.
^ back to top
|
