Trek to Tendi’s home village of Saisima

To raise funds for the Tendi Sherpa Foundation

Tendi Sherpa, on behalf of the Tendi Sherpa Foundation (TSF), looks forward to welcoming you to Nepal and taking you on a trek to his home village of Saisima in the remote Khembalung valley, an area reputed to be the inspiration behind the legend of Shangri La.

Only TSF operate a trek in this area and during your trek you will visit Rai, Sherpa and Tamang communities and experience a very special insight into the cultural and ethnical diversity of Nepal. The people you meet will have seen very few Westerners before.

The trek, starting at an elevation of 410 meters and rising to 3000 meters, offers a huge variety of fauna and flora and panoramic views of giant snow-coveredmountains.

In places the walking is challenging, although anyone with a decent level of fitness, stamina and determination should be able to complete the trek. It is recommended to wear boots that have been worn in and to know how to walk properly with trekking poles.

Your porters and some of your guides will be local to the Khembalung valley and will greatly enhance your overall experience – as well as humbling you with the loads they are able to carry!

Toilet facilities on trek will be basic – usually a communal toilet tent with a hole in the ground – but this small inconvenience will be more than compensated for by the food created by the head cook and his team; the fare produced each night under such limiting circumstances must be seen and tasted to be believed!

Tendi and his team will do all they can to ensure you have a wonderful trekking and cultural experience.

In Kathmandu, we stay at the famous and historic Yak & Yeti Hotel, only a shortdrive from Tribhuvan International Airport.  

On trek we stay in tents.

THIS TREK WILL RUN FOR A MAXIMUM OF 15 GUESTS

Overview
Arrive Kathmandu:
Sunday 17 November 2024
Total nights in Nepal:
11
Total days Trekking:
7
Maximum Height:
3000m
Trekking Type:
Cultural experience
Difficulty:
Moderately difficult.
Accommodation:
Hotel in Kathmandu & camping on trek
Depart Kathmandu (Day 12):
Thursday 28 November 2024

COST PER PERSON: £3,250

To register your interest please email trustees@tsfnepal.org
A deposit of £1,000 per person is payable to confirm a booking

DAY 1

Kathmandu
Elevation: 1400 meters

Tendi will be waiting to welcome you to Nepal following your arrival at Kathmandu’s international airport.  You will then transfer to the famous and historic Yak & Yeti Hotelwhere you can rest and relax after your long journey.

DAY 2

Kathmandu

In the morning rest and relax. Trek briefing and final packing. In the afternoon we arrange for you to enjoy an optional cultural city tour with a professional guide. Favourite destinations include the Monkey Temple, a Buddhist temple situated on a small hill thatoffers panoramic views of the city, and the Pashupatinath temple, one of the most famous Hindu temples in Nepal and the most famous Shiva temple in Asia, with cremation ghatssimilar to the Ganges in India.. Stay at the Yak & Yeti Hotel. B

DAY 3

Fly to Tumlingtar and drive to Khadbari
Elevation: 867 m

From Kathmandu, we take a 40-minute flight to reach Tumlingtar (410m).  In clear weather, the sights from the plane are amazing, providing dramatic views of terraced hillsides and the distant Himalayan giants. After landing at Tumlingtar airport, we drive for one hour to the town of Khadbari, which is the headquarters of the district of Sankhuwasabha. We stop here for lunch then continue driving for another 1h 20 minutes to a hilltop called Harelo Dada at 1,938m where we set up camp and enjoy views of the mountains and the Arun River valley. BLD

DAY 4

Drive to Pikhuwa and trek to Waleng
Elevation: 1200 m

Today we start our trek to Tendi’s home village of Saisima. After breakfast we continue driving to the Arun River where you will see a large hydro-electric power station being constructed (900MW). After crossing the Arun River we will stop for lunch and meet up with our porters before trekking to the village of Waleng, which has around 70 houses spread over the hillsides with their terraced rice paddies. BLD

DAY 5

Trek to Gonthala
Elevation: 2100 m

This morning we walk uphill until reaching the Sherpa village of Gonthala. This is where Tendi was first engaged in social activities; for example, the ‘Greenhouse Project’, scholarship programs, installing a solar power system and smokeless ovens. BLD

DAY 6

Trek to Saisima
Elevation: 2500 m

Today we trek to the small village of Dhobatak, a sacred place for Buddhists. We will visit the cave where, in the 7th century, Guru Padmasambhava discovered and meditated. Many pilgrims from Nepal and further afield visit this holy place each year. Soon after, the pathgoes uphill again, taking 2 hours to reach a ridge before continuing as an easy-going trail to reach Saisima village, the last village in the region and where Tendi was born and grew up. BLD

DAY 7

Saisima Village

Today, we explore Saisima Village which is the focus of the assistance TSF has given to date. We will visit the Community House that TSF funded along with other houses that Tendi built immediately after the devastating earthquake of April 2015.  We will also have the opportunity to meet some of Tendi’s close relatives who still live and farm in Saisima. Tendi will talk about his village and his dreams to improve the lives of those who live there, with a particular focus on disadvantaged children. BLD

DAY 8

Trek to Dobato
Elevation: 2500 m

After breakfast, we retrace our steps downhill to Dhobatak where we will enjoy a relaxed lunch. We then continue trekking until reaching Gonthala before a 1 hour climb to Dobato, a yak pasture with wonderful camping and views of numerous snow-covered peaks. BLD

DAY 9

Trek to Khanigau
Elevation: 1750 m

Leaving camp after breakfast, the trail gains 500m in elevation to reach the highest point of the trek at Deurali Danda (3000m) where there is a fabulous viewpoint. The trail then continues downhill until we reach our camp site at the village of Khanigau. BLD

DAY 10

Drive to Khadbari
Elevation: 867 m

We return to Khadbari along a rough and recently constructed road in 4 x 4 vehicles to reach our final camp site. Here we say our fond farewells to all the porters BLD

DAY 11

Drive to Tumlingtar and fly to Kathmandu

Today we drive to Tumlingtar before flying back to Kathmandu and transfer to the Yak & Yeti Hotel. In the evening Tendi will host a celebration farewell dinner. BD

DAY 12

International flight home

At a pre-arranged time, you will be met at your hotel and transferred to Kathmandu’s international airport for final departure.

Included:

• Airport pick-up and drop-off
• Shared twin-room accommodation at the Yak & Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu
• Camping on trek
• Domestic flight costs, cargo fees and local transportation
• Breakfasts in Kathmandu and all meals on trek
• All National Park fees
• All wages for porters, assistant guides, cooks and kitchen crews
• All tips for porters, assistant guides, cooks and kitchen crew
• Cultural tour in Kathmandu with a professional guide
• Final Celebration Dinner

Excluded:

• Nepal visa fees
• International air tickets
• Personal medications and immunizations
• Personal travel insurance
• Personal trekking equipment and clothing
• Personal expenses on trek

Notes:

• Clients can choose to have a single tent on trek at no additional cost
• Single supplement for Yak & Yeti Hotel of £50 per night
• The itinerary may change due to weather, route conditions and other factors beyond our control
• Any additional costs incurred as a result of factors outside our control will have to be borne personally

The temperature during this trek can range from over 30°C during the day to below freezing at night and your clothing and sleeping bag need to be able to cope with these extremes. Normally there will be no rain but it is possible, so waterproofs should be packed.

Temperatures can drop very quickly in the evening at altitude and, in order to stay warm, you should carry a dry shirt or t-shirt and your lightweight insulated jacket in your day sack to put on as soon as you reach camp and the walking has finished for the day.

Sun hats are an essential item, with a wide brim and something, for example a buff, to protect your neck and to prevent the inhalation of dust.

Your boots are your most important item of clothing. For this trek, we would recommend you use the boots you normally use for hill walking in the UK. If you need to buy boots make sure you fully break them in before going on trek. When buying new boots from a specialist retailer, explain exactly what you are going to use the boots for (trekking up to 3000 metres in a remote area of Nepal) and take the time to choose a pair that fit you well, remembering to put on a pair of walking socks when trying the boots on. Your boots should provide a good degree of ankle support and have a quality sole such as Vibram, and it is useful if they have a waterproof lining, such as Goretex.

Supplied Equipment

Tents for either single or double occupancy, comfortable matresses and pillows.

Renting Equipment

It is possible to rent sleeping bags and down jackets in Kathmandu but Tendi recommends bringing your own as rental ones can be damaged – and sometimes smell a bit! It is also possible to rent equipment in the UK: http://trekhireuk.com

FOR KATHMANDU
  • Casual non-trekking clothes and comfortable walking shoes to wear in Kathmandu
  • Small lockable suitcase or bag so you can leave your spare clothes and personal toiletries not needed on trek in Kathmandu for collection on your return
  • Swimwear and flip flops if your Kathmandu hotel has a swimming pool
  • Electrical adaptor suitable for Nepal
ON TREK

Clothing:

  • Lightweight good quality boots, preferably waterproof and spare laces
  • Trainers or comfortable shoes for wearing in the evening after trekking (and in Kathmandu)
  • Fully waterproof and breathable over-trousers and jacket (with hood)
  • Lightweight insulated down or synthetic jacket for colder evenings at altitude
  • Trekking trousers: at least 3 pairs and useful if they convert into shorts
  • Trekking shorts if you prefer
  • Underwear: non cotton
  • Base layer: at least 3 merino wool or breathable synthetic tops
  • Shirts: at least 3 lightweight, synthetic shirts – not cotton – with either long or short sleeves
  • Soft shell jacket or light fleece – 1 or 2
  • Socks: 5 or more pairs of wool or synthetic medium weight trekking socks, enough for a fresh pair at least every 2 days
  • Warm hat
  • Sunhat or cap
  • Buff or bandana: for warmth and also to protect the back of your neck from the sun
  • Gloves: 1 pair of thin gloves and 1 pair of water & windproof gloves

Equipment and accessories

Try and keep your equipment lightweight whenever possible. This is our suggested list:

  • Duffel bag (and padlock): 100 litres or more, made of tough, ideally waterproof, material with rugged zippers
  • Day sack: 25 to 30 litres with a rain cover
  • Trekking poles
  • Assorted waterproof stuff sacks or plastic bags to keep your clothes and kit dry
  • Sleeping bag: good quality with a comfort rating of – 5°C and a liner if you wish
  • Head torch
  • Water bottles: 2 x 1 litre, preferably metal (e.g. SIGG) or hard plastic (e.g. Nalgene) which can be used as a hot water bottle at night
    Water purification tablets
  • Sunglasses with 100% UV protection plus a spare pair
    If you wear glasses, bring a spare pair as contact lenses can cause problems due to dust
  • Sun cream and lip guard with at least 30 SPF
  • Insect repellent
  • Throat sweets
  • Camera
  • Wash kit: bio-degradable soap/shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush
  • Trek towels: 1 large (in duffel) and 1 small (in day sack)
  • Antibacterial gel (for hands) and wetwipes (for other places!)
  • Travel tissues
  • Earplugs
  • Solar power charger or spare batteries for electrical items
  • Plastic bag to store garbage on trek
  • Binoculars: although not essential, a lightweight pair will add to your experience
  • Books, journal, pens, cards, travel games etc. – for any spare time.

Personal first aid kit

  • Any personal medicines or antibiotics (tell Tendi if you have any conditions and are taking medication)
  • Antiseptic cream
  • Anti-fungal foot powder
  • Antihistamine tablets and/or cream
  • Anti-blister plasters – e.g. Compeed
  • Assorted plasters
  • Anti diarrhea medication – e.g. Imodium
  • Rehydration powders – e.g. Dioralyte
  • Painkiller tablets – e.g. paracetemol or aspirin