Lapchi Kang and Milarepa Cave Trek Nepal. A trek to give a full experience of this visually extraordinary and geographically isolated area, hugely rich in flora, wildlife and folklore, yet almost never visited by tourists or scientists. Lapchi Kang is a small Himalayan range lying like a twisted backbone jammed between the road to Tibet and the huge himalayan valley of Rowaling Himal. It is restricted and tucked away enough to be ignored by the tourists and yet not high enough to entice mountaineers. At Lapchi Monastery, in this isolated wilderness, Milarepa-an ancient Tibetan magician, went into retreat, lived in a cave, ate stinging nettles and slowly turned green!
The maze of twisted hills, rock spires and sheer cliffs that make the landscape from Ama Bamare Himal to Lapchi Kang snow Mountain gives the snow leopard a perfect habitat for survival. This trek follows the high forest route from Lamaabagar where we turn off the main trail and head up through dense bamboo and cloud forest to an isolated pocket of Lapchi Kang under the 6000m rock spire of Ama Bamare and the awesome rock face of Kookur Raja Darra ( King Dog Ridge ). This Lapchi Kang Trek is unique !
Itinerary
Day 1. Kathmandu – Lamabagar (1991m) by private bus or jeep. 8 hours Stay in Tea House.
Day 2. Lamabagar – Bisma Kharka (2481m). 4 hours. The trek takes us along the flat plain of Lamabagar, under a huge waterfall, steeply up into the rododendron forestr, passing a small monastery to the rough ground of the herders summer pasture camp (Bisma). A short day to help with acclimatisation.
Gaurisankar from Bisma/Samling Trek
Mendo Sherma, looking into Tibet. Lapchi KangDay 3. Bisma Kharka – Samling (3425m). 6 hours. We remain in the forest, following a steep path up. There are many different birds here and the forest echoes with their calls. Samling wass the old capital before it was moved down o Lamabagar. It’s high isolated spot kept it safe. An old Mani wall is all that remains of the settlement. It is a summer pasture ground. Good views of King Dog ridge. Set in thick forest.
Day 4. Samling to Mendo Sherma (3903m). 4 hours.
King Dog from Mendo Sherma, with it’s pointed ears and snout!A steep climb to the pristine alpine meadow of Mendo Sherma. Great views of the west face of Gaurisankar (7181m)and King Dog (6000m). Pika, marmots, pheasants, blue sheep and snow leopards roam this isolated wilderness. A fast running brook flows next to our campsite.
Gaurisankar west face from Mendo Sherma
Mendo Sherma, looking up towards Ama Bamarie Kharka
Stream between Mendo sherma and Ama Bamarie Kharka.
Ama Bamarie Base Camp Area, Lapchi KangDay 8. Rupa Kesa – King Dog Pass (3854m) – Thang Kharka (3300m). 6 hours.
Ama Bamarie Mountain Range from the top of King dog Pass (Ama Bamrie is the 6000m rock spire)
Lapchi Monastery, Lapchi KangAs we leave the forest, we get spectacular views of Lapchi Kang Snow Mountain, the retreat center and the actual monastery. Musk deer, Himalayan Thar and Jarrel are abundant here. We camp outside the monastery and can have a visit inside. Great views of Choba Bamarie, the highest peak in the area at just over 6000m.
Day 11. Day trip along the upper Lapchi river gorge to the Tibet/.Nepal border. 6 hours. We may be lucky enough to see Blue Sheep and orange coloured Marmots.
Nepal/Tibet Border Post, Upper Lapchi river gorge,Lapchi Village – High Alpine Lakes (4900m) A steep hike up grassy slope where we find a series of small alpine lakes with fantastic views down the Lapchi valley towards Lamabagar. Surrounded by snowy mountain views and a small glacier, we camp the night.
Day 12. Dudul Cave, Milarepa’s Foortprint, Mountain Spring (4200m) and Retreat Centre. 4 hours.
We visit Dudul Cave, where Milarepa spent many years in retreat. then a steep steeprd hike up the mountain, visiting the Retreat Centre, viewing Milarepa’s footprint in the Gompa, before ascending to the final height to a small Gompa with splendid views of the Lapchi river valley clearly showing the meeting of the upper Lapchi river and the Nylam river.
On the mountain slopes are 42 retreat houses for upto 3-year retreats. There are 4 Gompa houses in total, the one down at the monastery is called Duedul Pug, Choera Gompa is the next, in the middle temple, Rechen Gompa, are the footprints of Milarepa on the ceiling. Blue Sheep lvisit this area, and the highest temple, Ze Pug, where there is a water well – the water started flowing when Milarepa struck his staff to the rocks, and then he flew to Mt.Kailash. On the way up is a footprint of a Dakini, one of the Tseringma sisters, a long time cohort of Milarepa.
Lapchi Monasterary from Upper Lapchi Retreat Center
Choba Bamarie (6000m) from Lapchi MonasteryDay 13. Rest Day and short walk. 1 hour.
We can visit the rock where Milarepa was cremated and see the rock where he manifested as an Eagle before flying to Mt.Kailash. We visit the small Gompa of the local protector at Lapchi Village and, if lucky, see Blue Sheep, which visit Lapchi village every day around 1pm for water and salt licks from rocks.
Lapchi village Gompa for the local ProtectorDay 14. Lapchi Monastery – Lapchi Kharka. (4100m). 2/3 hours.
Lapchi KharkaA short walk through Lapchi village to Lapchi summer pasture. A beautiful flat are cut by a steam and hemmed in on three sides by step rocky mountains. Evidence of snow leoards are abundant.
Day 15. Day Trip to Glacier. (4300m). 5 hours.
A great day trip to view the last glacier in the Lapchi Kang range. Half in Nepal, half in Tibet. This is really no-man’s land! We get as close as we can.
Lapchi Kang GlacierDay 16. Lapchi Kharka – Manjushiri Lake. (5000m). 6/7 hours.
A visit to the high alpine holy lake of Manjushiri. A steep climb to a flat area enclosed by rocky peaks. This lake is visited as a pilgrimage by local Lamas and is considered auspicious. There are 2 smaller lakes, which we can visit on route.
Manjushiri Lake
Lapchi village and Lapchi Snow Mountain from the route to Manjushiri LakeDay 17. Lapchi Kharka – Numnang. 8/9 hours.
A long day to either camp or a Homestay.
Day 18. Numnang – Lamabagar. 6/7 hours.
A trek down the new road construction, across the hydro back to Lamabagar, Local Tea House stay.
Day 19. Lamabagar – Kathmandu by jeep or private bus.
Price: Euro 3750. Minimum 2 people.
This is a full camping trek: prices are per person. Own tent if not friends.
Minimum Group of 02
The Price includes:
Camping accommodation in tents
Food (except bar bill)
Staffs (Guide, sherpas, cook, kitchen boys, porters) and their all expenses
including insurance.
Special Trekking Permit, Gaurisankar Conservation Area Entry Permit – Lapchi Kang Permit, TIMS (Trekking
Information Management System) Card.
Ground transportation: Pick-up-drop -jeep or private bus
Governmental taxes
International airport pick up and drop
AND
3 nights in a hotel in KTM – Two nights before leaving for the trek and One when
returning – 3 star with breakfast!
