Limi Valley Trek - 21 days

Welcome to the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu. Flying over Kathmandu valley, you will get to witness the bird's eye view of high mountains, hills, and swift-flowing rivers. Upon landing at the Tribhuvan International airport, you complete the customs formalities. Then head to the departure gate, where you will meet our representatives from Third Rock Adventures.

After a warm welcome, you will be transferred to your hotel located in Thamel.

After having some refreshment, you can either choose to visit our office nearby or can head out to the streets of Thamel. Enjoy the evening lights at the tourist hub of Thamel. You will be offered some authentic Nepali meals for dinner.

Overnight stay at hotel in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu is a cultural treasure filled with age-old courtyards, monasteries, temples dating back to the old monarchical era. In the corners of the hustle and bustle of the city, you will be driven to some of the significant UNESCO World Heritage Site Areas.

You can head to Kathmandu Durbar Square in what is popularly known as Freak Street/Basantapur. It is filled with ancient temples and a former royal palace of the Shah dynasty. You can also head to Pashupatinath temple, which is marked to be one of the holiest Hindu temples in the world. Also, if the time permits, you can visit either the Swayambhunath /Monkey Temple, located in the western hills of Kathmandu, or Boudhanath Stupa on the northeast side of the city. These are the most famous stupas in Nepal and the world as well.

After the spiritual and cultural tour, you will head back to your hotel and make necessary arrangements for the next day's trip. You can clear any inquires you might have regarding the trek with your guide.

Overnight stay at hotel in Kathmandu.

You will be leaving Kathmandu today and head towards Nepalgunj. After landing at Mahendra Airport, Nepalgunj, you can immediately sense a temperature rise compared to Kathmandu. Nepalgunj is the largest city in the Terai flatlands and also borders India. You will be passing old villages on the way. In the evening, you can stroll out on the streets and try some local delicacies. To relieve yourself of the heat, you can stay in an air-conditioned hotel room for a good night's sleep.

Overnight stay in Nepalgunj.

After breakfast, you will head to the domestic airport early in the morning and take a flight to Simikot, the headquarter of Humla district located in the north. There is a sudden change in topography compared to Kathmandu and Nepalgunj, as Humla is rural and secluded from the rest of Nepal.

Simikot is one of the large and vibrant villages of Humla due to the airport situated there. You will get views of the Karnali River beyond the village, which is also the opening route to Mt. Kailash and Western Tibet travels. The village is occupied by Tibetan Buddhists, Thakuri, and Khas communities, who are very warm and hospitable. You can take a stroll around the village and observe some of their place of worship and significance in the afternoon. Most notably, you can visit the Bon Shaman Temple, which was restored after destruction.

Overnight stay in Simikot.

The first day of your trek starts from Simikot to Dharapori, taking an initial short climb of about an hour. From there on, you will cross a pass at 3,000m/9,842ft and then descend alongside the Karnali River. You will be passing through pine forests and some villages. After a steep climb, you will reach Dharapori. On the way, you will witness locals carrying logs of wood and daily essentials in the steep trail. Dharapori is a small farming village inhabited by Hindu and Buddhist people. You will be camping near the Karnali riverbank on this day.

Overnight stay in Dharapori.

After having breakfast, you will take the trail following the Karnali river along some high slopes taking an ascend. Then, take a quick descend to the fields of barley, buckwheat, rice, and potatoes. Eventually, you will reach Kermi in a short while during the afternoon.

As you have the entire day to yourself, you can explore the village. Kermi is the first village that is completely inhabited by the Buddhist community. They grow different kinds of crops here. You can visit the ancient Kermi Laikyo Gompa and Lhundrup Choeling Gompa in the afternoon, which are 45 and 30 minutes away from the campsite, respectively.

Overnight stay in Kermi.

The trial for today will take you slightly uphill and is mostly flat. The trail will pass on for 2 hours until crossing a small pass along with the barley and buckwheat fields. From thereon, for about 20 minutes, take a steep to descend, then cross a big iron suspension bridge over the Sali River. You will walk through beautiful pine forests on the trail above the gushing Karnali. Along the way, you will come across villagers from Simkot and Nyinba valley traveling with their caravans of mules. They travel to and from Taklakot, located across the border with Tibet, for trading and shopping.

Then a few more hours down the trail, you will reach the beautiful and remote village of Yalbang. Upon reaching after that setting up everything for the night, you can head to the Namkha Khyung Dzong Monastery, which is the biggest in the region. It is mostly crowded as it houses 130 monks. The monastery also boasts a school and a clinic. You can even attend their prayers in the afternoon.

Overnight stay in Yalbang.

The trail from Yalbang to Tumkot begins above the Karnali River. From there on, you will pass Yangar village by crossing a flat terrain with only a few uphill and downhill turns. Along the way, you will find huge carved rocks, and further ahead, be amazed by the big pine trees that make way to smaller shrubs. A wooden suspension bridge above the Karnali river takes you on a high climb on the upper side of the Karnali gorge, which is an amazing experience.

The old salt trade from Humla to the near Tibet still carries on till today so that you will see flocks of sheep with their owners dashing back and forth in the trail. Then, you will arrive at Muchu village from where Tumkot is not so far. You can explore the Muchu village and take some rest. Then continue in the path to find some small teahouses as you reach Tumkot village.

Our camp for the day is near the Tumkot River, 20 minutes away from the village. Ethnic Shakyas and Tibetan Buddhists inhabit the village. After setting up camp, you can visit the Dhungkar Choezom Monastery, the only Shakya Monastery in Humla. It has a historical and cultural significance among the people of the region.

Overnight stay in Tumkot Khola Camp.

You will be walking in a remote area today that is rugged and rocky on the way to Thado Dhunga. The walk begins with a steady climb to a steep trail; then, as you leave Tumkot, the trail becomes rugged. There are no signs of settlement in between and only a few low juniper trees. There is also a dirt road that you will have to pass along the way.

On the way, you will cross Pani Palwang, a small village with a few teahouses where you can rest. After the break, take a walk for another 1 to 2 hours. You can opt to stay at Yari or walk further ahead and reach Thado Dhunga. It is better to get Thado Dhunga so that you can walk ahead tomorrow earlier.

Overnight stay in Thado Dhunga.

You will be heading to Hilsa on this day which borders Tibet. Trees seem to disappear gently as the terrain becomes desolate. Far along the horizon, you might witness caravans of yaks passing by, which makes for an amazing picture. You will come across some tent hotels offering food and drink services.

The trek will be comparatively difficult as you will be crossing a high pass beyond 4000m. As far as possible, start early to avoid the strong winds at the pass. Cross some rugged and barren terrain, then head to the steep climb to Nara La pass at an elevation of 4620m. If there is snow, then the climb becomes relatively challenging. The pass is decorated with Tibetan prayer flags swaying with the song of the wind. The view is worth all the effort of climbing up.

After crossing the pass, the trail becomes forgiving. The land is as dry as a desert, with barely a tree in the far distance. The carved hills and mountains are ash-colored, copper, brown and dark yellow. Further, as you take a couple of hours, you will reach Hilsa.

Hilsa is a rather hustling bustling town of Humla. There are certain checkpoints in the area where government officials observe the traded goods before entering Nepal. Tibetan Buddhists largely inhabit it. You will find other tourists along the way, mostly from Bon, Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain communities, coming to visit Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash for pilgrimage.

Overnight stay in Hilsa.

After having breakfast, follow the Karnali River, then cross the suspension bridge to turn north towards Limi valley. If you are lucky, you might even spot Snow Leopards, Himalayan Blue Sheep, and Bharals along the way. Snow Leopards are rare and are seen only in many years; however, the elevation is perfect for their habitation.

After about 5 to 6 hours, you will reach Manipeme, and you will set your camp for the day. Manipeme is a name derived from the engravings of Mani Mantra in large rocks.

Overnight stay at Manipeme.

Today is a longer trek than usual as you will be heading deeper to the Limi valley. After having breakfast, you will pack up and cross the Chenglungma caravan camp. From there, you will head to Cha-Sa Nam-Ka Dzong, which is an ancient cave of significance. Situated atop a rocky cliff in a hill makes it a mesmerizing tourist stop. The terrain from hereon is dry, sloping, and rocky. You will have to share the steep path with animals like sheep and Yaks carrying heavy loads to add to it.

Limi valley, also addressed as Limi village, has three villages in the area, namely Til, Halji, and Jang. For the following days, the trek will explore the three villages. First, you will cross the high pass of Lamka-La at the elevation of 4300m.

Til is the first village that you will visit. It is an agricultural village despite the dry terrain, and locals grow barley in their fields at the western end. You will also find willow trees and birch. It is also the smallest and the closest village to the Tibet border. After reaching Til, you can settle down then head out to explore the village.

Furthermore, you can also visit the Kunzum Do Nag Monastery, which is known to be 300 years old. You can witness a huge cultural exchange between Tibet and India in what is known as the second dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet. Interact with the warm and welcoming villagers living in stone houses.

Overnight stay in Til village.

On this day, you will be passing the second village in Limi – Halji, towards Chagzur Hot Springs. You will begin your downhill walk along the trail for about an hour until reaching Tiljung. Then heading below, you will follow the main tributary of Karnali, Tagtsi Khola, that flows from Jang to Til. Eventually, you will reach a narrow valley towards the east. From there, cross yet another bridge and head left. Finally, in about an hour, you will come to the northeast village of Halji.

Halji is the largest village in Limi valley. You will enter the village through a huge gate. On the side are a Chorten and a large mani wall with stone carvings of holy mantras and drawings of Buddhist deities. You can take your time and explore this village. More importantly, you must visit the amazing Rinchhen Ling Gompa Monastery, which is known to be 800 years old. It belongs to Kagyu Pa lineage and is the religious center of the region.

After exploring the area, you can walk ahead towards Jang village. There you will come across another important monastery which is known to be 250 years old. From there, take a short hike to reach the Chagzur Hot Spring, where you will camp for the night.

Overnight stay in Chagzur hot spring campsite.

On this day, after the long trek, you will have your very first rest day, a Chagzue Hot Spring. It is also known as Tashi Tang, more famous locally. You can wake up late today, wash your clothes, if any, and have some breakfast. As you have the entire day free today, you can opt to visit the natural hot springs in Chagzur for a lovely bath. The hot spring is known to cure anybody's ailments naturally. Alternatively, you can also drive to Lapcha Syar, situated at an elevation of 4900m/16000ft. You can hire a truck from there. From here, if the weather is clear with no or little clouds, then you get the opportunity to see Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. The entire trip from the campsite to Lapcha Syar and back to the camp takes about 5 to 6 hours.

Overnight stay in Chagzur Hot Spring campsite.

Waking up early, you will head to the Jade or Nyalu Base Camp today. Your first brief stop will be at Tulgling on the way. Tugling is a small settlement that has popped up only in recent years. Due to its recent establishment, the Limi people have also managed to set up a VHF telephone service and a restaurant.

Then, you have two trails from where you can reach Nyalu Base Camp. You can either take a shorter route by crossing a river towards the new road or take the long way through Tagtsi, which is more beautiful. Tagtsi is an ancient caravan trail where the Humla Mansarovar trail meets the Humla Limi valley trail. You will witness the ruins of the olden Limi village of Tshamdo/Zambuk/Lama Palya. It makes up for amazing photographic scenes as you can see the ruined chortan.

Hereon, you will cross the Nyingchhu river then the Tshogo Lake. Beyond is the Talung meadows, where you can see yaks and cattle of Limi valley grazing lavishly. Our long journey for the day ends here at Nyalu Base Camp.

Overnight stay in Nyalu Base Camp.

Today is a long trek that can take up to 8 hours to reach Sheng Jungma. In the initial leg of the trek, you will take a steep ascend for a couple of hours to reach the top of Nyalu Pass, sitting at an elevation of 4,990m/14,000ft. It is a tough climb, but once you reach there, the views take away all of the pain. You will be surrounded by high-standing mountains of Nepal and Tibet like Mt. Kailash, Kanjiroba, Mt. Api, and Mt. Saipal. After taking in the mesmerizing views, you will climb down from the pass and come across yet another marvelous beauty- Sheliman Lake, which is a small lake at an altitude of 2570m/15000ft.

From there, you will continue with descending to the meadows and river of Tshongsa. In spring, you will be welcomed by the views of the rhododendron forest. On the trail, another view of significance is the Tshogsi Tsan waterfall which is also known locally as the wild demon of Tshongsa showering between high rocks. Far beyond, you will see the pasturelands of Sheng Jungma, which is an hour away.

Overnight stay in Sheng Jungma.

Starting from the Tshongsa River, you will head to the bank of Zhestse River on the left side, running towards the east. From there, you will begin your climb upwards until you cross the Zhetse again from the right. Just before you cross a bridge, you can visit the Chyadok village summer camp of the herders. From here, the valley of Zhetse can be seen in full view.

From here, you can visit the Dinga Village herder's campsite for the stay. As you will have some hours of the day left, you can visit the nearby areas to click memorable pictures.

Overnight stay in Langdogd Base.

The trek for today begins will a gradual ascend towards Langdogd Pass at 4,550m/14,900ft offers mesmerizing views of the valley's high rocks and mountains. After enjoying the views, take a steep descend to a forest of juniper and birch. Following the way, you will reach Takhor Khola.

After about 1.5 hours, you will cross a stream and reach the Laga Dinga campsite called Lekh Dinga. The residence of Laga Dinga come here for the summer for settlement and also visited by the Limi people in the autumn for trading.

Overnight stay in Lekh Dinga.

On this day, you will bid farewell to Limi valley and the surrounding regions as you head to the capital of Humla, Simikot. Early in the morning, after having breakfast, you will begin your trek. In the initial leg of the trek, you will pass by the villages of Yapka and Tangin on the left, while the village of Aul Dinga is on the right. After passing them, you will take a steep descend towards the Yapka Khola. Reaching closer, you will cross the wooden bridge and then climb to Okhreni, a Thakuri Village.

After taking some rest there, you will proceed to the newly constructed road until Simikot. As you walk further, Nyinba valley will come at full display. Upon reaching Simikot, you can take some rest. Later in the evening, you can enjoy a local drink with the local people and your crew. Your amazing journey in Humla comes to an end on this day.

Overnight stay in Simikot.

After the long trekking days, finally, your stay in Nepal comes to an end. You will head to the domestic airport in Simikot then fly back to the town of Nepalgunj. From Nepalgunj, you will take a flight to Kathmandu city. Upon reaching the city, you can do some last-minute souvenir shopping and have some lunch, depending upon your flight schedule.

Overnight in Kathmandu

You will be transferred to the Tribhuvan International Airport by our representative, who will bid you farewell. You will certainty reminisce your time in the beautiful Limi Valley, and its isolated villages, a testimony to ancient Nepal tucked away from the rest of the world. If you wish to extend your stay in Nepal and travel to other places in Annapurna and Everest, please let us know.