The plan was to fly directly to Kathmandu from Almaty (Kazakhstan) via Delhi. But due to the India-Pakistan skirmish, I had to take the longer Almaty – Sharjah - Home airport- Delhi- Kathmandu flight. I landed in Kathmandu by 2 PM on 25-May-25. I took a cab to my favourite hotel; the Lotus guest house in Boudha. Ashish is away doing the Kailash Mansarovar trip has send Deepak as my guide for the trek. Deepak is an experienced guide but came along as porter during our Nar Phu trek (Click here). Tonight we stay together at Lotus guest house.
My guide Deepak at Gosai Kund lake
The original goal was to do Dhaulagiri trek. It’s challenging trek, even in good weather. As it requires camping for a few days, we have to carry our tents and food with us. Unfortunately, the monsoon season started early this year. A group of trekkers who attempted the trek a few days ago had to turn back due to bad weather. Two people, carrying tents and food through the wilderness in the monsoon season would be courting trouble. So, we settled on the moderate difficulty Gosai Kund trek. It’s a tea house trek and no camping required. But I’m disappointed that it’s a shorter and doesn’t reach the high altitudes of many other Nepalese treks. With hindsight, it turned out to be an excellent decision.
Trail day 3: Dunche – Chandanbari
Me and Deepak went out for an early dinner. Then, I walked a few times around the stupa at Boudhnath and retired early to bed.
Day 2: Kathmandu – Dunche (1996 M)
In woke up early in the morning. As usual, I went to circumambulate the Boudhnath stupa. By 07:30 we took a cab to the bus station. The “bus station” turned out to be a just row of buses lined up beside a busy road. I put my bags in the bus and went out for a quick bite from one of the many restaurants beside the bus station. It’s 08:00 when we start the journey to Subrabesi. There are a couple of tourists in the bus but most were locals. The person sitting next to me in the bus said that he too was doing going to Gosaikund and that I’m lucky to have chosen this time to do the trek. That’s when it hit me— I’m not doing a trek but a pilgrimage!
Day 3: Spot the Shiva Temple!
The condition of Nepali the roads has not changed much. Thankfully, some sections of the road have been concreted. The trek permit has to be obtained from a government office that’s about 30 minutes before Dunche. I sat in the bus and my guide did all the paperwork. It didn’t take long to get the permits made. About 10 min beyond this is an army check post. They opened up my bags and had a quick rummage. They were quite polite and asked me if I had a drone with me. I noticed that they were only checking the bags of tourists.
It’s 16:00 when I got off at Dunche. The bus continued towards Subrebesi, the starting point of Lantang trek. (Click here for my Lantang trek.) We are in the “Hotel Langtang view”. The landlady told me that the hotel had been damaged in the 2014 earthquake. The hotel slowly filled up with Nepali pilgrims. The Gosaikund pilgrimage starts tomorrow. Deepak told me that it will be almost impossible to get a room in Dunche until the end of the pilgrimage.
Horses for hire during the trail
It rained heavily for most of the night. I’m worried about tomorrow’s hike. And in a strange way, I’m relieved that I’m not in the freezing rain in a tent on the Dhaulagiri trek.
Day 3: Dunche (1996 M) – Chandanbari (3330 M)
By morning the rains have stopped, but the sky is cloudy and threatening. After a quick breakfast, we set off on the trail around 7:20 AM. Surprisingly, all the Nepali pilgrims left the hotel by about 05:30 in the morning. It’s a beautiful walk. It’s 10:20 when we reach the Deurali. It’s nothing more than a cluster of hotels that cater those travelling to Gosaikund.
Day 3: No clue what this means!
At Deurali, I met a group of friendly pilgrims, all dressed in white, having an early lunch. They were all devotees of a Nepali guru. They had finished the trek and were on their way down. As I sat there, talking and having a cup of tea, a group of officials in police/paramilitary uniform arrived there carrying a person, on a stretcher. He too was wearing white clothes. The sick man developed altitude sickness and was being evacuated on a stretcher. The person seated next to me turned out to be a senior member of this group. He told me that 281 people (Yes- exactly 281) had joined the pilgrimage to Gosaikund but only one fell sick. Later, my guide told me about a foreign tourist who died from altitude sickness a few years ago while doing this trek.
Red Panda hotel at Chandanbari
We plod along. It’s a constant ascent from Deurali to Chandanbari. It’s 13:00 when I reached the ‘Red Panda hotel’ Chandanbari. It was cloudy and foggy the entire day but it didn’t rain. Most of the pilgrims who start walking early in the day continue onwards to the next location. The trek to Gosaikund can be done in 2 days. Since we have time, I am taking it easy and doing it in 3 days.
It’s dal bath for lunch. There is a yak cheese factory opposite the hotel and I wandered over there. The cheesemaker was busy at work. As I watched him at work, the heavens opened up and it began raining heavily. A kilo of yak cheese costs 1800 Nrs and kilo of butter is 1100 Nrs. I bought some yak cheese and retired to my room.
The Cheesemaker
By 5:30 PM, I returned to the common dining area. I am the only tourist here among the room full of pilgrims. The wood fired heater is keeping the room warm. Even at 6 PM, pilgrims were coming into the hotel looking for. The owner was turning them away, as the rooms were full. My guide told me that as the rooms are scarce and many will end up sleeping on the floor of the dining room.
Unlike most trek lodges, where the common room tends to be quiet, there is a real festive vibe in here today. The pilgrims are talking loudly and playing music on their phones. Youngsters are giving massage to the older family members. Despite starting the day as strangers, everyone became one big family; even solo trekkers!
Day 4: Chandanbari (3330 M) – Laurbina (3900 M)
Inside Shin Goemba
It’s a clear morning. By 5:30 AM, all the Nepali pilgrims have left the hotel. They will try to reach Gosaikund today. Since I have time, I am stopping at Laurbina tonight. A helicopter landed in an empty field adjacent to my hotel room. It was performing medivac for a family of foreign trekkers- 2 adults and 2 kids. One of them developed altitude sickness and had to be airlifted out to Kathmandu.
Medivac helicopter at Chandanbari
I started my hike by 8 AM. Outside my hotel is a charming little Buddhist monastery (goemba) called Shin Goemba. Hence, Chandanbari is also called as Shin Goemba village. Shin goemba has some lovely wall paintings. The trail ahead was reasonably well maintained with concrete steps in many places.
There are lots of people on the trail. Most of them seemed engrossed in making Tik Tok videos with the Majestic Himalayan backdrop. During the pilgrimage season, many small temporary wayside shops spring up. Horses can be hired at different locations for those pilgrims who are unable to walk. I came here expecting a solitary trail, but this was a welcome surprise.
Cholang Pati
We stop at Cholang Pati (3584M). It’s a trekkers stop with a couple of shops. On good days, there are amazing views of the Himalayas. But today, it’s all covered by thick white clouds. Here, I met a group of Europeans whose trek would carry them over the Nepali border and all the way into Tibet. Too bad the Chinese government doesn’t issue trekking permits for Indians.
Chandanbari Village
As I climbed, fog thickened around me. By 11 Am, I’m at Laurbina. Bit disappointing that it was a very short hike. It turned out to be a good decision as it started raining heavily by By 12 PM. From my room, I can still see pilgrims walking in the awful weather. The resilience and determination of the pilgrims has to be admired. Many did not have even the basic stuff that we take for granted. Some were walking in sandals, others with normal bags slung around their shoulders. Often, it was a family effort with the kids helping the elders.
The trekking lodge at Laurbina
There is no electricity or mobile signal at Laurbina. The hotel has a few solar powered lights in common areas. The wood fired stove in the hall was lit at 6 PM. As Laurbina is situated at an altitude well above the tree line, firewood wood has to reach here on horseback. Hence, everything, including wood, has a large mark-up cost here. I too find a place beside the wood fired heater in the hall. People are smiling and talking loudly. It’s a happy and in a festive mood. I, once again, become a member of the extended Nepali family. Even when I went to sleep, it was drizzling.
Father and son on the pilgrimage
Day 5: Laurbina (3900 M) – Gosai Kund (4380 M)
By 04:30, the Nepali pilgrims started their journey. By 6 the hotel is eerily quiet. The skies are clear and the majestic Himalayan mountains are a sight to behold. I can see a small village on the Tibetan side. My guide told me that, in earlier times, the village belonged to Nepal. The trail to Langang from Laurbina is also visible from here. Those who do the Langtang - Gosaikund trek follow this trail. (Click here for my Langtang trek).
Beautiful day at Laurbina
By 8 AM, I started walking. The first half is a steep ascent. Then the trail meanders its way to Gosai Kund. I ran into an elderly foreigner on the trail. He told me that he was feeling unwell due to the altitude and had decided not to trek any higher. He was only an hour away from Gosai Kund. Yet, it was the right decision. The dangers of altitude sickness should not be underestimated.
Saraswati Kund
This region is famous for the numerous mountain lakes. The word Kund means Lake. Saraswati Kund is the first lake that comes into view. This is followed by Bhairavi Kund and finally Gosai Kund. I’m at my destination by 11 AM. From the common room of my hotel, both Bhairavi Kund and Gosai Kund can be seen.
It was clear and sunny when reached Gosai Kund. After spending 2 nights with the Nepali pilgrims, I know exactly what to do! I dropped my bags in the hotel and rushed to the lake. Taking a bath at Gosai Kund during the holy season, erases all sins and resets one’s karmic account to zero. For optimal efficiency, one has to take odd number of dips in the lake e.g. 1, 3, 5 etc. Most people settle for 1 or 3 dips at Gosai Kund.
Bathing at Gosai Kund
I walked around the banks of Gosai Kund and found a quiet bathing spot. I stripped down and stepped into the freezing cold lake. I plunged in, not once, not thrice, but five times into the bone-numbing cold water. One can never be sure if 3 dips are enough to wash away my super-duper extra strong super sticky sins. I ran out from the freezing cold lake to get dry. There is a euphoric feeling of lightness and bliss within me. I’m can feel that I’m not being weighed down by my sins anymore!
Taking a well deserved break!
Beside my bathing spot, about 4-5 men and an elderly lady were performing fire sacrifices. They all appeared to be Hindu priests. After drying up, I sat at a respectful distance watching them making oblations into the fire. It was magical to sit beside the lake and listen to the chanting of the sacred hymns. Despite the crowd of devotees arriving at the lake, I’m the only one here. Later, a couple of people showed up dancing and filming videos on their phones. The priestess was quite upset and told them off.
The lake on right is Bhairav Kund. The buildings at the end of the trail are at Gosai Kund.
Then, one of priests doing the rituals gestured me to join them. I sat along with the priests beside the sacrificial fire. The priest who was sitting beside told me in fluent hindi that the elderly priestess who was sitting with us was the custodian of the Gosai Kund! The prayers continued. Later one of the priests gave me 4 small copper vessels and asked me to fetch water from the holy lake. This water will be used for the rituals. When I returned with the water, the priest said it was a rare privilege for me to participate in this ceremony and promised, “Punya milega”. It roughly translates to “you will get good merit”.
When the prayers got over, the priestess, the custodian of the Gosai Kund, blessed me and went away. One of the male priests asked me to come over for ‘Garam Pani’ (hot water). Having being out in the cold, I could definitely do with some hot water. The priests live a non-descript building beside the lake that even I would have overlooked. As I waited outside, the priest bought me a glass of Garam Pani. The lukewarm water had been boiled with herbs and tasted like Karingalai vellam! The priest casually told me that it’s not possible to offer Garam Pani to all the people. Only then did I realise that there was more to the ‘hot water’ than I realised. Later, my guide would tell me that what I drank was the sacred offering called as ‘Panchamritam’.
Small temple before Gosai Kund
We start talking, and the priest narrated the story of the lake. While the Asuras and Devas were churning the ocean of milk, called Palazhi, the highly toxic poison Halahala (Kalakoodam) emerged. The poison has no antidote and they request Lord Shivan’s assistance. Shiva drinks this poison to save the world. Due to the toxicity of the poison, Shivan’s neck turns blue. The world is saved, but now Lord Shivan needs a drink of water to soothe his burning throat. He thrusts his trident into a rock and water gushed out. The rock where Shivan is believed to have thrust is trident is located above the holy lake. Gosai Kund is formed by the water that comes from this rock.
Gosai Kund lake from the far side
As we were talking, the custodian of the lake passed by. The head priestess offered me a coconut that was used for rituals. She told me that Gosai Kund is the Kailash of Nepal and that I’m very fortunate to have taken a dip in this holiest of holies during the sacred 10-day period. When I started this trek, I was disappointed that I had to cancel the demanding Dhaulagiri trek for the shorter low altitude Gosai Kund trek. I was not even aware about the religious significance of this lake. But here I am after 5 holy dips, at the priest’s residence drinking Panchamritam and receiving offerings directly from the lake’s custodian. Someone up there must have messed up tallying my sins and desperately wanted to reset my karmic account to zero! (Click here for Holy waters)
List of lakes near Gosai Kund
I returned to my room. It was Dal Bhat for lunch. Had a siesta and didn’t do much for rest of the day. In the evening I joined the pilgrims in the common room. The fire was lit by 6 PM. Among them was a Nepali lady who spoke rudimentary Malayalam. She had spent part of her life in Dubai and had picked up the language from her Malayali friends. The hotel is overflowing with pilgrims. Those who don’t have rooms sleep in the common room.
Day 6: Gosai Kund (4380 M)
It’s a perfect day for altitude acclimatisation with clear bright skies. Originally, the plan had been to hike to Surya Peak. But the heavy rains made this route too risky. So we decided to go to the lookout point. It is higher than Laurbina pass that I intend to cross tomorrow.
The lookout point is only an hours hike from the Gosai Kund. I am completely alone; surrounded by silence and stunning views. I can see the snow-capped Himalayan ranges stretching endlessly ahead. My guide pointed out Kailasam (Kailash mountain) in Tibet. Kailasam, the official residence of Lord Shivan, can easily be recognised by its unique pyramidal shape. From this vantage point I realised that Gosai Kund, where Lord Shivan drank water, was not too far from his home.
Kailasam from Lookout point
There are numerous lakes in this area. From the lookout point alone, I counted about 10 lakes, both big and small. There are amazing views of Gosai Kund and Bhairav Kund. Hiking up here will not increase one’s karma, but it had the best vistas on the trip so far. I spend about an hour at the top and descended down.
Then, I went for a stroll around the Gosai Kund lake. It’s was quite beautiful. There were only a couple of people doing this easy walk around the lake. By 1 PM I’m in my room. Then it’s Dal Bhat followed by a siesta.
View from lookout point. Gosai Kund is on the left & Bhairav Kund on the right
There are many legends and stories associated with his holy lake. The priest I met on the first day told me that, even now, people see the image of Lord Shivan in the lake. Yet others see a blue light in the lake; blue colour symbolising the colour of Shivan’s neck.
In the evening I find a place beside the wood fired stove in the common room. It’s a noisy, happy place. As usual, I also become part of the extended Nepali family. Sitting next to me was a cop, probably in his early 30’s from Kathmandu. He had hiked here with his extended family. We start talking and become friends. Then he told me an incredible story that is rather hard to believe!
A couple of years ago, he and a friend hiked to Gosai Kund lake in the dead of winter. As a rule, tourists and pilgrims stay away from the holy lake when the harsh Himalayan winter sets in. There was so much snow that finding a walking trail became challenging. Thankfully, a small hotel run by a solitary hotel keeper was open at Gosai Kund even though they had no other customers for quite a while. The cop and his friend were the only people in the entire area! He told me, sheepishly, that if they’d known just how tough the conditions would get, they’d have stayed at home.
Bhairav Kund
The hotel keeper told them that there was another person there; a Baba (holy man), camped out on the banks of the frozen lake shore. The baba was living beside the frozen Gosai Kund lake for a while. He was not equipped with the heavy duty winter clothes what a ‘normal’ man would require. My friend offered the him some money but the baba politely refused saying, ”What will I do with money here”. So he went back to the hotel and fetched a packet of biscuits from his backpack. The baba gladly accepted it.
Gosai Kund from Lookout point
Curious, my friend asked the baba what he normally eats. The baba replied that he was on a quest to find Shiva. He was living beside the frozen lake in the bitter cold to prepare himself to enter the lake. Meeting Lord Shiva inside the frozen Gosai Kund lake; that was his life’s mission. As for food, the baba said that he ate ice. When my fried laughed in disbelief, he asked him to fetch ice from the lake. The baba ate the ice my friend bought from the lake as if it was a piece of cake!
Convinced the baba was indeed an extraordinary soul, my friend requested his blessing. The baba hesitated, warning my friend that he would not be able to tolerate his “power”. My friend insisted and the baba obliged. He remembers that the saint had an exceptionally large palm. Later, people would tell him that large palms are a tell-tale sign of great yogis. When the baba’s hands reached close to his head, he experienced what can be described as a strong magnetic pull. Then, he felt a power surge flowing through him. It was so strong that he asked the baba to stop. He spent the next 3-4 days in a state of trance. He was convinced that his life definitely improved after this incident. I did not encounter any holy babas or accomplished yogis. My ‘transcendental’ bliss probably had something to do with weed and booze!
It's a real helicopter!
Day 7: Gosai Kund (4380 M) – Laurbina la Pass (4460 M) – High camp (4220 M)– Phedi (3730 M) – Upper Ghopte – Lower Ghopte (3430 M)
It rained heavily at night. I see fresh snow on the adjacent mountain peaks. By 7 AM the skies clear up. Soon helicopters began arriving like flies. I counted 6 helicopters parked beside the lake! The holy lake was becoming popular with Indians and my guide speculated that most of the people coming out of the choppers were Indian pilgrims.
The Tibeten woman with her kid
I started the day at 8 AM. As I walked passed the Gosai Kund temple, I saw the priests with whom I did the prayers 2 days ago. They smiled and gave me their blessings. Then, I went to the banks of Gosai Kund and sprinkled some water over me. That would have removed any of my residual sins. Spiritually recharged and de-sinned, the new-improved me was ready to face a world full of sinners.
Among the pilgrims was a young Tibetan woman with a child tied to her back. Dressed in traditional Tibetan attire, she stood out from the predominantly Hindu pilgrims. I asked if I could take her photo. She happily posed for photos with her kid.
Holy water
It’s only a short walk from the holy lake to the spot where Shiva thrust his spear into the rock. Water from the mountain flows beneath the rocks and emerges at the surface here. It’s this water that flows down to Gosai Kund lake. Some of the water is channeled through 3 man-made sprouts. People were praying and filling up the ice cold holy water in bottles and jerry cans to take it home. Drinking this water also removes all sins. I too filled my drinking water bottle from this sacred spot. There is no such thing as being too safe!
Nag Kund
The Tibetan lady I met earlier also drank water from this spot. Then, she put a few drops of water on her kids mouth. Curious, my guide struck up a conversation. The lady resided in a small village, not too far from here. She had prayed to God as she didn’t have kids. This pilgrimage to Gosai Kund was her way of thanking God for fulfilling her wish. I realised that this wasn’t a holy place just for Hindus; even Buddhists find a deep spiritual connection here.
Surya Kund
It’s from this vantage point that many people see Lord Shiva in the lake. There is a shallow part of the lake with a rock sticking out. The shallow part of the lake has a different colour compared to deeper waters of the lake. Could this be the cause of “manifestation’ of Shiva in the lake? I will definitely need a few more holy dips before I meet Lord Shiva. (Click here- Holy waters).
Reflection at Nag Kund
Above Gosai Kund are 1) Nag Kund 2) Buddha Kund 3) Surya kund. Even my guide was not sure if the lake was named after Buddha from Buddhism or the planet Buddha (Buddhan/mercury). There are numerous other lakes hidden in the mountains. As we hike up, Gosai Kund disappeared from view. Nag Kund and Buddha Kund are adjacent to each other. Surya Kund is the highest lake.
Curiously, ritual bathing happens only at Gosai Kund. Rest of the lakes remain untouched and pristine. Many pilgrims I met during the past few days had told me about Surya Kund but only a determined few hike up to the lakes above Gosai Kund. It’s very beautiful beside the banks of Surya Kund. I spend some time before moving on.
Laurbina la Pass (4460 M), the highest point of the trek is very close to Surya Kund. Beyond it is a steep descent. Steps have been made with locally available rock in many places and this was making the descent quite uncomfortable.
Almost all the pilgrims return back to Dunche; the way they came up. The trail beyond Surya Kund has become very quiet and peaceful. I was beginning to enjoy the ‘pilgrim’ vibe but hustle and bustle of the last few days is behind me. It’s like I’m the only person on the mountain. Finally, it feels like a Himalayan trek I’ve come to love and cherish.
The bridge beside the waterfall
By 12:30, the clouds have descended. Thankfully, it was mostly just light drizzle. We passed High camp and reached Phedi. The ‘town’ of Phedi has one building; a wooden hotel called ‘Dawa Baby’ that caters primarily to hikers. There were a couple of European trekkers at Phedi. They plan to spend the night here before hiking up to Gosai Kund. After a quick lunch, we immediately move on. Beyond Phedi, the trail crosses a beautiful waterfall. Surrounded by thick fog and white stones, the waterfall felt serenely magical.
One of the few trekkers i met after Laurbina pass
After the waterfall, the trail begins ascending. Many places along the trail have rock steps. It’s 17:15 when I reached my destination. At an altitude of 3430 M, Lower Ghopte is located below the tree line. I am the only person at the ‘Namaste guest house’. It has been a long walk and I’m tired. The dining room has a few lights powered by solar panels. After dinner, I get into bed early.
Day 7: Lower Ghopte (3430 M) –Thadepani (3653 M)
Spot the 'Namaste Guest House' at Lower Ghopte
I’m halting at Thadepani for the night as I have an extra day on my hands. Goes without saying that a spending day high up in the mountain in a cold isolated trekking lodge without running water, electricity or mobile range is infinitely better than spending a day at Kathmandu!
It’s a short walk today to Thadepani. In fact, Thadepani perched on the top of the mountain is visible from Lower Ghopte. We started hiking at 08:45. The trail ascents gradually to Thadepani as it sits at higher altitude than Lower Ghopte. There used to be a shorter trail from High camp (I think) to Thadepani bye-passing Phedi and Ghopte. This path was damaged in the 2015 earthquake and is unlikely to open again.
Drying wild vegetable leaf at Thadepani
By 10:45, I’m at Thadepani. The family owned ‘New Yak and Yeti’ hotel is run by an elderly person (probably early 70’s), his son and daughter in law. I have the entire day to myself. I sat outside on a bench outside the hotel watching the world go by. Yaks were peacefully grazing nearby. The whole day, I saw nobody; apart from my guide and the people running the hotel. It’s just me and the mountains, exactly how I wanted it.
Yaks grazing peacefully at Thadepani
Despite its rustic beauty, life in Thadepani is difficult. The nearest source of water is an hour’s walk away. Think about this; every drop of water has been manually hauled up here by the owner’s son or daughter in law. The daughter in law was busy chopping some leaves and placing it on a large plastic sheet. My guide told me that the leaves are from an edible wild plant that grows locally. The leaves have to be washed and sun dried for 2-3 days before it can be cooked.
I watched the old man, breathing heavily, going about his chores. In his younger days, he worked in the cities. After he got older, he returned to Thadepani. He hates the cities now. I am invited into the kitchen to eat lunch. I removed my shoes and stepped into the wooden floored room. All of us sat on the floor and ate the tasty dal bhat together.
Thadepani Sunrise
By 2 PM, it became very foggy. Soon it started raining heavily. I retired to my room to sleep. In the evening there was a heavy hail storm. I’m sure it’s snowing heavily at up in Gosai Kund. By 6 PM, the wood fired heater in the common room was lit up. The metallic body of the heater was cracked and smoke was leaking into the room. But the warmth is irresistible and I stay right beside it. My guide said that rains at night bring clear mornings. I hope he’s right.
Spotted this teeny weeny next beside the road
Day 8: Thadepani (3653 M) – Kutumbsang (2581 M)
There is hail and snow outside the hotel. But it’s a clear morning, just as my guide predicted. Nearby mountains are covered in fresh snow. We lit the wood fired heater once again in the morning.
After an early breakfast, we left the hotel by 07:30 AM. I climbed watch tower beside the hotel to the top to take some pictures. Wonder why this watch tower was made in this remote wilderness! Today’s trail gradually descents into Kutumbsang. There are stone steps in many parts of the trail. I miss the mountain views as it remained cloudy for most of the day. At least, it didn’t rain.
Nepali boys happily posed for a picture beside the covered bridge.
It’s far easier to trek to Gosai Kund from Dunche than from Kutumbsang. Hence, very few do the Gosai Kund trail from Kutumbsang. I did meet an American trekker going up to Gosai Kund. He was also planning to hike to Langtang village. I also a met a group of cheerful Nepali boys hiking up Gosai Kund. They boys happily posed for pics.
On the outskirts of Kutumbsang village is a new Buddhist monastery. After walking for another 15-20 minutes, we reached an army check post. The officer on duty checked my papers and made entries into a large book. I’m at my hotel by 12:15. It’s a modern concrete building. In my room is a marvel of modern technology; an electric water heater. I take my first bath in a week. Holy dips in freezing cold water doesn’t count as baths!
Delicious wild berries called Aisalu
Day 9: Kutumbsang (2581 M) – Chipling – Thangoni – Chisapani (2165 M)
Share jeeps are ply regularly from Kutumbsang to Katmandu. But I’m hiking to Chisapani. Initially, we follow the new motorable road. Then the walking trail enters the mountains wilderness.
My guide pointed out yellow berries on a thorny wild shrub growing beside the road. These delicious berries are locally called Aisalu. I have eaten them before; in Bhutan (Click here). Herbalists use the roots of this plant to cure joint pains. These berries were plentiful and I ended snacking on handfuls of Aisalu.
The trail passes through a few small isolated villages. In a village shop, I saw a fruit for sale that looked like miniature apples. Out of curiosity, I picked the fruit and asked the shopkeeper what it was. She told me that the fruit is locally called as Aloo Bakhada (I think). She gave one each to me and my guide for free! Later on, my guide climbed a small tree and plucked reddish fruit the size of a small olive. The un-ripened fruit had a bitter taste. This fruit, locally called Ka-Phal, turns red after ripening.
Trail to Chisapani
The trail once again re-joined the motorable road. My guide pointed to a yet another tree growing beside the road. It’s the first time I’ve seen a plum tree! We picked some ripe plums and continued walking. It’s an easy trail until Thangoni. Beyond that is a steep ascent. A new motorable road is being built to Thangoni, but we are following the shorter hiking trail. The trail we used was overgrown with weeds in many parts and looked unused for a while.
We filled up a small sack with plums from this tree
On the steep ascent to Chisapani, we passed a solitary house with 2 large plum trees laden with fruits. The lady of the house greeted us and told us that we can pluck as much plums as we wanted! Apparently, the fruits will fall off in a week and will go to waste. The lady gave my guide a small sack and helped us to fill it up with freshly plucked ripe plums. We thanked her for her generosity and continued onwards.
Monastery at Kutumbsang
By now, it has become quite cloudy and is drizzling occasionally. We reach Chisapani by 15:00 Hrs. I’m tired after the steep ascent from Thangoni. We are staying at the family run 1-year-old “Hotel bliss”. A hot water bath and Dal Bhat was exactly what the doctor ordered! An hour after I arrived, it started raining very heavily. It’s quite cold here. In winter, Chisapani often receives about 50 cm of snow.
Carrying fodder for animals. Life is tough in these villages
The owners of the hotel, the husband and wife team, were running the hotel all by themselves. 2 of their kids were studying in Kathmandu and the eldest son was in Japan. In Nepal, emigration is perceived by many as a good option for a better life. Even my guide had send his eldest son to Japan. Sending a kid to Japan costs quite a bit of money. Many parents take on debt for this costly venture. They hope that the kids will find employment there after completing their education. My guide was expecting his son to help him pay the debts after he finishes college in 4 years’ time.
Day 10: Chisapani (2165 M) – Kathmandu
The original plan was to hike 4 hours to Sundarjal and take a vehicle onwards to Kathmandu. But it’s raining heavily and I’m feeling lazy. So I decided to take a share jeep from the hotel directly to Kathmandu. The hotel owner called the share jeep and it arrived at our hotel by 8 AM.
My guide Deepak at Surya Kund
It’s a bumpy ride through muddy unpaved roads. The thick vegetation on either side was covered by fog. As the jeep turned a corner, suddenly a large city came into view below. Amazed, I asked my guide what city that was. It was Kathmandu! We got off the jeep at Sundarjal, a suburb of Kathmandu. From a desolate mountain to the hustle and bustle of modern Kathmandu in 1.5 Hrs!
Wild flowers
A bus took us from Sundarjal to Lotus guest house at Boudha. After lunch, my guide departed for his home near Dharan; a small town in at the eastern part of Nepal. He invited me to attend his wife’s sister’s wedding. It’s too tempting an offer, but I have other plans. (Click here for my singing bowl classes)
All items at the trekking lodges are carried there by donkeys or human porters. Even ordinary items like rice and salt can travel for 2-3 days on a porter’s back before reaching its destination. Hence there is always a steep mark-up compared to the prices at Kathmandu. The cost of Dal Bhat is a good barometer of the difficulty in getting goods to these remote trekking lodges.
Location
Cost of Dal Bhat
(Nepali Rupees)
Dunche
500
Chandanbari
750
Gosai Kund
1000
Lower Ghopte
900
Thadepani
800
Kutumbsang
600
I started the Gosai Kund trek a disappointed man. Due to the heavy rains, I had to cancel the longer, high-altitude Dhaulagiri trek and settle for what I thought would be an average trail. Even after setting out from Kathmandu, I had no idea about the spiritual significance of Gosai Kund and its connection to Lord Shivan. Although Gosai Kund trek is open all year round, ritual bathing occurs few times a year. Little did I know that my trek would coincide with an auspicious 10-day religious bathing period. I did not complete an ordinary trek; I became part of the holiest pilgrimage in Nepal.
The majestic snow-capped Himalayan mountains which formed the backdrop of the trail never failed to amaze me. Spotting Kailasam mountain, Lord Shivan’s celestial abode, was quite an unexpected treat.
However, everything pales in comparison to the time spent on the banks of Gosai Kund. After taking a de-sinning dip in the lake, I was invited by the monks to join them for chanting mantras and making offerings into the sacrificial fire. The serenity that I experienced was beyond words. I hadn’t plan for any of this. It was just meant to be! … Har Har Mahadev.
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