Key Information
The Limi valley is one of the few fabulous places to witness the vibrant Tibetan culture and lifestyle. This is possible because of the ongoing marital relationship between the people of Western Nepal and Tibet. You will trek on the ancient salt trading and pilgrimage route to the border of Nepal and China. It involves crossing the Nara Lagna 4,620 m and Nyalu La 4900 m passes, with magnificent views of the Himalaya.
You might have the opportunity to spot the elusive snow leopard, Himalayan Blue Sheep (bharal), musk deer, jackals and Kiangs – Tibetan wild asses on this trek. This 18-day-long trip provides insight into one of the less-visited parts of authentic Nepal. The trekking tour takes 15 days and is between moderate to strenuous toughness. It involves hiking several hours daily at high altitudes. The majority of this trek takes place above 3000 m. Therefore, you might feel some effects of high altitude. The best season for this trip is between May and October, as the passes will likely be under snow for the rest of the year.
The Limi valley is one of the few fabulous places to witness the vibrant Tibetan culture and lifestyle. This is possible because of the ongoing marital relationship between the people of Western Nepal and Tibet. You will trek on the ancient salt trading and pilgrimage route to the border of Nepal and China. It involves crossing the Nara Lagna 4,620 m and Nyalu La 4900 m passes, with magnificent views of the Himalayas.
You might have the opportunity to spot the elusive snow leopard, Himalayan Blue Sheep (bharal), musk deer, jackals and Kiangs-Tibetan wild asses on this trek. This 18-day-long trip provides insight into one of the less-visited parts of authentic Nepal. The trekking tour takes 15 days and is between moderate to strenuous toughness. It involves hiking several hours daily at high altitudes. The majority of this trek takes place above 3000 m. Therefore, you might feel some effects of high altitude. The best season for this trip is between May and October, as the passes will likely be under snow for the rest of the year.
Highlights
We strive to do things uniquely different from other Adventure tour companies. We have chosen Deluxe lodges with character yet are less busy, owned by exciting people, and located away from the bustling areas.
Roam through ancient Buddhist monasteries.
Arrive in Kathmandu. You will be met at the airport by your trek leader and brought to your hotel. Your trek leader will brief you on the program for the next couple of days.
You will have to pack your bags and check out from the hotel after breakfast as you fly in the afternoon to Nepalgunj after your morning tour.
You will have a walking tour of Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu Durbar Square and stop at Thamel for lunch. Then, you will be brought to the domestic airport for the domestic flight to Nepalgunj.
Locals welcome travellers with a traditional white silk scarf, Khata. This is a highly symbolic Tibetan ritual.
We wake up early to catch the flight to Simikot, the district headquarters of Humla to the north. It is situated on a ridgeline that overlooks the Humla Karnali River. The short flight is spectacular. It travels just over the summits of several snow-clad peaks. If the flight is on time, we should make it to Simkot to meet our trekking crew before lunch.
Simikot is an attractive village. Its location is also the gateway to Mount Kailash and Western Tibet. A good mix of Hindu and Tibetan cultures provides infinite and captivating opportunities for exploration. Simikot is located at an elevation of 2900 m. You are pretty likely to feel the effects of high altitude. You need to take it easy today; make sure you drink plenty of water and rest as you wander around the village.
Simikot to Dharapori
Your hike today starts with a short climb of about an hour to a small pass just above 3000 m. There is a long and steep descent to Dharapori after the pass. Today’s trek will take 4-5 hours; it takes you high above the Karnali River. The trail passes through pine forests and several villages. You will meet locals who are both Hindu and Buddhist on the path. They could be carrying heavy loads on the steep trail. Tonight will be your first night of camping on a site that is located near the Karnali River.
You will go along the Karnali river today as it twists its way through the rocky hills.
The walk today is relatively short, giving you a chance to take your time and enjoy the views. The trail continues to follow the Karnali River, sometimes taking you high on the hill. The River is way below you and occasionally dipping down to the valley, almost level with the River. This section of the River flows through a narrow ravine with lofty rocky slopes. You will hike along fields of primary potatoes, barley, buckwheat and rice.
In the afternoon, you can enjoy a soothing dip in one of the two natural hot springs close to the village. It is a half-hour uphill walk to the hot spring past Kermi. Kermi is a small farming village and is the first of several Buddhist villages on the trail. There are two charming monasteries close to Kermi; Laikyo Gompa, a few centuries old, is about 45 minutes from the campsite, while Lhundrup Choeling Gompa is about 30 minutes from the camp. Unfortunately, it is rare for tourists to visit both monasteries.
The Namkha Khyung Dzong Monastery is the largest in the district, and it houses 130 monks, a medical clinic and a school.
Today’s track is flattish with a slight uphill. We will move alongside fields with barley and buckwheat crops. You might see beautiful lizards basking in the sun on sunny days. After a few hours, you will go over a small pass, followed by a steep descent of about 20 minutes until a large steel suspension bridge over the Sali River is reached.
The next section of the hike goes through splendid pine forests. We will see the emerald green Karnali River flowing in the valley. We will come across caravans of mules and dzos (a hybrid of yak and cow) now and again. The travellers are principally villagers from Simikot and the Nyinba Valley to the east of Simikot. They will either go to or return from Taklakot across the border in Tibet for trade.
We reach Yalbang after 5-6 hours of hiking. The beautiful Namkha Khyung Dzong Monastery is located above the village. You will know you are getting close to the monastery when you reach a massive rock with a Tibetan prayer. The Namkha Khyung Dzong is the largest monastery in the district, with around 130 residing monks. A monk will happily show you around. You might even be invited for tea upstairs. You can even attend twice daily puja (Buddhist prayer ceremony) at 7 am and 4 pm.
Crossing the emerald river with pack animals is almost an art form, and it takes patience.
Leaving Yalbang, The trail goes high above the Karnali River once we leave Yalbang. We will pass the tiny village of Yangar after about 20 minutes. After that, the track becomes mostly “Flattish”, with several ascends and descends. Some segments of the trail have been incredibly cut out of the rocks. You will be hiking in a kind of tri-sided tunnel. The terrain changes as it gets rockier, and the big pine trees make way for smaller shrubs. Finally, we cross the Karnali River over a large wooden bridge.
We climb above the Karnali River to the upper side of a deep canyon, with the emerald Karnali flowing below us. There are chances of us encountering caravans of sheep carrying salt. This is unique to this part of Nepal, an old trade practice. After 3-4 hours, We reach the charming village of Muchu after three to four hours of trekking. It is a further hour walk to Tumkot. The main trail doesnʼt pass through Tumkot Village. We have to leave it to get there. The total hike today takes 6 hours.
The village of Tumkot is 20 minutes on the south side of the trail. It is close to the village campsite. It takes 20-30 minutes to ascend to reach the monastery; it is worth the effort to get there. The Dhungkar Choezom Monastery is one of the most important Sakya monasteries in the Buddhist part of this district. It is the only Sakya Monastery in the Humla district and one of the rare monasteries of this lineage in Nepal.
The trail from here on is more rocky and barren. Leaving Tumkot, the trail climbs steadily as we leave the village, with a few steep ascends. The junipers are now bushes instead of trees. Part of the trail goes over the fair-weather road that is being built at the moment.
Today’s trek will take a total of 7 hours. Our campsite is above Yari village.
We will cross the village of Pani Palwang. It consists of a couple of teahouses on the road, making it an excellent spot for a hot beverage or a lunch break. Finally, it takes another ninety minutes to Thado Dunga, just past Yari.
Hilsa is the border check post between Nepal and Tibet, China. The Humla Karnali River is the natural boundary that separates the countries. We cross the Nara Lagna pass at 4617 m. It is a long and slow climb, but the spectacular views are rewarding. As we climb higher, the scenery becomes more barren and resembles the Tibetan plateau. First, trees disappear entirely, making way for shrubs and bushes. Next, we will come across large caravans of mules or yaks (the more enormous male yaks are an impressive sight). We finally pass a few teahouses at Tado Dunga, and the trail gets steeper.
It will take two more hours to get to the pass, and it can take longer if there is snow on the trail. Typically, this hike takes 5-6 hours. We will come across some big tent cafes that sell food and drinks. The Nara Lagna pass becomes visible in the distance; the high altitude makes it a challenging climb. The top of the key will be recognisable by the piles of stones and the strings of Tibetan prayer flags. You get breathtaking views into Tibet ahead, and Yari is visible in the back, far below.
Barren hills in tones of brown, ochre, copper, and ash surround us. It is a long descent to Hilsa, the border with Tibet.
Sights of prayer flags are commonly seen strung up on the passes, high ridges and bridges above rivers and streams of the Himalayas. The wind is believed to carry the prayers to the heavens and deities.
Hilsa is a check post of Tibet- during the high summer season. Thousands of Indian pilgrims cross the border to reach Mount Kailash in Tibet. We begin our trek after breakfast, crossing the Humla Karnali River suspension bridge. Then, we turn north through the newly built road towards Limi Valley, as we don’t cross the Nepal-Tibet border. This valley is well known for snow leopards and Himalayan blue sheep (Bharal). Finally, we get to Manipeme after trekking for 4-5 hours at an elevation of 3930 m. The campsite gets its name from the Mani Mantra engraved on a large rock.
We will cross the Chenglungma caravan campsite from Manipeme before arriving at the ancient cave of Cha-sa Nam-ka Dzong. It is located just above the hill. Its convenient location and proximity to plenty of firewood have made it popular for traders to stop overnight.
We are now hiking through the Trans Himalaya. Despite looking like a short distance, the trail from Hilsa to Til is strenuous and takes about 7 hours. The hike involves walking on the barren slope, ascending and descending numerous times. We must be extra cautious on the trail to come across fully laden yaks and sheep returning from the border.
The three villages in the Limi valley are Til, Halji, and Jang. Til is situated at 4,100 m and surrounded by barley fields on the village’s western side. It is the closest village to the Tibet border and is the smallest of the three settlements. Around 30 families live here. The 300-year-old monastery of Kunzum Do-Nag monastery is on the right side of the village. You will find it worth a visit.
We begin the hike with a downhill walk for about an hour until we reach Tiljung. We get to Tagtsi Khola, just below Tiljung. It is one of the main tributaries of the Karnali River. It flows from the east, passing by Jang and Halji villages and flowing towards Til. We cross the river by a suspension bridge at Tiljung and proceed to the right. We continue to follow the Tagtsi River into the narrow valley towards the east. We will reach another bridge over the same river after two hours. We cross the bridge and walk on the left side of the river. We continue walking northeast for half an hour to reach the beautiful Halji village.
Halji is Limi’s largest and most significant village, and the centrally located 800-year-old Rinchhen Ling Gompa monastery is a must-see. We turn east after visiting the monastery. We walk on the broad path past the lovely Buddhist gate and prayer walls. We continue walking for another ninety minutes until we reach the village of Jang at 3930 m. The villagers are proud of the 250-year-old monastery. We have to hike another hour to reach our final destination at the Chagzur hot springs. The total hike is about 7 hours,
We stay another day at Chagzur Hotspring to give you a relaxing day to do some laundry or dip in the hot springs. The alternate is: if the weather is good and you feel energetic, you can take a truck ride to Lapcha Syar at 4900 m. This will allow you to glimpse Mount Kailash and Holy Lake Manasarovar in Tibet. To do this, we will need to hire a truck; we can easily arrange this. However, road conditions in Tibet can be rough. The journey to the viewpoint and back takes about 5-6 hours.
We will come across the old caravan trails of Humla to Limi and Manasarovar as we trek towards Tagsti from Chagzur hot springs. Finally, we get to a new settlement that has sprung up at Tugling, half an hour before reaching Tagsti. It has a restaurant and a VHF telephone service run by the people of Limi.
We have two options for getting to the Nyalu base camp. We can cross the river and walk on the new road for a shorter way or take the longer and scenic trail via Tagtsi. We will see the ruins of a Limi village as soon as we cross the Tagtsi bridge on our right. This ruined village was known as Tshamdo or Zambuk (also known as the ruined village of Lama Palya). It used to be the oldest in the Limi valley.
You need to cross the Nyingchhu River from Zambuk, which enters Tshomgo Lake. We will enjoy the beautiful view of Tshomgo Lake and the stream flowing through the Talung meadows. You will also see the campsite of Limi and the Humli shepherds and yak-herders at Jade/Nyalu base camp. Today’s journey will take about 7 hours.
It takes two to three hours to get to the top of Nyalu pass, 4990 m, after moving out of the Nyalu base camp. We will see several peaks from the top of the pass. In addition, you will see a small, beautiful lake named Sheliman Lake 4570 m as you descend from the pass.
We continue our descent towards Tshongsa meadow at 4,140 m and cross the Tshongsa River; we are back into the treeline as we hike past a rhododendron forest. As we walk, we will pass by towering Tshongsa rocks and the beautiful Tshongsi Tsan waterfall (the wild Demon of Tshongsa). Sheng Jungma, pastureland, is another hour away past the Tshongsa rocks. Finally, we will be camping in a thick forest after a 7-hour trek.
The path takes us across the Tshongsa River. We start on the left bank of Zhetse Khola as we head to the east. We can visit the herder’s summer camp of the Chyadok villagers. We can also witness the beautiful landscape of Zhetse valley, the campsite of the Dinga village herders (Langdogd Base). Finally, we cross the stream back to the right side after going upstream for 3-4 hours.
We leave the campsite and climb through the forest towards Langdogd Pass at 4550 m. You will need to tread carefully on the steep descent through juniper and birch forests until we reach the Takhor Khola (river). We cross the stream and continue hiking for about ninety minutes to reach the campsite at Laga Dinga. It is also known as Lekh Dinga 3890 m. This is Laga Dinga’s summer village, which used to be the autumn trading centre for the southern people of Humla and the Limi valley. It is a pleasant campsite to spend the night.
We start our day by passing through the villages of Yapka and Tangin on our left while Aul Dinga (Lower Dinga)village is on our right. Then, we climb towards the Thakuri village of Okhreni for a little over two hours. From here, we descend steeply for an hour and a half until we reach Yapka Khola 2600 m.
We continue hiking for three more hours on a new road until we reach Simikot Lagna. We get a beautiful view of the Nyinba valley. We walk downhill for fifteen minutes before arriving at Simikot, the district capital of Humla. After two weeks of camping, you will enjoy a hot shower and a bed in a guest house.
Your trekking journey to the remote part of Nepal has ended. We catch a flight to Nepalgunj and connect to Kathmandu in the afternoon after an early breakfast.
Your trek leader will bring you to the International terminal 3 hours before your flight time.
Despite the exceptional circumstances in which we find ourselves at the moment, we don’t want you to give up your holiday – and we want you to be able to book your trip without any worries.
To provide additional security for your booking, we have introduced a new rebooking and cancellation policy so that you can easily rebook or cancel your trip free of charge if the worst comes to the worst.
For new bookings made between May 10th and December 31st 2022, you may cancel your complete package (activities, hotels, tours, excl. flight) free of charge up to 30 days before your departure and get 100% of your money back. However, to stay flexible, we recommend that you choose a flexible fare when booking your flight.
Stay flexible with our new rebooking service until shortly before your departure. For new bookings made between my 10thh and December 31stt, 2021, you may rebook your package (activities, hotels, tours) free of charge up to 30 days before your departure (subject to availability). Rebooking is only allowed once, and you must inform us 30 days before your planned departure. Any additional costs incurred due to changes in your schedule or upgrades, such as additional fees in high season or upgrades to your accommodation, will still apply. To remain flexible, we recommend that you choose a flexible fare when booking your flight.
Most of our clients have completed their treks from 3 years old to some in their 70s with almost no exercise or training.
Do you offer hotel/airport pick-up?
We offer hotel and airport pick-up. As you continue with your booking, there will be an option to input flight details or hotel names.
Do I need a Visa?
You can obtain a visa for Nepal on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, and at border entry points in Kakadvitta, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Gaddachowki on the Nepal-India border, and Kerung on the Nepal-China border.
You can also obtain a visa outside of Nepal at the nearest Nepal Embassy or Diplomatic Mission.
For more information, go to the Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan, Kathmandu.
What should I bring on a Trek?
Being adequately equipped is one of the keys to a successful trek. For information to help you select the best type of clothing and equipment for your trip, please see our Clothing and Equipment Guide.
Also, see our Links page for details of specialist retailers who will offer further advice and assistance with purchasing new clothing or equipment.
If you have more questions, please check this article to reference equipment to pack or contact us.
Is this trip safe for solo/female/LGBT+/minority/POC travelers?
You are safe as long as you respect the culture, do not show affection in public, and dress decently(this won’t pose too much problem as you will be covered up in layers to stay warm).
Here are some helpful articles:
Am I too old to go trekking?
Arriving at Kathmandu airport.
Should I bring cash or ATM cards?
What are the differences between camping and lodge trekking?
What to pack for a trek?
Do I need to train for a trek?
What is a typical day on a trek like?
What is the food like on the trek?
The Benefits of using trekking poles.
What do I need to know about high altitudes?
High altitude myths.
How to trek safely?
For more articles, you can go to our blogs.