Ruby Valley Trek – 12 Days

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300 m)

Following your arrival time at Tribhuwan International Airport, our company representatives will be there for your warm welcome and to shift you towards luxury tourist standard hotel. Therefore, we plan on gathering at our office discuss upcoming trek. We organize a welcome dinner today in one of the famous restaurant in town and enjoy Nepalese food.

Day 02: Drive to Syabrubesi (1460m)

After breakfast we drive to Syabrubesi from Kathmandu which is almost 7 hours drive on rough road. Upon reaching Trishuli bazaar we will have lunch and continue our drive. Overnight in hotel.

Day 03: Trek to Gatlang (2238m)

Today we have a long yet interesting day with almost 6 hours of trek. We hike up in a steep trail up to Rongga Bhanjyang for about 3 hours and stop for some photography and rest. From Ringa we descend about an hour to reach Goljung where we will take a lunch break. It takes us 3 more hours to reach Gatlang from the lunch place. In the evening we can do a short excursion to the pond named after Lord Shiva’s wife, Parvati. Overnight in hotel.

Day 04: Trek to Somdang (3271 m)

We will start the walk today after breakfast and then head towards Somdang village. One of the biggest settlements we pass is Yuri Kharka before lunch. The trail goes gradually up and continues towards Khurphu Bhanjyang. After crossing the Somdang River we will enter Dhading district from the Rasuwa district. A sprawling mining compound, no longer functioning but seem locals appealing government to revive it, lies a few hours to the north upriver. Before reaching the village of Somdang we will pass the Chukarma Waterfall. The former mine leaves a lot be explored and is the site of a 1.4 km tunnel bored into the mountain to extract zinc, copper, tin, crystal and even highly-prized rubies. We spend  night in one of the hotel in Somdang.

Day 05: Acclimatization day

We will spend this day around Somdang village; we will also visit the Lari mine nearby. This is a Tamang village with some typical houses and farming life. Overnight in same hotel.

Day 06: Trek to Tippling via Pangsang Pass La (3842m)

This is one of the most interesting days of the trek as we cross the Pangsang la pass, the highest point of this ruby valley trek today. The day starts early in the morning and we proceed with packed lunch. Pangsang Kharka is a viewpoint southwest of Somdang village with a broad panorama of the surrounding terrain. To the north are the soaring peaks of Manaslu and the Ganesh Himal Range. The large meadow is graced with a giant entry gateway and is a sensational location for camping and taking in the breathtaking scenery. The whole Ganesh Himal region is blessed with abundant herbal plants. Previously, herbs were taken to Tibet along an ancient trade route and exchanged for salt, livestock, wool and turquoise. This is known as one of the most beautiful and the best magnificent mountain views point almost in 270 degrees Langtang ranges, Ganesh Himal ranges, Manaslu ranges and bit of Annapurna ranges Mountain View point. Descend to Tippling, a large village that hosts two Buddhist gombas and both a Protestant and Catholic church. Along a ridge top to the east is a Gomba and cremation ground for both Buddhists and Christians lined with colorful flags. Being a majority of Tamang people it has beautiful Tamang culture show.

Day 07: Trek to Shertung (1875m) 5-6 hrs

Descend to cross the Adha Khola on a box bridge and ascend to the sister villages of Shertung and Chalish, regally overlooking the fertile river valley and abundant fields. Shertung is inhabited mainly by Tamang. The name Shertung means 'place of gold'. According to a legend, two brothers in search of gold were led here by a dream and thus the settlement was born. Tamang people have own rich culture to show for the visitors jhankri or shaman dance, ghode or horse dance, said to have been brought from Tibetan culture long ago. Jhankri (shaman) activity is robust in this territory with the worship of natural forces and indigenous local deities interwoven with Hindu and Buddhist practices. Holy Chyamra dandd, Fyanchyat monastery and Sajyat are the main holy attraction of the village. Spectacular Mountain View of Lapsang Karpu, Ganesh Himal (Yangri) as well as Ganesh II and III can be seen from this village.

Day 08: Visit Hot Springs (2 -3 hrs walk) and trek back Chalish Gaon (1674m) 5 hrs

After breakfast , trek down to Chalish village taking 30 minutes’ walk, leave your most of the luggage and trek to Tatopani (hot springs) walking 1 ½ hours where pack lunch will be suited to eat (no lodge has built yet). Enjoy half of the day taking bath with one of the best hot spring of this region. After enjoying return back to Chalish village.

Chalish is inhabited primarily by Gurung, Ghale and Kami. There used to be Newar people but they migrated to Kathmandu city. The hospitable people of this area have unique customs and craftsmanship and traditional dances, including a hospitable welcome dance, Ghatu Dance, Dohori is also popular with call and response between male and female participants, a type of courtship ritual, complemented by folk music. Some dances depend on the time of year and take place during festivals including the Maruni Dance during Dasai and Tihar, Hai Nelo Dance of Tihar, and the Ghatu (Ghasiri Dance) that occurs during Chandi Purnima in the Nepali month of Chaitra. Gurung men traditionally wear vangra, a woman, embroidered cotton cloth tied at the ends that serves as a pouch for carrying goods. Sri Tinkanya Devi Mandir lies above Chalish. Local women tie bits of cloth or leave a bangle representing a wish to be fulfilled near a small pool of water surrounded by Barmase or periwinkle flowers. This village is known as one of the most friendliest of the areas in terms of culture show program, hospitality, and kindness and helpful. Most of the youngsters of this village are in tourism work as a trek guide, Sherpa, porter or even trek and travel owners.

Day 09: Trek to Jharlang (Ungul) 3000 m

After breakfast trek to Mani Danda – 30 minutes walk from where you will see the breath taking Ganesh Himal ranges mountain views and a stone through entire Chalish village views on the back. Trek continued passing Deul danda, Gobre village (hilly walking slow walking is recommended with your guide and porter), Chhap danda and Bandari Bhir where rock climbing possibility has been seen. So any rock climber who is willing to climb highly recommended but basic infrastructure has not developed yet. Arrive Borang village which is also majority of Tamang people and trek continue to Ukhum for lunch. After lunch trek continue to Lishne jungle, cross suspension bridge, passing through Chhapchyat village you finally get to Jharlang village (Ungul). One of the best and panoramic Mountain View point of the area. This is Tamang village and belongs nearly 200 houses.

Day 10: Trek to Darkha Gaun 850m. 6-7 hrs

After breakfast trek most of the way down to Jharlang Phedi walking 2 ½ hours passing paddy terraces and surrounding landscapes. Passing through suspension bridges, breath taking views of Ankhu khola and Chhapchyat as well as Ri village other side of the river finally reach at Darkha gaon. This village is mix culture village of Brahmin people and Tamang as well as Dalit.

Day 11: Trek to Darkha Phedi and drive to Kathmandu 1310m via Dhading Besi. 45 minutes trek and 6 -7 hrs drive

After breakfast trek all the way down to Darkha Phedi taking 45 minutes downhill walk and then take sharing local Jeep with other people and the arrive in Dhading Besi after 3-4 hours rough and tough zig –zags road drive. Crossing through Ankhu Khola as well as Kimdang phedi villages, Katunje village and Jyamrung village will make you breath taking scenic driving having fabulous landscape surroundings. From Dhading change another bus and drive back to Kathmandu taking 3 hours driving.

Day 12: Departure day
On last day focusing your flight schedule, you can step forward for collecting gift items for your friends, families or loving ones.  We will be there to help in your necessary arrangements and packing along our private vehicle transfers you to the airport focusing your flight time. Our company members will be there to wish for your safe flight.

Visa Information

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and you can obtain visas for Nepal from the Nepalese Consulate in your country or up on arrival in Kathmandu Airport. Nepalese visas cost USD 25 for 15 days and USD 40 for 30 days till date.

Official Papers

Some of the required official documents are your valid passport, 4 extra passport sized photographs (for trekking permits), travel insurance, airline tickets and luggage tags. Visas can be obtained upon entry into Nepal.

Weather Information

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict.  Nights are generally cooler and days are warm.  Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February and December in Himalayan areas.

Best time to travel

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

Physical Fitness

Even though the physical fitness plays an important role in trekking you don’t have to be super athletes or a marathon runner to trek in Nepal.  Many people of good fitness for their age can complete the trek. You can prepare yourself before hand by doing some yoga which will prepare you in your breathing as you will be going to the higher altitude. Running or hiking to hills, going for a long walk will also help you. And if you live in urban area running in the stairs of a tall building will also work better in keeping you fit for trekking. All though these preparations aren’t strictly compulsory, you can do well even when the preparations you do aren’t rigorous like that of some ultra-athletic person. Do these things in moderate pace for two months or even less.  And you are set to complete any trekking to Nepal.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking is Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you to bring you travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your home land. We do not arrange or sell insurance so you can find your local travel insurance for this.

Vaccination for Nepal

All travelers should consult with their physician or update on vaccination requirements before travel. (Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities) For traveling to Nepal; we recommend you to take a vaccination of Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies etc, it is not really must but recommended.

Booking Process

While you chose which trip you wanted to go with, contact us to our head office Thamel Marg, Kathmandu Nepal by email or phone, email is more easy and clear options, as soon as we get your email or call we will process for your booking. We need 20% booking amount to confirm your booking, the payment can be made through the Bank transfer, Credit card payment (Master/Visa card) or through online money transfers also Money Gram, Western Unions or others. After we get the 20% amount we will confirm your booking and you will get the official booking and payment receipt. The final balance for the tour will be paid upon arrival in Kathmandu.

Safety Guidelines

• Do proper research about the company that you are planning to trek with and make sure they are legally registered travel agency.
• You should be well acquainted about the travel health and travel insurance before travelling.
• Have idea about the climate, geography, temperature and environment of Nepal before starting your trip.
• Using credit cards instead of cash is a wiser idea.
• Majority of the Nepalese people are nicer but there are few scammers you will come meet on your way and need to avoid them, for example ‘holy men’ who will try to plant a tika (a red paste denoting a blessing) on your forehead demanding a payment for it on streets.
• Be careful while buying the medicinal herbs as some may be illegal for you t take home and also be aware of duplicate products.
• Never get yourself involve in doing drugs, trafficking and sexual relations with children as there is a strict rules for these cases and might get yourself into a big problem.
• Take copies of your passport, visa, air ticket and trekking permits and keep them separately from the originals.
• Prepare yourself for altitude sickness and be familiar with its symptoms so that you can follow the guidelines for safe acclimatization.

Where is Nepal?

Nepal is a landlocked country located in Southern part of Asia sharing the border with China form north and India from the south, east and west. It is especially known for its multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-linguistic and multi-ethnic diversity in unity. It is a small country with many world's most beautiful mountain ranges, art, culture, and wildlife, no wonder it is the paradise for the trekkers from all around the world. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is also known for its most unique culture and heritages which directly grabs the attention and takes you to the time of old civilization from 12th century.

What is Nepal known for?     

Nepal is mostly known for Mt.Everest, highest peak in the world. It is also known as the birthplace of Lord Buddha, who was the pioneer of the Buddhist religion. Eight of the fourteen eight-thousanders are located in the country, either in whole or shared across a border with China or India. Besides that, it is also known as multi-ethnic, multiracial, multicultural, multi-religious and multilingual country. Overall, Nepal is known for its hospitality as there is a saying in Sanskrit  “Atithi Debo Bhaba”. (Guest are god).

How can I obtain a Visa?

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at the entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and the following fees either in USD dollars cash or the equivalent local currency:

Is the country politically safe and stable?

Nepal is one of the newly democratic countries in the world with many active political parties, ideas, ideologies, and leaders. Now Nepal has the communist government elected with 2/3 of the majority so, now it has the fully stable government it does not affect the daily life of the residents and the tourist. Life moves on, as usual, unperturbed.

When Is The Best Time To Travel?

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

What kind of weather (how cold does it get) can we expect during trekking?

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict. Nights are generally cooler and days are warm. Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February, and December in Himalayan areas.

Are Vaccinations Required?

Immunizations are not required to visit Nepal. (Exception: if you are traveling from an area infected with Yellow Fever, you must have a certificate.) Depending on the season and region of travel, certain vaccinations and/ or medications are suggested and we will recommend preventative measures. We do encourage all travelers to be current on routine immunizations. Also, we recommend the vaccines for polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis A/B, Influenza (Flu), Japanese encephalitis, and Tuberculosis. Meantime, it is better to consult your professional doctor about your travel and he/s might recommend you properly. You can also take the suggestion of local travelers who have traveled Nepal before and know more about the required precautions. Please note that the protection that can be gained from vaccines varies from 50% to almost 100%. So remember that even if you have taken a vaccine you might still get the disease, although you will have greatly reduced your chances of getting ill.

How fit do I need to be for the trek?

You don’t have to be a super athletic person but despite the ages should be moderately fit. We recommend to running, hiking to hills and long walk as a preparation.

Are ATM booths easily available?

Yes, ATM booths are easily available around the major city area where you can use both credit and debit cards. But there are only few ATM booths on the way to your trek, so it’s better you withdraw your cash before to trek.

What type of food to expect during the trek? 

Nepal is rich in cultural diversity. Meal habits of the Nepalese vary with the ethnicity and the geographical differences. Normally, the local has a habit of taking milk/black tea in the morning, before noon take lunch after mid-day take light snacks as Khaja and Dinner in the evening. The lunch and dinner comprise Dhido (short of porridge), Dal, Bhat, Tarkari, Achar (Lentil, Rice, Curry, and Pickles). However, you can have a choice of Indian/Continental/Italian/ Chinese food even in some trekking regions.

Is drinking water safe while trekking? 

Drinking water should be treated by boiling and water purification by medicine or with filtered. We suggest carrying a water purifier while trekking to be on a safe side.

Are there any tourist police in Nepal?

Of course, there is tourist police located near the Nepal Tourism Development Board's Office. Also, there are complaint counters at the airport, Basantapur Durbar Square, Thamel and so many other places. Tourist police are specially trained in English and have the detailed local knowledge to assist tourists. For security and travel related assistance, you can reach any of the officers from telephone 4-247041, 4-4268969 from 11 am to 5 pm.

Is Nepal safe? Is a woman traveling alone safe with your company?

Absolutely Nepal is safe for the traveler. Firstly, Nepal is considered as one of the peaceful countries in the world (chances are it's safer here than your home-country). Secondly, while you're on one of our trips, we take personal responsibility for your well-being, a responsibility we commit very seriously.

What about Time in Nepal?

Nepal is +5 hours 45 minutes ahead to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT: +0545). For example, when it is noon in Kathmandu, the standard time of London is 6.15am, 4.15am in Sydney, 1.15am in New York and 10.15 pm the previous night in San Francisco. The strange 15-minute difference is said to be a reflection of the exact time at the summit of Mt. Gaurishankar.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking in Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you bring your travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your homeland. We do not arrange or sell insurance so we suggest you to do a research on the company and do the travel insurance.