Nar-Phu Valley Trek

An overview

Recently open up to tourists has evoked little enthusiasm among the villagers whose postural lifestyle continues. Nar Phu just above the tree line on the upper limits of cultivate, in the very north of Manang district. The valley hidden by swirls of mountain mist behind kangla pass 5200m. Few foreigners have visited the area and tourism infrastructure is almost non-existent. However the Annapurna Conservation Area project recently extended its network to include Nar Phu valley and it is preparing a suitable tourism development plan. The magnificent panoramic view of Annapurna massif looks remote and forbidding. The kangla pass links Nar with Manang and other three Bhotia villages in the Nershang valley.

It has about 300 inhabitants who depend on livestock, unlike most Bhotia whose trading patterns changed drastically after the Nepal Government closed borders with Tibet, the people of Nar-Phu valley were least affected by this change. They do have trading specially on the salt trade but never was dependent on and yak herding is the basic of their lifehold.

The trek to Nar Phu starts with drive to besisahar and trek along the Marshyangdi river. It goes through the Himalayan foothills and round the eastern end of the Annapurna before we arrive Chame. From here a long and steep trail winds up to Nar Phu. We then trek down to Manang from where either we can continue the trek to Muktinath jomsom passing horong-La or head down to Besisahar.