The Temal Area is rich in Buddhist legend. It is considered Temal, a blessed and gifted place. It is home of the Bohdi Chitta Mala Tree, from which the Jaap Mala (prayer-mantra wood-bead garland seen commonly in the hands of Buddhist as they chant) is made. HV Treks’ offers this walking lodge trek exclusively. The trek will take our guests into an area not frequented by tourists. It is a cultural tour. But yes, views of the Himalaya and the beautiful jungle and river terrain will be seen as we walk from village to village. The Temal area holds several ethnicities (Magars, Kami, Damai, Chhetri, Brahman as well as Tamang). The Tamang are Tibetan Buddhist but practice a fusion the of the ancient Bon Shamanism with the more modern Buddhist Lamaism. Our trek guests will be treated to Home Stays where we eat with the family and sleep in their homes.
In their Buddhist lore, Temal was once under the sway of a bad demon named Yaksha Nagpo. Guru Padmasambhav came at the behest of the people. He sat in meditation. The demon hid in a big pond. Padmasambhav realizing this, threw his Vajra (weapon) into the pond. The pond heated and evaporated leaving Yaksha Nagpo exposed. When the Guru requested that the demon reform, he refused. A great fight ensued, with Guru Padmasambhav overcoming. Hence Temal is a blessed Temahal. The Temal hiking is offered year round, but for the best season for both viewing of the Himalaya and comfort is from November to February.
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1337m)
Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu (1337m)
Day 03: Kathmandu to Dhulikhel (1500m) to Namobuddha (1750m)
Day 04: Namobuddha to Narayanthan (1577m)
Day 05: Narayanthan to Thulo Parsel (1138m)
Day 06: Rest day at Thulo Parsel (1138m) Sightseeing
Day 07: Thulo Parsel to Bhaktapur (1401m) by Bus 4-5 hours
Day 08: Bhaktapur- Kathmandu/Shopping, Rest (1337m)
Day 09: Departure from Kathmandu (1337m)
Important Information:
Our Guest’s security is of dominant concern while traveling with Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition. The trekking leader has the authority to adjust or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is necessary due to unfavorable circumstances. Unfavorable weather conditions, the health condition of a group member, or an unexpected natural disaster can force changes to the itinerary. However, every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary. The lead guide will try his/her best to ensure that the trip goes smoothly and according to plan, but please be ready to be flexible if necessary. Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition is capable, experienced, and prepared to give 24-hour emergency response to any accident or condition that requires attention or evacuation.
Important Also:
Himalayan Vacation Treks & Expedition requires that trekking and expedition guests have Insurance Policies. A Travel Insurance Policy should cover the cost of emergencies (including altitude sickness), injuries, and evacuations. Please, it is essential to bring your Travel Insurance Policy, or copies of your pertinent existing insurance coverage with you to Nepal. HV Treks will require a copy for our office records. We, as well, advise you to inform your existing insurance agent/company of your itinerary, including trekking, climbing, and hiking, and insure your current policy provides sufficient coverage.
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1337m)
You are welcomed to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal renowned for historical monuments, Hindu Temples, and Buddhist Stupas/Monasteries. We meet our guests at the Tribhuvan International Airport. A representative will be waiting with a Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition placard with our guests’ names displayed. After dropping luggage at the hotel, guests are taken for a short sightseeing tour. In the evening, guests are invited to a Welcome Dinner at a Nepali restaurant.
Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu (1337m)
A local guide will be available. According to your wishes, the guide will escort you for sightseeing. Sightseeing may include the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupati, Boudhanath, Patan Durbar Square, and the Swoyambhunath areas. Starting after breakfast, usually at 9.00am, the exploration of Kathmandu Valley can continue until 5.00pm. Lunch and dinner, you will be responsible for.
Day 03: Kathmandu to Dhulikhel (1500m) to Namobuddha (1750m)
Today we drive to Dhulikhel from Kathmandu for 35 km. It will take around an hour. Then we start walking through the Dhulikhel Bazzar heading to Namo Buddha. We climb the several staircases up to Deurali through the jungle. At Deurali we stop to witness spectacular view of the villages around it and we have a tea break since a tea house/ guest house lies here. From Deurali we walk down through the midst of village to Kavre Bhanjyang. This place is famous for Khukuri, the national weopon (knife) of Nepal. Other domestic weapons made of iron also found here. The black topped road to Bardibass crosses here. We walk steep uphill for about 20 min through the road then again we take the rough motor road to Namobuddha that goes through the terraced fields and villages. We see the local buses/vehicles running on the road.
In the Buddhist mythology Namo Buddha has the following interesting story.
In the distant past, there lived in this world a king named Great Charioteer (Shingta Chenpo). The king had three sons: the oldest was named Great Sound (Dra Chenpo), the middle Great Deity (Lha Chenpo), and the youngest Great Being (Semchen Chenpo). Powerful in the martial arts and radiating confidence, the two elder sons always helped the king in governing the kingdom. From his earliest years, the youngest son, Great Being, was very bright and endowed with spontaneous kindness and compassion.
One day the king along with his queen, sons, and ministers left the town for a relaxing time in the forest. They had a camp in a beautiful place. The three princes picked up their bows and arrows and headed for hunting in the forest. They noticed a den with a tigress sleeping beside her cubs. Great Sound and Great Deity got ready to kill the tigress, but Great Being stopped them saying that killing was completely wrong. When he looked into the cave again, Great Being noticed that the tigress was not able to move, for she had just given birth and she also feared that if she left to hunt for food, another animal might harm her cubs. Tormented by hunger, she lay on the ground unable even to lift her head. Great Being felt pity on the tigress. He asked his brothers how could they the tigress and her cubs. They replied that they had to find warm flesh and blood of a recent kill.
Great Being wanted to save the tigress without killing another animal. Hence, he wanted himself to be eaten by the tigress. He told his brothers to keep going back to the camp and he went back to the tigress’s den. He sharpened a splinter from a nearby tree and cut his body to draw blood and allowed the tigress to lick it. Immediately, she opened her jaws and stood up. With a roar, she pounced on the prince and gulped him down.
The two brothers waited for long for their brother and decided to go back to the den finally. There was nothing left of their brother in the den but just blood, bones, nails, and bits of clothing. They gathered up the pieces of their brother’s remaining and went to their parents.
At the moment queen had a dream. She saw three doves flying high in the sky. As they fluttered around, a hawk struck and carried off the smallest one. The queen woke up and told the king about the dream. He replied, “Hearing your story, I believe the three doves are our three sons. The youngest of them, carried off by the hawk, is my most beloved son. I’m sure that something dreadful has happened to him.” The king immediately sent out servants to look everywhere for his son. Soon, the two princes arrived and told the king what had happened with the Great Being. Upon hearing this terrible news, the queen fainted right away. The king too was overwhelmed with immense sadness and tormented by sorrow.
Meanwhile, the prince had been reborn as Great Courage (Nyingtob Chenpo). Great Courage saw that, gathered around the bone fragments he had left behind, were his parents and two brothers. He descended from space to the lofty sky and spoke words of encouragement to comfort his parents: “I’m the prince Great Being. After giving my body in generosity to the starving tigress, I was reborn in the celestial realm of Tushita.” With tears in their eyes, the king and queen said, “Son, you who are like our very heart, offering your body to the tigress was certainly most praiseworthy. But whom can we tell of our suffering in missing you?”
Great Courage replied his family not to be unhappy since this is totally natural to come and go from this world. After a few more words, he disappeared. The king and queen became a little happier and made the commitment to pursue virtuous activity. They created a small casket covered with seven kinds of jewels in which they laid the bones of their son and a stupa was built over the place in which it was buried. Later on, the place became famous as Namo Buddha.
Day 04: Namobuddha to Narayanthan (1577m)
The path takes us through the beautiful villages down to Dapcha. Then we cross Mathura Pati village and walk down to Bhakundebesi. From here we cross a black topped road and walk through the rough motor road that goes slightly uphill to Khardarpati. Khardarpati is an old beautiful rest house where the passersby used to spend the night as if it a lodge. The house was made artistically about 300 years ago. We walk downhill and flat path to Kanpur. Then we climb to Narayanthan through the trail that goes slightly uphill. In this area sometimes the rocks may fall down to the trail due to the domestic animals grazing in the jungle. We reach Tomsom Kunda (Yanbel Danda) before Narayanthan.
There is a famous Hindu temple of Lord Narayan. Hence, the village is named as Narayansthan -Temple of Narayan. People from various places of Timal gather there in great number (above 5000) on Janai Purnima Day, a Hindu festival, a full moon day on which Hindus wear Janai, a holy thread of safety, round their body and wrist. The people walk for 8 to 10 hours to reach this place to worship the Lord Narayan. This special full moon day falls in the month August. The jhakris (wizards) from nearby villages gather there and dance in groups to please Lord Narayan. This is the main attraction of the occasion. There is a Buddhist Monastery (Gompa) called Lokeshwori Dhyan Gompa, where Buddhists pray and occasionally perform various pooja during Sonam Lhochhar, Gyalpo Lhochhar also. During the Hindu festival Dashain, the Lamas remain in the Gompa for 8 or 9 days meditating and praying for the peace of sacrificed animals.
Day 05: Narayanthan to Thulo Parsel (1138m)
We walk downhill from Narayanthan to Thulo Parsel village. We are in the area of Tamang village. We see blue Sun Koshi River flowing majestically in between green hills full of beautiful villages and white peaks in backdrop in the north. We pass manis, stupas on the way. We walk through rough motor roads in some sections, otherwise we follow foot trails. We see Bodhi Chitta tree gardens in this area. Finally we reach Thulo Parsel big Tamang village.
Day 06: Rest day at Thulo Parsel (1138m) Sightseeing
Today we visit to Gompa in Thulo Parsel. Also we visit to several schools and health post. We may mix with the local people and observe their tradition and culture and come to know about their hard living life style. Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition staffs would love to welcome our guests for the Home Stay and serve with traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 07: Thulo Parsel to Bhaktapur (1401m) by Bus 4-5 hours
Today we don’t walk. We drive to Bhaktapur by local bus that runs on the route or private vehicle. The distance of the road is 61km. But since it is rough road winding and the vehicles runs in a low speed and it may take about 4 to 5 hours to reach Bhaktapur. We go for sightseeing in Bhaktapur city and spend the night in a hotel there.
Day 08: Bhaktapur- Kathmandu/Shopping, Rest (1337m)
After breakfast we head to Kathmandu. We have enough time. So, this day you spend on your own either looking around Kathmandu, buying souvenir for your friends/family or you can have full rest or prepare for going back to your home country the next day. In the evening you will be served the Farewell Dinner by the company.
Day 09: Departure from Kathmandu (1337m)
Today, we check the list of all necessary documents and goods of our guest. We confirm the flight tickets before 72 hours of departure flight. We advise our guest to put passport and tickets at their handbag for convenience. Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition staff representative will take our valuable guests to the airport (3 hours prior to your flight) and bid goodbye. It will be not only goodbye, but also the welcome for next visit to Nepal.
Minimum number of participants :2
Max Altitude: 1750 meters
Best Season: November to February
Difficulty Level: Easy
December ,January and February
It is called the winter season in Nepal. It is a season for snowfall in mountain region above 4300m in Nepal. So trekking is possible below 4500m during this period. This season is noted for occasional snowfall at higher elevations in Himalayas. Though it gets colder in night, often it offers the clear day / blue sky and relatively less trekkers on the trail.Sunrise and Sunset are seen very clear and beautiful in this season. So tourist who wants to pass short holidays during this period Himalayan vacation Treks and Expedition welcomes to see splendid view of nature. During this period, we arrange family tour to experience natural beauty with short hikings and cultural tour.It is suitable for homestay tour through which different rituals and culture can be experienced during this period. The famous homestay like Sailung Timal homestay,Timal homestay, Tamang Heritage Homestay, Ghalegaon Homestay are the special places to visit. Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition arranges tour for this places. Chitawan National park Bardiya National Park are also the places to have live experience of culture and rituals.
March , April and May
It is spring season which is known as trekking season in Nepal. A smooth wind and gentle breeze is felt all over the country. Sunny days and clear weather are the supportive factors for trekking in this season. Presence of cloud can be seen in the sky during this season.So a short rainfall can be felt during this period. It is the season of expedition and climbing high peaks in Nepal .So many tourist from different parts of the world come to climb peaks above 7000m in this season. Himalyan Vacation Treks and Expedition arranges tour and journey for climbing during this period.Peak climbing period can be enlength upto June so Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition arranges attractive programmes during this period.This period offer plenty of opportunities for clear mountain views. It is also the time for flowers to blossom, and the national flower of Nepal – rhododendrons – coat the mountainsides with its colorful beauty throughout the spring.Except rhododendrons , many kind of natural flora and fauna makes Nepal very beautiful during this season
June ,July and August
It is rainy season in Nepal. As it is the season of heavy rainfall. it is also known as the crops harvesting season in Nepal. In this season, trekking is slight difficult in Nepal. These times are blessed for the keen botanist as the higher valleys and meadows blossom with flowers and lush vegetation. Trekking in the rain-shadow (places are out of reach of the rain clouds because of the high mountains) areas north of the Himalaya like Upper Mustang and Dolpo could be an ideal trek selection. However, Himalayan vacation Treks and Expedition arranges tour and trek during this period in dry areas. We arrange treks and tour in dry areas like Mustang , Upper Dolpa , Leh Ladakh (India) and Tibet.
September , October and November
Moderate temperatures, clear sky with outstanding views, making it a great time to do any of our trek. Occasional short storms may dump snow at high altitudes.This is the season of feast and festivals. This is also known as the special season for flowers in Nepal. Marigold is the popular and found best in this season. Temples and holy places are visited during this period. Festivals like Dashain , Tihar and Chhath are celebrated during this season. Long national holidays are offered for this festival for civil workers. This season is known as the king of the season. No rainfall, sunny days and moderate temperature are the most favourable factors of this season for treks and tours in Nepal.Every kind of treks and tours can be done during this period.So many tourist come to see beautiful Nepal in this season. Many trekking routes are full of tourist during this season. Peaks 6000m to 7000m are the best destination for climbing in this season.Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition welcomes tourist to feel the splendid view of nature of Nepal in this season.
This list is a guideline to help you pack for your adventure. Please understand that the items listed below will vary according to the season and the duration of the trek. The weight limit for your luggage is 33 pounds or 12 kg. Your gear will be carried by your porter and you will be required to carry your own day-pack (with your valuables and things of immediate importance to you). We also suggest that you pack only what is necessary. Our list of equipment is prepared on the basis of our long experience. The Himalayan Vacation Trek & Expedition Team leader will check your gear to insure you have all necessary equipment at the start of the trek. If necessary, the HVTreks’ guide will request additions of necessary equipment when and where it is available.
Important documents and items
Head
Upper Body
Hands
Lower Body
Feet
Sleeping
Rucksack and Travel Bags
Medical
-Note: In the larger towns and cities of Nepal, pharmacies have available common over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. Western/foreign brand name products and prescription drugs are not. We suggest you bring the pharmaceuticals you use in enough quantity.
Practical Items
