We’ve pencilled in the dates and destination for my third trek planned for 2018. I think I can just about eke out my LW vacation days to cover it… Details of the other two trips will materialise once they firm up.
Destination: Manaslu & Tsum, Nepal.
When: November 2018.
What: The Manaslu Circuit with Val, Steffi and Charles. Our 2nd attempt. With a week in and around the Tsum Valley en route.
How: With Val Pitkethly and Sirdar Chhiring, who else?!
We’re allowing three and a half four weeks to complete the Manaslu Circuit (excellent map) anticlockwise around the mighty Manaslu (मनास्लु) – the eighth highest mountain in the world (8163 m / 26781 ft) – and including a rest day in KTM at the start to get through the jetlag and to allow for more thoughtful repacking than we’ve managed previously! Once we’re in the we’re in the Manaslu Conservation Area we are going to spend a week in the Tsum Valley before backtracking a little to rejoin the Manaslu Circuit at Gampul.
Why: Same reasons as last time – primarily more high altitude trekking in the Himalaya, plus some “Val specials” in an area where Light Education Development (LED) funds have provided school and medical supplies for many years – plus it means I’ll cover one more one more section of the GHT….
Itinerary: Who knows – it’s Val! January Update: Val was back in the UK as usual over Christmas and the New Year, which provided a perfect opportunity to flesh out some of the detail of this year’s big trek. Read Manaslu & Tsum: Update for details.