42 | TRAVEL HIMALAYA SPRING 2019 http://www.travelhimalayamagazine.com
menu. Desert offerings were usually apple
turnover or apple fritters, the latter were voted
as ‘best pudding of the trek’, although we did
think that the lodges are missing a trick not
offering custard as well!.From Lho it was three short days for
acclimatisation to the base of the Larkye
La. The sky was now clearer and the nights
colder as we trekked above 3,000m. The
views became ever more dramatic as huge
Himalayan giants towered above us –
Manaslu, Himalchuli, Baudha –we felt as
though we could almost touch them as we
approached Samagoan, the largest village in
the area, with traditional medieval houses
made of stone with beautifully carved wooden
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they reach climbing a ladder made of a tree
trunk with steps carved out. The people
here are Tibetan stock and follow Tibetan
Buddhism - wild haired children ran around
dressed in home spun woollen clothes - the
way of life here has not changed for centuries.Watching over Samagoan is Manaslu, at
8,163m it is the eighth highest mountain
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handful of summits and it was called the “killer
mountain” and was considered dangerous. In
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Manaslu and since then mountaineers from all
over the world attempt the peak every spring
and autumn. The huge glacier that descends
from Manaslu can be seen from the village and
a popular short hike is to Birendra Lake at the
foot of the massive icefall.
A couple more half days brought us through the
windswept village of Samdo to Dharamsalla at
the foot of the pass. Don’t expect luxury in these
two places - although Samdo is an amazing
medieval village with stone houses stacked ontop of one another and yaks running around
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concrete and unfortunately look out of place.
The trail to the base of the pass climbed
slowly above the tree line - Manaslu can now
be seen from a completely different angle and
with binoculars you can trace the route to the
summit. Blue Sheep scrambled on the steep
slopes above us and Lammergeyers and
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thermals in a brilliant blue sky. At the base
of the pass there is a very basic lodge and
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retired to the warmth of our sleeping bags
for a few hours sleep before our wakeup call
at 4am. Outside the air was crisp and cold
and the Milky Way spread across the starlit
sky. After a cup of hot sweet tea and a bowl
of porridge we were on our way. The trail
ascended a narrow valley steadily - compared
to some of the passes in Nepal this one is
relatively easy in terms of gradient, and as
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turning them pink we climbed onto the rocky
glacial moraine. When there is no snow the
trail is easy to follow but in case of snow
MCAP have placed marker poles on the trail.
About half way there was a welcome stop at
a small stone hut for a hot drink and a bit of
respite from the chilly wind. Our pace had
slowed now to a high-altitude plod and it
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summit, marked in traditional Buddhist way
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wind was really blowing and there was only
just time for a quick photo before we had to
get down the other side (the pass actually
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where most trekkers stop and another 10
minutes further on at 5,150m). On the other
side we were greeted by a totally unexpected
panorama of peaks and glaciers - the
mountains ahead of us towered high into the
sky and glaciers ran down their sides joining
in the valley bottom to form one big icefall.MANASLU CIRCUIT & THE LARKYE LA