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Trek to the Ganesh Himal Base Camp

Traveling to the Ganesh Himal Base Camp means that you are experiencing a completely new part of the world. Ganesh Himal Trekking will take travelers to the foothills of the breathtaking Ganesh Himal Range, located in the north-central region of Nepal.

Despite its close proximity to Kathmandu, the Ganesh Himal mountain range is rarely visited by trekkers. This is due to the lack of teahouse lodges, so camping is required. The range of mountains is named after an elephant-headed deity popular among Hindu people called Ganesh. The mountain summits the top 7,000m, and four of the peaks on the Ganesh Himal range are over 7,000m. Ganesh Himal is an area where you can become enchanted by the magnificent view of mountains, waterfalls, Saint George, dramatic landscape paintings, towering cliffs, and incredible rock formations.

About the Region and Trek

The Himalayan ranges in the Ganesh Himal Base camp area offer untouched natural beauty and wildlife and unparalleled views of various peaks (Ganesh I, Ganesh II, Ganesh III, Ganesh IV), the Tibet range, Langtang, Mount Manasalu, and Annapurna. 

As part Ganesh Himal trek, we will start in Balche and end in Dhading Besi after traversing through alpine meadows and arriving at huge glaciers under snow-capped mountains.

Located between two of Nepal’s most popular trekking destinations, Langtang to the east and Manaslu to the West, this is one of the least explored areas in the Himalayas, as mentioned earlier. However, the splendid hidden valley trek offers the opportunity to experience a wide range of cultures and natural scenes.

The region offers spectacular scenery, and crisscrossed village paths connect deep canyons. The Trek traverses these lands from West to East, with the Sing La pass’s highest point offering spectacular views of the entire Nepalese Himalayas.

Necessary Permits and Accommodations

It is necessary to have a trekking permit to enter Nepal’s Annapurna and Manaslu regions on the Ganesh Himal Trek. As the trail passes through both these regions, it is necessary to acquire a permit.

At the beginning of the Trek, the accommodation options consist of well-run hotels and lodges. However, as the Trek progresses, well-equipped hotels become more scarce. Thus, these paths mainly consist of small tea houses and homestays. While tents are not necessary, bringing them along would be highly advisable, so tent camps can be set up on the Trek.

Preparing For the Ganesh Himal Trek

On the Ganesh Himal trek, the highest point is at an altitude of more than 3,800 meters. Additionally, the Trek requires explorers to walk for several days. Due to the difficulty of adapting to such high altitudes, people with breathing problems or similar lung diseases should avoid these activities or take precautions before participating, as they may experience altitude sickness when at such high altitudes.

Our friends brought the following items to our first Trek to Ganesh Himal because of the cold at high altitudes. Thus, in order to prevent cold weather during your Trek, we recommend taking the following items with you.

  • Warm clothes, including jackets, sweaters, and thermal wears
  • Water bottles and thermos
  • Backpack
  • Portable Fire stoves
  • Snow Glasses and flashlight
  • Well-fitting gloves, socks, and shoes or boots
  • Trekking sticks
  • First aid kit
  • Moisturizers and lip guard
  • Energy bars

You can, however, easily purchase these items at the starting point of the Trek if you forgot any of them, though the price will likely be higher than usual.

Itinerary and the Trek itself

Ganesh Himal Trek begins in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. After you arrive in Kathmandu, you can spend time exploring the UNESCO-listed heritage sites of the city. In addition, you can use this day to prepare for your upcoming journey. You will be going to Arughat from Kathmandu in order to start the Trek.

As we leave Manabu, we traverse and ascend toward Dunchet village, where we may eat lunch. Duchess village has traditional stone houses and a village square where they meet and socialize. Next, the trail ascends on stone steps through the village to enter the forest. Next, we follow the trail towards Lamodungha, a large rock near which we will camp. From here, we can see Himalchuli's eastern face.

From camp, we ascend through bamboo, larch, and rhododendron forest. Finally, we cross several streams and come to a clearing called Nauban Kharka, where we camp for the night. Here, we can see Annapurna South and Annapurna 2, Fishtail, and Himalchuli.

Our next stop is Myangal Bhanjang. After descending through the forest, we enter Myangal Kharka. We can see the Ganesh Himal range to the East and Paldor to the West. Finally, we descend through forest, clearings, and stones to Khading village.

The route descends to the river and crosses over a suspension bridge on the other side of the valley. We then climb a short distance and contour along a path above the river, passing through Lapchet village. Finally, we descend to another river. Rachyet village is a short walk up the road after we cross the suspension bridge.

On this day, Rachel is the point of departure, and the trail ascends through the forest to Timla, crossing high above the river and passing through Tirigaon. The trail continues on a stone path along the steep mountainside as we trek north to Neber. It'd be great to stay at Neber to acclimatize and explore the area.

Our route from Neber descends to Tatopani, where you can take a dip in the hot springs. We cross the suspension bridge from Tikka Danda and continue up to Chalis, where we camp after a five-hour trek.

As the trail descends from Shertung on the ninth day, we cross Adho Khola, which we then ascend to Kamigaon. After passing through Tipling, we ascend to Laptung by taking stone steps through the forest and camping at Marmelung Kharka.

The trail leads through a beautiful forest. We reach the cheese factory after passing through a Kani stone entrance with several chortens, and then we reach the summit of Pangsang La, the highest point of our Trek. Several buildings are located at the pass, including a porter shelter. We will camp here in the morning and explore the area in the afternoon.

Pasang La offers panoramic views of Langtang in the east, Ganesh Himal to the north, and Annapurnas and Manaslu to the West during a clear day. The viewpoint is located about 150m above the pass and offers sweeping views. After returning to camp, we descend through the forest and reach Somdang.

As we move from Somdang to Gatlang, we will cross another pass called Kurphudanda at 3,710m. From here, we will descend via a trail and a jeep track.

From Gatling, it is a short walk to the roadhead at Chillime, and then we drive along to Syabru Besi. There, we stay in a lodge for the night. Here, our Trek concludes.

In the end, when we get back to Syabru Besi, we can follow our steps back home. First, do not forget to cherish all the beautiful moments you experienced during the Trek as you return home and even during the Trek itself.

 

Cost includes:

  • Arrival & Departure transport via private Car/Van/Bus.
  • Three meals per day throughout the Trip(Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
  • Accommodation during the trek.
  • Nights’ accommodation in Kathmandu with B/B.
  • Guide and a porter with Insurance, food, and accommodations.
  • Sightseeing in Kathmandu or Pokhara valley with a car and tour guide
  • First Aid kit.
  • Trekking permit (Conservation fee).
  • TIMS card (Trekking information management system) is like a permit.
  • All needed government tax/vat.

Cost excludes:

  • International Airfare.
  • Your travel insurance.
  • Sightseeing entrance fees
  • Nepal Visa fee (US$ 50 for 30 days and US$ 30 for 15 days; you should get a visa open your arrival)
  • Any kind of drinks, items of personal expenses like hot shower, battery charge, telephone, missing meal, WIFI Porters, etc.
  • Tips for Guide and Porters

After you’ve enjoyed the thrilling and joyful experience, you can choose whether to visit other beautiful places in Nepal or head back home. No matter what you choose, we hope you have a fantastic time.

We can accommodate group tours for this trip as well. However, you may also opt for a private tour according to your liking. We can arrange private trips at any time of the year at any date of your choosing. Please let us know what your preferred travel dates are so that we can accommodate you.