More to Solukhumbu than Mount Everest

Most individuals establish the district of Solukhumbu with Mount Everest. That is the district the place the Everest Area or Khumbu space lies. The northern a part of the district additionally borders China. Everest sits alongside that border, with its north face accessed from the Chinese language aspect.  

Solu alternatively, is the world south of Lukla and is basically ignored by vacationers. That is the place the unique route up into the Everest space can nonetheless be trekked from Jiri. The previous path was utilized by Sir Edmund Hilary and expeditions to Everest earlier than the airport at Lukla was in-built 1964 underneath Hillary’s supervision. It’s, for my part, some of the stunning areas of Nepal.

I first visited Salleri, the district headquarters of Solukhumbu in 2005 once I arrived to see a faculty in Gunsa, a village a number of hours stroll from there. One of many colleges supported by Doug Scott’s British charity, Group Motion Nepal, the place I accompanied some volunteers who had been going to spend a number of months serving to the varsity and a close-by heath submit. A bunch of us flew to Phaplu Airport in one in every of Yeti Airways’ little 18 seater Twin Otters. At the moment there was nonetheless no highway going there and Salleri might solely be reached on foot or by air.

After spending a few days on the college, it was time to return to Kathmandu and so I set off on foot to Jiri alongside a route that a number of lecturers on the college assured me took them simply three days. Not making an allowance for how a lot slower I might be strolling, I did make it to Jiri in three days. 

On the primary day I walked 12 hours to Lamjura Move (3,530m); 10 hours the next day to Bhandar (2,200m); and at last an ‘simple’ 8 hour day to Jiri the place I caught a bus the next morning to Kathmandu. From then on, I resolved by no means to imagine a Nepali estimate of mountaineering occasions ever once more. I’ve at all times discovered that including 50% to any estimate of strolling occasions works very properly for me. It took me per week for my legs to get better! 

Just a few months later in March 2006, I returned to Salleri to check out the newly proposed Pikey Peak trekking route that was being developed by the Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP), a undertaking supported by UNDP, DFID, SNV and GTZ. This 5 yr undertaking was set as much as promote tourism in a number of poorer areas adjoining to well-known vacationer areas in Nepal. Within the decrease Solukhumbu space, they proposed a six or seven day trek to Pikey Peak and a few shorter treks to Dudhkhunda and round elements of the unique Jiri-Lukla path (Nunthala-Taksindu). As this was in the course of the Maoist Insurgency, few vacationers had been visiting Nepal. Nonetheless, while this meant issues for locals, aside from calls for for ‘donations,’ international vacationers had been often left unhindered. Nearly completed of their work, TRPAP had been very happy for me to check out their routes and provides them suggestions. 

With an area porter, I adopted the circuit from Salleri they had been proposing. There was nonetheless some snow and the rhododendrons had been blooming. TRPAP had achieved an excellent job coaching locals on the little visitor homes alongside the way in which. Nonetheless, on the village the place I had visited the varsity the yr earlier than, there was no lodging. Fortunately, the nurses on the healthpost remembered me and had been comfortable to place me up for the evening. Later I identified to TRPAP the way it didn’t make sense to have to hold a tent for only one evening, so the route now not passes Gunsa. Now there are a number of extra lodges and several other attainable routes coming from totally different instructions, relying on how a lot time you will have obtainable. Pattale, on the highway now going to Salleri is an efficient start line when you fancy a shorter trek. 

Domestically Pikey Peak (4,065m) is known as a ‘danda’ or hill. It’s all relative as this ‘hill’ just isn’t a lot much less excessive than Mont Blanc (4,807m). Coming from Pattale, it’s a pretty gradual climb to the lodges on the Pikey Peak ‘Base Camp’, the place a brief path takes you to the highest. Coming down on the opposite aspect nonetheless, it’s steeper. 

From the highest of Pikey Peak, you’ll be able to see eight of Nepal’s eight-thousanders from one place. It was a favorite of Sir Edmund Hillary after he climbed it in the course of the walk-in to Everest on his 1953 expedition. On a transparent day you’ll be able to see from Dhaulagiri within the west to Kanchenjunga within the east with every part in-between: Annapurna, Manaslu, Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse and different eight-thousanders taking part in disguise and search behind lesser however nearer peaks just like the elegant summit of Mount Numbur, proper in entrance standing tall above Mount Karyolung. It’s in all probability one in every of my favorite treks in Nepal. Extra not too long ago I used to be delighted to point out it off to a Nepali good friend who has a trekking company in Kathmandu and was not accustomed to the route.

As soon as again in Salleri after going up Pikey Peak, I instantly headed to Junbesi to take a look at TRPAP’s Dudhkunda trek. About two hours from Junbesi is the spectacular Thupten Choling Monastery, mentioned to be the biggest in Nepal with greater than 500 monks and nuns (the quantity fluctuates). It was based by HH Trulshik Rinpoche (d.2011), a instructor of the Dalai Lama and thirty third reincarnation of Terton Donak Lingpa, a well-known religious grasp. Trulshik Rinpoche settled within the Khumbu after fleeing Tibet in 1959, staying at numerous monasteries for a time, within the hope of returning to Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet. Lastly, in 1968, he constructed Thupten Choling close to Junbesi on land that was donated. He continued to imagine that he would quickly return to Tibet, so the monastery was not constructed to final. By the Nineteen Nineties it was deteriorating and reconstruction work started in 2001. After I handed in 2006, work was nonetheless in progress. Broken by the 2015 earthquake, it has since been repaired.

I didn’t keep at Thupten Choling because it was simply an hour or so additional to Phungmoche, the place there’s a monastery that’s perched on an enormous rock. I spent the evening right here, becoming a member of the monks for his or her meals and prayers within the night.

The next morning I set off alongside a abandoned path, passing by shepherds and their yak herds to the place there’s a small hermit cave. If I’d had a tent, I might have continued to Dudhkunda (4,592m), an additional few days’ trek additional. Right here the lake is revered and pilgrims imagine a dip in its milky (dudh means milk in Nepali) waters absolves you of your sins and makes your needs come true.  

As soon as again in Salleri, I examined out the third trek prompt by TRPAP. I adopted the trail to Chaylsa, the place with the help of the US and Switzerland, one of many first Tibetan Refugee Settlements was constructed within the early Sixties. Persevering with to Kaku, Basa, again via Nunthala and Taksindu earlier than returning to Salleri, this was a stupendous 4 day trek. I even made it again to Salleri in time to see the Saturday weekly bazaar. 

On my most up-to-date go to in Could 2022, I came over some households who’re working with Group Homestay Community to supply friends the chance to pattern life in Salleri and revel in among the native sights of the world. Though it’s Solukhumbu’s district headquarters, it’s nonetheless a small city. It’s strung out alongside a principal road with little retailers and low-rise buildings and feels extra like a village. It takes simply half an hour to stroll down from the highest of the principle road to the opposite finish of the city. It  simply takes a couple of minutes to stroll both up or down into the forest or fields on both aspect. The primary road is slim and fairly steep, discouraging all however the very occasional automobile. Autos arriving from Kathmandu cease briefly at Neue Bazaar’s ‘Zero Level’ by {the marketplace} earlier than driving up alongside the bypass to Phaplu and persevering with so far as Junbesi. The highway nonetheless has not made it throughout the excessive Lamjura Move to fulfill the highway coming from Jiri on the opposite aspect. 

At 2,338m I’d forgotten how chilly it could possibly get even in Could. Whereas in Kathmandu it was 28°, right here it was not more than 18°.  Within the winter it typically snows right here and you may see snow capped mountains. 

Salleri’s Saturday weekly market is without doubt one of the most essential within the space and attracts villagers from throughout. Now with the highway, they can are available in a matter of an hour or so slightly than a day or so. Nele Bazaar, simply a few hours stroll away, additionally has a pleasant weekly market, held on Tuesdays. 

In addition to Salleri’s monastery, there are a number of extra on the way in which to Chaylsa’s Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery. I used to be comfortable to see that Jhaylsa Monastery, the closest one, no more than an hour away, had been repaired by Indian engineers after the 2015 earthquake. New lodging needed to be constructed as the unique constructing behind the gompa was broken past restore.  Speaking to among the younger Sherpa monks right here, I got here to seek out out that that they had come from as distant as Dharan and Itahari.  Subsequent to Jyasha Gompa there’s a new monastery that had been constructed very not too long ago.

One among my most favorite villages to go to, Chaylsa is a stupendous place. The monastery right here was initially based for the refugees who got here from Tibet after 1959. Within the late Nineteen Nineties, the Tibetan authorities in exile requested Kopan Monastery to take over its care and administration. A senior monk from Kopan who can also be the abbot of the monastery takes care of younger monks between the age of 10 and 23. A number of of them have gone on to Sera Monastery in South India to proceed their research. Although broken, the monastery has been lovingly restored and I used to be relieved to see the previous frescoes by the doorway had survived intact. Chaylsa’s authentic carpet manufacturing unit that had been was a neighborhood lodge nonetheless had been broken. Though now it now not gives lodging there may be nonetheless a bit of restaurant the place you’ll be able to drink salt tea and eat Tibetan soup amongst different snacks.

Persevering with up via the village, there’s a viewpoint on the prime of a hill that provides views of Everest (8,849 m), Dudhkunda (4,592m), Numbur (6,958m) and Pikey Peak (4,065m). The next day, I visited the brand new Worldwide Mountain Analysis/ Coaching Centre in Garma. It is a very good hike from Salleri alongside a tough highway that’s little greater than a observe. This then joins the highway from Salleri to Deusa, a village about 6 hours stroll from Salleri. (Ultimately this highway will attain Lukla.) In its intensive grounds, the Centre has not too long ago constructed Nepal’s tallest synthetic climbing wall (20m) that’s carved on the again of an enormous yeti statue.  

On the opposite aspect of Salleri simply past the tip of Phaplu Airport’s runway is Chiwang Monastery, one of many oldest within the district. Inbuilt 1935 by the legendary Sange Lama of Phaplu, Chiwang Gompa is one in every of three in Solukhumbu that performs host to the Mani Rimdu pageant of Nepal celebrated yearly in the course of the tenth month of the Sherpa calendar (across the third week of November). 

Masked dancers carry out for hours in an elaborate ritualistic telling of the story of Buddhism’s conquer Bon, Tibet’s historical animist faith. The drama is lit by the complete moon by which every Mani Rimdu is timed. Performing Lamas (monks) put on superbly crafted papier maché masks and intricately woven brocade costumes. On the primary day of the pageant the monks act out elaborate prayer rituals earlier than embarking on the story itself on the second day. On the ultimate day, Sherpas who’ve gathered for the ceremonies be a part of with the native villagers to bop the evening away. 

Through the years, I’ve stored returning time after time to Salleri and the encompassing space. I’ve walked many occasions from Jiri (taking about 4 and a half days).  I’ve seen the highway come from Kathmandu which at first was a really tough observe, the place invariably jeeps would get caught within the mud. Now a black-top, even in the course of the monsoon, Salleri is accessible. For a number of years there was no highway bridge over the Sunkosi River. Everybody needed to take all their baggage and cross on a footbridge, catching the jeeps ready on the opposite aspect to finish their journey. Lastly in 2014, after greater than a decade of building, the Sunkosi Bridge at Ghurmi was accomplished, decreasing the journey time by at the least a few hours. Now, it takes seven to eight hours to succeed in Salleri from Kathmandu by jeep. 

For the reason that finish of the Maoist Insurgency when all road-building and building initiatives got here to a standstill, roads have been constructed in all places, connecting villages all around the nation. Although hated by the tourism trade desirous to safeguard trekking, the roads have been a boon for villagers who now can simply transport items to the market, and might journey extra simply to hospitals or Kathmandu. It’s a big enchancment from four-and-a-half days on foot. 

Getting there:

Jeep: Jeeps run day by day from Chabhil Chowk leaving early within the morning. To ebook tickets, I often ask round in Thamel at one in every of many trekking retailers run by locals from Salleri and the encompassing space. It ought to take about 8 hours to succeed in Salleri. Some jeeps go to Nele Bazaar or to Deusa or in any other case you’ll be able to change at Salleri. 

Bus: Buses additionally go to Salleri however take for much longer and will be a lot much less snug.

Hike: Alternatively, if you wish to hike in, buses go to Jiri and past. It’s in all probability greatest to take the bus to Bandar to start out strolling from there, through the Lamjura Move and Junbesi. 

Fly:  The flight period is simply half-hour operated by Tara Air and Summit Air. Flights are scheduled within the morning as by noon the airport is often too windy for the planes to land.