Trekking somewhere slightly different

[cyclingpaul]

I might be able to have a month or two off work later this year ( oh yes!! ) and I'm looking to do a trek in a less frequented area of Nepal. I would like to do a trek of decent length ( 2-3 weeks at least ) going to a reasonably high altitude ( 5000m +) and with some opportunities for side trips and mild exploration. It would more than likely have to be a supported camping style of trek I think.

I have already done a few treks including Langtang/Helambu/Gosainkund, Jiri to EBC & Gokyo, ABC and the circuit, Poon Hill etc, so I was thinking along the lines of maybe somewhere a bit different like Jugal Himal, Ganesh Himal, Manasulu round, and so on. Most of the trekking guidebooks seem to focus on the main routes so I'm finding it hard to get solid information and schedules for other areas. But when you look at a map of Nepal, there seem to be mountains and potential routes everywhere??!!

Any comments would be appreciated, and also first-hand accounts of treks in "unusual" areas of Nepal!!

Thanks,
Paul

[Escher]

Some stuff here (http://www.trekinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15719), and in the sticky threads in the Trek Route Notes forum. Have a look Oli's Kangchenjunga thread too.

[cyclingpaul]

Thanks very much for your comments Escher - I must confess I am not very internet savvy so I'm sure my question must have been asked a million times!!

I think I will also go into Stanfords in London to have a browse at their books. There seem to be a lot more guidebooks around these days, maybe some of the more obscure areas of Nepal are starting to be covered now, e.g. Jugal Himal, Ganesh Himal etc??

[Escher]

I've been looking into some of those places too. I haven't found any dedicated guides for Ganesh or Jugal Himal but the treks are mentioned in the LP Trekking in the Himalaya and the Trailblazer Langtang guide, although not much and probably not anything new for you. There is some really useful stuff on the Project Himalaya website here (http://www.project-himalaya.com/). And Landfall's thread in the Safety and Travel forum about Langtang sounds interesting. Tamang Heritage trail linked up with Helambu and Gosainkunde.

BuddhaMountain who sometimes posts here (and can be found on Flickr here (http://www.flickr.com/people/buddhamountain/)) did a bespoke trek in Western Nepal a couple of years ago. He is worth mailing for some ideas and Andrees' site (http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England/int__england.html) has some off the beaten track info too.

Not been to Stanford's for a while but nothing beats the selection of books and maps in Kathmandu. Oli has stated on a post somewhere on here which is the best Ganesh map to get.

If I was going to do one of these treks soon (unfortunately I am going to have to wait a while) I would email a very experienced guide and try and get them to gather some information for me, I know a couple who I think could help out of the many that will have only done the popular treks.

Please post back any information you do find. Happy hunting.

[Oli]

Stanfords owe me maps! and I've just had email from them that they cant get the Manaslu & Makalu ones I had ordered :( The best choice of maps is the Himalayan Maphouse (http://www.stanfords.co.uk/stock/nepal-himalayan-maphouse-trekking-maps/) range, they are mostly in stock apart from the Ganesh Himal sheet...

For guidebooks, I can recommend this (http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/280/title/kangchenjunga--a-trekker-s-guide) Cicerone book on Kanchenjunga

[cyclingpaul]

Thanks for those very useful comments, I will get on the case over the weekend!

Oli, I have Mandala Map 1/150,000 Manasulu/Ganesh Himal here in the UK that I can loan you if you are struggling with Stanfords?

[Oli]

Thanks for the offer Paul, but I do have some Manaslu maps already. And I'll be making notes on the gaps in my collection so that I can stock up in Thamel when I return in November. :)

[OffBeaten]

Namaste dear felllow trekkers,
I am a "young" (28 y.o) swiss doctor, who loves to trek in remote areas (upper Mustang in 2001, Cordillera Blanca - Peru in 2002, Accross Zanskar and Stok Kangri-Laddhak in 2004) to enjoy the true silence of the mountains and avoid the anty "defilee" of trekkers...
I am now in Kathmandu and organising a trek in the Kachenjunga area to reach the North Base Camp and eventually the South Base camp if the pass inbetween is open. (if you want to get more info, look at www.myhimalayas.com/kangchenjunga_olungchungkola/index.htm)
It would last little more than 3 weeks and wish to start around the 24th of february from Kathmandu.
I have a tent (for 3 persons), a stove, kitchen kit, so you only need to have a sleeping bag and mat (that you can rent in Thamel by the way).
My way is alpine style: light and inexpensive (at best : just us; at most a guide and 1-2 porter: because we have to get the special permit - 10$/week to be allowed to enter there).
So I am looking for other motivated trekkers to attempt this.
Let me know about your desire of doing different in the Himalayas, e-mail-me : spacemiky@hotmail.com.

[Per]

Accross Zanskar and Stok Kangri-Laddhak in 2004) to enjoy the true silence of the mountains and avoid the anty "defilee" of trekkers...

LOL ;) We hiked in Ladakh too. In my view it is one of the best trekking areas in the world. One can hike for weeks. Back in the eighties we made a sport of crossing from Padum to Markha valley through the Khurna gorges.

Chers
Per
Uppsala

[Petrus]

I will be going for a 30 day Manaslu around + Nar-Phu valley system to Ngawal + Tilicho lake to Jomsom trek starting beginning of April, a camping trek 30 days, cost about 1400€ pax for a group of 7. Three times over 5000m. After Jomsom some will fly out, we will contnue on foot to ABC and after that do a quickie EBC trek well acclimatized and trail hardened...

There certainly are a lot of out-of-the-way places, but for practically all of them you need at least a guide. If you can find an accomodating guide those treks could be done "farmhouse style", I am certain, maybe would have to carry a light tent just in case and be prepered to rough it.

[Per]

I will be going for a 30 day Manaslu around + Nar-Phu valley system to Ngawal + Tilicho lake to Jomsom trek starting beginning of April, a camping trek 30 days, cost about 1400€ pax for a group of 7. Three times over 5000m.

Brilliant, Larke and Kang La are easy passes, you go up and then down, nice hiking if the weather does not go nasty. Tilicho is more difficult, as it is relatively far above 5000 metres. The lake might still be frozen. It was when Herzog was there in May. Think they crossed the lake on its ice.

There are some nice hills north of the lake that offers stunning views of the Annapurnas north face and some good scrambles.