(Nepal) NAAR PHU TREK. Koto(2600), Meta(3560), Phu(4080), Naar Phedi(3490), Naar(4200), Kang-La Pass(5320), Nawal(3660)
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 53.72 mi
- Elevation gain
- 32,930 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Very difficult
- Elevation loss
- 28,993 ft
- Max elevation
- 17,401 ft
- TrailRank
- 34
- Min elevation
- 8,503 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 5 days 6 hours 23 minutes
- Coordinates
- 8948
- Uploaded
- April 29, 2024
- Recorded
- April 2024
near Koto, Gandaki Pradesh (Nepal)
Viewed 19 times, downloaded 2 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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04/18/2024.
Breakfast at 7 and departure towards the beginning of the route which passes adjacent to a police station where you pay for the entry permit into the reserved area of the park. A steel bridge (now they are all comfortable, sturdy and wide) that crosses the Marsyangdi stream takes us to the orographic right bank of the Nar Khola stream. We go up the valley meeting porters who descend with wooden beams on their shoulders (60/70kg) and groups of people with baskets or various bags always on their shoulders. We follow a path that runs along a notch halfway up the rock, always in a very characteristic environment due to the steepness of the slopes that drop steeply towards the valley floor. We pass or are overtaken by caravans of mules carrying necessary goods to the villages lost in the valleys and we begin to feel the thinner air which makes us a little tired. On the other hand, for me today is like climbing to the summit of Adamello.... We arrive at our destination in the early afternoon and I notice that the village is more "modern" than I expected. There are separate closed toilets for tourists and locals, rooms without heating but with beds and mattresses. The dining room is often used first by tourists and then by locals and is not always heated but that's right, we are in Nepal at 3500m, let's adapt.
04/19/2024.
After a good and abundant breakfast, we begin this second stage which promises to be long but not difficult. We have to travel about 19km and reach Phu at 4080m, there is only a 500m climb ahead and the altitude is no longer as scary as it was at the beginning.
As we set out and proceed along the valley, we begin to notice that the path proceeds halfway along the walls of the valley but with continuous ups and downs to go beyond the side valleys that slope down towards the stream below. We stop for lunch about halfway in Kyang at an altitude of 3870m, which reassures us, there is still little climb to go. A look at the GPS before turning it off and I notice that the positive altitude difference made so far is almost 1000m. Well, I think, most of it is done anyway. We continue after lunch with continuous ups and downs along the path which first leads uphill a long way above the stream and then reaches it descending gently but steadily. The positive difference in altitude increases..... We arrive quite tired at a stretch of path that descends again to the stream and then climbs steeply on the opposite side reaching a typical brick entrance portal, our guide says that we will have arrived there. And so we prepare for the last effort not before being overtaken by a column of mules (much more agile than us) until we reach this building from where the view over the valley is marvelous but after turning the corner the path continues for another 1 .5km actually quite flat but with a final short stretch before the longed-for rest. In the end it will be +1740m done this day, but we are at 4080m, my maximum altitude reached so far on the summit of Gran Paradiso. I am very satisfied!
04/20/2024.
Finally today a day of acclimatization and our guide will take us to the panoramic point overlooking the town of Phu. We see it above us and it seems beautiful to reach it to enjoy the view, we set off after breakfast and passing at the foot of a monument to Buddah, we continue on the steep and crumbly path, loose and dusty earth and it will be like this up to the top which from its 4700m offers a true paradise to our eyes. Himlung and Nemjung stand out in front of us, 7000m peaks flanked by other smaller peaks that seem very high peaks to us. On the opposite side the Chulu chain makes an equally beautiful display. Two hours and thirty minutes to go up, an hour to go down because following our porter who accompanied us (without even bringing water) taking the longest and easiest climb, now going down the dusty and steep ridge with a simple pair d slippers (so much for my high neck boots). Returning to the base, we have lunch and relax a bit, a well-deserved rest.
04/21/2024.
Having reached this altitude and spent a day acclimatising, today is the day of the descent, we return near Meta, on the opposite side of the valley, retracing almost entirely the route we took two days ago in reverse. Now the 1700m will be downhill and the route doesn't scare us (in reality it will still be +1200...), we know it by now. Today we pass Kyang where we had lunch on the outward journey and reach Chyako, closer to the halfway point and above all at noon. We follow the path to the bridge that allows us to cross the valley and go up the short hill that leads to the Thrang Choephel Ling Monastery sanctuary, where we will stay for the night. For a fee (300npr) we find Wi-Fi.
04/22/2024.
Today's stage is short, with little difference in altitude (+700reals) but it allows us to reach an approach altitude for the last day which will allow us to cross the pass at an altitude of 5300m. The view over the valley is always wonderful, we meet herds of wild goats and grazing Yaks. We cross a gate with a stone wall and proceed towards Nar Village, some houses with fields cultivated with potatoes and fenced pastures for raising sheep and small steers.
04/23/2024.
Today we are preparing to reach the highest point of our route, the Kang-La Pass. We leave early with the frontal ride, it's 4:30 and the air isn't even too cold but we're well covered. The road passes through the alleys of the village, passes next to a concrete aqueduct still under construction and reaches the path that leads out of the town to the bottom of an immense, very wide valley between the two sides. The path proceeds without excessive slope until it reaches a metal bridge that crosses a small stream. We are at an altitude of 4700m and start to climb more steeply. After an initial jump, the path returns to a slight slope for a short stretch and then starts to climb again. Now he doesn't give up until the climax. We start to see some snow at 5100m, it's slightly frozen but not so much that you have to use crampons. The traces of the passage of other trekkers are evident as the carving of the pass is now evident. Soon we reach it but not without the fatigue we have for the rarefied air, we feel it. After the brief stop and the usual photos, we descend on the opposite side on steep, slippery and very unstable terrain for a few hundred meters, then the path alternates with steep sections and easy sections, however always steeply downhill. We are now 400m away from our destination, a strange wind starts bringing light sleet from clouds that seem far away on the other side of the valley. Soon the icy drops increase and when we are in sight of our refreshment point at Nawal (3660m), it starts to snow. After an hour, 5cm of fresh snow whitens the landscape. If we had left a day later, we would not have been able to complete this stage through the pass. It went well for us.
It was a wonderful tour, fantastic experiences in a unique environment.
Sincere thanks to Garima Voyage, our guide Suman and our porter Man.
Breakfast at 7 and departure towards the beginning of the route which passes adjacent to a police station where you pay for the entry permit into the reserved area of the park. A steel bridge (now they are all comfortable, sturdy and wide) that crosses the Marsyangdi stream takes us to the orographic right bank of the Nar Khola stream. We go up the valley meeting porters who descend with wooden beams on their shoulders (60/70kg) and groups of people with baskets or various bags always on their shoulders. We follow a path that runs along a notch halfway up the rock, always in a very characteristic environment due to the steepness of the slopes that drop steeply towards the valley floor. We pass or are overtaken by caravans of mules carrying necessary goods to the villages lost in the valleys and we begin to feel the thinner air which makes us a little tired. On the other hand, for me today is like climbing to the summit of Adamello.... We arrive at our destination in the early afternoon and I notice that the village is more "modern" than I expected. There are separate closed toilets for tourists and locals, rooms without heating but with beds and mattresses. The dining room is often used first by tourists and then by locals and is not always heated but that's right, we are in Nepal at 3500m, let's adapt.
04/19/2024.
After a good and abundant breakfast, we begin this second stage which promises to be long but not difficult. We have to travel about 19km and reach Phu at 4080m, there is only a 500m climb ahead and the altitude is no longer as scary as it was at the beginning.
As we set out and proceed along the valley, we begin to notice that the path proceeds halfway along the walls of the valley but with continuous ups and downs to go beyond the side valleys that slope down towards the stream below. We stop for lunch about halfway in Kyang at an altitude of 3870m, which reassures us, there is still little climb to go. A look at the GPS before turning it off and I notice that the positive altitude difference made so far is almost 1000m. Well, I think, most of it is done anyway. We continue after lunch with continuous ups and downs along the path which first leads uphill a long way above the stream and then reaches it descending gently but steadily. The positive difference in altitude increases..... We arrive quite tired at a stretch of path that descends again to the stream and then climbs steeply on the opposite side reaching a typical brick entrance portal, our guide says that we will have arrived there. And so we prepare for the last effort not before being overtaken by a column of mules (much more agile than us) until we reach this building from where the view over the valley is marvelous but after turning the corner the path continues for another 1 .5km actually quite flat but with a final short stretch before the longed-for rest. In the end it will be +1740m done this day, but we are at 4080m, my maximum altitude reached so far on the summit of Gran Paradiso. I am very satisfied!
04/20/2024.
Finally today a day of acclimatization and our guide will take us to the panoramic point overlooking the town of Phu. We see it above us and it seems beautiful to reach it to enjoy the view, we set off after breakfast and passing at the foot of a monument to Buddah, we continue on the steep and crumbly path, loose and dusty earth and it will be like this up to the top which from its 4700m offers a true paradise to our eyes. Himlung and Nemjung stand out in front of us, 7000m peaks flanked by other smaller peaks that seem very high peaks to us. On the opposite side the Chulu chain makes an equally beautiful display. Two hours and thirty minutes to go up, an hour to go down because following our porter who accompanied us (without even bringing water) taking the longest and easiest climb, now going down the dusty and steep ridge with a simple pair d slippers (so much for my high neck boots). Returning to the base, we have lunch and relax a bit, a well-deserved rest.
04/21/2024.
Having reached this altitude and spent a day acclimatising, today is the day of the descent, we return near Meta, on the opposite side of the valley, retracing almost entirely the route we took two days ago in reverse. Now the 1700m will be downhill and the route doesn't scare us (in reality it will still be +1200...), we know it by now. Today we pass Kyang where we had lunch on the outward journey and reach Chyako, closer to the halfway point and above all at noon. We follow the path to the bridge that allows us to cross the valley and go up the short hill that leads to the Thrang Choephel Ling Monastery sanctuary, where we will stay for the night. For a fee (300npr) we find Wi-Fi.
04/22/2024.
Today's stage is short, with little difference in altitude (+700reals) but it allows us to reach an approach altitude for the last day which will allow us to cross the pass at an altitude of 5300m. The view over the valley is always wonderful, we meet herds of wild goats and grazing Yaks. We cross a gate with a stone wall and proceed towards Nar Village, some houses with fields cultivated with potatoes and fenced pastures for raising sheep and small steers.
04/23/2024.
Today we are preparing to reach the highest point of our route, the Kang-La Pass. We leave early with the frontal ride, it's 4:30 and the air isn't even too cold but we're well covered. The road passes through the alleys of the village, passes next to a concrete aqueduct still under construction and reaches the path that leads out of the town to the bottom of an immense, very wide valley between the two sides. The path proceeds without excessive slope until it reaches a metal bridge that crosses a small stream. We are at an altitude of 4700m and start to climb more steeply. After an initial jump, the path returns to a slight slope for a short stretch and then starts to climb again. Now he doesn't give up until the climax. We start to see some snow at 5100m, it's slightly frozen but not so much that you have to use crampons. The traces of the passage of other trekkers are evident as the carving of the pass is now evident. Soon we reach it but not without the fatigue we have for the rarefied air, we feel it. After the brief stop and the usual photos, we descend on the opposite side on steep, slippery and very unstable terrain for a few hundred meters, then the path alternates with steep sections and easy sections, however always steeply downhill. We are now 400m away from our destination, a strange wind starts bringing light sleet from clouds that seem far away on the other side of the valley. Soon the icy drops increase and when we are in sight of our refreshment point at Nawal (3660m), it starts to snow. After an hour, 5cm of fresh snow whitens the landscape. If we had left a day later, we would not have been able to complete this stage through the pass. It went well for us.
It was a wonderful tour, fantastic experiences in a unique environment.
Sincere thanks to Garima Voyage, our guide Suman and our porter Man.
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