NEPAL Highlights

Photographs and text Copyright 2007 by Tom Dempsey. Last updated January 14, 2008.  Buy any image.
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Right: The moon sets behind Annapurna South (also known as Annapurna Dakshin, or Moditse; 23,684 feet / 7219 meters) at sunrise, as seen from Annapurna South Base Camp (ABC, at 13,550 feet elevation), in the Himalaya of Nepal.

Left:  Machhapuchhre (or Machhapuchhare), the Fish Tail Mountain (22,943 feet / 6997 meters elevation) is a sacred peak, illegal to climb, in the Annapurna mountains (part of the Himalaya range), in Nepal. Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags fly from a monument at Annapurna South Base Camp (ABC, at 13,550 feet elevation) in the Annapurna Sanctuary.

Below: Prayer flags express compassion at this monument to fallen climbers, at Annapurna South Base Camp (ABC, at 13,550 feet elevation) in the Annapurna Range of Nepal. Annapurna I (center right; 26,545 feet elevation) is the world’s 10th highest peak. On the left, Annapurna South (also known as Annapurna Dakshin, or Moditse; 23,684 feet / 7219 meters) misleadingly appears higher due to proximity. Annapurna South was first climbed in 1964 by a Japanese expedition, via the North Ridge. (Panorama stitched from 2 images.)

Nepal Trip Summary:Sir Edmund Hillary in Kunde Village.

Nepal offers amazing diversity in a small country, with a variety of Hindu and Buddhist cultures living everywhere from near sea level to the slopes of the world's highest mountains. I visited Nepal for a month in 2007, and 6 weeks in 1981:

Right: I photographed Sir Edmund Hillary (born in 1919; died 11 January 2008) at Kunde Hospital in 1981 when he was 62 years old. I first saw him moving planks for building a diesel fuel storage shed for his Kunde Hospital. He later magnanimously signed autographs for us. With a natural geniality, he inquired about our group. We discussed the weather, and the logistics of helping our member who had fallen altitude sick at Lobuje, and had been carried semi-conscious to Tengboche for helicopter rescue (described on Nepal Page 4). "My doctor tells me to stay below 12,000 feet," Sir Edmund remarked, as he stood comfortably at 12,600 feet.

Practical Advice:
  • Meals, Lodging, Guide, Porters: Throughout our 2007 treks, we slept in comfortable teahouses with private double (or triple bed) rooms, with shared bathroom down the hall, usually without hot shower. We ate mostly good quality hot meals. I recommend hiring a guide and/or porters (like we did) to help carry your sleeping bag and extra clothing, and to run ahead and reserve rooms early in the day, since in high season (October-November), lodging can fill up in the evenings.
  • Health: The common cold virus gave most of us problems. We also coughed excessively due to dry high altitude air and dusty trails. We coughed worse on the higher altitude Gokyo trek, so bring plenty of good cough medicine. (A visit to the doctor at Kunde Hospital finally helped us suppress the cough at night with codeine, to help us sleep much better). At altitudes above 10,000 feet, I recommend wearing a scarf or neckerchief over your mouth to hydrate the air and filter dust. I recommend washing hands frequently using soap and water, or waterless hand sterilizer (such as Purell).
  • Severe jet lag: After Pacific Daylight Savings Time ends, on the first Sunday in November through the second Sunday in March, Seattle time is minus 13:45 hours from Kathmandu.


Above: By day hiking up 2000 feet from Gokyo village to the peak of Gokyo Ri (17,575 feet / 5357 meters elevation), I acquired this spectacular panorama of mountains, glaciers and lakes, in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Left of center in the background is Mount Everest, the highest peak on earth. At the base of Gokyo Ri are several Gokyo Lakes, and the Ngozumpa Glacier, the largest in Nepal. (Panorama stitched from 5 images. On smaller monitors, scroll right to see the whole image, 1600 pixels wide.)

Left: Mount Everest (center left; 29,035 feet / 8850 meters from 1999 GPS measurement), the highest mountain on Earth above sea level, has the older name of Chomolungma or Qomolangma ("Goddess Mother of the Earth" in Tibetan) or Sagarmatha (in Nepali). To the right are Lhotse and Makalu (both higher than 8000 meters). These colorful Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags invoke compassion.
    In 1865, Andrew Waugh, the British surveyor-general of India named the mountain for his chief and predecessor, Colonel Sir George Everest. In the 1960s, the Government of Nepal named the mountain Sagarmatha, meaning "Goddess of the Sky". The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in High Asia, is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China.

Below: Mount Everest, photographed from Gokyo Ri.


Left: Friendly Hindu children in the lowlands of Nepal, 1981.

Below: Two Nepalese women rest heavy loads on T-shaped walking sticks, in 1981.
Two Nepalese women carry heavy loads to market.

Left: The silhouettes of trekkers stand at 13,000 feet elevation, admiring the impressive mountain face of Fang (or Baraha Shikhar 25,088 feet / 7647 meters), in the Annapurna Range of Nepal.



Below: A farmer contemplates rice terraces near Kimche, along the trail to Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal.

 
Above: Moonlight strikes Annapurna I (on the right, 26,545 feet), the world’s 10th highest peak, as seen from Hotel Paradise Garden & Restaurant, at Annapurna South Base Camp (ABC, at 13,550 feet elevation) in the Annapurna Range of Nepal. On the left is Annapurna South, which appears higher in this perspective because it is closer. Stars streak the sky, and the headlamps of motel residents make wavy lines of light as they pass by, in the 3+minute time exposure. (Panorama stitched from 2 images; at 6:50pm October 27, 2007)

Below: Yaks carry loads beneath the peak of Kusum Kanguru (20,889 feet / 6367 meters), seen from Thado Khoshi Khola bridge, between Lukla and Namche Bazaar, in Nepal


Above: In this 360 degree panorama from Gokyo Ri (17,575 feet / 5357 meters elevation), you can see four of the world's six highest peaks - Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu (on far right, and shown again wrapping around on far left behind the cairn), all over 8,000 meters elevation. At center right, the nearby Pharilapche Peak (4 kilometers away) dominates the skyline above Gokyo Lakes. Strings of Tibetan Buddhist Prayer flags line the summit ridge of Gokyo Ri. Below are several Gokyo Lakes, and the rock-covered Ngozumpa Glacier, the largest glacier in Nepal. (Panorama stitched from 15 images. On smaller monitors, scroll right to see the whole image, 1600 pixels wide.)

Left: Trekkers tents at Gokyo village on Third Gokyo Lake (Dudh Pokhari, 15,584 feet / 4750 meters), in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal.

Below: Third Gokyo Lake (Dudh Pokhari, 15,584 feet / 4750 meters), in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. The lateral moraine (seen here as brown hills) of the Ngozumpa Glacier dams this lake.


Left: Trekkers descend from Gokyo beneath the icy peak of Arakam Tse (21,000 feet), a Himalayan mountain near Gokyo, Nepal

Below: Ice and icicles on a side stream in the Dudh Koshi river valley (or Dudh Kosi) on the trail to Gokyo, in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Himalaya of eastern Nepal.


Left: A prayer wheel (called mani chos-'khor or Mani wheel by the Tibetans) is a wheel on a spindle made from metal, wood, leather, or coarse cotton. On the wheel are written or encapsulated prayers or mantras. According to the Tibetan Buddhist belief, spinning such a wheel will have much the same effect as orally reciting the prayers. A prayer wheel symbolizes "turning the wheel of Dharma," which describes the way in which the Buddha taught.

Below: The peak of Thamserku (21,680 feet / 6608 meters elevation above sea level) rises 13,000 vertical feet above the Dudh Khoshi (Imja Khola) river, near Benkar (8629 ft / 2630 m), in the Khumbu District of Nepal.


Below left: Sagarmatha National Park, in eastern Nepal: These four engraved stone copies of the Tibetan phrase “Om Mani Padme Hum” invoke compassion. Om Mani Padme Hum means “Hail to the jewel in the lotus”. Mani stones are placed in mounds or cairns along roadsides and rivers as an offering to spirits of place (or genius loci).

Below: Drums hang from the ceiling at Tsamkhang Monastery (which practices Tibetan Buddhist religion), in Khunde village (12,600 feet / 3840 meters), in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Himalaya of eastern Nepal. (Upon request, I can show you an external photo of this monastery, adorned with prayer flags.)
Left: My 1981 image of the village of Namche Bazaar (11,220 feet elevation). The mountain of Kongde Ri (sometimes called Kwangde Ri; 20,320 feet elevation) is 4 kilometers to the west. This image is from my Nepal Page 4:  1981 Photo-essay: 24-day trek from the Terai to Kala Pattar / Everest area, "To the Abode of Snow".

 Below:  As seen in 2007, the village of Namche Bazaar is much larger, 26 years later. I found the Namche Bazaar area to be much more covered by forest compared to 1981, thanks to tree planting efforts by the Himalayan Trust, which was founded by Sir Edmund Hillary.


Left: A porter carries a huge load of empty bottles over the Larja Bridge, a narrow metal swing bridge, strung with Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags, over the Dudh Koshi (or Kosi, river) below the town of Namche Bazaar, in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal.





 Below: This mani stone wall and chorten, or stupa, are located above the village of Namche Bazaar, about 4 kilometers from the snowy mountain of Kongde Ri (sometimes called Kwangde Ri; 20,320 feet elevation) in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Himalaya of eastern Nepal.



Above: Porters with T-shaped walking sticks carry bamboo baskets loaded with vegetables and supplies up a steep trail, in Nepal.





Below: On the right is Ama Dablam. Mount Everest (upper left; 29,035 feet / 8850 meters elevation, based on a 1999 GPS measurement), the highest mountain on Earth, was first called Chomolungma or Qomolangma ("Goddess Mother of the Earth" in Tibetan). In 1865, Andrew Waugh, the British surveyor-general of India named the mountain for his chief and predecessor, Colonel Sir George Everest. In the 1960s, the Government of Nepal named the mountain Sagarmatha, meaning "Goddess of the Sky". The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in High Asia, is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China.


Left: School children walk towards Khumjung, in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, beneath Mount Everest (29,035 feet / 8850 meters elevation above sea level), the highest mountain on Earth.





 Below: Ama Dablam, a striking mountain in the Himalaya range of eastern Nepal, was first climbed in 1961. The main peak is 22,349 feet (or 6,812 meters) tall, and the lower western peak is 18,251 feet (or 5,563 meters). Ama Dablam means "Mother and Pearl Necklace" (because the perennial hanging glacier is thought of as the pearl). For several days, Ama Dablam dominates the eastern sky for anyone trekking from Namche Bazaar towards Mount Everest Base Camp.


Left: I photographed this Danfe (or Danphe) Pheasant, Nepal's National Bird, north of Namche Bazaar, in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Khumbu District of Nepal.

Below:   Partridges: These birds are at 13,000 feet in the Dudh Khoshi river valley in the Himalaya mountains of Nepal. Partridges are a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds.


Left: The Himalayan tahr is an even-toed ungulate, a near-true goat, commonly seen here between Phortse and Pangboche in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Khumbu district of Nepal.

Below: Young Himalayan tahr follow their mother up a cliff.


Left: Tengboche Monastery (12,690 feet elevation; as seen in 2007) was first built in 1918 by Tibetan Buddhists, then rebuilt in 1934 and 1993 after earthquake & fire, in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. (Click here to see my 1981 image of the former monastery, which burned down in 1989.)

Below: Fog engulfs orange leaves and lichen covered trees, in a forest in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Khumbu District of Nepal.


Left: Papery red, orange and tan bark peels from tree trunks in a forest in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Khumbu District of Nepal. (horizonal image)
Below: Trekkers hike in fog through rhododendron forest in Sagarmatha National Park, in the Khumbu District of Nepal.


Left: Porters walk with a yak pack train beneath the mountain of Lhotse (27,940 feet), the world's fourth highest peak, in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. The tremendous south face of Lhotse rises 2 vertical miles in a steep slope averaging a 55 degree angle.

 Below: This is the north side of Ama Dablam, a beautiful mountain in the Himalaya range of eastern Nepal, in the Khumbu District, photographed between Dingboche and Chhukhung, in the Imja Khola river valley. Ama Dablam was first climbed in 1961. The main peak is 22,349 feet (or 6,812 meters) tall, and the lower western peak is 18,251 feet (or 5,563 meters).


Carol admires the north face of Ama Dablam (6856 meters / 22,495 feet elevation), at Chhukhung, in the Khumbu District of Nepal.

Below: A woman turns a Mani Thungkyur (a large prayer wheel, which may contain religious books) while a girl looks out the door, at Pangboche Gompa (temple), Nepal. Buddhism became firmly established in Nepal's Khumbu District (home of the Sherpa people) about 350 years ago by the power and influence of Lama Sangwa Dorje. He established the oldest monastery in Khumbu at Pangboche (plus many other small hermitages).


Left: Tourists enjoy colorful blue boats on Phewa Lake (or Fewa Tal), in Pokhara, Nepal.

Below: Water buffalo at Phewa Lake (or Fewa Tal), in Pokhara, Nepal.


Left: The south face of Annapurna South (23,684 feet /  7219 meters), seen at sunrise from Tolka, in the Himalaya mountains of Nepal.  Annapurna South (also known as Annapurna Dakshin, or Moditse) was first climbed in 1964 by a Japanese expedition, via the North Ridge. Annapurna is Sanskrit for "Goddess of the Harvests." In Hinduism, Annapurna is a goddess of fertility and agriculture and an avatar of Durga.

Below: Rice, wheat, maize, millet, potatoes and other crops grow on these steep terraces near Tolka, Nepal.


Left: We met these children near Samrung & New Bridge, between Tolka and Chomrong, a Gurung tribal area in the Annapurna Range of Nepal Himalaya mountains, on the trail to the Annapurna Sanctuary.




Below: Winding trail near Dhampus in the Annapurna Range of Nepal.


Left: Beneath steep glacier carved cliffs, trekkers admire the valley of the Modi Khola river (on the trail to the Annapurna Sanctuary and Machhapuchhare Base Camp, MBC), looking back towards Deurali, in Nepal.









Below: Trekkers wander in wonderful Annapurna Sanctuary above Machhapuchhre (or Machhapuchhare) Base Camp (MBC). The sun rises over Machhapuchhre (or Machhapuchhare), the Fish Tail Mountain (on the right; 22,943 feet / 6997 meters elevation) a sacred peak, illegal to climb, in the Annapurna Range of Nepal. Center left is the sharp peak of Gandharba Chuli (20,500 feet / 6248 meters).


07NEP-2470-72pan_Annapurna-South.jpg
Prayer flags express compassion at this monument to fallen climbers, at Annapurna South Base Camp (ABC, at 13,550 feet elevation), in late afternoon in the Annapurna Range of Nepal. Annapurna I (center right; 26,545 feet elevation) is the world’s 10th highest peak. Annapurna I was the first 8,000 meter peak to be climbed. Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, of a French expedition, reached the summit on 3 June 1950. On the left, Annapurna South (also known as Annapurna Dakshin, or Moditse; 23,684 feet / 7219 meters) misleadingly appears higher due to proximity. (Panorama stitched from 2 images.)


Left: Trekkers ascend steep stone steps up to Chomrong (alternative spellings Chhomrong, Chhomrung, Chhumro; 7250 feet elevation) in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal.







Below: Leslie meets two Nepalese children at Ghandruk village (or Ghandrung, 6530 feet) in Nepal, in the Himalaya mountain chain, along the trail to Annapurna Sanctuary.


Left: Rice terraces cover the hillsides below Ghandruk (or Ghandrung), along the trail to Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal.

Below: The mountain on the left is Annapurna South (23,684 feet / 7219 meters), above a corn field at Ghandruk village (or Ghandrung, 6530 feet), in the Annapurna Range of Nepal. On the right is Machhapuchhare (or Machhapuchhre), the Fish Tail Mountain (22,943 feet / 6997 meters elevation) a sacred peak, illegal to climb. Annapurna is Sanskrit for "Goddess of the Harvests." In Hinduism, Annapurna is a goddess of fertility and agriculture and an avatar of Durga.


Left: Trekkers with hiking poles walk by rice terraces near Kimche, along the trail to Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal.

Below: This massive stone winged Garuda statue kneels in front of Trailokya Mohan Narayan Temple (left), which is dedicated to Vishnu or Narayan, in Durbar Square (Palace Square, or officially called Hanuman Dhoka), Kathmandu, Nepal.


Left: Behind the Lion Gate rises Taleju Temple. The three-roofed Taleju Temple was established in 1564, in a typical Newari architectural style and is elevated on platforms that form a pyramid-like structure. In the foreground, Hindu people line up to visit certain Durbar Square palace buildings which are only opened during Dasain Festival (or Durga Puja), which is Nepal's biggest annual festival, a 15-day family affair in Kathmandu Valley. Durga Puja celebrates the victory of the bloodthirsty goddess Durga over the forces of evil personified in the buffalo demon Mahisasura. Blue water bottles are lined up to serve thirsty festival crowds.

Below: Hindu holy men (sadhus), in Kathmandu, Nepal.
 

Left: A woman in a red dress studies old wooden pagoda buildings in Kathmandu's Durbar Square (or Palace Square; officially called Hanuman Dhoka).

Below: A child looks out his home window, which is framed with ancient carved wood, with a modern Teddy bear attached.


Nepal-airlines-symbol.jpgLeft: The big golden mask of Seto Bhairab (or White Demon) dates from 1794 in the time of Rana Bahadur Shah, the third king of the Shah Dynasty, in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal.
     Nepal Airlines uses this mask in their winged symbol (shown at right). By the way, "Royal Nepal Airlines" dropped the "Royal" word in 2006, to be consistent with Nepal's interim parliament rejecting the Monarchy, ending the Shah Dynasty of Hindu kings.
     In Newar Hindu mythology, Seto Bhairab showed disrespect towards the important goddess Mahakali, tempting her terrible retribution. When Seto Bhairab later offered a cock as an offering of respect, Mahakali first refused the rooster, then suddenly bit the head off as a bloody warning to Seto Bhairab: "Don't upset the hierarchy of the gods".
     For ten days once a year during the Indra Jatra festival (and the coinciding festival of the Living Goddess) in September, this Seto Bhairab mask is uncaged, and devotees shower him with rice and flower petals, while rice beer is poured through his fearsomely fanged mouth. Men struggle with each other to drink from the sacred brew, which is blessed by the rain god Indra, the ancient Vedic god who came with the Aryan forefathers from Persia to India, many centuries before Christ. The rest of the year, terrifying Seto Bhairab is kept safely caged behind a wooden grille, on the Deotali Mandir royal temple.
Below: Men sell colorful scarves at an old temple surrounded by modern buildings in Kathmandu.
 

Left: A vender sells fruit from a bicycle in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Below: A bicycle driven rickshaw carries passengers through Thamel, the bustling tourist center of Kathmandu.


Left: Stone beasts guard the Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna, or Suwarna Mahavihara), which is a Buddhist Monastery existing since 1409 or earlier, located just north of Durbar Square in Patan, Nepal.

Below: Two rhesus macaque monkeys groom each other, at Buddhist Swayambhunath, the "Monkey Temple", founded about 500 AD, one of the oldest and holiest Buddhist sites in the Kathmandu Valley. Swayambhunathsits on a hill in the west of Kathmandu overlooking the city, in Nepal.


Left: A woman walks clockwise around Buddhist Swayambhunath, the "Monkey Temple", which was founded about 500 AD, and is one of the oldest and holiest Buddhist sites in the Kathmandu Valley.






Below: Buddha Eyes gaze from one side of Swayambhunath, the "Monkey Temple". On most every stupa (Buddhist shrine) in Nepal, giant Buddha Eyes (or Wisdom Eyes) stare from four sides of the upper cube. These four directions symbolize the omniscience (all-seeing) of a Buddha. The third eye (above and between the other two eyes) also symbolizes the all-seeing wisdom of the Buddha. The curled symbol (shaped like a question mark) in place of a nose is the Nepali character for the number 1, which symbolizes unity of all things.


Left: Kathesimbhu means "Kathmandu Swayambhu". This 17th century stupa (bell-shaped Buddhist monument) in Kathmandu, Nepal, is a smaller version of the more famous "Monkey Temple" at Swayambhu (above). A walk around the Kathesimbhu stupa promises the old and lame the same blessings as a pilgrimage to Swayambhunath's hill.

Below: A woman looks out a window through a thicket of wires, from a building posted with a Pepsi billboard, in Kathmandu, Nepal.


Left: Asian women in yellow and red saris and sandals, Durbar Square, Patan, Nepal.



Below: Visitors stroll in Patan's Durbar Square (Palace Square), in Kathmandu Valley. Patan was probably founded by King Veer Deva in 299 AD from a much older settlement. Patan, the oldest city in the Kathmandu Valley, is official called Lalitpur, now a sub-metropolitan city separated from Kathmandu and Bhaktapur by rivers. Patan (population 190,000 in 2006) is the fourth largest city of Nepal, after Kathmandu, Biratnagar and Pokhara. The Newar people, the earliest known natives of the Kathmandu Valley, call Patan by the name "Yala" (from King Yalamber) in their Nepal Bhasa language. UNESCO included Patan's Durbar Square (Palace Square) as one of the seven monument zones of Kathmandu Valley on their World Heritage List in 1979. All sites are protected under Nepal's Monuments Preservation Act of 1956. The pagoda architectural style was invented in Patan, and later carried throughout Asia, to China and Japan. Newar architect Arniko introduced the pagoda to China in the 13th century.

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PEACE RETURNED:

On November 21, 2006, the Nepalese government and the Maoist Revolutionaries signed a peace agreement, ending a 10-year Civil War. By our 2007 trip above, tourists had returned in droves to fascinating Nepal.
     RECENT HISTORY: From 1996 to 2006, Nepal was torn apart by a home-grown Maoist Revolution against the government, and both sides were guilty of severe human rights attrocities. Maoists killed 4500 Nepalis, and the government killed 8200 Nepalis, reaching a vicious military stalemate. The Maoists gained control of most rural areas, and the government controlled the district capitals. Tourists were never targeted, except for mandatory donations - both the Maoists and the government taxed the tourists. Tourism dropped drastically as people avoided the crossfire. For an eyewitness report, see: National Geographic Magazine, November 2005. After the peace treaty was signed in 2006, tourists quickly returned.

Index to the above NEPAL page 0:  Summary , maps , 2006 Maoist peace treaty

NEPAL Highlights

Copyright 2007 by Tom Dempsey. Photographs or text may not be copied without permission.

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