Overview
Rolwaling trekking is one of the popular and demanding treks in the western part of Khumbu region. It is a high mountain valley between Everest and Langtang. The trail passes through many mountains and valleys of Nepal-Tibetan border with the magnificent views of Gaurishankar and Dorje Lakpa.
The 20 day’s trek is done usually during March – May and September – December for their clear weather and glorious views along with the green vegetation. The trek is strenuous as it goes up to an elevation of 6100 m.
The main destination of the trek is Rolwaling valley and Pachermo peak. Rolwaling is one of the seven hidden valleys in the region. The rarely explored trail passes from low agricultural lands to high mountains with moraines, waterfalls, and streams. We explore Tso Rolpa, the largest glacier lake of Nepal, along with the hanging glaciers, and traditional villages.
The main residents are Tamangs even though Sherpa and Chhetri villages are also found in the trails. We get a glimpse into the unique lifestyles of these people. The myths about Yeti (the abominable snowman) and the Rolwaling valley being a grave (with the dead bodies buried between the steep ice-giants) are famous here.
Rolwaling trekking begins with a tour of Kathmandu and continues through villages to mountains of Khumbu region. It is a trek that provides an eclectic experience naturally and culturally. The main highlights of the trip are the magnificent views of Mt. Manaslu, Mt. Everest, Mt. Gaurishankar, and others in the region. The trekking combined with the expedition of Pachermo peak makes the trip a challenging and unforgettable experience.
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival to Kathmandu On this day, you will land at Tribhuvan International Airport. From TIA, we will transfer you to the hotel. In the evening, you will enjoy a welcome dinner with authentic Nepali cuisine.
Day 2
Guided tour in Kathmandu You will have a guided tour of the capital city on this day. We can visit various sacred temples and UNESCO-listed sites. Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, and Swoyambhunath Stupa are the most famous of all sites. The monuments of the Durbar Squares are also culturally and aesthetically important. The temples, palaces, and museums have been damaged after the earthquake but many are still open to tourists.
Day 3
Trek from Kathmandu- Gogarkhola (1200m.) We take a long drive from Kathmandu to Gogarkhola. It is a typical Hindu village from where Gaurishankar is visible in the background.
Day 4
Trek to Simigaon (2100m.) From Gogarkhola, we stick to the northern side of the trek as we gain altitude. We pass through terraced fields to finally reach Simigaon. The residents are Sherpa and Tamang with their unique cultures. The Tibetan monastery perched on top of the hill, above all the houses in the village, is a huge attraction. We spend the night here enjoying Gaurishankar in the background.
Day 5
Trek to Dongkang (2875m). From Simigaon, we enter the Rolwaling valley after passing through rhododendron and bamboo forests. As we move ahead admiring the beautiful sceneries, we reach the Gyalche village. Eventually, we descend back to the river and set up camp to spend the night.
Day 6
Trek to Beding (3560m). As we climb the forested valley, we move to tropical alpine vegetation. The excellent mountain vistas will keep us occupied the entire trek as we enter Beding. Beding is a small village where the mountaineer Sherpas lives. Rolwaling’s highest summit, Melungtse, is visible from Beding. We can enjoy Chhyang (Barley beer) and yak butter tea prepared by the locals here. A historic Buddhist monastery at the center of the village is another site to visit. We spend the night in Beding.
Day 7
Acclimatization day Beding (3560m). We rest on this day to acclimatize to the increasing altitudes of the trek. We can choose to hike to Malung la pass at 5616m. We enjoy the hypnotizing view of mountains, glaciers, and forests in the valley. We also get to mingle with the residents and learn about their culture and lifestyles.
Day 8
Trek to Na (4080m). From Beding, we take a gentle climb on the northern side of Rolwaling River until we reach Kharka in Dhogre. As we continue, the valley opens and becomes a u-shaped prairie. Then, we pass through Mani stones covered with prayer flags. There is also a large rock with Bodhisattva painted on it. A short walk takes us to the stone-walled Na, a small settlement where people only live during summer. It is situated just below Tso Rolpa Glacier Lake. We see some impressive peaks including Chobutse (6685m), Chugimago (6259m), and Yalung RI (5630m). We spend the night here.
Day 9
Trek to Tho Rolpa (4580m.) We leave the village in the morning and cross a wooden bridge to get to the left bank of Rolwaling River. After a while, the trail turns into a steep ascent with Edelweiss growing on the sides. We move through two glaciers and ablation valley to finally reach Tso Rolpa Glacier Lake.
Day 10
Trek to Pachermo Base Camp (4800m). From Tso Rolpa, it is a steep climb on ice and snow to reach the flat Drolumbau icefall at 4785m. Then we trek through Tashi Lapcha pass, which is a tricky and demanding high pass. It falls in the Rolwaling region and is mostly enclosed in ice. After a while, we reach Pachermo Base camp (4800m) where we spend the night below the starry skies.
Day 11
Trek to Pachermo High Camp (5700m). From the base camp, we climb up to High camp at an elevation of 5700 m. We complete the ascent slowly, acclimatizing to the higher elevations. We spend the night at high camp to prepare for the summit next day.
Day 12
Expedition Pachermo Peak 6200m – Tashi Laptsa Pass – Tashi Lapsa Phedi (5440m). Finally, we begin our expedition to the summit of Pachermo. The ascent might be tricky that requires ropes and some technical knowledge. The difficult climb is rewarded by the magnificent Khumbu peaks in the distance including Everest and Manaslu. This day is one of the most exciting and challenging of the trek.
Then, we take the route back to Tashi Lapcha Phedi passing through the Tashi Lapcha pass.
Then, we take the route back to Tashi Lapcha Phedi passing through the Tashi Lapcha pass.
Day 13
Trek down to Thame (3860m). Today, we make a pleasant descent through rhododendron and oak forests. Before entering Thame, we can visit a beautiful monastery on the hillside. Thame is a Sherpa village that lays on the Tibetan route for traders and their yak caravans.
Day 14
Rest day at Thame On this day, we enjoy the completion of difficult trekking in Thame. We interact with the Sherpa of the village and explore the monasteries of the village. We can see Mt. Makalu, Ama Dablam and Lumding from here. We can also visit Thengpo, a place of great rural value to the people.
Day 15
Trek to Namche Bazar (3440m). We follow the trail across Bhotekoshi River where we first make a gentle descent and then a steep one before crossing a bridge to Dudh Koshi. We pass through many villages and teashops before reaching Namche. Namche is another Sherpa village which also has the national park headquarters. We enjoy the panoramic views of the Khumbu peaks including the magnificent Mount Everest.
Day 16
Trek to Phakding (2610m). From Namche, we follow a difficult descent over ridges past rocky cliffs to Dudh Koshi River. After a high suspension bridge, the trail flattens and passes through lush green landscapes to reach Phakding. We can enjoy the mountain views throughout the trail.
Day 17
Trek to Lukla (2840m). From Phakding, it is a short and easy trek to Lukla. We enjoy the sceneries and crowded trails as we descend and trek through a leveled trail. We finally reach Lukla where we spend the night.
Day 18
Flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. We take our flight back to Kathmandu from Lukla. The airport is one of the most dangerous and exciting airports in the world. The short runway with a hill before it makes the take off exciting. Then we reach the capital city where we spend the night.
Day 19
Leisure day in Kathmandu We can visit the sites in Kathmandu like Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar square. They are famous for their palaces, museums and other architectural monuments. This is a good opportunity to buy souvenirs: statues, paintings, thangka, pashmina, etc.
Day 20
Departure day On the day of departure, our representative will pick you up from the hotel and drop you off at the airport. We would like to welcome you again to explore the treasures of Nepal.
What is Included
- Airport pick up drop by car or Microbus.
- Four nights Hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast.
- Full board meal during camping, prepared by our cook with tea & coffee.
- Guided city tour Kathmandu valley by private vehicle including entrance fees.
- Twin sharing tented accommodation and equipment during the camping trek. We will provide fully water proof two men tents, dining tents, kitchen gears, dining table, chairs, toilet tents, shower tent and climbing equipment rope, ice axe and other required equipmenst for pachermo (6100m).
- Boiled and purified drinking water for the trek.
- Bus to Gogarkhola and Flight from Lukla to Kathmandu.
- Special trekking and climbing permit for Rolwaling, Sagarmatha National Park permits and Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) fees.
- A Government Licensed English speaking Guide during the trek, cook, kitchen helper, required number of porters, climbing Sherpa and their food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipments, medicines and their transport.
- Medical supplies (first aid kit will be available).
- Arrangement of Emergency Helicopter service which will be paid by your Travel insurance company.
- Sleeping Bags, Down Jackets and Walking Pole (if you don’t have your own).
- Use of sleeping bag, down Jacket and walking Poles (if you don’t have your own, To be return after trip completed). Using these 3 items you pay $10 USD each as maintenance and washing charge.
- All Government Taxes and office expenses.
What is Excluded
- Lunch and Dinner in Kathmandu.
- Nepal entry visa fee (you may easily issue the visa upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport Kathmandu). You need 2 passport size photos.
- International airfare.
- Your Travel & Medical Insurance.
- Cold drinks, alcoholic beverage and desserts.
- Personal expenses like laundry, telephone, internet and battery charging.
- Tips for Trekking staff and driver(Tips is expected).
- Other expenses which are not mention on include section.
Departures
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