Day 4 Mangengoth to Tharapeti

Mangengoth Tharapeti Latitude 27°58.83'N 28°00.88'N Longitude 85°29.27'E 85°29.73'E Altitude 3,220 metres 3,609 metres Ascent 390 metres Time (excluding rests) 2 hours 10 minutes Distance 5 kilometres

I wonder if there is a trekker buried upside down under this boot sole...   A trekkers's lunch, comprising noodles and a cup of tea... Shishi Pangma Dorje Lakpa

Today is a short day, because you need to acclimatise to the altitude, before ascending to the summit of the Laurebina Pass at 4,704 metres on day 6. Walk north out of Mangengoth to the army camp. Here you will be asked to show your national park permit and perhaps they may search your rucksack for naughty contraband video cameras. When I was there it was haircut day for the military - I was tempted to ask for a ‘short back and sides’ myself.        Leave the camp and walk leftwards uphill. Walk through the rhododendron forest and cross a small stone bridge over a little stream. Climb the stone steps beyond to the top of the ridge where there is an old chorten and an itinerant yak herder’s roofless hut (40 minutes) with a view ‘to die for’. [27°59.18’N 85°29.49’E 3,460 metres]. It’s a real estate agent’s dream. It’s a good job there aren’t any up here... The view east        This place is perfectly situated, near enough to be able to see the peaks, yet far back enough to get a view of the whole Himalayan range. From here, you can see Gangchenpo 6,387 metres Langshisha Ri 6,440 metres Dorje Lakpa 6,973 metres Shishi Pangma 8,027 metres Cho Oyuo 8,201 metres Everest 8,848 metres Makalu 8,463 metres

Ganchenpo

A little further along this outstanding view is shared by a whole village of seasonal yak herder’s huts. Fortunately there are no tourist lodges here to spoil the scene. The view south with Helambu on the left        Continue up the ridge past beautiful pine trees to a chorten ( 1 hour 10 minutes) There are great views south from here down into Helambu. This is ideal trekking, with the scent of the pine trees in the air, the chirp of crickets, a great view and a magnificent path in a great situation on the top of such a sharp ridge.        Pass the defunct “Torest Hotel” also named the “Shrpa Hotel” and a stepped chorten with prayer flags (1 hour 30 minutes). Pass another chorten (1 hour 45 minutes).        From here the path dips down a little before rising again. At 2 hours 10 minutes Tharapeti comes into view.

Writing the guidebook at Tharapeti...

Tharapeti has 4 lodges, the first one is the Himalaya Yak Lodge. I stayed at the Sumche Top Lodge which lies higher in the col. From here there are views east down into Helambu where the tin roofs of the capital of Helambu - Tarkeghyang may be seen in the distance. To the west you can see the Laurebina Pass.  The view north at Tharapeti       Tharapeti used to be a real village. When the geographer Harka Gurung came though Tharapeti in 1970 the village grew potatoes. The remains of the fields may be seen directly below the Sumche Top Lodge. Now it’s sprouting lodges. Created April 2000 Copyright Ian P Johnson