Himlung Himal at 7,126 m is one of the aspiring 7000 m peaks residing in the Northern Annapurna Region of Nepal also close to Tibet. It lies among those remote destinations between the Annapurna and Manasalu region attracting few climbers every year despite its tremendous mountaineering scope. The first ascent to Himlung Himal was made in 1992 by a Japanese expedition team setting up a route for other climbers.
Besides being a perfect preliminary peak to climb before heading to 8000 m peaks, Himlung Himal also offers a classic experience of trekking through the serene Nar Phu and Manang valleys. In addition to the thrilling adventure, it is an opportunity to assess one’s endurance and strength to be in the Himalayas. This isolated tranquil peak is a perfect blend of beauty, adventure, and learning experience for aspiring mountaineers.
The climb to the Himlung Himal is not very demanding compared to other peaks above 7000 m but it surely requires caution and preparation. We usually set up three more camps above the base camp. Base Camp is set up at 4925 m, Camp 1 at 5435 m, Camp 2 at around 5800 m, and Camp 3 at 6210 m. Then crossing the steep crevasses, ridges, and slopes, we finally conquer the summit and return back to the base camp and prepare to return.
The best season to go on the expedition to Himlung Himal is between Oct-Nov and April to May when winds are calmer, the days are sunny, temperatures are mild and the trail is gorgeous with green dense forests, raging rivers and streams, the soothing sounds of the birds and animals and the uninterrupted views of the grand massifs throughout the trail. The people in the Nar-Phu villages stay in their settlements with the herd of livestock which will be beautiful to explore.
Check out the list of Gears and Equipment for the Himlung Himal Expedition 2021.
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Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, one of the 8K Expedition team representatives will be waiting for you at the airport. As soon as you complete your Nepal Entry Visa obtaining procedure, we will have a meet and greet and you will be transferred to the hotel (3-star to 5-star as per request) where you can rest and relax for the day.
The second day is allocated for official purposes to obtain necessary documents, permits, and conduct a briefing about the expedition we are heading towards. You may also go on shopping for some important items that you may need during the trip. Pack your bags well as we leave early the next morning.
The next day, we will take a private jeep to drive along the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway until we reach Dumre, then following the rough rocky road witnessing the paddy fields and beautiful villages to reach our stop at Besisahar, the main city of Lamjung District. It takes us about 8 hours to reach our destination from Kathmandu.
The road from Besisahar to Koto is adventurous and rugged as well. We will take a ride on a Jeep for 5-6 hours on the off-road, watching the picturesque villages in the backgrounds, the farmlands, and forests until we reach Koto, the point where Annapurna Circuit Trekking Trail and Nar Phu Trekking Trail are distinguished. We enjoy some hot dinner and rest for the day.
The adventure begins as we start our trek from Koto. We start by crossing the river that leads to the Nar-Phu valley and hiking up through dense, lush forests, crossing small settlements and ‘Dharamshala’, a place for pilgrims. Then passing through a narrow canyon leads us to a wide waterfall which is exotic and mesmerizing. The density of trees starts getting lesser while opening up the background pictures of other natural sceneries. After a steep climb, we finally reach Meta, a place where people from Nar come over to stay during winter.
This day’s trek is going to be strenuous as we will be covering a significant amount of elevation. We move forward walking on the rugged terrain through small settlements that resemble those of Tibetans, with small houses, pastures with vibrant flowers, crossing the rivers through suspension bridges, witnessing the prayer flags. We will be amazed by some unique and colorful Chhortens which are the assets of Nar and Phu villages. We will even need to cross small glacial streams, scenic gorges, and canyonlands finally leading to the Phu gate, called the Pupigyal Kwe. It opens up the scene of the first village of Phu with the view of two forts that only remain in ruins. Then, awaits our destination for the day, the Phu Village.
We will stay in the Phu Gaun for the next day to explore the surrounding areas and acclimate ourselves to the decreasing air pressure and oxygen level.
After exploring the beautiful and mesmerizing Phu Gaun, we slowly head up towards the Himlung Himal Base Camp. We will cross the Pangri Glacier through big boulders and walk up the moraine until we reach the base camp at 4850 m. The Base Camp is situated at a relatively comfortable location with availability of water nearby and the least risk of avalanches. We relax at the Base Camp and rest overnight.
The 16 days have been allocated for the rotation around the camps, the final Summit push, and time to return to the Himlung Himal Base Camp.
Base Camp to Camp 1: From the Base Camp, we will have easy access to Camp 1 with 2-3 hours of the trek on trekking terrains with moraines and small valleys. Camp 1 is set up at 5435 m with our extremely efficient and experienced team members with full board service.
Camp 1 to Camp 2: Camp 2 also called the Glacier Camp is set up on a flatter glacier which is led by the twisted turns on the side of the glacier that we follow after a perched scree slope. It needs extra caution while climbing in these scree though.
Camp 2 to Camp 3: Camp 3 is set up at a convenient location at an altitude of 6210 m where there is very little risk of avalanches. As we continue on an icy escarpment up to the last point before the ridge, we reach Camp 3.
Camp 3 to Summit: The climb from Camp 3 to the summit is a long one. It requires reaching the pass across the snowy slopes through 30 degrees steep slopes which gradually becomes less steep with few flat surfaces. The following crevasse gets even steeper, up to 35 degrees slope then crossing a lesser steep ridge up to a flat surface leads us to the final slope before the summit.
After the successful ascent to the Himlung Himal Peak, we set our foot to retrace the trail back to Base Camp. After enough rest, we will clean up the area at the Base Camp, pay the tips and gratuities, and pack up our stuff as we prepare to leave for Phu Gaon.
It is time to say goodbye to the beautiful Himlung Himal. We will get up early and start our trek to Phu Gaon where we will rest overnight.
After Phu Gaon, we retrace our steps back to Meta and rest overnight. We enjoy the same sceneries that we encountered on our way earlier.
Passing through the same beautiful villages, lush green forests, walking along the river, and crossing them through suspension bridges at times, we trek back to Koto and rest overnight.
Our Trek ends at Koto. We will then take a private jeep back to Besisahar. The rugged path, dense forests, waterfalls, and small villages will make your trip memorable.
From Besisahar, we head back to Kathmandu where we will spend our remaining time relaxing. As we reach Kathmandu, you will be transferred to the hotel to rest and relax.
When you are in Nepal, there is no way you miss those beautiful places. Several World Heritage sites reside in Kathmandu including Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bouddhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath, Patan, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the Pashupatinath Temple to name but a few. In the evening, we will all join together for a farewell dinner in a typical Nepali restaurant.
The sad part of vacations is they end! With lots of best wishes and gratitude, we will drop you off at the airport 3 hours before your scheduled flight for your final departure home. We hope to see you soon on your next adventure.
Trekking and mountain climbing in the Himalayas are highly dependent on weather conditions. We try to schedule our trips at the most favorable time but in case of extreme scenarios, the roadways may be blocked. In cases as such, we would like to notify you that except for the total number of days in the itinerary section, expenses of other extra days shall be borne by the client himself/herself. However, 8K Expeditions will make necessary arrangements for the accommodation of porters and guides.
Also, 8K Expeditions shall not be liable for any compensation for losses due to missed International Flights but we will surely help to make necessary arrangements to minimize your loss. To avoid missing flights, we suggest keeping some flexible time frames before trip departure and after trip departure.
Also be notified that as we will be traveling in remote areas with extreme climatic conditions and geography where trails can be distorted at times, we might need to adjust our itineraries as required. But we assure you that the quality of service shall not be compromised at any cost.
Thank you for joining us on our Expedition!!
