Nar Phu Valley Trek

The Nar Phu Valley Trek begins in the town of Koto. However, getting to Koto is a journey of its own before the trek even begins. To get there, you must first take a bus from Kathmandu to a town about seven hours away, called Besishahar, and then from there take a Jeep for about four hours of off-roading to Koto. It’s quite the journey, but it’s worth it.

Once you arrive in Koto, your guide will help you find a teahouse to spend the night. This is one of the larger towns you will pass through on the trek and overlaps with the Annapurna Circuit, so you will see other hikers. It is recommended to spend an extra day here (two nights) to acclimate, since Koto is already at 2600 meters. You can make your rest day here an active one and hike to Upper Pisang, which is quite high, and then take a Jeep back to Koto to help with acclimating. However, if you don’t have enough time, you can just begin the next day after arriving.

When you begin the trek from Koto to Meta, as with many long-distance trails, you will begin in the forest. However, on the Nar Phu Valley Trek, the forested section is through a beautiful, scenic valley where you follow the Phu Khola river upstream through a gorge. The trail is shaded and cool as you start. You will pass a few small villages comprised of a couple of stone or wood buildings. You can stop here for a tea or lunch before continuing onward. When you stop at these, it will give you your first taste of the culture of the Nar Phu Valley. Already different from the more-connected Koto, you’ll see photos of family members strung up above the tables, hear the chickens and donkeys outside, and the laughter of the owners and guides as they cook and eat together in the kitchen.

Eventually, you will reach Meta at a plateau where the alpine opens up. The first day can be long, about five or six (or seven) hours, even though it is only 15 km. Most of the trail is fairly flat with small hills until you reach the last hour of the day, when the trail begins to ascend steeper and steeper until you reach Meta. You’ll start to feel the altitude at this point, because you start in Koto at 2600 meters, and Meta is at 3560 meters, so you’ll already have a good taste for the alpine.

The second day, you will hike from Meta to Kyang (3820m). This is only three or four hours and much easier as you only climb 200 meters throughout the day. It’s beautiful and Nepali flat for the most part. You’ll no longer be hiking in the forest, but instead along the slope of the mountains, where you’re surrounded by views of snowy peaks and even get to see the second Annapurna peeking out from behind other mountains. You will pass a small town called Chyaku, where you can have lunch on the second day. By the time you reach Chyaku, it’s already 3800 meters, so take your time and go slow.

Around Chyaku and Kyang, you’ll likely see yaks up on the hillside. You’ll also see a football field where locals gather to play games near the police station. All of this makes it sound like there’s quite a large population, but it’s very small, only a few dozen people between the two outposts. This is wonderful because there’s more wildlife here than in other popular regions in Nepal, like snow leopards! Apparently, there is a snow leopard in the Chyaku basin that preys on small animals that the teahouse owners are familiar with.

You’ll sleep at Kyang this night before continuing onto Phu, the first of the two villages of the trek, it is named after. Kyang is a town even smaller than Chyaku, with only three teahouses available. However, sleeping here will get you closer to Phu, making it a shorter and more manageable day.

Once you arrive at Phu, you will be mesmerized by this village tucked into the hills. The city is an ancient and very high, 4250 meters, and another 150 meters above it is a 600-year-old monastery that you should also visit. You’ll see that there are shops and cafés and people living their lives; this is not just a town built for tourism like some of those before. After you explore Phu, you have the option to take one more day and climb up to the Himlung base camp, which is another 1000 meters of climbing. It is recommended and in most itineraries to take a rest day in Phu to acclimate. Even if you choose not to hike to the base camp, you can also do other nice hikes in the area to acclimatize.

Once you leave, you will return back in the direction of Meta. However, a kilometer or so before Meta, you will reach a bridge that you’ll cross to the other side of the gorge, where you will continue the trek to the Nar Phedi Monastery. Many people sleep at this monastery, as it’s a great resting point after a full day. You can also explore the region around the monastery with shorter hikes to different temples and pagodas. From the monastery, you will hike up to Nar the next day. The Nar Phu Valley is on the border with Tibet, and the monasteries reflect the closeness with the region. You see many buddhist statues, pagodas, and places of worship throughout the trek that make it a very special cultural place.

Nar (4300m) is the final village before you come to the Kang La pass. Nar, similar to Phu, is an old city built into the hills. It is also the highest village in Nepal! Here, you will find old homes, all built in stone with colorful roofs, and a few guest houses above the village. The town is full of horses, cows, birds, and dogs, all running around. You’ll hear babies cry and watch the stars come out over the ridge in front of you. It is truly majestic and feels like stepping back in time.

From here, you will have an early morning as you hike the Kang La pass. The pass sits at 5320 meters, and takes about six hours to summit. From here, you will then descend to Ngawal. The descent is very steep and will require a lot of concentration. Because there are no teahouses on the way down, it is important that you pack enough food to stay sharp as you make your way down. When there is snow on the pass, the descent can be very icy, and you will need microspikes. And even when there is no snow, the descent is still slippery with loose gravel, dirt, and scree.

Once you’re down from Kang La, you can then choose to finish your trek at Ngawal, walk one more day, mostly flat, to Manang, or hike back towards Koto to close the loop. This depends on how much time you have. However, be aware that Nar is very high, and it is common to feel symptoms of altitude sickness here if you’re not properly acclimatized. Assess with your team what the best choice is; if you feel altitude sickness, it may not be wise to cross the pass. If you must, you can return down to the monastery and then back down to Koto. This can be done in one long day or two midsize days. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than to climb higher.

The best time of year to hike the Nar Phu Valley Trek is between March and April and September and November. These are the dry seasons that avoid cyclones and snow. You may, of course, still have snow and ice at the Kang La pass (5320M), but otherwise, you should have a dry and clear path in these months.

One thing about the Nar Phu Valley is that it is much more remote than other regions in Nepal like the Annapurna, Langtang and Everest areas. This means that you will have less access to the Internet, cell data, or even showers. Be prepared by bringing baby wipes for washing your face and body in the evenings, as well as downloading any music, podcasts, books, or TV shows that you want for the evenings. It may also be nice to bring a book to read or cards for when you arrive. You will not find many other trekkers, so this is a trek better done in a group if you’re a social person.

You should also bring shoes that have waterproofing, or at least gaiters, for when you cross the Kang La pass, micro spikes for the snow, polarized glasses with side shields for when you’re up in the peaks, as well as multiple layers and windproof clothing. It gets quite windy in the afternoons. Alongside these, you may also want to bring poles, as these can be helpful on the steep ascent and descent of the Kang La pass and the loose rocks that make up the trail throughout the route. We were glad to have two different down jackets with us, one that we could wear while we hiked and one that stayed fresh for the evenings. It was also great to have a thermal set to sleep in and a thermal liner or sleeping bag for the night.

The teahouses provide pillows and blankets, but they are not washed throughout the season. If you are unsure of whether you should bring a sleeping bag liner or a sleeping bag, assess if you sleep cold or warm. If you tend to sleep cold, bring a sleeping bag, as there is almost no insulation in the rooms, and it drops below freezing at night. Additionally, it’s recommended that you bring a battery pack for charging your devices, as there isn’t always the option to charge at your teahouse. And finally, bringing a pack of wet wipes and some lotion will be very welcome, as there are no showers on the trek.

It is up to you if you choose to hire a porter for the trek. Since it is shorter, you won’t need to bring much with you other than your clothes. We managed without a porter, although we packed very light. If you are concerned about carrying your clothing, you can hire a porter through the same company where you hire your guide.

Altitude sickness

Be aware of altitude sickness. The trek is above 3500 meters for the most part, and at the highest resting point, you are sleeping in Nar at 4300 meters. It’s common to have headaches, feel nauseous, or have difficulty sleeping as you get higher up. If you feel any of these symptoms, you should make sure you take Diamox, Paracetamol, and/or go down based on the recommendations of your guide. Be sure to tell the people around you of any symptoms you feel, even if they seem minor. Altitude sickness can impact judgment and should be assessed by your team. Your health is the most important consideration of your trek.

The Nar Phu Valley trekking is a difficult to strenuous trail that should only be attempted by people who are familiar and experienced in high-altitude trekking. While the paths along the trail are well-maintained and wide, hiking at such high elevations throughout the entirety of the trail means that altitude sickness is a real possibility and should be approached with caution. Because the trek starts at 2600 meters in Koto, it is important to acclimatize before beginning the trek to Meta, where you will sleep at 3560 meters. Additionally, the Nar Phu Valley is a very remote area with almost no cell reception or wifi throughout the week you will be there. Thus, you should be comfortable assessing and making difficult decisions if an emergency arises.