This is a extreme Peak climbing and a newly discovered trekking route, which started in 2006. It is a challenging and very popular peak and trekking route, out of the beaten tracks. Saribung is situated in isolated part of Mustang region, part of Damodar Himal, close to the border of Chinese Tibet. The trail is rugged, cutting high into cliff sides, and passes villages which have little changed over centuries. It can be done in anti-clockwise, for which this trip starts from Nar-Phu, which is also a hidden valley. Then it ascends to Saribung pass and enters in the Mustang region, known since Tibetan people came from Tibet, nearly after Dalai Lama flew to Nepal. Then down to Jomsom.
Or clockwise, in that case the trek starts from Jomsom, and follows Upper Mustang trail, descends to Nar-Phu valley, to end in Besisahar Bazar, where it is easier to catch the vehicle for Kathmandu.

Saribung peak climbing is easy to do, but there are many passes with ice and crevasses between the Damodar Kunda lake, a Hindu holy site. Then passing the Sarinbung pass we can reach the Nar-Phu valley. The trek starts from one place to another with great sceneries, as cultures, religious and geographical variations, so trekkers can enjoy these fantastic and picturesque views and the diversity in this region. It will cross challenging passes near Saribung Peak/6346m. The trekkers and climbers feel really pleased with views of Himalaya beyond them.
During the trek, trekkers meet different villages, monasteries, cultures, religions, and Tibetan life style in Mustang and Nar Phu areas. The main thing is the spectacular mountain scenery, where we can rest. This trek will take 20 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu.

Normal Itinerary:

Day 01: Arrival at Kathmandu.(1350m)
Day 02: Morning briefing & flight to Pokhara.(850M) Overnight in Hotel with BB,
Day 03: Pokhara – Jomsom – Kagbeni (2800m) 3h [245m ascent – 140m descent]. Overnight in lodges BLD
Day 04: Kagbeni – Chele (3075m) 6h30, [920m ascent – 240m descent] Overnight in lodges BLD
Day 05: Chele – Gheling (3560m) 7h [1 270m ascent – 785m descent] Overnight in lodges BLD
Day 06: Gheling – Dhakmar(3820m) [735m ascent – 600m descent] Overnight in lodges BLD
Day 07: Dhakmar – Tsarang (3580m) 7h [370m ascent – 575m desent] Overnight in lodges BLD
Day 08: Tsarang – Lo Manthang(3809m) 5h [350m ascent – 125m descent] Overnight in guest house BLD
Day 09: Lo-manthang rest to excursion to Chhosar cave 4hr walk 4200m overnight in guest house with BLD
Day 10: Lomanthang- Yara Village 5hr walk 39m 500m descend and 280m ascend over night in guest house with BLD
Day 11: Yara – Ghuma Thanti(4600m) 7h [1 050m ascent – 200m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD
Day 12: Ghuma Thati – Namta Khola 7/8hr walk 4890m overnight in tent with BLD
Day 13: Namta Khola-Saribung Base camp 5hr walk 4980m overnight in tent with BLD
Day 14: Acclimatization day O/N Same camp in tent with BB/D/L
Day 15: Saribung High camp 5730m/5-6 hours, overnight in tent with BLD
Day 16: Saribung high camp to Saribung pass 6100m and Saribung peak summit 6328m. Descent to Bhrihuti or Japanese BC (5070M) 12h [610m ascent – 1260m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD
Day 17: Bhrihuti BC/Japanese BC – Phu Gaun(3995m) 6h walk [200m ascent – 1100m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD
Day 18: rest day in Phu village Overnight in Tent BLD
Day 19: Phu – Mahendra Pul/Meta (3425m) 5h 30 [510m ascent – 1080m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD
Day 20: Meta– Koto (4500m) 6h (1175m ascent–100m descent] Overnight in lodges BLD
Day 21: Koto-BeshiSahar-Kathmandu: we reserve the jeep, 10hr drive, overnight in same hotel with BB
Day 22: Rest day in Kathmandu for souvenir, overnight in the same Hotel with BB
Day 23: According to your Flight, departure to international airport in our private vehicle

For Details click on row itinerary.

Furthermore, if you need help to manage plans for this peak climbing,

kindly keep in touch with Himalayanrandoner, we will support you.

Day 01 - Arrival in Kathmandu.( 1350m)Overnight in Hotel with BB.

Himalayanrandonner will greet you on arrival, and transfer you to the hotel. Here you will be formally introduced to us. I will hold the briefing regarding the trip and the climbing equipment. I will be with you during the trek, and the activities over the next few days. We will also ask for your passport, photographs and any other details required for your trek permits, at this stage.

Day 02 - Morning briefing & Fly to Pokhara.(850M) Overnight in Hotel BB

Around afternoon, flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara city, free day or little roaming to see the city of Pokhara on the side of Phewa Lake, with Annapurna range in the background.

Day 03 - Pokhara- Jomsom- Kagbeni (2800m) 3h camp [245m ascent – 140m, Overnight in lodges BLD

Early morning at 5am, you leave the hotel to catch the flight to Jomsom. You must reach the domestic airport 1 hour before the flight, for check-in. Then you will fly, seeing the panoramas on Annapurna range with Nilgiri (7108m) towering Jomsom. Jomsom is situated at 2800m, a strong wind blowing from south to north. Our trek starts upstream the Kali Gandaki wide riverbed to reach Kagbeni, the gateway of Mustang. It’s a green oasis at the junction of the Jhong Khola and the Kali Gandaki. Kagbeni looks like a town out of the medieval past, with closely packed mud houses, dark alleys and a large, ochre-colored Gompa perched above the town.

Day 04 - Trek to Kagbeni – Chele (3075m) 6h 30 camp [920m ascent – 240m descent] Overnight in Trekking lodges BLD

In the morning, having breakfast around 7/8 o'clock, you will start trekking. Almost immediately the path climbs quite steeply up into a jumble of gullies and small towers, zigzagging to a viewpoint over Kagbeni, with Nilgiri providing a dazzling white fluted backdrop. The trail keeps to the east bank, climbing and descending, to avoid the many river crossings necessary if we take the stony flat plain route used by horse riders and locals. After crossing a small tributary of the Tangbe khola, the path climbs gently to Thangbe, the first village of Mustang. It’s an ancient fort with a labyrinth of alleys and its chortens alignment overhanging the river. The path goes further to Chuksang, with its troglodyte monastery and many white-washed houses. The trail passes below a fort and village with red and white striped buildings on the east side. On the west side are great towering cliffs of amazing eroded pipes, chimneys and gullies in glowing yellow, gold, orange and red colors. After a short walk along the river bed, there is a solid bridge across the Kali Gandaki at the point where it tunnels its way under a vast block of red sandstone. From here it is a short sharp climb to Chele village, set high up a rocky peak.

Day 05 - Chele – Geling  (3560m) 7h [1 270m ascent – 785m Overnight in lodges BLD 

A tremendous canyon opens out between the trail and the village, surrounded by a patchwork of rich red buckwheat and brilliant green fields. The trail, narrow in places, hugs the east wall of the canyon, with almost vertical drops and looses edges. This path leads to a pass at 3550m. The view offers a panorama of Nilgiri, Tilicho, Yakawa kang and Damodar Himal. Then the path enters a large sided valley and descends to Samar, a beautiful village with poplars. From that point we take the pilgrims' itinerary, a steep climb down a gorge to a sacred cave with a natural carved chorten. From there we climb up a very nice canyon to Syangmoche, before crossing a pass at 3800m. From here we have the first view of Geling village below. From here the path descends gradually into another less severe gully, and climbs out to a collection of houses. About some minutes walk from this point is an old fort, from where there is a superb view down over the picturesque village of Geling, the old royal place with its monastery.

Day 06 - Gheling – Dhakmar(3820m) [735m ascent – 600m descent] Overnight in lodges BLD

The path climbs up the Nyi la pass (4000m) and descends steeply to Ghemi, a nice village amidst an oasis. On the way after Ghemi we pass by a long mani wall, before climbing up to Tramar, famous for its very dramatic red eroded canyon wall towering above the village.

Day 07 - Dhakmar – Tsarang (3580m) 7h [370m ascent – 575m desent] Overnight in lodges BLD

The path climbs steep up a nice canyon to a pass before going down to Lo Gekar with its 8th century monastery, sheltering huge statues of Buddha. The path goes on through buckwheat and barley fields to Tsarang, a wonderful village with its palace and monastery clung to the rock .

Day 08 - Tsarang – Lo Manthang(3809m) 5h [350m ascent  - 125m descent] Overnight in guest house BLD

Today's walk is not long. Now we leave Tsarang village before going steeply down to a river bridge. After crossing the river the route is initially very steep up a stony track. As you turn round the corner and head north, a fine view unfolds to the south, with Tsarang on the edge of the cliff in the foreground and the great white Himalayan peaks of Nilgiri, Tilicho and Annapurna I behind. Bhrikuti Peak is visible to the south-east. The trail climbs gently along the west side of a side valley to an isolated chorten at 3620m, 2 hours from Tsarang. A further hour takes you to 3700m with some spectacular caves high up in the cliffs to the east. The trail now heads across an open region, always climbing gently beside a cliff of fine yellow conglomerate and dark horizontal iron bands. Having climbed to around 4000m, Lo Pass is reached, where you will see the view of the walled city of Lo Manthang. there are three monasteries that we visit after lunch. They will charge 10$ per person (entry for three monasteries). Descending for some time the trail crosses a stream and climbs up to Lo Manthang.

Day 09 - Lo-manthang rest to excursion to Chhosar cave 4hr walk 4200m over night in guest house with BLD

Acclimatization.
Hike to Chhoser 7-8 hours today, we have 2 options to explore the forbidden kingdom, we visit Chhoser village and explore another one. Both are significant hikes. If we decide to go to Chhoser, we can visit a cave and monastery or you can rest quietly.

Day 10 - Lomanthang- Yara Village 5hr walk 39m 500m descend and 280m ascend over night in guest house with BLD

We leave the village and keep on by gently ascending, until we reach Lo-La which takes about an hour. This is the last point where we can see Lo-Manthang. After 3 hours, we reach Dhi village, then we descend for about 1 hour steeply down, where we will have lunch break. After lunch we cross the Kaliganki river and our way walks on the edge of the small stream coming from Yara, and we make a short steep climb to Yara village. It takes about 2 hours walk after lunch. We can see innumerable caves in stone walls before arriving at Yara village.

Day 11 - Yara – Ghuma Thanti(4600m) 7h [1 050m ascent – 200m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD

This day we have to prepare a pack lunch, because there is no way cooking before Ghuma Thanti, and it will be very windy. The trail descends through the gorge to join the main trail Yara – Ghuma Thanti, a nice walk from hilltop to hilltop through the pastures. At 4600m, the trail crosses a wide grassy plateau offering superb views of the huge Dhaulagiri mountain. The path continues climbing up to a pass at 4940m, and descends to Ghuma Thanti, a place built as a shelter for the Buddhist pilgrims going to the sacred Damodar kunda lakes.

Day 12 - Ghuma Thati - Namta Khola 7/8hr walk 4890m over night in tent with BLD

This day is long today, as we have cross two passes. The trail climbs big slopes through a wild lunar landscape ,to reach a pass at 5320m, offering tremendous views of the Dhaulagiri. Further down, after a long crossing, we can enjoy views of the Annapurna I. The trail makes a steep ascent and descent to the bottom of the thalweg of the Parche khola. After lunch, we steep up the second and last pass to reach the Namta Khola.

Day 13 - Namta Khola-Saribung Base camp 5hr walk 4980m over night in tent with BLD

Trek to Saribung Base Camp (4980m) 5 hours, a moraine camp over the glacier. The path follows Damodar Kunda and on the right side Damodar Himal . It makes a long Y, crossing to avoid a landslide, and joins the river at which we can ford. Through a broad valley the trail reaches the sacred lakes. There is a small Hindu shrine and a very old Buddhist chorten on top of the ridge witnessing the holiness. You can explore Bhrikuti Mountain, 150 meters ahead from the Base camp (you are in high altitude)

Day 14 - Acclimatization day O/N Same tent with BB/D/L

Acclimatization day. Today is a free day to explore the surrounding hills and acclimatizing to high altitude for the further expedition.

Day 15 - Saribung High camp 5730m/5-6 hours, over night in tent with BLD

Today is a transitional day, before the high mountain and its completely different ambiance. We need to make a pack-lunch due to unappropriated conditions cooking on this day. The first part of the ascent is on the moraines of the eastern side of the glacier, and is marked by small cairns. We have to join the glacier to follow till its end a very beautiful way of ice blocks. At about 5700m, the path crosses the glacier quite horizontally to follow the western moraine. Views of the Khumjunggar Himal (6959m), and Bhrikuti peak 7000m, you can see to the north east the range of the chimney of Saribung peak.

Day 16 - Saribung high camp to Saribung pass 6100m and Saribung peak summit 6328m back to Bhrihuti BC (5070M) 12h [610m ascent – 1 260m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD

We must make a pack lunch due to unappropriated possibilities for cooking on this day too. 10/12 hr walk, to reach the pass the trail which follows the moraine, then a little crevassed glacier during 3 hours. The summit is 200 meters further on 300 m easy snow capped slopes opening on a broad ridge. From the summit of Saribung we have a superb panorama of Gyajikang, Himlung, Bhrikuti, etc.. From the pass the descent on the other side requires some precautions, due to many more crevasses. At the end of the glacier, it is time to take off the crampons for this endless walk on the edge of the eastern moraine, till the camp, but sometimes we have to care about the weather, which can be foggy and we can be lost. On this day after the pass , if there is no water in Bhrikuti base camp we will have to move for 2 and 30 minutes descend up to Japanese base camp, where we can find water.

Day 17 - Bhrihuti BC/Japanese BC – Phu Gaun(3995m) 6h [200m ascent – 1 100m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD  

The trail descends a hilltop till a stream that we cross, and the path follows the riverside till a second stream we ford. On the opposite side by climbing up a glacial escarpment the trail joins a well marked path through pastures till Ngaru, a village now abandoned. The trail climbs steeply up during 200m to reach a very pleasant path, leading to Phu, a packed village perched on a rocky peak and inhabited by Tibetan people.

Day 18 - rest in Phu Over night in Tent BLD 

After our long stay in altitude, the porters need to rest and refresh, and we shall enjoy visiting Phu’s monastery on the opposite hilltop. Tashi Lakhang Monastery is listed out of the 108 world’s great Buddhist Monasteries; it is believed to be the last monastery constructed by Karmapa Rinpoche. We have a great view of Himlung Himal and other snow peaks. Phu is an incredibly interesting village, and a day is well spent sitting with the villagers as they spin their yak and sheep wool and chat, pound mustard seeds into a paste for oil, or involve themselves in the countless activities that take up a day in Tibetan villages.

Day 19 - Phu – Mahendra Pul/Meta (3425m) 5h 30 [510m ascent – 1 080m descent] Overnight in Tent BLD

The trail crosses a long suspension bridge, passes by an alignment of chortens, then through the gate of the village before descending the Phu Khola gorge till Kyang, the extensive winter settlement of Phu, on a plateau high above the river. The path continues down to Chyakoo, another winter settlement. It is a great pleasure to find some trees again! Passing by Jhunam, on a fork we take the path on the right, down to the old bridge spanning a deep, contoured and narrow gorge. The old gompa nearby is closed.

Day 20 - Meta– Koto (4500m) 6h (1175m ascent – 100m descent] Overnight in Trekking lodges BLD

The trail begins steeply up, finally reaches the Nar gates at the top of the hill, and passes by yet another line of wonderfully painted, bamboo-topped chortens and a large tiered chorten, before turning the corner and being rewarded with sublime views of Nar, the undulating patterns of the surrounding barley and mustard fields, four old, colorful and traditional gompas and the snow-peaks looming overhead. Above Naar, Pisang Peak is looming up in front. On the barren slopes we might be lucky to see some blue sheep.

Day 21 - Koto-Beshisahar-Kathamndu we catch the jeep, 10hr drive, over night in guest house with BD

We catch the jeep reserved to Beshisahar-Kathmandu, it takes 10 hours, road is a sponge bumping road to Beshishar. We pass through Dharapani where is the control point for Annapurna and Nar Phu Valley, and we continue Beshisahar to Kathmandu, It is a central city of this valley, a crowded point, who live many ethnic groups. back to Kathmandu passes through beautiful landscapes and picturesque villages, on theedge of the Marshyangdi river. The views of mountains are spectacular during the driving, you will arrive at the same Hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 22 - Rest day in Kathmandu for souvenir, over night same Hotel with BB

This day is rest day for your souvenir, prepare your materials, pack back.

Day 23 - according to your Flight, departure to international airport by our private vehicle

You will catch your flight this day, so we drop you by our private vehicle to the international airport before 3 hours, a good time before your flight back home.

COST INCLUDES: -

• Free airport-hotel-airport pick up and transport by car/Van. depends on group
• 3 nights accommodation with breakfast in a Standard hotel in Kathmandu and 1 night in Pokhara.
• Kathmandu city tour as per the above itinerary.
• All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner during the trek.
• Tea, coffee, cookies and hot water during the camping trek
• Camping gears: Tents for guests, Nepalese staffs, Kitchen, Dining and toilet.
• Guide, cook, Sherpa and necessary porters and their salaries, insurance and equipment charge.
• Tent accommodation during all the climbing period.
• All the domestic flights (Pokhara-Jomsom) and airport tax.
• ACAP, TIMS Card, Upper Mustang Restricted, Nar- Phu Restricted Area Permits.
• Peak Climbing Permit, Garbage Deposit.
• Climbing Sherpa’s Equipment Charge and Insurance.
• All Ground transportation during the tour in Nepal.
• All Government taxes, VAT and office Service charge.

COST EXCLUDES: -

•Any Meals in Kathmandu, Travel insurance, International airfare to and from Nepal.
•Nepal Tourist Visa fee, Items and expenses of personal nature.
•Any kind of alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, snacks, laundry, phone call, internet.
•Personal trekking Equipment, Emergency Rescue evacuation in case of emergency (Helicopter)
•Any costs which arise due to a change of the itinerary, because of landslides, political disturbance, and strikes etc.
•50$ extra per day & per person must be paid, if in any weather case, we have to go back from Saribung High camp by the same way through Mustang region.
•Horse renting and additional porters during the trek,
•Tips for the guide, porters, driver.