Jiri – Peekye – Demba La – Pattale Dhap Trek 18-days

You will have a free day in Kathmandu to prepare for the trek, or you can join our tour around Kathmandu, visiting places of interest such as the city and the valley steeped with World Heritage Sites.

A 6-hour journey.

The morning starts with an exciting overland journey, taking you northeast from Kathmandu on the Kodari Highway. From Dhulikhel, the drive takes you through rural farm villages and then heads towards the Dolkha (Do La Kha) district at Charikot, where you will face views of Jugal Himal Dorji Lakpa, Langtang, and Gaurishankar peaks.

The journey continues downhill to the Tama Koshi River and then uphill on a winding road to reach Jiri, a lovely town known as Switzerland of Nepal due to its beautiful green valley with snow-clad peaks. Upon reaching Jiri and getting checked in to a local lodge, explore the markets, stretching your knees, which are full of shops, stores, and activities.

A 6-hours trek.

Breakfast and start the trek following the eastward road for a while. Then, leave the motor road, fork north, and walk through a pine forest. It begins with a gradual climb, which continues for another hour and a half, traversing through rural villages and views of southwestern horizons, including Jiri Bazaar. The area is home to Jirel people, who speak similarly to Sherpas and practise Buddhism. Their neighbours are mainly Sherpa and then other major caste groups of Nepal. Once we reach Mali Danda, the trail descends through sparsely inhabited villages to Shivalaya on the bank of Shivalaya River Bank, a major junction with more than six trail branches going in all directions. Shivalaya is a lovely lowland with several lodges, restaurants, a police checkpoint and a permit check post for Gaurishanker National Park. We stop here for lunch and continue another 3 hours uphill to Deurali.

After lunch, the trail climbs north through Sherpas and minority Hindu caste villages for about 45 minutes and traverses gradually east through a dense mid-hill forest to Deurali. Deurali, which means hill saddle passing to the next valley, is a significant hill saddle with a long and beautiful pair of Mani-walls. Mani-walls are Tibetan Buddhist prying, deities and sacred symbols carved on stone slabs, and a built-in wall for people to read, see, and circumambulate by the passersby. Deurali has several lodges with a beautiful view of Mount Gauri Shanker and the lower valley on both sides.

A 4-hour trek.

This morning, we take a view-finding excursion to Sherpa Peak, the highest peak south of Deurali. On the way, we visit the main Deurali village. The people here have been all sherpas since ancient times, but the village’s name comes from the Hindu Nepali “Deurali”. From Sherpa Peak, there is a 360-degree panorama, including the Gauri Shanker and Karyilung. Suppose the weather is not favourable for the Sherpa Peak view excursion. In that case, we take the tour to Thadung monastery, situated on a lovely hill slope north of Deurali, one of the active monasteries of the region and a monastic school with small monks.

After a pleasant stop at the top or tour of the monastery, we return to our lodge, have a relaxing breakfast, and trek down to Chyangma (Bhandar) village. This expansive village is inhabited mainly by Sherpas and migrated by other castes after a motorable road connects it with Kathmandu.

A 5 ½ hour trek.

The trail goes downhill and, after 1 hour, arrives at the Likhu River, forming the boundary between Ramechhap and Solukhumbu district and Sagarmatha zone. Nepal has 14 zones, 77 districts and five development regions. On the other side of the river, a good climb of 2 hours uphill brings you to Namkhile, with great views of Numbur Himal and the trail that traces the villages of Bandar and all around to the west, south, and north. At this point, we will stop for our lunch.

As you push on from Namkhile, a challenging 2-hour uphill through a forest of pines and rhododendrons awaits. The village of Golla, a hidden treasure, reveals itself only when you reach its knife ridge. Perched on the hillside, Golla unveils a stunning panorama of Peekye, Mount Gauri Shanker, Khatanga, and Number range. This Sherpa village is a cultural hub, home to three major monasteries, including a nunnery. The villagers, primarily farmers, each tend to their cows, and some even have dzom, a unique cross between a yak and a cow. The rich cultural heritage of Golla Village is sure to pique your interest and leave you wanting to explore more.

A stay in Golla Village is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the daily life of the Sherpa people. You can savour delicious Sherpa cuisine, known for its creative use of potatoes in over ten different dishes. Take the chance to visit the village’s three main monasteries and the school run by the Peekye Hill Social Organization. These experiences will not only enrich your trek but also provide a deeper understanding of the local culture and way of life. The monasteries, in particular, are significant cultural landmarks, serving as spiritual centres for the Sherpa community and hosting various religious ceremonies and festivals throughout the year.

We start the day with a half-day nature excursion. The walk exits the village, goes through a pine and rhododendron forest, and traverses the western face of the Golla Hilla Ridge. There are also some view-finding places; if you maintain silence, you can see wildlife and many birds. The walk crosses the Thalhenga and reaches Chatende, a small grazing ground amidst tall trees. From here, the trail forks right gives us a beautiful jungle hike for about an hour and brings us to the top of Ri Gelmu, the queen of the hills—a lovely hill ridge with a vast panorama. Visit the hilltop, and we will arrive at Lhakhang Pomdok in a short walk. The monastery is rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake. The monastic site provides a fantastic 360-degree view, including its Golla village. Then, walk through the villages and visit two other monasteries.

A 3 hours trek.

Trek through a forest teeming with rhododendrons, leading to the hamlet of Ngohur, perched atop a hill. This area is a lush haven, dense with pine, juniper, various species of rhododendron, and bamboo. The lower Valleys of Peekye are a verdant sanctuary for many colourful birds. Ngohur once remained an important religious centre, and many ancestors of the Sherpas of Goli and its surroundings, including Ramechhap and Okhaldunga, came to meditate in this peaceful and beautiful place. Unfortunately, most of the meditating hermitages disappeared in the past century, and the only surviving monastery was grounded to rubble by the powerful earthquake of 2015. Nowadays, one can only see the ruins and some neighbours living there. Ngohur is the ridge top of a lovely hill, and the view towards Tseringma (Gaurishankar) and Dudh Kunda Himal is spectacular. Weather permitting, both sunrise and sunset from Ngohur are breathtaking, so one should consider caring about the sunset time and waking up early in the morning to view the beautifully changing colour of the mountains around!

A 3 hours trek.

En route to Peekye Peak Base Camp, a mere fifteen-minute stroll from Ngohur, lies a cheese production centre. Here, you can indulge in the unique experience of sampling and purchasing cheese crafted from nak (female yak) and dzom milk. This area boasts three cheese production centres, a rarity in Nepal in quantity and quality. Our trail will take us to two of these centres, where the manager may warmly welcome us with a refreshing cup of tea or a comforting glass of warm milk. Take the opportunity to bring home mini cheese rolls, perfect for souvenirs or evening celebrations.

Our trail meanders through a picturesque forest, gradually ascending above the tree line to Torsa. A breathtaking panorama unfolds, with snow-capped mountains stretching from the far west to the north, punctuated by countless hills. As we emerge from the forest at Torsa, the Peekye Base Camp Lodges come into view, offering a stunning vista to the east and south. The journey continues with a delightful traverse, crossing a cow-shade meadow dotted with stone huts and passing through the lush pastureland where Sherpas from the Golla area spend their summers with their cows and yaks. This idyllic setting is a haven for them and a feast for our eyes.

Finally, there will be a gradual hike to Chhyamdingma (Peekye Base Camp). From our lodge at Peekye, there are fabulous sceneries to enjoy toward the south and west, including the most significant Himalayan chains on the north-western horizon. Chhyamdingma, our overnight place at Peekye Peak Base Camp, means dancing meadow between two water springs. Peekye is a sacred mountain deity; several holy sites and caves exist. At Peekye, there are also two water springs, male and female, called Menjyang Chhu (medicinal water), one just by the Lodge at Peekye (female) and another on our way Jasawarngyang (male). The local visitors collect the water in small bottles and take it to their homes as sacred water and gifts to their elders and loved ones. Chhyamdingma must have been a lively place in its heyday when each Sherpa household from surrounding villages owned her nak/yak to graze here and a place of joy, organising daily communal dances! Still today, the lodge owners offer their guests a chance to dance to their cultural music, damngyen (Tungna in Nepali). The site is a lovely meadow with several stone huts for cow shades.

The sunset view from the lodge at Peekye is unlike any of Nepal’s other sunset viewpoints, as it dips behind the mountains further west of Kathmandu. However, from the top of Peekye, sunrise and sunset are breathtaking, so one should wake up early to view the beautiful changing colours on every mountain summit!

Sunrise excursion to Peekye Lookout. The trip begins at around 5 a.m. and takes 45 minutes, with a gradual climb, but the Himalayas’ views to the west are open from the beginning. As the eastern horizon brightens, the first ray of the sun lands on the summit of the Himalayas, changing the colour of the top of Everest from black to gold and silver and continuously on the other giant mountain tops, such as the Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Manaslu, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri! The panorama stretches with countless hills toward the west and south, depicting an invisible horizon that is just amazing and indescribable in words with any effort. Return to the lodge, have breakfast and rest. The views from your lodge are open and no less stunning, including the sunset view from your dining room!

Therefore, we recommend that the people spend two to three days’ rest or a busy day stroll around Peekye because the natural setting offers great sceneries of dazzling summits extending from Kanchenjunga to the east to the east and Dhaulagiri to the west.

A 4 hours’ trekking.

A leisurely wake-up, have breakfast and continue the trek. From Peekye, the trail traverses Peekye Hill to the east with grand views of the north-western Himalayas and deep southern values and horizons. As the trail starts descent to Samsyingma, one of the longest mani-walls (praying wall) of the region, the easter horizon opens with excellent views towards the west and east of Nepal. After Samsyingma, cross a beautiful stretch of forest composed of rhododendrons, Himalayan pine trees and high cliffs. The mountain views toward the east and beautiful horizon are endless, and we arrive at Lhamochhe Stupa, an open area with several Yak herders’ Shades, a giant stupa and a mani-wall surrounding the stupa with two teahouses. Stop briefly at Lhamoche Stupa and enjoy the Himalayan landscape with tea/coffee.

From Lhamoche, turn right to Taklung through a small gorge dense with rhododendrons. As soon as we take the trail to Taklung, the views toward the east disappear, and the view toward Taklung, Dembala and Patle extends in front with beautiful views of a dense forest of Himalayan Pine. We cross a recently opened dirt road, cross the road further down and meet an ancient trail to Taklung; the rest of the 20-minute walk is pleasantly through a lovely forest. Taklung is situated on a hill saddle and is a traditional Yak grazing meadow with three mani-walls. Currently, a basic accommodation facility is promoted by a Sherpa family, which also has a herd of Dzom (Nak, Yak, and Dzom are from the same family). From Taklung, the views toward the east are panoramic with Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Langtang, Ganesh, the most imposing Jomo Tseringma (Gauri Shanker), Chobuche, Teri Kang, Karilung, Dudhkunda and Khatanga and off course the Peekye Peak and beautiful ridge that extends from Bulbule to Wajang-Ri. Wajang-Ri is the viewpoint to the northeast above the Taklung, which takes an hour to reach. The views of the lower valley include the villages of Golla, Gepchuka, Bhandar, Kyama, Tyechhema, etcetera. It is a point to enjoy the sunrise and sunset colour on the grand Himalayan chain!

A 3 ½ hours’ trekking.

The morning starts gently toward the south through the ridge with open views. The trail traverses a high ridge through the rhododendron and Himalayan Pine Forest. The trail descends for about 30 minutes to Goanding, with a lonely monastery in between of nowhere. The atmosphere is beautiful, with a meadow facing east, a Buddhist monastery, a stupa and a mani-wall. From Goanding, the trail again takes its height toward the south and traverses a hill ridge facing west with a beautiful Himalayan chain in front. Among them, the most imposing is Jomo Tseringma. The scenery extends with countless hills and dispersed villages. The trail, all the way to Demba La, traverses through a dense rhododendron forest with beautiful views to the west and north, including Peekye Peak and the summit of Mount Everest, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga are again in sight. The fascinating villages seen from our walk are the Golla, Gepchuka, Bhandar, Bussinga, Rawadolu, Pulika, Kilkhordingma monastery etc. Arrive at Demba and check into our lodge, lunch and rest.

In the late afternoon, we take a short panoramic tour to Demba La (3360m), the highest point. The trail from our lodge to the Demba La (Demba Peak) is very scenic, with a 360-degree view. The grand views stretch from west to north; the prominent figures in front are Dhaulagiri (very far), Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Jugal Himal, the most imposing Mount Gaurishankar and other mountains of Rolwaling Range, Numbur Himal, Everest, and Makalu Mountain ranges.

At Demba La, there are two distinct summits. The main summit has a concrete pillar placed here for a geographical marking, but locals believe it is the presence of a Gold Mine. The second one has a view tower and is slightly low, which is optional because the natural scenery from the ground is beautiful, and there is nothing more to see from the tower built there. Just below the tower, to the southwest, is a long ancient mani-wall and further down is a recently cement-built colourful Stupa. The views from the entire circuit are beyond description; they are beautiful! We then traverse to our lodge through the ancient forest trail. For the sunset view, walk 5 minutes above the lodge, and you have a breathtaking view of the sunset with all cloud elements and countless hills turning into shades!

Try to wake up early to enjoy the sunrise from the hill ridge above your lodge. There are several small hilltops, and the eastern side is a graveyard. Weather permitting, you can enjoy grand views of the entire atmosphere with changing colours. You can also enjoy Grand views of the lower valley and south and western horizons from the ridge.

Return to the guest house and have a hot coffee followed by breakfast. After a leisurely breakfast, we visit the region’s main monastery amidst forest surroundings. The monastery, which has the name Kilkhordingma, is the largest and most well-known monastery in the Okhaldhunga district. The main Monastery Building was devastated to the ground by the earthquake of April 2015. The stunning-looking new monastery was newly built after the 2015 earthquake and is the monastic school of the region as well. Visit the monastery, chat with the monastic teacher and tiny monks and visit the head monks.

We then return to the lodge for lunch and an hour’s rest. In the afternoon, we traverse the southeastern side of the Demba hill, taking the trail to Chuplung Byanjyang. There are stunning views of the lower valleys, villages and vast horizons. Finally, we reach a trail junction that continues to Chuplung village, which is steeply down, and another trail climbing to Demba La. We fork right and continue hiking up to Demba La, enjoying the. Grand views that open slowly from the west, starting with the views of the Dhaulagiri range (needs a good binocular to recognise correctly). Finally, the trail reaches a newly built Stupa monastery, which we visited yesterday, at Demba La, with grand views stretching from west to north; we probably saw it yesterday, weather permitting. Revisit the colourful stupa in the beautiful mountain backdrop. By the stupa, there is a lodge; if open, have tea and rest, enjoying the grand atmosphere. Then, continue enjoying the views and climb to the newly built view-finding tower we visited yesterday. Walk back to the lodge, enjoying the views with a different perspective of the surrounding landscape, mountain scenery and sunset views with magical colours.

A 5 hours trekking.

Walk on the same trail and return to Taklung, but the natural environment while returning to Taklung is a treat to our eyes. Stop in Taklung for lunch or continue to Bulbule. From Taklung, the trail traverses through a lush forest for about 40 minutes and immerses in the Lhamochhe Mountain ridgeline with 360 c° views. Enjoy a beautiful and easy walk and reach Bulbule, a lonely tea house with basic accommodation. Have lunch, rest, and continue the trek to Japre with endless views, open meadows, and tall tree lines. Japre is a tiny Sherpa village with a small monastery, mani-wall and a stupa at an elevation of 2920 metres. Japre lies above a deep valley with lovely views of Mount Everest and Mount Numbur range, where we will spend our overnight.

A 4 hour trek.

The last day of trekking starts mostly through a ridgeline, the borderline dividing the Okhaldunga and Sol Khumbu districts. The trail mostly goes down until we arrive at Singane, which has eight houses. The main old village of Singane is 30 minutes down to the east of the new Singane Village. The newly constructed motor road has destroyed many sections of the ancient trail and requires you to walk on them, but only the occasional Jeep may be seen. The east and west of the ridgeline are the Sherpa villages of Kerung, Dalda Kharka, Gora Khani, Garma, Chyangba and Salleri. The new Singane village is developing for teahouse business for tourists and local passersby. After Singane, the trail climbs gently southeast and arrives at Pattale Dhap. The entire day is beautiful, with lofty views of Makalu, Everest, and Kanchenjunga.

A 7 hour journey.

Wake up earlier to enjoy the sunrise views from your hotel window, or enjoy the most expansive panoramas with sunrise colours from around. Before breakfast, we will visit the Changesthan Temple above the Dhap, the highest point in the area, with fantastic views. Pattale, or the Changesthan, has one of the best views of Mount Everest, Numbur, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and many more. This sacred site is a charming place to enjoy the sunrise and sunset colours. Return to the hotel, have breakfast, and start a scenic drive to Kathmandu.

Arrive to Kathmandu and settle into your hotel!

A free day to cope with the unforeseen possibilities. If all goes well, take a guided city tour or a full day of rest and free time.

Breakfast and the rest of the day are leisure on your own. A representative of Happy Feet Mountaineers will arrive at your hotel with transport three hours before your departure flight time. Get escorted from the hotel to the International Departure Terminal, see off formalities, and go through the immigration and departure.