Trip report for Ladakh Sky Trail GHT led by Almas Khan in August/ September 2015

Photo: start of trek at Lamayuru

Our Ladakh Sky Trail GHT group arrived to Leh on August 19th and on 21st drove to Lamayuru (3,500m) and 22nd they started the trek. This year we had eight people in the group and as usual we had an international mix with people coming from UK, Ireland, South Africa and Germany.

As explained in Trip Report for 2014 Ladakh Sky Trail GHT, Almas Khan created this unique itinerary from years of leading groups in Ladakh. This is his dream trek travelling through the best of the three areas of this region: Ladakh, Zanskar and Changthang/ Rupshu. For most of Ladakh Sky Trail GHT we follow rarely trekked trails and this is only possible due to the local knowledge of Almas and the local Ladakhi guide Tsering Samphel.

As for all or our treks in the Himalayas we received bespoke weather forecast from Michael Fagin at everestweather.com and as I was following these updates in London I was relieved to see the weather was settled and stable. Early in August there was heavy rain in Ladakh causing flash flooding that resulted in damage on trails and bridges on Markha Valley. See BBC article "British trekkers rescued amid flash flooding". This type of heavy precipitation is always a risk in Ladakh however this region is usually dry during the monsoon rains of July and August due to rain shadow effect of Himalayan peaks to the south. However every few years a strong pulse of monsoon pushes over these mountains causing heavy rain in Ladakh, as there is little vegetation to absorb the rainfall there is rapid flow of water off the mountains causing river levels to rise fast.

Fortunately the weather was good for our Ladakh Sky Trail GHT trek and I gather from Almas overall better than last year. There was a little light rain in the afternoon on the first three days then for the rest of the trek they had sunny days. As a result of clear skies at night the temperatures at night were a bit colder compared to last year with the minimum temperature experienced about -6 Celsius. There was more snow on the mountains above 5,800 meters but importantly for this trek the condition of the river crossings was good.

As mentioned in last year’s Trip Report we have carefully selected the time of year to run this trek, by starting in late August into September much of the snow in the mountains has already melted over the summer so river levels should be lower at this time of year.

There are three days of Ladakh Sky Trail where the group walked through deep gorges, this section of the trail involves many river crossings (around 120!). The feedback received from this group was that Teva sandals did not offer enough protection to their feet from rocks as most people were their sandals throughout the days for this section through the gorge. Therefore we have updated our kit list to include fully enclosed sandals to protect your feet rather than Teva type open sandals.

As the weather and conditions were favourable the group made good progress and followed the itinerary as planned. The whole group arrived to end of the trek at the stunningly beautiful Tsomoriri lake at 4,400m on September 11th and then on 12th drove back to Leh. As with all of TMC western led treks we track their progress while in the field through SPOT gps check ins, you can see the map of this trek on SPOT Adventure website

Photo: Tsomoriri lake at end of the trek!

I would like to thank Almas, Tsering Samphel and the hardworking Ladakhi team for doing a great job organising and leading another successful Ladakh Sky Trail GHT. Almas will be back in Ladakh again next summer leading our 2016 Ladakh Sky Trail and we have already requested for the same local Ladakhi crew to join our group. Please get in touch soon if you are interested in joining our Ladakh Sky Trail GHT or if you have any questions on this trek.

Roland Hunter

www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Key findings of The Mountain Co's post-earthquake recce trek to Everest region in September 2015

On September 15th I flew into Lukla with one of The Mountain Co guides, Pasang “Zarok” Sherpa, to carry out a post-earthquake recce trek in the Everest region of Nepal. As I am sure you aware on April 25th and May 12th 2015 there were two large earthquakes in Nepal and since then many aftershocks have caused damage in several trekking regions including Everest.

Photo: Roland at Everest Base Camp on September 24th

As part of our own internal risk assessment at The Mountain Co we decided to visually inspect the trail to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo and also the lodges before our groups arrive to Nepal for the Autumn season. I am writing this blog article to share my findings with anyone interested in coming to Nepal this Autumn season as there seems to be a lack of current information on the condition of Upper Khumbu/ Everest region. Hopefully our key findings in this article will be helpful and give confidence to trekkers considering coming out to Nepal to support the recovery of post earthquake tourism. During this recce trek I used social media to record our findings and to post photos, please take a look at The Mountain Company Facebook page.

Our comprehensive recce trek took 15 days and my route followed the classic Everest Base Camp trail through Namche Bazaar, Tengboche/ Deboche, Pangboche, Pheriche, Lobuche and up to Gorakshep for Everest Base Camp and Kalapatar. I also walked up to Thame from Namche Bazaar and up to Ama Dablam Base Camp from Pangboche. After Everest Base Camp we walked the low trail into Gokyo via Phortse and Na then climbed Gokyo Ri. After Gokyo we walked down valley through Machermo and Dole over Mong La to spend one night in Khumjung before walking back down to Lukla. To see our route please take a look at our GPS map on Spot Adventures website.

As a basis for planning this recce trek inspection I used the report from Miyamoto (earthquake and structural engineers) “Damage assessment of Everest region in Nepal” dated July 15th 2015. We decided to carry out this trek in late September as at this time of year the monsoon rains start to decrease. After an earthquake there will always be an increased risk of landslides especially during the monsoon due to the ground being loosened by the shaking and vibrations. By going on our recce trek in September we inspected the region for any further trail damage post publication of Miyamoto report and to check the condition before The Mountain Co groups arrive in early October.

Key findings: trail conditions
Overall the trail to Everest Base Camp and Gokyto was in pretty good shape and during our trek we had no issues with completing our itinerary. Where the trail had been damaged by the earthquake in most places had already been fixed or there were teams working hard to repair. In my view the objective risk has not increased significantly since the earthquake, there is always a risk of rockfall and landslides in the mountainous areas of Nepal especially during the rainy monsoon season from June through to September.

Photo: trail repairs are ongoing

Photo: crews working hard to get the trail repaired for Autumn season

As highlighted in Miyamoto report there are several sections of the trail with new rockfall or landslide risk as a result of the earthquake, these are as follows:

- near Tok Tok a section of the trail has been damaged by a landslide below the waterfall and this debris is now partially blocking the Dudh Khosi river. There always has been rockfall risk around Tok Tok and Bengkar as the valley is narrow here and there are cliffs high above these settlements. As you can see in photo below one house was destroyed by a large boulder falling from above. I heard some talk about relocating the trail onto other side of the valley in the near future however this has not yet been confirmed. We advise our groups walking through Tok Tok and Bengkar to keep moving and minimise breaks in this area and certainly not stop at lodge here for meals or sleep overnight.

Photo: landslide at Tok Tok into Dudh Khosi river

Photo: landslide at Tok Tok

Photo: local house in Bengkar destroyed by a large boulder

- above Namche on the low trail to Everest Base Camp, as you pass the Tenzing memorial there is an area with fractured rock zones above the trail. There is certainly rockfall risk here however if you are aware of this and do not stop below then the risk is quite low. Also the fractured rock is 200m+ above the trail so there should be time to move out the way if there is any rockfall.

Photo: rockfall area above Namche past Tenzing memorial

- there are several smaller sections on trail from Namche to Tashinga that have slipped however the trail is still passable and in one place just passed Sanasa has already been repaired. There is a large landslide newly formed during the monsoon directly below the trail shortly after Tenzing memorial however this is unlikely to affect the path.

Photo: there are a number of smaller landslides on Everest trail although still possible for trekking groups to pass 

- in my view the section of trail with highest risk is on the path to new bridge after Deboche, I gather the older bridge was damaged several years ago and new one was built 300m further upstream. On the approach to new bridge one passes under three landslides above the trail. These landslides are examples of natural hazards on Everest Base Camp trail that were in existence since before the earthquake in Spring.

Photo: trail to new bridge below Deboche

- trail from Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp has changed slightly in two places, firstly in moraine before Gorakshep the path now crosses a new bridge further 30 metres upstream. Secondly after Gorakshep in one place the trail follows below the lateral moraine for 200m whereas before was safer following on top of the moraine. 

Photo: walking to Everest Base Camp on lateral moraine

Key findings: lodges and guesthouses
During our Everest recce trek we inspected the lodges and guesthouses used by The Mountain Co and all of these places are now in suitable condition for use by our groups in Autumn season. Several of these lodges were badly damaged after the earthquake especially in Monjo, Thame, Tashinga, Phortse and Pheriche however the owners have worked hard to repair over the summer in order to be ready for Autumn season. The lodge owners and companies like Everest Summit Lodge have employed large number of workers from outside the Khumbu to help with the reconstruction.

Photo: having tea outside rebuilt Tashinga lodge owned by Everest Summit Lodge

Of course the focus has been on reconstruction of the lodges and guesthouses for Autumn season however there is still alot of work to be done to rebuild local houses. Due to the vast amount of rebuilding required workers are in short supply and their daily rates are increasing. 

It was encouraging to see throughout the Khumbu there were many solid, winterised tents provided by German Red Cross so everyone at least has shelter from the elements. I also saw in some villages "Relief houses" donated by Himalayan Trust, these are small houses made of corrugated steel and wood and look much better than living in tents. It is good to see relief supplies have been distributed throughout the Khumbu by charities and NGOs.

Photo: "relief house" donated by Himalayan Trust

Photo: "relief house" donated by Himalayan Trust

Photo: tents donated by German Red Cross

We noticed the construction methods are changing post earthquake with many of the rebuilt houses now made from corrugated steel and wood rather than stone blocks. Often the base of the house up to about half a metre is still in stone then the rest of the walls are in steel and wood. These houses should have higher earthquake resistance and be safer for people living inside compared to the traditional stone walls and roof.

Photo: reconstructed houses and lodges using more metal and wood materials

Overall conclusions

Sherpas of the Everest region have worked very hard over the summer to rebuild lodges and repair the walking trails to be ready for the Autumn season starting in early October. Yes there are sections of the trail to Everest Base Camp with risk of rockfall however I do not believe this is significantly higher post earthquake as there always has been objective risk of travelling in the high mountains. As discussed the section of trail to new bridge below Deboche built several years ago probably has highest risk of rockfall. As we move into the post monsoon season there should be lower amounts of precipitation and as a result the risk of further landslides and rockfall should decrease.

Following our recce trek to Everest, The Mountain Co has decided to go ahead with organising our Autumn treks to the Everest region. By taking sensible precautions and being aware of these riskier sections of the trail we feel it is the right time to start trekking again in the Khumbu. Of course there is a chance of further aftershocks and earthquakes in Nepal however it is ultimately up to each person to decide their level of acceptable risk.

Updated October 7th 2015: the British government through Foreign and Commonwealth Office ("FCO") currently have no travel restrictions in the mountains of Nepal apart from Langtang and Manaslu regions badly affected by the earthquakes. We suggest you carefully read FCO travel advice to Nepal.

If you decide to trek in the Everest region this Autumn season then we suggest take an experienced trekking guide with you, not only will this enhance your safety but will also provide valuable employment. The best way to support to Nepal is to come out and visit! If you are comfortable with accepting these risks then it is a great time to come as the trails are quieter than usual and the flights to Kathmandu are great value.

Please get in contact with us if you have any questions about trekking in Everest region. If you would like to join one of our groups, please click on this link to the list of trips now guaranteed to run

Trek on!

Roland Hunter

www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Nepal is back in business! Support Nepal by visiting in Autumn 2015

Photo: Dhaulagiri Base Camp in Nepal

Nearly three months after The Big One(s!) there is no doubt Nepal is back in business. As discussed in our July newsletter, The Mountain Company is going ahead to run most of our Autumn trips in Nepal. Over the last few weeks we have seen an increase in bookings as people are now feeling more comfortable about the current risks with travelling in Nepal. 

On July 3rd, the day after our July newsletter went out, Foreign & Commonwealth Office (“FCO”) i.e British government downgraded their travel advice from only essential travel to the whole of Nepal to only essential travel to selected regions. These regions unfortunately include most of the mountainous areas in northern Nepal from western to eastern borders with India incorporating most of the trekking destinations.

We were rather disappointed with FCO as most of these areas were not badly affected by the earthquakes and we wonder why this level of advice finishes on border of India? Surely there is a risk in Indian Himalayas too plus Bhutan, Burma, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, USA etc etc! It seems like an arbitrary line on the map and unfortunately us Brits have a long history of causing problems with our mapping! Of course there has always been and always will be a risk of earthquakes in the Himalayas however the chance of this happening while you are on holiday is quite low. The next large magnitude earthquake could happen in Nepal tomorrow or in 15 years time....

We understand FCO will review their level of advice after the monsoon has ended in September/ October time when risk of further shocks and landslides has decreased. We suggest for a balanced understanding of the current risk of travelling in Nepal you read New Zealand and USA travel advisories as both of these countries have gone further with downgrading their levels of advice.

At The Mountain Company we have completed internal risk assessments for our trips in Nepal. This process has involved discussions with our guides and partners in Nepal; contacting lodge and hotel owners in towns, cities and trekking regions as well as sharing information with other operators in UK through our membership of AITO and through our contacts and connections in Nepal. We have also read the results from  the report "Damage Assessment of Everest Region" by engineering firm Miyamoto International.

Following this process we have decided to go ahead with treks to the following regions: Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Everest including Mera Peak, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Upper Mustang and Dolpo.

In September, I will travel to Nepal to walk the trail to Everest Base Camp in order to carry out a final assessment before our groups arrive in October. As usual I will be in Nepal throughout the peak Autumn season and will meet you on your arrival to Kathmandu for your briefing. We send Thuraya satellite phones with all of our groups in Nepal therefore I will be contactable in Kathmandu to support our groups throughout their stay in the country.

Fortunately, British Mountaineering Council ("BMC") has confirmed will provide insurance cover for the popular trekking destinations and climbing areas of Nepal for Autumn season. It is refreshing to see an insurance company like BMC delinking their insurance policy coverage from FCO advice and making decisions based on their own assessments.

After a serious event like an earthquake everyone tends to focus on this only and forgets about other risks of travelling in the high mountains such as the cyclones that have impacted Himalayas in October 2014 and 2013. We perform our risk assessments in order to plan our trips to reduce the impact of a number of different events however of course there is always a residual level of risk with travelling in the mountains. It is important for groups trekking in the Himlayas to have reliable communications (Thuraya satellite phones), GPS trackers, bespoke forecasts from Everestweather.com, PAC/ gamow bags, high quality tents (Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1s) and most importantly good Nepali and international leaders.

We suggest you carefully research the current risks of travelling in Nepal and make your own informed decision based on your own level of acceptable risk. There is no doubt the best way to help Nepal recover and rebuild from the earthquake is to come out on holiday. By visiting Nepal you will bring much needed income and reduce their reliance on international aid. Trade is far better than aid. You are guaranteed to get a very warm welcome!

Please get in contact by phone, email or LiveChat through our website if you have any questions or require further information.

Roland Hunter

www.themountaincompany.co.uk 

Current situation of trekking in Nepal post-earthquake and the impact on The Mountain Company’s Autumn treks

Photo: summit day on Mera Peak in Nepal

Following two earthquakes in Nepal on April 25th and May 12th we at The Mountain Company (“TMC”) have been assessing the current situation to determine the impact on our portfolio of Autumn treks.

We have been gathering information from various sources such as Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN), Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and directly from our trekking guides, NGOs/charities working on earthquake relief and lodge owners. I have also been following social media where have picked up useful information on current condition of these trekking regions through extensive contacts on Facebook. I was in Nepal throughout the Spring season and being on the ground was very useful in order to get the latest situation reports and updates.

As already published on TMC website fortunately following the earthquakes all of our groups, guides and staff are fine and accounted for. However sadly many of our guides and cooks lost their houses and we are helping to support them financially during these hard times. TMC had one group on Dhaulagiri Circuit during the earthquake and I was in daily contact with Almas Khan the leader of this group to determine the best course of action for them.

For more information on decisions we made for their safety and the group’s feedback on their experience please read Trip Report for Dhaulagiri Circuit in April 2015. TMC cancelled two treks (Upper Dolpo and Everest Base Camp) scheduled for arrival later in the Spring season as we felt there was a safety risk with further aftershocks and also felt it would be inappropriate to visit during the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.

For Autumn 2015 season TMC has decided to organise most of our treks as planned except to areas badly affected by earthquake. The good news is that the following trekking areas should be open Autumn: Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Lower and Upper Mustang, Dolpo, Humla and Jumla.

Everest region has been affected both above and below Lukla however we have been in contact with lodge owners and most lodges used for our Everest Base Camp and Luxury Everest Base Camp treks have sustained only minor damage and should be repaired by Autumn season. Unfortunately the Everest Summit Lodge at Tashinga and Rivendell at Deboche have both been badly damaged so we will use alternative lodges at these locations.

I plan to go on a recce trek to Everest region during the month of September to check and inspect the condition of all our lodges. If I conclude these lodges are not safe then instead we will organise camping treks in the Khumbu. In the villages of Khumjung, Khunde and Thame there has been a lot of damage to the buildings so in these places we will use tented accommodation with meals provided by the tea houses.

The worst affected trekking regions in Nepal are Langtang, Gorkha, Rolwaling, Ganesh Himal (Ruby Valley), Manaslu and Tsum Valley. Unfortunately it will probably be not possible to trek in these areas until 2016 when they have had time to rebuild their houses, lodges and trails.

At The Mountain Company we have always taken the safety of our groups very seriously and during the next few weeks we will update our risk assessments for all trips and review for compliance with BS8848 ----> for more information on BS8848 and risk assessments. One of the issues encountered  by other trekking groups in Nepal after natural disasters like earthquakes and cyclones (i.e Cyclones Hudhud in October 2014 and Phailin in October 2013) is lack of communications as cell phones and land lines are often disrupted.

Please note for your safety The Mountain Company:
1) Sends Thuraya satellite phones with all of our trekking groups therefore we have direct communications with our leaders in the field.
2) Receives professional bespoke weather forecasts from everestweather.com for all of our treks in Nepal ----> for more information see blog article Weather forecasts for our Himalayan treks and expeditions during 2015

Following our initial review of risk assessments for Autumn we have identified increased risk of landslides, rockfalls and more exposure from damaged trails as well as possibility of further aftershocks. However our conclusion is that these risks should have stabilised by Autumn and it is likely the locals will have repaired trails and many of the lodges by October in time for the peak season. We will monitor the situation over the summer and my recce trek into the Everest region during September will help us make more accurate risk assessments before the start of Autumn season.

Earlier in the week I wrote a detailed article on TMC blog “Current condition of temples and buildings at World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu Valley following April 2015 earthquake in Nepal”. I suggest you read this article as it explains how fortunately many of these structures at World Heritage sites have survived and in the future the destroyed temples will be rebuilt to regain their former glory.

Further good news is that the Kathmandu hotels used for TMC groups are still operational: these are Hotel Tibet, Hotel Manaslu, Hotel Ganjong and Hotel Shangri La. In Pokhara there was very little damage so all of the hotels in this city are operational too. Other places in Nepal that were unaffected by the earthquake also include Chitwan, Bardia, Lumbini, Tansen and Ilam.

The best way to help Nepal to recover from this devastating disaster is of course to come and visit on holiday later in the year. Not only will this help the economy bringing in much needed income but will also support the Nepalese people and give them a confidence boost during their post-earthquake rebuilding phase. TMC has a portfolio of treks now guaranteed to run including the following camping treks:

Dhaulagiri Circuit (Dates: October 4th to 23rd 2015)
Naar to Mustang GHT (Dates: October 30th to November 22nd 2015)
Mera Peak Expedition (Dates: October 31st to November 22nd 2015)
Kanchenjunga Circuit (Dates: November 4th to 29th 2015).

If you have already booked a trek with TMC for Autumn season then we will be in touch with you soon about the current status and any changes to the proposed itinerary. I am now back in UK so please get in contact if you need any further advice or information about trekking in Nepal.

Namaste and hopefully see you in Nepal!

Roland Hunter

www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Trip report for Dhaulagiri Circuit led by Almas Khan in April 2015

Photo: terraced fields near Muri village

Our Dhaulagiri Circuit trek in April 2015 was led by Almas Khan. Almas led our successful October 2013 trek around Dhaulagiri Circuit and I know he was looking forward to going back again (read October 2013 Trip Report). The Sirdar for this trek was Domi Sherpa one of our most experienced climbing guides and the assistant guides were Sonam and Khumbu. The cook was Saila Tamang.

Our Dhaulagiri Circuit group arrived to Kathmandu on April 19th. During this Spring season the Nepal Himalayan region received high amounts of precipitation, this was much more than usually experienced at this time of year. However we carefully tracked the amount of snow that had fallen in Dhaulagiri region for the last month through our bespoke weather forecasts and hindcasts from everestweather.com. From this information we identified there was less snow in Dhaulagiri region compared to Annapurna. Therefore we were confident with our experienced crew led by Almas Khan that our group would have a good chance of safely crossing the high passes to Jomsom.

On 20th the group flew to Pokhara then drove by bus to Beni where they met the trek crew and then walked to their first camp at Tatopani. The trek progressed as planned and on 24th they arrived to Dobang camp. However this all changed at 11.56am on 25th as there was a 7.8 Richter earthquake in Nepal with epicentre located near Gorkha. I was in Kathmandu during the earthquake and shortly afterwards I called Almas on his satellite phone to find out if the group and crew were all ok. I heard from Almas there was some rockfall on the trail although there were luckily no injuries in our team as the tremors were not so strong in this area compared to other trekking regions of Nepal.

On 26th we decided to allow the group to walk up to Italian Base Camp as this is a wide, open area with low risk of rockfall or avalanche so would be a safe place for them to stay for a while. After further discussions with Almas on satellite phone we decided to abort the trek as we were concerned about the risk of rockfall in the narrow Chonbarden gorge leading to Glacier Camp. All of the other groups descended from Italian Base Camp however we decided to keep the group at Italian Base camp for a further four days. We felt this was the safest option as it would be risky walking down the narrow Myagdi valley if there were further aftershocks.

The other consideration was the severe congestion at Kathmandu airport with many people trying to leave the country when at the same time many international aid flights were arriving. Therefore we decided to stick to their original return date to Kathmandu of May 6th. The group descended Myagdi valley and slept the night of May 5th in Beni then drove to Pokhara staying that evening at New Pokhara Lodge. On May 6th they all returned to Kathmandu as planned and then flew home on May 8th. By this time the airport was far less busy and was back to operating normal schedules so there were no delays or flight cancellations like a week earlier.

I was in Kathmandu when this group returned and spoke to each member of the group for a debrief. Everyone was supportive of our decisions and I gather they enjoyed their time exploring around Italian Base Camp and overall had a positive experience. Please see some of their comments below:

“There is no doubt that Almas is extremely experienced and there was no time on the entire trek where I felt like I was in danger including the earthquake. I believe the handling of the situation was very professional and in the interest of everyone in the party.” Eva (USA)

“I was of course concerned about the impact of the earthquake on the local people and our team - but I never had any concern that anything other than the best decision had been taken for the immediate safety of the group (both staff and clients).” Martin (UK)

Martin also went on to say “The Mountain Company specialises in its area of expertise and this showed through at every level - ability to communicate useful info; answer questions; provide the best best team for the trek and then take the best decisions re the earthquake. I was very happy to have chosen The Mountain Company. In addition one of my concerns on my first trip to Nepal was to ensure I traveled with a company who recognise the safety of the team (in particular porters) is equally important to that of tourists - I was very happy with The Mountain Company's approach to this.”

Thanks very much to Almas, Domi, Sonam, Khumbu, Saila and the rest of the crew for their help in organising this trek. Great job!

The Mountain Company has a guaranteed departure for our Dhaulagiri Circuit trek in October 2015 led by Allan Gibbs, please get in touch with us soon if you would like join this group.

Roland Hunter

www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Current condition of temples and buildings at World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu Valley following April 2015 earthquake in Nepal

On April 25th 2015 there was 7.8 Richter scale earthquake in Nepal resulting in 9,000 fatalities and 19,000 injuries mainly in Gorkha, Dhading, Lamjung, Rasuwa (Langtang), Sindupalchok and Dolaka districts. Beyond the human cost, there was a huge amount of destruction to property resulting in over 500,000 houses being destroyed throughout the country and, as widely reported in the press, a lot of damage to the World heritage Sites of Kathmandu Valley.

After the earthquake the media reports focused on the destruction at the World Heritage Sites however I was curious to find out which temples and buildings were still standing. As I was in Kathmandu I decided to inspect and to take photographs of these temples and historical buildings to find out their condition after the earthquake.

On May 12th and 13th I visited six out of the seven World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu Valley: Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Temple and Patan Durbar Square. I did not get the chance to have a look the seventh World Heritage site at Changu Narayan Temple.

It is incredibly sad to see many temples damaged and destroyed however I was surprised to also discover many were still standing and hardly affected by the earthquake. As my visit was more than two weeks after the main earthquake a lot of the debris had been cleared up by the army, police and many volunteer helpers.

From seeing these places after the earthquake I have come to the conclusion it is certainly still well worth visiting the World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu Valley. Pashupatinath Temple was barely affected; in Patan and Bhaktapur most of the temples are still standing. I was very relieved to see both Boudhanath and Swayambhunath Buddhist stupas had survived too. It seems that Kathmandu Durbar Square was worst affected by the earthquake.

I have listed below the condition of World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu Valley, please get in touch if you have any further information or changes since my visits.

Kathmandu Durbar Square

The good news is that Taleju temple known as tallest in Kathmandu survived, this is located at the north end of Durbar Square. In this area, the Jagannath Temple as well as the nearby Vishnu and Indrapur temples are also intact. The large stone image of Kala Bhairab, a manifestation of Shiva, known as God of wrath and terror is still standing.

Photo: Taleju temple after 2015 earthquake

Photo: entry to north side of Durbar Square

Over on the south side of Durbar Square the Kumari House sustained only minor damage, this is where a girl known as Kumar revered as the living goddess, lives.  Other surviving temples and buildings include Bimaheshwor Temple, Kabindradpur Sattal, House of the Priest, Mahhendreshwar Temple and Kabindra. The Shiva Parvati temple house where the Hindu gods Shiva and his consort Parvati take shelter has also survived.

Photo: Gaddi Durbar (heavily cracked) and empty plinth from destroyed Trailoka Narayan temple

Photo: rubble and debris from destroyed Kasthamandap temple 

Sadly the temples of Kasthamandap and nearby Biseshwori Mahadev as well as the tall pagoda style temples of Maju Dewal and Narayan that used to dominate Durbar Square all have completely collapsed. Trailoyka Narayan temple has been destroyed and and the large statue of Garuda, the mount of Lord Vishnu, has toppled. The nine-storey Basantapur tower overlooking Basantapur square has partially collapsed. The old royal palace at Hanuman Dhoka and also the large white palace at Gaddi Burbar has been badly damaged. The statue of King Pratap Malla in front of Hanuman Dhoka has toppled over.

Photo: Basantapur tower has partially collapsed after 2015 earthquake

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is believed to be the oldest city in the valley dating back to Licchavi period 350 to 740 AD. The good news is that most of the temples survived however many of the older private houses collapsed around the main squares.  Fortunately the famous Pashupatinath, Nyatapola and Dattatraya temples all still standing. 

Photo: Chyasilin and Pashupatinath temples after 2015 earthquake

The Royal Palace, the magnificent Golden Gate and the palace of fifty- five windows all survived. The Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla seen on a column facing the palace is still standing as well as the nearby Chyasilin Temple rebuild recently after 1936 earthquake.

Photo: Palace of 55 windows after earthquake

Photo: Nyatapola temple after 2015 earthquake

Vatsala Durga temple between Chyaslin and Pashupatinath collapsed and Siddhi Lakshmi shikara is damaged although still standing.

Patan Durbar Square

Luckily the magnificent Royal Palace survived the earthquake and its tall pagoda of Degutale. The main temples in Durbar Square Chyasin Dega, Krishna and Bhimsen survived too. However unfortunately Hari Shankar and Char Narain temples have completely collapsed. I heard Kwa Bahal monastery complex often know as Golden Temple and Machchhendranath Temple also are still standing. 

North of Durbar Square in Swotha Square the three-tiered pagoda temple dedicated to Radha-Krishna has collapsed (I climbed onto the stone plinth during the second earthquake on May 12th).

Photo: Royal Palace and Degutale pagoda

Photo: Krishna temple to left with Garuda on pillar facing temple

Photo: Bhimsen (merchant) temple

Photo: Vishwanath temple

Boudhanath stupa

The Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath has survived the earthquake intact, some of the golden sections at the top have been dislodged however these should be repairable. I noticed one one of the smaller stupas on north -east side has collapsed.

Photo: Boudhanath stupa after 2015 earthquake

Swayambunath stupa

The Buddhist stupa of Swayambunath has survived although many of the buildings, monasteries and temples around the main stupa have been damaged and collapsed. 

Photo: Syambunath stupa after 2015 earthquake

Photo: Harati temple (Hindu)

Photo: Anantapur shikhara temple destroyed in 2015 earhquake

Photo: Karmaraj Mahavihar monastery badly damaged

Pashupatinath

There has been very little damage at Pashupatinath temple complex located on the banks of the holy Bagmati river. Sadly the ghats have been busy with cremations for the many people killed during 2015 earthquake. 

Photo: Pashupatinath temple

Photo: ghats with cremations on holy Bagmati river

The best way to help Nepal to recover from this devastating disaster is to come and visit later in the year. As you can see from these photos many of the temples and buildings of the World Heritage Sites of the Kathmandu Valley are still standing and not affected by the earthquake. There is no doubt Nepal with assistance from UNESCO and international community will rebuild many of the destroyed and damaged temples.

Please support Nepal by coming to visit for holiday this Autumn season. Most of the trekking areas in Nepal will be open apart from areas like Gorka and Langtang most severely affected, I will write an article on TMC blog with more information about where it is possible to trek once we have more information.

Please get in touch if you have any further information or updates on the current condition of these places or if you have any corrections on this blog. Thanks!

Roland Hunter

www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Black-necked cranes in Bhutan

Photo: Black-necked cranes in Phobjika valley in Bhutan

A Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) has an average height of 1.5 meters, weighs about 5kg and lives approximately 70 to 80 years. There are an estimated 11,000 Black-necked cranes in the world and about 500 of these birds spend the winter in Bhutan. Black-necked cranes can also be found in Pakistan, China, northern India and Vietnam. Over the summer these birds breed on the Tibetan plateau, Ladakh and Kashmir then migrate to lower altitudes for the winter. It is worth pointing out that our Ladakh Sky Trail GHT itinerary passes next to Tso Kar lake known as an important breeding ground for Black-necked cranes.

Black-necked cranes migrate to Bhutan from late October to end of February. In Bhutan the cranes are called Thurung-thrung Karm and are known as “heavenly birds” because of their beauty and association with long life. Phobjikha valley is one of the best places to see these birds. There are also crane overwintering areas in Gyetsa village (start of Kitiphu Ridge trek), Jakar in Bumthang valley, Punakha and Wangdi.

Phobjika valley is accessible by road and is located 129km from Thimphu and 89km from Trongsa, after crossing Lawala Pass at 3,360m the road descends to Phobjika valley at an altitude of 2,900m. Phojikha is often called Gangtey after the name of the monastery in this valley.

Photo: beautiful Phobjika valley

Photo: Gangtey gompa in Phobjikha valley

On November 12th the annual Black-necked cranes festival is held in Phobjikha valley. The festival includes cultural and mask dances, short plays and exhibitions organised by the local community.

Photo: wetlands of Phobjika valley from Gangtey Nature Trail

Photo: Dwarf bamboo is favourite food of the cranes

Photo: Black-necked cranes in Phobjikha valley

Photo: Black-necked cranes in Phobjikha valley

Photo: cranes in flight above Gyetsa village

Phobjikha is located on the north western edge of Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park and is protected due to its ecological significance and rich natural heritage. Phobjikha valley has the largest wetland in Bhutan and is habitat to about 300 Black-necked cranes that migrate in winter from their breeding grounds in Tibet.

On arrival to Phobjkha we suggest you walk along the Gangtey Nature Trail with views onto the wetlands where you will hopefully see Black-necked cranes in their roosting grounds. At end of the nature trail you will meet up with your transport for the drive up to the Black-necked cranes visitor centre.

Photo: Black-necked crane Information Centre

Photo: 311 cranes counted in December 2014 by Information Centre

Photo: Life sized crane at Information Centre

It is important that all tourists carefully read and follow the Green Code of Conduct listed below:

• Stay on the trails, do not walk wherever you desire.
• Do not tamper or collect flowers and plants.
• Dispose your garbage at a proper place and carry back all non-biodegradable wastes for recycling/reuse or to a safe disposable site.
• Do not use camera with flash; it will disturb the cranes and other wildlife.
• Wear dull-colored clothes when near the crane roost. Bright clothes will alarm the cranes.
• Be as quite as possible when near the crane roost. Also refrain from using vehicle horns in the valley.
• Use only designated campsite (consult RSPN/DoF for a proper campsite).
• Avoid using firewood. Do not leave fire unattended.
• Respect the cultural heritage and customs of the area

Photo: Phobjika Conservation Area with Green Code of Conduct

The Mountain Company organises several itineraries visiting Phobjika (Gangtey) valley including our Luxury Classic Tour of Bhutan, Classic Tour of Bhutan and Kitiphu Ridge trek. For our standard tours and treks in Phobjika we use Hotel Dewachen , Hotel Yo-Lo-Koe or Hotel Gankiling whereas for our luxury tours we use the wonderful Aman Kora Gangtey or Gangtey Palace. Please get in touch with us if you would like to visit Bhutan and its wonderful Phobjikha valley.

Roland Hunter

www.themountaincompany.co.uk