The Jugal Himal Region is a remote area north of the Kathmandu Valley. The Jugal Himal Mountain Range forms the border between Nepal and Tibet. The main peaks in this mountain range are Dorje Lakpa and Jugal Himal, which tower over 20,000 feet. The trail takes us through the Indrawati Valley gradually up to the Five Holy Lakes and then down through the remote Balephi Valley. We reach a maximum altitude of 14,000 feet at the Five Holy Lakes. The Jugal Himal Trek is an old trade route between Nepal and Tibet, and we will encounter villagers from the Tamang caste among others. This journey will provide us valuable insight into the ancient and primitive culture of this remote region of Nepal, where it may seem as if we stepped back in time for hundreds of years.
After a one and a half hour ride in a private chartered bus, we will start our trek in Sankhu. The first couple of days of the trek we will wander through a tropical-like vegetation with banana trees and bamboo forests. On the third day, the trail climbs gradually through terraced rice fields to an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet. You will begin to see the Hindu and Buddhist cultures exist side by side in the villages we will walk through. The Indrawati Valley is know for its agriculture. As we walk though this valley, we will see the primitive hand tools still used to grow and harvest the crops of potatoes, barley, and wheat. Once the tail starts to ascend up towards the Five Holy Lakes, we will start to notice the abundance of Buddhist stupas (small Buddhist shrines) and mani walls (prayer walls). The Buddhist Sherpas reside in this region, as they believe that the higher they live the closer they are to the gods.
On the fifth day, we will walk through the last village in this valley. The trail climbs up through rhododendron forests and into high alpine meadows. Perched on top of a ridge is a single hut called Nasempati, where we will have unbelievable views of the Himalayas as well as the valley below. We trek above the tree line, along a rocky ridge, to the Five Holy Lakes (Panch Pokhari). The Panch Pokhari are five small ponds nestled in a grassy alp at approximately 13,000 feet at the base of the massive Jugal Himal Range. Standing at the lakes, the mountain range completely surrounds us forming a natural amphitheater.
The following morning, we rise with the sun to trek up to a ridge just above the lakes to view the first sun light as it reflects on the Himalayas. From the ridge, the trail follows a narrow and steep herdsmen's trail down to the Balephi Valley. As we descend some 5,000 feet, we walk through dense jungle to the Upper Balephi Valley. In this valley lies the Chingtang Gompa, which is an old deserted monastery. We will spend an additional day at this site to rest. The Upper Balephi Valley is far more remote than the Indrawati Valley. This valley leads to glaciers and the base of the steep peaks of Dorje Lakpa (22,929 feet). This is the Himalayan boarder of Tibet.
On the ninth day of our trek, we will continue gradually down following the river to the small Sherpa village of Tempatang. The following day, we will reach lower altitudes where the vegetation becomes more tropical. The trail winds through wide terraced rice fields and past Hindu shrines as we emerge into the village of Jalbire. We will meet many Newari people along the trail during the last few days of our trek. The Newari's carry goods on their backs to be traded in Balephi, such as live chickens, eggs, and rice. Once we reach Balephi, we will return to Kathmandu by private chartered bus (approximately 2.5 hours). We will have an additional rest day in Kathmandu to do more sightseeing and shopping prior to our departure to the US.
For more information, see the detailed itinerary of the Panch Pokhari trek.