Tsum Valley: Nepal’s concealed
Valley of contentment
Situated
near the remote borderlands of the high Himalayas are several sacred
beyuls…secret valleys found by people with pure minds and hearts. According to early
teachings, these beyuls were bent by Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the
reknowned 8th-century mystic who introduced Buddhism to the Tibetan, Nepali and
Bhutanese people in the Himalayas. These magical valleys are purported to be
havens of tranquility, affluence, theology and a sacred sanctuary for true
seekers and believers. In the 17th-century, Tsum Valley became known as Beyul
Kyimolung.
One
of Nepal's most beautiful valleys, which is secluded from the southern
lowlands by deep forested gorges and
cascading rivers, and from Tibet in the north by high snow-covered passes. It
is home to 18 small villages and about 4000 people of the native racial group
known as “Tsumbas”. They are mainly of Tibetan origin and practice Buddhism and
Bon religions. Tsum
Valley only opened to foreign trekkers in 2008. Due to this, along with its
remoteness and inaccessibility, Tsum Valley and its people have avoided
commercial impacts and changes for centuries. As a result, its unique culture
has remained largely integral. Since it has not been visited by many travelers,
there are very few established facilities such as teahouses, hotels, stores or
restaurants along the track. There are inspiring home stay programs in Tsum
Valley to allow travelers direct interface and imminent into customary
Himalayan lifestyles.
Our
Tsum Valley trek begins in Arughat (Gorkha district), which is easily
accessible from Kathmandu. It
is surrounded by soaring Himalayan peaks, including the Baudha Himal and Himal
Chuli to the west, Ganesh Himal to the South and Sringi Himal to the north. The
northern station of the valley is bordered by three high passes to Tibet,
including Ngula Dhoj Hyang (5093 m.) to the east and Thapla Pass (5326 m.) to
the west. There are no airports, roads or mechanical vehicles in (or near) Tsum
Valley. All travel is done on foot along time-worn trails that trait many antique
chortens and carved mani stone walls emblazoned with prayers and depictions of
deities. The
Buddhist saint Milarepa is whispered to have meditated in caves of this
mountainous valley, and it is home to over 100 monks and nuns at Mu Monastery
and Rachen Nunnery. Many inhabitants of Tsum report having seen or found signs
of Mehti, commonly referred to in the West as the 'Yeti' or 'Abominable
Snowman'.
There
are many reasons to go to Tsum ,The entice of the remote. The intact Tibetan
culture. The lack of bright Gore-Tex jackets filling up the trails. The
wonderful welcome and authentic warmth of the local Tibetan people who aren’t dishonored
by groups of tourists with $ signs on their heads. Where else in Nepal can you
go where the locals are singing in the fields rather than trying to entice you
into their lodge.
You
might decide to go there. Buddhist prayers carved into stone tablets line the
trails of Tsum Valley, while snow-capped 6000m peaks appear beyond and between
the vertiginous brown “hillsides”. Traditional culture pervades the area, with
women spinning wool into thread by hand and friendly faces inviting you in for
tea…or homemade alcohol.
Beginning
on the main route into the Manaslu Conservation Area, you curve for days
through a steep-sided gorge where the sun arrives mid-morning and departs well
before sunset. Waterfalls abound, monkeys appear, and slate roofs top mud
houses as you gradually climb 4000ft (1200m). Young girls are shy to have their photo taken
but then become fascinated with seeing them displayed on the screen. Old women
have yet to understand that you can’t take the picture from the camera instantly
and give it to them. Men wear fur-lined hats brought over from Tibet and ride
horses that tinkle with strings of chimes. Yak caravans weighed down with rice,
salt, and tea command the trail as they pass. People meet you with easy smiles
and common questions, “Where are you from?…Where are you going?”.
Locals
want the benefits that tourism can give up, and in a place with so few
resources, tourism could bring enormous monetary advantage to the area. The
challenge for Tsum is that everything which draws visitors is at risk as
tourism expands. The impact of tourism
in nearby lower Manaslu is readily obvious. Campsites are littered with
wrappers and garbage. Children accost you with pleas of, “Namaste pen!” and
“Namaste balloon!”, having learned to beg for foreign delights. Adults watch
you pass with bland indifference.
Trekking
in Tsum Valley is not only a journey to a beautiful, inspiring and secret
hideaway…but also a journey back in time, where ancient Tibetan traditions and
cultures are still alive and being practiced today. It’s a genuine
‘off-the-beaten trail’ gem of an experience!
Moreover,
This is only trekking for Milarepa Piren
Phu cave, Mu Gompa monastery,Rachen nunnery Gumba Lungdang nunnery,Dheron Gumba
nunnery,Health camps,Trash clean-up,School visits,Ganesh amphitheater,Cascading
waterfalls,Medicinal plants and herbs (over 50 varieties),Wildlife, including
musk deer, Himalayan tahr, blue sheep, ghoral and the elusive snow leopard,Handicrafts,
including bamboo baskets, wooden masks and teacups, wood jugs and kitchen
implements, musical instrument (dhagen), yak wool blankets, kimonos and
mattresses..
The
area monks at one point petitioned the government not to allow employees
stationed at regional offices to kill animals for Hindu sacrifices or for meat.
The government complied, respecting the local traditions and issuing a ban on
killing in the area. Any meat must be killed below the gateway and then carried
up higher. The peace and protection extends to all beings: as clients joked
about yeti attacks, a lama assured us quite seriously that we didn’t need to
worry, “Tsum is a protected area, and a yeti will not attack anyone here.”
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