Trekking Day 2: Chheplung to Jorsalé

Chheplung to Jorsalé: The Stats

Distance Walked: 11.4km

Hours and Minutes Taken: 5 hours, 45 minutes

Origin Altitude: Chheplung, 2709m

Destination Altitude: Jorsalé, 2825m

Approximate Total Metres Ascended: 638m

Approximate Total Metres Descended: 557m

Weather: A clear, cool, still morning with patches of cloud and wind increasing around midday.

Morning Temperature in our Tea House Room: 7 degrees Celsius

Mt Khumbila seen from Chheplung

We rose at 5am this morning intending to get an early start after our delay yesterday. We had organised breakfast the night before and, as such, it was waiting for us when we went downstairs at 5:45am. Chris and I had muesli with warm milk which was surprisingly delicious, nutritious and warming while Anando had a porridge made from powdered wheat and served with yak butter and sugar (tsampa porridge) which was apparently delicious also.

Chris and Anando start their day of trekking

When we left the tea house at 6am we had clear blue skies before us and not a breath of wind. The view waiting to greet us was that of the Kwangde Range. Accompanying it, at the head of the valley, was Khumbila (5761m), a mountain sacred to the Sherpas. We watched as the first rays of the sun's orange glow crept its way down the snowy mountains and reached into the valley.

As we headed North out of Chheplung we passed by the Buddhist mani wall we had seen yesterday evening. The trail took us winding through the forest until we were met with our first swinging, steel suspension bridge. Chris and Anando tackled their fear of heights and traipsed across what would become a very familiar sight on this journey. The views of Kusum Kanguru and its sister summits (East and West) came into view and made for beautiful hiking.

Khumbila sits high above a swing bridge

The first incline we came to literally took our breath away. The air really was thinner, and we were only just getting started. Bring on acclimatisation!

Another suspension bridge took us over the roaring Thado Kosi river which leads into the famous Dudh Kosi. Soon the Dudh Kosi was in full view and its turquoise water was juxtaposed with the red rhododendrons, the national flower of Nepal, which lined the path.

Looking snazzy with Mt Khumbila

We passed through the town of Ghat and, at the far end of the village, took in views of prayer wheels and prayer drums of all sizes and beautiful colours. We watched as a Sherpa woman passed by and spun each one as she continued on up past a series of shrines inscribed with the Buddhist mantra "Om Mané Padmé Hum" in Tibetan script. The mani walls and even large boulders were covered in this repetitious phrase which apparently translates roughly to "Ah! The jewel is indeed in the lotus." A large white chorten finished off Ghat's religious symbolism as we exited the village and continued on towards Phakding. We followed the Dudh Kosi most of the way and checked out the first luxury hotel of the trail.

The trail became steep as it led us up to Phakding village where there stood a large cluster of hotels and lodges. All of a sudden the peace and quiet of our morning disappeared. We had arrived in Phakding (where most guided tours take their clients) just as the mobs of trekkers were starting their day...about 8am. We figured we'd have been ahead of the other passengers whose planes were delayed yesterday but, when we ran into the Danish family from our flight, we were informed that many had been pushily led by their guides into the darkness and on to Phakding last night. We were quickly becoming very grateful to be trekking independently.

Some of many, many, many donkeys

Just out of town we stopped to strip down as the sun had come out already and, when we were moving, it was quite warm. In doing so we also let the throngs of people on guided tours pass us. Thank goodness...we wanted to be as far from them as possible. For good measure we also let some nicely decorated donkeys past as to increase the gap between us and the tour groups. Already I was becoming a judgemental trekker, taking stock of those having porters carry all of their possessions. I was especially harsh on those who had brought along huge bags, in some cases with wheels, for their porters to carry.

A waterfall near Zamfuté

For a while the path remained on the West bank of the Dudh Kosi. We passed farmland and fields and Chris got some lovely photos of a tiny waterfall. The water was the clearest I have ever seen. It almost looked man-made it was so perfect. We walked through Tok Tok village and passed a large waterfall which would be spectacular during the rainy season but was a mere trickle today.

Mt Thamserku and Dudh Kosi River

The trail then climbed steeply again and again we felt it. The views as always made the hard yards bearable though, especially when spectacular Mt Thamserku (6618m) came into view. We stopped to split a muesli bar and to take in the splendid snow-clad peak before us.

The wonderful thing about this trail, and it having been used for trade since the beginning of time, is that after each steep climb or other hard stretch of walking is always a stone waiting post designed for resting. In fact, these benches are set at the perfect height for the Sherpas to rest their load on while they take a break. It was at one of these waiting posts that we watched the miraculously strong Sherpas, carrying loads that nobody should ever have to bear, pass us by. And, more miraculously, we noticed that most of them don't break a sweat.

Water mill

After passing through Bengkar we crossed yet another hanging bridge. The wind had picked up by now and the bridge was crowded with donkeys, porters and trekkers alike. The trail led us past a beautiful stone water mill used to grind flour before again ascending steeply. We struggled our way up the stone steps and landed in the large village of Monjo.

Anando got his National Park entry permit, for half the price we paid as Westerners, and we checked out a paper mâché model of the Himalayas, giving us a new appreciation for what we were tackling. Together we passed through the entrance gate into Sagarmatha National Park and followed the stone steps down into our destination of Jorsalé. While we probably could have continued on to Namche Bazaar and got ourselves back on schedule, it had been a long day already and we were ready for a rest.

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Gateway

Lauren and Anando take on a swing bridge

We found a restaurant with no English signs and correctly assumed that we would find food there that was cheaper than the surrounding touristy restaurants. We enjoyed three dal baht tarkari (dal, rice and vegetable curry). Guided by the man who owns the bakery across the road we checked out the rooms at both the restaurant and the bakery. We thought we could do better so we threw our bags back on our backs and kept on through Jorsalé. The next tea house we tried looked touristy and expensive but boy were we wrong. Because a lot of trekkers stop in Jorsalé for lunch before continuing on to Namche the food was expensive. But, again because everybody usually continued in to Namche, we paid 50 rupees per person and got two rooms with two beds in each.

Lauren on the Dudh Khosi

If everything happens for a reason then our flight was delayed so we would spend an afternoon in Jorsalé and take in probably the most breathtaking vistas any of us had ever seen. With the afternoon spare we hoped to do a small hike that would take us higher than Jorsalé so we could truly follow the trekkers' mantra of 'trek high, sleep low.' Unfortunately, not much further up the trail than our tea house, the path again crossed the Dudh Kosi river before following the bank for some time rather than ascending. Unable to take our small hike to a higher altitude we figured we'd spend a bit of time exploring the banks of the river. The turquoise water spilled over boulders as it ran down the valley towards us. Pine trees sprang up from every spare bit of land that wasn't sheer rock face and the roar of the rapids drowned out even the loudest donkey's neck bell.

 

Chris taking in the river vistas

Anando finding inner peace

Eventually we went back to our rooms and spent some time relaxing, trying to get out water intake up to standard. Four litres is a lot to drink in a day when the only toilets on the path are wooden boards with a gap between them and the only toilets at the lodges are squat toilets.

After 4 o'clock we trekked down to a different part of the river so Chris could take a few more photos and so Anando and I could relax by the river. We returned to our guesthouse and intended to go out for dinner, visiting a lovely lady's shop we had spotted on our walks. We were stopped by the owner of our guesthouse and questioned on why we weren't eating there. Apparently the 50 rupee room charge he had quoted us was only valid if we ate at their hotel. When we suggested that he probably should have mentioned this when he called out at us and offered us cheap rooms this afternoon he was displeased. He was clearly unhappy that we were not giving in easily too and told us that, if we chose to eat elsewhere, he would charge us 3000 or 4000 per room. This guy was rude. So, we packed up our stuff and left. Simple.

We returned to our mate from earlier at the bakery and his 150 rupee rooms (Dudh Kosi Guesthouse). While we ended up paying more having left the other hotel and chosen to eat at the bakery where the food was just as expensive, we were happy to pay it when the guy running the show was an eccentric Nepali who was full of energy and interestingly spoke German.

We all enjoyed the dal baht which was probably the most delicious since Gaunshahar. Like usual we were served as much as our bellies could handle before heading to bed for an early night.