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Climb Gyalzen Peak : Something New and Enchanting in the Himalaya (October 18 to 31, 2022)

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Gyalzen Peak (6,151 meters) is located in the Jugal Himal Range 145kms northeast of Kathmandu Valley and stands right at the border of Nepal and Tibet.   Though the area is in the same province as the capital of the country, the area was not often visited by climbers and trekkers as most of them wish to go to more popular areas of Everest, Annapurna, or Langtang.   However, this hidden land offers enchanting trekking and climbing experiences like any other famous destination in the Himalaya but without the crowds. There are nearly a dozen majestic peaks and some of them are still unclimbed.   As the area is just opened for trekkers and climbing, trekking and climbing trip here is a rare off the beaten trail experience in the Himalaya.   Gyalzen Peak From Its Own Base Camp, Photo: Sharmila Lama / Three Jewels Adventures  To reach Gyalzen peak for a climbing expedition the team first needs to drive for a short half-day along winding roads through Nepal’s mid-hill villages inhabited by a

Brewing Big Dream at Local Climber's Little Café

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  Brewing Big Dream at Local Climber's Little Café (mountain climbing story of Sharmila Lama, from Nepal)  Sharmila at Her Cafe  Until recently, coffee-related jargons such as Americano, Cappuccino, Mocca, Double or Single Shot, which were only heard in big tourist hotels and restaurants, have now become the buzz words of Kathmandu commoners. With any excuse, people flock for 'coffee meetings' where they chat from politics to the baristas who make all flavors of coffee and bring them to their table. Mountaineer Sharmila Lama is one of such baristas whose, story is worth knowing. Sharmila's small 'Café  Epic' is located in the temporarily constructed Kalimpong Plaza on the way towards Phulbari Tol from Bouddha in the capital. As in other coffee shops, coffee of different flavors is available here and the café operator Sharmila makes and serves coffee with her own hands. She is one of the few Nepali women to successfully ascend four 8,000 plus meters high mountain

Tiji Festival Trekking, Upper Mustang, Lomanthang 2022

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Tiji Festival Trekking, Upper Mustang, Lomanthang  2022 Tiji Festival of upper Mustang is a unique cultural event started centuries ago while the area was independent kingdom of Lo people.  It's the festival known as chasing away demons or bad spirits from the walled city of Lomanthang.  The festival takes place in the month of April or May every year based on lunar calendar of Tibetan tradition.  You can witness this beautiful festival  along with cultural display of the Mustang People. The trip is combined with exhilarating trek to upper Mustang and Lomanthang the capital of old Mustang Kingdom and the center where the event takes place.  Next year three day's Tiji festival is taking place on 27 to 30 May, 2022.  We already have few people showing interest for the trek starting in Kathmandu on 19 May and ending on 04 June 2022. If your holidays meet these dates and interested to be in the Himalaya on an special occasion, join with excellent local guide to experience the

Nepal's Mountain Tourism in Disdain

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Nepal's Mountain Tourism in Disdain is a Translated Version (from Nepali) of an Opinion Feature Published on 27th September 2021 Issue of Arthik Abhiyan Daily The World Tourism Day, Kathmandu, Nepal Enchanting Himalaya  Covering more than 80 percent of the country with  hills and high mountains; most of the 14 highest mountains in the world above 8000 meters including the highest one Mount Everest, are located in Nepal. Furthermore, the main part of the world's longest mountain range the Himalayas is also here, which makes Nepal one of the most popular destinations in the world for hikers, trekkers and climbers.   It is needless to mention that, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Nepal to experience these wonders of nature. However, the state has always misjudged the Mountain Tourism which possesses the power of boasting the economy and identity of the country in much greater level.   It is enough to look at the government's budget speech presented every year to il

Story of A Climber Who Once Held World Record As A Youngest Everest Climber : Shambhu Tamang

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Shambhu Tamang Photographed in 2017 - Mani Tamang Today, May 29 is the International Mt. Everest Day, declared by Nepal Government back in 2008. Though it's not popular in international level, Nepal commemorates this day with some events. This year such events are not taking place due to lockdown caused by Corona Virus.  Through this blog post, I would like to share the story of rather unknown Nepali climbing hero Shambhu Tamang. While I was in school, I was only good at quiz contest that would take place once a year in a special event the school used to organize.  Most students had no other chance to be part of extra curricular activity mainly because there were too many students to provide such facility with scarcely limited resources the school had. In the nationwide final exam of grade 10 we were 120 students from our class, all learned in a same class room. Teachers would not know most of their students' by names as there were just too many of us. In one occas

Lobuche East Peak Climbing 2022, Itinerary

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Lobuche East Peak (6119 meters) Climbing Itinerary 2022 March Join this easy to moderate one day climbing trip from advance base camp to summit (6119 meters) with local sherpa guides. We have two confirmed clients for the following itinerary who are taking Lobuche East as training and meeting with their 2022 Mt. Everest climbing trip guides, prior to attempt Everest in following season. Check out the following confirmed dates and Itinerary with beautiful trek to Everest base camp, yet it can be customized in case you make plan to extend or explore other area while joining the climbing.   Photo: 2019 May, Guide : Ang Furi Sherpa  Itinerary -  Day 01, March 91 :   Arrival in Kathmandu (1350 meters)  Day 02, March 02:  Kathmandu meet other members and guides Day 03, Kathmandu to Lukla flight short trek to Phakding or Monjo  Day 04, Trek to Namche Bazaar (3400 meters)  Day 05, Rest for acclimatization at Namche Bazaar  Day 06, Trek to Phortse  Day 07, Trek to Dingboc

An Introduction to Budhhichitta Mala Beads

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Among the Tibetan or Himalayan Buddhist followers,  one of  Buddhichita Beads with center bead indicating Om  the common ways of keeping up their practice is to possess a set of prayer bead which they use counting and praying during special occasions.  Prayer beads are called Japa Mala in Sanskrit.  Based on places, teachers and practitioners themselves, Japa Mala can be metal, stone, fruits, wood and so forth.   According to Himalayan Buddhist tradition and belief, malas made from fruits of Boddhichitta plant is the best.  And a little known place of Timal (or Temal) in Central Nepal is the only place from where beads of Boddhichitta comes from. Timal is home of native Tamang people who refer Boddhichita Mala as Thenga or Frengba in their own dialect.  Interesting enough is that, why would a religious sect that emerged in Tibet, that now continuously flourish as one of the strongest spiritual belief systems in the world, be connected with virtually unknown Nepal&