Nepal Mountain & Cultural Trek

Transcription

1 Nepal Mountain & Cultural Trek CMC member $3,050, non member $3,355 Dear Fellow Adventurer: Thank you for your interest in the 2018 Nepal Mountain & Cultural Trek. The Colorado Mountain Club s Adventure Travel Program specializes in active vacations and small group itineraries to inspiring destinations around the world. We are thrilled that you are interested in joining the CMC on such an exciting adventure to the Nepalese Himalaya. To apply for a place on the trip, please register online at and pay a $500 deposit. Prior to registering online and paying the deposit, we strongly encourage you to contact the trip leader to discuss the trip and ask any questions you may have. After completing your online registration, the trip leader will provide you with an Adventure Travel Participant Application, Waiver, and Cancellation Policy document for completion. Once accepted, pay the remaining balance by August 9, If you sign up for the trip after August 9, 2018 the entire amount is due at that time. The group will have a maximum of 26 persons including the leader. Accommodation is double occupancy. Accommodation details are described in the itinerary. The trip begins and ends in Kathmandu, Nepal. You will need to arrive in Kathmandu on or before Friday, November 9, Visa information: A tourist visa is required to visit Nepal. Visas are available on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport and at some land borders. To obtain a visa upon arrival by air you must fill out an application form on arrival and provide a passport photograph (note: bring two (2) passportsize photographs and cash). The visa fee must be paid at this time. A single entry visa costs: For a visit of less than 15 days, the visa fee is $25 Less than one month is $40 More than one month is $100 Colorado Mountain Club Adventure Travel Page 1

2 The price of the trip is $3,050 for CMC members and $3,355 for non menbers. What s included in the price: 10 day trek into the Nepal Himalaya, including a single night stay in the leader s home village Outfitter, guides and porters, private chef, kitchen crew and assistant guides Ground transportation including airport pick up and drop off Accommodation: 3 night stay in Kathmandu hotel, 4 night stay in tent camp, 2 night stay in a lodge, and a single night home stay in the leader s village Government permits and National Park fees All sightseeing fees Two domestic flights Camping equipment, including tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad All meals, snacks and non alcoholic beverages Tips for the outfitter, guides and porters, van driver, meals and lodging What s not included in the price: Suggested travel insurance RT airfare to/from Kathmandu Nepal Visa fee Emergency medical costs Awesome souvenirs Any additional meals you wish to purchase Alcoholic beverages Laundry International telephone calls The physical challenge level on this trip will be moderate to slightly strenuous during certain activities. Participants must have previous hiking experience. Please contact the leader with any questions. Please call or the trip leader if you have questions. Karma Sherpa karmasherpaus@yahoo.com Colorado Mountain Club Adventure Travel Page 2

3 1 November 9, 2018 Friday Arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal and transfer to hotel Most international flights arrive in Kathmandu in the afternoon. Our guide will meet you outside the customs area at the airport. He/she will answer any questions you might have and brief you about the immediate arrangements. The trip guide will hold a short briefing at the hotel regarding the trek arrangement and general orientation. Overnight in Kathmandu hotel. Hotel Utse 2 November 10 Saturday Flight to Phaplu (elevation 9254 ) and hike to Junbesi (6 7 miles, ~3 hours; 1338 elevation gain) This morning we will transfer to the domestic airport where our guide will fly with us to Phaplu (2450m). It is a spectacular flight over the Kathmandu valley and Himalayan range when weather is clear. This exciting flight will bring us to Phaplu airport; the flight is about 25 minutes. Upon arrival in Phaplu, we will meet with our Sherpa team and begin the trek to Junbesi. We ll follow a beautiful trail along the Dudh Koshi River and reach the beautiful Sherpa village of Junbesi, (elevation 9254 ) one of the largest Sherpa villages in the area. We will also visit a school founded by Sir Edmund Hillary and a very beautiful monastery. Overnight in tents. Camping Adventure Travel Trip Detailed Itinerary Page 1 1/26/2018

4 3 November 11 Sunday Visit Thuptenchholing Monastery and hike to Sinsare Danda (7 8 miles, ~4 5 hours; 1746 elevation gain) After breakfast we will hike to Thubten Chholing. The valley of Junbesi Khola runs north towards Thubten Chholing Monastery, a huge Tibetan Buddhist Monastery founded by the revered Lama Trulsik Rinpoche, who fled to Nepal from Rongbuk Gompa in Tibet with a large group of Anis (nuns) and monks in the 1960s. Since then, many more refugees have fled to Thubten Chholing en route to join the Dalai Lama at Dharamsala in India. The small monastic cells dotted around the hillside are reserved for private meditation by resident monks and nuns. The trail to Thupten Choling starts in front of the Junbesi Gompa and follows the west bank of the Junbesi Khola river upstream past a Chhorten. We cross to the east bank by the power house at Mopung, and then climb the ridge to the Gompa. After a visit to the Monastery, we will hike to Sinsare Danda (elevation 11,000 ). Overnight in tents. Camping Adventure Travel Trip Detailed Itinerary Page 2 1/26/2018

5 4 November 12 Monday 5 November 13 Tuesday Hike to Sasura Beni (8 9 miles, ~4 5 hours; 2000 elevation gain) Today our trail continues gradual uphill until we reach Sasura Beni (elevation 13,000 ). This beautiful open area is situated below the secret Mountain of this region. Local people bring their yaks up here during the monsoon season. Overnight in tents. Hike to Dudh Kunda and back to Sasura Beni (6 7 miles, ~4 5 hours; 2000 elevation gain) After breakfast, we will hike up to Dudh Kundh (elevation 15,000 ) which means milky lake. We will have magnificient views of three secret mountains of this region Numbur (6959m), Karyalung (6681m) and Khatanga. We will hike back to Sasura Beni and overnight at tents. Camping Camping Adventure Travel Trip Detailed Itinerary Page 3 1/26/2018

6 6 November 14 Wednesday 7 November 15 Thursday Hike to Chhulemu (Karma s village) (8 9 miles; ~5 6 hours; 6000 elevation loss) Today our trek takes us down to the Sherpa village of Chhulemu (elevation 7000 ). We will spend the day visiting Sherpa houses and visiting our staff s families and enjoying authentic Sherpa tea and food. In the evening there will be a gathering party with local Sherpa people drinking local beer (chang) and dancing, which is very fun and an excellent way to experience the local culture. Overnight in local home stay. Hike to Taksindu Monastery (5 miles, ~2 hours; 1000 elevation gain) Today we will take short hike to Taksindu (elevation 9000 ). Upon arrival in Taksindu, we will participate in a prayer ceremony in Taksindu Monastery. This monastery is very old and the monk and nun here practice renouncing the mundane existence. We will observe the practice and prayer and we also do some community works such a picking up trash around there. Overnight in lodge. Local home stay Lodge Adventure Travel Trip Detailed Itinerary Page 4 1/26/2018

7 8 November 16 Friday Hike to Phaplu (7 miles; ~4 5 hours; 1040 elevation loss) Today our final beautiful hike will bring us to Phaplu (elevation 7916 ) where we will celebrate our final day of the trip with our local guides. Overnight in lodge. Lodge 9 November 17 Saturday Fly back to Kathmandu (30 minute flight) Today we will fly to Kathmandu (elevation 4593 ) and transfer to our hotel. We ll have plenty of time for relaxing or shopping. Overnight in Kathmandu hotel. Hotel Utse Adventure Travel Trip Detailed Itinerary Page 5 1/26/2018

8 10 November 18 Sunday 11 November 19 Monday Sightseeing in Kathmandu (5 6 hours) Our final day together takes us sightseeing to Shambunath (known as Monkey Temple) and Bhudhanath (the largest stupa in Nepal). Shaymbunath, means self existential. It is also known as the Monkey Temple, a Buddhist temple that s fabled to come from the Lotus flower. Visit the Baudhanath, the largest and tallest Buddhist stupa. There are also many shops, restaurants, and religious activities to observe! Overnight in Kathmandu hotel. Home or onward travel After breakfast together, participants will be escorted from our hotel to the airport for completion of your once in a lifetime journey to Himalaya! Hotel Utse Adventure Travel Trip Detailed Itinerary Page 6 1/26/2018