Tsum Valley Camping Trek

Based on 4 reviews

  • Destination:Nepal
  • Total Duration:21 Days
  • Trip Grade:Moderate

Trip Overview

Tsum Valley Camping trek takes you to the spiritual pilgrim trail on the foreground of spectacular Mt. Ganesh and its tributaries. Tsum is derived from the Tibetan words ‘Tsombo’ means ‘vivid’. The valley lies as a part of the Kyimu Lung pilgrimage circuit in Manaslu region, a popular pilgrimage among the Buddhist followers of Tibetan clans.The valley is surrounded by Boudha Himal, Chuli to the west, SringHimal to the north and Ganesh Himal to the south. 

Tsum Valley camping trek is an exciting destination for the off the beaten track naturally designed for those travelers who are looking for some extreme challenges. The trek is highly challenging and strenuous in difficulty level. It is well hidden from the daylight of the modern exploitation and is perfect for the explorers trying to go beyond their comfort zone and test their limit. The route expects the best out of you with its one of the roughest sides of the Himalayas.You will be mesmerized by its unique features, lesser crowd and untamed wilderness. Amazing landscapes jam packed with challenging terrains gives the additional boost for those seeking for distinct adrenaline rush to push themselves beyond their limits. Tsum valley possesses remnants of the ancient kingdom with distinct geographical feature which is also called Tsum Tso  Chuksum meaning a single ruling of thirteen provinces. Culturally rich, the valley is still a hidden gem waiting for the world to explore it and to understand its unique value for the civilization. 

Tsum valley is among the very few top remote trekking destinations with high cultural and religious value showcasing rich ancient art, cultural beauty and religious sites in abundant. Local communities are descendents of the Tibetan population with their own dialects. The villages are well planned and managed that follows Buddhism and its philosophical principles. Every house has installed prayer flags, Mani walls and burn juniper as ritual to bring purification from evils. There are ancient practices of shamans and witch doctors and other traditional healers. Likewise, the trail is filled with distinct and natural treasures of clear streams, teeming vegetation, mountains, cascading waterfalls, along with natural hot springs and ancient residue of natural scene and prettiness. 

Tsum Valley camping trek start and ends at Arughat which opens the gateway to the northern part of Manaslu region where the valley is located. Throughout the journey you will mostly climb opposite the flow of Budhigandaki River passing through lush forests and beautiful villages. You will get ample time to enjoy nature at its best and purest along with interacting with indigenous communities. It is always recommended to plan the visit parallel to local festivals like Lhosar, SawaDawaetc to observe the colorful traditional dances and rituals and taste the rare cuisines.

Outline Itinerary

  • Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu 
  • Day 2: Sightseeing and preparation for trek in Kathmandu
  • Day 3: Drive to Arughat 
  • Day 4: Trek to SotiKhola 
  • Day 5: Trek to MachhaKhola 
  • Day 6: Trek to Jagat 
  • Day 7: Trek to Philim 
  • Day 8: Trek to Chumling 
  • Day 9: Trek to Chhokangparo 
  • Day 10: Trek to Nile/Chhule
  • Day 11: Trek to Mu Gompa 
  • Day 12: Excursion Day
  • Day 13: Trek to RachenGompa 
  • Day 14: Trek to Dumje
  • Day 15: Trek to GumbaLungdang
  • Day 16: Trek to Ripchet 
  • Day 17: Trek to Dobhan 
  • Day 18: Trek to Sotikhola 
  • Day 19: Trek to Arughat 
  • Day 20: Drive back to Kathmandu
  • Day 21: Final Departure 

Detail Itinerary

A warm welcome, as our representative will receive you and transfer you to your respective hotels and provide you valuable information regarding your stay, refreshments etc.

We will drive around wonderful sightseeing spots in Kathmandu. We will visit major tourist areas that are enlisted in UNESCO’s World Heritage sites such as Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath Stupa etc. Afterwards, we will visit Thamel market place to purchase necessary items and equipment for trekking. 

We will take an early morning bus journey to Arughat. It will take around 8 hours. Our trekking starts from this point on. 

Start early as we leave Arughat, following BudhiGandaki River upwards, passing through Morder and Simre villages. After reaching Arkhatriver we reach Kyoropani where we set up camp near SotiKhola.

Today we descend slowly at first. We then ascend to Almara and after passing through forest we reach Ridengau. After a break we descend further towards the riverside called MachhaKhola. 

We start early ascending through the fields, stone paths and pass some villages before coming to a hot spring.  Further travelling through the forest as we ascend we can see several beautiful waterfalls which will keep us company as we near Dobhan and then reach Jagat.

We start the day with descent towards the river on the stone steps. Then ascend upstream towards Philim. It is a short trekking day. We can spend time interacting with people and other stuffs. 

We will further ascend after leaving Philim. Today we head towards the ridge that leads to base camp of Ganesh Himal. We soon reach our today;s destination Chumling. 

We trek through some forest and enter the great valley of Tsum. We travel further on the great plain land to Chhekamparo. 

We travel further north towards the last village in upper Tsum valley. We also visit the PirenPhu cave located at the rugged cliff. We will also visit ancient gombas. We will stay in Nile for the night. 

Today we take to route towards Mu Gompa. Mu Gompa is the largest monastery in Manaslu region. We set up camp for the night. 

Today we take a much needed rest. We visit around village, visit Mu Gompa. We can also stroll up to foothill of PikalHimal for spectacular views and for capturing photographs. 

We take a hike up Mu Gumba and reach the base of PikaHimal (4865m). We are quite close to Tibet and get a good view of the Tibetan peaks as well as the Ganesh Himal range. After the day's excursion we return to our camp at Mu gumba.

We take the route to Shiarkhola valley. The walk is pretty rough due to the rugged trails, however, the flat land makes it easy to move. We finally reach RachenGompa.

We leave RachenGompa to proceed towards Dumje. Dumje is a small village with few houses.

From RachenGompa we ascend further to GumbaLungang. The trip is around 6 hours long and steep of 800m above. 

We will descend all the way to Ripchet for the day. We set up camp for the night stay. 

Today it may be a bit tough for the legs as we descend continuously for 6 hours over 1200 m down the route.

We reach BudhiGandaki River and follow its path passing through the previous villages and reach SotiKhola for the night. 

Last day of the trip, we take the route back to Arughat. The trail is easy all the way to our last stop for the overnight stay. 

We will take the early bus to go back to Kathmandu and back to your respective hotels for the rest and diner. 

This is your final day. Our representative will drop you at the International airport some 3 hours prior to your flight time by our representative. Thank you and have a safe journey.

" Dolma Treks covered all aspects of my dream trip: hotels, logistics, food, permits.
Tsering Lama is a very seasoned trip organizer and guide that knows the way things work locally, which means a hassle-free, pure joy adventure. I have traveled to Nepal 5 times so far, always with Dolma Treks. Have done a bit of everything: culture, trekking, yoga retreat, educational visits, rescue visits (Earthquake 2015). I have been solo, with friends, and even with my young son since he was 7. Everything was perfect, every single time.

I loved every second of my trips to Nepal and I simply can't wait to be back" 

M/s C. Kasper,
Brazil

I would just like to say that our trekking holiday in Langtang National Park & our Bridim homestay with Tsering Lama and his wonderful porters "Lale and Mingmar" was the most memorable, amazing holiday I have ever experienced. The guidance and support given were just so great. My wish is that my Aussie friends join a trek with Dolma Tours one day to experience this amazing country of Nepal. Thank you, Tsering. Your Aussie friends, Tania, Steve & Jesse Pitt

Tania,Steve & Jesse Pitt,

I recently went on Tsering's 17-day tour of Nepal, in Oct/Nov 2013.
Tsering is an exceptional tour leader, very organized and a welcoming host. 
He paid much attention to detail both in the planning of the itinerary and throughout the course of the trip.  Right from the beginning, the pre-departure information was excellent and I felt very well-prepared.  Any questions I had about the trekking were answered promptly by email.
Tsering's itinerary has a lovely variety of places to visit: in Kathmandu, trekking in the Annapurna mountains, visiting the Chitwan National Park, and a stunning flight over Mount Everest.  On our trek, the porters were very helpful, friendly and spoke a little English.
Tsering was always professional and timely. We were also given great insight into the generosity of the Nepali people by being invited into his family home.
Heartfelt thanks again from me for a wonderful trip!

Mrs. M. Barnett,
Auckland, NZ

We joined one of Tsering's trips to Annapurna and Chitwan in October 2013, where Tsering warmly welcomed us at the airport and confidently and efficiently organized everything for us from the moment we arrived until our departure 17 days later, making the entire trip extremely relaxing and enjoyable.
His guidance with local customs and his ability to communicate clearly in English was invaluable in ensuring we were completely informed at all times of our programme.  His command of local languages meant we were afforded the best treatment at the local hotels, lodges, and restaurants throughout our trip.
The trip was a wonderful balanced mix of the frantic bustle of Kathmandu, the grandeur of the Annapurna mountains, and the thrill of the Chitwan jungle, all complemented by a style of travel that exposes you to, and allows you to immerse yourself in the local culture to the extent you are personally willing and comfortable with.
The local guides Tsering organized were very competent and knowledgeable, giving us a great opportunity to absorb, understand and appreciate the breadth and depth of Nepal's history and the many cultures that make up its friendly people. Tsering gave us a marvelous insight into the recent history and of current events that gave us a wonderful context and appreciation of what makes the nation of Nepal what it is today and influences its future.
For the trek, Tsering organized a friendly team of local porters and guides who worked so hard carrying our gear over the often steep terrain of the mountains. Special mention goes to our lead guide Lale, who ensured the trek was perfectly paced to match the abilities of our relatively senior group. The guides and porters always had a friendly and smiling disposition, and we had a marvelous party with them on our last night, sharing cultural song and dance.
Tsering is generous of both time and nature, we were privileged to meet his family, and we particularly enjoyed the company of his enchanting 11yo son Jigme on our trip, and of his young friend Amod.
I would unreservedly recommend Tsering as a guide to anyone travelling to Nepal who is wanting to get to know this intriguing and beautiful country and its friendly people, and who enjoys knowing everything is confidently organized for you in a relaxed and efficient manner by a knowledgeable local who is a marvelous ambassador for his people and his country.
Thank you, Tsering, I sincerely hope we have the opportunity to visit Nepal again someday and enjoy your friendly and proficient service.

Mr. G. Clark,
Auckland NZ

Tsering and his trekking company were brought to my attention by my daughter who had trekked with friends in Nepal. That trip was led by Tsering who was already known to one of the group. This group so recommended Tsering, that my wife and I decided upon a trekking tour under his guidance.
We were not any stage disappointed. Tsering contacted us and after considering age, fitness and wishes, designed what he thought was an appropriate tour. He emailed a comprehensive programme with some beautiful pictures and suggested dates. We arranged the flights to and from Kathmandu and brought in a couple of friends.
From our arrival until our departure, every detail was arranged. All accommodation, transport guides, porters, and dining was minutely cared for leaving us the freedom to simply enjoy ourselves. The team he engaged were known to him and endlessly strived to assist. Friendliness and honesty were so obvious.
Westerners are usually apprehensive about local cooking and food hygiene. Tsering always stationed one of the porters in the kitchens of the tea houses to oversee the cleanliness of food preparation. Some of his team are also chefs. It is a matter of pride for him that virtually all his tourists complete their trips without gastric upset.
Tsering is very kind, caring and attentive to detail. He is great fun, has a keen political insight as well as concern for the education of his young countrymen. He is honest and generous to a fault - as are his lovely family whom we met. We also enjoyed their hospitality.
If we return to Nepal there is absolutely no doubt we would ask Tsering to undertake our planning and if possible accompany us. He was faultless and thus I have no hesitation in recommending his company to your favorable attention.

Mr. & Mrs. Peters from Poole,
Poole, UK

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