Limi Valley Trek

The next day, we fly to Mahendra Airport in Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj is also the largest and busiest city in Terai and will welcome us with a vibrant environment. Although the weather there is pretty hot, the city offers warm hospitality. We spend the day with some exploration around and rest for the night in a comfortable hotel.

Today, we fly to the district headquarter of the remote district of Humla. The flight to Simikot thrills you with the amazing view of the snow-capped peaks. We can explore the houses and people in the village. Simikot is also a prominent stop on the pilgrimage treks to Mount Kailash and western Tibet. As a result, Tibetan culture can be seen pretty clearly in the lifestyle of people.

After having breakfast, we start the trek to Dharapuri. We cross a low pass of about 3000 m height and ascending a steep way for an hour. The trail is quite easier after the pass with seldom uphill and a long descent. We can enjoy amazing views of Humla Karnali Valley above the Karnali River. We pass pine forests and a mixed settlement of Hindu and Buddhist culture.

We start the day with a walk following the Karnali River and the habitats nourished by the river. We keep on ascending the slopes and descending the hills through forests and fields of rice, barley, buckwheat, and potatoes. After reaching Kermi, we can visit the hot springs around the village and relax. We may also explore around the two important monasteries of the village, Laikyo Gompa and Lhundrup Choeling Gompa.

Today, we pass through the luscious green forests of pine in a flat and gently uphill trail. We might meet the caravans of mules and yaks on our way to the beautiful fields of buckwheat and barley. The Yalbang village holds the ancient Tibetan culture and the largest monastery of the region, Namkha Khyung Dzong Monastery.

We leave Yalbang village today and climb high above the Karnali River. We pass the small and spectacular villages of Yangar and Muchu. We observe the minimal number of big trees and an increase in shrubs and junipers. The trail heads along the Yari River and slowly heads towards Tumkot village. The Tumkot village also preserves the only Sakya Monastery of the region, Dhungkar Choezom Monastery.

After breakfast in Tumkot, we head towards Yari. We walk the slow and steady trail through the rocky hills and juniper trees. We pass the trail today mostly in the dirt road, which is under construction. We pass the small village of Pani Palwang and rests for the day after reaching Yari.

We leave the charming village of Yari behind and make our way towards the Nara La Pass (4560m). We pass through the teahouses of Thado Dhunga and walk for about 3-4 hours before reaching the top of the Nara La Pass (4560m). The steeper and tiresome trail to the top of the pass is decorated with Tibetan prayer flags and stone piles. We then descend to Hilsa that is closer to the Tibetan borders.

We head for the Limi Valley today passing the Humla Karnali River. In the peak trekking season, we may encounter several Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims heading to the Mount Kailash in Tibet. Limi Valley is famous for snow leopards, Himalayan blue sheep, and Ghoral. We can even spot them if we are lucky enough. Gradually, the trek reaches Manepeme which welcomes us with splendid Mani walls, Mani mantras on rock and prayer flags.

The road today is most difficult in the high and dry slopes. We walk through the rocky terrain and barren mountains and trek northeast. The smallest village of Limi valley is the closest one to Nepal-Tibet border. The 300-year monastery of Kunzum Do-Nag is located in the village. The beautiful barley cultivated village holds an amazing Buddhist culture and tradition. 

We begin the trek today taking the downwards path to Tiljung and pass the Tagtsi Khola. After crossing the suspension bridges heading northeast, we reach the gorgeous landscape of Halji village. This is the largest and a prominent village in the Limi Valley. The village also has preserved an 800-year-old monastery of Rinchhen Ling Gompa. We can explore the monastery and experience the culture and tradition.

We go through the up and downs trail along the barley fields and cross the Halji Danda. The path is decorated with prayer flags and Mani walls. The southwestern border passes through this village in the Limi Valley. We can visit the Chagzur hot springs, which is an hour walk from Jang.

Today, we walk towards Tagtsi and meet the old caravan trails of Humla-Mansarovar and Humla-Limi. We can choose two paths, one shorter through the new road and the other longer but with a splendid view of the villages. We will also encounter the ruined and the oldest village of Limi, Tshamdo or Zambuk. We cross the Talung base camp and descend all the way to spend the night in Talung village.

We first cross the Nyalu La Pass (5001m) today and enjoy the views of the mountain ranges from the top of the pass. After that, the way descends and we observe a small and alluring Sheliman lake at an altitude of 2600 m. We then cross the Tshongsa River, Tshonsi Tsan waterfall, and the delightful forests of rhododendron. We walk through the dense and old forests to reach the beautiful habitat of Shinjungma.

We leave this lower Yangar village and head uphill to meet the trails leading to Kermi. We pass small villages and forests following the trail we took at the beginnings of the trek. We pass the barley fields and grasslands, the splendid prayer flags and Mani walls on our return way. We descend down to Kermi and spend the night there.

After breakfast, we walk through the bushes and woods and pass some small settlements. We pass through Dharapuri and descend the way down to Simikot. We cross the cold pine forests and descend a long way before exiting the Dharapuri village. With the splendid view of Karnali River, we descend further through the monasteries and prayer flags to reach Simikot.

Today, we take the morning flight from Simikot to Mahendra Airport of Nepalgunj. We spend some time there and have some food. Then, we fly to the Tribhuvan International Airport of Kathmandu. After reaching the capital, we head towards the hotel and rest for a while. You can spend the day roaming the tourist streets of Thamel.

The day marks the final day of the trip. We may do some sightseeing in the beautiful Kathmandu city and catch a late flight back home. There are several historical and cultural sites to take a visit in Kathmandu including Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, and Kathmandu Durbar Square. Regarding the departure, a representative from the company will take you to the airport. We wish you best days ahead and look forward to your next adventure in Nepal.