Manang offers awe inspiring physical and spiritual superlatives to experience adventure. The barren mountains, valleys, mystic emerald lakes and whispering of the wind as you walk through Manang whether you are mountaineering, trekking, hiking or visiting Monastery, gumba, people and culture challenge you for your physical endurance as well as your perceived convictions. Thus, journey into Manang is full of Adventure – both physical and spiritual.
MOUNTAINEERING
Manang is proud of various elements. One of them is our spectacular mountain scenery. As part of the Annapurna Circuit trek, Manang Valley is special for the mountains rising directly from the valley floor, which averages 3,400m (11,000 feet) in elevation. The Manang Valley is surrounded by mountains over 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) high on all sides.
These include:
- Lamjung Himal (6,932 meters or 22,740 feet)
- Pisang Peak (6,091 meters or 19,982 feet)
- Annapurna I (8,091 meters or 26,538 feet)
- Annapurna II (7,939 meters or 26,040 feet)
- Annapurna III (7,555 meters or 24,780 feet)
- Annapurna IV (7,525 meters or 24,682 feet)
- Gangapurna (7,454 meters or 24,449 feet)
- Tarkekang or Glacier Dome (7,202 meters or 23,623 feet)
- Chulu East (6,558 meters or 21,510 feet)
- Chulu West (6,418 meters)
- Tilicho Peak (7,134 meters or 23,400 feet)
- Himlung Himal (7,126 meters)
- Ratna chuli (7,035 meters)
CLIMBING COURSE
8,000 m peaks aside, Nepal boasts a wealth of smaller virgin peaks, 116 of which were recently opened to climbers by the government. A number of peaks fall in Manang where Nepal’s first climbing school was built more than 25 years ago with the support of Czech, Slovak and Slovenian climbers. The Nepal Mountaineering Instructors Association (NMIA), including some of the Nepal’s top climbers and Sherpas renowned for their agility, skill and strength, will be conducting climbing courses for beginners and advanced climbers from October-December in Manang.
The large rock faces and technical in Manang make this course one that will test your physical prowess and teach you to negotiate challenging climbs.
The number fs peaks which fall in Manang are:
- Pisang Peak, 6091 meters
- Chulu West, 6418 meters
- Chulu East, 6558 meters
- Manaslu, 8163 meters
- Nemjung, 7139 meters
- Himlung Himal, 7126 meters
- Ratna Chuli, 7035 meters
Team Guided Walk
If you are looking for a fascinating hour to two finding out how local people live and adapt to this beautiful but harsh mountain environment, treat yourself to a TEAM @ guided walk. TEAM guides are all local men and women, so they know the culture and environment of Manang inside out. They all have training in safety in the mountains, and will be sensitive eto your personal interest and needs. TEAM guided walks are not long or strenuous, they are designed to help you enjoy the cultural dimensions of this beautiful place and its hospitable, humorous and hardy people.
TREKKING
Nyeshyang Cultural Trek
The Nyeshang Valley cultural circuit is designed for individuals who, in a short period, would like to combine trekking with pleasant day hikes to local villages. As you trek through wild coniferous forest, observe the Himalayan flora and fauna and enjoy spectacular mountain scenery, you can experience unique traditions and festivals and an age-old lifestyle in the villages of Ghyaru, Ngawal, Braga, Manang, Pisang, Humde and Khangsar.
Tilicho Lake Trek
At nearly 5000m above sea level, Tilicho is not a prohibited area but by virtue of its remoteness and altitude, few tourists take off the popular Annapurna circuit to hike up to the lake which lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). Roughly a day and a half walk from Manang Village, visitors are treated to spectacular views of the icy ramparts of Annapurna and Tilicho peak glaciers which plunge down to the lake itself. Visitors coming in from Manang Village usually spend a night in Khangsar, a small village on the way, before they hike along the rugged and picturesque route to the base of the lake where there are a couple of lodges.
Nar Phu Trek
Formerly restricted areas, the villages of Nar and Phu, the northernmost outposts of Manang district, were recently opened to tourists by the Nepali government. Intrepid travelers will be setting foot where few foreigners have ventured and witness and unchanged pastoral lifestyle, ruins of Khampa settlements, and rugged trans-Himalayan terrain. Trekkers can choose any of the following options: fly into Manang, complete the Nar Phu trek, and fly out; trek into Manang (an additional four days), visit Nar Phu and fly out or extend your trek to Tilicho, Nepal’s highest lake, and continue across the Thorong Pass (5400 m) into the neighbourhood district of Jomsom.
HIKES
Gangapurna Lake
Gangapurna Lake is named after Mount Gangapurna that feeds the lake with its glacier. These waters are easily approachable from Manang, the most prominent settlement of the Nyeshyang people. Loved by the local people for its milky look, it is in close proximity to the yak grazing grounds.
Ga Tso/Ga Kyu Tso
The glacial lake across from Manang village is called Ga Tso or Ga Kyu Tso. Ga means “Himal” and Tso means “Lake”. “Kyu” means water in both the Manangi and Gurung languages. Henc the name “Snow Mountain Lake”. Ga Tso turns a deep turquoise in the right sunlight. The Manang Village burial grounds are near the lake. They are sacred and it is nest to view them from a distance so as not to derfile or disturb their sancitity.
Milarepa Cave
The Lord Milarepa is known to many Buddhist and Bompo communities of the Himalayas. As he wandered across the land, he found this cave complex and meditated and lived there for many days. A hunter of the Nyeshang people, Gumba Dorje brought food and comfort to the saint. And he, in turn, gave Dorje and his pople much wisdom. The Lord’s cave are honored with meditation, offerings, and an annual festival.
Puchan Prha
Himalayan lore explains that a clear view of the Himalayas removes webs of worry and evil, heals the body and lifts the mind. Puchan Prha is a hill that offers wondrous views of mountains. The Manangi people go here to heal and celebrate their bodies and souls.
Papachong
A wide meadow pasture that once used to be a farming area during the months of July, August and September now lies covered with wild flowers.
The Kecho Lake (Ice Lake)
Alpine meadows, grazing yak, Himalayan peasants, wild sheep and spectacular bpanoramas make the hike to the 4,800 meter Kecho Lake a perfect stroll on a restful day. The Nyeshyangte people believe the around the lake are hard-to-see places of their gods. They make annula journeys to Kecho to catch a glimpse of this divine water.
RELIGIOUS SITE
Kargyu Gumba
Kargyu gumba is among the earliest and clearest monuments that point to the rise of Buddhist religion in the Land of the Nyeshang People. Believe to have been constructed in the eleventh century, the gumba is an interesting study of early Nyeshang architecture, art and religious practices.
Braga Gumba
This gumba, believed to be atleast 500 years old, is situated in Braga Valley and is a place of the Khangu-pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The monk Marpha, who in the 11th century thought to make Tibetan Buddhism more spiritual, inspired khangu-pa’s mysterious and powerfully atmospheric gumba amongst the local people.
Praken Gumba
Halfway up to the northern cliff that rises above Manang in a cave is a Tsamkang (heritage) where a lama conducts a short puja on trekkers about to cross the Thorong La. The Lama ties a piece of red ribbon around your neck for good luck (not free of cost). Even without the puja the steep climb up here will help visitors to acclimatize, and the views across the valley are stupendous.
Pocho Gumba
Situated high on a hill, this is one of the oldest and most important monasteries in Manang. The gumba is situated 30-40 minutes walk from Manang village. Important religious ceremonies like the five-day meditation festivals called Nyung-Ney ceremony takes place here.