Trips to Varingskollen and Rundkollen (hills in our neighbourhood in Nittedal) was the foundation for the challenges waiting for me this autumn. Himalaya!

The walking-group in Nittedaljoggen (local sportsclub) gave me also good exercise. The leader arranged a special “elevationprogramme” for me, we were panting up every hill around Sørli. (Sørli is my village).

This autumn I left for Kathmandu in Nepal together with three other women. The group consisted of Kjersti – my daughter, 32 years old, her friend Randi at same age, Eva 66 years old, and me 62 years old. We were all ready for the great adventure, a trekking throught Annapurna-massive in Himalaya.

Saturday, 3.10. We left Kathmandu together with our guide Puru and the porters, Chandra and Uttam, all of them from the travelagency in Kathmandu. After 5 hours driving we arrived Besisahar, the startingpoint for the trekking. The track follows the river Marsyangdi through a valley north and west through the Annapurna. We started about 700 m, and in the next 11 days we should elevate up to the worlds biggest mountainpass, Thorung La, 5416 m. The very special with this route is that we all the time follow the many centennial old thoroughfare between Nepal, the old kingdom Upper Mustang and Tibet. We should walk through villages and meet people living here. As a supplement to the experience of the nature, we should also get an insight in other cultures and see how people are living under other conditions.

Eva got a push

Sunday, 4.10. We slept in the village Bhulbule. Eva and I shared room, Randi and Kjersti an other. Good beds with foamrubber-madrasses – we brought with us sleepingbags. After a nice trip we reached the next place to sleep. We ate dinner outside in the sunshine. We could choose among several vegetarmeals and soups. Kjersti and Randi choosed as usual Dal Bhat, the national meal in Nepal. The meal consists of rice, a soup of lentils and a bowl of vegetables.

Monday, 5.10. Oatporridge and omelet for breakfast, and after that out on the path again. To day we were meeting caravanes with buffalos and mules, filled up with goods. Suddenly Eva got a push from a buffalo. Puru was quickly there and got her up again. We got instructions to let the animals get room enough when the are passing us, preferably on the outside. Higher up we will meet yaks, and then it is important to take care.

Bad weather and misfortune

Tuesday, 6.10. It was raining, it was not normal for this periode of the year. We were passing a big area of landslide. Large masses of stones had few years ago burried several houses and many people had died. When we went down a steep stairs of stones, Kjersti slided and hit her tail-bone. The pains made it difficult to walk, but willpower and humour helped her to continue. When we came to the next place to sleep, Puru wanted to prevent further accidents. The steep wooden stairs to our rooms was very slippery, and he got some wood and nailed a piece of wood on every step, so we not should slide down the stairs!

Wednesday, 7.10. More rain, extreme rainfall. Not possible to continue, the flood had taken away the bridge we should cross!

More steep hills

Thursday, 8.10. The rain has stopped. Kjersti had prophesied that a new bridge should be fixed just when the rain stopped, everyone here was dependent on the path going through the valley, here is all the traffic of goods and people going on. And Kjersti was right. As soon as the rain stopped, volunteers with simple tools were going out for work. They cut down threes and made a new bridge over the rapid river. A policeman inspected the work, and allready early in the morning the new bridge was sanctioned.

The hills became more steep and the view more fantastic. We passed 2469 m and we told Puru that we just now was at the same level as the highest mountain in Norway.

But more clouds were coming on the sky, and soon the rain was falling again!
Puru was a little anxious about the accomplishing of our trekking. The rain falling down here in the “lowland” fells as snow higher up in the mountains. We met people who had returned from the pass. They had given up to cross the pass because of snow. If the rain not stopped immediately, it could be problems also for us!

Friday, 9.10. Bright sunshine and the giants among us really show their beauty! Wonderful trip up the valley. Warm weather in the morning and forenoon, but cold wind when we arrived Pisang. We got rooms a place there where no one to cook, but it was no problem.
The materials was in the kitchen and Puru made food for us!

Saturday, 10.10. Walking through pinewood and fantastic view to Annapurna II, 7939 m and Annapurna III, 7555 m. Further to Manang, but no room was available. Puru ran up to next village and found rooms for us by a nice woman in Tengu. We had a very good stay in Tengu. We were sitting outside with a cold beer, looking on the sunset over Gangapurna, 7454 m. We got hot water to take a wash, and all four of us arranged on a line, Puru started to wash our hear!

In the evening we were invited to come into the private room. We were sitting by the stove while Didi made vegetablesoup for us. Didi means “sister” and is a petname for kind woman, an expression that you gladly will include her in your family.

We feel the height

Sunday, 11.10. Before we said goodbye to Didi she gave us prayersharfs, it means “good luck”. We could really need good luck, just now when we came closer to the pass!
We arrived 4250 m, and got rooms in “Snowland Hotel”. It was cold, both out and inside. Kjersti and Randi felt a kind of pressure on the head. Was it mountain-illness? Just in case we took two tablettes. Mountain-illness could be dangerous if you not take care of the signals. If you have headache and feel sick, you should go down some hundred meters and use more time to acclimatize. Mountain-illness can involve loss of coordination and death.
In average two persons dies every year on the way over the pass we soon should cross.
Most people get symptomes of mountain-illness. The body is working to tacle the new conditions. We lost the apetite completely. We had problems to sleep, and the heart was beating a little extra.

Monday, 12.10. We should elevate up 600 m to High Camp, the last place to sleep before the pass. Puru ran forward to get room for us, it is only a few rooms for rent here. He managed to get two good rooms, but Puru himself and our porters had to sleep in a sleeping hall, and there were not carpets enough for all…

Over the pass

Tuesday, 13.10. Up 4 o’clock in the morning. No breakfast, but we tried to eat a little bisquit. About 10 minus degrades and dark outside, only the stars and the moon was shining on huge, white mountains. We should elevate up the last 600 m to the pass, Thorung La, the highest point of our trek, 5416 m. We used long time, 20 steps and then taking a break. To get more oxygen, we were walking with open mouth.

And so we were on the top – in the same time as the sun break through and we got a fantastic view over the mountains. On the other side the view of the enormous mountain, Dhalagiri, 8167, came up. We could look to the tibetan plateau and the old kingdom of Upper Mustang, which has been a closed area until few years ago.

We were very happy to reach our goal and took several photos before we started stepping down 1700 m to the town Muktinath, with holy sources and a beautyful temple.
We ended our trekking and drove further with a jeep to Jomsom. In Jomsom we had our last meal with Chandra and Uttam. From Jomsom we took a little plane along all the big mountains we had been walking along, to the city Pokhara, south for the Himalaya mountains.

In Pokhara we said goodbye to Puru, our companion and always helping man. He led us over troubled water, helt our hand if we needed support and told us about his country and his people. He was only 29 years old, but had so much wisdom and so many good human values and attitudes. We wished him good luck, and we hope the best for him, our kind porters and for the hard working and friendly people in Nepal.

Facts about travel in Himalaya

  • The best periods for mountaintrekking in Himalaya is oct./nov. and march/april.
  • We used to start about 8.00 o’clock and arrived about 15.00 o’clock in the afternoon.
  • We used a travelagency in Kathmandu: Explore Alpine Adventure Ltd. www.explorealpinenepal.com
  • We used Gulf Air, tur-retur London-Kathmandu, 7000,- Nkr.
  • For trekking we paid about 300 Nkr per person per day. The price included place to sleep, food, guide and porters. In addition we paid for water, other things to drink and for the stay in Kathmandu.
Inquiry Booking
Aryeh Shcherbakov

Dear Bharat, That was a great luck for our group of four - when we've decided to come to Nepal and -following warmest recommendations of a friend - got in touch with you and your agency. Starting with our first exchange of the e-mails, all your replies and clarifications to our ...

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Karin and Earling Lande

Dear Bharat
Time to time we are remembering our great times happened in our life, our big adventure Holiday trip to Nepal and the way you cooperate to serve our members
in the group. Once again we want to say THANK YOU to your company and arrnging our wendrefull trips in Nepal, we nev ...

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Lehan Chew

Comments: Dear Mr Bharat It is with great pleasure and joy that I am writing this letter to your company. Our journey to Nepal was a very memorable one. Thanks to the wonderful people we met here. It started when we met Mr Bharat, his hospitality was special and he extended his ...

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Peter Greg

"It was really nice to have my questions answered so promptly by Bharat Regmi himself. The food was incredible by prepared by the staffs, the transportation were excellent (I smile saying this, but considering the challenging road conditions, both the drivers and the vehicles were excellent). The ...

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Thais Howard

Alpine Explore Nepal in Kathmandu and his email is:
[email protected]

This company is owned by two men, all Nepali, so working with them is directly benefitting the local people. We were very impressed by the fact that the amount of our fees paid to the ...

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Larry

Just when you think that you have done everything, seen everything, and been everywhere, then you arrive on the Indian sub-continent and find yourself experiencing extreme cultural shock. Words cannot express what your senses experienced there, the sights, the sounds, and the smells. The land see ...

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B. Regmi, C. Yates, M. Fletcher, J. Keating

We would like to report on a recent 14 day bird watching trek of the Langtang Valley of Nepal. Our group of 4 was led by the well-known bird watching tour guide, Bharat Regmi of Explore Alpine Adventure Tours, the other three members of the group being amateur bird observ ...

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Sugata

Sugata must be our oldest client. He celebrated both his 90th and 92nd birthday on our Annapurna trek. You can read his story, in fact his book ( www.sugata.info ). He just keeps coming back.

Now living in Norway, he's been coming to Nepal since he was ordained a Therevada monk in Swa ...

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Matej Meglic

I came to Nepal in September 2004, to climb the mountain Dorjelakpa along with 6 of my Slovinian friends. It was a 45 day expedition, fully organised by Explore Alpine Adventure. They do for you what your heart desires. Really they do. The whole expedition was very well planned by them:good cooke ...

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Reg Clark

For me this was the trip of a lifetime---- something I have always wanted to do and now had the opportunity. We arranged a very comprehensive and economical itinerary through a Nepalese firm called Explore Alpine Adventure (P) Ltd in Kathmandu. It ran for a period of 28 days and was to take us fr ...

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SteveAnyon-Smith

This was my third trek in Nepal, having visited the Annapurna Region in 1995 and with Bharat and Dave in the beautiful and wildlife-filled Langstang Valley in1998. Bharat's company �Explore Alpine Adventure� specialises in wildlife watching treks and tours in Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. The company ...

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Traveldiary from trekking in Himalaya

Trips to Varingskollen and Rundkollen (hills in our neighbourhood in Nittedal) was the foundation for the challenges waiting for me this autumn. Himalaya!

The walking-group in Nittedaljoggen (local sportsclub) gave me also good exercise. The leader arranged a special �el ...

Read More

Anna Marie

I had a fabulous trip. The guide was wonderful--well educated in government, history etc. Not one thing went wrong. Hopefully I'll pass on some business to you and your company in the future." ones again thank you very much Bharat assist to arrange our trip in Nepal.

...
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Mary Huber

It was really nice to have my questions answered so promptly by Bharat Regmi. The food was incredible on the trip, the transportation excellent (I smile saying this, but considering the challenging road conditions, both the drivers and the vehicles WERE excellent). Our group leader, Mr Mark and N ...

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Adrian Jordi and Andrea Strasky

Birding in Nepal with Alpine Explore Adventure www.alpineexplorenepal.com Report by Andrea Strasky & Adrian Jordi, Switzerland From the 14th of february until the 8th of march 2001 we stayed in Nepal and went birding almost daily with Bharat Regmi, our guide and friend from Alpine Explore ...

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Ann-Marieay Orset

Thank you very much Bharat Regmi we all are very satisfied with the organization, the arrangement, the cost etc... Very good equipments, well catered, well managed and all the programmed were well respected. We highly recommend Apline Explore Nepal travel and trek agency for Himalayan adventure h ...

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Mitja Gleseie

We group of 10 people had a very nice trekking with agency Alpine Explore Nepal Treks in Rolwaling and successfully climbed the Pacharmo peak and trekked down via Everest region Namche. The service was very efficient and reliable. All programs were prepared very sensitively; all the staffs were v ...

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Jean Francois

Our Nepal India and Bhutan tour organized by Alpine Explore Nepal was excellent, efficient & reliable service. The overall guides, staffs were very experienced and received the service more than we had expected. I can highly recommend this agency anyone who wish to do any trip to asia in ...

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Allan Bowden

We group of 4 took a bird watching tour through Alpine Explore Nepal, on December 2009 Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet for 28 days and show almost 508 species of birds and 38 different species mammals, It has been great experiences and well organized, very professional guides, we will be back again for s ...

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Torunn Michaelsen and Brith-Elin Hansen

We were 3 friends leaving Oslo on the 8th of October 2013. Two of us had never been in Nepal before. Arriving in Kathmandu we were met by staff from Alpine Explorer Nepal and they took well care of us on the whole tour. The first days we were on interesting guided tour in Kathmandu City, Bhaktapu ...

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Marit Husdal

Home again after 10 wonderful days in Langtang! Driving from Katmandu to Syabru Benzi the first day, started the trek nexmAt morning up to Lama Hotel through the forest. Various nature, springtime and the rhododendron had just started blooming. From Lama Hotel we continued up to Langtang Village, ...

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Robert McKay

Just back from a wonderful trek in Dolpo. Incredible scenery, great birdwatching, fascinating culture and a really great trekking company. I have known Bharat for many years and trekked with his team on several visits to Nepal. I can't imagine anything better than the service he provides. Every n ...

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Robert McKay

We visited Phoksundo Lake in May 2014, trekking there from Juphal. We absolutely loved our trip. 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 lo ...

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Rachel Kellett

The best treks of my life, I have enjoyed with Alpine and Bharat. Brilliantly organised, without over egging the omelette. I learned about the mountains, the people, the birds and bees. Patient, encouraging, imaginative. Such good memories. Rachel

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Bente Velapoldi

Wow, what a trip and what a country! And our gracious, outgoing and wonderful guide, Bharat Regmi of Alpine Explore Nepal made it all come true. We explored Kathmandu for 3 days, with Patan and Bhaktapur highlights, as well as a flight to see Mt. Everest "close-up", and then bus to Pokhara for an ...

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Marit Husdal

Started with a 45 min. fligth to Lukla in the morning with my guide,a spectactular flight with great Himalaya view! In Lukla we met our porter, and started an eassy walk to Phakding in a beatyful nature passing villages and theahouses. Next day we entered Sagarmatha National Park and walked the s ...

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Kjartan

Alpine Explore Nepal has assisted us many times in organizing treks and trips various places in Nepal over the last 10 years (e.g. ABC trek, Langtang trek, Everest trek, Ghorepani trek, Chitwan). Bharat and his team are friendly, helful and highly professional in all aspects. We highly recommend ...

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