Community Lodge-Trekking in the Gauri Shankar Region

With the completion of all the lodges as part of the Rolwaling Eco Tourism Project and the relevant trainings Nepal now has a new fully developed trekking region – the area south of the holy mountain Gauri Shankar.

This destination is located approx. 120 km to the north east of Kathmandu and can be reached from Jiri Road or a green road leading via Dolakha to Singati. From there one walks up the Tamba Kosi valley as far as Simigaon and on into the Rolwaling valley, a so-called „hidden valley“ with a very special aura. Trekkers can walk to Beding or even further up to the glacier lake Tso Rolpa at 5000 m above sea level, climb a trekking peak and very experienced mountaineers can even venture a crossing of Tashi Labtsa pass into the Mount Everest National Park.

Another option is to use Barabise - a small town located on the Arniko highway leading to Tibet - as a starting point for an extended trekking tour. After a steep ascent one crosses the Tinsang La pass to reach Bigu Gompa, the largest nunnery in Nepal. From there the trek continues along a beautiful hillcrest towards the Rolwaling valley.

The new „product“ which was presented recently at an event organized by the Nepal Tourism Board on World Tourism Day promises the best in eco-trekking:

seven of the lodges belonging to the village communities allow for stress-free hiking from village to village, past swaying fields of rice and barley, across stable bridges and well maintained paths. The lodges offer simple but clean accommodation, proper sanitation facilities such as toilets and showers as well as accommodation for porters and campsites next to the lodges.

Freshly cooked and tasty meals using organically grown produce from the region are prepared on energy-efficient stoves; waste prevention or recycling is also part of the management concept in these eco-lodges. Extensive trainings of the local population in all relevant matters were conducted over a period of several years in the course of a development project financed by Austrian tax money.

The lodges built according to the Eco Himal model design are located in Karthali, Dolangsa, Bigu, Loting, Laduk, Oran and Simigaon. Trekkers will find private accommodation of modest quality in the other villages along the trek.

The entire project is operated by the community development committees who also own the lodges and campsites. They have formed an umbrella organisation which is also in charge of marketing for the region and for maintaining the quality of the infrastructure.

For further information on trekking tours and contact partners please contact the Eco Himal office in Kathmandu – office.ktm@ecohimal.org.