Putha Hiunchuli Expedition

Wake up to the city’s buzz and spend the day visiting World Heritage Sites. Golden pinnacles of Pashupatinath Temple glisten with ancient downtrodden Hindu pieties, while Buddha’s all-knowing eyes gaze from the gigantic stupa of Boudhanath. At Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), holy men and cheeky macaques share the hill above the valley. In the afternoon we will have a plenary with the expedition leader briefing about safety, checking equipment, and answering questions about the forthcoming journey.

Fly locally to Nepalgunj, a subtropical border town near India. The landscape- and climate-altering environment offers a dramatic change from the hills of Kathmandu—now there’s open Terai plain in front of you. Afternoon heat becomes lethargic; spend the time getting equipment in order and preparing yourself mentally for the mountain conditions that lie ahead. A good hotel tonight is sufficient rest before departing early tomorrow.

Your morning flight over terraced hillsides and snow-tipped peaks is unforgettable. Upon arrival at this mountain town, you welcome your trekking team, the guides and porters who will be family for the next few weeks. The trek on day one is through the perfume of pine forests and small villages were farmers till old, terraced fields. Children may follow behind you, rehearsing English with humble “Namaste!” hellos. Chere Chaur welcomes you with open fields perfect for your first night out in the open.

The contemporary path follows hurrying Tila Khola river through a patchwork landscape of rhododendron forests and green meadows. You climb and descend throughout the day over a series of wooden bridges spanning crystal streams. The path grants occasional views of Nepali village life—women spinning village cloth, men plowing fields with wooden plows, and an occasional dzopkyo (hybrid yak-cow) carrying goods from village to village. Chalachaur’s plateaued position provides breathtaking sunset views against faraway ridges.

Descend along veteran woods to historically significant Sinja Valley, the former vibrant capital of medieval 12th-century Khasa Kingdom. Medieval stone inscriptions and remains tell stories of Nepal’s medieval past. The valley floor opens to display simple stone houses with slate roofs clustering around old chortens (Buddhist stupa). Local villagers might invite you to share freshly harvested apples or rakshi (homemade millet wine). Tonight’s camp at the junction of two rivers is a soothing sound environment for sleeping.

Now the path climbs steadily through alternating habitats. Mornings give way to sunlight as you ascend beyond the treeline to alpine meadows (chaurs) filled with wildflowers in season. Marmots whistle alerts of your presence from rocky outcroppings, while griffon vultures circle thermal currents above you. Jaljala Chaur’s high-altitude campsite rewards your labor with the first real panoramic mountain views—Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges fill the northeastern sky, previewing even more amazing things to come.

Hike down along bamboo groves and birch woods with moss cover to reach the isolated village of Rimi. The trail goes across some landslide areas requiring careful walking before turning into buckwheat and barley terraced fields. Flat roofed stone homes of Rimi stand compactly against winter snow. Village elders may extend invitations for you to view a traditional puja for safe journey. The night sky here, free from light pollution, provides a stunning sky canopy all too rare in our modern world.

Today brings the expedition’s initial major pass crossing. The morning ascent through an increasingly rocky country challenges your acclimatization as oxygen gets thinner with height. Alpine scrub gives way to windswept slopes where blue sheep can be seen grazing. From Khali Lagna Pass, depending on weather, you’ll get your first look at your ultimate destination—Putha Hiunchuli—rising triumphant among its sister peaks. Tonight’s camp is in a sheltered depression just short of the pass, where gnarled junipers offer little protection from nighttime winds.

Descend from the pass through a prophetic landscape of eroded pinnacles and suspended valleys. Stream crossings in a series challenge your balance before the trail enters highland forests where Himalayan monkeys might observe your passage from treetop boughs. Emerging from the forest, Chaurikot village appears, its rock houses seeming to grow organically out of the mountainside. Prayer flags blow from every rooftop, carrying mantras into the wind. This night’s sleep will be modest teahouse lodgings, your first since Jumla.

The trek passes through abandoned summer herding camps in which rock corals lie empty in the winter. You traverse several lateral moraines of ancient glaciers, and you pass through high grazing land where Tibetan border area yak herders graze their shaggy beasts. The black tents of these semi-nomadic people might dot distant hillside. Gurjakot features simple stone teahouses where you’ll dine on wholesome dal bhat (lentil curry and rice) and listen to stories of mountain legend by the fire with your guides.

Trek the ancient trade trails that once connected Tibet and Nepal along this remote corridor. Dazzling gorges and sculpted rock formations create natural portals en route. Occasionally now and then, mani walls (Buddhist prayer-inscribed stone walls) mark key locations along the way. Dhotu village, with its main gompa decorated with the customary red and white, welcomes weary trekkers. The small monastic community can provide evening prayers, the resonant sound of long horns and chanting that have echoed in these valleys for centuries ringing out across thin mountain air.

The landscape completely transforms when you leave the terraced farmland behind and enter onto the actual alpine landscape. Dwarf rhododendron adds flashes of color to otherwise desolate ground. There are fascinating fold patterns in rock outcrops that speak of turbulent geological formation of the Himalayas. Phedi (Nepalese for “foot of the hill”) marks the separation between the trekking and climbing portions of your journey. It is here that you set up a base camp in a protected basin where portable solar panels power essential electronic equipment while your expedition leader checks climbing styles and safety protocols.

Today’s challenging ascent follows unclear shepherd paths and cairned routes over increasingly barren terrain. The air is noticeably thinner as you cross the psychological barrier at 4,000 meters. Extremely large glacially transported boulders create natural windshelters where there are brief rest stops. Base Camp itself is on a level moraine shelf with beautiful vistas of your objective. Afternoon is spent organizing climbing gear as your team’s kitchen crew gets high-calorie fare to fuel effort in advance.

A needed day of rest allows your body to acclimatize to thinner air by making additional red blood cells. Short easy walks up to relatively higher altitudes (climb high, sleep low) ease the process. Individual health checks with oxygen saturation levels and check for altitude sickness are conducted by the expedition medic. Technical equipment is carefully examined, and your guides demonstrate the use of jumars, crampons, ice axes and rope techniques. Your environment’s size creates a contemplative mood while you prepare mentally for the climb.

Your team moves to Advanced Base Camp over a two-day period. This “climbing camp” strategy allows your body to acclimatize slowly as it constructs the framework for making the summit push. The ground shifts from loose moraine to snow and ice, necessitating microspikes or minimalist crampons. The team members start rotating to higher camps as others descend to Base Camp, following the climber’s principle of “climb high, sleep low.” Communications gear is set up at ABC, keeping essential contact with the outside world.

Technical climbing starts here as you walk over the lower glacier, leaping small crevasses and walking over snow bridges. Fixed lines offer safeguarding on more vertical sections as the team sets up Camp 1 on a relatively flat snow plateau. Tent platforms must be laboriously excavated out of the snow, and snow walls built for wind shielding against the possibility of sudden winds. The decreasing oxygen (around 50% of sea level) becomes increasingly noticeable, with simple tasks requiring more effort. The breathtaking environment—surrounded by a cathedral of peaks—makes up for the physical demands.

These important days give your body time to acclimatize to the new height before ascending further. Short ascents to scout ahead are done to keep fit while acclimatizing. Your team practices crevasse rescue techniques and reviews emergency strategies. The cooking crew produces decent meals in the trying conditions, keeping caloric intake more important as your body burns energy at higher rates. Clear nights reveal an unimaginable universe of stars, the Milky Way a stream of light between black silhouettes of mountains.

The trail becomes much steeper as you ascend to Camp 2, and front pointing with crampons on 45–50-degree ice is needed. Safety is provided by fixed ropes, and building acclimatization makes the job easier to some degree. Thin air (around 45% of sea-level oxygen) slows progress down and demands carefulness—each step a struggle. Camp 2 occupies a tiny snow saddle that has some protection from the wind. Your goal is visible in the distance from there. Its summit is tantalizing near and the miserably far-reaching one.

The second-to-last day of climbing before your summit attempt involves both snow and mixed rock conditions that need to be addressed with great caution. Climbers climb gradually, saving energy for tomorrow’s climb. Camp 3 is a bare-bones stopover for the summit attempt. Dinner is served with attempted sleep of several hours overnight before an alpine start. Inside your tent, you complete your summit checklist, crying to be perched on a small snow ledge a zillion feet above 21,000 feet altitude.

Depart at 2 AM, ascending in the darkness by headlamp. With every inhalation, your breath creates small clouds in the cold air as you steadily ascend through an increasingly steep angle of attack terrain. Sunrise provides access to a fairy-like light show, which bathes close to summits in alpenglow as you follow the last technical pitches. The next ridge demands single-minded attention – everywhere a thin layer of snow with heart-shaped exposure on each side. Mid-morning, weather permitting, you stand at the summit, one of a handful to lay eyes on this inaccessible summit each year. A 360-degree panorama takes in much of the Nepal Himalaya, with Tibet extending to the north. Having made summit shots and phone calls by satellite, the equally arduous descent begins to arrive at Camp 2 in the late afternoon.

Descend further, rejoining team members who have camped lower down. Because most accidents while climbing occur on descent when attention is lost in a fatigued climber, one must remain alert even during descent. The increasing oxygen boosts energy and mental alertness. At Base Camp, one feels one has returned to civilization with privileges and comforts. At night, going to sleep, the majority of successful climbers and their support staff, having made success possible, jubilate.

After a day of rest and sorting equipment, ride home the now familiar trail down to Dhotu. The descent is a series of ecological zones that provide a fascinating reverse panorama of your climb. Your acclimatized body performs well at these now oxygen-abundant altitudes. The amenities of the teahouses at Dhotu are heaven after weeks of living in camps. Locals are eager to hear your news of the summit’s success, which can lead to spontaneous celebrations.

Cap off your trek with a more challenging day that brings you straight into Jumla. The terrain that was once so intimidating now feels like such an accomplishment as your team gets into a laid-back hiking rhythm. Chatter comes as naturally between individuals who are acquaintances. Your final evening on the trail includes a celebratory dinner to thank your porters and locals, who will be saying goodbye to some of them after tomorrow’s farewells to return to their villages. Write down phone numbers and vows to stay in touch – these mountain friendships can overcome geography and culture.

Take the dawn flight from Jumla’s small airfield to Nepalgunj, followed by your onward connecting flight to Kathmandu. The urban din, grime, and congestion – barely noticeable on arrival – now assault senses which have grown accustomed to mountain purity. Your hotel shower discloses surprising tan marks on your face and hands. The night is the final celebratory dinner with certificates for your good achievement.

As your wonderful journey comes to an end, our staff transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your outgoing international flight. You return home with more than memories and souvenirs- you return home with the lasting impression of having been to a place where very few human beings have been, having seen a landscape of unparalleled grandeur, and having discovered inner reserves in yourself that were otherwise untapped. Your test, fellowship, and victory of your Putha Hiunchuli ascent will change the way you view life long after this new to home altitude.