Mt. Chulu East Peak Climbing

Today will be a combination of short trips around the valley and preparation for the trip. If you have missed out on any shopping or need to familiarize with any equipment, today is the day to do so. If time allows visiting any of the durbar squares or the three spiritual powerhouses in the Kathmandu Valley, namely: Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, and Pashupatinath.

The long drive to Besisahar will be a picturesque and immersive experience as you wind through the switchbacks of the Nepali countryside. The roadside is constantly accompanied by rivers beside them. From Besisahar, we have to make our way to Nga Di, and our trek formally begins today. The trail is surrounded by lush greeneries and a sea of paddy fields.

We begin by walking through the aforementioned rice fields. Our trail will alternate through lush jungles and open areas as we climb altitude. The trail is well made and we follow it all the way up to Syange. The village of Syange sits beside the Marsayangdi River at the edge of the Annapurna Conservation Area.

The trek today will ascend through beautiful forests and hillsides that house beautiful waterfalls. Greenery dominates the entire trekking trail while the unique flora and fauna offer interesting interactions once in a while. You walk along the Marsayangdi River following the uphill trail. The trail passes through Jagat, Chamje, and Sattale to reach Tal.

Today is another gradual ascent up to Timang. Leaving Tal, the trail continues along the Marsayangdi River. Passing Chhaijo, the trek heads to Karte. Continuing onwards, you west and pass Odar and Bagarchhap. A short trek from Bagarchhap concludes at Timang. Timang is a modest village with a few lodges surrounded on all sides by hills.

The trek from Timang to Pisang will be a long day and a massive climb in altitude. You will trek through the villages of Koto and Chame. In Chame, you get wonderful views of Lamjung Himal (6893m). From here on, you set off to Bhratang and then finally to Pisang. As we approach Pisang we see the peaks of Annapurna II (8091m) and Pisang Peak (6091m).

The walk is through the arid landscape of Manang. The trail continues, once again, along the Marsayangdi river, but we will be taking the upper route from Pisang which takes you through Ghyaru and then to Ngawal. Ghyaru offers amazing views of the Annapurna Range to the west. On the hills overlooking Ngawal are the Guru Rinpoche caves, which are said to lead all the way to Mustang.

We wake up to mesmerizing views of surrounding mountains in Ngawal. From here on, it’s a direct trek to base camp. The trek begins on a level route and then ascends a reasonable amount to the base camp. Take it slow as you need your full energy for the days ahead. After about 5-6 hours of trekking, you should arrive at basecamp where you will stay overnight on tent camps. 

The ascent to the Chulu East summit is divided into two parts. First, you will need to make your way to to the High Camp. The climb begins along the northeast ridge of Chulu. The high camp is not too far off from the peak of Chulu East. However, the technical challenges of the last part of this trek mean that the climb has to be adjourned here for the day. From the High Camp, you get an unobstructed view of Pisang peak in addition to the views of the Chulu and Annapurna ranges.

Our climb to the summit begins before dawn. You traverse over the ice paths to the steep end of the summit. A continuous ridge leads to the summit, however, you may need to make full use your climbing gears to get through. From the top of the Chulu East (6429m) are unprecedented views of the Annapurna Range, Gangapurna (7454m), Manaslu (8163m), Chulu West (6419m), and Pisang (6019m) also appear unobstructed from the other mountains. After a rest, you will descend back down the base camp.

Our tiring climb now warrants us a relaxed remainder of the trek. The hospitality of the Manangi people does just that as we make our way to Humde to rest the night. The Manangi people here have a colorful culture and are a mix of the Magar, Gurung, and Tibetan communities.

We make our way back to Chame, where we passed before on our way to the trek. Chame is the headquarters of Manang has lodges with reasonable amenities. You can refresh yourselves in the village, as well as catch up with your family through the internet services present here. In the morning you can catch wonderful views of the surroundings that include the Lamjung Himal (6983m).

The road from Chame to Besisahar is bumpy, however, the vehicle will provide much needed rest after your tiring journey. The drive will lead you through Lower Manang descending along the trail beside the Marsayangdi River. Passing the villages of Tal, Syange, and Nga Dhi, you will reach Besisahar which also has decent quality lodges for you to spend the night.   

From Besisahar, we make our way to Kathmandu through the Nepalese countryside passing several towns. In the evening, you can enjoy the lively city and enjoy local cuisines to end your adventure in Nepal. We are grateful to have led you to the exploration of Chulu Peak (6429m).

A company representative will lead you to the airport for your international departure today. We hope you enjoyed the trip and wish we meet again for more adventures in the future.