Wild West Nepal

Nepal is full of so many cultural and natural wonders. Its hard to pick what is more amazing. We recently embarked on a trip to the Limi Valley in the Humla District in North Western Nepal. This is an area up in the Himalayas on the border of Tibet. The area is culturally more Tibetan than Nepali, and an area that is difficult to reach. You really want to go there! It is a tough trek full of serious up and downs, long days of walking, and serious altitudes of up to 16,000 feet. One of the most amazing aspects of the trek is that all you run into along they way are horses, yaks, goats and nomads. Combined with the spectacular landscape like no other on the planet. It makes for a magical trip.

Flying to the mountain airport of Simikot

Our camp at Dusk. Tenting all the way. No lodges were we are.

The town of Simikot and its airport perched on a flat area on a mountain. Every time a cloud passes no planes can land or takeoff.

The mountains are a special place to be.

Our pack horses caravan carrying our gear, tents, food and everything else we need for our 5 days on the trail. If it were spring we would need yaks because of the snow

Its just you, goat herders, horses, yaks, and nomads on the trail.

Beautiful scenery and steep climbs.

It may look like a wild horse but he belongs to someone. The haorses raom free to graze and come home in the morning.

The vast landscape makes you feel small.

Made camp just as the sun went behind the mountain and the cold sets in.

The all important toilet tent

Mountains everywhere you look.

Enjoying the view and a stimulating conversation.

In the Limi and our rides have arrived. Its on horseback here on out

Small Tibetan ponies that have a mind of their own

The horses certainly made the trek easier. Up and down trails and crossing rivers of ice cold glacier melt

The welcoming comittee

And we are invited to dinner!

Great food and great company. Lots of fun to be had.

We slept in a 900 year old monastery.

Preparing breakfast and the butter tea.

Fields of Barley and ancient villages

Celebration time

The whole village comes out for the 2 days celebration.

There are young dancers

Interesting faces

Lots of laughing

Flamboyant costumes

Everyone is having a great time

We teamed up with Mpowerd and brought their solar lights to give to the kids so they can study at night

An of course we had to dress the part.