Khumbu -> Salpa-Arun

[rich]

yes - i know this route out and its fantastic - and a well kept secret.

yes there are enough facilities - although sometimes they can be fairly basic they are on the whole very good considering the very low amount of tourist traffic.

the terrain is quite tough but certainly a little easier if your headed down from Khumbu although there are still three or four decent up and downs.

just make sure you have biscuits in your pack for lunch. generally dal bhat for dinner.

email me if you want more details.
rich.beatson@xtra.co.nz

[rich]

personally i did this

Puiyan-Pangkoma-Najing Dingma-Bung-somewhere between Guidel and Sonam-Salpa Phedi-somehouse halfway down the other side of Nepalidanda hill-tumlingtar-flew out to KTM.

suggest you print out this info and take it with you.

hotels as i remember them with some comment: - some may be open some maybe not (placenames may vary)

a hotel means its habitable.

Puiyan - plenty
Pangkoma - atleast 3
Basne - atleast 2 not good
Najing dingma - 2
monastry (upper hongu) - 1
Bung - 2 or 3 atleast
Guidel - 2 or 3 atleast
somewhere between Sonam and guidel - 1
Sonam - 2
Thulo Fokte - 2 or 3
Salpa Phedi - 2
further from Salpa phedi - being built May 2001
Nepalidanda hill - your on your own- best to try to get to the Arun.
plenty of places once you get to the Arun River


there are a few other opportunities along the way - some very impropmtu and all the better for it.

generally food prices are very very reasonable. also there is no menu system at all hotels i found - so agree prices for food as you order it. i remember being taken aback when charged 50NR for a small instant coffee, until i was told that the owners had gone to Kathmandu especially to get the tin! perhaps they were pulling my leg.

r.

[rich]

you should be just fine if you allow a week Puiyan - Tumlingtar - there are probably some things slightly off the route to see also.

i found it difficult to get a good small scale map of the route. its good to ask directions when you can but on the whole the route is not hard to follow except for one or two exceptions

The description of the route as found in Lonely planet is fairly good. i think there is also a brief one in the Trailblazer-Everest guidebook...

however, both guidebook descriptions go to hell as you cross the big confusing final hill at Dhobane - you generally just have to follow your nose over this hill till you meet and cross the Arun at the big bridge at Kartike Pul. The must be a few other routes other than the one i took here. i ended up going cross country over fences and padis until it got to late and i had to find some shelter.

avoid the heat of the day in the Arun valley - i teleported back to KTM from Tumlingtar airport almost immediately on arrival to escape the draining heat. however apparently the going is fairly easy if you continue on to Hille.