Phoksundo Lake, Mid-Western Region, Nepal

5Asse M 5:00 PM Nov 16, 2013

A amazing trekking in Dolpo with Alpine Explore Nepal and Ms. Sussane Martha
This is my fifth trekking trip till now with Ms. Sussane Martha in different country who had planned a trip in Nepal October 2013 this year with 11 other people. I immediately say yes when I received her mail and replied. On the programs which I received it said; wilderness trek to Dolpo far western Nepal. I was wondering how it would be arranged because I had read a lots about Nepal and Tibet on Lonely Planet and made me very much interested to explore the area. We met all the group members in hotel yak and Yeti Kathmandu, after I arrived and introducing with each other in group. Our agent from Nepal came and had brief about the trek. I didn’t know that we were flying by helicopter at the itinerary, but after briefing it was clear. We flew with a plane from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and from Nepalgunj to Juplal with helicopter on the same day and it was very exciting trip already. After we arrived Juphal airport, we met our Sardar (the guide of the trekking company from Alpine Explore Nepal), cook, assistant cook, porters and one horseman who looked after 12 mules for whole trip. We left Juphal early morning on 12 Oct, which was supposed to be very good weather for trekking in the Himalaya but it wasn’t good season I think, like raining and muddy wet in the area and we saw no other single tourists. The countryside was very wet and there were still snow on the ground up high hill in many places. Some trees were blossom and land was looking beautiful green and some of the crops were ready to harvest all interesting to see the difference. Our shardar the guide had explain last evening about daily trekking routine was woken up with a cup of tea/coffee brought to our tent at around 06:00am early morning everyday followed by a small bowl of warm water for us to wash. Before breakfast, we should pack up our gear, bearing in mind that our sleeping bag will also have to fit in it the duffels after tea. Roll up our mattress and put it in a porter's kit bag and ensure our tent is free of rubbish and personal belongings. Our duffel bag is collected by our Sherpa and tied up with other gear into a load, which heads off early with the porters and will be available to us at the end of the day at the next camp. We usually hit the trail by 7.30 a.m. and step for lunch around 1:00 pm. Lunch usually takes about one and a half hours to allow sufficient time to serve meals to the group members and staff. Afternoon walk is slightly shorter and we were camp by 4-5 p.m. Evening meal is served around 7.00 p.m. inside the dining tent furnished with a pressurized laltin, table and camp chairs /stools. After dinner the leader/Sirdar will brief trekkers on the next day 's trek and we can then relax to our comfortable sleeping tents with the hot bag every evening. It was really nice as I had never experience this in my life. Every camp was provided with a simple but hygienic toilet- tent with possible to seat. Food during the trek was plentiful, very good, healthy, and wholesome varied all on schedule timing. I was very surprised with it. Our guide from Alpine Explore Nepal Trek was supper manager who had a lot of local knowledge, was an excellent cook, all porters were also great supporter with each other, very willing and cheerful as they carried their loads and repeatedly set up camp and packed up again. Every evening they were dancing is entertaining for us and ask us to join with them. It was really a very good fun………….. it seems they are never tired. Weather was getting better and better each day during our trekking in the high mountains but the daily weather pattern did not change much, except when it was snowing two evening. From early morning until around 12-1pm the sky was blue, no cloud, sunny, almost no wind. It was much better for walk the first part and after lunch clouds start to build up on sky so that by 2-3pm seems will rain, wind was strong and the chances of rain were 70/30 percent were luckily it did not rain much. This trek was my third trekking experience in Nepal (I have done peru and climbing kalamanjaro in Africa before). The reason to pick this trek reading the Lonely Planet is remoteness of the area and Tibetan culture which descendants of the first Tibetan settlers still carry to that day... What I loved about it is tranquility of mountains around the village. At last, we had great experience on a trek and it was due to the professionalism of our trekking agency and flexibility of our staff and their friendliness. This trek has made me very warm and unforgettable memories of Nepal tour and my holiday because of the chance of communication with the supper guide from agent who was senior guide of Alpine Explore Nepal age of 60. All the first time since we start our trekking immediately after some hrs of start, we felt like being in a company of our good friend rather than being in a group tour. Gyan our guide from Alpine Explore Nepal was good trekking route planner, an excellent trekking companion and professional informative which we had learned lots of aspects of Nepali society. We all trekkers group and specially me, very satisfied having this trip and I personally recommend the Company Alpine Explore Nepal and thanks to Ms. Sussane Martha who had arranged this trips for us, it was really wonderful experience. At last if someone likes to know more about trip, please feel free to contact me as I will be very happy to share my experience which I have had in Nepal.

5RobertMcK 5:00 PM Jul 4, 2014

Really Special Place
We visited Phoksundo Lake in May 2014, trekking there from Juphal. We absolutely loved our visit. The scenery was incredible - walking along a gorgeous river for 3 days to the bluest of blue lakes you will ever see. The views of incredible mountain peaks around us seemed to change every time we looked up. It was great to get away from the more popular tourist treks and to see how people live in this amazing part of the world. Our trekking company was Alpine Explore Nepal (Thamel, Kathmandu). This was my third trek in Nepal with them and they have been absolutely wonderful hosts every time. Their professionalism, organizational skills and attention to detail were extraordinary and were matched by their "can do" attitude and their overwhelming friendliness. I can strongly recommend them. This region sees a massive influx of Nepalese people in May. They climb to the highest meadows of the Himalayas in search of the lucrative "yartsa gompo" - a fungus that is used in chinese medicine. We enjoyed seeing this modern gold rush, which is a very real part of the culture and the economy of Dolpo. But if you want a quiet wilderness experience, you might want to go there after about mid-June when all of the snow has melted and there are far fewer people around. Either way, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.