This trek was officially opened to tourists in 1991, but mountaineering expeditions have long had access to the area. In 1950 a party led by HW Tilman trekked from Thonje to Bimtang and Colonel Jimmy Roberts crossed the Larkya La looking for an interesting mountain to climb. Manaslu (8156m.) was attempted by Japanese expeditions every year from 1952 until 1956, when the first ascent was made. It thus became known as a 'Japanese mountain', and much of the information about the area was available only in Japanese. The Japanese continued to dominate the climbing scene on Manaslu until 1971. A few trekkers, including the peripatetic Hugh Swift, managed to obtain trekking permits for the region, but otherwise this trek has always been the domain of the mountaineering expedition. The book Honey Hunters of Nepal, by Eric Valli and Dianne Summers, makes good background reading for this area.
The Larkya La is not a difficult pass, in many places the walls of the Buri Gandaki valley are perpendicular, and so you cannot walk along the bottom of the valley. There is a huge amount of wasted climbing involved during the first part of the trek as you climb up and down over ridges or onto shelves to bypass cliffs. The trail is rough and steep and it often literally hangs on a bluff high above the river. The trek is remote and has no rescue facilities or opportunities to bail out if you are tired. The trek is geographically spectacular and culturally fascinating. The inhabitants of the upper Buri Gandaki, a region known as Nupri ('the western mountains'), are direct descendants of Tibetan immigrants. Their speech, dress and customs are almost exclusively Tibetan. There is still continuous trade between Nupri and Tibet; Chinese cigarettes, for example, are found more frequently than Nepali cigarettes. The mountain views in Nupri are sensational and the crossing of the Larkya La is one of the most dramatic of any pass in the Himalaya. Because much of this trek is in a region of strong Tibetan influence, most places have Tibetan names in addition to their better know Nepal monikers.
Fact about the trip
Duration: 21days
Starting point: GOrkha
Ending point: Beshishaar
Highest access on the trek: Larke pass (5100m)
Mode of trekking: Camping
Most attraction of the trek: Mixed culture, Tibetan inhabitant Himalayan range, lake, rich flora
Trekking grade: Strenuous
Best Time: Sep / Oct & March / May
Itinerary:
Day01: Arrival in Kathmandu, hotel transfer
Day02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Day03: Drive from Kathmandu to Arughat Bazaar (570m/7hrs).
Day04: Trek from Arughat Bazaar to Soti Khola (530m/6hrs).
Day05: Trek from Soti Khola to Machha Khola (890m/6hrs).
Day06: Trek from Machha Khola to Jagat (1350m/6hrs).
Day07: Trek from Jagat to Philim (1700m/3hrs).
Day08: Trek Philim to Deng (2095m/6hrs)
Day09: Trek Deng to Namrung (2900m/5hrs
Day10: Trek Namrung to Lhogaon (3100m/4hrs).
Day11: Trek Lhogaon to Samagaon (3390m/4hrs).
Day12: Acclimatization day:
Day13: Trek from Samagaon to Samdo (3690m/4hrs)
Day14: Trek from Samdo to Larkya La Phedi (4460m/3hrs).
Day15: Trek Larkya La Phedi-(Pass) (5135m.) to Bimthang (3590 m/8hrs)
Day16: Trek from Bimthang to Dharapani (1860 m/4hrs
Day17: Trek from Dharapani to Jagat (1800m/6hrs).
Day18: Trek from Jagat to Nagdi (850m/5hrs).
Day19: Trek from Nagdi to Besishahar (823m/5hrs
Day20: Drive from Besisahar to Kathmandu (7hrs).
Day21: Visit Kathmandu valley
Day22: Departure
Group Size: 2 to 14 in one departures
Per person cost: US $ 1675
Cost Include
• 4 nights hotel accommodation in Kathmandu
• Private minibus transfer
• Tent accommodation during trekking
• Trekking permit and national parks entry fees
• Supporting staff and porters
• Cooking utensil and fuels-
• Tents and mattresses
• Necessary foods supply during trek
• Insurance for trekking staff
Cost not include
• Meals in Kathmandu
• Monuments entrance fee in Kathmandu
• Alcoholic drinks, and Bottled water during trek
• Personal nature expenses
• Tipping for trekking staff
• Anything that not mentioned in cost include section