Trekking to the Hospital

Solukhumbu Hidden Valley Trek

Discover the beauty at the heart of Himalaya´s and meet the people on de foothills of the Mt. Everest. The Solukhumbu Hidden Valley Trek takes you along old trade roads across the mountains, through isolated villages and religious places established by a variety of ethnic groups. You see and feel how people live and work in the mountains. One year ago Asian Heritage Foundation founded a health care programme in the Lower Solukhumbu. The first phase of the programme is completed with the establishment of a basic Community Hospital. Involved in the development Asian Heritage Treks & Expeditions together with local entrepreneurs agreed to open the valley for tourists. Asian Heritage Treks & Expedition is the first organization to offer the experience.

At a Glance
• Total days    8, 10 or 12
• Accommodation   Camping or home stay
• Transport    Plain from Kathmandu / Phaplu
• Highest altitude  4065m
• Best season   September to May
• Geography    Mountains / country side and Forest

Rural lifestyle
The Asian Heritage Soluhumbu Hidden Valley Trek offers you the opportunity to learn about the authentic Nepali culture that has been preserved for centuries in the isolated mountains of the Himalaya’s. Away from traffic and metropolitan cities you eat and stay at the houses of local people or camp in a close distance to it. You observe and interact with the host families and get a taste of the simplicity that belongs to a rural lifestyle in Nepal. Also learning about the challenges and risks of a rural life is part of the experience. You visit and talk with the community in Necha about the Hospital and our health care programme. For a few days you find yourself off the beaten track and really get to know a world untouched by modernization.

 
Cultural Tourism

The Solukhumbu Hidden Valley Trek is established with a view to enable access to isolated cultures while serving the welfare of the people. By the community in Necha, tourism is embraced as a source for sustainable income necessary to fund life enhancing interventions such as health care. The local community is participating in the trek as independent partners. Together with our partners we coordinate the trek and select local resources. Of course we use a local guide, eat at local restaurants or source our food locally. Asian Heritage facilitates and shares its experience step by step with local partners to get to a stage were the community is empowered to take full ownership of the local operations. Cultural Tourism is based on the principles of  responsible tourism creating a positive impact on social and environmental aspects of traveling in Nepal. 

Itinerary
The trek through the hidden valley takes you along old trade roads, villages of multiple ethnicities agricultural landscapes with magnificent views on the Himalayan range. Every day will offer a perfect balance between hiking and time to observe the environment and interact with local people.
Pre departure
Before starting the Solukhumbu Hidden Valley trek Asian Heritage Treks & Expeditions will brief you in Kathmandu about cultural compliance and safety measures.

Day 1
On day 1 you fly in the morning from Kathmandu to Phaplu at 2470m (40 minutes) in the center of Solukhumbu district. You have a short  tea-break in Sallari a bordering town and headquarters of Solukhumbu district. Sallari lies just above the river line and provide you with beautiful views over the valley. From Sallari you hike to Chalsa, a Tibetan refugee village, on top of the hill. In Chalsa you have time to observe the local culture and lifestyle. Chalsa is also a viewpoint from where you can identify many peaks of the Himalayan range. Hiking distance 4 to 5 hours.

Day 2
On day 2 you walk from Chalsa to Bogal Danda at 2120m. Today you hike slowly down hill while crossing several farmer’s villages compiled out of 70 to 80 houses. You will also have views on Makalu and Mera La, two heavy weights in the Everest region. Around mid-day you reach Nele, a local market area.  After Nela you hike gradually up-hill to Bogal danda with a view on the valley. Hiking distance 5 to 6 hours.

Day 3
On day 3 you walk down-hill from Bogal Danda to Twentar, the lowest point on the trek at 650m. All day you find farmer’s villages populated by Rai/Chettre / Bramahn / Dalit communities. While walking on the slope, going up and down you gradually start hearing the sound of the river. While descending the hill  you walk through an ancient Sall tree forest that slowly transforms into a jungle. The jungle is a natural habitat for monkeys, deers, cheetas and bears. You will reach the riverside in the afternoon. This area which lies 490 meter above sea level, is a fishing point. You can try to catch a fish or just relax and go for a swim. Hiking distance 5 hours.

Day  4
On day 4 you walk up-hill from Twentar to Necha village at 1720m. Again the trek will take you through beautiful jungle and forest areas after which you will reach the higher parts of the Himalaya. You walk through jungle and forest areas towards higher lands. In the afternoon you will reach Necha  and  explore the centre of the town including  the local routines at the end of a working day. Necha a is central town and has a beautiful  mountain view. Hiking distance 5 hours.

Day 5
On day 5 you stay in Necha to relax and visit the hospital sponsored by Asian Heritage Foundation Nepal. Afterwards, you are invited in local houses for food and to interact with local people. You explore the features of local habits and gain understanding about the challenges of living in an isolated mountain area of Nepal. In the afternoon you are invited at Nilam’s house (owner of Asian Heritage Trek & Expedition) for tea. In case the trip will fall on a Thursday you will have the opportunity the visit the local market.

Day 6
On day 6 you are leaving Necha and walk to Gairi at 2200m. The people of Necha give you a traditional Nepali Good Bye. Once the trek will continue, you will cross farmer’s villages in the catchment area of the Necha Community Hospital and then you will reach Gari in the afternoon. Gari is populated by Tamang and Newari communities. You can observe the culture and explore the differences with what you have seen before. Hiking distance 5 hours.

Day  7
On day 7 you walk up-hill from Gairi to Patale 2650m. (Today the trek will take you from deeply embedded forest to the grasslands where the local Yaks search for food. This area is one of the colder zones you will go through during the trek. In the afternoon you reach Patale village, known for its beautiful mountain view point. Hiking distance 5 hours.

Day  8
On day 8 you walk from Patale to Pike Base Camp at 3450m. Today you walk on the top of the hill through rhodondendron and juniper forests with occasional  views on the valley or mountains. There are just a few small villages on the way and in the evening you will reach Pike base camp. Normally, we have to camp this day as there are only Yak houses to stay at. Yak milk is available! Hiking distance 6 hours.

Day 9
On day 9 you hike from base camp to the summit at 4047m and return to base camp. At the summit you can see the world’s highest mountain Mount Everest; named after the first person who ever measured the height of the mountain.  At this point the guide will tell you about the many mores names given to this mountain. You will also have an amazing  panorama view on the greater Himalayans. Back at base camp you can relax or explore the area.  Hiking distance 1 and half hours.

Day 10
On day 10 you walk from Pike base camp to Tamakhani at 2240. On the way you are passing several villages. Hiking distance 6 to 7 hours.

Day 11
On day 11 you walk from Tamakhani to Phaplu. In Phaplu it is back to some good – old luxury with a nice hot shower and a good bed to sleep in. Hiking distance 6 to 7 hours.

Day 12
On the last day you fly from Phaplu to Kathmandu (40 minutes). In Kathmandu there will be a de-briefing