 |
|
Trek The Amazing Way!
by NEEGAM KHANAL
| FROM ISSUE # 161 (May 2009) | IN THIS ISSUE | |||
 |
|||
 |
REFER TO FRIEND |  |
PRINT THIS ARTICLE |
Destination: Ghale Gaun,
Lamjung How to get there: A 6-7 hour drive to Besisahar from Kathmandu and 2-3 hours from Pokhara. 5 hours trek to Puma Gaun followed by another 5 hours trek to get to Ghale Gaun. If you're not sure about which way you're headed, ask a local.
How much to take: Travel costs aside, Rs 600 per day.
What to take: Sun block lotion, insect repellent, bed sheet, comfortable shoes and a good bag pack.
There are hundreds of villages stretching from Mipra in far northern Lamjung to Nagidhar-Pakhurikot in Kaski. These 22 villages, including Ghale Gaun, have been recently developed into village tourism centres. This is the first time in Nepal that villages in such a great number and in the same area have been promoted for ecotourism and as a sustainable tourism destination. The village cultural tourism concept development aims to bring forward a chance to experience the real mid-hills traditional life style along with splendid mountain views of Annapurna II, Manaslu, Fish Tail, Lamjung Himal and more. 
Being a Development Studies student, we were there to see how well the villages have been doing since the government started promoting it as a trekking destination a few years ago. Situated at an altitude of 2016m, the beautiful Ghale Gaun is located in Lamjung district and is approximately 20.5km northwest of Kathmandu and 12.5 km northeast of Pokhara. The best time to travel is from August to May as the roads could be dangerous and slippery during the monsoon season.
Nestled amidst the mountains, rivers, streams, waterfalls and green forests, the village is predominantly inhabited by the Gurung people who are profusely rich in culture, nature and bio-diversity. So if you're looking to trek and reach a destination full of any of these, you are sure to enjoy your stay. The Gurung community has been living here for hundreds of years with rich life style and culture.
 |
The view from the village stretches from Buddha Himal, Himalchuli and Manaslu to the northeast, Lamjung Himal and Annapurna II to the north and Mt Machhapucchre and Annapurna South to the northwest. The views are breathtaking, especially for people who haven't seen mountains including us Nepali. The approach to Ghalegaun-Ghanapokhara is a wonderful experience. The mist of the early mornings, the beautiful Khudi and Midim Rivers flowing right beside us as we trekked, beautiful rhododendrons, which only bloom in the spring, and chirping sound of the birds simply made us speechless for the natural beauty our country is blessed with. The trekking route passes through the dense forests, villages and awesome waterfalls. As we approached Ghale Gaun, the innocent smiles of the villagers made us forget the hardship of the trek. The cool perennial water flowing in the water taps made us ponder over the water shortage in Kathmandu and almost had us wanting to adjoin a pipe to the tap to supply water to our homes.
 |
But it isn't just the natural beauty of Ghale Gaun that greets you, the local unity and commitment to develop the village is noteworthy and something we urbanites needed to emulate. Apart from the view and laid back village life, Ghale Gaun has a museum to showcase Gurung culture.
One doesn't need to worry about their accommodation while at the village because every house in the village has a room for a traveller. Not only will you get a room but you'll be served with explicit homemade Gurung meal prepared from home grown vegetables and rice beaten in a dhikki. They even offer the local wine made out of millet after dinner. It is wise to keep check on the consumption of this local brew as its alcohol concentration is very high.
 |
very nicee