Likhu Valley, Mount Numbur & Gyajo La:

Day by Day Route Descriptions

1. Kathmandu to Jiri:

By private or public bus.
Camp in fields above town.

2. Jiri to Shivalaya:

Proceed out of town and ascend to ridgetop. Views of snow peaks.
Descend and cross suspension bridge over the Khimti Khola into Shivalaya.

3. Shivalaya to Bhandar:

Long, steep ascent to Deorali Pass. Descend into the
sprawling village of Bhandar. The path to Gumdel leaves the main trail a short
distance below the gompa / stupas.

4. Bhandar to Gumdel:

Climb up and around a spur, descend and contour round into
side-valley. Lunch at stream / bridge / water-mill. Views on route down to Kenja /
Likhu Khola and across valley to main trail on crest of ridge to Seti and Lamjura
Pass. Also views ahead of Number and Bigphero Go Nup.
Climb up and around spur. Continue to traverse along hillside through terraces with
occasional farmhouses. Another steep climb up and around spur followed by a level
walk to the Sherpa village of Gumdel. ( Long afternoon )

5. Gumdel to Charma:

Continue through Gumdel and down to stream.
Climb up and around spur to the larger village of Kyama. Continue along level path
to stream and ascend to traverse through woods / jungle. Stop for lunch in clearing.
View up to Charma and Numbur.
Descend through jungle / forest to Likhu Khola.
NB: do not continue to traverse along hillside to Rangam!
Follow a level path alongside the river to the bridge across the Nupenobug Khola.
Steep ascent then gentle gradient across plateau into Charma.
( Longish afternoon )

6. Charma to Bethangding Kharka:

Continue out of Charma into forest / jungle. Climb
up and over spur. View up Likhu Khola Valley to Numbur.
Descend and cross stream Follow undulating path alongside Likhu Khola through
old forest with small clearings / kharka. ( At Gelhabu Kharka there is a small
bridge across the river. ) Proceed to a larger kharka for camping place.
( Half day ).

7. Bethangding to Gyajo Og: ( c4200metres )

Continue up through forest to next large
kharka of Bethangding ( approximately 30 minutes ). A steep ascent leads to a small
kharka followed by another steep climb on faint trails away from the river up to the
large clearing of Bakangdingma with several shelters - a nice camping place. Good
views over pine forest to Numbur.
NB: It would be possible to reach Bakangdingma in one day from Charma .
Proceed beyond clearing into pine forest and down to stream. Contour round and
up out of forest. A high-level traverse follows across open, scrub rhododendron
slopes. View down to river. Continue to gain a fine view ahead of alpine valley
and snow peaks. Descend to river for lunch.

Climb up through forest away from river to reach cluster of stone huts at Samga.
Continue to cross stream and onto the secluded yak pastures of Gyajo Og for
good campsite in ablation valley beneath the moraine wall of the Zurmacher Glacier.
View directly up to Numbur.

8. Rest Day / Explore Zurmacher Glacier:

Walk up ablation valley to reach the head of
moraine wall. Viewpoint ( c5000metres ) surrounded by high ridge of ice, snow and
rock, hanging glaciers, ice-falls, snow fields.
Climb to ridgetop ( c5300metres ) for higher viewpoint. Other tops possible
( Kallar Pattars ).
View down Likhu Khola Valley.

9. Cross Gyajo La: ( c4900metres )

Return along path to Samga to stream. Ascend
ablation valley beneath moraine wall. Climb up and away from glacier, following
marker stones, to reach Gyajo La. Views across glacier to Bigphero Go Nup and
down glacier to Numbur. View from col across to Ramdung and
Chugimago and down to Thare Teng.
NB: No water on ascent to Gyajo La.
Descend over steep, rough scree and encamp at small kharka on banks of
Nupenobug Khola.

10. Ascend to Thare Teng: ( c4400metres )

Short climb up to an excellent
camping place on broad, flat tundra at Thare Teng surrounded by rock
and snow peaks - Ramdung and Chugimago at valleyhead, Bigphero Go Nup
directly above.

11. Rest day / Explore Bigphero Lo Glacier: ( c5200metres )

Climb path to higher
kharka / huts above Thare Teng. Cross plateau and descend into ablation valley
beneath moraine wall of Bigphero Lo Glacier. Ascend to top of valley and climb to
top of wall. Encircled by large amphitheatre with sheer rock walls and hanging
glaciers, Bigphero Go Nup directly above.
Descend and traverse to small lake. Crevassed snow fields lead up to Nangma
Gegu La.

12. Thare Teng to before Tserine:

Descend Nupenobug Khola to Thare Og ( a good
camping place ). Views up to Bigphero Go Nup and Gyajo La. Also of high, rocky
ridge above side-valley ( Nubre Tsangpo ).
Descend below the tree-line into a narrow valley enclosed by high rock buttresses
( c/f Glencoe ). Stop for lunch at bridge / 'cheese factory'.
Continue for a short distance to a cluster of huts for a small camping place.
( Or continue on downstream through forest and across side-stream to the larger
kharka at Tserine ).
NB: There is no obvious main trail leading to the Khimti Panch Pokhari - only
minor 'yak-boy' trails

13. Tserine to Rangam:

Proceed down valley on an undulating path alongside / above
the river through bamboo / rhododendron jungle. Cross side-streams on old,
rotting bridges.
Stop at clearing / kharka for lunch.
Continue down through jungle / old pine forest. Emerge into a large clearing -
possible campsite. Re-enter forest.
Path descends steeply. At junction take higher path. Contour along to emerge
onto open slopes with view down to the Likhu Khola and across to Charma.
Proceed to camp on terrace at farmhouse at Rangam.

14. Rangam to Gumdel:

Traverse along hillsides and down into gorge / side-stream.
Re-ascend and continue to second gorge. Re-join path from Gumdel.
Stop for lunch in Kyama.

15 - 17. Gumdel to Jiri

18. Jiri to Kathmandu