Photo: Mount Dhaulagiri from Bayeli lodge |
Photo: Rara Lake in west Nepal |
Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk
Himalayan news and updates from The Mountain Company
Photo: Mount Dhaulagiri from Bayeli lodge |
Photo: Rara Lake in west Nepal |
I just read an article in magazine Trek & Mountain's April edition recommending The Mountain Company's Upper Dolpo to Jomsom trek as one of their 10 Best Wilderness treks. Thanks Trek & Mountain and what a great magazine!
The annual Hindu festival of Holi will be celebrate in Nepal and Northern India on March 8th 2012. Holi is also known as festival of colours and is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Be careful to wear old clothes tomorrow especially if you are walking around Thamel in Kathmandu as well aimed water bombs are likely fall from the roof tops!
Hindus celebrate Holi as the end of winter and to welcome the new colours arriving at the start of Spring season. Holi is a Hindu festival linked to their religion and mythology however is celebrated throughout Nepal as a national festival with many people entering festivities regardless of their religion.
One of the VIs, David, had already joined two of our treks both led by Alan, in 2007 he trekked to Upper Mustang in Nepal and in 2010 attempted to climb Stok Kangri in Ladakh. David got in touch with us at end of last year with the idea of planning a trek to Everest Base Camp to coincide with his 60th birthday. Of course we were delighted to be able to help him and he also recruited several friends from his walking group Milton Mountaineers and Vitalise Holidays.
In September Alan organised a training weekend for this group in Brecons, this worked well so that the team could get to know each other. From feedback received I gather everyone found Alan’s various presentations and discussions over the course of the weekend very helpful and aided their preparations for the trek to Everest Base Camp.
Based on our experience with organising David’s previous treks in the Himalayas we realised that each VI would require a sighted helper from UK as well as one Sherpa guide to escort them at all times along the trail. After discussing this set-up on their return I understand worked well with Sherpa guides taking the lead during the day due to their knowledge of the route while also being supported by UK helpers. Then on arrival to lodge in the afternoon UK helper would take over showing VIs around the lodge such as dining room, bedroom and washing facilities.
I enjoyed meeting this group on their return to Kathmandu and hearing about how the trek went for them. They experienced good weather with sun every day and also everyone acclimatised well to the altitude (as a result of our tried and tested 14 day trek itinerary!). The feedback I received was they enjoyed staying at the lodges we had carefully selected for them and I gather Zamling in Namche and Mother Earth were their favourites.
Photo: VIs in Kathmandu published in Republica
This is a photo of David, Jimmy, Leigh and Terry in Kathmandu a few days ago after successfully completing Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal, it is a really special achievement for them as they are all visually impaired with one person having no sight.
I would like thank Alan Ward their western leader and UK helpers (Diana, Rob, Meg and Emma) as well as the rest of the group who supported VIs throughout their trek. A huge thanks to our Nepalese sirdar, Buddhi Rai, plus the Sherpas (Tenzing, Purna, Mangal, Prem, Kulungman and Uttar) as well as the porters who did a superb job making it possible for everyone to achieve their objective of walking to Everest Base Camp.
Thanks also to Rohan Designs Limited who kindly donated over 20kg of clothing for KEEP’s porters lending bank, Alan brought this gear out with him and shortly after arriving to Nepal visited their office in Kathmandu to hand these items over to them.