• Duration12 Days / 11 Nights
  • Price from$949 / person
  • Difficulty LevelMedium Hard
  • Max Altitude4515 Meter

The Numbur Cheese Circuit is a new trek in the Ramechhap District of Nepal. The starting point of the trek is Shivalaya, also the start of Everest Base Camp trek for those who don't fly to Lukla. This route has a recommended itinerary of 14 days trekking, although at a push it can be completed in up to 10 days by combining some of the shorter days. It can also be extended several days for those who wish to visit some of the nearby glaciers, peaks or lakes. A rest day on the trek is also a good idea. The trek can offer visitors superb views of major Himalayan peaks including Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Gaurishankar and Numburchuili and many more. Walk through deep river gorges, glacial lakes, terraced rice fields, subtropical forests and Sherpa villages to the the Lhiku Khola glacier, watched over by the towering peaks of Pathibarra and Numburchuili. Visit one of Nepal’s first cheese factories, established in 1957 and the famous Thodung Monastery on the way.

Landscape & scenery 

In April and May rhododendrons bloom in profusion, you may also see eagles and musk deer as well as Himalayan tahr, a species of goat antelope. If you are lucky you can catch a glimpse of the elusive snow leopard. During the wet season the mountain meadows are very green and lush with flowers and grasses. However trekking at this time is difficult in the wet and clouds will obscure any views.

Getting There

Shivalaya and Those are the start and finish points of the Numbur Cheese Circuit and are 8-9 hrs drive from Kathmandu. Seasonal Super express bus service goes to/from Kathmandu's Old Bus Park, near the Nepal Tourism Board (6 to 7am Daily). Kathmandu to Jiri/Shivalaya takes 6-8 hours. The winding road is very well paved with fine mountain views. The route follows the Arniko Highway towards Tibet before turning right over the Sun Koshi at Lamosangu for the climb on the Swiss built Lamosangu-Jiri Road, the "gateway to the Solu Khumbu", through Sindupalchowk, Dolahka Districts to Ramechhap. Buses make a lunch stop after 4 hours at Mude Bazaar, famous for the largest potatoes in Nepal. Please note that during the monsoon season (June to mid-September) the road is usually closed to Shivalaya, so it is necessary to walk from Jiri to Shivalya - adding an extra day to the trek. The buses will also not run as far at Those (the end point) so it is necessary to return to Jiri.

Sleep

The villages of Jiri, Shivalaya, Deurali, Bamti-Bhandar and Gumdel are well-served with trekking lodges,toilets and hot (bucket) showers. In Kharare, Lahaksewar and Kyam accommodation is in an actual home or 'Community-run home stay', so the cross-cultural exchange is more authentic. Although part of the trek is in uninhabited areas, Community-run home stays operate during the trekking season so it's quite suitable for independent trekkers. The area above Khahare to Lahaksewar is uninhabited so camping is the only option at Panipakha, Phokte, Maanedanda, Jatapokhari, Panch pokhari, Thare, and Ngeju. There are some basic stone and timber shelters at the camp sites except for Panch Pokhari. It is possible to sleep in the shelters, however some are open on one side and the roofs are not entirely waterproof. Hence, we; Wilderness Excursion operates only fully supported camping to Numbur Cheese Circuit.

Stay safe 

This trek is challenging and should be considered as "demanding" and only suitable for trekkers with a good level of fitness and some trekking experience. The trail route is through a remote wilderness area. Though the trail is quite easily found a guide and porter is strongly recommended. It can be easy to get confused by the multiple paths between villages. The trekking route requires some fairly dramatic gains in altitude. Be aware of the risks of altitude sickness AMS (acute mountain sickness) and allow sufficient time to acclimatize yourself. It is possible to trek from Khare - Panipakha in one day, and then from Panipakha to Jata Pokhari on the next day, however this involves a gain in altitude of 2200 in two days which may cause issues for some people. If you plan to continue along the Everest trail, the 'Numbur Cheese Circuit' provides excellent options for acclimatization.

Get out

From Shivalaya there is a bus in the morning to Kathmandu where there is an actual concrete road all the way. The way before Jiri can get very muddy and during the monsoon the bus won't get to Shiralaya, sometimes there are jeeps between some cities. Ask the information center in Shiralaya or the locals for your time period.

Permits

A Gaurishankar conservation area entry permit is required and costs 2000 Nepal rupees and TIMS Card (Trekkers Information Management System) U$ 20 is necessary.

Itinerary

Expand all +Collapse all -

The drive will take around eight hours. Early in the morning, after break, from the hotel, we will go on a scenic drive to Shivalaya. Along the ride, you can relish the beautiful view of hills, villages and snow capped mountains. Shivalaya is the entrance to the Numbur Cheese Circuit, which is located alongside the picturesque Khimti River. Overnight in tented camp/lodge.

    The trail today moves ahead from Shivalaya to Khahare rising and falling all along the valley side via terraced pastures and falls to go across the river and then turns steeply up the cliff on the other part. Khahare is a tiny settlement resided only in winters by the house owners while during the summer they move to livestock pastures which borders Tibet. Home stay at Khahare for spending night.

      Today, the trail moves onward from Shivalaya to Khahare, escalating and dwindling all along the valley side. You will be able to enjoy the view of terraced pastures and falls to go through the river, and then turns sharply up the cliff on the other part. Khahare is a small village populated only in winter, by residents of higher altitude, who move up with their cattle in the summer. We will make lunch break. After lunch, we will travel to Panipakakha, first campsite of our trek, from Shivalaya. It is a temperately plain camping area midst the scattered Chauri sheds and the lofty alpines. We will spend the rest of the evening exploring this beautiful place, observe the dazzling sunset in the mountains and take photographs. Restful night will be spent in one of the tented accommodation. Overnight at tented camp. 

        Today the track goes through a tiny Sherpa settlement called Phokte. The path mounts through the majestic rhododendron forests to the summertime fields of Maanedanda. We will fix our tent at Maanedanda, which has a rudimentary cookery shelter and space for shelter tents. On a clear day, the view from here is truly splendid. Overnight at tented camp. 

          We will hike for about 5 hours, today on a detailed track to reach Panch Pokhari. Etymologically, Panch Pokhari means five lakes. There are five lakes here, considered to be very holy at the height of 4200m. We can here visit the religiously important temple of lord Shiva guarded by the sharp iron tridents.The trail now ascents to Jata Pokhari. Along the high altitude, we walk across the high pastures to meagerforest of Sunpati, arare mountain herb. Right before we reach Jata Pokhari, we will come across a beautiful waterfall where we can play with the fresh mountain water. Located in the lap of Mt. Numburchuli, Lake Jata Pokhari is a famous pilgrimage in Ramechhap. On months of June and July, on full moon days, hundreds of Hindu believers come to worship the lord Shiva. The path nowmovessome more and after a brisk walk we will reach Panch Pokhari. Overnight at tented camp. 

            Today, we will cross the pass at height of 4600m and move downhill to reach Thare. On our way, we will walk through Khola Kharka and hike further downward to Nupche River passing overdense bamboo woods. You can have some fresh and yummy cheese here and observe the cheese making process in this part of the world. We can rest in the green pasture on the bank of the Nupche River before heading to our eco-camping spot for the night. Overnight at tented camp. 

              Today we will hike from Thare to Linkhu Khola valley. The hike is a bit challenging but extremely rewarding. You can enjoy the view of the beautiful hills and mountains, dwindling rivers. The views of himalayansmagnify from north into Tibet as we go through the Gyajo La, also known as Thulo Lapcha at 4880m, a path normally used by native Sherpas to get yaks through the peaks to Rakhidanda and Ngeju. We will now continue our trek further down from the Likhu glacier and vastdebris. The trek downhill from the Likhu glacier will lead us to Ngeju (3,690m). Overnight at tented camp. 

                In this day, we head off from Ngeju to Lahaksewar, also known as Sewar, which is one of the most remarkable Sherpa community of the upper Ramechap area. You will be welcomed by the implausible scenes, and warm hospitality of the Sherpa people. The Sewar people here still live in harmony with age-old culture and tradition, which will be very eccentric and mystical to us. Overnight at tented camp/Home-Stay. 

                  We will now move forward from Lahaksewar uphill to Kyama. On our way, we slope down across the thick jungles of Kyama. The journey offers us majestic views of Numburchuli and Pathibhara. Leaving the shiny Numburchuli in the background, we will now bid goodbye to the mountains as we depart from Kyama to reach home stay at Gumdel. Here, you’ll be able to be part of unique Sherpa culture in the midst of mountainous valleys. Overnight at tented camp/Home-Stay.

                    From Gumdel we will move forward crossing the thick and beautiful forest to arrive at Serding. One can enjoy the beautiful scenery of sub-alpine and temperate forest with the Gauri Shanker and Numburchuli in the background. We can relish on some yak cheese here as well and go through the process of making it. Overnight at tented camp/Home-Stay. 

                      Today we will leave Serding for Lapchane via Thotung. We will visit Thodung Monastery on our way back. We will further move downhill to Deurali from where we can see the breathtaking view of the Gauri Shankar Mountain. On reaching Lapchane, We will Homestay at a local Newari house where you will be able to be a part of the renowned Newari culture. We can go for a brisk from hike to Tamdanda, which is 30 minutes away from Lapchane. It is famous as the tallest hill in Ramechhap. From the hill you can observe colossal Dhaulagiri, Gauri Shanker, Annapurna, Numbur, Kanchenjunga and more. Overnight at tented camp/Home-Stay.

                        In this day we will trek to Those where we will spend a peaceful evening, resting or exploring the wilderness once again. We will bid goodbye to this wonderful trek and prepare for a long drive to Kathmandu for next day. Overnight at tented camp/Home-Stay. 

                          We drive back to Kathmandu, we will leave for Kathmandu early. It will take around 8-9 hours. Once again, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful view of villages, hills and mountains, dwindling rivers on your way back. A private land cruiser jeep can be arranged if you would like to. Overnight in Hotel. 

                            Customized Trip

                            What's Included

                            • A registered local Numbur Himal Trekking Guide.
                            • 1 Sharing porter between two trekkers (weight limit 25kg).
                            • Meals: 12 Breakfasts, 13 Lunches and 12 Dinners during the trek.
                            • Tea, coffee, cookies and fresh fruits during the trekking.
                            • Basic camping and home stay accommodation during the trip.
                            • Public bus transportation to and from the trekking.
                            • Guide and porters fee with all their expenses
                            • GCAP Permit and TIMS Card (Trekker's Information System).
                            • Local taxes and charges.

                            What's Excluded

                            • Accommodation, meals and transfers in Kathmandu 
                            • Bar bills, beverages such as coke, fanta, mineral water.
                            • Guided sightseeing in Kathmandu (we can arrange in your request).
                            • Personal travel insurance, internet, phone calls.
                            • Rescue operation charge in case of emergency.
                            • Gratitude and tips for your guide and porter.

                            Availabilities

                            Wilderness Excursion (P) Ltd is a local tour operator so we guaranty small private groups departures any dates that suits your date and time.

                            Useful Information

                            Take only memories and leave only the footprints behind you when you leave - This concept of sustainable tourism is based on the premise that destinations should remain unspoiled for future generations. Namaste!