Lhamje-Pikya-La Discovery Trek 13 Days
(Adventure Trekking off the beaten track)

DAILY DEPARTURES OCTOBER - NOVEMBER & FEBRUARY - MAY:

Lhamje to Pikyala is a off the beaten track new trekking destination which has not been explored by most visitors to Nepal. Explore this stunningly beautiful highlands of eastern Nepal. It is directly southwest of Mt. Everest, in the neighborhoods of Numbur Himal or southeast from Lamjurapass. Along the trek, visit Kingurdingma Monastery at 3,350m, Tolu Tharling Gompa/monastery and Thupten Chholing Monastery.

The summit of Pikya is 4,200 meters above sea level with stunning mountain views and scenic valleys. Standing on the summits of Lhamje and Pikyala on a clear day, we can see Mount Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Everest, Lhotse Shar, Nuptse, Mera Peak, Numbur and Dudh Kunda Himal, Ghaurishankar, Langtang, the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri range.

These areas hold the biggest Sherpa settlements and the hub of their culture, which has not been explored because the region is off from the main trekking route to Everest! Trekking down the valley a few hours in any direction will lead you to a Sherpa village where locals have never seen outsiders. Visitors will be welcomed with traditional Sherpa hospitality. If you are looking for an adventure trek off the beaten track to experience the pure village and monastic life styles of the Sherpas and other ethnic group not yet influenced by commercialized tourism. Then, this is your place to visit. The trekking permit required for Lower Solu Khumbu. Inquire for further information.

Best Season: October to November and February to early May.

Trek Grade: Strenuous

ITINERARY#17LHAMJE-1

Day 01 Arrive Kathmandu, Nepal
Upon arrival, meet at the airport, transfer to hotel, itinerary briefing, and Nepali dinner with or without folk cultural show or at leisure.

Day 02 Kathmandu Valley Tour - Featuring four world heritage sites (Pashupati Temple, Bouddha Stupa, Patan and Kathmandu Durbar Squares). Full details of these tour sites will be issued to clients or agents upon request.

Day 03 Kathmandu to Jiri by road
6:30 AM our trekking guides and coach will meet you at your hotel lobby and at 7:00 AM depart for the trek. It will take approximately 6 to 8 hours to get to Jiri depending on the road condition and the size of a vehicle we take. The road is all weather, but windy. It was built by the Swiss international help project. The drive to Jiri is very scenic with villages, terraced fields, river valleys and snowcapped peaks including mount Ghauri Shankar Himalayan range. Jiri is the end of the road from where we start our trek. It is the start and end point of most treks and expeditions toward mount Everest. Upon arrival in Jiri, we trek to Mali Danda for about one and a half to two hours or camp in Jiri depending on time. Picnic lunch will be provided.

Day 04 Trek to Chiyangma Danda camp
The morning part of the trek is down hill which goes through scenic, farm fields, river valleys and small villages. Along the trail, we will meet many porters and merchants headed to the Everest Region carrying huge loads of baskets on their back with head and shoulder straps. It is the main trade and expedition route for the Everest Region and the upper mid-eastern Nepal. Thus, until today's campsite, we will encounter quite a bit of on foot traffic going back and forth.

After crossing the suspension bridge over the Khimti River, comes a small town called Shivalaya. From here, the trail is straight to gradual uphill for about three to four hours until we get at Chiyangma Danda (a pass), a Sherpa settlement with lodges and inns. We will camp here because the views can be very spectacular if the weather is clear.

Day 05 Trek to Goli Village
Today, we are leaving the Everest trail and trekking through scenic valleys, beautifully terraced farms and villages. After breakfast, we trek straight down hill to the Likhu Khola/River. Some steep trails. Be careful! Then, the trail becomes easier with combination of small up-hills and down hills until we reach our campsite. Our campsite will be in a village.

Day 06 Trek Kingurding Monastery and camp
Kingurding Monastery is the biggest monastery in the area today with many monks and Lamas. It is the most active monastery here because other monasteries in the region failed due to lack of support.

Today, we will have an easy beginning. However, the trail becomes a straight up hill until lunch. We again trek through scenic valleys, beautiful farmlands and villages. We do not encounter any tourist here, but the local people. Today, we camp nearby the monastery. The Kingurding Monastery is situated in a quiet location on a hilltop at an elevation of about 10,100-ft. above sea level surrounded by fir and rhododendron forests. The view from Kingurding Monastery is stunning. This is one of the magical places that some of our clients actually cried of happiness after getting here despite the up hill trek, and they do not want to leave the place! The next morning, we receive a blessing and empowering ceremony from the Lama for our group. To get here and receive this empowerment session is truly a cultural and spiritual journey for many of our clients and us.

Day 07 Trek to Lhamje Danda, a shepherd's camp
In the morning, after breakfast, we will visit the monastery and to see the high Lama and the monks. We shall have a blessing and healing ceremony done for our group. The empowering ceremony is very interesting experience.
After the ceremony is over, we begin our trek through the scenic fir, high altitude rhododendron and mixed dwarf alpine scrub forest along the ridge with spectacular views in all directions. If the weather is clear, we can occasionally see mount Everest not to mention the other smaller peaks that we see all along the way. The only people you meet here are the shephards, yaks, cows and sheep. We might even see wild animals just keep your fingers crossed. Today, we camp in Lhamje, a famous Yak pasture area with seasonal shepherd's camp and gathering place around the Buddhist stupa built in the ancient times.

Day 08 Lhamje to Pikya-La trek
Today, we trek to Pikya-La 13,400 ft. above sea level, the highest point in the area. Today's trek is easy and short that goes through rhododendron, fir coni-fir, fir and high altitude scrub forests. We will also encounter many Yaks along the way. The views are very scenic. Pikya-la is famous for Yak pasture and its Yak cheese made at the dairy built by the Swiss in the early 70s. We camp nearby the dairy. We camp here, and trek to the top the next morning to see mount Everest, the highest point on earth. On a clear day, we can see mount Kanchenjunga in the far east and mount Annapurna range in the west. It is purely a special place to trek.

Day 09 Trek to Junbensi Village
Today, we get up at 3:30 AM, have tea and coffee, packed breakfast, and trek up the Pikyala peak to its summit to see the stunning mountain views at sun rise. We hang on top of Pikyala at 13,400 ft. about an hour or until we are fully satisfied. It is said that in ancient times, the wild Yaks were found here. Today, we will not see the wild ones as they are extinct, but many domesticated ones. Then trek through the rhododendron and high altitude scrub forests down the valley to lunch. After lunch, we trek down through the forest to Taktokbu Sherpa village and camp to Junebesi. We will visit the Saylau Monastery en-route. In the afternoon, we get onto the traditional Everest trek route. We camp in scenic Junbensi village, a Sherpa settlement with monasteries in the village and its surrounding area.

Day 10 Side trek to Thuptenchholing Monastery and then to Phaplu
We get up very early, pack up all our personal gears, have breakfast and trek up the river valley to Thuptenchholing monastery one of the biggest monasteries in the region with one of the highest Tibetan lamas "Thuche Rinpoche". After we visit the monastery and get quick blessings from the Lama, we will head back to Junebesi for lunch. After lunch, we trek along the scenic river valley and villages to Phaplu Airport.

Day 11 Phaplu to Kathmandu flight
We get up early and pack up all our gears, have breakfast and walk to the airport. The flight to Kathmandu will be very scenic. Upon arrival, we transfer to our chosen hotel.

Day 12 at leisure in Kathmandu
Experience some of the Kathmandu street bazaars on your own and shop souvenirs. Assistance will be provided at no cost if any of our clients need help.

Day 13 Departure from Kathmandu
Transportation and assistance at the airport will be provided.

VISIT NEPAL FOR LESS 2004-2005!
Trek Cost Per Person In US Dollars:

TREK COST INCLUDES:
Two nights hotel accommodations in Kathmandu based on a twin sharing and breakfast basis, a full day Kathmandu Valley sightseeing tour, trekking permit, monument and park entrance fees, all ground transportation within Nepal to and from start and end points of treks, trekking staff (guides, cook, kitchen helpers, porters/Yaks/horse), all camping equipment (2 men tents, foam pads, toilet tent, cooking utensils, dining tent, tables and chairs), all meals during the trek, Nepalese staff insurance, transfers to and from airport to hotel.

TREK COST DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Visa fees, international and domestic airfares, airport departure tax, lunch and dinner while in Kathmandu, personal clothing, personal insurance, alcoholic beverages, telephone, laundry, charges for delays caused by situations beyond our control such as bad weather, natural disasters, political unrest, and emergencies.