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Photo Series: In and around Shey-Phoksundo

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Back in October of 2018, I was on a week long trek to Shey Phoksundo Lake of Dolpa District in Mid-West Nepal. Accompanied by my two other friends, the trek started from Juphal Dolpa. Hopped on a micro bus from Kathmandu a day earlier to Nepalgunj and started hustling for plane ticket from early morning at Nepalgunj airport for Juphal. Luckily got the boarding pass for all three of us but had to board on two separate twin otters. After a flight of 40 mins I first landed at Juphal on a Nepal Airlines aircraft and my friends, Manobal and Bikram on Tara Air. After having a light meal at Juphal, the trek finally started and we ascended down to Bheri valley till Suligad. From, Suligad we took left crossed the Bheri river and followed Phoksundo river, we officially entered the Phoksundo National Park. For the next two days we followed the Phoksundo river making our way through few settlements, scattered forest and a huge plot of marijuana plantation. Before making the final climb for lake Sh...
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डचहरुले कसरी साइकल मार्ग प्राप्त गरे?

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यो लेख Mark Wagenbuur द्वारा तयार पारिएको प्रसिद्ध भिडियो  "How the Dutch got their cycle paths" को नेपाली अनुवाद हो | भिडियोको लिंक यस अनुवादको अन्त्यमा राखिएको छ | विश्वको सबै भन्दा बढी साइकलमा यात्रा गर्ने जनसंख्या भएको देश हो नेदरल्याण्ड जसको साइकल यात्रा विश्वमै सबैभन्दा सुरक्षित पनि रहेको छ | देश भरी नै उत्कृष्टतम साइकलका पूर्वाधारहरु रहेकाले यो सम्भव भएको हो | त्यसो भए डचहरुले यस्तो सर्वोत्कृष्ट गुणस्तरीय साइकल मार्ग कसरी प्राप्त गरे त? कोही सोच्छन, धेरै डचहरु समेत कि ती साइकल मार्गहरु पहिले देखिनै त्यहिँ थिए | तर यस कुरामा आंशिक मात्र सत्यता रहेको छ | हो, त्यहाँ केही साइकल मार्गहरु थिए तर ती अहिले रहेका साइकल मार्ग भन्दा पूर्ण रुपमा भिन्न थिए | साँघुरो, उवडा खावड सतह सहितको डरलाग्दो अनि चोकहरुसम्म र एक अर्कामा नजोडिएका | साइकल मार्गहरुको आवश्यकता सो समयमा त्यति सारो थिएन पनि किनभने सडकमा साइकलको संख्या मोटरकारहरुको भन्दा अत्याधिक धेरै थियो | तर दोश्रो विश्व युद्ध पछि ती सबै कुरा बदलिए | डचहरुले आफ्नो देश पुनर्निर्माण गर्नु पर्ने भयो र उनीहरु असाध्यै धनी हुन थाले | स...
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Panchpokhari Trek 2016

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It was just a random message from Shishir bro that popped up on my on facebook messanger, Paanchpohari janey ho? Without thinking more my first response was just huncha. Well , it was some weeks before the actual trekking schedule. He has planned it for the Janaipurnima. He had asked other friends too, and among them only Dharma had also agreed to join this trek. Infact, this was Shishir’s 4th trek to Paanchpokhari in two years. Paanchpokhari; the holy 5 lakes is located at the remote mountain of Sindhupalchok district north of Kathmandu below the beautiful Jugal Himal. As Janaipurnima approached near, we had few informal preparation talk and I did my final shopping a day before we were supposed to leave Kathmandu at our own shop, the Kalapathar! There were two trekking routes to choose from, one from Melamchi and another from Chautara, and we choosed the first one. Day 1: Kathmandu to Manekharka Previously we had planned to take the shorter bus route to Melamchi from the Sankhu ...
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Video Trailer of Panchpokhari Trek

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This is the Trailer video of our Panchpokhari trek, we did during this Janaipurnima. I will soon post the full trekking vlog, probably of 3 episodes. For now enjoy this trailer! This monsoon (Janaipurnima), two of us (Nagarkoti Dharma and I) buckled up for 5 days trek to Panchpokhari, guided by our own crazy fellow cyclist Shishir Raj Joshi. We started this moderately tough trekking from Melamchi bazzar and ended at Chautara on 5th day. Nestled at the height of 4100 meters Paanchpokhari ; the five holy lakes, invites some thousand of Hindu and Buddhists pilgrims annually on the day of Janaipurnima. As we were climbing the final 3 KM of ascend on our third day from Nashunpati, we confronted some thousands of descending pilgrims on the narrow rocky trail till to the lakes on misty morning. By the time we reached these five lakes, the festive was almost over with only few hundred people preparing to pack their belongings. Half an hour after our arrival eastern wind blew up the mist cl...
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Building BASS

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Days were hot, night were cooler and windy, and dusk, they were super awesome with setting sun on your work background. Bamboo Art Student Center (BASS) that was the name we gave to our project while discussing about its design at the Yellow House, Sanepa. Pronounced Bass (in Nepali) is the Nepali name for bamboo. The basic foundation Temporary Learning Center (TLC) we were going to build at Nimarchowk Lower Secondary School, Marpak was the Bamboo, that’s why we named our project the BASS. We got this design from one of our friend of Adam and Alba (our Irish and Spanish friends) Paulo. This design was jointly developed by ABARI and Learning Planet which was low cost and time efficient. Paulo supported us with the tarp to cover the roof for free. Sumira di and Verena ( a German friend) helped us to collect funds from their friends around. Women from village actively volunteered to remove the debris from collapsed school building. Diwash dai and I was in regular contact...
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Karnali Diary- A Photo Blog (Part II, The Final One)

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I was on a week long trek along the Karnali river for EIA survey of purposed Karnali Highway with a friend Nitesh Khadka. Our journey started from Jiteghat, Kalikot and ended at Rugin, Bajura (Humla border). One of the least developed and still untouched by the road, our 100 KM journey along the Karnali river to this region was one of a kind. Spot the train! I mean Mule train. They are the basic goods carrier of this region. Looking for something down? For sure this trail is not for the fainthearted. A local guy walks along the sketchy section over Karnali supported by woods. Nitesh bro crawling cautiously down the rocky trail of Ranga Gaunda, Bandhu Bajura. Bajureli attire, an old man on traditional dress. This old man returning home after visiting relatives in Nepalgunj. He took a RA flight up to Kolti, Bajura and now walking back home (Rugin) with his son. Its a two day walk for him from Kolti. Nitesh bro with locals at J...
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Karnali Diary - A Photo Blog (Part I)

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A lady sporting on Goldstar shoes walks down Nanikot villageBajura. Fragile Karnali, a village bisected by a stream by the edge of Karnali river. Human powered ambulance!Locals carry patient to hospital on foot. Bandhu, Bajura. A 52 year old man carries improved cooking stove donated by NGO weighing 35 kilo along Ranga Gaunda an infamous single trail craved literally over  Karnali river on vertical cliff. Here ends the life two fish, the Karnali way. In Karnali, green is the rarest color. A typical Kalikot village near the Bajura border. A man smokes pot, Nanikot Kalikot.
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