Tsum Valley Trekking

We leave Kathmandu early on the Prithvi Highway, then turn north towards Arughat and Soti Khola. Beyond Arughat the road becomes a rough track following the Budhi Gandaki river upstream through terraced hillsides and small villages. The day ends at Machha Khola, a small riverside village with simple teahouses and the starting point of the walk. Expect a long, bumpy but scenic drive.

The trail follows the Budhi Gandaki through a narrow gorge, climbing and dropping along the river and crossing several suspension bridges. We pass Tatopani, with its small natural hot spring, then Dobhan and Yaru Khola before reaching Jagat, a neat village of stone-paved lanes. Jagat is the entry checkpoint for the restricted area, where your permits are checked. The lower valley is hot, so an early start is best.

From Jagat we climb to Salleri and Sirdibas and cross to Philim, a large Gurung village with terraced fields of millet and maize. Beyond Philim the trail splits: the Manaslu Circuit continues north, while we turn east towards the Tsum Valley. After Ekle Bhatti the path climbs through pine forest to Lokpa, the first village of lower Tsum, with views back towards the Budhi Gandaki gorge.

The trail drops into the gorge of the Siyar Khola and climbs steeply through rhododendron and pine forest, with a few exposed sections above the river. We then reach Chumling, a village of stone houses in lower Tsum. In the afternoon you can visit the old Chumling Gompa and walk through the village, where you will see prayer flags, mani walls and chortens. On clear days there are good views of Shringi Himal.

We cross a suspension bridge and follow the valley upstream through small villages such as Rainjam and Gho. The climb is steady, and the valley begins to open into upper Tsum. Chhokangparo is made up of two villages, Chhokang and Paro, set on a wide flat stretch of farmland with fine views of Ganesh Himal and Himal Chuli on a clear day. This is the start of the Tibetan-influenced upper valley.

Today’s walk passes some of the valley’s most important sacred sites. We visit Milarepa’s Cave (Piren Phu), where the Tibetan saint is believed to have meditated, and pass the village of Lamagaon and Rachen Gompa, a nunnery home to a community of Buddhist nuns. Crossing the Siyar Khola, we continue past long mani walls and chortens to Nile, one of the last villages before the Tibetan border.

A short climb through a stark, dry landscape takes us to Mu Gompa, the largest and one of the oldest monasteries in the Tsum Valley, set at about 3,700 m close to the Tibetan border. Spend the afternoon visiting the monastery, its prayer halls and old texts, and watching the monks at their daily rituals. Visitors can usually stay in the monastery guesthouse. The surrounding ridges offer wide views of the upper valley.

After a morning at Mu Gompa, with an optional short hike above the monastery or a visit to Dhephu Doma Gompa nearby, we begin our return journey. We walk back through Nile and past Rachen Gompa, with time to stop if you missed anything on the way up. The trail then continues down the valley to Chhokangparo for the night. The descent makes the walk feel easier than it looks on paper.

We retrace our steps down through Gho and Rainjam to Chumling. This is a shorter day, leaving time to enjoy village life, chat with locals and rest your legs. If you are keen, your guide can arrange a visit to Gumba Lungdang nunnery by an alternative route in place of this relaxed day, subject to time and conditions.

We descend to the Siyar Khola, climb back to Lokpa and then drop steeply to the Budhi Gandaki valley. Rejoining the main trail near Ekle Bhatti, we walk down to Philim, the Gurung village we passed on the way in. It is a long day with plenty of descent, so trekking poles are helpful. The warmer air and green fields feel very different from the dry upper valley.

The final trekking day follows the Budhi Gandaki downstream past Jagat, Yaru Khola and Tatopani, where you can soak tired legs in the hot spring. The trail returns to Machha Khola, where we spend the last night on the trail. Celebrate the end of the trek with your guide and porter over a final dinner together.

After breakfast we drive down the Budhi Gandaki valley to Arughat and on to the Prithvi Highway, arriving in Kathmandu in the evening. It is a long day on the road, with stops for tea and lunch. The evening is free for a celebration dinner or souvenir shopping in Thamel.

Your Tsum Valley journey ends today. Depending on your flight time, you may have a few hours for last-minute shopping or a visit to Boudhanath Stupa, a fitting end after so many monasteries. A member of our team will drive you to Tribhuvan International Airport about three hours before your flight.