Traverse of Central and Eastern Nepal (2011)
Leg 15: From Honggu Khola to Tumlingtar (May 2-8)
After our unsuccessful descent of Honggu
Khola, we returned to the Inkhu
valley. Soon after the village of Kote we left this
valley to climb to Khola Kharka.
After a couple of passes, we descended to the villages of Khiraule
and Bung on the main trail to Tumlingtar. From Bung
we followed that trail to Tumlingtar through the
villages of Gudel and Sanam,
the Salpa pass (3565m), and the villages of Phedi and Chalise. Our original
plan had not been to go to Tumlingtar, but, instead,
to follow the Arun river up
and then cross the Lumba Samba pass to reach the Kangchenjunga region. However, we were several days late
and Kame became seriously ill when we reached Gudel. Going to Tumlingtar
allowed Kame to fly back to Kathmandu and the rest of
us to take a shorter route in order to complete the Nepal traverse before I had
to leave Nepal.
Rhododendron forest before climbing to Khola
Kharka
Reaching Khola Kharka,
where we spent a night
In Khola Kharka
(4175m)
Panch Pokhari
above Inkhu Khola valley
Another view across Inkhu Khola valley of the mountain range that we had crossed
several days earlier, after we had left Lukla
The steep descent from the last pass above Khiraule
Long mani stone
wall and stupa above Khiraule
Gompa of Kirhaule
Crossing the infamous Honggu river (this time over a suspended bridge) below Bung village
Bung village seen from Gudel village
(the Honggu river flows between them)
View from Gudel of the mountain range
that we had crossed during the previous two days (the last pass above Khiraule is clearly visible on the left side of the range)
Between Gudel and Sanam
Stupa at Salpa
pass
Blooming rhododendrons at Salpa pass
During the descent to Phedi from Salpa pass
In the Rai village of Phedi
Along the trail below Phedi
Porters along the trail above Arun
valley
Reaching the Arun valley
Crossing the Arun river
on an unusually long suspended bridge
Children playing in the Arun river
We arrived in Tumlingtar on May 7. On
the 8th, Kame flew back to Kathmandu and
the rest of us took a rest day.