At the beginning of the year, our uncle and aunt decided to go to Kailash Manasarovar in June. I was asked whether I'd come along. At that time I was busy preparing for travel to US, so had very little time to think about anything else. However, since the last date to confirm was April 15, I was forced into deciding very close to the deadline. Overall the trip was full of enriching experiences and learning.
The preparation.
We were shopping for several weeks for clothes, accessories, apparel, etc. in preparation for the Kailash-parikrama (need to go 3 days without bath and minimal luggage). I tried not to get swept away by the others who were preparing real hard, but some of that did get to me in the end. I ended up buying face wash, wet wipes and what not that I barely used or not used at all in the entire trip.
Our group.
In total we were 6. Our #1 uncle (Anjaiah Nana) and #2 aunt (Aruna Peddamma), #3 another aunt (Nagamani Attamma), #4 my sis (Niharika), #5 wife (Pranitha) and #6 (myself). I'll refer the people with numbers rather than calling out names in the below description as it makes it terse.
The trip.
We (#5,6) began a couple of days early compared to the others (#1-4), i.e., we left Hyderabad on the morning of 3rd June 2017 and reached Kathmandu by afternoon. The highlight for the day was collecting our passports from travel agent at Delhi airport. We didn't know why we were being given our passports back, whereas they should have been applied for Chinese visa (to enter Tibet/China) by now. We reached Kathmandu around 2 PM. As everywhere, the prepaid taxis at airport were expensive by at least a hundred rupees. We dragged our luggage to the main road, talked to some locals and got a cab to Thamel, for a bargain, for Nepali Rs 400, which is Indian Rs 250 (it's a fixed conversion of INR 1 equals NPR 1.6). At the airport, no one was quoting below NPR 500.
People somewhat speak and understand Hindi, so we didn't face too many issues. English is broken, as expected. We were in one of the poorest countries, so we couldn't expect much. However, we were also in one of the most touristy place in the world, so we needed to be careful about our expenditures.
We were dropped at Thamel Chowk. I went around looking for cheaper hotels for around 15 minutes, didn't yet understand how it works, so went to the hotel where we made a reservation, i.e., 'Hotel Friends Home'. They didn't have a room, so they provided us one in 'Hotel Mums Home', which is slightly cheaper according to Google and TripAdvisor, but we found that out later. I didn't yet know that everything needs to be bargained for, i.e., there's no fixed price for anything. We ended up paying INR 2200 for the day, same as what 'Hotel Friends Home' charged. Anyway, we took the room and went to find out about Bungee jump at 'The Last Resort' for next day. However, that seemed too exorbitant for what it's worth, so went for early dinner to OR2K. More than food, the UV lighting in OR2K was quite unique!
4th June.
Had breakfast, which was part of the hotel package. We informed them that we're checking out that day at noon; they wanted us to stay another day but I had realized by then that we were paying way too much than it was worth. So we looked around and decided to shift to 'Hotel Yala Peak' at INR 750 per day. 12 noon is the standard checkout time in all hotels in Nepal. Due to some bad mood, we ended up buying some extremely expensive stuff from branded showrooms. Marmot Gloves for NPR 9.6k, North Face jacket for NPR 12k, North Face thermal socks for NPR 2.5k, Hardwear bandana for NPR 2.5k. Overall, spent around INR 20k. After a cool down, we decided to go to Swayambhu Stupa. Had lunch on the way at Yangling restaurant (known for momos and Nepali food, so had Thupka and momos). It was dark by the time we returned to Thamel. Had a pizza each for dinner at Fire & Ice Pizza.
5th June.
Had breakfast downstairs at Rosemary coffee shop. Went to Durbar Square to get Chinese Yuans for INR. We together, two of us, got CNY 6000, for around INR 60k, i.e., at a rate of 1 CNY = 10 INR. The travel agency (Heritage) was selling 1 CNY for 12 INR, so getting on our own was definitely cheaper. After returning, checked out of the room, had lunch at 'Hotel Utse'. It rained heavily in the afternoon, just when we were finishing our lunch, so waited a while in the restaurant until the rain subsided a little. We then moved to 'Hotel Royal Singi' by cab as the tour which we came for began from then. It was a very short distance of about 20 minutes walk, but I was coerced into taking a cab. We found out later that lunch was served in the hotel, which we missed. We were informed the previous day by Mr Narendra Bhat of Heritage Travels, the operator for our upcoming tour, that we needed to have lunch on our own - I had called him from the Hotel Yala Peak. Since we had exchanged CNY for INR already, we were the new local experts compared to everyone else (#1-4) who arrived that day. So I collected some INR from them and got it exchanged for CNY for the same price. Our group (around 50 people) had a briefing session at 8 PM after returning - this was a very important meeting. Ideally we would have been provided info about the tour, what to do or not, precautions, etc. but it was a session announcing that our group visa wasn't issued yet due to a change in Chinese policy. That meant a delay of few days. It also meant that we eat horrible food and stay at poor hotels for next 2 days. The next 2 days damaged a lot of our group's health. Poorly cooked rice, limited veg-only options, no curd, etc. for exorbitant INR 2k per day per head was devastating.
6th June.
This was the last good breakfast we had for many days to come. After checking out, our group was taken to Pasupatinath temple by bus. Then we were taken to Guyeshwari temple. In the afternoon, the group was shifted to Hotel Mahadev, which was close to the Guyeshwari temple. It was really hotel maha-bhayankar. Bad rooms where they don't switch on the A/C unless asked for, poor and pathetic food that affected almost everyone's health, poorly located far from any market place. With nothing to do rest of the day, we went to Sleeping Vishnu temple (Budhanilkantha) and then again visited the Pasupatinath temple in the evening by walk.
7th June.
Most of the group (of the 50 members) went to Manakamana, but since we (#1-6) were going for Muktinath extension and Manakamana was part of that, we skipped. With nothing to do for the day, we (#1-6) decided to go around on our own, so went to the World Heritage site, Boudhnath Stupa, which was very close to the place we were staying. If I were alone, I would've walked because it was just around 1km, but due to people who had difficulty walking, we had to take 2 cabs. We then returned by cabs after people complained to have walked too much after about an hour of walking near the Stupa. With nothing to do rest of the day, most of us (#2-6) went for some shopping nearby on some of the most dusty roads of Kathmandu. At a meeting in the evening it was announced to the group that the visa process had cleared up, and we (#1-6) were among the first in the batch to leave on next day to Nepalgunj. We were told many things during the session, some of them contradictory to what Southern Travels had told us - more details down below at bottom of the post.
The dusty road
A lane for shopping
8th June.
After having the pathetic food at Hotel Mahadev, we (#1-6) went for Mountain Flight (saw the mountains: Gauri Shankar, Mount Everest, etc.). A few others from the group also came along, but overall, we were about 10 people from the groups of 50 I think. Most people were tired due to the Manakamana trip the earlier day. After checking out of Hotel Mahadev, it was a quick flight to Nepalgunj. And then the evening was mostly spent in the bus to go to Hotel Siddartha Resort near the Karnali river. It was quite dark by the time we reached. We shared a plate of fish at a nearby hotel, but it wasn't worth at all.
9th June.
We left quite early in the morning again, so there was almost nothing to explore in the limited time. Our tour guide, Dharma, couldn't get tickets for the day to Simikot, so we had to stay at Hotel Siddartha in Nepalgunj for a day. There was nothing to do, so I spent the afternoon in the garden, taking random pictures and experimenting with the camera. This day was extra, out of the package, so it was to be paid by us again at a rate of INR 2k per head per day. Overall, we ended up paying INR 6k per head for our trip (which I think is actually NPR 6k per head, but the cheats charged INR).
10th June.
We checked out of the hotel in the morning after breakfast and headed to the airport, to go to Simikot. It was a very short flight of about 20 minutes. We stayed in Hotel Ten Peaks. After a quick and simple lunch, went to the only place worth visiting, the Shiva temple. It was a short trek of about 1 km each way.
11th June.
We left early again, to go to Hilsa by helicopter, the most expensive part of our trip. After a quick lunch in Hilsa, we entered China. It was dark by the time we reached Purang, a.k.a. Taklakot, at the Hotel Himalaya Pulan after all the immigration and customs checks were done.
12th June.
After some quick shopping in the morning at a nearby market, we left for Lake Manasarovar around noon. We caught a glimpse of Kailash mountain for the first time. Also saw Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar. We stayed at some place near Chiu Gumpa, very close to the lake Manasarovar. There were other tours&travels groups, apart from ours who were staying there. The lake parikrama was done the same day by bus in the afternoon. Several members took a dip in the lake, and we collected some water and small pebbles from near the lake.
13th June.
In the morning, we started off to Yamadwar, near Darchen. Around 10-15 people from the group (including #4-6) decided to do, or were allowed to go for the parikrama from our group of 50+ members. More details about why such low numbers is described at bottom of this post. The others (including #1-3) returned to Himalaya hotel in Purang. And thus began our parikrama of Mount Kailas at around 12 noon. I was one of the first among our group to reach Deraphuk by around 6 PM. Almost everyone had some adventure to share from the day. It had just started to snow when I reached. Almost everyone in our group was discouraged, frightened and/or persuaded to return the next day.
14th June.
Everyone else from the group returned, deciding to not complete the parikrama. We (#4-6) decided to complete the parikrama, so took ponies at CNY 1000 each to go to just Dolma La pass. We found out later that we paid almost double the amount. Almost everyone there are cheats - the Nepali guide, Chinese/Tibetian guides, Sherpas, etc. It was a horrific experience. They tried to squeeze out as much money as possible. Except one Sherpa, everyone was hell bent on making us stop our parikrama and take a pony or ambulance to return asap, at our expense. We were scheduled to stay for the night at Zutulphuk, but ended up taking a pony for one of us (#5); and my sis (#4) and myself (#6) walked at the pace of sherpas to return to Darchen within 2.5 hours. Whereas for a normal person it easily takes around 4 hours. We were picked up from there, moved to Purang. We were asked to pay for the travel (around CNY 600) because we reached a day early. As declared earlier, we mentioned we didn't have any money left, so the guide arranged at his expense. Overall we not only spent almost CNY 2000 extra, but also were tired and furious at the end. We reached Hotel Himalaya in Purang around midnight. We were back in the large group now. Had a hot maggi dinner, and after being congratulated for being the first and only people from the batch and our tours&travels to finish parikrama, that too in just 2 days, we went to take rest.
15th June.
We started back, left the hotel around noon. Entered Nepal via Hilsa in the afternoon around 2 PM. Got a helicopter to Simikot, but flights weren't going for the day, so we had to stay there. We stayed at the Sun Valley resort in Simikot. After having a late lunch around 4 PM, I spent the evening sitting in the verandah taking pictures and walking around within the garden.
16th June.
We traveled to Nepalgunj by the second flight of the day, around 7 AM. Had lunch at Hotel Siddartha. Then traveled to Kathmandu and stayed in Royal Singi.
17th June.
Almost everyone (except #2 and #4) were sick by now, with fever, cold, cough, etc. We checked out of Royal Singi and shifted to Hotel Nepalaya in Thamel for next 4 days, waiting for Muktinath trip. We had bargained to get 1 triple room for NPR 3.5k per day, including breakfast. If it were just me, I would've opted for a slightly cheaper place, but Hotel Nepalaya was okay for the price. Had lunch at Hotel Yak. Dinner at KC's.
18th June.
Almost all of us enjoyed the American set breakfast for next 4 days at Hotel Nepalaya. We mostly recovered our health in these days. We went to Narayanhiti Palace/museum in the morning, and had momos for lunch near the Fire&Ice restaurant. As others (#2-5) went for shopping in the evening, I went back to room for some rest. We had dinner at Frens Kitchen, which was liked by a few of us (#4,5).
19th June.
As others (#1-4) went to Swayambu Stupa, we (#5,6) stayed back to get some rest as we had already visited the place. So we had lunch at Western Kitchen. And after everyone returned, we had dinner together at Silauta restaurant - some of us (#2,3) liked this place the most.
20th June.
Perhaps this day was the most uneventful of all for everyone due to intermittent rains and water-clogged roads. We started off to do some shopping after having lunch at Pilgrims24 restaurant. However, after the thundershowers and blocked roads, we returned without going to Durbar Square. Had dinner at Western Tandoori, which was a decent place with good food at low cost, but very crowded and quite small.
21st June.
We started off early with packed breakfasts, after paying NPR 28k (INR 17.5k) for past 4 days at Hotel Nepalaya for 2 triple rooms. We reached Manakamana by around noon. Went up by cable car and back down after lunch by around 3 PM. We reached Hotel Tulsi in Pokhara in the evening. Since it wasn't dark yet, some of us (#2,4,5,6) went for a short walk up to the Phewa lake.
Sunset at the lake
22nd June.
The hotel people messed up. They did not arrange for the drop to airport nor did they prepare any packed breakfast although we told them multiple times the previous day. The person at the reception somehow managed to get something arranged, so we reached the airport on time. Three of us (#2-4) left by the first flight because it had empty seats as we arrived early, and remaining three (#1,5,6) took the next one, which we were all originally supposed to take. All of us reached Jomsom by around 10 AM. We reached the Hotel Oms Home, received by Mr Krishna at the airport. After some long discussion, it was decided against my wish (majority wins) to take a private jeep to Muktinath temple for an additional cost of INR 3k. Otherwise we would've had to walk a kilometer to take public transport. We reached the temple exactly at 12 noon, so since it's closed from 12 to 1 PM, we went to Jwalamukhi and returned to the main temple by around 1 PM. Apparently the flame in Jwalamukhi temple is a natural flame, due to natural gas coming from under the ground. There's water flowing under the flame too, so it's considered extremely sacred because of 5 elements coming together naturally in one spot: Water, air, fire, earth and space (in the ground). After offering prayers at the main temple, we reached the jeep back by around 2 PM. We stopped on the way back for a few minutes to try our luck searching for Shaligram. And back to hotel by around 3 PM. After having lunch, few of us (#4-6) went for a stroll outside to collect stones/pebbles/shaligrams.
23rd June.
It was an early morning flight back to Pokhara. The Jomsom airport was walking distance from Oms Home, so it was a quick less-than-five-minutes walk. We went for city sightseeing in the afternoon. Visited the places: Bindhyabasini temple, Seti River Gorge, Devi's Fall and Gupteshwor temple. It was still only 4 PM by the time we reached the hotel back, so some of us (#2,4,5,6) went to Phewa lake again along with some roadside and window shopping.
24th June.
We started back to Kathmandu, stayed at Hotel Vaishali in Thamel. On the way from airport to hotel, we visited the Doleshwar temple, near Bhaktapur. Our Muktinath tour ended, but we had another day to go. Some of us (#2-6) went for some shopping in the evening near Indra Chowk to buy a metal vase/pot for worship.
25th June.
After checking out from Hotel Vaishali, we shifted to Hotel Nepalaya for the last day. Our sis (#4) had gone for a full day rafting at The Last Resort. After having lunch at Hotel Kathmandu in Thamel, we (#1,2,3,5,6) went as visitors this time to Durbar Square. After an immense bargain, got a guide for INR 100 (he first quoted NPR 600). He quickly showed all the places, without pausing much; seemed like we got what we deserved. I had some heavy snacks after the tour (almost half liter ice cream) so skipped dinner. Few others (#4,5) who wanted to have dinner went to Frens Kitchen. I did some jacket shopping in the evening. And then the evening was mostly spent by all of us to pack our bags for departure the next day.
26th June.
We took packed breakfast. We left Kathmandu; our trip ended. We had lunch in the flight and some more food at Delhi airport. Reached Hyderabad around 9 PM. Reached home almost around 11 PM.
And the grind began from next day onward itself - office! Somehow managed to drag and get through the week, while catching up on thousands of mails, restoring access due to long absence, completing overdue trainings, etc.
All the above was how the trip went, what we did, when, etc. Just facts.
Why did I call this post 'business...'? It's because this whole trip was a huge fraud and big business for the travel agencies from the get go.
Some advice for any travelers:
Wildlife identified by Niharika (#4).
The preparation.
We were shopping for several weeks for clothes, accessories, apparel, etc. in preparation for the Kailash-parikrama (need to go 3 days without bath and minimal luggage). I tried not to get swept away by the others who were preparing real hard, but some of that did get to me in the end. I ended up buying face wash, wet wipes and what not that I barely used or not used at all in the entire trip.
Our group.
In total we were 6. Our #1 uncle (Anjaiah Nana) and #2 aunt (Aruna Peddamma), #3 another aunt (Nagamani Attamma), #4 my sis (Niharika), #5 wife (Pranitha) and #6 (myself). I'll refer the people with numbers rather than calling out names in the below description as it makes it terse.
The trip.
We (#5,6) began a couple of days early compared to the others (#1-4), i.e., we left Hyderabad on the morning of 3rd June 2017 and reached Kathmandu by afternoon. The highlight for the day was collecting our passports from travel agent at Delhi airport. We didn't know why we were being given our passports back, whereas they should have been applied for Chinese visa (to enter Tibet/China) by now. We reached Kathmandu around 2 PM. As everywhere, the prepaid taxis at airport were expensive by at least a hundred rupees. We dragged our luggage to the main road, talked to some locals and got a cab to Thamel, for a bargain, for Nepali Rs 400, which is Indian Rs 250 (it's a fixed conversion of INR 1 equals NPR 1.6). At the airport, no one was quoting below NPR 500.
People somewhat speak and understand Hindi, so we didn't face too many issues. English is broken, as expected. We were in one of the poorest countries, so we couldn't expect much. However, we were also in one of the most touristy place in the world, so we needed to be careful about our expenditures.
We were dropped at Thamel Chowk. I went around looking for cheaper hotels for around 15 minutes, didn't yet understand how it works, so went to the hotel where we made a reservation, i.e., 'Hotel Friends Home'. They didn't have a room, so they provided us one in 'Hotel Mums Home', which is slightly cheaper according to Google and TripAdvisor, but we found that out later. I didn't yet know that everything needs to be bargained for, i.e., there's no fixed price for anything. We ended up paying INR 2200 for the day, same as what 'Hotel Friends Home' charged. Anyway, we took the room and went to find out about Bungee jump at 'The Last Resort' for next day. However, that seemed too exorbitant for what it's worth, so went for early dinner to OR2K. More than food, the UV lighting in OR2K was quite unique!
Inside Delhi Airport
Trinkets in Thamel
South-east Thamel
4th June.
Had breakfast, which was part of the hotel package. We informed them that we're checking out that day at noon; they wanted us to stay another day but I had realized by then that we were paying way too much than it was worth. So we looked around and decided to shift to 'Hotel Yala Peak' at INR 750 per day. 12 noon is the standard checkout time in all hotels in Nepal. Due to some bad mood, we ended up buying some extremely expensive stuff from branded showrooms. Marmot Gloves for NPR 9.6k, North Face jacket for NPR 12k, North Face thermal socks for NPR 2.5k, Hardwear bandana for NPR 2.5k. Overall, spent around INR 20k. After a cool down, we decided to go to Swayambhu Stupa. Had lunch on the way at Yangling restaurant (known for momos and Nepali food, so had Thupka and momos). It was dark by the time we returned to Thamel. Had a pizza each for dinner at Fire & Ice Pizza.
Way up to Swayambhu Stupa
Looking down; had to climb a lot of steps!
View of Kathmandu city from the top
The stupa
From a distance
Another view of the city below
Tiny temples at the top
5th June.
Had breakfast downstairs at Rosemary coffee shop. Went to Durbar Square to get Chinese Yuans for INR. We together, two of us, got CNY 6000, for around INR 60k, i.e., at a rate of 1 CNY = 10 INR. The travel agency (Heritage) was selling 1 CNY for 12 INR, so getting on our own was definitely cheaper. After returning, checked out of the room, had lunch at 'Hotel Utse'. It rained heavily in the afternoon, just when we were finishing our lunch, so waited a while in the restaurant until the rain subsided a little. We then moved to 'Hotel Royal Singi' by cab as the tour which we came for began from then. It was a very short distance of about 20 minutes walk, but I was coerced into taking a cab. We found out later that lunch was served in the hotel, which we missed. We were informed the previous day by Mr Narendra Bhat of Heritage Travels, the operator for our upcoming tour, that we needed to have lunch on our own - I had called him from the Hotel Yala Peak. Since we had exchanged CNY for INR already, we were the new local experts compared to everyone else (#1-4) who arrived that day. So I collected some INR from them and got it exchanged for CNY for the same price. Our group (around 50 people) had a briefing session at 8 PM after returning - this was a very important meeting. Ideally we would have been provided info about the tour, what to do or not, precautions, etc. but it was a session announcing that our group visa wasn't issued yet due to a change in Chinese policy. That meant a delay of few days. It also meant that we eat horrible food and stay at poor hotels for next 2 days. The next 2 days damaged a lot of our group's health. Poorly cooked rice, limited veg-only options, no curd, etc. for exorbitant INR 2k per day per head was devastating.
Mini version of Swayambu stupa, South Thamel, on the way to Durbar Square
Replica of Buckingham Palace, adversely affected by last year's earthquake
Temple in Durbar Square
This was the last good breakfast we had for many days to come. After checking out, our group was taken to Pasupatinath temple by bus. Then we were taken to Guyeshwari temple. In the afternoon, the group was shifted to Hotel Mahadev, which was close to the Guyeshwari temple. It was really hotel maha-bhayankar. Bad rooms where they don't switch on the A/C unless asked for, poor and pathetic food that affected almost everyone's health, poorly located far from any market place. With nothing to do rest of the day, we went to Sleeping Vishnu temple (Budhanilkantha) and then again visited the Pasupatinath temple in the evening by walk.
At Pashupatinath Temple
Sleeping Vishnu
7th June.
Most of the group (of the 50 members) went to Manakamana, but since we (#1-6) were going for Muktinath extension and Manakamana was part of that, we skipped. With nothing to do for the day, we (#1-6) decided to go around on our own, so went to the World Heritage site, Boudhnath Stupa, which was very close to the place we were staying. If I were alone, I would've walked because it was just around 1km, but due to people who had difficulty walking, we had to take 2 cabs. We then returned by cabs after people complained to have walked too much after about an hour of walking near the Stupa. With nothing to do rest of the day, most of us (#2-6) went for some shopping nearby on some of the most dusty roads of Kathmandu. At a meeting in the evening it was announced to the group that the visa process had cleared up, and we (#1-6) were among the first in the batch to leave on next day to Nepalgunj. We were told many things during the session, some of them contradictory to what Southern Travels had told us - more details down below at bottom of the post.
Flower arrangement at Boudhnath Stupa
Boudhnath Stupa
Pond near Boudhnath Stupa
Replica of the Boudhnath Stupa
Tinchuli temple, around 1 km from Boudhnath Stupa
After having the pathetic food at Hotel Mahadev, we (#1-6) went for Mountain Flight (saw the mountains: Gauri Shankar, Mount Everest, etc.). A few others from the group also came along, but overall, we were about 10 people from the groups of 50 I think. Most people were tired due to the Manakamana trip the earlier day. After checking out of Hotel Mahadev, it was a quick flight to Nepalgunj. And then the evening was mostly spent in the bus to go to Hotel Siddartha Resort near the Karnali river. It was quite dark by the time we reached. We shared a plate of fish at a nearby hotel, but it wasn't worth at all.
The mountain flight
Some pics of the Himalayan mountains from the mountain flight
Gauri shankar, Mt Everest, etc.
Siddartha Resort beside Karnali river, around 20 km from Nepalgunj
View from down below
The Karnali river, on the way back
The bridge on river Karnali
9th June.
We left quite early in the morning again, so there was almost nothing to explore in the limited time. Our tour guide, Dharma, couldn't get tickets for the day to Simikot, so we had to stay at Hotel Siddartha in Nepalgunj for a day. There was nothing to do, so I spent the afternoon in the garden, taking random pictures and experimenting with the camera. This day was extra, out of the package, so it was to be paid by us again at a rate of INR 2k per head per day. Overall, we ended up paying INR 6k per head for our trip (which I think is actually NPR 6k per head, but the cheats charged INR).
At Nepalgunj Airport
Garden in Hotel Siddartha in Nepalgunj
10th June.
We checked out of the hotel in the morning after breakfast and headed to the airport, to go to Simikot. It was a very short flight of about 20 minutes. We stayed in Hotel Ten Peaks. After a quick and simple lunch, went to the only place worth visiting, the Shiva temple. It was a short trek of about 1 km each way.
Simikot Airport
Hotel Ten Peaks
Local children
Shiva Temple
Inside the temple
On the way back
11th June.
We left early again, to go to Hilsa by helicopter, the most expensive part of our trip. After a quick lunch in Hilsa, we entered China. It was dark by the time we reached Purang, a.k.a. Taklakot, at the Hotel Himalaya Pulan after all the immigration and customs checks were done.
Just before boarding the helicopter
Inside
At Hilsa, lunch time
Inside the Chinese bus
The landscape is bizarre
Almost all houses look the same
The Himalaya Pulan Hotel in China
Apparently owned and (very poorly) managed by the Chinese government
12th June.
After some quick shopping in the morning at a nearby market, we left for Lake Manasarovar around noon. We caught a glimpse of Kailash mountain for the first time. Also saw Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar. We stayed at some place near Chiu Gumpa, very close to the lake Manasarovar. There were other tours&travels groups, apart from ours who were staying there. The lake parikrama was done the same day by bus in the afternoon. Several members took a dip in the lake, and we collected some water and small pebbles from near the lake.
First view of Mt Kailash
Actual view from where we're standing - can you spot the mountain?
Rakshas tal
The place where we stopped
The one and only, myself!
Night halt in this room, for all 6 of us
Row of large rooms
Chinese bathrooms, a.k.a. hole in the ground
View of Manasarovar lake from the room
Chui Gumpa
From outside the compound
Local crows; actually Black-headed gulls
Very good roads in China, compared to what we'd had to endure in Nepal.
Also see Mt Kailash in the distance
However, the road around Mansarovar isn't that great
Sparkling water in Manasarovar lake
People taking a dip, collecting pebbles, water, etc after we stopped.
It wasn't the cleanest of places
But water was crystal clear
A gull in the water
The way back
And, back to room
13th June.
In the morning, we started off to Yamadwar, near Darchen. Around 10-15 people from the group (including #4-6) decided to do, or were allowed to go for the parikrama from our group of 50+ members. More details about why such low numbers is described at bottom of this post. The others (including #1-3) returned to Himalaya hotel in Purang. And thus began our parikrama of Mount Kailas at around 12 noon. I was one of the first among our group to reach Deraphuk by around 6 PM. Almost everyone had some adventure to share from the day. It had just started to snow when I reached. Almost everyone in our group was discouraged, frightened and/or persuaded to return the next day.
Yamadwar, and view of Mt Kailash behind it
And the parikrama begins; can you see Mt Kailash
Got to watch a Himalayan Marmot fight
View of the path walked
It was cold, see the ice beside the path
Near the beginning
Horned lark
Brandt Mountain Finch
Red-billed Chough
Some Tibetian locals were doing an extreme:
laying down full, then walking up to where their hands were and then laying down again
laying down full, then walking up to where their hands were and then laying down again
Whoa!
View of Mount Kailash somewhere on the way
View of the path ahead
A tea shop on the way
View of Mt Kailash from another angle
Path ahead
14th June.
Everyone else from the group returned, deciding to not complete the parikrama. We (#4-6) decided to complete the parikrama, so took ponies at CNY 1000 each to go to just Dolma La pass. We found out later that we paid almost double the amount. Almost everyone there are cheats - the Nepali guide, Chinese/Tibetian guides, Sherpas, etc. It was a horrific experience. They tried to squeeze out as much money as possible. Except one Sherpa, everyone was hell bent on making us stop our parikrama and take a pony or ambulance to return asap, at our expense. We were scheduled to stay for the night at Zutulphuk, but ended up taking a pony for one of us (#5); and my sis (#4) and myself (#6) walked at the pace of sherpas to return to Darchen within 2.5 hours. Whereas for a normal person it easily takes around 4 hours. We were picked up from there, moved to Purang. We were asked to pay for the travel (around CNY 600) because we reached a day early. As declared earlier, we mentioned we didn't have any money left, so the guide arranged at his expense. Overall we not only spent almost CNY 2000 extra, but also were tired and furious at the end. We reached Hotel Himalaya in Purang around midnight. We were back in the large group now. Had a hot maggi dinner, and after being congratulated for being the first and only people from the batch and our tours&travels to finish parikrama, that too in just 2 days, we went to take rest.
Deraphuk, on the way to Dolma La pass
Mount Kailas, on the way from Deraphuk to Dolma La
Ponies
On the way up to Dolma La Pass
Me on the pony
Got down from the pony
At the highest altitude of our trip, Dolma La Pass, around 5600 m
Going down the other side of Dolma La pass
View of Gauri kund from Dolma La pass
Better view of the pond after coming down a bit further
Sherpas collecting water from Gauri kund, to sell for CNY 100 per 500 ml
The rocky path down
Which ended in a lot of snow
Snow road ahead, sometimes slippery, sometimes very loose snow
Up above is Dolma La pass
Snow trek begins
In the snow
I pulled out a lady whose legs went knee deep
I pulled out a lady whose legs went knee deep
I slipped a little on some of the icy paths, but balanced myself and managed to never fall
People resting after the trek; I too rested for a while to get some breath
There was no snow after descending from the high altitude
Down ahead is the tea shop
Inside the tea shop
Much flatter terrain ahead
And the journey continues
But it wasn't completely flat; there were some ups and downs
And some shortcuts
Overall great scenery all around
Still quite cold, see the icy ponds beside our path
Another tea shop for a break
Yak
Another one, grazing
And, there are many more
Some observing us
Zutulphuk
The room, in which we were supposed to stay for the night, but didn't
The path ahead, going back to Darchen
In the distance is the Manasarovar lake; not a great view due to fast fading light
15th June.
We started back, left the hotel around noon. Entered Nepal via Hilsa in the afternoon around 2 PM. Got a helicopter to Simikot, but flights weren't going for the day, so we had to stay there. We stayed at the Sun Valley resort in Simikot. After having a late lunch around 4 PM, I spent the evening sitting in the verandah taking pictures and walking around within the garden.
Nepal Immigration office at Hilsa
From Hilsa to Simikot
In the helicopter
Night stay at Simikot
Zoomed view of the Shiva temple from our hotel
16th June.
We traveled to Nepalgunj by the second flight of the day, around 7 AM. Had lunch at Hotel Siddartha. Then traveled to Kathmandu and stayed in Royal Singi.
View of Nepalgunj airport just after getting down from the flight
Our group's luggage, back in Royal Singi
17th June.
Almost everyone (except #2 and #4) were sick by now, with fever, cold, cough, etc. We checked out of Royal Singi and shifted to Hotel Nepalaya in Thamel for next 4 days, waiting for Muktinath trip. We had bargained to get 1 triple room for NPR 3.5k per day, including breakfast. If it were just me, I would've opted for a slightly cheaper place, but Hotel Nepalaya was okay for the price. Had lunch at Hotel Yak. Dinner at KC's.
18th June.
Almost all of us enjoyed the American set breakfast for next 4 days at Hotel Nepalaya. We mostly recovered our health in these days. We went to Narayanhiti Palace/museum in the morning, and had momos for lunch near the Fire&Ice restaurant. As others (#2-5) went for shopping in the evening, I went back to room for some rest. We had dinner at Frens Kitchen, which was liked by a few of us (#4,5).
The Narayanhiti Palace/Museum; no photos allowed inside
From the fence
As others (#1-4) went to Swayambu Stupa, we (#5,6) stayed back to get some rest as we had already visited the place. So we had lunch at Western Kitchen. And after everyone returned, we had dinner together at Silauta restaurant - some of us (#2,3) liked this place the most.
20th June.
Perhaps this day was the most uneventful of all for everyone due to intermittent rains and water-clogged roads. We started off to do some shopping after having lunch at Pilgrims24 restaurant. However, after the thundershowers and blocked roads, we returned without going to Durbar Square. Had dinner at Western Tandoori, which was a decent place with good food at low cost, but very crowded and quite small.
21st June.
We started off early with packed breakfasts, after paying NPR 28k (INR 17.5k) for past 4 days at Hotel Nepalaya for 2 triple rooms. We reached Manakamana by around noon. Went up by cable car and back down after lunch by around 3 PM. We reached Hotel Tulsi in Pokhara in the evening. Since it wasn't dark yet, some of us (#2,4,5,6) went for a short walk up to the Phewa lake.
On the way to Manakamana; the road here looks very deceiving; it's pretty bad actually overall
A lychee tree
Typical temple in Nepal
Manakamana entrance
Way down to cable car
Entrance to the cable car
From inside the cable car, looking up
Looking down
A passing cable car
Manakamana Cable car
From inside the cable car
View of the river from inside cable car
On the way to Manakamana temple after getting down from cable car
Typical shops we see near a temple
At the makeshift temple
Temple of Lord Shiva
Somewhere far away in the back is the temple of Manakamana devi; no pics allowed, of course
Some beautiful flowers in the garden near cable car
More
Behind other flora
Even more
And some fauna too (garden lizard)
The cable car pole
From the back
Queue at the Cable car, as it was stopped for about an hour for lunch
View of Annapurna range from Phewa lake
Temple of goddess on island in the lake
Watch tower at the lake
Buddha stupa on a hill near the lake
Lots of birds near the lake - Cattle Egret (br)
22nd June.
The hotel people messed up. They did not arrange for the drop to airport nor did they prepare any packed breakfast although we told them multiple times the previous day. The person at the reception somehow managed to get something arranged, so we reached the airport on time. Three of us (#2-4) left by the first flight because it had empty seats as we arrived early, and remaining three (#1,5,6) took the next one, which we were all originally supposed to take. All of us reached Jomsom by around 10 AM. We reached the Hotel Oms Home, received by Mr Krishna at the airport. After some long discussion, it was decided against my wish (majority wins) to take a private jeep to Muktinath temple for an additional cost of INR 3k. Otherwise we would've had to walk a kilometer to take public transport. We reached the temple exactly at 12 noon, so since it's closed from 12 to 1 PM, we went to Jwalamukhi and returned to the main temple by around 1 PM. Apparently the flame in Jwalamukhi temple is a natural flame, due to natural gas coming from under the ground. There's water flowing under the flame too, so it's considered extremely sacred because of 5 elements coming together naturally in one spot: Water, air, fire, earth and space (in the ground). After offering prayers at the main temple, we reached the jeep back by around 2 PM. We stopped on the way back for a few minutes to try our luck searching for Shaligram. And back to hotel by around 3 PM. After having lunch, few of us (#4-6) went for a stroll outside to collect stones/pebbles/shaligrams.
View of Pokhara from the air
On the way to Muktinath; there's almost no road
The landscape is amazing
Probably a bus stop? But there are no buses around there
Finally, the entrance to the temple, about 2/3rd distance from where the jeep dropped us
We took the steps, not the longer flat pony path
And we reached
The temple
But more steps after entering
Strange to see Telugu
We reached just after 12 noon, see the clock
On the way to Jwalamukhi
Helipad, at the entrance of the temple down below
Below the Jwalamukhi temple
The flame inside the Jwalamukhi temple, hard to see unless you peek very close
The Muktinath temple
108 ice cold water spouts
Shaligram for sale, each costing few hundreds and larger ones priced in thousands
Some monastery nearby?
Back to the jeep
Stopped on the way back to try our luck in collecting Shaligram
Searching
One of the collected Shaligram (by #4)
Back in Jomsom, unexpected rainbow
Airport here has more security than Simikot, although size seems comparable
Pet cats
Never saw such a museum before
One of the pet cats
We walked to the river nearby
Futile search for Shaligram
The hotel where we stayed
Same as where Mr Amitabh Bachan stayed in 1992 during the shoot for the movie Khuda Gawa
The room (#105) where the movie star stayed
23rd June.
It was an early morning flight back to Pokhara. The Jomsom airport was walking distance from Oms Home, so it was a quick less-than-five-minutes walk. We went for city sightseeing in the afternoon. Visited the places: Bindhyabasini temple, Seti River Gorge, Devi's Fall and Gupteshwor temple. It was still only 4 PM by the time we reached the hotel back, so some of us (#2,4,5,6) went to Phewa lake again along with some roadside and window shopping.
View of an Annapurna range peak from Jomsom airport
The actual unzoomed view
In Pokhara airport
This is where baggage is delivered from the plane that lands behind somewhere
Zoomed view of the Machapucchre peak from Pokhara airport
Actual view, can you spot the peak in Annapoorna range?
Based on Google maps I estimate we were easily more than 20 km away!
Based on Google maps I estimate we were easily more than 20 km away!
Bindhyabasini temple
Nepali marriage being conducted in the temple.
The person holding bride's hand is her father; the groom apparently hadn't arrived yet.
Next up was Seti river gorge
Bridge above the gorge
Very deep below
Entrance
Devi's fall; hard to capture
Replica of goddess Bindhyabasini
Well maintained, or maybe naturally maintained gardens
Entrance from main road to Gupteshwor
Keep going deep down
Deeper
After going very deep inside, view of Devi's Fall!
Sunset at Phewa lake
Edge of Phewa lake
24th June.
We started back to Kathmandu, stayed at Hotel Vaishali in Thamel. On the way from airport to hotel, we visited the Doleshwar temple, near Bhaktapur. Our Muktinath tour ended, but we had another day to go. Some of us (#2-6) went for some shopping in the evening near Indra Chowk to buy a metal vase/pot for worship.
The plane, from Pokhara to Kathmandu
Inside the plane
Another angle
Reached Kathmandu, about to land in few moments
On the way to Doleshwar temple
Backyard of a brick factory
Paddy fields
Inside the Doleshwar temple
More views from inside the temple verandah
The bull before Lord Shiva
Different view
Front
Another view
The temple was established less than 10 years ago (in 2009), construction being done at a fast pace
From a distance
Lot of small Shiva lingas being setup
More paddy fields, on the way back
Night stay for the day
Typical temple on a street
After checking out from Hotel Vaishali, we shifted to Hotel Nepalaya for the last day. Our sis (#4) had gone for a full day rafting at The Last Resort. After having lunch at Hotel Kathmandu in Thamel, we (#1,2,3,5,6) went as visitors this time to Durbar Square. After an immense bargain, got a guide for INR 100 (he first quoted NPR 600). He quickly showed all the places, without pausing much; seemed like we got what we deserved. I had some heavy snacks after the tour (almost half liter ice cream) so skipped dinner. Few others (#4,5) who wanted to have dinner went to Frens Kitchen. I did some jacket shopping in the evening. And then the evening was mostly spent by all of us to pack our bags for departure the next day.
Came back to Durbar Square for third time in the month
Apparently, on the day of festival Dussera, 108 animals are sacrificed here.
In the past, in the days of slavery, human slaves used to be sacrificed, but times have changed now.
The earthquake had a devastating impact on all old structures and buildings.
More than 100 people died at Durbar Square in December 2015 due to the quake.
From inside the palace, where the Nepal king used to live until a few decades ago
Another view
Thrones of the royal family
Intricate work
Lot of damage by the earthquake
Bath place of the royal family, poorly maintained now
No entry, of course
All the pieces of furniture and decorative pieces that fell because of the earthquake
The god Narasimha, i.e., half-lion-half-human
Nepali guard
Hanuman Dhoka
Lots of pigeons
The stone fell from the top during the earthquake
Only opened on one day of the year, Dussera
Krishna temple completely flattened by the earthquake
Temple of the god Lakshmi narayana, except the idol everything flattened by the earthquake
The god's vehicle, Garuda, stands unharmed by the quake, in front of the temple
Kasthamandap - this is where Kathmandu got it's name from! Flattened by earthquake.
Kali temple
One of the entrances for Durbar Square; it's not difficult to enter for free
26th June.
We took packed breakfast. We left Kathmandu; our trip ended. We had lunch in the flight and some more food at Delhi airport. Reached Hyderabad around 9 PM. Reached home almost around 11 PM.
And the grind began from next day onward itself - office! Somehow managed to drag and get through the week, while catching up on thousands of mails, restoring access due to long absence, completing overdue trainings, etc.
At the reception of Hotel Nepalaya
All the above was how the trip went, what we did, when, etc. Just facts.
Why did I call this post 'business...'? It's because this whole trip was a huge fraud and big business for the travel agencies from the get go.
- We booked our tickets through Southern Travels. They charged us INR 190k per head. However, the tour is conducted by Heritage travels, who charge only INR 160k per head. So, Southern Travels gets a commission of INR 30k per head. Worst part is that our contact, Mrs Mangatayaru, from Southern Travels lacks knowledge of several things. If they had charged such insane commission for something reasonable then we would've been fine. But the lady almost always provided wrong or no information.
- Paying INR 2k per head per day for 2 beds room in ridiculous hotels in Nepal is outrageous. The room cost really was NPR 2k per head, but we were charged INR 2k per head, which is straightaway INR 750 per day per head loss for us.
- Even paying NPR 2k per head per day is exorbitant for the quality! I believe we easily paid more than double the amount it was worth. Given the option we should've stayed on our own in a better and far more convenient place.
- The Kailash parikrama was the worst. The Sherpas were supposed to spend CNY 400 per day per person for hot water, juices, snacks, etc. However, we ended up spending on them. We found out later that they were supposed to spend on us after we returned from parikrama. I suspect that the Nepali guide (Mr Dharmanand Lekhak, a.k.a. Dharma), the Chinese/Tibetian guides (Tsewang and Thawa) and the Sherpas were all into it together. Also, the pony from Deraphuk to Dolma La pass was supposed to not cost more than CNY 600, but we were charged CNY 1000, so a loss of at least CNY 1200 for us as we were three. From the moment we climbed down from Dolma La until we reached Zutulphuk, we were persuaded and threatened to take either ponies or ambulance to go back. I think that is to save their time and money. In addition we also spent CNY 790 per head for Sherpas to carry our bags, which were less than 5kg each.
- Although the Muktinath trip should've been completely organized by the travel agency, they charged us INR 4k for flight rescheduling charges.
- The head of Heritage Travels, Narendra Bhat told us that we will be issued Nepali SIM card while we were on the Muktinath trip. However, Dharma forced us to take at our expense. Although not a big amount (around INR 200), it's a matter of integrity in their organization.
- Dharma, our Nepali guide, had always been trying to make small profits out of each traveler. For example, he asked us to pay INR 1800 per head for our stay at Sun Valley Resort. After some inquiring from fellow travelers, we found that he told that only to some specific people. Not sure why he did, but it was wrong on his part. Of course, we didn't pay.
- We overall ended up spending INR 300k per head for the entire trip (190k for Kailash-Manasarovar, 40k for Muktinath extension, 25k for flight tickets to/fro Kathmandu, 10k+ during the parikrama, and around 35k for shopping, hotels and food. If the tour was well organized and managed, we would've definitely spent at least around INR 30k less per head.
- Southern Travels mentioned that each of us will be provided medicines for altitude acclimatization, an oxygen cylinder each, and a water can for Manasarovar water. However, none of these were provided by Heritage Travels who conducted the tour.
- Exchange Chinese currency on your own instead of through your travel agency. The travel agencies charge at least 10% to 20% extra. If you have time in Kathmandu, go to the currency exchange shops near Thamel or Durbar Square. I still have some Chinese Yuans (CNY) left over, so let me know in the comments if you're traveling. As of a few weeks ago, our travel agency was charging INR 12 per CNY. We got on our own for INR 10 per CNY. I'll be glad to give away for zero profit to anyone who needs at INR 10 per CNY. It's recommended you carry around CNY 3000 per head when going to Kailash Manasarovar. The pony fares fluctuate based on demand, and you never know what you may need. Since no other currency works there, best carry CNY.
Some advice for any travelers:
- If you hold a non-Indian passport, you're free to do parikrama irrespective of age. However, for Indians, the age limit is 60 years. Someone in our group aged 60 years 4 days was disallowed.
- Do not underestimate altitude sickness. Everyone is affected, irrespective of age and fitness levels. Taking it lightly can be fatal. A person had died due to altitude sickness from another group who were staying near the same hotel on the day we were staying, near the Manasarovar lake. Take all precautions as advised. Anything above 3000 meters is considered high altitude, so take care starting from Simikot. Also, given an option, prefer to stay at Kathmandu (altitude 1400 m) instead of Nepalgunj (altitude 150 m); also because of better weather and places to visit or things to do in Kathmandu.
- The tour guide always tells us to do something 'right now', and gets annoyed if people don't follow because we may miss the flight or some other important thing. Sometimes it's true, but not always. After a few times for us it became 'the boy who cried wolf' story. It was annoying for us sometimes because our guide, Dharma, used to announce and give us very little time, sometimes just a few minutes to have a meal or pack up. Most annoying was at Yamdwar, where most of us stayed there for less than 5 minutes; whereas that is what we traveled so far for! All the guides and Sherpas herded us like sheep either to begin the parikrama or back to hotel almost immediately after reaching Yamadwar, as if reaching that place was to just begin the parikrama.
- Travel light. Actually, very light. The weight limit on the helicopter is around 10kg, so imagine how much you can take. You'll need to also consider that you'd be bringing back pebbles and water from Manasarovar. Due to the cold temperatures and lack of amenities, do not expect to take bath for 3 days at least while doing the parikrama. I managed the whole trip (June 3rd to June 26th) with just 4 shirts, 3 trousers and 1 shorts. That too not washing any of them. Of course, the trousers were denims, so I could have really managed with just 2 jeans trousers really. Almost all hotels provide some toiletry (soaps, shampoo, etc.) so no need to carry those. However, do not leave behind the toiletry when checking out of hotel rooms because they can come in very handy later. Do not hesitate to wear the slippers provided at hotels when checking out of the hotel if you're uncomfortable wearing trekking shoes all the time.
- You'll need these the most for the 3 days of parikrama:
- Good warm clothes with at least 5 layers of insulation. If riding a pony, then maybe even more layers, especially below the waist, legs and feet, which can get very cold due to no activity. Consider wearing multiple thermal pants and thermal socks.
- Wear warm gloves, a good hat or cap, a muffler/bandana to protect ears, neck and mouth, and goggles for eyes, and a good pair of waterproof trekking shoes which are at least ankle height.
- Also carry some toiletry such as a small toothpaste tube and toothbrush or just some mouthwash, at least a couple of rolls of toilet paper, small soap, small pack of wet tissues.
- And finally, a flask for hot water, high energy foods (such as Til chikki, energy bars, glucon-d, etc.) and some essential medicines, including something such as Diamox for altitude sickness.
- Footwear: it's so important that some people take it lightly and really suffer. I've had terrible experiences before when walking long distances in uncomfortable footwear, so the feet hurt like crazy at the end of the day. So buy footwear well in advance, and get comfortable, because you're going to have to wear and walk continuously for 2-3 days if going for parikrama. So, if you're planning to buy footwear then purchase at least a month before going for the trip. And wear everyday, and go for a few long walks. Even better would be to go for at least an hour of fast paced walk everyday so that you get used to the shoes. If you've bought waterproof and ankle height trekking shoes, then it's very likely your feet may sweat if you're in a hot region, but you need to get used to that.
- Parikrama:
- Although we're given 3 days, it's not really required. You don't have to be super fit to do the parikrama. Someone very fit or accustomed to the terrain/climate, such as the sherpas complete the parikrama in a day. So doing it in 3 days is very much possible at a relaxed pace. Even with lots of breaks, if you're stubborn, you can finish in 3 days very easily, weather permitting.
- Note that the parikrama begins around noon on first day, and even at a slow pace you'd reach the night halt by 7 PM. The first few hours of second day is probably the most tiring, as you'd have to trek up to Dolma La pass.
- Unlike us (we started after 9 AM because we took ponies) if you begin early, like around 6-7 AM, then you'd get past Dolma La pass by walk before 9-10 AM.
- Rest of the journey is quite flat and easily manageable. Third day is just 4 hours of walk, at max.
- As mentioned in the description above, we finished the third day journey in the evening of second day itself in around 2.5 hours, which is how we completed in two days instead of three. It's not a great feat.
- It would've been great if we completed the entire parikrama in one day like the sherpas do, in around 15 hours. However, given how the itinerary is setup, it's not really possible, as we should've started from Yamadwar quite early in the morning, like at 5-6 AM.
- Always walk in groups, with at least one other person. Do not walk alone.
- Medicines: You should carry at least a month's supply of your usual medicines, if any. Apart from that, take medicine for altitude sickness (such as diamox), diarrhea, cold/cough/fever, nose bleed, digestion, etc. I guess some of these are typical medicines you'd take for any trip.
- Oxygen cylinder: You may carry a small oxygen cylinder that lasts for around 5 minutes, but I'm not sure whether it's allowed when boarding the helicopter or airplanes - also, none of us ended up using; however few others in the group had to use due to some emergency - so it depends on your fitness and how you adapt to the altitude.
- Electronics: Do not take any heavy stuff such as laptop! I guess these would be the usual items: Camera (and its accessories such as extra battery and memory cards), mobile phone with enough empty memory, spare usb drive with an OTG cable.
- Other items: Carry your Voter Id card and passport (of course!). Also take a few passport photos and photocopies of your passport and voter id card. No need to take a bunch of credit or debit cards, as you'd mostly use cash! And keep a note of your travel agency contact information.
- You may think stuff would be cheap in Nepal or China, but it's not really the case. Especially, in China, you'll have to bargain real hard even to get stuff at a price it's worth in India! You'll actually find cheaper stuff in Nepal, but you need to bargain in Nepal too. Typically you should end up getting for 30% to 50% of the quoted price if you can negotiate properly. In the initial days, we asked for 60% of the quoted price and the bargain was was readily accepted! We didn't learn our lessons until a while. Of course, there's no bargain for food though.
- If you're not concerned about money, then begin your trip from Kathmandu. Otherwise, consider starting your trip from Nepalgunj. If traveling from India, you can get to Nepalgunj by car or bus in around 8 hours from Lucknow, thus saving at least a few tens of thousands overall.
- Consider taking a Nepali SIM card (Ncell is popular, so maybe go for that), with a validity of a month when you enter Nepal. All you need is your Passport or Voter id photocopy and less than INR 200. You won't need a SIM card in China because Chinese rules mandate that someone must accompany and take care of you while you're in China. Generally, except during parikrama, you'll easily be able to get to your Chinese guide or Sherpas.
- Carry an amount of INR 50k per head for the trip. Depending on your needs, shopping and fitness levels you may either use up all the amount or take back more than 90% of it.
- Contrary to what several people advised and recommended, INR 2000 and INR 500 notes are gladly accepted in Nepal. However, it's recommended you carry some amount in INR 100 notes. Some places do not accept denominations below INR 50, so don't bother carrying bundles of INR 20 or INR 10. If you're lucky, people will accept, otherwise they won't. It's a simple and fixed conversion, and INR is readily accepted at all the places in Nepal (except street vendors who don't know anything about INR). Indian Rupee is referred to as IC, short for Indian Currency. You can guess what NC means. The conversion is 1 IC equals 1.6 NC. So, if something is worth 400 NC, you pay 250 IC.
- Our travel agency offered the Muktinath extension package, for INR 40k per head. Looking back, I feel we shouldn't have taken it. Without the extension package, our trip would have ended at least a week early.
- And finally, I've been asked by a few people whether they should visit Mt Kailash/Manasarovar. I'm not the one to advise in that aspect. It depends on a person's beliefs, interests or any other factors. Why did I go? Others were going and I wanted to go for a vacation; as simple as that. But for some people who visited all jyotirlingas, this is the ultimate pilgrimage. Even otherwise, this trip is difficult due to several reasons: price, time, weather and political situation. Imagine the number of people who have visited this place ever. Assuming a few thousands go there every year, and a few hundreds actually complete the parikrama, there would just be some thousands of people alive who have completed the parikrama. We're (#4-6) few of the lucky ones to have completed the parikrama. Perhaps somewhat comparable to the number of people who went to Kasi decades ago.
Wildlife identified by Niharika (#4).
