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LegVlogToLengthClimbDescentStartEndTopBottomRouteTrailLodgeQualityNotes
2
11Phurumbu9.03109882,4111,6772,4211,67755G3Easy hike along a dirt road.
3
22Chiruwa17.21,3071,7491,6701,2281,7091,22255G3Easy hike along a dirt road.
4
33Sukethum10.59916431,2251,5731,6111,22555G4Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
5
44Amjilosa8.11,2334641,5742,3962,4081,54055G3Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
6
55Gyabla7.51,0387882,3922,7092,7112,37354G5Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
7
67Ghunsa10.51,1234142,7113,4203,4302,66754G5Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
8
78Khangpachen10.69532923,4224,0834,0933,42253G4Trail was occasionally tricky to follow as it traversed landslide areas.
9
810Lhonak9.99372654,0824,7544,7564,08142G1Trail was usually easy to follow with a few tricky areas. I made a mistake and ended up higher up the bank of the river traversing across a very dangerous landslide area. In the end I managed to descend safely to the river bed but then spent an hour scrambling over large boulders before I found the trail again.
10
912Pangpema7.96362574,7575,1365,1464,74632C3Trail was tricky to follow with a couple of large new landslides which meant lengthy diversions to find safe places to cross, and scrambling. Update from Kate (summer 2022): "The recent landslides Dave went through are fine"
11
1013Lhonak7.92546335,1344,7555,1464,74632G1This is the reverse of leg 9. I hiked from base camp all the way to Kangpachen in one day so I didn't stay at Lhonak overnight.
12
1113Kangpachen9.82649304,7564,0904,7564,09042G4This is the reverse of leg 8.
13
1214Ghunsa10.82929684,0953,4194,0953,41953G5This is the reverse of leg 7.
14
1316Kharka5.59882453,4224,1654,1653,33942C4The trail was tricky trail to follow.
15
1417Yangjong Kharka8.66301,0554,1633,7384,7733,73841S5Trail was almost non existent and obscured with snow for much of the day. However above the tree line the terrain was open so the route was easy to follow without a trail on the ground.
16
1518Olangchun Gola11.58641,4133,7413,1923,7562,75142G3Tricky trail to follow, especially the first half before the new bridge. I suspect this trial will be changing regularly, because it was relatively new (spring 2019). Update from Kate (summer 2022): "Deviation - the new trail Dave took is no longer visible. We took the old trail further north. Very overgrown and difficult to follow. The 'new' bridge is still there, but we could not find any trail on the east side of the river. Bridge on the route I took is further upstream than the river crossing shown on GPS." I've added a new waypoint "North Bridge" showing where Kate found the bridge.
17
1621Pass Camp15.01,7771193,1924,8504,8503,19122C2After a simple section along a dirt road, the trail became much more difficult to follow. In the upper elevations the trail was completely obscured by deep snow.
18
1722Thudam13.73911,6884,8493,5525,1633,55222H1In the upper elevations the trail was completely obscured by deep snow, but I believe the route follows a reasonable path across the pass.
19
1823Jijibuk9.37241,4773,5572,8293,5602,82632H1The trail traverses a steep hillside, and rather dangerous in places. However, not too difficult to follow despite the warnings online of navigational blunders by previous hikers.
20
1924Lingham11.91,2001,6702,8302,1862,8591,78344G4The trail was relatively well maintained and easy to follow.
21
2025Hongon9.11,1591,0452,2002,3252,3252,00643G2The trail was mostly well maintained and easy to follow.
22
2127Molun Pokhari8.21,7491252,3383,9624,0212,33832C3The trail was tricky to follow, and obscured by snow at higher elevations. The upper part of the valley that leads to the lake, and the traverse around the lake are extremely dangerous when covered in snow. I didn't have crampons which made matters worse.
23
2228Clearing Camp8.63761,2853,9642,9964,2172,98511C3The guidebook explains how to find a bridge over the Kholakharka Khola, but despite hours of searching I didn't manage to find it. I eventually stayed overnight in the shelter at the source of the river. The next day I tried to follow the Kholakharka Khola back downstream on the east bank, but found no trail and dense undergrowth. I gave up and called a helicopter. I later talked to one trekker who also attempted this section. He got further by scrambling over rocks in the river gully, only to find the pass impossible the next day - he too ended up calling a helicopter. I made contact with another trekker (Suvi) who successfully completed this section, and I've integrated their InReach track into the route. Suvi was tracking using an InReach which drops a GPS location only once every ten minutes, so the route from here until Yangla Kharka is rather rough. Suvi reported that the trail is extremely tricky to follow with sections of bushwhacking. If you successfully complete this section, please record an accurate GPS log and I'll improve the route (dave@brophy.uk).
24
23Kalo Pokhari4.0735112,9984,1854,2442,89211C4I skipped this section. The route for this leg is from Suvi's InReach track, so rather rough. Suvi reported that the trail is extremely tricky to follow with steep sections and sections of bushwhacking.
25
2432,33Yangla Kharka13.49931,4214,1843,7564,4203,44911G3I skipped the first half of this section. The route for this leg is from Suvi's InReach track, so rather rough. Suvi reported that the trail is extremely tricky to follow with sections of bushwhacking. The second half of this leg (starting when you reach the Barun Nadi river) is reasonably easy to folow.
26
2534
Makalu Base Camp
13.91,3903093,7574,8384,8973,75743G3The trail was reasonably easy to follow.
27
2637Swiss Base Camp4.5459964,8385,2015,2244,83821C1The trail was tricky to follow. For some sections we were scrambling over glacial moraine, following occasional cairns.
28
2738
Sherpani Col Base Camp
3.46011065,2015,6965,6965,18911C2The route follows steep glacial moraine all day. Very difficult and dangerous, sometimes climbing over precariously balanced boulders the size of cars. We were following occasional cairns to navigate - there was no trail on the ground.
29
2839
Advanced Base Camp
3.7504875,6966,1136,1625,69511C1The route is on crevassed, glaciated terrain all day. The safest route across the glacier and over Sherpani Col may change year-to-year so an experienced mountaineer in the group is absolutely essential. Full mountaineering gear is required for this leg.
30
2939
Barnutse Base Camp
5.4467236,1145,4376,1275,43111C4The route is on crevassed, glaciated terrain all day. The safest route across the plateau and over West Col may change year-to-year so an experienced mountaineer in the group is absolutely essential. Full mountaineering gear is required for this leg.
31
3041
Amphu Labsta Base Camp
5.53042255,4355,5145,5145,35012C1We didn't hike most of this leg, having followed a different path, so the ratings for route and trail are just for the last part of this leg. The part of the trail we did hike was tricky to follow and frequently involved scrambling over glacial moraine.
32
3142Chhukung10.54031,0875,5154,7285,8274,72811G4Amphu Labsta is one of the most dangerous passes in Nepal, and the route climbs technical terrain to reach the pass. The safest route may change year-to-year so an experienced mountaineer in the group is absolutely essential. Full mountaineering gear is required for this leg.
33
3243Dingboche4.5284124,7324,3484,7324,34654G3The trail was well maintained and easy to follow.
34
3345Lobuche7.77721974,3504,9254,9254,33200G0We skipped the Everest Base Camp side-trek and hiked directly to Dzongla (leg 36). However, all the main trails in the Everest region are likely to be well maintained. The guesthouses are usually excellent but expensive.
35
34Gorak Shep8.07745424,9235,1555,5814,91800G0See leg 33
36
35Lobuche14.24847325,1664,9185,3284,91800G0See leg 33
37
3645Dzongla6.42323244,9204,8284,9204,74254G4The trail was well maintained and easy to follow.
38
3746Dragnag8.06647274,8274,6805,3724,67843G3The trail was tricky to follow and sometimes obscured by snow in the higher elevations.
39
3846Gokyo7.57837174,6924,7585,3414,68511G5The trail crosses an enormous glacier, which is constantly eroding and changing. The path is marked by cairns but these seem to be placed all over the place and don't really mark out a single trail. We took many wrong turns and had to backtrack several times.
40
3950Lumde12.48391,2294,7504,3605,3894,34343G5The trail was mostly easy to follow, becoming tricky in the higher elevations on the approach to the pass, and improving again on the descent down to Lumde.
41
4051Thame9.51757494,3643,7904,3733,79055G5Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
42
4153Thyangbo5.0606913,7934,3084,3123,79244G2Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
43
4255
Tashi Labsta Camp
5.5996894,3095,2165,2164,30842C1The trail started off easy to follow, but because progressively harder as the day went on. The final part to the campsite was a scramble up a steep rocky slope.
44
4356Glacier Camp8.47721,1065,2134,8795,7714,87911C1The route is on crevassed, glaciated terrain for most of the day. Although not as technical as Amphu Labsta, the same warnings apply. The safest route across Tashi Labsta may change year-to-year so an experienced mountaineer in the group is absolutely essential. Full mountaineering gear is required for this leg.
45
4457Na13.65151,2124,8774,1804,8874,16811G4The first half of this leg follows the glacier, a huge boulder field. An altogether unpleasant experience. There is a trail along the top of the lateral moraine on the left side, and I believe it starts earlier than we picked it up, so I would recommend trying to climb the moraine before our route does. The second half of the day was an easy to follow trail down the Na.
46
4558Beding6.21496204,1833,7124,1833,71155G2Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
47
4660Dokhang10.35491,3573,7122,7883,7132,78855G4Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
48
4761Simigaon9.46671,4612,7891,9952,8611,99555G1Easy hike along a well maintained trail. The rating is for the guesthouse we stayed in at Gonggar. Guesthouses in Simigaon may well be better.
49
4862Orangdanda13.41,6121,5201,9921,9772,0351,26655H2Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
50
4963Laduk8.76726111,9862,0472,0521,83955H2Easy hike along a dirt road.
51
5064Loting12.57821,0142,0491,7652,0541,66455G2Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
52
5165Bigu Gompa14.91,6168841,7702,5022,5021,75054G5Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
53
5267Tinsang Kewa12.21,4927712,5053,2833,2832,16411C5A tricky trail to follow, especially around the River waypoint. Update from Kate (2021): "Continue on the road. It switches back to the river and turns into a trail. No need for bushwhacking."
54
5368Sano Jyandan7.94157853,2852,9153,3552,91511G2The first part of this leg was a very dangerous traverse across a steep hillside above cliffs with very little in the way of a path - a slip here could have been deadly. We then had to negotiate a section of dense rhododendron bushes with many dead-ends and backtracking. Hundreds of leeches were a major annoyance. After that we found a dirt road, but a major navigational blunder meant we missed the correct trail Sano Jyandan. We didn't stay at Sano Jyandan, so the rating is for the guesthouse we stayed at in Madre. However, I have left the route going via Sano Jyandan and I would recommend you try to follow it. If anyone has successfully completed this section, please get in touch (dave@brophy.uk) because I'd love to integrate your GPS tracks into this route. Note that in the vlog I incorrectly state that we passed Sano Jyandan, in fact our track turns off well before this. Update from Kate (2021): "If you are on steep cliffs you are not high enough. We left the road from Tinsang Kewa at the high point where there are prayer flags. Followed a light animal trail that became a nice trail that continued farther up. It was to the right of your GPX track. No dangerous parts."
55
5469Last Resort11.94781,7422,9151,2112,9511,17411G5Our navigational blunder from the previous day meant we skipped most of this leg, however I suspect the section we missed is tricky, since there is no trail shown on digital maps. Update from Kate (2021): "We did make it through to Sano Jyandan and on. There are many trails to follow so it took a lot of trial and error. The "L054 Trail" waypoint marks the beginning of the trail that is the correct route. It is a trail for a while then comes to a road. Both the road and trail go to the same place. The trail is shorter, but very slippery when muddy. There are trails that go in the direction of the GPX route, but they all turned to dead ends."
56
5571Chagam11.11,8414941,2192,5662,5741,21655H5Easy hike along a dirt road. Note that the paper maps any other itineraries take a higher path via Shotang Kharka towards Kyansin. We took the lower route which seemed like a better trail via Chagam. The adventurous among you may try following the paper maps via Shotang Kharka.
57
5672Kyansin11.51,2951,2992,5812,5193,0622,51922H2The trail was very tricky to follow, with frequent sections of bushwhacking.
58
5773Tembathang8.79041,1622,4972,2182,5021,84543H2The trail was reasonably easy to follow. We spent considerable effort trying to find a local guide to take us to Tilman's Pass. We didn't find one in the end, and it proved completely unnecessary - the GPX route is all we needed and found the pass easily.
59
5874,75Panch Pokhari13.12,5118072,1874,0584,1562,11643S3The trail was reasonably easy to follow. Update from Kate (2021): "There is a new trail (2021) the last few k’s before Panch Pokhari that some yak herders showed us."
60
5976Tin Pokhari11.11,1061,0384,0574,1764,4023,92842C4The trail was tricky to follow at times, but the route is correct and the terrain is quite open so going in the right direction shouldn't be a problem.
61
6077High South Camp6.59341444,1734,9634,9694,15011C1The trail follows the glacier up to Tillmans Pass, and involves scrambling over glacial boulder fields for most of the day. I believe we made a mistake by following the lateral moraine on the west side of the glacier. A better option would be to get on the east side. This would mean less scrambling since you don't have to cross a second glacier that joins from the west.
62
6178High North Camp6.24598754,9634,5475,3154,53911C3The route crosses crevassed, glaciated terrain. Although not as technical as Tashi Labsta or Amphu Labsta, care is needed. The safest route across Tilman's Pass may change year-to-year so some mountaineering experience is recommended. Full mountaineering gear is recommended for this leg.
63
6279,80Kyangjin Gompa15.74181,0994,5463,8654,5463,82511G4We had major problems here. The route before the Langtang Khola crossing is very wild - no trail on the ground and often bushwhacking through dense shrubland. Moving through this terrain is slow and frustrating. We descended the Langshisha Khola from High North Camp on the west moraine towards Langshisha Kharka. This was a bad decision because the only bridge over the Langtang Khola was on the east side of the Langshisha Khola. We spent most of the day bushwhacking back up the Langshisha Khola through dense shrubland to find a safe place to cross, only to give up and return to Langshisha Kharka to camp overnight. We continued searching early the next morning, hoping the water would be lower. It was noticeably lower but still too dangerous to cross. Our party split up, and the two others managed to cross the Langshisha Khola nearer the glacier. Mathi and I eventually made a very dangerous crossing of the Langtang Khola assisted by a rope. We were swept away by the fast flowing river and dragged to safety by the others on the opposite side. This was a really bad idea and not recommended in the slightest. I have updated the route to immediately descend from High North Camp and cross the Langshisha Khola as soon as possible. Be very careful descending from High North Camp towards the Langshisha Khola - in October 2021 Eyal experienced very difficult terrain and dangerous avalanche conditions here and had a bad fall. Take your time and be prepared to backtrack to find a safer route. Once you're across the Langshisha Khola, the route continues down on the east side to the bridge. Be aware that this was the situation in spring 2019, and the bridge may have been changed (update in October 2021: the bridge is still there). Also with less water in the river this could have been a completely different experience. After you cross the Langtang Khola to the north bank you pick up the Langtang trail which is well maintained and easy to follow. Update from Kate (2021): "Where your GPX marks that you go down to the river has been taken out by landslides. At this part we went back up to the left parallel to the river until it flattened out a bit. We crossed one landslide gully and then followed the second one down to the river. We had no visibility so one might be able to see a better route. We had no problems on the climb down, but I imagine it is constantly changing. We were able to cross the river just upstream from where we reached the river and had no problems on the east side."
64
6382Changdam18.66041,9993,8642,4693,8652,46955G2Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
65
6483Syabru Besi11.25411,4962,4701,4612,5211,43455G5Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
66
6588Gatlang11.81,5617201,4462,2872,4041,43755G3Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
67
6689Somdang12.71,9219602,3103,2713,7342,31054G4Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
68
6790Tipling14.11,0501,9093,2772,0503,9042,05013H1Take care to find where the footpath diverges from the road. We made a navigational blunder by following the road too far. The road leads to Tipling but switchbacks mean it is 29km long instead of 14km on the footpath. In the end we bushwhacked for an hour back to the footpath. Once you're on the footpath it's relatively easy to follow.
69
6891,92Lapagaon13.71,3311,5102,0491,8522,0581,19543G1Heavy rain in the afternoon meant we split this leg over two days and stayed overnight at Borang. The trail was relatively well maintained and easy to follow.
70
6995,97Dharot14.61,4441,8661,8521,5492,9871,52812G1We stopped early and stayed the night in a barn at Myangal Kharka because we were both ill. The next day our original route took a more direct path via Nauban Kharka, but despite extensive searching we could not find a trail on the ground. This difficulty was confirmed by other trekkers, so I've adjusted the route to follow the trail we took down to Dharot. The trail was occasionally tricky to follow with sections of bushwhacking on the descent to Dharot.
71
7098,100Khorlabesi19.62,1282,7281,5478862,02885555G3Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
72
71101Jagat12.91,4218488871,3321,58386755G4Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
73
72104Deng18.72,6091,7381,3361,8812,1711,30955G3Easy hike along a well maintained trail. Note that the elevation profile of the GPX route is not accurate today. The trail follows a smooth gradient all day without the large climb and descent shown at the end.
74
73105Namrung18.12,7051,9921,9012,6142,6911,84055G5Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
75
74106Sama16.91,8849802,6073,5113,5732,59155G2Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
76
75107Dharmasala14.71,3603963,5124,4764,4773,51054G2Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
77
76108Bimtang15.98341,5994,4693,7045,1523,70453G4Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
78
77109Dharapani22.61,1602,9153,7041,8843,7151,88055G5Easy hike along a well maintained trail. Update from Kate (summer 2022): "Bridge at Dharapani is out. Have to continue approx 1 km upstream on road for bridge."
79
78110Chame15.51,5918051,8852,6712,7451,88555G4Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
80
79111,112Upper Pisang13.11,7419322,6713,2973,8781,77155G4Easy hike along a well maintained trail.
81
80113Manang19.41,2019633,3083,5463,8053,27855G3Easy hike along a well maintained trail. We did an alternative route from the section from Manang to Kagbeni. We had both hiked the standard route via Thorong La before, so instead we hiked to Tilicho Lake and over Mesokanto La to Jomson and on to Kagbeni. This is an excellent option if you want a more remote route. It involves two nights of camping and some tricky to follow trails. I will include trail notes for this option at the end.
82
81Thorong Phedi16.61,5575593,5464,5444,5443,54554G3Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
83
82Muktinath14.79971,7154,5293,7545,4143,71954G5Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
84
83Kagbeni10.31491,0513,7502,8483,7512,83554G4Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
85
84120Santa19.92,1611,3672,9123,7844,4942,85342H2The trail was occasionally tricky to follow. Be aware that from here onwards for the rest of the trek, the trails have a lot less water sources than the east of the country. There were several days where there was only one water source for the whole day. On a sunny day you may need to start with more water than you're used to.
86
85121Ghalden Ghuldun8.81,2147523,7854,2474,2483,65943S5Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
87
86122,123
Nulungsumda Kharka
13.71,5508304,2474,9675,5464,24722C4Very tricky to follow trail, which was steep with slippery crumbling slate fragments underfoot in places. We made a navigational blunder by following what looked like a horse track on the ground. This led in the wrong direction and we then chose a dangerous exposed traverse instead of backtracking (the route does not take this detour). Update from Kate (2021): "The shelter at Sangda Phedi has collapsed as of 2021. The river was easily crossable without needing to get wet feet. We had no navigational issues in this section as the trail was well traveled and some of it was road."
88
87Chharka Bhot22.06671,3334,9674,3014,9734,30011G0We had a huge problem here. The trail on the east side of the Thansan Khola was blocked. We backtracked and camped overnight at Norbulung. In the morning we made a very bad decision. I believe the best way would have been to continue towards Chharka Bhot on the west bank after crossing the Thansan Khola. I would recommend doing this, and have left the route going this way to Chharka Bhot even though we didn't go this way. We made the decision to hike up the Yalku Khola, heading towards one of the passes near Chharka Bhot. The upper parts of the Yalku Khola were not passable, and the pass we were aiming for didn't look safe at all. We changed plans several times, and ended up hiking for two days over mountainous terrain with no trails on the map or the ground. The route we took skipped Chharka Bhot entirely and continued directly west across the mountains to the Chap Chu East waypoint, camping overnight at Sipalun Kharka. This part of the route was relatively easy with no particularly dangerous terrain. However, the problem is that you arrive at Chap Chu on the east side of the Bharbun Khola. There is no bridge and when we were there (August 16th) the river was far too swollen to cross. After taking advice from some Yak herders, we followed a rough trail south to Sinjik expecting the water to be lower, however this was incorrect and in fact the water was higher. Sinjik was deserted with a few derelict buildings, and as far as we could see the path finished there and we couldn't go any further south. We were out of options and about to give up when a local man appeared and led us along the most perilous trails I've ever hiked in my life. Slippery rocks with certain death falls inches away. I would highly recommend not trying to repeat this route! After a couple of hours we arrived in Thinmer where we stayed overnight in a basic homestay. Thinmer has a bridge over the Bharbun Khola, and the trail north to Chap Chu on the west side of the river was safe and well maintained. If you would like our detailed GPS tracks for this route, you can find them in our raw GPX logs (days 123-126), however be warned that the section from Sinjik to Thinmer was exceedingly dangerous and I would absolutely not repeat it myself. Update from Kate (2021): "Where you marked the trail as blocked there is actually a road on the west side of the river now. It crosses back to the east after maybe a kilometer. The rest of the way is an easy road."
89
88Chap Chu13.57467124,3094,3434,4144,13911C4Extreme care should be taken if hiking this route from Chharka Bhot to Chap Chu. We did not hike this way, and the route is just copied from the paper maps. There is no trail shown on digital maps, which usually indicates the trail on the ground is tenuous or non-existent. The guidebook mentions there are several crossings of the Bharbun Khola required with no bridge. We only saw that river south (downstream) of Chap Chu, but I would expect crossing it would have been impossible even further upstream when we were there (August 16th). The guidebook and paper maps mention an alternative trail that takes a more remote northerly route from Chharka Bhot to Dho Tarap via Mola La (5030m) and Jhyarkoi La (5360m). I suggest you talk to locals at Chharka Bhot and work out the best option considering the current conditions. It may be possible to arrange a local guide - I would highly recommend that. Again I must stress that I believe this leg would have been impossible when we were here (August 16th) due to the river being too swollen. If you find a reliable, safe route through this section, please contact me (dave@brophy.uk) because I would love to use your GPS tracks and trail notes here. Update from Kate (2012): "Most of this section is also road now. The only trail section is the last ~5k to Chap Chu. We had no dangerous river crossings and no trouble following the trail (Sept 2, 2021). Charka Bhot had a couple guesthouses, but we only stopped for lunch."
90
89127Dho Tarap20.11,2051,4634,3434,0855,3784,07922G4The first half of this leg was extremely tricky, and required long sections of bushwhacking through dense shrubland. There were several crossings of a river, which was small enough that we managed to avoid getting our feet wet by hopping across rocks. As soon as we climbed above the treeline the terrain become easier to traverse and a trail on the ground became apparent. The ascent to the pass and the descent into Dho Tarap were much easier to navigate. There are several small rivers crossings with no bridges, but none were more than ankle deep (August 19th). Update from Kate (2021): "Part of this is also road. We had no navigational issues."
91
90129Danigar19.21,5461,1564,0934,4835,3074,09343C4The trail out of Dho Tarap was a very easy hike along a well maintained trail. As we approached the pass the trail became less well defined but the terrain above the treeline was open and easy to traverse. Past the pass it got easier with a more well defined trail.
92
91130Ringmo17.41,3452,1954,4833,6335,1663,57954G3Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
93
92131
Phoksundo Khola Camp
7.81,0071,0243,6333,6164,0903,60855C5Simple hike along an easy to follow trail along the edge of the utterly spectacular Phoksundo Lake.
94
93132Pass Camp12.71,3873623,6184,6434,6433,61641C2The first half of this leg was a very easy hike up a wide flat river valley along a well maintained trail. As soon as we turned right up the narrow gorge it completely changed. This section was extremely technical, scrambling up 900m of elevation over large rock obstacles. It involved dangerous leaps between rocks to cross the river numerous times. There was no trail marked on the ground, and we had to backtrack several times to find safer places to cross the river. Update from Kate (2021): "The narrow gorge has a very nice trail. We had no scrambling and no dangerous leaps between rocks. There were bridges for most of the river crossings. We had to ford a couple, but it was only knee deep at most (August 28, 2021). There is a new looking shelter about 500m after Pass Camp. Locals were happy to share the space with us."
95
94133Shey Gompa10.37291,1004,6424,3245,3474,31943S4Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
96
95134Bhijer18.61,3711,8354,3193,8554,8643,85243H1Simple hike along an easy to follow trail.
97
96136Pho12.61,7401,4533,8534,0874,7993,39742H2The trail was well marked and easy to follow, but very steep and perilous in places. We only found one source of fresh water on this leg, so you may be advised to start the day with more if the weather is sunny.
98
97137Pung Kharka13.71,7441,3114,0934,5265,5384,09311C2I believe we made a navigational error when departing Pho. We headed approximately north towards the rightmost of two chortens that were visible in the distance from the village. After passing the chorten, the trail stopped and we spent the three hours bushwhacking across steep shrubland to the ridge. If I was to hike this leg again I'd try aiming for the leftmost chorten and hope that the trail continues all the way to the ridge. When we reached the ridge, we found a trail that seemed to come from the south from the general direction of Pho, so I believe this was an easier route. However the terrain was relatively open so the section of bushwhacking didn't post any significant dangers. I have left the route following our track. If you find a better route through this section, please contact me (dave@brophy.uk) because I would love to use your GPS track. Once we reached the ridge, we found a trail that was relatively easy to follow. Take note of the waypoint that marks the descent from the ridge because it may be easy to miss. Update from Kate (2021): "The trail to the left is the correct trail. Easy to follow when you’re on it."
99
98138Chyandi Khola12.31,0418664,5264,7015,4004,52623C5Simple hike along an easy to follow trail, with a tricky point on the ascent to the pass (see waypoints).
100
99139,140Takla Khola12.09692,1134,6993,7474,7273,71211C4We made a string of bad decisions today that resulted in the most dangerous situation of the trek. We missed a trail and continued hiking down the Chyandi Khola directly next to the river. As we continued the banks became increasingly steep and we had to pass increasingly dangerous obstacles to continue following the river. As the number of perilous situations we encountered grew, the prospect of backtracking through them again seemed more and more problematic. In the end, it was impossible to continue, and we made the decision to climb out of the river gorge up a steep bank. This was utterly idiotic and could have easily cost us our lives. We had no idea what was above us, and the terrain was so steep that we were basically rock climbing with no safety equipment. When we reached the top of the ridge, we found a well trodden trail that led down to a bridge over the Kaitpuchonam Khola. Neither of us were in any mood for more adventures, so we camped as soon as we crossed the bridge. I have adjusted the route to follow where I'm guessing the trail comes from, but be aware that we completely missed it, so this is very approximate. We completed the rest of this leg to Takla Khola the next day, which was tricky to follow and very steep in places. Update from Kate (2021): "Where you marked that you missed the trail that goes up the north bank is actually about where you should cross the river to the south bank. The trail goes in and out especially at the beginning, but just follow the river. There is a bridge that crosses the Chyandi Khola right by where the other bridge crosses the Kaitpuchonam Khola. We were going west to east and tried to find a trail on the north side of the river, but everything we tried cliffed out. We could see the second bridge and decided to go for it. Had no problems following the river on the south side."