My Favourite Spots in the Himalayas

Brahmaputra in Tibet ©Solange Hando

With its source in the Himalayas Kailash range, this is the young Brahmaputra draped in Buddhist prayer flags for an auspicious journey from Tibet to India and Bangladesh, where it will join the Ganges in the Bay of Bengal. The name means 'son of Brahma', the Hindu god, unusual since most rivers refer to female deities. 

Bhutan Tiger's Lair ©Solange Hando

Close to Paro and a morning climb to over 3000 meters, this is the kingdom's most iconic landmark where, they say, Guru Rinpoche flew on the back of a tigress, to meditate in a cave before spreading Buddhism across the valley. Blue pines, rhododendrons, waterfalls and stunning views, it's a fabulous trek to the top or you can ride a pony to the cafeteria half-way up.

Punakha in Bhutan ©Solange Hando

At just 1250 meters, the former capital feels almost tropical and is the winter home of the monks from Thimphu. At the confluence of two rivers, the fortified monastery (dzong) is an important pilgrimage site, especially during festival time. But Punakha is also a great place to trek in gentle hills and discover Bhutan's pristine nature and traditional villages. Bears in the forest but they tend to keep away.

Ladakh in Northern India ©Solange Hando

In summer you can fly from Delhi to Leh, Ladakh's capital, but the 2-3 day road journey from Manali takes you through spectacular scenery and allows you to acclimatise to high altitude. Then heading west on the edge of disputed Kashmir, you reach this so-called 'moonscape', a rugged barren land close to Lamayuru, one of the oldest and most remote monasteries in Ladakh.

                                                               Ladakh Peaceful  Rivers ©Solange Hando

Equally stunning but in lovely pastel colours, this is the confluence between the Indus and Zanskar rivers, near Ulektopo, not too far from Leh. In winter the frozen Zanskar attracts adventurous trekkers but in the brief summer the scenery is just magic, two rivers for the price of one...

                                                                Bodhnath in Kathmandu ©Solange Hando

My favourite temple in Nepal's capital, it is said to be the world's largest Buddhist stupa which regained its former glory after the 2015 earthquake. Dawn and dusk are special times when Tibetan refugees and Nepali alike walk seven times around the shrine, meeting friends and spinning prayer wheels, sometimes prostrating, as monks chant to the sound of long horns, cymbals and drums.

                                                                     Pokhara in Nepal ©Solange Hando

A brief flight or a road journey west of Kathmandu, this is the lakeside resort of Pokhara, altitude from only 900 metres or so but an ideal base for trekking in the Annapurna or just enjoying the hill top views, snow-capped mountains stretching 140 km, including the iconic Fishtail right in front of you. Browse around the resort, sail to the sacred island and see the sunrise from Sarangkot.

                                                                     Sunset on Everest ©Solange Hando

View from Kalapatar, the 'black rock' at 5644 metres, above Gorak Shep, the original Base Camp.

All dark except Everest, catching the last rays of the sun

Amazing

 

Bhutan, great but how much does it cost?

Punakha Valley ©Solange Hando

How much ?

From US$200 a day, depending on group size and season

Expensive or value for money?

You decide
Here's what's included:

Bhutanese Guide (included)  ©Solange Hando

qualified guide 24/7

full board in traditional comfortable hotels

all internal transport in private vehicle

all entrance fees / festivals 

trekking staff  / equipment if applicable

all taxes

Traditional Bhutanese Hotel (included) ©Solange Hando

Any extras?

supplement for 5 star accommodation

drinks (other than water and tea)

personal purchases, tips at your discretion

Now, consider the cost of one night -room only- in London

What do you think?

Traditional Festival (included) ©Solange Hando

Basics aside, what else do you get for your money?

An amazing insight into a unique culture:

Where else is Gross National Happiness enshrined in the Constitution?

Where else would a king stop his car to chat to a farmer?
Or join in an archery contest on his coronation?

Bhutan's National Sport ©Solange Hando

Add

a pristine natural world

gentle people

superb arts and crafts

and to top it all

unrivalled views of Everest along the way

Everest /Himalaya on the way to Bhutan ©Solange Hando

Tempted?

After four visits, I can't wait to return

For more information, see other blogs on this site or check Blue Poppy Bhutan for tailor-made trips.

Trekking in Nepal, do you really need a guide?

Sunset on Annapurna ©Solange Hando

Guide or no guide, mountains are fraught with danger even for seasoned trekkers.
We all remember what happened last autumn.
All the more reason then to put luck -and experience- on your side, chances may be slim if disaster strikes but better a glimmer of hope than none at all.

Great View, Keep Safe ©Solange Hando

Fortunately, major disasters are rare but what about altitude sickness or stomach problems? That's pretty frequent.
How will you cope on your own, or even with a friend? Help from locals? Sure, but in a poor country, that might cost you more than a guide would have done and be limited by lack of medical knowledge and language barrier.
What then?
Well, hire a guide and you can rest assured he will do his utmost to keep you safe and healthy for it is in his own interest as much as yours.

Discover Village Life ©Solange Hando

Anything else?
If you're into local culture, that's the best way to discover it and communicate with people along the trail. You may have the chance to rest in a farm house, enjoy butter tea and mountain potatoes straight from the embers, take photographs, meet a weaver or a schoolteacher, learn about local customs and daily routine.
Then of course, there's the natural world.
Did you see the honeycomb hanging from a branch, the blue poppy at your feet or the plant that will soothe your headache or that nasty insect bite?

Pokhara below the Annapurna ©Solange Hando

Fine, but how do you know you can trust your man?
Easy, don't do it on the cheap, go to a registered agency in Kathmandu or Pokhara, explain what you're looking for and they'll have someone to meet your needs, knowledgeable, trained in hygiene and first aid and speaking your language, or at least English.

View from Sarangkot, Nepal ©Solange Hando

Worthwhile?
After many visits, I'd say so...
And all for $20 a day (how much was the flight?) and just think what that would mean to your guide and his family...

Enjoy and I'll see you there...

Easy Trek in Eastern Bhutan

Eastern Bhutan ©Solange Hando

'Are there bears in the forest?

Of course...

So are you carrying something, in case? Maybe we should find a stick...

No, they'll just go away, I'm a Buddhist, couldn't harm them'.

Thickly wooded hills rose as far as we could see but my only chance, it seemed, was to put my trust in the local gods and the prayer beads in the guide's pocket.

After all, we were heading for the monastery of the Three Gods, two days away, so as we followed the trail snaking up and down through the trees, with occasional glimpses of passes and peaks, it just wouldn't be fair to be eaten by a bear.

Farmers on the way to Trashiyangtse, Bhutan ©Solange Hando

I felt slightly reassured when I realised how many villagers were walking along the same trails, here a farmer and his wife on their way to market, there a young girl returning from the millet harvest, a red-robed Lama striding to a puja or an old woman fetching dead wood for the fire.

 In remote farms here and there, chillies dried on the tin roofs and bells and pans hung from the trees, tinkling at the slightest breeze to scare off 'intruders'. What else would anyone need?

Ready for a Good Night Sleep ©Solange Hando

Well, that was fine in the daytime but when night came, how would we fare in the tents? There was a big traditional house near the camp but only one man lived there and he was a holy man, couldn't do much if a bear turned up.

The only comfort was the constant noise of rushing water, loud enough to cover any rustling in trees or bushes. My heart thumped when something tread on my tent pegs but it was only one of the helpers on his way to relieve himself. Wow...

Early Morning at the Monastery ©Solange Hando

There were no villages or farms on day two, just forest all the way, dark, silent, with the occasional creature vanishing into the undergrowth, 'only a pheasant', said the guide, but I wasn't so sure. Now and then, we'd emerge from the darkness to catch a fleeting glance of the monastery but it never seemed to get any closer.

We reached the top of the ridge just before dark and there it was, with 1000 Buddhas on the walls, flickering butter lamps, offerings and the Three Gods, Compassion, Knowledge and Power. We were in good hands, there would be no bears that night. I slept on the floor, in a vast empty room, and pushed my backpack right against the door.

We woke to a chilly morning and at over 2000 metres, even the young monks were quiet, dreaming of home perhaps or warmer climes.

Bumdeling Wildlife Reserve, Eastern Bhutan ©Solange Hando

The final day was a long lonely walk down through the forest but when we reached the bamboo groves at last, the trail widened and I forgot  the bears. The path was muddy, slippery in places, but rice paddies glistened far below and we could see the milky river, the sand banks, the wild flowers and meadows where the rare auspicious black-necked cranes from Tibet come to rest every winter.

We sat at the water's edge and picnicked on red rice and beans while up on the ridge, the Three Gods kept a watchful eye on a lone trekker and her guide ready to return to the lost valley of Trashiyangtse, basking in brilliant sunshine in the far reaches of Eastern Bhutan.

Rigsum Gompa, the Monastery of the Three Gods near Trashiyangtse ©Solange Hando

Ladakh, the Indus Valley beyond Leh

Ladakh, Confluence of the Zanskar and Indus Rivers ©Solange Hando

Unlike much of India, Ladakh is the perfect place to visit in the summer months when skies are blue and temperatures pleasant. The only thing to remember is the altitude but if you come on the high road  from Manali rather than fly, you'll enjoy a wonderful drive and minimise the risks.

Leh may keep you spellbound but my favourite place is the Indus valley beyond the capital, past the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. Few visitors venture that far but the colours alone are well worth the trip, land and water glistening like gems in the clear mountain air. 

Seated Buddha in Likir ©Solange Hando

Later, you reach the impressive Likir monastery perched on a hillock above the barley fields. There are myriad shrines and temples filled with holy images and paintings and up on the roof, a 25 metre high seated Buddha framed by the snowy peaks of the Indian Himalaya.

It's an inspiring place where the chanting of monks fills the air with vibes as farmers bring in the harvest while old folks sit in the shade, twirling prayer beads.

Chortens in Lamayuru ©Solange Hando

Those who come here often take a break in Ulektopo, a remote tented camp set among the apple trees, before heading to Lamayuru where tucked into the barren hills, the monastery seems to mark the end of the land.

A row of chortens adds a little colour to this deserted landscape where flat-roofed houses just melt into the earth and the only sign of life may be a monk or a black hairy yak.

Moonland in Ladakh ©Solange Hando

This is the edge of the 'moonland', an eerie mountainscape of eroded clay and sand frothing out of the barren earth like a giant cappucino. No human habitation as far as you can see, just jagged rocks and an empty road far below heading back towards more hospitable lands along the Indus.

Oasis West of Leh ©Solange Hando

For down there in the valley framed by high peaks, marigolds bloom in the monastery and poplars and willows meander across the arid land, just one of many oases in Ladakh blessed by the Indus and the generous snowmelt from the Himalaya.

Pokhara in Nepal, Enjoy the View from Sarangkot

 Mystical Sarangkot above Pokhara ©Solange Hando

Rising to 1700 metres above Pokhara, the hill of Sarangkot is an inspiring place offering spectacular views of the Annapurna range and beyond in the high Himalaya.

Centre stage is the iconic pyramid of Machapuchre, also known as Fishtail, a sacred mountain where no one has ever set foot on the summit. Yet, at nearly 7000 metres, it seems almost within arm's reach.

Sarangkot Hill, Pokhara ©Solange Hando

From Pokhara, you can take a taxi (25 minutes, agree the price before you start) or walk up along the road, a long winding way with superb views of the valley and the hamlets clinging to the slopes where you can meet a farmer or two, watch the weavers at work or enjoy a cool drink in a rustic inn.

Alternatively, take a short cut through the forest along a rough path strewn with steps. It's a hot challenging climb, eerie and often deserted. Take care, especially if you're on your own.

Sunset on the Annapurna Range from Sarangkot ©Solange Hando

For me, the highlight in Sarangkot is to watch the sun set on the Annapurna when the peaks turn all shades of pink and gold and far below in Pokhara, myriad lights start to twinkle around the lake. 

It is more spectacular than the sunrise when drifting mist often dampens the colours and paragliders and day trippers arrive in their droves.

There are some wonderfully scenic lodges just below the ridge where you can expect a traditional welcome and peaceful night. Book beforehand to be sure of a bed and secure the best price.

Sarangkot near Pokhara ©Solange Hando

For those who come to Pokhara to relax rather than trek, Sarangkot is the nearest you can get to the Annapurna, so don't miss it. The best time to visit is autumn, when skies are likely to be clear.